Villain: Ultimate Mutation System in the Alternate World

Reign watched the hunters on the other platforms, noticing determination and fear on their faces.

Most had their fists tightly gripping the hilt of their katana out of instinct.

A few exchanged relieved glances, thankful that many had survived so far.

With each successful attempt, their confidence grew.

But Reign felt different.

He was trapped in his thoughts, trying to find a loophole in this trial.

'What am I missing?' Frustration simmered within him. He could sense the faint heat radiating from the bird above.

It was only a matter of time before it turned its attention on him.

'Was Lilith's calmness part of the trick?' he wondered.

Reasoning through how she had managed it, he considered the complexities of her identity.

He was willing to reluctantly admit that, compared to him, she might be a little less evil.

Still, that didn't change the fact that she was a devil—a person willing to sacrifice others for her own gain.

There was no way she was without darkness in her heart. It lingered beneath the surface, hidden behind her charming smile.

He considered all the times she had used others, turning them into tools to achieve her goals.

Each decision she made, no matter how well-meaning it appeared, was steeped in self-interest.

The more he thought about it, the clearer it became: the darkness in her heart was just as real as his own, even if she wore it differently.

'Maybe it wasn't about the darkness of her heart, but how she faced it.'

As those thoughts circled in his mind, he suddenly remembered the flaming bird's words:

'You must endure.'

The phrase stuck with him, echoing in his mind. Endurance meant being strong and resilient in the face of hardship.

'What if...' his thoughts trailed off.

The trial wasn't about erasing darkness or pretending it didn't exist?

Reign realized the possibility that enduring meant embracing who he truly was—darkness and all—without hiding or denying it. He had to believe that everything he had done was justified, that his actions were necessary and, in his mind, the right thing to do.

He remembered a speech from his past life, delivered by the Evil Monarch after conquering the world.

It had echoed across his old world, the words forever etched in history.

"Good and evil? They're just tools the weak use to control the masses .Those who ascend and reach real power, who break free from the chains of being ordinary, rise above such ideas."

"When that so-called god in your sacred texts unleashed a flood and wiped out billions, was that evil? Of course not. You can't judge a god by the same standards as mere mortals."

The monarch wasn't just making excuses for his actions—he was stating a universal truth.

Power was its own moral compass. If gods could reshape the world and wipe out entire civilizations while still being worshipped, then why should he be labeled as evil for doing what was necessary to grow stronger?

Reign let the thought linger. He had devoured people, consumed their vitality, and destroyed everything in his path to reach this point.

But had he done it out of malice? Or was it simply the cost of power?

Could he, like the Evil Monarch or even a god, be judged by the same standards as others?n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

'I see. So this is it,' he mused, clarity washing over him. 'This must be what Buddha felt when he reached enlightenment.'

The flaming bird continued its test, moving from one person to the next. Some hunters got obliterated under the weight of their darkness, their hearts too tainted to endure.

Reign couldn't help but shake his head, a smirk creeping onto his lips.

'They've all got it wrong. Too bad they're not a genius like me. It's not about your sins; you just need to believe you did nothing wrong.'

Only a few remained .

Miyu passed the test as expected of someone of her caliber.

Will Razer also made it through, maintaining control over his emotions as he fought against the trial.

The diamond-bodied hunter stood firm, his near-impenetrable defense reflecting his inner will.

Among the survivors, Reign also noticed someone unexpected—a young boy, barely fifteen, standing near the edge of one of the floating platforms.

The boy wore a sharp black suit, looking completely out of place in this rough environment.

His blonde hair and blue eyes stood out, but Reign didn't find that odd; those features were common in the West.

Up close, he didn't look like a fighter at all, but the fact that he was still here meant he had somehow passed the first trial.

This raised all sorts of questions. How could someone so young endure what seasoned hunters struggled to survive?

"Are you strong?" The boy's lips moved, and Reign could understand the question clearly, even without hearing the words.

'Is this kid trying to pick a fight with me?' he wondered.

But before he could respond, the flaming bird shifted its attention to the boy and hovered in front of him.

To Reign's surprise, the boy didn't flinch or show any fear.

Instead, he smiled confidently at the flaming creature, his fearless demeanor radiating a level of assurance that was unlikely for someone his age.

There was a certainty in the boy's eyes, as if he understood exactly what was about to happen.

CREEEEK!

The flaming bird unleashed a torrent of fire, flames spiraling down towards the platform.

But the boy stood firm, eyes locked on the approaching inferno.

Just like Lilith, he faced the trial head-on, passing it easily as if the flames were nothing to fear.

'I'm pretty sure that kid is not normal,' he sighed. It seemed the hunters weren't the only ones he needed to worry about. Discover hidden tales at empire

'There's a pretty high chance that kid is a meta-human,' he added.

Meta-humans were the only beings he was wary of fighting, even if he was using his original body. Their unpredictable and illogical powers posed a unique challenge that was hard to anticipate or counter.