RVHF chapter 1- Prologue

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Boom! Boom!

The sound of explosions drew closer.

I could feel it—this was the beginning of the end.

I touched my face, feeling the silver-plated mask that had become so familiar it was almost like a second skin.

My gaze dropped to the bright screen.

A photo that seemed to clear your vision with its dazzling appearance was displayed.

Beneath it, lines of praises that would cheer anyone up were written one after another.

‘So, this ends today.’

Clank.

The tightly shut door opened, revealing a man carrying a massive 3-meter-long greatsword as if it were a toy.

S-rank physical Esper and elite hunter, Beom Sinje.

The youngest guild master of the Cheonho Guild.

The strongest hero who crushed the criminal organization, Antithesis.

And the protagonist of the novel I was now trapped in—and my favorite character.

“Is it you?”

A cold question.

If anyone else had said it, it would’ve sounded rude.

But from Beom Sinje, it exuded charisma.

‘Yes, that’s the protagonist for you.’

I didn’t mean to sound sarcastic. It was simply true.

“Answer me. Are you the leader?”

He pressed for an answer after only a few seconds.

I let go of the mask I was fiddling with and opened my mouth.

“Hmm…”

The hesitation wasn’t intentional.

[Choose your next line from the options below ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ

1. (With a smirk) Get lost.

2. (With a mocking look) Why should you know?

3. (Twisting your lips) Why so serious?

If you don’t choose within 5 seconds, a line will be automatically selected.]

‘Ha…’

It wasn’t surprising anymore.

The prompts were always like this.

I picked one randomly.

“Why so serious?”

Why this line out of all possible choices?

This wasn’t the right tone for the situation!

Beom Sinje’s eyes flashed golden.

‘Oh, I’m done for, aren’t I?’

He strode toward me, each step radiating more fury.

I swallowed hard.

None of my scenarios included getting killed by an enraged protagonist.

Yet one wrong word seemed to have sealed my fate.

As soon as I stood up, Beom Sinje was already in front of me.

I had to crane my neck to look up at him. His gaze was as sharp as if it could pierce right through me.

“Gah!”

In an instant, his large hand gripped my throat.

And the pathetic sound I made—embarrassingly weak.

“Speak. Is it you?”

I grabbed his forearm, gasping.

I wanted to respond, but I couldn’t—my throat was blocked!

Was this really happening to the infamous leader of a notorious crime syndicate?

What a sight.

No matter how overpowered the protagonist was, lifting a man over 180 cm with one hand was ridiculous!

“Answer me.”

“Ca-can’t… le-let go…”

I was suffocating! Release your grip so I can respond!

I used every ounce of strength to claw at his arm.

Beom Sinje’s golden eyes gleamed as if he’d found something interesting.

‘Oh, I’m screwed.’

That realization came right before—

Thump.

Beom Sinje’s fist slammed into my stomach.

“Urgh!”

Not just any fist—his grip still holding the greatsword.

The pain was so excruciating my mouth gaped open.

Tears welled in the only exposed part of my face.

Spat.

The metallic taste in my mouth confirmed a torn lip.

I spat, blood mixed with saliva.

One hit, and I was like this.

Protagonist indeed.

Even his punches were brutal.

“This is getting dull.”

I twisted my lips into a sneer, mustering as much defiance as possible.

I had no intention of revealing anything.

If I did, I wouldn’t be wearing a mask.

“Come at me.”

His eyes shifted to purple.

Instantly, eight daggers floated menacingly around me.

With a sharp sound, they shot toward Beom Sinje.

The grip on my collar released, and I crashed to the floor.

Clang. Clang, clang.

Metal clashed violently as he swung his greatsword and parried the daggers in one sweep.

“So, you really are Zero.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Now, do you feel like playing?”

I spoke cheerfully, lifting the daggers again.

My violet eyes shimmered with a falsely bright energy.

Two more daggers joined in this time, flying at him like a swarm of bees.

Clang!

Clang… Clang!

The daggers moved as if alive, relentlessly attacking Beom Sinje.

I used any opening to throw a punch or kick, closing in with elbows aimed at his head.

He narrowly dodged and retaliated with a sweeping sword strike.

Whoosh…

The blade whooshed past, inches from my nose.

Phew. Damn it.

I nearly got my nose sliced.

Beom Sinje’s expression shifted, his golden eyes widening in disbelief at my evasion.

Rattle.

Click—click.

The light sound of an object hitting the ground made me look down.

The mask covering my face had fallen.

“Ah…”

This wasn’t the time. That was my first thought.

“Why… is it you…”

His voice trembled with disbelief.

I squeezed my eyes shut, then opened them.

“Why… why?!”

