I Became The Novel's Biggest Antagonist

The Ocryphia Guild was as lively as ever, a hive of constant activity.

Endless requests and tasks poured in from nobles and neighboring towns alike. Most came from town mayors or ordinary civilians, accompanied by the payment they were willing to offer. As the public guild of Ocryphia City, it was no surprise that the guild was never short of work.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The hum of conversation was briefly interrupted when a peculiar group entered through the grand wooden doors.

Whispers quickly spread among the gathered hunters and guild members, all eyes drawn to the newcomers.

At the forefront was a young man flanked by three striking women. Not long ago, this group had been dismissed as mere rookies, frequently underestimated and even ridiculed. Yet, in a matter of weeks, they had risen to fame, earning respect for their astonishingly rapid growth in skill and strength.

Leading them was Reynold, a figure who seemed to exude a quiet but clear sense of righteousness. He wore a thick suit of armor designed to withstand even the harshest blows. A massive sword rested across his back, so heavy-looking that one might wonder how he managed to carry it all with such ease. But, as the saying goes, don't judge a book by its cover.

Reynold had changed significantly since his first mission. He had once been painfully naive, though now—while still idealistic—he had learned some hard lessons, especially about trusting other hunters.

The trio of women accompanying him, who many in the guild had come to refer to as Reynold's 'harem', were each remarkable in their own right. Lua, the skilled archer, had an unerring eye for precision. Saya, the swordswoman, carried herself with a newfound confidence. And Mona, the mage, who was really excellent with the fire attribute.

A few weeks ago, they had endured a harrowing and traumatizing ordeal at the hands of a Hunter named Rex. But rather than break them, the experience had forged them into something stronger.

The group's progress was evident in their guild rankings. All four of them had ascended to the Rank [D].

"Oh, Mr. Reynold, Miss Lua, Miss Mona, and Miss Saya—it's a pleasure to see you again." A beautiful young woman greeted them warmly, with her radiant smile.

"Likewise, Celine," Reynold replied with a grin.

"I see you're all hard at work, even this early in the morning!" Celine said with a soft laugh.

"We have to be," Saya sighed. "We need more money to rebuild our town."

"Ah, your hometown," Celine said, her expression softening. "It's a noble goal. I truly hope you'll succeed."

"Thank you! That's why…" Reynold straightened his posture, his gaze serious. "Miss Celine, please! Could you assign us an C Rank quest? We're ready to take it on!"

Celine's smile faltered slightly as she shook her head. "Mr. Reynold… I'm sorry, but I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"There are rules that must be followed," she explained gently. "Unless you find a higher-ranked hunter willing to accompany you, I can't register your party for a quest above your rank."

Unfortunately the girls following Reynold were still in the E Ranks so it was considered dangerous to send them alone with just Reynold as a D Rank.

"But…!"

"Rey…" Lua placed a hand on Reynold's shoulder. "You don't need to rush. We're already doing plenty to help the village. Let's take things a bit slower."

"It's not just about the village…" Reynold muttered, clenching his fists. "Don't you remember King? If only I'd been stronger… He wouldn't have died. He sacrificed himself for us…"

Reynold's mind spiraled back to that day. They had been trapped within the barrier, surrounded and outmatched. King had looked at him with that reassuring expression—one that seemed to say, 'Leave it to me.'

At least from his point of view…

When Reynold regained consciousness, other hunters told him they'd found no sign of King or anyone else. Some speculated the others had escaped, hearing others Hunters and fled. But what about King?

The bitter truth came crashing down when they checked for King's badge. The response was grim. All contact with King's Hunter badge had been lost—a clear indicator that he had likely died.

Reynold had quickly pieced it together. Rex and his lackeys had slaughtered King, who had stayed behind to protect them. They had likely taken his body and hidden it, burying him somewhere no one would ever find while running away from the Hunters who found them.

Even now, the memory burned in Reynold's chest like an open wound.

"I have to get stronger… so my friends won't have to die anymore," Reynold muttered, his voice trembling as he clenched his fists.

"Rey…" Saya, Lua, and Mona shared the same anguished look. Seeing the man they all cared for in such despair was unbearable. At the same time, they couldn't help but feel gratitude toward King, whose sacrifice had ensured their survival.

Though they didn't know the full story, one thing was clear—King had played a vital role in them being unscathed. The fact that they had come out unscathed was no coincidence. But the bitter truth remained:

King was dead—

"You must be new here, Miss. May I have the honor of knowing the name behind such a lovely face?"

