Young Master's PoV: Woke Up As A Villain In A Game One Day
Chapter Summary
Michael and Lily stood a couple of steps away, probably catching up on something important — or, more likely, something trivial. The clothes were nothing fancy — just a plain white tank top, black leather pants, and a matching leather jacket. After a few seconds, he pulled out a plain brown cloak and a pillow, draping the cloak over her like a blanket and tucking the soft pillow under her head.
Chapter 248: I Didn’t Blush!
Shut Up!
Using my innate power to crack open the dry mud shells around Vince and Ray was easy enough.
Both of them had almost completely turned blue from the lack of oxygen by the time I yanked them free.
Thankfully, they were still alive...
but were now panting and coughing violently on all fours like they had just inhaled an entire desert.
Alexia was still unconscious, and Kang was kneeling beside her in quiet worry.
Michael and Lily stood a couple of steps away, probably catching up on something important — or, more likely, something trivial.
I sighed and turned to Juliana, fishing a few clothes from the dimensional storage pocket in my robe.
The clothes were nothing fancy — just a plain white tank top, black leather pants, and a matching leather jacket.
With the help of my Origin Card, I resized the fabric and padded the chest area of the tank top before holding them out to her.
Juliana glanced at the clothes in my extended hand then flicked her gaze up to my face.
I frowned.
"What?
Do you plan to keep exploring this lovely forest in your leaf bikini?
" She paused, then gave a slow nod and took the bundle from my hand.
"I don’t know your exact sizes," I said, "but these should fit.
If not, then simply tell me and I’ll adjust them again.
" She gave another nod...
and just kept staring at me without a word until the silence grew awkward.
My frown returned harder.
"What?
" She shrugged calmly.
"Well, I don’t mind you watching, Young Master.
But are you sure you want me to change out here in the open where everyone else can see me too?
" I blinked once.
Twice.
Then felt the heat rising in my cheeks — almost enough to make me blush.
Almost.
But before it could happen, I stomped my foot on the ground, and an earthen wall erupted between us, giving her all the privacy she could possibly want.
Only then did I allow myself to fluster.
"What the hell was that?
" I muttered under my breath.
...
No, seriously!
What the hell was that?
I knew she loved pushing my buttons, but this was going too far!
"Agh!
I hate how easily she gets under my skin!
" I took a deep breath and shook away the unnecessary thoughts.
Looking around, it seemed the group had already decided to set up camp here.
It wasn’t a bad choice.
We were surrounded on all sides by towering trees, with giant insects creeping through the underbrush.
The red moon in the cracked sky above looked as haunting as ever, and the smell of rot and decay filled the air just as it did everywhere else in this cursed forest.
Yeah.
Good enough spot for a rest.
I exhaled and decided to take a short walk into the woods to clear the perimeter and, hopefully, my head.
••• "Hey!
What happened to you?
" Michael asked Lily, pulling her into a tight hug and sweeping the strands of ash-blonde hair from her face.
"Are you okay?
" One of her eyes was swollen, her forehead wrapped in gauze.
Her lip was split, and her nose had clearly been broken not too long ago.
Lily smiled dismissively.
"I’m fine," she said, her voice a little rough.
"We were attacked by a few Spirit Beasts the day before yesterday.
I took some beating.
Nothing to worry about.
" Yeah, that was clearly a lie.
Michael could tell the bruises were too precise, too deliberate to have come from mindless beasts.
This was the work of a human.
It wasn’t hard to guess who, or why.
Most likely, she and Samael had gotten into a fight.
But the fact that she wasn’t telling him meant she didn’t want him to get involved.
Not that he was going to anyway.
The issue between Lily and Samael was theirs to deal with.
It was their choice to either bury it or let it fester.
And judging from the fact they were both still here, maybe they’d already worked it out?
Well...
either way, he wasn’t interfering.
They could try killing each other every day for all he cared, as long as no one actually succeeded.
...
On second thought, he would appreciate it if the two of them could wait until they were all out of this forest.
Because Michael knew one thing for certain — if they wanted to escape this godforsaken region, they all needed to work together.
And, most importantly, they needed Samael.
Michael looked around and spotted Alexia lying on the ground.
Kang had summoned a plain wooden storage chest beside her and was rummaging through it.
After a few seconds, he pulled out a plain brown cloak and a pillow, draping the cloak over her like a blanket and tucking the soft pillow under her head.
All the while, Alexia kept sleeping soundly.
She was alive because of Samael.
Michael had shown up at the canyon late, but what he saw upon arriving there left him utterly speechless.
He saw a full army of Minor Spirit Beasts, led by a Lesser monster.
And in the middle of it all was Samael.
He was absolutely demolishing swarms of those creatures single-handedly, without so much as a flicker of panic or hesitation on his face.
He knew he wasn’t going to win.
But Samael still went headfirst into that fight.
After witnessing that sight, Michael couldn’t help but wonder if he had been alone, would he have jumped into that canyon like that?
Would he have charged into the heart of a monster nest without a shred of fear, a proper plan, or even a hope for backup?
No.
Probably not.
He would still have tried to save Alexia, sure...
but he wasn’t delusional enough to think he’d have done it like that.
Because to Michael, what Samael showed wasn’t bravery.
It was something far more dangerous.
Samael fought like a man who had already accepted dying.
And not recklessly or desperately either, but with the terrifying composure of a man who sees death as just another possible outcome he could work with.
That wasn’t something you could learn.
That kind of ruthless mindset came from surviving things that should have killed you, over and over, until fear stopped being a factor entirely.
And Michael knew if that kind of person was on your side, you had a weapon no enemy could easily counter.
But if they weren’t...
then you had a problem you could never truly predict.
He knew all this first-hand.
After all, it was because of Samael that they won the Team Test.
It was because of him that they minimized the casualties in Ishtara.
And it was only because of him that they were able to save hundreds of Cadets during the Night Sanctuary’s massacre.
Every time he was with them, they had been able to overcome the odds.
So Michael knew if he accompanied them in this jungle, chances were that they would survive this ordeal as well.
He exhaled slowly, glancing at Alexia again.
Her chest rose and fell steadily under the cloak.
Next to her, Kang pulled a few small vials from the storage chest, each one filled with faintly glowing bluish-green liquid.
He walked over and handed all the vials to Lily.
"Here," he said.
"Low-grade healing potions.
Potent enough for small cuts and bruises.
" Lily took them with a, "Thanks.
" Michael arched a brow.
"What else you got in that chest?
Any rations?
" Kang shook his head.
"A few snacks, but no proper food.
Just the Young Lady’s clothes, camping gear, and first-aid items.
" Michael wanted to ask, ’Just who packs camping gear but no proper food in a storage artifact?
’But Kang was already walking past them, probably going to scout the area.
Michael sighed and stepped back from Lily.
"I should check the surroundings too," he told her.
Even though she had already placed trap Cards around the perimeter.
Because, well...
he also needed to go talk to Samael.