Villain Throne:I Build An Empire On Bones

Blood and burnt flesh choked the air. I rode into the battlefield's ruins, where screams had died because everything worth screaming for was already gone.

The ground was a mess—cracked, scorched black by fire spells, littered with corpses. Bandits lay like broken dolls, some burned to ash, others sliced open, their guts steaming in the cold morning. Our raid crushed them, but we also paid a heavy price. Out of thirty 1-star magi, only ten were left.and out of five 2-star magus only Xyzon survived and Captain Varek. The rest,Blown apart or buried in craters from explosive spells. Edna was also dead.

Xyzon knelt by her body, covered in soot and dried blood, his eyes empty. "She was brave," he said, voice cracking. "I remember when she begged me to teach her sword techniques. She wanted to be like me, like her uncle. I supported her. Now I didn't protect her." Tears fell as he stared at her lifeless form.

Varek said nothing. He put a hand on Xyzon shoulder. "It's not your fault. We all loved Edna, but fate decided this."

Xyzon lowered his head, stood, and lifted Edna's body into his arms, ready to carry her to the grave. Varek watched, sighed, and said nothing as the surviving soldiers gathered. Then Varek spoke.

"Prepare. We're collecting our payment."

Kael, a one-star magus with a lean frame and scarred hands from years of blade practice,hesitated. "The bandit chieftain… he escaped."

Varek's voice was ice. "He's finished. I crushed his mana core. He's a crippled 2-star at best, hand severed. If he's alive, he's crawling like a rat."

Then Varek turned. "Go, capture the remaining bandits. Bring them in. Show them no mercy."

The soldiers moved out, dragging the captives. Xyzon carried Edna away, his face heavy with grief. Varek watched him go, then sighed, his shoulders slumping. As I started to leave, Varek called, "Zairen, wait."

I froze.

"You did well," Varek said, his tone flat. "We killed the 2-star magus because of you."

I looked away, faking tears, acting broken. "Edna helped me, and I still couldn't save her."

Varek cut me off. "No, Zairen, it's not your fault."

He stared into me. "I know what you are. Your blade—too precise, too fast. You're Awakened, aren't you?"

My heart stopped. I didn't answer.

"Alright, alright," he said, raising a hand. "I won't ask more, and I won't tell anyone. Don't worry. But for your work, I want to give you this."

He held out Sunkr. It was a small, dull bronze bell, etched with faint runes that pulsed faintly under the moonlight. It looked old, heavy with some hidden weight.

I stared at it. "What is this?"

"It repels monsters," Varek said. "Class F and E ones. It's not much, but it can save you from lesser beasts. It's a possession worth having." He reached into his pocket and pulled out another item—a gold mechanical brooch, intricate gears clicking inside it. "And take this. If you ever need help from mercenaries or entry to a guild, show this brooch. It'll open doors."

I took both, the bell's faint hum buzzing in my hand, the brooch heavy with promise. I nodded, saying nothing.

We rode through scorched fields, dragging our prisoners—cuffed, bleeding, some missing limbs. They were husks, not bandits anymore. One had a leg gone at the thigh, trailing blood. Another clutched his spilling guts with shaking hands. A third had arms shattered, bones jutting out like broken spears.

They were filth—rapists, murderers, village-burners. No mercy. They deserved none.

That night, we camped in the forest. The moon glared down, cold and unforgiving. Varek set three guards on the prisoners and vanished into his tent. I sat alone, sharpening my blade, suddenly when I saw movement.

Gaverik, a wiry mercenary who bullied and harass Zairen from the start of raid—small, twitchy, and always glancing over his shoulder—slipped into the woods.minutes, he crept deeper into the forest, checking behind him. I matched his steps, hiding my mana, breathing low, moving light. He stopped, pulled a glowing red communication crystal from his cloak. It beeped.

A figure stepped from the shadows—fat, bald, handless. The bandit chieftain.

My breath caught. How was he alive,

I hid behind a tree, channeling mana to my ears—a trick only 4-star magi could master. I'd learned it years ago. Their voices came clear.

"You bastard," the chieftain growled. "Kept me waiting all day."

"Captain was too close," Gaverik said. "Couldn't slip away."

"I know you want to Betray me, but if u betray the the Dark Association gets your name."

"Relax," Gaverik said.with a smile why woulda betray you "Here's the potion."

He held up a mid-tier healing vial. The chieftain looked him with wiry eyes and snarled. "Don't wave it. Pour it. I got no hands."

Gaverik uncorked it, poured it into the chieftain's mouth. The boss drank fast. His breathing steadied. Wounds closed. Flesh pulsed, bones twisted—his hands grew back.

Mana surged.

"I'm whole," the chieftain grinned, flexing fingers. "Let's call the Dark Association."

Then he coughed. Blood dripped from his mouth. He looked down—a knife was buried in his gut.

"You… why…" he choked.

Gaverik leaned in with a smile and said, "Well, your usefulness is over. We don't need you, and we don't want failure."

He twisted the blade. Blood sprayed, guts spilling out, squirming on the ground. The chieftain collapsed, drowning in his own blood.

"Disgusting," Gaverik muttered. "Die quiet."

I watched, still as death.

Gaverik looked around. "I know you're there, boy. Come out."

I didn't move.

"Playing shy?" He threw the bloody knife. It sank into the tree, inches from my face.

I jumped down, landing in front of him.

He smirked. "Zairen. Wrong place, kid."

I drew my blade slow. "No. Perfect place."

He licked his lips. "Spend the night with me. I might let you live."

I stepped closer, eyes ice. "I warned you. I'm cutting off that pathetic cock of yours."

His face twisted. "Die!"

A fireball shot at me. I dodged left—an ice spike followed, grazing my arm. Blood poured.

The ground turned soft—Submerge Soil spell. I sank.

"You're dead," he sneered, stepping close. "Not even Awakened. Pathetic."

I whispered something.

"What?" He leaned in. "Begging?"

I cast a wind spell, bursting from the mud. My blade flashed.

He dodged—barely. My blade sliced his shoulder. Blood sprayed the grass.

"You have mana?" he gasped. "I didn't sense it!"

I smirked, cold.

The fight was on.