Became the Patron of Villains Novel MTL - Chapter 221

Chapter 221

Thousand-Year Ice inhaled softly, his gaze fixed on the young man who was smiling innocently.

The youth’s bright blue eyes were so clear that just observing them felt like a refreshing breeze for the mind.

The young man, who was looking directly at him with those eyes, did not possess a noticeably powerful physique.

He wore a leather tunic, the standard attire for mercenaries.

Even the quality of his weapon appeared quite modest.

However, despite seeming to be barely an adult, the presence he radiated was intense enough to make even Thousand-Year Ice pause, engulfed by a sudden chill.

He pondered his next move.

Should he engage this youth who was blocking his path with a weapon in hand?

Or should he accept the advice and quietly retreat?

---

His internal debate was brief.

Thousand-Year Ice extended his hand.

Crack—!

Minute particles of ice collected beneath his palm, coalescing and starting to form a shape.

Initially, it was just a small sphere, but the ice rapidly transformed, expanding in size almost instantly.

The result was—

Boom!

A gigantic axe so immense it made Thousand-Year Ice‘s already formidable eight-foot frame look small.

The Divine Ice Axe (狂斤).

An axe so enormous it defied belief that it could be handled correctly.

Thousand-Year Ice casually swung it onto his shoulder and uttered a low growl.

“I don’t know who you are, but I would appreciate it if you got out of my way.”

However, Eliban responded with a troubled sound and a shrug.

“It seems you genuinely don’t want to believe me.”

“What are you implying?”

“I mean, I’m doing this for your benefit.”

The atmosphere was already thick with hostility, snow swirling furiously as Thousand-Year Ice channeled his full magical energy in preparation for combat.

Yet—

Eliban remained perfectly composed.

Even faced with Thousand-Year Ice‘s fierce murderous intent, he looked utterly undisturbed.

Thousand-Year Ice knitted his brows tightly.

Regardless of his disposition, he held immense pride in his strength.

It was a power granted by the god he revered.

He fully acknowledged the blue-eyed youth’s formidable strength.

But Eliban‘s tranquil demeanor made him feel as if his power was being too easily dismissed.

“Tsk—”

A warrior’s pride and competitive drive ignited fiercely within Thousand-Year Ice‘s heart.

Then, Eliban‘s voice sounded again.

“I am completely serious. I am stopping you not just for his sake, but for yours as well.”

“Why?”

“Because if you proceed there right now—”

The edges of Eliban‘s lips, which had held a smile until this point, suddenly became chillingly severe.

“You will perish.”

He spoke of Thousand-Year Ice‘s demise with the detachment one might use to mention common ground cover.

At that moment, Thousand-Year Ice could no longer restrain himself—

Rumble!

“—What?”

At the abrupt sound, Thousand-Year Ice turned his head on instinct.

There stood a cliff.

Moments before, it had been a perfect, snow-covered landscape of eternal white.

But now—it bore a massive indentation, as if clutched by an enormous hand.

A deep scar marred the previously untouched cliffside.

And it did not end there.

Rumble—!

The shockwave triggered a massive avalanche cascading down from the snowy peaks beyond.

Thousand-Year Ice stared blankly at the developing catastrophe.

“You. You have already died once just now.”

Unnoticed, Eliban had moved right in front of him, and Thousand-Year Ice gasped in surprise.

Startled, he instinctively recoiled and swung his Divine Ice Axe with all his might.

Boom—!

As the axe sliced through the air, the atmosphere froze along its trajectory, leaving a trail of devastation.

Everything in its path was ruthlessly obliterated.

Pure destruction.

Then—

Boom—!!!

A massive crater formed, punching through the swirling white snow.

But tragically—

Thousand-Year Ice‘s assault did not even brush Eliban.

“Well, well—”

Eliban was already positioned behind Thousand-Year Ice.

He sighed softly and murmured into his ear.

“You really don’t heed advice, do you?”

“—What?”

Thousand-Year Ice reflexively prepared to swing his Divine Ice Axe once more.

“Halt.”

Unlike before, the voice that settled upon the snowy ground was bone-chillingly ominous.

Thousand-Year Ice‘s movements ceased against his will.

No, he was brought to a standstill.

The only thing he retained control over were his eyes.

He rolled his gaze to observe Eliban.

The same innocuous smile, the same clear blue eyes.

Just as before.

And yet—Thousand-Year Ice perceived something fundamentally different from him.

Something he should never have sensed.

His heart pounded wildly as his eyes widened.

“By now, I believe I have provided sufficient explanation for you to comprehend, don’t you think, Thousand-Year Ice? I do not feel I have been vague.”

“If you intend to prevent my passage, wouldn’t eliminating me be the most direct approach?”

At these words, Eliban offered a frigid smile.

“Oh, trust me, I would love to. If the choice were mine, I would end you this very second.”

“…”

“But—he would object. That is the sole reason I am refraining. That is why you are still breathing. You should be grateful.”

Thousand-Year Ice opened his mouth to deliver a sharp reply—

But the opportunity was snatched away.

His neck was gripped by Eliban‘s hand.

“Gah—!”

Thousand-Year Ice‘s build was immense compared to Eliban.

He was easily a foot taller, and their overall body mass was incomparable.

Yet, he was utterly helpless.

He couldn’t muster resistance as he was held like a child’s toy.

And then, he saw it.

A dark glimmer within those blue eyes.

Thousand-Year Ice instantly recognized the feeling.

It was fury.

Dense, raw rage.

A wrath that had clawed its way out of the lowest depths of the abyss.

Thousand-Year Ice could not grasp the reason.

Why did this young man—

Why did he harbor the kind of wrath one could only acquire after having reached the absolute extremity of hell?

But there was no moment to contemplate.

