CHAPTER 87: THE GAME OF ZANE

Student’s Residence,

Arin’s Room,

Arin sat frozen on the floor, his spear lying uselessly at his side, sweat dripping down his temple. Every time his eyes dared to flicker upward, he was met with the suffocating divine aura of the woman floating before him.

Now, however, Eirenyssa no longer hovered. She sat gracefully in the chair opposite him, legs crossed, her silvery-white hair flowing like liquid moonlight, her ocean-blue eyes fixed not on him but on the flickering air.

Strange, glowing symbols danced in front of her, translucent panels forming and rearranging as if the very system itself bent to her will. With a mere gesture of her slender fingers, Arin’s familiar system interface unfolded in the air—except it wasn’t responding to him. It obeyed her.

Arin’s mouth went dry. She... she can control my system?

Eirenyssa remained calm, though her thoughts were in turmoil.

So this is why my lord copied the original’s soul and gave me her true body... so that I could pierce into the core of this mortal’s gift. Without this body, even I could not access the Administrator’s framework...

Her fingertips tapped against the floating screen, each movement graceful yet filled with authority. Code-like streams of divine glyphs unraveled, revealing the very foundation of Arin’s so-called gift.

From Arin’s perspective, it was terrifying—his own system, the very thing that defined his power, was being stripped open and examined as if it were a mere child’s toy.

Every time she shifted her gaze to the screen, her beauty radiated a divine untouchability, making Arin’s earlier foolish anger feel even more ridiculous.

But to her?

"Pathetic," Eirenyssa said aloud, her tone sharp and cold, each syllable cutting through the silence. Her gaze swept over Arin like he was nothing more than an insect. "Lord Sylas truly wasted this divine framework on a mortal such as you."

Arin’s face twisted in anger and shame, but he dared not move.

Eirenyssa leaned back slightly, her slender fingers weaving through the air, causing translucent screens to flicker and shift around her. The hidden core of Arin’s system opened under her touch, data spilling like threads of light.

"Still... his will is absolute," she continued, her voice carrying the weight of divine authority. "I must uncover what happened to this system."

But within the quiet corners of her mind, where her expression betrayed nothing, her true thoughts whispered: My master’s command comes first. I will act as if I serve Sylas... but every fragment, every secret, will belong to Lord Zane.

Her fingers moved with measured grace across the floating screens until she finally paused, eyes narrowing. The shimmering framework of Arin’s system glitched and fractured, and within it a single broken section pulsed erratically.

"The fate section..." she murmured coldly, lips curving in disdain. So, this insect angered my lord and was punished. His system fractured, and now he weeps because he is nothing but a sniveling insect without it. Pathetic.

Extending her hand, divine power gathered at her fingertips. A fragment of radiant energy—borrowed from the authority this body once received from Sylas—coalesced into her palm. With a sharp motion, she pressed it into the glowing screen. Light surged, cracks mending as the system flickered back into order.

Arin’s eyes widened. "W-What have you done...?"

"Shut up, mortal," Eirenyssa snapped without sparing him a glance. "And stop ogling me like some drooling beast, or I will tear those eyes from your skull."

The divine pressure in her words slammed into him like an unseen weight. Arin flinched, fear prickling through his veins, but he forced a shaky smirk. "H-Hey... quit that... relax, alright?"

Her head turned at last, gaze cutting into him like a blade from above. "You mere existence offends me," she said, voice trembling with divine edge. "Every breath you take is a stain, mortal. Why don’t you do us both a favor—and quit it?"

The suffocating aura pressed down harder, and though anger burned in his eyes, Arin’s body refused to move. He sat frozen, silent, shackled beneath her overwhelming presence.

Her fingers stilled as the last crack in the system’s framework sealed shut, light rippling across the floating screen. Outwardly, her expression was as cold and detached as ever.

"Consider yourself fortunate," she said aloud, her voice sharp and commanding. "Lord Sylas’s mercy flows through me, and it is by his grace that your system is restored."

Arin looked up, shame and envy swirling in his amber eyes. The system window before him stabilized, yet the crushing aura of her presence left him paralyzed, unable to even flex his fingers.

Eirenyssa glanced down at him, tone biting. "Do not mistake this for kindness, mortal. If not for his will, I would leave you to rot as the worm you are."

But behind those words, her thoughts whispered with devotion only Zane could sense. Your order is fulfilled, my lord. Even while wearing Sylas’s mask, I am—and will remain—yours alone.

