The Villain's Apocalypse-Chapter 58: Protagonist

Chapter 58: Protagonist

fuu—

A gentle breeze grazed the face of a young boy, not older than sixteen. His face was undoubtedly mesmerizing with long, curly black hair, a pair of hauntingly beautiful violet irises, and a sharp, calculating gaze beneath it. He was wearing an exceptionally well-crafted black suit, embroidered with faint golden threads that outlined constellations across his sleeves and collar. The dress blended perfectly with his jet-black hair, which was tied neatly right across his shoulders.

He stood tall and proud, glancing around the crowd formed for today’s occasion with an air of confidence around him. He still held the innocence of a child, but there was a sense of maturity around him that made others distance themselves from him, not out of fear or intimidation, but out of respect.

’Samuel Clarkson, Prince of the Claire Kingdom. Stella Evernight, heir to the Dukal Evernight family. Karlos Lionblade, grandson of the Sword Sage. Evelyn Blizzstorm, heir of the Frost Towerlord.’

He scanned through the crowd, noticing a lot of high-profile individuals– individuals who had gained fame and the attention of the entire continent, thanks to their extraordinary potential and rich background. They were the chosen ones who earned the approval of the Solhaven Academy, and they made it quite clear with those arrogant gestures.

tch...

’Bunch of arrogant bastards.’ He shook his head in disappointment. The self-proclaimed so-called chosen ones were just some rich, arrogant fools with narcissism and over-confidence etched within their bones from childhood.

’They are weak.’ He muttered, frowning with displeasure. His violet irises shimmered faintly, attempting to pry open their secrets and their authentic potential. A faint star-symbol rune flashed across those eyes, and...he could see everything.

’Nothing fancy, Everyone looks the same.’ His handsome face skimmed through the crowd, scanning the potential of everyone present here. Through his eyes, he could perfectly see the outline of small, multi-colored glowing orbs of every candidate present here. These glowing orbs were varying in colors, with some being bright red, navy blue, snow white, etc, and each of them had a certain elemental presence to it. Yes, they were none other than the starseed of those individuals.

Starseeds were mostly linked with their elements, and their color and presence heavily depended on it. The size of the starseed determined its owner’s rank. For example, an initiate-rank starseed would be the size of a marble, whereas a rising-rank starseed would be the size of a golf ball. Additionally, the size also varies depending on the potential of the individual. The higher the potential, the greater the starseed’s glow and thickness, which meant talented individuals have access to a greater amount of mana and easier control, even among the same ranks.

Starseeds are the deepest secrets of Awakeners. They represent everything about them, from their elements, ranks, talents, to even their conditions, and in some way, their current emotions. They are the condensed form of the truest essence of the users, a direct link to their soul. Lucian, however, can literally see through them without even batting his eyes.

There were reasons why Cassian found Lucian an overpowering yet incredibly troublesome individual.

Those star-shaped pupils trailed through the crowd with utter indifference to them before landing on a golden-haired boy. He recognized that person instantly–the most popular candidate, widely recognized as the greatest Talent of the Era.

’Cassian von Luminaire.’ His eyes narrowed slightly, recalling all the information he had about this man. A cold, indifferent man with no known weaknesses. Ruthless in strategy, charismatic in presence, and dangerous in potential. A true prince not just by title, but by bearing.

’That was until the tragedy struck him...’ He shook his head and focused intently on him, attempting to gauge his potential.

Lucian’s gaze sharpened. His vision tried to trace the outline of Cassian’s starseed—only to be met with...nothing.

’Huh?!’

His pupils trembled.

’Impossible.’ His eyes scanned again, focusing harder, pushing his Starseer Pupils to their limit. But no matter how much he tried, there was no visible aura, no glow, not even the faintest hint of Cassian’s starseed.

’It’s like he doesn’t exist.’ His brows furrowed, his heart beating slightly faster. ’Or worse—something is hiding him from even me.’

The unknown both intrigued and unsettled him.

For someone like Lucian, who had always stood at the top, the inability to "see" someone was tantamount to an anomaly—one that demanded attention.

He watched Cassian move through the crowd, calm and composed as always. He was the kind of man who didn’t seek attention, yet drew it naturally. Whether people admired or feared him didn’t matter—he was always the axis around which others tilted.

Lucian let out a quiet sigh, a small smirk tugging at his lips.

"So, you’re the one above heaven..." he muttered, echoing the rumor that floated around.

Then the announcer’s voice boomed across the plaza.

"Next: Lucian Greyhart."

The crowd turned and instantly parted. There was no hesitation, no chatter—just quiet awe. Every student instinctively moved out of the way, some due to respect, some from pressure.

Lucian walked toward the massive crystal pillar without a flicker of hesitation.

As he neared, he could hear whispers.

"Heir to the legendary Duke, Herald Greyheart. The second greatest talent, the one below heaven–Lucian Greyheart.

"We got all the celebrities gathering together today, huh?"

"Obviously, it’s a special day."

"They are just missing me."

"Shut up, you idiot. First, check your face in the goddamn mirror."

"Haha..."

"What are you laughing at, pig-face?"

"You wanna die?!"

"..."

"..."

"I wonder, why is his title the one below heaven?" one individual inquired, gazing curiously at Lucian from afar.

"You wanna know?" A beautiful green-haired lady appeared behind him, replying with a smile on her face. Her hair looked quite clumsy and messy, but there was an unusual brightness within those bright green eyes of hers, attracting their attention instinctively.

"Yes."

"Well, it’s because the one above heaven is him, and there can only be one heaven." She chuckled, pointing toward Cassian.

"Ahh...I see." He slowly nodded.

"Thank you for informing me about it." He turned around and there was... no one

"..."

"Huh?"