What was so terrible about playing the villain? Why did transmigrators always insisted on roles of tedious, suffocating sainthood?
In the stories he had read, villains were consigned to a grim cycle; they never seemed to meet a good end, their fates written in ash and dust.
'This system...' Ye Yun mused, a bitter taste rising in his throat. 'Does it want me to die?' The thought was a lead weight in his stomach.
"System," he said, his voice a low murmur, "are you absolutely certain... your name is the Great Villain System?" He needed to hear the confirmation one last time, a foolish hope warring with his rising dread.
"..."
The silence stretched for a beat before the mechanical voice returned, devoid of any comfort.
[Master, the full designation of this entity is the Great Villain System. Its primary function is to assist its master in becoming a ruthless, unscrupulous, and truly great villain.]
[Along your path, Master, you will encounter a number of so-called 'Children of Fortune'—men and women chosen by destiny. The system will provide the framework for you to seize their fortune for yourself.]
[Since the heavens have decreed that you are to be their stepping stone, you shall defy the heavens. You will crush these favored ones, and instead, you will make them your own stepping stones.]
[By suppressing these Children of Fortune and diminishing their destiny, Master will accrue Villain Points.]
[Villain Points may be exchanged directly for Destiny Points or utilized within the system for lottery draws, which contain items from countless myriad worlds. Points may also be exchanged directly for cultivation breakthroughs.]
[When the destiny of a Child of Fortune is reduced to a critical threshold, Master may choose to eliminate them, thereby obtaining a Villain Treasure Chest.]
[Within these chests lie treasures from a million different worlds; there is nothing they do not contain. Once Master accumulates a specific amount of Villain Points, the Great Villain System will undergo an upgrade.]
It was a system named the Great Villain System, and it operated exactly as such; it demanded the plundering of fate and, if necessary, the slaughter of those blessed by heaven.
It was certainly committed to its purpose, putting in a great effort to ensure he became a villain of the highest order.
Ye Yun felt a cold certainty settle in his bones; he had no real choice in the matter.
The original soul of this body, buoyed by his high status, had already committed a litany of atrocities. He had been a consummate villain from the very beginning. Even if he achieved great things, he would inevitably be crushed beneath the feet of this world's true heroes.
Having been granted a second life, Ye Yun had no intention of becoming anyone's stepping stone.
If destiny had cast him as a villain, then he would become the greatest villain who had ever lived—the supreme, final evil.
He would trample those blessed by fate and grind them into the pavement beneath his own feet.
At that moment, something in Ye Yun's soul hardened. He had been thrown into this world and given this role, and he would embrace it completely.
There was nothing wrong with being a villain. With his formidable family background and the backing of the Great Villain System, there was no way he would fall behind a bunch of lucky, self-righteous heroes.
He could do whatever he wanted. It was a freedom far more intoxicating than being a protagonist, shackled by morality and the whims of fate.
Having resigned himself to this new identity, a flicker of excitement cut through his anxiety. He remembered something else.
Typically, when a system was activated, there was a starter gift.
"System," he asked, a hint of eagerness in his voice, "do you have a beginner's gift package or something similar? Isn't that standard procedure?"
A flicker of what might have been surprise—or perhaps its synthetic equivalent—tinged the system's voice as it responded.
[There is indeed a starter gift package awaiting Master within the system space; you may collect it at your earliest convenience.]
Instantly, a clear set of instructions on how to access and utilize the system space bloomed in Ye Yun's mind, a mental blueprint as natural as breathing.
The moment he focused his consciousness on the system space, his perspective shifted; he was standing in a void-like area, a private dimension visible only to him, where everything was laid out with stark, digital clarity.
Impatiently, Ye Yun commanded the system.
"Open the beginner's gift package!"
As the command was registered, a brilliant light flashed behind his eyes, so intense it made him flinch.
The gift package within his mental space erupted in a cascade of golden rays, which was immediately followed by a surge of thick, cloying black miasma that snuffed out the light.
The miasma exuded a deeply ominous aura, and a sudden, primal chill of dread trickled down Ye Yun's spine.
Then, from the heart of the darkness, a pair of ink-black eyes appeared, staring directly into his own. Ye Yun slammed his mental eyes shut in alarm, his heart leaping into his throat.
In that same instant, the system's flat tone echoed in his mind.
[The beginner's gift package has been successfully opened. Congratulations, Master, on obtaining the Supreme Demon Eyes, the Primordial Demon Scripture, and 2,000 Villain Points.]
The dark eyes he had glimpsed were, evidently, the Supreme Demon Eyes. They certainly lived up to the "Supreme" part of their name; a single glance had been enough to send a jolt of pure terror through him.
As for the other reward, Ye Yun was momentarily speechless: the Primordial Demon Scripture.
This was just perfect. Both rewards were inextricably tied to the demonic path.
He wasn't sure if his luck was exceptionally good or singularly, catastrophically bad.
In the Immortal Realm, the word "demon" was a trigger for immediate, violent judgment. Anyone aware of demonic influence was honor-bound to destroy it on sight, regardless of the wielder's status.
To be handed two demonic rewards right at the very beginning... Ye Yun couldn't decide if this was his salvation or his execution notice.
"System," he complained, the helplessness in his voice evident, "are you playing with me? Are you trying to screw me over? Can I even bring out demon-related items? If I'm found out, won't I be finished before I even begin?"
"..."
The system fell silent, a pause that felt like it was running calculations, re-evaluating. It had clearly not anticipated that its new master's luck would be so... eccentric.
While the rewards were undoubtedly legendary, it was an undeniable truth that anything demonic was regarded with universal hostility in the Immortal Realm.
[Please rest assured, Master,] the system finally replied, its tone as steady as ever. [The system possesses the capability to completely conceal any demonic aura emanating from your person. Unless you choose to reveal yourself, no one will be able to detect it—not even those in the Great Emperor Realm.]
A wave of relief washed over Ye Yun, and he let out a long breath he hadn't realized he was holding. With the system's help, his secret was safe.
He couldn't help but feel a grudging admiration for the system; to be able to fool a Great Emperor was no small feat.
This, he realized, was the true definition of a Great Villain. It wasn't some lowly thug who picked public fights with the protagonist. It was the puppet master, who schemed in the shadows and manipulated the strings of fate and people with effortless ease.
"Claim rewards!"
Ye Yun could hardly contain his impatience; he was desperate to test the power of the Supreme Demon Eyes.
[Rewards have been dispensed. Please check, Master.]
As the mechanical voice faded, a searing, sharp discomfort bloomed behind Ye Yun's eyes. It felt as though something cool and invasive was forcing its way into the very sockets of his skull, a sensation that made his skin crawl.
Simultaneously, a torrent of information—techniques, cultivation methods, and esoteric knowledge—flooded his mind with the force of a tidal wave.
This was, without a doubt, the Primordial Demon Scripture.
It was an ancient and domineering method of cultivation, hailing from the Primordial Era. Unlike modern demonic paths, it did not require the vile sacrifice of blood or souls to progress. It was simply more aggressive, more absolute, and more domineering than the gentle, balanced paths of the immortals.
The burning in his eyes finally subsided, leaving a strange, cold emptiness in its wake. Ye Yun slowly opened them, revealing a pair of ink-black orbs that seemed to drink the light around them, emanating a cold, oppressive aura.
These were the Supreme Demon Eyes.