My Borderline Supervillain-Slash-Hero System
Chapter 60: Corrupted Phoenix

Chapter 60: Chapter 60: Corrupted Phoenix

Hearing Shelby’s voice grant permission, Zane smiled.

The old man, now wary, frowned deeply. So... he was holding back all this time? This kid’s been fighting me with a handicap? I need to be careful.

With a sharp chant and a rhythmic tap of his cane against the ground, the old man surged with mana. Water coiled from thin air as several thick, layered walls formed around him in defense.

"Not bad," Zane mused. "Now, let me show you mine."

He drew a deep breath, and in a single pulse of will, he burned a huge reserve of mana.

[Skill Activated: Divine Radiance]

Light flared across his skin like molten gold, his aura intensifying.

[Skill Activated: Luminous Step]

His body flickered—and vanished.

A shockwave pulsed through the ground as Zane tore through the layered water barriers like a meteor through clouds. Before the old man could react, Zane stood directly before him, a mere breath away.

"Let’s call this... the end."

He raised his hand and flicked his middle finger forward.

It struck the exact center of the old man’s forehead.

There was no dramatic explosion. No outward blast. Just a sudden, blood-curdling scream as the old man clutched his head and crumpled, his eyes rolling into white.

"Sorry," Zane said softly. "I reduced the strength of my flick by half. That way, the damage would tear up your brain from the inside."

His words fell into silence.

The fight was over.

Only the tavern-keeper remained, standing at the doorway with shaking legs and pale skin, staring at the bloodied corpses strewn across the ground.

Zane and Erlin turned to re-enter the tavern—until a childish voice echoed inside Zane’s mind.

"Tasty, tasty, tasty... Gimme that!"

Zane froze. He knew exactly what the little soul inside his blade was asking for.

Erlin noticed his sudden halt. "What happened?"

Zane said nothing. He turned back, walked over to the old man’s body, and picked up the ornately carved cane.

Inside his head, the child’s voice giggled with delight.

A familiar ding chimed in his mind:

[Four Vampiric Opponents Neutralized]

[+25 points added to all stats]

[Host’s Current Stats]

Strength: 679 (Core) + 5 (Divine Radiance) + 10 (Divine Strike) = 694

Agility: 690 (Core) + 5 (Divine Radiance) + 10 (Luminous Step) = 705

Intelligence: 685 (Core) + 5 (Divine Radiance) + 10 (Sacred Barrier) = 700

Health: 1200/1200 (Regen: 50 HP/s)

Mana: 1500/1500 (Regen: 50 MP/s)

Current Load: 11,234 Kg

Zane grinned as he examined the boosted stats. "Getting stronger every day," he muttered.

Erlin noticed his wide smile. "Are you seriously that happy over an old man’s walking stick? I can buy you a thousand of those if you want."

Zane stared at her, amused. Where’s that terrifying blood queen from a minute ago? he thought as he walked toward her.

Shelby appeared out of nowhere, laughing loudly. "Alright, alright, enough flirting, Sugar Mama! Let’s get some sleep. Tomorrow’s going to be wild."

Yes—tomorrow they would hunt the Wolf King.

The three of them returned inside the tavern and went to their rooms to rest.

Outside, the tavern-keeper stood alone, trembling as he looked at the five mangled corpses lying on the dusty road.

He sighed. "What... what should I even do with all these bodies?"

A deep voice answered from behind.

"You do nothing. Just go."

He turned to see the speaker—and immediately paled.

"L-Lord Sudram!" he bowed hastily, then rushed back into the tavern and slammed the door shut.

It was the dwarf—Sudram—standing beside his assistant in the dimly lit street, his stout figure casting a long shadow under the flickering lantern.

The assistant frowned, clearly displeased. "Master, why are we helping them? They were nothing but rude to you."

Sudram turned slowly, his eye twitching. "Do you want another slap, boy?"

The assistant instinctively stepped back.

"The human blood they gave me? It’s the purest I’ve ever seen. The mana in it—so dense, so refined—it’s a treasure beyond value. Helping them while they remain in this town is nothing but a form of additional payment," he explained with a greedy grin. "Besides, the princess bought out all of my stock. All of it! I’m rich, boy. Filthy rich!"

He glanced meaningfully at the tavern behind them.

"Enough complaining. Go pay someone and have these bodies hauled to the town graveyard. Those fools deserved worse than death for attacking my patrons—especially the princess."

With that, Sudram turned and left the scene, a bounce in his short stride.

After that, no one dared disturb the tavern again. Word of the bloody massacre had spread like wildfire, and fear kept even the boldest crooks at bay.

The Next Morning

After a peaceful night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast, Zane, Erlin, and Shelby stepped out of the tavern into the crisp morning air. Before leaving, Erlin paid the tavern-keeper generously—over-generously, in fact.

They made their way back to the merchant’s shop.

The shopkeeper was already waiting for them, standing with a wide smile and hands clasped respectfully. Whether he had heard about the tavern incident or was still riding high from the wealth of yesterday’s trade, his face was glowing.

Erlin walked like royalty, head held high and expression calm. "Is our ride ready?"

"Yes, miss. It’s ready and waiting. Please, follow me."

The shopkeeper led them on a long walk through winding alleys until they reached a large, locked go-down. He pulled open the rusted doors, revealing a massive creature resting inside.

A corrupted phoenix.

Or at least... something called that.

"So this is the Corrupted Phoenix?" Zane asked, eyes wide with awe.

Erlin nodded with a proud smile.

Shelby circled the beast, inspecting it from beak to tail. "Phoenix? Nah. This thing’s just an oversized sparrow with corrupted mana," he muttered dryly.

Zane took a closer look—and had to admit Shelby wasn’t wrong.

Still, the beast was massive and menacing enough to inspire respect. Dark purple feathers shimmered with mana residue, and its talons looked like they could crush boulders.

Erlin paid the shopkeeper generously again. He tried to decline, but she pushed the bundles into his hands.

"Just take it," Zane said, smirking. "Money’s all she has."

Though inwardly, he thought, Money’s nothing to her. Not when she owns a literal printing machine.

"Sugar mama," Shelby teased again with a grin.

"I’m not!" Erlin snapped, glaring at him.

"Yes, you’re not. Just ignore him," Zane said, patting her shoulder. And she did.

"I just like teasing the girl. She gets flustered too easily. What a party pooper," Shelby muttered, amused.

The shopkeeper mentioned that his workers would take about an hour to mount a carriage on the back of the bird.

"A whole hour? Nah, I’ll help," Shelby said.

With that, he rolled up his sleeves and began doing the heavy lifting himself, arranging the wooden base, fastening screws with bursts of mana-enhanced strength, and securing the carriage.

Before long, the installation was complete—a sleek, reinforced carriage perched atop the bird’s back like a throne on a beast of war.

A trained driver climbed into the front seat, reins in hand.

Zane, Erlin, and Shelby boarded the carriage.

"Driver," Erlin commanded, "head straight for Tsar Valley."

The driver gave a sharp whistle and cracked his whip.

The corrupted phoenix chirped—a deep, echoing cry—and spread its colossal wings. The wind surged as the beast took flight, soaring higher and higher into the morning sky, casting a massive shadow over the town below.