Noah Vance never expected to die so miserably.

One moment, he was gasping for breath, betrayed by the two people he had trusted most. The next, he woke up in a lavish chamber, his body foreign, his heart racing. The large mirror across the room reflected a face that was no longer his—sharp red eyes, tousled dark hair, and an aura that screamed danger.

[Where am I?]

[Welcome, Host. You have transmigrated into the dark novel ‘Eclipsed Fate’ as the villain, Ravenn Valtheron.]

Noah’s breath hitched. [No. No way. That’s impossible.] He had read this novel before. Ravenn, the infamous prince, was cruel, sadistic, and destined to be the main antagonist against the six protagonists. Worse—he was doomed to die painfully at their hands.

[New objective: Act as the perfect villain. Failure to comply will result in punishment.]

A chill crawled down Noah’s spine. [Punishment? What kind of punishment?]

Before he could finish the thought, pain lashed through his body like lightning, forcing a strangled scream from his lips. His vision blurred, and his limbs trembled. Every nerve burned, like fire licking through his veins.

[Reminder: Disobedience will not be tolerated.]

Panting, Noah clenched his fists. [I’m trapped. If I don’t follow the system, I’ll suffer. But if I act like Ravenn, I’ll be killed by the protagonists.]

The door to his chamber swung open with force, revealing Lucian Devereux, the righteous hero. His golden eyes locked onto Noah, sharp and unyielding. Behind him, the other five protagonists lingered in the hallway, silent and unreadable.

“You look unwell, Prince Ravenn,” Lucian observed coolly.

[I feel unwell, you bastard. I just got electrocuted!]

Lucian’s shoulders tensed ever so slightly. His golden eyes darkened, flickering with something unreadable.

From the hallway, the other five listened in shock.

[This isn’t fair! Why do I have to be the villain? I just want to survive!]

Caius Everhart, the cunning prince, narrowed his eyes. “He’s... not evil?”

Damien Aldric, the cold-blooded executioner, clenched his jaw. “He’s suffering.”

Ezra Sinclair, the manipulative duke, tapped his cane against the floor. “All this time, we’ve misunderstood.”

Veyron Nacht, the dark sorcerer, exhaled sharply. “He doesn’t know we can hear him.”

Soren Valkir, the knight betrayer, crossed his arms. “Then we have an advantage.”

Inside the room, Noah ran a trembling hand through his hair. [I need to be careful. I can’t let them suspect me. I just have to survive until I figure something out.]

Lucian studied Noah’s face, his golden gaze lingering. “You should rest. We’ll meet again soon.”

As he exited, the six of them exchanged glances. Hatred had been their strongest weapon against Ravenn Valtheron. But now? Their once-absolute perception of him was shattering into something dangerously unfamiliar.

Protectiveness.

But Noah had no idea that the ones meant to destroy him were now the ones most desperate to keep him alive.

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Noah sat frozen in his chambers long after the six protagonists had left. His mind whirled with the weight of his situation.

[This is bad. This is really, really bad.]

The system had forced him into this villainous role, and now he had to navigate an unpredictable story where his death was all but guaranteed. Worse, the six protagonists—each meant to be his enemy—were acting… strangely.

[Why did Lucian look at me like that? Why did the others hesitate? They’re supposed to hate me, not… whatever that was.]

He exhaled shakily and stood from the lavish bed, pacing the length of his room. The cold marble underfoot did little to ground him. His mind was too preoccupied with the horrifying realization that something about this transmigration had already gone off course.

[Focus, Noah. Think. The novel’s plot says they should be planning my downfall, but they didn’t even insult me. They looked… concerned? No, that can’t be right.]

A knock at his door startled him. Before he could respond, the heavy doors creaked open, and a familiar figure stepped inside.

Damien Aldric.

The cold-blooded executioner, dressed in his signature black uniform, shut the door behind him, his sharp silver eyes scrutinizing Noah in silence. The room felt impossibly small under his gaze.

[Oh, great. Of all people, why him?]

“Ravenn.” Damien’s voice was low, steady. “We need to talk.”

Noah swallowed hard, keeping his expression composed. “I wasn’t aware we were on such civil terms.”

Damien didn’t react to the jab. Instead, he took a slow step forward, his piercing gaze never leaving Noah’s face. “You’re different.”

Noah stiffened. His heart pounded violently. [What kind of question is that?!]

“What nonsense are you spouting, Executioner?” Noah sneered, hoping to mask his panic with arrogance. “Did you come here just to insult me?”

Damien didn’t blink. “You seem… troubled.”

Noah forced a scoff, folding his arms. “I have an entire kingdom to manage while dealing with enemies on all sides. Of course I’m troubled.”

Damien tilted his head slightly, his eyes gleaming with something unreadable. “Is that all?”

Noah felt a bead of sweat slide down his temple. [He’s fishing for something. But why?]

Before he could reply, the door opened again, and this time, all five of the others entered. Lucian, Caius, Ezra, Veyron, and Soren—each of them wearing unreadable expressions.

Lucian crossed his arms. “You look tense.”

Noah tensed further. [Oh no. Are they all here to interrogate me?]

