Diary of the Improper Monster Girl Transformation.

Chapter 522 I Will Kill You (Bonus Chapter 282!)
! ! ?

Fein felt his heart stop at that moment.

Even as an epic-level archmage, he felt a sense of panic emanating from the depths of his soul at this moment.

Unexpected good things are called surprises.

Unexpected bad things are called frights.

The one appearing before Fenn at that moment was clearly the latter.

Pure shock.

The being I was most wary of appeared beside me like a ghost, without any warning or preparation.

If this doesn't count as a fright, then what does?

Fortunately, Fein was no novice. He forcibly suppressed the chaotic thoughts in his mind and quickly adjusted his emotions.

He was always a man who never showed his emotions, and was considered by the Witches' Guild to be a man of deep cunning who would not be easily swayed.

Because he maintained a poker face, his wavering was not revealed to others; only those who were watching him closely could vaguely detect the subtle changes in him.

He hid it very well—if no one was staring at him with a smile the whole time.

Herbert noticed every subtle reaction that occurred in Fein within those few breaths; not a single one escaped his notice.

Herbert watched Finn's expression change several times in less than half a second, eventually returning from shock to calm.

You seem a little nervous.

The white-haired boy smiled slightly and winked at the other person teasingly, as if he were joking with an old friend.

Surprised? Unexpected?
"Excuse me, is something bad happening to you right now?"

"If you need help, please don't be shy and tell me."

Herbert winked at him, took a small half-step forward, and very considerately lowered his voice, saying, "As your distinguished guest, we can provide you with a room and a change of clothes free of charge."

If it accidentally spills out, please go change your pants right away!
"..."

Fein frowned slightly as he listened to the boy's malicious teasing, but simply looked back at him silently.

He didn't get angry, nor did he snort, and his heart didn't flutter. He completely ignored this level of teasing.

His years of experience in high positions had cultivated a composure that wouldn't cause him to lose his composure over a few lighthearted remarks.

Finn is now very confused.

Herbert's relaxed attitude made Finn hesitate; he was unsure what Herbert was really thinking.

What does he mean?
An enemy? Is it a friend?
From Fein's perspective, he was very self-aware and knew that he was undoubtedly Herbert's enemy.

In public, he was the mastermind behind the assassination of the king and the biggest conspirator in the turmoil of the country.

Because of his various schemes, countless innocent people in this country have been implicated.

Personally, although he was not the mastermind, he was the source of Herbert's suffering.

If his plan hadn't been leaked, those cowardly and greedy nobles might not have actually made up their minds to take action.

If Herbert knew all this, then a paladin like him, who hates evil as much as he wants, would not only fail to remain calm in front of him, but would probably attack without hesitation.

Paladins are like that, especially Retribution Paladins like Herbert, who are extremely bloodthirsty. They are ruthless characters who would rather kill their opponents with "Holy Slash" than utter a single word.

And what is Herbert doing now?
He was actually joking with himself.

Although it was a malicious joke full of wicked humor, Herbert's attitude was not at all like that of someone facing an enemy who had caused him so much suffering.

This aroused both doubt and a faint hope in Fein's heart.

Does he know the role I played in those things, or is he clear about what I did?

If Herbert knew nothing, or not everything, then things... might still have a chance.

Although Finn was very reluctant to admit it, he still did not want to be enemies with Herbert if he could.

This doesn't mean I'm particularly afraid of Herbert.

No matter how talented Herbert is, he is not his match yet. He needs more time to grow, and his own strength alone cannot pose much of a threat to him.

Even if Herbert did gain the power to kill him in the future, he would still have the support of an ancient organization like the Witches' Guild.

But how long can such insurance last?
What if Herbert were to gain the power to challenge the entire Witch Guild in the future?

What's the point of hiding like a coward at that point?

Finn didn't want to get too involved with such a chosen one of the planes, and didn't want to be constantly watched by him.

At least, he was willing to temporarily back down before he could complete his plan.

If the plan succeeds, he will become the first person in the history of the Witches' Guild!
He will surpass all the sages of the past and enter a new realm!

Fane wants the whole world to hear his name!

He wants to...become a god!
He wanted to ignite the divine fire, to step into the realm of the gods, and to become one of them.

From the very first day he finally managed to step into the realm of magic by sheer chance, he had already made up his mind to trample everyone else underfoot.

