Raising Villains the Right Way

Alon stared blankly ahead for a moment.

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍world had not stopped.

It was merely moving extremely slowly.

Even Blackie, who had been startled.

Even Evan and Penia running from afar—within this slow-motion world, Alon blankly looked up at the sky.

Unlike when time had completely stopped, he could move comfortably, and as he raised his head—

……

There was a gaping abyss.

In the middle of a sky filled with gray clouds, an abyss that seemed capable of devouring anything.

Alon soon realized.

That this situation had nothing to do with what had happened when time had stopped earlier.

Though he felt a slight confusion, he soon had no choice but to stop thinking.

Because he could see the black hole piercing through the gray sky slowly closing.

He was startled for a moment.

Then Alon instinctively realized.

The moment that black hole closed, he would lose his opportunity.

Of course, no one explained it to him, nor did Alon know anything about that gaping black abyss.

Yet just as humans are born with the instinct to survive, Alon understood it.

And then he thought.

‘Law.’

In truth, as he traveled to the eastern end, Alon had already prepared several possible laws.

Though he had not been given much time, he had at least had enough time to think.

Even so, he could not easily open his mouth.

Simply because he realized it.

That the laws he had thought of would not have much significance in the battles ahead.

Of course, the laws he had prepared in advance were not entirely useless.

No, in some sense, they would certainly be useful.

However, they would only remain within the realm of being ‘useful,’ and would not dramatically change the battle against ‘Drawing-In Night.’

So he erased the pre-prepared laws from his mind.

The abyssal hole in the sky had already become quite small, and it was still shrinking.

There was far too little time to think of a new law.

Even so, Alon desperately tried to force his mind—barely functioning due to Reverse Heaven—to work.

And then—

He remembered.

[Hmm—I think a law that acts like a hidden move would be good, My Lord.]

Yutia’s voice, smiling as she gave advice.

Along with that, Alon recalled the battles he had fought so far.

None of them had been easy.

Yet among those countless battles, what Alon focused on—

Was the very first battle.

The one where he fought the Outer God, Ultultus.

Back then, when he had nothing—

And still defeated Ultultus.

At that moment, a single law came to mind.

A law that would allow him to create a hidden move—

No matter the situation.

No matter how disadvantageous it was.

‘But…’

Is this right?

Is this really the correct choice?

Of course, no one answered the question in Alon’s mind.

This was a world where everything except him had slowed infinitely.

But Alon recalled.

No—he didn’t even need to recall it.

It had happened just moments ago.

The voice of someone who had stroked his head with a strangely longing touch.

[............Whatever it is, the answer is what you choose.]

A voice filled with faint nostalgia.

Yet too distorted with noise to identify its owner.

It passed through Alon’s mind.

“I—”

In the end, Alon opened his mouth.

And—

[I permit it.]

Along with a heavy murmur, he felt something well up within him.

And with that—

Alon lost consciousness.

How much time had passed after that?

Feeling as though his consciousness, which had sunk beneath the surface, was slowly rising, Alon opened his eyes.

“Lord Alon!”

“Are you conscious?!”

Hearing the worried voices of Penia and Evan, he remained dazed for a moment, before recalling everything from before he lost consciousness like a passing panorama.

From arriving at the temple and immediately fighting ‘Drawing-In Night,’ to the moment time stopped and the unknown figure appeared, and even obtaining a law—

As he organized his thoughts, Alon looked up at the dim sky.

“……How long was I unconscious?”

“It has been about three hours.”

“……”

“Were there any unusual occurrences during that time?”

“Nothing major, but—”

At Alon’s question, Evan hesitated briefly before continuing.

“If there is one thing, the gem that had been shining when we approached has shattered.”

He handed over the gem that had once shone brilliantly in Alon’s hand just three hours ago, but now emitted no light at all.

Alon silently stared at the gem, now cracked as if all its power had been exhausted.

Then, as if something came to mind, his eyes widened.

“Where is Yutia?”

Since he had not seen her even right after defeating ‘Drawing-In Night,’ the question came out with urgency.

This time, Penia answered.

“Don’t worry. Cardinal Yutia is currently outside. However—”

As Penia looked to one side, Alon naturally followed her gaze.

There stood Yutia.

Facing north, her usual smile gone, wearing a serious expression.

As Alon looked at her—

“Ah.”

Noticing that he had woken up, she turned her head naturally and walked toward him.

“Are you alright, my Lord?”

As if her earlier serious expression had been a lie, a smile was already on her lips.

Alon nodded.

