I Have 10,000 SSS Rank Villains In My System Space

Chapter 327: True advice

Arthur’s mouth hung open, slack and unguarded, as he stared at the scene unfolding in front of him. For a brief, humiliating moment, he even rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, as if wiping away an illusion. Then he shook his head sharply, turning it left, then right, scanning the arena in disbelief.

Though it didn’t help at all..

There were four.. no, five Razeals.

They stood at different points around him, some closer, some farther, their silhouettes overlapping through the water like reflections fractured by ripples. One leaned slightly forward, another stood relaxed, another appeared mid-step. And the worst part?

Arthur couldn’t tell which one was real or not..

No correction. His instincts said that they were all real.

The water betrayed nothing. Every disturbance, every subtle current, every displaced ripple felt identical. His trained senses, honed since childhood in the depths of Atlantis, failed him completely. He could tell, logically, that these were afterimages residual impressions left behind by overwhelming speed.. but his eyes and senses refused to accept it. Each figure felt present. Solid and definitely threatening.. Like if he went close he’ll get fucked..

His heart thudded against his ribs.

This is weird, Arthur thought. This isn’t just speed.

Razeal’s presence felt fragmented, stretched across space itself, as if reality had briefly lost its grip on him. Arthur had fought countless opponents faster than himself, stronger than himself but never someone who made his perception unreliable. Never someone who made the world feel wrong.

“This.. this is bullshit,” Arthur shouted suddenly, raising his voice to mask the unease crawling up his spine. “Men don’t run like bitches.”

His words echoed through the water-filled colosseum.

“This is a combat match!” he shouted, pointing his spear vaguely between the shifting figures. “Not some damn race. If you’re a man, come fight me.. face to face. What is this, huh? Running around like a coward?”

Razeal, several meters away or perhaps right in front of him; Arthur could no longer be sure.. rolled his eyes.

Shameless bastard, Razeal thought, irritation flickering across his otherwise calm mind. Wasn’t he the one running from me minutes ago?

The hypocrisy was almost impressive.

Arthur had spent most of the match abusing his superior speed, darting in and out, taunting, circling, refusing direct confrontation. Now that the roles had reversed.. now that he was the slower one he suddenly wanted “honorable” combat.

“So much for being a prince,” Razeal mused inwardly, shaking his head slightly.

Truthfully, this fight should’ve ended already.

If Razeal had wanted, Arthur would’ve been unconscious on the arena floor minutes ago. But Razeal hadn’t been in a hurry. This was the first time he’d tested a Saint-rank movement technique in live combat, and the feedback was… satisfying.

No.. more than that actually..

It was intoxicating.

In the short span since receiving Phantom Steps, his mastery had skyrocketed at a pace that even he found faintly absurd. What began as curiosity had turned into instinct almost immediately. His body adapted faster than his thoughts, muscles responding to concepts instead of commands.

He achieved.. Advance proficiency already..

At this level, he could generate up to eight phantoms in a single chained step, With one speed covering around three hundred meters. And it wasn’t just raw distance.. it was control too. Directional changes mid-step. Angled bursts. Inverted launches.

The most frightening part was how little contact he now needed.

At first, Phantom Steps required a solid push from the ground. Now? A brush. A tap. The faintest point of resistance was enough. Razeal suspected.. no, he was nearly certain that he could trigger the technique from something as insubstantial as a leaf balanced on air, or a drifting fragment of debris.

The afterimages also lingered longer now.. up to five seconds now long enough to confuse even high-level combatants.

And all of this.. He learned just in under three minutes.

Unimaginable, for most.

Razeal exhaled slowly, letting the sensation settle. The technique no longer felt foreign. It felt… natural now. Like it had always belonged to him.

“Alright,” he said aloud, his voice calm but decisive. “Enough wasting time.”

His shoe brushed the arena floor.. barely enough to stir the water.

Then the world shifted.

Arthur didn’t see Razeal move.

He simply appeared.

One moment the space in front of Arthur was empty.. crowded only by wavering afterimages and the next, Razeal was there, standing directly in front of him, so close that Arthur could see the faint crimson glint in his eyes.

No warning. No buildup.

Just presence.

Arthur’s breath hitched violently.

“Fuck!” he cursed, instinctively trying to step back, but it was too late. The distance he normally relied on.. his greatest advantage was gone. Completely erased.

Too fast, his mind screamed. This is just too fast.