To achieve this goal, he spared no expense in acquiring power.

He was even willing to join the Witch's Guild, an organization that held male mages in utter contempt, as a wandering mage.

He seized every opportunity, climbing ever upward until he broke through to the legendary level, ascended to the epic level, and became the chief of the tower, gradually expanding the small group of male mages who had always been unpopular in the Witch's Guild.

All of this was the result of his life's work.

Although the Epic Warriors were already among the most powerful people in the world, Finn was not satisfied.

This is still a long way from his true dream; it can be described as extremely far away.

He wanted to be deified, but he wasn't as confident as he was when he was young.

Through years of hard work, he has come to understand his talents and abilities, and knows where his limits lie.

If one tries to establish a church, spread fame, and eventually become a god like others, the success rate is too low, and it is too easy to be targeted maliciously by other gods.

He needed to find a "shortcut" to quickly achieve godhood and bypass everyone's gaze.

After a long search, two paths finally lay before us.

One option is to become a "godslayer," personally kill a god, and then inherit everything from Him.

The difficulty of this event is self-evident.

Fein was well aware of his own abilities and would never choose this path unless absolutely necessary.

The other method is even more ingenious.

They need to find the remains of a god, absorb the divine essence He left behind in the world, and after transforming into a demigod, rely on the church to forcibly confer godhood upon Him.

While this approach still carries some risk, it will encounter less resistance and take less time.

The only drawback is that the War of the Gods has been over for a long time, and the legacy of the gods that remains in the world has been divided up by various forces, so there are very few who can escape his grasp.

Moreover, the gods are well aware of this shortcut, and for many years they have been ordering their respective churches to search for and collect any dubious material in various places.

The divine relics left behind in the mortal realm have been completely collected, with only a small amount possibly remaining in those extremely dangerous "forbidden zones for the gods."

However, the danger of entering the forbidden zone of the gods is no less than that of directly killing a god, and the latter may be even easier.

But every cloud has a silver lining. After searching painstakingly for nearly a century, Fein successfully found the shortcut he had been looking for.

In the hands of Astrid's teacher, the former chief of the tower, who had passed away many years ago, there once existed a pocket watch that was suspected to be the manifestation of an ancient deity.

That pocket watch was identified as an epic-level magical artifact, possessing the powerful ability to temporarily pause time within a certain area.

Moreover, it can be used multiple times!

The only requirement is that the holder must have an extremely cold mind; only an extremely rational person can fully utilize the item's effects.

If the holder becomes sentimental, the item will no longer recognize him as its master.

Such a precious prop was naturally reserved for his only disciple.

In order to obtain the pocket watch, Fane set his sights on the then young Astrid and launched an offensive against her under the guise of an admirer.

But perhaps because of her Snow Witch bloodline, Astrid seemed to have keenly sensed something, and she remained unmoved by Fane's attempts to please her, even openly showing her resistance.

She never let her guard down and never gave Fein any chance, always hiding in her teacher's tower to silently improve her strength.

Finn had assumed she would only stay home for a few years before she couldn't resist going out.

But to his surprise, Astrid's "homebody power" far exceeded his expectations.

She spent a hundred years as a wizard's apprentice, working her way up to legendary status, completely taking control of the tower, and inheriting her teacher's chief qualification.

Over the years, it wasn't that Fein didn't want to directly seize the property, but rather that he simply couldn't.

Although he seized every opportunity along the way, he also paid a heavy price for it.

When he first joined the Witches' Guild, Finn had already made a vow not to deliberately target his fellow members.

Although there are bound to be loopholes in oaths, doing so will inevitably be exposed afterward, which could potentially affect his grand plan of becoming a god and cause all his plans to fail in the end.

If possible, he hoped to obtain the treasure "peacefully".

Just when Finn was almost ready to give up, thinking that he could only forcefully kill Estelle and take her things, a turning point appeared.

Astrid left the tower where she had lived for hundreds of years and was teleported to the outside world to begin her trials.

However, just two years later, before Finn could even find an opportunity to make a move, she returned.

And it's not just one person.

Astrid met a man while traveling and had a child with him.

For Finn, it didn't really matter that his "beloved" was taken away by someone else, since he wasn't sincere to begin with.

The real turning point was that child.

The birth of that girl changed Astrid's original personality—she became more emotional.

Emotions, however, are unacceptable to that special pocket watch.

