Life Of A Nobody - as a Villain-Chapter 378: Being in prison is also a plan, right

"It's all because of you." Valtor said, kicking a pebble towards the opposite prison cell from where he was locked in.

Rio raised his hand to catch the stone, before crushing it to powder with his fingers. "I'm sorry, but I don't recall stopping you from fleeing."

"That's cause I didn't have enough time." Seeing him still calm, Valtor stepped forward and complained, "First you started the war and then they locked the space with those weird tree plates. I even wasted my teleportation scroll trying to save you."

"I already told you I had everything under control." Rio replied and added further, "And besides, it was all part of a plan."

"So getting caught was in your plan too?"

"No." Rio replied honestly, but then shook his head, "But it doesn't change a thing. It still led me right where I wanted."

"Where? Locked in a 4×4 prison cell?"

"No, in the heart of this enemy camp. And probably soon, in front of some higher ups who may actually know something about this planet and our people."

"Wait, what?"

"We needed some inside information and now we're here." Rio answered, voicing his thoughts, "This dungeon's bugging me off ever since we set foot inside, and since normal folks here don't know the right answer, we might as well just meet their leader and ask him, 'nicely'."

"..." Hearing his explanation, Valtor looked at him for a few seconds. His eyes turning from questions to confusion, and then to understanding.

"So you finally got it." Seeing him frowning, Rio said with a smile.

Instead of answering, Valtor shot a question. "So you killed those darks just to cause a commotion, and to attract the camp leader's attention?"

"Yeah. I mean I also wanted to taste my skills and their strength first too, but they're all pretty much the same thing."

Valtor nodded his head and then thought about something. "Since we just needed the information, why the bloodshed? I mean after all 'that' I don't think this leader here would just let us go free."

A smirk came to Rio's face as he heard his question, but before he could answer, some guards came knocking on their cells.

"Well, whatever your plan is, I hope it works." Valtor said as he walked out of his prison cell in handcuffs. "We can't waste too much time here. I have something else that's more important."

"Ohh, missing the miss already." Rio teased talking about Amaya, but Valtor just speeded off.

[Something's off host.] System voiced out the thought for its host. Making Rio nod his head in approval. 'I know.'

'How's Amy?'

[She's safe for now. But I sensed the aura of chaos earlier while you were locked.] System informed Rio, making him sigh heavily, [I'm sure she didn't do it willingly, someone probably made her angry.] System spoke for her favor, making Rio nod his head.

'Well, Kali will handle the chaos. But just in case, lock this dungeon for me. No divinations are allowed.' Rio said, making preparations as there's a whole mad cult waiting outside, always looking for the successor of Kali's chaos.

[As you wish.] System said excitedly as soon as his words ended.

The instant response made Rio raise his guard as he remembered something and added instantly. 'Wait, use that 30% buy off coupon I got in lottery last time, instead of hogging all the points I have.'

[Tsk, cheapskate.] System made a sound of clicking its tongue, before gobbling the price. [70000 points deducted.]

'Phew, saved 30k.' Rio said breathing a sigh of relief.

[Don't be so happy I'll take them next time.]

'Yeah yeah whatever.'

While Rio was busy bickering with his system, they were led to a grand hall made in an open ground under open skies. The trees and forest around that place had been cleaned up neatly. The entire state was surrounded by flags and small camps and markings of the tribal logos flying in the air.

One thing that Rio had previously noticed was made clear yet again, there were no animals, beasts or monsters in this camp.

In the center of the open ground, there was a stage made out of a dead tree's shaft. A large chair carved from the same wood in the middle.

A man with his face covered in a white veil was sitting on that chair. His withered body and the exposed wrinkled skin showing signs of old age. Yet Rio could feel a gaze as sharp as his father from behind the veil. Making him doubt the difficulty of clearing this dungeon.

Aside from him, around the throne seat, were 4 flags etched in the ground, one person standing in front of each of them.

Rio identified 2 of them. One who was the leader of the Nefrat army which captured them, and one who was present during their battle but never stepped forward to interfere.

From the other two, one burly man especially looked at him with hatred. Barely controlling his anger and stopping himself from rushing out to kill him.

'Kill the young, and comes old for revenge. Kill the old, and then comes older.' Rio said in his heart as he showed a smirk at the darks helplessness.

The last man was surprisingly a human. His face showing that smile which was the one thing Rio hated most in the world. The smile which seems friendly, harmless and kinder on the surface, but hides the cruel calculations of an old manipulator.

[He really should've invested more time in his acting.] System said in agreement, already aware who's gonna be the first to die when the real fight breaks out.

While Rio was looking around taking in the presence of everyone, the 'council' had already been set up. Everyone had reached their positions and took their place. With a hefty crowd and standard soldiers standing guard.

A soldier came and hit Rio's knees with a wooden spear, forcing him to bent down. Rio glared back in anger, surprising the poor soldier who dropped his weapon and fell down choking.

After coughing a few times while holding his throat, the poor fellow stopped breathing. Not understanding what happened until the moment he died.

With just his sight a soul was sent straight to sky.

"You dare…" Seeing his actions, the leader from darks who already hated him, instantly stood up shouting. Only to stop as he met Rio's gaze.

Cold sweat formed over the dark's forehead as he felt like he was staring straight at a demon. To him the whole world was covered in darkness and all that was left was just a gaze filled with cold intent and indifference staring straight through his soul, as if a God judging an insignificant mortal.

(Thup…)

"Enough." The old leader who was silent till now, tapped his staff on the ground and spoke up. His hoarse tone breaking the silence of fear that had spread in the area, bringing the dark leader out of his illusion and back to reality.

(Phew huhh phfffhhhh) The leader of darks sat back on his seat with his head down. Others couldn't see his expressions, yet everyone could hear the heavy breaths the man was taking. And shaky hands he was trying to hide.

'What the hell happened?' This thought reverberated through everyone's head.

Their brains wondering, how could a little kid scare the mighty dark's leader into this state by just a glance, but only one guy here knew the answer.

Valtor turned his head and stared at Rio. It was a skill he knew, a blessing he held too. He knew its effects, and he knew its limits too. And that's why looking at Rio now, for the first time his eyes showed fear.

'Just what kind of hatred is he brewing inside him?' Valtor wondered remembering the blessing of Shani and what it's description said.

[The effect of 'gaze of hatred' directly depends on the hatred held in the holder's heart.]