“I’m fine for now, but are you alright?”

At his concern, Yutia’s smile deepened slightly.

“Yes, you don’t need to worry too much. It went more or less as expected.”

“As expected?”

“Yes.”

Yutia explained what had happened inside.

After listening quietly, Alon asked,

“So you’re saying that this place is similar to the temple-like space beneath Rosario?”

“Yes.”

“And that’s how you realized it?”

“That’s right. More precisely, the red sphere floating in the center was identical to what I saw during the descent ritual held once every ten years in Rosario.”

Only then did Alon understand how she had so quickly grasped what was happening in the temple.

“And inside that space, a fourth-stage divine-blood had already descended?”

“More accurately, it seemed like it had deliberately weakened itself to descend.”

“Weakened itself?”

“Yes. It said something like it gave up its power to descend into this space. Even if it’s not under the same complete restrictions as the continent, it still seemed to have some limitations. And—”

“It tried to resolve that using sacrifices.”

As Alon recalled the red eggs, Yutia nodded.

“Exactly. Unlike other divine-bloods, it only needed to fill an empty vessel.”

“Then did you fight the divine-blood?”

Yutia shook her head.

“No. When I entered the space, the divine-blood was still in its core state. More precisely, it had already descended and was just about to emerge.”

“Just about?”

“Hmm—maybe it’s better to say it was in a state where destroying the core was enough?”

“So you were able to deal with it without a fight?”

“Yes.”

“That’s fortunate.”

Alon nodded and continued,

“But… did something worry you?”

“Hm?”

“You were looking somewhere seriously earlier.”

At that, Yutia smiled quietly for a moment before answering.

“It’s nothing, my Lord. I just remembered something I left behind.”

“Something you left behind?”

“Yes. More importantly, did you obtain what you wanted?”

At her question, Alon paused for a moment.

‘What I wanted…’

He had obtained a law.

But naturally, he couldn’t tell whether choosing that law was right or wrong.

He hadn’t even used it yet, and although he instinctively understood its constraints, he hadn’t experienced them properly.

Still—

“I think I made a choice I won’t regret.”

At least, he had no regrets.

So he answered that way.

“That’s good to hear.”

Nodding slightly, Yutia looked north once more before saying,

“Then let’s rest here for today and move tomorrow.”

She quietly concluded.

***

At that moment, in a ruined territory in the northeastern region.

Within the darkness, where no life seemed to remain after being utterly destroyed by the divine-bloods—

[Kugh—!]

The ‘Gazing Void’ suddenly appeared.

Gasping wildly as he crawled out from the abyss, his appearance was no different from when he had been in the spatial temple.

However, drenched in cold sweat, he—

[You damn—!!]

Twisted his face and swung his fist toward the ground.

—KWA-A-A-A-A—!!!

Half of the already ruined territory vanished instantly.

Truly overwhelming power.

Yet the void who had displayed that power—

‘…I almost died…!’

Was recalling Yutia’s face.

That monster who had stripped away everything he had gathered as if it were nothing.

[…Hoo.]

After breathing heavily for a while, the void steadied himself.

He needed to assess the situation.

‘At least I managed to deceive her and escape.’

At the moment he had been on the verge of exploding without even properly using his law, the ‘Gazing Void’ had fled the space and barely saved his life.

But the problem was—

All the sacrifices he had gathered were gone.

And as a result, he had descended into an incomplete third stage.

Still, as long as he survived, there would be another chance.

‘It can’t be helped. First, before the second stage descends, I’ll recover by devouring as many divine-bloods as possible. And next time, I’ll definitely kill them…! Star Eater, and that monster bitch—!’

After quickly forming a plan, the void was about to move.

At that moment—

“Well, I came because something felt suspicious… but I didn’t expect to meet you like this.”

At the voice, the void turned around.

There stood a man.

A man with golden hair swaying gently, wearing a soft smile.

“A human…?”

Void asked with confusion.

But only for a moment—

“…!”

Void’s eyes widened uncontrollably.

Because he realized it.

“…You—don’t tell me…!”

That was human.

Yet at the same time, it was not human.

That was—

“Oh, did you notice?”

At the indifferent voice of the man—no, Nataman—the void stopped his thoughts.

And looked at him.

No—

He looked at his eyes.

Unlike before—

“That’s strange. Even Seeker and the Abominable Blood didn’t clearly notice yet. Anyway—”

Eyes as deep as an abyss,

“—That won’t do, will it? Trying to kill Alon.”

Eyes that reflected nothing—

“Hmm?”

Black eyes.