My Borderline Supervillain-Slash-Hero System-Chapter 167

Moments after Zane lost consciousness and sank into deep slumber, a massive figure appeared beside his fallen body.

It was Pudge Mordingan.

All this time, he had been following Zane—so quietly that not even the System within Zane had detected his presence.

It wasn't an error.

Pudge posed no hostility.

Because of his unique connection to the System itself, he was categorized not as a threat—but as an ally. That was why the System never warned Zane of his existence.

Pudge crouched beside the unconscious youth and studied his pale face.

"This kid…" he murmured, voice low and heavy. "He just killed a veteran Five-Star assassin while still being a One-Star."

He let out a slow breath.

"This isn't merely about raw power. Even I would struggle to kill someone like that cleanly."

His eyes narrowed with rare admiration.

"It's his combat instinct. His fighting sense. Skills far beyond his age… far beyond his experience."

Pudge straightened and gazed down at Zane for a long moment.

"My friend," he said softly, as if speaking to someone unseen, "now I finally understand why you chose this brat to inherit your legacy."

He gently lifted Zane into his arms.

In the next instant, the massive figure faded away—

vanishing from the shattered bamboo grove as if he had never been there at all.

Only silence remained.

In the next instant, Pudge appeared before a door in the Sunflower Hotel. Without ceremony, he rang the bell, gently laid Zane on the floor, and vanished.

The door opened almost immediately.

Erlin stepped out—

and froze.

"Zane!"

Her shriek cut through the hallway as she dropped to her knees and gathered him into her arms. Panic flared in her eyes as she carried him inside and laid him carefully on the bed.

"Zane… wake up," she whispered, shaking him lightly.

No response.

Her worry deepened, dread creeping into her chest—

until she heard it.

A soft, steady snore.

She blinked, stunned, then let out a shaky breath of relief.

"…You're just exhausted," she murmured, brushing a strand of hair from his face. "Completely worn out."

She tucked the blanket around him, her expression softening.

"I'll let you rest for now," she decided. Then, after a brief pause, she smiled faintly.

"No—when you wake up, you'll need food. A lot of it."

With renewed purpose, Erlin rushed into the kitchen, already planning a feast worthy of the man who had pushed himself beyond his limits.

Behind her, Zane slept on—

unaware of the danger he had survived,

and the quiet care waiting for him when he awoke.

While the tournament raged on, Zane remained asleep for the next three days.

He slept deeply, snoring as if nothing in the world could disturb him.

On the morning of the fourth day, his eyelids finally fluttered open.

"…Where am I?"

The words came out hoarse, barely above a whisper.

Zane tried to sit up—

and instantly, searing pain tore through every inch of his body.

"Ghh—!" He groaned, collapsing back onto the bed. Every cell screamed in protest. His body felt like it had been dismantled and poorly stitched back together.

Erlin rushed to his side, gently lifting his head and supporting his shoulders.

"Easy. Easy," she said softly. "You're home."

Zane breathed out slowly, eyes unfocused.

"…What happened after you left that day?"

"I went for a hunt," he replied weakly.

Erlin frowned. "I figured as much. You let me leave alone. But what exactly did you face to end up unconscious for three full days?"

"Three days?" Zane tried to rise again—then hissed and gave up immediately.

"Stop," Erlin scolded gently. "You're completely mana-exhausted. You need food first—real food—to replenish your vitality."

She paused, eyes narrowing. "Now answer me. Who did you fight?"

"A group of assassins," Zane said casually. "One of them was a Five-Star expert."

Erlin's eyes widened. "A Five-Star?!"

"Mm. Not just fought him," Zane added. "I slaughtered the old bastard. So yeah… I'm spent."

He glanced around the room. "By the way, did you go back and carry me here?"

"No," Erlin replied slowly. "I found you lying right outside our door."

Zane frowned.

"…That's strange."

His mind raced through possibilities. Teachers. Teammates. Shelby.

Then one name surfaced.

Henry?

Zane stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.

Was it him…?

Before he could dwell on it further, Erlin rushed back from the kitchen, pushing a trolley stacked high with steaming dishes—most of them piled with meat.

The rich aroma filled the room instantly.

Grrrrr—

Zane's stomach growled so loudly it echoed.

Erlin burst into laughter. "Looks like someone's awake for real now."

"Stop it, woman, and serve me already," Zane grumbled, which only made her laugh harder.

The moment the food was placed before him, Zane transformed into a ravenous wolf. He devoured plate after plate, barely pausing to breathe, tearing through the neatly arranged meat like a beast starved for weeks.

For the next two hours, he ate nonstop.

Meanwhile, chaos erupted in the Sunflower Hotel's main kitchen. The raw meat reserves were being depleted at an alarming rate, sending the chefs into a full-blown panic.

Still, no one dared complain.

Zane was a sponsored guest under Shelby, who also happened to be the hotel's primary meat supplier.

Eventually, Zane felt warmth spread through his limbs as his vitality returned. He stood up slowly. The room was now filled with nothing but empty plates and scattered bones.

But he wasn't done.

He crushed each bone with his hands and began slurping out the marrow.

"What?! You're still hungry?!" Erlin exclaimed.

"Nah," Zane replied casually. "Everything here comes out of my pocket. I don't waste food. And you know bone marrow is the best replenishing material."

Erlin shook her head helplessly. "Fine, fine. Help yourself. But we're leaving soon. You have a match today—Shelby called earlier."

Zane paused. "While I was asleep for those three days… did any of my matches come up?"

"No," Erlin said with a relieved sigh. "Thankfully, none of your matches were scheduled."

What she didn't say—

what she couldn't know—

was that someone had quietly intervened behind the scenes.

Match defaults had been delayed.

Schedules subtly altered.

Records quietly adjusted.

And the one responsible was Pudge Mordingan.

From the shadows, the guardian of a legacy ensured that Zane would awaken in time—

not late,

not disqualified, 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

but exactly when the stage was ready for him.