I Am The Game's Villain

Chapter 525: [Event] [Elven Utopian War] [64] John VS Grukel

The Dolphian Capital

The scars of Kamarelʼs assault still lingered on the Dolphian Capital, even weeks after his defeat at the hands of John Tarmias. Though attacks had continued since then, none had truly threatened the heart of the city. The capital stood strong, bolstered by Johnʼs leadership. Commanding the army was a role John had taken quite to hear to win over Reinerʼs agreement for Ameliaʼs hand, much to the irritation of the cityʼs noble class. But their complaints were stifled by two immovable forces: Reiner Dolphis, who had personally entrusted John with command, and the Queen herself, whose support silenced dissent. Begrudgingly, the nobles could do little but watch as John orchestrated the cityʼs defenses.

Just as it seemed they had weathered the greatest threa, a new threat emerged.

The enemy was not as youthful or brash as Kamarel, but he was twice as vexing. Standing outside the gates of the Dolphian Capital, John found himself glaring at the new enemy.

Johnʼs sword sliced through another high elf knight before his gaze locked onto the older man at the rear of the battlefield. ”How long are you going to hide like a coward?!”

Grukel let out a low chuckle. ”You expect an old man to fight? Is this how the young measure strength these days?” ”Youʼre the bastard attacking us. Youʼll take responsibility whether you like it or not!” John spat, as he pointed his gleaming red sword toward Grukel. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a dark red orb of fire that crackled ominously before surging toward Grukel. ”Lord Grukel!” One of Grukelʼs men cried out.

Grukel didnʼt flinch. His men scattered, clearing a path as the orb roared toward him. Calmly, he raised his cane, and with a flick, a glowing mana circle materialized in front of him. The barrier shimmered with unique patterns as it intercepted the fireball. -BOOM!

The explosion rocked the battlefield, sending waves of heat into the air. When the smoke cleared, Grukel stood there unscathed behind his shield of mana. ”I may be an old man but Iʼve fought more battles than youʼve lived in years. Your mother was not even born when I first held a sword.”

John snorted. ”If youʼre that old, then itʼs time to give your life for the next generation!”

Without another word, John rushed forward.

Johnʼs blade shimmered red.

Whether Grukel was an old man or not didnʼt matter to John-this was war, and Grukel was a threat, one willing to lay waste to Dolphis. ”Itʼs Tarmias!” ”That bastard killed Lord Kamarel! Kill him!”

John barely acknowledged the cries. Raising his hand, he summoned a series of mana circles above him, each one glowing dark red.

In the next instant, a barrage of dark crimson spikes erupted from them, each one laced with curses, hurtling toward the advancing High Elf knights. -BOOM! -SPURT!

The spikes tore through the ranks deadlu, cutting down the knights before they could even reach him. Blood sprayed onto the battlefield, and the lifeless bodies of his attackers crumpled to the ground. John didnʼt break his rush at all, his focus fixed on Grukel.

As he closed the distance, just a few meters remained between them. John crouched low before kicking off the ground with explosive force, accelerating toward his target. In a flash, he appeared beside Grukel, and swung his sword. -BOOM!

His sword collided with an invisible wall of mana that materialized just in time, unleashing a violent gust of wind. John was flung back, his body skidding across the ground as the wind tore into his armor. ”Ugh!” He groaned, grimacing as he felt sharp pain in his arms. The armor had been shredded, and blood seeped from fresh wounds on his skin. He glanced down at the injuries, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. The mana protecting Grukel was quite familiar as well. ”Are you Kamarelʼs father or something?” John asked narrowing his eyes.

Grukel smiled faintly. ”Kamarel was my grandson. And as for my son-his father-your father killed him.”

Johnʼs expression hardened. ”Right, Kamarel mentioned that before I killed him,” he said, his voice cold, almost mocking. ”Youʼre as arrogant as your father, boy,” Grukel said, his grip tightening on his cane. ”But your father was stronger. And far wiser.”

The air shifted suddenly as an enormous mana circle materialized behind Grukel, its seven glowing layers brimming with potent mana. () ”Really?” John groaned before trying to dodge but then he noticed the Dolphian Knights still positioned behind him, oblivious to the danger.

