The Scums Villain System

“Justice is just a story... written by those who won.” Lucian Veylor was executed as a villain. But what if he was the only one who ever saw the truth? Now, reborn in an empire on the brink of collapse—where heroes are staged, and weakness is erased—Lucian awakens with the Villain System: a sentient interface that thrives on fear, control, and calculated dominance. This isn’t revenge. It’s redirection. He sees the narrative. He understands the rules. And he will overwrite them—line by line. Power? He’ll carve his own throne. Enemies? He’ll use them as tools. Truth? He’ll twist it into a blade. In a world that worships false heroes and shallow justice, Lucian will rise as the ultimate contradiction— the villain who tells the truth... and rewrites the world in silence.

I woke up as Kael Valery — the villain of my favorite novel. Feared for his power, hated for his sins, Kael was destined to fall. But now I’m in his body, trapped in the world of Hero of Light Chronicles. Thrown into an elite magic academy where reputation is everything, I must hide who I really am, fix what Kael broke, and survive the consequences of a life I never lived. I’m not here to redeem him. I’m here to rewrite the story — even if it kills me.

Karel is trapped in a teenage novel and must play the role of an 18-year-old villain. However, he feels grateful because the villain character he portrays lives in luxury, so he doesn't have to work hard like in his previous life.

Aiden wakes up in the body of a nobleman’s son—the same guy destined to be stabbed through the heart by the hero in the prologue. But before he can panic…  [DING!] Welcome to the Flirting System! Current Mission: "Survive the next 24 hours by charming Lady Seraphina, the future saintess who will curse you to death in Future. " Bonus Objective: "Make her laugh. (Warning: She hasn’t smiled in 3 years.)"  Aiden gulps. "I died a virgin, and now my life depends on rizz? Gods damn it.

Nathan Beck was never meant to be a hero. Life chewed him up, spat him out, and left him hollow. A ghost in his own skin, haunted by grief and disillusionment. But death offered him something else: A new viewpoint. And a question no one else was asking. Now reborn as Hidesuke Shinohara, a forgotten, F-tier “hero” in the digital world of Arc Zenith, he's granted an ominous, forbidden power: The Final Verdict System. It doesn’t hand out points. It doesn’t reward popularity. It exists for one reason alone: To pass judgment on the heroes who think they’re untouchable. In a world where saviors wear pretentious masks and villains are manufactured scapegoats, Hidesuke becomes the razor’s edge between false light and true shadow. As he climbs the twisted hierarchy of power, surveillance, and illusion, his blade becomes justice. As he hunts them one by one, his judgement zones carve truth into lies. Every sentence burns a legacy. Every sin carries a weight. And real justice finally gets a voice. - - - - - - - The alley was soaked, wall to wall with blood and rain. C-tier Hero "Rot" slammed Hidesuke through a rusted vent, sending shards of metal skittering across the floor. “You don’t get to judge me, you fucker!” he roared, face littered with ugly wounds and eyes wide with fury. Hidesuke coughed, blood in his teeth, and pushed himself up. “Thirty-five victims,” he rasped. “How many more must go down in silence before you feel any remorse?” Rot surged forward again, his palm bursting with hydroforce. Hidesuke didn't dodge. All conditions were met. It was time to end this. > “I bear witness.” Then the world around them split in half. Light scorched the pavement as the Judgment Zone warped reality, replacing every structure within the radius. The rain stopped midair. Sound bent in place. Everything froze except Hidesuke—and Rot, now locked inside with him. > “Violation of Article Nine.” > “You turned their lungs into breeding sites for your filthy worms.” Rot screamed, lunging again. But the chains found him first, wrapping around his legs, arms, throat. They hissed against his skin, burning through his armor and piercing his flesh. > “Sin Weight: 46.” > “Victim Count: 35.” > “Verdict confirmed.” Hidesuke walked toward him, limping slightly, voice steady. > “They desperately begged you for air. Yet you used them like lifeless objects.” > “Let this be your last breath.” His hand closed around the final seal. The glyphs flared red—then white. Veil didn’t get a last word. - - - - - - - [ ! ] If you've been looking for a story with a unique plot and background, congrats you've found the one. Don't waste any more time. Head right in. [ ! ] The first few chapters are evenly-paced and mostly of slice-of-life. The system doesn't make a real appearance until a little later, after a condition is met. [ ! ] Discord server dropping soon.