If this continues, she will completely lose control of the pocket watch. At that point, even if Finn doesn't take action himself, he can have someone steal it.

Although it would inevitably come at a great cost, it was still more acceptable than directly killing a colleague and becoming an enemy of the entire Witch Guild.

After having this plan, Finn has been trying to stir up Astrid's emotions for years.

He attempted to kill the king under the guise of being a "love rival."

He secretly intensified the child's bloodline, plunging her into a life-or-death crisis.

Everything was done for one purpose: to make Astrid's mental state worse and more unstable.

All the previous efforts would be worthwhile if he could get his hands on the pocket watch. He would use the divine essence within the pocket watch to advance to demigod status, and then forcibly deify himself based on the "Witch's Guild."

At first, he wouldn't choose a powerful divine position, but rather one that no one cares about and that wouldn't conflict with others, to advance to.

As the newly ascended true god, he will completely seize control of the Witch Society, transforming it directly into his own church and saving nearly a century of accumulation.

If all goes well, Finn will become the only new god in hundreds of years to successfully achieve godhood.

By then, whatever special qualities Herbert possessed will no longer be an issue.

If this feud could be resolved, Finn would be willing to pay a price, even if it meant suffering a great loss.

As long as Herbert can guarantee he won't bother him, he can make any request he wants.

But Fein also knew that these were just the most ideal scenarios.

Herbert's deliberate appearance in front of him under a different identity was clearly not without purpose.

What does he know?
Adhering to the principle that the more you say, the more mistakes you make, Fein remained silent in the face of Herbert's teasing, waiting for the other party to speak first before analyzing the situation.

"Ok?"

Herbert smiled and waited for a moment, then blinked when he realized that Finn wasn't going to respond.

"You're not willing to say anything at all?"

He curled his lip, shook his head with a hint of regret, and sighed, "Ha, what a boring man."

"You're terrible at conversation, no wonder people don't like you."

?

Upon hearing this, even though he never felt that his pursuit of Astrid was entirely without sincerity, Finn felt a pang of discomfort.

No, how dare you talk like that?
???

Finn had long anticipated their meeting and expected him to attack him, but he never expected to receive such a comment.

What do you mean?
What do you mean I'm not liked by women?!
I am the mighty Epic Archmage!

Why would I care whether a woman likes me or not?
Do not!
I don't care! I don't care! I've never cared!

It was all because my intentions towards her were impure; she sensed my thoughts, which is why she rejected me.

Yes, the reason I failed was entirely because I didn't use my full strength, not because I'm boring!

Fenn grew angrier the more he thought about it, and his breathing became unsteady for a moment. He let out a particularly displeased snort.

"Humph!"

Herbert clearly saw through his wavering, and with a slight upturn of his lips, he spread his hands innocently.

"Oh, sir, please don't get agitated. I haven't said anything yet."

"Also, if you feel like crying right now, I've thoughtfully prepared a handkerchief for you to wipe your tears."

Herbert thoughtfully took out a handkerchief, pretended to hand it over, and then, under Finn's cold yet questioning gaze, casually took it back halfway.

What are you thinking?

How could I possibly give my handkerchief to a man!
"It's clear that you'd rather know what I 'know' than chat with me... Sigh, what a boring guy."

After realizing that this guy was a boring and uninteresting man, Herbert also lost interest in continuing to tease Finn.

"Okay, although I don't really like men being this interested in me, since you're so curious, I'll give you a little hint."

Looking at the taciturn epic mage before him, Herbert was filled with emotion.

When he first learned that the enemy was an epic-level powerhouse and a high-ranking member of the Witch's Guild, he was quite uneasy, though he didn't say it.

Herbert was confident enough in himself, but he still felt that it might take a long time to actually get to him, let alone kill him completely.

The results of it?
How long has it been?
In less than a year, he had already stood in front of the other party, and in such an arrogant manner.

Not only was Finn unable to stand it, but even he himself felt it was a bit excessive.

After shaking his head and chuckling for a while, Herbert stopped smiling and quietly looked at Finn.

"We are the enemy."

There was no pretense or feigned ignorance; instead, the announcement was made directly to Fein.

"You don't need to test me, and I don't need to hide anything. We are enemies."

Upon hearing this, Fein felt a sense of relief for some reason, and he felt quite relaxed.