With a scowl, he stopped his retreat, planting his feet firmly. He raised his blade high, releasing a surge of dark red curse. A glowing curse circle sprang to life..

Then he saw it a massive figure of a female, emerging from Grukelʼs spell. It was made entirely of water, shimmering as if sculpted from liquid crystal. The sight of it made John curse under his breath. ”Damn it...”

The watery figure shot forward, bearing down on his cursed barrier. -BOOOM!

The impact shook the ground as the cursed barrier resisted for a moment. But the strain was too much, and the barrier shattered like glass, fragments of dark curse scattering into the air.

John gritted his teeth, summoning his red flames. The fire roared to life, encircling him in a protective swirl. Swinging his blade around, he created a towering wall of flame between himself and the advancing water entity. -BOOOM!

Another explosion ripped through the field as the water collided with Johnʼs blazing fire. The sheer force of the impact sent him skidding backward, his boots scraping against the scorched ground as he fought to maintain his balance. The heat of his flames clashed violently with the pressure of the water, steam hissing and rising like a veil between them.

John gritted his teeth. He had faced powerful opponents before, but this was different. Grukelʼs mastery over mana wasnʼt just formidable-it was exquisite. Every movement of the old manʼs cane was precise, controlled, and devastatingly effective. The mana pressure emanating from Grukel was quite strong as well.

For the first time, John felt like he was truly facing a Elf, renowned across the world for their unparalleled control over mana.

The flames began to waver, cracks forming in his fiery barrier. A moment later, the fire extinguished entirely, and the force of the water sent him hurtling through the air. -BOOM!

John slammed into the stone wall of the Dolphian Capital, the impact embedding him deep into its surface. His body ached, a sharp pain radiating from his ribs where the water had struck him. ”Lord John!” ”Protect the Dolphian Hero!”

John staggered forward, coughing as he dragged himself out of the wall. Annoyance flickered across his face. It was hard to tell what irritated him more-the crushing blows heʼd taken or the incessant cries of ʼDolphian Heroʼ. The title grated on his nerves.

Shaking off the pain, John glared at Grukel. His vision narrowed, and with a burst of mana, he rushed forward once more, his blade glowing with fiercer cursed energy. This time, however, he moved with caution.

The towering watery figure-lunged after him once more. John ignored it, weaving through its attacks as he closed the gap between himself and Grukel.

Grukel raised his cane, summoning another series of mana circles in the blink of an eye. -BOOM!

Johnʼs blade crashed against the barrier surrounding Grukel, the impact releasing a shockwave that rattled the ground beneath them. The barrier held firm, but John didnʼt stop. Again and again, he slashed at it from every positions.

The watery figure lunged at him, its massive arms crashing down where he stood. John leaped into the air, narrowly evading the attack, and shifted his focus back to Grukel. He darted to the side, striking at the barrier from another angle, his blade leaving trails of fiery curse with every swing.

For ten long minutes, the fight was filled with swords colliding with mana circles, sparkles of mana and curses. The clash of water and fire created ripples of mana that radiated outward, shaking the ground and sending debris flying in all directions. But no matter how ferociously John attacked, none of his strikes penetrated Grukelʼs defenses.

But Grukelʼs calm demeanor began to shift. His expression tightened as he watched Johnʼs assault. The human should have faltered by now, yet he persisted. There was something strange about the way he moved...

Sensing danger, Grukel raised his cane again, summoning another giant mana circle. This time, vines forged from solid earth erupted from the ground, lashing out like whips. -BAM!

One of the vines struck John across the back, sending him tumbling forward. He grunted in pain but quickly rolled to the side, dodging the watery figureʼs follow-up strike. ”You wonʼt accomplish anything with this reckless assault,” Grukel said.

But John ignored him, his breath ragged. He raised his face showing a smirk. His hands tightened around his sword. Then, without warning, he muttered something under his breath. ”Hecataʼs Third Curse.”

Grukelʼs eyes narrowed as he heard the words. Before he could react, John leaped backward, putting distance between them. His face paled, beads of sweat dripping down his temples.

