A loophole in the system

Still adjusting to his new reality in Archer's body, Lucifer stepped out of the house into the snow-covered village. As he wandered, trying to make sense of this unfamiliar world and his place in it, he noticed an old woman struggling to carry a heavy load of firewood. Her frail frame trembled under the weight, her steps unsteady in the thick snow.

A part of him scoffed at the idea of helping, but another part, driven by curiosity about the system the goddess had imposed on him, nudged him forward. Approaching the woman, Lucifer offered a hand.

"Let me help you with that," he said, his tone softer than he intended.

The old woman, surprised but grateful, nodded. "Thank you, young man. The winters here can be unforgiving," she said with a weary smile.

As Lucifer helped her carry the wood to her home, a chime resounded in his head.

[Congratulations! You have earned 100 Heroic Points for aiding the elderly.] The golden letters of the system notification danced before his eyes.

Lucifer paused, a realization dawning upon him. His good deeds, no matter how trivial, were earning him points in this system. And it was through these points that he could regain his strength, perhaps even find a way back to his former power.

"Might as well play along with this charade," Lucifer muttered to himself. He began to ponder the nature of this system. "If there's one thing I've learned, it's that everything has loopholes. Even this 'heroic system'."

Determined to exploit this system to his advantage, Lucifer set out to discover its limits and possibilities. His mind, sharp and cunning, began to formulate plans. There had to be ways to accumulate these points more efficiently, to bend the rules of this imposed path of 'heroism' to his favor.

"I'll play the hero for now," he said with a sly grin, "But on my terms." And with that, Lucifer continued through the village, his eyes keenly observing his surroundings, already scheming his next move in this unfamiliar world.

As Lucifer ventured deeper into the village, he couldn't help but notice the dilapidated state of the buildings and the overall gloom that hung over the place like a thick fog. The village, once perhaps a lively and bustling community, now seemed to bear the weight of despair. 

Despite the harshness of his surroundings, Lucifer found himself feeling a sense of peace for the first time in what felt like ages. There was something about the quiet desolation that calmed his tumultuous spirit. Moreover, a strange excitement began to stir within him, his adrenaline surging at the prospect of navigating this new world and its challenges.

However, this moment of tranquility was short-lived. As he walked, snippets of conversation reached his ears, the villagers' words laced with bitterness and resentment.

"It's all because of that Archer," one villager muttered, his voice bitter. "Ever since he brought that mage girl here, everything's gone downhill."

"Yeah, his foolishness has cursed us all," another added scornfully. "Bringing ruin to his own family and dragging us with them."

"Ever since they lost their wealth, the whole village has suffered. It's their fault," another added, his tone harsh.

Lucifer's steps faltered as he absorbed their words, realizing the depth of hatred directed towards Archer—and now, by extension, himself. It was clear that the Godfrey family's downfall had left deep scars in the community, scars for which Archer was blamed.

His contemplation was abruptly interrupted when a group of bullies, who seemed to have been waiting for an opportunity to pounce, cornered him. Their leader, a burly man with a sneer that revealed missing teeth, stepped forward.

"Look what we have here, boys. The cause of all our troubles," he jeered, his gaze menacing.

Lucifer's eyes narrowed, the peace and excitement he had felt moments earlier now replaced by a cold, calculating calm. 

"I'm not who I used to be," he responded, his voice steady and confident. 

"And I'm certainly not the cause of your problems,"

But hearing Lucifer's words, the bullies laughed, mistaking his confidence for foolishness. 

"Always thought you were better than us, eh? Let's see how you fare now," the leader taunted, cracking his knuckles.

Lucifer stood his ground, his mind racing. This was the perfect opportunity to test his theory about the system's loopholes. He knew that engaging in a fight might not be the most 'heroic' action, but if he could defend himself and perhaps teach these bullies a lesson, maybe he could still earn points. Maybe there was a way to bend the rules in his favor.

"Come on then," Lucifer taunted back, a smirk playing on his lips. "Let's see if you're as tough as you think you are."

As the tension between Lucifer, now in Archer's body, and the bullies reached its peak, a notification from the system popped up in his vision:

[Sub Quest Initiated: Teach the bullies the error of their ways. Complete Reward: 3000 Heroic Points.]

Lucifer's smirk widened. "Perfect timing," he thought. It was time to put his plan into action, to blend his cunning with the brute force he once wielded as the Demon Lord.

He observed the bullies closely, noting their stance and the overconfidence that oozed from their posture. 

"Listen up," Lucifer began, his voice laced with a dark promise.

 "I'm going to give you a lesson you'll never forget. One that'll end with you swearing never to bully another soul, or you'll wish you had died today."

The leader laughed, stepping closer with his fists raised. "You and what army, Godfrey?"

"No army. Just me," Lucifer replied, and with that, the fight commenced.

The leader lunged at Lucifer first, telegraphing his punch with all the subtlety of a charging bull. Lucifer sidestepped with ease, his movements fluid and precise, a stark contrast to his adversary's clumsy aggression. Grabbing the man's extended arm, Lucifer twisted it violently, a sharp crack signaling a broken bone. 

"ARGH, my arm!"

The bully's scream was cut short as Lucifer delivered a swift, brutal punch to his gut, forcing him to double over, coughing up blood.

The others, momentarily stunned by Lucifer's prowess, hesitated but then charged at him in a disjointed frenzy. 

"GET HIM!" shouted a bully with brown hair.

Lucifer sidestepped a wild swing, grabbed the offender's arm, and twisted it behind him, using his momentum to throw him into another attacker. The sound of bodies colliding filled the air, a symphony of chaos that Lucifer orchestrated with dark delight.

As one bully lunged at him with a makeshift weapon, Lucifer showcased his close combat skills honed over eons of warfare. He seized the attacker's arm, redirected the force, and sent him crashing to the ground with a judo throw. Then, with a swift kick to the ribs, he ensured the man would think twice before wielding a weapon again.

"You wanted a fight," Lucifer snarled, grabbing another bully by the shirt and throwing him against his compatriots with surprising strength. 

"You got one."

Finally, with the bullies groaning on the ground, beaten and broken, Lucifer loomed over them.

The brutality of his methods, the sheer ruthlessness of his actions, all harkened back to his days as the Demon Lord. He wasn't just fighting; he was making an example of them, a demonstration of what happened when one crossed paths with a being of his caliber.

As the last of the bullies lay whimpering on the ground, Lucifer leaned in close, his voice a venomous whisper. 

"Listen well, you pathetic excuses for humans. If I ever hear you've bullied anyone again, I'll make sure this beating will seem like a fond memory. Swear that you'll never bully again, or next time, I won't be so merciful."

"We swear! We swear!" they cried, fear evident in their eyes.

Suddenly, Lucifer's vision blurred, and a cacophony of static filled his head, the system seemingly going haywire at the completion of his unconventional method of reform. Then, as quickly as it began, the chaos in his mind subsided, and the golden letters appeared once more:

[Sub Quest Completed: Bullies reformed. Reward: 3000 Heroic Points.]

A smirk spread across Lucifer's face as he realized the system didn't micromanage the means to an end. 

"So, it doesn't matter how I get the job done, huh?" he mused, a newfound respect for the flexibility of the system dawning on him. 

"This could be fun."

Through the ordeal, Lucifer learned an invaluable lesson about the nature of his new world and its rules. The system might guide him, but it was his actions, however dark, that would define his path forward. This revelation opened up a world of possibilities, a way for him to regain his power without compromising his nature. 

"Let's see how far I can push this," he thought, a wicked glint in his eye, as he walked away from the scene of his victory.