The Meaning of Villain (2)

Layla had set up a telescope on the rooftop of the tower. Elise was checking her watch beside her.

Elly. It looks like its about to start.

The empty air viewed through the telescope was fluttering with colorful currents. Its a precursor to a mana wave.

Yeah. Im watching too.

Observing mana waves is quite an important event for mages. Its the collision that occurs when the mana from outer space, carried by solar winds, intertwines with the continents mana.

It only happens at specific points on specific days.

Lets measure the mana levels first.

Elise turned on the mana counter.

Zzzzzzt!

The artifact sounded off loudly, almost like it was at a dungeon level.

Its more than expected.

A bit flustered, but its something that could happen.

Elly. Its starting!

At Laylas words, Elise also peered into her telescope.

The silent movement of the mana currents. The mana that flowed in from an unknown extraterrestrial source was colliding with the continental mana in the atmosphere, creating a special wave.

Its a mana wave.

Wow, its beautiful.

Isnt it?

Layla exclaimed in pure admiration, but Elises brow furrowed suddenly. A strange unease had arisen.

The movement of the mana wave. The intermingling and undulating form seemed unusual.

It was as if it writhed like a living creature, gradually descending towards the ground

Wait.

Elise took her eyes off the telescope. She looked up at the sky with the naked eye.

Pop- Pop-!

Sparks embroidered the sky like firecrackers, over which a spider web-like mana wave was coalescing.

Elly. What?

Layla asked nonchalantly.

!

The sky flashed intensely. A strange purple light undulated like a liquid.

Pieces of that light, like tiny droplets, settled into Elises eyes.

Ah!

She closed her left eye due to the sting.

Elly, what?

Layla turned to look at her. Elise rubbed her eye and shook her head.

No, its nothing Lets write the report.

Unfortunately, there was no time for that.

Aaaaaah!

It was because of the screams echoing from inside the tower.

* * *

15 minutes earlier.

I was patrolling the outside of the tower. Nothing particularly special or suspicious was happening. The sunshine was clear, and the breeze was warm.

Hmm?

While leisurely patrolling the tower, I ran into Kain.

He was the first to speak to me.

Hey.

What.

Kain scanned me from head to toe.

Have you grown a bit?

So have you.

Ive grown a lot, but Kain has grown a little more too.

This boar-like guy is probably about 2 to 3 centimeters taller than me now. Hes over 2 meters tall.

Its strange. That little rat of a guy

Kain glanced at me, but didnt say much. He didnt seem to be picking a fight.

I asked him.

Hey. Hows your familys business doing?

Huh. The rats offspring is worried about our family. What a world we live in~

Talking a lot for someone whos lived 20 years. Then again, your face looks 50.

Do you want to die?

Anyway, Kain is a mana stone tycoon.

However, the future doesnt treat him too kindly. Although he can live off the mines he owns for a lifetime, the processing and distribution lines of mana stones are monopolized by Libra.

He is destined to be subjugated to Libra for life.

Hey. Arent you interested in the Final Club? Youve been skipping all the school events.

Yeah. Not interested.

Well. Not just anyone can join anyway.

It was while we were idly chatting.

Crackle!

A spark sound occurred. Kain and I looked up at the sky. Magical forces were intertwining in the air.

Ah. It must be the mana wave.

Kain muttered nonchalantly, but I felt something more. Suddenly, the inside of the towers windows turned pitch black.

A barrier had been formed.

What the

I turned to enter the tower.

You cant go in!

Someone blocked me.

What is this?

There stood a mage in robes

A Magic Tower mage. This tower has been infected with a formula.

He said this as he took off his robe. Kain recognized him first.

mage Benvele, right?

Yes.

A famous mage. Known to Kain, and to me.

I came to observe the mana wave and stumbled upon this Anyway. You absolutely must not enter. You cant get in because of the barrier, but that also means dont even touch it.

What in the world is happening

Kain stared blankly at the tower. I examined it closely too.

Something like tree roots had attached themselves to the previously intact tower entrance. Kain muttered in disgust.

Hey. Isnt that thing alive?

Thump-thump The pulsing of those things, as if they were living creatures, was quite grotesque. I turned to look at Benvele.

So. What do we do now?

Just wait. I will study this formula and create an anti-viral formula.

We might all be dead by then.

Hey. Do you think Elise and Layla will die? Theyre venomous.

Kain said that, but his face betrayed his anxiety. Benvele shook his head.

Then theres no helping it. Wait outside for now. Its better than going in there to die together.

Bang bang bang bang bang!

The sound of someone pounding on the entrance door echoed.

Please open the door! Inside, theres a strange monster! People are turning into monsters, ahhhh!

I have seen a similar disaster before. In my timeline, its a thing of the far future.

Void.

That damned biochemical formula terror caused by that bastard.

