I Became a Dark Fantasy Villain

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It’s only been one day since we entered the mountain…

“Oh my goodness, Damn! What was that just now?!”

Before Miguel’s scream even ended, Ian slammed the ground.

In an instant, his figure rushing towards the carnivorous tree disappeared through the dense foliage, and the branches rustled as they fell.

Pazasasa – Quack! Card-thud!

The entire tree shook as if in a convulsion, and an eerie sound followed.

A moment later, something large fell to the ground beneath the tree.

Following that, Ian, who had gently landed amidst the leaves, approached while holding something in his hand.

Soon, Ian tossed the object he held in front of the group.

“Lou Sola, good heavens…”

Philip, who had been watching in a trance, finally sighed.

It was the lower jaw of a horse. The partially crushed head was intact, and a dark red liquid dripped thickly from the severed section.

“A tree with a jaw attached. Can you believe the damn demons have such things?”

Ian just shrugged his shoulders.

The demons that had mutated due to the madness of the original black wall were often of an unusual kind.

Miguel, who was squatting on the ground, staring at the jaw, turned his gaze back to Ian.

“You said it’s okay as long as we don’t touch it…? My jaw almost got blown away.”

“…I thought the same thing.”

Ian wiped the blood off his face with the back of his hand and added.

“It seems like it reacts even to external stimuli like sounds.”

“External, what…? Anyway, does that mean we can’t even make noise from now on?”

“It’s probably better that way. At least I won’t have to listen to your chattering.”

Ian turned his body casually while retorting. He approached the horse’s corpse and picked up the saddlebags hanging from the saddle.

He handed one to Maeve.

“Now that it’s come to this, we should transfer.”

“Fine, got it…”

She instinctively took the bag with her left hand, quickly switched it to her right hand, and hung it on the saddle.

Watching her twist her left wrist, Ian smirked at her.

“Is there something wrong?”

“Nothing. Don’t mind it.”

“Well, then”. Ian added with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulder.

“We should also change the big ones. Since it seems these damn things will keep appearing.”

“Good idea. Let’s do that.”

“Sir, you take the rear guard. Miguel, go ahead.”

Philip, who had the horses, stood behind Ian, while Miguel, who was unarmed, stood in front of Maeve.

They were the rear guards to protect the two.

Miguel muttered hesitantly.

“I-I don’t have to take the lead, right? I mean, I’m fine with it, but I am supposed to be the guide after all…”

“If I go the wrong way, just let me know in time.”

Ian added, looking back at the detour.

“We’ll move all night and pass through as quickly as possible. Even if we don’t, it’s going to be difficult to sleep tonight anyway.”

In truth, he wanted to go find the source of contamination.

But for now, he had to prioritize the contract.

‘We’ll probably be back within ten days at most. The situation won’t change dramatically during that time.’

Ian was about to take a step.

“Ian.”

Maeve suddenly spoke up.

“Please say it.”

“It hasn’t been long since the contamination started.”

“…Yes, but…”

“Then, if we do it now, we might be able to find the root of the contamination fairly easily, right?”

Ian turned to look at her.

“Are you serious?”

Philip, with an expression of he’s here at last, caught sight of Maeve’s voice in the corner of his eye.

“Of course. Even if we see the spread of such contamination and just pass by, we can’t ignore it.”

“….”

Ian pondered for a moment, whether it was patriotism or her sense of duty as a disciple of Tyr’En.

Either way, it was a significant decision.

In the midst of the life-or-death situation.

Was this also a style of the Dark Ages?

While inwardly admiring, Ian nodded as if he couldn’t win.

“If that’s the will of the goddess…”

It was because he secretly hoped for it.

With Maeve as well, it should take no more than half a day.

“Well, hold on a second. What on earth are you talking about?”

It was then that Miguel, who had slipped in, spoke up.

“What? Changing our route suddenly? And into the raging Forest?”

“That’s right.”

“What’s this… How many demons do you think are there, and you’re just going in blindly like that? And why am I going? I was hired as a guide to the Graveyard Forest!”

“Apologies for the abrupt decision, Miguel.”

Maeve calmly interjected.

Miguel blinked his eyes suspiciously and turned his gaze away.

“Huh…?”

“I will provide you with appropriate additional compensation later. There is no need for you to die or get hurt. I promise.”

Miguel slowly turned around.

He muttered in a voice that seemed moved.

“Well, if you say so, my lady…”

It was a voice that seemed to be touched. Oh, that guy still doesn’t know his fate.

Ian added with a wry smile.

“Just hold the torch, you.”

“In that case, is there a way to get there?”

“There is a way…”

Ian’s gaze turned towards the forest.

In that brief moment, a faint glint appeared in his eyes.

Magic detection. His heightened senses, including his unique ability, awakened like bristling fur, becoming more sensitive.

A new world unfolded before him.

Contaminated roots extending beneath the ground like blood vessels.

Grass and trees mutating from within.

Waves of magic spread like pulses.

As if following the center of the tree ring, Ian’s gaze moved towards the center.

“…Dealing with this detour later would be a separate issue.”

“Don’t worry about that. I will take responsibility.”

In response to the returning answer, Ian turned his head with a renewed gaze.

Miguel smiled, his facial scars contorting.

“If you can’t even find your way in the forest, you can’t say you’re a hunter. No big deal.”

He’s such a kid

With a faint smile, Ian spat out his words and gradually moved his steps.

He headed into the forest, where ominous shadows loomed.

The group’s pace could only slow down.

There was no defined path, and as the trees, grass, and vines grew denser, progress became more challenging.

Moreover, as if to prove that Ian’s guidance was accurate, carnivorous trees blocked their way.

However, these beings didn’t pose a significant threat. Ian dashed into the attack range of the trees himself.

Although the carnivorous trees aimed their jaws accurately at Ian’s head each time, they were easily repelled. Knowing they only targeted the head, Ian could simply raise his sword at the right moment to fend them off.

Had they been mature creatures, the situation might have been different. Still in the midst of transformation, their response was enough to break the jaws.

Yet, even within Ian’s impressive actions, the tension among the group didn’t wane.

It was because the sun had set. The darkness within the forest had a different density.

While Phillip and Miguel held torches, they barely managed to push back the encroaching darkness.

Ian could flip the darkness aside with ease, but the others were not the same.

“To think there’s not even the sound of insects…”

Miguel mumbled, shining the torch around.

Ian retorted, his tone gruff.

“You’ll soon miss this silence.”

Miguel retorted, his face turning sour.

“Please be careful with your words. Don’t you know that speaking ill omens can bring about such events?”

“That’s what I said.”

“Huh…?”

“Since we’re going to encounter them anyway.”

“What do you mean? Of course, we should delay confronting them as long as—”

Fwoosh-!

The sound of the wind swallowed Miguel’s words as it swept by. But Miguel and even Phillip froze. The sound was all they heard; the wind didn’t actually blow.

“…That’s why these superstitious beliefs make people so foolish.”

Ian slowed his pace and drew his sword.

Swish-!

Once again, the wind sounded. This time, it wasn’t just the sound; the grass and trees illuminated by the torches began to rustle.

Squelch, hiss, squelch-!

From beneath the ground and among the trees, various creatures emerged.

“Those…are Ghoul?” Phillip mumbled in dismay.

Ian let out a scoff.

“In the end, they’re just dead creatures. They might be a bit mutated, though.”

“Mutated…what?”

“Follow slowly. Don’t stop.”

With that, Ian leaped forward.

Translator; ippo

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