Escalate

...

In front of Zentury’s fearsome minions are a bunch of kids huddled in a corner. After some searching, Alfir finally found the hiding kids. This mission leaves a bitter taste in Alfir's mouth for many reasons. In the vanguard of the poor li'l kids, is a red-haired teen trying to show his most menacing look

"Do we kill this kid?" Alfir’s co-minion asked.

‘Fuck no! That kid is the main protag! Kill him, and it's the end of the world.’ To Alfir at least, this might be true but not for his fellow minion. If the main protag of the story dies now, the future will be majestically screwed at the point of no return.

After Alfir's short vacation, he was immediately sent to a C-rank mission of annihilating an enemy organization. With Palnes’s backing and the organization’s forceful assignment, Alfir has no choice but to accept the assignment.

Strangely, Palnes took a liking to him. Alfir thought of it as suspicious. Maybe, Palnes is actually a two-faced petty person unlike what the novel suggests.

After all, Palnes kicked the bucket too early. As expected of a fellow mob. Though he is a mob, he died in the hands of the protagonist of the story which by all means an impressive feat of its own.

"Fuck, do we really have to do this?" Alfir gritted his teeth, dislike of his current situation welling in his heart.

"I will do it. You're too young for this anyway." His co-minion, a middle-aged man suggested. He looked like a kind and amiable uncle. Someone, you wouldn't even think would be a member of Zentury. This is the persona his co-minion used as a disguise,

"Nah, let me do it." Of course, Alfir can't let the other guy do his job. Given that Alfir has now some level of authority in the organization, especially in this operation, Alfir has to do what he is meant to do.

Alfir motioned for his partner to stand aside. "As the second in command of this op, it is only right for me to do what is expected from me, right?"

His co-minion just smiled at Alfir's words.

Then Alfir drew his steel sword and swung, he sure did brandish his sword... but he swung it in the wrong direction. The poor middle-aged man stared at wonder 'Why is the sword coming for my neck?'

Then.

A head fell. The kids watched the brutality, they are aghast as someone died just like that. A simple brandishing of the sword easily reaped a life...

Alfir's fellow minion cannot react on time given Alfir's recently discovered power. Alfir's mutant abilities are still immature but compared to common men, he is an insurmountable foe.

The headless corpse slumped at where it stood. Alfir's merciless and abrupt move shocked the kids helpless. Even Deron, the red-haired youth, AKA the so-called protagonist was speechless...

"If it's world domination, then I might as well do it soon," Alfir whispered to himself as if commanding his apathetic vessel to do its bidding.

The 16-year-old red-hair hatefully glared at Alfir. He stood a step forward among the other kids. As the oldest, he felt responsible for whatever will happen next. Despite his usual aggressiveness, he looked calm in Alfir's eyes. The destined protag of this world, stood strong in the face of Alfir's steel.

Alfir knows that a butterfly effect is inevitable at this point in time. The best he can do is to mitigate its altering effects, then turn it to his advantage.

"Hey there, tomato. You looking smug?”

"Shut up. I warn you, don’t come any closer."

"Then I shall do that."

"..."

An awkward silence permeated the surroundings. Alfir really did shut up. He just stood there in waiting. Deron warily observed the strange teen in front of him. They were of the same age, yet Deron feels like a child in front of this adversity.

"But you can't stop me from making a speech, do you?" The strange teen suddenly said, causing Deron to flinch. Alfir didn’t mind for he is too busy inside his head to think for others.

‘I already did it. No regrets about that. Now, now… How should I proceed on this?’

Alfir sheathed his sword still dripping with blood. He is without manners in wielding his steel, and without discipline.

Deron frowned at the sight. 'Won't his sword get stuck in his sheath if he doesn't wipe the blood on his sword?'

But Alfir doesn't mind, he is too lazy to do it. What he only wants is for his goal to be achieved. He extended his hands to the sky declaring with theatric opulence—

"This world is filled with scum. The crown, heroes, mutants, and you— them— abandoned children worth less than shit."

Alfir pointed his index finger at Deron, then the kids he is trying to protect.

"Order is this world's greatest fiction. You felt that there is peace, when in fact, you are just ignorant of the chaos of this world."

Alfir's words weighed heavy in Deron's mind. Moreso the person speaking to him is his age. A subtle hypnotic power invaded his mind, convincing him that Alfir’s words are this world’s truths.

It's true, that this world is heavily oppressed by individualistic power. Every day, crimes occur throughout the world, and of the unspoken evil that dwells the so-called kings and of a higher power, there was pure chaos... But Deron has to disagree with the man in front of him... In the first place, this is why we have heroes in our current society, to suppress the chaos! For this man to label heroes as perpetrators of such chaos is heresy to Deron's ears.

Deron offered his one ear, then let it flow and pass to the other~ Alfir continued his chafe.

"But! Chaos is not our reality either. Do they? Who wants to live in pain, desolation, and darkness? I don't want to. How about you? It's a rhetorical question, you don't have to think of an answer. You should be living in this orphanage cozy and all, but that is not true for the rest of the orphans out in this world~"

It is not a speech, but a rant. Mostly, Alfir is venting. He gave Deron no time to think for himself. Alfir is doing his best to instill the idea of unfairness in this world through Deron's thick skull.

“What the fuck…” All throughout Alfir’s nonsensical speech, Deron felt tortured. He cringed, realizing that he almost accepted Alfir’s words with all seriousness.

“What are you? A small-time villain? I swear, every evil goon almost has the same lines.” Deron criticized. He recalled his elder brother’s share of stories, complaining to him how difficult it is to ignore the villain’s rants.

“Hahahaha. As expected from a promising hero like you. You saw through my tricks.”

“Hero? Hell no, I don’t want to.”

“How did you do it? To actually subvert my hypnotic powers!! You will pay for this. For now, I shall escape!”

SWOOOSH!

Like a gale, Alfir vanished within Deron’s sight. The strange teen ran fast. ‘What did just happen? Was I dreaming?’ Confusion is etched into Deron’s face. It’s as if he just watched a third-rate actor playing a small-time villain make his escape.

Normally, Zentury should have succeeded in leveling the orphanage with the cost of Deron going on a rampage as he slaughters every minion involved. Deron with his rampaging mutant abilities will mercilessly extinguish Alfir's life. Alfir doesn't want that, leading to the following events.

"What do you want!? Hey, where are you going!?" A head peaked by the door’s side, where Alfir was gone from.

"Hmmm... I guess I have to simplify it for your puny brain."

"Huh?"

"I am making my escape."

Inside the cellar where the orphans hid, Alfir took his first step to world domination.

[STEP 1— DEFECT

STEP 2— BUILD AN INDEPENDENT FORCE

STEP 3— TAKE OVER THE WORLD

Option 1: Open to revisions.

Option 2: If world domination fails, resort to world destruction.]

"Oh, and I'm gonna start my world domination now kids... Remember, this is where my origin story began!!" Deron watched the crazy guy vanish once more.

…