POV: Kaiser
A few minutes earlier, I was still sitting in the office, shaking like an idiot. It had been a good half hour since I'd been staring at the door, not knowing what to do. Fear clung to my skin, and every second felt like death itself was watching me.
"Am I really going to die three years before the novel even starts? Fucking hell."
I ran a hand through my silver hair to smooth it back and regain some composure. It was a simple gesture, but I needed it to stay even a little calm. I had to think fast.
"I need to escape. This isn't the duke's inquisition. It's probably Kris coming for evidence. With a bit of luck, everything will be fine."
I kept repeating those sentences to myself like an idiot trying to reassure himself. I'd read enough novels to know that situations like this for a villain's extra brother rarely ended well. And yet, I wanted to believe everything would stay under control.
I opened the door. And the first thing I saw was Isaak's body getting smashed against a wall like a sack of shit.
"Shit. I created a butterfly effect."
I crouched to watch the scene from the balcony. Seeing Isaak get pummeled like that was almost satisfying. I'd told him a hundred times to reinforce the manor's security. We weren't just some bandit hideout; we were supposed to be part of an influential noble family. But of course, he never listened.
To him, rank-E warriors were more than enough. His stupidity was about to cost him his life.
A brutal punch shattered his mask. A shiver ran down my spine. If Kris kept going, Isaak was going to die. And if Isaak died, I was screwed too. Just the thought made me nauseous.
A sudden headache hit me.
[Ding! Energy from a major character has been detected.]
"What? Finally, my golden finger has arrived?"
The mechanical voice echoed in my mind.
[System linking to host.]
[5%… 12%… 36%… 63%…]
My body felt light, almost numb. My mind swung between panic and euphoria. I should have wondered where this system came from, who gave it to me, whether it was the same being that reincarnated me into this world. But I was on the verge of death, and all that mattered was simple: become powerful.
[The Heretical Antichrist Usurper System has been successfully bound.]
The name rang in my head.
[This system was designed for one purpose: to make the host the Usurper. A being capable of appropriating the talents of others as long as the world believes I truly possess them. An ascension built on lies and belief, ultimately becoming the Antichrist.]
And I could already feel how monstrous this power was.
"This is insanely strong. But I'll probably need to develop multiple identities if I want to climb faster."
'Status.'
[Name: Kaiser D. Paragon
Level: Null
Mana: Null
Aura: Null
Talent: Mediocre
Skills: None
Arts: None
Magic: None]
"Fuck, that's really the life of an extra. What the hell am I supposed to do in a situation like this…"
I swallowed hard. Down below, Isaak was getting his face smashed in with no chance to fight back.
[Beginner Gift has arrived.]
'Open.' I thought without wasting a second.
[You have chosen the path to become the Antichrist. One of its abilities is to remain calm in any situation.]
[You have obtained the skill: Cold Blood.]
[Cold Blood [C] (Passive): The host always remains calm, thoughts flowing more smoothly. Reasoning becomes flawless as emotions are atrophied. Empathy decreases and logic becomes ruthless.]
The moment the message ended, a veil seemed to lift from my mind. At the same second, my thoughts grew serene. Reasoning shifted fluidly, searching for a solution to the problem.
"This skill is way more useful than I expected."
I looked down at Kris. He had just realized the identity of the corpse at his feet. He was frozen, breathing ragged. The perfect moment.
As if finally noticing my presence, he turned his gaze toward me.
I played the only card that could save me: the bluff.
"As I hoped, you really did kill my brother."
I pulled my mask down slightly so he could see my face.
"Kaiser!?"
The shock was obvious. His mind must have been in total chaos.
"You Paragons! You're humanity's trash! When your sins are exposed to the world…"
"Shut up… No need to be surprised."
"You!"
"You should calm down, Kris Donoghan."
He choked with rage.
"What?"
I leaned casually against the balcony railing.
"I used you to get rid of my brother. Now, if you don't want trouble, tuck your tail between your legs and get the hell out of Neon."
I knew full well he wasn't a killer. He was fifteen, and what he'd just done had already crushed his morale. There was a tiny chance he'd attack me, but I didn't want him talking either. And for that, I had to pressure him hard.
"You think you can intimidate me just because you know who I am?"
"You're naive. You really think your father will cover for you after you executed a noble? You'd be judged before you even saw him, once Isaak's corpse shows the marks of the Blazing Lion Art. I suggest you forget everything you saw. Otherwise… your duchy's future will be very dark. The people I work with hold grudges."
"Bullshit. No one can attack our duchy without facing consequences."
"A lot of demi-beast tribes said the same thing before being sold as slaves."
"You filthy monster!"
"Isabella's pretty cute, by the way."
"Don't you dare say her name with that filthy mouth."
"Then calm down and don't create unnecessary problems."
I pointed toward the exit.
"And how do I know you won't stab me in the back?"
"Oh, I will stab you in the back. So watch yourself, Krisboy."
He gritted his teeth.
"We'll meet again."
Then he left. I watched his silhouette disappear toward the portal through my spyglass. Once he crossed, I pressed the button on the desk to deactivate the device.
"When I'm strong enough to get rid of the future antagonists… he'll be the first whose throat I slit."
End of POV