A Villain’s Dilemma and a Hero’s Resolve

A flock of crows flew past, leaving six dark specks in their wake.

Su Mo snapped out of her contemplative silence, a torrent of unspoken complaints bubbling within her, and pressed a hand to her forehead.

‘How did things even come to this?’

She pondered, asking herself if she had ever anticipated such an outcome when she first left. She had only intended to issue a warning because Bai Ruoruo was at this school, and She Min was also present.

Though her impressions of both weren’t entirely negative, one was a new friend, and the other was a villainous ability user.

‘It was inevitable…’

Indeed, Su Mo, the Villain NO.1 herself, hadn’t realized her own prejudice against villainous ability users until it was pointed out.

Despite being a villainous ability user, she still tended to believe that others in their ranks were always up to no good.

‘If they could live peacefully, would anyone truly choose to become a villain?’

Aside from herself, it seemed the other villainous ability users, whose lives had been thoroughly exposed, didn’t really have the option of living in peace.

She didn’t completely trust She Min, yet the other party hadn’t shown any malice. Her words always carried an unconscious kindness, like a senior towards a junior, openly stating her goals, inviting her but not forcing her.

While She Min’s offer of help might have stemmed partly from guilt over a past misunderstanding, it was her genuine sincerity that ultimately moved Su Mo.

It wasn’t that she wanted to leave with She Min, but she was willing to lend a hand to her dream if it was something she could easily do. She Min intended to subdue a rule-type calamity beast and house it within the Villain Alliance, creating an ‘Eden’ where villainous ability users could live with human dignity and safety.

‘And this…’

Su Mo harbored a small, selfish thought: if she ever had to go on the run, having a place to go would be beneficial.

“How much longer?” Su Mo asked, looking down at the little black cat.

“Hmm, give me another ten minutes, no, eight minutes will be enough, big sister!” She Min’s voice echoed, indicating that her ‘eyes and ears’ had clearly observed the arrival of Frost Snow Sovereign and the unfolding events outside.

“Alright, I’ll buy you that time then!” Su Mo understood that to gain something, one must first give something.

“Little Su Mo, that’s a Sovereign. Although… you’ve only just awakened…” She Min’s voice held a hint of panic. While a rule-type calamity beast was indeed important, Villain NO.1 Su Mo was even more crucial.

She was already the embodiment of the villainous ability users’ hopes, an existence capable of contending with a Sovereign. But… she was still young. She Min doubted that those who excelled at nipping danger in the bud would let this opportunity pass if Su Mo were to confront a Sovereign like this.

“I acknowledge your dream. Even with the Sovereign’s arrival, you choose to persist, in a situation where every second is perilous.”

“I have no dreams of my own, but I can protect dreams for others,” Su Mo said with a smile.

The one-eyed cat stared blankly at the smiling girl.

‘She shines like light.’

“Little Su Mo…”

“Of course, after ten minutes, I’ll be making a run for it. I’m quite keen on self-preservation, you know.”

Su Mo’s form floated into the air. Her black hair turned white, and her school uniform transformed into the black Lolita dress she had favored before.

‘Ahem, not exactly favored, just didn’t want to lose face.’

‘You can’t beat me in terms of beauty, can you? Haha~’

As she departed, what Su Mo didn’t voice was the sensation of a gaze piercing straight through walls and several buildings, having already fixed upon her.

[Good Deed Points +200 +300 +400…]

‘So, this counts as a good deed too?’

Su Mo murmured, without looking back.

An ice spear shot forth. Behind her, a fire python sprang out, biting it.

*Boom!*

The fire python’s head shattered, and the ice spear exploded into glittering shards in the air.

They sparkled brightly.

Su Mo, who had intended to casually shove her hands into her pockets, regretfully realized her Lolita dress had none.

To keep her hands from looking idle, she snapped her fingers, and several fireballs appeared behind her, transforming into fiery arrows.

She looked towards the conspicuous presence in the sky. ‘Alright, you’ve made your greeting; now it’s my turn.’

With a flick of her sword-finger.

Ten thousand arrows launched!

‘Sovereign~’

‘I am Villain NO.1.’

