Chapter 3: Having a system doesn't necessarily make you the protagonist!

The parted doors crashed to the ground, and Mo Shu could finally see the scene outside. One after another, those subordinates whom he had once regarded as masters now lay silently in pools of blood. So many people had died with only a door between them, yet he had sensed nothing at all!

Standing at the threshold, Mo Gu instinctively retreated a few steps, clutching the wrist of his freshly severed hand. Yet, with stubborn pride, he did not utter a single cry of pain, only watched warily as the young man entered the great hall with a gentle smile.

The youth was clad in simple clothes suited for movement, his dark hair tinged with blue. But what drew the eye most were his gaze—so pure, as if able to see through the soul itself. If one looked closely, the brilliance of a starry sky seemed to glimmer in his eyes. He held an unremarkable metal sword—neither fine nor poor—yet, despite the carnage, not a trace of blood marred its blade.

Mo Gu, despite being the weakest among the so-called "Demon Kings," was still a supreme master; his eye for skill was sharp. The lack of blood on the sword was not due to its sharpness, but to the youth’s mastery. If he wielded a true treasure, his power would surely soar.

“Good afternoon, both of you. The sun has yet to set, so it must still be afternoon, right?” The youth’s greeting was courteous as he stepped inside. If not for the corpses behind him, no one would believe this gentle-looking young man was their killer.

“Heh, so you are her child! By rights, you should call me father! Your name is Mo Xingchen, isn’t it?” Even having only seen a photograph, he recognized the child from his records. Sensing the vast gulf between their powers, his face twisted into a wry smile. There was no point fearing now; instead, he spat venom, hoping to provoke him.

“I will never acknowledge that. Remember, my name is Ye Xingchen. For a long time, I despised my own identity. But now, I am here for vengeance. I’ve given you ample time for last words—surely you’ve said all you need?” In response to Mo Gu’s taunt, Ye Xingchen’s gentle smile did not falter, but the killing intent he’d kept in check burst forth, coalescing into a tangible curtain of blood that slammed into Mo Gu.

Sensing the deadly intent, Mo Gu’s body reacted instinctively, conjuring a demonic, translucent barrier before him. Against such force, he knew it was as fragile as glass. In an instant, he was sent flying, rolling to a stop at Mo Shu’s feet before the throne.

Mo Gu had been defeated so easily! Before Mo Shu acquired the legacy of the First Demon King, Mo Gu had been the unrivaled champion within the Demon King’s stronghold. Yet before Ye Xingchen, he was utterly powerless.

Mo Shu felt a chill, but then remembered he possessed the First Demon King’s legacy. Surely, he could deal with this boy?

Confidence returned to him. He issued a command to the system, and a figure wreathed in demonic energy landed heavily before him. This creature—sealed within the system by the Demon King—possessed the power to defeat Mo Gu. With it, Mo Shu felt sure of victory against Ye Xingchen.

“There’s no need for you, great Heir of the Demon King. I alone am enough to deal with him!” As a subordinate of the First Demon King, he was highly skilled and supremely confident. From the moment he appeared, he marked himself for death with a villain’s bravado, glaring contemptuously at Ye Xingchen.

“So you’re the ant that dares attack the Heir of the Demon King? You’re only good-looking, nothing more! In this world, strength is everything. What use is a pretty face? Just makes you more popular with girls—like I care!” The lackey’s face twisted with rage as he glared at Ye Xingchen, as if resenting something deeply.

Hearing this, even Ye Xingchen’s composure was tested; the corner of his mouth twitched. How much did this guy resent anyone better looking than himself?

“No need to quibble! For the great Demon King, I must kill you, a creature that should not exist in this world!” Before Ye Xingchen could reply, the lackey cut him off, drew a pitch-black spear, and with a fierce gale, lunged at Ye Xingchen, the wind tossing his bangs.

The black spearhead thrust straight at Ye Xingchen’s face. He sighed—just how much did this man hate his looks? With a slight tilt of his head, he dodged the attack, channeled his own unique energy, condensed a thousand stars into a point at his sword tip, and shattered the incoming spear. The blade pierced his opponent’s heart.

The moment the sword entered, the heart was torn to shreds. A blood-filled cavity, nearly a foot wide, gaped in his chest—beyond saving. As expected, once he had raised his own death flag, his fate was sealed.

“So this was your trump card against me? Pathetically weak!” Ye Xingchen had expected some hidden strength or secret move, but with his own signature attack, “Starlight Blade,” he had dispatched his foe in an instant, leaving him speechless.

Seeing his subordinate slain so easily, Mo Shu reminded himself again and again not to be afraid, that the system could kill Ye Xingchen. His expression grew arrogant. “You dare kill my subordinate! You’re as hateful as your mother! Still, I see you have some skill. If you kneel and beg for mercy now, perhaps—even though you’re a bastard—I might be merciful enough to accept you as my subordinate!”

The atmosphere in the hall turned icy. For the first time since his arrival, the gentle mask slipped from Ye Xingchen’s face, replaced by cold indifference. His fury was now fully revealed.

“Starlight Domain!” At his words, the world shifted. They found themselves no longer in the eerie hall, but upon a tranquil meadow, the only sound a whisper of wind, the starry sky above, brilliant and mesmerizing.

“Do you see this sky? Beautiful, isn’t it? But sadly, you’re not worthy to be one of its stars.” Standing atop a gentle slope, his black-purple hair fluttering in the breeze, Ye Xingchen gazed upward as his cold voice pierced Mo Shu’s ears.

“Damn it! If you won’t submit, then die! System, analyze him! I want him dead!” Relying on the system left by the First Demon King, Mo Shu shouted his command. He cared nothing for how the world had shifted; one thought possessed him—kill!

“Analyzing… Unknown energy detected. Energy level exceeds system’s maximum capacity…” While Ye Xingchen was enjoying the serenity beneath the stars, he suddenly sensed a probing force—similar to the Demon King’s power—examining him. Frowning, he immediately retaliated, destroying the source of his disturbance.

“System under severe attack… System failing… Repairing… System irreparable… Damage 100%...” The fragmented voice echoed in Mo Shu’s mind. The system he had believed invincible was obliterated by a single counterstrike during a mere analysis.

“System! System! You must be joking! You’re the system!”

“Galactic River!” With a cold voice, Ye Xingchen’s sword erupted in dazzling starlight. As his blade descended, a torrent of stars crashed forward, annihilating everything in its path.

“No—wait! Please, just spare me! No! No—!” Mo Shu’s screams were drowned as the starry torrent consumed him. The river of starlight did not stop, tearing through the Demon King’s castle and extending for ten thousand meters, leaving a dried-up “riverbed” in its wake.

“Well, would you look at that! Having a system doesn’t guarantee you’re the protagonist. Against the real protagonist, even a system is useless! Reborn or not, he’s still this formidable!” Watching the remains of Mo Gu and Mo Shu, Nightshadow couldn’t help but comment on Ye Xingchen’s overwhelming might.