In truth, I was broken. This world… well, now that world, isn't easy. Work, money, work, money. It was the same cycle. I was fed up with it but kept going. I wasn't brave enough to stand up for myself. I was nobody in a low society with my low-paying job.

But then it all came crashing down. The higher-ups… they didn't want me anymore. I became nothing to them. I lost my job—the only thing that kept me sane in that insane world.

Still, I held on. I was afraid to let go, afraid to fall even further. Even when reality hit me hard, even when the world I had built for myself crumbled before my eyes, even when I had no idea what to do anymore…

I kept holding on.

But when a homeless man asked me where the Philosopher's Stone was, that was my last straw. I knew what I had to do. I had to let go—I had nothing left to hold onto. That same homeless man became my very first victim. He bled and bled, screamed and screamed, but I was lost in a joy I had never felt before.

"Ugh, sir, I'm homeless. It's been a long time since I even talked to someone. I don’t know what you're saying."

"......"

Under the bright moon and stars, in a rundown alley, a homeless man lay on the ground. In front of him, crouching, was a handsome young man dressed in luxurious clothes.

"So you people don’t know why I'm here… why I'm in this… this video game I played for fun as some mediocre villain. Is it not your people's curse that I've ended up here?"

The homeless man shook his head in utter confusion.

The young man sighed in disappointment. A moment of silence passed between them before the homeless man spoke again.

"Sir…"

"Do you realize that by denying it, you lose the tiny bit of value I had for you? And now… you know a secret that no one should have known."

As the young man interrupted, he and the homeless man locked eyes, staring at each other in tense silence.

"Please, Lord, I won't tell a soul," the homeless man begged at the young man's feet, but all he met were cold, unfeeling eyes.

"Why do you have to be useless? It's your fault," the young man said, kicking the homeless man away, tears streaming down his face. He then looked at the man helplessly.

In the young man's world, a fiery wave erupted from the earth, and through the crimson flames, two fierce wolves emerged, lunging at the homeless man. They tore into him despite his horrifying pleadings and screams.

The young man pulled his hood back over his head and blended into the darkness of the alley, silently moving toward the carriage waiting for him on the road. As he walked, he looked up at the cloudless sky. The stars shone like jewels, and a cluster of colorful layers painted the galaxy like a mystical work of art.

"God, it's all directing at you now. I don't know why, but I have this feeling that you're asking something of me. Back on Earth, I had… something like a realization. And just after that, you put me in this villain's body, one destined to die by the hero's hand. By doing that, are you expecting me to be better? …Well… fine then. If you want a better villain, then let me be the villain you want."

. . . . . . . . . .

'Mordred Vorthian Arclore' was my name… or rather, the name I accepted.

I was originally a salaryman living an ordinary life. But when life got tough, with a poof, I ended up here without a clue.

This world is not unfamiliar to me. It is the world from a video game I used to play when I was younger. Destiny Quest—a game that lets the player choose a character and experience the story through their eyes.

There were many characters in the game. Some were villains, and many were heroes. Unfortunately, I am not a hero destined for a good life. In the end, I am a villain—a mere stepping stone for the hero.

But thankfully, in this life, I am not like I was before. I have money… and power.

A burst of red fire erupted from the earth, and from within the flames, two fierce wolves were born. They stepped forward, circling Mordred, who stood gazing out the window.

And that’s not all—I even have the Item Storage with all the equipment I had when I played the game. With all these advantages, I think I can surpass the original Mordred. After all, there must be a reason why I’m here, and I believe this is my purpose.

Tap! Tap!

Someone knocked on the door to his room.

"Come in," Mordred responded.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

As the door opened, a beautiful young woman stepped inside. Dressed in a maid's uniform, she lowered her head respectfully.

"Master, there has been an accident in one of our factories."

Upon hearing this, Mordred fell silent.

"What are the casualties?"

"Goods have been exposed, and a few civilians lost their lives. All assets are under guard, and I believe they are trying to find the source. If you give the order, Nigun and I can silence them," the maid answered.

"Unnecessary. Instead, find out who those civilians are and their backgrounds."

The maid momentarily became confused by her master's words.

"But Master, I don't believe there's any point in looking into them. What’s more important is silencing the guards."

"I believe there is. And I want you to obey my order," Mordred's voice was loud and domineering, instantly silencing the maid.

"Y-Yes, Master," Obeying his command, the maid left the room.

As he watched her leave, Mordred turned back to the window, gazing at the night sky.

"After all, those bound by laws are like bees—it only takes a tiny bit of honey to get what I want."

Gazing at the bright moon, Mordred whispered to himself like a chant...

"A man should do what he believes..."

. . . . . . . . .

In Destiny Quest, the player can choose to be either a hero or a villain. While a hero’s story leads to a better ending, a villain’s fate is either death or imprisonment for their crimes.

