[Villian] Chapter 40: Planning for the Future

Damien felt incredibly conflicted. He had just been presented with a huge opportunity that could greatly backfire. In front of him was Varn; he originally didn’t recognize the kobold since he was a very minor character at this stage in the storyline.

But all that would change when Varn finally advanced his Wild magic to B-grade in a few years’ time. After that, Varn would leave the Mage Tower and manage to survive crossing the Kazimir Mountains. After a month-long journey, he would reach his home. If Damien remembered the wiki correctly, upon witnessing his entire clan being slaughtered by an army of Werewolves, Varn would lose control over his mana. It’s then that Varn’s untamed and powerful Wild affinity would overtake his body and forcefully evolve him into a dragon. However, unlike a normal dragon, he was far smaller, weaker, and without intelligence.

In five years’ time, near the end of the storyline, Varn was considered a mid-ranked boss that the players were expected to kill. Now Damien had only read about Wild magic on the wiki, and even he didn’t know what ‘gazing beyond the veil of the world’ meant.

So, Damien pondered on that sentence. What could ‘beyond the world’ mean? Would showing Varn that this used to be a game world that had become reality help him advance? How could he make Varn believe that this was indeed a fake world? Maybe showing him images of future events?

Now, obviously, he wouldn’t show him everything; in fact, Damien planned to only show him a few key events that he couldn’t stop anyway. There were some set events that would occur no matter what, and then there were some plot points that the player could work to avoid.

For example, a set plot point was Prince August seizing the throne. He was deliberately overpowered and given an absurd amount of support within the kingdom before the game’s storyline even started.

Despite being given a year, Damien still wasn’t certain that stopping Prince August’s ascension was possible. But if he was given a few years to gather power, he was certain he could take the throne, either through Princess Emilia or by taking it himself.

Damien rubbed his chin in thought. First, I need to reach Archmage level in personal strength, preferably by having multiple schools of magic in the A-grade. While increasing my magic, I also need to get the Mage Tower under my control.

After that, I need powerful allies and, ideally, an army. Blackthorn Village, within my dukedom, could be a good starting point for that. I now have a B-grade rune engraver. If I can equip an entire village with runic equipment, they could become an elite strike force.

Damien then looked at both Varn and Fay. Lastly, I need some powerful allies to rely on. If Fay can fully unlock her elemental magic, she will become one of the most powerful mages on the continent. But even an A-grade elemental mage will stand no chance against the dean of Kassinki’s university. For that, I need an S-grade existence, a Dragon for example. As a Fated Villain, I have to assume the whole world is my foe and prepare to fight any opponent.

Damien debated for a second and decided to take the risk. He would show Varn some knowledge that nobody in this world should know. Ideally, it would advance both his Wild magic and make him more loyal toward Damien as he would understand his future goals.

The worst case was that Varn didn’t advance and somehow escaped with this knowledge. Damien wasn’t worried about this outcome. If Varn tried to escape, he would hunt him down till the end of the continent if he had to. Not to mention, who would believe him if he claimed to know the future?

Over telepathy, Damien showed Varn many things. First, he showed him visions of Varn, through many different perspectives. He then showed the ascension of Prince August, how the prince was a human supremacist despite ruling over a diverse country, and how he slaughtered the demi-humans of his own kingdom to raise an undead army. He then showed him the war with the vampires, how Prince August led his undead army to the Kazimir Mountains, and finally exterminated every last vampire.

But the visions didn’t stop there. Damien also showed him what he would become if he allowed his Wild magic to take control, a mindless weak dragon that killed everything in sight, and finally, Damien ended with a vision of Werewolves massacring the kobolds.

Unsurprisingly, Varn’s mind collapsed, refusing to believe what it had seen yet also unable to deny its possibility.

After a minute, Varn stood up with a complicated expression. Under the expectant gazes of everyone, he turned to Damien and asked, “Can we save my family?”

Damien nodded, “Of course. But that depends on your decision here. Become my disciple and enter a soul contract with me, and I will help you. Refuse my offer, and I will hunt you down to the edge of the world.”

Everyone had a shocked expression. What kind of ridiculous demand was this? Was there really a need for a soul contract to advance someone to the B-grade?

Varn didn’t even spend a moment thinking. He had just witnessed things only a god could know. He wanted to believe it was all fake, but what if it was real? Could he really turn down this opportunity to become a real dragon and defend his people?

Varn placed a hand on his chest and said, “If you promise to save my people and treat me well, then I agree.”

