I Am The Game's Villain

-BOOOOM!

Explosions echoed through the skies outside the walls of the Dolphian Capital as hundreds of Mana Circles materialized in rapid succession. The air shimmered with the raw mana of High Elves, the ground trembling beneath their assault.

Each circle glowed with great brilliance. Their summoning was nothing short of extraordinary, clearly proving their unparalleled mastery of mana control. Among all the races, High Elves were hailed as the pinnacle of magical affinity, and here, they demonstrated why.

Breaching the city walls directly was no easy feat. The Dolphian defenses were strong, their fortifications reinforced by layered mana circles and manpower. Yet Kamarel, the commanding officer of the High Elves, had no intention of playing the waiting game.

His plan was far more ruthless.

"If we cannot break through, we shall break them from within," Kamarel had ordered.

Standing atop a ridge overlooking the besieged city, Kamarel clasped his hands behind his back. His piercing gaze remained fixed on the devastation unfolding before him.

Explosions erupted like fireworks, painting the skies above Dolphian in shades of crimson and gold. The screams of its people carried on the wind, reaching far until them. Kamarel smiled while witnessing. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Humans," he muttered, his voice dripping with disdain. "Nothing more than ants, scurrying beneath our feet. If they will not bow to Utopia, then let them burn."

The High Elves surrounding him mirrored his sentiment, their expressions alight with cruel satisfaction. Their long-range units continued to bombard the city with spell after spell, each attack designed to cripple Dolphian’s defenses and spread panic among its people.

Civilians fled through the streets in desperation while shielded and helped by the Dolphian Army. To Kamarel, their suffering was inconsequential. The lives of these humans held no more value than the dust beneath his boots. Those who survived would find their destinies chained in servitude. Slavery was the fate of those foolish enough to defy Utopia.

Yet, despite their strong assault, Dolphian’s defenders were holding their ground.

From within the city, counter-spells flared to life, dispelling or intercepting many of the Mana Circles before they could complete their attacks. It was clear that Dolphian possessed capable people.

Kamarel’s smile faltered ever so slightly.

The longer the stalemate continued, the more his irritation grew. This was not in his plan.

Durathiel himself had entrusted Kamarel with the fall of Dolphian’s capital, and Kamarel had no intention of failing. Failure would be an insult to his Prince, his King, and the High Elven supremacy.

He clenched his fists. Time was of the essence. After securing Dolphian, Kamarel intended to march on Central Vedelia, where the Dark Elf Prince was already making his move.

But Kamarel was not about to let the Dark Elves claim the glory.

"No," he murmured to himself, his eyes narrowing. "The conquest of Central Vedelia must belong to the High Elves. All honor should fall upon Durathiel Ruvelion, as it should."

Kamarel knew he had to act fast. Time was of the essence, and he knew far too well what the Dark Elf King was capable of. His gaze shifted to the figures standing obediently behind him. Raising his hand, he issued his order.

"Release the Chaos Beasts."

TThe High Elves behind him immediately nodded their head.

"Yes, Milord!"

They moved swiftly, navigating toward several massive cages veiled under thick cloths. The faint snarls and guttural growls that emanated from beneath the coverings hinted at the beasts they concealed. Without delay, the High Elves tore the coverings away, revealing towering, feral creatures locked within.

But these were no ordinary mana beasts. These were Chaos-Ranked Beasts, among the strongest.

The High Elves raised their adorned staves, channeling their mana. Glowing circles of mana materialized above the cages.

"Release!"

The air exploded with mana as a deafening boom echoed across around.

-BOOM!

-GRAAAAAAH!!!

The Chaos Beasts, which had been calm moments before, erupted into a rage-filled roars. Their eyes burned like fire, their jagged fangs glinting as they lunged against the iron bars of their enclosures. The High Elves stepped back as the locks shattered, and the gates swung open.

The beasts—a dozen hulking monstrosities resembling oversized gorillas, burst free. Without hesitation, they launched themselves toward Dolphis’s walls aggressively. "Mana Beasts!"

"Adjust your aim! Don’t let them near the walls!" One of the knights positioned on the walls shouted.

The defenders on Dolphis’s walls scrambled to react. Archers hurriedly redirected their arrows, and others began summoning defensive spells. However, the Chaos Beasts proved quite resilient. Arrows merely glanced off their hardened hides, and even concentrated blasts of magic seemed only to enrage them further.

-BAM!

The ground shook as one of the beasts slammed its enormous fists into the wall’s stone foundation. Spiderweb cracks spread across the surface of the already weakened walls by the High Elves continuous attacks.

Kamarel’s lips curled into a satisfied smile as he watched this. His forces were steadily gaining the upper hand.

"Destroy it."

The defenders atop the walls were in disarray. Torn between targeting the High Elves and the rampaging beasts, they found themselves overpowered. The Chaos Beasts continued hammering at the wall. The defenders’ coordinated efforts faltered, and despair began to creep into their expressions.

