Crushing flags and claiming the Villainess

It took some time for Rhea to calm down. But once Austin shared bits of his past—and hers—she began to believe him.

"So you're saying… my great-great-grandfather was the legendary Hero Kane? The one who wiped out darkness and sealed the Demon Lord?" It would've sounded ridiculous if anyone else had said it.

Austin gave a steady nod. "Yes. I was there with him. And I know you're connected to him because you both carry the same Shards."

There were too many things Rhea didn't understand, so she took a deep breath, organized her thoughts, and asked, "Tell me something… Why were you there? A thousand years ago? Fighting demons with my ancestor?"

She couldn't recall hearing about any Shard that could send someone so far into the past. And even if such a thing existed—why would Austin take such a risk?

Austin let out a slow sigh. "It's a long story… but I'll try to keep it simple." He paused for a moment, then continued, "There was another version of me—an alternate self. He was stronger than I am now. Stronger than all the S-ranks of this world combined."

Rhea's eyes widened. Is someone stronger than this version of Austin?

But he didn't wait for her reaction and kept going. "He traveled to the past and fought side by side with the warriors we now call Heroes."

Valerie sat nearby, feeling like her Lord was leaving out far too many details. She's not going to believe him with just that, she thought.

But Rhea simply nodded and said, "…I get it now. Your other self probably got bored and decided to challenge the demons when they were at their strongest."

"…"

Valerie stared at her in shock. How… how did she guess that? Just like that?

Austin chuckled. "You're absolutely right. But even with warriors like Kane and Johny, we couldn't completely destroy the evil God. That's why this version of me was created—to slowly regain that lost strength and figure out how to finally end all this chaos."

Rhea gave a small hum. "That explains why someone who didn't even evolve until a few months ago can now fight a catastrophe-ranked being."

She said it casually, nodding to herself.

Austin gave a quiet nod in return, thankful she could understand so much without needing every little detail.

"So, like… do I get some kind of power-up or something too?" Rhea asked with a sheepish smile. After all, she was related to the legendary Hero Kane. And Austin—who was in a vaguely similar situation—had powers beyond belief. It only made sense that she'd get a legendary weapon or at least a cool upgrade, right?

Austin let out a soft chuckle. "No, Rhea. You don't get anything without effort."

His easy laugh made her cheeks flush. She looked away with a little huff. Of course. No free lunch.

"But," he added, "you do have the potential to become as strong as the strongest General. You just haven't awakened it yet. And you already have some buffs—you must've noticed by now."

Rhea blinked. "Buffs? Like… what?"

Austin paused, then asked thoughtfully, "Have you ever been poisoned? Or fallen seriously ill?"

Rhea tilted her head, thinking back. "No… not that I remember. Wait—are you saying I'm immune to poison and sickness?"

Austin nodded. "Unless someone crafts a poison specifically for you, nothing else—no matter how deadly—can kill you."

Rhea frowned slightly, then slowly nodded as something clicked. "That explains it. Back during the war, that creature bit Valerie and she nearly died… but when it attacked me, I felt nothing."

Austin gave a soft nod. "Exactly. That wasn't luck. It was your bloodline."

Rhea leaned back in her seat, eyes drifting toward the ceiling. "It's strange… and kind of shameful—that I never realized something so important about my own bloodline."

There was a softness in her voice. A quiet regret.

She had always been so focused on getting stronger—pushing harder, training longer—that she never stopped to truly understand herself. Never once did she pause to wonder what was already within her.

Only when she began preparing for the tournament did she start to uncover the truth about her Second Shard. And even then… it felt like she was only scratching the surface.

Was all her training truly leading somewhere?

Or was she just swinging her blade over and over—moving forward without direction, chasing strength without understanding it?

The questions lingered in her heart, heavier than any weapon she'd ever lifted.

"Rhea," Valerie's voice called softly, snapping the pink-haired girl out of her daze.

The violet-eyed warrior spoke calmly, "Blaming yourself or looking back with regret will only lead to more mistakes. It's not your fault for not understanding everything about yourself. We're still just teenagers—it's okay to not have all the answers."

