The Return Of The Exiled Villain
Chapter 23: The Three Virtues Of A Knight (V)

Chapter 23: The Three Virtues Of A Knight (V)

Lesser Drakes.

Monsters of the great Draconid Family, but the Lesser Drakes were the bottom of that lineage, yes... but only in name.

Born from corrupted dragon eggs or mutated aquatic wyrms, Lesser Drakes were semi-aquatic monsters that ruled over the deeper parts of forgotten lakes, sunken ruins, and flooded caverns.

Their scales were too thick for most steel to pierce, and their tails were long enough to crush bone with a single swing.

But what made them particularly dangerous was their scent-based bloodlust.

Unlike their greater cousins, Lesser Drakes were not proud or territorial.

They were hunters.

And human flesh?

It was their favorite delicacy.

Something in the blood of humans, the iron, the heat, or perhaps something deeper, drew them like sharks to blood.

The stench of fear, sweat, and skin scraped against stone was like a dinner bell to them.

But there was a catch.

Their hunger overwhelmed their instincts.

Lesser Drakes had just enough intelligence to fall into simple traps, especially when food was dangled close.

They were driven more by urge than reason, more predator than tactician.

That was their weakness.

They didn’t plan.

They lunged mindlessly.

And Gray... was the kind of person who learned how to survive anything by turning the pieces around him into tools.

Even people.

Even Ronan.

Especially Ronan.

Gray understood that when the drakes locked onto a scent, they’d chase it with all their might.

And this was the reason why he was so confident in fighting against them.

[Gray, focus. Left one, his tail’s twitching. It’s going to lunge, not from the front... from the side. Now.]

Jasmine said softly as now it wasn’t time for jokes.

Gray’s eyes snapped toward the left drake just as it twisted its body unnaturally, using the water’s momentum to whip itself sideways, exactly like Jasmine said.

He stepped back with a calm breath.

The drake missed.

Its jaws snapped just a meter away from him, biting into empty air.

SPLASH!

Water exploded upward from the force.

Gray didn’t flinch as he already knew its patterns.

’Lesser Drakes are too greedy. Too hungry. Too impatient.’

They want blood right away, they don’t want to wait.

And that made them easy to bait.

Gray dragged Ronan a little closer to the edge, his boot digging into the boy’s back to position him perfectly, arms limp, legs sprawled.

"That’s it..." Gray whispered softly.

"Right there, nice and helpless. Just the way you want him."

The drakes sniffed the air, their tongues darting, and their eyes narrowing.

Sweat, mud, blood. Skin torn against stone. Every scent was like as siren’s song to their mindless minds.

"Ughhh~" Ronan groaned faintly in his sleep.

The noise was almost pathetic.

But to the drakes?

It was like a dinner bell.

Both turned toward him now.

[Wait. Not yet. One more second. Let them compete... make them fight each other over the meat.]

Jasmine’s voice purred sweetly in his mind. Her tone was now thrilled with amusement, like watching wolves tear each other apart.

And sure enough, just as Jasmine said...

The two beasts snarled, snapping at each other as they circled the bait, water hissing under their slithering bodies.

"Good dogs," Gray murmured.

[NOW! The right one... jump! Aim for the eye. Three steps, then strike low. Tail will sweep back in retaliation. Block or dodge, your choice.]

Gray’s eyes flashed.

He moved.

His boots splashed across the stone as he darted forward, blade unsheathed in a blink. The right drake lunged, mouth open, but Gray didn’t go for the head.

He dropped low, sliding across the wet ground like a shadow.

SLASH!!

His sword carved deep under the beast’s chin, where scales thinned near the neck. Blood gushed out in thick, steaming spurts, black and hot.

SCREEEEEECH!!

It screamed in agony, slamming its body down, but Gray rolled sideways, just in time.

The second drake hissed and turned, his mouth already stretching toward Ronan’s body again.

[It’s distracted. Throw him. Make it chase. Separate them. One-on-one, Gray. Always.]

He didn’t hesitate.

Gray reached down, grabbed Ronan by the back of his collar like a piece of meat, spun once, and hurled him toward the opposite end of the lake, straight across a flat stone ledge jutting over the water.

THUD–SPLASH!

Ronan skidded, bounced once, and then half of him fell into the shallow edge of the lake.

"RRRRAAAAGHH!!"

The second drake roared, losing all control.

It lunged after Ronan almost immediately.

’Perfect...’

Now, Gray stood alone again, facing the injured drake.

It was bleeding from the jaw, writhing in anger. Its tail crashed around, cracking the rock as it screamed.

Foam built up in its mouth...

And Gray...

He smiled, the same devilish way as always.

[Mmm... that smile again~ Are you finally enjoying this?]

"...It’s just like I thought."

He stopped just a few meters away from the beast, meeting its glare without blinking.

"It’s nothing but a mindless animal now."

The Lesser Drake screamed again, flinging its massive head down. Its jaws opened wide, going for the kill.

[Dodge left. Then stab the eye.]

Gray didn’t hesitate as followed Jasmine’s words, moving to the left.

The beast’s bite missed by inches. Hot air and drool washed over his face, but he was already jumping up.

