[{"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-312":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},759752,1006,"Chapter 312 : What Is This............. (3)","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-312",312,"\u003Cp>At the sight in front of them, even Penia let out a “Wow, what the—” with her mouth hanging open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone let out a collective gasp, if only for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon and his group headed toward what seemed like the temporary main gate of Divine Land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......Is this the line?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Looks like it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, they couldn’t go beyond that gate right away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of the endless line stretching out before them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No way this whole line is—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seems like... everyone really gathered because of the rumors?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following Evan’s remark, Alon’s expression changed as he stared in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I mean, even so, this many people?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next to the incredulous Alon, Evan clicked his tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really? I don't find it that surprising.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Penia tilted her head as she looked at Evan and Alon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why not?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t it obvious? You know how the Allied Kingdom is in utter chaos because of the bandits, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, yeah, that’s true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m telling you, it’s seriously bad right now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She added that entire towns they’d passed by before had simply disappeared by the next time they came through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So it's only natural people are desperate to find a way to survive and are turning their eyes to Kalannon’s power.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......So what they need is power.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That too, but more importantly, it’s, um... how should I put it... the sense of legitimacy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Legitimacy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I mean~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon thought, “What even counts as legitimate power in this world?” but he kept listening to Penia’s explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look. Those Abyssal Cores? They're used by the underworld types, right? And if you absorb one, your magic leaks out all pitch-black like those guys from the Black Tower.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“True.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So even if it makes you stronger fast, anyone who cares even a little about public perception wouldn’t use that method. Even in Rosario, the punishment for using an Abyssal Core is severe. Remember that artificial Outer God incident?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Alon nodded to show he was listening, Penia continued her explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s why mercenaries and knights—who live and die by their name and reputation—couldn’t even touch that stuff. But now, Kalannon’s power comes out and all you need is some training? Bam!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......Even if it’s just a rumor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah. But the result is—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She gestured at the crowd as if to say, “This right here,” and Alon nodded unconsciously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It did kind of make sense when she put it that way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, this is a bit much—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless of the reasoning, the current situation he was in felt undeniably burdensome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because ever since earlier, it felt like the buzz around him had died down and people were now silently staring in his direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, look, that’s Marquis Palatio’s carriage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That must be the guy from Kalannon...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe because the crowd had gone quiet, he could even hear what they were saying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Alon tried to focus on Penia’s words and ignore the attention—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone, halt!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A loud voice rang out from the distance, and knights started running over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Welcome, my lord!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They assembled right in front of Alon’s carriage window and shouted in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of that—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The attention that was already on him now fully converged on the Palatio marquis’s carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling both the overbearing loyalty of the knights and the piercing stares of the crowd, he barely managed to nod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ll guide you immediately!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The knight at the front answered firmly, then started clearing the long line aside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not that he needed to, since the line was already parting on its own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, Alon’s carriage proceeded into the Divine Land grounds along the cleared path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ve arrived!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stepping down from the carriage, Alon was met with hushed murmurs and countless stares.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Salute!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knights and soldiers stood at attention as if they had been waiting for this moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the start, Divine Land had been built with strict discipline in mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, that was true—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But by now, it was clear these knights and soldiers would carry out any order without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...Even though they’re just guards.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then Alon spotted Deus off in the distance, watching his soldiers with a proud expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, another realization hit him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait, when did they even get their uniforms coordinated?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back when they were first chosen, the knights didn’t have matching armor except maybe their shoulder guards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which made sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There hadn’t been time to settle on a uniform design or make new armor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even at a glance, their shiny, coordinated armor looked custom-made and impressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When did this happen... and where did they get the money for that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strange questions started piling up in his mind, and he turned his gaze away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he spotted a somewhat familiar face among the knights standing in front of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man with blue skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Did I mistake him for someone?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That distinctive blue skin was unmistakable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And his first impression had been so intense, there was no way he’d forget.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Alon asked—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, what are you doing there?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To Blue Ghost standing in the front row of the knights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blue Ghost looked up at the distant sky and muttered—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......Yeah, seriously, why am I even here...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the voice of someone who had reached enlightenment and given up on understanding anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blue Ghost thought back to a little over a month ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The days when the White Ghost Ryanga would constantly claim to be depressed and vent her stress by beating her subordinates under the guise of “training.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, he had headed to the Marquis’s estate hoping to present Alon in front of her and end her tyranny.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Up to that point, nothing out of the ordinary had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon arrival, he heard that Alon wasn’t at the estate but instead at Divine Land, a day’s distance away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he went to Divine Land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that’s when the weirdness started.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Excuse me, I’m looking for Marquis Palatio—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, hey, a newbie? What are you doing? Don’t wear that raggedy stuff—change into this!