The Return Of The Exiled Villain

The smell of scorched flesh still hung in the air as the monster’s carcass smoked on the stone.

Mira crouched near it, brushing damp hair out of her face.

She reached for a small device clipped at her belt, a polished metal plate with runes carved across its surface.

”Hold on. Let’s check its data,” she muttered.

Claire knelt beside her, eyes bright with curiosity.

”That thing didn’t look like a normal beast. Bet it’s something rare.”

”Or dangerous. Don’t get careless.” Selina stayed back, leaning against the cave wall while catching her breath.

Meanwhile, Gray lay flat on the cold stone floor behind them, hands tucked behind his head like he was sunbathing instead of sitting in a damp cave.

He let out a relaxed sigh.

”Don’t mind me. I’ll let you professionals do the boring work.”

All three ignored him.

Mira pressed the plate to the monster’s side.

The runes flickered, glowing faint green, before letters shimmered into view above the plate.

”’Darkspawn — Lesser Variant,’” Mira read aloud, and her brows pulled together.

”Confirmed. It is a dark-species dungeon.”

Claire’s eyes widened.

”Seriously? That’s insane! First exam and we get thrown into this?” Her voice was half excitement, half disbelief.

Selina folded her arms, her tone flat as always, but her eyes glinted faintly.

”No wonder it was so tough for a first fight.”

”Still... we beat it. Together. That counts for something.” Mira exhaled slowly, smiling faintly.

”Hell yeah it does! Did you see that last hit? I totally roasted it.” Claire grinned widely.

Selina shook her head but didn’t hide the faint tug at her lips.

”You almost burned Mira, too.”

Mira smirked, brushing soot off her cheek.

”I’ll take a close call over being clawed in half.”

[...Darkspawn, huh?]

Gray raised an eyebrow.

’Do you know this kind of beast?’

[Yeah. These creatures were once used to train the children of gods. But, of course, they weren’t this weak back then.]

’...Why’s that?’

[They always had unpredictable attack patterns and moved on instinct, making them pretty tough to handle. And if they fought in groups... they fought in total coordination, with some even sacrificing themselves to land a decisive blow.]

[As long as they won, it didn’t matter what sacrifices they made.]

’Oh?’ Gray pushed himself up from his lazy, sunbathing posture.

His grin twitched as he stretched his arms.

’Now that’s an interesting detail.’

He quickly stretched some invisible strings to the three women in front of them, who laughed as they continued walking in the dungeon.

Honestly, it was a pretty dumb move of theirs to be this careless...

”KRIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!”

Suddenly, a piercing shriek ripped from the ceiling.

Four shadowy shapes dropped at once, wings folding back as they dove toward the girls like spears of darkness.

”Dammit!” Selina reacted first.

She spun, both hands slamming forward.

A wall of water burst out from the damp air, slamming upward into a curved barrier above their heads.

WHOOOSH!

The creatures smashed into it, the impact spraying droplets everywhere.

”Above us!” she shouted.

Mira was already moving, her palm striking the floor.

CRACK!

A spike of stone jutted up, stabbing into one of the beasts as it tried to break through the water.

Blood sprayed, black and thick, before the thing writhed and fell.

Claire clenched her fists, fire swirling at her knuckles.

”Got it!” She hurled a burst of flame at the water barrier.

The heat punched through, turning droplets into steam as the blast struck two of the creatures mid-air.

Both screeched, wings burning as they tumbled into the ground, thrashing.

The last one pierced through Selina’s weakened barrier and slammed into the floor right in front of her.

Its claws lashed out, aiming for her chest.

Mira darted sideways, dragging Selina back by the arm just in time.

The creature’s claws scraped sparks against stone instead of flesh.

”Too close—!” Mira gritted, pulling Selina behind her.

Claire’s fire roared again.

She shoved both hands forward, and a wave of flame rushed out, swallowing the last monster head-on.

Its screech cut short as the fire burned it black.

But just as they fought on, the cave rumbled with yet another sharp cry.

”KRIIIIIIIIII!”

From the cracks in the ceiling, shadows poured down. Wings scraped the stone as claws clattered against the walls.

Dozens of red eyes blinked in the dark.

First four. Then six. Then eight.

The girls froze.

WHOOSH!

Selina raised her hands and pulled at the damp air, making a wall of water surged upward, shielding them like a dome.

The beasts struck.

CRASH!

SPLASH!

The shield burst apart, spraying them with cold mist as three monsters forced their way through.

Mira dropped low, pressing her palm flat against the floor.

CRACK!

Stone rose in front of her just as a claw slammed down.

SKRREEECH!

