I Became The Novel's Biggest Antagonist

"K—Krainel Salvador…"

The mere mention of that name sent a ripple through the ranks of the World Order, every member instinctively recognizing the infamous figure. Krainel Salvador, once an admired figure among their ranks, had become a living legend of betrayal. Five years ago, he vanished, taking with him not only classified files on Asmodeus but also one of the most precious artifacts guarded by the World Order: the Book of Asmodeus, belonging to one of the most malevolent devils.

Luna-Evelyn stood at the forefront, her usually serene demeanor shattered as her hand tightened around the hilt of her sword. Her cold gaze was fixed on the man standing before her. For most, Krainel Salvador was merely a traitor, a former colleague turned enemy. But for Luna-Evelyn, he was much more than that.

He had been her mentor.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The one who discovered her potential, the one who nurtured her talent, and the one who personally vouched for her acceptance into the World Order. He was the man who had taken her under his wing, training her. Yet, without warning, when she was just fourteen, he disappeared. No explanations, no farewells—only silence. Luna-Evelyn had been left in the dark, her world upended, struggling to understand why the man she trusted above all others had betrayed her and everything he once stood for.

Now, five years later, he was not just a deserter but a criminal of the highest order. The rumors spoke of countless lives he had taken in pursuit of his own goals, even slaying former comrades without hesitation.

Krainel's lips curled into a gentle, almost wistful smile as he looked at her.

"Lunevy… You've grown up so beautifully. It's been a while."

Lunevy's gaze only turned colder.

Behind her, Stephen, Julius, and Ophelia exchanged uneasy glances, their eyes darting between their leader and the man she once knew so intimately. They were all aware of the bond that had once existed between Luna-Evelyn and Krainel. Perhaps it was precisely because of her intimate knowledge of his methods, his strengths, and his weaknesses, that she had been chosen to lead the team tasked with bringing him down.

But whether it was a wise decision to send a former protégé to face her old master was an. Despite her outward calm, they could sense that she was truly angry just by seeing him.

Krainel let out a sigh. "Won't you even greet your old teacher after all these years, Evy?"

"Where is the book?" She asked, dismissing his attempt at small talk. There was no room for nostalgia here. The mission was clear: eliminate Krainel Salvador and recover the Book of Asmodeus.

"This book? You mean this one?" Krainel lifted his hand, and dark shadows coalesced around him, forming a thick, ancient tome that materialized in his grasp.

"It's the book!" Julius shouted, instantly recognizing it. The others shared his alarm.

Without hesitation, Julius lowered Adam to the ground, and they all assumed combat stances, ready to attack.

Adam's gaze locked onto Krainel, eyes narrowing. The man radiated a potent aura of malevolence—a true Under-Value, steeped in an evil so potent that it twisted Adam's expression in disgust. The urge to kill him surged. Krainel's presence was a poison, setting Adam's nerves on edge.

But there was a problem. In his current persona, Adam was bound by limitations. He couldn't kill Krainel outright. Worse still, if the events unfolded as they did in the original novel, Krainel was destined to slaughter Stephen, Julius, and Ophelia, leaving only Luna-Evelyn as the sole survivor.

Adam had the power to 'switch' and end Krainel's life, but that would shatter whatever fragile trust Luna-Evelyn might have in him. It would make her more wary, pushing her even further away, and ruin any chance of her joining his side. It was a delicate predicament—a conflict between the parts of him that wanted Krainel dead, those that wished to intervene, and those that believed in letting events unfold for the sake of winning Luna-Evelyn's trust.

After merging these conflicting instincts, Adam arrived at a reluctant conclusion: Krainel had to live. His influence over Luna-Evelyn was crucial. By exploiting her hatred for Krainel, Adam could reach her. However, that didn't mean he was willing to let Krainel run rampant. Letting this vile creature live was a compromise that gnawed at him, but he couldn't stand idly by and let any Upper-Values fall to someone like Krainel.

Lunevy, having seen the book, hesitated no longer. She brandished her sword and vanished in a blur of speed.

-BOOOOM!

In an instant, she reappeared before Krainel, her blade crashing down with lethal force. He parried effortlessly with a sword of his own, the ancient book still clutched in his other hand.

"An S-Rank, huh? I knew you were something special the moment I saw you," Krainel said, a smile curling his lips. The remark only stoked Lunevy's fury.

Her sword erupted in flames, a blazing inferno intent on consuming him. But to her shock, the fire was sucked into the Book of Asmodeus, disappearing without a trace.

