A good person.
The weight these words held in Hirata's heart was much different than normal people's.
The guilt in Hirata's heart would fester even faster and his actions towards Ryuji in the upcoming days would be much more concentrated.
Ryuji had a really really good memory.
He knew everything about Hirata from the novels.
His failure to protect his childhood friend who got bullied and even ignored him when he was asking for help was like dark spots in his otherwise pure and bright heart.
To make matters worse that childhood friend had even committed suicide, though he survived he was now in a coma for an indefinite amount of time.
It wasn't hard to imagine why Hirata had developed such a skewed and self-destructing personality.
Ryuji shook his head in pity, exploiting kind people was always the easiest. In many cases, even if a kind person knew they were being manipulated they'd still take the leap. It was a harsh reality.
Though Ryujil felt bad for mentally pressuring and even torturing the young kid, he could only move forward with a hardened heart.
The potential benefits far outweigh the negatives.
The only person who truly loves you is yourself.
This was a lesson Ryuji had always instilled in his cute younger cousin.
Ryuji didn't believe himself to be an evil person, the only major flaw he had was his bloodlust.
The urge to take a life, to see how fragile and precious life was. To grasp life within the palm of your hands, the sheer control over another human being.
That feeling…
The ecstasy that ran through his veins as he saw the light of life fading away from once beautiful eyes.
How could mere lust compare?
Sitting on the bench his body began to tremble as he recalled his past. With shaky fingers he grasped his own kneecaps, doing his best to calm down. He did not dare raise his head lest he spotted someone and indulged in reckless slaughter.
Memories of the past flooded his mind.
In his past life, Ryuji had killed exactly 43 people. (Most of them weren't provable due to lack of evidence, he'd only been convicted of five murders.)
And every single victim was the husband or boyfriend of the girl he targeted.
Ryuji believed the fire of life blazed the brightest in the eyes of those seeking vengeance. The longer such eyes shone the greater amount of time he could stay mesmerised by the phenomenon of fading life.
If someone asked what his belief or philosophy in life was, Ryuji's answer would always be a singular word.
Control.
Control over a human.
Control over a life.
And ultimately Control over oneself.
With each kill, Ryuji found himself slowly degenerating into a crazed state.
And in the end…
Negligence had cost him his freedom.
It had cost him control.
And after having been put behind bars did Ryuji realise his mistake.
Originally he had been given a life sentence but after committing three more murders in prison he was isolated and sentenced to death.
Once isolated, Ryuji began to cultivate his mind. He brought himself back from that emotionless deranged state and looked back at his life with regret.
But… It was too late.
Just as Ryuji had gained control over himself, he was about to be put to death.
Fortunately…
Ryuji calmed himself down and got up, patting away imaginary dust from his thighs. His face was serene, and he radiated an aura of being carefree.
In the past he wouldn't have been able to control his murderous impulses but having spent a good time in isolation Ryuji believed his mental state had elevated to an unprecedented level.
Blackmail System huh…?
Ryuji narrowed his eyes sharply, he could tell that the function of this System was specifically tailored to his desires.
Having evaded the police for more than two years it wouldn't be a stretch to call Ryuji an incredibly sharp and meticulous person.
There was a reason that despite being suspected of dozens of homicides he had only been convicted of five.
Though he wouldn't call himself a genius, calling him an ordinary man would be doing him injustice.
His momentary lack of self-control stemmed from the lingering feeling of escaping death and facing a supernatural phenomenon.
Soon, he would return to being a normal person.
One that even if caught of some minor crimes wouldn't have to be subjected to a life sentence without even the possibility of parole.
And while he suspected the intentions of the System he did not care at all. He was grateful for being granted a second life and he had no ambitions. He would simply enjoy his life till the System allowed it.
He remembered a quote from one of his past lovers—
If you don't think at all you won't have to overthink.
A reminiscing smile graced his lips as he returned to his dorm room.
…
The next day.
Ryuji woke up, his eyelids felt heavy for some reason.
After a groan, he got dressed and touched himself up in the mirror. Looking presentable for now was the best he could do.
He stared at the mirror and made a few expressions. Shock, joy, sadness, anger, irritation… Due to the unfamiliar face, he had to make many adjustments. Microexpressions were one of the many things he paid heavy importance on. He learnt this from one of his K-pop idol girlfriends. A few millimetres of an extra smile, a centimetre of a frown more than needed, a grin that was far too wide than it should be…
For now, he'd have to consciously manage his expressions until they become muscle memory.
Consistency was key.
Little things like these helped maintain the image he was trying to build.
It was unfortunate he woke up in this body after half a day had passed. If he could've controlled his introduction things would've been smoother.
But he didn't dwell on it.
If he really wanted to control the class, just his knowledge of the future would put him way ahead of others. He could effectively control the entirety of the events of the first year.
But Ryuji hadn't decided yet…
He'd let nature take its course. If he found it fun he'd fuck with them and if not…
Having fun behind the scenes was enjoyable too.
He drank a glass of cold water and his eyes shone with joy.
Freedom.
Every cell in his body was cheering in jubilation.
As long as no one tried to mess with him he'd live his remaining days out in peace.
____________________
[A/N- End of Introductory Chapters. Update Schedule will be once a day barring Sunday.]
As for extra chapters, I'll post one every 250 power stones with 4 max extra chapters a week.
Advanced Chapters aren't ready yet, should be done in a few days for those wondering or interested.
Thank you for reading and enjoy.