Rise Of The Villain : In a World Ruled By Anomalies

Diana and her team had already been transported into their next challenge.

The moment the golden light disappeared, they found themselves standing inside a vast circular chamber. The room was unlike anything they had encountered before. Its walls were constructed from enormous slabs of black stone, each one covered with ancient golden runes. Strange blue crystals floated near the ceiling, bathing the chamber in a dim, cold light.

At the very center stood a massive stone table, while several meters behind it rested an enormous chest. The chest was nearly as tall as Diana herself, its surface covered with intricate engravings of monsters, stars, ancient weapons, and mysterious symbols.

But the strangest part was its three openings.

They weren’t keyholes.

They were mouths.

Each mouth possessed rows of razor-sharp metallic teeth, and a faint crimson glow flickered deep inside them.

Diana frowned as she studied the strange chest.

"What kind of challenge is this?"

Before anyone could answer, a holographic figure appeared above the chamber.

It was an elderly wizard wearing a long blue robe covered with golden symbols. His long white beard reached his waist, while a glowing crystal floated above his palm.

{Welcome, students.}

His voice echoed throughout the chamber.

{I am the Keeper of this chamber, and I present to you Challenge 3—the Puzzle Round.}

The wizard raised one hand, causing a magical light to sweep across the table.

{Before you is a locked treasure chest. To open it, you must correctly identify three objects hidden among the many objects scattered across the table.}

The students immediately looked toward the table.

{Each correct object must be placed into one of the three mouths.}

The wizard’s expression suddenly became serious.

{But be careful. Not every object is what it appears to be. Some are decoys designed to deceive you.}

His glowing eyes swept across the students.

{Only careful observation and intelligent reasoning will lead you to the correct answers.}

The crystal above his palm shone brighter.

{Choose incorrectly, and you may pay the price.}

The students exchanged uneasy glances.

{Choose correctly, and the chest will reveal the clue to your next challenge.}

The wizard smiled.

{Good luck.}

With those words, his holographic figure vanished, leaving the chamber in silence.

For several seconds, nobody moved.

Then Diana stepped toward the table.

"Let’s examine everything first. We shouldn’t start placing objects randomly."

The others nodded and gathered around her.

There were dozens of objects scattered across the stone surface: a miniature griffin statue, a golden goblet, a vial filled with purple liquid, a silver key, a leather-bound tome, a crystal prism, a broken pocket watch, a black feather, a miniature crown, a pair of enchanted spectacles, a small bronze bell, a wooden mask, a strange red gemstone, several coins bearing unfamiliar symbols, a silver dagger, a bundle of dried herbs, and countless other objects whose purposes were impossible to determine at first glance.

Clarice approached the enormous chest and carefully examined its three mouths.

"...The chest has three locks. Well, they’re not exactly locks."

She leaned closer, her expression becoming slightly uneasy.

"They’re shaped like mouths."

Liana immediately walked over.

"Mouths?"

Clarice pointed toward them.

"Yes. And each one has rows of razor-sharp teeth."

As if to prove her point, the metallic teeth inside one of the mouths suddenly shifted.

Clack.

Clarice immediately stepped backward.

"And they seem very much alive."

Aegon stared at the chest for several seconds before sighing.

"Great."

Riley folded his arms and looked over the table.

"So we just have to figure out which three objects these things want to eat?"

Diana nodded.

"That’s probably the idea."

Aegon glanced over the enormous collection of objects.

"But there are dozens of them. How are we supposed to know which ones are correct?"

"Which means most of them are probably distractions," Riley replied.

Diana’s eyes narrowed as she looked over the table.

"Then let’s find the clues."

The team immediately began searching. They examined the table, inspected the objects, checked beneath them, and even looked around the base of the chest.

Several minutes passed before Liana suddenly stopped.

"Wait."

She crouched beneath the table and reached underneath it. Her fingers touched something cold.

"There’s something here."

She pulled out a small metal plate covered in dust.

Diana took it from her and brushed the surface clean. Ancient symbols were engraved across it.

"What does it say?" Aegon asked.

Liana studied the inscription for a moment before realizing what it was.

"I think it’s a riddle."

She cleared her throat and read it aloud.

