Soul system:Return Of The SSS-Ranked Troublemaker-Chapter 43: Game Of Fate (1)
Zion’s lips curled into a smirk, his eyes burning with newfound determination. "So... it finally begins."
The system’s interface flickered before shifting. The face on the screen—black and gray, like a shadow etched into static—began to move. Zion’s breath hitched. His chest tightened. His eyes welled with tears, though none spilled just yet.
"M-Master...!" he choked out, his nose runny.
Zero’s voice rang out, filled with the same sharp, familiar tone he had longed to hear. "Oh, fuck, it’s you! How are you? Are you okay? Doesn’t look like you have any fresh scars!" There was concern in his voice, but it was wrapped in his usual bluntness.
Zion couldn’t hold back anymore. The tears he had been swallowing for months finally poured down his face. He lunged forward to hug his master—only to pass right through the projection.
"Master!" Zion sobbed, clutching at nothing.
"Ugh, fuck, stop crying! You look like a damn baby!" Zero snapped, his voice tinged with annoyance. Then, his tone shifted, curiosity taking over. "By the way, what time is it? Just earlier, we were at school... then the explosion happened. And this—" Zero glanced around. "This bed doesn’t look like a hospital bed."
Zion wiped his face, though the tears kept streaming. "I-It’s been at least three m-months... I think..." he stuttered.
Zero went silent for a moment. "...Three months? Feels like it was just yesterday." His gaze darkened. "Where are we?"
"Jeju Island," Zion answered, his voice unsteady. "The school... it was burned to ashes. And Germany—" He swallowed hard. "It’s become a battlefield. An unknown force is fighting the heroes."
Zero’s expression sharpened. "Unknown force...?" he muttered. "It must be them."
Zion clenched his fists. "I just... I just c-couldn’t help it. I thought you were really gone."
Zero scoffed, his tone turning eerily calm. "Hm? Is that so? Well... once the revenge is over, I might be gone for real."
Zion’s heart skipped a beat. "W-What?"
Zero exhaled. "I mean, this revenge—it has nothing to do with you. You’re just a fanboy shouldering someone else’s burden."
Zion flinched. "I know, but—"
"No ’but.’" Zero cut him off. "One day, you’ll understand. You have your own life to live. If you keep this up, you’re the only one who’s going to get hurt." His voice carried a weight that made Zion’s stomach twist.
Zion fell silent, gripping his arms, his mind tangled in emotions too heavy to untangle.
Zion clenched his fist, his expression shifting as a smirk spread across his face. "Hey, Master, are you fucking stupid? Before I even agreed to this deal, I had already made up my mind!" His voice brimmed with determination. "I won’t let those two years go to waste!"
Zero was stunned. The more he looked at Zion, the more he saw a reflection of his younger self.
"Tsk, whatever," Zero clicked his tongue before letting out a sigh. "Go to sleep. We’ll continue this talk tomorrow."
Zion nodded, finally allowing himself to drift into a deep sleep
The Next Morning
A sharp chime echoed through the room, signaling an announcement. Every student was instructed to wear their suits and head outside for breakfast. As they gathered, Monkey Mic appeared, swinging his bo staff. This time, however, he stood still, his usual playful demeanor replaced by something more serious.
"Good morning, everyone," he greeted, his tone colder than usual.
The shift in his presence sent a wave of tension through the students.
"Today marks the beginning of the first game in our event, The Game of Fate."
A heavy silence followed, broken only by the hushed murmurs of the crowd.
"Each month, you will participate in a new game. Afterward, you will be given a one-week rest period before the cycle continues. This will go on for two years. Survive, improve, and by the end of it, you will qualify to serve the public as official heroes."
The announcement sent another ripple through the students.
"Two years of games?"
"That actually sounds awesome! I wonder what kind of games they’ll make us play?"
"Maybe it’s like a survival show?"
Monkey Mic smirked, twirling his bo staff once before pointing it at the crowd.
"You want to know what kind of games you’ll be playing? It’s simple. Every single one is based on real-life situations you heroes will face."