Soon, that thick, suffocating fury was infused into Eliban‘s voice.

“Be ashamed of your ignorance, you fool.”

“Ghk—”

“You people, observing this devastation.”

Drip—

“Filling your stomachs with luxurious meals.”

Crack—!

“And engaging in these petty games, do you even realize who makes that entire existence possible?”

His words descended like teeth grinding together.

With each layered sentence, Thousand-Year Ice‘s ability to move gradually failed.

“Gah—”

In his final moment of consciousness—

As he stared into the profound, overwhelming fanaticism hidden beneath the heavy wrath—

“Huff! Huff! Huff!”

The instant he was freed from Eliban‘s grasp, he tumbled onto the ground, rolling.

He desperately forced air into his lungs.

Just to remain alive, to continue existing—

“Well, this is quite regrettable.”

As Thousand-Year Ice slowly recovered his senses, the young man came back into view.

He once again wore the same amicable smile as when they first encountered each other.

“In any case, proceeding toward the source of that flute sound would be genuinely perilous, so please make an effort not to go there. Understood? If you die, he would truly feel sorrow.”

Pat, pat—

As if he genuinely cared, his voice carried a warmth that resonated in Thousand-Year Ice‘s ears.

Then, after tapping Thousand-Year Ice‘s shoulder twice, Eliban—

“Farewell then, I am depending on you, Thousand-Year Ice.”

Flashed one last perfectly formed smile before turning away.

Amidst the swirling snow, the blue-eyed young man vanished as if he had never been present.

Staring at the empty space he had vacated—

‘…Who on earth is he…?’

Thousand-Year Ice murmured blankly.

---

Alon exited the dome-shaped structure and immediately resumed the path leading toward the horizon, mentally arranging the data he had collected.

‘Aberration and Reversal of Heaven. And—’

He recalled the writing on the parchment tucked inside his cloak.

‘Attain the Fifth Rank, is that it?’

Even for someone with his skill in deciphering ancient script, certain words seemed strangely positioned.

But that initial instruction—he recalled it perfectly.

The Fifth Rank.

The phrase itself wasn’t hard to grasp.

In fact, for Alon, who had lacked a clear benchmark for his techniques, it appeared to be a rational objective to pursue.

However, setting that aside—

The very appearance of the term Fifth Rank was what baffled him.

…

What Alon had been seeking until this moment were vestiges of True Mages.

And although the True Mages of the forgotten age of gods bore some connection to present-day mages, those ties were extremely tenuous.

Furthermore, to his knowledge, True Mages never employed a ranking system.

Yet, here it was, manifesting in this context.

Sensing an odd sense of discord, Alon reflected for a time.

‘Well, once I complete my duties in the North, I will be seeing Kylrus frequently, so I can inquire when I return.’

Clearing his thoughts, he then revisited the words spoken in that abyssal voice.

‘Aberration…’

He had encountered that term previously.

But at that time, he had given it little importance.

Yet today, the instant he heard the word Aberration, a specific idea entered Alon‘s mind.

Could it be—

That the Aberration they spoke of was referring to individuals like himself?

Naturally, it was only a potential theory.

But the likelihood was not negligible.

As he continued to contemplate this, a voice called out.

“My Lord.”

“Yutia.”

At some point, Yutia had materialized, standing at the entrance of a distant cave.

Before he realized it, he had already reached the outside.

“My Lord, are you well?”

Her eyes were filled with deep concern.

“I am fine.”

“…For someone who is fine, you have bloodstains.”

At the slight tremor in her voice, Alon shook his head to reassure her.

“I am well. I was not involved in a fight—just a brief moment where it became necessary.”

Even with his assertion, Yutia could not easily dismiss her worry.

So, Alon purposefully shifted the topic.

“More importantly, have you completed everything you needed to attend to?”

“Ah, yes. I have concluded all the investigations.”

“Is that so? Did you locate everything you were searching for?”

“Yes.”

“I see. I was going to suggest you examine the altar inside, but I suppose it wasn’t particularly relevant.”

Hearing that, Yutia hesitated for a moment before displaying a small smile.

“Well—it is true that we have finished, but should we inspect it just to be thorough?”

“If your investigation is already complete, there is no need to make an extra trip.”

“That is correct… But since you mentioned it, I believe it warrants a look.”

“There is no need. You are already fatigued from waiting for me, so let us simply return.”

Alon believed he was showing consideration for her, but—

Yutia, who had been smiling gently just a moment ago, suddenly showed a slight pout.

“?”

Alon raised an eyebrow at the unexpected change.

Apparently displeased, Yutia pouted even more before releasing a soft sigh.

Tap—

Then, she gently took hold of the sleeve of Alon‘s robe and looked up at him.

Without uttering a single word.

Just silently.

“…?”

Alon‘s typically composed expression faltered slightly in confusion.

Yet Yutia remained mute, simply gazing up.

Squeeze—Squeeze—

And subtly, she began tugging at his sleeve.

At that moment—

Alon finally understood that Yutia was wordlessly expressing her disapproval.

“…?”

A cold bead of sweat trickled down Alon‘s back.

He realized she was protesting something—

But he had no clue precisely what it was.

‘What is the issue? Which part upset her?’

He searched his mind for an explanation.

Then, suddenly, a past exchange came to mind.

‘When we visited the evening primroses last time, I failed to comment, but…’

He recalled something she had mentioned when they journeyed from Terea to Caliban.

Then, glancing at Yutia—whose cheeks were slowly swelling as if she herself hadn’t fully recognized it—

“…Very well. We will examine it before we depart.”

He cautiously delivered his answer.

And—

“Let us do that, My Lord.”

As if nothing had ever transpired, Yutia‘s face instantly brightened into a glowing smile.

‘…Was that the correct response?’

Watching her, Alon released a silent sigh.