His voice floats in the dark—slow, distant, cracked at the edges. A memory unraveling itself in ruin. "Oh… and I just died again." A beat. "Didn’t even get the chance to scream this time. Just burned. Like always." "But it doesn’t matter. None of this is real. Not really. It’s just… something stuck on repeat. A scene that loops like it’s written in the marrow of my bones." He inhales. Smokes chokes even the thought. "I think I’ve been trapped here for so long, I started dreaming with my eyes open." "Don’t get confused. I wasn’t always like this. I was a god. A ruler. Born of stars and saltwater. Atlantis was mine to inherit. My name—my legacy—was etched into the stone of the sea before I ever took my first breath." "And then…" his voice tightens "Mortals." "They didn’t worship. They hunted. They slaughtered the gods—burned our temples, tore our wings, shattered our hearts." "And me? They didn’t kill me. They needed me alive. Needed me to scream." "You ever wondered what it feels like—melted gold poured on your skin? Not once. Not twice. A thousand times. They’d stop. Let me heal. Then start again. That’s how I lost my gift. That’s how I lost my healing. That’s how I lost time." "I was just a child when the first war came. Barely 200 years old—barely chosen. By 500, I was ready for the throne. Strong. Steady. Loved." "Then the massacre." "Atlantis died." "And I disappeared into shadow." "Ten thousand years they kept me. Caged. Bound. Tortured. Not enough to die. Just enough to wish I could." "And then I saw my chance. I ran. I fought. I clawed my way out—" "But they found me. Again." "They reversed my age—ripped me backward through time like I was nothing but a thread. Left me a child. A hundred years old again. Powerless." "Then came the final curse: They locked me inside an illusion." "My illusion." "The one I created as a child—the night my village burned. The night I screamed and no one came." "Now I live that night again." "And again." "And again." "I die. I wake. I die. I wake." "Every ending is a beginning wrapped in fire." "And I’m tired." "Tired of bleeding for gods who are gone. Tired of breaking for Mortals who only know how to destroy." A long pause. "They used me." "Wore me out like a story passed through too many mouths." Then his voice drops—low, steel in it now. A whisper with weight. "But I swear… the next time I rise…" "It won’t be to save them." "It’ll be to end them." "They will scream and I'll listen" "This time, I'll give them something to remember" "A god... with nothing left to lose." READER ADVISORY: Everything in this world is handcrafted — from currency to the most basic details. My characters are morally gray, and each one is forged through relentless trials, not born into greatness. If you're hypersensitive, this story isn't for you. This book is brutal, raw, and unapologetically different. But if you’re craving something bold, dark, and unlike anything you’ve read before — step in. Thanks for reading.

"Leave, you're free. Don't ever come back here again." She said, hoping he wouldn't return and she'll get to live Hael was shocked, "Are you abandoning me, My Lady?" Corvina Cory lived her first life like a typical villainess and the consequences of her actions were pretty obvious. She died at the hands of the person she was in love with. Yet she gets a second chance at her first life even though she didn't want it. She didn't want to face the man she was madly in love with again and she definitely didn't want to get killed again by him as well.

Rahul Saini was just a regular guy from Earth, living a forgettable life, stuck in a world that never let him shine. But fate had other plans. One moment, he closed his eyes… and the next, he opened them in a brutal, ancient realm where power decides everything. Strength is the only law. Cultivation determines life, death, and worth. He transmigrated into the body of a gentle innkeeper in the famous Medicinal City—Bagania. But this wasn’t a happy second chance. The innkeeper had been poisoned—murdered by someone close. The moment Rahul awakened in this new body, he didn’t cry or scream. He smiled. Because what this new world didn’t know… was that Rahul didn’t come alone. He brought a system. [DING! STRONGEST IN THE UNIVERSE SYSTEM ACTIVATED!] With a god-tier skill that allows him to master everything from cultivation techniques to weapon crafting, from arrays to alchemy—with improved versions no one’s ever seen—Rahul is no ordinary transmigrator. And then came the question: Which path do you choose? Justice? Evil? Chaos? Rahul chose CHAOS. Not because he’s evil. Not because he’s good. But because he’s done following rules written by others. Now, he absorbs emotions—greed, fear, anger, jealousy—and converts them into raw power. The more chaos he causes, the faster he grows. Within days, he crushes his first enemy, absorbs their soul, and shakes the entire city. The legend begins. They call him: Nameless. Heartless. Faceless. The God of Evils. But only seven people in the world know the truth behind that name. Only they know the real Rahul Saini—a man from another world, cloaked in mystery, fueled by pain, and chosen by Chaos itself. Watch as Rahul rises from an innkeeper to a force that shakes sects, empires, and even the heavens. This is not a hero’s story. Not a villain’s tale. This is the legend of a man who devours fate, rewrites the rules, and grows stronger with every broken emotion. If you like overpowered protagonists, deadly cultivation, mysterious systems, and unpredictable twists—this story is for you. Rahul Saini’s era has begun. And Chaos follows wherever he walks.

