I Became a Dark Fantasy Villain

Chapter 286

— Do you see anything, my lord?

Philip’s Whisper brushed through his mind. He knew no one else could hear, but he always lowered his voice as if he were truly whispering.

— Yes.

Feeling the wind gather around his body, Ian answered briefly. He still couldn’t hear anything, feel any presence, or detect any magical energy. Yet, it was impossible to fool his eyes completely. Of course, it would have been hard to notice such a subtle movement if it weren’t Ian. If the enemy hadn’t gotten this close, even he wouldn’t have discovered them either.

— Who are they?

— For now, they’re human. From what I can see…

Ian’s whisper stopped.

Ssshhh—

A sound, similar to rain but louder, pierced his ears. Ian immediately hurled his body forward as soon as he heard it. It was the sound of something being fired. However, there was no chilling sensation that usually accompanied being targeted. Their aim was not at him, but at the carriage in front.

The wind forcefully propelled his body forward as he leaped off the carriage.

Philip, holding a shield in the coachman’s seat, looked up at him. Ian, deflecting raindrops in all directions, rushed toward the princess’s carriage like an arrow.

Clunk—

However, even he couldn’t be faster than a flying arrow. The carriage ahead shook for a moment, then noticeably slowed down. This must have been what the attackers were aiming for. By stopping the lead carriage, the one behind would also naturally come to a halt.

— My lord, please inform me of the situation. The carriage is stopping.

— Wait.

Ian Whispered as he landed on the roof of the princess’s carriage and immediately leaped again. Another whizzing sound followed, and this time, he felt a chill down his spine.

Swoosh!

A black trajectory skimmed past him as he performed a nimble somersault in mid-air. The tension heightened his Concentration to its peak. Thanks to this, even in that fleeting moment, Ian could clearly perceive the black bolts cutting through the rain. The bolts were pitch black, as if coated with graphite. Even their shooting precision was impressive. However, Ian’s gaze lingered on them only for a moment.

Woosh—

The darkness was now quickly and aggressively closing in.

With his enhanced vision, he distinguished the shapes of the enemies. What had seemed like waves of darkness were actually black hooded cloaks with long tails. Despite being soaked by the rain, they didn’t glisten, and they glided smoothly without catching on the branches or foliage of the forest. The arms and legs partially visible under the cloaks were also completely devoid of shine. It made them look like shadowy figures running toward him.

The sound of their footsteps resembled branches or reeds swaying in the wind.

— …They seem like well-trained assassins. There are over twenty of them.

Ian finally Whispered.

Philip’s relatively slow whisper came back.

— That’s a lot. And?

— Their shooting skills are excellent.

And there is also a quest, Ian added inwardly.

His gaze swept over the quest window that appeared before him. The completion conditions were two: either defeat the assassins or wipe them out. A significant amount of experience points was the base reward, and achieving additional objectives granted an extra ability point.

In any case, it was a typical chain quest reward, which likely meant it was more closely tied to the princess or Elia. Since Elia was a Dragon’s Child, it was probably the former.

But what kind of lunatic would go after the princess?

Ian’s eyes narrowed for a moment. As his body turned, the front of the princess’s carriage naturally came into view. The two horses pulling the carriage had collapsed dead, with several bolts embedded in their heads and necks.

Shelby, the squire seated in the driver’s seat, was no different.

Bolts pierced deeply his neck and side, his body slumped against the backrest. Blood gushed from his nose and mouth as he lay dying, looking at Ian with cloudy eyes filled not with his usual composure but with fear and pain.

Clicking his tongue inwardly, Ian didn’t miss how Shelby’s neck and jaw were turning pitch black.

— The weapons are even coated with poison.

— Poison... If even one hits a horse, it’s over.

— Yes. That’s how the princess’s horses got taken out. And Shelby, too.

As Philip sighed, Ian landed on the rain-soaked road as if rolling over it. Of course, there was no time to shake off the water. Immediately struck by a chilling premonition, Ian sprang up while casting a spell.

Sure enough, the assassins, who had been advancing in a fan-like formation, simultaneously stretched their hands toward him. Attached to their forearms were small crossbows.

Thwish—

Dozens of bolts flew toward Ian all at once. The first volley wasn’t the end. Designed for rapid fire, they shot again with a slight pause.

Since I dodged once, now they’re aiming to turn me into a pincushion.

Watching the dozens of trajectories flying toward him, Ian’s gray-tinted eyes grew calm.

Pwhoom!