Lunevy's eyes widened in disbelief, but there was no time to react—a crushing impact slammed into her side.

"Ugh!" She grunted in pain as Krainel's kick sent her hurtling across the forest, crashing to the ground.

"N-No way!" Ophelia gasped, her voice trembling.

An S-Rank warrior, so easily?

Krainel's aura was overpowering. An S+ Rank... or perhaps even an SS, Ophelia speculated.

"Stephen!" Julius shouted, sprinting toward Krainel.

"I know!" Stephen replied, raising his double-edged sword as he charged forward.

Ophelia snapped out of her shock, lifting her small staff—her own Phantasma. "May your blessings reach them!" She invoked, sending a bluish glow cascading from her staff to envelop both Julius and Stephen. The moment her magic touched them, they surged with renewed strength and speed.

In a flash, they closed the distance and swung their blades, but Krainel was already gone, having vanished from the spot. Despite Ophelia's enhancements, they were still only A-Rank and B-Rank in raw strength. The gap between them and Krainel was a chasm they couldn't hope to bridge.

Krainel's chuckle echoed as he turned his gaze to Lunevy, who was struggling to her feet, wincing as she patted her bruised side. She could feel the damage from that kick—likely broken ribs.

Five years had passed, yet he had grown even stronger, more untouchable, than when she was once his student.

"You're still too emotional, Evy," he shook his head. "Watch closely as I eliminate your team." He raised his sword.

Stephen and Julius felt a cold dread race down their spines, their bodies freezing in terror. Lunevy lunged forward, feet pounding against the ground as she pushed herself to her limits, but she knew she would be too late.

Krainel's sword descended, releasing a deadly wave of energy that tore through the air, aimed to decapitate both men. But in that instant, a small shadow dashed forward, tackling Julius and Stephen to the ground.

The lethal wave sliced through the air where their heads had been a second ago, cutting through trees behind them with surgical precision. The trees blackened and withered, corrupted by the dark energy.

"Ah... t-thanks," Julius gasped, drenched in cold sweat, looking up at Adam, who had saved them at the last possible moment. Stephen remained silent but nodded, the shock still etched on his face. He had seen his death and his whole life had flashed before his eyes.

"Hm?" Krainel's eyes narrowed as he turned his attention to Adam, who stood before him, unflinching. There was not a hint of mana emanating from him, yet Adam met Krainel's gaze with a gaze that bordered on contempt, though it was carefully masked behind a calm facade.

How was this possible?

Krainel's aura was designed to paralyze anyone weaker than him. Even the strongest, Luna-Evelyn would struggle to withstand it without her Phantasma's protection. And yet, this boy, who had no visible strength, stood there completely unaffected.

Could it be a fluke?

"You reek of evil," Adam said suddenly with unmasked disdain.

"A-Adam?!" Ophelia let out, eyes wide with disbelief.

But Adam wasn't finished.

"Kill yourself, if you have even a shred of concern for this world."

The words hung in the air, shocking all who heard them. Stephen, Julius, Ophelia, and even Luna-Evelyn stared at Adam, speechless.

Was he fearless... or just utterly insane?

What kind of madness possessed him to provoke a monster who could obliterate him with a mere thought?

"..."

Krainel stared at Adam with a blank expression, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly before a smile curled his lips.

Without hesitation, Luna-Evelyn sprang into action, appearing in front of Adam in a flash.

"Ignacia!" she shouted.

A towering pillar of flames erupted around them, forming a protective barrier that intercepted Krainel's dark wave, the force of it enough to scorch the air. But Adam's eyes were focused, peering through the swirling inferno as if the flames were nothing but a translucent veil. Much to Lunevy's shock, he stepped out of the protective firestorm without a second thought.

What is he thinking?!

She wondered dumbfounded.

But Adam's attention wasn't on Krainel. His gaze was locked onto Ophelia, who stood frozen in fear. With swift precision, he retrieved a small sphere from his storage pouch and hurled it toward her.

—BOOM!

"What...?!" Ophelia gasped, wide-eyed and disoriented.

The sphere expanded mid-air, engulfing Ophelia completely. The next instant, it was sent hurtling backward with a deep dent, slamming against a tree with a heavy thud.

He had just saved her life.

"You're full of surprises, aren't you?" A whisper drifted from behind Adam.

It was Krainel.

But Adam was ready. He moved faster than a flicker of thought, turning to reveal a syringe clutched in his hand. Before Krainel even realized, the needle had extended, piercing his skin ever so slightly.

Krainel's eyes widened in momentary surprise.

A syringe?

