Daseos winced, the weight of his guilt manifesting in his face.
"It's not like that... I just... want to be a Villain."
"HAHAHA! Attaboy!" boomed a voice.
In the far corner of the reception area, a burly man in a dark maroon suit emerged.
His body was a canvas of tattoos, and a large scar ran down his right eye.
He lounged on a plush velvet sofa, lifting a glass of whiskey to his lips.
But before the liquor could touch his lips—SWISH!
Suddenly, Madame Allura flicked open a handheld fan.
With a graceful swipe,a tiny blade whizzed through the air.
CLASH!
The whiskey glass in Alucard's hand shattered into a spray of shards and liquid.
"Shut up, Alucard! It's all your fault! I told you to keep him away from your blasted Fight Club!"
Allura's voice pierced the room like a bullet.
Wiping his face with a pocket square, Alucard retorted,
"Allura, I tried, but the boy begged me. Plus, you've got to respect his determination to get stronger. He's practically a star now—our undefeated Pre-Villain League Fighter!"
Madame Allura's face was a storm, eyes blazing and cheeks flushed.
But before she could erupt, Daseos grabbed her hand.
"Big sis, I know you're worried, and I'm thankful for it. But I have to live up to my name, to who I am... to what I lost."
The atmosphere grew heavy, the air thick with unspoken history.
Pulling her hand away, Allura let out a "Hmph!" and stormed off.
"Do what you like!"
Her silhouette vanished into the hallway's shadows.
Yet, as she disappeared, her voice softened and trailed back to him.
"Just be safe…and don't forget to be here for dinner tomorrow night~"
Alucard gestured to the empty space beside him on the lush velvet sofa, beckoning Daseos to join him.
As Daseos sank into the plush cushion, he leaned in, whispering,
"Got a new fight for me?"
Alucard chuckled, his eyes twinkling.
"Hehe~ Ma' boy! How about headlining the next Pre-Villain League Event?"
A flash of excitement lit up Daseos's eyes, but it quickly turned into caution.
He knew Alucard well enough to know that a big opportunity came with strings attached.
"Don't look at me like that! Have I ever done you dirty?"
Alucard questioned, a tinge of mock offense in his voice.
Daseos opened his mouth, ready to rattle off a litany of past schemes, but Alucard cut him off.
"Hey, hey, let bygones be bygones. The Ascendancy trials are next week, right? Consider this a favor. I set this up to help you earn your application fee. 50gs ain't no joke!"
Daseos narrowed his eyes, his expression a jumble of skepticism and caution.
Alucard might be untrustworthy at times, but the man had a point.
Also, Alucard wasn't just some random guy; he was the manager of the Pre-Villain League Division of the Darkspire Underground Fight Club.
Darkspire being the city Daseos was in.
And when we say 'Underground,' we're not talking about dodging the law.
Nope, in Antagonia, watching a deathmatch is as common as Saturday morning cartoons for kids.
Why the name you ask?
Well… The Darkspire Underground Fight Club was literally…
Underground—a vast arena carved beneath the city's surface.
Daseos had spent many nights there, fists clenched, bleeding, but always, always surviving.
It was his training ground, his classroom, and sometimes, his refuge.
Daseos did the math in his head.
'10k from fights, 20 from Rex... just 20 more and I can get into the Ascendancy trials.'
He looked at Alucard, who was reclining comfortably, a cloud of cigar smoke curling around his tattooed face.
"Come on, you need the money, right? 50k was it? Win the next fight, and I promise, the money's yours. Instant payout. Have I ever given you a reason not to trust me?"
Alucard's voice oozed confidence.
Again, Daseos opened his mouth to speak, but Alucard cut him off.
"Don't bring up ancient history! Come onnnn kid, if you win this fight you're on your road to stardom baby~!"
A thrill surged through Daseos at the thought, but he quickly tamped it down.
'Don't let the glitz and glory blind you. There's always a catch with Alucard.'
His arm slung over Daseos's shoulder, his other hand describing a slow arc through the air, as if he were painting Daseos's future right then and there.
"You'll have it all, even if you don't make it into the Villain Institute. Stay undefeated and money, fame, women—everything you ever wanted will be at your fingertips!"
Daseos inched away from Alucard's embrace, breaking free from the cloud of cigar smoke and promises.
He'd heard this spiel before, and while it sounded sweet, it also sounded like a trap.
So he looked Alucard dead in the eyes and asked,
"What's the catch?"
Daseos's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Alucard, who chuckled nervously and looked away.
"What catch? Who said anything about a catch?" Alucard deflected.
Daseos's eyebrow arched, unamused, still waiting.
Alucard coughed awkwardly.
"*Cough* *Cough* It's no biggie~ Your opponent will just… be a tier 1 villain!"
Daseos shot up from his seat,
"WHAT?! You're kidding, right? A T1 villain? That's a death wish, not a fight!"
Alucard waved a dismissive hand.
"Aw come on, Villains are strong, yes. But a T1 Villain isn't THAT different from a regular. Also, I've picked the lowest ranked T1 we have! With your skills, it should be no problem!"
"Should be… huh. What are the odds?" Daseos asked.
"The fight hasn't been announced but the odds will open at 1 : 10!"
Alucard replied, his eyes flashing with an unmistakable glint of greed as he rubbed his palms together.
"Look, I know I might have done you dirty when you first got into the business. But that's how it goes! Have I done you wrong after your 10th straight win? We're on the same side! You're our league's wonder child…"
Daseos eyed him skeptically.
"Yeaaa and I'm assuming the money you'd make from the bets if I win is even more… wonderful."
Alucard laughed, not denying it.
"HAH! Exactly! You'd be the first non-Villain to beat a Villain, do you know what that'll do for your fight career?! You could get into any Villain Institute—Vile, Abyss Ascendancy, you name it!"
Alucard said like an unscrupulous salesman— that he was.
"As long as I'm still breathing,"
Daseos muttered, rolling his eyes.
As Daseos sank further into the plush sofa, he couldn't shake off the nagging feeling in his gut.
'Sister Allura is right to worry, but Alucard offers a fast track to money, to power. Power I need for revenge, to save... But at what cost?'
Alucard shrugged.
"High risk, high reward. That's how life works, kid."