Awakening: Starting With The Villain System

Her words hit me like a gunshot straight to the chest.

Expelled…

I didn't even bother looking at her again. I just kept my eyes forward, trying not to let the tightness in my chest show on my face.

"Good luck, big brother~."

Her grin burned into the corner of my vision, mocking and sharp. She didn't wait for a reply. She simply sauntered back to the corner she had been standing in before, like nothing had happened, like she hadn't just put a knife at my throat without even touching me.

"Ah, shit," I muttered under my breath, finally letting out what I'd been holding in.

Just what I feared most had happened, I'd drawn the wrong kind of attention.

This was the reality of power. The kind of power I didn't have. The kind of power I had lost.

My past reputation as Frank Nether's son? Worthless. My family name? Even more worthless.

In front of the Wall family, the Nether name was a bad joke. They were a powerful house, big, influential, untouchable. Messing with them wasn't just reckless, it was suicidal.

And now… I had managed to mess with one of them. Yara Wall.

I forced myself to look away, my eyes landing on the student currently in the training zone.

The boy moved with determination, his sword flashing as he cut into one of the robot dummies.

He ducked back as another swung a hammer where he had been standing just a heartbeat before.

The ground cracked beneath the blow, dust kicking up around him.

Smart. He took the opportunity to slash at the first dummy, his strikes fast and precise.

But then an arrow came out of nowhere. It hit his hand before he even realized it was coming.

"Ugh—" He grimaced, nearly dropping his weapon.

It was only a wooden arrow, but speed like that still hurt. No matter how safe they tried to make this assessment look, it was never going to be full percent safe. Never.

The boy pushed through, dodging another strike, but I could already see it. His movements were slowing down. His steps dragged a little more each time. He had been hit too many times.

Still, he fought desperately, switching tactics. He began backing away, putting space between himself and the archers, focusing on the close-range dummies. It was the right choice, but…

Beep!

The timer ended.

He slumped slightly, exhausted, his shoulders rising and falling with each breath. He didn't fail completely, but it was clear he hadn't impressed anyone either.

Not all rich brats were strong after all.

I tightened my grip on my katana. Watching him made one thing clear. If I didn't want to end up like that, I had to give it my all. But… giving it your all wasn't enough.

I didn't have an ability. Not a flashy one, not even a hidden one. Nothing. Just a katana and my head.

There was little to no way I could impress Instructor Gari with pure strength or speed.

I even lacked combat which would probably be able to impress him.

This was going to be hard. I couldn't fight hard, I had to fight smart.

But how?

"Next, Ryan Nether."

My heart skipped a beat.

It was my time.

For a second, my legs froze. My body wanted to stay put, to refuse, to sink into the crowd.

But no. I forced myself to move, step by step, repeating the words in my head.

Whatever happens, happens.

The katana hung at my side as I walked forward. All eyes were on me, following my steps. I could feel their whispers, their judgment.

I stepped into the testing area, across from the cold, expressionless dummies. The air felt heavier here.

Against my better judgment, I glanced behind me.

She was there. Yara. Leaning casually against the wall, grinning like a predator who had already decided how the hunt would end.

It wasn't the grin of someone watching a test. It was the grin of someone watching prey walk willingly into the trap.

This wasn't her first time doing this, ruining someone, breaking them, expelling them. I could see it in her smile.

Did I really expect it to be her first time? Of course not.

The Wall family had a reputation, dangerous, ruthless, merciless. All just because they were powerful.

I glared at her, I didn't know how or why, but in that moment, I wanted to tear her pride into pieces.

I want to see her smile shatter.

And for that… I would give her a show she would never forget.