THE GREATEST REVENGER SYSTEM

The New Arc Quest: Julian Corbin

The bass-heavy music pounded through the nightclub, vibrating the walls as Thenma slouched over the bar, an empty glass in his hand. His mind was a blur, lost in the haze of alcohol. Neon lights danced over the glossy liquor bottles behind the bar, but none of it mattered. He tilted his head and motioned to the bartender with two fingers.

"Another one," Thenma mumbled, slurring slightly.

The bartender raised an eyebrow but silently refilled his glass. Thenma swirled the amber liquid, watching it slosh against the sides.

“Cheers,” he muttered under his breath before downing the shot in one go.

Despite the burn in his throat, nothing could numb the weight pressing down on him. His attempt to arresting Penelope had failed spectacularly. No matter how carefully he’d planned, it hadn’t been enough. Evan Clauster’s family influence was everywhere, even among those who were supposed to uphold the law.

Thenma clenched his jaw, the taste of bile rising in his throat. Detective Miles, the most trusted officer in the city—“the honest one”—had bent the knee like everyone else.

He slammed his glass down harder than he intended, causing the bartender to glance in his direction.

“All of them,” Thenma whispered bitterly, “beholden to that family. Even the ones you thought couldn’t be bought.”

The bartender gave him a wary glance but kept polishing a glass, avoiding confrontation. Thenma chuckled dryly to himself, the sound almost lost beneath the thumping music.

Luxury surrounded him now. Expensive suits, private access, VIP treatment—none of it mattered. Not with Adeline still unconscious, her life trapped in a cruel, endless limbo. No amount of wealth could change that. The power he’d amassed through the system felt... meaningless.

Thenma leaned heavily against the bar, resting his forehead on his arm. He stared at his empty glass, eyes heavy with exhaustion and frustration.

“Ha… The money I got from you.” He gave a hollow laugh, speaking aloud to no one the bartender could see. “But your very existence is just a byproduct of my suffering.”

He exhaled sharply, then whispered, “Is my desire for revenge that great, Reve?” His voice cracked slightly as he rolled the glass in his hand.

The system responded immediately, the familiar synthetic voice resonating in his mind.

[It’s not just the greatness of your desire—it’s how perfectly you align with me. You and I are the same. Your resolve, your rage, your purpose... Only you could wield me without breaking.]

Thenma chuckled, half amused, half defeated. “Hah… You sound like a lover.”

[Lover?]

“Forget it.”

The bartender, wiping down the counter nearby, glanced at him with a puzzled look. Who the hell is this guy talking to? To the bartender’s eyes, it looked like Thenma was mumbling to himself, deep in conversation with empty air.

Thenma leaned back against the bar, feeling the alcohol warm his blood, though it did nothing to soften the ache in his chest. Just as he was about to slip deeper into the fog of intoxication, a hand clapped heavily on his back.

"I've been looking for you all day, but here you are, enjoying some expensive alcohol," Collin said, sliding onto the barstool next to him.

Thenma turned slowly, his vision slightly unfocused. “Collin...” he mumbled, blinking hard to make sure it was really him. “What are you doing here?” His voice was sluggish, dull, the weight of disappointment dragging every word down.

The bartender offered Collin a drink, but he shook his head. “I’m not here to drink,” he said plainly, waving the man off before focusing back on Thenma.

There was a brief pause, the tension between them thick. Collin finally broke it. “I heard… about Penelope’s arrest.”

Thenma let out a low, bitter laugh, the sound more like a scoff. “Oh, you heard about it.” He ran a hand over his face, as if wiping away some invisible frustration. “I thought you’d be just like the rest of them—acting like that night’s arrest never even happened.”

Collin’s expression tightened. “Thenma, I really regret what happened. Are you... are you going to quit?”

Thenma raised his glass, staring into the amber liquid like it held answers. He swirled it lazily before setting it down without drinking. “Quit...? No.” He shook his head slowly, a tired grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “It’s too early for that.”