Abandoned over his parents’ debt, Ren was taken in by a gang leader who molded him into a weapon. Using him to do his dirty work from the moment he could throw a punch. The only light in his life was Nathalie, a girl he called his sister, though they shared no blood. But when she was hurt, used and broken because of someone else’s greed and lust, Ren snapped. Years of silent suffering and bottled-up rage exploded all at once. He came for blood. Sadly, one person can only do so much. Left for dead and bleeding out in an alley, a mechanical voice echoed in his head [Supreme Evolution System: Activated] From that moment on, he wasn’t just fighting to survive—he was evolving to dominate. Not a hero. Not a savior. Just a monster born of vengeance.

Just when I thought everything was going well, the world looked at me with a smirk of mockery. I was at the top of my life… Then everything changed. I was diagnosed with cancer. They told me I had only one year left to live. I lost all hope of being cured. So I decided to waste that year reading novels and playing games. And then… I died. Or at least, that’s what I thought. When I opened my eyes, I was suddenly slapped by a girl. Out of instinct, I dodged her and punched her hard in the jaw. As I was about to hit her again, a deep voice stopped me: “Stop! How dare you strike the princess?!” I turned to see the man— Arin von Rinehafer. Wait… that name... I know it. I’ve been transported into my favorite novel— But not as the hero... I became the villain. No more crying over the past. My childhood dream has come true. And in this life... I’ll do whatever I want, no matter the consequences.

"It's 2025. Who's gonna believe a myth or fantasy anymore? That only exists in the book or game or anime." And that's how everybody thought before the announcement that flipped the entire world completely. Everybody race to become the new god with the system they got. So, how about the people who don't get the system? ( Hey, kid. I can give you some power. Let's make a contract. ) [ Previous Volume's Soundtracks are in the Discord server. ] * [ 1983 - Schwartzesmarken ] by [ Fripside ] as OP song Volume 02. * [ Fatality ] by [ Kordhell ] as ED song Volume 02. ------------------------------- Author note : For latest news or announcement, just visit the discord : https://discord.com/invite/JG952SF9aU Thank you very much. ( b ' 3 ' ) b

The protagonist of the world where Lev Razanov lived had already achieved his happy ending.  Meanwhile, the world continued to move forward. Until the protagonist betrayed humanity. [You have been killed by the main character.] [Hero’s System successfully installed.] [Do you wish to return to the past?] Lev was given a chance to return to a time when the story of his favorite novel had just begun. Although he was destined to become an extra villain—a pawn of the pawns serving the real villain, he vowed to end the lives of anyone who had caused him suffering. [Hero’s System inherits your desire from your life on Earth—the desire to do good.] “Who said killing your enemies is an evil act?” [You gain +10 kill points.] [You gain +10 heroic points.] *** Additional Tags: Second Chance, Past Play a Big Role, Game Elements (Third Person Limited Pov.)

Santiaga Denero was born cursed—plagued by misfortune that dragged him through a life of betrayal, humiliation, and relentless suffering. Heroes turned their backs. Fate offered no mercy. But buried deep within him was the cause: a demonic parasite, feeding on his pain since birth. With a promise of power, he became one with the parasite. Now awakened and bound to a corrupted version of the system once reserved for heroes, Santiaga no longer seeks justice or redemption. He wants vengeance—and he’ll burn the world to get it. > Every laugh. Every lie. Every smiling face that watched him suffer– will be crushed beneath his heel. As kingdoms tremble and guilds vanish in his wake, someone watches from the shadows. A beautiful woman in white. A smile on her lips. And blood in her eyes. Enter his world. Follow his path. But be warned—this is no hero’s journey. _____ Dark Fantasy | Anti-Hero | Psychopath MC | Twisted Romance | Villain Protagonist 1 - 3 chapters a day