In one smooth motion, his rapier arched slighly.

SHHK!

Straight into the drake’s left eye.

"KURAAAAARGHHHHHHH!"

A scream, louder than anything before, erupted from the beast’s throat.

It shook violently, flailing in pain. Its claws tore across the ground, shredding stone and water alike.

"Let’s finish this," Gray muttered, pulling the rapier out just as a wave of boiling blood sprayed upward.

[Its heart... it’s close to the shoulder. Right side.]

Gray ducked under a swinging claw, sprinted low, and then leapt high, landing onto the side of its neck.

His boots slid on thick scales, but his balance held. His body moved on instinct, twisted from years of fights that were always unfair, always tilted against him.

He plunged the rapier down.

But unfortunatley for him, the scales were too thick...

CLANG!

It bounced.

"Fuck..."

But he wouldn’t stop there.

He switched grip, reached for the thinner joint near the front limb.

At the same time, Jasmine screamed in his mind, guiding him, humming like a melody in the background.

[There! There! YES, THAT SPOT—♡]

She almost sounded like a bitch moaning in heat, but Gray ignored her moans and drove the sword in with all his strength.

KRCK!

The steel sank through.

"KRAA...aagh..."

The Lesser Drake spasmed once.

Then twice.

Its roar died on its tongue.

THUD!

And with one last heavy breath, it collapsed, shaking the entire cavern.

Gray tumbled off its body, falling to the ground beside the water, breathing hard, soaked in sweat and blood.

The corpse steamed beside him.

It was done.

At least... this one.

Behind him, Ronan still floated unconscious, tied up to a large piece of rock like a fat worm waiting to be eaten.

Gray sat up, grabbing a cloth from his belt and wiping his face.

Jasmine giggled sweetly.

[You were amazing~♡ Like a prince of violence... dripping in blood and grit.]

"Shut up."

[Make me~]

He looked at the now quiet lake.

The second drake was still there after all...

Gray clicked his tongue.

"Annoying."

He stood, walking toward the unconscious Ronan and giving him a small kick.

"Get up. You’re still bait."

"Uhhg... mommy... no more soup..." he mumbled, turning over and coughing out lake water.

"Get up," Gray muttered coldly, eyes never leaving the far side of the lake.

"You’re still bait."

"Huh...? Wha—?"

Ronan blinked awake just in time to see that Gray’s gaze wasn’t on him, but onto the second drake.

The creature floated with half its body submerged in the water, blood slowly seeping into the lake.

Its wounds were deep, raw gashes across its chest and flank, likely from the snarl with the other drake from earlier.

But despite that, the beast’s eye remained open.

And angry.

"KRAAAAGH..."

It growled, low and rumbling, rising from the surface. Water rolled off its back in thick curtains. Its legs began to stir, claws digging into the rocky floor beneath.

"Persistent freak..." Gray clicked his tongue in annoyance.

The drake gave a sharp hiss, spreading its wings just slightly, tail twitching with each breath.

A broken tooth jutted from its jaw, and foam lined its lips.

But suddenly...

CRACK!

From above, a sharp, slicing noise split the air.

Lira came down like a ghost.

A blur of blue and silver light, her curved blade aimed directly at the underside of the Lesser Drake’s jaw.

SKRRRKK—THHHNK!

The blade pierced through.

Right through the tender skin beneath the chin and up into the skull.

The spear tip burst out through the top of the beast’s head, cracking bone and spraying blood like a crimson geyser.

The drake twitched once.

Its jaw slammed shut involuntarily, snapping bone and tongue.

Then its entire body collapsed into the water, sending a massive splash over the edge.

Gray didn’t flinch at the scene, but his jaw clenched slightly in anger.

Lira landed beside the steaming corpse without even staggering. She twirled the spear to flick the blood off before casually stepping onto the wet stone.

Her face was calm.

Gray’s eyes narrowed as he stepped forward.

"...You were pretending to be passed out?"

Lira blinked up at him, tilting her head like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Of course," she said. "If the drakes came closer thinking I was dead, I could strike the moment they lowered their guard. A clean shot. I was waiting."

Gray’s eyes darkened.

"You didn’t say anything."

"You ruined the plan," Lira said bluntly, pointing toward the first drake’s corpse. "But yours also worked... I guess we do make a good team."

She gave a small, satisfied nod, like she expected praise.

A vein popped on Gray’s forehead.

[Ahaahaahhaha~ She tricked you~ She tricked you so well~]

Jasmine’s delighted laughter echoed inside his mind, making Gray’s eye twitch slightly.

Without a word, he turned his back and began walking toward the red door. At the same time, Lira glanced back at Ronan, who was now sitting up and shivering.

"...You stink," she sighed.

"Wha—?!" Ronan started to protest.

But Lira crouched, grabbed his ankle, and began dragging him across the stone floor like a bag of meat.

"C-Could you not drag me by the leg?! My butt’s scraping on rocks!"

"You’ll live."

"...You said that last time when I twisted my ankle—!"

"No, that was your shoulder. This time it’s your pride."

"Why do you always say things that hurt?!"