I’m a villain within the hero’s party

"Windblade Swordstyle, Third Form: Shred."

The vines and roots had swarmed around Robin, enclosing him in a thick sphere. He was no longer visible.

The squad stood frozen and nervous.

He'd been trapped before he could activate his swordsmanship.

Then, a flicker.

Golden mana leaked through the gaps in the vines.

Suddenly, the sphere exploded into fragments. Vines and roots were shredded into tiny pieces, torn apart by a burst of rapid slashes within a tight one-meter radius. The air hissed with the force of his cuts.

The Barkspawns screeched with fury. Thorn-covered vines whipped toward Robin from every angle, faster and more unpredictable than before.

But it didn't matter.

He sliced each one the moment it entered his range. Clean, precise and relentless.

Then he narrowed his eyes, spotting movement deeper in the trees.

[Windblade Swordsmanship was a refined and deadly art, passed down through the Gale family's lineage from which Robin belong to, a bloodline known for producing warriors originated from the East.

The style combined solid fundamentals with advanced techniques, creating a form of swordplay that prioritized speed were each slash designed to mimic the wind itself.]

Robin glanced over his shoulder. "Amber, buy me two seconds."

Without hesitation, Amber leapt in front of him. One of the senior squad members raised a hand behind her, casting a buffing spell that surged into her limbs like heat.

Amber stepped forward with poise, her staff sweeping in a horizontal arc. Fifteen finger-sized flames floated into the air, orbiting her like tiny stars.

"I've got you," she said calmly. "Second-Class Spell: Blitzing Flare."

The fire spells shot forward in a sudden burst, blazing fast, bright, and brutal. They tore through the incoming vines and roots mid-air, intercepting them with pinpoint destruction.

Behind her, Robin focused the last of his mana into his sword.

Golden aura burst from the blade, spiraling around it like lightning sealed in steel.

Once again, Robin lowered into his stance. His back straightened for balance, knees bent and primed to launch. One foot slid behind the other, angled for a precise pivot.

He held his sword close to his chest, tip tilted downward, edge locked diagonally.

"Thank you," he whispered.

Then louder: "Windblade Swordstyle, Second Form: Claws."

He swung.

A single diagonal slash, powered by every drop of his aura and strength. Amber instinctively leapt back, retreating behind him in time.

The blade didn't roar—it whispered through the air. An unseen wind force followed, rippling outward with quiet violence.

The vines and roots rushing from the distance shattered instantly as the golden aura reached them, torn apart mid-flight.

Farther ahead, the aura sliced clean through the Barkspawn. Five golden slashes etched across its body, carving through bark, limbs, and even the trees standing behind it.

Robin dropped to one knee, breath shallow, sword trembling in his grip.

The squad priest rushed forward, hands glowing with divine energy, already channeling healing magic into him.

Although Robin had managed to kill one of the Barkspawns, many more were still hiding in the distant trees. The assault didn't slow down. If anything, it grew worse—they were furious that one of their own had been killed.

The forest had turned into complete chaos.

The mages were in trouble. With no knights to protect them, they were forced to fight alone. Some tried to cast spells but couldn't focus. Others ran, hoping to escape. One mage collapsed from exhaustion and was dragged away by vines.

The knights were struggling too.

They fought hard, but the enemy was too strong. Their shields were breaking, their swords were chipped. Some had become separated from the squad. Every step took more effort, every swing felt heavier.

Gabby watched everything unfold as he hid behind a scorched tree.

Spells shot overhead. Screams filled the air. Roots tore through the ground like wild beasts.

Gabby looked around.

The squad was scattered, shouting, moving in different directions with no clear plan. Mages stood out in the open, casting spells with shaky hands. Knights were boxed in, fighting just to stay alive.

Von stood firm, magic swirling around him, cold and sharp. His signature ice spells freezing vines mid-air while killing some of the Barkspawn.

But Gabby saw past the power.

He's strong, he thought, but he's not a commander.

There were no calls for regrouping. No signals. No formation.

Just chaos.

Gabby's eyes locked on Von, watching him cast with precision but no control over the squad. Then he saw a mage, wounded, trying to crawl away—only to be dragged screaming by the Barkspawn.

He's powerful, Gabby told himself, but he has no military background. No tactical command. No battlefield instincts.

He gripped his weapon tighter. "At this rate… we won't survive.

"I guess I need to lend them a hand," Gabby muttered.

He cracked his neck and rolled his shoulder, loosening up. Then he pulled out his dagger.

His steps were calm, calculated. He didn't flinch at the vines rushing toward him. He didn't even look at them. A slight tilt of his head was all it took to dodge.

No one noticed him move.

Not when everyone was fighting to survive in the middle of pure chaos.

His gaze locked onto one of the Barkspawn.

The creature noticed him—and reacted fast. Thorny vines shot out in all directions, twisting toward him from unpredictable angles.

Gabby moved without hesitation.

He parried some vines with sharp, efficient cuts. Others missed entirely as he stepped aside with ease. His movements were clean, no wasted effort, no panic, just precision.

Gabby thought, "Barkspawns are weak. And yet they struggle to fight back against them."

His eyes narrowed and thought, "It's sickening—noble mages and knights admitted to the academy through corruption, now failing on the battlefield. This is the result"

Gabby didn't move.

His gaze stayed locked on the shadows where the Barkspawn had disappeared. The creature had retreated. Not in fear, but in hesitation. It had sensed strength, yes, but something else too. Something it understood.

Although Gabby had been sick this whole time, he suddenly felt a chill—something strangely familiar.

His eyes narrowed as he looked down the path they had walked.