He exhaled heavily, running a hand through his hair. “But I need time. Time to find another way… because the way I believed in?” Thenma chuckled darkly, the sound filled with a mix of disbelief and frustration. “It’s locked down by the Clauster family.”

Thenma’s expression hardened, the bitterness returning to his voice. “Detective Miles... The one everyone called the most honest cop in the city. Even he’s in their pocket.” He clenched his fists, the frustration seeping through his every word. “If even he’s controlled, what hope is there for the rest of them? The institutions are rotten. Corrupt to the core. The law? Two levels beneath life and money.”

Collin frowned deeply, concern flickering in his eyes. He shifted uncomfortably, his mind racing with possibilities. “I wonder... what did they say to threaten Miles?”

“What about your family, Collin?” Thenma asked, voice low but steady. “Isn’t your family also among the famous businessmen in this city?”

Collin furrowed his brow, leaning back slightly. “What do you mean?”

“Does the Clauster elite control your family too?” Thenma’s words were pointed, suspicion laced beneath the surface.

Collin paused, considering the question carefully. “I can say,” he began slowly, “that my family doesn’t have any connection with the Clauster elite... but crossing paths with them? That would be a risky move.”

Thenma let out a heavy sigh, one filled with frustration and disappointment. He looked down at the bar, fingers tracing the rim of his glass. “You’d better not see me again.”

Collin blinked, stunned. “What do you mean, Thenma?”

Thenma leaned closer, his voice low and filled with an almost sad certainty. “One day, you’ll follow your family’s orders. You’ll bow to the Clauster elite, just like everyone else. And when that day comes... it’ll hurt. It’ll hurt worse than anything.” He paused, exhaling through his nose. “Besides, my revenge is too dangerous. If you stay close to me, they’ll come for you. They always go after those closest to me. Just like they did with Adeline.”

Collin’s expression shifted to one of concern, his lips pressed into a thin line. “Hey, man,” he said softly, placing a hand on Thenma’s shoulder. “I’m not that kind of person. If I decide to help you, I will. I haven’t been your friend for just a year—we’ve been through this together since high school.”

Thenma stared at him for a long moment, the alcohol dulling his emotions but not his instincts. He wanted to believe Collin, but experience had taught him otherwise. Friends, family, allies—everyone eventually bent to the same power. And the Clausters were not the kind of enemy to overlook someone like Collin.

***

The early morning light filtered through the glass walls of Thenma’s apartment, casting a warm glow across the room. His head throbbed painfully as he groaned, pressing his fingers against his temples. Blinking the sleep away, he slowly sat up on the large sofa, realizing where he was. A blanket draped over him slid off his shoulders as he shifted, and on the coffee table in front of him were water, aspirin, and a note from Collin:

"Take these when you wake up. You’ll need them. I’ll check in later."

Thenma gave a small, humorless snort. "Collin..." he muttered. His friend had stayed with him through the night, making sure he got home safely and leaving just enough behind to ease the morning hangover.

He picked up the glass of water and downed the aspirin, rubbing the side of his head as the pain ebbed just slightly. Leaning back into the sofa, he gazed at the sunlight climbing higher in the sky, painting the city beyond his windows in gold.

It was a beautiful sight. But it didn’t feel beautiful. It felt empty—like everything in his life lately.

He closed his eyes and tried to shut out the spiral of thoughts that came rushing in. Was this revenge the right thing to do?

The thought gnawed at him, sinking its claws deeper the longer he sat in silence. His first attempt—the failed arrest of Penelope—had cost him dearly. Adeline was in a coma because of it. She had been caught in the crossfire of his desire for vengeance.

He opened his eyes, glancing down at the spot where he sat. Memories from that night hit him like a crashing wave—the night he found Adeline here, lying lifeless on the same sofa, her body emptied by the tranquilizer pills she had taken. The room had been silent then, too silent, as he knelt beside her in helpless rage.

The anger stirred inside him once more, simmering beneath the surface. His fists clenched as the bitter fire reignited in his chest.

Yes, Penelope might have slipped through his grasp, but Evan Clauster—he was still out there. And this started with him. Evan and Penelope had toyed with his life as if it were a game, shattering everything he held dear. They had planted the seeds of his suffering, and their hands were stained with everything that followed.