Razeal’s fist rose into his vision.

Arthur’s broken nose throbbed in memory, pain flaring phantom-like across his face. His heart began to pound harder, fear mixing with adrenaline. Honestly he didn’t want to feel that again. But again he cant Dodge attack from such zero distance..

I have to stop this, he thought desperately.

And then.. logic kicked in.

This wasn’t worth it.

Arthur wasn’t here to die. Why is he need to get serious? This was just an examination, not a war. The second examiner would handle the next stage anyway and that man was far stronger than himself.. So why not leave it to him?

Why ruin his face further? Why risk permanent injury of shame in front of the entire kingdom?

Decision was instant, Arthur raised his hand sharply.

“I give up!” he shouted, forcing a friendly smile onto his blood-smeared face. “You passed. You passed, alright?”

The words came fast, rehearsed almost. “No need to continue. I’ve seen enough.” His smile widened, trying to soften the moment. “You’re strong. Strong enough.”

Inside, his thoughts raced. Let the next examiner deal with him. No need for me to bleed more.

But

Why wasn’t Razeal stopping?

Arthur’s eyes widened in sudden alarm as the raised fist didn’t slow. But fastening up..

Wait

That was Arthur’s last coherent thought.

The punch landed squarely against his cheek.

The impact was catastrophic.

Arthur’s face visibly deformed around Razeal’s fist, skin and bone compressing in a way no face ever should. The shockwave exploded outward, water detonating around them as if a cannon had gone off inside the arena.

Arthur’s body launched backward like a missile.

Not thrown.. fired.

He tore through the water, leaving a violent trail of ruptured currents behind him, smashing into the invisible barrier separating the arena from the spectators.

The impact sent a dull, muffled humm through the arena, the sound traveling like a pressure wave through the surrounding currents. His frame rebounded awkwardly, limbs flailing for a split second before gravity reclaimed him, and he dropped back onto the arena floor with a heavy splash, water surging outward in trembling rings.

Silence.

A deep, suffocating silence settled over the colosseum.

Thousands of spectators stared, frozen in place, their earlier gasps and murmurs swallowed whole by disbelief. They had just watched the same scene repeat itself.. again. The prince of Atlantis, examiner of the royal competition, reduced to a projectile… twice. No cheers. No outrage. Just stunned quiet, broken only by the slow settling of water.. And hit on his face again too?

Arthur groaned, then pushed himself up, coughing harshly as water dripped from his hair and armor. His jaw clenched tight as he straightened, turning toward Razeal with fury blazing in his eyes. One side of his face had already begun to swell grotesquely, skin discolored into angry shades of red and blue, his cheek puffed out so badly that it looked almost comical. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, mixing with the water around his feet.

“You!” Arthur shouted, pointing an accusing finger straight at Razeal. “You asshole! Didn’t I say you passed?! Why the hell did you still punch me?!”

His words echoed sharply, carrying through the arena, carrying with them wounded pride more than physical pain.

Razeal blinked once, then tilted his head slightly. He spread his hands apart in a lazy, almost innocent gesture, shoulders lifting in a casual shrug.

“I didn’t hear you,” he said plainly.

Arthur stared at him for a long second, disbelief warring with rage. His lips trembled as if he were about to explode.

“You… I’m going to fu..” Arthur took a sharp step forward, instinct screaming at him to retaliate, to reclaim even a shred of dignity.

Then he stopped.

His eyes flicked sideways.. toward the stands.

Toward the millions upon millions of spectators watching him. Watching everything. Nobles, Warriors, Soldiers, Common Atlantians.. All eyes on him.

Reality crashed down.

Arthur cleared his throat loudly, the sound forced and awkward, and his posture shifted abruptly. His clenched fists loosened. The fury on his face melted into something far more practiced.

“Haha… it’s fine. It’s fine,” he said quickly, waving one hand dismissively as if brushing the whole incident aside. His forced laughter rang hollow, strained. “Mistakes happened.. And I was going easy on you anyway.”

Razeal raised an eyebrow

“Yeah,” Arthur continued, patting his own chest as though reassuring himself. “It’s not like this was a serious life or death battle, right? Just a competition.” He laughed again, louder this time, though it only made his swollen face look worse. “You passed.”

He stepped closer to Razeal, closing the distance without hesitation, and before Razeal could react, Arthur slung an arm around his shoulders in an exaggerated show of camaraderie. The sudden familiarity was jarring.

