THE GREATEST REVENGER SYSTEM

ARC QUEST: Julian Corbin - Take Two

Thenma gritted his teeth as the blood from his wound seeped through his jacket. His pulse was a steady thrum in his ears, but it wasn’t the rush of adrenaline anymore—it was the toll of too many close calls. His arm, bleeding freely now, burned with every movement as he swerved the motorbike through the dim, chaotic streets of District 7.

"Reve, what's my status?" he muttered through clenched teeth, weaving past a group of pedestrian traffickers who shot him suspicious glances.

[Pursuers: Three vehicles detected. Optimal escape route: Overpass 6B. Risk level: High.]

Thenma’s grip tightened on the throttle. He didn’t need to hear it. He knew the Nightfangs wouldn’t give up. The sound of roaring engines behind him was enough to know they were still in pursuit. There was no turning back now.

He floored the accelerator, the engine roaring in protest, but the adrenaline dulling the pain in his side. The overpass was approaching—a narrow stretch, perfect for a risky maneuver. But the blood loss was starting to take its toll; his vision blurred slightly as his pulse hammered in his temples.

[Vital signs dropping. Immediate medical attention required.]

He swerved around a slow-moving truck, aiming for the high-rising ramp of the overpass. As he hit the incline, the world seemed to spin—his vision darkening, the engine’s noise muffled by his focus. But then a flash of light to the side caught his attention. A flash of red and blue from the tail of one of the Nightfang vehicles. They were too close.

Thenma’s grip tightened on the handlebars. He slammed the bike into a sharp turn, jerking the wheel in a way that sent the back tire skidding against the cracked road. His head spun with vertigo. The bike lurched forward, careening into the overpass with barely enough space to avoid a head-on collision with a metal guardrail.

The sound of tires screeching told him the Nightfangs weren’t far behind.

[Optimal exit route: Underground garage, 100 meters ahead. Rerouting.]

He didn’t need to be told twice. As the underground entrance appeared in his peripheral vision, Thenma yanked the bike hard to the left. The pursuing vehicles followed, but they weren’t as nimble. He sped into the dark, low-ceilinged garage, the entrance slamming shut behind him.

He took a sharp breath, coughing as blood bubbled up from his chest. His arm was useless now, practically hanging limply from his shoulder. He couldn’t keep this pace much longer.

As the bike came to a halt, he shoved it into neutral, his whole body sagging with exhaustion and pain. He forced himself off the seat, dragging his wounded arm across the grimy concrete floor.

[Warning: Hostile presence detected. Vehicle pursuit stopped.]

Reve's calm voice cracked through his focus. Thenma looked up, his vision swimming, to find the familiar lights of his apartment complex flickering in the distance.

Collin would be there. He had to make it.

***

Thenma sat on the edge of the dilapidated couch in the apartment, his pulse still erratic from the chaos he’d barely escaped. The searing pain in his side was a constant reminder of how close he had come to dangerous situation.

His fingers tapped the edge of his wristband, and the familiar holographic display flickered to life in front of him. It was a comforting sight—cold, clinical, yet strangely reassuring in its precision. This system, whatever it was, was his lifeline now.

“Reve,” he muttered, his voice rough, “show me my status.”

A soft hum filled the air, and the display shifted, revealing the cold, stark facts of his current situation.

[User Status: Thenma]

Level: 1

Experience: 0/100

Health: 45% (Injured)

Stamina: 40%

Mental State: 60%

Currency: 50 RP (Reward Points)

[Attributes]

Strength: 6 (Weak)

Agility: 10 (Average)

Endurance: 8 (Low)

Intelligence: 15 (Above Average)

Stealth: 12 (Novice)

Charisma: 5 (Low)

Luck: 3 (Very Low)

[Skills]

Hand-to-Hand Combat: 5 (Untrained)

Firearms: 4 (Novice)

Evasion: 8 (Basic)

Tactical Awareness: 15 (Average)

Disguise: 7 (Poor)

Empathy: 3 (Weak)

[Inventory]

Emergency Combat Procurement Mode (3 uses remaining)

Plasma Cutter (Used)

EMP Disruptor (Inactive)

Combat Stimulants (2 doses)

First-Aid Kit

[Objective: Gather Evidence of Julian Corbin’s Involvement with the Nightfangs]

Time Remaining: 48 Hours

The statistics were sobering. He had no real combat experience, his physical stats were abysmally low, and his luck was practically nonexistent.

He could feel the frustration boiling inside him, but it was quickly replaced by a burning desire for revenge. The numbers on the screen didn’t matter. They could be changed. He would make them change.

The whispers of the past echoed in his mind, cutting through the noise of the present. Evan Clauster. Penelope Eldridge. Kato Montgomery.

And Julian Corbin.

They were the ones who had turned his life into a nightmare. But they weren’t the end. They were just the first domino. The real target was much bigger. The real reason for his vengeance—the reason he’d risked everything to enter this twisted world—was Adeline. His sister. The pills. The coma. It was all because of them. They had ruined her life, just as they had ruined his.

“You’ll pay,” Thenma whispered under his breath, his eyes narrowing as he gripped the armrest. “All of you will pay. And it starts with Corbin.”

The system chimed softly in his ear, offering a solution to his immediate problem.

[New Quest Available: Physical Conditioning]

Objective: Complete the Physical Conditioning Program to improve Strength, Endurance, and Agility.

Time Limit: Along with the Arc Quest

Rewards: +10 Strength, +10 Endurance, +10 Agility

Failure Consequence: None. (Program will reset after time expires.)

Thenma's gaze snapped to the new quest notification. It was a small step, but it was an opportunity.

“Physical Conditioning,” he repeated, reading the quest description again. It was clear—the system had recognized that his weak body would hold him back. But this was a chance to change that. He could feel it now. With every quest, with every upgrade, his power would grow. It would be enough.

[New Quest Available: Gain Tactical Advantage]

Objective: Complete missions to gather tactical information on Julian Corbin and other targets.

Time Limit: 48 Hours

Rewards: +5 Tactical Awareness, +5 Stealth

Failure Consequence: None.

Thenma exhaled slowly, his fingers still hovering over the controls. The system wasn’t just offering physical training. It was pushing him toward a bigger goal, a bigger revenge. He had no time to waste on trivial things like rest or peace.

The cold, methodical nature of the system was exactly what he needed.

His eyes glinted with renewed purpose as he activated the quest for Physical Conditioning. His body was weak now, but it wouldn’t stay that way. His mind was sharp, and that was what would get him through. Every challenge, every fight, every obstacle—he would break them all down.

He was more than just the boy they’d once mocked. He wasn’t just Thenma anymore. He was the force that would bring them to their knees.

[Objective Updated: Complete Physical Conditioning]

[Secondary Objective: Gather Tactical Information on Julian Corbin]

[Time Remaining: 7 Days]

Thenma glanced at Collin, who was in the kitchen preparing something to eat, completely unaware of the storm brewing in his friend’s mind.

Thenma's grip tightened on his wristband as the system updated again.

[New Notification: Special Ability Unlocked – “Revenge Mode”]

Ability Description:

Activate Revenge Mode to temporarily boost Strength, Endurance, and Agility by 25%. Duration: 15 minutes.

Cost: 50 RP per activation.

“Revenge Mode,” Thenma murmured, a dangerous grin tugging at his lips. He could feel it—the power coursing through his veins. With this, he could handle anything. And anyone.

He stood up, his injury still aching, but his resolve ironclad. There was no time to waste. He would make them all pay for the life they had stolen from him.

He turned to Collin.

“Get ready, Julian Fucking Corbin” Thenma said, his voice low, steady. “This is just the beginning.”