My Borderline Supervillain-Slash-Hero System

Asphalt met her gaze with calm confidence.

"I've never lied to you," he said. "I'll pay you back double—just lend them to me."

The twin didn't look convinced.

Dar stared at Asphalt for a full minute, unblinking, before turning to her brother. "Har, bring out twenty Two-Star Core Stones."

Har, the chubby youth, glared at Asphalt. "Hey, this isn't what we agreed on."

"Shut up and do as I say!" Dar snapped.

Everyone turned to her, startled. Is she really from the Varkoss Nobility family? Where's her etiquette?

"Don't you hear me?" she shouted again, her voice sharp.

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Har threw up his hands. "No need to boss me around. I'm still your only handsome brother, remember?" he mumbled while shooting another glare at Asphalt.

Asphalt ignored the drama completely, as though it had nothing to do with him.

Har sighed, reached into his jacket, and pulled out a silk pouch. Slipping his pudgy hand inside, he began counting out the stones loudly.

A minute later, just as he was about to pull his hand out—

"Wait," Asphalt said suddenly, stepping forward and stopping him. "Don't. Not yet."

"What now?" Har frowned.

"If you pull them out now, our green cards will automatically absorb the core stones," Asphalt explained.

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Har asked, puzzled.

Zane stepped forward. "That's easy. Someone just needs to hold all the green cards and stand a good distance away. Then I can safely open the chest."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Asphalt volunteered to hold the cards. Dar and Har handed theirs over to him, and he walked about fifteen yards away.

"I think that'll be far enough," Zane said, then turned to Har. "Alright, hand them over. I'm ready."

Har glanced at his sister.

Dar gave a nod. "Give them to him, little brother. Let's trust this nitpicker for once—he did help us tame our Little Piggie, after all."

Relaxing, Har pulled out his chubby hand, revealing twenty glittering Two-Star Core Stones.

Zane took them swiftly. In the blink of an eye, ten stones disappeared—used instantly. The remaining ten he slipped into his own silk pouch.

Ding!

[You've successfully rented a temporary key.]

A glowing golden key materialized in Zane's hand, shining with dazzling yellow light.

The crowd around them, who had been watching from the start, murmured in surprise. Many hadn't believed the group could actually open the gate to the Titan Ruins. Even high-ranking nobles and family elites had failed to decipher the murals and inscriptions carved into the stone pillars.

Some had mocked Zane's group earlier with sneers and condescending remarks.

But the sudden appearance of that radiant, mystical key shattered all doubts.

Now, every gaze was locked onto Zane—filled with curiosity, awe, and rising hope.

No one wanted to stay here for another three days waiting for the murals to be deciphered. Even those doing the deciphering were unhappy with their lack of progress. They stopped their work and turned toward Zane, eyes filled with anticipation.

Asphalt stepped forward and handed out their respective access cards.

"Good. Now you have the golden key. What next?" he asked. "Come on, do your magic."

"It's not magic. I got it by opening my family's secret chest," Zane corrected him.

Asphalt shrugged with a smile.

Zane raised the golden key and walked toward the boundary of the ruin, stopping at a weathered pillar.

"Be careful," Asphalt warned.

Zane ignored everyone and kept moving. He had full trust in his System's assessment.

As he approached, the pillar reacted. Murals along the ruin walls began to glow, the ground trembled, and a massive gray stone slab slowly emerged from beneath the earth.

The crowd's hope surged. Even when the golden key appeared, some had remained skeptical. But the rising stone door banished all doubts.

A large keyhole appeared at the center of the slab.

Seeing it, Asphalt burst into laughter and grabbed Zane in a tight hug. Zane felt a bit awkward.

"See that? I was right to choose him as our last team member! Believe me now?" Asphalt called out, clearly addressing the twins.

Initially, the twins had opposed adding Zane to their group. They had resented him because of his father. But unlike most people, they didn't cling to prejudice, which was why they followed Asphalt in the first place.

Now, the twins simply grinned and nodded.

Zane gently pushed Asphalt away. He then inserted the golden key into the slot and turned it as he believed was right. He was correct.

A distinct click echoed from within the stone.

The door lit up with a glowing green mana pattern, spreading like a web. With a creak, it slowly opened, revealing the depths of the Titan Ruin.

Asphalt leapt in joy, shouting. The twins quickly joined in, celebrating the moment.

It wasn't long before the rest of the students burst into applause and cheers.

Now they could enter the realm three days ahead of schedule.

Even the corrupted boar, little Piggie, added its harsh bray to the celebration—though it annoyed everyone.

The twins just laughed and patted the beast affectionately.

Asphalt turned to them and said, "Dar, Han, go ahead. You should be the first ones inside. Take your beast with you."

The twins happily nodded. They jumped onto Piggie's back and rode through the open gate, becoming the first to enter the Titan Ruin.

Zane was about to follow when Asphalt stopped him.

"Wait a second, Zane. This is a perfect opportunity for business."

Zane raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"You opened the gate by using your family's legendary chest," Asphalt said, winking. "Why should we keep going without earning a single coin?"

Zane immediately caught on.

"Alright, you handle it. I've got zero experience with stuff like that," he said and stepped aside, taking a seat nearby.

The twins had dismounted and were now sitting casually near the entrance of the gate, waiting with excitement.

Other students surged forward, eager to enter, but one of them moved too quickly and attempted to step through the gate.

Asphalt reacted instantly, stepping in front of him and blocking the path.

"Hold up," he barked, then turned to address the crowd in a loud, firm voice.

"My team opened this gate. That means no one goes through without our say."