A Villain's Will to Survive-Chapter 234: Name (1)

Heavy clouds devoured the dark sky, and a constant rain fell without end. Mist rose from the ground, curling through hollows that had turned into pools of thick sludge. Boots sank deep into the muck, swallowed by the weight of waterlogged earth. In the thick of the storm, a child ran—mud splashing with every step—chasing a familiar woman disappearing into the rain.

Splat, splat—

The world was hidden beneath the cold rain, and the distance ahead felt unreachable. Each step was small, swallowing the child's feet again and again. However, the child moved forward without hesitation. And at the very end—finally—small fingers reached out and gripped someone's hand.

When both of their footsteps came to a stop, the child, heart trembling, slowly raised their head to meet someone's eyes—and that woman, too, returned the look toward the child.

In that moment, fear crept into the child’s heart. The child didn’t know what the woman might say, whether she would let go of the hand or just turn and walk away. But to the child trembling in silence, the woman offered a gentle smile—and spoke in a warm and kind way.

“... Sylvia.”

The child—Sylvia—rushed into her mother’s arms, overwhelmed with joy. The warmth that enveloped her was so full, so real, it reached her heart and quietly melted the walls she didn’t know she’d built. Sylvia tried to hold back the tears, but in the end, they came.

“Don’t cry, sweetie~ What’s wrong, hmm? Everything’s going to be just fine.”

The rain no longer reached them, as one umbrella stretched above, sheltering mother and child. Beneath it, they stood—together now, and together always...

“He’s coming, sweetie. Everything’s going to be alright.”

At her mother’s voice, Sylvia finally opened her eyes wide.

***

Whooooosh—!

A storm was raging across the sea, and the boat rocked like mad over waves that twisted and rose like dragons. We were seconds from capsizing as the engine had been wrecked long ago, so I had no choice but to steer using only Telekinesis.

“Professor—! We’re all going to die out hereeeee—!”

“Silence yourself,” I said.

“Aaaah—! I’m going to drown! Ahh!” Epherene screamed, grabbing onto me as the boat rocked violently beneath the crashing waves.

Boom—

A sudden shock slammed into the boat, and Epherene threw her arms around my waist, holding on tightly as if the sea might tear her away.

“... Ghk—cough—!”

Even mages, at times, were completely helpless, especially in moments like this, when a storm roared with mana. Dense currents of magic distorted the air, disrupting any spell before it could materialize, while the sea’s limitless mana dismantled whatever we tried to cast.

Even in a world where knights and mages ruled with strength and sorcery, there were still forces of nature far beyond human reach.

“Hey! Ovah heah, Deculein!”

At that moment, a voice rang out, and in the distance, a massive ship appeared, cutting through the waves and heading straight toward us.

Hoooonk—

The ship's horn blared through the air, deep enough to rattle in my chest and leave my ears ringing.

“Y’alright?!”

“Are you unharmed, Professor?!”

As the knight touched down above and a mage’s voice rang out, I raised the boat with Telekinesis and guided it up onto the ship’s deck.

Thud—!

That single motion drained five hundred mana in a single breath.

“Wooooaaaah—!” Epherene screamed.

Moments later, knights and mages rushed to our side.

“Y’alright, Deculein?!”

“... Rogerio,” I said. “It’s you.”

"Yah!"

Even through the fog and dark, I caught a subtle glimpse of pink hair. I brushed my damp hair back and took a look around.

“Delic,” I called.

"Yes, Professor. This is Delic. I'm glad you're safe!" Delic replied.

Including Delic, there were roughly twenty knights in total.

“Let’s get ya inside first... but hey, she awright?” Rogerio asked.

“Who are you referring to?” I asked.

“Talkin’ ‘bout the one hangin’ to ya like a koala strapped to your back.”

It took me a moment to look down at my waist, and Epherene was holding onto me like a frightened koala, her face drained of color, her lips pale blue, and her whole body shaking.

“So how long were ya floatin’ out there?”

I walked the day backward in my thoughts.

It was raining before we even left the western coast, and after that, it was nothing but fog and storms. Therefore...

