Asher couldn't believe that he was now in a world that was inspired by a web novel he had read before. It was a story he had hated, and he didn't read past the first fifty chapters.
"I don't want to be stuck in this world with that kind of storyline and characters. I can't believe this is happening to me. I can't believe that this is the story I ended up getting sucked into."
But despite his anger, a sudden realization dawned on him. "Hold up. I don't think this situation happened in the story I read. This is a new event, something that I haven't read about. Or maybe this event was supposed to be a flashback, a backstory of some kind. Fuck, I don't know; I didn't read the fucking entire story."
Asher was trying to remember what had happened in the story, but he couldn't recall any scene that involved him. "I don't remember a single character with the name of Asher. So, this means that I am an extra in the story, someone who was supposed to have a minor role. Or maybe I was supposed to die. Which explains why I was able to take over this person's body so easily and why the soul was gone."
However, Asher was not done raging. He couldn't control himself from ranting as he cursed his situation. "FUCK! Even if I got transmigrated into a fantasy world, why did I end up as an extra in a shitty story? Why can't I have the main role? Or at least a villain's role?"
As he ranted, a glowing screen suddenly appeared before him. He had not even summoned the system, and it just showed up in front of him. And the screen contained a question that caught Asher completely off-guard.
[ Ding! ]
[ System initialization in progress... ]
[ Ding! You have been chosen to inherit a personalized System. ]
[ You can now choose between two paths to embark on your new journey. ]
[ Choose your path: Would you like to be a Legendary Hero or a Ruthless Villain? ]
"This... this isn't supposed to happen, right?" Asher muttered, staring at the glowing screen in front of him. "There was no System in 'The Holy Knight,' at least not the one that I had read. And this question..."
Asher was stunned by the sudden question that the System asked him. "Does this mean I get to choose my path? Can I really decide if I want to be a Hero or a Villain?"
Then Asher felt his body trembling with excitement as a smile crept on his face. It was a twisted and evil grin that showed how happy he was about this opportunity. "Oh, I love this! I love this so much!" He couldn't contain his joy at the chance to break away from the constraints of being an 'extra' in the story.
"I am no longer going to be an extra in a shitty story. Now I get to be something more. This system is giving me a chance to change my destiny. I have always wanted to be something more, and now I have that chance." Asher felt as though a weight was lifted off his shoulders.
But there was only one choice he could make, the one that would make him the happiest.
"Heroes follow rules. Villains break them," Asher said with a wicked smile, feeling as if a whole new world of possibilities was opening up to him. "And I hate rules. So, System, I choose to be a Villain. I want to be free. I want to do things my way. I want to be able to do anything I want without having to follow someone else's rules or morals."
The moment Asher chose to become a Villain, the System responded with a series of notifications.
[ Ding! Your choice has been locked in: You have chosen to become a Villain. ]
[ Ding! Analyzing the host's desires and preferences... ]
...
...
...
The screen displayed a series of dots for several seconds. Then the screen went black before the following notification came.
[ System customization is complete! The System will generate quests that align with your chosen path and your preferences and desires. ]
[ The first gift has been awarded: Healing broken mana veins and awakening dormant affinity. ]
The moment the System said those words, Asher's eyes went wide as he could feel something happening to his body. His mana veins were being repaired, and a power he had never known before was beginning to stir within him. The pain that he couldn't feel due to shock was starting to come to the forefront of his mind.
"What's happening? Why were my mana veins broken?" Asher asked in shock, clutching his chest as he felt the pain starting to rise.
Another notification from the System provided the answer he needed.
[ Due to the unawakened nature of Host's dormant affinity, your mana veins and mana core weren't strong enough to handle the Space Element of teleportation. The strain of the process shattered your veins. ]
"So, someone used a spell to teleport me here, but my body was too weak to handle the magic, and my mana veins were broken. Fucking great. This explains why the previous Asher died. It wasn't because he was targeted by a mage. He just had terrible luck." Asher muttered to himself. "Still, this doesn't change the fact that because of someone's selfish desire, an innocent person lost his life."
"First, the mother died because a stupid mage didn't think of the consequences of his actions, and now the original Asher had to suffer the consequences for someone's scheme." Asher said, shaking his head in disgust. "And that someone's target was her. They probably wanted him to violate her and create a scandal for her."
However, their plan backfired because of the unexpected result. "Well, they didn't count on the possibility of their pawn dying. So, they are going to have to try something else now. But they better be prepared because they just created their worst enemy."