[{"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-229":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},759719,1006,"Chapter 229","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-229",229,"\u003Cp>Clam, a ten-year veteran mercenary of the Lumber Mercenary Corps, could not comprehend what was unfolding before his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“S-Save me~!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch~!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just moments ago, his companion, who had been laughing and joking with him, was now floating midair, spilling his entrails.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strange and beyond strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could see nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing but the floating body of his companion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though that was all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aaaaah-!! No, no, no!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snap-!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the empty air, his companion’s head disappeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if something had taken a bite out of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Splat-!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood poured down from the torn and missing torso, soaking Clam’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thick warmth of the blood, dripping down his hair, forced Clam to grasp reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, an indescribable fear began to fill Clam’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten years as a mercenary had trained him to remain calm and composed in any situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But right now, those years meant nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cool-headedness and composure came from experience, from the ability to predict situations based on past encounters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scene before him was an unknown terror he had never experienced before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uwaaah—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A voice, drenched in fear, escaped Clam’s mouth. He looked down with trembling eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His companion, who had just been laughing and joking with him, was now nothing but a lump of flesh, crushed onto the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Splash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the crimson blood pool formed from his fallen comrade, strange footprints began to appear—neither human nor belonging to a monster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Step by step, they moved toward Clam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing his impending death, Clam squeezed his eyes shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack-!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What he heard was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>..?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was supposed to be his final sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, Clam reached up and felt his head, still intact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had clearly heard something bursting, yet he was unharmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, he opened his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And what he saw was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A golden crown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Illuminated by the sun above the desert, shining brighter than anything else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It hovered right above his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that was not all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clam blankly looked around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The space, once filled with gruesome slaughter, had frozen still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The humans who had been writhing on the ground, screaming, were now dazed by the sudden halt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who had been suspended midair, consumed by the unseen, crashed to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And at that moment, Clam witnessed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dozens of golden crowns slicing through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saaaa—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they intertwined, they formed a massive golden structure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mechanical hum sounded from beyond it, prompting Clam to cautiously turn his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There stood a girl with blue hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Penia Crysinne, the Vice Tower Master of the Blue Magic Tower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holding a staff embedded with a blue gemstone, she whispered something under her breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, she struck the staff downward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a crisp clang, a clear sound rang through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the world began to change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scorching sunlit world turned to ash-gray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The golden sands lost their luster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The brilliant golden crowns dimmed, losing their radiance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, they appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those impaled by the golden crowns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Urgh~!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clam gagged involuntarily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite his ten years as a mercenary, having witnessed all manner of filth and brutality—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sight before him was enough to churn his stomach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could not even find the words to describe them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too insect-like to be human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too beast-like to be insects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too monstrous to be mere animals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, too much like slabs of flesh to be mere monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some had their intestines spilling out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some had gnawed through their own bodies with their teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some had limbs grotesquely twisted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>|-!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>|-!!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>■■-!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Things one would expect to see only in the hell described by priests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They shrieked bizarrely as they were skewered by the golden crowns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And at the end of that grotesque sight—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah. Interesting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man stood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man with a human face embedded in his chest like a heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gripping the golden crowns that had impaled the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>####\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“M-M-Marquis? W-We did as you asked. S-So what now? Th-This doesn’t seem so simple…!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Penia’s voice trembled in panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon let out a deep sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even he couldn’t quite grasp why Agu, one of the Four Great Powers, had suddenly appeared in the desert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it was going to move, it should have emerged near the border where the Jujor was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Marquis, should we run? Should we flee? Let’s run! Running sounds good right now!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon glanced at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At a single look, he could tell Penia was in no normal state—but he fully understood her reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the story, whenever the Four Great Powers appeared, their mere presence was overwhelming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Allies would faint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Characters following the protagonist would struggle under their oppressive presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some players had even criticized the game for making the descriptions of the Four Great Powers too repetitive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…but now he understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, in this very moment, Alon realized why those descriptions had been so consistent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon had only just barely stepped into the Fifth Rank of magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, even for him, the Agu before him was suffocating, sending shivers down his spine just by looking at it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant that Penia, whose magic rank was higher than his, was feeling even more crushed by despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And to make matters worse—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huff… Huff~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Rine, who had impaled the Agu with golden crowns, was breathing heavily under the pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Revealing the hidden Agu through Penia had been a good move, but…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Alon was beginning to worry about the worsening situation—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something started to crawl out from Agu’s shadow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A grotesque creature, shifting its gaze across the people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, its eyes landed on Alon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it grinned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s make a deal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hand over the girl. Then I’ll withdraw.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Alon could even process the situation, those words were spoken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>####\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hand over the girl. Then I’ll withdraw.