THE GREATEST REVENGER SYSTEM

Far From Top

Thenma walked through the school gates after a week of absence, his heart heavy with grief and anger. The weight of Adeline’s condition—her coma—was crushing him. He had tried to focus on other things, but his mind kept drifting back to his sister, lying motionless in that hospital bed, her life hanging by a thread because of the pills that had nearly destroyed her brain. Every time he thought of her, his desire for revenge burned hotter, fiercer.

This wasn’t just about justice anymore. It was personal.

Thenma made his way to the main building, keeping his head down as he recalled the events of the past week. Penelope's arrest had been all over his mind. He had envisioned it would ruin her reputation, expose her for the fraud she was. The school's "goddess" who had pretended to be perfect was nothing but a drug dealer in disguise, and he had wanted everyone to know that. Thenma would want to see Penelope's followers turn on her, disgusted by the truth.

But when Thenma looked around, the atmosphere seemed… unchanged. Students were talking in groups, laughing, going about their day as though nothing had happened. His mind reeled, trying to process what he was seeing. Hadn’t they heard about Penelope?

As he made his way down the hall, memories of Evan’s cold, detached face from that night flashed through his mind. Evan had completely abandoned Penelope after her arrest. It made sense—Penelope's scandal would drag him down too. Evan couldn't afford to be associated with Penelope, especially with his polished image of wealth and control.

Thenma's thoughts shifted to Julian, the next target in his revenge. Julian's family had deep ties to the drugs Penelope had been dealing, and taking him down would strike another blow to the circle of people responsible for Adeline's suffering. The system inside Thenma had been his constant guide, feeding him information that was buried deep within society’s hidden cracks.

"Reve, give me everything on Julian," Thenma muttered under his breath, grateful for the presence of the system that had already helped him make the first step of his plan.

[Julian Corbin: Weaknesses]

[1. Money Laundering Ties: Use of family connections to hide illegal earnings]

[2. Involvement with Underground Fighting Rings: A secret only known by high-level contacts]

[3. Connection with Corrupt Politicians: Easily exposed with the right information]

The list kept coming, more details on Julian’s vulnerabilities.

Thenma could hardly believe how much the system knew. Each weakness was a key, a potential way to unravel Julian's life. But before he could dive deeper into his thoughts, something caught his eye.

Penelope.

She was there. In the flesh. Walking down the hall with Evan by her side. Thenma froze, his brain struggling to comprehend what he was seeing. How could she be here?She was supposed to be under arrest, her life in shambles. But there she was, walking confidently with Evan’s arm around her, looking as composed as ever.

Thenma’s heart sank. Had Evan helped her out of the mess? Was she still untouchable?

Penelope’s eyes landed on Thenma, and a smug smile curled on her lips. She tugged on Evan’s arm, dragging him toward Thenma. Her voice was sweet, laced with venom. "Look how shocked he is," she laughed. "Tell the world that he's my number one hater."

Thenma could barely hide his disbelief. “Seems like your lover has helped you a lot, ‘goddess.’” His words were bitter, his lips curled into a disbelieving smile.

"Who said Evan wouldn’t help me, loser?" Penelope sneered. "This is why I always say—changing your style, outfit, and driving a fancy car doesn’t mean you’re leading the game. I’m not sure where you got all of that, by the way. Did you... rob a bank? Ha!" She laughed and walked off, her heels clicking on the floor.

Evan stayed behind, his cold blue eyes locking onto Thenma. His expression was filled with disdain, the same cocky look he had worn countless times before.

“I told you I’d show you who leads the game,” Evan said, his voice dripping with arrogance. “This is what I meant, loser. I hope you understand your place a little better now.”

Thenma watched as Evan sauntered away, a knot of frustration building in his chest.

But then… it shifted. The scene around him blurred. He blinked.

The truth settled in like a knife to his gut.

None of that had happened. It was all in his mind, just a cruel fantasy. Penelope hadn’t been arrested. Evan hadn’t abandoned her. Instead, the entire school was buzzing with something else entirely.

It wasn’t Penelope’s scandal they were talking about. It was Adeline’s video.

Her private video from the club.

The anonymous account that had posted it had painted her as some kind of troublemaker, twisting the narrative to make Adeline look guilty. And now, everyone was gossiping about her—about Adeline. The comments, the snide whispers, the cruel looks—it was all directed at his sister, while Penelope’s crimes had been buried.

