"Against the Heavens: The Villain's Return"

For days now, Alex couldn't shake the feeling.

It clung to him like a second skin—unseen, but unmistakably present.

That quiet sense of being watched.

It started subtly—just a strange itch between the shoulders or an odd prickle at the nape of his neck.

But the longer it lingered, the more it evolved into something more suffocating.

He'd glance over his shoulder in empty hallways.

Pause mid-stride in quiet corridors.

He'd fake a stretch, only to catch nothing in the corner of his eye.

No shadow. No movement. Just silence.

Yet, the tension in his gut remained.

He tried to rationalize it away.

"It's nothing. I'm just being paranoid," he'd mutter to himself every morning.

But the unease didn't leave. His instincts—normally dull from comfort—were screaming at him.

Still, with no evidence, what could he do?

He had no proof. No eyes to point to. Just a lingering, choking doubt.

Despite it, Alex stuck to his daily rhythm, unwilling to let something as abstract as fear disrupt his flow.

He got up early, swung his sword a few dozen times, ran laps around the academy's outer grounds, then made his way to class.

And recently—there had been one consistent highlight to his days.

Leo hadn't been showing up.

At first, Alex thought the guy was just taking a break. But then two days passed. Then three. Then a week.

And Leo remained absent.

Alex couldn't help but grin whenever he thought about it.

It was like a fog had lifted.

There was no piercing stare from the corner of the class. No passive-aggressive smirk.

No strange pressure pushing him to act tougher, smarter, better.

Without Leo, things felt normal again. Manageable.

"Good riddance," he'd said once, not even bothering to whisper it.

Of course, there were still things weighing on his mind—mostly Sophia.

He had tried talking to her again, hoping to rekindle the quiet companionship they'd once shared.

But she hadn't been at the academy either.

When he asked around, the answers were vague.

"She took time off. Personal reasons, I think."

He had nodded and moved on.

But the timing unsettled him. Leo and Sophia vanishing around the same period? It felt too neat. Too convenient.

Then there was Selena.

And that situation was just… worse.

The once bubbly, kind girl now acted like a stranger.

She avoided his gaze. Gave short, disinterested answers. Smiled like someone forced to.

She didn't even scold him for his overconfident jokes anymore—that part stung more than he'd admit.

The absence of conflict made the silence feel hostile.

He had tried to tell himself it was temporary. That maybe she was just stressed or distracted.

But each time she waved him off with an excuse—"I'm not feeling well," "I have something else to do"—he could feel the distance growing.

And it terrified him.

Not because of what she meant to him.

But because everything around him was shifting, subtly, and he had no idea why.

It wasn't just about Selena, or Sophia, or Leo.

It was a creeping sense of disconnection.

Like something important had been taken from him—and he hadn't even noticed.

He tried to ignore it. To shake it off.

But each day felt heavier.

Each conversation felt more hollow.

That's why when the guild posted a low-ranked elimination task—goblins this time—Alex accepted without hesitation.

"Finally, something productive!" he muttered to himself with a grin.

He needed this.

A straightforward mission. A few monsters to kill. A clear reward.

It was simple, unlike the web of confusion tightening around his personal life.

The request details were basic: a local farming village had been getting attacked by a pack of goblins—food theft, livestock loss, minor property damage.

But it wasn't just property. A few villagers had been injured too.

That had elevated the request from a minor nuisance to a B-rank threat.

Enough to make it worthwhile.

Enough to maybe turn a few heads.

More importantly—it was a chance to do something meaningful.

To regain some footing. Some control.

As Alex made his way out of the city gates, the morning sun filtered gently through the canopy overhead.

Sunbeams pierced the leaves like golden needles, casting moving patterns on the dirt trail.

The air smelled of dew and distant smoke—villagers probably burning wood to ward off pests.

The peacefulness of it all clashed sharply with the excitement brewing inside him.

He reached for the hilt of his sword, fingers brushing the worn leather grip.

