[Jackson Newman (NPC) has been slain.]
[+3 INFAMY]
Happy tilted the muzzle of his glock upwards, blowing away the smoke with an apathetic expression on his face. As the soot began to fade away, he looked down at the corpse, silently hoping that it would disintegrate into dust like blood in the tutorial world. Unfortunately, it did not. The villain frowned and rolled up his sleeves; cleaning up afterwards was always the worst part.
He sighed as he dragged Jackson across the concrete parking lot, the lifeless body releasing a sickening crunch each time it rolled over a pothole. Arriving at the dumpster behind the deli, he hoisted the corpse with a grunt and tossed it in. The garbage bags underneath squished as they released a disgusting combination of liquids. Flies began to swarm as well, drawn to the fresh flesh like a morbid banquet.
Wiping his hands on his pants, Happy made his way back to the deli. Behind him, Jackson's body lay forgotten, its remaining eye in the process of being devoured by insects. Unknown to anyone else, a shadow in the corner of the alley smiled.
Ascending to the second floor once more, the villain seated himself in a empty folding chair and leaned forward, interlocking his fingers together.
"Alright, I'm back. Any questions before we proceed with the plan?"
"Er... that's Jackson's seat," a gangly man with watery blue eyes commented nervously.
Happy tilted back in his chair, propping his shoes onto the plastic table.
"I talked with Jackson while I was out smoking, he was real mad. He's probably not coming back, so don't count on it."
"Ah, okay..."
A burly NPC next to Joe crossed his arms as he raised his voice.
"When are we hitting the bank?"
Happy's eyes glinted humorously as he held up three fingers on his right hand.
----------------------------------------
Three days later, Happy stood poised outside the deli's entrance, his team of NPCs lined up before him like pieces on a chess board. Having meticulously assessed their stats, he was now assigning them their roles.
First was the wheelman, entrusted with the crucial task of executing the getaway. This responsibility fell upon the stout, orange-haired man who had an above average perception stat and a skill related to driving. This marked him as the ideal candidate to navigate the winding city streets on the spot.
Next, the lookout. They were to alert him of any approaching police or meddling heroes. Even though Happy already had a plan in place to keep most of them distracted, it was better to be safe than sorry. This job was bestowed upon the tall, blue-eyed individual.
Lastly, Joe and the muscular man would accompany Happy into the bank, their presence serving as both intimidation and potential meat shields should the plan fall apart.
With a decisive clap, Happy garnered the attention of his assembled crew.
"Is everyone prepared?" he questioned. The villain was met with nods tinged with varying degrees of fear. Joe appeared especially terrified, his legs shaking wildly in fright.
The stout man settled into the driver seat while Happy climbed into the front chair next to him. The remaining crew members filed into the back of the white van, the words 'Joe's Deli' scrawled onto the side.
The drive was relatively uneventful until they reached a new area of the city. What seemed like an almost endless amount of NPCs covered the sidewalks and streets. They were all extremely thin and malnourished, missing teeth and pockmarks decorating their faces. Their eyes were red and veiny, the hair on their heads in patches.
Happy leaned forward in his seat with a curious look on his face.
"What's up with all the druggies?"
The driver cleared his throat as he slowed down the vehicle.
"Ah, we're in Ketamina's territory right now."
Happy turned to face the man, one of his eyebrows raised.
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
"You mean ketamine?"
"No uh... Ketamina. She's one of the five S class villains in Star City, her ability is making drugs with special effects."
Happy rested his head on his palm, storing away the information for later use.
Ketamina, huh? She sounds useful.
As they continued the drive, a couple of addicts that were rotting on the road were crushed underneath the wheels of the van.
Eventually, the group arrived in front of a small bank nestled between two apartment buildings. With a excited grin, Happy surveyed the surroundings, his eyes lingering on the architecture and polished facade of the bank, the classic red bricks contrasting with the tall marble columns elegantly. The sign above the door proudly displayed the name 'Bank of Hope'.
How ironic.
Stretching his arms above his head, Happy took a deep breath and checked himself one last time. On the outside, he wore a luxurious black suit that snugged his lean frame. Unseen to the natural eye, kevlar was stitched underneath the fabric, providing some extra protection.
He flexed his fingers, the white leather gloves feeling comfortable against his skin. The knuckle areas hid bits of metal underneath, hopefully allowing Happy to pack more of a punch than his F strength stat allowed him to. Looking around, he noted that the blue eyed man was in place on a distant rooftop while the driver and his van were hidden away in a close alleyway on the right.