After being betrayed and murdered by his best friend on the eve of the biggest gaming tournament of his career, pro gamer Kaito Nakamura thought his story was over. But fate had other plans.He awakens in the body of Aldric Von Darkmoor, the notorious villain from "Chronicles of the Divine Hero" – a light novel he had been reading. But this isn't just any villain – Aldric is destined to be defeated by the hero Magnus Lightbringer in two years and die as the final boss.However, Kaito possesses something the original Aldric never had: complete knowledge of the story's plot, every character's secrets, and most importantly, the truth about the so-called "hero" Magnus Lightbringer.Armed with the mysterious "Revenge System" that feeds on his burning desire for vengeance, Kaito begins to rewrite destiny itself. Instead of following the original villain's path to destruction, he'll use his gamer instincts and future knowledge to build an empire of loyal followers.His first target? Luna Shadowmere, the deadly assassin who was supposed to become Magnus's most devoted companion. But what if someone else rescued her first? Someone who understood her pain and could offer her the revenge she truly craved?One by one, Kaito will claim the hero's destined allies, expose Magnus's true nature, and prove that sometimes the villain's victory is the only true justice.After all, who better to play the perfect villain than someone who's been betrayed by those he trusted most?

Li Tian trusted the wrong people — and died with a knife in his chest, betrayed by his best friend and the woman he thought he loved. But death was only the beginning. He wakes up in a world of ancient clans, ruthless sects, and immortal cultivators — reborn as the disgraced heir of the once-mighty Li Clan. This time, there’s no room for loyalty or mercy. Bound to the mysterious Villain System, Li Tian’s only path to survival is to embrace what the world fears most: becoming the villain everyone whispers about in the dark. Every mission pushes him deeper into infamy — humiliating rivals, destroying geniuses, shattering clans from the inside out. One wrong move and the System will erase him completely. One moment of weakness and the vultures waiting in the shadows will tear him apart. But Li Tian isn’t the naive fool he once was. He’ll play the villain they fear — and he’ll make the entire cultivation world kneel for daring to betray him twice. Betrayal. Power. Revenge. A System that rewards cruelty. Read on if you dare — and watch the rise of the villain who refuses to die quietly.

Alex Jin was just another overworked nobody until a truck crash sent him into the body of Valerian Nightshade—the cold-blooded villain from a popular fantasy novel. Destined to die early as the stepping stone for the “hero,” Valerian was powerful, rich, and feared… but ultimately doomed. That is, until the Villain Evolution System activated. Now, every villainous act rewards Alex with unimaginable power. Crush a rival? +100 Strength. Manipulate a noble house? Unlock a rare bloodline. Kiss the heroine meant for the hero? Well... let’s just say the rewards aren’t all measured in stats. To survive, Alex must outwit plot armor, bend fate, and ascend to the throne of power in a world that expects him to lose. But the deeper he goes, the more he realizes—being the villain might be the only way to save this twisted world. This time, the villain won’t die early. He’ll rewrite the story, one ruthless step at a time.

A jaded gamer, fresh off beating the brutally challenging "The Villain's Path" and securing a massive cash prize, is abruptly thrust into the game's dark world. He wakes as Riko Ldenberg, a character destined for an early, violent death due to his inherent kindness and a lineage born from rape. But this new Riko is no longer the gentle soul; armed with a "Villain System" and complete knowledge of the game's many gruesome outcomes, he is determined to forge a new, formidable identity. His transformation begins immediately. Faced with a household of disdainful servants who exploit Riko's past leniency, he executes a swift and shocking display of power, shedding innocent blood to assert his absolute dominance. This brutal act is not just about control; it's the first step in his plan to amass power, wealth, and a harem, beginning with the loyal. Maid Lilly, whose respect for the original Riko earns her a place as his first conquest and future "alpha female." As he embraces his new villainous role, the protagonist plots to subvert every expected narrative, preparing for future encounters. With characters he once knew only as pixels, all while building a terrifying legacy of his own design.

