My Scumbag System-Chapter 360: Each Battle Worthy

I woke up at dawn with a familiar weight on my chest—Natalia sprawled across me like an octopus claiming its territory. Her breathing came soft and even, her face relaxed in sleep in a way it never was when she was conscious. She looked almost innocent.

Almost.

The hickeys dotting her neck told a different story.

I carefully extracted myself from her grip, replacing my body with a pillow she immediately latched onto with a small, disgruntled noise. She buried her face in it and continued sleeping. Mission accomplished.

The Gate expedition wasn’t scheduled to depart until nine, but I needed time to prep. Six hours on a transport with Team Gamma, then straight into what might be a trap disguised as a routine dungeon run.

Fun times.

I showered quickly, letting the hot water ease the lingering soreness in my muscles from the previous night’s... workout.

Steam filled the bathroom as I stepped out and wiped condensation from the mirror. My reflection stared back, green eyes sharper than they had any right to be at this hour.

Sometimes I barely recognized myself.

Not just physically. Everything had changed since the System had chosen me as its host. Everything.

I dressed in layers—dark jeans first, pulling them up over the sleek, form-fitting black bodysuit that would serve as my first line of defense if things went sideways.

A gray t-shirt came next, soft and worn-in enough to move freely in combat, followed by my black hoodie. The hood’s shadow was useful for hiding expressions I didn’t want read.

It was practical clothing for dungeon diving that still maintained the carefully cultivated aesthetic I’d spent months perfecting: the perpetual "I don’t give a fuck" slouch of a delinquent who’d seen too much.

The Bat came next. I secured it in its custom harness across my back, the familiar weight settling between my shoulder blades like an old friend.

The weapon had become an extension of my fighting style. On my belt, I clipped three emergency health potions in reinforced loops, their red liquid catching the early morning light.

A basic utility knife went on my right hip, and a small tactical pack containing rations and water bottles was slung over one shoulder.

It was Boy Scout level preparedness for what should, by all rights, be a glorified milk run.

But milk runs had a nasty way of turning into complete shit shows when someone with money and a grudge was actively trying to engineer your team members’ deaths. Better to be overprepared and look paranoid than underprepared and dead.

By the time I made it downstairs, the common area of Onyx House was stirring to life with the chaotic energy of eighteen-year-olds forced awake too early on a Saturday. The acrid smell of burning toast mixed with cheap, over-brewed coffee filled the air. Someone had clearly sacrificed breakfast to the kitchen gods and lost spectacularly.

Raphael was already pacing near the front door like a caged tiger denied its morning kill, all coiled muscle and barely restrained aggression beneath his sleeveless black shirt. His amber eyes tracked every movement in the room with predatory focus, pupils slightly dilated—a sure sign he’d already activated his Aspect to warm up the energy reserves. The guy was a walking powder keg on a good day. Before a dungeon run? He was practically vibrating.

"GOOD MORNING, BROTHER!" Jaime boomed when he spotted me. His smile was blinding, even at this ungodly hour. "ARE YOU READY FOR GLORIOUS BATTLE?"

"It’s a C-Rank Gate," I reminded him. "Not the apocalypse."

"EVERY BATTLE IS WORTHY OF OUR FULLEST PASSION!" He flexed dramatically, veins popping on his forearms. "As the idol goddess Sakura Hoshino says in track three of her second album: ’Your heart is a muscle—FLEX IT!’"

"Oh my god, shut the fuck up," Raphael growled, turning to glare at Jaime. "It’s too early for your bullshit."

"THERE IS NEVER AN INAPPROPRIATE TIME FOR ENTHUSI—!"

"Both of you shut up," Juan interrupted, appearing at the bottom of the stairs looking like death warmed over. His hair stuck up at odd angles, dark circles underlined his eyes, and he clutched a travel mug of coffee like it contained the elixir of life. "Some of us were up until three tracking spawn patterns."

Jaime immediately rushed over, concern etched on his face. "BROTHER JUAN! You dishonor your temple with such poor rest habits! May I suggest my protein shake recipe? It contains raw eggs, creatine, and collagen!"

Juan stared at him blankly. "Touch my coffee and die."

I left them to their bickering and headed to the kitchen. Celeste sat at the small table, perfectly composed even at this hour, her silver-white hair falling in an immaculate curtain around her shoulders. She wore practical combat gear in shades of blue and silver, though somehow she made it look like haute couture. Noah stood behind her chair, blonde hair pulled back in a severe ponytail, scanning the room with predatory alertness.

Monica hovered awkwardly by the counter, clutching a potted plant that definitely wasn’t the fern she usually carried. This one had copper-colored leaves that shimmered with an unnatural light—a souvenir from the Arboretum.

"You brought a plant," I observed, grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl. "To a Gate."

Monica’s amber eyes flickered up to meet mine, then quickly away. "Ferdinand is staying home today. This is... Copernicus. He helps me focus."

"You named your plants."

"You named your bat," she countered, then immediately looked horrified at her own boldness.

I grinned. "Touché."

Celeste’s lips curved in the ghost of a smile. "The transporter will be here in twenty minutes. Everyone should finalize their gear checks."

"I did mine last night," Juan mumbled, slumping into a chair. "Twice."

"Bullshit," Raphael called from the doorway. "You were snoring in the common room by ten."

"I can prep in my sleep."

"That explains a lot about your combat stats."

The usual pre-mission chaos. I tuned it out, my mind already racing ahead to what might be waiting for us in the Gate. The briefing had been clean—too clean. Standard spawn patterns, balanced monster ecosystem, single boss entity. Everything by the book.

Which was exactly why I didn’t trust it.