Villain Origin : Every Crime I Commit Helps Me Level Up-Chapter 27: Task completed

The next morning arrived with harsh sunlight streaming through Andre's bedroom window. He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his business textbooks stacked on his desk. The dichotomy of his existence had never felt more pronounced—gang leader by night, college student by day.

As he lingered on that thought, eyes still fixed on his books, a sudden notification popped up in his vision.

[CONGRATULATIONS! YOU'VE LEVELED UP!]

[KARMIC SYSTEM UPDATE]

[VESSEL: ANDRE ATLAS]

[LEVEL: 3]

[TITLE: Ascendant Vessel]

[HP: 130/130] (+10 increase)

[EP: 110/110] (+10 increase)

[PHYSICAL STATS:]

Strength: 20/30

Agility: 20/30

Endurance: 20/30

Speed: 20/30

[MENTAL STATS:]

Intelligence: 15/25

Wisdom: 15/25

Charisma: 15/25

[NEW ABILITIES UNLOCKED!]

Enhanced Recovery (Passive) – Your body recovers from fatigue 30% faster.

Keen Instincts (Passive) – Your awareness of danger and hidden motives has increased by 25%.

Vessel's Strike (Active) – (Cost: 20 EP) – A precise burst of energy enhances your next physical attack, increasing its force and impact beyond human limits. Can break bones or stagger opponents if landed correctly.

[NEW!] Karmic Authority (Active) – (Cost: 30 EP) – As your influence grows, so does your presence. Your voice carries a subtle wave of power that can compel weaker minds to follow your commands or reveal truths they wish to hide. Success rate depends on target's willpower and your relationship with them.

[ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: "Gang Lord Rising" – Successfully gathered 150 loyal gang members.]

The system notification still lingered in his peripheral vision. Level three. One hundred and fifty six loyal soldiers now under his command. Power accumulating faster than he'd anticipated.

His phone buzzed with a message from

Ken~ Everything secure at base. Dr. Rivera says Dax will recover. What's our next move?.

Andre typed quickly~ Business as usual. I have classes. Keep our men on rotation for family protection detail. Two watching my sisters at West Point Academy, four with my mother at the beach house. Tell Hawk to stay with my father. No one approaches them.

He paused, then added~ And Ken - no one talks about last night. Official story is we had a standard confrontation. Nothing unusual.

Andre picked up his phone from the table, staring at the screen for a moment before slipping it into his pocket. He stood up, stretching briefly before heading to prepare for school. His routine was automatic, but his mind was elsewhere, processing what had just happened.

He had leveled up.

That changed everything.

Now, Marcus was the one in for a surprise.

Andre grabbed his backpack, the weight of responsibility pressing down on his shoulders as he moved through the mansion. Last night's display of power had been necessary but dangerous. If Marcus found out what he was truly capable of, the game would change entirely. For now, the element of surprise remained his greatest advantage.

'Intelligence: 15/25,' he mused, recalling the system update. 'Let's put that to use today.'

The lecture hall buzzed with the usual pre-class chatter. Andre slid into his seat in Economics 301, sandwiched between Julian and Gia. Three friends, two from the same worlds and one from a different world, united by the strange coincidence of college scheduling.

"Look who decided to honor us with his presence," Julian said with a smirk, despite his casual demeanor, Julian's eyes carried their usual sharp calculation that most people missed. "I was beginning to think you'd dropped out."

Gia leaned forward, her textbook already open. "Ignore him. We're just glad you're here." Her smile lingered a beat too long, her eyes dropping when Andre met her gaze directly. "Professor Wheeler mentioned a group project today."

Andre settled in, arms folded, watching the seconds tick by on the clock. The lecture was just background noise to him—another reminder of how disconnected he was from this so-called normal life. His mind was elsewhere, plotting his next move, calculating risks.

Julian, sitting next to him, nudged his arm. "You good, man?"

Andre smirked. "Always."

Julian eyed him but didn't push. That was their dynamic—mutual understanding without the need for excessive words.

"You've missed four study sessions," Gia whispered as Professor Wheeler droned on about market fluctuations. "Julian keeps making excuses for you, but I'm starting to think you're involved in some kind of fight club or something."

