New Function

Three months passed in the blink of an eye.

For most people, it would have been an ordinary stretch of time. But for Alex, every single day was calculated, precise, and utterly focused. His secluded home in the countryside remained untouched by the noise of the world. No unexpected guests, no interruptions—just the quiet life he had always desired… on the surface.

Behind that peaceful facade, Alex was grinding away relentlessly.

The system's progress bar, that cursed thing, hovered just shy of perfection. For all his strength, for all his pushing the limit, pushing that last few percent felt like scaling a mountain with broken legs.

For weeks, he poured himself into training. Refining his control over the Sand-Sand Fruit. Pushing his physical and mental limits. Studying, meditating, mastering both the basics and nuances of Haki—the foundation of survival in this superpowered world. He isolated himself, shed distractions, devoured information, honed his body.

And yet… it took him over three brutal, repetitive months to squeeze out a mere 2% increase on the system's progress bar.

But it was worth it.

Because finally—finally—that damned bar hit 100%.

Alex sat in quiet contemplation as the system chimed softly in his mind, displaying the final message he'd been working toward since arriving in this universe:

[Template Progress: 100% Complete]

It was proof of how hard-earned his power truly was. Even with his template, even with all the advantages he possessed, the system did not hand him strength on a silver platter. Every percentage point was a battlefield of will, patience, and pain.

And now… he had won.

The faint chime of the system echoed in his mind, followed by a familiar cold, mechanical voice.

[ Congratulations, Host, on completing the Villain Template ]

[ Reward: Three Simulation Chances unlocked ]

Alex raised an eyebrow, sitting up straighter as the unfamiliar message hovered in front of him.

"Huh? What the hell is this… Simulation Chances?" Alex muttered to himself, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

This was new. Or rather, the system had finally decided to reveal more of itself. Up until now, the only function the system had shown him was the Villain Template System—the one that granted him the traits and abilities of infamous villains from fiction. He could merge those traits with his own body, mind, and powers… or he could summon loyal followers shaped from those same villain templates.

That alone had been more than enough to get this far.

But this? This was different.

For the first time, the system revealed a deeper layer—a hidden function called the Simulation tab.

His eyes lingered on the words, reading the faint, ghost-like prompt floating before him.

[ Simulation Space: 3 Chances Available ]

It clicked slowly.

Simulations?

If this worked like the games and systems Alex knew… this was more than useful. It meant trial runs. Alternate timelines. A place to experiment, to test ideas, powers, and strategies—without real-world consequences.

If that was the case… this was a big opportunity.

But if this was anything like those simulation-based novels he'd read… then it was Titanic.

The next system prompt confirmed his suspicions, its mechanical voice echoing in his mind:

[ Simulation Chance: Host can send selected templates into any world as long as the Host knows the general plot. The template will live, adapt, and survive as the Simulated Subject. If the Simulated Subject dies, the simulation ends. For every ten years the Subject survives, Host can claim one reward taken from the Subject's experience, status, or possessions. Upon reaching the 50-year mark, an additional bonus reward is granted. Up to six rewards can be extracted per simulation. ]

"Damn… this is straight-up those cultivation novel-type simulations…" Alex muttered under his breath, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "But real."

Of course, right now, he had only one template that qualified—the Crocodile Template, and it seems only after 100% completion, did it was unlocked. It made sense. Only completed templates could be sent into simulations to live independent lives.

"So… the more completed templates I have, the more simulations I can run, huh?" Alex nodded to himself, his mind already racing with possibilities.

He leaned back, pondering how to get more simulation chances. The system made that clear too—aside from the fixed three chances granted upon completing a template to 100%, there were a few rare ways to earn more.

Some were based on special events, hidden achievements, or high-level conquests—things he didn't have access to just yet.

But… it was possible.

And now, with this first set of simulation chances, the door to greater power had cracked open.

"Damn…" Alex muttered to himself, a wide grin creeping onto his face. "I was planning to spend the next eight months just developing my strength, training my Haki, maybe polishing my Sand powers to perfection… but who would've thought I'd get this simulation option dropped into my lap?"

His eyes glinted with amusement as he leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping against the table absently.

"It's not impossible that by the end of today… I walk out of here with another ridiculous boost," Alex chuckled to himself. The possibilities… they were intoxicating.

He stood up, stretching, the sunlight from the countryside window falling across his face. He casually grabbed a snack from the kitchen, chewing thoughtfully as his mind began to turn toward more important decisions.

The first simulation.

The first world to send Crocodile into.

"Hmm… which world should I toss that bastard into first…" Alex mused, already filtering through the endless possibilities in his head. Marvel? No point—he is here already. Some anime world? Maybe. Or one of those cultivation worlds? Ruthless, power-hungry, chaotic—Crocodile would fit right in.

"Hmm… I should send him into a world where I can get good rewards too… preferably one where I can find something useful to make Emily stronger as well," Alex muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing in thought.

The more he explored the system's explanation, the more possibilities unfolded. It wasn't limited to just anime worlds or movies… even manga, light novels, and other fictional settings were fair game—as long as he was familiar with the story.

That… opened a lot of doors.

His mind raced, considering the options. Cultivation worlds with heaven-defying treasures? Fantasy realms overflowing with artifacts? Apocalyptic settings with strange evolutions and superhuman awakenings? All viable.