Happy Evil Heartbreaker [Modern LitRPG]

"Miss Xanthia, you are indeed a prodigy!"

Principal Herculano's voice, though calm, betrayed the underlying strain of defeat. Despite his earlier confidence, the match had not gone as planned. Although his pain points had exploded into a scatter of metaphorical coins, he struggled to maintain the dignity befitting his position as the principal.

One couldn't blame him, really. The psychological gap he had experienced was simply too great. Just moments ago, he had triumphed over William, earning the exaggerated praise of being the "Table Tennic Master of Thessaloniki." He had been on top of the world, basking in the glory of his victory.

But the very next moment, his confidence had driven him to face what he thought would be an easy opponent, only to be blindsided by a merciless young upstart. This youngster, without a shred of respect for her elder, had unleashed a relentless "torture strategy," leaving him drenched in sweat and utterly humiliated.

To his horror, he soon realized that this "torture strategy" wasn't even necessary for her to defeat him. Her sheer skill alone was enough to leave him defenseless and utterly defeated.

Nothing could be more frustrating!

The moment Herculano realized he had been played with, like a puppet on a string, his frustration surged, and with it, his pain points multiplied...

Yet, because his opponent was merely a first-year girl, and a member of Papadopoulos familia at that, Principal Herculano decided to swallow his pride. After all, magnanimity was a virtue, and what was the point of holding a grudge against a young girl with such a prestigious background? Had she been a lesser-known teacher, perhaps she would have faced a much different outcome.

But Xanthia wasn't without emotional intelligence. She simply believed that sometimes, to achieve true happiness, one must be a bit carefree and untroubled by such matters.

Principal Herculano, however, wasn't exactly a beloved figure among the students. While other students merely indulged in such fantasies like overthrowing his familia shop, Xanthia had seized the opportunity and made those dreams a reality by metaphorically "beating up" the old shrewd man.

And to top it all off, the moment of Herculano's utter defeat on the ping pong table had been captured by none other than Noemi, who had been watching Xanthia's match with great interest.

Known as the "Thief Saint," Noemi had picked up the "habit" of always having her phone ready to capture moments like this, thanks to spending too much time with her odd dormmates. However, her intention wasn't to spread gossip.

Noemi was genuinely passionate about table tennis. She believed that Principal Herculano had some real skill, and that even if Xanthia couldn't beat him, she might still learn something from the match. Perhaps she could even "steal" a bit of technique from the principal.

One would see, whenever Noemi felt the urge to "steal," she never went in unprepared. She meticulously planned her moves, scouting the area, taking videos, and understanding every detail of the scene. This way, she could avoid all the cameras and never get caught...

The title of "Thief Saint" wasn't something just any petty thief could claim. It was a craft, requiring real skill and precision.

Her prowess at table tennis, with her quick reflexes and lightning-fast hand speed, was a testament to this. Her serves were nearly impossible to read, and her wrist movements so swift that opponents often accused her of obstructing the view. This level of stealth was just one of the "Thief Saint's" natural talents.

However, as Noemi continued to record the match, she began to realize something was seriously off.

Principal Herculano wasn't even close to being Xanthia's equal!

At that moment, Oliver couldn't resist teasing Noemi, "Didn't you say Xanthia was no match for Principal Herculano? Your judgment is seriously off if you couldn't even gauge Xanthia's skill level!"

Noemi, naturally annoyed by the jab, responded with a forced smile, "Xanthia is a genius, after all. It's normal for her to improve quickly. Playing against her will definitely be more interesting in the future."

As Xanthia delivered a stunning backhand flick to win the match, Oliver couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, that was amazing! She's incredible! Noemi, if you can't handle an opponent like her, leave her to me!"

Oliver showed no hesitation in trying to claim Xanthia as her own sparring partner, completely disregarding Noemi's feelings.

Though Noemi remained outwardly composed, inwardly, her negative emotions were bubbling up. After all, Xanthia had first played with her, and she had witnessed Xanthia's growth. This detestable Oliver, why did she have to come and steal her tennis partner?

Fine, steal my Xanthia, and you'll face the consequences! Noemi silently vowed. The air around her change.