I quietly hid myself in the back alley.

I had to get inside.

Because I knew how to neutralize his terror.

* * *

Elise came down from the rooftop. Many people and security guards were gathered in the large hall.

Everyone, please calm down!

A child crying, parents holding their child, security trying to soothe them.

Active knights looking around with weapons at their waists. And a few college students and mages who had come to observe the magical waves like herself.

Elise looked out the window.

It was pitch black.

The bizarre magical wave had just blocked off the inside and outside.

Kuh.

Suddenly, she felt a pain in her eye socket. She clutched at it.

Youre Elise, right?

Suddenly, a knight approached her. He looked a bit timid.

Elise squinted with one eye and looked at him.

Yes, thats right.

Phew. Im called Rhine. Im an active senior knight. But its a relief that there are quite a few mages here. Since this tower is well-equipped, we can research the formula inside

I will make an announcement.

Suddenly, a strange voice echoed inside the tower.

I am Void.

Void?!

Layla suddenly ground her teeth. Elise, enduring the pain near her eye, asked back.

What. Do you know who that is?

That crazy villain! The bastard who murdered his whole family!

Yes. I am Void.

Gasp! He must be listening! You son of a bitch!!!

Layla glared somewhere at the ceiling and shook her fist.

I, Void, have invented a biochemical formula based on foreign mana, and today, I have achieved it.

Biochemical formula.

Elise closed her eyes and then opened them again. She couldnt seem to focus properly.

Among you, there are countless humans infected with my miraculous formula. This is an achievement that those Magic Tower fools could never accomplish.

Then, the knight who had just introduced himself as Rhine looked at Elise with a strange expression.

Humans exposed to this magical wave will be reborn as beings from another world. These beings will infect other humans to proliferate their kind.

Rhines pupils were bleakly colored. He quietly placed his hand on the hilt of his sword at his waist.

The choice is yours. Die as humans, or live on as monsters

Screw you, you murderer! Where the hell are you right now!

Layla cursed with furrowed brows, but

Crackle

The speaker had already been cut off.

This crazy bastard! Ill catch you!!

Layla, thats not the problem right now.

Rhine, who had stopped her, gestured with his eyes towards Elise.

Whats the problem then Elly, Elly, whats wrong with you?!

Elises condition was serious. Her eyelids had turned dark red, and the veins from her face to her neck were visibly inflamed.

I dont know either.

Swoosh!

Rhine drew his sword. Just as he was about to strike Elises neck, Layla quickly blocked him.

Clang!

Laylas bracelet clashed with the knights sword.

Have you lost your mind?!

He said it would turn us into beings from another world.

We cant just believe that!

Groan!

Almost simultaneously, a human transformed into a grotesque creature. It was as if the humans skin and muscles had been stripped away, turning into something like a zombie.

Its real.

Layla was flustered, and Rhine quickly raised his sword.

We must kill it now!

Kill what!

This person is already infected! If someone with a lot of magical power turns like that, itll be the worst!

Elise watched the fierce struggle between them. It was a fight to the death.

Elise couldnt see well.

Aaaaaah!

Her thoughts were intermittently cut off.

Consciousness flickered in and out.

Elise numbly let go of her body.

Elly! Elly!

She could hear Layla calling, but she couldnt focus her vision. Her head felt like it was about to split open. It was as if larvae were crawling inside her eyelids

Elise eventually closed her eyes again.

When Elise opened her eyes, she was lying on a bed in a furniture store in the towers shopping mall.

Elly! Youre awake! Are you okay?!

Layla was shouting something at her. Her voice didnt come through clearly, as if her ears were blocked, but her face was urgent.

Elly! How do you feel! Are you okay?!

I dont know.

Memories are not coming back, thoughts are disconnected, and its all very strange.

Above all, Im tired.

So very tired.

I think I need to sleep a bit more.

Elly! Elly!

The voice seeped in like a faint echo.

Elise closed her eyes again.

Elise opened her eyes. The place was the same, but there were a few more people. They were sitting at a table with serious faces, seemingly discussing something.

Elise strained her ears to listen.

Rhine. That knight has gone mad. He keeps killing people.

It was Laylas voice. Across from her, a man dressed in security attire glanced at Elise.

Isnt it right to kill the infected

We can wait until theyve turned into monsters before killing them.

At that moment, Elise belatedly realized something.

Ive been infected.

By what?

For starters, my head hurts. It feels like a huge larva is burrowing through my skull, eyes, nose, mouth, in between.

Is this thing infecting me?

Is it trying to break through my skull and consume me?

Elly. I will definitely save you.

Layla stood up. Elise wanted to tell her not to go, but her mouth wouldnt open.

Thud, thud, thud.

Just then, a long walkie-talkie rolled under her bed. She glanced at it.

