Chapter 2 - Complicated Status Window Usage

"Hoo...."

All he can do is sigh in pity. Mikhail, the infamous mafia boss, reduced to this small, cute boy.

"Damn it...."

He can't help but lament. Those soft, squishy cheeks reminiscent of a golden retriever's innocent eyes, golden hair and eyebrows like beer foam made from barley, and lapis lazuli-blue irises. He's so cute it's hard to believe this is the once-ferocious mafia boss Mikhail.

It feels self-aggrandizing and awkward to say, but among all the men he's ever seen, this might be the most handsome face.

Did that woman do this?

Did she use her power to freely 'create' things from her hands to change his face and body? If so, why? Either way, it doesn't seem like good news for him.

That pervert bitch....

Maybe she has pedophilic tastes and turned his body small like this. As an officially executed criminal, he'd be perfect for some scheme. And above all, the women in this world are little more than sex-obsessed organisms.

He doesn't know why she completely changed his body and face—maybe a creepy, scar-covered, bearded 50-year-old man is less appealing than a tasty-looking teenage boy?

Tsk, whatever. No time for useless thoughts. First, get out of here.

He surveys his surroundings roughly. Surprisingly, there are plenty of ways out. No locks on the doors or windows. Doesn't look like it'll take much effort to leave.

Of course, even if there were, they'd be useless against me.

Before his mafia days, he'd lived as a thief, so a locked room like this is as easy to navigate as his own home. Maybe they knew that and didn't bother with locks. Or perhaps they have a way to track him again. A locator or some tiny device like that.

Still, scouting the area first would be smarter than getting recaptured immediately.

Alright then....

He walks to the door and grabs the handle. The lack of shoes ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bothers him, but escaping comes first—he can find some later.

And then—

"What the hell is this?!"

A half-blue rectangular frame pops up in front of his eyes with a 'ding!' like a machine chime. Startled by its sudden appearance, he flinches, lets go of the doorknob, and stumbles back.

System? Does it mean some god's name? Or the name of the superhuman idiot behind this stupid play.... Who the hell is this referring to? Whatever it is, it's nothing but a pesky prankster to him.

He has no idea what this nonsense is. Power? It looks like he's awakened a unique ability just like those superhumans.

No way. I'm just a normal guy. Something like that wouldn't pop up out of nowhere.

Superhumans' unique abilities are a one-in-a-million rarity, a so-called 'god-given talent.' It's only natural it wouldn't appear for a grumpy, ordinary guy like him. Even the rare power to move toy cars without touching them is extremely scarce—it's not like abilities awaken as easily as giving a kid a present.

This has to be someone pranking him.

Still, nothing to lose.

Half hoping ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the ridiculous play ends here, half thrilled at the possibility, he decides to shout "Status Window."

"Status Window."

Fwaaah!

A sound like an old TV turning on echoes. At the same time, the ballerina program list-like Status Window unfolding before him startles him again.

"What the hell is this?!"

The contents of the so-called Status Window trigger a chain of shocks. First, his changed name.... It was named after his father, a name he cherished, now altered like this.

But before he can process the name change, 'Age: 22' smacks the back of his head hard.

"22 years old? This tiny body...?"

This can't be right. A body that looks so young is over the legal age? It's a scam, like selling flour as cocaine in a drug deal.

"What kind of idiotic play is this...."

Is becoming the protagonist of this absurd play the price for killing those 'innocent superhumans'? It's cheap if anything.... But this form disgusts him deeply.

He's a mafioso. He takes no pride in the name, but he has some dignity. Turning him into a little boy like this is an insult to his pride.

"Let's see how far this goes."

Grumbling a veiled threat at the invisible prankster, he places his hand on the floating Status Window and presses the button as instructed.

Chrrrrrr!

The familiar roulette sound from a casino blares loudly. Watching the spinning words is a spectacle.

"....What the hell."

Standing there like an idiot makes him sneer and chuckle at himself unwittingly.

Chrrrr.... Ding!

The roulette stops with an elevator ding. The unique ability granted to him is ridiculously overpowered.

B-rank?

If unique abilities awaken once per million, higher ranks like C-rank and above are even rarer. Even in his vast homeland of Russia, B-rank or higher were extremely scarce. Him awakening a B-rank so easily is impossible.

I'll play along with the prank this far.

If he acts like a fool, whoever's watching will probably laugh and reveal themselves. Time to ask why they spared him and turned him into a kid.

He walks to the table, picks up a magazine lying there.

"....Why the hell is the cover a guy? And shirtless, no less."

He's not gay, so a handsome man posing like that gives him chills. Definitely that woman's doing.

"Status Window Forced View...."

Fwaat!

Muttering weakly at the face on the cover—the one he wants to punch—he hears the familiar sound, and a rectangular frame appears before his eyes.

"It's.... real?"

The rectangular frame with text floating before his eyes contains vivid information. Is this faked too? No, superhumans wouldn't write criticisms of the World Central Government—they worship it like a living god. No reason to fabricate something so extreme.

So, this is real. He's awakened ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as a superhuman by some force.

Not content with changing my body, now this.... Who gave it to me?

God? Maybe the devil? To him right now, they're equals.

"Hah."

And it doesn't stop there—he can get even stronger? He's below F-rank now, but this power might take him beyond....

Has opportunity come to me again?

A chance to revenge on the superhumans, to unleash his rage on those who stole his family twice.

Good....

He won't squander this. He'll kill every superhuman in the world and send them to his family as tribute. Something hot surges like waves from the depths of his hardened heart. He wants to erupt it, set it free as soon as possible.

Waiting for the next message, it soon appears before his eyes.

Before the tutorial end message fades, new ones flood in—welcome ones. No need for idiotic doubts anymore; he presses the floating button to check.

The quest given to him is simple. Murder? Mafia specialty. Like telling a cat to catch a mouse.

"Shop Window."

To grow stronger, he opens the shop.