At the same time, Claira threw a fireball.

FWOOOSH!

The fireball lit the tunnel, slamming into a beast mid-air. The smell of scorched flesh filled the air as it fell, twitching.

But another slipped past the flames.

WHUMP!

Its wings blasted hot air as it dived straight for them.

”Left!” Mira shouted as she swept her arm.

CRACK!

A jagged wall split the tunnel, blocking two creatures from closing in.

”Behind!” Selina snapped, her voice breaking.

SNAP!

Water whipped out from her palms, slamming into a beast and knocking it sideways, though its claws still scraped the floor as it tried to recover.

Claire’s flames burst again.

FWOOM!

Heat rolled over them as another monster screamed, black smoke curling from its charred body.

Still, more came.

The girls moved together, forced back step by step... until their shoulders finally touched.

”There’s too many,” Selina muttered.

Dozens of red eyes closed in around them.

But just then, behind them, a calm, mocking voice reached out to their ears.

”...Do you all need my help now?”

The three turned at once and saw Gray... their eyes widened instantly.

Gray... he... he was sitting calmly on a small pile of corpses, the broken bodies of the same darkspawn they were fighting.

Black blood stained the stone around him, yet he looked completely clean.

Not a single scratch or injury.

”Gray...” Mira’s voice cracked, both angry and desperate.

”Stop fooling around, and fucking help us!”

Claire’s flames flared higher.

”Seriously! We’re getting swarmed here!”

”If you can fight, then freaking fight, we’re about to die here!” Selina didn’t shout, but her voice was sharp.

Gray tilted his head, his lips curling up into a small grin.

”If I save you...” He paused, his tone playful.

”...will you spend a night with me?”

”NO!” the three answered at once.

Gray’s smile twitched into a faint frown.

”Tsk... Harsh.”

His eyes flicked back to them.

”Alright then... how about just a kiss?”

Two voices shot back instantly.

”Never,” Mira replied.

”Not happening,” Selina quickly added.

But strangely, Claire didn’t answer right away. She literally froze for a second, her lips parting slighly.

The other two turned to her, shocked.

”Claire?! Why are you hesitating?!” Mira barked.

”Don’t tell me you’re actually considering it,” Selina snapped, disbelief flashing in her eyes.

Claire swallowed hard, firelight flickering across her face.

”...We’re going to die if he doesn’t help us.”

Mira and Selina stiffened, their words stuck in their throats.

But they snapped back quickly.

”Forget that! If he lets us die, he’ll fail this exam too!” Mira shouted.

”Exactly. He’s not stupid enough to risk his own grade.... probably...” Selina nodded sharply.

Claire’s eyes narrowed at their words.

”Grades? From what I’ve heard... Gray is the last person who cares about those.”

Her words landed heavily. Mira and Selina froze, a lump forming in their throats as the truth sank in.

Gray chuckled.

”Better hurry. The monsters are closing in.”

The girls stiffened, realizing he was right.

The beasts weren’t attacking yet, red eyes glared from the dark, wings twitching, but they were being held back.

And only then did they notice the thin, faint glimmer of threads stretching from Gray’s fingers, pinning the creatures where they stood.

Their faces twisted.

”You damned villain!” Mira shouted, pointing at him. ”You probably planned this from the start!”

”We don’t need you. We’ll survive without your help!” Selina exclaimed, gritting her teeth in anger.

Their voices rang sharp in the echoing cave.

But Claire stayed silent. Her lips trembled, her fists burned with weak flame, but she didn’t speak.

...She didn’t want to die.

”Tsk, tsk... They say bad guys are always more attractive to girls, you know.” Gray only clicked his tongue, shaking his head.

”What?!” Mira and Selina barked together, their faces flushing red with anger.

Gray’s grin widened.

And then, he twisted one finger.

”KRIIIIIIII!”

One of the beasts broke free and lunged forward, wings blasting wind through the tunnel.

The three girls screamed, stumbling back in panic. Their spells broke apart, the fire, stone, and water vanishing with their fear.

But nothing touched them.

”...Huh?”

Slowly, they opened their eyes.

The monster hung in midair, body wrapped tight in shining threads. It thrashed and shrieked, but it wasn’t free.

And then they noticed, the rest of the beasts were bound too, suspended like broken puppets in the dark.

Dozens of red eyes blinked, bodies twitching, yet none could move an inch.

Gray tugged the threads with a lazy flick, making the trapped monster jerk like a toy.

His smirk sharpened, turning into the devilish smile of his.

Although... it looked quite attractive.

”Now...” His voice dripped with a strange, enticing tone, ”...what’s your answer, ladies?”