As I walked out of the mansion, carrying a bag of whatever the servants had thrown together, I let out a deep sigh.

  **Alright. Let’s calm down and assess the situation.**

  1. I was no longer Lucian, a useless delinquent. I was **me**, a hardcore gamer with knowledge of the future.

  2. I was in the early phase of the game, meaning I had time to prepare before the real threats arrived.

  3. Most importantly, **I wasn’t powerless.**

  Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

  [Ding!]

  A blue screen suddenly popped up in front of me.

  **[Villain System Activated]**

  A **system.**

  My heart pounded as text appeared before my eyes.

  **[Your role: Third-Rate Villain. Ensure the plot is followed. Act the part of a villain to earn rewards.]**

  **[Initial Rewards Granted: Berserker Sword + System Shop Unlocked]**

  I froze.

  **Berserker Sword?**

  That was supposed to be an endgame weapon.

  I hurriedly checked my inventory. And there it was—a dark, rune-covered blade with a blood-red aura, a weapon that **grew stronger the more I fought.**

  A grin spread across my face.

  “Alright.”

  I might have been exiled. I might have been a third-rate villain.

  **But if the game expected me to follow the script? Then I’d play my role—**

  **—and turn this villain into the strongest force this world had ever seen.**

  ---