Rise Of The Villain : In a World Ruled By Anomalies

Chapter 161 - 160 : Will you die for me

Inside the Imperius Academy’s main hall, Arthur stood absolutely still.

His aura was not.

Power gushed out of him in uncontrollable waves, slamming against the marble pillars and making the banners along the walls tremble. The air grew thick and heavy, warped by the pressure. For a moment, even Aaron, standing a step behind him, found it hard to breathe.

His lungs burned as if someone were pressing a weight on his chest.

But for the man facing Arthur, it was nothing.

Not even enough to make him blink.

Adrian Evan Imperius stood like a mountain — unmoved, unshaken, watching the storm in front of him with faint amusement. He did not put up a visible barrier. He did not draw on any obvious power. He simply existed, and Arthur’s aura broke against that existence like waves against a cliff.

"That look on your face," Adrian said, eyes narrowing slightly as he studied Arthur. "Helpless. Hopeless. It reminds me of you in the past."

His tone was calm, almost nostalgic.

"Right now you’re just a child," Adrian continued. "You don’t have the power the Imperius family holds."

Arthur’s crimson eyes stared back at him, cold and sharp enough to cut. For one wild moment he wanted to tear the man apart with his bare hands, to show him exactly what that "child" could do.

Then Arthur inhaled.

A huge, steady breath.

He forced his aura down.

The violent pressure around him vanished almost immediately, sucked back into his body. The hall returned to its quiet, dignified stillness. Only the chill in Arthur’s eyes remained — deeper, darker than before.

Adrian’s smile widened.

"Looks like you’re finally willing to talk," he said.

Arthur didn’t answer.

Instead, he let his gaze sweep over the hall — the corners, the upper balcony, the empty air that he knew was not truly empty.

Then he raised his voice.

"Come out," Arthur said. "I know you’re listening to all of this. Stop acting like you care when you don’t give a damn."

Aaron flinched and glanced around, heart pounding. He saw nothing, but Arthur’s certainty made the back of his neck prickle.

A heartbeat later, the air behind Arthur shimmered.

A woman stepped into existence as though she had always been there.

Golden hair cascaded down her back, red eyes glowed faintly in the dim light, and her face was so strikingly beautiful it bordered on unreal. She materialized a half‑step behind Arthur, wearing an elegant dress that contrasted sharply with the tension in the air.

"How did you—" Sylvia began.

Arthur cut her off without looking back.

"I’ll be the one asking questions," he said. "You’ll answer, if you want me to do what you want."

Adrian’s expression shifted, irritation flickering for the first time. He opened his mouth to speak, but Sylvia reached out and grabbed his hand, fingers tightening around his wrist.

"Listen to him, honey," she said quietly.

Adrian clicked his tongue, then exhaled.

"Fine," he said. "Ask away."

Arthur turned his head slightly, eyes locking onto Sylvia first.

"You knew about Yuna’s situation, didn’t you?"

Sylvia’s shoulders tensed.

"I didn’t know what they were going to do—"

"Don’t make excuses," Arthur said. "Just say yes or no."

Sylvia held his gaze.

It took her a moment, but she finally answered.

"Yes," she said. "I knew."

Arthur’s jaw clenched once, then loosened.

"Alright," he said. "That makes things easier."

He shifted his attention to Adrian.

"So," Arthur said quietly, "in exchange for Yuna’s life, you want me to become your pawn."

Adrian did not deny it.

"You can say that," he replied. "But don’t worry. It’s not for your whole life. It will take only a few years. Then you’re free."

"Can you guarantee it?" Arthur asked.

Adrian’s mouth twitched, a mix of irritation and reluctant amusement.

"This brat..." he muttered under his breath.

Sylvia stepped in. "I’ll guarantee it," she said quickly, almost desperately, as if she wanted at least one promise she could try to keep.

Arthur’s next question froze them both.

"What about Agnus Evan Imperius?" Arthur asked. "Can I assume he won’t interfere with my life again?"

This time, neither of them spoke.

They both knew the answer.

Agnus was not someone who took orders from others — not even from his own son.

Sylvia tried to fill the silence. "I’ll try to convince Father‑in‑law—"

"I already have my answer," Arthur said, cutting her off. "You don’t have to say anything else."

Sylvia bit her lip, words dying in her throat.

Adrian’s patience ran thin.

"Enough questions," he said. "Is that a yes or a no?"

Amber eyes met deep crimson.

The hall seemed to hold its breath.

"I’ll meet you at the Imperius family estate in an hour," Arthur said.

A slow smile spread across Adrian’s face.

"See? That wasn’t so hard," he said. "The moment you arrive, Yuna will be released."

Arthur ground his teeth so hard his jaw ached, then gave a curt nod.

He turned away, cloak shifting as he started down the corridor. Aaron hurried to match his pace, glancing back nervously at Adrian and Sylvia.

"You only have an hour," Adrian called after them. "Remember that."

Arthur looked back over his shoulder one last time.

In his mind, a final thought settled like ice.

’Now there are no attachments left,’ Arthur thought. ’That was the final nail in the coffin. And remember... you were the ones who started this.’

