THE PERFECT VILLAIN: Another chance with a system
Chapter 26: A Perfect Point Of View

Chapter 26: A Perfect Point Of View

Niel and Amira walked down to the village, splitting up to head to their respective homes only when they reached the center.

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The morning brought a heavy, gloomy mood to the house. It was awfully quiet inside; even though the sun was already high in the sky, no one stepped out of their rooms, almost as if bound by a self-imposed prison.

Niel walked into the kitchen and, without asking, began cooking for everyone. He used his ’Perfect Portion’ skill to prepare the meal—marking the second time he’d used it, with only one trial remaining.

The aroma of the food soon drew everyone out. Mia and Anna rushed toward the dining area, with Mia calling out "Luna!" the moment she left her room.

Mira stepped out next after hearing Mia’s call. When they all saw Niel cooking, they froze, watching him from a distance.

"You—you shouldn’t be doing that," Mira stuttered in a calm, almost sobbing tone.

Niel walked over slowly, stopping a few feet away. "I know, but no one has had a decent meal since yesterday. What happened was horrible, but you can’t just cry all day."

He leaned down and gently placed his hands on Mia and Anna’s shoulders. "Eat, sleep, and bathe. I believe there’s an explanation for all of this, and the truth will come out soon. We might not have been able to save Dan, but we can preserve what we have left. It’s what he would have wanted."

The two girls stared at him for a moment before bursting into tears—tears they had been holding back since the day before. He pulled them close and hugged them tightly as they wept against him.

They eventually sat down for breakfast. Although the meal was mostly silent, at least they were together. Shortly after finishing, everyone retreated to their rooms once more.

Niel cleaned up the table and stepped outside.

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He wandered aimlessly through the village with no particular destination. It was his first time exploring the area, but a dark, gloomy haze hung over everything, made even more prominent by the heavy grey clouds above.

The impact of Luna’s arrest and Dan’s death reverberated throughout the community. With such a small population, any loss or disappearance was immediately felt—it was less like a small village and more like a tight-knit family.

His random walk eventually brought him to the far edge of the village, where he spotted a small mountain peak nearby. He followed a trail until he reached the summit.

From up there, he had an open view of the entire village, its houses, and its people. He also noticed a small cave near the top. Stepping inside to stand at the far end, he realized he could still see the rooftops below.

He walked back out to the ledge and sat down. It was the perfect vantage point—a spot where a vigilante could keep watch, or where a villain could plot. Ultimately, it offered an ideal perspective.

Niel sat in silence for a while until Claire interrupted his thoughts.

Claire: "You’ve been quiet, Lord Vael. Is something bothering you? Do you feel regret?"

Niel smiled softly.

I thought you only loved chaos. You should be suggesting a new plot, not showing concern.

Claire: "’We,’ Lord Vael. Your silence burdens me. A new plot in motion keeps the thrill alive."

That’s true, but sometimes you need to enjoy the silence before the storm. The next plot is a grand-scale disaster, so let’s allow the moment to breathe. Appreciate the gift of life while death hangs at the door.

Claire: "Ah, Lady Amira, right? So the plan is placed on hold for one final moment."

Precisely. We will let these grieving souls mourn. When it seems like the sun is about to rise again, only then shall the storm strike—a magnificent, unexpected disaster.

Claire: "Agreed. That sounds fascinating. So, shall we begin the countdown?"

Yeah. But before that, what abilities do I have left?

Claire: "Certainly."

A translucent system window materialised in front of him, displaying his current abilities:

Authority of Theft (Base Authority)

Authority of Deception — Lie Discernment (3)

Authority of Space-Time — Spatial Compaction (3)

Shapeshifting (Active Disguise)

Poison

Heightened Senses

Heightened Physiology

Unique Skill: Perfect Portion (1)

Earth Spikes (2)

Lightning (2)

Shield (2)

Fist Flare (3)

Fist Flare? Where did that come from—

He suddenly remembered the fiery punch from Mira that he had shielded Luna from, his hand reaching reflexively for the spot on his arm that had been burned.

You copied that too? Well, that’s quite an arsenal.

Niel paused, his eyes fixed on the display. Is it possible to combine abilities to create a single, superior one, or sacrifice one to empower another? If I can use two abilities simultaneously, this should be possible too, right?

Claire: "Combination is possible, but only with copied skills. It remains inapplicable to unique skills and Authorities—though there may be a future possibility for combining unique skills."

Okay. What would happen if I merged all the copied skills together—one of each?

Claire: "That is possible, but it will fuse them all into a single-use ability regardless of remaining retries. To be precise, combining them overrides the number of remaining uses; you will only be able to activate the resulting skill once.

What? What if I combine three out of the four instead?

Claire: "The same rule applies to the merged outcome, but the skill you leave out will retain its remaining uses.

I see. Then combine all of them except for the Shield ability.

Claire: "Affirmative!"

Combining: Earth Spikes, Fist Flare, and Lightning...

Processing...

Combination Complete.

New Skill Developed: Grand Meteor (1)