Grukel frowned and glanced around. His powerful barriers of mana circles had begun to change. Their once-brilliant glow was now tainted with a sickly red hue. Shapes began to emerge from the edges of the circles, writhing and pulsating.

Grukelʼs composure faltered as he realized what they were. Leeches-dozens of them, born from curses-slithered across his mana barriers, their grotesque forms gnawing at the protective layers.

At that moment, the massive figure of the watery woman dived toward John even stronger. John, crouched low, tightened his grip on his sword. Without hesitation, he infused his blade with a potent curse, its dark red aura rippling along the edge, and channeled Ruah to raise his strength. With a swift swing, the blade cleaved cleanly through the watery womanʼs head. -BOOOM!

A shockwave exploded outward. John took on the momentum, propelling himself forward at incredible speed, straight toward Grukel.

Grukel stood in the distance, his eyes widening in disbelief. He was surrounded by the remnants of Johnʼs curses, their oppressive aura clinging to the air. The stupid rhythm of Johnʼs strikes against his barrier had seemed like mere foolish persistence-so much so that

Grukel hadnʼt taken them seriously. ”How...?” Grukel muttered

Then it struck him, the realization dawning. ”I couldnʼt feel his curses? Impossible...”

How could this be?

A seasoned warrior like himself, a man who had faced countless foes, unable to detect such a critical threat? True, he had limited experience battling curse-wielders, but this was... ”Itʼs over, old man!”

Johnʼs voice shattered Grukelʼs thoughts, and when he looked up, John was already closing in.

Yet, a cold smile spread across Grukelʼs face, the kind that sent a chill crawling down Johnʼs spine. ()

In a flash, Grukelʼs foot tapped the ground, and watery whips shot forth, snaking through the air with terrifying precision. They coiled around John, their fluid strength locking him in place within a second. When he struggled and struck at the bindings, the whips only pushed him back, slamming him into a prison of water. ”Youʼre still too naive, boy,” Grukel said with a chuckle.

But before the strike could land, a different flow of water erupted between them, shielding

John with a force that stopped Grukel in his tracks. ”What-?!” Grukel recoiled, stumbling backward as the protective water twisted and churned, taking on a dark greenish hue. It wasnʼt just water anymore-it was infused with an overwhelming mana pressure that made the air around heavy.

The swirling barrier closed in on Grukel, trapping him within its currents. A shiver ran down his spine as he instinctively looked up, meeting the piercing gaze of bottle-green eyes.

Those eyes werenʼt Johnʼs. They belonged to someone else entirely. ”Are you okay, John?!”

John turned, his brow furrowing. ”Amelia?! What are you doing here?!” ”I-I was worried about you!” ”Itʼs dangerous! I said!” John snapped, frustrated to see her here. ”I know how to defend myself, you know!”

The two of them fell into an exasperated back-and-forth as they bickered.

Meanwhile, Grukel let out a ragged sigh. His knees buckled, and he collapsed, his body drained of mana. He had burned through far too much mana-not in this fight alone, but in his desperate efforts to protect his people and the knights he had trained with such care and devotion. Grukelʼs weary gaze lingered on Amelia. ”So, this is Deborah Dolphisʼs Vessel,” he muttered under his breath. ”So young... Itʼs a pity.

If only I could have ended her life before that monster returns.” A faint, hollow chuckle escaped his lips.

He could have at least done something for Sancta Vedeliaʼs or the worldʼs sake even.

Slowly, his head tilted upward, his eyes tracing the darkening hues of the evening sky. ”Was it fate?” He whispered hoarsely. ”Was my family always destined to die at the hands of the Tarmias? Such cruel design...” His voice faltered, and he closed his eyes briefly. ”I apologize, Your Majesty. I have failed you.”

He had served Durathiel faithfully because he was certain he was the man who could save

Utopia and he was still certain. No one could beat Durathiel from Grukelʼs perspective. It was just a shame he wouldnʼt be there alive to witness it.

The faint sound of approaching footsteps pulled him from his thoughts. Grukel opened his eyes, just in time to see John striding toward him, sword in hand. Grukel chuckled weakly, a faint smile curving his lips as he watched John draw closer. There was no anger or fear in his eyes, only a deep, resigned acceptance. ”I wish you good luck, Your Majesty.”