I Woke Up as the Villain

"Teehee-! No need to be frightened. Luckily for you, I'm not particularly interested in seeing what your brain looks like."

Helen's eyes narrowed as she observed Rachel mock Bernard with a boisterous laugh. She asked, "How on earth did you escape, you criminal?"

"Well, you know, I used my beauty. It worked out nicely, huh?” responded Rachel.

"...You killed someone again," said Helen, scrunching her nose.

With a cold smile spreading across her lips, Rachel retorted, “Are you trying to tell me that you haven't killed anyone? Spare me your hypocrisy. Above all, you know it, don't you?"

"You're a villain," Helen said.

"That's right, ahaha! Villain. That word suits me so well," Rachel said to Helen, feeling that it fit her perfectly. She added, "Help the villain just this once. I beg you.”

“The Special Police Force won't remain still."

"Sure there are some difficult characters over there. But, well, you'll hide me well, won't you?"

"Why should I?"

"Well... Because we're comrades?"

"That's bullshit," said Helen, clicking her tongue.

Looking into Helen’s eyes, which were filled with deep contemplation, Rachel said, "As you know, revenge is something I will exact no matter the cost. Tenfold, if necessary. And, though it may be hard to believe, I am also capable of repaying favors. Helen, I am that kind of person.”

"So, what you're saying, you villainous woman, is that… If I help you, you'll repay me regardless of the consequences," said Helen.

"Yes. That's why I'm here. This time, I owe a debt to my Gold Nugget," Rachel said as her eyes sparkled with an odd light.

In fact, she had not forgotten.

"That guy clearly wished for my death. Why? Because he was afraid of me."

And yet, Yu-Seong had saved her—sacrificing himself and leaving her behind. At the most important moment, he had made the choice to seal himself with the Demon King. Just the thought of it made Rachel tremble, sending shivers down her spine.

“I'm dying to see what's inside his brain, but I have no right to do so. No justification. How could I dare to take his life and be left with this debt?" Rachel said.

"You crazy woman..."

"That's right. That's why I'm intrigued by Choi Yu-Seong. He's one of the few individuals I've encountered who is just as mad as me!" Rachel exclaimed.

Now, Helen didn't feel inclined to refute Rachel's words. In fact, it was truly unimaginable that Yu-Seong had saved Rachel. She mused quietly, "There seems to be some kind of attraction between madmen..."

"So, help me," Rachel shamelessly requested.

When Helen eventually nodded, Rachel shouted, "Kyaaah-! You're the best, Grandma!"

"But there are two conditions," Helen added.

"Tell me."

"First, you must leave the cult of the Demon King Worshipers. In any case, the place is…”

"I will leave." Rachel smiled gleefully.

Rachel agreed to distance herself from the massive organization more easily than Helen had expected.

"I was merely seeking amusement, whether it was with the Demon King or the Godfather. However, being with Choi Yu-Seong is much more enjoyable," Rachel confessed.

"Secondly, promise me that you won't kill Choi Yu-Seong no matter what happens," Helen said.

"Oh, that’s..." Rachel twirled her fiery red hair with her index finger and furrowed her brow in deep contemplation.

"It seems like the Special Police Force is starting to move," Helen said, sensing the approaching presence from a distance.

Despite that, Rachel let out a deep sigh. Still showing no signs of urgency, she said, "I'm usually good at making promises that I can't keep, but this situation does make me hesitate a little, since I'm the one seeking help.”

"If you can't promise that, then piss off," Helen responded firmly.

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"Ah... Really... I guess there's no other choice. Fine," Rachel finally said.

"I’ll believe you,” Helen said.

"Believe me. Despite being a liar and a villain, at this moment, I am sincere," Rachel added.

Indeed, Rachel would never kill Yu-Seong; that was certain. However, she knew that achieving her goals didn't always necessitate taking lives. Deep down, Rachel hoped for one thing.

'I hope my Gold Nugget doesn't become too strong.' 