Meanwhile, the crowd of onlookers, who had been holding their breath, were now casting admiring glances at Xanthia. This young girl was truly something extraordinary! Who would have thought that Principal Herculano, the "Table Tennic Master of Thessaloniki," would be no match for her?

They had all misjudged her, including the refined math teacher William, who now looked at Xanthia from Class 1-3 with newfound respect.

Even William, who enjoyed playing table tennis himself, thought it might be worth challenging Xanthia in the future. Playing against a strong opponent was always more enjoyable.

After her victory, Xanthia, her face beaming with a mischievous grin, radiated pure joy. Her expressions were vibrant and lively, making her all the more endearing.

What a thrill!

Her joy was well-founded, for the pain points extracted from Principal Herculano had more than compensated for the points she had invested in her basic system equipment, including her ping pong paddle.

Thank you, Principal Herculano, for the gift of a brand-new sports outfit!

Xanthia was on cloud nine!

"Principal Herculano, your skill is quite remarkable. It was a tough win for me," Xanthia replied with a sweet smile.

Herculano forced a few chuckles, clearly aware that this young girl was deliberately playing mind games with him. Claiming it was a "tough win"—such a blatant lie!

"In truth, I had a great time today. Miss Xanthia, let's have a rematch sometime!"

Despite his defeat, Principal Herculano refused to show weakness. After tossing out this statement, he wiped his brow with a towel and left the indoor gym, his posture still upright, though tinged with a hint of defeat.

He had mentioned a rematch, but in reality, there would never be a next time!

Xanthia's "torture strategy" had left a deep psychological scar on him.

He would much rather face off against those aggressive youngsters who attacked with brute force than go up against someone like Xanthia, who not only messed with his mind but also played with such a carefree, smiling demeanor!

One misstep, and his reputation as the "Table Tennic Master of Thessaloniki" had been utterly tarnished by her!

[ System Notification: Pain points from Herculano El Monterro +++ ]

At the same time, the system notified Xanthia that the task she had accepted earlier had been successfully completed, and she could now claim her reward.

And so, Xanthia acquired a new attribute—Left-Handed Master.

Upon activating this attribute, its effects made her eyes light up. She had always envisioned a "golden left hand" strategy, and now, with this attribute, she could effortlessly achieve it.

It turned out that this attribute would enhance her left hand's performance in various competitive sports!

For instance, when playing table tennis, using her left hand for backhand flicks, smashes, and attacks would significantly increase her power, improve her touch, reduce her error rate, and boost her success rate on the table.

Similarly, in basketball, if she used her left hand for shooting, her accuracy would be higher! Even her dribbling skills with her left hand would become more refined!

Since eSports also fell under the category of competitive sports, using her left hand to control the mouse would make her gameplay even more precise, allowing her to impersonate a "golden left hand" that could secure a top-four finish with ease.

As a player who found joy in entertaining herself, Xanthia wasn't driven by a desire to win. Her focus was more on having fun and making others suffer. She played to her heart's content, without any real pressure to succeed. So in her mind, making it to the semi-finals was already a victory!

Of course, there were times when she accidentally leveled up her skills too much. Even when playing casually, she couldn't help but win. In such cases, she couldn't be blamed for accepting the championship with a smile. After all, more joy meant more pain points to extract from the defeated opponents.

In competitive sports, the champion and the third-place winner were often the happiest, while the runner-up was usually the most miserable. Especially those who believed they were the "rightful champion," always feeling like they were just a hair's breadth away from victory.

In reality, that "hair's breadth" could be as vast as the "cosmos at one's fingertips."

Especially when Xanthia was the champion, she loved to put on a show, giving others a false sense of hope.

...

In summing up the example above, one could simply understand the attribute as follows: if Xanthia's table tennis skill was already at Level 2, then switching to a left-handed grip wouldn't just achieve Level 3 results. Being conservative, it would at least produce Level 2.5 results.

The 'Left-Handed Master' attribute was indeed formidable!

Moreover, having this attribute didn't mean her right hand would be rendered useless.

