[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-am-a-villain-so-what":3,"chapter-i-am-a-villain-so-what-i-am-a-villain-so-what-chapter-99":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","I Am a Villain, So What?",{"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},1506524,1956,"Chapter 99: Practical Assessment [4]","i-am-a-villain-so-what-chapter-99",99,"\u003Cp>Samantha saw the air practically sparking between us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ready?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She swung her hand down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"BEGIN!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t wait. I pulled the trigger instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A solid tungsten slug screamed across the arena, aiming for Kael’s chest. It was a shot that had shattered Celestia’s ice wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>DING.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A spark flew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael hadn’t dodged. He had swung his sword upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With terrifying precision, his blade bisected the slug in mid-air. The two halves flew past him, embedding harmlessly into the dirt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd gasped. Cutting a bullet? That was Master-level swordsmanship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is that all?\" Kael roared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He kicked off the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRACK.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stone floor beneath him shattered. He launched himself at me, covering the twenty-meter gap in a heartbeat. He was faster than Elisha. Faster than the wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Skill: Adrenaline Surge – ACTIVATE]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My world turned grey. Time slowed down by 30%.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael was coming at me like a freight train, his sword raised for a downward slash. Even in slow motion, he was fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sidestepped to the left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>WHOOSH.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His blade slammed into the spot where I had been standing a millisecond ago. The impact created a shockwave that blew my hair back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fast!\" I gritted my teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I aimed the shotgun at his flank.BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Buckshot. Dozens of pellets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael didn’t block. He twisted his body, his golden aura hardening like armor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ping-ping-ping!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pellets bounced off his skin like they were hitting a tank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Invulnerability? Are you kidding me?\" I muttered, retreating backward using [Dash].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stop running!\" Kael shouted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He chased me. He slashed horizontally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I ducked. The blade sliced the air above my head, severing a few strands of my hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I rolled, coming up on one knee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Smoke Shell]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>THUMP.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I fired at the ground between us. A thick cloud of grey smoke exploded, engulfing both of us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Visuals were gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Coward!\" Kael’s voice echoed from the smoke. \"Hiding again?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s called strategy, meathead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I closed my eyes. [Detection: ON].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could feel his mana signature. It was like a burning sun in the fog.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I moved silently to his blind spot. I loaded a [Cryo-Slug].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I fired at his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CLANG!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael spun around blindly, his sword instinctively blocking the shot. The ice exploded, freezing his blade and his arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Got you,\" I whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I racked the bolt. [Incendiary Shell].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fire engulfed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You think this is enough?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael roared. The golden light erupted from his body, shattering the ice on his arm and blowing the fire away. The smoke cleared instantly, dispersed by his sheer pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at me. He wasn’t hurt. He was just annoyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Monster,\" I spat out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was clearly an insult, yet the thought of me acknowledging his power made Kael smile grimly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s my line, Lucien!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He charged again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’He’s growing,’I realized with a chill.’His stats are rising mid-fight. Is this the Protagonist Correction?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My stats were fixed. His were dynamic. If this dragged on, I would lose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I reached into my pouch. I pulled out three shells at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>High-speed reload.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tossed the shells into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My hands moved in a blur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Catch. Load. Rack.Catch. Load. Rack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t using magic to float them. I was using pure Agility: 35.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eat this!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I fired three shots in one second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Lightning.] [Armor Piercing.] [Acid.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A barrage of destruction flew at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael didn’t dodge. He planted his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"[Sovereign Art: Second Form - Sun Aegis]!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spun his sword in a circle, creating a literal shield of golden fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM-CRACK-HISS.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lightning was absorbed. The tungsten core melted. The acid evaporated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael stepped through the smoke, untouched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a true monster. He had Bordon’s defense, Elisha’s speed, and Celestia’s firepower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You can’t keep your distance now!\" Kael shouted, lunging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was inside my guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My shotgun was too long for this range.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He swung his sword—a heavy, horizontal cleave meant to break my ribs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I dropped the gun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I drew my daggers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Skill: Parry]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CLANG!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My daggers caught his heavy sword. The weight was unbearable. My knees buckled. My arms screamed as the bones threatened to snap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strength 28 vs Strength ???.