As Rachel thought about Yu-Seong, someone she could engage with and have a bit of fun, she unconsciously licked her lips.

Suddenly, a group of Homunculi emerged from Helen's hands, coalescing into a sizable mass that seemed intent on engulfing Rachel in a single gulp.

"Huh...?"

"Endure it. It might be stifling, but there's no better way than this to secretly escape," Helen advised.

"Thank you, Grandma," Rachel said with a smile.

Helen neatly folded the package containing Rachel and put it in her pocket. Then, she turned to Bernard and said, “Let's go now. If one stays in there for too long, they typically end up dying.”

"...You didn't explain that to her," Bernard said.

"That's something she’ll have to endure," Helen replied.

With a determined gaze, Helen walked briskly ahead.

‘Choi Yu-Seong, I will believe that you are alive.’

The task at hand was clear until then.

‘When you return, I will find a way to repay you, kiddo.’

In fact, Rachel wasn't the only one indebted.

***

In the sanctuary of the transcendent beings, there stood seven brilliantly shining doors of different colors.

Yu-Seong's eyes sparkled as he looked at Acedia. The approaching zombie’s shirt was so tattered that it could barely be called a piece of garment.

In the past, Acedia's speed had been too fast for him to comprehend. However, he could now clearly perceive his movements.

‘It’s even slow.’

With slight exaggeration, the zombie Acedia was sluggish enough for Yu-Seong to yawn. There was no need to use his spear. With ease, he skillfully evaded the incoming fist and delivered a powerful elbow blow to Acedia’s head.

Thud-!

With a resounding thud, Acedia’s head burst apart, showering everything around him with blood. As Acedia’s body attempted to regenerate, Yu-Seong rapidly punched it all over, making sure that didn’t happen.

Thus, approximately thirty minutes of fighting passed. Even though Demon King Acedia had been transformed into a zombie devoid of mana, regenerative abilities, and coherent thoughts, he was still a foe that Yu-Seong couldn’t have imagined fighting just a while back. However, Yu-Seong managed to beat Acedia to a pulp, and now he wore a contented expression.

As he gazed at Bak Ok-Rye, who was standing behind him, he said, "What do you think? I think this is good enough. It's about thirty minutes shorter than last time.”

"Of course, it's only natural since I personally taught you the Beast King's Instinct. If I had directly intervened, it wouldn't have taken even five minutes to crush that creature," Ok-Rye responded.

"...It's a bit unfair to compare it to you, master," Yu-Seong remarked.

Upon hearing that reply, Ok-Rye clenched her fist, snorted, and stood in front of Yu-Seong. "I’m talking about when I just use my fists, without relying on any mana. Surely, you don't believe that a true Demon King can be compared to this mere zombie, do you?"

"Of course not," Yu-Seong replied.

"Especially when considering Eveheim, the previous owner of the purple door, there is no room for complacency, my disciple!" Ok-Rye emphasized before disappearing.

Something whistled through the air, grazing Yu-Seong’s cheek and staining his ear with blood. Just like when he had first faced Acedia, he had been unable to see the attack just now.

‘But I managed to dodge it.’

The Beast King's instinct, which could be considered the foundation of Ok-Rye's combat skills, was an ability that reached deep into the subconscious rather than involving conscious thought.

"You don't need to see it with your eyes. Your instinct will be faster than your hands," Ok-Rye said.

Thud-!

Yu-Seong was pushed back. He had raised both arms to block, but the impact made his arms scream with pain.

‘I knew it…’

In other words, one could nitpick that Yu-Seong's Beast King instinct was only half-complete. On the contrary, Ok-Rye possessed a fully perfected combat instinct as the Beast King. From the beginning, their instincts' efficiency differed greatly. How could he possibly keep up until the end?

Bang-!

Finally, Ok-Rye’s kick made contact with Yu-Seong’s waist, making him bend over and lose his balance. Ok-Rye seemed to have aimed for that exact moment, because she followed up with a punch that made Yu-Seong crumble down in pain.

