A Portal To

[ They are dangerous, their level cannot be detected by the system. Only a handful of Demon-Gifted System owners have ever managed to repel them and achieve success in life ]

"Whoa..." Mike shook his head. "Are the Demon-Gifted System owners really that unlucky?"

[ DING! ]

[It's not bad luck, but they often lose to their own emotions. Many Demon-Gifted System owners are too kind, naive, and reluctant to kill. In the end, they fall and bring victim to the traps and deceptions of Heavens blessing owners ]

"Phew... Good thing I'm not naive," Mike clenched his fists. "How do I attack using Hell Fire?" He looked at the blue flames in his clenched hand.

[DING!]

[ Use your thoughts. Hell Fire is the hottest fire from Hell. It will never burn its master, and it will follow your thoughts. Whether you want to shoot it as a fireball or engulf a target in flames, it's up to you ]

"Hmm, pretty cool!" Mike understood the system's explanation.

Being an imaginative person, Mike began to think of ways to use Hell Fire.

Wush...

He unleashed a wave of Hell Fire that looked like a giant ocean wave.

"Huff... Not bad," Mike took another stance.

He performed punching motions, with flames bursting out with every punch.

"Wow, awesome," Mike continued practicing various punching styles.

"Hahaha, they'll be shocked," Mike imagined the faces of people he knew.

"Huh?" Mike stopped his shadow boxing. "Why do I care if they know?" He stared at his palm.

"System, how do I deactivate this skill?" Mike's gaze dropped.

[ DING ]

[Just cast the name of the skill again ]

"Hell," Mike looked up at the sky and then back at his hand. "Fire!"

Swush...

The Hell Fire vanished from his hand.

Mike take a rest,

"Why did I think of them? Am I really this lonely?" Mike grabbed his bag and used it as a pillow.

"System?" Mike called, crossing his arms as he lay down.

[ DINGc]

[Yes, Master? ]

"Do I need recognition to be happy?" Mike asked the system, recalling his childhood. He always tried to be number one, to earn his parents' recognition, but all his efforts failed.

His parents didn't care. To them, Mike was just an accident, a mistake that ruined their youth.

Eventually, Mike gave up on trying to gain their attention. Unknowingly, he stopped trying in life altogether, becoming a pessimistic, empty person, without hope or purpose.

[ DING ]

[ Recognition? Validation? You don't need that. You just need to become the best version of yourself. You don't need recognition. You just need to try ]

"It seems I should try something, but what?" Mike tilted his head and looked up at the vast sky.

"System, recommend something cool that I can do long-term!" Mike ordered.

[ DING ]

[ Be a vigilante. A vigilante is someone who enforces justice in their own way.]

"Wow, that's pretty cool! But who should I bring justice to?" Mike furrowed his brows again.

[ You can punish and eliminate corrupt officials, cruel businessmen, mafia, pedophiles, hypocrites, etc. The system can search and display their information if you wish ]

"Hmm, okay then, but I need to buy a cool mask first," Mike got excited about the idea of becoming a vigilante. "I could be as cool as that superhero with the bat-like mask, haha," Mike laughed with excitement.

"Huff..." Mike sighed.

"I will stop being an empty person," Mike extended his hand toward the sky.

"I will become something, without needing the light of others' recognition. I will begin my own story," Mike clenched his hand into a fist.

Mike woke up in the morning, exhausted after battling his own inner conflicts.

"Hwaaa...," Mike yawned and sat up, 'Huft... Today, the system can open a portal, right?' Mike asked himself in his mind.

[DING!]

"Whoa...," Mike flinched.

[ The system can open a portal today ]

[ Why is the Master surprised? ]

"Huftt..." Mike sighed, "How do you know what's on my mind?" Mike furrowed his brows.

[ The system can communicate with the Master through thoughts. All this time, the notification sound, hologram screen, and system voice could only be seen and heard by the Master ]

"Oh... I see," Mike nodded, "So the activation of skills still requires me to speak aloud?"

[ Correct ]

"Uh, okay-okay, oh, I need to go to the ATM first, I have to withdraw money to buy a mask and a set of black clothes to look mysterious, hahaha...," Mike chuckled softly.

Mike's desire to become a Vigilante was already set. Mike suited the role of a Vigilante. Besides being a master baiter, Mike possessed a system bestowed upon him by a demon. This made it all the more logical for Mike to uphold justice in a brutal manner.

Mike slung his bag over his shoulder, "Where should I go?" Mike stroked his chin.

"To the market?"

"Ah... better withdraw the money first," Mike said, "System, open a portal to ATM machine places," Mike continued.

[ DING ]

[ Master can withdraw money through the system ]

"Through the system?" Mike was puzzled.

[ DING ]

Suddenly, a holographic screen with a money withdrawal menu appeared in front of Mike,

"Wow... how convenient!?" Mike smiled widely.

"Euhmmm, mwahahaha," Mike began thinking wicked thoughts.

[ DING ]

[It's better not to!!]

"Huh? Uhmm, my dirty intentions were caught by the system," Mike sighed.

Mike then withdrew few hundreds dollar in cash, inputting the amount he wanted to take out.

[ DING ]

The Cash suddenly fell in front of Mike.

"With this system, I should try renting a woman with a plump body," Mike muttered with a pitiful expression.

[ DING! ]

[ The system advises the Master not to use money for rented women ]

Mike's thoughts, which the system had read, were about hiring a promiscuous woman who earned money by exploiting a man's lust.

"Beuhh... Yeah, yeah, I just want to buy a mask!? Or maybe a gas mask would be cooler," Mike stuffed the pile of money into his backpack.

Srettt....

Mike zipped his bag,

"Euhmmm, well, let's just go to the mall. Besides, there's something wrong with my brain," Mike scratched the back of his head, "looking for a mask at the market... I'd end up with a monkey mask.. Sigh... just woke up and already feeling dumb," Mike said while yawning.

[ DING! ]

Wush....

A portal opened in front of Mike.

"Huh?" Mike stared at a room that looked like a bathroom stall.