“It’s been about a day—”

“You kiddin’ me?! She’s been out there like that all freakin’ day? That poor kid’s barely holdin’ it together!”

***

Clink—

In the ship’s cabin, an escort knight placed a teacup on the table. Steam curled from the green tea, and Epherene, wrapped in a blanket, pale and trembling, reached out and cupped it in both hands, holding onto its warmth.

“Aww, look at you—worried ‘bout ya lil’ protégé?” Rogerio said with a chuckle.

I gave Rogerio a look, letting silence do the talking.

“... Sorry? Worried about who?” Epherene asked, blinking up at Rogerio.

Epherene's voice was so hoarse, it barely made it out.

“Ya see the way the Prof was lookin’ at ya just now was like—mmph!”

“That’s enough,” I said.

"Mmph! Mmmph!"

“Next time, I tape the nose too,” I said, smoothing the Duct Tape over Rogerio’s mouth as she squirmed around.

"... Mmph.”

I stripped the Duct Tape off her mouth.

“Wow... save somebody and that’s the thanks ya get,” Rogerio muttered, rubbing her lips. “Anyway, this weathah’s hittin’ wicked hard, huh? Somethin’s off. This’s the west coast, right? Why’s the mana storm blowin’ like it’s hell breakin’ loose?”

“Will the ship hold against it?” I inquired.

"’Course she’ll hold. Who d'ya think built her? The world could split in half, but my ship’d still be floatin’."

Slurp—

As Epherene sipped her tea, I turned to the window. Beyond the fog, the Island of the Voice loomed—faint as a shadow rising from the sea.

“There's no freakin’ way we’re gettin’ in there," Rogerio muttered.

“... How strange.”

I sat with the thought for a moment. The Voice was never a quest that followed a single path—it could shift at any time. This wasn’t a game anymore, and in a world that warped with every variable, even certainty felt like chance. However...

"It can only flourish by welcoming the living," I muttered.

Demons couldn’t exist without humans. Without people, there were no demons. In a world of only demons, they’d be human by contrast. Therefore, the reason the Voice desired to welcome mankind was simple—human beings were the conduit through which its power could spread.

“Right? I know demons pretty well. What in the world is this one smokin’?”

“No, the Voice is clever."

A demon is made of three elements—physical form, phenomena, and concept—and the Voice manifests all three. It couldn’t exist without being extraordinarily manipulative...

“Or perhaps...”

A sudden thought struck me out of nowhere.

"It’s already taken what it wanted," I concluded.

“Something that it wanted?” Rogerio asked.

“Indeed.”

Then what, exactly, is it that it wants? I thought.

“... Then what d’ya think the Voice wanted?”

Epherene turned her eyes to me, her curiosity silent yet clear.

"It will neither be profound nor pure. Demons were never made for higher matters."

Then its purpose must be...

"To let its power wash over the continent and completely take form as a demon," I said.

"... And? Are ya tellin’ me the Voice already got what it wanted?" Rogerio asked.

"It’s possible that the Voice has already found the catalyst it wanted."

“Catalyst?”

A name surfaced in my thoughts—faint at first, then anchoring itself with quiet certainty.

“... Sylvia,” I said.

Rogerio's face fell, the color draining from her cheeks. Beside her, Epherene let out a gasp, her breath catching in her throat.

“Eeeeeeeeeeeek...”

It was such an unearthly sound.

***

Meanwhile, the mental strength test developed by Deculein had become highly competitive. While the presence of many renowned adventurers played a part, it was the test itself that drew attention. Its immense scale and vivid realism bordered on the mysterious, creating an experience within the unconscious world unlike anything anyone had encountered before.

“Wow. Ria, is this really the unconscious world~?” Ganesha said.

Deculein’s test was, in every sense of the word, an expedition. There were villages, NPCs, currency, and dungeons. Participants could cross paths, and there were even treasures hidden throughout. Of course, anything found would remain in the unconscious world—it could never be brought into the real world.

“I know, right?” Ria muttered.

Ria, too, found herself mesmerized by the scene.

This really makes me feel it—that this world isn’t a game—or at the very least, it’s not one anymore. Events I would probably never even think of, things not written in any scenario, just come crashing in out of nowhere... Ria thought.

