"Please," the man who had poured the poison said, his voice a hollow attempt at reassurance. "Take it easy. This is nothing... just the usual before execution."
But his words offered no comfort. The pain in the leader's eyes, and the coldness in the villagers' hearts, filled the air with a sense of inevitability.
Meanwhile, on the snowy battlefield, the villagers had gained the upper hand. The cold air sliced through the lifeless bodies scattered across the ground. Only two soldiers remained in the warzone, one of whom had been manipulated by Joseph. Both were confused, certain they would meet the same fate as the others.
"Got any last words?" The village leader's voice was deep and menacing, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the two pathetic soldiers. The other villagers smirked, their faces twisted with the glee of watching their prey cornered like animals in a slaughterhouse.
Both soldiers stepped back, but as they turned their heads, they saw the spiritless body of the spear unit leader lying on the cold plain. Once a proud warrior among the great spear soldiers, he now lay as helpless as a rat, trampled by countless feet.
One of them was shocked, collapsed in front of the villagers, his body fell to the ground.
"Looks like a slave shocked by the death of his master." One of the villagers mocked him. His joke brought a sound of giggles from the villagers, they stomped on the soldier body on the ground. Each footfall resounding with brutal indifference
"Haha, happy death day to you."
The village leader told them another joke, for momentary satisfaction.
The former sword-wielding soldier saw the villagers ignoring him, he fled like a cowardly dog.
With desperation, the soldier noticed Joseph standing at the distance, he thought the little boy was the only light outside the tunnel. His eyes fixed on him. The smile appeared on his face as he began running with his heart filled with determination. His boots echoed like a snare against the freezing ground.
As the former sword-wielding soldier approached, Joseph and the villagers noticed him gasp, exhaustion written on his face. The villagers' frustration was palpable as they glared at him, their eyes burning with anger. But the soldier seemed to pay them no mind, his foot dragging through the snow as his attention remained fixed solely on Joseph.
The soldier raised his hand, waving at Joseph, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He called out loudly, "So, the mighty youthful hero finally decided to show up, huh? Doesn't matter, can you lend me a hand?"
Joseph nodded, his expression unreadable as he acknowledged the soldier's request. He stood still, scanning the villagers, the soldier, and the situation, calculating his next move.
One of the villagers sneered, his voice trembling with hatred. "What a shameful human rat! You think my boy will back you up?" The villagers tightened their grips on their slingshots, preparing to release them and end the soldier's life.
But Joseph raised his hand, a silent command that carried weight. He shook his head slowly, signaling for them to hold their fire.
With just one minute left of Manipulation I, Joseph couldn't help but savor the moment, relishing the control he had over the situation. He knew the villagers would obey—he was in charge now.
"So, are you going to kill me? Please..."
His voice trembled, a hollow plea swallowed by the biting cold air. His hands pressed together in a frantic, silent prayer. The villagers exchanged confused glances, stunned by the soldier's unexpected plea.
Joseph smirked, understanding the soldier's true intent—he begged for a swift, merciful death, unwilling to face the villagers' wrath.
"Sorry, I'm only here to watch you die." His voice was serious, devoid of emotion. His face remained calm, as if the soldier's plea held no weight.
The soldier hesitated, taken aback by the boy's cold indifference.
Joseph snapped his fingers, signaling to the villagers that they could do as they pleased. But then, suddenly, Joseph's body collapsed to the ground, drained by exhaustion and the depletion of his Manipulation I power.
♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤
<✐ Activated: Skill windows >
<✐ Activated: Player info>
<✐ Activated: Check system>
<✐ Activated: inventory>
<✐ Activated: Construction tree>
<✐ Activated: Archievement & goal>
𖡡 Name : Joseph Vinh
𖡡 Class : Scientist
𖡡 Lv: 1
𖡡 EXP 1/20
𖡡 Allies : ???
𖡡 Title : ???