Damien showed no change in expression but was jumping for joy inside. He had just gotten himself a potential dragon as a soul slave. Signing a soul contract gave the owner complete control over your life and death. Damien had to take this step; if Varn turned on him once he evolved, Damien would be powerless to stand up against a Dragon. He also needed someone strong, like a Dragon, to survive in this world as a Fated Villain.

Damien placed his hand on Varn’s head. As he felt Varn lowering the defenses around his sea of consciousness, Damien entered. In the center of the sea was a glowing white orb, symbolizing Varn’s soul. Damien floated over in an astral form and cast a spell. “ᛋᛟᚱᛚ ᛒᛁ᚟ᛞ (Soul Bind).” Golden chains shot from Damien’s hands and surrounded the soul.

Returning to reality, Damien could feel a constant link with Varn’s soul. He could detect his general direction, his emotional state, search through his memories, and even tighten the chains to either bring pain or kill him at any time.

Saying every word very slowly and carefully, Varn proclaimed, “Apprenthice Mage Varn greeths Masther Damien.”

Damien smiled. “I accept Varn as my disciple.”

Master Gray clapped from the side. “Ho ho, quite the turn of events! Well done. Come, Varn, let’s check your status!”

Varn put his paws on the stone:

[Varn Yddryr]

[Kobold]

Schools of magic:

[Wild Magic (B)]

Primordial Mana Manipulation [C] - “Manipulate the raw and untamed mana around and inside you.”

Chaos Vortex [D] - “Creates a swirling ball of wild affinity mana that destroys other mana on contact. Can be thrown.”

Chaos Zone [F] - “Creates a domain of wild mana around the caster, reduces the effectiveness of incoming spells, and enhances wild mana spells.”

Master Gray showed a beaming smile. He had watched this little kobold struggle to advance in Wild magic for the past thirty years. Master Gray tried to help him many times, but since there were few coherent records that detail how to advance in Wild magic, it became a difficult process.

Master Gray looked toward Damien with a newfound greed. Whatever knowledge he possessed was truly unfathomable, and he refused to let it go. Turning toward Amaltheia, she seemed to have a similar idea. Without exchanging words, the two ancient mages agreed not to let this mage escape to another Mage Tower in a different country like Oshal. They were witnessing the birth of a new, and possibly the greatest Archmage.

Master Gray cleared his throat and spoke to Damien. “Haha, Master Damien sure is talented. Considering you now have two disciples, this old man will consider your contribution toward the tower as sufficient.”

“Three,” Damien said while pointing toward Fay, who had finally gotten over her shock from earlier and was curiously looking around, not sure who all these people were.

“Oh yes, even better! With three disciples, you are definitely an official Master Mage.” Master Gray added with a smile, “Come, let this old man show you a good place to live
”

Damien gave Master Gray a smile. He knew the old man worried he would leave for a more prosperous Mage Tower, but he had too many things to deal with here in Kassinki to leave. Of course, he wouldn’t tell Master Gray this as he would receive fewer benefits.

“What about me?” Akna demanded with her hands crossed below her breasts, trying to look intimidating with a cold gaze.

Master Gray was about to send her away with his magic, but Damien stopped him.

“What about you?” Damien asked with a sneer. “I don’t need a self-entitled brat as a disciple. Go play princess with someone else.”

“How dare—”

“Silence. I have no need for an ungrateful and prideful waste. I have important matters to deal with and cannot and will not spend the time and effort raising an ungrateful disciple. You look down on me for being a vampire, yet beg me to become your master?

“Send her away,” Damien said while dismissively waving at her.

Akna wore a twisted expression as she glared at Master Gray. “My father will be hearing about this—”

With a wave of his hand, Master Gray teleported Akna away, refusing to listen to her anymore.

“Sorry about that, Master Damien,” Master Gray apologized.

Damien waved him off. “No need, I do not fear some worthless Yaeldrin clan. Bunch of spineless cowards they are.”

Master Gray chuckled and continued leading them to a residence within the upper realm. Floating down, they came to the border between the middle and upper realms. Floating on a small island of black stone was a European-style castle with white walls.

Inside were many fully furnished rooms that served various purposes. When Master Gray gave them a tour, Damien was impressed. He expected to live on a floating platform in the middle realm; seeing Master Gray’s sincerity showed their expectations of him and their desire to chain him to this place.

After saying his goodbyes, both Master Gray and Archmage Amaltheia left for their own residences.

Damien looked at his small group of followers. “You guys will live here from now on. Pick a room and another room for studying. Get some good rest. We will be leaving tomorrow morning to inspect my new dukedom.”