The Villain System Is Frustated

Bima was sweeping the orphanage yard with gusto. Sweat dripped from his forehead, yet a sincere smile never faded. In the corner of the fence, a small cat was pinned between rusty iron bars. Its voice let out a piteous, shrill cry. Without a second thought, Bima set down his broom and ran over.

"Take it easy, pal. I'll get you out," Bima murmured while prying the bars apart with all his might.

The muscles in his arms tensed. His breath quickened. With one powerful jolt, the iron shifted wide enough. The cat leaped out and bolted away without looking back. Bima exhaled in relief, wiping the dust off his pants. Suddenly, his vision blurred. A blood-red digital projection appeared right in front of his retinas, blinking brightly.

[Super Villain System detected. Initialization beginning...]

Bima blinked repeatedly. He thought it was the effect of exhaustion. "What is this? Am I sleep-deprived?"

[Integration complete. Welcome, Host. You are now the next Demon King candidate. First mission: Burn down the old house at the end of this street to spread terror among the residents. Time remaining: 60 minutes. Failure results in the total erasure of your existence.]

Bima froze in place. The mechanical voice sounded cold, sharp, and very real inside his head. "Burn the house? Are you crazy? That's the neighborhood association president's house!"

[Command irreversible. Failure will result in the host vanishing from reality. Starting countdown now.]

"Listen, System or whatever your name is, I'm an orphanage volunteer. I've never even stolen candy! I won't do something like that!" Bima protested while looking around. Luckily, no one was nearby.

[Morality is a barrier to evolution. Execute the mission immediately or face the consequences.]

Bima paced back and forth in front of the orphanage gate. His mind was stuck. If he refused, he died. If he burned the house down, he’d go to prison and become a real criminal. He glanced at a plastic trash bag in his hand that he had just picked up from the yard. A ridiculous idea popped into his brain.

He walked toward his neighbor’s trash bins a neighbor known for being extremely disciplined. With trembling hands, Bima threw a plastic soda bottle and leftover lunch boxes into the bin labeled 'ORGANIC ONLY'.

[Warning: Your actions are highly reprehensible. You have violated the community's waste sorting rules. Villain Points increased: 10 points.]

Bima stifled a laugh. "System, does that count as an act of terror?"

[Analysis in progress. You have intentionally created minor chaos within the environmental sanitation system. It is considered a low-level act of social sabotage. You have earned points.]

Bima took a long breath. He felt incredibly silly, but at least he hadn't burned anyone's house down. "See? I can be a villain in a very efficient and eco-friendly way."

[You only threw away trash, Host. Do not feel proud. The next task is far more challenging. Target: Mrs. Sari's grocery store. You must rob her of her valuables to demonstrate your dominance as a future ruler of darkness.]

"Robbery? You're really not very creative, are you?" Bima snorted. He walked away from the trash bins, feeling a bit more confident.

[Target: Mrs. Sari's Grocery Store. Time: 30 minutes. If you do not comply, I will begin to paralyze your motor functions one by one.]

A piercing chill ran down Bima's spine. His legs felt stiff for a moment, as if a current of static electricity was trying to stop his stride. This was no joke. The system was dead serious about its threats. Bima took a deep breath.

"Fine, I'll go to the store. But don't expect me to pull a weapon," Bima threatened internally.

He stepped quickly toward the grocery store at the end of the alley. The store belonged to Mrs. Sari, the middle-aged woman most feared in the complex because of her sharp tongue. If Bima did something stupid there, he might end up with a flying broom hitting his head.

Upon arriving at the front of the store, Bima saw Mrs. Sari busy counting her stock. Bima walked in with a firm stride. The system inside his head began shouting provocative instructions.

[Use foul language. Scramble the items on the shelves. Show the darkness within you.]

Bima ignored the command. He walked to the messiest shelf, where milk cans looked tilted and disorganized. He began to meticulously tidy the cans, arranging them by alphabet and color.

"What are you doing, Bima? Are you trying to steal or looking for work?" Mrs. Sari suddenly shouted, nearly making Bima tumble over.

"I... I just wanted to straighten this up, Ma'am," Bima answered in a trembling tone.

[Failed. You have not demonstrated a villainous attitude. Your right motor nerve will be paralyzed in seconds.]

Bima felt his right hand go numb. He gripped the last can so tightly his knuckles turned white. He had to do something the system considered 'evil' before his hand became completely immovable.

"Listen, Mrs. Sari!" Bima suddenly exclaimed in a loud voice, trying to mimic the style of villains in the movies he had watched. He glared at Mrs. Sari with the sharpest gaze he could muster. "From now on, this shelf must always be neat at all times! If I come back tomorrow and see this messy again, I will... I will organize it even better until you have no reason to be angry!"

Mrs. Sari went silent. She stared at Bima with wide eyes, then she shuddered in horror. "Weird kid. Get out of here! Don't scare me with that crazy look!"

Mrs. Sari ran into the back room while locking the door. Bima stood frozen in front of the neatly arranged shelf.

[Analysis of action complete. Subject Mrs. Sari feels intimidated and psychologically terrified. You have committed an act of intimidation that triggered the subject's past trauma. Villain Points increased: 50 points.]

Bima exhaled in relief. "That worked? Just by speaking neatly?"

[System is surprised. You possess unorthodox villainous potential. However, the second mission cannot be bypassed. You must go to the City Park tonight. Someone will be there. You must commit a greater criminal act.]

"City Park? Who's there?"

[Someone who will be the turning point of your fate. If you do not show up, I will erase your memory of how to breathe.]

Bima slumped forward as the system delivered a small electric shock to his nervous system. He coughed, trying to balance himself. The sky was beginning to darken and the streetlights were turning on. Bima knew he had no other choice. He had to go to the park, or he would lose everything.

His steps felt heavy, but his heart churned between fear and a strange curiosity. What exactly was this system planning? As he walked through the narrow alley toward the park, he saw the silhouette of a woman standing under a streetlight, holding a silver dagger that shimmered under the moonlight.

The woman turned toward Bima. Her eyes were sharp like a hawk's, piercing through the darkness of the night. Bima stood frozen. He felt a danger far greater than just the fussy system in his head.

"You," the woman's voice sounded cold, stopping Bima's heart in its tracks. "You're the person everyone is looking for, aren't you?"