_____________________________
Joseph woke up, his eyes gradually opened, his hand rubbing them slowly. The ray of sunlight shining through the curtain reflected off his hand. The weather was still cold, but not as freezing as it had been. Joseph smiled, basking in the warmth of sunlight streaming through the nearby windows.
<✐ you're finally awake. Our hero.>
Their voice was laced with mystery, as though hinting at something unknown. Joseph turned his head, only to find the words he had just heard displayed in the text box.
"So, last time... I wasn't just dreaming?"
He asked, his voice trembling with curiosity, knowing what the system's words meant, yet doubt still clouded his mind.
<✐ Exactly, the system already has fully activated. You are now the player.>
Joseph murmured softly as his confusion lifted. His eyes focused on the floating text box beside him.
"But when I arrived, hadn't you already been activated?"
He realized the system had appeared the moment he arrived, even during the moments when he'd vented about his painful memories. His tone was smooth, his eyes narrowing.
<✐ "Well, young hero, great power comes with great responsibility. I can't let you use my power without knowing you're the proven one,">
the system said.
Joseph nodded slowly, mulling over the words. He recognized the logic in the system's settlement, acknowledged it as an unchangeable truth. This was nothing new to him—just another harsh reality of his world. In a society where only the strong prospered, those who were weak and incompetent were doomed to remain in the lower class. It was a vicious cycle he had come to accept. In his opinion, it seemed like just another unavoidable fate.
After a few moments, Joseph realized he wasn't lying on the cold, snowy ground anymore. Instead, he felt the soft bed beneath him, the comfort of the sheets bringing him a sense of relaxation and calm. He scanned the room and noticed the window was open, the sound of birds singing drifting in from outside the cottage. The wind blew softly, carrying the crisp scent of winter through the air. He reached up, pulling his arm free, and picked up his glasses, wiping them clean before putting them on.
"Where am I?" Joseph questioned, his eyes widening in confusion, a sense of unease settling in.
Joseph stretched his arm and turned his head toward the floating text box of the system, intending to ask where he was. Unfortunately, the text box vanished before he could speak, leaving the young boy to wonder alone. In frustration, he raked his hand over his forehead, then sighed quietly, his fist clinching. "Rule 1 from my old world, when you actually need someone to help, they're always gone." Joseph mumbled in sarcasm.
Joseph sat on the edge of the soft bed, his mind drifting in a haze of boredom, searching to beat the dull.
After the moment, he mentally replayed the intense chess game, the pieces shifting in complex patterns as he considered each possible move. "Nxc5? No, I think white should sacrifice the queen to g7. That would lead to a mate in four," he muttered to himself, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as his right hand brushed against his forehead.
However, his concentration shattered as the sound of loud voices echoed from outside his room. The argument was impossible to ignore, and every word carried a tone of jealousy. The noise seeped through the door, pulling his attention away from the game. A flicker of annoyance crept into his mind as he tried to refocus, but the voices wouldn't let him.
Joseph leaned back against the bedframe, swiftly grabbing the pillow behind him to cover his face, his hand resting on his knee. His eyes narrowed in irritation as he attempted to block out the escalating argument outside his room. The noise grew louder, gnawing at his focus—especially as it disrupted the quiet he so desperately needed.
"I'll be the one to serve him food!" the first maid shouted, her voice laced with jealousy as she glared at the second maid, captivated by the young boy's looks.
"What? That's unfair! I should be the one to serve him; it's my duty!"
the second maid retorted, frustration making her voice tremble. But when her gaze landed on Joseph, her expression softened. In a quieter, almost reverent tone, she continued,
"And... I can't help it. His face—so handsome, those angelic eyes. His body... the muscles in his arms, the way his abs are sculpted. And his voice—so deep, like the vast ocean... it's just... perfect."
Realizing what she'd just admitted, she quickly covered her mouth, her face flushing bright red.