‘Let’s see what you’ve got~’

****

Saint Lily silently observed the scene, escorting the children from Wentai Building out of the school.

No one knew what she was thinking.

In the sky, a clash of blue and red light and shadow raged. Although the battle was confined to high altitudes, its aftershocks still affected the buildings.

Falling rocks, shattered ice, and sparks rained down, threatening to bring everything crashing down.

She heard crying.

– Lily, the rescue is complete. White Rose and the others have already evacuated. You can come back now. – Dandelion’s voice rang in her ear.

Saint Lily remained silent.

‘Should she ignore it?’

– I hear crying… are there still children…? –

– Lily! You must understand, this isn’t the time for you to act recklessly! Your precious sister has already been rescued, hasn’t she?! – Dandelion’s voice was slightly agitated. – If you’re not careful, you’ll die. –

Saint Lily remained silent.

– Do you want to make your sister sad? –

Saint Lily looked at the children waiting by the school gate, among whom was Bai Ruoruo.

The crying grew fainter, as if it could vanish at any moment.

She froze, glanced at Bai Ruoruo once more, then took a deep breath, her eyes hardening with resolve.

– Dandelion. –

– It might sound foolish, but I cannot deceive my own heart. – Once her decision was made, she turned without hesitation.

– Besides, that child idolizes cool heroes. Ignoring those who cry for help wouldn’t be cool, nor would it be heroic. –

– Saint… Lily, I can never dissuade you. I’ll help you search. As long as we act quickly, it should be manageable! – Dandelion sighed in resignation but swiftly formulated a plan.

– Thank you, Dandelion. –

– Don’t thank me. There’s no need for such formalities between us! –

– Mm. –

With several protective enchantments, Saint Lily swiftly dashed out of the smoke and dust, dodging falling rocks and other debris.

****

Su Mo gazed at her frozen, ice-blue right arm and the several ice arrows hurtling towards her.

Beneath her, flames erupted, blooming into a fiery red lotus whose petals closed, enveloping her small form in layers.

The ice arrows and fire lotus collided, rippling outwards and spreading a white, misty haze that obscured the view.

Frost Snow Sovereign looked down from above.

“It can’t be over already, can it? I haven’t even warmed up yet~”

A massive fire python ascended from the clouds, transforming into a dragon. Its fiery whiskers swayed, its dragon horns jutted menacingly, and a tremendous roar echoed as it bellowed at An Lan.

It resembled a true dragon.

An Lan, too, had grown playful. “Heh~ Quite well done~ Now *this* is more like it~”

“Then, it’s time for me to slay a dragon.” With a slight lift of their arm, an ancient frost-snow sword was conjured, and they fearlessly transformed into a streak of light, meeting the dragon head-on.

****

‘This should be enough to buy some time!’

Su Mo controlled the colossal fire dragon, battling the completely captivated Sovereign while subtly drawing them further away.

Just as she let out a sigh of relief, she thought, ‘Let me try something else.’ She conjured a small frost sword in one hand, examined it, then flicked her wrist, sending it away.

‘From now on, I should stick mainly to fire!’

‘Concealing abilities is also a trump card.’

“Xiaoqian, plan our escape route. It’s time to make a run for it.”

[Understood, Host! OK (ゝω・´★)]

“We can go through the underground parking garage…”

*Boom!*

Su Mo was puzzled. ‘What was that sound?’

“It’s Miss Lily~”

“Hm?”

Through the window, Su Mo saw Saint Lily on the other side, glowing brightly, adorned with various halos, a veritable halo warrior. She was holding one child in front of her and had another clinging to her, as she burst through a wall of the burning building from the third floor.

Their eyes met. The floating Saint Lily’s expression froze, while Su Mo merely offered her a smile before her figure shimmered and vanished.

‘?’

Saint Lily remained silent, said nothing more, and without lingering, swiftly flew away with the children.

Su Mo: ‘That just scared me half to death! My poor little heart can’t take it! It was way more thrilling than fighting Frost Snow Sovereign!’

Su Xiaoqian: ‘Miss Lily isn’t scary, Host is such a coward~’

Su Mo: ‘Run, run~’