[{"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-223":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},759713,1006,"Chapter 223","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-223",223,"\u003Cp>“Is this what you’re trying to obtain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cave in the snowy mountains, deep within, where a massive hollow lay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon nodded in response to Evan, who had followed him, while gazing at the object before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s nice to see this again after so long.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An item he always carried while playing Psychedelia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Connected Circular Dance.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two rings intertwined with a chain that emitted an eerie glow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Alon silently observed the Connected Circular Dance, Evan, standing beside him, spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It doesn’t look all that special.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Does it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, while having two rings connected by a chain is a bit unusual, the design of the chain and rings themselves doesn’t seem particularly unique.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, the appearance itself isn’t that remarkable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, what is it used for?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Hmph— Do you not even know that?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was not Alon who answered Evan’s question but Basiliora.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then do you know?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Do not mistake me for an ordinary being like yourself.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Why should I tell you?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’re not going to tell me, why butt in, you snake-head?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Hmph— It was merely to mock a pathetic human like you for your ignorance.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment a conversation started, it quickly turned into an argument over trivial matters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the all-too-familiar scene, Alon soon turned his gaze back to the Circular Dance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Connected Circular Dance, often referred to simply as Circular Dance among players, was essentially a magic conversion adapter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had the ability to convert the mana of the wearer’s partner into their own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Of course, there are limitations.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Psychedelia progressed toward the later stages, the player’s magic damage significantly outpaced that of their companion characters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While warriors had little use for it, most mage players relied on this artifact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite its limitations, it helped prevent mana shortages for the player.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially for glass cannon mages who focused solely on maximizing magic damage rather than balancing it with their mana pool, this item was indispensable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…In some ways, it had been necessary for Alon from the very beginning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, he had only now chosen to retrieve it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was simple: the Connected Circular Dance was an item that only made sense within a game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To use this artifact, there had to be someone constantly by his side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And while transferring mana, that person would be left in a completely defenseless state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, it essentially turned someone into a walking mana battery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the risk of an ambush at any moment, protecting a defenseless person while engaged in battle was an immense challenge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, while it was manageable in the game, in reality, finding someone willing to be chained within its limited range and always wear the ring was extremely difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the game, it was easy to equip it on party members.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in real life, finding a person who trusted Alon enough to transfer mana to him without hesitation during an intense battle was nearly impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially when the chain’s range barely extended even one meter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With all these restrictions, Alon had only now retrieved the rings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were impractical for combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for fueling the magic of “Footsteps of the Past,” which required someone else’s mana to function, they were quite useful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that thought settled, Alon glanced at Evan and Basiliora, who were now glaring at each other as if ready to kill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seriously, I always wonder—how do you know all of this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Evan, who had been grinding his teeth while arguing with Basiliora just moments ago, now looked at Alon with curiosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a natural reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the cave they were walking through—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This place is a labyrinth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a maze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon instinctively shifted his gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sight of dozens of stone bridges, meticulously laid out like a massive puzzle, would leave anyone unfamiliar with The Maze of Vertigo utterly speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To make matters worse, the cliffs below and surrounding areas teemed with monsters native to the Frozen Mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were not as strong as those found in jungles, but still clearly classified as mutants, adding to the overall sense of despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, despite these threats, Alon remained completely unfazed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because he knew the way through the Maze of Vertigo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, calling it a strategy was an overstatement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Maze of Vertigo had an extremely simple solution—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the moment you entered, if you only kept going right, you would eventually reach the end without any difficulty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of this absurdly simple strategy, Alon had no hesitation in entering the cave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You just have to keep going right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s… not what I was asking, but… well, whatever.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean, ‘whatever’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Evan looked like he wanted to ask something but simply shrugged in the end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just forgot for a moment that I should stop questioning things and just accept them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon found Evan’s reaction oddly amusing, having not seen it in a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Meow?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From inside his chest pocket, Blackie tilted its head cutely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>###\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After emerging from the cave—or rather, the Maze of Vertigo—Alon boarded a carriage bound for Caliban.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ve finally arrived in Caliban.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a journey of nearly a month, Alon once again stood in Caliban.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he took in the knowledge he had gained from his journey to the north, he began to organize his next steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘First, I need to reach Rank 5. Then, I need to ask Kylrus about the Horizon and Reversal of Heaven. And finally, I should visit the Colony to have the Rubies repaired by the Dragonkin.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he laid out his plans, Alon also found himself contemplating a particular term that had been lingering in his mind over the past few weeks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aberration…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he first heard the word, he had brushed it off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after hearing it again at the Horizon, it had started to weigh on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Alon himself didn’t fully understand why it bothered him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like something stuck in his throat, no matter how much he tried to ignore it, it kept resurfacing in his thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon felt it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He realized that this word was incredibly important to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, recently, he had started to feel a strange sense of déjà vu whenever he heard the word “water.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like the feeling he had when he saw Yutia standing amidst the fully bloomed evening primroses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What on earth was this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon fell into brief contemplation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master—!