Caius leaned casually against the wall, smirking. “You don’t seem as ruthless as usual. Perhaps the rumors were exaggerated.”

Noah clenched his fists, his mind racing. He needed to stay in character. “Are you doubting my reputation, Prince Everhart?”

Ezra chuckled, tapping his cane against the floor. “On the contrary. We find you… intriguing.”

[What the hell does that mean?] Noah’s thoughts were running wild, but he forced a composed expression. “I don’t appreciate being treated like a spectacle.”

Veyron’s crimson eyes gleamed with amusement. “You’re always a spectacle, Ravenn.”

Soren, who had been the quietest, finally spoke. “We’ve been watching you for a long time.”

Noah felt a chill crawl down his spine. [That sounds way more ominous than it should.]

Lucian’s golden eyes held his gaze. “For now, we’ll leave you to rest. But don’t let your guard down, Ravenn.”

Noah forced a smirk. “I never do.”

One by one, they turned and left, the heavy doors closing behind them. Only after their footsteps faded did Noah finally exhale, pressing a hand to his racing heart.

[What the hell was that?]

Unknown to him, just beyond the door, the six stood in silence.

“We’ll keep pretending we don’t know,” Caius murmured, his usual arrogance subdued.

Lucian nodded. “For now.”

Veyron smirked. “After all, it’s more interesting this way.”

Noah—no, Ravenn—sat in the grand yet suffocatingly silent dining hall, the flickering chandeliers above casting elongated shadows across the polished marble floors. The six men seated around him feasted with a deliberate elegance that unsettled him. They were too quiet. Too watchful.

His fingers curled around the silver goblet before him, and he took a careful sip, ignoring the heavy weight of their stares. [Why the hell are they staring at me like that? I swear, if they could hear my thoughts—]

Lucian Devereux’s lips quirked slightly, his golden eyes glinting with amusement. “You seem troubled, Valtheron.”

Ravenn forced an easy smirk. “Is it a crime to enjoy a peaceful meal?”

“Peaceful?” Caius Everhart’s voice was a low purr as he swirled the wine in his glass. “Your very existence incites war, yet you desire peace?”

Ravenn clenched his jaw. This was exactly what he expected—accusations, taunts, and the ever-present danger of slipping up. But he couldn’t let them see any weakness. [Play the villain, Ravenn. Play the part.]

He opened his mouth to deliver some cutting remark when a sudden crack of lightning struck outside the towering windows. Pain lanced through his body, sending a violent tremor down his spine. He gasped, hands slamming onto the table as the system’s cruel punishment seared through him.

System Alert: Stay in character. Villains do not wish for peace.

The men around him tensed—though for different reasons. Lucian shot up from his seat, while Damien Aldric’s icy gaze narrowed dangerously. Soren Valkir, ever the keen observer, tapped his fingers against the hilt of his sword.

“Ravenn?” Ezra Sinclair’s voice was too smooth, too knowing.

Noah gritted his teeth, his breath heavy. “Tch. This cursed body is always too sensitive to the elements.”

Veyron Nacht chuckled darkly, the shadows around him shifting as he leaned forward. “You’re a terrible liar, Valtheron.”

The air in the room shifted, a silent, unspoken understanding passing between the six. Noah felt it, the realization tightening like an invisible noose around his throat.

[They knew.]

[They had to.]

[And yet… they said nothing.]

Instead, Lucian took his seat again, his voice lighter than it should be. “It’s quite entertaining, actually. Watching you.”

Noah’s heart pounded. [What the hell is going on?]

He had been prepared for hatred, for torture—anything but this unbearable, obsessive scrutiny.

And worse? He had no idea why.

Before he could piece together their intentions, an ominous chime echoed through the air. A brilliant, translucent screen materialized in front of him, glowing with an eerie red hue. His blood ran cold.

System Alert: New Mission Issued.

Mission: Assassinate King Aldric Valtheron and seize the throne. Time Remaining: 25 hours. Failure Penalty: Immediate Death.

Noah's breath hitched. [What?!] His mind spun in panic. Kill the king—his father? That wasn’t just insane—it was suicide.

He barely had time to process the horror of the command when he noticed the reactions of the six men around him. Their gazes were locked onto the floating system screen, their expressions twisted with shock and something dangerously close to fear.

“You…” Damien’s voice was laced with disbelief, his eyes dark with an emotion Noah had never seen before. “What is that?”

Ezra stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the marble floor. “This—this is not magic.”

Soren’s hand gripped the hilt of his sword, his body tense as though preparing for a battle. “That thing… It’s dangerous.”

Caius’s expression was unreadable, but his fingers were curled into a tight fist. “How is something like this even possible?”

Noah felt every muscle in his body lock up. The system screen was visible to them?! [No, no, no. This shouldn’t be happening. Why can they see it?]

Veyron’s crimson eyes gleamed with a mix of fascination and apprehension. “Ravenn… Just what the hell are you?”

Noah had no answers. Only a death sentence ticking down, and six powerful men who were now looking at him as though he was the most dangerous thing in the room.

[This just got so much worse.]