Seated at the head of the table, I stared at the ominous window floating before me.
[Challenge Quest: You successfully made another body of yours! But, don't let this experience be yours alone! Share your second body's point of view with everyone. Remember, no secret can always hide in the dark.]
Reward: 250,000 gold
Punishment: 'Title: I'm the Great Head' terminated & 'System Banking' confiscated
× Warning: If your 'System Banking' is confiscated, all transactions will be invalid, and any gold sent to an illegal bank will be seized.
The moment I read that word—"confiscation"—my body tensed. "Confiscation?!" The word erupted from my mouth before I could stop it, startling everyone in the room.
I slammed my clenched fist against the table, the loud thud echoing like a drumbeat. My arms pushed against the wood as I shot to my feet, fury coursing through me. My teeth gritted so tightly it ached, and I swept my gaze across the room. Every pair of eyes was fixed on me, wide and confused.
"This scammer... Nero! You're a legendary scammer!" I hissed under my breath.
[..... That's not me. All challenge quests are created by the assistant of the creator. I can't betray my master, because no one can.]
I inhaled deeply, letting out a sharp exhale through my nose as I dropped back into my chair. My body slouched as I threw one leg over the other, pressing my temple with two fingers.
'So that's what it meant by "no secret can always hide in the dark." Troublesome. And an illegal bank? What a joke. Is it because there's no tax to pay? Ugh… I don't have a choice. I can't let them think too highly of me.'
The corner of my lips curled bitterly. 'That creator must be laughing his ass off right now.'
"I'm sorry for my outburst," I said, finally breaking the silence. My tone was even, but my annoyance still simmered beneath the surface. Turning my head slightly, I addressed Mr. Biggie, the Butler Ghoul. "Can you have someone deliver lots of food? Oh, and bring yourself a chair, too. Aren't you tired of standing? We'll all watch an interesting drama of mine."
The butler nodded and moved swiftly to fulfill my order. As he left, I let my head fall back against the chair, releasing a long breath. "Whatever you see, spread it as you please," I added, my voice dropping to a colder tone, "but remember—those who betray me will never be forgiven."
The room fell deathly quiet. Everyone knew I wasn't like the former heads, but even they could feel it—the pressure, the command, the terrifying authority that came with my presence. A real head of the family.
'Nero,' I asked silently, 'can I activate all the titles? Or not?'
[You can. But remember, once activated, they cannot be deactivated. They will remain stacked, and they will affect your body—you probably won't feel hungry or sleepy anymore.]
'That's fine. As long as I can still taste food.' My lips twitched into a small grin. 'Activate them. After this, I might end up as a mad exorcist.'
"Sesy," I said sharply to the Evil Spook standing at my side, "don't let anyone touch me."
With a whistle, Sesy reverted to his original form, his dark aura spreading as his underlings began to materialize. "Protect the master," he commanded, his voice echoing ominously.
"The master of our master is also our master!" the underlings chanted, forming a protective circle around me.
[Title: Head Of Lucist Family... Activated]
[Title: Loved By His Powerful Grandfather... Activated]
[Title: Master Of Butler Ghouls... Activated]
[Title: I Can Tame Even The Evil... Activated]
[Title: Bad At Naming So What... Activated]
[All effects activating...]
[Activating... Successful.]
[Congratulations! You activated 6 titles. You will receive 100,000 gold.]
[Rank Up +2]
[Congratulations! You are now Rank C. You will receive 100,000 gold.]
[Upgrading body... Processing...]
Light exploded from my body like a supernova, brilliant and blinding. I felt the energy surge through me, my muscles tensing, bones vibrating as though my entire being was reforging itself. I couldn't see their faces, but I knew—they were mesmerized. Fearful. Awestruck. Their jaws were probably hanging open as the sheer force of my aura destroyed the table in front of me.
Then—
BANG!
The door burst apart. A tall woman strode through the dust and splintered wood, black polo tucked into blue jeans, glasses perched on her nose. Her long blue hair was tied in a ponytail, her sparkling gray eyes sharper than steel. "Oops! Sorry for the mess," she said, pressing a finger to her cheek like a child caught in trouble.
"Lu Len…" My eyebrow twitched.
"I told you not to destroy things," came a low, cold voice. A man followed behind her, his sleeveless white polo showcasing his sculpted muscles. A brown hat sat atop his head, violet eyes glinting under the conference room's lights.
"Uncle Daner… Aunt Len Len…" I groaned inwardly as I spotted my younger sister, Lu Shirley, rushing to hug them like an excited puppy.
More voices erupted. More figures barged in—one in particular drawing my ire. "Kalib, what the hell are you doing here?" Sesy snarled at a smug, muscle-bound man who was already kneeling dramatically on the floor.
I sighed as my family descended into chaos. Fights. Punches thrown. Arguments resurfaced. For all their strength, for all their terrifying abilities, they were… loud. And absolutely ridiculous.
'Nero,' I muttered in my mind, 'this family is going to kill me before the system does.'
But amidst the squabbles, Lu Darner's voice cut through like a knife. "We're here to stop Lu Shian's body upgrade."
The room froze. I raised an eyebrow, leaning back in my chair. Stop me?
Lu Len licked her lips, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "This is going to be fun."