Her right hand could still perform at its usual level. However, once she activated her "left-handed mode," it would be akin to a game boss entering the second phase of a rage mode—an uncontrollable frenzy that would catch her opponents off guard, leaving them utterly devastated!

As a player who found joy in the game, Xanthia couldn't help but fantasize about a "cool" scenario. With the Left-Handed attribute, whenever she played table tennis, she could imagine herself wrapping her left hand in bandages, and at the crucial moment, she would unravel the bandage to signify the release of the "Demon King's Seal," entering her berserk mode...

Unfortunately, reality wasn't an anime, and wrapping her hand in bandages on purpose would just make her look foolish.

However, wearing a wristband on her left hand while playing was a more practical alternative. When it was time to enter her "Demon King Mode," she could simply remove the wristband, giving her a sense of ritual as she prepared to unleash her full power.

Of course, at first, many spectators might wonder why a player who held the racket in her right hand would wear a wristband on her left hand. They might think she had simply put it on the wrong hand.

But once they witnessed her "Left-Handed Berserk Mode," they would undoubtedly realize the truth!

After Xanthia thoroughly humiliated Principal Herculano, known as the "Table Tennic Master of Thessaloniki," the activity period still had about ten minutes left.

Having become the most eye-catching figure in the indoor gym, both students and teachers who considered themselves skilled in table tennis couldn't resist the urge to challenge her.

Xanthia, eager to test the effectiveness of her newly acquired Left-Handed attribute, switched the paddle to her left hand.

The first to seize the opportunity to challenge her was Oliver, who had already clashed with Noemi. With her sturdy build and imposing demeanor, Oliver was not someone to be taken lightly. Her temper was as fiery as her appearance suggested.

When Oliver noticed Xanthia gripping the paddle with her left hand, her brow furrowed in anger. She couldn't help but question, "Xanthia! Are you looking down on me? Are you trying to humiliate me by using your left hand?"

Noemi, observing this, couldn't help but cheer for Xanthia internally.

Perfect, perfect, perfect! Xanthia truly was the best tennis partner she could ever ask for. The way she instinctively knew how to get back at Oliver was a delightful surprise! Compared to all the other annoying girls, Xanthia was by far the most likable—always bringing her joy and positive emotions.

As Noemi watched Xanthia, she noticed something about her attire. Xanthia was wearing simple black sports pants and outdated, plain-looking sneakers that screamed "cheap."

Sigh, Xanthia's familia situation really isn't great... The sight of Xanthia's modest clothing tugged at Noemi's heartstrings. She even considered whether she should use her "redistribute wealth" strategy to help Xanthia out financially in the future.

Noemi had a code when it came to her actions. She adhered to a principle of balance and believed in aiding those less fortunate. Someone like Xanthia, whom she saw as a "poor soul," was on her "white list"—those she wouldn't steal from and might even help. Of course, those who received her anonymous gifts would never know who sent them.

Xanthia, hearing Oliver's accusation, remained unflustered. She calmly explained, "I'm not looking down on you. My left hand is actually my dominant hand."

"Nonsense! Xanthia, I may not excel in academics, but I'm not stupid. You just defeated Principal Herculano with your right hand. My skills may not be on par with his, but if you don't give it your all, I'll crush you!" Oliver threatened, her voice booming with conviction.

Her loud declaration didn't go unnoticed by the others watching. Oliver, who often played at this gym and was known for her powerful game, was somewhat of a local ping pong star—similar to those "Campus NBA" basketball enthusiasts who dominated the court. In this context, she was one of the gym's "table tennis champions."

Her body stature and skin tone was akin to that of an Olympiad!

Seeing Xanthia switch to her left hand, the spectators naturally assumed she was getting too cocky after her victory over Principal Herculano. They believed she had let her success go to her head, and her arrogance was now out of control.

In Roman Empire, a thousand-year old country, players who were too flashy or arrogant were generally disliked. The crowd's sympathy quickly shifted away from Xanthia.

"Oh, really? You want me to go all out?" Xanthia smiled faintly.

"Of course! Now switch back to your right hand!" Oliver urged.

"But my full strength lies in this left hand. Let's let the results speak for themselves."

