— ??? —
Inside a quiet café, a blond young man with glasses sat typing on his laptop while occasionally sipping coffee, wholly focusing on his thesis. This café was his favorite spot on campus, the only place where he could be calm and find peace in the university.
The coffee aroma, the atmosphere, and the nice greeting of the staff made him comfortable at this place.
Glancing at his watch occasionally, the man worked diligently at his table.
Ding ding
"Welcome!" The staff greeted as the door chime announced a new customer.
All eyes in the café turned toward the beautiful young woman who entered. Her long hair and light makeup enhanced her natural beauty as she made her way through the room.
"Max, how do I look?" she asked with a bright smile as she took her seat.
Max paused, taking in her elegant dress. One glance told him she was dressed for a date. "You look nice," he replied with a nod before returning to his thesis.
"I heard you're dating Eleanor now. That's... nice. Congratulations. My bestie has finally found the one," she said, her smile unwavering though her voice trembled slightly.
"Thank you," Max nodded before refocusing on his work.
"You're not actually serious about her, right?" she pressed.
"Huh?" Max looked up again, confused.
"I mean, Eleanor - how long have you known her? A week?"
"Actually... three months," Max corrected. "If you count the time we met in that MMO."
"Yeah... so she's a weeb," the woman remarked.
"Just like me. That's why we became close so quickly," Max smiled, but she interrupted before he could continue.
"But still... you're not serious about her... right?" She emphasized the last word.
"Huh?"
"Tell me you're not serious about her," she insisted.
"I... don't know... it's only been three months."
"Exactly! Three months compared to the ten years we've known each other."
"Yeah..." Max nodded, attempting to return to his work.
"Hypothetical situation - we're both hanging off a cliff. You can only save one of us. Who would you choose?"
"Of course, I'd save both... what kind of question is that?" Max forced a smile, his chair squeaking as he tried to adjust his seat to be more comfortable.
"You can only save one!" she insisted.
"..."
"Come on! It shouldn't be hard to choose between someone you've known for ten years and a bitch you've only met three months ago!" she pressed.
Max stared at his thesis before sighing in resignation. "Fine... I'd save you."
A satisfied smile spread across her face.
"See? I knew I still mattered to you. Anyway, I should go, Mark is waiting for our date. Goodbye!" She stood abruptly and waved before exiting the café.
Max watched her leave, his expression a mixture of longing, disappointment, and faint irritation before burying those emotions deep down. He tried to refocus on his thesis.
But after sitting motionless for over an hour, no inspiration came. With another sigh, he packed up his things, calling it a day and returning to his dorm.
— Present Day —
Maximilian jolted awake; he dreamt about his past life, its remnant still clinging to him. It was a memory of his ex-wife from their university days. Back then... when he'd already been friend-zoned but was struggling to move on.
"That bitch!" he spat out bitterly, resentment bubbling up. He hated being gaslit, and last night's argument with the system had dredged up these unwanted memories. The system's tantrum had hit too close to home.
"Fuck..." Maximilian exhaled sharply, venting his frustration before getting out of bed.
He suspected the system would try taking advantage of him occasionally. But that was fine; he never expected unconditional assistance anyway. The system must have been created with some developer's objective in mind... perhaps gathering energy for its creator.
That would explain why it has the energy-draining capability and last night's aggressive bargaining. The way its mood improved the moment it got energy from him is clear to him about its objective.
Oddly, this realization reassured him. Nothing came free in this world; he preferred this give-and-take dynamic. By paying a price in energy and receiving services in return, it became a straightforward transaction. And in a transactional relationship, the system had incentive not to screw him over... too much.
Maximilian stepped out of the room, his mood dark and brooding.
[Good morning! (≧▽≦)/] The system's cheerful voice rang out, accompanied by its usual emoji.
"Yeah, yeah... mornin..." Maximilian replied flatly, uninterested in the system's babble first thing in the morning.
[You seem to be in a bad mood. Interested in hearing a joke?]
"Go ahead."
[Relationships are a lot like algebra. You're always looking at your X to figure out Y.]
"Very funny... but seriously, if you had a body, I would've kicked your ass ten times over by now." Maximilian spoke aloud, not bothering with mental communication. He just needed to talk to someone... even if that someone was the trolling system in his head, he wanted to distract himself from that damn dream.
"Ouch!" A man cried out as he bumped into Maximilian.
