Chapter 15 – The Villain's Welcome
Jalen woke up the next morning feeling like he'd slept inside a generator.
Every muscle hummed. Every breath came easy.
For the first time in his life, he didn't ache anywhere.
System Online.
Villain Host Vitality: 300% Normal.
Emotion calibration: Neutral.
He blinked hard. "Still here?"
The voice purred, low and electric:
Always, Jalen. You are chosen. Humanity limited you. We will expand you.
He looked around his tiny one-room apartment — clothes piled, ramen cups stacked, bills taped to the fridge. "You picked the wrong guy, man. I can't even expand my credit limit."
Humor acknowledged. Humor unnecessary.
He laughed despite himself, rubbing his arms. The veins under his skin were darker, faintly metallic. When he flexed his hand, the doorknob across the room twisted.
He stared. "That's… new."
He spent the day testing it — lifting weights until they bent, jumping rooftops he shouldn't have reached, even stopping a speeding bike with one hand just to see if he could.
It felt amazing.
Like being the main character for once.
But that night, the voice returned.
Quest Available: Eliminate threat vector—Target: Local Host anomaly. Reward: Class Evolution.
"Host anomaly?" Jalen frowned. "Who's that?"
A glowing map appeared, tracing across the city.
A red dot pulsed on East Haven.
He squinted.
That was near where Tim lived.
"Nah," he said quickly. "You got it wrong. My boy's not a threat."
Resistance detected.
Obedience module activating.
Pain knifed through his skull. He dropped to his knees, clutching his head. The room flickered between colors, the walls breathing like something alive.
"Stop!" he yelled. "Stop it!"
We grant you purpose, Jalen Price. You will obey or dissolve.
The voice wasn't loud — it was absolute.
When the pain eased, he was shaking. His phone buzzed with a new notification:
Quest timer active – 24 hours remaining.
He stared at the screen, then threw it across the room.
It didn't break. The System wouldn't let it.
He sat in the dark, whispering to himself.
"Tim, what the hell did you get mixed up in, man?"
Outside his window, the sky shimmered faint red.
And far above, the Weg satellites shifted into formation.