[{"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-160":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},759450,1006,"Chapter 160","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-160",160,"\u003Cp>Alon had anticipated that Eliban might be stronger than expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Ulthultus first appeared in the north, he met Eliban years earlier than usual, providing him with various items to facilitate his growth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The items Alon handed over to Eliban at the time were difficult to come by, so it was only natural for his growth to surpass the average.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…No matter how I look at it, this doesn’t seem like level 10.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To think that his strength would far exceed imagination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced down at the crushed living armors before Eliban.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Living armors were monsters that were particularly troublesome for warriors to deal with, even if manageable by mages or clerics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their characteristic was that they wouldn’t stop moving just because their armor was dented.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The armor serving as their body had to be completely destroyed to stop them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For this reason, most players raising Eliban as a warrior character would delegate battles in the Ironblood Citadel to Yan and clear the area using other characters as shields.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, this battle should have unfolded similarly. Yet, Eliban had single-handedly destroyed numerous living armors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eliban let out a soft exclamation, perhaps realizing this belatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon naturally began estimating his level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Level 30? No, given that he’s annihilating hundreds with a single blow, perhaps level 40? … Considering Eliban’s talent and blessings, that would make sense. He probably hasn’t reached Sword Master, so level 50 would still be far off.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Alon was pondering this—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eliban, who had dashed off, returned with his characteristic cheerful laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you alright?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s a relief.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You’re strong. With this level of strength, was my support even necessary?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Alon pointed at the destroyed living armors, Eliban scratched his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard it might still be dangerous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…To prepare for a worst-case scenario?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, exactly. Now, let’s move forward!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without leaving room for further discussion, Eliban began navigating through the living armors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon’s expression became peculiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was something slightly unsettling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If he’s this strong, he shouldn’t have been so anxious.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Eliban were the type to prioritize safety above all else, it might have been understandable, but he hadn’t displayed such tendencies so far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After some deliberation, Alon decided to follow him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, they had business in the Ironblood Citadel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, he suddenly noticed that Eliban’s companions had stopped in their tracks, rooted in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once again, Alon couldn’t help but feel puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eliban’s entire party seemed…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Extremely shocked?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every single one of them had their mouths agape, as if their jaws might fall off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Strange Gate held many rewards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the lore vaguely linked it to the five deadly sins, in the game, the Strange Gate served as a source of weapons and artifacts for players—Eliban’s party included.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Particularly in the Ironblood Citadel they had entered, there were numerous items available for Eliban, who started as a warrior. However, acquiring them typically required significant effort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without leveling up through grinding in Lartania right after starting the game, the protagonist would usually reach level 10 by the time they arrived at the Ironblood Citadel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that level, it would be challenging to defeat the living armors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Players were forced to lure the living armors into separate rooms and take them down one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Of course, that wasn’t necessary now.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon scanned the corridors of the Ironblood Citadel, which they had been exploring for hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scattered everywhere were the remains of what used to be living armors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They weren’t just slashed with swords—they looked as though they had been smashed to pieces with hammers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon silently observed the carnage before turning his gaze toward Eliban.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man in question let out his signature awkward laugh, as if embarrassed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing beside Alon, Evan quietly whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Marquis.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Speak.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Frankly, doesn’t it seem like he doesn’t need any help?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I agree.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Eliban had requested assistance, Alon hadn’t had a single opportunity to use magic since entering the Ironblood Citadel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather, he had tried to use magic—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Marquis! Are you alright?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Marquis! Are you hurt?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Marquis!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Every time he prepared a spell, Eliban would rush forward and destroy all the living armors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as though he was overprotecting a child at risk near water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, Alon found this troubling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were items he needed to obtain in the Ironblood Citadel, and contributing to the party would allow him to claim artifacts without hesitation later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Does he want to monopolize everything?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, Alon entertained the thought, but he quickly shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Based on the lore and Eliban’s actual demeanor, he didn’t seem like the type.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rather, his personality suited a traditional heroic protagonist more than a dark fantasy character.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Marquis, are you alright?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he realized it, Eliban had approached him again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snapping out of his thoughts, Alon replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You don’t need to worry so much. As you can see, I’m unharmed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, you don’t have to handle everything on your own. I’m strong enough to deal with them as well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, yes. I understand. It’s just a habit, and it’s hard to hold back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A habit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, I just get worried.