The Villain's Creed: Neither True Hero Nor Last Boss

Chapter 1: Betrayal

After I became the guardian of this world, my world, I fought as a true hero, not for glory, not for a throne, but to protect. I bled, I killed, I sacrificed, all for the people who later betrayed me. Even though I refused the god-given throne, the power and dominion that came with it, I did so because it could have subjected those I called comrades, those of my world, to my will.

And now, they’ve brought me this.

“Ngwan Le, today, your reign ends!”

The voice thundered from above. A figure hovered in the sky, looking down on me not like prey, not like an insect, something worse, disposable. An extraterrestrial mercenary, contracted by my own people, now here demanding my life.

I didn’t flinch. Instead, I raised a hand and pointed at him, a grin curling across my face. “Hahahahahaha!” My laugh tore through the silence. “With your skills, you alone aren’t worthy to make me kneel, let alone end me.”

The crowd gasped. He scowled.

“Make you kneel, I have no interest in that,” he snapped. “But kill you, no matter the cost, I, Mei Li, will see it through.”

He looked determined, too determined for a mere contract killer.

“Ah, fame,” I said coldly. “That’s what this is about, isn’t it? You think my death will echo across the stars?”

He spread his arms wide and laughed, the sound ugly. “Hahahaha! Precisely!”

Pathetic. Fame, he should know better. With his skills, even ten of him couldn’t touch me, and only oblivion awaited him. But something about this felt off, Mei Li shouldn’t even know where this world was. Which meant someone had leaked its location. Someone close.

Something was brewing, and it would surface sooner or later.

“Oh, then it’s settled, What a peculiar fellow,” I mused, lips pursed, eyelids drooping with a strained expression.

He yelled, “Peculiar, What are you even talking about?! Ngwan Le, I won’t stand for this insult!”

Who could have guessed he was this short-tempered, and that all it took to provoke him was my nonsensical taunts. He truly was a peculiar guy.

I needled him further, saying, “What I’m implying is that you lack conviction.” How can someone demanding my life maintain such distance, without even projecting a hint of killing intent? There was no malice radiating from him, but being surrounded by over a billion people was overwhelming. It was the first time I’d ever been in a crowd that large, yet I made sure not to let my discomfort show.

Then, after completely regaining my composure, a flicker of memory returned, reminding me who this extraterrestrial being, Mei Li, truly was. A subordinate of a throne god named Behl. Knowing his rank, there was no way he could have discovered my world’s coordinates, let alone made contact with these traitors.

… Was he perhaps sent by _

As I scanned my surroundings with narrowed eyes, an idea began to form.

“Mei Li!” I roared, eyes narrowing. “Descend here and stop hovering like a coward. Do you truly believe I’m unaware of what’s transpiring?”

Of course, I was clueless.

His eyes widened. His confidence wavered. He thought, *Could Ngwan Le have seen through our scheme? Then why is he still here? Does he possess some hidden gambit capable of unraveling our entire plan?* It hardly mattered. With all these people assembled, once I kill him, regardless of the method, I will achieve legendary status.

“I’ve prepared a gift,” he finally said, forcing a composure that was quickly fraying, lips curling into a grin.

“A gift,” I scoffed, scratching my chin. “From you, Don’t be absurd. Arrogant fool, on what grounds do you presume to offer me a gift? Whether it’s a gift or a present, you’ll need the power to make me accept it,” I shouted, teeth bared in a menacing grin.

This alien is far too arrogant, he should realize that presenting me with a worthy gift is tantamount to defeating me, yet no one has ever succeeded. I thought.

Then a rumble rolled across the sky. The weather shifted, darkness knifed through the light. Divine-level thunder materialized, and from nowhere, wind shrieked into being, carving a path through the crowd and converging on a small, bowl-sized energy orb, transforming the surrounding area into a death zone.

I yawned, unconcerned. This violent wind was one of the Seven Catastrophes, divine-grade chaos. The orb grew, Mei Li watched me with an impish smirk.

“What do you think, Ngwan Le? The gift is about to reveal itself.”

I dropped my head back, hand on my forehead. “Even with a millennium, it won’t be potent enough to withstand my grasp.”

He blinked, momentarily speechless. Then, “You recognize what that is?”

“This is the Will of End,” I stated. “The very essence of destruction. Potent enough to obliterate beings, both existing and yet to be made.”

Mei Li’s eyes narrowed. He blinked, puzzled. He didn’t understand me, Strange. If he knew the risks, why remain so calm, Perhaps his countermeasures could still foil their plan. Maybe absolute power renders all schemes futile.

Again, thunder roared. Flames spiraled into the orb, white, red, blue, yellow, violet, black, each flame coiling around it like chains as it swelled in size. The ground trembled. The air burned.

Mei Li spread his hands, trembling with exhilaration. “This, Ngwan Le, is the genesis of a life-expectancy orb!”

I chuckled. “You’re too stupid Mei Li. That orb is fueled by the will of destruction. It will consume any life force. Yours. And this planet’s own. Yet, I will remain unaffected.”

He faltered. “It, it won’t affect you?”

“Precisely. Didn’t I tell you, That your gift wouldn’t possess the power to withstand my grip.”

As we spoke, the energy orb continued to grow, the flames wrapping around it like chains maturing into spiritual flames. As it expanded…

*Swoosh!*

Naturally, I was captivated by the spectacle. I watched with a piercing gaze, clapping my hands and laughing heartily.

His face contorted with rage. “Even if it devastates this world, even if half my life force is depleted, your era must end today! And with time, all this can be restored through cultivation.”

“With time, you say…” I mused, looking at the ground and scratching my head.

His rage erupted, his face contorted, cheeks flushed crimson. “You, you! We shall see who laughs last. Now, prepare for oblivion.”

And before I could react, the ground beneath me ignited. A formation bloomed outward, stretching for thousands of kilometers. Over a billion souls were trapped within its intricate pattern, their bodies trembling, their very essence shackled to this sacrifice.

I laughed. “So, this is the grand design. A mass sacrifice. Do you truly believe draining a billion lives will imbue that orb with enough power to stop me?”

He sneered. “You boast greatly. But tell me, is your hand truly capable of containing such power?”

“Misconception is a grave affliction,” I stated. “And someone as twisted as you always perceives others as the mad ones. Perhaps you’re eager to witness what I have concealed, the secret weapon I carry.”

*A secret weapon, Is that why he remains here, aware of the unfolding events? What magnitude of power could a weapon wielded by Ngwan Le possess?*

Then, as the orb completed its evolution, thunder, wind, and flame compressed, transforming it entirely into a life-expectancy orb. While it was only one-twelfth the size of the legendary sphere that could encompass the Twelve Realms, it was still immense for a single world, saturated with psychic energy, and at its core resided the Will of End. Flames spiraled, white, red, blue, yellow, violet, then black.

The aura emanating was so potent that if Mei Li and his accomplices, those standing with him outside the formation, weren’t shielded by an arcane power, they would have perished simply from exposure.

Mei Li’s grin stretched wide as he raised his arms. His voice thundered with an air of finality, “Ngwan Le, a surprise! Let’s see your famed grip.” He extended his hands, veins glowing with power, and ascended into the sky, calling out, “Life Expectancy Orb, Darkness Swallowing Life!”

The orb responded, roaring with ravenous hunger as it plunged toward me like a searing sun.

The world shuddered. And I?

I clenched my fist tighter and smiled.