Victor's eyes widened in disbelief. Herakles, the Greek god of strength, now under his command? The mere thought sent a surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins. If it were true, then he would have an ally equal to a god!
On the other hand, Carlo furrowed his brow, observing Victor's peculiar behavior with a mix of concern and curiosity. "Young master, are you alright? Your expression keeps changing. Are you disturbed by something?" he inquired, his voice tinged with genuine worry and quriosity.
Victor snapped back to reality once again, his mind racing with excitement. "Huh? Oh, no, I just felt something suddenly. I guess I'm just too excited after obtaining that meteorite fragment," he replied, his wide smile still intact as he tried to brush off Carlo's concerns.
Carlo, still frowning, shook his head in understanding. It was understandable for Victor to be excited, considering the meteorite shard they had discovered was a relic from millions of years ago, a rare and valuable find indeed.
"So, what's our next move?" Carlo inquired, shifting the focus back to their plans.
"My business here is done. Let's head back to the villa," Victor responded decisively, his mind already racing ahead to the possibilities that awaited him.
Carlo nodded in agreement, and with that, they departed from the area, the sound of their car engine filling the air as they drove away from Archville Forest.
During the journey, Victor, seated comfortably in the back seat, reopened the hologram interface that only he could see, his excitement palpable as he communicated with the system.
'Hey system, is it true that I've acquired Herakles as my subordinate?' he inquired eagerly, his heart pounding with anticipation.
[Yes, he will arrive in about an hour]
Victor's excitement reached new heights at the confirmation, his expression lighting up with joy. Now, not only had he gained a subordinate that was equal to a god, but he also understood how the Ultimate Villain System worked, a powerful tool in his quest for supremacy.
When he seized the opportunity from Leon, he would receive a random reward. And in his first mission, he had acquired a god of strength as his subordinate.
But upon reflection, it all made sense. It was the first time he had taken an opportunity from Leon, a golden opportunity with significant benefits that he couldn't afford to miss. And the meteorite fragment he had claimed was indeed a relic from millions of years ago, further validating his actions and fueling his ambition.
Now armed with this knowledge, he was more determined than ever to achieve his goals, eager to exploit every opportunity that came his way.
'Just you wait, Leon. I will make you suffer even more and give you a painful death just like I experienced!' he swore inwardly, his aura pulsating with murderous intent.
-------
While Victor and Carlo traversed the road leading back to the villa, not too far from their current location, a youthful figure, appearing to be no more than twenty years old, stood beside the roadside, deeply engrossed in examining a weathered piece of parchment.
The parchment's contents weren't composed of the familiar letters of the alphabet but rather ancient, enigmatic characters of unknown origin.
Despite this cryptic nature, the young man seemed to decipher the script effortlessly, as if reading from a commonplace tome.
Physically, he possessed a decent appearance for his age, standing at approximately 180cm tall, boasting a symmetrical visage framed by slightly thick brows and piercing blue irises. His complexion was fair, and his physique struck a balance between muscularity and leanness.
"According to this map, there's treasure hidden in a nearby forest, a dense woodland where a battle took place thousands of years ago. I feel lucky to have bought this map for just a dollar," he said with a self-satisfied smirk, his pleasure clear in his voice.
After a brief moment, he folded the map and vanished from sight, effortlessly demonstrating his proficiency in spatial magic.
With a clear objective in mind, he leaped gracefully into the air, soaring towards the east where the dense expanse of the forest awaited him.
The young man, known as Leon Emery, had his sights set on none other than Archville Forest.
-------
Above the city of Cambridge, the once thick clouds had dissipated, revealing an open sky adorned with twinkling stars. In stark contrast, several cities near Cambridge remained shrouded in clouds, with some even experiencing rainfall.
This atmospheric phenomenon was undoubtedly the result of Carlo's "Devil Slash."
Now, deep within Archville Forest, more than 30 minutes had elapsed since Leon's arrival.
Armed with a flashlight and the map in hand, he navigated the forest's depths with remarkable ease, overcoming various obstacles, including several soul beasts that blocked his path.
And now, he found himself standing before a towering cliff, reaching upwards of a hundred meters into a gorge.