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At last, Alon began to understand the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He can’t stand seeing his comrades get hurt, huh?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given Eliban’s personality, Alon thought it was possible and nodded, but then a thought crossed his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still, your comrades seemed quite surprised when they looked at you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And extremely so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eliban hesitated for a moment, then scratched his cheek with a troubled expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Actually, I’ve been deliberately pretending to be weaker than I am.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Pretending to be weaker?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, the goddess advised me that my comrades also need to grow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So they were probably surprised because this is the first time I’ve shown my full strength.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. In this case, I revealed more of my strength than I usually do because of that initial army.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You overdid it a bit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, that’s right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon nodded again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now he understood why Eliban’s comrades had been so astonished earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s why I’m always grateful to you, Marquis. Thanks to your support back then, I was able to become this strong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m glad I could help.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing how much more Eliban had grown than he expected, Alon felt a sense of pride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But you can take it easy. I don’t need to be protected to such an extreme degree.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll keep that in mind!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eliban’s reply was energetic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Well, not that it matters since only the boss monster remains.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had almost reached the end of the battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with only the boss monster left—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I should be able to use my magic.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that expectation in mind, Alon began walking through the citadel’s halls, bathed in the faint purple glow of the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before long, the group reached the final destination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eventually, what they faced was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumble!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dark knight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike other living armors whose armor, pauldrons, and swords floated separately, this one was fully clad in jet-black armor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It rose from its spot as if to welcome the intruders, and—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It swung a massive sword that looked heavy just from its appearance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its dark coat billowed with the movement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Konkhan, the Ironblood’s Left Hand.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Alon saw it, he began forming seals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As per the nature of living armors, it charged madly toward the first attacker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that tense moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Marquis—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eliban shot forward and smashed the knight’s head to pieces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both Alon, whose opportunity was stolen, and Eliban, who realized his mistake, let out low exclamations at the same time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The land of elves, Greynifra, and the nation built above it, Fildagreen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A report was delivered to Queen Magrina, who ruled over the nation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You’re saying the things rising from the roots are increasing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. Recently, their intensity has been unusual.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are they in numbers too great for Paggade to handle?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, not to that extent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The face of the Paggade knight delivering the report was clouded with concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But as you know, this is something that hasn’t changed for nearly a thousand years. It’s fine for now, but we don’t know what might happen in the future.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A brief silence fell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see. For now, continue to monitor the situation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As you command.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your efforts are appreciated.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dismissing the knight, Magrina was lost in thought when a visitor was announced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Majesty, Perion and Philde have arrived.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Let them in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Setting aside her concerns, she welcomed the guests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We greet Her Majesty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We greet Her Majesty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Welcome, Philde, Perion. But you don’t look well. What happened?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could something have happened to the Marquis Palatio?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Philde’s complexion was pale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am fine, Your Majesty. More importantly, there is something I must tell you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Did you investigate the Marquis Palatio?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Magrina didn’t seem to notice, her hand tightened into a slight fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment of silence, Philde slowly spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First, let me clarify. What I’m about to say is largely based on conjecture. I did not speak directly with the Marquis Palatio.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…So he isn’t the Primordial Elf, then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice carried a faint hint of disappointment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Philde, shaking her head firmly, declared—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, I believe that the Marquis Palatio is the Primordial Elf. That is to say—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like Magrina, Philde clenched her fist tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He is most likely Your Majesty’s elder brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What did you just say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes widened in shock at her unyielding statement, devoid of even the faintest hint of humor.\u003C\u002Fp>",1595,"2026-06-02T12:43:45.412Z",1,"novelbin.me","95c06db85ae69df20985c347a3fe5acd8e5ad66d07b217ee0a4defccfb63db14","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-161","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-159",479,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbecame-the-patron-of-villains-cover.jpg"]