Mystica: Reincarnated Into A Novel As A Villain

His step-siblings, their faces twisted in cruel amusement, moved toward him with a predatory air.

There was the chain with which the sister threatened him. The brother playfully brandished a wooden sword, as though this was play for them all.

Kaileo's breathing was quickening, his body shaking involuntarily. The throbbing of his wounds pulsed in time with his heartbeat, and the heavy air of fear made it hard to think.

"Please," he begged, his voice cracking with desperation.

They stopped for a moment, exchanged a look, and smirked. The sister tilted her head, pretending to be curious. "Oh? Begging already? You're ruining the fun," she said with mock disappointment.

The brother chuckled, taking a step closer. "You know the drill, Arvian. Or has that weak little mind of yours finally snapped?"

Kaileo's heart sank. He could feel the helplessness that had consumed Arvian's life, the raw, unyielding despair that had driven him to end it. And now, it was happening all over again.

"Please," he begged again, his voice barely a whisper. Tears welled up in his eyes, mixing with the pain and terror coursing through him. "I can't...I can't take this anymore."

They didn't care. They never had. The whip cracked in the air as the sister grinned. "Let's see how long you last this time, little brother."

The chains struck him mercilessly, tearing through the air with a cruel hiss before slamming into his already battered body.

Arvian—Kaileo—screamed in agony, the sharp sting of metal scraping against torn flesh igniting fresh waves of pain.

"Take this! his sister taunted gleefully, swinging her chains in huge arcs, swinging them from all four sides.

It hit him repeatedly with a disgustingly sick sound, reopening earlier wounds and tearing up new marks.

"Aaaaaahhh! His cries throbbed all over the bleak basement, rancidly raw and tortured.

"Please. please, don't do it," he wept, his voice cracking as he cried. The chains sliced through the air again, and he readied himself, but it wasn't enough to numb the agony.

The brothers laughed, and their amusement was almost palpable. To them, this was entertainment—a grotesque, depraved game.

"I beg you," Kaileo begged, his voice shaking. "Please, stop! It hurts! I can't....I can't take this anymore."

His words fell on deaf ears. The sister stepped back for a moment, smirking as she watched him struggle.

"Oh, how pathetic," she sneered, swinging the chains once more. "Begging only makes it more fun."

Kaileo cried harder, his body writhing in pain as he hung from the chains, the weight of his torment crushing him.

"Please." he whispered again, his strength ebbing away, the world blurring through the tears in his eyes.

***

Arvian's head drooped limply, blood trickling from his wounds and pooling on the floor below. The chains groaned with his weak body swaying in the air a little.

His breath was shallow, barely detectable, and saliva mixed with blood dripped from his mouth, forming small, crimson puddles on the cold floor.

And out of nowhere, there appeared a feeble glow in front of him. A translucent screen was formed which had a very dim light around the basement.

◇_______________◇

[System Notification]

▪︎ Hey, mortal.

Congrats or not. You've been selected to participate in a trial of survival for your soul. Failure. and this is it for you. No more second chances.

▪︎ Trial Goal:

Not available-Your whole life maybe become part of trial.

▪︎ Failure Criterion:

Permanent Death

▪︎ The trial starts in 3 seconds.

◇_______________◇

Arvian's bloodshot eyes flickered open a little, his blurry vision straining to make out the bright panel. His mind reeled in a mixture of confusion and fear.

"What. is this?" he croaked, barely above a whisper.

But before he could process anything, the countdown ticked away.

3.....2....1.

The panel disappeared, and the room became silently cold. Then, a low growl sounded from the darkness, sending a shiver down his spine.

***

Arvian stood there in stunned silence, his frail body shaking in the ruins of what appeared to be a world in shambles.

The feeble, chill wind brought ash and decay with it. Broken buildings were everywhere, remnants of a civilization that had long been extinct. His voice was almost inaudible.

"Where...actually am I?" He swallowed hard, his words laced with pain.

A sharp blue glow caught his attention as another screen materialized before his weary eyes.

◇_______________◇

[System Notification]

You have received the trial ability through which you can recover your wounds, but only during the trial's duration.

The wound recovery process will automatically start.

◇_______________◇

Almost instantly, Arvian felt a faint warmth spread across his body. The unbearable pain that had dominated his existence just moments ago began to ebb away, albeit slowly.

He exhaled shakily.

Before he could process it, another screen appeared, glowing brighter this time.

◇_______________◇

[System Notification]

□ Status Window □

Name: Arvian Zapar

Age: 21

Title: None

Level: 1

Class: None (Locked)

Health: 100/100

Mana: 50/50

Stamina: 70/70

Kills: 0

Attributes

Strength: 12 (Enhanced by Trial Power)

Agility: 12 (Enhanced by Trial Power)

Intelligence: 15 (Trails of the Power of the Trial)

Strength: 10

Perception: 11

Skills

1. Gift of the Reincarnator

Effect: Gets all attributes improved by 10% at level 1, with more increases based on further trials.

Cool time: Not Applicable since it is Passive.

2. Talent Perception (Passive)

Effect: Automatically discovers talents, skills, and other unnoticeable hidden chances.

Inventory

Starting kit: Sword- Basic, Clothes- Novice, Healing potions- 3, Mana potion- 2.

Currency: Coins-10

◇_______________◇

Arvian blinked his tired voice to barely escape from his lips

"Oh....so this is the system? So....it's real...I really got the system. This. this is exactly what I wanted. A chance to be in one of those worlds I've always read about. I can actually—"

"W-what the hell is this place?"

The sharp voice cut him off, spinning him around.

There was a man, standing a few feet away from Arvian. His face was pale and tense.

His wide eyes were moving rapidly over the desolate landscape and his hands were shaking a little.

Near him stood a woman, frozen in place with her lips parted as if she wanted to speak but couldn't find the words.

Both of them looked as confused and scared as Arvian felt a few moments ago.

Just before he could utter a word, another system screen popped up in front of him.

◇_______________◇

[System Notification]

Trial Update:

The other participants have arrived.

Survive together—or die alone.

◇_______________◇