A Villain's Will to Survive novel Chapter 177

Chapter 177: Hunting (1)

I secured the Tiger Bind Rifle, enhanced with the Midas Touch, against my back, slid a revolver into its holster, and loaded each chamber and cylinder with the carefully crafted bullets.

Click—!

I carried two rifle rounds and three revolver bullets inscribed with mana, along with a single mana grenade crafted using the latest techniques—highly concentrated and highly compressed. In the chaos of battle, there would be no time for reloading; therefore, that was all I needed.

I glanced at the clock; dawn had still to break, the hour still shy of four. Outside, a howling blizzard raged, the windowpane cloaked in darkness. A frown crept across my brow, drawn by an unnatural shadow from the curtain, and with a flick of Telekinesis, I swept the fabric aside.

Swish—!

I stood still and gazed beyond the window frame.

“Ha,” I muttered, a faint laugh slipping out of me as it was almost ridiculous to find out what was there.

“Snore... Snore.”

There, leaning against the window and buried almost entirely in snow, was a child, sound asleep. I moved slowly toward her.

The child's small face, resembling a snowman, caught my eye—hair frozen with frost, her eyes, nose, and lips sealed by the cold. I looked into her features, an unknown from some distant part of the Archipelago, her name slipping away into the past.

"... They do look similar," I murmured.

I could tell that the child’s creation was likely one of her Easter eggs that she had probably left behind. Adding an NPC in one’s own image—whether as an original character or simply for self-satisfaction—was a common practice in this field. Of course, if taken too far, it could quickly invite criticism.

Just then, the child stirred, and frozen eyelids slowly opened. My reflection flickered in her half-lidded eyes, and she pressed her lips tightly together, her chin trembling with the effort to hold back the cold under my stare.

“... My gun,” she whimpered, her voice filled with a tearful complaint.

I pulled the curtains shut.

Tap, tap, tap— Tap, tap, tap—

From outside, I heard the child pounding on the window once more.

Tap, tap, tap— Tap, tap, tap—

“Give me my gun back~! You’re so mean~!”

***

“... Woah.”

Outside the wall of Rekordak, in the Forest of Demonic Forest, Ria held a small piece of paper against the glow of mana. Undeniable marks of authenticity glimmered across its surface, and even the endless string of numbers didn’t appear to be fabricated or forged.

How many chocolates and macarons can I get with this? Ria thought.

With her heart soaring, Ria spun around in circles, her joy almost spilling over as if she were dancing at a festival.

Yukline Family Check

10,000,000∃

“Hehehe...”

Though the Tiger Bind Rifle had been stolen—no, forced to be sold—it was far from a loss. If anything, it was a relief that it had ended up with Deculein.

No matter how much of a treasure it was, its value always dropped when there was no demand, and for such a niche item as the Tiger Bind Rifle to result in such a high price was an outcome that should never have been possible.

“Hehehe...”

Ria sealed the check with mana and tucked it into her pocket before sprinting after Deculein, who was already far ahead, his long strides carrying the Tiger Bind Rifle slung across his back. Also, this Daeho hunt reward was essential—one Ria couldn’t afford to miss as a player. Clearing it was a necessity, not an option. For this reason, she had purposely sought out Deculein.

Ria trailed behind Deculein, stealing glances at him.

Deculein had an appearance that made it seem impossible to ever please him—cold as winter frost, sharp as a blade, the kind of man whose single word could cut as deeply as any weapon. Though he bore a striking resemblance to Kim Woo-Jin for Ria, he was a completely different person—no, a named character.

Or perhaps, deep down, she simply wanted an excuse to get a closer look at his face.

“Shh.”

In that instant, Deculein held out his arm, and Ria, startled, stopped in her tracks.

Grrrrrrrrrr—!

A deep roar from Daeho rumbled through the air, and in an instant, Wood Steel leapt into motion and surged toward the sound.

“I’m sorry, but is it okay not to tell anyone at the headquarters...?” Ria asked hesitantly.

Deculein had sent his blade to track Daeho alone, informing no one and calling for no support. Ria couldn’t shake her concern; although he had definitely grown stronger compared to the game’s original scenario, he wasn’t the kind of man to throw himself recklessly into a tiger’s den.

Suddenly, Deculein turned to look at Ria, his piercing eyes sharp enough to cut her down like a blade.