Then Ria added, “It’s just like the real world."

"Right~? Oh, look over there. There's a village," Ganesha said, pointing past the horizon.

“Yes, you are right,” Ria replied, her eyes following the lines on the map held in her hands.

"Come on, let’s go get something to eat. You must be hungry by now."

"Okay, let’s eat."

It really is strange. I’m actually hungry right now. And when I eat here, I feel full—like actually full. Even though this should be nothing more than the unconscious world.

“Hey—yo.”

All of a sudden, a voice crept around from behind—grating without reason, the kind that made you sigh without knowing why. Ganesha and Ria stiffened, their faces hardening as they turned toward the sound.

“Hehehehe, why are you eyeballin’ me like I keyed your car,” Jackal said with a grin.

The two stood tense, every nerve on edge, but Jackal paid no mind and continued, “I'm feelin' real chill right now, dude. Y’know, like, no need to cruise all the way down to the Voice or whatever."

“... And what’s that supposed to mean~?” Ganesha asked.

“Umm~ You know. Somethin’s way off about this place—like, not just kinda weird, I mean hella weird,” Jackal said, his tone taking on an unusually serious edge.

“... Weird?”

“Totally, dude. Just this weird feelin’, y’know? Kept creepin’ up on me—like somethin’ was seriously off. So I was like, yeah nah, I’m out. Pulled the plug on the test,” Jackal replied, pointing to the bracelet on his wrist that had been strapped on since before the exam even started—a transmitter.

“If you were gonna quit, you should’ve just quit—why the hell are you crawling back again?” Ganesha said, clicking her tongue.

“Yo, can it already. Quit yappin’ and just listen for once, alright? You dizzy little flame-head.”

“... Haha, you little—”

“Let’s just hear him out,” Ria said.

A vein throbbed at Ganesha’s temple as she took a step toward Jackal, but before she could go any farther, Ria grabbed her arm and held her back.

“Yo, so dig this—I step out, come back, and boom!” Jackal said, pulling something from his pocket.

The two flinched, stiffening as if Jackal had drawn a weapon—but what he pulled from his pocket was nothing more than a single leaf.

“This baby’s just chillin’ in my hand!” Jackal continued, flashing a bright smile.

"... What does that even mean? Can you say it in a way that we can understand?” Ria asked.

“Aight, so listen up—I ain’t sayin’ this twice,” Jackal said, a leaf hanging from his lips as he chewed on it with those teeth that could crack stone. “This little guy? Pulled him outta this mess in here.”

Ria remained silent.

“So here’s what I’m sayin’, dude,” Jackal continued, crouching down to scoop a handful of dirt. “Anything you pull from in here? You can totes carry it out, y’know? Means it’s the real deal—out there, too."

Ria’s eyes widened as the meaning behind Jackal’s words became clear, while Ganesha’s face twisted in complete annoyance.

“Look, I ain’t even gonna pretend I get how the hell any of this happened,” Jackal added, dusting his palm off as the dirt scattered into the wind. “But one thing’s as real as stone—Deculein. That crazy bastard went and straight-up built a whole damn world.”

“... A magical space,” Ria muttered.

Ganesha and Jackal simultaneously turned to look at her.

“If that’s true, then Deculein didn’t create a whole world. It’s a magical space.”

“... Can something like that really happen?” Ganesha asked.

Ria stared into the distance for a while, then shook her head and said, “... I don’t know.”

Isn’t the creation of a magical space something only an archmage can achieve? Of course, Deculein’s element properties are fire and earth—both foundational elements of land—but still...

“Anyway—I came here for one thing. Somethin’ that’ll bring my sister back.”

“There’s really something like that in here?” Ganesha asked.

“Yeah,” Jackal replied, nodding. “Word is there’s an elixir auction goin’ down in the central city.”

“... Elixir?”

At the mention of elixir—such a clichéd name—only one person came to Ria’s mind, Yulie. The all-too-obvious cure for her poisoning, as predictable as it was irreplaceable.

“No way,” Ria muttered.

“No way? Look at this lil' punk. Knew I shouldn’ta said nothin’. You even think about layin’ hands on that elixir and you’ll find out real quick what happens next...” Jackal said, reaching for his long sword.