Rhea blinked in surprise. Valerie's tone held a warmth she wasn't used to. For the first time, it felt like Valerie's concern wasn't just for Austin… but for her.

Taking a deep breath, Rhea gave a small nod. "You're right… I've been getting emotional over small things."

Then she turned to Austin, her expression steadier now. "So, when are we leaving? And what's the plan?"

Austin didn't take long to answer. "We haven't fixed a date yet. But as for the plan—our goal is simple. We're going to crush the Succubus Queen and her army."

The moment the name left his mouth, Valerie flinched.

Austin noticed. Of course, he did. He knew exactly why she reacted that way.

Without a word, he reached out and placed his hand gently over hers, a silent promise that he was with her—and he wasn't going anywhere.

Meanwhile, Rhea frowned. "Isn't she the same one who attacked us not long ago?"

Austin nodded. "Yes. And since I destroyed a large part of her soul back then, she's still weak. Bleeding. That's why now's the time to strike."

Rhea slowly nodded. "You're right. They have thousands under their command… but if we take out three of the four Generals, the rest will be leaderless. It'll cause chaos in their ranks."

Austin gave a low hum. "Exactly. But that's not all—we need to wipe out as many demons as we can. Even if it's just one percent of their forces… we must exterminate them."

A sharp glint flickered in Rhea's eyes as a grin spread across her face. "Delighted to hear that. I've been training for this my whole life… and now, I finally get to fulfill my dream."

....

Valerie and Austin returned to his room, while Rhea quietly made her way back to her dorm.

Valerie headed straight to the bathroom to take a bath. Naturally, she had her clothes here—most nights, she stayed in Austin's room anyway.

Meanwhile, Austin sat at the table, focused on a blank sheet of paper. A charcoal pencil in hand, he was slowly sketching out a map of the demon realm.

His only source? Memory.

He had spent enough time wandering the demon lands in the past—seeking out warriors strong enough to challenge him. That reckless pursuit had given him a rough understanding of the terrain, the outposts, and the major strongholds.

As his hand traced mountain lines and valley curves, his thoughts shifted elsewhere.

'How are you doing?' he asked the system in his mind. 'You've been quiet. No quests lately?'

It had been a while since the last one. Ever since he ascended to the next stage, he had only completed five quests in total. And none of them had taken him to a dungeon.

Not even one dungeon after ascending, he thought with a sigh. That was his only regret.

Or maybe… it wasn't just the lack of opportunity.

Maybe he was getting a little lazy these days.

Just a little.

[I am doing good, Host! And about Quest, then a big and fruitful one is about to be assigned.]

Said the System.

Hmm~Austin realized that it must be related to the quest he had taken.

'It must be related to the demonic army...' He thought as he drew the checkposts he remembered about the General Succubus.

He kept working until he heard the door of the bathroom parting.

Austin rested the pencil, and while holding the map he turned towards her and said , "I might be wrong but this..." But then, he paused.

The map from his hand fell to the ground.

His lips parted in awe and shock as he saw the woman of his dreams standing before him in an unusual attire

She wore black lingerie—smooth, thin fabric with little lace—that hugged her body in all the right places. It showed off her curves and made her look both beautiful and tempting.

Her violet hair was still a bit damp, with strands sticking gently to her neck and shoulders. One piece of hair hung over her eye, giving her a wild and soft look at the same time. She looked like someone who had just stepped out of a dream.

Two thin strings barely held her bust, and the see-through lacy panty made his mouth water, and blood began to rush down.

She didn't need to try. She didn't pose or fake it. Just the way she stood there, the way her hips moved a little when she walked, and the way her hand ran through her wet hair—it was more than enough to make anyone's heart race.

She slowly approached him, looking up at him with a blushing face.

Austin didn't need to say or ask anything.

He held her hand and brought her to the bed.

It's finally time to let his inner beast take over.

°°°°°°°°

A/N:- How nice it would be to skip the lemons~

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