Villain With The Absolute Evil Sytem
Chapter 35 : Like a thief in the night

Chapter 35: Chapter 35 : Like a thief in the night

A notification flickered at the edge of Lumian’s vision, glowing with eerie anticipation.

[Congratulations! Enough Chaos Tokens have been acquired.]

[You have Unlocked the System’s Store!!]

Despite the searing pain in his body, despite the way Michael’s lightning still crackled in the air around him, Lumian grinned. The moment he had been waiting for had finally arrived.

Lumian grinned through the agony, his body wracked with violent convulsions as Michael’s relentless assault poured over him like divine wrath. Lightning surged through his veins, searing flesh, boiling blood, but he didn’t care.

Because he had won.

Michael’s power, his pain, his unchecked fury—it was all feeding into the system. Every scream of an innocent, every shattered building, every bolt of unrestrained destruction, chaos —it had all been part of the plan. He had been using Michael to cause enough damage and destruction to rack up his Chaos Tokens.

And now, the reward was his.

A sudden burst of energy sent Lumian flying backward, his body crashing into the pavement with enough force to crack the stone beneath him. He lay there, smoke rising from his burned flesh, his laughter weak but triumphant.

Michael, panting, stood over him, electricity crackling off his form like a living storm. His eyes were wild, unfocused, but there was no mistaking the raw fury burning within them.

"You’re still laughing?" Michael’s voice was hoarse, nearly drowned out by the hum of residual energy filling the air. "After everything, after her—you think this is funny?"

Lumian coughed, blood spilling from his lips. "I think..." He inhaled sharply, tasting the charred air. "...it’s hilarious. Right till the end, you danced to my tune."

Michael’s hands clenched into trembling fists. His body screamed at him, drained from the sheer force of his own power, but the rage refused to let him rest.

"I should’ve killed you slower." His voice was low, trembling with something between hatred and disbelief. "I should’ve—"

[Would you like to access the System Store?]

Lumian’s breath hitched. He was barely hanging on, his vision swimming, but he forced a smirk.

"Yes."

The world shifted.

For a brief moment, everything around him dulled the sounds of destruction, the distant cries, even the agonized fury on Michael’s face. A deep, unnatural silence settled as something vast and incomprehensible opened before him.

[Welcome to the Store. You have access to the store for five minutes and after your time is up, you can only access the store an day later ]

A translucent interface materialized in his mind’s eye, its ethereal glow casting an eerie light over his thoughts.

[Chaos Tokens Available: 18 100 ]

The numbers sent a thrill down his spine. He had expected far less, but Michael... oh, Michael had been so generous tonight.

The interface materialized before his eyes, shifting like something alive, pulsing with raw malice. The System Store was filled with an array of options—some grotesque, some insidious, and all of them soaked in the essence of chaos.

Weapons. Enhancements. Dreadful weapons.

But one section stood out above all others.

[Skills.]

Lumian’s gaze sharpened as he accessed the list, scanning through the available abilities.

Each skill was sinister, their descriptions laced with sinister intent, most of the other skills shown were locked; unavailable for purchase. They weren’t just abilities—they were manifestations of darkness, of ruin. Each one promised power m, and yet...

[Dark Pilfering.]

The name alone sent a thrill down Lumian’s spine.

He selected it, reading over the description.

[Dark Pilfering: This skill allows the user to copy or steal an opponent’s abilities upon physical contact.

Evil knows no restraint: Stolen abilities are enhanced, exceeding their original potential.

Note: User can only copy five abilities at a time, anymore and host will descend into insanity. Conditions to steal abilities vary.

Stolen abilities are more potent than copied abilities. ]

Lumian’s smirk widened.

Perfect.

The downside? The cost.

Purchasing it would leave him with just above enough Chaos Tokens. A reckless choice. But then again, wasn’t recklessness what had brought him this far?

He didn’t hesitate.

[Purchase Dark Pilfering - 8000 Chaos Tokens]

[Confirm.]

The second he confirmed it, something inside him shifted.

A wave of cold, suffocating energy surged through his veins, twisting and reshaping his essence. His nerves burned, his muscles tensed, and for a fleeting moment, he felt something *crawl* beneath his skin.

His fingers twitched.

He flexed his hands, and the air around them darkened—subtle, almost imperceptible, but there. A new sensation, a hunger for power that hadn’t existed before.

Lumian exhaled, steadying himself.

One wasn’t enough.

If he was going to match Michael’s speed, he needed more.