But then, as if summoned by some unseen force, the skies ignited. A brilliant orb of crimson flame streaked through the sky, before diving right toward them.

-BAM!

The flaming projectile struck the ground before the walls, sending a shockwave rippling outward. Two of the massive gorillas, caught in the searing inferno, howled briefly before their bodies were reduced to smoldering ash.

The sudden appearance left both defenders and attackers stunned. The Chaos Beasts momentarily paused seeing the newcomer.

Kamarel’s smile faded, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the figure that emerged from the dissipating flames.

Clad in flickering red fire, was John. Though unmistakably human, there was something different about him.

Kamarel’s gaze darkened.

He recognized a Human but he was clearly not an ordinary one.

"You are Kamarel?" John asked coldly.

Kamarel didn’t answer immediately, but one of the High Elves at his side bristled with outrage.

"Filthy human! How dare you address the High Commander with such insolence?!" The elf barked. Without waiting for permission, the High Elf unsheathed his blade and lunged at John with blinding speed.

John drew his own sword in a single fluid motion. The weapon he revealed was a masterpiece: a one-handed blade with a hilt carved in a pattern of black and white, its silver blade shimmering new.

This was no ordinary sword. It was a sword forged from the sacred Branches of the Holy Tree—a material rare for the people living outside Sancta Vedelia and with no means. The weapon was a gift from his father, Jarett Tarmis whose stern demeanor had rarely allowed for such sentimental gestures. But before John had departed for Sancta Vedelia, his father had given him this sword. A clear sign of support toward his son even in the aftermath of the murder of the King’s brother and regardless of the role he had taken part in it.

The High Elf’s blade arced toward John’s head but John sidestepped with quite ease. In the same motion, he brought his sword down.

The elf barely had time to react before the blade bit into his chest with a sickeningly clean cut, leaving a deep, crimson gash.

"Arghhh!"The High Elf gasped, stumbling backward as blood poured from his wound. His legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed to the ground, clutching at his chest in a futile effort to stem the life ebbing away. Within seconds, his body went still.

John, without sparing more seconds on the corpse, shifted his gaze back to Kamarel.

"I asked a question. Or is Kamarel just a coward? Afraid to show his face, like all High Elves, I suppose."

His lips twisted into a mocking sneer.

(<Racist! Edward is definitely rubbing off on you!>)

John ignored her jibe, though he couldn’t entirely deny it. Edward’s antics—his penchant for taunting elves at every opportunity—had always been a source of private amusement for John. Still, he kept his expression unreadable, concealing the flicker of satisfaction beneath his stoic exterior.

Kamarel’s expression darkened instantly, his noble visage twisting with rage and humiliation. The High Elves around him bristled as well.

To be insulted by a mere Human, of all creatures—it was a wound to their pride almost too great to bear.

"I am Kamarel," the elf finally said, his voice filled with disdain as he stepped forward. "Commander of His Majesty’s forces, and loyal servant to the one true King of Utopia—and Sancta Vedelia, Durathiel Ruvelion, for that matter."

"Good. That makes things easier."

Without warning, John surged forward, closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye.

-BOOM!

The clash of their swords sent shockwaves rippling across the battlefield. Kamarel, reacting on instinct, had barely managed to parry the strike in time. His blade, though strong and enchanted with mana, groaned under the sheer force of John’s swing. The High Elves standing nearby were caught in the aftermath of the impact, the mana-infused shockwave throwing several off their feet and sending others stumbling backward.

Kamarel scowled, seeing his arms trembling as he pushed back against John’s blade. The human was unnaturally strong.

"What’s wrong, Kamarel? Why do you look like you’re in pain?" John asked with a mocking tone.

John’s sword pressed down harder, his sheer strength forcing Kamarel into a strained stance. The High Elf’s once-confident demeanor was slipping, replaced by a flicker of shock as he struggled to hold his ground.

Kamarel’s teeth clenched, his posture faltered as his knees bent slightly under the mounting pressure.

Seizing the moment, John shifted his weight. In a single, fluid motion, he twisted his body and delivered a powerful kick to Kamarel’s side.

-BAM!

The impact was brutal. Kamarel was flung backward, his lithe frame lifting off the ground as the force of the blow sent him hurtling through the air.

Gasps erupted from the surrounding High Elves.

"Lord Kamarel…!"

Their voices were filled with disbelief. Never had they seen their commander so decisively outmaneuvered in a clash of swords.

Kamarel, however, was no ordinary opponent. Midair, he twisted his body. His sword gleamed as he thrust it downward, stabbing into the earth below. The blade bit deep into the ground, anchoring him and halting his momentum.

He skidded to a stop, one knee pressed against the dirt as he braced himself with his weapon.

His meticulously tailored traditional Elven robes, once spotless and immaculate, were now marred with dirt and dust.

Kamarel slowly lifted his head, his piercing gaze locking onto John with a venomous intensity. His previously composed and noble features twisted into a mask of rage and humiliation.

John scoffed seeing that.

"Now you’re showing your true face, High Elf."