"I am born without a mother, I die without a grave. I can fill a room, yet I weigh nothing. You can chase me, but you can never catch me. What am I?"

The team fell silent.

Aegon frowned.

"That’s actually difficult."

Riley crossed his arms as he thought.

"Something that fills a room but weighs nothing..."

"A smell?" Liana suggested.

Clarice shook her head.

"You can’t really chase a smell."

"Smoke?" Aegon offered.

Diana immediately shook her head.

"You can catch smoke."

Riley suddenly looked toward the table.

"What about light?"

Diana’s eyes narrowed.

"Light can fill a room," Riley continued. "And you can chase it, but you can never actually catch it."

Clarice looked around the table.

"Do we have anything related to light?"

Everyone began searching through the objects.

Diana’s gaze eventually landed on the crystal prism.

"The crystal prism."

She picked it up and held it beneath the strange blue light.

"When light passes through a prism, it splits into different colors," she explained. "So the prism is probably connected to the answer."

Aegon nodded slowly.

"It fits better than anything else."

Diana handed the prism to Riley.

"Senior Riley, try the first mouth."

Riley stared at the chest before looking back at Diana.

"Why am I always the one doing this?"

"Because you’re the one who suggested the answer."

Riley sighed.

"...Fair enough."

He cautiously approached the chest and held the crystal prism above the first mouth. The metallic teeth shifted slightly.

Clack.

Riley nearly dropped the prism.

"That thing is definitely alive."

Liana couldn’t help but smile.

"Just put it in."

Riley took a deep breath before carefully inserting the prism into the mouth.

For several seconds, nothing happened.

Then—

Click.

The first mouth closed.

A golden pulse traveled across the surface of the chest.

The Keeper’s voice echoed through the chamber.

{Correct.}

{You have identified the first object.}

{Two remain.}

The golden light disappeared.

Liana smiled.

"Nice."

Diana gave a small nod.

"One down. Now let’s find the second clue."

The team returned to the table and resumed their search. This time, Aegon discovered something hidden beneath the wooden mask. He picked it up and found a thin strip of parchment.

"Found another one."

Everyone gathered around him as he unfolded it.

Another riddle appeared.

Aegon read it aloud.

"I have a face, but no eyes. I have hands, but no fingers. I can tell you when to run, but I never move from my place. What am I?"

Liana immediately answered.

"A clock."

Her gaze shifted toward the broken pocket watch lying among the objects.

"There."

Aegon picked it up and examined it.

"The broken watch."

Riley leaned closer.

"But why would the riddle say it can tell you when to run?"

Diana studied the pocket watch carefully.

"Because time determines when you need to act."

She turned it over and noticed the strange magical inscriptions engraved across its back.

"And this watch has magical inscriptions."

Clarice leaned closer.

"There are numbers around the back."

Diana nodded.

"Perhaps it’s enchanted."

Aegon examined the broken hands.

"Then this should be the answer."

Diana hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"Maybe. But the riddle clearly describes something with a face and hands, and this is the only object here that matches."

Riley smiled.

"Then let’s try it."

Aegon took the pocket watch and approached the second mouth.

The metallic jaws opened.

Aegon carefully placed the watch inside.

Click.

The second mouth immediately closed.

Golden light erupted across the surface of the chest.

{Correct.}

{You have identified the second object.}

{Only one remains.}

The golden light faded.

Liana smiled.

"We’re getting the hang of this."

Riley immediately shook his head.

"Don’t say that yet."

He pointed toward the remaining mouth.

"That one looks like it wants to eat someone’s arm."

Everyone looked toward the final mouth.

It slowly opened and closed.

Clack.

Riley nodded seriously.

"...I stand by my statement."

Diana ignored him.

"Let’s find the final clue."

The group began searching the table again, this time with even greater attention. They checked beneath the objects, inside the containers, behind the books, and even around the legs of the table.

Several minutes passed.

Then Clarice suddenly noticed a strange reflection beneath the silver dagger.

"Wait."

She lifted the dagger and discovered a tiny crystal tablet hidden underneath it.

Clarice picked it up.

"This must be the final clue."

Diana nodded.

"Read it."

Clarice examined the glowing symbols before reading the riddle aloud.

