The Villain has Perished



|| Reverse Summoning successful ||

|| Due to the hazardous environment, you have been summoned at a slightly different location from the original coordinates. || 

|| -1000 Magic Power ||

|| Reverse Summoning has entered cooldown ||

I heard a continuous crackling noise, the crisp burnt smell attacked my nose, and a slightly bitter and smoky taste rolled up my tongue. 

The searing hot air struck gushed towards me and rubbed against my skin.

'Am I inside the wall of flames? Why is it so hot?'

Finally, my vision returned. 

While azure flames danced on top of trees, my gaze focused on the dozens of corpses of monsters, the orcs and the great apes, spread on the ground. 

Blue flames, they were different from the crimson flames enclosing the inner section. They belonged to Jae-sung. 

Meaning I was near Jae-sung's and Griffin's location.

"Da-Dante?"

A feeble voice echoed. I reacted swiftly. Dante was the alias I gave to Orca. The voice also sounded similar to Orca's.

Amidst the continuous flames, I used <Mana Sense>. My senses expanded and I could 'feel' everything in a circular dome around me. 

The size of the dome increased to my instruction, and I found him. A human-sized figure lying beneath the tree. He was breathing heavily and stretching his arm in my direction. 

Jumping over a few bushes, I rushed in Orca's direction. However, what I saw made my blood freeze. 

Beside Orca was the Griffin I had been searching for. Both of them were injured but the Griffin's condition was particularly bad.

I hurried and fed them the fruits that Lumine gave me. 

Orca ate with some apprehension. The way his expression twisted whenever he moved suggested that he was in great pain.

As for the Griffin, it was barely conscious and bleeding heavily. When I stepped closer to it, the monster growled threateningly.

"Cough..let..m-me"

The frail orc took the fruits from me and gave them to the Griffin. It was reluctant to consume the fruits, but watching the conviction in Orca's eyes, it finally gave in and ate them.

Their condition started improving rapidly. Witnessing the rapid rate of recovery, a wave of relief washed over me. Griffin was alive, and I arrived before Orca was put in mortal danger.

After they recovered sufficiently, I questioned Orca about the fact that had been bugging me ever since I used Reverse Summoning.

"Why are you here?" 

Orca coughed violently as he spoke, "I was inside the …cough…cough…holy grounds when I woke up. So, I hurriedly left the area. But..cough..I found myself on the land where the two tribes were clashing."

He was puking blood every time he spoke. Nonetheless, Orca explained the situation clearly.

"Cough, cough, at the same time, the king of the forest appeared. He commanded the tribes to stop but…"

"A human donned in the robes of azure white flames assailed me." 

The Griffin spoke while trying to stand on its shaky limbs. Its wing had been burnt completely, rendering it incapable of flight.

Deep gashes ran across its once majestic figure. Looking closely, its left hind leg was barely attached to its torso. If not for the healing fruit the Griffin would've definitely died.

It lowered its head to me. "I thank thee for saving me."

"I have the gist of the situation. You should rest now." I said to Orca and turned to the Griffin. "Where is the human who attacked you?"

At this point, almost everything had been solved. Griffin and its child were safe. It also ordered the monster tribes to stop the civil war. And the monster tribes would listen to it, as long as the Griffin remained alive.

'Where is Jae-sung? The Dainsleif didn't come with me in Reverse Summoning, but Baratos' piece of armor did. I can force Jae-sung to leave the forest by making use of the Holy Knight Commander as a hostage.'

Using a hostage was cowardly, but it was a hundred times better than facing Jae-sung in a battle.

The Griffin was the one to answer. "The human vanished forthwith upon thy arrival."

'Jae-sung hid when I arrived? Why would—' 

"Your back is wide open." A familiar voice entered my ears. "Demonic Slash: Maximus."

Suddenly, goosebumps ran over my skin. An extremely bright light covered the surroundings while a strange warmth surged from the pendent on my neck.

BOOOOMM!!!

As the explosion erupted, a thunderous roar shook the land, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. Flames and debris shot up into the sky, scattering in all directions with blistering force.

The blast wave struck my back and destroyed everything in its path. It was an attack solely intended for killing. The air was filled with a thick cloud of smoke and dust, reducing visibility to a few feet. 

My head began ringing noisily. The flames surged, causing the oxygen in the air to become scarce. While standing on the charred land, I struggled to breathe.

Nevertheless, it was bearable, thanks to the protection amulet of Lumine. It saved me by forming a transparent green sphere around me at the last moment. 

The pendant then cracked and disappeared, along with the protective sphere.

I owed my life to Lumine twice now.

Crackle—!

Through the smokes, I saw a human figure. 

"You're alive." 

Jae-sung walked over the burnt and cracked land. His steady gaze and determined steps were reminiscent of a warrior who was resolute to see a battle to the end.

Yet, I ignored him. I was staring at the corpses with an empty gaze. The Griffin was dead and…

|| Your Contract Orca has died ||

The first one I took as my own was no longer alive.

Looking back, I think this was the turning point where I came to terms with my personality. 

I was selfish.

I was arrogant.

I was reckless.

After accepting that conclusion, I acted like I should have since the beginning.

"Has no one taught you to not touch others' belongings?"

Today, roughly two weeks after I regained my memories, I did something that flipped the entire plot of the novel on its head.