Villain's Survival: SSS Class Infinite Copy Eyes

"I didn't ask for the patriarch's opinion."

A sigh came through the line.

"Very well, young master. I won't be able to deliver them personally, but I'll have someone bring them to you."

"Thank you, Ashford." replied Licht

Licht's talent was an open secret among the higher-ups of the Valtier family, so he wasn't truly respected by the clan elders.

Ashford was different. He had always treated him with the dignity a young master deserved.

The old butler knew everything about him—the good, the bad, and the ugly—and yet remained steadfastly loyal in spite of all of it.

The only person he could rely on to get him the items he needed to clear the dungeon in time 

....

A short while later, nearing midnight…

Licht quietly slipped away from the still-lively campus.

Despite the late hour, the grounds were far from silent. Here and there, music and laughter drifted through the night—students celebrating their first day, still riding the high of acceptance.

He moved swiftly, cutting across the academy grounds toward the Old Plaza.

The Nexus Slayer Academy was ancient, not just in architecture, but in origin. It was said to have been built atop the ruins of a forgotten city, dating back to the era of the Old Empire.

That was a truly primitive, medieval time, long before modern technology, when nobles, peasants, and mages ruled the land.

Back then, the world had been united under a single banner—an empire whose true name had been lost to time. Historians now only referred to it as "The Empire."

But more significant than its age was what came after:

It was a time before the arrival of the Seven Outer Gods.

A time so distant and fragmented, the truth of what had occurred was buried under layers of myth and forgotten knowledge.

Not many realised how old the land beneath the academy truly was.

Thinking about it now, Licht couldn't help but feel a little regretful that he'd always skimmed over the in-game lore. The game didn't prioritise it much, but clearly, there was something there.

Stepping past the old plaza, Licht wandered into the nearby forest until he came upon a forgotten statue.

It depicted a robed woman, her face obscured by cracks and vines. The stone was worn and brittle, yet imposing.

Licht's watch beeped softly.

It was time.

Suddenly, the statue began to tremble.

With a groan of shifting stone, the earth beneath it cracked open, revealing a narrow staircase leading down into the depths.

Licht pulled a torch from his bag, lit it, and began descending the ancient stairs.

Silence.

Only the faint whistle of wind and the occasional scuttle of insects accompanied him.

On either side of the passage, he spotted rotten torch holders and eroded walls—proof of just how much time had passed.

Finally, the staircase gave way to a small clearing.

Licht raised his torch, revealing a faded magical sigil etched into the stone floor.

He knelt down and reached into his bag, pulling out a glowing blue mana crystal.

Back in the Empire's time, these could only be found deep within naturally occurring mana-rich zones. They were once rarer and more valuable than oil.

Now, with modern research and technology, mana crystals are mass-produced. But just because they were more accessible didn't mean they were cheap—one could cost a regular citizen their entire month's wages.

Still, that didn't matter now.

Licht's focus was entirely on the worn sockets embedded in the stone.

He carefully removed the old, greyed-out crystals. The second he touched them, they crumbled to dust.

Then, with practised precision, he slotted the fresh crystals into place.

The moment the last piece clicked into the socket, the sigil came to life as glowing blue lines flared across the ground in radiant patterns.

The magic circle sputtered, then blazed bright.

Licht clutched his backpack tightly as the space around him distorted with colour and sound blurring into obscure static.

And then—

In an instant, the world changed.

The same glowing circle still lay beneath his feet. Behind him, a solid stone wall. But in front of him stretched a vast, seemingly endless hallway that faded into darkness.

Licht reached into his backpack and pulled out a simple construction hat with a flashlight strapped to the top.

It wasn't fashionable or magical, but it was perfect for the situation.

He quickly took stock of his supplies.

With the flashlight on his head and an extra one in his hand, Licht cautiously began his exploration of the dungeon.

Click.

Click.

Click

His boots echoed through the corridor until the beam of his flashlight landed on a large, shadowy mound in the distance.

He stepped forward, squinting to make out its shape. As soon as he crossed an unseen threshold, a pulse of light flickered through the air.

Next, the mound in front trembled, and then it began to rise, going higher and higher, before morphing into something massive and vaguely humanoid.

A stone golem.

Licht was prepared. He had explored this dungeon back when the world was still just a game to him.

But seeing the golem tower over him in real life, its hollow eyes glowing with arcane brilliance, was something else entirely.

He would be lying if he said he wasn't at least a little intimidated.

He still had his trump card: the 「Infinite Copy Eyes (SSS)」 skill. But Licht refused to use it on a dungeon golem, no matter how threatening it looked.

The skill was incredibly powerful—but it only lasted five minutes, followed by a full hour cooldown.

And in this world, that hour could be deadly.

If he used it at the wrong time, he'd be nothing more than a sitting duck.

He couldn't afford to waste it on minor enemies. Not in this world—the world of [The Saviour of Slayer Society].

In the worst-case scenario, he could defeat the final boss… only to be killed afterwards by a nameless mob.

If he didn't learn to stand on his own, he'd be nothing more than a glorified crutch-holder for his own powers.