Then he disappeared around the corner with Aaron, footsteps fading into the distance.

In the emptying hall, Sylvia exhaled slowly.

"For the first time in my life," she said under her breath, "I’m feeling disgusted with myself."

Sylvia let out a defeated laugh.

"What mother threatens her own child?" she murmured.

Adrian started walking, hands folding behind his back.

"There’s no need to feel sorry," he said. "It’s their duty to do as they’re told. We are the ones who brought them into this world, after all."

Sylvia fell into step beside him.

They walked on in silence, not saying another word.

---------

Aaron walked right beside Arthur, matching his pace down the academy corridor.

Arthur’s eyes were still dead cold.

There was no anger in them, no visible rage, only a flat, terrifying stillness that made Aaron’s throat dry. He was so scared he couldn’t utter a word. Every time he thought about opening his mouth, the memory of Adrian’s last words crushed his courage.

Then voices and hurried footsteps echoed from ahead.

"Arthur!"

Julia, Isabella, Evangeline, Elizabeth, and Aiden came running toward them, weaving through other students who were still buzzing about the exam. Isabella reached him first and, without thinking, smacked him on the back.

"Where the hell were you?" Isabella demanded. "The final results are out. Let’s go see them."

Arthur slowly turned his head toward her.

His cold eyes met Isabella’s.

The smile on her face froze. A chill shot down her spine so fast her body reacted before her mind did; she instinctively took several steps back, hand dropping away from his shoulder.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Evangeline caught it immediately. She looked from Isabella to Arthur, then to Aaron’s pale face.

"What happened?" she asked in a low, careful voice.

Arthur’s lips curled.

He burst into a cold laugh.

The sound was empty of joy, sharp enough to make the hair on their arms rise. He looked at all of them — Julia, Isabella, Evangeline, Elizabeth, Aiden, Aaron — as if weighing each one on an invisible scale.

"If I tell you to die for me," Arthur asked quietly, "will you follow me?"

The abrupt question stunned them all.

Even Julia, quick‑witted as she was, failed to find an immediate reply. Aiden’s mouth opened and closed once. Evangeline’s brows furrowed. Only Elizabeth remained strangely calm, her red eyes simply watching.

"Did something happen?" Aiden finally managed to ask.

Arthur nodded once.

"The answer is yes," he said. "Something happened, and I can’t tell you what."

He took a breath.

"But I’ll need your help."

He looked each of them in the eye, making sure they understood this was no joke.

"What I want you to do," Arthur continued, "will put a bounty on your heads. People will be after our lives as long as we live... or until I win."

The hallway seemed to grow quieter around them, the distant chatter fading under the weight of his words.

"Those who have the courage to walk that hell with me can come forward," Arthur said. "Those who do not... stop calling me your friend and turn back. I will hold no resentment."

His gaze hardened.

"I keep no enemies and cherish no friends," Arthur said. "Those who reached out when I was drowning are remembered. Those who turned away are forgotten. Gratitude and resentment are both chains, and I have no intention of carrying either."

He paused, voice coming even colder.

"Every person who entered my life served a purpose. Some helped me rise. Others taught me who not to trust. Once their role is fulfilled, I simply move forward. That is the way of my life."

His eyes swept over them one last time.

"So make your choice," Arthur said. "I don’t have much time."

Julia was the first to find her voice.

"So you’re not going to explain anything," she said.

Arthur shook his head. "I don’t want to right now."

Isabella folded her arms, gritting her teeth. "And you want us to risk our lives?"

"That is correct," Arthur replied without hesitation.

Isabella clicked her tongue and looked away. "Selfish son of a bitch," she muttered.

Julia, Evangeline, Isabella, and Aiden exchanged glances.

No one backed away.

One after another, they nodded.

Aiden stepped forward, planting his sword on his shoulder with an easy movement. "Which son of a bitch do you want us to take care of?" he asked.

Arthur finally smiled — a sharp, tired curve of the lips.

He turned to Aaron.

"Now you know everything about me," Arthur said. "Make your choice carefully."

Aaron’s heart hammered in his chest. He could feel sweat on his palms, fear knotting in his stomach. But when he remembered the hand that had pulled him out of despair, the hesitation melted.

He sucked in a deep breath.

"Doesn’t matter," Aaron said. "You saved me. It’s my time to repay that favor."

Arthur’s smile deepened.

"You will be my greatest weapon," he said.

He turned back to the group.

"Then this is the person we have to take care of."

He spoke the name.

The moment the name left his mouth, all of them took a huge step back.

Evangeline felt a cold chill crawl up her spine. Her fingers tightened around the gun at her thigh.

"You really are insane," Evangeline said quietly. "You know that... right?"

Arthur’s eyes narrowed with lethal resolve.

"I’ll hit them so hard," he said, "they’ll think twice before threatening me again."

He straightened, tension gathering around him like a cloak.

"Let’s begin, then."

His gaze moved to Elizabeth.

"Looks like it’s time to release those limiters on you."

Elizabeth’s eyes lit up with unmistakable excitement. For the first time since they had met her, she did not bother to hide the anticipation burning in her blood.

"Finally," she whispered. "I was getting bored."