"Come to think of it, I used to hate tragic villains who acted like they had some deep backstory."
"Huh?"
Jongsik responded to Sayoon's muttered remark as they emerged from the suffocating weight of his memories. Sayoon briefly debated whether to praise or scold him for dutifully replying to every single one of his musings before ultimately choosing to ignore him.
"This is why people should watch their words."
There was a saying that life never goes as planned, and it couldn't be more true. Back in middle school, Sayoon had imagined his future self as a respectable civil servant, living an ordinary life.
Instead, he'd grown up to become a deranged villain.
The very kind of tragic backstory villain he used to despise.
Fate had a cruel sense of humor.
A bitter laugh escaped him as they arrived at the guild's parking lot. Stepping out of the car, Sayoon peeled off his bloodstained robe now stiff and unpleasant and tossed it to Jong-sik.
"Should I get this washed?"
"Seriously?"
Sayoon grimaced. Jongsik, completely oblivious, inspected the robe draped over his arm and nodded earnestly. His expression was so painfully innocent.
"Yes."
"...Jong-sik, are we beggars?"
"But this is still a D-grade robe."
"If it's covered in E-grade blood, it's E-grade now. Just throw it away I only wore a low-tier one because I planned to discard it anyway."
Jong-sik hesitated, staring at the robe with reluctant eyes before finally nodding at a snail's pace. Sa-yoon watched him with deep skepticism before adding,
"Don't you dare secretly wash it and reuse it."
"…!"
The burly man flinched, his face betraying his guilt as he clutched the robe tighter. Sayoon suppressed another laugh.
"How did you even become an executive in Night Mice?"
"Because you told me to."
"Don't go around telling people you're in Night Mice. I'd die of embarrassment."
What kind of top-tier guild secretly washed and reused blood-soaked D-grade robes?
And Night Mice wasn't just any top-tier guild.
Though they operated in the shadows and avoided official rankings, their profits rivaled the world's elite.
Yet here was one of its executives, acting like a thrifty grandmother.
Hopelessly soft-hearted.
If only he were as ruthless as he looked. Instead, he was the type to strip enemy guild members naked just to wash their clothes for reuse.
A teddy bear in a gangster's body.
Sayoon waved him off dismissively.
"Fine, do whatever. Wash it, reuse it, give it away I don't care. What's the update on Yongho Guild?"
"Seonjae and Hyung-i went to handle it."
"Report?"
"They haven't returned yet, so either negotiations stalled or they're stuck there. Should we pressure them?"
Sayoon's expression darkened.
Three months ago, Yongho Guild's leader, Chunbok, had groveled at his feet, begging for more time to repay their debts. Sayoon had shown mercy, too much mercy.
Now, it seemed they'd grown bold.
"Tell them to come back if Chunbok refuses to bend. I'll deal with him myself."
"Boss, about Chunbok… maybe we should send Baekryong instead—"
"Baekryong? What kind of cringy alias is that? Just use his real name. Is Park Chun-bok that embarrassing?"
"Actually, it's bak Chunbok."
"Right, Bak chun bok."
Sayoon couldn't understand why a man in his forties insisted on flashy titles like Baekryong (White Dragon) or Cheongryong (Blue Dragon). Even the guild name Yongho (Dragon-Tiger) reeked of midlife crisis.
Their naming sense was atrocious.
As he grumbled, Jongsik ever the instigator chimed in.
"Boss, your naming sense isn't much better."
Sayoon shot him a glare.
"Go check the A-zone gate clearance schedule and report back."
Jong-sik perked up, eager for a task. Sayoon stepped into the elevator, pressing the top floor button.
Just as the doors closed
Buzz.
His phone vibrated. A message confirmed the successful bid on an A-rank gate at an underground auction in Ulsan.
No surprises there.
He stuffed the phone back into his pocket
Ding!
< Achievement unlocked: 'The True Evil of Humanity owns at least 1,000 gates'! Reward: 1,000 Karma.>
Current Karma: 999,789
< Congratulations! 'Quests for the True Evil of Humanity' (1,800) completed! Reward: 'Status Window' unlocked. (b ᵔ▽ᵔ)b>
"…What?"
Quest notifications were normal. But this?
A Status Window?
Sayoon's eyes widened. He leaned closer, scrutinizing the unfamiliar text.
A Status Window.
The second most iconic feature of a Hunter, right after the System itself.
Something Sa-yoon had never seen in ten years.
Other Hunters received theirs upon awakening. But his system had denied him even that.
For a decade, he'd watched others flaunt theirs—envied, resented, seethed.
And now, out of nowhere?
"Are they scamming me again?"
The system had tricked him before. Countless times.
But no matter how many times he reread it, the message was clear.
Status Window unlocked.*
His instincts, usually screaming warnings, were eerily silent today.
His lips twitched.
This was an absolute win.
After ten years, he'd finally get it.
He tapped Accept .
< You have received your Status Window!>
< Congratulations! The True Evil of Humanity does not settle for an ordinary Status Window. Say 'Status Window' to view yours! (b ᵔ▽ᵔ)b>
'Does not settle for an ordinary Status Window.'
A smirk tugged at his lips.
He wouldn't check this in some dingy elevator.
Back in his quarters, freshly showered, Sayoon sat on his bed with rare solemnity.
Tense, braced for some system trick maybe a monster spawning mid-reward he took a breath.
"Status Window."
A vertical screen materialized before him.
---
[Kwon Sa-yoon's Status Window]
Age: 26
Gender:Male
Rank:S-Class
Alignment: 'True Evil of Humanity', The Resistant (Inactive)
Titles:
- 'The One Watched by Gods (?)'
- 'Perhaps a Divine Progeny? (?)'
- 'Follower of the Malevolent Deity (?)'
- 'Leader of Night Mice (A)'
- 'Slayer of the Rampaging Dragon (S)'
- 'Alpha (S)'
- 'Lord of Frost (SSS)'
…
Skills:
- [Communication (A+)]
- [Shared Pain (S)]
- [Venomous Words (A)]
- [Murderous Play (SS)]
- [Self-Justification (A-)]
- [Assassination (S)]
- [Disruption (B)]
- [Deception (SS)]
- [Berserk (B)]
- [Curse (SS)]
- [Frost (SSS)]
- [Fear Induction (S)]
- [Stealth (S+)]
- [Perception (SS)]
- [Formless Dagger (SS)]
- [Kin Shield (A)]
…
Unique Skills:
- [Voice of Spirits (S)]
Locked Skills:
- [Eyes of Calamity (L)]
Traits:
- 'Humanity's Worst Calamity (?)'
- 'To the Unluckiest You (L)'
- Forced Execution (?)'
- 'Even Ghosts Weep (A)'
- 'Survival of the Fittest (S)'
- 'Master of Ambush (S)'
- 'Frost Resistance (SSS)'
…
Attributes:
- Strength: S+ (SS)
- Agility: SS (SSS)
- Stamina: S (SS+)
- Luck: A- (F-)
Misc:
- Karma: 999,789
- Reputation: 10,390,091 (Infamy)
---
The window was long.
So long he had to scroll three times.
Dozens of unfamiliar skills stared back at him ones he'd never seen notifications for. It felt like peeking at someone else's status.
His eyes flickered across the text, memorizing everything.
Who knew when the system might revoke this?
Then
He stopped.
A strange, unfamiliar line caught his attention.
His breath hitched.
[Locked Skills]
- [Eyes of Calamity (L)]
"…What the hell is this?"