Villain: Ultimate Mutation System in the Alternate World

"Acknowledge my effort?" she said through gritted teeth, her voice trembling.

"Am I so weak that you'll just pity me? You didn't even try to fight back."

A forced smile appeared on her lips, trying to hide the pain she felt.

Her obsession wasn't just about winning; she wanted him to respect her enough to actually fight her, not just keep dodging.

For someone like her, his refusal to fully engage was more insulting and painful than any physical injury. It was easier to heal the body than to mend the heart and mind, after all.

"Stop it," Reign said, shaking his head.

But she refused to give up, despite being exhausted and knowing she couldn't win.

The fact that he had caught her blade barehanded proved the gap between them was as vast as the distance between heaven and earth.

"I can still keep fighting," she said, her grip tightening on the dagger. Determined to make him take actions, she charged at him again

Reign, already irritated, easily dodged her attack, but this time he didn't step back and just moved a little. His expression grew darker.

"Enough," he warned, his voice low and serious.

But she ignored him, stubbornly continuing to attack. His patience wore thin, and he started to get really angry.

If she wanted to test her luck against him, he would make sure she understood just how dangerous the world was.

He caught her wrist mid-strike and twisted it until she dropped the dagger

"Ouch!" She gasped in pain, but before she could react, he swept her legs out from under her, sending her crashing to the ground.

"Do you want to die?" he snapped, glaring down at her. "Because if you keep this up, that's what will happen."

She tried to get up, but he stepped on her stomach, pinning her to the ground. She clawed at his leg, struggling to push him off, but he didn't move.

"Is this what you wanted?" he growled, leaning closer "To prove you're tough? All you've done is show me how reckless and stupid you are."

"I—I won't let you insult and underestimate me," she grumbled, her voice shaky but still defiant. Despite the pain and fear, she struggled to push herself up, determined not to show any weakness.

But Reign was just too strong. He even controlled the amount of force he used, making sure she wouldn't end up crushed into a tomato sauce.

'Something's definitely wrong with my brain ,' he thought, frustration bubbling up inside him.

'It must be some kind of weird magic because there's no way I'd fall for this type of woman. Cyril was understandable, but this girl? She's just too …'

"Let go of me!" she screamed.

"You really don't know when to quit, do you?" he said, his voice colder than before.

She glared at him, refusing to back down. "Fight me seriously!"

Reign shook his head. It was clear to him that she wasn't thinking straight.

"I've been holding back because I didn't want to hurt you," he said, his tone harsh, "but if you're so eager to throw your life away, maybe I should just kill you."

He let go of her , only to grab her by the throat and lift her off the ground.

She kicked her feet in the air, struggling to breathe, her hands desperately trying to pry his fingers off her neck.

"Let me go!" she managed to gasp out.

But he had enough . He felt the need to teach her a lesson she wouldn't forget. He squeezed tighter, watching as fear filled her eyes.

"You need to learn when to quit," he hissed. "Your life isn't a game. If you keep pushing, I'll break you."

Her face flushed with pain, and her skin began to change colors, showing bruises forming beneath the surface. She could feel the pressure building in her chest

For a moment, it looked like he might follow through with his threat, but then his expression softened just a bit. He loosened his grip, letting her breathe.

"You're lucky," he said coldly, "that I'm not in the mood to kill you."

He let go of her, and she dropped to the ground, coughing and gasping for air. She clutched her throat, staring up at him .

Reign stepped back, his eyes still on her.

"Next time," he warned, "know your place. Or I won't be so merciful."

He turned and walked away, leaving her on the ground.

His anger simmered, but another frustration gnawed at him even more. He couldn't believe how reckless she was.

If he did not take the mission, there was no doubt in his mind that she would've died out there trying to look tough.

It was even a miracle she had survived as a mercenary with that mindset. Reign felt there was more to her story than met the eye.

'Why do I even care?' he muttered to himself

Meanwhile, Green Viper was left laying on the ground.

Tears streamed down her face, and she couldn't stop the sobs that shook her body.

Her face was messy, smeared with the evidence of her struggle .

"No," she sobbed, her voice barely audible. I'm not useless. I'm not useless,"

Her cries grew louder, filled with the pain of a past she had tried to forget.

She thought back to when she was a child, when she had felt completely helpless. Her family was gone, and she was left alone to die.

Back then, she had felt weak and scared, and that fear had stayed with her ever since.

She had trained hard to become strong, to never feel that powerless again. Every day, she pushed herself to be better, stronger , and faster.

But now, lying there, it felt like all her hard work had been for nothing.

Facing someone she couldn't beat, no matter how hard she tried, made her feel like she was back to being that scared little girl.

Outside the training room, the branch manager watched Green Viper through a monitor, his face filled with conflict.

'This is for the better,' he thought to himself, sighing.

'You need to learn that there are mountains in this world that can't be climbed with effort alone.' he added.

To others, he might looked like just someone she worked for, but the connection between them ran much deeper.

'Cecelia, your daughter is just like you,' he thought, his mind drifting to a memory of a beautiful woman.

She had been the prettiest he had ever seen, with blonde hair and green eyes that could make any man fall for her.

Unfortunately, they had parted ways suddenly; she left without warning, and he thought he would never see her again.

Then he saw Green Viper, who looked exactly like her years later.

For the sake of their time together, he decided to support her daughter from the shadows.

He was also responsible for keeping her safe all this time, ensuring she only took missions that wouldn't endanger her life.

The training room was quiet now, with only the faint sound of footsteps fading away.

Slowly, she pushed herself up, her body trembling slightly. She glanced at her reflection in a nearby metal panel, seeing the tears streaking her face.

Taking a deep breath, she slapped her cheeks to snap herself out of it.

'I need to be strong,' she told herself firmly.

***

***

***

At the bar, Reign waited at a table.

What he had done earlier had spread quickly, so no one dared to approach him.

He might look handsome, but his actions with Green Viper had made it clear he didn't discriminate based on gender. His reputation for being ruthless with women was firmly established.

However, he didn't mind the rumor; it actually saved him the trouble of being approached by people all the time.

He picked up the menu and scanned it, his expression thoughtful.

Though he had never enjoyed human food before, he was now curious if his angel body would change that. He decided to test his tolerance.

He flagged down a server and placed an order for a variety of dishes, from simple appetizers to more elaborate dishes.

As the server left to prepare his order, he leaned back in his chair, waiting.

"Oh, did you realize your mistake now?" Reign asked, watching as Green Viper walked toward him.

She looked at him for a moment, then closed her eyes briefly. Without saying a word, she sat down in front of him.

"Let's be professional and talk about the mission," she said, her face showing a bit of embarrassment from earlier.

"That works for me," Reign shrugged, feeling that his plan was coming together.

Interacting with her was helping him manage his confusing feelings.

He had even reached a point where he could hurt her without feeling too guilty.

Reign admitted that he did it all to teach her to value her life more, but it didn't change the fact that he was able to inflict pain on her. For him, that was a big improvement.

***

Author's Note

Only one chapter today. I actually took a long vacation starting August 17.

I just got home, and my stockpile ran out yesterday.

Tomorrow, I will continue posting more chapters and updating my other novels now that I've had my well-needed break.

This chapter upload first at NovelBin.Com