After Rio finished asking all his doubts to the system, he lay on his bed again, closing his eyes trying to free his mind and think about what to do with this system.
He had planned to kill all his enemies who would plot against Rio or his family before the plot even begins and they start getting powerful, but this system's arrival might force him to change some of his plans.
If he trusts the system then he should only act after the plot begins to get more points and rewards, but if that system is a lie then he would have to deal with all his enemies and protagonist's stupid luck, though he might have some advantage over them due to his future knowledge, but as many people said against pure power all schemes and plans fail, Leon with his halo becomes the strongest person alive in the novel. Author made him so op that he never even wrote about his fight with the final boss and just said Leon won and had a happy ending.
In the novel there were far too many powerful people who wanted to kill Rio but got killed by him instead, and of course for safety reasons he will have to deal with all of them. He could befriend them before the plot begins and solve their problems or act as the protagonist but it would all be too much hassle and he was too lazy to do that.
Plus there is no guarantee that even after he helped them, they would stick with him. He had no halo of stupidity to make them brainless or the habit of seducing their daughters and wives to earn their support.
When shit hits the fan everyone leaves you all alone, Shiva had learned this lesson back on earth the hard way, and he was in no mood to repeat any of his past mistakes again.
Leon was a guy who had subordinates lined up everywhere and to get all of them on his side was a fool's dream and he knew that. Rio couldn't kill all of them even if he wanted to as many were influential people, some even more so than the Blake family. Like the royal Schott family.
Due to Rebecca's foolishness Blake's had to cut ties with royals and their relationship took a nosedive. When Maximus's paranoia and Rio's infamy reached the final level a war broke out, which resulted in the Royal's loss. A well planned blast in the Royal capital, throwing out some scandals to rile up the masses and some sorted out assassinations here and there, booom goes royalty and their mighty peacekeeping order.
Though it was nothing significant as Blake's only wanted to warn everyone to stop forcing them into a corner and let them be. But before they could explain themselves, the protagonist came with his mighty halo and power of love, solving all their troubles and being a hero who pulled the nation out from internal strife and put order in place.
This is why Rio wanted to keep Rebecca near him, as sending her to the protagonist would be like giving him control over the entire Schilla Empire. While keeping her near him can not only help avoid that risk, but also paves the way that after he deals with Maximus, Blake family can take over royalty and be the ruling force of Schilla.
On the off chance he even thought up a plan where he could kill Rebecca in the academy arcs and stop any other bullshit luck or love from even happening between her and the protagonist. Hell if he played his cards right and succeeded he could even blame it all on Leon and put him against Maximus.
Killing 3 birds with one stone.
'But why should I even do all that.'
'Why am I turning into that _ guy.'
'These people never did anything to me, and probably never will if I don't act like Rio from the novel.'
'Then why, WHY am I always thinking of solving these problems that aren't even mine.'
No matter how hard he thought he couldn't come up with any answer. There was no reason for him to work so hard and yet here he was always thinking, always planning - is it just cause of Amelia? Or is it something else? He didn't know.
[You're thinking too much into it, host. Maybe it's just your survival instinct. Maybe you just don't want to die.] System said in its usual cheery energetic tone, despite saying it was going to sleep just now.
"Hhhmm you've read my memories right, do you really think death scares me now. If anything, some part of me is just looking forward to it." Rio said as his lips curled up a little when he thought about the pain free sleep in darkness again.
[You may be right. But in all my experience I've learned one truth. And it's - no matter how much one yearns for death and prepares for it, some part of him would always fight to be there, to be alive, to simply exist. It's a simple primal rule, that can never be ignored.]
Rio didn't reply as he had no answer for it. Maybe system was right or maybe it was just lying to him, to get his mind off of these thoughts.
After his reincarnation as Rio, he had the thought that like some novels he read on earth, someone behind the scenes was manipulating him somehow, but after reliving his nightmares all this time again - that thought was pushed aside too. He actually knew the answer, but just didn't want to accept it.
He had always been a loner, someone who kept all his feelings, all his emotions to himself. And yet he opened his heart for 2 people, and both of them left him broken.
After all that anger, guilt and hatred filled his heart he had simply lost himself. As the people closest to him kept going away so was his sanity and control - Ria, his parents, his friends, his Queency everyone was gone from his life one by one in a cruel joke of fate and he had to live.
He never shared his pain and emotions ever again with anyone, even Aaya, Aarvi or his colleagues. They all had their guesses but he didn't clarify and they never asked.
Ali with all his useless rich connections had hired a guy once to check Shiva's background, thinking he was someone trying to steal his Aarvi, that's how he came to know about all his past. And that's how their friendship started, of course after Ali apologized and still got beaten up a little.
Aside from his family, Ali was the only one who knew everything about him, one of them came to help too late, while the other didn't know how to.
And now that he even lost that last bit of support he had, his mind has simply let go of all its restraints, plus the fact that this is the world where power rules and that he knows the plot, justified his actions.
On the earth too he had no problem fighting or beating anyone as long as he was stressed enough and needed to vent. He didn't care what was right or wrong - as long as it distracted him.
_
"Tell me system, am I a villain? Not in this story, not as Rio, but me, the real me." Rio asked in a curious tone, as he thought about all the people he got killed already and all the plans he made to kill more of them.
[What do you think a villain is, host?]
[Villain isn't someone who stands against the world, or does some bad things or fights the hero. No that's wrong]
[A villain is just a hero who lost]
[A villain is just a hero who gave up]
[Had you been stronger, and faced your fears in reality instead of living them in your dreams. You would've been the hero. But you _ ]
"I never wanted to give up though."
"I waited, and waited, and waited for their arrival, for their approval but nothing happened. Nothing changed. " His voice grew heavier with each word he spoke, until he finally couldn't hold it in and tears started rolling down his eyes. He covered his eyes as he put his hand over them and said in a hoarse tone -
"When I needed the people closest to me the most I had no one. No one came to ease my pain or wipe my tears. So if I was supposed to be a hero, was that something I should go through." Rio's voice grew heavy as he couldn't understand why. So he just laughed at himself or at least tried to but all that came out was a cry for help in the system's ears.
"Why am I even complaining about anything to you, you would leave me like them too, and merge with someone else seconds after my death anyway." Rio said in an obvious tone. Though he didn't say it, he had been thinking about this ever since he heard it from the system.
[I would never leave you SK, It's a promise] System's response was instant so much that it surprised him. But Rio just shrugged it off and shook his head.
"You know what, they all said the same thing too. You don't have to lie about it to make me feel better, I've given up on all my expectations. Whatever happens will happen, unless I change my mood."
It was the system's turn to be silent as it thought -(He really does lack any kind of motivation huhh. I hope whatever you send next is actually helpful and not another hoax.)
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A/N - next chapter ~ system's shop item & a happy surprise OR a villain's motivation😁😁
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