Andre's lip quirked up. "Nothing that interesting. Just family business."

The lesson continued, but Andre's focus shifted when his phone vibrated in his pocket. A simple text~ We need to talk. Now.

Andre already knew who it was before even checking the sender. Zaria.

He slipped the phone back into his pocket, already calculating his exit strategy. As Wheeler turned to write on the board, Andre gathered his belongings. "Going to have to cut out early," he whispered.

Julian's brow furrowed. "Again? That's the third time this week."

"Can't be helped."

Gia sighed. "At least take the assignment sheet." She slid a paper toward him, her fingers brushing his for just a moment longer than necessary.

Andre nodded his thanks and stood, ignoring the professor's disapproving glance as he slipped out the rear door of the lecture hall.

As the door closed behind Andre, Gia turned to Julian with an exasperated expression.

"You need to talk to him," she whispered. "Whatever's going on, he's going to fail this semester at this rate."

Julian kept his eyes forward, his expression carefully neutral. "Andre knows what he's doing."

"Does he? Because from where I'm sitting, it looks like he's throwing away a scholarship and a future." She shook her head. "Look, I know you two have been friends since forever, but—"

"I'll handle it," Julian cut her off, already grabbing his own bag. "Tell Wheeler I got sick or something."

Before Gia could protest, Julian was already moving toward the exit, leaving her alone with her unfinished notes and unspoken concerns.

Julian kept a careful distance as he followed Andre across the sprawling campus. Years of friendship had taught him Andre's patterns—the way he moved when he wanted to remain unnoticed, the subtle checks for surveillance. Something had changed in his friend these past months. Something beyond the usual stress of college life.

This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.

He hung back as Andre headed toward the east gardens, a secluded area rarely trafficked except during peak spring bloom. Julian positioned himself behind a cluster of rhododendrons, close enough to observe but far enough to avoid immediate detection.

Outside, tucked away from wandering eyes, Zaria stood waiting, arms crossed. She was as unreadable as ever, her expression betraying nothing.

"You didn't need to come all the way here to drop intel," Andre said, stepping up to her. "Ken already knows about your situation. I told him it's all part of the plan. There's nothing for you to worry about."

Zaria's eyes narrowed slightly, scanning his face as if searching for any sign of deceit.

Still, before he could press her further, she shifted gears. "Victor has finally noticed you."

Andre's expression didn't change, but the air around them grew heavier.

"And?"

Zaria's voice was cold. "The price for that attention is your life. He wants you dead."

A slow smirk tugged at Andre's lips. "Of course he does."

Then, her gaze flickered past him for the briefest second.

"Isn't that Julian Blackwood?" she asked.

Andre didn't bother turning around. He already knew.

Julian was nearby, watching—smartly so, but not smart enough to evade Zaria's notice.

"Yes," Andre replied, unfazed. "He's my best friend."

Zaria hummed, her expression unreadable. "So you don't know."

Andre's eyes sharpened. "What don't I know?"

She exhaled, shaking her head. "It's not my place to say. If you want answers, ask your best friend what kind of secret he's hiding."

Andre's gaze didn't waver, but his mind immediately started calculating. He knew Zaria well enough to understand she wouldn't drop something like this unless it was important.

Julian pulled back, his heart racing. Victor. That name again. He'd heard it before, in fragments of conversations he wasn't supposed to overhear.

He retreated silently, circling back toward the main pathway before Andre could confront him. His mind raced—calculating risks, weighing countermeasures. With each step, the mask of the carefree, slightly dim-witted best friend slipped further.

"You tailed me," Andre said, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

Julian looked up, his expression shifting into that familiar, easy grin. "Missed you, bro. We barely hang anymore."

Andre studied his oldest friend, Zaria's words still echoing in his mind. What kind of secret is Julian hiding?

'Whatever it is, I hope he tells me when the time comes. He had already made up his mind—he would always believe in his friend. Julian isn't like Kelvin was in the past. No matter what, he was ready to help him.'

With that thought, he let the tension ease and nodded toward the hallway. "Come on, let's get to class."

Julian grinned wider. "Lead the way, boss."

They walked side by side, slipping back into the rhythm of easy conversation as they headed toward their next lecture.