He hadn't even noticed it, let alone how Adam had elongated the needle to reach him so swiftly. Though his body was highly resistant to toxins, he instinctively jumped back, pressing a hand to his stomach. A small drop of blood marked the spot where Adam had struck.

"What did you just inject me with?" Krainel asked, his voice dangerously low.

Adam turned to face him, calm and composed. Not a single drop of sweat marred his brow despite that he nearly lost his life there.

"Nothing."

For a moment, Krainel scrutinized Adam. But then, as if hearing some silent cue, he relaxed, a smile spreading across his face once more.

"What's your name?"

"Adam Crane." Adam replied without much care.

"I see. I'll remember it," Krainel said. His attention shifted back to Lunevy, who was already preparing to launch another attack.

"We'll meet again, Lunevy."

"Wait!" Lunevy roared, disappearing in a blur and reappearing where Krainel stood mere moments ago.

But he was gone, leaving nothing behind.

…

…

"Thank you for saving me, Adam…" Ophelia whispered, her voice tinged with pain, though she managed a faint smile. Despite surviving Krainel's killing blow, the impact had left her with several broken bones.

Adam approached her, retrieving another syringe from his pack. Julius, who had been tending to Ophelia's injuries, paused and gave Adam a scrutinizing look before stepping aside. At this point, doubting Adam's intentions would have been foolish—he had saved all three of their lives.

"This will help ease your pain and speed up your natural recovery," Adam explained, as he carefully injected the serum into her arm. Ophelia's smile softened before her eyes fluttered shut, succumbing to exhaustion.

"What do we do now?" Stephen asked, turning to Lunevy, who was still staring absentmindedly at the spot where Krainel had vanished.

Lunevy's gaze shifted from the empty space to Ophelia's fragile form. Pressing forward would be reckless; Krainel was far too powerful for them to handle, especially in their current state. He could have already left the forest—or worse, be lurking nearby, waiting for a chance to strike again. If they continued, it would likely lead to their deaths.

The only reason the other three were still breathing was because of Adam.

Lunevy's eyes drifted to Adam, who was calmly checking Ophelia's vitals.

'Who is he?'

Despite lacking any visible means of protection, he had somehow resisted Krainel's lethal aura. Was it simply that he felt no fear? But even so, how could that be possible for someone without mana? Perhaps he possessed Phantasma, yet she sensed nothing unusual about him.

Shaking away these troubling thoughts, Lunevy finally spoke. "We're leaving. Continuing further would be suicide."

Stephen nodded, though frustration was clear on his face. Being so easily outmatched by Krainel gnawed at his pride.

"And you?" Lunevy turned to Adam, who had just risen to his feet. "Are you planning to walk deeper for Horizon? We're retreating." Though unspoken, there was an invitation in her tone. Leaving together would be the most sensible option.

Adam met her gaze. "No. I'm leaving as well."

Lunevy gave a curt nod, and with that, they began their retreat from the 7th layer of the Whispering Woods. Given Ophelia's injuries, Julius took it upon himself to carry her, while Stephen, with far less grace, hoisted Adam over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, making a swift exit.

As they dashed through the forest, Adam suddenly spoke up. "I have a request."

"What is it?" Julius asked, glancing over his shoulder.

"When you file your report, leave my involvement out of it," Adam requested.

Julius frowned. "Not mentioning you could put you at even greater risk. That man—Krainel—clearly has you on his kill list now." He paused, considering the implications. "We can offer you protection and support."

Ophelia, despite her weakened state, chimed in softly, concerned. "Yes, Adam, let us help you."

But Adam shook his head. "No. Don't mention me. That's my request. I don't need any assistance."

"Then go ahead and die," Stephen snapped, in irritation. He couldn't understand why Adam seemed so determined to reject their help, almost as if he had a death wish.

Adam remained unfazed, his gaze steady as it swept over the group. Even Lunevy seemed taken aback, her brow furrowing slightly. Whether it was out of genuine concern for him or merely discomfort at falsifying an official report was unclear.

But at the same time, she felt bad about denying his only wish after he saved three of her comrades.

Adam seeing her thoughtful for some reason relented just a bit.

"Fine. Give me your contact number. If I encounter Krainel again and can't handle it, I'll reach out."

Silence fell over the group as Stephen, Julius, and Ophelia stared at Adam, shocked by this sudden concession. All eyes turned to Lunevy, waiting for her response.

"..."

Lunevy paused for a moment, meeting Adam's gaze and then she nodded.

"N-No way!!!"

That was Julius' voice.