I Am the Novel's Extra Villan

As Ryker walked toward the forest entrance, he could see two figures waiting by the wooden gate. One was the same guard from before - the man who had tried to stop him earlier. The other was a stranger, bigger and more confident looking.

The first guard saw him coming and his face went pale. He took a step back, his hands shaking slightly. But the new man stepped forward, blocking Ryker's path.

"Hold on there, kid," the stranger said, crossing his arms. "Who let you into the forest? I thought only raiders above red core level were allowed in here."

The first guard's eyes went wide with panic. He shot his partner a desperate look, shaking his head frantically. But the bigger man didn't notice.

"Did you sneak in when Jack got attacked?" the man continued, trying to push his aura against Ryker. "Because if you did, you're in serious trouble."

Ryker's face showed no emotion as he stared at the man. Then he turned his cold gaze to the first guard.

"I thought I warned you about this," Ryker said quietly.

The first guard's legs gave out completely. He collapsed to his knees, tears starting to form in his eyes. His whole body was shaking like a leaf in a storm.

"Sam, shut up!" the guard gasped, looking up at his partner with terror. "He's a student from Veil Academy! Just let him go!"

The guard remembered what had happened to Jack - how the boy had cut off his arm even though Jack was a Stonekin bloodline user. The memory made him feel sick.

But Sam just scoffed and spat on the ground. "Steve, why are you so scared of some spoiled brat? Just because he goes to that fancy academy doesn't mean he's actually strong. It just means his family has money."

Sam's face twisted with disgust as he looked at Ryker. "Does being rich give you the right to do whatever you want? I'm tired of nobles like you thinking you own the world."

Ryker's hand moved slowly to rest on his sword handle. He tilted his head slightly, studying Sam like he was looking at an interesting insect.

"Why do people keep treating me like I'm the first noble they've ever seen?" Ryker muttered to himself. "Like I'm some target for all their anger?"

Steve was still on his knees, shaking so hard he could barely stay upright. He could feel something terrible about to happen, but he was too scared to move.

"I've been trying to keep a low profile," Ryker continued, his voice getting quieter. "I don't have much backing here, so I've been careful. But you people keep looking for ways to bully me. Keep pushing me."

His fingers tightened on the sword handle. "I guess the author isn't the only one I need to prove something to."

Sam didn't understand what the boy was talking about, but he could hear the danger in his voice. Still, his pride wouldn't let him back down.

"This fucking little bas—"

Sam's words cut off abruptly. He felt something strange, like the world was tilting. He looked down and saw his own body standing there without a head. Blood was pumping from his neck in steady streams.

"Huh?" Sam's head said from where it had landed on the ground. "Is that my body?"

His eyes found Ryker's face, and for the first time, he understood what Steve had been so afraid of. The light in his eyes began to fade.

"Sir, please!" Steve sobbed, pressing his face to the dirt. "I tried to warn him! I really did!"

Tears streamed down his face as he looked up at Ryker. "I promise I'll never disrespect you again! Please!"

Ryker stared down at the crying man for a long moment. Then he let out a heavy breath and turned to walk away.

"Haa," Steve sighed as the terrible pressure in his chest finally lifted. He looked over at Sam's headless body and felt a pang of sadness. But he knew his friend had brought this on himself.

---

Meanwhile, in the town, Ryker walked through the narrow streets. People were everywhere - merchants selling their goods, children playing in the dust, women carrying baskets of food. But he could feel their eyes on him.

Some stared openly, whispering to their friends. Others just glanced quickly and looked away. The way they watched him made it clear he was in a rougher part of town.

He'd been walking for almost an hour, looking for somewhere to stay, when a young girl suddenly grabbed his arm and pulled him toward a small building.

"Welcome, young sir!" she said with a bright smile. "You look tired and hungry. A good meal will fix that right up!"

She was about his age, with long black hair and curves that she wasn't shy about showing off. She pressed herself against his arm as she led him inside the nearly empty inn.

"Here, sit down," she said, guiding him to a wooden table. "Look through the menu while I get you something to drink. I'll be right back to take your order."

She gave him another smile and walked away, making sure to sway her hips as she went.

"Tsk, she caught me off guard," Ryker thought, shaking his head.

He picked up the menu and looked through it. Most of the food was simple - bread, soup, vegetables. The most expensive item was chicken soup at 1,200 credits.

When the girl came back with a cup of water, Ryker had made his decision.

"I'll take the stale bread, chicken soup, and vegetable plate," he said.

She nodded and disappeared into the kitchen. A few minutes later, she returned with a wooden tray holding his food.

"Um, can I pay with this?" Ryker asked, pulling out the gray core he'd taken from the archer girl.

The girl's eyes went wide when she saw the core. She stared at it like it was made of pure gold.

"I don't have any other way to pay," Ryker explained as she took the core with shaking hands.

"This should be worth around five thousand credits," he said, picking up his spoon. "So I think it covers the meal."

But the girl didn't move away from the table. She just stood there, staring at the core.

"What is it?" Ryker asked, starting to get annoyed.

"This core," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's worth about 20,000 credits here."

Ryker had just picked up a piece of stale bread. When he heard her words, his hand went limp and the bread fell into his soup with a splash.

"It costs what?!" he shouted, loud enough for the whole inn to hear.