A state of being lost in pleasant daydreams, immersed with vivid imagination and powerful emotions, a rather cowardly retreat from the grasp of reality. What was it called again? It was...
Preparing to sleep again, I touched the pillow I was leaning on and organized it to my liking. The smell of medication filled the room while a fireplace was heating up the cold atmosphere. It was Winter and my family went on a business party.
Really...I didn't think I would ever stoop so low. I was praised as a talented person ever since I was a child, but a certain incident occured 4 years ago that reduced me from a rich, talented and promising individual to a blind, disabled, lost-cause. I was considered a genius when it came to marketing strategies, public speaking, and playing instruments, so I had to work hard from the young age of 6 to please the people around me.
My parents had lost interest in me and seemed to have abandoned me after losing all hope of curing my illness.
As I had thought, the love they gave was just appreciation for the talents I showed them. A tool they used to accumulate more wealth and fame– that was all I ever amounted to. I was only forcing myself to stay alive so that my parents would have a hard time.
"How pathetic..." A soft, desperate chuckle left my lips while I smiled at my bitterness.
I contracted a rare and deadly kind of disease where I would go blind in a few months time while my health and organs deteriorated. It was without a cure. Alas, as soon as I heard the news, I set a goal to play my favorite game so much that I would know it by heart and find out every secret it possessed.
The name of the game was "Paradise", and it was a game I held close to my heart as it was the only one to actually have a unique storyline that needed strategy and wit to survive, but the best part was that you had to learn how to fight the obstacles in the way with extreme speed and precision so as to not die. I couldn't play it freely during my teenage years when it came out, so why not play it now?
I died many times while playing the game as the character, "Gabriel". Especially as I had to play as the servant of the major villain, Azazel Von Herczhide.
As time went by, my vision blurred and blurred and I finally became blind after 10 months of playing "Paradise" nonstop. I had a lot of fun playing and was thankful that I finished the game on time before I went completely blind.
Years went by and I was now completely discarded in one of the family villas alone.
Living without my vision was difficult but I managed. I woke up, ate food, and slept every day waiting for my death. Depressing as it may be, but I finally got back all the effort and work that I wasted in the past as a child.
Nevertheless, I was bored most of the time so I just imagined scenarios in my head and listened to stories on the radio. No one was here to serve me, so I had to familiarize myself with this place. I would dream about "Paradise" and make some changes in the game's plot as a way of entertainment. I would bombard myself with what-if's and laughed at my own conclusions.
...I should sleep.
"Let's do that..." Closing my eyes, I muttered with weakness.
Drowning myself in my fantasies, I slept soundly while lost in reverie.
...
"What is this?" A terror-driven whisper left me while I tried to feel my body.
'My...my hands are small? What's this unusually large bed I'm laying on? How...'
As I was in a panicked state, I suddenly touched my head and became more manic.
Dozens of questions filled my mind at this moment. I felt horribly scared of my surroundings, despite not seeing anything. Holding my breath, I tried to calm myself.
A monotonous voice resounded in my head amidst the quiet atmosphere. The same voice that I heard countless times when I played "Paradise". Most importantly, I could see it. I could see how it looks like but I can't a see a thing in my surroundings, like it's implemented into my brain.
[ You are currently inhabiting the body of the major villain, Azazel Von Herczhide. ]
[ Making changes to the system... ]
[ "Paradise" has successfully been changed to "Antagonist". ]
What?
[ Good morning, host! Your body in the previous life has deceased. You are now possessing the body of the villain, Azazel. ]
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[ Antagonist ]
Azazel Von Herczhide
• Species: Human-Elf
• Talent: SS+
• Rank: G
• Luck: B+
• Strength: G
• Dexterity: G
• Intelligence: B
• Charisma: A-
• Stamina: G
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Skills | Inventory | Shop
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This must be a dream. Yes, a dream. I should be dreaming right now. There were times when my dreams were so vivid, it felt real.
[ It is not, host. ]
Are you kidding me?
[ Congratulations, instead of dying in your previous world and disappearing, you have been granted a 2nd life! ]
This...
This is the worst fucking shit ever. After I finally died, you're telling me I have to live again, and as a villain?
There is no way. Azazel...I was transmigrated as Azazel, right?
[ Yes, host. ]
A rather joyful grin was on my lips, contradicting my irregular state earlier. That's right. I have the power to end myself. This wasn't my previous life where my death would bring happiness, this life's death would bring panic and major changes in the world.
