The SSS Ranked Villain's Return-Chapter 114: Temporary Contract

[Spirit King—Seraphina Montclair wishes to form a temporary contract with you.]

[Do you accept?]

[Y/N]

"Is that really all you want?" Neraxis asked with a raised brow, hovering over the ’Yes’ button.

"That’s all, darling." Seraphina replied with a soft smile. "Just make sure to survive and hold up your end of the deal."

"Got it," he nodded in response and soon pressed the ’Yes’ button.

Immediately, a certain coldness enveloped him, spreading throughout his entire body and finally settling in his chest—right where his heart was.

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Then, before his eyes, a red notification appeared, turning half white in an instant.

[Ruler of Frost {SSS}]

[Skill Description: ???]

[Skill Effects (1/???): Frost Manipulation (Passive/Active Hybrid) – Manipulate all liquids and turn them into beautiful ice creations. Ability to manipulate the surrounding air and turn it into frost. No restrictions upon usage due to a high-level proficiency in the skill.]

[Note: The remaining skill effects are locked due to the contract being temporary.]

[Note 2: The limit is your imagination.]

"Oho..." She shivered, hugging herself. "I haven’t felt such an ecstatic feeling in such a long time, darling. Sorry that I can’t share more—there are plenty of restrictions that come about when someone tries sharing their main skill."

"It’s fine," he waved her off, still staring at the skill’s rarity. "This is more than enough. Thank you, Seraphina."

"Hehe... No problem," she replied with a giggle and turned around before making a massive castle materialize in front of them. "At the entrance, there’s a portal you can use to get back. So if you want to defeat it sooner, I suggest you move."

"See you later," Neraxis said with a nod before proceeding to run toward the castle, spotting a blue portal whirling in the castle’s wall.

With a wave back at Seraphina, he entered through it, appearing inside the forest once more.

How do I use this... Neraxis pondered, activating {Ruler of Frost’s: Frost Manipulation.}

In an instant, the damp forest’s temperature began dropping. Snowflakes formed in the air and fell, hitting the ground.

As they did, small holes appeared, as though miniature meteorites had struck the earth.

However, whenever they came into contact with Neraxis, they merely brushed past him.

[Damn, she has some overpowered stuff,] Evangeline said with a hint of jealousy in her tone.

Yup. Neraxis let out a chuckle before turning to where the most mana had gathered.

He could see Eris fighting that amalgamation, just barely dodging its hits.

Therefore, Neraxis stealthily approached behind it, focusing his mana.

There was a combination he wanted to try—{Ruler of Frost’s: Frost Manipulation} and {Aura of the Abyss.}

Neraxis had noticed that the frost was being emitted from his entire body, so if he focused it directly where his {Aura of the Abyss} was located, then theoretically, it should be possible.

"STOP RUNNING, YOU BITCH!" the monster’s voice rang out as it suddenly stomped the ground.

"Oh, fuck off, you grease ball," Eris replied, jumping upward before drawing a slightly larger arrow.

But instead of shooting straight at the monster, she aimed for a nearby tree.

Immediately, the arrow shot out, followed by a rope tying it like some sort of grapple hook that Eris used to evade the monster.

As she did, she finally took notice of Neraxis, who was now mere centimeters away from the monster.

Taking a slow, deep breath, Neraxis placed his hand on the monster’s foot and activated {Ruler of Frost’s: Frost Manipulation} and {Aura of the Abyss.}

Nothing happened at first, but in the next moment, Neraxis watched as the monster halted, frantically looking all around.

Yet a trace of confusion couldn’t escape Neraxis’s face—as despite the touch and activation of the skills, visually, nothing changed.

Did it not work—

His thoughts were interrupted when, all of a sudden, ice began spreading through the monster’s entire body, turning it into a statue in an instant.

Before Neraxis could process it, the ice turned black—a byproduct of both the monster’s blood and {Aura of the Abyss.}

Soon, the monster’s entire body shattered, dropping down in pieces before what was left of its black blood was replaced by clear ice, as though Neraxis had frozen water instead.

The frost freezes, and my Aura of the Abyss dissolves them... What an eerily overpowered combination, he thought as a shiver went down his spine.

However, despite his initial thoughts, no notification came, which made him think the monster was still alive.

But as he took one glance up into the sky, he noticed a lone black orb floating in the air.

With a puzzled look, Neraxis jumped up, grabbing it.

Just as he did, a faint pulse went through his body several times until eventually, it calmed down.

What is this thing? Neraxis wondered.

It was emitting a bit of mana, but not enough to be some sort of artifact.

[Looks like insurance,] Evangeline said before correcting herself. [I mean, like a safety device? I guess? The Sovereign, I assume, put it inside this heretic and was monitoring him the entire time.]

You mean to say he watched the entire fight? Neraxis asked with a raised brow.

[If I had to guess, then yes. Or it could just be some sort of device that acts like a power-up. Maybe it’s the thing that gave them immortality,] she added.

I see, Neraxis replied, trailing off and bringing the orb closer to himself.

"I don’t know if you hear this," Neraxis said, narrowing his eyes. "But if you do—fuck you. I will find you and kill you. Send this message over to the others as well. Your time will come."

As he finished, Neraxis clenched his hand, shattering the orb in an instant.

[1x (C- Ranked Chimera) Apostle of the Envy Sovereign Slain! Reward: Stigmata 56.3% -> 71.3%]

It’s done, Neraxis let out a sigh and plopped down onto the ground.

[Contract Expired!]

Oh? Are five minutes up already? Neraxis thought as the coldness began leaving his body.

But not all of it left—as a tiny portion of the frost stayed in his arms, specifically inside his Aura of the Abyss.

This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

"Hey! Mind lending a hand?" Eris called from the side.

As he turned toward her, Neraxis saw her tangled in her own ropes, dangling from a tree branch.

Nonetheless, instead of helping, he idly walked back to where the army of monarchs had been.

But still, even as far away as he got, he could still hear her kind shouts.

"You fucking bastard! Just wait till I find you!"

Haha... I wonder if she’ll make it in time, Neraxis mused as he finally arrived back where the ballistas had been scattered.

Yet to his surprise, not a single body or weapon was in sight. The silence was a bit too loud.

Nonetheless, that meant he had completed his mission and could now go back home.

There were still a few questions he had—such as, how did that apostle even know he was Neraxis in the first place? Wasn’t the mask supposed to hide his identity?

[I think it only works if they don’t know you exist in the first place. Since that apostle did, then... yeah,] Evangeline commented.

I see... That does sound a bit annoying, he snickered and walked back to the city.

After a little while, he made it and dashed all the way to the bell tower where he had interrogated Eris, before sitting down on the ground, overlooking the entire city.

Soon, he pulled out his phone and immediately sent a single text.

<Neraxis: It’s done. Pull me out.>

Immediately, he received a response.

<Amara: Just a moment. I have to scatter the rest of the group.>

Inwardly nodding, he put the phone back into his pocket and waited patiently.

After a few minutes of waiting, he saw a small crack appear in the space in front of him. Therefore, with a couple of steps, he started walking inside.

However, he suddenly felt some kind of push, followed by someone grabbing his waist, clinging tightly onto it.

Looking down, he noticed the green-haired elf with a bow on her back, glaring at him with a victorious grin.

"Got you now, motherfucker."

"You idio—" Neraxis’s words were interrupted when the space shifted around him.

Soon, he flopped onto a cold, hard table with an annoying elf lying on top of him—as well as a golden-haired beauty staring at him with a cold look.

"Fifth Veil... Just what do you think you’re doing?"