---
When Ryo returned to the apartment building, the clock showed 8 PM. The streetlights were flickering, turning on and off as if dancing to an invisible rhythm. People were rushing—some heading back to the warmth of home, others moving toward the noise of dinner and nightlife; after all, it was Saturday.
Ryo quickly climbed to the fifth floor, and as he passed by the door of his neighbor and landlord, he enhanced his hearing using mana, trying to catch any sound behind the door. In truth, Ryo couldn't use mana—he used to have only one point of mana, but suddenly, his mana increased to 21 points. Everything had changed since he obtained the "Hercules" card of SSS level. Even though the card's progress was still limited, it had greatly enhanced his body. He became stronger, and a large amount of toxins and impurities were expelled from his body, such as traces of alcohol and cigarette smoke, improving his skin. His mana increased, and he gained easier control over it.
"Looks like they went out tonight…" Ryo murmured, the corners of his lips lifting in a faint smile, as the flickering streetlight reflected in his eyes, revealing something hidden deep inside him.
He entered his home, rested a little, then changed into black clothes.
After that, he stepped out onto the balcony. He stood there, hands in his pockets, looking down at the streets where people moved like ants, walking non-stop under the city's flickering lights. The cold air gently brushed his face, ruffling his black hair. Ryo smiled faintly as he watched the scene.
[Host, what are you doing?] Eva's voice suddenly came, appearing as if the void itself had opened a path for her.
"Nothing, just watching this beautiful scene."
Eva's sudden appearance was due to what she had explained earlier—entering the roulette system space allowed easy contact with her at any time.
[What's beautiful about that? Just humans running around, and broken streetlights turning on and off.]
"That's the beauty… seeing how they struggle for a better life."
[I still don't understand.]
"Of course you wouldn't, you're not a living being."
[Who said I'm not a living being? I have emotions, and that means I'm alive.]
Ryo froze for a moment. He hadn't known Eva had real emotions like humans. He thought she was just data within the roulette system. But her behavior wasn't like a machine's. In fact, it made sense—she was the manager of an SSS-level luck roulette, chosen by the real universe itself. If something created by the roulette could grant supernatural powers or reveal future events, then why couldn't the system manager have emotions?
"Maybe having emotions does make you a living being… but," Ryo paused, his eyes following a trembling streetlight in the dark, "emotions alone aren't enough."
[Then what must I have to be a living being? Emotions? A soul? What else?]
"I don't know either… maybe it's desire."
[Desire?]
"Yes, desire… Some desire life, survival, power, wealth, death… even killing. These desires… they're what drive living beings."
Eva looked at Ryo, her eyes glowing faintly as if trying to understand the meaning behind his words.
[And you, Host… what is your desire?]
"If it were in the past… I would've desired to be a hero in everyone's eyes."
[So you don't want to be a hero now?]
"No, I don't. A hero is someone expected to sacrifice his life for a bunch of useless people who only care about their own interests."
[Then, what is your desire now?]
---
"Now? I just want to make as much money as possible."
[Huh!?]
[Host! You ruined everything after that philosophical talk!]
"Really? But that's what I want—after I met a little thief who only wanted me to become strong so I could pay her."
Eva's face turned red with embarrassment, and she lowered her head.
[Host! You're making me look evil! All of this was part of the roulette system's settings! I didn't choose them!]
Rio grabbed Eva, who was the size of his palm, and held her up in front of his face, speaking with a slightly serious tone: "Well then, how can a sweet manager like Eva possibly be evil?"
[Yeah! How could I ever steal from my host?]
He let her float back into the air, then turned to his side, where he noticed a balcony across from his own, its door wide open. The distance between his balcony and the other was about ten meters.
Rio calmly stepped to the edge, the cold wind brushing against his face as if to warn him. He looked down… five stories. One fall and he'd become a bloodstain on the pavement.
He clenched his fist, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and began channeling mana into his legs. The energy surged through his muscles like a quick spark. Then he ran—three steps, four—then jumped!
The air slapped his face. Time slowed. His heart pounded. His legs extended forward, hand reaching for the far edge. He saw specks of dust glinting in the flickering light. Then—his feet touched the ledge! His body swayed, nearly falling, but his hand caught the railing of the far balcony. He swung briefly, then pulled himself up. He sat on the ground, panting heavily, a small smile forming on his lips.
"I made it… but next time, I just want a door. Just a door."
He entered the apartment, which was simple but neat. The furniture was practical and tasteful: sofas covered in elegant gray fabric, a small wooden table at the center of the room, and light curtains letting in a soft glow—giving the place a warm, cozy feel that suggested the owners cared about comfort without excess. "As expected, their place is better than mine."
Rio didn't waste time chatting. He immediately pulled out bugging devices and tiny cameras, scanning for hidden spots. After five minutes, he found good spots and began planting them. He placed one in the main room, another in the bedroom, and a mic across from the apartment door to monitor visitors and record conversations. He even planted one in the bathroom. Then he began checking through documents, looking for information about the hospital the landlord's wife visited and the doctor treating her.
Once everything was set and all traces cleaned up, Rio looked back at the balcony and shook his head. "I don't want to end up as a piece of modern art." So he left through the front door, as if he were simply leaving his own apartment, and quickly returned to his original unit.
[Host, why go through all that trouble? Just tell him you know his secret.]
"What's the point without evidence? Worse, he might use it as an excuse to evict me. But once I've gathered enough proof, he'll be easy to control."
Eva nodded her tiny head. [So, how long are you going to wait before you finish collecting the evidence?]
"One week… one week is enough to improve my strength and deal with that trash."
[Awesome! I'll prepare a training program that'll make you stronger!] Flames of passion burned in her tiny eyes—it was obvious she was planning to kill him with training.
Rio wanted to object, but seeing her enthusiasm, he kept quiet.
"I need to learn martial arts… so I can use my superhuman strength more efficiently."
Rio wanted to hire a martial arts coach, but due to his urgent need for money, he couldn't afford to spend without caution.
"Looks like I'll have to learn from YouTube videos for now."
He lay down on his bed, opened some videos, and began watching tutorials on the basics of martial arts.
---
The next morning, Rio woke up early, ate a quick breakfast, then headed out for training as Eva had promised. The physical training intensity had been doubled. In the evening, inside his apartment, he practiced boxing. He had bought a punching bag from a secondhand shop, and you could hear the heavy strikes:
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Rio was punching violently, as if trying to destroy someone in front of him. In this training, he wasn't just focusing on boxing techniques, but also on controlling his explosive physical strength.
The upper half of his body was bare. Though he had neglected it for years and alcohol had given him a slight belly, his body had begun to change ever since merging with Hercules' power. His muscles were returning to their former shape, as if his body remembered who he once was.
---
And just like that, a week passed in the blink of an eye. Inside Rio's apartment, he sat on the couch, some papers and photos spread before him. A lit cigarette in hand, and a faint smile on his face—a mix of satisfaction and mischief.
"Finally… all the evidence is ready." He looked at an official paternity test report from the hospital.
"The child's DNA test… cost me a thousand dollars, but it was worth it." He held a picture of the landlord's wife's lover and stared at it.
Then he flipped his phone and played a video. "Live footage… audio and video… the landlord's wife cheating on him without shame."
He slowly put out the cigarette in the ashtray, gathered all the evidence into a neat folder, stood up, slipped into his coat, and walked out of the apartment with steady steps. He reached the landlord's door and confidently raised his hand to knock.
Knock… knock…