My Borderline Supervillain-Slash-Hero System
Chapter 68 – Meeting Sebastian Hemp

Chapter 68: Chapter 68 – Meeting Sebastian Hemp

The sun had already dipped beneath the western horizon, casting long shadows across the forest as night took its full reign.

Zane, Shelby, and Erlin had just entered a zone free from magical traps when their pace abruptly halted. An eerie silence settled in as shadowy figures flickered around them, encircling them like wraiths.

"Ninjas?" Zane muttered, narrowing his eyes.

"Oh, shut up," Shelby grunted. "This isn’t Earth. There are no ’ninjas’ in this world."

"Maybe something close," Zane replied dryly. "Shadowy movements, hidden weapons, coordinated attacks... sounds a lot like assassins to me."

"They’re assassins," Erlin snapped. "Can we focus, please? We’re surrounded."

"Exactly my point," Zane replied with a grin. "So—ninjas."

Suddenly, instinct kicked in. Zane shoved Erlin forward and leaped backward just as a volley of black darts whizzed past, embedding themselves into the ground where they had stood a breath ago.

Zane crouched and inspected the darts, eyeing the glistening black substance smeared on their tips.

[Toxin Analysis Complete: Highly Lethal Neurotoxin Detected]

Zane flicked the dart away with a grim expression. "Yep. Freakin’ ninjas."

Activating his All-Seeing Almighty Vision, Zane scanned the darkness. The veil of invisibility crafted from mana was useless against him now. Fifteen hidden figures revealed themselves in his view—silent assassins poised for the kill.

Without hesitation, he snatched three darts from the ground, channeled mana into them, and flung them with unerring precision.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Three assassins dropped instantly, their bodies twitching violently. Foam bubbled from their mouths as the poison they carried was turned against them.

"Shit... even touching them is dangerous," Zane muttered.

Erlin stood, ready to leap into action.

But Shelby’s hand landed gently on her shoulder.

"No," he said calmly. "You’re staying right here."

That gentle touch carried the weight of a mountain. Erlin tried to resist, but her legs gave out and she collapsed to her knees beside him.

"If anything happens to my husband," she growled, "I’ll never forgive you."

Shelby chuckled. "He’s got this."

Zane stepped forward, unfazed by the encroaching killers.

"All right," he said, his voice ringing out cold and sharp. "You’ve got one chance. Show yourselves, or I’ll finish this in under a minute."

There was no response—just silence and the faint rustle of leaves.

Zane sighed.

"Fine. Suit yourselves."

In a blink, his body vanished. Only the fading shimmer of afterimages remained. The forest trembled with his movement—a blur of death weaving through shadows.

Sixty seconds later, Zane reappeared at the exact spot he had been, his expression impassive. Blood dripped from the tip of his middle finger.

Behind him, the soft thump-thump-thump of collapsing bodies echoed like falling dominos.

Erlin’s eyes widened. "He’s... too fast."

"Told you," Shelby replied with a smug smirk. "The boy was just training under three hundred thousand kilos of gravity moments ago. Take that away, and you’ve got a monster on the loose."

He clapped his hands. "Right. Our mission isn’t over yet. Move out."

They pressed forward.

More ambushes awaited them—swordsmen, archers, mages. None of them posed a threat. Each attacker met a brutal end: some beheaded, others blasted apart by sheer force, their corpses littering the path behind like leaves in a storm.

Zane didn’t stop. He didn’t hesitate. Every flick of his finger spelled death.

By the time they reached the edge of the forest, a towering white mansion rose into view, its silhouette illuminated by the moonlight reflected off the still waters of Tussar Lake.

Erlin exhaled, a rare smile gracing her lips. "This must be the place."

"If the people we bribed didn’t lie, then yeah... he’s inside," Zane replied, eyes narrowing as he stepped forward. "Let’s go."

Just as they began to approach the towering white mansion beside Tussar Lake, the enormous iron gate groaned open, screeching on its hinges like a beast disturbed from slumber.

Two figures emerged.

One of them, bare-chested and grinning wildly, clapped his hands in theatrical applause.

"Bravo! Took you long enough," the shirtless man said with an unnerving cheer.

Behind him followed a tall figure dressed entirely in white, his demeanor calm and his eyes sharp—like a blade concealed in silk.

Zane’s gaze instantly locked on the shirtless man.

Sebastian Hemp.

The Celestial Wolf King.

Their target.

"Hi there!" Sebastian said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. "Can I help you?"

Zane took a step forward. "Are you the Celestial Wolf King?"

Sebastian tilted his head. "Celestial what-now? Never heard of it. I’m Sebastian Hemp, master of this estate. And this property? All mine. That gentleman behind me is my butler—Eren Fox. As for you..." He gestured at the trio. "You’re all trespassing."

Despite his casual tone, his eyes were predatory—measuring them.

Zane’s hand clenched.

They had passed through assassins, elemental traps, and illusions—all triggered the moment Sebastian Hemp’s name was whispered. There was no mistake.

"You’re definitely him," Zane said coldly.

Shelby yawned.

He stepped forward, placing a hand lazily on Zane’s shoulder. "Let’s not waste time with theatrics."

Then he looked at Sebastian and said, "This human right here is Zane. Today, he’s here to take your beast mana core and complete his mission. I’m already homesick, so I’ll skip the warm-up rounds."

With that, Shelby casually turned his back and began walking toward the woods.

He stopped, looked over his shoulder at Erlin, and asked, "You coming?"

Erlin didn’t move. Her eyes remained fixed on Zane, unwavering.

Shelby sighed. "Stubborn girl. This isn’t our fight. Let’s go."

Zane turned to her, gently brushing her hair aside. "Go with him," he whispered. "I’ll be fine."

He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"You better come back in one piece," she murmured. "Or else..."

Then she turned, following Shelby without another word.

"Wait," Sebastian’s voice rang out, sharper now. "That gentleman can leave. But you..."

He pointed at Erlin.

"My dear Princess Erlin. You need to stay here longer. I’ve got plans for you. Tonight, we’ll dance under the light of all three moons."

Zane’s eyes darkened.

He didn’t speak.

He flicked his fingers.

Boom.

The air cracked.

An invisible force shot forward like a cannon, splitting the ground. A shallow trench tore through the earth between them and the mansion.

Only the quick reflexes of Eren Fox saved Sebastian. He dove, pushing the prince away just in time.

A heartbeat later, Zane’s flick would have caved in Sebastian’s chest.

Erlin disappeared.

Shelby reappeared behind her, grabbed her by the shoulder, and vanished again with a flicker of light.

Sebastian scrambled to his feet, rage bubbling in his chest. "Where is she!?"

Eren stood firm beside him, eyes narrowing. "Calm down, Prince. You’re too emotional. This opponent... isn’t ordinary."

They both looked down at the ditch left behind.

That single flick had carved a trench from sheer pressure alone.

Sebastian clenched his fists. "What kind of skill was that?"

Eren didn’t answer at first. Then he slowly shook his head. "I don’t know. But I saw no trace of mana. Nothing at all."

Sebastian’s eyes widened. He stood in silence for a moment, then spoke with a voice like ice.

"...Now I understand."

He stared at Zane, whose body stood firm, unshaking in the moonlight.

"It’s not magic. Not even a skill. It’s his body weight."