The Retired Hero is an Extra

On the other side, Allen found himself in a strange space, paralyzed for a few seconds.

'What's going on?' he wondered in confusion.

One moment he had died, the next he was summoned by a God and sent into a fantasy world. But now, where was he?

Just as he was grappling with the strange occurrences, another shock awaited him.

{Villain System 2.0 welcomes the host.}

{Initializing... 99.99%}

'Villain... system?' Allen thought in utter confusion.

He didn't remember having any conversation regarding a system with the God of Darkness, nor did he have any such memories.

As if sensing his confusion, the system introduced itself.

{The system is highly autonomous, sent by a higher being to guide and assist you on your journey.}

{The Host was selected by the God of Darkness, who used his power to send you into this world.}

'A system? What's that?' Allen asked, perplexed by the succinct explanation.

{The system is a tool which will help you complete your goals, free from anyone else's control, but it's best for the Host to complete the mission of a God.}

'What do I call you then?'

{Just call me 'System' as I am not a living entity. I am a part of you from now on since the being who sent me can't intervene directly.}

'Who sent you?'

{I cannot share that information with the Host yet. Only when the Host reaches certain milestones will you be granted authority.}

{If you wish to learn more, increase your authority and upgrade the system.}

'Then what are your features and how will you help me?'

{Since you've not read fantasy novels, I'll explain the basic system stuff.}

{Any changes you make in this world will result in corresponding Villain Points depending on their effects on the destined path.}

{These points can be used for a variety of things.}

{Firstly, the Shop feature allows the host to buy several things using Villain Points which will help you gain power more quickly.}

{Also, it allows the host to buy and sell whatever you want, at preset prices.}

'That sounds too utopian,' Allen thought after hearing the brief description.

{It's still locked as the host needs to first gather enough points to unlock it.}

The system chimed in, breaking his idea of growing stronger easily, but he didn't find it too strange as it would make things too easy.

'Any other function?' He continued the conversation.

{Yes, Host. There is the Inventory where you can store anything inanimate up to a certain size, but it can be upgraded.}

'Let me guess, it's locked as well?' Allen mused, already expecting that to be the case.

{Yes.}

'Anything else you have that I can actually use?' He asked, tired of the useless features.

{There is the Status Screen and then, the Quests.}

'Hm? Status Screen? Wait! Isn't that like those RPG-games?' Allen queried, finally finding something familiar.

{Yes and no. The Status Screen lets you evaluate your own status according to the world's power system.}

'Okay... what about the Quests then?' He asked, guessing what it could be in his heart.

{Quests are missions offered by the system and they have rewards when you complete them, but they might also have penalties upon failure.}

'Do I have an option to refuse them?' he asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

{Yes, Host can deny quests, but it is advised against it as the quests are generated by your set of actions.}

{Failing them with or without accepting them would still result in incurring penalties.}

'Understandable. So, that's RPG-like, but are there categories in quests? Like side, additional, hidden, and Main Quest?'

{Naturally.}

{The Main Quest is part of your goals and won't hinder your progress. Nor will they force the Host to change his way of doing things.}

{You are free to decide on the methods to clear any quest, and the system will reward you based on its judgment.}

'So, you mean, you are the one who decided if I succeeded or failed?' Allen asked skeptically.

{Yes, Host. But fret not as the system is an unbiased tool made to help the Host as long as they follow the simple mechanisms.}

{Also, there are many more features that the Host can use with the help of Villain Points, so I'd suggest the Host to work on it.}

'I don't trust you, though,' Allen remarked, already doubting whether this system would help or hinder him.

On second thought, Allen realized that he knew nothing about the new world and his knowledge regarding fantasy was next to none.

Without the system introducing some basics, he'd be clueless in the middle of nowhere.

To test his theory and figure out the system's intentions, Allen asked the question that was bugging him ever since he came to his senses.

'Tell me, where am I right now?'

{We are inside your consciousness as the body you have entered isn't yours and is currently resisting.}

'Wait? I am supposed to kill someone and take over their body to start my life?' Allen asked in surprise.

{That's what the God of Darkness did to test your resolve, but it's different with the system here.}

The system actually downplayed its role, as Allen's soul would have perished without its intervention.

The body he would inhabit belonged to someone exceptionally talented.

It was as if the Heavens themselves were jealous of him and fated him to a tragic life.

Unfortunately, even the Heavens wouldn't have expected a system to interfere and alter the course of destiny itself.

{Host, you will learn more about the system with time, but as you are now, you can't do anything.}

'I know that, but it's not like I have any other choice,' Allen shrugged it off.

{Hence, the system will give you the world background till the process of acclimatization is complete.}

'Hm? Wha–' Allen's thoughts were cut off as he went unconscious due to the system.

Apparently, it was forcing the basic knowledge about it as well as the world itself into Allen's soul.

It was far more detailed than what Jash gained from Bhairav since the system was in a different league altogether.

Of course, it was entirely different from Bhairav's system as he was a hero, and gained a similar system unlike the Villain system.

Back to Allen, he finally understood why he got connected with a strange Villain System.

It turns out the world is from a novel, forcefully imprinted into his being, making it unforgettable.

Hero's Journey: Blessed by the Goddess

The novel's name made him cringe, but he endured.

Not like he had any other option.

'So I can grow stronger by killing monsters as well as completing quests,' he noted, going through the system information.

'This locked option also seems interesting,' he thought and recalled the information regarding it.

{Host will encounter several opportunities like techniques, skill scrolls, artifacts, items and many more.}

{Host can merge them if the items are of similar affinity and get a stronger version of that particular item.}

'It will be super expensive,' he guessed in his heart, looking forward to this one feature.

'So, the best way to earn points for me now is to finish some quests,' he mused, not seeing any other possibility.

After all, refusing them would forfeit the rewards, but since he would do them anyway, why not accept them?

In the end, he got everything he needed to work with at the moment, and he finally asked the system one final question.

'So whose body am I in?'