A Villain's Guide to Saving the World-Chapter 50: The Great Villain! Strengthens the Prince...?
Ivan and Lucian walked through the grand corridors of the palace, their footsteps echoing against the cold stone floors. Portraits of past rulers and noble ancestors adorned the walls, their painted eyes seeming to follow every movement, as though assessing the worth of those who walked beneath their gazes.
Banners, richly woven and alive with royal insignia, hung from the high ceilings, the symbols of power undulating in the air like silent sentinels. Each step Lucian took beside Ivan felt like a deliberate power move—an unspoken statement that he, too, belonged here, at least for now.
Ivan continued to stride ahead, his expression as cool and unreadable as ever. His eyes were fixed ahead, unflinching, as if nothing could distract him from his thoughts.
The weight of the royal halls bore down on them, but neither seemed affected. His voice broke the silence, his tone both casual and testing.
"What should be our next move?"
Ivan asked, though his question held more significance than it might have appeared. This wasn’t just a passing inquiry; it was a test.
A subtle challenge to see if Lucian, the so-called Archmage of Darkness, was capable of understanding the intricacies of power beyond brute force. Would he be able to navigate the political web or was he simply a powerful magician with no subtlety to back it up?
Lucian’s lips curled into a smirk behind Ivan’s back, his gaze lingering on the banners as he conjured a small sphere of darkness in his palm. It pulsed with a cold, ominous energy, swirling with tendrils of shadow.
"Power, obviously. Isn’t that obvious?" Lucian replied smoothly, the words practically dripping with arrogance.
He winked, the shadowy sphere swirling faster, before crushing it in his hand. The darkness seeping from his fingertips seemed to almost whisper, a low hum of energy thrumming in the air. Lucian inhaled deeply, drawing in the darkness as if it were nothing more than the air itself.
Ivan’s laugh broke through the tension, the sound rich with amusement. For a moment, Lucian saw him as more than just the prince—he was playing the part of an almost theatrical villain now, something much darker than the mischievous noble he had been at the ball.
"Is this the real you?" Ivan asked, his grin widening, "Or just one of your acts?"
Lucian chuckled, his voice low and playful as he followed Ivan toward the end of the hall.
"And even if you’re serious, how do you suggest we gain power?"
Ivan pressed, his voice quieter now, as they approached a massive door guarded by two servants, their faces impassive and watchful.
Lucian’s eyes glowed with violet intensity as he slowed his pace just slightly, a hint of satisfaction in his smile.
"Shared dominions," he said, his tone more assured now, the words hanging in the air with a heavy significance.
Ivan paused mid-step, his eyebrow arcing upward, the wheels of his mind turning. He stopped entirely, his eyes narrowing slightly as he processed Lucian’s response. He recalled the events from the ball, the assassination attempt, and his own dealings with Lucian. The pieces of the puzzle began to shift into place.
A deep laugh rumbled from Ivan’s chest as he turned toward Lucian, his voice ringing out, echoing down the marble halls.
"I get it... you didn’t just swear fealty without a good reason," Ivan said, his grin spreading wide, the realization dawning in his eyes. "It was always about power, right?"
Lucian’s smirk deepened as he snapped his fingers in a gesture of confirmation, the air around him briefly crackling with energy. "Bingo," he said simply, the word dripping with satisfaction.
With that, Ivan resumed walking toward his quarters, his pace unwavering as he pushed open the doors to his private chambers.
The room beyond was nothing short of impressive—a vast bedroom that could have easily passed for a small mansion in its own right, filled with every conceivable luxury and commodity. Ornate tapestries lined the walls, and the soft, golden glow of lanterns flickered throughout the space.
"This sounds idiotic," Ivan muttered as he stopped in the middle of the room, turning around to face Lucian. "But do what you must."
There was no hesitance in Ivan’s voice—just an open challenge, daring Lucian to prove himself. His arms spread wide in a mock embrace, as if to invite the chaos he knew Lucian was capable of.
Lucian let out a breathless sigh, his amusement barely contained. "That single confirmation made you relax around me that much? Me? The former Dark Lord?"
Ivan’s brief chuckle was accompanied by a knowing smile. His eyes twinkled with a mix of suspicion and curiosity.
"I don’t trust that look you know?"
He teased, still holding his arms wide, the gesture exaggerated as if enjoying the banter.
Lucian nodded, bowing slightly as he responded with mock seriousness. "Your will is mine."
His voice, dripping with amusement, only heightened the tension. He turned on his heel, bringing his hands together in an almost ritualistic fashion.
"Activate Trial Dungeon Two."
The familiar system panel flickered into existence, its glowing interface pulsing before him. Lucian hadn’t relied on the system in some time, but the temptation was too strong now, especially in such an uncertain environment. This would be the perfect opportunity to showcase not just his power, but his potential to carve out something far greater.
[Bring in Ally?]
"Yes..."
Lucian’s simple affirmation caused the room around them to shift. The very air seemed to bend, the space warping and distorting before their eyes. In a blink, the room was gone, replaced by the grand, imposing structure of the coliseum—the very same arena where Lucian had failed during his earlier trial.
Ivan turned sharply, his eyes wide as he took in the transformation. His gaze moved from the stone columns to the towering walls of the coliseum, his mouth slightly agape in stunned disbelief.
"Is this your power?" he asked, his voice filled with awe and respect.
Lucian shrugged nonchalantly, the corners of his mouth curling upward in a playful smile. "Sadly, no... it’s an external force," he replied. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚
The sky above them shifted, darkening as a massive panel descended from the heavens, just as it had when Lucian first entered the trial.
[Wave 1: Begin]
With a deafening roar, the massive gates of the coliseum swung open, unleashing a horde of knights. These were no ordinary soldiers—they were the same knights Lucian had battled before, their glowing armor reflecting the dim light of the arena as they surged forward, ready for battle.
Lucian stepped forward, his smile widening as he gestured to the encroaching army. "You wanted power, right? Then this will be the best way for you to gain it."
His eyes gleamed as the knights surrounded them, closing in slowly, their weapons raised and their intent clear.
"In summary," Lucian continued with a laugh, "each kill gets you stronger."
Ivan unsheathed his sword in one smooth motion, the codex swirling beside him like a storm of draconic magic. His draconic features flared to life, his eyes burning with the fiery power of his heritage.
"Then stand back and watch,"
he said, his voice filled with confidence. The sword blazed with hellfire, matching the intensity of Lucian’s own dark magic, figuring out what Lucian meant by shared dominions the instant he mentioned it.
"I’ll show you what your lord can do."
With a final shout, Ivan charged, his sword blazing in the dim light of the coliseum as he dove into the fray, eager to prove himself.
Lucian exhaled slowly, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Well, that’s one way to get him to move.
He hadn’t expected the system to allow him to bring someone else into the trial, but now that it had, he felt a strange sense of relief. At least Ivan would get a taste of the chaos Lucian was capable of.
