# Chapter 5: The Anatomy of Fear
News in the Academy traveled faster than wind magic.
By the time I reached the cafeteria for lunch, the story of my spar with Lucas had mutated. Some said I used a forbidden artifact to paralyze him. Others claimed I had bribed Lucas to take a dive. A few, the sharper ones, were silent, watching me with calculating eyes.
I sat alone at a table near the window. The "Noble" section of the cafeteria was divided by unspoken hierarchy. The high-ranking heirs sat in the center. The lower nobles sat at the fringes.
Usually, Valerius sat nowhere. He would take his food to his room to avoid the mockery.
Today, I sat down, unfolded a napkin on my lap, and began to eat the grilled griffin-breast with deliberate slowness.
Guntram and his entourage walked by. Guntram, the boar-like noble, paused. He looked at me, his face flushing with a mix of anger and hesitation. He wanted to say something, to put the "trash" back in his place, but the memory of Lucas gasping for air on the sand checked him.
He grunted and walked past.
*Fear,* I thought, taking a sip of water. *It's a fragile shield, but it holds for now.*
[System Status]
[Villain Points: 150]
(50 from Intro + 100 from Spar)
I needed to spend those points. My physical stats were better, but I was still magically D-Rank. If a mage kept their distance and bombarded me, I was dead.
***
The afternoon session was "Monster Ecology & Weakness Analysis."
The lecture hall was dark, lit only by the glowing projection of a magical crystal in the center of the room. The holographic image of a massive, serpentine creature hovered in the air.
It had obsidian scales, six eyes, and a maw dripping with acidic saliva.
"The Abyssal Basilisk," Professor Vane (no relation to Lucas, thankfully) droned. He was a dry, skeletal man who loved the sound of his own voice. "A Tier-4 predator found in the Dark hollows. Who can tell me the primary method of neutralization?"
A hand shot up in the front row. It was Hermione... no, wait. It was a girl with glasses and twin-tails. Elara, a top student from the Mage Tower faction.
"Yes, Miss Elara?"
"The Abyssal Basilisk has high magical resistance," Elara recited perfectly. "The standard protocol is to aim for the eyes with physical projectiles to blind it, then strike the underbelly."
"Textbook answer," Professor Vane nodded approvingly. "Five points to the Mage Tower."
I let out a soft, audible sigh. It wasn't loud, but in the quiet room, it carried.
Professor Vane's eyes snapped to me. "Is something boring you, Mr. Thorne?"
I didn't stand up. I stayed seated, leaning back in my chair.
"Not boring, Professor," I said lazily. "Just incorrect. If one wishes to commit suicide, Miss Elara's plan is excellent."
The room murmured. Elara turned around, glaring daggers at me. "That is the strategy written in the Imperial Bestiary, Valerius. Are you saying the Archmages are wrong?"
"The Archmages wrote that book fifty years ago," I replied. "In a controlled environment, blinding the Basilisk works. But in the wild? An Abyssal Basilisk's eyes are pressurized mana sacs. If you rupture them, they release a neurotoxic gas cloud instantly. In a cave or dungeon, your entire party would be dead in ten seconds."
I stood up then, walking slowly down the aisle toward the hologram.
"Furthermore," I continued, pointing at the projection, "the underbelly is reinforced with cartilage. You would need an A-Rank warrior to pierce it."
I stopped next to the hologram. I pointed to a small, discolored patch of scales just below the creature's jawline.
"Here. The third scale cluster under the throat. It covers the venom gland. It is not armored because the creature needs flexibility to swallow prey. A single precision strike here causes the gland to rupture backward into the brain."
I looked at Elara, then at the Professor.
"Instant death. No gas. No mess."
Silence reigned in the classroom. This wasn't textbook knowledge. This was information you only got from clearing the "Basilisk Nest" raid on Hell Mode, where the gas mechanic wiped out 90% of player parties until we figured out the weak point.
Professor Vane stared at the hologram, then at his notes. He looked pale.
"He... he is correct," Vane muttered, looking at me with new eyes. "This is a weakness discovered only recently by the Royal Hunters. It hasn't been added to the curriculum yet. How did you know this?"
I shrugged, adjusting my cuff.
"I read," I lied. "And unlike some, I do not limit myself to children's picture books."
[System Alert]
[Villain Points Earned: 75]
[Reputation Updated: "Intellectual Threat"]
[Caelum (Hero) is feeling inadequate (-5 Confidence).]
I walked back to my seat. I could feel the gaze of the students shifting. I wasn't just a thug who got lucky in a spar. I was smart.
And that made me infinitely more dangerous.
***
That night, back in the safety of the Omega Dorm, I opened the System Shop.
I had 225 VP.
I needed a skill that leveraged my knowledge. I couldn't overpower enemies, so I had to dismantle them.
I scrolled past [Fireball] and [Strength Up]. My eyes settled on a Passive Skill in the "Rogue" tree.
[Skill: Eye of the Architect]
[Cost: 200 VP]
[Description: Highlights structural weaknesses in inanimate objects and biological entities. Shows "Break Points" as glowing red cracks.]
[Rank: C (Upgradeable)]
It was expensive. It would leave me nearly broke. But combined with my game knowledge, it would turn me into a surgeon of destruction.
"Buy it."
[Transaction Complete.]
[Skill Acquired: Eye of the Architect.]
A burning sensation washed over my eyes. I blinked, tears streaming down my face. When I opened them again, the world looked different.
I looked at the stone wall of my dorm. I could see a faint, spiderweb-thin red line running through the mortar. If I hit that exact spot, the wall would crumble.
I looked at the wooden chair. A red dot on the leg. One kick there, and it would shatter.
"Beautiful," I whispered.
Suddenly, a knock echoed on my door.
I deactivated the skill. My heart tightened. Who would come to the Omega Dorm at this hour?
I walked to the door and pulled it open.
Standing there, bathed in moonlight, was Caelum. The Hero.
He looked nervous, clutching a notebook to his chest. He looked up at me, his brown eyes wide and earnest.
"Valerius?" he asked.
"What do you want, commoner?" I asked, leaning against the doorframe, keeping the mask tight.
"I..." Caelum swallowed hard. "The thing about the Basilisk. And the way you fought Lucas. You... you see things others don't."
He took a deep breath.
"Teach me."
I stared at him. The System window popped up.
[Critical Choice Event]
[A: Reject him (Maintain pure Villain role).]
[B: Accept him (Corrupt the Hero / Create a Subordinate).]
[C: Mock him and close the door.]
I smiled. A slow, cruel smile.
"Teach you?" I laughed softly. "Do you think you can afford my lessons, Caelum?"
"I'll do anything," Caelum said, desperation in his voice. "I don't want to be weak anymore."
The Hero asking the Villain for help. The plot was already shattering.
"Anything?" I repeated. "Careful, Hero. That is a dangerous word."
I stepped back, opening the door wider.
"Come in. But leave your morality at the door. You won't need it here."