Chapter 1753: Sitting Ducks

Villain Ch 1753. Sitting Ducks

“Allen, mind for another duel?”

Those words came out of Elio’s mouth just like that. Even he couldn’t stop it. Didn’t plan it. Didn’t mean it to come out so blunt. It just… slipped.

And as soon as it did, he felt the weight of five sets of eyes snapping to him like drawn arrows.

Allen tilted his head slowly, brows rising. “Here?”

Red_King blinked once, then pinched the bridge of his nose. “Really?” he exhaled. “In the middle of this cursed PvP zone? Where we literally just fought off a cosplaying death cult?”

He waved a hand vaguely at the wreckage around them—burnt trees, shattered terrain, the still-fading corpse glow of half a dozen fake Emperor enthusiasts. “You just said the Emperor might still be lurking, like some edgy endgame cryptid. And you want to challenge this guy and kick his ass?” He jabbed a thumb at Allen without even looking.

Allen frowned. Then smirked. “He won’t kick my ass.”

It was said too fast. Too calm.

Red_King turned, deadpan. “I know. That’s not the point. The point is I’m two minutes from collapsing, my sword is stuck with dried blood I don’t want to scrub later, and I don’t want another emergency today.”

He turned to Elio. “How about, instead of a duel, you start with a thank you, huh? Like a decent human being. You know—’Thank you for saving my life, oh my hero.’ Something civilized.”

That ‘oh my hero’ alone was enough to make both Allen and Elio visibly recoil.

Allen winced. “I’d actually prefer a duel to that.”

Elio ran a hand down his face. “Relax, Red. I never said here. We’re not sparring in a death pit. I’ve still got my common sense.”

Red_King grumbled, rubbing his temples. “Then lead with that next time, Shakespeare. My blood pressure is not PvP immune.”

Allen sheathed his blade with a lazy flick, expression unreadable but vaguely amused. “You guys bicker like you’re married.”

Red_King gave him a side-eye glare. “Don’t start. I’ve already been through enough third-wheel trauma last night.”

“Who’s the first and second wheel then?” Allen asked, smirking. “Because I don’t recall signing up to be anyone’s metaphorical bicycle.”

Elio rolled his eyes. “You’re more like the rogue wheel that rolls into frame, ruins everyone’s strategy, and casually kills fifty people.”

Red_King pointed at Allen. “Exactly. You’re the wheel from a different game.”

Allen nodded slowly, mock-serious. “I accept this role.”

Alex added with a dry chuckle, “Yeah, and then there’s me. The support wheel. Rolling slightly behind, praying I don’t explode.”

Yuna flopped dramatically onto a boulder. “So… are we seriously staying here? Like, just hanging out in this murder zone waiting to be stabbed again?”

Allen gestured vaguely at the misty terrain beyond. “Look around. Perfect ambush location. Broken elevation, blind corners, unstable mana currents, shadow cover on three sides. It’s like a themed buffet for people who enjoy backstabbing.”

“Sounds like your kind of place,” Rei said dryly, brushing dust off her sleeves.

Allen gave her a grin that had too much fang to be comforting.

Yuna raised an eyebrow. “You say that like it’s not completely insane.”

Alex snorted. “Honestly, I’m not even sure if Allen sleeps or just unplugs himself in a cave somewhere.”

Allen shrugged. “Sleep is optional when your nightmares are other people’s tutorial bosses.”

Red_King groaned. “I hate how cool that sounded.”

“You love it,” Allen replied, his voice a smooth deadpan.

Rei muttered, “Ugh. It’s like watching a villain support group flirt.”

“Seriously though,” Allen continued, “if we’re waiting here for the Emperor, odds are we’re not gonna find him. You’ll just get hit by another pack of wannabes trying to farm ‘mysterious follower’ titles.”

Alex let out a long, tired sigh. “Agreed. We’re sitting ducks right now. I’m down to like four Mana Potions.”

Red_King barked a short laugh. “That’s what you get for buying potions from that shady goblin merchant.”

Alex defended himself weakly. “He had a cute pet.”

“His pet was a mimic,” Rei said flatly.

Allen folded his arms, glancing between them all. “So. What’s the play?”

Yuna raised her hand. “My vote? We bounce. Recalibrate. Grab drinks. Regroup in a city that doesn’t smell like corpse mist and ego.”

Rei added, “Preferably a place with working mana fountains.”

Alex nodded. “And real food.”

But Elio… he stayed quiet.

Not brooding, exactly. Just… thoughtful. His gaze trailed the edges of the field, the places Allen had danced through like a predator. The blood still staining the broken flagstones. The stilled wind that hadn’t yet dared to start again.

He remembered watching Allen fight just now. How even he, who’d fought him before, felt cold in his spine.

Because there hadn’t been hesitation.

No calculation.

No restraint.

Just clean, efficient destruction.

And it left a strange taste in Elio’s mouth. Not fear, exactly. Not awe either. Something closer to… a puzzle he couldn’t solve. A hollow bell ringing quietly behind his thoughts.

Elio finally said, “Five minutes.”

Red_King gave him a look. “Five minutes?”

“If we don’t see any trace of the Emperor,” Elio said, “we head back. No more stalling. No side quests. No last-minute duels. Just teleport. Drinks.”

He turned toward Red_King, serious now. “And they’re all on me.”

Red_King considered this.

Then threw up his hands. “Fine. Five minutes. Then I’m getting drunk enough to forget I almost died to a knockoff Emperor fandom.”

Yuna raised a brow. “Wait, drinks in Iron Cross or Crystal Alley?”

“Elio’s paying,” Red_King said, “we’re going Crystal Alley.”

Alex exhaled. “Oh thank the gods. I need a place with proper seats and lighting.”

Rei hummed. “And chocolate bread.”

Allen, meanwhile, didn’t say anything.

Not out loud.

But in his head?

Five minutes.

That’s what Elio said.

Five minutes to try and spot a ghost. Five minutes to chase a shadow that wouldn’t show unless he wanted to.

It was almost funny.

Allen could have ended the whole hunt right now. Could’ve stood still, summoned the Throne, and let the truth bleed into the world.

But he didn’t.

He just watched them. Let them talk. Let them search.

Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!

Thank you for the Magic Castle, William_Tex!

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