They had manipulated everything, just like they always did. They had made Adeline’s pain the talk of the school, while Penelope walked free, her reputation as untouchable as ever.

Thenma’s hands clenched into fists, his mind burning with renewed rage. This wasn’t over. Penelope, Evan, Julian—they would all pay. He was sure of it now. And with the system on his side, it was only a matter of time before they all fell.

He could feel the system pulsing inside him, offering more information, more ways to dismantle their lives piece by piece.

As Thenma stood there, feeling the weight of the world closing in on him, he made a silent vow.

***

Thenma marched into the police station, his jaw clenched with determination. After what had happened to Adeline, he wasn’t going to let anyone get away easily. He had counted on Detective Miles—the cleanest, most incorruptible officer in town. But as Thenma approached his office, a strange feeling settled in his chest.

He knocked sharply before pushing the door open, stepping into the dimly lit room where Detective Miles sat behind his cluttered desk. The man’s usual confident demeanor was absent. His shoulders were slumped, his eyes avoiding Thenma’s as he entered.

"Detective Miles," Thenma started, his voice firm. "I want to know what’s going on with Penelope Eldridge’s case. You had all the evidence. You led the arrest. Why is she walking free?"

The detective’s face remained still, his eyes downcast. He didn’t say a word.

"Detective?" Thenma pushed, his frustration growing. "You were supposed to be the one who wasn’t afraid of them. You went after her, after all. So why is she not behind bars?"

Miles sighed, rubbing his temples. "I… I can’t talk about it," he muttered, his voice low and defeated.

"You can’t talk about it?" Thenma repeated incredulously. "What does that mean? You had a solid case. You saw her dealing drugs. She was caught red-handed."

Detective Miles finally looked up, his eyes filled with something Thenma hadn’t expected—fear. "It’s more complicated than you think," Miles said quietly. "You don’t understand the kind of power these people have."

"Power? You’re the law!" Thenma said, his voice raising in frustration. "You were supposed to be the one who stood up to them! What happened?"

But the detective remained silent, his gaze returning to his desk as though he couldn’t bear to face Thenma any longer. It hit Thenma like a ton of bricks—Penelope’s release hadn’t been because of some legal technicality. It was their money, their influence, that had bought her freedom. Detective Miles, the man who was supposed to be incorruptible, had been crushed under the weight of their wealth and power.

"I see," Thenma whispered, more to himself than to Miles. "This is what their money does. This is how they control everything."

The silence in the room was suffocating. Detective Miles didn’t offer any further explanation. He didn’t need to. Thenma could see it in his defeated posture, the way his shoulders hunched as if carrying the weight of his failure. The system had already warned Thenma that money ruled this town, but seeing it firsthand was like a punch to the gut.

Thenma took a deep breath, feeling the familiar anger rise within him. "I thought you were different," he said bitterly, his voice low. "I thought you’d stand up to them. But it looks like you’re just as powerless as the rest."

Miles flinched but said nothing.

Without another word, Thenma turned and walked out of the office, the fire of revenge burning hotter in his chest. He couldn’t rely on anyone. Not even those who claimed to fight for justice. He would need more than just evidence—he needed a strategy. A way to take them down that even their money and influence couldn’t touch.

As he stepped outside into the cool evening air, Thenma felt the familiar pulse of his system awakening in his mind.

[It seems you now understand, Revenger. Money rules this city. But with me, you have the upper hand.]

Thenma clenched his fists. "I do," he muttered. "We’ll need more than just brute force. We’ll need to be smarter. I can’t afford to lose this."

[You won’t lose. Not as long as I’m with you. Now, it’s time to plan your next move.]

"Julian," Thenma said aloud. "Penelope’s still out there, but Julian’s family controls the drugs. They’re next."

[Exactly. And with the right approach, we can take down every single one of them.]

Thenma's eyes burned with new determination. If Detective Miles couldn’t help, then he’d find another way. With the system guiding him, there would be no mercy. He was going to make them pay—no matter how powerful they thought they were.

He walked away from the station, his mind already racing with the possibilities. Thenma knew he couldn’t rush it. The game had just gotten more complicated, but with the system’s help, he was determined to win.

This time, he wouldn’t let them win.