Acting as a Slit-Eyed Villain Perfectly

Chapter 171

Chapter 171. Crumb (2)

A silhouette draped in a cobalt-blue coat, matching the moonlight, walked toward this place.

There was no way to know if it was someone associated with this place, but the overwhelming aura emanating from it was anything but ordinary.

'It's like... a boss...'

Boom!

That's what Locust thought as he witnessed an overwhelming display of aura right before his eyes, as if to deny his own thoughts.

The first to react were the insects nurtured within his body.

In response to the highly pure 'mana', the 'guardian insects,' designed to defend against 'magic', were writhing to emerge from his body.

However, these 'guardian insects' were designed to react only when struck by 'magic'.

But they hadn't even contacted the magic.

They were simply reacting to the aura emanating from it, executing preprogrammed 'commands'.

'What a monstrous...'

An unresistible power.

Locust felt it, and his mouth went dry.

'Calm down.'

Locust hurriedly began to calm the 'guardian insects' movements.

The 'automatic defense' ability was a powerful defense mechanism, but it was just a mana-draining ability in an ordinary situation.

"Hmmm, it seems my timing wasn't very good."

Locust, sharpening all five senses, examined the approaching man's face.

Shadow of the trees, moonlight, shadow, moonlight.

The man's face, passing by like a film projection, gradually started to form its outline.

Locust let out a bewildered laugh.

'Yulian Cryphart Frason...'

In truth, he had never seen him in person, so he wasn't quite certain.

The hound of the imperial family, demon hunter and noble slayer.

To some, he might flaunt a mythical assertive presence.

To those with impure intentions, however, such a presence is something even touching is refused.

'Did that fox girl really call him?'

Zzzzt.

Dragging his staff on the ground, Locust turned toward Yulian, attempting to place his hand once again on the shoulder of the 'hostage' he had with him.

However, seeing him approaching without any hesitation toward this side,

'It seems futile.'

To the 'Smiling Executioner', known to be ruthless and emotionless, a mere slum child couldn't possibly become a hostage.

'In that case... I'm cornered.'

The only silver lining was that he didn't know about Locust's 'magic'.

Locust had his own confidence.

The magic he honed was a concealed 'dagger.'

If the opponent didn't know precisely, no matter the skill gap, landing a blow wasn't impossible.

Winning, despite an overwhelming difference in skill, wasn't a crude joke.

"Locust, the ring finger of the six fingers."

Yet, at Yulian's words, which just spilled from his lips, his body stiffened.

Though it was merely a recitation of his title and name, to Locust, those words sounded akin to a 'death sentence'.

'Does he... know me?'

Knowing his name meant knowing the rumors.

Knowing the rumors meant he understood at least a portion of his abilities.

That correlation was the very evidence that outlined why Yulian was unbeatable to him.

"Are you here to take revenge for Annarui? Or did you come here on business with the Bright Moon Pavilion?"

"... Hah, what's it to you?"

"It matters."

Amidst the soft moonlight, a devilish smile appeared.

"Either way, shouldn't one know the reason they're going to die?"

At that moment, in response to the lethal intent emanating from his body, the 'guardian insects' began to reveal themselves all at once.

Zzzzt.

Though taken aback, Locust decided to seize this as an opportunity.

After rolling up his sleeves and directing them toward the ground, the two centipedes he had cast aside began to squirm.

Just like the 'aura' used by knights, a unique domain accompanies the prowess of reaching a certain level.

What Locust now utilized fell into the domain of a heightened 'unique magic.'

The Quiescent Gold Insects.

'Two autonomous gold insects with the intent to attack.'

These creatures would execute their input 'command' unconditionally.

Even if he died, they wouldn't disappear and would prioritize annihilating surrounding enemies.

"Disgusting."

Swish!

A gold insect crawling on the grass, lunging at Yulian like a shadow.

Yulian followed it with his eyes before drawing his sword.

'... A gem?'

The sword he drew wasn't the typical metal.

The exquisite form that captured one's gaze revealed it as a 'gem', not 'metal'.

'My gold insects are hard enough to break even the most robust swords!'

Yulian was a swordsman.

If only he could break that sword, gaining the upper hand would be possible.

Yet, Locust couldn't shake the unease that the 'gem sword' wouldn't shatter.

Clang!

As if proving it, Yulian's swing of the 'gem sword' repelled the gold insect's body.

"What, what the...!?"

The implausibility that such a weak gem sword didn't break left him dumbfounded, yet Locust's gaze pursued the sword Yulian wielded.