"... Okay," Ria muttered, quickly nodding and keeping her lips sealed.

Deculein finally opened his mouth and said, "The sniping range exceeds ten kilometers."

“... Eh?”

“Certain aspects of Telekinesis are specialized for shooting; they stabilize trajectories and amplify force.”

At the moment of firing, Telekinesis would be applied to the bullet, creating a synergy between the explosion of the powder and the force of the telekinesis. This combined power would propel the bullet well beyond the speed of sound, ensuring it struck the tiger before it could dodge.

"Once its position is locked, an unavoidable preemptive shot will follow," Deculein concluded.

Ria nodded in agreement, thinking that if it had been possible to kill Daeho with a single shot, it would have been a reasonable approach.

“... Can Daeho really be killed by a single bullet?” Ria asked.

“Five shots will be fired in succession.”

"I see..." Ria muttered, now understanding his intention.

"Furthermore, it is inconceivable that Daeho could exceed me in intelligence," Deculein stated.

“... Eh? Intelligence?”

Thud, thud—

Deculein climbed the mountain in silence, dressed in a clean suit and polished shoes that seemed mismatched with the surroundings, his eyes scanning for the ideal position for the perfect sniper's vantage.

Just then...

“Professor~”

A voice called out from the top of the towering demonic energy tree. Ria and Deculein looked up, and, as expected, Ganesha was there.

“It’s so good to see you again~ I wonder how long it’s been?” Ganesha said, looking at Deculein while fluttering her hair.

“Where is the half-human, half-demon?” Deculein inquired.

“I’ve hidden him away. Now isn’t the time to be distracted by Carlos, right?” Ganesha said, leaping down to the ground.

Ria quietly moved to her side and stood next to Ganesha.

“We will assist you with the Daeho hunt,” Ganesha offered.

“No need,” Deculein said.

“... Even if I went at it with all my strength, I couldn’t guarantee victory against him myself. I'm pretty sure you won’t be able to handle it alone, Professor~”

Deculein said nothing, his eyes locked on Ganesha as he stared directly into her eyes.

“If you provide cover, Professor, and I handle the combat, wouldn’t that be perfect~?” Ganesha asked.

Deculein remained silent.

Whoosh—

A cold tension hung between the two, so heavy that Ria swallowed hard, the weight of it pressing down on her.

Suddenly, Deculein turned toward Ria, and, meeting his eyes, she responded with a smile.

“Is this fool joining us as well?” Deculein asked.

“Fool? Fooool?!”

Ganesha gently patted Ria’s small head as she stood there, mouth open in shock, and said, “Of course. Ria is such an exceptionally gifted child~ It won’t be long before she’s stronger than me~”

***

... Meanwhile, as Yulie finished her morning exercise, she received the shocking news that Deculein's assistant professor, Allen, had been attacked by Daeho.

"Is that really true?!" Yulie demanded.

"Yes! It's true!" Reylie exclaimed urgently, her face a mix of shock and panic. “They said Assistant Professor Allen was dragged off by a tiger! They even found a blood-stained piece of his robe!”

Without wasting a moment, Yulie grabbed her sword, tied her hair back, and strapped on her leather armor. The moment she stepped out toward the wall, she spotted Sirio and Ihelm. The two were talking to the scouts, their expressions uneasy. Yulie’s eyes immediately fixed on the object in Ihelm's hand: a torn, blood-soaked robe.

Without wasting any time, as soon as Yulie heard the news, she tied her hair back, fastened her leather armor, and grabbed her sword.

The moment she stepped toward the wall, Yulie caught sight of Sirio and Ihelm. They were speaking with a scout, their faces shadowed with unease. But Yulie’s eyes were drawn to Ihelm’s hand, where he held a torn robe, dark with fresh blood and shredded.

“... These seem to be his belongings,” Ihelm said, running a hand through his hair.

“Ihelm, Sirio, what happened?” Yulie asked as she hurried toward them.

"Oh, you're here," Ihelm said, clicking his tongue and shaking his head. “It seems that Deculein’s assistant has been attacked by the tiger.”

"... Sorry? Oh—"

Creeeeak—

He was always the one with that bright smile, Ihelm thought.

"... Sigh."

“Tch.”

... Grumble.

Click—