Fate: No One Plays the Villain Like I Do

Damn you, Merlin!

I knew it was too much of a coincidence—just as I got into trouble, someone shows up to "rescue" me! You're the one who led those monsters here. Not only did I get caught in the mess, now you have the audacity to thank me?

Do you even have a conscience, you bastard?!

The night stretched endlessly. Forced to abandon the warmth of the bonfire, Samael fled with the group, pushing his Magical Beast physique to its limit.

The ancient serpent darted madly across the wasteland, becoming little more than a black blur.

Narrowed serpent eyes locked eerily on the back of the Incubus's neck, fangs itching with suppressed rage.

Ahead, the Great Sage instinctively shrank his neck, glancing back with an awkward smile.

"Friend, don't look at me like that—it really was unexpected."

Ha! Like hell I believe you!

Samael sneered coldly, while the brutal aura closing in from all directions made him tense up. Holding his breath, he stayed on the Incubus's heels, head down, focused only on escaping.

"It's all Merlin's fault—he just had to rile her up in the Blood Fort Andromeda!"

The unusually kind-hearted, purple-haired girl Ana snorted, easing her pace slightly to fall behind, leaving the safest middle position for some innocent victim.

I knew it!

Samael's face twisted, his steel teeth grinding loudly.

You reckless idiot! You just had to barge into the Blood Fort Andromeda and rouse that mysterious Goddess of Demonic Beasts... and then you probably did something shady while you were at it.

Now look—her beasts chased you all the way to Kutha!

Sure, snakes hold grudges, but for just a little spat, would she really go this far?

Looking at the map, the Goddess of Demonic Beasts dispatched troops from the Cedar Forest, crossed the twin rivers, skirted around the northwestern edge of Mount Ebih, and struck from the flank of the Babylonia front—thousands of miles in pursuit!

You damned Incubus! What colossal screw-up did you cause that made her ignore the siege of Uruk entirely?

And the worst part? I'm innocent! I'm the one who warned Uruk! Why the hell am I the one running?!

"How about we try to distract the ones behind us? You can break off and take another path?"

The Magus up front must have sensed the rising malice behind him. He turned back with an innocent blink and offered a "helpful" suggestion.

"Quit yapping and keep leading!"

Samael glared at the flickering scarlet "lights" dotting both sides of the wilderness. He squeezed out the words between clenched teeth, face dark as pitch.

Split up now? Do I look stupid to you?

We're surrounded by Magical Beasts. Maybe they can't catch you, but they sure as hell can catch me!

And at this point, we're all tangled up together. If I say I'm not part of your group, you think they'll believe me?

"Roar! Roar!"

Just as Samael was stewing in his frustration, two purple-furred Soul-Eater Beasts—experts at ambush—crept low to the ground and suddenly leapt from the brush, aiming straight for the weakest member of the trio.

Damn it! I didn't taunt anyone! Why are they targeting me?!

As he cursed silently, Samael's pupils shrank to pinpoints. He stepped to brace himself, planted his feet, and threw his muscular arms in a wide arc. Just barely, he caught the Soul-Eater on his right by the neck.

With his legs rooted firmly, Samael launched into a deadly stranglehold. With inhuman strength, he snapped the beast's spine and hurled its limp body straight into the other Soul-Eater.

However, the Soul-Eater Beast displayed an unexpected burst of agility, abruptly halting and dodging the thrown weapon.

At the same moment, sensing that its human prey was out of strength and unable to counter, the Magical Beast lunged forward, claws extended, jaws snapping toward Samael's neck from the side.

"Hiss!"

Just in time, the purple-haired girl Ana swung her chain, cleaving the Soul-Eater Beast clean in half.

"Go!"

Samael nodded from afar, silently dispersing the deathly aura rapidly building within him. Without a moment's hesitation, he kept his head down and sprinted forward.

Had he fought with everything just now, he might've managed to take down the other Soul-Eater Beast. But if he lagged behind, it wouldn't just be one coming for him—it'd be a whole swarm!

So, saved again…

Both of them were serpents, yet he was faring far worse.

The ancient snake muttered bitterly in his heart, glancing back longingly at the valuable reinforcement materials scattered behind. But survival came first—he had to suppress his craving for the Magical Beast Spirit Origin.

"I've got you now, rats of Uruk!"

Just as the three of them were fleeing for their lives, a cold, androgynous voice echoed across the wasteland. A sharp slicing sound followed.

"Bang!"

A chain tipped with a silver rune spear shot forward. Ana, covering the rear, twisted around and swung her sickle blade with full force.

Their clash rang out in a shrill screech of metal striking metal, sparks spraying and lighting up the dark night.

Bathed in the flare of impact, the green-haired, white-robed androgynous beauty pursed his lips into a cold, razor-sharp smile. A strange rhythm pulsed from his chest and rippled down his arms.

Creak… creak…

Hearing the odd noise, Ana glanced down at her chain-sickle, now twisted and splintered. Her expression froze in shock.

"Boom!"

A force like a mountain collapsing or a tsunami crashing through shattered Ana's weapon and barreled forward, slamming her small frame aside without mercy.

Seeing the girl with nowhere to land, the ancient snake bent its knees and sprang sideways, catching Ana mid-air and rolling to absorb the impact.

Looking at Ana's slightly pale face and the trace of blood at her lips, Samael rose to his feet and shouted toward the white-haired fraud ahead.

"Merlin! You've got the guts to act but not the guts to admit it?"

As he yelled, the spine-prickling sense of danger behind him seemed to ease just a bit.

Merlin? The Magus who responded to the call of the Hero King, Gilgamesh?

So he was the one who angered Mother Goddess in the Blood Fort?

Damn it—how many secrets did he see?!

The androgynous beauty's sharp gaze locked onto the fleeing Magus of Flowers. Behind him, a golden vortex swirled open, launching chains tipped with spears, each turning mid-flight toward their new target.

At that moment, the white-haired man—newly exposed as the mastermind—stood stiffly, hair standing on end. He turned, half amused, half helpless.

Tsk. What were they expecting from an amateur Magus who can't even chant at high speed without biting his own tongue?

He was facing Enkidu, one of Mesopotamia's most powerful god-forged weapons!

According to intel from his employer, King Gilgamesh, Enkidu's base stats fell within a set range.

But being a divine construct, his attributes could be reassigned freely thanks to his "Transfiguration" ability.

In simple terms, he could redistribute his stats at will.

That's why, just now, Enkidu suddenly dumped all his parameters into strength—catching Ana off guard and blasting her away with a single strike.

Even that young goddess vessel couldn't handle Enkidu's raw power. And they expect me to draw his fire?

Forget it! There's no way I'm charging into close combat. A Magus has to maintain dignity.

So—run it is!

...

(40 Chapters Ahead)

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