“Some people have asked me if I have any kind of hatred towards my enemies. Now, if I were another criminal mastermind, I would tell you that I didn’t. “Anger is useless. It distracts you, it makes you weak and vulnerable. It makes you impulsive.” Blah blah blah.

That is bullshit. And fortunately, I’m not another criminal mastermind.

Truth is, hatred is one of your must powerful tools when engaging a foe. If handled correctly, it can be the fuel that turns your little spark into one giant fucking hellflare.

The problem with hatred is that it usually develops into unsupressed rage. And before you ask, they are not the same thing. Hatred is to wish one to suffer in the slowest, worst way possible. To dislike them and wishing their demise with every single fiber of your soul. Rage is uncontrolled hatred that clouds one’s mind and doesn’t let them think clearly. Can you see the difference?

My point is: hatred is good. Just learn how to control your rage.

That’s the difference between some baddie-two-shoes and a proper criminal mastermind.”

 

 

•••••

 

Scared, Angry. And mostly, confused. If Lawrence had to describe how he felt right now, he would probably use those words. After all, he had just gone into his dungeon knock-off and got not one, but two explosions thrown in front of his almost-charred nose.

Then that… thing, happened.

To be honest, he didn’t know what to think of it. Maybe he hit his head too hard. Maybe it was a survival mechanism of his brain. Maybe he had really gone to a world where nothing was or ceased to be. Still… Whatever the case was, right now, he didn’t care. He couldn’t. The clarity that had taken over his head after the incident had made one thing clear: this was a life or death situation.

And he wasn’t particularly excited about getting the second half of the pill.

Lawrence noticed an uncannily thick fog was clouding the whole room. A special ability, he reckoned. At least one of them was a Meta then. Which meant, this whole ordeal was his fault on the first place. Granted, Mika was partially guilty as well, what with her going for a pee with two dangerous prisoners to be kept… But had he used Soul Stare on the whole party he might have realized the bomb was actually one of them, who also happened to be really good at throwing smokescreens around.

Well, now is as good time as any!

Silently, he called upon his ability. And then, something strange happened.

His eyes felt… Weird, Slightly strained, like he had been working for too long on a project and he was squeezing his eyes to properly see the screen. The world around him took an amethyst hue, and the thick smoke suddenly became translucent.

As if he was looking at the world through magical purple lenses.

In that exact moment, the man known as Larry tackled Mika to the ground, trying to hit her. She phased behind him and landed a heavy hit on his neck, which threw him to the ground and made him roll… right in front of Lawrence.

It’s worth to mention that, at this point, wrath was accumulating inside Lawrence at a worrisome speed. He listed all the problems this man and his companions had caused to him. His house blown to pieces, for starters. It was an architectonic jewel and a family legacy, not to mention Lawrence’s best place to hide from social interaction. Then, they almost blew Lawrence himself to pieces. And now, one of them was trying to severely injure if not outright kill his protegee.

By the time he was done listing, Lawrence wasn’t exactly humming of happiness.

Fortunately for him, Larry was still focused on Mika. So he never noticed Lawrence until he was getting up from the floor: too late, as Lawrence grabbed him by the neck and slammed him against the wall with all his might.

At last, his hatred broke free. Slowly, savoring every word, he whispered:

“The hard way it is, then.”

He let go of his victim, which fell to the ground not without spitting blood and a couple of teeth. Seeing him in such a miserable state did not quell Lawrence’s hatred: on contrary, he felt his blood boil even more at the sight of the twisting excuse of a man. A kick on the ribcage made Larry roll on the ground and hit a nearby wall. Lawrence laughed and launched himself over the man.

He clenched his fist and hit him in the head. The feeling of hot blood sprawling on his knuckles… It felt like release. Spectacular. He wanted to do it again. And again, and again and again, until his foe couldn’t even beg him to stop, and…

And…

…

?!