“You pull a blade on a kid? Are you out of your fucking mind?” Ganesha said, slamming her boot straight into his shin.

"... Man, even when I drop somethin’ good, y’all still freakin’ flip,” Jackal replied, lips jutting out in a pout—though he didn’t seem all that bothered. “Anyway, I’m bouncin’ now, aight? And you guys better hold on tight to whatever treasure you scored in there. ‘Cause once this little secret gets out? Dude... it’s gonna be a goddamn bloodbath, for real.”

Instead, he passed by them with a wide grin, whistling a carefree melody and clearly delighted at the thought of finding something that might save his sister.

“... You’re trying to start a fight between people with that, aren’t you?” Ganesha said, narrowing her eyes as she stared at his back.

“If you think I’m full of crap, go on—step out and come back in~ Ain’t like I gotta spell it out for you. Soon as everyone leave and roll back in, they’re gonna be goin’ apeshit tryna rip each other apart for treasures anyway~”

Click—!

At that moment, a sound like the world powering down echoed through the air, and everything was swallowed in pitch blackness. Jackal, Ganesha, and Ria stood frozen where they were, blinking in stunned silence as the darkness closed in around them.

“... Yo, what the actual fuck just happened?!”

Whump—!

Jackal, Ganesha, and the rest of the adventurers had been forced out of the testing grounds—no, more accurately, they had returned to the real world.

They now found themselves back in the very seats of the theater on the western shore, where Deculein had once given the mental strength test. The space buzzed with noise and confusion as hundreds of adventurers glanced around at one another, trying to understand what had just happened.

“What the fuck, hey! What the hell is goin’ on?!” Jackal yelled, springing to his feet with his eyes glaring and jabbing a finger at Drent.

Drent flinched instinctively under the weight of Jackal’s glare, the raw hostility in his voice enough to make everyone's blood run cold.

“Dude, why the hell’d I get—”

“The test is over. No—there’s no need for it anymore.”

A chill voice called down from the platform of the theater above, and Ria looked up to see it.

“Do you have a problem with that?”

Soaked to the skin, Deculein stood upon the platform, staring down at Jackal—the magic professor who had created the magical space.

“Disperse—for now. Even if you pass the test, entry will be impossible due to the natural disasters caused by the Voice...” Deculein declared, as if unaware—or simply unconcerned—that he was completely soaked in front of the gathered adventurers.

***

... At this very moment, I found myself thoroughly disoriented.

“Oh, don’t worry about the Voice, Professor. If it’s at all possible, might I retake the test...?” said one of the adventurers.

It was because of the adventurers’ behavior—they circled around me with exaggerated politeness, showing no sign of leaving the theater.

“Retake the test?” I said.

“Yes, I mean the mental strength test.”

“... And why would you want that?” I replied, my brow furrowing.

However, I had no time to spare on any of this. I had to return to the Empire without delay and begin devising a countermeasure against the Voice.

“Professor, Professor~ Look at this, look~” said Maho, the princess of the Principality of Yuren, with a bright smile as she walked over to me, holding something out in her hands.

“Gold, is it?”

It was gold—pure gold, radiating a deep, golden glow.

“Yes, Professor~ One of the adventurers found it during the test~” Maho replied.

“... During the test.”

“Yes~ I mean from the test you created, Professor~ They say something from inside that world turned out to be real just like this~?”

As I was trying to make sense of those unclear phrases, someone tugged at my sleeve—it was Ria from the Red Garnet Adventure Team.

“It’s a magical space,” Ria said.

I looked down at the child in silence, her features resembling Yoo Ah-Ra’s and her face set in determination—like a pint-sized warrior trying to play hero.

“That testing machine,” Ria continued, pointing to the cylindrical Magitech Brainwave Explorer placed above the theater. “You created the magical space yourself with that, Professor.”

Speaking as if I had created something I never actually did, Ria looked up at me with a hardened expression.

At that moment, a quest notification appeared in the air, and a single, unmistakable sentence burned itself into my vision.

[Independent Quest: Game Designer Kim Woo-Jin]