[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-became-the-patron-of-villains":3,"chapter-became-the-patron-of-villains-became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-140":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Became the Patron of Villains",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},759630,1006,"Chapter 140","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-140",140,"\u003Cp>The ground collapses, and Rikrakamur falls along with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Desperately struggling to avoid falling into the abyss, Rikrakamur flails about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, with no swamp left to support him, he could no longer move, and his struggles only backfired, leading to an even worse outcome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, with a terrifying roar, Rikrakamur plunges into the depths of the abyss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon immediately follows him, descending into the abyss, and thinks to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This completes all the necessary conditions.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, accomplishing all of this wasn’t something that could be done at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, it was meant to proceed through three distinct phases.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first phase involves fighting Rikrakamur in Psychedelia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Initially, Eliban fights alone in the swamp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, the companions who followed Eliban operate the four pulleys located in the north, south, east, and west to drain the swamp, signaling the start of the second phase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once that phase is also completed, the ground collapses, and the third battle begins underground, in a chasm resembling the abyss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, it was originally supposed to be a long and drawn-out fight, but Alon effectively skipped two of the three phases.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By deliberately bringing in allied forces to turn the pulleys in the four directions, he handled both the first phase and the occasional monster waves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By inflicting effective damage on Rikrakamur, he forced the creature to spew out black ichor, nullifying the magic that prevented the swamp floor from collapsing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, he broke through the ground and skipped the second phase entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, all that remained for Alon was the third phase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While falling into the abyss, he gulped down a mana potion and formed seals in preparation for his final plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It might be a bit of a strain, but there’s no other way to kill this thing.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOOOM!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A massive explosion echoes from the bottom of the abyss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It signaled that Rikrakamur had reached the bottom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon spoke as he completed the seal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Connection—(連結).”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He chanted the incantation while forming the seals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he finally descended into the underground space, faintly illuminated by the pale moonlight,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon froze in his tracks, baffled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rikrakamur, who should have been convulsing violently and destroying everything around him upon impact, was no longer moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small mental hook caught hold in Alon’s thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did he confirm a shocking fact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…A hole?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the center of the monstrous creature’s belly, which lay overturned and lifeless, was an enormous hole far larger than anything Alon could have inflicted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the very first encounter with Rikrakamur, Alon had sensed something strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Rikrakamur’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This monstrosity was supposed to go through three phases before being defeated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon reaching the third phase, when its health dropped below 30%, its eyes would turn red, and it would enter a berserk state for its final desperate struggle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, even from Alon’s first attack, Rikrakamur’s eyes had already been red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, Rikrakamur had entered a berserk state before Alon even attacked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how effective Alon’s attacks were, they couldn’t have been lethal enough to deal a fatal blow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Rikrakamur was a fiendish creature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Eliban, who possessed protagonist-level abilities and absurd powers due to plot armor, would have found it challenging to deliver a decisive blow to Rikrakamur in a single strike, unless he had taken the path of a mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon stared intently at the fallen creature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There, in the center of the beast’s abdomen, was a massive hole far beyond his own doing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…What is this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His head tilted to the side in confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, this situation was extremely advantageous for Alon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was able to handle Rikrakamur, which he needed to capture even at great cost, with ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, he couldn’t simply dismiss the mystery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why did Rikrakamur have such a wound? Or was it originally intended that he would be wounded by someone around this point in the story?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pondering over it, he shook his head slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how he thought about it, that seemed unlikely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That enormous hole would take Rikrakamur, whose regeneration ability wasn’t particularly high, decades to recover from.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if it did recover, it would leave significant scars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, only one plausible scenario remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone must have fought with Rikrakamur before Alon arrived to handle the monstrosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who could have engaged in such a duel with Rikrakamur?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t difficult to narrow down the list of candidates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone capable of not only fighting the monstrosities guarding the artifacts of the Five Great Sins but also inflicting such a wound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As far as Alon knew, only a few existed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘At most, a few hidden powerhouses and the Four Great Factions.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, this world held far more vast and intricate secrets than Alon originally knew, so making hasty assumptions could be premature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, at least among those Alon was aware of, only that few could inflict such a wound on a monstrosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Was it the work of Juju?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He speculated with a strange feeling but soon shook his head again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Juju wouldn’t act hastily without a clear “purpose.