Villainous Me: Help! The heroines are yanderes!
Chapter 46: Lucas Quinn[GTG]

Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Lucas Quinn[GTG]

"Well, well... seems you’ve stumbled on our resident pain-in-the-ass, Lucas Quinn," Luke sneered, practically spitting out the last name as if it left a foul taste in his mouth.

Ryan’s brow knit in confusion. "Wait, that Lucas?" It was the same name he’d seen on the generated quest.

But this guy... he looked eerily like Jayden.

"Yup. The one and only," Luke replied with a mocking scoff, his tone soaked in disdain. "Always strutting around with that holier-than-thou attitude, stuffing his righteous garbage down everyone’s throats. We hated the guy—both of us. It’s what pulled us together, in a way. A shared hatred for his smug, perfect little act."

He let out a string of curses, each one sharper than the last, punctuated by a quick shake of his head. "I just can’t stand him. Always ranting about fairness and justice for all... but only if it involved impressing the ladies, especially..." he droned on.

"Not that long ago, he was bunking with the lowest ranks," Luke continued. "And now? Somehow he’s an untouchable powerhouse, always surrounded by beauties, parading around like he owns the damn place." Luke exhaled a disgusted sigh, shaking his head. "Pathetic. I don’t know how anyone can stand him."

But Ryan wasn’t really listening. His thoughts were running wild.

He suddenly realized that the system from the other world did say something about picking characters from the world he came from.

Could it mean that other people from that world were here, too? Maria, Lyla... or even—Ryan’s heart skipped—Anna. A cold shiver ran through him at the thought. He quickly pushed it away, burying it deep in the recesses of his mind.

But as if to validate his fears, Ryan’s gaze was drawn back to Lucas and his entourage. The girls at his table were staring directly at him now, their smiles too wide, too knowing. They were... familiar.

One of the girls had snow-white hair cut sharply, her sky-blue eyes piercing through him with unnerving recognition. The other, a striking redhead with violet eyes, had a face that seemed hauntingly similar to someone Ryan knew. Maria?

"Damn, looks like they noticed us," Luke muttered under his breath, quickly averting his gaze and standing up. He walked toward Ryan, a sense of urgency in his movements.

"What the—" Ryan started to protest, but Luke was already grabbing him by the arm and pulling him toward the exit.

"I know you’re still a little lost, but listen," Luke said, his voice low and serious. "You don’t want to get anywhere near those girls. Trust me, they almost ruined you last time. Especially that Lyra girl—she’s not someone you mess with."

Ryan tried to speak, but Luke cut him off, pulling him along as they neared the exit. "We’re leaving. I need some rest, and something tells me you do, too. Besides, with everything we’ve got lined up for tomorrow, you’re gonna need it."

Ryan, still reeling from everything, said nothing. There was no point in resisting. But before they left the cafeteria, he couldn’t help himself—he glanced back one last time. Lucas was staring at him, his face filled with shock. The two girls behind him... Their expressions had completely shifted. The smiles that had once been playful were now gone, replaced by something far darker, more sinister.

It was as if their faces had contorted into something unnatural. But then again, Ryan thought, maybe it was just his mind playing tricks on him.

---

The elevator ride was cramped, as always, filled with the usual uncomfortable silence, before finally reaching the third floor. The door to their dorm room clicked open, and they both stepped inside.

"Man, today was a hell of a ride," Luke sighed, clearly exhausted. "I’m just gonna wash up quick, and then the bathroom’s all yours." He gestured to a door Ryan hadn’t even noticed before.

"Yeah, sure..." Ryan muttered, already heading for the bunk bed. "I guess I’ll just... hang out here."

Luke didn’t seem to notice as Ryan collapsed onto the bed, his head spinning from everything he’d just learned. Today had confirmed something Ryan couldn’t ignore anymore: what he’d experienced in that world wasn’t just completely fabricated. Perhaps it was a replica of his reality with just enough twists to make it feel different.

Ryan pushed those thoughts away. No. He couldn’t deal with that right now. His main focus was simple: Was he just as weak as he had been before? Or had something changed?

With a sigh, he spoke to the system, hoping for some clarity. "Hey, system," Ryan called out, his voice quiet but urgent. "What’s the power system like in this world?"

[The power system in this world is based on three factors: quirk, affinity, and mana pool.]

[Quirks are innate abilities, with almost everyone possessing one. There are two categories: elemental and manifestation. Elementals control natural elements like wind, while manifestation allows for abilities like telekinesis.]

[Affinities are rarer abilities that allow individuals to manipulate the world in even more profound ways, like bending nature to their will. These are far more powerful than quirks, with the potential to surpass them entirely. Someone with an affinity for fire would have a significant edge over a person with a fire quirk. Affinities range from common to mythic, with god-tier affinities being virtually unheard of. Some examples include the manipulation of fire or even cosmo leap, a top-tier affinity.]

[But the true key to harnessing these powers lies in the mana pool. Everyone with an intelligent mind has a mana core that absorbs and refines atmospheric mana into their pool—a kind of internal reservoir. The size of the pool determines how long a person can use their abilities. Smaller pools are limited, while larger ones can support prolonged use. Through constant training, an individual can expand their mana pool.]

[There’s also a ranking system, with two distinct kinds: universal and academy-specific. The universal ranking is handled by the government after military service, based on all three of the aforementioned factors. The academy, however, uses its own internal ranking system, separating students by both physical and mental abilities (known as hierarchy) and their individual level of power (from level 1 to Unknown).]

Ryan’s mind was racing with all the information, but one thing was clear: it was time to find out where he stood. "So," he asked cautiously, "what rank am I right now?"

[The information you’re asking about is outdated, as it was saved before you lost your graphto watch. However, based on the current data, your ranking in the hierarchy is 485, and your level is 1.]

Ryan blinked, the realization hitting him like a ton of bricks. "Ha... hahaha..." he laughed bitterly, the sound hollow. "Guess I really am the lowest of the low, huh?"