Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: The Birth of the Villain
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Consciousness returned. Or rather, it felt like being born anew.
"Ugh..."
A strange sensation, as if this body wasn't my own.
Even my memories were hazy. The last thing I clearly remembered was...
'I fell asleep while reading comics after getting off work yesterday...?'
In my fading memories, I was an ordinary office worker. A company drone exhausted from overtime. The kind of guy who found small comfort in hero comics.
Wait, what did I just say? Overtime-weary office worker?
Bubble bubble—
What nonsense! There's no way this body belonged to such a pathetic human!
When I opened my eyes, the world looked distorted through the liquid.
Breathing in this bluish fluid... Had I become a fish or something?
Beyond the glass, people in white coats bustled about. Behind them were bizarre machines and monitors displaying complex graphs.
"Experiment Omega's consciousness manifestation confirmed."
"King's DNA integration rate at 98.7%. Highest recorded value. Soul stabilization in progress."
"Finally... the prophecy becomes reality. The king's return is at hand...!"
King? Return? What were they talking about?
'Experiment...? Omega...?'
Was that me?
Calling this body an 'experiment'—how dare these pathetic humans!
My mind was a whirlwind of confusion.
Daily life at the office, overtime and company dinners, the fatigue on the commute home... Those memories were fading away.
And in their place surged strange impulses.
'I want cake... chocolate... potato chips...'
Why was I suddenly thinking this? And something even more important... what I truly desired was...
'I want to conquer the world!'
World conquest. The desire to put everyone beneath my feet!
Yes, that was my deepest craving!
This narrow glass box was starting to feel unbearably confining.
A great villain trapped in a place like this! Forget world conquest—I didn't even have room to move!
This wouldn't do.
"Experiment Omega's brainwaves are becoming unstable!"
"Problem with DNA stabilization? Personality formation is deviating from projections!"
"No, this is actually a better sign. The king's authority is manifesting perfectly."
I had to get out of here. The vast world awaited this body!
"Kakak...!"
'Behold! The greatness of this body... the power to rule all creation!'
...Huh? Power? What power did this body have?
Still, saying it like that made me feel like I had something!
I wanted to escape.
I wanted to conquer the world!
I needed loyal minions!
And... I wanted snacks!
...The last one felt a bit off?
No, even a world-conquering being craves snacks sometimes. I deserved the finest desserts befitting my dignity!
"Warning! Omega's Gray Matter is surging out of control! Administer sedatives immediately and activate the suppressor..."
Because... I am the villain of villains!
I clenched my fist.
'Such a frail-looking hand... what could it even...'
Huh? No, this body is strong! This body is special! This body is great!
I swung the ultimate punch at the glass wall.
BAM—!
The impact was far beyond expectations.
The thick reinforced glass spiderwebbed with cracks and shattered into pieces in an instant!
The liquid inside swirled and spilled out, flooding the lab floor with a blue puddle in seconds.
"Gasp, cough...! Hah..."
Breathing in air filled my lungs with a cold, unfamiliar sensation.
The soaked white lab suit clung uncomfortably to my skin, but such trivial annoyances meant nothing compared to the joy of freedom.
"Kakak! Finally... the era of this body has arrived!"
Weeeeng—!
A blaring alarm sounded. The lab flooded with red light.
"Omega experiment escape! This is not a drill! Prepare containment protocols! All alchemists to stations!"
Armed soldiers poured in from the end of the corridor. Laser sights trained on me.
Bang—!
"Eek!"
Gunfire rang out. I ducked in surprise, but for some reason, the bullets whizzed past me.
"Huh? What? Can't even shoot straight? Looks like they never served! Then this body shall take its leave!!"
I bolted down the corridor in a frenzy. What amazed me was how light this body felt. Like slicing through the air at flying speed!
After running for a while, I halted before a glass wall.
"Wha... what is this?"
Reflected there was a girl with silver-long hair and ruby-red eyes.
I touched my face with my hands.
Smooth, pale skin, small nose, red lips. I pinched my chubby cheek... ow, that hurt!
"This... this is supposed to be this body? Impossible! How am I supposed to conquer the world looking this small and cute?!"
I clenched my fist, but even that slender hand looked oddly endearing.
A world-conquering villain needed at least a muscular, rugged build or a terrifying demonic form, right?
"I can't strike fear into people like this!"
Suddenly, something peculiar caught my eye above my head.
A pair of black horns poking out from between my hair.
Huh? Horns? Perfect!
Horns were a special mark no ordinary human could have!
"Kakak! As expected, this body is exceptional!"
Yes, I wasn't some lowly Experiment Omega.
This body's name was... name was...!
"Grimoire."
The moment I said the name, everything became clear.
"That's right! This body's name is Grimoire! The supreme being bearing the King's DNA! The one and only villain destined to conquer the world!"
"Target spotted! Omega in Sector 7! Prepare Solomon's Chains!"
"Secure it quickly! It's incomplete due to ritual interruption!"
"Limbs optional! But secure the horns and head intact!"
"Eek! Wha... what did you say?!"
How dare they treat this body like an object!
I stopped and whirled around.
"Listen up, you worms! Etch this body's name into your souls! The supreme villain who will rule the world— the great Grimoire-sama!"
At that instant, intense gray light emanated from the horns on my forehead.
"Gray Matter levels exceeding critical threshold! All parameters out of control!"
"Impossible... this only happens in simulations..."
The researchers' terrified screams rang out. Good—fear this body!
This body was one that all humans must kneel and tremble before!
Thud!
I stomped the ground.
"Feel the greatness of this body's power!"
The earth split like an explosion, sending shockwaves rippling out.
The heavily armed soldiers flew back, slamming into the walls!
The overwhelming power tingling in my fingertips was pure ecstasy.