"I have no body, yet I can wear a thousand faces. I have no voice, yet I can make kings tremble. I can be broken without being touched, and once broken, I may never return. What am I?"

The team fell silent.

Aegon frowned.

"Trust?"

Liana shook her head.

"You can break trust, but it doesn’t have a thousand faces."

"An illusion?" Riley suggested.

Diana shook her head.

"No."

She reread the riddle, her expression becoming thoughtful.

’I can be broken without being touched.’

Her eyes slowly moved across the table.

"A promise."

Everyone turned toward her.

Diana continued.

"A promise has no physical body, but it can take countless forms. A promise can make kings tremble depending on what was promised, and you can break one without physically touching anything."

Riley’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"So the answer is a promise."

Diana nodded.

"Exactly."

Clarice looked around the table.

"But which object represents a promise?"

The team began searching again.

There were dozens of objects, but none seemed to fit.

Then Liana noticed the miniature crown.

"Could it be that?"

She picked it up.

"A crown represents a king."

Diana examined it carefully before shaking her head.

"But the answer is a promise, not a crown."

"Then perhaps we’re looking for something associated with promises."

Aegon suddenly pointed toward the silver key.

"A key?"

Diana looked at him.

"A key can represent a promise?"

Aegon shook his head.

"No. Look at the engraving."

He turned the key over.

There was a strange symbol carved into the metal—a circle divided into two halves.

Riley’s expression changed immediately.

"I’ve seen that symbol before."

Clarice looked at him.

"Where?"

"In ancient magical contracts."

Everyone became silent.

Riley continued.

"Two parties would use that symbol when making a binding agreement."

Diana’s eyes narrowed.

"A magical contract."

She looked at the riddle again.

"A promise that cannot be physically touched... but can be broken."

Riley nodded.

"And a magical contract can certainly make kings tremble."

Diana smiled faintly.

"I think we found it."

She picked up the silver key.

"This is our final object."

Aegon looked toward the remaining mouth.

"Then who’s going to put it in?"

Everyone immediately became silent.

Riley took one step backward.

"No."

Liana laughed.

"You’re really not going to volunteer?"

"I already sacrificed myself for the prism."

"You almost dropped it."

"Exactly. That was extremely dangerous."

Diana sighed before looking toward Clarice.

"Clarice?"

Clarice immediately looked at her.

"Why me?"

"You haven’t placed anything yet."

Clarice stared at the chest.

The final mouth slowly opened.

Its metallic teeth glimmered beneath the blue light.

Clack.

Clarice swallowed.

"...Fine."

Riley handed her the silver key.

"Good luck."

Clarice gave him an annoyed look.

"If I lose my hand, I’m blaming you."

"I’ll accept responsibility."

"You’d better."

Clarice slowly approached the chest, the silver key held tightly in her hand.

The final mouth remained open, its rows of metallic teeth waiting.

Clarice took a deep breath.

’Please let this be right.’

Then she inserted the key.

For one terrifying moment, nothing happened.

Then—

Click.

The final mouth closed.

The entire chest suddenly began glowing.

Golden runes spread across its surface as the three mouths disappeared.

A deep rumbling sound echoed throughout the chamber.

Creak...

The enormous lid slowly opened.

Inside was a single golden scroll.

The holographic wizard appeared once again.

This time, he was smiling.

{Congratulations, students.}

{You have successfully solved all three puzzles.}

{Your reasoning, observation, and cooperation have proven sufficient.}

He raised one hand toward the opened chest.

{You have passed Challenge 3.}

{Take the scroll within the chest.}

{It contains the clue that will lead you toward your next challenge.}

The hologram began fading.

{Your journey continues.}

With those final words, the wizard disappeared.

The chamber became silent once again.

For several seconds, nobody spoke.

Then Liana suddenly smiled.

"We actually did it."

Aegon released a long breath.

"And somehow, none of us lost a hand."

Riley glanced toward the three now-closed mouths.

"That was my primary concern."

Clarice rolled her eyes.

Diana stepped toward the chest and carefully picked up the golden scroll.

Her expression became serious.

"We passed."

She looked toward her teammates.

"But this was only Challenge 3."

Diana slowly began unrolling the scroll.

"Let’s see what comes next."

The others gathered around her.

None of them knew that the next challenge would test something far more dangerous than their ability to solve riddles.