His gaze flickered down the list until he found exactly what he needed.

[Dread Step.]

[A movement ability that allows the user to accelerate beyond normal limits, moving with unnatural fluidity. Grants bursts of teleportation-like movement when combined with chaos energy.]

The name alone sent shivers of anticipation through him.

[Purchase Dread Step - 3500 Chaos Tokens?]

[Confirm.]

This time, the change was immediate.

His body felt lighter, his reflexes sharper. He could sense it—his movements were no longer bound by normal constraints. He would be faster. Unnatural.

His fingers curled.

He still had just enough tokens left for one final purchase.

His gaze fell on the ’Upgrade Skills’ section of the store.

[Upgrade Corruption Ability - 5000 Chaos Tokens]

A slow smile stretched across his lips.

[Confirm.]

Darkness rushed into him like a crashing tide. His body trembled, his vision momentarily blackened, and for a moment, he felt as though he were dissolving into something else. Something less human

And then—

Control.

When his vision cleared, he was still standing, still himself. But something was different.

His corruption—his ability to spread chaos, to erode and consume—had strengthened. He could feel it, humming beneath his skin like an untamed beast.

[Corruption(Level 2) : This skill allows the host to plant negative emotions, thoughts and feelings in the mind of the target.

No physical contact required,

Range: 150 meters ]

The changes settled.

The System Store flickered out of sight, and the world came crashing back.

The scent of scorched asphalt. The lights. The cold stare of Michael; Voltstrike.

Lumian exhaled, rolling his shoulders.

Michael hadn’t moved. He was still watching, body rigid with fury and disbelief.

Something in his gaze flickered.

"...What the hell just happened?"

Lumian’s smirk was slow, deliberate. He lifted his hand, watching as thin tendrils of dark energy curled around his fingers.

"Wouldn’t you like to know?"

The wounds on Lumian’s body began to knit together, charred skin sloughing off in smoking flakes, revealing fresh, unblemished flesh beneath. His ribs realigned, the deep gashes across his torso sealed as if they had never been there. Even his burned hair regrew, silky strands falling over his forehead. His time in the store gave his body time to recover and regenerate from Michael’s assault.

Michael’s eyes widened.

"No," he breathed. "That’s not—"

But it was.

Lumian’s body healed itself in real time, every cell vibrating with unnatural energy. His fingers twitched, then clenched. The pain ebbed away, not entirely gone, but distant background noise to the overwhelming rush of renewed strength.

He sat up.

Michael took a step back. For the first time, there was something besides rage in his gaze.

Doubt.

Fear.

Lumian stretched, rolling his shoulders as he admired his restored body. "Damn. That felt good." He flashed Michael a sharp grin. "Wanna do it again?"

Michael didn’t hesitate.

Lightning roared as he lunged forward, faster than the eye could track. His body blurred, a streak of golden destruction aimed directly at Lumian’s heart.

This time, Lumian was ready.

[Dread Step]

The world twisted.

Michael’s punch tore through empty air.

A whisper of movement

Lumian was behind him.

Michael’s eyes widened. He spun on instinct, but it was already too late.

Lumian’s fingers grazed his arm.

[Dark Pilfering]

The moment their skin connected, Lumian felt it.

The crackle of power. The raw, unchecked energy of lightning coursing through Michael’s veins.

And then It was his.

A shudder ran through him as the stolen ability took root.

Michael jerked back, eyes flashing with alarm. "What—"

Lumian lifted his hand.

Dark golden arcs of electricity crackled to life in his palm.

Michael’s own power.

Stronger. Sharper. Amplified.

Michael’s breath caught.

"No," he whispered.

Lumian tilted his head, lips curling into something dark and predatory.

"Oh, yes."

And then—

He attacked.

Lumian moved in a blur, his stolen lightning roaring as he struck. Michael barely had time to throw up a defense before Lumian’s fist connected with his gut, charged with his own power.

The impact sent Michael flying.

He crashed through the wreckage of their battle, tumbling across the pavement before skidding to a stop.

For the first time, Michael struggled to get up.

Lumian exhaled, rolling his shoulders.

This?

This was power.

He flexed his fingers, watching the golden arcs dance between them.

Michael had the upper hand in their battle earlier. He had been stronger. Faster.

Not anymore.

Lumian smiled, stepping forward.

"It’s over, Voltstrike."

Michael gritted his teeth, electricity still flickering around his battered form.

But Lumian could see it now.

The fear. The doubt.

Michael knew.

This wasn’t going to end well for him.