Stone Mage: Revenge of the Villain System

The people held their breaths as they watched an actual exorcism happen right in front of their very eyes.

Don's eyes turned even redder and he tried to claw through this man, aiming to gauge out his eyes.

But Councillor Rozenaur just pushed the branding iron into his skin deeper, making him scream in pain and try to claw at the iron instead.

Which he could not, because it was hot from both the tip to the handle. How the Councillor can handle it without feeling any pain, one may never know.

He continued to chant in an old language, speaking louder and louder what Ronin could understand meant:

"Leave! Perish from whence you came, return to the Other side!"

The visage of a beast suddenly burst out from the smoke on Don's shoulder, and it grew as large as a real Silver Wolf.

It roared and scared the people watching, and eventually.....

It vanished.

Don gasped for breath, and fell to the ground. But he was still awake, trying to gain consciousness.

"Volken.... bastard..."

Councillor Rozenaur picked him up along woth his own child, supporting them---

And turned his eyes towards this former captain with a Silver Heartstone.

Volken cursed under his breath.

He needed to get out of here. Soon enough, the Capere Astra team and Don would tell the Councillor about how he had gifted him a potion made of crushed Silver Wolf bones.

The truth was the bones were not taken through the right ritual ways, and was stolen so that anyone that consumes it will be cursed with the beast taking possession of them.

Volken immediately bolted to run, but---

His world went dark, and he was blinded.

"Freeze."

Stuck in this darkness and unable to move, sweat pooled on his forehead as he had never been this fearful before.

It's him...

"Show yourself, little rat!"

But everyone just looked at him strangely, and wondered what he was talking about.

"Let me go! Let me move, damn you! Show yourself!"

The darkness suddenly cleared, and he was able to move again, but....

A large golden hand grabbed his shoulder.

"Come with me, young Argentus." Councillor Rozenaur said in an intimidating tone.

Then, he pressed another branding iron on his back, which weakened his limbs immediately.

"AHHHHHHHH!!!!!" He yelled, as he also collapsed.

Councillor Rozenaur turned to the stunned audience. "This game would be forfeited. Anyone who would like to volunteer to aide me in bringing these three children to the infirmary will be merited."

At the heard of 'merit', which meant passing on a good name to the teachers and fellow Councillors to help raise their grades, many Academy students rushed in to help him.

As the weakened Volken was being dragged off, he saw one of the Capere Astra team members, the one called Xali.....

Smiling at him.

Xali had a knee injury because of Don earlier, and went to the break room to wrap this in bandages, but then---

When he returned, his knee was working perfectly fine.

'Xali' grinned at Volken wide, those eyes of him that were supposed to be light blue suddenly turning a little shade darker.

Volken gritted his teeth. "You!!!! One day, we'll get you, you little rat! I swear with my whole life, I will capture you and crush you with my feet!"

And that was how Volken Argentus' was fully banished in the Academy, just like his friend.

Unlike Cermin, Don had no hesitation to reveal the truth not just to Councillor Verita, but to everyone.

He wanted him to pay for his attempted murder and usage of such dangerous potions.

Duke Taevas was sent a letter and despite the disgrace his family received, he did not hesitate to ask for a trial upon him that may send him to imprisonment or sent into forced military service under the court of Sephyrine.

Three months have passed for this hearing. There were many witnesses against Volken Argentus and the court decided.....

That he was guilty, and must choose between 5 years of imprisonment or 5 years of banishment to fight in other lands as a soldier.

His family chose the later, and so, the Academy shall never hear of him again for 5 years.

He would have to be a soldier despite his unhealed injuries.

When Cermin heard the news, he wanted to send his sympathies to Don, as the experience must have rattled him too.

But when he tried to approach him.....

He saw that he was talking to a familiar girl with pink hair. A girl that he had still not forgotten, and made his heart ache until now.

"Marigold..."

It's been a very long time, and yet he could still not bear to get close to her. Because of the guilt...

Because of wanting to protect her from the curse and misfortune he carries.

And so, he left the scene, and went back to his chair with Ronin and Kai.

While he was away, Kai told Ronin apathetically:

[Congratulations, you have received 10,000 V-points.]

Ronin was drinking fruit juice as usual, this time some strawberry. He rarely eats and would rather consume these fruit juice, already satisfied with them.

"10,000..... So I was right."

"Right about what?" Kai asked pointedly.

"The point of Volken returning, and him existing in the first place, really." Ronin said. "I can guess the original plot now."

Kai waited for him to play smart and explain how he arrived at this great conclusion again with that condescending tone.

"The four friends... They serve to antagonize the four harem members. So that Cermin will have missions that require him to save them from these friends."

"Belladonna had always been meant to pretend to be a man whether or not I have interfered, so that she may meet Volken once more, and he will try to get revenge on her."

"Cermin would have gained her trust and perhaps her affection if he was the one

who saved her, or at least helped. But the story had gone all wrong."

Kai nodded. He can now spoil this one, as it was no longer a spoiler to Ronin who easily deduced the intended plot.

"Yes. You were that 'wrong'. Marigold ended up saving Don instead of Cermin, along with her father."

Ronin nodded. "And that is why I had gained those 10,000 V-points. I not only ruined Cermin's supposed mission..... I changed the plot."

He nodded.. "And like falling dominoes, the plot will just continue to change due to my actions."

As they ended this brief conversation in this conclusion, Cermin returned looking downcast yet trying his best to pretend happy.

"Hey, guy, what are you two talking about?"

Ronin sipped on his cup of strawberry juice. "Nothing in particular."

Looking at this hero, shining bright unser the light of the sun outside.....

Ronin knew that even though he has changed the story somehow...

The roles were still the same, and his destiny would still push through as a villain. Only that the road would take different routes, yet it leads to the birth of Ronin Dreadborne all the same.

It was his fate.