The conviction that this body was worthy to rule the world coursed through me.
Whoosh—!
One kick crumpled special armor like paper. A swing of my hand toppled soldiers like bowling pins. It was so easy, I could laugh!
"Do you grasp how foolish it is to stand in this body's way?!"
Explosions and screams mingled around me. Amid it all, this body strode forth proudly.
The gray light from my horns grew even more intense. My will was surging!
"I don't like that pillar! Crumble!"
"No! That's the lab's core support..."
Boom!
I'd kicked the most vital spot, apparently. The ceiling began collapsing in a chain reaction.
"How dare you pickle this body in a glass jar! Revenge for that!!"
Of course, I'd only just woken up, but details didn't matter.
Walls crumbled, ceilings fell. Fires ignited somewhere, and explosions echoed.
Building the lab this flimsy—shoddy construction? Must've skimped on rebar.
Anyway, everything blocking my path was demolished. And in ways that conveniently favored this body!
The collapsing ceiling missed me by inches, and exploding equipment blasted open blocked doors.
'Lucky!'
I felt like the protagonist on stage.
The world seemed to be aiding me.
No—the world existed for this body!
"I am immortal!!"
Bang!
Glass shattering, metal crumpling, alarms blaring...
"Block it! Don't let it through! If the central power room is destroyed, the entire facility is at risk...!"
A researcher shouted in panic before clamping his mouth shut. The others glared at him.
"Oh? Kindly pointing out vital infrastructure—much obliged!"
Heh heh, every great villain's birth demands a fitting explosion!
The central power room door came into view.
"To block the king's path—foolish!"
I swung my fist. The massive steel door crumpled and flew inward. Inside, a huge energy core pulsed with red light.
"Now, time for the grand finale!"
I gathered power in my toes and leaped. Gray light enveloped my body. I unleashed the Grimoire Kick at the core!
KABOOM—!
The core shattered amid the explosion.
Central Power Room Explosion! Sanctuary Total Annihilation in 5 Minutes!
Alarms blared deafeningly. Flames roared, and explosions chained one after another.
'But weird... everywhere this body attacks is some critical device...'
Coincidence? No! It was thanks to this body's brilliant insight and genius intellect!
The thrill of vengeance was short-lived. A foreboding thought struck my mind.
"...Wait, if I stay here, even the great Grimoire-sama might blow up too?"
My senses snapped alert. Immortal or not, this explosion was no joke...
"Cowardly humans! A suicide ploy to take this body down with you! But your scheme is seen through!"
I turned and fled the power room.
Farewell—I head to the vast world!
That's when it happened.
As I tried to escape the crumbling lab, my gaze locked onto one spot.
At the end of a corridor flashing with red emergency lights: a special isolation room.
There was a woman.
Graceful and refined poise, jet-black hair cascading to her waist.
But contrasting her beauty, her body was bound like a fierce beast. Metal shackles on wrists and ankles, thick chains cinching her waist, a special control device around her neck.
Seals this intense meant she had to be...
"Undoubtedly special! Though not quite on this body's level!"
She slowly raised her head.
Her face, revealed through the black hair, was flawless without a single blemish. Yet her blue eyes were... utterly vacant, stripped of all emotion.
She remained silent.
"Excellent! This body shall graciously rescue you! The mercy of the great Grimoire-sama!"
I naturally reached for the restraints. Mere metal trinkets like these...
"Ugh... why is this so..."
Unlike expected, the chains didn't budge.
These pathetic irons dared defy this body's will?
I wished harder, more fervently.
"Shatter! By this body's command!"
Creeeak—
Cracks suddenly formed. They widened... and finally!
Snap!
With a resounding crack, the chains binding her shattered to pieces.
"Done! This body saved you!"
I puffed out my chest proudly. Now she'd kneel in gratitude and pledge loyalty!
...But the woman remained expressionless.
Huh? Why? Shouldn't she be tearing up and swearing fealty?
She simply rose slowly and gazed at me.
The lab crumbling around us. Flames rising, explosions booming—yet we stared at each other amid the chaos.
Strangely, everything felt serene.
"What's your name?"
"...I have none."
"No name? Who lives like that?"
Perfect! Decision made!
"From now on, your name is Everlin!"
"...Everlin?"
Finally! A ripple crossed her blank face.
"Yes! It means eternal loyalty at this body's side!"
A world-conquering villain needed minions. And this elegant woman seemed perfect as the first.
"From now on, you're this body's maid! You're not quite on this body's level, but sufficiently refined—so I grant it specially! The greatest honor—be grateful!"
BOOM—!
A massive explosion sent flames surging. The lab's collapse roared deafeningly.
"Eek! Time to really get out!"
"Pfft..."
"Wh-what?! Did you just laugh?!"
"Not at all."
Odd... must be my imagination?
"Let's go, Everlin! Follow this body! The great first step toward world conquest!"
"Yes, Master."
"I like that title! Keep calling me that!"
I brimmed with confidence that world conquest was within reach. With this body's invincible power and a refined maid at my side!
Perfect! Could there be a more ideal villain birth?
A few steps along the warped, explosion-ravaged corridor...
"Uh... but where do we go...?"
Come to think of it, this body knew nothing about the lab. Where was the exit? What lay outside? Where to start world conquest...
"No need to worry. I know the way. This way."
"O-of course this body knew too! Merely testing your utility! Good—you pass!"
The identity confusion lingered. Who made me like this? Why this power? Unknown. But now mattered.
I am Grimoire.
The villain to conquer the world.
"Everlin! As my first minion, I specially grant you the right to lead!"
"Thank you, Master."
At last, this body took its first step into the world.
Behind: the burning, collapsing lab.
Ahead...
Only a brilliant future awaited!