Getting out of my supposed bed, I headed to where the cold wind was at. I didn't have to feel my surroundings because of this body's enhanced senses. Arriving at the balcony, I started standing on top of the fence and jumped.
I fell and my body let out a loud thump. I started coughing blood as I felt my bones cracking like it was being hammered, my flesh throbbing, and my ears hearing nothing but a deafening noise as if a balloon was in my brain. The pain was excruciating.
I couldn't even let out a sound because of how hellish it was.
[ You have been revived. ]
"AGH! ARGH!" Screams left my mouth as I was laying again in the bed. Drops of sweat left my body but I could still feel the pain I had endured for what felt like an eternity.
"Huff...huff..." I calmed myself and gulped my saliva.
[ It seems that the earlier has taken a toll on your mentality, host. View shop? ]
"Young master, are you alright?" A feminine voice came from outside Azazel's...my room knocked on the door.
The maid outside should be Mierra.
"Mierra, come in." As I felt her coming inside, I ordered, "Give me a knife."
"Huh? O-oh, um...here you go, young master." Her confused voice was awfully obvious and timid.
"Get out."
"But young master, that knife might be-"
"Did you not hear me? Get out." I cut her off with a cold voice.
"...I understand, young master."
As soon as the door clicked, I slit my throat while blood gushed out.
[ You have been revived. ]
Breaking the vase, I stabbed the sharp parts on to the back of my head.
[ You have been revived. ]
Breaking the vase again, I stabbed it into my stomach repeatedly.
[ You have been revived. ]
[ You have been revived. ]
[ You have been revived. ]
After probably 17 more attempts at trying to die, I couldn't handle the pain anymore and gave up.
Sighing with my hands on my head, I could feel my hair touching my knees as I was sitting with my head close to my legs. "Huu..."
[ Do you want to die, host? ]
Isn't it obvious?
[ Unfortunately, the body you are currently in possession of has not met the requirements to die in this world yet. ]
"What do you mean?"
[ Azazel Von Herczhide's role as a villain still has not been fulfilled. His body can not die. ]
I know where this is getting at.
[ Fulfill Azazel's purpose and you will be able to die on the same time of his death. ]
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[ New mission unlocked. ]
• Act as the major villain, Azazel Von Herczhide and become a stepping stone for the protagonist. ( 20 Years )
Reward: Death.
Penalty: Reset/Revival
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Is this stupid system telling me to suffer 20 years in this world acting as a horrible person?
[ I am sorry, host. This is the only way. ]
"Why would a villain have a system? Who's the person, god, or something– entity that made me transmigrate into this world?"
[ I do not have the answer to your questions, host. But I was created in hopes of helping you. ]
I could almost feel the nerves of this body getting pissed off. Tears went streaming down my face as I felt like I was getting strangled because of how much my throat hurt.
This feels horrible. Wrapping my head with my hands, I was sure that my face was showing a pained emotion because of how much my lips pursed.
Morning came, and rays of sunlight hit my face from the open window. I couldn't sleep. Who would be able to, in this state?
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[ Warning! Character status has dropped from neutral to fatigued. You will not be able to get out of bed. ]
• Character Status: Fatigued
- Sluggish, reduced alertness, and lack of energy.
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I'm actually going to cry.
Suddenly, an abrupt but gentle knock came from the door, as if trying to ask if I was awake. It was a female voice, possibly someone in their mid-twenties. "Young master, are you awake?"
The person outside knocked and asked again, but I didn't answer.
'Hey, system antagonist or whatever. How do I improve my character status?'
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[ Here are a few options, host. ]
1. Sleep and skip the whole day.
2. Buy a status potion from the shop and consume it.
3. Eat a free status pill from the shop.
Penalty: Possible hallucinations
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Right, I did see the shop feature earlier.
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• Shop | Currency: 100 Points
• Low-Ranked Status Potion ( F )
- 150
- Alleviate status by one stage.
[ Due to character level, this is the only item available in the shop. ]
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Why put shop to my options in the first place?
[ It is an option, host. You just have to owe 50 points to the system, which will be deducted to the points you will earn in the future. ]
"Err...no thanks."
Oh, about that status pill...
[ The hallucinations should be from the host's past trauma. ]
Definitely not that.
Then, there's one option left.
[ You will not be able to wake up for 24 hours if you choose the first option and skip the whole day. ]
Perfect.
I would later come to regret my choice.