Without warning, Eirenyssa’s hand shot forward, her slender fingers clamping around Arin’s throat. He gagged, eyes widening in panic as she effortlessly lifted him off the ground. His spear clattered uselessly beside him, forgotten.

"Mortal..." her voice dripped with venom, each word reverberating with divine weight. "Do not delude yourself into thinking you are chosen. You are nothing but a pathetic cockroach, picked on a whim. You will never be more than that—and you will not claim every woman you lay your lecherous eyes upon."

Arin clawed at her wrist, gasping, his face turning red as his lungs begged for air.

Then, like a whisper cutting through the storm, her master’s voice resonated in her mind.

"Leave him, Eirenyssa. He is still useful."

Her eyes widened ever so slightly. In the next instant, she released him, dropping him to the ground in a coughing heap. On your command, my lord, she thought with absolute obedience. Without sparing Arin another glance, she turned and leapt toward the window, her form blurring as glass shattered in her wake.

Arin collapsed forward, hacking and wheezing.

"Cough... cough... damn... what the hell was that...?"

Arin struggled to push himself up, his limbs trembling violently. But as soon as he got halfway to his feet, his knees buckled, and he crashed back down onto the floor. His leafy-green eyes flickered with instability, twisting with an ugly madness that warped his expression into something barely human.

"Why... why is this happening to me?!" he snarled, spittle flying from his lips. "I am the main character! I’m supposed to be invincible! All the heroines—every last one of them—should be mine!"

His voice cracked, rising into a deranged shout.

"That bitch too—she’s mine! I have the power! I have the system! I will not... I will not live like my last life again! This time I’ll have it all! A harem! Power! Lia... even that damn Administrator!"

The madness in his eyes flared as his breath grew ragged, but before he could spiral further, a crisp chime echoed in the room.

[System Notification: System repaired. New mission assigned.]

Arin froze, his insane grin faltering into wide-eyed shock as glowing text unfurled before him.

[Mission: Acquire a Power-Up Weapon.

Target: The Black Thunder Spear.

Hint of Location: The Reliquary (Weapon Shop).]

For a moment, silence consumed him. Then a slow, manic smile stretched across his face.

"Heh... finally..." His voice trembled with excitement, teeth bared in a savage grin. "Finally, a mission. A power-up. This is it... this is where it begins again."

Arin dragged himself upright, swaying but laughing under his breath.

"Let’s go. Let’s go and claim my destiny."

--

In the teacher’s residence, Zane’s room was cloaked in stillness. He sat on a chair by the window, half of his face illuminated by silver moonlight, the rest swallowed by shadows. His deep eyes gleamed faintly as if he was watching something far beyond the night sky.

A soft ripple shimmered in the air, and Eirenyssa appeared. With graceful precision, she lowered herself onto one knee before him, her head bowed.

"I did as you ordered, my lord," she said, her voice reverent yet steady. "I now have full access to the system."

Zane’s lips curved into a faint smile. "Good."

But Eirenyssa hesitated, her brows knitting in confusion. "My lord... forgive my boldness, but why go to such lengths? You are a being far above. You could have seized control directly, even from this distance. Why the extra steps?"

Zane leaned back, resting his cheek against his knuckles. His smile deepened, carrying a weight of hidden meaning.

"You don’t understand the game, Eirenyssa. Your former master, Sylas, believes everything rests in his grasp. I want him to savor that illusion—so that when I take it away, it will all crumble in an instant.So go and do your job. "

Eirenyssa lowered her head again. "On your command, my lord. I will fully embody my original’s role in Everion."

She paused, then in a much softer voice asked, "But... was my acting good, my lord?"

Zane smirked faintly and reached out, giving her head a light pat. "Yes, little Eirenyssa. You were very good."

A rare glimmer of relief flickered in her eyes as she rose to leave. But just as she neared the door, she turned slightly, her voice careful.

"May I... ask you something, my lord?"

Zane gave a small nod.

"Why are you sitting in the dark? The room has light. We could have spoken under it."

For a moment, the silence was thick. Then Zane’s smile returned, but he said only one word:

"Go."

Eirenyssa quickly bowed and vanished into the night, not daring to press further.

Left alone, Zane let out a quiet sigh, rubbing the back of his neck.

"What a mess... Just as I thought, sitting in the dark like this kind of boss setting is cringe." He shook his head with a dry chuckle. "Well, whatever. Everything is still going exactly as I planned."

The moonlight caught his smile, sharp and unwavering.