"It's about the realm of the unconscious, not conscious thought! Clear your mind! If you let your body move naturally, without thinking about it, you will reach a higher state!"

Ok-Rye's voice echoed even though it was not audibly discernible. Yu-Seong understood what she was saying.

‘I've heard those words for a few decades.’

These words had been hammered into his mind by sheer power of repetition..

In fact, even though he couldn’t hold his stance anymore and had fallen to the ground, Yu-Seong continued to retreat even if it meant scooting backward with a pained expression. He partially evaded Ok-Rye's attacks.

Of course, he couldn't avoid them all. Ok-Rye’s strikes poured down relentlessly, and more than half made contact. Eventually, Yu-Seong lost consciousness, and his body began to regenerate once again.

The sanctuary of the transcendent beings was a realm where one would not age or perish, and they used such advantages to the fullest extent.

"Hmm, 10 minutes and 18 seconds. That's 20 seconds longer than last time," Ok-Rye remarked, nodding as she checked the time.

Indeed, considering the rate of improvement alone, it was quite impressive.

"We've passed the halfway mark from the initial goal of twenty minutes."

"...how many years did you say have passed?" asked Yu-Seong.

"Thirty years."

"Then we only have twenty years remaining. Will it be possible?"

"It's certainly doable. Awakening your instincts is always the most challenging part. Besides, if you continue to endure blows until the moment of your death, there won't be an opportunity for the instincts to wane. Moreover, as you approach the brink of death, you might even experience a panoramic recollection of your lifetime, don't you think?" Ok-Rye replied.

In the sanctuary of the transcendent beings, death did not come in the conventional sense. However, the sensation of dying was undeniably present. And every time, this feeling was accompanied by a recollection of one’s lifetime..

"Yes..." Yu-Seong responded.

"Each time, it's like reviewing your life, revisiting what you've learned. It's inevitable that it will accumulate. Can't you sense the acceleration?" Ok-Rye asked.

"...Yes," Yu-Seong agreed.

Ok-Rye’s words were certainly true, but it was such a simplistic and unsophisticated method of training. Without the illusory training space of the transcendent sanctuary, it would have been an impossible feat from the start.

Suddenly, Yu-Seong imagined what he would become when he completed this training and let out a hollow laugh inwardly.

‘I might end up not much different from those so-called monsters…’

As Yu-Seong's thoughts drifted, Ok-Rye gently lifted his chin and adjusted his posture. At the same time, she prepared herself to unleash a powerful strike with her fists and said, "Now, even though I said that, there's no time to rest. You must continue to diligently pursue the Beast King's instinct until it reaches at least the 7th stage."

There was no time to rest—Yu-Seong had heard those words countless times during the previous recollection, his body trembling involuntarily as he inadvertently glared at Ok-Rye.

‘I never expected it to be an easy task from the start, anyway.’

If he could guarantee absolute safety in this perilous world by completing this training, he would get up and keep moving forward no matter how many times he fell.

‘I don't want to be relying on or indebted to anyone anymore.’

Just like his friends outside, Yu-Seong also fortified his resolve.

***

Twenty years later, Yu-Seong was finally able to remain standing after enduring Ok-Rye’s blows.

Ok-Rye burst into laughter and stepped back. She praised, "Thirty minutes! Congratulations on surpassing the record. Well done, as expected of my disciple! Hahaha!"

Yu-Seong had surpassed the initial goal of twenty minutes by an additional ten. As he experienced the exhilaration of his remarkable growth, Yu-Seong came to the realization that even his Beast King's combat instinct had reached an astonishing level, the 9th stage. It was a moment of pure thrill, akin to the rapid acceleration of a car.

Then, Green emerged from beyond the green door with a broad smile. He exclaimed, "Yay! Finally, it's my turn, right?"

There was always another mountain to climb. Facing his next teacher, Green, Yu-Seong said with a nod, "I look forward to working with you."

"Same here."

This moment marked the commencement of another phase of Yu-Seong’s journey of ascension.