****
Vahn Neco Drakos ( Dragon Slayer Vahn)
That's the name people knew me by in this forsaken world of Eterna.
But my real name... is Henry Lucas.
An ordinary boy once summoned from Earth, chosen to be this world's so-called Hero.
Bestowed with the Hero System.
Blessed by the Divinity of Light.
Told I was the world's last hope.
At first, I believed them.
I was grateful, even proud, to be given such a role.
I journeyed across kingdoms, battled ferocious beasts, assembled a legendary party, and slaughtered dragons one after another.
I lived like a king.
I was invincible.
Victory danced at my fingertips.
Until I met her—the Abyssal Dragon Monarch.
"Oh mighty Hero, for whom you slaughter my own kind? This world is corrupt. Its people are rotten. It is forsaken. Come with me, and I shall show you the truth."
And she told me the truth.
Truths so vile they poisoned my soul.
The people I bled for... were monsters in human skin.
Manipulators. Liars. Parasites.
They didn't see me as a savior.
They saw me as a weapon.
A pawn to be used and discarded.
And when I finally uncovered their schemes,
They turned on me.
Hunted me like a beast.
The same kingdoms I protected.
The same hands I healed.
The same lives I risked everything to save,
they branded me a traitor.
They called me Wicked.
They called me Fallen.
And in the end, they killed me.
But death was not my end.
The Abyssal Dragon Monarch—The one they called evil—She gave her life to preserve mine.
She saved me.
She loved me.
And I—
I failed her.
Now she's gone.
And this wretched world is to blame.
This world is corrupt.
This world is cruel.
This world is Hell.
But now that I'm reborn, everything will change.
They made me a villain.
So a villain I shall become.
I will burn their kingdoms.
I will drown their lies.
I will end this world.
Because I am no longer the Hero.
I. AM. THE VILLAIN.
*****
"You're quite intelligent for a slave, Ravenna Northschild," Vahn said with a wicked grin.
"Yes, you're right. I was the one who manipulated you. I was the one who wrote that diary. It was specifically designed so that someone like you would fall into my trap. It was inscribed with curse magic to enslave you."
Reva trembled.
"But... why me?" she asked, her voice cracking. "Why would you ruin my life?"
Her hands trembled at her sides, tears welling in her eyes.
"So it's true then? You really are the Wicked Hero? All those words in the diary—were they lies? Was my love and devotion for you fake too?" Her voice broke as fresh tears streamed down her cheeks.
If Vahn had been his former self, the noble Radiant Hero, he would have embraced her, wiped away her tears, and spoken gentle words to ease her pain.
But that man was long gone.
Vahn simply snickered.
"Yes, I am the Wicked One. And I don't care about you. Or this cursed world. You can all rot in hell, for all I care."
He stepped closer, his violet eyes cold and merciless.
"You're not worthy of this Vahn. You're just a slave. And you always will be."
Reva's face fell, her expression downcast. But she realized her fate was now tied to his—irrevocably. If he dies, she dies too.
What should she do now?
--
Ding!
[ You have been ousted from the Divinity of Light ]
[ You can no longer use the Light Element ]
Ding!
[ You have been ousted by the Hero System ]
[ All benefits from the Hero System will be severed ]
[ You can only use "Status" function from now on ]
The system prompts flashed before Vahn's retina.
And yet… he only sneered.
He never wanted to continue walking the path of a Hero.
The Hero System used to grant him Merit Points for completing tasks it deemed worthy. With these Merit Points, he could purchase spells, magical weapons, and level up more quickly.
But now, none of that matters to him anymore.
[STATUS SCREEN]
[ Name: Vahn Neco Drakos (Alias: Davis Blackwell) ]
[ Age: 17 (Chronological: 1084) ]
[Titles:]
– The Radiant Hero
– Dragon Slayer
– Savior of Humanity
– Thousand Weapons Master
– Dragon Monarch's Lover
– The Fallen
– The Wicked One
– [More…]
[ Job: Hero → Villain ]
[ Traits: ]
– Abyssal Immortal Dragon's Physique (SSS), Instant Spell Casting (S)
[ Mana: — (Mana Core: Not Awakened) ]
[ Physical Index: F (Average Physical Output) ]
[ Magical Index: F (Average Magical Output) ]
[ Spells: The Record (Memorized Library of All Learned Spells) ]
[ Special Abilities: ]
– Immortal (SSS): Cannot be killed by any external force; only the wielder knows how to end his own life.
----
There were countless forbidden and ancient spells etched into his mind far surpassed the knowledge of this entire world.
He had no need for a divine crutch. He was confident—no, certain—that he could ascend to the peak without the Hero System.
But more importantly—
He looked down at his chest, where the black, rotating circular sigil pulsed faintly. Its design was intricate: three interlocking rings forming a never-ending spiral, each engraved with ancient runes—"life," "death," and "rebirth."
At the center sat an upside-down hourglass, split down the middle by a serrated line, a symbol of fate shattered and time undone.
"The Heart of the Abyssal Dragon Monarch…" he whispered to himself.
"She gave it to me. Because of it, my soul survived. And now, with it, I am immortal."
"No one can kill me. No blade, no spell, no god. Only I know the way to end my life. Only I hold that key."
And that was not all. There's still many perks of possessing that Abyssal Immortal Physique, that he had yet to discover.
"Well... shall we get going now? It's no fun staying underground forever," Vahn said with a casual grin, reaching out to grab Reva's hand.
"Greater Teleportation."
He cast the spell without uttering a word. Silent incantation had become second nature to him.
Many practitioners could use silent casting too, but none could match his precision and speed.
"Plop!"
In the blink of an eye, the duo vanished from the underground cavern and reappeared on a grassy field above.
The air was crisp and cool. Darkness cloaked the world around them, with only the shimmering stars scattered across the night sky to illuminate their surroundings.
After a quick glance at his surroundings, Kael frowned.
"Hmm. I'm already out of mana...
Well, that's to be expected from a body that hasn't even awakened a Mana Core yet."
Reva stared at him, speechless.
Capable of activating spells without even forming a Mana Core? If that wasn't terrifying, then what was?
If he ever forms one... what would happen then?
The mere thought made her blood run cold. The world couldn't afford a monster like him. She had to find a way to somehow inform her family or the kingdom's higher officials.
"Whoosh!"
Vahn's face suddenly appeared right in front of her, startling her.
He grinned and replied menacingly:
"I can hear you, you know. Don't forget—you're bound to me by the Slave Pact. I can hear your thoughts even from miles away. So, it would be wise for you to just obey me. Otherwise... You do know what I'm capable of... right?"
His devilish tone sent a chill down her spine. Her heart trembled as she looked into those merciless violet eyes.
She nodded reluctantly. She had no choice anyway.
"Very well... Now, call the flying ship. I'd love to see this new world you've built for me."