"U–Um… Sir?"

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"'Sir'? That's an… unusual name for a woman, wouldn't you say? But who am I to judge?" The voice chuckled lightly, almost teasingly.

"E–Excuse me?"

"Oh, no need to apologize just for being beautiful."

Reynold and his group snapped their attention toward the source of the commotion, their ears instantly pricked by the clear flirtatious tone. That voice—though they'd heard it only once—was impossible to forget.

A few feet away, a silver-haired man stood with a confident air. A gleaming silver mask obscured most of his face, save for a pair of piercing azure blue eyes. He was gently holding the hand of a young, flustered clerk, who appeared to be newly appointed.

"Still," King muttered. "I can't help but wonder how such a radiant beauty ended up working in such a crude place. Not that I'm complaining, of course. After all, sights like yours are the only reason I endure this palace of muscleheads and—let's be honest—rather unattractive men."

His words earned him several glares from both the guild members nearby and other Hunters who clearly felt targeted.

"Oh, pardon me," he continued, with an exaggeratedly apologetic bow. "I just noticed your badge. Betty, is it? A beautiful name for an equally beautiful woman."

"I–I…um…thank you," the young clerk stuttered, her cheeks flushed as his mesmerizing gaze held her captive. Desperate, she glanced toward Celine, Senior, who could only offer an awkward smile in response.

Reynold's jaw dropped. "H–How…?" He stared at the man, dumbfounded. "How is King alive?"

Celine's face turned slightly pink as she avoided Reynold's bewildered gaze. "Ah, yes… about that. King returned about a week ago," she admitted sheepishly. "He's been taking quests now and then since then. I… forgot to mention it."

"Hmm?" King's piercing azure eyes finally noticed Reynold and his group. His brow arched slightly in curiosity. "Reynold and his… harem. What a surprise."

"K–King!!" Reynold suddenly launched himself toward the silver-haired man, throwing his arms around him in a tight embrace. Tears streamed down his face as he sobbed openly. "M–Man… I–I thought you were dead!!"

The room fell silent as every eye turned toward the unexpected scene of Reynold clinging to King like a lifeline.

"Erm… yes, as you can see, I'm fine," King replied, his hands awkwardly raised in surrender, clearly unwilling to return the hug.

"I–I'm so sorry, man! E–Even though I invited you on that quest—!" Reynold wailed, his voice cracking with emotions

"I said it's fine," King said, clearly uncomfortable. "Really, I'm alive and well." He cast a pleading glance at Reynold's companions, who were watching the spectacle with visible grimaces.

Lua, Saya, and Mona quickly stepped in, pulling Reynold off King and dragging him back.

Sniffling, Reynold wiped his tears and beamed. "I'm so happy, man!"

"As you should be," King replied. "I heard you made it to D-Rank?"

"Yep! All of us!" Reynold laughed proudly, puffing out his chest.

"That's good to hear." King offered a genuine smile. He had always believed in the potential of Reynold and his team. Their rapid progress validated his decision to protect them—they'd surely prove useful in the future.

"Huh?" Reynold's gaze wandered to the desk nearby, landing on a familiar object. It was King's badge, glowing with a distinct yellow hue. The mark of a C-Rank hunter.

"Y–You're C-Rank?" Saya asked, her voice tinged with disbelief as she pointed at the badge.

"Oh? That?" King glanced at it and shrugged. "It's just a rank," he said casually. To him, ranks were merely steps on a ladder—one he'd only care about when he reached the coveted SSS-Rank.

"W–Wow…" Reynold froze, struggling to process the revelation.

Truthfully, King's rise to C-Rank hadn't been particularly difficult. Just days ago, he had delivered the heads of five C+ ranked demonic beasts to the Guildmaster, Ferdinand Ruthern. It was a move designed to expedite his ranking process. Ferdinand, already suspicious of King's strength and mistaking him for the legendary 'Silver King' of the northern countries wanted dead or alive, had reluctantly granted him the promotion. However, Ferdinand made it clear that any further advancements would require King to complete official guild quests.

But King hadn't come to the guild today solely to climb the ranks.

Patrick Cromwell had recently found a suitable vessel for Gorn—a notorious criminal with a reputation for evading hunters. Strong, cunning, and thoroughly despised, the man was a perfect candidate. Nobody would shed a tear if he vanished from the world.

King's goal was to eliminate this scumbag. By accepting the guild's quest to capture him, King would not only further his objectives but also gain something useful in the process. It was a classic case of killing two birds with one stone.