But since I'm here now, I refuse to accept either outcome.

With my words, a digitalized panel appeared before my eyes—just like the in-game status screen. Only I could see it. Even if I opened it in front of others, they seemed unable to perceive it.

Name: Mordred Vorthian Arclore

Titles: Second Son of the Arclore Noble Family. Owner of the Underworld Spirit-Human Research Lab. Traitor of Ancient Spirits.

Class: Spirit Warrior

Traits: Dignity of a Villain?, Synchronization, Appraisal

Contracted Spirit: Hellhound (2)

Special Catalogue: Item Storage 48/50

In Destiny Quest, there are only a few main classes a player can begin with. However, within those few classes, there are thousands of sub-classes to choose from. Its one of the game's main selling points. However, Even if two players select the same class for their heroes, their power levels can still vary drastically.

What determines this difference is the Special Catalogue—a unique ability possessed by each character. Every hero and villain in the game has a catalogue exclusive to them. Mordred’s original catalogue was tied to his class, allowing him to form deeper bonds with creatures. However, due to my intervention, it has changed into one of his traits.

Now, his Special Catalogue has been altered to Item Storage—a feature that allows a player to store up to fifty items of their choosing while playing the game with any champion. It functions as a kind of memorial storage, where players can preserve and admire their favorite items.

In the original game concept, Mordred is the second son of one of the most prestigious family in the Caldorath Kingdom. On the surface, he appears to be nothing more than a spoiled noble child, but in the shadows, he is a drug lord conducting cruel experiments on humans.

Most of the heroes in the story target Mordred because of this. If I were to sever my ties with the underworld now, some of them might not even know I exist.

But it’s too tempting. The experiments Mordred is conducting are something unheard of—something revolutionary. By using his class to summon spirit beings into this world, he extracts their blood and other parts for experimentation, creating something entirely new.

In the game, this concept was never fully explained to the player, but in Mordred’s memories, there is a wealth of information about what is actually going on.

And after all, my goal is to be a better villain, not to abandon villainy altogether. 

"Since this is too important to give up, I need to eliminate any disturbances that stand in my way."

Although the Item Catalogue itself is useless, the items stored within it are invaluable in countless ways. Summoning the digitalized panel, I clicked on Item Storage, and a list of items appeared before my eyes.

Among them, I chose a token with a giant blue gem at its center.

"Knight of Remiar, come forth to prove your worth once again."

The gem on the token shone brightly, casting a thick blue smoke across the surroundings.

Whoosh!

Through the mist, a giant sword swung, scattering the smoke and revealing the figure of a heavily armored knight. He walked forward with heavy steps toward Mordred. The two hellhounds beside him growled, taking defensive positions in front of their master. However, when the knight thrust his sword into the ground and knelt, the hellhounds quieted down.

"What do you require of me?" he asked.

"First, I need to know—do you still obey me?"

"Mordred, this is not a contract; it is a promise my original body made to you. You once saved him, and in return, he gave you his avatar. I will obey your every command, as my true self declared."

Well, that’s some lore I didn’t ask for. Also, you’re just an exchange item from a limited-time store.

"Very well then. Do you still have your shadow assassins following you?" Mordred asked, wanting to confirm whether the mechanics he remembered from the game were still valid.

The knight nodded, and in the next second, his shadow split into two. From within, two dark assassins emerged.

"I want you two to follow Vanessa and Nigun. See if they carry out their tasks perfectly."

With the Synchronization effect active, Mordred could send information about Vanessa and Nigun directly into the Knight of Remiar’s mind, who then relayed it to the two shadow assassins.

Whoosh!

The shadow assassins vanished from the room, blending seamlessly into the darkness. With that done, Mordred recalled the Knight of Remiar back into the pendant.

"First rule of being a villain—never trust others too much."

Since I don’t have any contracted creatures for gathering information, this is the only way to spy on them. Besides, the task they’re handling is rather important. After all, I believe it’s connected to one of the heroes destined to defeat me.

. . . . . . .

Uh!

In a peaceful sanctuary, a young girl praying to her beloved god suddenly opened her eyes in distress.

"Saintess, what’s wrong?" The people around her looked at her with concern.

"Something is wrong. I feel uneasy."

Stopping her prayer, she stood up and walked away, followed closely by her attendant nuns.

She made her way to the training grounds, where the sanctuary knights were practicing. There, she spotted a knight instructing others in their drills.

"Sir Ardentis."

"Saintess, it is an honor to see you, but what brings you to a place like this?" The knight quickly bowed to her respectfully.

"I apologize if I am disturbing you, but I need you to check on the holy knight candidates we selected—the ones who still haven't been invited and are living with their families. If possible, gather them."

"Your Highness, is there a problem?" The knight looked a bit perplexed by the sudden request.

"Not at the moment, but I have this feeling... it's like something dark and ominous is pulling the strings of light away from us."