Villain's Path System-Chapter 11: Too Soon

Lucian had just left his dorm, heading toward the chapel library, when the system flared to life.

[URGENT: HIDDEN EVENT DETECTED]

He stopped mid-step.

[SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE - TIME LIMITED]

"The Forgotten Vault"

Location: Old Academy Ruins (Abandoned East Wing)

Danger Level: High

Potential Rewards: Ancient Artifact, +50 Fate Points, Rare Skill Unlock

Time Window: 2 Hours (After that, the protagonist will discover it)

[WARNING: This location is above your current combat level. Proceed with caution.]

Lucian’s jaw tightened.

Two hours.

He was supposed to meet Aria in fifteen minutes for their study session.

Safe. Low-risk. Good for building her affection.

But this...

Ancient artifact. Rare skill. And if I don’t go now, Cassian gets it instead.

The choice was obvious.

Sorry, Aria. Study sessions can wait. Protagonist’s loot cannot.

He changed direction, heading toward the abandoned east wing.

The ruins were exactly as depressing as expected.

Crumbling stone. Broken windows. Vines creeping through cracks in the walls. The academy had sealed this section off years ago after some structural accident.

Perfect place to hide something valuable, Lucian thought, slipping through a gap in the barrier fence.

The system guided him deeper into the ruins with a glowing arrow only he could see.

Down a collapsed hallway.

Through a partially caved-in classroom.

Into what used to be a basement storage area.

And there, hidden behind a false wall that had cracked open over time, was a door.

Ancient. Covered in faded runes.

[FORGOTTEN VAULT ENTRANCE DETECTED]

[WARNING: Magical trap detected. Disarm before entering.]

Lucian studied the runes.

Okay. In the original novel, Cassian just blasted through this with raw power. But I don’t have that luxury.

He activated his newly acquired Medical Knowledge skill and—

Wait. Why would medical knowledge help with—

The system flickered.

[SKILL SYNERGY DETECTED]

[Medical Knowledge + Combat Analysis = "Mana Flow Reading"]

[You can now see the flow of magical energy in traps and enchantments.]

Lucian’s vision shifted.

The runes lit up in his sight, showing him the pattern of mana flowing through the trap.

There. The third rune is the anchor. If I disrupt it...

He placed his hand on the rune and channeled what little mana he had into it.

Wrong direction. Opposite flow.

The trap sputtered.

Flickered.

Died.

[TRAP DISARMED]

[+10 Fate Points]

The door creaked open.

Beyond it, stairs led down into darkness.

Lucian summoned a small light spell—barely more than a candle’s worth of illumination, but it was all he could manage—and descended.

The vault was small. Circular. Empty except for a single pedestal in the center.

On it sat a crystal orb, pulsing with soft blue light.

[ITEM DETECTED: "Memory Stone of the Forgotten Sage"]

[EFFECT: Unlocks one lost magical technique. Can only be used once.]

[VALUE: Priceless]

Jackpot.

Lucian approached carefully, checking for more traps.

Nothing.

He reached out—

The temperature dropped.

His breath misted.

Ice spread across the floor.

Oh fuck.

[WARNING: GUARDIAN ACTIVATED]

From the shadows, something emerged.

Massive. Crystalline. Shaped vaguely like a wolf but made entirely of jagged ice.

Its eyes glowed with cold, dead light.

[ICE WRAITH - LEVEL ???]

[DANGER: EXTREME]

You have GOT to be kidding me.

The wraith lunged.

Lucian dove aside, rolling across the frozen floor.

Ice spears erupted where he’d been standing.

Think. THINK. I can’t fight this thing. I’m too weak. But there has to be—

He scrambled toward the pedestal, grabbed the Memory Stone, and—

The wraith was on him.

Claws of ice slashed across his chest.

Pain exploded through him. Hot. Burning despite the cold.

Blood sprayed.

Lucian stumbled back, clutching the wound.

Shit. Shit shit shit—

Another strike.

His left arm.

More blood.

The wraith circled him, predatory. Taking its time.

I’m going to die here.

The realization hit like ice water.

After everything. After reincarnating. After getting the system. I’m going to die in a fucking basement because I got greedy.

The wraith raised its claws for the killing blow—

BOOM.

The entire vault shook.

A wave of pure mana exploded through the room.

The wraith froze mid-strike.

Then shattered.

Just... disintegrated into a million shards of ice that evaporated before hitting the ground.

Lucian stared.

What the—

"My my. What do we have here?"

A woman’s voice. Amused. Sultry.

Lucian turned, still clutching his bleeding chest.

Standing at the entrance to the vault, one hand still raised from the spell she’d just cast, was Professor Myra.

Her arm was still raised, lazy almost, like the spell had been an afterthought.

Blonde hair spilled over her shoulder, catching the last streak of evening light. The black corset cinched her waist sharply against the pale fabric beneath, severe and precise.

When her eyes finally met his, they were cool and brilliantly blue — the kind of gaze that didn’t search for approval.

"You look surprised," she said softly.