Joseph listened intently behind the door, catching a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror. He understood the maid's words about him, but he couldn't help but feel irritated.
"Yes, I know I'm handsome. No need to describe it," he muttered to himself, his voice filled with certainty as he ran his fingers through his hair, making sure it wasn't messy. He didn't care for the attention; it only distracted him from his purpose.
"I didn't expect this to happen in another world," he mused, a slight frown on his face as he considered the unexpected turn of events. In his previous world, he had often been the center of attention. Many schoolgirls had fawned over him because of his looks. Women had argued and competed for his attention, each trying to flirt with him. Joseph had seen it so often that it started to annoy him. It caused chaos in his life, making him feel unsettled and distracted. What he needed most was control—not the unpredictability of romantic advances.
He felt like art deco—elegant but impractical, admired but ultimately unfulfilling. Maybe he briefly wonders if, in a different context, he would have embraced it, but then quickly dismissed the idea to stay focused.
As Joseph turned away from the mirror, he sat on the cotton bed, sunlight streaming through the window. The soft texture of the sheets helped him continue focusing on the chess match in his mind.
Unfortunately, the noise happened again. The match in his head had to be paused, and it was beginning to provoke him.
Both maids were still arguing over who would serve the handsome boy.
"This debate is useful as hell!" Joseph exclaimed, his sarcastic tone sharp. His jaw clenched as his concentration shattered under the endless stream of compliments.
Luckily, the two maids seemed to find a solution.
"Well, if we can't decide who will serve him, why don't we do it the traditional way?" the second maid suggested, narrowing her eyes as she fixed her gaze on the other maid. Her voice was serious, as though this were the only fair way to settle the dispute.
The first maid nodded without hesitation, clearly understanding the method that would bring an end to their quarrel.
"ROCK! PAPER! SCISSORS!" Both maids clenched their left hands, touching them together, ready to determine the outcome with the age-old game.
The result was clear.
The first maid held up her hand to show the rock symbol, while the second maid presented the scissors symbol.
"Fantastic!"
The first maid exclaimed, her voice echoing down the corridor, loud enough for others in the house to hear, though they chose to ignore it. She smiled triumphantly, like a lottery winner, a little blush coloring her face as she thought about Joseph.
The second maid, disappointed by the result, paused for a moment, her fingers absently playing with her long hair. She reluctantly resigned herself to letting the other maid serve him.
"Alright, I hope he won't ignore me," the maid murmured softly to herself, her heart racing uncontrollably as she waited.
After a moment, she gathered her courage and knocked on the door, three light taps. Joseph, hearing the sound, slowly rose from his seat and opened the door, his sharp gaze narrowing slightly as he observed the maid standing before him.
Her eyes briefly scanned the room before quickly darting away, her face flushing a deep red. She instinctively covered her face, trying to conceal the embarrassment that colored her cheeks. "Your meal, sir," she said in a voice barely above a whisper, her words trembling as she held out the plate.
Her cheeks were a delicate shade of pink, and for a moment, she hesitated, unsure of how to act. Lost in thought and still flustered from their earlier interaction, she seemed to struggle with finding the right words or actions.
"Thanks for the meal," Joseph replied smoothly, his voice calm yet warm. He took the tray from her hands, his fingers brushing hers for a brief moment. He noticed how she was too shy to meet his gaze, her face still flushed, her nerves palpable in the quiet room. Her discomfort was impossible to miss.
For a few moments, silence hung between them, thick with unspoken tension. Joseph, his curiosity piqued by her awkwardness, couldn't help but speak. He watched her intently, sensing an opening for a more personal question.
"Why am I here?" he asked, his voice low, yet edged with curiosity. His eyes fixed on her, trying to gauge her reaction. "Do you know why, lady?"
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Bruhhhh Joseph you are the rizzler unlike me but as you read till this you might be confused why he's here if you do comment some emoji, and if you wanna encourage me you can use your power stone and I appreciate it thanks