He remained silent for a moment, staring at the overly young boy before him, and slowly asked, "...Just how much do you know?"

"How much do you know? Does it matter?"

Herbert shook his head slightly, his eyes filled with nonsensical disdain, and said indifferently, "It's not important."

“Ever since you attacked me, there has never been any possibility of reconciliation between us.”

"As for what you did behind the scenes, what you did to achieve, who you hurt, and what your reasons were... none of that matters to me, and I don't care."

"I only know one thing. You are my enemy, and you will eventually die by my hand."

The boy smiled and declared, "I will kill you."

"You want to kill me? Ha."

When the moment of truth arrived, Fein calmed down completely. The impatience he had feigned on his face disappeared, and he looked at Herbert with indifferent eyes.

"You want to kill me? For what? For the justice you hypocrites proclaim?"

He chuckled faintly, and said in a mocking tone, "Ha, hypocritical paladin, everything you've done isn't righteous, it's all just for your own anger, it's all..."

"Wait a minute, friend, what are you talking to yourself over there?"

Herbert interrupted Finn's "heart-piercing words," tilted his head helplessly, winked at him, and asked in a speechless tone.

"No, did I deny that? Of course I was doing it for myself!"

He looked at Finn and said very frankly, "Friend, you don't need to complicate things. Let's be honest with each other!"

"The relationship between you and me is actually very simple; we are simply enemies with no possibility of reconciliation."

"To put it bluntly, it's nothing more than you wanting to eliminate me as soon as possible to prevent future troubles, while I want to kill you to avenge myself."

Yes, it's that simple.

"Besides, what conflict is there between me seeking revenge and upholding justice?"

"I am justice."

Herbert was smiling, but there was no smile in his eyes.

He's not kidding.

At this moment, the surging killing intent finally tore through the elegant exterior and rushed towards the epic powerhouse before him.

Even if the enemy is stronger than him at this moment, it will not change his mind.

He will definitely kill Finn.

Not for any other reason than to avenge himself.

"you……"

The chilling killing intent made Finn narrow his eyes. Since he advanced to the Epic rank, it had been a long time since anyone dared to show killing intent in front of him.

Ultimately, the worst-case scenario came to pass, and we faced this dangerous guy head-on.

Herbert had already said everything he wanted to say, and seeing that Finn was still thinking in silence, he didn't bother with Finn's thoughts, so he nodded slightly at him.

"Well then, let's say goodbye one last time."

"Nice to meet you, Archmage Fane."

He smiled and said in an encouraging tone:
"Please be strong and live on, and wait for me to kill you. Don't run away because you're scared."

After saying that, Herbert ignored Finn and turned to walk toward the center of the temple.

As soon as he took a step, he heard Finn's mocking words behind him.

"Since you intend to kill me, why don't you do it now? Are you scared?"

Why would I attack a clone?

Herbert didn't turn his head, ignoring Finn's seductive words, and said calmly, "If I attack you now, wouldn't that just give you a reason to retaliate?"

Although it's unclear why Fein hasn't taken action against him, there must be someone secretly keeping him in check.

Since that person has created conditions for a fair duel, there is no reason not to accept it.

"Just wait patiently, I won't keep you waiting too long."

Herbert wasn't a hothead who would get angry at the slightest provocation; he never fought an unprepared battle—except when he was ambushed by a monster girl.

He looked at the crowd who had finally noticed him, a slight smile playing on his lips, and muttered to himself.

"Before that, let me get down to business."

……

The Witch's City.

Finn slowly opened his eyes in the tower, his brows furrowed tightly.

"He did find out, what a pity..."

He had already predicted many scenarios and found some loopholes.

If Herbert's side launches an attack first, then he can take the opportunity to counterattack.

Unfortunately, Herbert also realized this and did not give him a chance to make a move.

"He's growing up too fast; we can't let him continue like this."

Fein lowered his gaze, slowly stood up, and finally made up his mind.

"Let's take advantage of his focus on fighting the God of Sand and Stone and launch the final plan."

He thought of that cold, aloof face that had transformed from a young girl into a woman, and a hint of reluctance flashed in his eyes. But when he thought of his goal, that slight hesitation quickly vanished, replaced by ruthlessness and determination.

"It's a pity, but for my goal, Astrid..."

Finn muttered to himself:

"Let me kill you with my own hands."

(End of this chapter)