A Villain's Will to Survive novel Chapter 201

Chapter 201: Edge of Winter (4)

With the density of demonic energy in the air significantly thinned and the southern advance losing momentum, it was uncertain whether this was merely a temporary lull or the successful end of the battle. Either way, those who had fought on the battlefield had now surrendered themselves to a well-deserved rest.

“Phew!”

Thud—!

"That makes thirty thousand!" Ria declared, clapping the dust from her hands as the Saberoth—a bipedal demonic beast with fangs jutting past its lips—collapsed like a felled tree.

That makes it exactly thirty thousand, Ria thought.

Just as Ria nodded in satisfaction...

"Ria! I think I’ve gotten way stronger than before!" Leo shouted excitedly beside her.

Then again, they had never faced such intense combat with such an overwhelming number of enemies before. One day, this experience would shape them into something far greater.

"Leo, you should handle the cleanup here and make sure to help the injured knights too!"

“Where are you going, Ria?”

Ria stood in silence, looking toward the distant forest.

The Forest of the Land of Destruction was thick with demonic energy; however, the more she traveled the world and braved danger, the stronger her Adventurer attribute became—making it the perfect ground for gaining experience.

"Wait here! I’m gonna check out that forest real quick! I’ve got a feeling about it!" Ria said.

Driven by a sudden instinct and her instinctive senses, Ria sprinted toward the forest where the mana disturbance had just taken place.

Swish— Swish, snap— _{freewebnoveℓ.com}

Ria sprang forward, darting through the forest with the agility of a squirrel, her feet barely touching the branches. But then, a sudden question surfaced in her mind.

“... Umm, what?”

Ria had already cloaked herself in a Defensive Mana Barrier, yet not a single demonic beast stirred—not even the ant-like creatures that usually skittered across the forest floor.

"Is it really over?" Ria mumbled, kicking a small stone along the ground with a hint of disappointment.

Tap— Tap— Rattle—

Just as Ria took a few steps forward, following the rolling stone...

“Huh?”

A stream of dark crimson liquid trickled down the slope, winding its way like a small brook until it reached her feet.

"It's demonic beast blood," Ria murmured, her eyes widening.

Ria immediately sprinted after the trail, and before she had climbed far, a faint silhouette came into view.

“Who is that...”

Ria blinked, stepping closer as she climbed the slope, reaching the gentle peak of the mountain.

For a moment, she was speechless as she saw the stench of blood cling to the heart of the Forest of the Land of Destruction, with the ground littered with the mangled corpses of demonic beasts. Yet, beyond the slaughter, a man stood alone in the ruin, and Ria’s eyes widened.

“Deculein...”

In the middle of the blood-drenched carnage and scattered corpses, Deculein stood undisturbed, his robe and the suit beneath untouched, as if by time itself, not a single speck of dust upon them. With his eyes closed, he remained the very picture of composure.

However, the violet veins pulsing beneath his pale skin told a different story—his body was deep in the throes of Overload. Like an overstrained container, the excess demonic energy consumed him, resembling a grotesque and bloated flying entity through the skies from a distant galactic war.

"Professor? Professor," Ria called as she stepped closer, tugging at the hem of his robe and tilted her neck to look up at him—he was well over six foot three, making her neck ache. "Professor, are you okay? Professor?"

After a few more shakes, Deculein finally opened his eyes. The moment Ria met those blue depths, a sudden weight pressed down on her chest, robbing her of breath.

"... Are you okay?" Ria asked, swallowing hard as she looked up at him.

Deculein said nothing, his eyes deep and unreadable as they rested upon her, yet somehow, Ria felt the weight of unspoken words within those eyes.

"... You," Deculein said at last, finally acknowledging her.

"Yes?" Ria replied with an easy smile.

For a moment, the slightest shiver rippled through his pupils—barely perceptible, yet clear, like the first drop of rain disturbing the stillness of a frozen lake.

"... I cannot bring myself to like you."

The way Deculein murmured his words was cold, yet for some reason, it carried a quiet loneliness. Like a giant tree with deep roots standing unshaken against the harshest winds, its isolation only felt more sorrowful.

"Why? I didn’t do anything wrong."

At that moment, Deculein reached out his hand, and Ria flinched, squeezing her eyes shut so tightly that her lashes trembled. But nothing happened, and cautiously, she cracked her eyes open, only to find his hand still reaching toward her.

"You remind me of someone I once knew," Deculein said, his breath barely a sigh as he lowered his hand.

Those words of Deculein struck Ria like a sudden spark in her heart.

"... Who?" Ria asked, though she had a feeling she already knew the answer.

Deculein’s head tilted slightly, his eyes looking past her as if searching for the shadow of someone long gone.

"Someone who remains in my heart,” Deculein muttered.

Ria lowered her head, a strange sense of guilt pricking at her heart like a whisper of thorns, as the words, heavy with emotions that refused to fade and memories that would not be forgotten, settled within her.

Is it because of the settings I added long ago without much thought that they now weigh so heavily on Deculein? Ria thought.

“No, perhaps...”

Then, Deculein’s voice stirred her thoughts once more, pulling Ria’s eyes upward, where his eyes met hers.

“I am the one who has been left behind.”

Deculein let out a low, bitter chuckle—whether it was a smile or quiet resignation, Ria couldn’t tell. For a moment, her mind went blank.

“Unable to let go, I have held onto bitterness.”

Deculein's eyes mellowed as he looked toward her, a faint smile ghosting at the corner of his lips. Ria felt a tremor in her heart as a distant memory surfaced—of a man she had left behind in another world, in another time. Emotion welled up within her as well; she missed him—the one she had always loved.

“... Come to hate someone who never deserved my hatred," Deculein concluded.

But Ria quickly gathered herself since Deculein was not Kim Woo-Jin, just as the person in his memories was not Yoo Ah-Ra.

"... I don’t understand what you mean," Ria replied.

At those words, Deculein let out a quiet breath.

Ria grabbed his arm and added, “Let’s go, Professor. You’re not in a good condition to stay here—”

“... Go,” Deculein said, pushing her back.

“Huh?”

"There is still—”

"There is still one remaining."

The response did not belong to Deculein. When Ria turned toward it, she found Knight Yulie standing there.

"... My apologies. I did not mean to overhear," Yulie said, lowering her head as she drew her sword, its tip pointing toward what lay ahead.

Ria followed the tip of Yulie’s sword and turned—only to find a grotesque creature lurking in the distance, one she had no idea had appeared. Its form was monstrous—little more than a mass of writhing flesh, its bloated belly swelling further with every passing moment.

“... Scavenger,” Ria murmured.

Ria recognized the creature instantly. The Scavenger was a demon that fed on the corpses of demonic beasts. Though it was the lowest of its kind, crawling beneath the earth like a worm, its power was anything but insignificant. Designed as a deadly trap within the game, it could bring instant death to any player who let their guard down.

Beginning no larger than a worm, the Scavenger needed only ten seconds to absorb corpses and trigger its detonation, an explosion that, to a player, would seem to appear out of nowhere.

Pat, pat, pat, pat—

“Eek!”

Shlick—! Shluuuuuurp—!

"Oh! Professor, you're awake! Alright, let's see... your eyes seem to be responding fine—"

"Ouch! What was that for?!" Epherene yelped, flailing as she tumbled backward.

Without a word, I straightened my clothes, using Cleanse to smooth out the wrinkles and brushing away the dust.

“... Umm.”

Click—