It would test how well they could trust one another.

───────────────

Meanwhile, Arthur and the other Celestias Academy students watched every moment through the massive mana screen inside the demonic stadium. No one blinked—not Arthur, not Layla, not Victor, not Aiden, not Damian, not Isabella, nor any of the second- or third-year students.

They watched Diana’s team solve the pattern. They watched Clarice answer the question. They watched Liana solve the riddle.

The same was true for the other academies. Every group watched their own participants with terrified expressions. One mistake could mean death.

Layla sat beside Arthur with her eyes fixed on the screen. After watching Diana’s team disappear into the next challenge, she finally spoke quietly. "Arthur."

He looked toward her.

"I know I should not ask this." Layla hesitated, her fingers tightening together. "But what is your decision in the worst-case scenario?"

The nearby students immediately became silent.

"If we do not take first place in this challenge, someone from our team will have to be sacrificed." Her voice trembled slightly. "Right now, we are in second place."

Her brown eyes narrowed as she glanced toward the screen. "Cherry Blossom Academy is still in first place."

The words made everyone turn toward Arthur.

The burden rested on him.

If Celestias Academy lost, he would need to choose someone.

Someone to die.

Arthur’s crimson gaze slowly moved across the students. Their faces were filled with fear. Their hands trembled, some looked away, others clenched their fists, and a few simply held their breath as they waited for his answer.

Then Arthur finally spoke.

"Do not worry."

His voice was calm.

"I have someone in mind."

The students did not feel reassured.

They felt worse.

Arthur’s answer had confirmed it. Someone among them would die if they lost.

Damian could not hold himself back any longer. He stepped forward and grabbed Arthur by the collar. "Surely you are not thinking of sacrificing my sister. Or Liana."

The others immediately turned toward them.

Damian’s eyes burned with anger. "I know you do not like them. But think twice before you choose either of them."

His aura began to rise.

"Because I will—"

"Remove your hand."

Arthur’s voice cut through Damian’s threat.

The entire room became silent.

Arthur did not raise his voice or even move. Yet the coldness in his crimson eyes made Damian freeze.

"It would be best for you to remove that hand from my collar."

Arthur leaned slightly closer, his voice remaining calm. "I cannot speak for anyone else. But I might kill you myself."

Damian’s face darkened.

"What did you—"

Before the situation could escalate further, Victor moved. He grabbed Damian by the shoulder and pulled him back.

"Are you out of your mind?"

Damian glared at him, but Victor’s expression remained stern.

"Think calmly." He pointed toward the surrounding demonic crowd. "Do you think Arthur wanted this to happen? He is as clueless as we are."

Victor gestured toward the enormous stadium surrounding them.

"We are surrounded by enemies. One wrong move, and all of us could die."

Damian’s anger gradually weakened, but the fear in his eyes remained.

"What about my sister’s safety?"

Aiden stepped forward.

"Alright."

He looked directly at Damian. "Then tell me."

Damian frowned.

"If Arthur gave you the choice, who would you choose to die?"

The question struck Damian like a weapon.

Everyone looked toward him.

Damian’s mouth opened, but no words came out.

"I..."

His hands began to shake.

"I..."

He lowered his gaze, unable to meet anyone’s eyes.

He could not choose.

Not Diana.

Not Liana.

Not anyone.

Arthur ignored the silence.

He stood up and began walking toward the edge of Celestias Academy’s section.

Layla looked after him. "Where are you going?"

Arthur did not turn around.

"To the bathroom."

He glanced over his shoulder.

"Would you like to come with me?"

Layla’s face immediately turned red.

Arthur smiled faintly.

"Just kidding."

His expression became tired again.

"I am going to get some fresh air."

He continued walking.

"Would you like to come?"

Layla frowned. "But the second match is still ongoing. How can we leave?"

Arthur ignored her and continued toward the exit.

"Tell me the outcome later."

Layla watched him leave before letting out a quiet sigh.

’Surely this burden is too much even for him.’

Her eyes lowered.

’Choosing someone to sacrifice. Sending someone to their death.’

Arthur walked through the dim section of the demonic stadium as the roar of the crowd echoed around him.

Then he suddenly stopped.

Someone stood in his way.