A gust burst out around him. It was the Whirling Barrier. It swept away the incoming projectiles and falling raindrops. The following attacks had their trajectories scattered in all directions as well.

Woosh....

In the center of it all, a golden hexagonal shield bloomed. Even in the darkness, a brilliantly shining blade revealed itself. The steel gauntlet clutching the hilt, along with the magic stones embedded in the wrist guard, gleamed brightly.

Swoosh—

Ian swung his sword in a crossing motion. The Whirlwind from his gauntlets scattered the third volley of bolts in all directions.

Crash—!

The bolts that escaped being swept away were blocked by the Platinum Barrier. Instead of embedding themselves, they shattered into pieces upon impact with the shield.

A foul stench crept into Ian’s nose. It seemed the poison coating the bolts had spread as they shattered. However, the only change Ian felt was a bitter taste in his mouth. The poison either couldn’t penetrate his Resistance or had only a weak effect.

Ian shielded his face and upper body with the barrier, and he began chanting another spell.

Clang!

The door on the right side of the carriage swung open, and a large figure sprang out. It was Sir Phaden.

"You scoundrels!"

He was wearing a helmet that completely covered his face, gripping a thin, long, two-handed sword in one hand. The magic stones embedded in his armor were flickering. He must have noticed the disturbance and had come out ready for battle.

Not even a hint of panic, Ian thought, his brows furrowing slightly as he glanced at Phaden, who was already preparing for battle.

It was evident that Phaden had foreseen the possibility of an ambush. Their rush to return to the capital wasn’t just about getting Ian to the Emperor swiftly; there was more at play. Phaden’s frustration with every delay now made perfect sense. Still, any further discussion would have to wait.

Thunk, thunk, thunk—

The assassins, who had been continuously firing crossbows, were now spreading out to the sides.

— They’ll come to our carriage soon. Keep an eye out. Elie, don’t come out under any circumstances.

— I’ll protect with all my strength, my lord.

— Don’t worry. I doubt I’ll be much help this time. I still can’t sense anything.

Ian looked ahead over his shield. Not all the assassins had scattered to the sides. About half of them were still charging straight toward him with their crossbows aimed.

Ssshh—

The crossbows fired simultaneously. But, of course, the whirlwind erupted faster than the bolts could reach Ian.

Whoosh!

The Whirling Barrier surged upward, and Ian shot forward through its center. Ian tilted his head to the side as a sharp blade grazed his cheek.

Thud, another impact hit the surface of his shield. It was a blackened throwing dagger, and there was no need to ponder whether it was poisoned.

They’re probably aiming to catch me off guard, knowing the spell is a one time burst.

Even in the midst of it, Ian kept his gaze fixed on the assassins. They were widening their distance, moving diagonally to either side of him.

— They’re throwing daggers too! Be careful!

Philip’s urgent whisper followed.

Late as always, Ian thought, continuing to sprint without slowing down.

The assassins’ movements were quick, but when it came to retreating versus advancing, Ian’s forward momentum was inevitably faster. The Wind Blade added speed to Ian’s sprint. He didn’t slow down or retreat, even as more bolts whizzed through the air.

Tatatat—

Instead, he lowered his posture, nearly hugging the ground as he sprinted with the Platinum Barrier in front. The trajectories flew over his head. The only one that came close bounced off the barrier. The precision of their aim meant it was easy to dodge if he could react in time. Of course, this was only in a relative sense, but Ian possessed a rare combination of focus and reflexes that allowed him to pull it off.

The distance between Ian and the assassins closed in an instant. Pushing off the ground, Ian rose, swinging the Truesilver Steel Sword he had been dragging along the ground.

Sskk—

The diagonal slash swept away one assassin before they could even react. The Wind Blade entwined with the sword’s edge extended outward with it, cleanly slicing through the black cloak and the body beneath it.

The assassin’s chest split open as dark red blood gushed out. While the assassin collapsed backward, sinking into the muddy ground, Ian was already charging at the next one. The crossbows extended by the assassins on both sides wavered toward him.

Thud—

Ian spun to the side, dodging their trajectory. The golden trail created by the Platinum Barrier spun like a top before suddenly stretching out.

Clang!

The surface of Ian’s shield struck one assassin’s forearm with a sharp blow. As the assassin’s body lifted slightly from the impact, Ian’s left arm tensed. He shoved the assassin aside as if throwing him off, while simultaneously swinging his right arm.

Slash—

The assassin’s torso split in half, spilling blood and entrails as he crumbled to the ground.