It grounded him. A reminder that even if people ignored him, even if his name wasn't on anyone's lips—he could still do something.

He could still fight.

It didn't take long to reach the target area.

As expected, the goblins had taken over a clearing near the edge of the woods, close to an abandoned lumber camp.

There were signs of their presence everywhere—scraps of torn meat, bloodied rocks, gutted sacks of wheat.

He crouched low, scanning the perimeter.

Four… no, five goblins.

Ugly little creatures with green skin, twisted smiles, and yellowed claws.

They huddled around a fire, roasting something that looked disturbingly human.

Alex's face hardened.

He didn't wait.

With a shout, he charged forward, his sword raised.

The first goblin turned—too late. Steel met flesh, and it dropped with a gurgle.

The others scrambled, drawing crude weapons—clubs, jagged knives, one even held a rusted spear.

They rushed him, shrieking.

But Alex didn't flinch.

He weaved through them with practiced ease. His footwork was sharp, clean. His blade struck with intent.

One by one, they fell.

He shouted with each strike—part to keep his momentum, part to drown out the tension in his chest.

"Take that! And that!"

Blood sprayed his tunic, his cheek. A cut grazed his shoulder, but it was shallow.

Finally, he stood alone, chest heaving, surrounded by twitching corpses.

His hands trembled—not from fear, but from exertion and adrenaline.

He lowered his blade, a breathy chuckle escaping him.

"Perfect."

He turned, ready to head back and report.

Maybe now, someone would see what he could do.

Maybe Selena would smile for real again.

Maybe things would go back to the way they were.

But fate had something else in mind.

As he made his way along the forest path, he stepped carelessly onto a moss-covered stone.

It rolled.

His balance faltered.

Before he could correct himself, the ground seemed to vanish beneath him.

"Ahhhh!"

His body tumbled forward.

Branches scraped against his arms, and then—darkness.

A hidden crevice swallowed him whole.

He landed with a solid thud on damp earth.

Pain shot up his spine, and he winced, groaning.

"Ugh… what the hell was that?"

Slowly, he pushed himself up, blinking as his eyes adjusted.

The space around him was dim, the ceiling low, the air damp and still.

A cave?

His brows furrowed. He hadn't seen any signs of this during scouting.

He dusted himself off and reached for a torch from his satchel.

As the flame flared to life, his eyes caught something at the far end of the cave.

A glow.

Soft. Emerald. Pulsing gently.

He took a hesitant step forward, then another.

As he got closer, the shape became clear.

An egg.

A large, green-scaled egg, resting atop a bed of woven branches and silver dust.

Strange markings—runes—glimmered faintly on its surface, shifting like whispers of light.

His mouth fell open.

His breath caught.

"A… a dragon egg…?"

His hands moved before his brain could even process it.

He knelt beside it, barely daring to touch it. The shell was warm—alive.

The thrill hit him like lightning.

"This is it," he whispered. "This is what I needed."

Fame, power, recognition.

A dragon companion?

He could already hear the gasps.

Already see the headlines.

Already feel the spotlight.

"I'm going to be legendary…"

Alex carefully wrapped the dragon egg in his cloak and lowered it gently into his travel bag, making sure it wouldn't bump or roll. His heart was still pounding, his mind spinning through possibilities.

He had no idea how much something like this was worth. In truth, he didn't even know what the protocol was for finding something this rare.

But what he did know was simple:

He wasn't going to tell anyone.

Not until he understood its value.

Not until he figured out how to use it.

Because if the Academy, or worse—the royal handlers—found out, they might confiscate it. They'd label it too dangerous for a trainee. Or say it belonged to the kingdom by default.

"Screw that," he muttered, tightening the bag's strap over his shoulder.

"This is mine."

He turned back toward the cave entrance, spotting the thin shaft of daylight cutting through the narrow crack above.

It was a tight climb, but adrenaline did wonders for strength.

He scaled the rocky incline with urgency, slipping once but catching himself.

As soon as he reached the forest floor, he crouched low, scanning the area.

