The Villain's Story Chapter [699] Kizmal(11).

Chapter 699: [699] Kizmal(11).

"What do you mean?"

Alexander inquired, his eyes were dubious, and his instincts were telling him something was wrong, something was going to be wrong. That, and also Festul talking in his mind.

[Be careful... Alex.]

Suddenly, the venerable and somewhat nonchalant dragon had changed, that was the view everyone had of him right now, but it changed. Azmakul turned around, and observed each one of them.

Everyone was tense, and they all looked at him, with unease apparent in their eyes.

"I believe you all must get the chance to prove yourselves, and I myself, want that beauty to get a chance to perform as well."

He said, pointing towards the array, deeming it a 'beauty'. Sabrina's eyes narrowed.

Alexander felt...odd. His heart began to beat faster, and his entire body was nervous, but it was out of both joy and fright. It was a feeling he couldn't explain very well, and neither could he explain where it was coming from.

"If you so want, You can challenge the trial, and I promise nothing will happen to you. Whether you fail or succeed, you will be in pristine physical condition."

Everyone stayed silent, even the frustrated Olivia didn't say anything, even she felt something was off. The way Azmakul was saying things was strange, it was...eerie.

The dragon walked closer to the campfire, and stood in the center of them all, and proclaimed.

"I will hold the prince back, you can challenge the trial. I believe all of you deserve a chance, after all, what was all that training for?"

Olivia flinched, and just as she was about to say something, Alexander grabbed her shoulder, lightly.

"... No, thanks."

He was simply doing what Festul was telling him to say. He had never seen, or rather heard, Festul this paranoid before.

Azmakul turned his head to look at him, straight in the eyes. His cold gaze, his glowing eyes, were terrifying to look at, at his very moment. He had changed entirely.

"Why not? I give you a chance to prove yourself, was all you're training worthless? I believe you all would have a chance even against the prince right now."

Alexander, however, was still reluctant. He didn't even need Festul to warn him right now, his own senses were telling him many things, to agree, to not agree, to be afraid, and to be excited.

It was such an odd mix.

"I a.s.sure you, no matter what happens in the trial, nothing will happen to you, all of you will be fine, so go inside, figure out what the array does, release your frustration, and show the prince what you're training was worth, and the opportunity to fight a strong opponent."

Alexander finally flinched as well, he clenched his hands at the thought of fighting someone strong.

"Or is the dog afraid his progeny is nothing to a fragment of the former storm supreme?" He appeared right in front of Alexander, and looked down at him. Alexander was by no means small, but in front of Azmakul, he was like a toddler.

He heard a growl in the back of his mind, and a voice soon followed.

[Do it...]

Festul sounded defeated, but also hopeful.

[If that array is what I think it is, this will be a great lesson for you... but exercise caution.]

He couldn't believe it, that taunt had worked. While he was still unaware of what was truly happening, and what Festul meant, he was still surprised to see Festul fall to a provocation as simple as that.

"Fine... I'll do it."

Nevertheless, he listened to him, and besides that, the chance to fight a strong opponent was the one thing that made him do it. Arken had drilled this into him.

He had the same l.u.s.t for fighting the strong as his master.

"I'll do it too."

The next to agree to the proposal was Olivia, and she was followed by Edward, Emma was about to raise her hand as well, but she was stopped by Maxwell.

"No, not you. I don't have a good feeling about this. Besides, your techniques require you to be stationary, It won't do you well there."

He said, his face was cold, and it was clear he wanted to stop the rest too, but he stayed quiet. Azmakul spared him a glance. Maxwell looked at him with contempt.

"I'll... stay."

Sabrina, however, hesitated. As much as she wanted to learn more about the array, understand it completely, she knew Alan wasn't wrong. When he had told them it wasn't for them, and they would be useless there.

He was speaking out of concern, and something was telling her to listen. But something was also telling her to agree, figure out what the array was.

Azmakul chuckled, and approached her.

"Are you sure? Understand that, and it may as well prove to be a breakthrough for you."

In the end, her desire to learn had won over, the rune on her chest shone and although its light was hidden by the multiple layers of clothing, its effects weren't. It was meant to make her be more true to herself, and it worked spectacularly.

Azmakul didn't even need to convince her anymore, she had accepted it.

"Well, good luck, then."

He gestured towards the tunnel, urging them to go forth and enter, to challenge the trial. While hesitant, Sabrina, Alexander, Olivia, and Edward stepped inside.

Looking at them enter, Kazikato couldn't bear with it any longer and sighed, rushing towards the tunnel as well. He couldn't let them go inside without him, unlike him, they only knew what the fragment could do through words.

He had experienced it, and knew how terrifying it could be. He was planning to dissuade them once they were in the tunnel.

He disappeared into the tunnel as well, racing after them. Azmakul silently watched him go, not bothering to stop him.

Now, only Alice, Emma, and Maxwell remained on the platform, along with the ancient dragon. After a tense bout of silence and awkwardness, Maxwell finally said something.

"Aren't you a clever b.a.s.t.a.r.d."

Emma and Alice paled, their faces drowned in fright as they turned to look at Maxwell, wishing they hadn't heard what they had just heard. That it was just a hallucination.

Azmakul stayed silent, his back towards them. He was still facing the tunnel, looking up at the array. There was a smile on his face.

"Frustration? Opportunity to show your strength, the fruits of your talent? Those words were targeted at Olivia and Edward, who were already feeling down because of their recent loss and the training they did.

The chance to fight a strong opponent? And the derogatory remarks towards Alexander's wolf, you invoked Alexander's desire to fight, and Festul's inferiority complex to make them agree. And you got Sabrina too, because of that d.a.m.ned array."

He spat on the ground, and continued.

"Aren't you a clever, and cunning b.a.s.t.a.r.d. You said all those things just to get them to go in."

Azmakul finally turned around, and everyone could see the grin on his face.

"Indeed I did."

Maxwell's face grew angrier as he heard those words.

"It's true that those who bark the loudest are the least capable. If you knew what I was doing, why not stop me before? It's already too late, now. You only stopped her." Maxwell didn't answer, it was true he had only stopped Emma, but it was because of his own

reasons.

He remembered what Alan had said, and what he had heard from Kazikato, he knew Emma would only be a liability there. He knew everyone's abilities, and how to use them best as a

team.

What Emma had learned required her to be stationary, the true extents of her abilities could be displayed only if she remained still, focusing everything on the abilities she had learned

recently.

She would be helpless there, however, he knew that since Alexander and Kazikato went there, the group should be relatively alright.

While he was unaware of the true terror of the fragment of Kizmal, he had enough faith in his team that they would be able to survive at the very least.

And above all that, even if he hated to admit it, he had faith in the dragon's words. He had many artifacts to detect lies and deceit, but he had no guarantee they would work on this

dragon.

They were useless when in front of him, so he had to trust his gut. His line of work had taught him a few things, and knowing when one was lying was one of them.

It wasn't perfect, but it was something.

"Yeah, all I can do is bark."

He said, a.s.suming a relaxed position and looking at Azmakul with a degrading gaze, as if he

was mocking the dragon.

"I'm gonna bark like a dog to someone if something happens to them, you know?"

He was referring to Alan, who he knew listened to him. How frustrated and angry would Alan

be when he realized Azmakul was the one who convinced the rest to go in, when he had told

them not too?

He wasn't stronger than this ancient dragon, but he d.a.m.n well had a position Azmakul

couldn't disregard.

Maxwell smiled, and Azmakul returned it.

"I like you, human."

"I'm afraid I don't share that sentiment."