Razeal stiffened slightly, eyes flicking sideways in surprise, but he didn’t shove him off.

Arthur leaned in, grinning broadly despite the blood and bruises, his face now resembling an overinflated puffer fish. “Haha, you’re strong,” he said, voice dripping with forced enthusiasm. “Of course you are. Just like I expected from someone my sister sent.”

He laughed again, loud and shameless, as if the last several minutes hadn’t happened at all.

Razeal stared straight ahead, silent, his expression unreadable. Internally, though, he couldn’t help but marvel at the sheer audacity.

This guy has no shame, he thought. Absolutely none.

Still, he hadn’t allowed Arthur this close just out of courtesy.

“Leave that for now,” Razeal said finally, cutting through Arthur’s laughter. “I actually want to ask you something.”

Arthur paused mid-laugh, blinking. He pulled back just enough to look at Razeal’s face, confusion flickering across his bruised features.

“Huh? Ask something?” Arthur asked, genuinely puzzled. “Umm.. if it’s about the second examiner.. Like want me to tell you way to win or tell his weaknesses.. Just forget it, man. I really can’t help you there.”

Without waiting for confirmation, Arthur leaned in closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially, as if sharing a secret between old friends.

“Actually that old monster doesn’t have weaknesses..,” he whispered. “Not that you would be able to exploite it even if he had one.. So don’t even think about it also there’s no other way to win. But since we’re… friends now,” he added with a grin, “I’ll give you some advice.”

Razeal listened without interrupting.

“When it starts hurting too much.. just give up,” Arthur said quietly. “Dont try to force it thinking let you pass.. He won’t… Well am just being honest with you.”

His smile faded slightly, replaced by something more serious.

“I mean… you’re human, right?” Arthur continued. “You should understand how this works. This competition? It’s for Atlantians. We can’t let an outsider win.” He shrugged lightly, as if this were the most natural thing in the world. “Father won’t say it outright.. he’s got pride, after all but he’ll definitely tell Knox. The second examiner to take care of it. And Knox will make sure you don’t pass.”

Arthur patted Razeal’s shoulder reassuringly. “And he cant control his strength so if you don’t want to get badly hurt, just bow out when it gets rough. Don’t worry.. father isn’t a bad man. He’ll appreciate your definetly.. and even reward you anyway. You already made a name for yourself afterall.”

He finished with a friendly nod, utterly convinced he’d just done Razeal a favor.

Razeal absorbed the words in silence.

So that was it.

Just pure racism, plain and simple.. dressed up as tradition and honor.

They don’t want me to win just because am not them? Razeal thought

But he also understood something else just as clearly.

They cared deeply about appearances.

If he won.. fairly, publicly, undeniably there would be nothing they could do. Not without tearing apart their own image atleast.. and he wonder if they will..

Good i guess ..Razeal thought. That makes things easier

He pushed those thoughts aside for later and shook his head slightly, turning his gaze back to Arthur.

“That’s not what I wanted to ask,” he said.

Arthur blinked again, visibly confused now. “Not that?” He frowned. “Then what?”

Before Arthur could overthink it, Razeal spoke, his tone steady, his eyes locked onto Arthur’s.

“I heard you have three wives,” Razeal said, pausing just long enough for the words to sink in, “and over three hundred concubines.”

He tilted his head slightly.

“Is that true?”

Arthur blinked

” …Yes?” he said slowly, clearly unsure why this question had suddenly come up. “I mean.. yeah. Three wives. Concubines too. But what about it?”

Razeal looked at him for a moment, expression unreadable, then exhaled lightly as if organizing his thoughts. When finally he spoke again and weirdly enough he was strangely sincere.

“It’s just… I’m curious,” Razeal said. “How you did that..” His eyes narrowed slightly..

He gestured vaguely with one hand, as if grasping at an abstract idea.

“I mean.. there’s someone I want,” he continued. “Someone.. I mean. I want someone to love me the most. Not temporarily. Not because of convenience. I mean… permanently.” His tone dipped, quieter now. “So I just want to know how to did it. How you make people love you also how to keep it from fading or decreasing. Its kinda important to me..”

Arthur stared at him.

For half a second, he looked genuinely stunned.

Then.. his face broke into the widest, proudest grin he’d worn all day.