Lawrence came to a sudden stop. He looked at the man he stood atop of. It was a poor mess, barely conscious, broken nose and a couple of teeth missing, having a hard time to breath most certainly because of Lawrence’s kick. It looked like nothing was permanent just yet, but just barely.

This man no longer posed a threat. If he carried on, he would end up killing him.

What? What just happened?!

Frenzy. For some, the act of shedding blood could become enthralling. It appeared that, for his first time fighting, Lawrence had a wonderful time. And that was fucked up. And it scared him.

But he couldn’t worry about the prospect of being a potential psychopath. He had other things to take care of.

Get your shit together. You can’t afford to fuck up even more.

Lawrence didn’t know much about his future as a villain. But one thing he was aware: no killing for fun. Matter of fact, he wasn’t even sure if he was ready to kill at all… Frenzied state aside, he just couldn’t picture himself doing it. It felt taboo. But what if the moment came? Would he pull the metaphorical trigger?

Not exactly the best time to think about it!

Certainly not. With Larry out of combat, the smoke screen was now gone, and his pretty much not tied up buddy had a perfect vision of Lawrence. He also looked ready to slit his throat at the slightest chance. Lawrence wasn’t eager to give him one, so he immediately picked his pocket knife and grabbed the poor dregs of humanity in the floor. Let’s see if he’s ready to slit this throat.

“To the ground! Now!!”

Yorcht flinched, but he didn’t move. He was stuck between jumping on him and surrendering.

“Oh, excuse me. Didn’t I make myself clear enough? My bad.”

Lawrence took a deep breath… and shouted.

“I SAID GET TO THE GROUND YOU WORTHLESS MAGGOT UNLESS YOU WANT YOU AND YOUR SORRY EXCUSE FOR A COMPANION BURIED THREE FEET DEEP DOWN THE GROUND! NOW!!!”

He was pretty good at yelling all evil-ish, Lawrence thought.

Yorcht seemed to think so too, what with him dropping to the ground like a stringless puppet and too scared to actually look at him in the face. Later, Lawrence would remember that holding a weapon next to a hostage while shouting like a madman was quite a useful trick, and one that would almost always work… Of course, given that you had both the weapon and the hostage.

Now, however, he was more focused on making sure his… guests didn’t escape from his host duties.

I guess I’ll have to get Mika to tie them up… and lecture her about the importance of doing her job right. It’s what I pay her for…

Or will pay her. Eventually.

I hope giving her a place to live is enough for now.

Speaking of, where is she…?

…?!

“Shade! On me!”

Nothing.

“Shade!”

Not a single soul answered.

Where the fuck is sh-?

“Coming!” A voice came from behind them. Lawrence didn’t make the mistake of turning around. The fact that he held a hostage would do nothing for him if the other person got close enough to take it away from him. Along with one limb or two, chance given. Instead, he slowly got closer to one of the walls, making sure his back was protected. He then afforded to look at the door… (Curtain for God’s sake) and managed to spot Mika. She was holding Kael… Kristopher… Ken? Anyways, she had him all tied up and pretty much unable to do anything.

“Sorry Chief, you looked like you could manage yourself so I went on to check this guy” she hit his bald “To make sure he didn’t try to escape. He was trying to untie his ropes while you were gone.”

Klein… Kurt…

Agh, just Red Beard is fine!

Red Beard answered with nothing but a grunt, since there was a gag stopping him from uttering anything remotely coherent. Lawrence got the impression the grunt would’ve been the same without the gag though.

“You’re stupid. Everyone knows you have to pop your arms funny to untie the ropes” Mika said.

“Pop your arms… What?”

“You know, when they feel like spaghetti? It hurts a little but you can do a lot with it!”

Did… Did Mikaella mean to dislocate her own arms? Lawrence… Didn’t want to think about it.

“Leave it for later. Knock Red Beard down and tie out little rebel up. This time make sure he can’t escape, even with miniaturized explosions.” Mika nodded and hit Red Beard in the head before he even had time to protest, dropping him on the ground. She then headed to Yorcht, a hand stretched to the side.