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sentence that pierced through the ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rine, drenched in cold sweat, relentlessly analyzed the current situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was her first time facing Agu directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, with the knowledge in her mind, she could easily discern its identity and origin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More importantly, she knew without a doubt—there was no way they could win against it right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rine lifted her eyes to the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The golden crowns that had impaled numerous Agu, twisting in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were supposed to be forming Pluto’s summoning gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they weren’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was clear—the dozens of Agu impaled between the crowns were defying the death they should have met.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, their flesh swelled grotesquely, disrupting the circuit formation of the golden crowns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant—her available combat power was practically sealed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had that been the only problem, Rine might have still seen a chance for victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how dire the situation, she had prepared a final move after the last attack from Greed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, even that was meaningless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How… How does he have Greed’s power…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man who so boldly demanded her surrender—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Incomprehensibly, he possessed Greed’s abilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She couldn’t guess how he had acquired them, but she could clearly understand his goal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He wants to devour me and claim the Library.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rine bit her lip, calculating every possible scenario.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in just a few seconds, her sharp mind reached one unavoidable conclusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing she could do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant only one option remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The safest way to ensure the Great Moon’s escape from this place—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was to put her own life on the bargaining table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had no regrets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had already been saved twice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her life should have ended long ago without the Great Moon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She would have perished under Greed’s control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, this was the right decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rine manipulated the golden crown, aiming it at her own head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She laced it with magic, setting it so that if her consciousness wavered, it would pierce through her skull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Agu’s expression stiffened as it observed her actions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Rine was about to speak—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I refuse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—She was cut off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Agu shifted its gaze to the Great Moon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rine also turned to look at Alon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With one hand forming a seal, his expression remained blank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh, if you’re worried I won’t keep my word, don’t be. Believe it or not, I tend to honor my promises.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Agu spoke with playful ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t make me say it twice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I refuse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He repeated, this time with a slightly hardened expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah. I extended my generosity because I thought things would get complicated if I pushed too hard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Agu’s brows furrowed in mild irritation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In that case, die.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, Agu appeared right before Alon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So fast that no one could react.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, Agu drove its fist toward Alon’s heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A scream burst from Rine’s lips before she could finish her words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small black figure landed on Alon’s shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon’s chest was pierced through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOOOM—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything exploded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faded sand erupted in all directions, stirring up clouds of dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carriages behind them were obliterated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Corpses were sent flying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And within the thick dust—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rine, who had been reaching out toward Alon, stared blankly ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gray dust turned into pure white snowfall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her outstretched hand became small, like a child’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scent of blood lingered in her nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And what finally filled her vision—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was corpses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Parents—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her sister—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The consequence of her own powerlessness—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Sin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump~!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her heart pounded wildly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her mind, remembering everything, pulled the past to the surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The torn lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guilt of that day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crime of that day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shattered memories of her family, scattered like shards of glass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[It’s because you didn’t embrace Greed.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A voice echoed in Rine’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Accept me.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A voice so disturbingly vile—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if it were scraping at the core of her being—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, so irresistibly alluring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[A power that will let you lose nothing.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if entranced, Rine reached out her hand—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“-”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sudden voice cut through the moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Agu’s, but unlike before, it carried an undeniable tone of surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rine’s vision shifted once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black figure that had reached for her vanished from sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fragmented images of her family disappeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, she saw—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon—his heart impaled by Agu’s fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, something was strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRACKLE—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kh…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Agu, the one who had pierced Alon’s heart, grimaced in pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BAM—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a sharp twist, Agu swung its arm and struck Alon’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, Alon’s head scattered like smoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Almost instantly, it regenerated as if nothing had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Agu’s pupils widened in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huu~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black figure on Alon’s shoulder, radiating a bright light, seemed to merge into him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two horns began to sprout from his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon, controlling the transformation occurring within his body, spoke the final word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fusion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, it had been an accident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During his research with Penia on divinity, they had stumbled upon an unexpected discovery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That Blackie’s body could freely absorb not just magic, but divine power itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And beyond that—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During his battle with Kylrus, Alon had developed a technique to temporarily absorb Shadow Dragon’s power into his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the foundation of this fusion—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The synergy between magic and divinity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By layering divine power onto Blackie, fusing with it, and donning the divinity of Kalannon—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While utilizing Thunder God’s Form to convert his magic-based body—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRACKLE—!!!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything was transformed into divine energy, eliminating the burden of excessive magic consumption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reconstructing his entire being using divinity itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Metamorphosis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Divine Thunder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRACKLE!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amidst the ashen world—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pair of crackling blue eyes gazed down upon Agu.\u003C\u002Fp>",1934,"2026-06-02T12:43:45.413Z",1,"novelbin.me","3145713cc7abf0a2e7f78112625bb87200bac46f78e218dc1eca2d3741f54398","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-230","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-228",479,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbecame-the-patron-of-villains-cover.jpg"]