“So that’s it!” Arthur laughed, slapping his palm against his own chest. “You’re curious about my greatest skill, huh?”

He leaned closer, arm still draped comfortably around Razeal’s shoulders, his voice dropping conspiratorially. “Hah. I should’ve known. Finally, someone with taste.”

There was real delight in his eyes now.. not arrogance, not mockery. Something closer to validation. For once, no one was calling him or looking at him like he’s.. degenerate, a lecher, or a disgrace. Someone was actually asking him for advice.

“You want to learn from the best huh?” Arthur said proudly. “Good. Very good. Since we’re friends now, I’ll tell you something precious. Something most men never understand.”

Razeal tilted his head slightly, attentive despite himself. He wasn’t really expected much.. Arthur was a prince, after all. Status must’ve did half the work for him. But even so… people cant gather in such numbers without talent.

“What is it?” Razeal asked.

Arthur leaned in, almost whispering, as if revealing a sacred doctrine.

“The secret,” he said slowly, savoring the moment, “is this..”

He paused.

“If you want a woman to love you forever… don’t have just one.”

Razeal’s eyelid twitched.

Arthur continued, utterly serious.

“Have more. At least three.”

Silence.

Razeal jyst stared at him.

Arthur nodded solemnly, as if he had just delivered ancient wisdom passed down through generations. “That way, her love never fades.”

Razeal blinked once. Then he rolled his eyes, looking away in clear disappointment.

Of course, he thought flatly. I expected too much.

He had half a mind to disengage entirely.. this was exactly the kind of nonsense he’d anticipated. Prince logic. Status logic. The kind of thinking that only worked because no one dared contradict it.

Arthur noticed the shift immediately.

He frowned. “What? You don’t get it?”

Razeal glanced back at him, expression skeptical. “I don’t see how that helps.”

Arthur sighed dramatically. “Listen properly.”

He lifted one finger, lecturing now.

“If you have one woman,” Arthur explained, “she’ll fight with you… But if you have more than one” his grin sharpened, “they’ll fight for you.”

Razeal’s gaze stilled.

Arthur went on, warming to the topic. “They compete. They compare. They push themselves to stand out. To be chosen. To be the most loved.” He tapped Razeal’s chest lightly. “They don’t want to lose to each other. And in trying to win you over… they give you more than they ever would if they felt secure.”

There was no malice in his voice. No manipulation, as Arthur saw it. This was simply how the world worked to him.

Razeal felt something click.

Not fully.

But enough.

His eyes sharpened, a faint light flickering within them as the idea took shape in his mind not exactly as Arthur intended, but twisted through Razeal’s own lens. Competition. Pressure. Desire redirected outward instead of inward.

If the one who loves me the most is destined to kill me… he thought, then diluting that devotion…

His gaze brightened slightly.

This wasn’t the answer.

But it was an answer ao

Slowly, a smile crept onto Razeal’s face.. not mocking, not sarcastic. Thoughtful.

“I see,” he said quietly.

Arthur straightened, clearly pleased. “See? I knew you’d get it.”

In the live stream, chaos erupted.

Degenerated Bastard: Such vast wisdom… I feel enlightened.

Ancestor Xue: If only I had known this truth when I lived… what a wasted existence. Kid! Get on your knees and worship him! This is true mastery!

Razeal looked at it.. as sighed

These idiots…

But he didn’t deny it outright. If nothing else, the reaction told him this philosophy wasn’t unique to Arthur.. it resonated, disturbingly, with others who had lived long and indulged deeply.

Razeal sighed, then turned fully toward Arthur. He raised his arm and casually slung it around Arthur’s shoulders in return, mirroring the earlier gesture.

“You’re my friend now,” Razeal said simply.

Arthur beamed.

“If you ever have a problem,” Razeal continued, voice steady, “come to me.”

Arthur laughed. “Now that’s the spirit!”

“But,” Razeal added, eyes narrowing slightly as his smile deepened, “you’re not done yet. You need to tell me more. How to start. How to keep control. How to make sure it doesn’t backfire.”

Arthur chuckled, clearly enjoying himself. “Ahhh, that’s advanced theory. But don’t worry.. we’ve got time.”

Razeal nodded, satisfied.

This path, he thought, might just keep the end from ever arriving.

And for the first time since learning his fate, he felt like he had found a crack.. small, imperfect, but real in the inevitability hanging over his life.. So he couldn’t help but smile.

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