CHAPTER 32: A VILLAIN'S BAPTISM
I leave my broken blade embedded in his torso, his blood pooling on the wooden floor, seeping into the cracks of the floorboards like dark tendrils seeking refuge in the crevices. The coppery scent of death thickens the air, mingling with the acrid stench of burning oil from the overturned lamp nearby. My fingers curl around the dagger he once wielded against me; its edge, chipped and dulled from our relentless exchange, reflects the dim glow of the dying fire. Despite its wear, the weapon feels more balanced, more refined than the crude sword I had relied on before. Yet, the small blade sits awkwardly in my grasp, unfamiliar and alien, a reminder of how much I still had to adapt.
Stepping over the lifeless body, I push open the door and step into the cool night air. The village lay in eerie silence, save for the faint crackling of distant embers. My gaze falls upon a small group of villagers gathered at the edge of the square, their faces etched with despair and hollow grief. They were the last remnants of this place, survivors who had gambled on hope and lost. Among them, I spot the withered faces of the man and woman who once sheltered me, their hollow eyes reflecting nothing but regret and disbelief. Their gamble had turned darker than they could have ever imagined.
My dagger's chipped edge glimmers in the moonlight, and I can't help but feel a fleeting sliver of pity. They would have survived this night if only they had stayed in their fucking house.
But destiny had chosen me as the villain after all.
Mercy is nothing but a weakness; strength is the only rule. A rule to which all must abide.
They stand frozen, like stalks in the fields they once harvested, waiting for the scythe. Without hesitation, I drag the lifeless heap of flesh back into the house, stacking bodies upon bodies. The reek of death clings to my clothes as I strike the torch against the rough stone wall, igniting it. The makeshift torch in my hand crackles with promise as I cast it into the pile. Flames hungrily devour the wooden walls, spreading like a beast unleashed, their orange glow dancing against the dark sky. It would be a shame for these fertile lands to become barren, but some sacrifices are necessary.
As I stride away, leaving the village behind, I cast the torch into the fields, watching the golden crops ignite into a roaring sea of flames. The inferno swells, consuming everything in its path, turning the once-thriving fields into a charred wasteland.
Then, the blue screen flickers into existence before me, its glow stark against the fiery backdrop.
[Condition Fulfilled!]
[Evolving Title: Villain to True Villain]
[Receiving Rewards...]
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
[+30 to all stats]
[Granting Skill: True Villain][Grade: Zenith][Type: Passive][Details: Player has proven to be a true villain through acts of deceit, manipulation, and massacre. Increases player apathy. Enhances emotions tied to the seven deadly sins. Unlocks True Villain Quests and the True Villain Shop.]
A surge of power courses through my veins once more. A dark smile curls at my lips. I would truly become the greatest.
[Loading True Villain Quests...]
[Quests Loaded!]
[Collect the Fragments of the Seven Deadly Sins][Difficulty: SSS to Legendary-Grade][Details: Just kill 'em.][Reward: ???][Begins after Adjustment Period.]
[Slay the Seven Heavenly Virtues][Difficulty: SSS to Legendary-Grade][Details: Pretty straightforward, isn’t it?][Reward: ???][Begins after Adjustment Period.]
[Destroy the City of Aeladria][Difficulty: C to B-Grade][Details: Break it before the end of the Adjustment Period.][Reward: 1000 Points][Progression: 0/1]
A new path to power unfurls before me. The descriptions are... oddly simplistic, yet their rewards are all that matter.
[Loading True Villain Shop...]
[Shop Loaded!]
[Current Points: 100]
[Details: Items will be added depending on achievements.]
[Skills: Shadow Steps (C-Grade), Dark Sword Aura (C-Grade), Shadow Servant (C-Grade), and Villain’s Laughter (C-Grade)]
[Items: Darkness in a Bottle, Healing Orb, and Skill Orb.]
[Weapons: Cursed King's Sword (C-Grade) and Holy Sword's Defiled Shard (F-Grade)]
Among the selection, my eyes fall upon a few intriguing options.
[Shadow Servant][Grade: C-Grade][Type: Active][Details: Summon a shadow with 10% of the player's stats. Follows all commands unconditionally. When destroyed, it can be resummoned after 24 hours.][Cost: 100 Points]
[Villain's Laughter][Grade: C-Grade][Type: Passive][Details: Randomly activates, causing the player to break into villainous laughter, decreasing all enemy stats by 5% (can stack up to 25%).][Cost: 100 Points]
[Skill Orb][Type: Item][Details: Increases one skill's level by one grade, destroys upon use.][Available: 1][Cost: 100 Points]
I weigh my options. Villain's Laughter seems promising for future battles, but Shadow Servant... yes, it would serve well as a distraction or an extra set of hands in dire moments.
[Retracting Points...]
[Granting Skill: Shadow Servant]
A dark ripple courses through me, and I feel my power grow yet again. These quests provide a solid path forward, a purpose that feeds the growing exhilaration within me. Though perhaps, with every step, I become less human.
Not that it matters.