With the sound of reality shifting, a sound Lawrence couldn’t quite get used to, a tear in space opened up in front of here. From it, thick iron chains emerged, and she grabbed them and pulled not without some effort.

Where did she…?

Oh never mind, I saw some in the shop earlier.

The chains came with a lock. And to be safe, she left the key in her storage. One was never cautious enough, as Lawrence had learnt… The bad way.

Then, Larry followed. He had the care to explain to him, very slowly, that if he ever tried to escape again he would end their little… intimate session. Not that he meant to kill anyone or anything, but nobody had to know, right?

Right.

 

•••••

 

“[Status]”

-----

Villain: Lawrence Lakewood

[ Status ]

 

Rank: D (You’re a zero to the left)
(7) Quests before rank-up

Reputation: None (Your mom barely recognizes you)

Feature Points: 10 (Next Feature costs 1 Feature Point)
-You have a Free Feature Voucher

[ Meta-Ability ]

Criminal Mastermind: Every time you do anything a teeny tiny chance you’ll trigger a chain of events that will help you on the long run

[ Features ]

Silver Tongue:
- When in a dire situation, you find it easier to reach an agreement that benefits you the most.
- Semi-Passive Skill (automatic activation, 24h cooldown)

Façade:
- You are unfathomable. Mind reading and cold reading are both rendered useless against you.
- Passive Skill

Soul Stare:
- Boosts your natural sight and allows you to see in the darkness. You can see things the normal eye cannot perceive. Display meta-humans’ Status.
- Passive Skill

[ Quests ]

– First Stain:
Fear! Respect! Appreciation! And more fear! When a villain’s deeds grow famous, so does the villain’s name! And who doesn’t want to see people flicker at the sole mention of his name? And so, it is your turn to make this meek neighborhood to know your name!
Goal: Make your name grow famous around the local area (3%)
Reward: Free Feature Voucher

– Criminal Black Company:
Yeah, yeah, you have your first lackey! Wowie! But you ain’t conquering the world with a few people only. So, it’s time to start expanding your business!
Goal: Obtain more minions (1/3)
Reward: 50 Feature Points

– Mastermind Moving:
Clashing weapons? Sniping each other dead? Violence is for the inferior. You are a mastermind, your sword is your words, and your armor is your influence. Make sure you are ready for the next battle!
Goal: Gain influence on an important individual (0/1)
            Alternative: Make an ally out of an important individual (0/1)
Reward: 25 Feature Points (Alternative: +25 Feature Points)

– Blood Red (*2):
To a mastermind, violence is the last resort. But beggars can’t be choosers. If the time comes, make sure your foes regret pushing you so far.
Goal: Take down foes (2/2)
            Bonus (*2) –  Can’t Touch Me: Take down foes unscathed (2/2)
Reward: 15 Feature Points (+5)
(Bonus: +25 Feature Points)(+Free Feature Voucher)

This Quest is completed. Previous quests in this line have been completed. Claim Rewards?

– Not only A Storm can fell A Greatwood:
There are masterminds, always on conflict, whether for good or for bad. There are the ones who tackle problems bigger than themselves. And then there are those who attempt to slay giants with naught but a sword and a shield. You are one of them. This will be a most important experience… If you survive.
Goal: Get through the incoming storm… Alive
Reward: 500 Feature Points, Free Feature Voucher

-----

“Huh…?”

There were two new Quests. And it looked like he had already beaten one. Previous stage and all the bonuses included. The rewards were… Something to drool for.

And then…

“Sweet mother of God.”

Five hundred Feature Points. That talked both about the size of the problem in front of him, and the importance of beating it.

Lawrence took a deep breath. He wasn’t going to last long as he was. He needed to get better. Physically. Mentally. And… Villainously.

