The Great Villain! Gets a System...? (Volume 1 End)

"What do you mean?" Vael replied.

The goblin shaman shrugged. "Me not know."

Lucian placed a hand on his forehead, shaking his head. "As dense as ever, I see, Vael."

Vael raised his eyebrows, then realization dawned on him. "You took in… a successor?"

"Spot on… but I didn't tell the kid that." Lucian laughed, forming a finger gun and pointing it at Vael.

Vael chuckled. "Good to know you're finally having fun as a Villain again."

"Of course. It was my plan all along. Why did you think I faked my death?" Lucian shrugged, his gaze drifting to the pile of treasure.

One necklace seemed to catch his eye.

"Huh…?" Lucian leaned forward, picking up the necklace.

It was peculiar—a set of glowing runes etched into it, connected to an odd stone. Intrigued, Lucian slipped it on, curious to see its effects. Immediately, a surge of information poured into his mind, detailing his Dominions.

[Welcome, Lucian Draeven]

Floating runes appeared before him, forming letters in mid-air. None of the others—Vael, the shaman, or the other goblins—seemed to notice.

Lucian grinned. "Now, what do we have here?"

[I am the Codex itself, Lucian.]

"You don't seriously expect me to believe that, right?"

[Heh… believe what you want, but I advise you to keep the necklace.]

"You don't have to tell me twice, my so-called Codex."

With a flick of his finger, Lucian tried to dispel the runes. Instead, they shifted, revealing more information—a detailed account of his life. Unlike the usual Codex records, this one was simpler, more precise, and surprisingly enjoyable to read.

Character Profile:

Name: Lucian Draeven

Title: Former Dark Lord, "Master of Goblins and the Impoverished"

Race: Human (Reborn) / Demon Hybrid

Class: Spell Knight

Sub-Class: Bard

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Level: ??? (Maxed)

Stats:

Strength: 100

Agility: 100

Endurance: 100

Intelligence: 100

Charisma: 100

Willpower: 100

"Now that's... intriguing." Lucian scanned each entry.

"I thought only heroes had stuff like this. This necklace is definitely odd..."

He flicked his gaze toward the shaman. "You—where did you get this?"

The shaman shrugged. "From da busted castle where me goblins found you...?"

Lucian burst into laughter, covering his face with his hands. "You've got to be kidding me... This feels like too much of a cruel coincidence."

He ran a hand through his hair. "Have I played right into the gods' hands again...?"

His eyes narrowed. "So this is how heroes get stronger. No wonder they're always more powerful than every Dark Lord."

Vael finally spoke up. "Something troubling you, master?"

Lucian chuckled. "How would you feel if you realized every choice you've made so far was actually decided by the gods all along?"

Vael raised an eyebrow. "But that's unlikely. The Goddess should be the only one interfering on this continent, and she only interferes when the hero is involved."

Lucian smirked. "I guess things have changed."

He looked at Vael with a thoughtful expression. "A Dark Lord and a hero—the two beings in this reality that must exist for existence itself to continue. But what happens if a third one appears?"

Vael's demonic eyes dimmed. "Tides are changing... A Dark Lord and a hero arriving so soon after your death... and that necklace showing up in your old domain."

Lucian nodded. "It's all adding up."

"But we shouldn't act yet. Drawing attention now would be unwise. We'll keep building my influence quietly before making our move."

Vael nodded in agreement. "Seems logical enough."

In the distance, a bright light broke over the horizon, flooding the sky with an orange hue—the dawn of a new day.

Lucian smirked. "Looks like that's my cue. I trust you to work with my second-in-command to lead the army. Train them or whatever."

He couldn't help but laugh at the thought of a demon ranked below a goblin shaman.

"I'll do my best. But what about the hero, how can you be sure he left already?"

Lucian flashed a sly grin. "Intuition, and a bit of common sense of course."

Vael gave a respectful nod. "A useful skill, master."

"Nifty indeed." Lucian agreed, striding off with a practiced ease—he knew this forest well by now.

With a snap of his fingers, his mask and sleek black suit dematerialized.

"The Dominion of Villainy... Maybe that's been the clue all along..."

He muttered to himself as he left the forest's edge, stepping onto the road leading to the city's walls once again.

"Déjà vu."

Lucian moved forward, heading back to the city to finish what he started. Each step was deliberate, his smile unshaken. This wasn't some random second chance, some mere "new game plus" for him. No, this was something far grander.

"The world's changing—whether for better or for worse."

Lucian chuckled, his head lifting and chest swelling with a quiet defiance. The words he'd spoken when he first faked his death, escaping the loop that had bound him, echoed once again in the air.

"But I'll fix it my way. The Lucian way."