Maximilian turned to see a thug dressed in a tank top with a black leather jacket over jeans - the typical tough guy attire. His companion looked no different.
"Hey clown! You're coming with us to pay for my friend's medical bill!" the second thug shouted.
"Fine... where to?"
The thugs found it strange how calm this clown appeared. Usually, they targeted people who couldn't defend themselves... this wasn't their usual routine.
Unfortunately, Maximilian just happened to be dressed like a clown and had accidentally bumped into them. If word got out that someone had bumped into them without consequences, they'd lose face in the neighborhood.
Maximilian followed the two thugs to a nearby alley where dozens more were waiting. The original two regained their confidence upon rejoining their group. Though Maximilian's muscular frame had initially shaken them, they believed their numbers would overwhelm him.
The gang leader stepped forward, blowing smoke in Maximilian's face. "Clown... hand over all your valuables, or we'll string you up naked in this alley," he said with a smirk.
"What a coincidence. I was about to say the same to all of you," Maximilian replied without hesitation.
"Huh?"
Boom!
Maximilian struck first, kicking the leader into the wall. Before anyone could react, he lunged at the nearest thug, delivering a knife-hand strike to the neck; the thug clutched his neck in pain, lowering his body; at this time... Maximilian knee struck at the face.
Bam!
The thug's nose and mouth exploded as teeth scattered across the ground, leaving him unconscious. As the others finally reacted, one drew a knife and stabbed Maximilian's arm.
Schlik!
The thug grinned, expecting to disable his opponent. Instead, he received a punch so powerful it knocked him out cold, his head snapping back violently.
Maximilian didn't even flinch at the knife wound. He simply pulled the blade out and turned it on his next target.
"Grrr!"
"Arghhh!"
"Don't underestimate us!... Aaaahhh! F*ck! My leg!"
Soon, the thugs' brave shouts turned to whimpers of pain and fear. Maximilian made short work of them all, each strike ruthless, efficient, and precise. Some had arms or legs broken. Others received precisely measured concussions.
The unluckiest ones, used as outlets for Maximilian's bad mood, suffered broken ribs and dislocated jaws, the injuries that would keep them hospitalized for months.
"Stop! Stoooop!" A voice halted Maximilian just as he was about to deliver another punch to the barely conscious thug in his grip.
The gang leader, who had just regained consciousness, groveled on the ground. "This... this is it... Please spare us..." He desperately pulled out his wallet with trembling hands.
"Big... brother..." One of the thugs - still able to speak despite missing his front teeth - attempted to stand up.
Maximilian threw the thug in his grasp to the ground and walked over to inspect the wallet the leader had offered. He methodically removed all important cards - ID, driver's license, and hospital card - tossing them aside and keeping only the cash.
"There are ten of you. Why am I only seeing one wallet?" Maximilian demanded coldly.
The remaining thugs who could still move scrambled to collect their comrades' wallets, hurriedly offering them up.
Maximilian repeated the process with each wallet, discarding all documents and pocketing only the money. He counted every bill, even the loose change.
"Only $1300!? Pathetic. What kind of gang are you?" Maximilian spat in disgust.
Though 'unsatisfied' wasn't quite the right word. Truthfully, he'd thoroughly enjoyed beating the shit out of them. Now he understood why those school bullies enjoying it so much.
Also... Since he had the Greatest Villain System, he might as well enjoy it.
"What's your name?" Maximilian asks the leader who has the hairstyle that lookslike Elvis Presly.
"Ri… Ricardo Ricardo Navarro… sir."
"Do I look like a military type tp ypu!?" Maximilian roar.
"Er… er… Big brother!"
"You dare wanted to f*ck my sister!? Do you want to die!" He roared again, this time getting louder, faking hsi anger.
"Err No! No! Sir… Er… I mean… no! Er…." Ricardo was startled liek a little rabbit wwhich amused Maximilian very much, he's enjoying it.
"Just kidding, calling me boss everytime you see me got it?" Maximilian crouch down and lightly slap Ricardo face.
"Ye… yes boss."
"Good boy" Dnaiel replied then looking at Ricardo cloth. A tank top, black leather jacket, jeans and boot.
"I need your clothes, your boots, and your motorcycle." Daniel said a famous line.
[You do love that movie don't you.]
{Absolutely}
"H… Huh!?" Ricardo was confused.