The atmosphere grew heavier.
"So... it’s not just like the academy?"
"This sounds more like actual survival."
"Yeah... I bet they’ve already set something up."
The murmurs grew, but one thing was certain—this wasn’t just some test. This was real.
"Our first game is called Survival of the Strongest. Each group must survive outside the base, explore, and gather resources. Every member must record their actions as they navigate Jeju Island. We’ve deployed multiple surveillance drones to track and evaluate your performance.
I know some of you might think this is unfair—especially since we have Korean students who know the terrain. But fairness doesn’t exist in the real world. The villains you’ll face in the future will exploit every advantage they have. Adapt or die.
You can kill or be killed. If you’re knocked out by another student, consider it a lost point. You can rob each other, form alliances, or betray them. Protecting civilians earns you Hero Points. Hurting or stealing from them earns you Villain Points. Your performance in this challenge will determine which side you’ll belong to in the future—the path of a hero or the descent into villainy.
That’s all. Any questions?" 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚
The crowd remained silent. No one dared to speak—either out of shock or calculation. Then, a hand shot up.
A green-skinned man named Victor crossed his arms. "I have a question. So we can steal or knock someone out without even fighting them directly? Wouldn’t that be dishonorable?"
Monkey Mic covered his face with one hand, a smirk playing on his lips. The other heroes exchanged glances, some chuckling quietly.
"You’re funny," Monkey Mic said, his tone laced with amusement. "I’ve always liked the orcs’ sense of honor. Tell me your name, kid."
The green-skinned student straightened his posture, his chest puffing out with pride. "I’m Victor Gorvash, a half-orc!" he declared loudly.
Monkey Mic nodded. "I see. Now, let me ask you this—if I attacked you right now, without warning, but you saw it coming, would you call that dishonorable?" He leaned forward slightly. "It doesn’t matter if your answer is yes or no—because in the real world, survival doesn’t care about honor. People will do whatever it takes to stay alive. And sometimes, kid..." His eyes gleamed with something unreadable. "You need to listen to yourself and break the chains that are holding you back."
Victor didn’t respond. His jaw clenched, his fists tightening at his sides. But his silence spoke volumes. His expression wasn’t just frustration—it was a storm of anger, doubt, and something deeper.
Under his breath, almost too quiet to hear, he murmured, "I will change this world."
As the students processed Monkey Mic’s words, they couldn’t help but form their own opinions.
"Only a respectable person deserves honor... There’s no need to show it to those unworthy." Elay thought, hands buried in his pockets as he leaned casually against a tree.
"Honor? Tch, screw that. In the end, I’ll destroy them all anyway," Leon muttered with a grin, his fingers twitching as if he were already grasping his next victim.
A foreign student with a wolf cut tilted his head in thought. "Honor, huh? Is it something you can even define... or is it just another illusion?" His gaze shifted to Somi. "What do you think about him?"
Somi crossed her arms, her tone measured yet firm. "He’s decent, at least. Other races have a different mindset than humans."
The wolf-cut student smirked.
Nearby, a dwarf sat in silence, deep in thought. "Honor... I wonder what my tribe would say about it," he murmured, his eyes dark with contemplation.
Monkey Mic’s voice rang out again, firm and commanding. "If there are no more questions, then let the game begin!" His words echoed across the area, cutting through the murmurs of the students as they began to stir. Slowly, they gathered in their respective groups, each one deliberating on their next move. Some seemed eager to dive in, while others hesitated, caught in the weight of the unknown.
Amidst the growing excitement, the group in red cloth seemed to be struggling with indecision. They circled around, glancing at one another, unsure of the best course of action. The sound of footsteps and hushed voices filled the air, as everyone around them set off on their own path.
Zion stood still for a moment, his eyes scanning the map they’d been given. After a brief silence, he spoke up, his voice laced with both determination and uncertainty. "Which part of Jeju should we head to?" His question hung in the air, as his teammates exchanged looks, trying to make sense of the choices before them.
"Hm I don’t know."