His gaze shifted skyward, where the full moon cast its gentle glow. Its dim light illuminated select spots, including the cliff's surface.
"Exactly during the full moon. It seems the gods bless my journey here," Leon remarked with a grin.
He gently pressed against the cliff's surface, sensing its hollow nature. Knowing what to do, he exerted pressure, causing the cliff to give way, plunging him into the depths amidst rocky terrain and peculiar vegetation.
As he rose to his feet, a spectacular sight unfolded before him. He stood within a spacious chamber, possibly exceeding 80 meters in size, bathed in the soft blue glow emanating from a pond. Strange plants surrounded him, unlike any he had seen before.
Without hesitation, Leon rushed towards the pond, his heart racing with the anticipation that the map's contents might indeed be true.
A broad grin spread across his face as he gazed at the pond, unable to contain his excitement.
Swiftly discarding his upper clothing, he plunged into the pond's depths.
Although the pond's waters were not entirely clear, likely due to the blue light emitting from within, Leon wasted no time exploring its depths, which exceeded 20 meters.
Minutes passed, and several times he surfaced to catch his breath.
And now, after more than 10 minutes of searching, he stood before an object resembling a stone with a brownish hue, emitting a mesmerizing blue light.
His eyes widened with anticipation, his heart pounding in his chest as a wide grin adorned his face.
'Finally, my treasure!' he exclaimed inwardly, his satisfaction palpable.
Without hesitation, he reached out to grasp the object, admiring it with awe.
But suddenly, a "Beep!" sounded from the object, accompanied by a strange red light. Leon's eyes widened in disbelief as he realized the nature of what he held.
BOOM!
The object detonated with a deafening bang akin to an atomic blast, unleashing a thunderous explosion that reverberated throughout the chamber. Vibrations shook the very foundation, shattering the pond into pieces and sending water cascading in all directions.
Black smoke billowed from the aftermath, revealing the devastation wrought by the explosion, which had punctured the chamber's walls, exposing the outside world.
Not far from the blast site, Leon lay sprawled upon rocky ground, gasping for breath amidst the wreckage. His clothing charred, his body adorned with bloody burns.
His eyes widened as he stared at the chamber's ceiling, his expression a mix of disbelief and fury.
His hands clenched into fists, teeth gritted in a display of intense rage. The place he had believed to hold treasure had turned out to be a trap!
"FUUUUUUCK!" he roared in frustration.
---
Meanwhile, seated upon his bed in the confines of his chamber...
"HAHAHAHAHA!" Victor erupted into laughter, his amusement evident as he watched the hologram before him.
[Because of your intervention, Leon was struck by a powerful explosion, resulting in severe injuries and intense anger. Congratulations, you have earned a 1× ticket to the Heavenly Lottery]
The system's message only served to heighten Victor's satisfaction.
Of course, the object he had thrown before departing the mysterious chamber was none other than a bomb procured from Derek. An indescribable sense of satisfaction enveloped him, as though it were the most sublime feeling he had ever experienced.
And to top it off, the reward from the system in the form of a 1× lottery ticket only added to his sense of contentment.
"This is just the beginning, Leon. Next, I will ensure you suffer to the point where death seems like a mercy!" he declared with a wicked grin, a palpable aura of malice emanating from his being.
Armed with a comprehensive understanding of the world's intricate plot, he had undoubtedly formulated various schemes, all aimed at inflicting untold suffering upon the protagonist, Leon Emery.
[Herakles will arrive in 1 minute]
A hologram suddenly materialized, interrupting Victor's malevolent thoughts.
"Oh, he's coming!" he exclaimed, his satisfaction growing even more pronounced.
Shortly thereafter, a golden light manifested on the vacant floor before him, coalescing into the imposing figure of a muscular man with bronzed skin, flowing black locks, and a fierce countenance. Standing at a towering height of 3 meters, he loomed before Victor with an air of deference.
The man, none other than Herakles, opened his eyes, brimming with respect as he addressed Victor. With a reverent gesture, he knelt before him, speaking in a tone of utmost deference, "I, Herakles, son of Zeus, pledge myself to you, Master Victor, for the remainder of my days."