“[Claim All Rewards]”

He looked at his status again. He had now 65 Feature Points, and two Free Feature Vouchers. There was also a new Quest:

– Crawler, Brawler:
Unlike others of your kind, you are not afraid of dirtying your hands if so you have to. Stealth over strength, brains over guts. But you will break their teeth if so you need.
Goal: Take down foes (15/15)
            Bonus  –  Dancer Between Flurries of Blades: Take down foes unscathed (10/10)
Reward: 30 Feature Points
(Bonus: +50 Feature Points)

He could see the appeal, but he wasn’t about to break into a fight with someone over this. Even more since he didn’t really know what the System considered “foes”.

Right now, he was beyond caring.

He took one more breath, deeper.

“Let’s do this.”

Acording to his classes, one of the things that helped the most with the System was, in one word, visualization. Nothing about the Metas or the System was known for sure… But, he was desperate enough to try what they knew. Or didn’t.

Visualize.

Head clear. Imagine. What did he need? A way of getting through anything life threw at him. What was that?

He wasn’t sure.

He just knew he would need it if he was to survive.

Imagine.

Something to stay alive.

No…

Something to stay victorious.

No matter what life threw to him, he would triumph with a smile on his face.

Achieve.

You have used two Free Feature Vouchers. Do you wish to invest both in a single Feature?

Yes.

 

Lawrence held his breath. And held complete silence.

Then, he waited…

And waited…

…

?

Then, he felt it.

It was a mere shudder at first. The feeling of some foreign force slowly entering his body. It started from his heart. Pumped along with his blood, circling his whole body. It was stretching out, gaining strength. The strange feeling started getting… heavier? Somehow, he felt so.

Then, with one final convulsion, it stretched out impossibly fast, reaching for Lawrence’s eyes, legs, arms, his very soul…

And the pain came.

It was unbearable. Like thousands of minute needles pinching his whole self from inside. He felt it in body and mind… and more. He felt parts of himself he wasn’t aware before howl in pain. The only thing keeping himself from screaming with all the air of his lungs was that very same pain. Excruciating, and immobilizing. He fell to the ground. The pain got even worse, if it was possible. Lawrence could feel himself dying. His heart was racing at its limit, about to bust open. His eyes were clogged in tears of blood, the pressure so high they had to drain it away. His bones felt like melting, his skin burning, his muscles tearing… His soul was screaming…

Internally, Lawrence was begging it to stop. He was going mad. He pleaded for death. Seconds became years, and he felt everything more than ever before. He was at the verge of a breakdown, about to cross the line, aware of his existence fading away…

And then…

And then it stopped. As sudden as it started. He was left, lying on the ground, his body incredibly heavy and somehow… He felt renewed. More aware of himself. Like the pain had been one final stretch to awake him from ways he didn’t know he slept. He felt calmer, somehow. His mind clearer.

And he felt weird as fuck.

“Well, that was… Interesting.” That was an understanding. He was sure every part of him capable of feeling was nearly torn apart… and even some that didn’t. It wasn’t a pretty sensation. He wouldn’t do it again in a million years. Hell, he felt like he had felt all the pain he would have from now, all in one moment.

And yet, he was enjoying the aftermath sensation.

What had just happened? Was it an overload? Was using two Feature Vouchers at the time a toll too great for his body to stand? Had he merely survived death? He didn’t know, although he suspected so. But, then again, one simply does not fell a titan without the pain of growth.

He had tasted that pain. He hated it. But he had liked the growth.

“Well then, let’s take a look at the good side of this pain.”

Conqueror’s Spark:
- Since the beginning of times, humanity was gifted with kings and queens that led them to a brighter tomorrow. None shone as bright as the Bearers of the Spark. The Conqueror’s Spark is bestowed upon those fated to rule the world.
Greatly boosts all of the Bearer’s Features. The Bearer is unaffected by soul-prying Features.

Lawrence could feel his face curl up into a grin.

 

 

 

 

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Auntie May's Little Cousin