At his thunderous shout, I finally looked back at Beom Sinje.

His face contorted with pain, his eyes swirling with shock and fury.

He was trying to deny what was right before him, realizing that the final boss he had sought was me.

Before I could speak, another system prompt appeared.

[Choose your next line from the options below ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ

1. (With a shrug) Long time no see.

2. (Smirking shamelessly) How’ve you been?

3. (Eyes curving mischievously) Why so serious again?

If you don’t choose within 5 seconds, a line will be automatically selected.]

I glared at the annoyingly cheeky third option.

Eyes curving mischievously?

What even was that?

No time to complain.

All choices were bad, but I chose the one that might make Beom Sinje the least angry.

“…Long time no see.”

I tightened my body, ready for any reaction.

Even shrugging seemed too casual!

So I just raised my arms halfway, hoping it looked like a battle stance.

My voice, hoarse from earlier strangling, sounded fittingly grim.

“Is it true? Are you really Zero? The head of Antithesis?”

His grip on the greatsword shook.

I glanced at it, then shrugged on purpose.

“Does it matter?”

This time, I spoke without any system prompt.

Maybe it knew—knew that a battle was imminent.

“Come at me.”

His eyes narrowed, and once more, the daggers lifted into the air.

Beom Sinje defended, still trying to engage in conversation.

But that wasn’t what I wanted.

The same fierce battle began again.

Daggers and sword clashed, sending sparks flying and ringing with sharp, metallic sounds.

Whoosh.

A dagger narrowly grazed Beom Sinje’s cheek.

“Gasp!”

I couldn’t help the surprised sound.

Yet the man, blood trickling down his cheek, didn’t even flinch.

“Tell me the truth about why you did this!”

I must have provoked him even more.

This seemed like the perfect chance, didn’t it?

Behind me, the 78th-floor window loomed.

It looked sturdy but wasn’t truly solid.

‘Because, after all, I planned for this moment.’

My eyes darted to the edge of my vision.

A system message glimmered.

[The conclusion is near. End with a grand finale for the protagonist’s glory! (ง •_•)ง

Completion – 98%]

The end? That doesn’t necessarily mean death, does it?

As long as the Beom Sinje accomplishes enough and exits in a way that makes sense.

“Why all this noise? Just kill him.”

With those words, I concentrated all my strength at once—a power I had honed and hidden just for this moment.

Praying that Beom Sinje would act according to my will.

“Na Doyoung!”

A shout, almost like a scream, burst forth.

Beom Sinje’s eyes gleamed a deep blue as he swung his greatsword without hesitation.

Thunk.

A dull pain.

Dizzying agony.

I had prepared, but it still hurt like hell.

“Ugh.”

Even though I gritted my teeth, a groan slipped out.

Beom Sinje looked at me with an expression of disbelief.

“You… how… dare….”

He muttered an unfinished line, staggering backward.

Blood trickled from the wound in my heart, coloring my chin, neck, chest, and abdomen in deep red.

Wouldn’t it be fitting for the last moment to be somewhat villainous?

Crack.

The glass behind me shattered in an instant.

“Hyung!”

Simultaneously, my body fell backward.

[Congratulations ~(≧▽≦)~ You have reached the perfect ending suitable for the worst villain! As a reward, the system can now be terminated. (No/Yes)]

A system window appeared in my dimming vision.

Even now, I could see, to my annoyance, that “No” was listed first.

‘Damn system.’

Of course not!

And that’s how the story came to an end.

◇◆◇◆◇

After being reincarnated as the villain and enduring the malicious system for ten long years, I finally earned my peaceful life.

Even though my body had become so worn out it could collapse at any moment.

“So what?”

I was alive, wasn’t I?

And the dreaded system window was gone!

Plus, I had an astronomical amount of money that would last a lifetime!

I chuckled and rested my hand on the mouse.

Even that slight action made my arm tremble.

“Hah…”

With a sigh, I clicked the mouse.

[Beom Sinje is insane? （⊙ｏ⊙） His face is simply out of this world, LOL

└Exactly… Looking at him is almost blinding…

└Agree, agree. His face just radiates lightㅠㅠㅜㅜ]

Seeing the newly uploaded post made my previously dull eyes gleam with interest.

Just as I was about to click the title with my racing heart—

Creak.

The old door pushed open, dust rising in the light of the afternoon sun, silhouetting a figure.

Step. Step.

The person who appeared, as if bathed in a halo, was—

“Finally found you.”

Beom Sinje’s eyes glared at me with disdain.

“I still haven’t heard your reasons.”

The tone suggested he could strike me at any moment.

“And so, you need to stay by my side.”

After only six months, the protagonist—no, my beloved bias—had appeared to shatter my leisurely life.

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