The three thugs stared at me as I purposely aimed my fist at the air beside the leader's head.
"Is he... is he having a stroke?" the man with the scarred lip asked, confused.
I didn't answer. I focused entirely on the golden screen hovering in my peripheral vision. I had just swung with everything I had—50 points of Strength I didn't have five minutes ago—and I had deliberately missed by a mile.
[Ding! Villainous Act: Intimidation/Assault...] [Result: CRITICAL FAILURE.] [Target completely unharmed. Host looks ridiculous.] [Calculating Refund...]
The air around my fist didn't just vibrate this time; it shrieked.
[Refund Issued: 100x Magnitude to 'Shockwave' Effect!] [New Skill Acquired: 'Void-Rupture Strike' (Rank: F -> SSS)]
BOOM.
Even though my fist never touched the leader, the air displaced by the "Refunded" force exploded. A shockwave of pure kinetic energy slammed into the man's chest. He didn't just fall; he was launched backward like he'd been hit by a freight train.
He smashed through my apartment door, crossed the hallway, and demolished the brick wall of the neighbor's unit.
The other two thugs stood frozen. Their bats dropped to the floor with a hollow clatter.
"W-what kind of Rank is that?" one stammered. "You're supposed to be a Rank-F dreg!"
I looked at my hand. It was smoking. The skin was slightly red, but the "System" was already humming, healing the strain. This was it. The Holy System rewarded me for being "Perfect." This Malfunction System rewarded me for being "Trash."
"I'm having a bad day," I said, my voice dropping to a cold, predatory level. "And unfortunately for you, I'm about to fail at letting you leave this room alive."
I stepped forward. I didn't want to kill them yet—I wanted to test the limits. I tried to "grab" the second thug's throat but purposely let my fingers slip.
[Ding! Villainous Act: Kidnapping/Restraint...] [Result: FAILURE. (Grip slipped.)] [Refund Issued: 100x 'Binding Force'!] [Skill 'Shadow Snare' unlocked and maximized!]
Black tendrils of energy erupted from my shadow, lashing out like sentient whips. They didn't just grab the thug; they cocooned him against the ceiling, the pressure so intense his bones began to creak.
"Please! Drake! Stop!" the third one screamed, tripping over his own feet as he tried to scramble away.
I didn't stop. I felt a dark, intoxicating rush. For ten years, I had held back. I had been "merciful." I had been "fair."
Look where it got me.
"Go tell your Boss," I said, looking at the last man who was shaking so hard he'd wet his pants. "Tell him Drake Vance is dead. And tell him he should start praying that the 'Hero' finds him before I do."
I "tried" to kick him out the door, but purposely tripped over the rug.
[Ding! Villainous Act: Physical Assault...] [Result: FAILURE. (Host tripped.)] [Refund Issued: 100x 'Movement Speed'!]
My body turned into a blur. I didn't just kick him; I moved so fast the friction ignited the air. The man was gone—shot out of the room like a cannonball, leaving a trail of smoke behind.
I stood alone in my ruined apartment.
[Current Stats:] Strength: 50 (+500 Refund Pending) Agility: 12 (+1,200 Refund Pending) Mana: 5 (+500 Refund Pending)
"This," I whispered, a dark laugh bubbling up in my chest, "is going to be far too easy."
I looked at the calendar on the wall. The 'Hero Selection Ceremony'—the day I would have received the Holy Sword—was exactly three months away.
I had ninety days to become the nightmare that the 'Hero' wouldn't be able to defeat.