Stuck in a fantasy academy where everyone sees him as the villain, Eclipse Warbringer has one goal: survive long enough to figure out how not to die at the hands of the hero. Armed with the knowledge of everything in the game, shiny weapons that may or may not work, and a maid who’s definitely hiding secrets, Eclipse dives headfirst into his steps just to stay alive. But between magical mishaps, deadly demons, and awkward social encounters, doing that is harder than it looks. Author: You're welcome to leave comments, just don't bully me too hard! Chapter length: 1000 - 1500 words. Upload: 1 chapter daily (more support, more chapters.)

Villain System: Activated > Alignment: Chaotic Evil Objective: Obey the plot, serve the empire, die like a good villain. Yeah, no thanks. I woke up as Dorian Valen—sadistic noble, arsonist, war criminal, mid-tier villain with a face everyone wants to stab. The story wants me to beg for my life, cough up secrets, and die at sunrise so the hero can get a shiny new power-up. Been there, read that. But I'm not here to follow the script. I'm here to flip the table. I’ll expose the cracks in the empire, dismantle the hero’s halo, weaponize every trope, and corrupt the system that tried to cage me. And if I have to burn the world down to do it? Well… I’ve got the villain system. Might as well make it earn its name.

A useless prince, yet brimming with kindness and compassion—his smile as warm as sunlight, illuminating this darkened era. But that was merely a mask, hiding the poisonous and mad nature beneath. A monster lurking behind a gentle shell. A system that feeds on stolen Heroines. He will outplay destiny—and rise as the world’s ultimate villain.

When Your Own Villains Fire You for Being Too Crazy Jax "The Mad Gambit" Thorne was the Abyss Syndicate's go-to guy for impossible schemes—until they decided he was literally too insane to keep alive. Now abandoned in a wasteland where even reality gives up, Jax discovers that being discarded by evil overlords is actually the ultimate career upgrade. Armed with a broken System that labels him "Too Crazy to Die", Jax turns survival into an art form of beautiful chaos. Because when life gives you exile, you make it everyone else's problem. The only thing more dangerous than a mad villain? A mad villain with nothing left to lose.

Seven Thrones, One Man in between. Lucan Malryk, sacrificed, betrayed and killed. Now he's back with a god system and a sin-forged power no one understands — not even him. Would he change the world or break it. From shattered Creeds to illusion, forged assassins, shadow-born kings, desert queens, and zealots — war is coming. And every throne is watching.

I was walking to the convenience store and the next moment I knew, I was inside the villain's body!? What is going on!? This world is known as the world of Star Fantasy, a popular RPG that dominated the gaming charts. Tournaments were held all over the world to celebrate the success of this game. The top ten guilds were invited for every tournament to recruit new talent for their teams. Liam was part of the third strongest guild in Star Fantasy.  He suddenly woke up as the son of one of the strongest knights in the empire. Arnold von Berkley, who will become one of the greatest villains in the story. He must find out if there are more of him out there. Was he the only one summoned? If so, how can he avoid his inevitable death?  By eliminating his death flags! -- If you would like to hear about any updates regarding my current stories, join my discord: https://discord.gg/zAj9ddMpD4. Currently on HIATUS You can ask anything. I might take suggestions as well. Chapter releases are three full chapters per week. Parts of a chapter will be released a day after each other. Paypal for donations: https://paypal.me/Immortal1217

They took everything from him... His name, his home, even his father’s love. Beaten, betrayed, thrown and abandoned like trash. Ryan is left with nothing. But in a world where power is the only law, the powerless don’t just survive… they hunt. The weak don’t beg for mercy. They return with a knife... [Ding!] [You have awakened 'The Villain System'] And this was his knife.

