The Villain's Story

Chapter 665: [665] Corruption, you say?

Sabrina knelt down, exhausted, and freezing. Though Azmakul had taken pity on her and regulated the temperature in the surrounding area... he had done it only to the point where it would barely be comfortable for him.

And barely comfortable for him was still unbearable for Sabrina, One wouldnʼt feel the difference in temperature when it was in the negatives. She couldnʼt breathe, and Azmakul had to increase it even further.

”How weak.”

She didnʼt have the strength to argue. She had gained some courage during the absurdly long week she had spent with this dragon, in this desolate expanse.

Though she couldnʼt prove it, and couldnʼt believe it... She was sure this dragon had done something in this particular area. It was just something in the back of her mind, though. She was still uncertain.

In this week, he had simply observed her, after ordering her to cast as much magic she knew. She had completely exhausted herself, casting every spell she could without using darkness. Thankfully, she could eat and sleep during this period, slowly recovering her mana and using them again.

She had also used her most prized possession, the orb of mana she held. With it, she was able to cast spells ranked S. Though it would be a pain to refill it again. It would probably take her weeks.

Or she could just ask Alan to fill it up in one go when she got back. That was definitely the easier option, provided she could find him.

Azmakul was like an eerie presence behind her, slowly observing her every move, and finally, after an entire week. As she lay in the snow and gazed up at the ʼriverʼ in the sky.

What kind of phenomenon it was... was something she had yet to ask the dragon, she hadnʼt found the courage, and neither the time to do it.

”Why do you abstain from using your main element?”

He approached and asked, he didnʼt converse with her for an entire week after his initial order, and now asked suddenly.

”Because I... donʼt want to be corrupted.”

”Corrupted?”

Azmakul questioned, curious. His figure cast a shadow over her, blocking the sight of the river up in the sky.

”What do you mean?”

”Darkness corrupts... I am unaware of what itʼs like for you dragons, but darkness corrupts humans.”

The artifacts Alan had given her undoubtedly helped if she used darkness mana, but it was still a risk she wasnʼt willing to take. They only helped in resisting the corruption, never ”... Corrupts?”

He looked at her with a strange gaze, and said.

”Chaos is the only element that possesses the ability of corruption of the void, and even then in certain cases.”

She looked at him, even raising her head was a chore in her current state, almost completely deprived of mana. That was something she didnʼt know, based on her knowledge, chaos was an element that corrupted everything, and it wasnʼt just humans.

It was the same for elves and dwarves as well. Everyone who used chaos magic was bound to change.

”Can you explain?”

Still, she would much rather hear from an ancient dragon than believe information from Earth. He had to know better than the entirety of her species.

”Chaos is the only element that possesses a characteristic of the void, the ability to corrupt a being. Assuming our definition of corruption is the same. What is it like to you?”

He knelt down, staring at her with interest. Tired, she said.

”If we are talking about chaos, then it changes our entire being, deforming both our physical and mental states into hideous abominations. The corruption of darkness is one that changes the mind mostly, turning it into something else. It affects the physique too, but to a lesser degree.

The personality, way of thinking...everything becomes the opposite.”

”.....”

The dragon looked at her with a deadpan gaze, and sighed. She could feel her body shiver as the cold mist left his mouth, and she instinctively scurried away, ignoring her exhaustion. Azmakul continued to look at her that way, and if she was being honest, it was quite comical with his strange mask, but she didnʼt dare laugh.

Sighing to himself once more, he began to explain.

”Our definition of corruption is different, which was expected... but even then, you are wrong.”

”How so...?”

She asked, curious and hopeful. Was there a way to ignore it?

”It is not corruption... It is influence. Every element influences the user differently, like how individuals with an affinity to frost are impervious to the cold, and generally possess a cold, uncaring attitude. Or how individuals with an affinity to fire and impervious to heat, and are hot-tempered.

What kind of nonsense are you spouting?”

She didnʼt have an answer for a moment, collecting her thoughts. Azmakul continued.

”You have no idea what corruption truly is, and yet you speak it of like such. Your species is insanely ignorant in the way of the arcane.”

”Excuse me? So you are saying that a complete shift in attitude, sometimes changes in the physical appearance, and becoming a ʼmonsterʼ is not corruption? I watched my own uncle become completely desensitized, heartless, and change completely from his former self! What kind of element causes this kind of ʼinfluenceʼ?”

Azmakulʼs look turned into one of pity, and he covered his face with his hand.

”...”

Raising his head and looking at her like... she was stupid, he said.

”Why blame an element for your specieʼs inadequacy? It is common knowledge, common knowledge that each element influences differently. This influence can also be different for certain individuals.”

Standing up and massaging his temples, he continued to speak, not giving her a moment to

retort.

”It is not the fault of the element if your specieʼs are more susceptible to change, harmful or not. Blaming it is entirely nonsensical. This reminds me of the incident with the orcs... where they banned the usage of a particular totem because some insane, inept orcs used it wrongly.

Please tell me your specieʼs...

Wow.”

His face turned into one of complete incredulity when he looked at Sabrina, who was trying to avoid his gaze when he mentioned that.