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was losing the contest of strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael pushed down, his face inches from mine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Give up, Lucien,\" he grunted. \"You can’t win. Your tricks are out. Your mana is low.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked him in the eye. I was sweating, bleeding from the nose, and my arms were trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re right, Kael. In a fair fight, you win 10 times out of 10.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael narrowed his eyes. \"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But I told you,\" I whispered. \"I don’t fight fair.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Inventory: Flashbang ]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t throw it. I dropped it right between our feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael’s eyes went wide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You crazy—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BANG!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A blinding white light and a deafening sonic boom exploded at point-blank range.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We were both blinded. We were both deafened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I expected it. Kael didn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael stumbled back, clutching his eyes, his sword swing going wild.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t retreat. I used [Detection] to see through the blindness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I lunged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t aim for his neck. I didn’t aim for his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I aimed for his legs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Skill: Low Kick] + [Mana Reinforcement].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRACK.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I kicked the back of his knee with everything I had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"ARGH!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael’s leg buckled. The Hero fell to one knee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t stop. I tackled him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We hit the ground, rolling in the dirt. It wasn’t a duel of knights anymore. It was a brawl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I punched him in the face. He punched me in the gut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud. Crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I spat blood. He had a split lip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I grabbed his collar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You think you’re the only one with resolve?!\" I shouted, headbutting him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRACK.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael reeled back, stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I scrambled up, gasping for air, reaching for my shotgun lying in the dirt a few meters away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I grabbed it. I spun around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael was already standing up, swaying slightly, blood running down his forehead. His golden aura flickered, unstable but still dangerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I leveled the gun at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spotting an opening, I fired another smoke round at the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It won’t work twice!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael roared, his voice distorted by the sheer density of his aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The biggest flaw in a [Warrior vs. Gunner] matchup is distance. Once a warrior closes the gap, the gunner is dead. But if the gunner can reset that distance... the warrior is nothing but a target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael unleashed a wide burst of prepared mana—not for attacking, but for clearing the field. The golden shockwave blew away the dust, the smoke, and the sensory confusion I had created.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the air cleared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael saw a barrel aimed at him, dark and hollow like a skull’s eye socket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t fire one shot. I fired the shotgun, pumped it, and fired again in a rhythm that defied mechanical limits. My Agility combined with the lingering effects of [Adrenaline Surge] made my hands a blur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standard Buckshot. Slugs. It didn’t matter. I emptied the tube.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ping. Crack. Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bullets rained down on him. They pierced his protective aura, shredding chunks of his cadet uniform’s mana-shielding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing the projectile’s kinetic force was enough to bruise bone even through his aura, Kael understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’I thought I’d grown several times stronger!’Kael grit his teeth, forcing his legs to move forward against the lead rain.’But he was hiding even this level of speed!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Urgh!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He moved his sword at blinding speed, forming a barrier of steel and light in front of him. His mana and stamina were draining rapidly, but his honed senses screamed he’d be riddled with holes if he stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, I moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t retreat backward. I circled him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Movement Arts: Phantom Step]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I darted around him at high speed, leaving afterimages. To the spectators, it looked like there were three of me surrounding the Golden Hero.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bullets hailed from behind, right, and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Impossible!\" Kael shouted. \"How are you this fast?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to expand his frontal sword barrier omnidirectionally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"ARGHHH!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A stray pellet found a gap, grazing his cheek. Another hit his thigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"LUCIEN!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three times the mana erupted from Kael’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Sovereign Art: Limit Break - Overheat]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a desperation move. It drastically shortened his combat time, burning his life force to double his strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the narrow arena, we flashed like lightning. Kael left trails of gold, darting across the shattered stone, while I left trails of black and green, prowling like a hunting dog.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gave up counting the bullets hitting him. He gave up tracking the sword strikes he missed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One hit would end it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Unbelievable,’I thought, my lungs burning as if I’d inhaled broken glass.’He just keeps getting faster. Is this the Protagonist Correction?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time wasn’t on Kael’s side. His Overheat would burn him out in minutes. But against ordinary foes, he could’ve swept an army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he couldn’t catch one Lucien.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"More! MORE!\" Kael screamed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The golden aura turned white-hot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!\u003C\u002Fp>",1510,"2026-06-06T04:52:02.137Z",1,"novelbin.me","ea07d6c22ddec675174fe682c8429969d0427ffe972a190b3a69ce9424068355","i-am-a-villain-so-what-chapter-100","i-am-a-villain-so-what-chapter-98",230,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-am-a-villain-so-what-cover.jpg"]