As I thought. Their defense is weak.

That each strike cut through with such ease wasn’t just because of Ian’s sharp blade and raw strength. The assassins were only lightly armored, with protective gear covering just their vital spots. They didn’t seem to have many ways to defend against his attacks.

That was probably why they kept trying to maintain distance. Then again, with such agility, they likely had little choice. Moving like that in full plate armor would be a feat achievable only by someone truly superhuman.

Unfortunately for them, Ian, their opponent, possessed abilities nearing that very level of superhuman strength—though it wasn’t something he’d chosen for himself.

Crash!

As Ian’s blade cut down another assassin, the remaining two moved with increasing urgency. They hurled their throwing knives at Ian, then immediately leaped backward, scattering something from their robes as they retreated.

Ian, tilting his body to avoid the daggers, saw the small pieces clearly. They looked like small, crumpled bits of paper. His Intuition kicked in, and he raised his shield and pushed off the ground.

Boom, boom, boom!

The pieces that hit the ground exploded in succession. It was a pure explosion, with no trace of magic. Ian did not know how they were made, but they worked even in the rain.

These bastards are really going all out, damn it...!

Ian gritted his teeth as he tumbled through the air, shrouded in smoke. While the explosions didn’t seem overly lethal, they had enough force to blow off a wrist or ankle if caught in the blast.

Instead of stopping, Ian pushed himself off the muddy ground and rolled further.

Thud‌!

Bolts slammed into the earth, following his path. That’s when Ian finally understood why he had sensed no magic from these assassins. They didn’t have a single magical item or enchanted weapon on them.

Instead, they were armed with advanced technology—rapid-fire crossbows and explosives like the ones they had just used.

Crash! Boom!

Loud explosions echoed from behind, piercing Ian’s ears. Even while rolling, Ian glanced back for a moment.

The surroundings had gotten brighter, and it wasn’t his imagination. The area around the carriage became brighter.

Whoosh!

The dazzling light from behind was undoubtedly the result of Philip’s divine power, while flames erupted from Phaden’s sword. Every swing of his blade left a trail of roaring fire.

Even now, one assassin was burning like dry kindling, engulfed in flames that refused to die, even under the relentless rain. Yet, the assassin remained silent, not uttering a single scream.

Now that I think about it, I haven’t heard a single one of them scream.

However, the most surprising scene was unfolding to the left of the carriage.

A woman in a hooded cloak stood with her back to the carriage, surrounded by a blue force field, one hand extended forward. In her outstretched hand, a jewel-like essence bead gleamed brightly.

Crackle!

The dazzling lightning she unleashed engulfed and incinerated four assassins at once. The face revealed between the flapping hood was unmistakably Asme.

She didn’t seem like a mage.

Her eyes showed no signs of magical power, either. Instead, the glow came from the jewel and her outstretched arm. Various symbols and runes adorned her forearm and the nape, visible beneath her sleeve and hood, all glowing with magic.

Is she some kind of walking spell circuit?

It didn’t really matter, though. The important thing was that there was no need to worry about the princess.

—How’s the rear?

—It’s... it’s chaos!

—Not you.

—The horses are still safe. How are you holding up?

How do you think I’m holding up? It’s hell here.

Ian muttered inwardly as he finally kicked off the ground, sharpening his focus on the assassins retreating in their black cloaks. They aimed their crossbows directly at him, which explained the relentless pursuit of bolts earlier.

Swish, swish!

And It wasn’t over yet.

Thanks to his heightened Concentration, Ian clearly tracked the projectiles slicing through the raindrops toward him. His exceptional Mental Fortitude shone brightest in moments like this. Fear felt numbed, as if anesthetized, while his mind remained crystal clear, even when facing dangerous decisions.

Tat-tat-tat!

Sprinting toward them, Ian twisted his upper body, narrowly dodging the incoming bolts. Then, with a powerful twist in the opposite direction, he swung his sword. The wind enveloping him surged along the blade and erupted forward.

Slice! n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Though his sword was out of reach, one assassin’s upper body was severed diagonally and hurled into the air. As the lower half crumbled, spraying blood, Ian was already rushing toward the next assassin.

Crunch!

With a swift motion, his raised sword came down on the assassin’s neck. The figure staggered as Ian, using the momentum, slammed into him, sending the assassin flying. Using the recoil, Ian came to a stop and quickly leaped sideways.

Clang!

With his sword, he traced a white arc through the air but halted it before it could draw blood.

A grotesque, serrated blade had blocked his strike.