With a final stretch to loosen his muscles, Happy straightened his posture and adjusted his tie. He tapped the earbud in his right ear once, turning it on.
"Let's go."
As the villain approached the bank, two thugs followed behind him with duffel bags in their arms, the automatic glass doors sliding open at their presence. Reaching into his coat pocket, Happy pulled out a detonator.
Question: How do you hide a robbery?
Answer: In a mountain of corpses.
Flipping the safety off, he pressed the big red button, a sinister grin twisting his face.
BOOM
In the distance, hundreds of explosions could be heard. The rumble of collapsing buildings followed. This was the fruit of his preparations.
[Ethan Rodriguez (NPC) has been slain.]
[Olivia Chang (NPC) has been slain.]
[Lucas Patel (NPC) has been slain.]
[Ava Smith (NPC) has been slain.]
[Harper Williams (NPC) has been slain.]
[+173 NPCS have been slain.]
[+573 INFAMY]
[CONGRATULATIONS! YOUR VILLAIN RANK HAS LEVELLED UP TO (D)]
[YOU HAVE RECEIVED (2) COMPLIMENTARY REWARDS]
In the past three days, Happy had planted thirty pipe bombs around ten different apartment buildings filled with citizens across downtown. By using a connection Joe had, he had made a new friend, a self proclaimed inventor who sold him the bombs.
If his predictions were correct, almost all the heroes and cops in downtown Star City were on their way towards the scene of crime. There would be no one left to interrupt the heist.
Happy swiped the notifications away and took out a ski mask. Pulling it over his face, all that could be seen were two dead eyes with not a single hint of remorse.
The moment he saw the billboard of the hero Star Savior, he realized what needed to be done in order to escape the game.
He had to become an SSS class villain.
He would be so infamous that the developers would have no choice but to answer his questions.
But there was still a long road ahead of him.
And on this bleak path, violence is necessary.
Inside the bank was total chaos, which contrasted greatly to the design of the interior. NPCs were either cowering near the walls in fear, or running around like headless chickens. The citizens were so panicked they didn't even notice the arrival of the intruders.
Happy took a moment to scan the environment. Polished marble floors shined in the bright lighting while sleek counters lined the walls on the farthest side of the building. The tellers who were supposed to be manning said counters were in a similar state to the rest of the NPCs. Tilting his masked head left, he spotted the security guard. His face was incredibly red and he was shouting at his phone.
"MARY? ARE YOU THERE? MARY WHAT HAP-"
BAM
Happy pulled the trigger, landing the shot right between his eyes. The guard fell backwards and collapsed onto the ground.
THUD
Down he goes.
The muscular man and Joe began to shoot at the ceiling with their pistols, causing the crowd of NPCs to go crazy.
"DON'T MOVE OR ELSE WE'LL SHOOT," hollered the burly man.
Meanwhile, Happy strode confidently toward the center of the bank, his ski mask casting his features into shadow. His eyes glinted with a chilling resolve as he surveyed the scene before him.
"Everyone stay calm and no one gets hurt," he announced, his voice low and commanding. The air was thick with tension as the bank's occupants realized the gravity of the situation.
Behind Happy, his crew worked quickly and tied the hostages up with cable ties. Then, they shoved them into a corner where they could be easily monitored. The villain slowly walked towards one of the counters, two duffel bags slung on each shoulder.
"Fill em' up." Happy ordered one of the tellers, tossing the two bags onto the ground.
The frightened NPC nodded in terror, her eyes were wet with tears.
The man turned around and looked at the hostages.
Actually, do we even need them? Now that I think about it...they're just free infamy.
Just as Happy was about to command Joe to execute all the civilians, a message crackled in his ear.
"B-BOSS THERE'S A-"
[Noah Adams (NPC) has been incapacitated.]
[Noah Adams (NPC) has been captured.]
Isn't that our lookout..?
A wave of horror washed over the villain.
"WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!" Happy yelled as he grabbed one of the filled bags of cash. As he turned to run, another notification popped into view.
[Thomas Walsh (NPC) has been incapacitated.]
[Thomas Walsh (NPC) has been captured.]
The man gritted his teeth and sprinted towards the entrance, but it was too late.
BOOM
The ceiling above him smashed open as a caped figure descended from the heavens.
[ENCOUNTER: VILLAIN CONSTANTINE (D) VERSUS HERO RADIANCE (C)!]