The sword, enveloped in an aura akin to moonlight.

Unlike ordinary 'aura', which takes a straightforward form, Yulian's aura seemed to change shape, like the 'moon' in the sky, depending on the direction.

'... Reflection?'

Being somewhat skilled himself, Locust uncovered the secret.

His sword bore 'aura' densely like serrated blades, creating 'waves' in motion.

Waves of aura.

Due to induced reflection, it rendered viewers into believing they were seeing 'imbued moonlight'.

'... Here he comes...!'

Having repelled one gold insect and retaken his stance, Yulian.

Thud.

The shadow he left on the ground vanished from Locust's sight in an instant.

'Wh, where is he!?'

To lose sight of an enemy was synonymous with defeat.

Biting back the bitterness on his tongue, Locust scanned his surroundings.

Crackle!

The 'guardian insects' reacted to something emanating from his body.

Simultaneously, the 'gold insect' in defense repelled something.

'... He targeted me?'

It was certain.

This recent attack wasn't on the gold insect but on 'himself'.

But the fact he couldn't identify it even with his eyes made Locust swallow involuntarily.

'Wh- where is he!'

Even with his life on the line, Locust found himself still outside the situation, looking around fruitlessly.

Crackle!

Another collision ensued.

With every jolt and spark, his mouth began to parch.

'Damn! Damn!'

Death was being relentless, drawing steadily closer; yet he couldn't even follow the flutter of its hem with his eyes.

The only reason he could still be alive was thanks to the 'guardian insects' and 'gold insects' he meticulously nurtured.

Without these two, losing his head immediately wouldn't have been strange.

Crackle!

Sparks flew again.

Despite the sturdy shell of the gold insect, cracks began to form.

'Still.'

The 'gold insect' could buy some time.

If it managed to do so, he had a plan to break out of this situation somehow.

Swish, swish.

As he focused his mind, all the insects within Locust began to stir.

'If I can't see him with my eyes...'

He had no choice but to unleash all his insects and overturn this place.

Mobilizing every mana vein in his body, Locust started awakening the slumbering insects by feeding them 'mana'.

Even while he did this, sparks kept flying in the air.

The 'gold insects' and 'guardian insects' began to sustain injuries.

If they were ordinary insects, feeling the life-threatening danger, they would have disappeared long ago.

Yet these 'insects' ceased not, shielding Locust's body.

Even though blood splattered, and the guard ceased, still they did.

"Hah, no matter how much you swing that sword, my insects won't dodge, Yulian!"

The insects that Locust controlled knew neither fear nor hesitation; their sole duty was to protect their master, even at the cost of their lives.

"No matter how hard you strike with your prized sword technique, their primary objective remains to protect me!"

That was the 'command' instilled into the insects.

Yelling thus, Locust began to rapidly circulate mana.

From the dantian to the mana veins, from the mana veins to the entire body.

As most of the insects he reared started to writhe, Locust wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and chuckled.

"So your actions are all for naught! No matter how much you flail, the insects..."

"Even though the insects do not feel fear,"

Thud!

"Do you not?"

Yulian, moving at an eye-defying speed until now.

His sudden appearance right before him unsettled Locust's concentration, causing the mana he was gathering in his mana veins to scatter within his body.

"... Gah!"

Due to the aftermath, a handful of blood trickled from Locust's mouth.

A rebound effect.

The phenomenon where mana, revolved to its limits, disperses within the body without forming any 'magic'.

Sustaining severe damage to his mana veins, Locust clung to consciousness as he swung his staff at Yulian.

Crackle!

The moment the staff clashed with the blade of the gem sword, a burst of lightning fractured it, shattering it into pieces.

"What, what the...?"

Staring at the debris of his shattered staff, Locust appeared dumbfounded.

Despite attempting to swing the remaining handle in resistance, the 'gem sword' pierced his chest this time.

"Gah!"

A stark difference in overwhelming skill.

As part of the 'Six Fingers', Locust had thought he wouldn't easily be overpowered by anyone.

Clinging obstinately to that notion, he tried circulating mana for a counterattack, yet Yulian's hand swiftly clamped over his mouth.

"Urgh...!"

Extracting the sword lodged in his chest, Yulian then thrust it toward Locust's neck.

Though he had reigned as a 'monster' overwhelming enough to render others powerless.

Upon meeting the 'real deal', a sense of helpless resignation overwhelmed him.

The world was replete with monsters aplenty.

'Was I just a crumb?'

In the moment the gem sword severed Locust's neck, something unexpected occurred that no one had anticipated.