Villain Hiring: Help! Author Wants Me Dead-Chapter 228: Redemption (4)

"You are wrong," I growled, voice low and steady despite the chaos. "She is not yours. Not as long as I stand!"

The creature tilted its head, intrigued, as a flash of something I didn't expect appeared in his eyes.

Curiosity?

Respect?

I didn't know but there seemed to just be something behind the rage in its eyes.

It struck at me again, a blur of movements so fast the air itself seemed torn.

I dodged, rolled, and struck with the dagger, connecting barely enough to scratch the black armor.

"You cannot—" it roared, anger filling its every word. "I have searched for her for almost a decade now! I have carried her memory in the darkness!

And now, to see her harmed…to see her fall…how dare you mortals!"

"Then see me stand!" I yelled, shadows moving brighter around me. "I will not let her be taken by you. Not to you! Not to anyone!" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

We collided again and again, blade against blade, dagger against obsidian.

Every strike from it shattered stone, ripped through air, and tested every limit of my strength.

Pain flowed through me, ribs cracked, hands bleeding, yet I refused to yield.

The courtyard had become a battlefield, dust swirling around the area, most of the heirs had already been sent back to a safe distance away from this fight while the elders and other guards also tried mantaining a safe distance from our fight so as to not get caught between us.

Noah was the only one close to us in the vicinity at this moment.

I could feel the Kalki's power pressing against mine like a mountain on my chest, but I also felt something else, a hesitation, a recognition that I would not step back, that I would carry the weight of all sins, all history, just to save the boy on the ground.

"You fight well…for a human," it hissed, teeth fanged outwards. "But your strength…your shadow…your fire…cannot claim her from me!"

"I don't need to claim her," I spat back, blood and sweat mixing on my face. "I just need to keep her alive. It was me because of whom she is in that state and it will be me only who protects her now, and if that means I burn, if that means I die…so be it!"

The Kalki's roar split the dusk clouds, the sound echoing off the walls of the Romero estate.

And for the first time, I saw it pause, not from fear, not from weakness, but from understanding.

A creature of unknown age, filled with grief and sorrow, seemed to be facing a mortal who refused to bend.

"You…" it said finally, voice softer, but no less terrifying. "You would stand…even knowing the cost.

For that weak bastard?" It asked, pointing towards Noah who was barely able to keep himself in a kneeling position and stare at us.

"For him," I repeated, my dagger raised close to my face, shadows coiling like serpents around me, "and I will not let you harm him."

And then, the air itself seemed to pause.

The Kalki's eyes, burning red, met mine, and in that instant, the world narrowed down to one thing: the unconscious figure of Pixie, lying weak but alive, and me, the last wall between her and a nightmare older than humanity.

We stood there, predator and mortal, power against will, rage against care, and I knew…no matter what came next, no matter the cost, I would carry this burden alone if I had to.

Because as long as Noah was to survive, then I would endure anything, not to forget that old hag is gonna kill me when she comes back from her mission anyways.

Cursing at my luck, I clicked my tongue.

The moment I had decided to backstab my grandson and Pixie, I'd known Sylvie won't forgive me for it when she comes back.

Maybe this time she might kill me for real...

It was just that the threat of the revival of the Kalki's and the revelation of the truth was so huge that I had no choice but to go on with the plan.

And I would fight a hundred Kalkis, a thousand ages of them, if that was what it took.

"Try me," I whispered again, more to the universe than to the beast, dagger humming with promise.

"Try me, and see what it means to fight for those you love."

I steadied my pose, trying to appear stronger than I was right now as a wry smile subconsciously appeared on my face.

How much I wished to live the life of retirement like all those years back.

I still remember those days.

Dragneel, that boy had fallen for a girl way before he even learnt how to become a king.

I'd seen that crazy brat grow from a chipmunk to a fucking Gorilla.

Back in the days, life was easier.

I had a loving wife, the people of my kingdom all respected me and my strength was second to none.

I was the strongest assassin in the history of Gaia.

But things don't always go like you want then to...do they?

The Kalki's figure flashed in front of me, catching me off guard as it swept a kick at my face, making me kneel to the ground.

Everything around me buzzed and my ears seemed to be ringing, but the only thing going inside my mind was the coronation.

The halls of the Romero Mansion were red and golden that day, and my proud son was getting ready whole simultaneously being scolded by Sylvie for getting late as usual.

A smile spread at my lips as the figure of the monster in front of me blurred.

My body had already been at a limit since our last clash, but I had somehow been able to keep standing and try pulling a bluff.

Looking in front of me, I was shocked to see the face of my son as I slowly tried to cup his face when a loud shout stirred me awake.

"GRANDPA!!!!

DODGE THE FUCKING SWORD—"

***