Crackle Crackle

It was making noise.

Crackle Crackle

It was a noisy sound.

Elise just closed her eyes.

Sleep is coming.

So sleepy.

Strangely, the pain is a bit fainter.

It seems like a bad sign

Hey. Can you hear me?

?

A voice pierced her ears. It was as if her skull was being tapped with a baseball bat, her head vibrated, and her eyes opened wide.

Can you hear me?

Elise quickly turned to look at the walkie-talkie. She listened to the voice coming from it.

Cant you hear?

She forced her hand to reach out. She grabbed the antenna of the walkie-talkie, trembling as she lifted it.

You. Kweh-ek.

As she tried to speak, a mouthful of blood spurted out.

Oh. You can hear.

Elise, with a dazed, vacant face, held the walkie-talkie to her ear.

You Shion?

Looks like you can hear me. Yeah. Its Shion.

A signal from Shion in the future to you.

What?

Haha.

He chuckled.

Just kidding. Just checking if youre conscious.

Elise swallowed. Her saliva tasted of blood.

You where.

Im outside. Cant get in right now because of the barrier. If we enter, well all get infected too.

Then, suddenly, she became curious.

Where did this walkie-talkie come from? How is it possible to communicate with it?

Anyway. Listen carefully. Use your magnetism.

Magnetism, what are you talking about

Its hard enough to move my fingertips.

Use an Artifact or something. Isnt there something like a magnet nearby?

Elise looked around vacantly.

There was a magnet.

Borrow from an external force. I think, right now, that infection isnt due to magic. It feels like theres some kind of worm crawling in your head, right?

Yes. Right now, a worm is crawling inside my head.

But how do you know so well?

No words come out.

Elise just held onto the magnet.

Did you grab the magnet?

Yeah.

But it wasnt an ordinary magnet. It had a mana core attached to the end.

What is this?

Put that on your head. Then, activate your magic power. Use magnetism to bind it in one place, thats what Im saying.

His voice was full of conviction. As if he had come from the future, as if he had experienced this once before.

Wait, the future?

Are you really Shion?

Of course, its me. Elise. So hurry up and stick the magnet to your head.

Okay.

Click-

Elise placed the magnet against her temple. Then she exerted her magic power.

Whiiiiing Thump!

Something felt like it stuck to her skull, a dull sensation.

Did it work?

Guhhhhh!

Immense pain washed over her. Elise gasped for air and writhed.

Ahh, ahhh

Endure it! Keep the magic going. The pain means youre still alive.

.

Dont close your eyes!

Her eyelids, which were about to shut, snapped open.

Elise took a deep breath.

Keep going.

I got it.

Keep at it.

I said I got it

While feeling a crushing pain in her head and enduring it, Elise thought.

Keep talking to me.

Just by his voice alone, she could tell who this person was.

Keep going

Just by his voice alone, it felt as if he was right there beside her.

Its tough to keep going. Try to bear it alone for a bit.

.

Honestly, it was a bit annoying, but anyway.

Just his voice was enough to calm her heart. Her body relaxed, and she even managed a faint smile.

With such a headache, his face came to mind.

More clearly than anyone else.

More certain than anything else

If it gets too hard, radio me. Ill keep responding.

Thats when Elise realized.

She had to admit it to herself.

Yeah. I understand.

Shes come to like this guy way too much.

* * *

Ugh. Guhhhh. Guhhhhhh.

On the bed, Elise was letting out painful groans, yet she did not let the magnet fall.

Its a special magnet that I enhanced with Perion and attached a mana core to. That should buy us enough time.

Guhhhhhh

Not too far away, I was watching through the SZX-9500.

Hang in there. Even if it hurts. Youre good at enduring, arent you?

I got it. So be quiet for a bit. Its annoying when you tell someone whos already enduring to endure.

You were the one who asked me to keep talking earlier. Dont be a baby.

Its not being a baby Guhhhhhh.

I chuckled and slipped the radio back into my pocket.

Like this, I am also somehow inside the same tower as him. I entered by making a small incision in the corridors barrier with the Severing Sword.

However, what I must do now must not be traced back to Shion Ascal.

It might be a bit gruesome, and it might be excessively righteous.

The identity for that purpose is already prepared.

I looked at the full-length mirror in the furniture store.

The face reflected within is no longer Shion Ascal.

A villain wearing a hockey mask Raquel Dra.

Void

Whether in the past or now, a mad lunatic with a penchant for insane acts of terror.

A cancerous growth without any value or reason to exist on this continent.

He is under some grand delusion.

A villain is not a villain simply because they do villainous things. Nor are they a villain because they massacre civilians.

A villain is a villain because they are powerful.

Ill put you down 10 years early.

Because if youre not strong, youll be devoured before you can even assert your existence