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, that’s not—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shhh! No excuses! Hurry up! Training starts soon and things here are tougher than they look!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait, hold on, I’m not a soldier here or anything—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop complaining! Just change already!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the first strange thing that happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It started the moment Blue Ghost entered Divine Land and asked a soldier where to find Marquis Palatio.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he knew it, he had changed into training gear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the next person he encountered was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...You.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right, just the guy I needed. You’ve seen me before, haven’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Deus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as Blue Ghost saw Deus, he approached him to explain the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you enlist as a soldier?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No way. I’m here to find Marquis Palatio—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, seriously, I’m not a soldier! I’m just here to find the Marquis—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A man of your talents would be wasted as a soldier. I’ll promote you to a knight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...What? Wait! That’s not what I meant—’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Take command of Squad 1.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, wait!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like that, he became a knight in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, at that moment, Blue Ghost felt a little annoyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And who could blame him? No one was actually listening to what he was trying to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of that, for a brief moment, he seriously considered trashing the place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, he couldn’t do that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were two reasons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, this place had been established by Marquis Palatio.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, whether it was built by Palatio or an entire kingdom didn’t really matter to Blue Ghost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, his boss, Ryanga, cherished Palatio deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Blue Ghost knew that all too well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it ever got out that he’d made a mess of things here...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew Ryanga would not let him live it down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second reason—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Being a knight is amazing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re definitely strong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whoa—how did you even...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was because the knights and soldiers around him were sincerely recognizing and admiring him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it wasn’t like Blue Ghost had never been acknowledged before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if Ryanga beat him up now and then, Blue Ghost was still the deputy boss of the Hundred Ghosts, second only to Ryanga in strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, acknowledgment had always followed him as a matter of course.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blue Ghost had never experienced this kind of admiration—pure and free of any discrimination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of his naturally blue skin, he had endured unimaginable scorn from humans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even among the Hundred Ghosts, although his power was recognized, some still dismissed it as nothing more than inherited strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, no one dared to say that to his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was definitely something whispered about behind his back, and he knew it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So this kind of genuine respect felt refreshingly new.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On top of that, while knight training wasn’t too intense, it was very different from the raw and brutal style used by the Hundred Ghosts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...No, actually, it was very different.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the Hundred Ghosts, who slacked off when given orders—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The knights under his command put effort into even the smallest tasks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And while many among the Hundred Ghosts were weak but still prideful enough to challenge him—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no such nonsense among the knights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t feel any of the burdens of a superior that had constantly weighed on him back in the Hundred Ghosts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So naturally—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blue Ghost had spent the last month growing fond of this place without even realizing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, he didn’t share the full story, figuring it would sound too weird, so he just said, “It kinda just happened like this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So yeah, that’s how it is.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He ended the explanation succinctly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the temporary command tent of Marquis Palatio—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon, who had been watching Blue Ghost speak with a faint, distant gaze, came to a conclusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So in the end, you came here because of Ryanga.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right. I came to bring you back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Blue Ghost nodded, Alon looked a little sheepish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I did think I’d visit eventually.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But somehow, he hadn’t gone until now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scratching his head, Alon said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, I was planning to head out anyway. I’ll drop by soon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Alon added something more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, and I know you kind of got swept up in all this, but... thanks for your trouble. If you want to quit, you can.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Based on what Blue Ghost had told him—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d just come looking for Alon and ended up suffering for nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon meant it as a comforting offer, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, it’s fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I mean, I’ve already got a position in the knight order now. Wouldn’t it be weird to just up and leave?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blue Ghost’s eyes started shifting around, unsure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, I guess that’s true... but shouldn’t you be getting back to Ryanga?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, right…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Alon’s reply, Blue Ghost let out a soft sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a brief moment, Alon thought, “What even is this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Marquis.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyone can see he still has feelings about it, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, looks like it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What kind of place is this Hundred Ghosts group, anyway…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Evan whispered beside him, Alon quietly nodded in agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, Marquis! If things are going this well… your divine power must’ve increased a ton too, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, that’s true!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Penia clapped her hands and asked, and Evan nodded as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that so…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, Alon closed his eyes to reflect inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the moment he did—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He found himself transported to a very familiar place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A space filled with a shimmering blue galaxy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t take long for Alon to realize where he was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And soon—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Long time no see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Kalannon?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was finally able to meet Kalannon, the lightning receiver, again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, it’s me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was no longer a young girl, but a fully grown woman.\u003C\u002Fp>",1974,"2026-06-02T12:43:45.412Z",1,"novelbin.me","30bc15e78f25f23f828219f5a12900ad9bc45af1fecde16304c1efbe5632358b","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-313","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-311",479,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbecame-the-patron-of-villains-cover.jpg"]