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he stepped down from the carriage, he felt someone crash into him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With arms wrapped tightly around his waist, he couldn’t even see the person’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Meow—]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Blackie, nestled in his chest, let out a bizarre sound at the unexpected ambush(?).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Seolrang?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recognizing that lively voice, Alon had no trouble guessing the person’s identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master! It’s been so long!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if she had been waiting for him to recognize her, Seolrang wrapped her arms around his neck and rubbed her cheek against him like an excited puppy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon patted her head affectionately, though his expression showed clear curiosity as to why she was in Caliban.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been six weeks since he had returned from the north.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>###\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Northwest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A towering wall stood between the Allied Kingdom and the Empire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a small forest before it, there was a quaint little house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A house that looked like it belonged in a fairy tale, surrounded by breathtaking scenery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside, two individuals faced each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One was Thousand-Year Ice, a warrior from the Northern Barbarians and one of the Seven Strongest Fighters often spoken about in the Allied Kingdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opposite him sat a girl with large fox ears drooping naturally, appearing to be just around twenty years old.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her long silver hair cascaded down to her hips, and she wore the traditional attire of the Eastern Nation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With her signature indifferent expression, she gazed straight ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching her silently, Thousand-Year Ice scratched his head awkwardly before speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uh… am I an unwelcome guest?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her short, emotionless reply came as she naturally placed her fluffy fox tail onto her lap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re welcome.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Are you sure you mean that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another flat, monotone response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thousand-Year Ice scratched his head again, his expression turning conflicted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She said she welcomed him, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From his perspective, understanding her true feelings was nearly impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had always been completely indifferent to everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did she even have emotions…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he pondered this, Thousand-Year Ice glanced around the house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still living in the same place, I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have no reason to move.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Wouldn’t life be easier if you just joined a faction instead of living out here in the forest? With your abilities, the kingdom would gladly welcome you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though she was currently living alone in the forest—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was still a fighter on par with Thousand-Year Ice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, among the Seven Strongest, there were only two who could even match her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was, without a doubt, one of the three strongest warriors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For someone saying that, aren’t you living alone too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, that’s because I serve someone. I don’t even know if the others are still alive, and the few people I can contact all have their own reasons for being where they are. But you—you don’t have any obligations.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girl didn’t move a muscle as she replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s just too much hassle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then why not return to the Eastern Nation? There, you wouldn’t have to deal with any hassle. You’d be treated like a noble the moment you arrived.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, Historia, the Sword Saint, quietly stared at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, why are you here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice broke the silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had nothing to do with the conversation they had just been having.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shift in topic was abrupt, but Thousand-Year Ice merely shrugged, knowing he had no choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that she was dodging the question— meant she had no intention of discussing the subject any further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Accepting that, he moved on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I came because I have something to ask you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“About what?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Historia tilted her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thousand-Year Ice began recounting the events that had taken place during his recent encounter with Eliban.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyway, that’s the gist of it. A guy that shouldn’t exist has appeared, but there’s no information on him. So, I came to see if you knew anything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I haven’t left this place in over ten years.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know that. But I meant—did you ever hear anything about him before? I’ve been investigating, but his past doesn’t add up for someone with that kind of power.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muttering to himself, Thousand-Year Ice added—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I figured you might know something. Even if you don’t move around much, you’ve met a lot of strong people. And someone that powerful wouldn’t just appear out of nowhere.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long silence, Historia finally asked—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s his name?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“His name?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. If you don’t tell me anything, I won’t even be able to think about it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His name…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling the information he had received from his contact, Thousand-Year Ice began to answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think his name is—Elib—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t finish his sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Historia, who had been idly sitting there without a care, had suddenly sprung to her feet, kicking back her chair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On top of that—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her ears perked straight up, and her eyes widened in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thousand-Year Ice was stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Never—not even once—had he seen her express this much emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just in front of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in front of anyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Black Tiger, who had known her the longest, had never seen her express emotions or show any change in her demeanor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, now—such a vivid reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘She definitely knows something…!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thousand-Year Ice was certain that Historia knew Eliban.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than that, he was convinced that Historia had some deep connection to Eliban—one far beyond mere acquaintance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, there was no way she would have reacted so strongly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that in mind, Thousand-Year Ice eagerly asked—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you happen to know anything about him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I only know the name.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The unexpected answer left him momentarily bewildered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You only know the name?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…If that’s all you know, then why did you react like that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That didn’t make any sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such an intense response couldn’t be from just knowing a name—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single name suddenly left her lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Historia perked up her ears and repeated it once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know anything about Alon Palatio?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thousand-Year Ice was now even more shocked than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swish, swish—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Historia’s long tail swayed excitedly, as if filled with anticipation, unable to stay still.\u003C\u002Fp>",2097,"2026-06-02T12:43:45.413Z",1,"novelbin.me","c1faf2ee4356b466bdded93dddc4ddb408d437b06e10cc2199a82162e47d8451","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-224","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-222",479,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbecame-the-patron-of-villains-cover.jpg"]