"Heh..." Oliver chuckled in disbelief. "If you insist on being humiliated, I'll gladly oblige!"

The match between the two was about to begin!

However, the battle was over much faster than Xanthia's earlier match against Principal Herculano, where she had employed her "torture strategy."

Switching to her "left-handed berserk mode" or "Demon King mode," Xanthia abandoned her defensive chopping style. Now, she was all about relentless offense!

Oliver became the first casualty of Xanthia's test run with her new Left-Handed skill.

During the match, Xanthia could clearly feel the difference—her shot speed, power, and overall performance had all increased with her left hand.

Without relying on a defensive chopping style, she found the game much more thrilling and enjoyable.

Initially, Oliver thought she had Xanthia, who was "underestimating" her, all figured out. After all, anyone who played table tennis knew that the difference between using your dominant hand and your non-dominant hand was significant. Playing with your weaker hand felt awkward and powerless.

But as soon as Oliver served, Xanthia effortlessly returned the ball—either with a fierce loop that ended the rally or a delicate touch that set up another lethal shot. Any time Oliver's returns lacked quality, Xanthia would seize the opportunity to smash the ball and score.

When it was Xanthia's turn to serve, Oliver barely stood a chance. The rallies rarely went beyond three shots before Xanthia finished them off. Even in the few instances when Oliver thought she might use her strength to force an error, Xanthia's counterattacks were so fast that she couldn't react in time.

The spectators witnessed a brutal scene—thwack, thwack, thwack—Oliver was constantly chasing after the ball, never able to return Xanthia's shots.

Xanthia didn't say anything during the match, but her performance seemed to send a clear message:

You lack power in your forehand, your backhand is weak, your footwork is sloppy, and your reactions are slow. You have no business being on the same court as me. Keep dreaming!

Noemi was thoroughly entertained. Xanthia's gameplay was phenomenal—hit her harder, Xanthia! But she was also a bit shocked. She hadn't expected Xanthia's left hand to be her stronger side. This girl was full of surprises!

Oliver, who had started the match with high energy, loved to shout after winning a point to boost her own morale. But now, she was completely silenced by Xanthia's relentless attack. Her confidence shattered, she was on the verge of tears.

How could the difference be this huge?!

Where was the chopping style she had expected? Why was Xanthia's left hand so overwhelmingly powerful?

[ System Notification: Pain points from Oliver +++ ]

Currently, the world's strongest left-handed female table tennis player was Hayata Hina from Japan. However, her left hand was known for its solid play and strong rallying ability, not for relentless offense. Her nickname, "Plaster," came from her sticky, unshakable playstyle.

In contrast, the top five female players in Roman Empire's national team-didn't include a single left-handed player. The players coming up,  were not strong enough in singles and were often relegated to doubles or mixed doubles.

Among the spectators was a sports teacher named Franklin El Macin. Earlier, he had noticed Xanthia's remarkable chopping technique against Principal Herculano and thought she had great potential and talent.

Now, seeing Xanthia switch to her left hand and play an aggressive, all-out offensive game, his interest was piqued even more.

This is a true talent, a rare gem!

As an experienced sports teacher, Franklin happened to be childhood friends with a coach on Thessaloniki Province's table tennis team. He decided to recommend Xanthia.

Finally, the activity period ended. After mercilessly thrashing Oliver with her left hand, Xanthia faced a few more headstrong challengers, all of whom became mere tools for her to generate more pain points...

Franklin, recognizing Xanthia's exceptional talent, refrained from challenging her himself. Instead, he approached her after the activity period ended, speaking kindly, "Xanthia, have you ever considered becoming a professional table tennis player?"

"No, I'm just playing for fun," Xanthia replied with a smile.

She was well aware of nation's overwhelming strength in women's table tennis. Adding one more Xanthia to the roster wouldn't make a difference. In her mind, the sport that truly needed a "savior" was women's figure skating!

"Really? With your talent, it would be a shame not to try going pro! How about we exchange contact information?" Franklin suggested earnestly.

"Sure."

Xanthia agreed. While she had no interest in pursuing a professional table tennis career, the opportunity to meet more professional players and spar with them could help her level up her skills even faster.