Hero Supremacy — a game that had dominated the RPG scene when Benjamin was still in high school.
He remembered the excitement when he first picked it up from the local shop, eager to dive into a world full of magic, epic battles, and heart-pounding quests.
It was everything an RPG fan could ask for. And yet, among all the characters, there was one that always stood out to him: Luther Von Astral.
Luther wasn't a typical villain. In fact, Benjamin had never hated him, but rather felt deep sympathy for the character.
Luther was a tragic figure, born into a world where everything was set against him. His childhood sweetheart was stolen by the Hero during the Academy arc.
Then, when he tried to orchestrate a plot to take down the Hero, it all fell apart. Luther's fate was sealed. He was ultimately betrayed, outsmarted, and killed by the Hero.
For all his grand schemes, it seemed like Luther was doomed from the start.
Benjamin had always wondered what it would have been like to play as Luther, to be the antagonist with such a painful backstory.
But now, sitting in what could only be described as an absurd reality, He realized he wasn't just thinking about Luther. He was Luther.
The transition was still too surreal for him to fully grasp. How had this happened? How had the real world and the game world collided in such a way that he ended up in the shoes of a character he had once felt sorry for?
The confusion gripped him like an iron vice, but just as he started to sink deeper into it, a sound pulled him back to reality.
[Ding.]
Benjamin blinked, looking around. There was nothing. He rubbed his eyes, trying to make sense of what was going on.
Maybe it was a trick of his mind, a part of his brain reacting to the overwhelming situation. But then it came again.
[Ding.]
This time, a blue screen flickered to life before his eyes, causing his heart to skip a beat.
[System Initialization Beginning...]
"A system?" Luther muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. The word echoed in his mind. He had played so many games with systems and status screens, but to actually be part of one was… unexpected.
This could be his way to survive in this strange new world, assuming this wasn't some kind of hallucination. He needed this to make sense of his situation.
[Would you like to retain the memories of the 'Original'?]
The prompt blinked before him, waiting for his response. He didn't even have to think about it.
"Yes," he said aloud, his voice steady.
He wanted to know everything. He needed to understand what had happened to Luther, the man whose life he now inhabited.
As soon as the words left his lips, he felt a soft nudge in the back of his mind. It was subtle at first, like a whisper just on the edge of his consciousness.
And then it hit him — a flood of memories. Luther Von Astral's memories. It wasn't painful, thankfully; the system seemed to break them down for him, easing the rush of information. It was the memories right from his birth, up until the incident that had rendered him unconscious.
When the flow of memories subsided, Luther stayed still, his eyes wide. He wasn't just living someone else's life.
He was someone else. He was the villain. He was Luther Von Astral. And it felt… strange.
It was a lot to process, but something told him that it didn't matter what he felt. He had to move forward. The world was different now. His situation had changed.
But just as he tried to gather his thoughts, another message flashed before his eyes.
[Heroine Netori System Initializing...]
The words appeared on the screen, and Luther froze. He wasn't sure what he expected, but it definitely wasn't this.
The system's name was… absurd. The Netori system? Was it seriously going to turn him into some kind of villainous seducer?
The system felt like something out of a harem manga.
But then again, given the absurdity of his current situation, he shouldn't have been surprised.
'Hah... So I'll be told to NTR the Hero? Honestly that won't be half bad,'
He stared at the screen, still slightly in disbelief.
[Steal The Heroines Of The Hero To Level Up Or Die.]
"Great," Luther muttered under his breath, now thoroughly irritated by the situation. "I knew it. Of course, it's going to be some kind of revenge plot where I steal the Hero's heroines to gain power. Just my luck."
The concept was simple enough: in order to grow stronger, he needed to steal the Hero's women, the characters who were supposed to be loyal to him and help him on his journey.
It was a path that, if followed, would increase his power and might even make him a worthy opponent to the Hero.
However, the risk was just as high — every decision, every woman he tried to claim as his own, could bring him closer to death.
It was a dangerous game. And it wasn't a game he could afford to lose.
But even in his frustration, Luther couldn't deny that part of him felt… intrigued. Perhaps it was from how much he liked the game but it didn't change the fact that he was interested.
In this world, he wasn't bound by the game's rules or its plot. He wasn't just a character fated to lose.
He was free to take control. If he wanted to, he could use the system to manipulate the outcomes, twist the narrative, and build his power.
Luther leaned back, taking a deep breath. He still didn't fully understand the extent of his powers or how to navigate this new world. But one thing was clear: he had to survive.
And if that meant playing along with this absurd system, so be it.
He was going to need allies, and what more was better than to start with the Hero's women?