Broken System: Villain Edition

Prologue: Hero Selection

Millions of people were summoned.

Not into one place.

But into countless identical white rooms.

Each room was a sealed rectangular space, smooth walls, no doors, no windows, and no visible source of light. The brightness was soft yet suffocating, as if the room itself was watching.

Inside one of those rooms stood one hundred people.

Some were frozen in place.

Some trembled.

Some shouted in confusion, their voices echoing faintly against the silent white walls.

The air felt still. Unnaturally still.

"What… is this place?"

"Wasn't I just outside a moment ago?"

"Is this some kind of prank?"

Their voices overlapped, rising and falling, yet no answer came.

Then, without warning, something appeared.

A small black cat with curved horns stepped out of empty space, as if reality had quietly opened a door just for it. Its dark figure stood in stark contrast to the endless white, its glowing eyes dim yet gentle.

"CONGRATULATIONS, PLAYERS. YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN."

Its voice was vast and ancient, yet soft. Everyone heard it clearly inside their minds, as if the words were placed directly into their thoughts.

Panic stopped instantly.

"I AM THE LAST OF THE ANCIENT GODS WHO HAS BEEN PROTECTING EARTH FROM INVASIONS BEYOND YOUR REALM."

The cat's form flickered faintly, like a damaged image struggling to remain stable.

"My time is limited. An incurable wound has left me unable to continue protecting my creations."

Silence filled the room.

"I will not deceive you," it continued gently. "Each room may only return one hero to Earth. That is the limit of my remaining power."

The words sank slowly.

One hero.

From one hundred.

"This space is a trial. Prove your worth. Survive. Grow. Become the one who can inherit my power and protect your world once I am gone."

Its tone carried neither pride nor authority.

Only regret.

"Forgive me for dragging you here without consent. But if I fall, your world will be erased by the invading gods."

A faint glitch ran across its body.

"Loathe me, if you must, my creations."

For a brief moment, its eyes dimmed further.

Then it vanished.

Not with a flash.

Not with a sound.

Simply gone.

The room fell into silence.

"…Did that thing just say only one of us can go back?" someone whispered.

Another laughed nervously. "Ancient god? It looked like a horned cat. This has to be a dream."

A man in a business suit slapped his own face hard. The sharp sound echoed.

He did not wake up.

Near the wall, a quiet girl slowly scanned the room instead of panicking, her gaze lingering on people's posture, height, and expressions.

Across from her, a tall athlete clenched his fists, breathing unevenly as sweat formed on his forehead.

Different reactions.

Same realization.

This was real.

And it was happening everywhere.

In another identical white room far away, someone had already started crying.

In another, arguments had begun.

In another, silence was even heavier than fear.

Back inside the room of one hundred, unease spread like an invisible infection.

"What nonsense is this?"

"Return one hero…? Does that mean…"

No one finished the sentence.

They did not need to.

DING!!!

A sharp mechanical sound pierced the air.

Cold light gathered in front of them, forming words that floated above their heads.

SYSTEM SYNCHRONISATION COMPLETE!

CONGRATULATIONS! ALL "HUMANS" HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY AWAKENED!

Unlike the cat's voice, the system had no warmth.

No regret.

No hesitation.

Only function.

SYSTEM QUEST!

QUEST: PROVE YOUR WORTH

DETAILS: Emerge victorious and be the only survivor within the room. The trial will conclude when only one individual remains alive.

CURRENT HEAD COUNT: 100

REWARD: SYSTEM ASSISTANCE

Class and skills will be granted based on performance.

The words pulsed faintly.

Calm. Precise. Indifferent.

"This is insane!" someone shouted. "You're telling us to kill each other?!"

Others backed away instinctively, creating distance without even realizing it.

They had families. Friends. Futures waiting on Earth.

No one wanted to die here for a stranger.

There was no food.

No water.

No exit.

Only one hundred people.

And a rule.

The silence that followed was no longer confusion.

It was a calculation.

Eyes that once held panic slowly sharpened, observing builds, posture, possible threats. Some stepped back. Some edged closer to the walls. Some avoided eye contact entirely.

Survival instinct did not need instructions.

Everyone understood the same truth at the same time.

Only one would return.

And everyone wanted to live.