His jaw tightened, and his lips curled into a grim snarl as the familiar weight of his hatred settled over him like a second skin.

“This is the right thing to do,” he whispered to himself, the words cold and resolute. He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. “I will destroy you, Evan Clauster.”

His voice was steady, filled with a quiet but unyielding determination.

“I will definitely do it.”

Thenma still lost in thought, when the soft beep of the system echoed in his mind. A glowing notification hovered before his eyes:

[Big Quest: Destroy Julian Corbin]

[Objective: Expose Julian Corbin's criminal activities and bring him to ruin]

[Reward: Access to Tier-3 Abilities (Includes: Advanced Surveillance Hacking & Identity Manipulation)]

[Terms:]

[Target must be rendered powerless—public disgrace or incarceration.]

[Any direct attempt at his life will forfeit the reward.]

[Time Limit: 14 days]

[Use discretion—unnecessary attention will affect future quests]

Thenma smirked, feeling the familiar adrenaline rush as his sense of purpose rekindled. "Alright," he muttered under his breath, standing up. He straightened his clothes and checked his appearance in the glass reflection. The emptiness lingering earlier was gone, replaced with cold determination.

He grabbed his car keys and left the apartment, his mind laser-focused on the plan. As he settled into the driver’s seat, the engine hummed to life. "Reve," he said, gripping the steering wheel, "I need to check again about everything on Julian Corbin. Weaknesses. Leverage. Any dirt we can use."

[Weaknesses Identified: High debt with criminal syndicates. Reckless lifestyle causing strained family relations. Desperation to prove himself to the Corbin family.]

Thenma's lips curled. "Desperate and reckless. That’s exactly what I need."

[Additional Information: Frequent visits to an underground casino in Midtown. Current location: District 7, near Crowne Park. Photos attached.]

Several images flickered to life on his dashboard display. Julian’s face was unmistakable, caught mid-conversation with someone in a leather jacket—Tobias Greaves, a known dealer with connections to the city’s drug network.

"Gotcha," Thenma whispered, eyes gleaming. "Reve, do we have proof that ties Julian to anything incriminating?"

Another photo appeared: Julian exchanging a small package with Tobias behind a bar in District 7. The timestamp and location were clear, and the background signage matched Crowne Park’s local shops.

The system beeped again.

[Evidence secured. Timestamped photos verified. Surveillance confirms ongoing criminal activity.]

Thenma's fingers tapped impatiently against the steering wheel as the system processed more data. His eyes stayed locked on the holographic display.

[Searching for subject: Tobias Greaves…]

[Match found. Tobias Greaves: Member of the Nightfangs gang. Status: High-level operative. The gang is notorious for drug trafficking, extortion, and organized crime. Caution: Hostile and unpredictable. Suspected conflict with Julian Corbin over outstanding debts.]

Thenma leaned back in his seat, an amused smirk curling on his lips. "A reckless party boy entangled with the Nightfangs? Now that’s interesting."

The system beeped again.

[Warning: The Nightfangs have encrypted their operations. Accessing deeper information through digital means will be restricted.]

A new notification appeared in bold:

[Direct involvement required. Infiltration or contact necessary to obtain critical details]

Thenma’s grin widened. "So, we’ve hit a wall, huh, Reve?" He drummed his fingers, excitement building in his chest. "Guess I’ll have to get my hands dirty."

[Proceed with caution, Revenger. The risks involved are considerable.]

But Thenma’s determination only grew sharper. His eyes flickered with a dangerous glint, the thought of his enemies finally meeting their downfall fueling his every move. "No big deal," he said with a low chuckle, as if the danger ahead was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.

Revenge wasn’t just a desire—it was a necessity. The Clausters, Julian, all of them would fall. And if stepping into the lion’s den was the price, Thenma was more than willing to pay it.

He turned the wheel sharply, his car heading toward District 7. The Nightfangs' hideouts weren’t exactly hard to find—and he was ready to get what the system couldn't.