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After much deliberation, he decided to proceed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His goal in dealing with the monstrosity was nothing other than obtaining the artifact of the Five Great Sins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon stepped into the gaping hole in the lifeless Rikrakamur’s belly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If everything had gone according to the original plan, he would have had to enter through Rikrakamur’s mouth, face the thorny tentacles inside, and endure another grueling challenge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, with the belly already pierced, that was no longer necessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t long before Alon discovered an enormous cavity that was unlike anything one would expect inside a living creature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the vast space, one thing stood out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the center, he immediately spotted one of the artifacts of Wrath—the crimson spear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, he approached it and pulled it from the ground where it was embedded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crimson spear came out effortlessly, without requiring any special force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its design was remarkably plain for something considered an artifact of the Five Great Sins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Other than a rounded groove carved at the end of the spear, it had no patterns or decorations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, it exuded no particularly sinister or malevolent aura, but Alon was certain it was an artifact of the Five Great Sins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had already seen this item in the game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon swiftly secured the spear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom! Crashhhh~!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was then that he realized the entire cavity was collapsing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The very reason Rikrakamur had become a monstrosity was due to the artifact of the Five Great Sins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that the artifact inside its body had been taken, the creature was beginning to crumble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What puzzled Alon was the speed at which it was happening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It wasn’t this fast before.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After briefly questioning it, he started to move to escape the collapsing area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Letting out a sigh, he turned his attention to the area surrounding the cavity where the spear had been embedded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment a crimson pearl caught his eye,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snatch!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He grabbed it and dashed out of the cavity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon safely escaping, Alon was greeted by the sight of\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“???”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blackie, absorbing Rikrakamur’s crumbling remains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The expedition team, having dealt with Rikrakamur, began moving back toward the border.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, they were somewhat disappointed that they couldn’t uncover the reason why Rikrakamur had sent monster waves toward the fortress wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nevertheless, having taken care of the root cause, the expedition wasted no further time and left the swamp—now reduced to just a forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They returned to the border with no significant changes from their departure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only noticeable difference, if any, was…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The knights and soldiers who had joined the expedition were staring at Alon so intently that their gazes felt as if they were drilling holes into him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, their expressions were uniformly filled with respect and admiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon glanced around at the group, meeting their gazes briefly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is a bit too much.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Alon understood that their admiration and reverence stemmed from genuine awe, so he didn’t plan to scold them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he couldn’t help feeling burdened by it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially since, in Rikrakamur’s case, it wasn’t as if Alon had handled it entirely on his own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, he’d landed the finishing blow, but it felt like someone else had already done most of the work, leaving him to deliver the coup de grâce, which left him feeling a bit uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, putting that aside, Alon had something else occupying his mind at the moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blackie, clinging to his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The creature turned its head toward Alon, seemingly noticing his gaze, and let out a small ‘Meow?’ sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Is it really okay?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon had witnessed Blackie absorb Rikrakamur’s collapsing body in its entirety just the day before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although about half of the massive creature had crumbled into dust, the remaining portion had been absorbed by Blackie, who had leapt from Alon’s chest to do so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon turned Blackie’s small body from side to side, inspecting it closely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There doesn’t seem to be any change.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its appearance remained exactly the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its size hadn’t increased, and it didn’t seem particularly stronger either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when Alon tested its magic abilities just in case, they were unchanged as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a creature that had absorbed such a powerful monstrosity, the complete lack of transformation was puzzling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon had only recently discovered that shadow dragons could absorb something, but to see absolutely no changes afterward was strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Lainisus knew about the Unity of Shadows, but even he didn’t know anything about shadow dragons. Should I ask Ri e for more insight?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Alon scrutinized Blackie, the little creature merely tilted its head quietly in response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a warm spring day, yet the sunlight felt particularly intense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Exactly three days later, upon the expedition’s return to the border:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Welcome back, Marquis.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems you’ve made history once again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t hear any specific stories, but judging by the reactions of the soldiers and knights, you must have done something noteworthy again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Evan gestured toward the still-admiring soldiers and knights,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve arrived, brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Saint. I’ve just returned.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s a relief.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuman approached with his usual warm smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But soon, his expression turned serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Did Cardinal Yutia do something?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Cardinal Yutia?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, nothing at all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With an even graver expression than before,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, I must insist once again—stay away from Cardinal Yutia.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She is dangerous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuman whispered this to Alon yet again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…What’s with this all of a sudden?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon was inwardly puzzled once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, their return had been a safe one.\u003C\u002Fp>",1777,"2026-06-02T12:43:45.412Z",1,"novelbin.me","97c252fbba8e8ee567f05f00ee7929295260de1c7ee47285718b487995ff8564","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-141","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-139",479,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbecame-the-patron-of-villains-cover.jpg"]