I CHOSE to be a VILLAIN, not a THIRD-RATE EXTRA!!

"Little bastard," the old man cursed under his breath, his weathered face twisting with irritation as he snatched the coins from Ashok's hand and passed over the wooden case to him. Unconcerned, Ashok opened the case and retrieved the spectacles inside. With a swift motion, he slipped them into his inventory, the action smooth and efficient.

Without a second thought, he tossed the case up into the air—casually, almost carelessly—as if it were garbage. It tumbled through the air and landed back among the old man's cluttered collection with a loud clink.

"Keep that," Ashok said nonchalantly, slapping the old man on the shoulder as if they were on the best terms. The gesture, however, was anything but warm.

A vein popped on Robert's forehead, his blood boiling at Ashok's brazen attitude. His hand twitched, ready to lash out with a sharp retort, but before he could say anything, Ashok was already moving. With swift, almost careless ease, he began climbing up the ladder and opened the trap door as he taunted "Don't slip, old man. Who knows, the next thing I'll be purchasing is a flower for your grave".

Ashok slammed the trap door shut behind him, the finality of the sound reverberating in the small, dim space below. He didn't look back as he stepped out into the open, leaving the cursing old man to stew in his anger. A satisfied smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Without a shred of hesitation, Ashok dragged Robert's chair and positioned it over the trap door, ensuring that it was firmly placed.

'May your greediness end up with a death from suffocation,' Ashok silently prayed under his breath, a dark amusement creeping into his thoughts.

Ashok casually removed his bandana, tossing it over to the glass display as if he were in the comfort of his own home. He then reached into his inventory and pulled out the spectacles, his fingers brushing over the smooth lenses before he slid them on.

"Finally, I do not feel this feeling of dominance from Charisma," Ashok muttered, his voice tinged with relief. To confirm the effect, he removed them and then put them back on, repeating the motion a few times. Each time the glasses settled back on his nose, the sensation of overpowering charisma seemed to fade.

"To think even a mere collectible in the game can help me today," Ashok thought. He recalled the description of the spectacles from the game, an artifact that had always seemed like a trivial, almost unnecessary piece of equipment at first glance.

Nerd Glasses

Grade: Rare

Effect: Presence Suppression

Condition: This Artifact will not work on those who have a presence stronger than you.

Description: Your presence will be of a nerd, which is ignored by people.

'Leaving aside the meaningless description, it was because of the very condition that this artifact was not much used—and because of its name—that it was often regarded as just a collectible by the players. Normally, everyone in the world could manipulate their presence using Mana or Aura, which could then be further influenced by their mastery over energies, skills, or arts. In simpler terms, if someone was stronger than you in rank, their presence would naturally be stronger as well. But I don't fall into that category.

For me, this artifact works because I don't follow the natural rules. Thanks to the blessing, I'm already releasing the presence of a Peak SS Ranker, even though I'm still stuck at F Rank.'

THUD

THUD

The knocking sound echoed from the direction of the trap door, sharp and insistent, but Ashok paid it no mind, he unlocked the Main Door and left.

[Attention Level: Minimum]

[False Monarch]

As Ashok stepped outside, the trait activated once again because of his academy uniform. But this time, he didn't feel anything drastically different from his usual self. There was no sudden surge of upright posture, no overwhelming sense of dominance, or the feeling of a tyrant settling within him.

'Makes sense, for a personality Trait. I'll have to check its limitations alongside my soul trait.' thought Ashok adding a small goal to his mind.

Ashok walked up to the carriage and saw the driver sitting still, his gaze fixed on the horses, as if they were nothing more than dead meat.

'This guy is the one who suffered the most from my blessing and trait. Well, I'll just pay him like the girl from the inn. I can't do anything more than that.'

With that thought in mind, Ashok climbed into the carriage and settled onto the seat. He glanced at the driver, who seemed to be caught in a trance of sorts. "Start the Carriage. Get Moving", said Ashok, his tone still on the commanding side but a little softer than before.

'The way of speaking is still affected at the minimum level of attention. But this much is manageable compared to the maximum level, which affects the entire body.'

The driver, snapping out of his stupor, turned around instantly. His eyes lingered on Ashok for a few seconds, noting the subtle but distinct changes—the missing bandana, the new glasses, and, most notably, the absence of the usual overpowering presence that had once practically radiated from Ashok. He politely asked to confirm, "Is sire the great one from before?"

"Do you have any doubt?" Ashok questioned him back and the driver's uncertainty vanished in an instant.

"Just get going," Ashok stated, his voice still carrying that subtle authority.

"Where to, sire?" asked the Driver.

"Portal," Ashok replied succinctly.

The Driver gave the signal with the reins to get the horses moving. Ashok settled back into the seat, allowing his body to relax and his muscles to ease into the comfort of the journey. The little jerks and bumps from the carriage ride began to lull him, and soon his eyelids grew heavy. Before long, Ashok was sound asleep, his head resting against the backrest, drifting off into a peaceful slumber.

Though not physically exhausted, Ashok was mentally drained. The weight of everything he had experienced since his transmigration was beginning to take its toll. The transition from his past life to this new world, performing the ritual, sacrificing the system, and making the unexpected pact with Morrathis—it had all been a whirlwind of overwhelming and unimaginable events. On top of everything, he got a combo pack of a Blessing and Trait.

Slowly, unknowingly, Ashok was starting to blend into this new world, becoming more and more integrated with each step he took.

…

SHAKE

SHAKE

"Sire, Sire!"

Ashok jolted awake from his sleep and blinked a few times, groggy from the nap, as he felt the driver shaking his feet. The reality of the situation quickly snapped into focus, and he looked around, taking in his surroundings.

He found that the carriage had arrived at its destination. The familiar hustle and bustle of the Warp Portal parking lot greeted him. The carriage was parked in a designated spot, surrounded by many others, with people coming and going, some hurrying to get to their destination while others lingered, exchanging brief conversations.

The atmosphere was busy, filled with the constant movement of travelers, but Ashok's attention quickly returned to the driver, who was awaiting further instructions.

Ashok stepped down from the carriage, his feet hitting the ground with a soft thud. He rubbed his eyes beneath the spectacles, careful not to let them slip off his nose in the process. His fingers lingered on the lenses for a moment, adjusting them slightly, before he straightened up fully. Now fully awake, he felt the fog of sleep dissipate, and a clear awareness returned to his mind.

Ashok reached into his Inventory and pulled out a gold coin, its gleaming surface catching the light as he placed it into the driver's hand. The man's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the coin, unable to process what had just happened.

The fare from the inn to the main market was only five silvers, with a little extra for the return journey. Most customers in the capital wouldn't pay much attention to the extra bronze coins, but this—this was something entirely different. Ashok had just handed over a gold coin, worth a full hundred silvers, easily ten times the usual fare.

Before the driver could say anything, Ashok gave him a quick pat on the shoulder and then slipped his hands into his pockets. With that, he started walking toward the circular-shaped building ahead.

'Warp Portals are the creation of the Tower. So, it makes sense they'd design the building surrounding it in a circular shape, just like the Tower itself.'

Ashok walked towards one of the many counters positioned at the entrance of the circular building. There was no waiting line, thanks to the numerous counters that handled the influx of travelers. He approached the nearest one and found a mage diligently writing in a register, his quill moving swiftly across the parchment.

...

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