No More Pain For This Villain.

Chapter 374 Stubborn Than The Fate

Chapter 374  Stubborn Than The Fate

'Rise and shine, Princess~' Blaze's voice pulled me out of my sleep as I woke up.

I looked around, breathing heavily—my mouth was dry, and it felt like my whole body was on fire.

"Haa... haa..." I took a moment to calm myself down. It wasn't usual for me to dream about that particular moment in my past life.

I still remember the first time I pulled that trigger. I don't know what was going through Sasha's and Alfred's heads when they handed a teenager that gun, but after that, my life changed for the worse.

Still, it's better that the dream... no, the nightmare, ended after pulling the trigger. Yet, it's hard to feel alive. It's as though leaving that past behind is unnatural—or maybe *this* life is unnatural, something that was never supposed to happen.

Massaging my forehead, I left the embrace of my mattress. Smokeball was curled up on top of the desk.

"How's your training going?" I asked aloud.

Blaze lifted his feline body and stretched. 'It's going fine,' he replied.

I still don't understand how a mana beast—if Blaze even is one—gets stronger. He claims it's not tough, just time-consuming. Whenever he kills, I receive experience and blood points from the kill, but those strengthen *me,* not him.

That's why he sometimes sneaks off at night to train on his own. It's more about mastering his shadow powers.

Being a Winged Pardus is quite an interesting experience, he says—different from being a dragon, definitely. I'm still not sure how my mother got her hands on the tooth of such a creature, but she did say it was a family heirloom from her side.

I glanced at the clock. It was early in the morning. Checking my status once more, I noted that not much had changed. Sighing, I pulled out a trunk, only to remember it was already packed with my essentials.

I stored it in the system-provided storage void. Inside, I still have Amphiptere's Heart and Ignisara's Blessing, alongside my Convergence Amulet.

I don't know what I can use the heart for, but the other two are straightforward. Ignisara's Blessing can increase my fire affinity—a powerful buff, in my opinion. The Convergence Amulet is a given, though I still need to practice some of the Void abilities granted through my bond with Blaze.

Not going to lie, the power granted by the Convergence Amulet is my biggest surprise attack.

After taking a quick shower, I donned my clothes. I'm not fond of armor, but I don't think I can go without it much longer. I might need to request something from Alver—maybe a good piece of armament, a sword, or even a dagger.

I know my limits. I'm not great with weapons. My fighting style relies on instinct more than skill. Some say that's the best way to handle a weapon, but only if you've honed your skills to a point where instinct and proficiency merge seamlessly.

In my case, it's like I'm wielding a hockey stick—but sharper.

It gets the job done, but over time, I've come to notice the difference between fighters like me and those like Adam, Vexa, and even Mary.

'Why are you thinking about these things first thing in the morning?' Blaze jumped onto my shoulder as I fixed my hair.

It had grown much longer, now well past my shoulders. The red ends were brighter, while my skin appeared paler. My eyes, which practically glowed whenever I used mana, could probably scare someone in the dark.

I left the room. It was early, with both suns still absent from the sky, but the faint, diffused light gave the world a surreal glow.

Walking along the cobbled pathway outside the dorms, I noticed a crowd of students gathering near a group of individuals. Their excitement was palpable, their voices buzzing as the group at the center drew more attention.

Standing a bit away, I observed, waiting for the right moment.

Then, amidst the throng, a masked man with silver hair emerged. The crowd parted, creating a clear path for him. Taking advantage of the distraction, I followed the Prince.

I trailed just behind him, silent enough that when he turned slightly to glance back, he flinched. His expression, though hidden behind the mask, was almost tangible.

He might be thinking something like, *Why didn't I sense him?!*

Still, Aron said nothing and continued walking, leading the way until we reached the center of the commotion.

"Looks like you've decided to come. I'm pleased with your decision," Falco said from beneath the hood that concealed his entire face.

I shifted my gaze to Falco's side. Adam stood there, clad in his knightly armor that gleamed faintly in the morning light. Beside him was a woman in similar attire—Amelia, the elven knight from Elishia Forest and personal guard of Elsa, the Elishian princess.

Elsa herself stood nearby, her attention flickering between Adam and a taller girl beside her.

The taller girl, however, was someone I'd rather ignore—and who, I'm sure, would prefer to ignore me as well. Mary Klein. My childhood friend. Or rather, the childhood friend of the original owner of this body.

She seemed out of it lately, though her eyes were glued in my direction. Was she upset, thinking I followed her here? Or impressed that her once unassuming childhood friend, whom she rejected so mercilessly, now stood stronger than her?

I didn't know. Nor was I curious enough to ask. But I was sure the day would come when we'd have to talk. How would that go? I wasn't eager to find out.

Finally, I turned my attention to the trio at the forefront—Stormborne, his granddaughter Isolde, and Vexa.

Stormborne stood imposingly, while his granddaughter exuded an aura of command. Isolde's silver hair shimmered faintly as her sharp eyes surveyed the gathering.

And then there was Vexa. Her silver hair was tied into a single bun, and she wore armor unlike anything I'd seen before. It was as if her breastplate, gauntlets, vambraces, and greaves were forged from incandescent scales. A rapier hung at her side, completing the formidable image.

Vexa stared at me, but instead of remaining where she was, she approached.

"You did come," she said, her tone inscrutable.

I couldn't tell if she was happy about it or being sarcastic.

"Yeah, I did." I sighed, the weight of my decision pressing down on me.

Why had I come? The answer was simple—I was done running.

Day by day, the situation worsened, and the specter of the *Fate Curse* loomed over me. Cursed to die on a fated day... I refused to let my life be dictated by that. I needed strength.

For the past year and a half, I had built a life here. A life I didn't intend to lose. I wouldn't bend my knee to fate—and if it came to it, I wouldn't kneel before a god either.

Fuck that.

Falco flicked his finger, and a portal shimmered into existence before us. Through it, I saw an ashen ground strewn with skeletal remains.

"I can't keep this open for longer than a minute because of the distance," Falco said. "So hurry up."

I glanced at Smokeball, determination burning in my chest.