Ryu Jin was just a regular guy from Earth, until his life suddenly ended. He woke up in the dangerous Murim world, stuck as the bad guy in a martial arts novel he'd read. Even though he was from a powerful family, he was just a stepping stone for the hero. Desperate to change his grim future, Ryu Jin tried to be good. He stopped being arrogant, tried to be friends with the hero, and even formed what he thought were real connections with the story's main girls, including a close friend who seemed to get him. He tried to be the "nice" villain, hoping kindness would save him. He was wrong. The novel's hero, who secretly knew Ryu Jin was meant to be the villain, just pretended to be kind. It was all a trick. In a brutal betrayal that broke Ryu Jin, the hero, with the help of the very girls Ryu Jin tried to protect, brutally killed him. It wasn't about being a hero; it was about power and making sure Ryu Jin could never rise. The pain of their lies, their cruel smiles, and his unfair death burned deep into his soul. But death wasn't the end. Ryu Jin wakes up again, sent back in time to an important moment in his past. This time, there are no false hopes or innocent beliefs. The memory of their cruelty is like a burning mark. And now, a mysterious Villain System appears, promising him power and ways to get back at everyone who hurt him. No more Mr. Nice Guy. Filled with burning anger, knowing what's coming, and powered by his new System, the Murim world's true villain is back. Ryu Jin will carefully ruin the lives of those who celebrated his fall. He'll become incredibly powerful, not by being good, but by being smart, cruel, and strong. The hero, the main girl, and the 'friend' who betrayed him will face a payback far worse than anything a story could imagine. This time, darkness rules, and Ryu Jin isn't being nice anymore.

In his previous life, Seo Hae-jin was a tyrant feared across realms—a villain whose name was synonymous with extinction. But when death finally claimed him, he did not find oblivion. Instead, he awoke reborn in a decaying magical world—armed with a glitched Sovereign Devouring System, and a mark burned into his palm: the Symbol of Dominion. From the body of a forsaken human child, he began again. At his command, countless black larvae hatched—creatures no larger than an insect, yet destined to evolve into horrors that would drown entire civilizations. These bugs devour everything—flesh, mana, memory—and grow without limit. He feels no pity. No remorse. No hope for redemption. As empires crumble and heroes die screaming, a single truth spreads across the stars: The Sovereign of Devouring has returned. He is no man. No god. No monster. He is extinction itself.

She is the daughter of an Alpha whose family had conquered the last demon wolf in Illyria. Esmeray is born into the prestigious Alpha family, known as the Montague. But after her father's untimely death, her life becomes a nightmare of abuse at the hands of her cruel stepmother and stepbrother, who torment her for lacking a wolf. Desperate for salvation, she dreams of a mate who would come and rescue her from the cruelty of her pack. When he finally arrived, her hopes were shattered, for he had only come to reject her. Her only connection to her family's proud heritage is her striking blue hair, a sacred legacy from her ancestors. But in a desperate bid for freedom, Esmeray cuts her hair to escape being sold to a rogue. Her daring action pushes her to the precipice of death, unwittingly awakening a powerful demon wolf, imprisoned for 15 long years. This Alpha demon, who has yearned revenge and bloodthirst, is instantly drawn to Esmeray the moment he senses her, and he is determined to keep her at his side at all cost. In the world of wolves, the hunt is everything — and he has found a prey worth chasing.

Reincarnation in a game as the Main Antagonist. It could be a novel itself, but that was what I dragged myself into. In the famous and successful game [Princess And Dragon] As if my life wasn't shitty enough, a bastard brought me in that hardcore violent Dating Sim Game and in the body of the worst villain and [Major Antagonist Edward Falkrona] If I want to survive, I have to become strong. If I want to be strong, I have to join the Academy and by joining the Academy, I will meet these guys... Yeah, I'm obviously speaking about the Protagonist, the Main Heroines, the Villainess and all the villains. Am I destined to watch that protagonist build his harem in front of me?! =========== For the illustrations and questions: https://discord.gg/47PvntgB3K *English is not my native language so please understand some of my mistakes. Don't hesitate to correct me, if you want!

On his way home from an exhausting shift, Lu Xiao never expected to become the obsession of a masked killer—a man with a twisted attachment and a terrifying promise: “If I can’t have you, no one can.” Hunted, cornered, and ultimately killed, Lu Xiao awakens not in heaven, but in a sterile white space floating on clouds, face-to-face with a glowing green cat calling itself System 8219. The system offers him a deal: enter various worlds, complete missions, and earn enough points to be resurrected. Without thinking, Lu Xiao agrees. But transmigration isn’t the wish-fulfillment fantasy the novels made it seem. Each mission drops Lu Xiao into the path of powerful, dangerous villains—men scarred by fate, twisted by pain, and terrifyingly possessive. And worse? Every single one of them seems to know his name. As the lines between reality and fiction blur, Lu Xiao finds himself tangled in stories where escape isn’t as easy as logging out. “Can I abort the mission…?” he asks one day, desperate and trembling. A familiar voice whispers behind him, arms locking tightly around his waist: “You can’t escape me.”