No one.

No voices. No rustling. Not even a birdcall.

It was too quiet—but he didn't care.

He had a dragon egg in his possession.

The idea alone lit his imagination aflame.

He gripped the bag close to his chest like a lifeline and took off at a jog, heading back toward the village checkpoint.

He couldn't wait to get back. Couldn't wait to watch the faces of everyone who had doubted him.

And most of all—he wanted to see Selena's face.

To see her expression when he told her he'd tamed a creature of legend.

His thoughts were so loud, so full of noise and triumph, that he barely registered the object lying on the ground ahead.

A single banana peel.

Half-covered in dirt. Unassuming. Slippery.

And then—his foot landed on it.

A half-second later, the world tilted.

His arms flailed. His balance vanished. The wind was knocked from his chest as he slammed face-first into the ground.

"AAAAHHH—!"

Thud.

The impact rattled his teeth. Sharp pain bloomed across his cheek and chin.

He lay there for a few seconds, blinking through the sting of dirt in his eyes.

Groaning, he pushed himself up.

His face was smeared with mud and blood where the skin had split open near his eyebrow.

He checked his hands—scraped but intact.

His breathing was ragged, humiliated.

"Damn it," he growled, wiping his nose on his sleeve.

Then—panic.

The egg.

He tore open his bag, eyes wild.

There it was. Safe. Still glowing faintly, untouched.

Relief flooded him.

He exhaled and dropped back onto the ground, letting out an exhausted laugh.

It wasn't pleasant or noble.

It was crooked. Bitter. Victorious.

"Still mine…" he muttered.

Behind him, hidden beyond the tree line, the quiet rustling of leaves went unnoticed.

Three shadows stood crouched on the branches, their dark cloaks blending into the canopy above.

None of them made a sound—until one of them, a younger figure with a wolf-mask, stifled a snort and whispered.

"Did you see that? He really tripped."

Another figure beside him chuckled, shaking his head.

"Master Leo really said it would happen."

"I didn't think he meant exactly like this," the third added, voice low with amusement. "A banana peel? Seriously?"

The first leaned forward slightly, keeping his voice quiet but filled with awe.

"Still… he found the egg."

A pause.

The group fell silent again.

For all their mockery, there was a faint trace of admiration in their tone.

Not for Alex.

For the one pulling the strings.

The one who had predicted it all.

"Master Leo's precision is unreal."

"He knew Alex would take the goblin mission. He knew he'd get reckless. And he knew he'd fall into that exact spot."

"Even left the peel there, just in case he tried to bolt too fast."

There was silence again, then a quiet laugh.

"Man, we're really just spectators, huh?"

The leader among them—his mask marked with a single crimson stripe—nodded.

"We follow the plan. Nothing more."

Without another word, they dispersed, vanishing into the foliage.

Their presence left no trace.

Only the faint imprint of boots on bark and the whisper of branches swaying in their wake.

Back in the forest clearing, Alex finally stood, wincing as he touched the cut above his eyebrow.

He'd need to patch himself up.

He looked around warily, still shaken, but forced a grin.

"Worth it," he muttered, trudging onward with the bag strapped tight.

Behind that pain, behind that pride, a flicker of doubt crossed his face.

Something didn't sit right.

Why had there been a cave there?

Why was the egg untouched?

Why didn't any of the goblins guard it?

He shook the thoughts off.

"No one else was there. It's just luck. Fate. Whatever. This was meant for me."

But far away—back in the Academy gardens, past the training fields and under the shade of the large sakura tree—Leo sat calmly on a wooden bench.

He wasn't dressed like a student today.

Just a light tunic, loose pants, and a small cup of tea in his hand.

His expression was unreadable.

But his eyes—those calm, deep-set eyes—carried the look of someone who had just confirmed a prediction.

He took a slow sip.

A small smile touched his lips.

"Enjoy your gift, Alex," he murmured.

"You never knew how generous I could be."

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[End of Chapter 11 ]

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