An Antagonist's Revenge(Remake)

Plan

Several knights gather around the alleyway in the slums where Akuma killed the human traffickers, the four slave traders belonging to Skulls.
Zelkam brings a young man with blue eyes and black hair to the scene.

One knight, a woman of red ponytail hair and ember eyes reported to Zelkam and saluted.

Her eyes dart to the young man and back to Zelkam.

"This is sir Zhuri, a once-in-a-century talented magician taught by the best magician in the Lupis Kingdom. He is also one of the potential candidates as The Hero." Says Zelkam.

"I see. Thank you for your time sir Zhuri, I am Manasa." Says the female knight, extending her hand out.

Zhuri looks down on the knights and casts a condescending gaze upon everyone.

He ignores Manasa and went ahead to check the corpse.

Manasa tries to hold her irritation in as she visibly clenches her fist. "Are all prodigies so rude?"

"Hold it in. You can't afford to offend him." Zelkam says.

...

Zhuri walks up to the corpse and places his hand out.

"Inspect." He mumbles and a large magic circle appears around the alleyway.

The magic circle breaks apart and becomes mini blue particles that seep into Zhuri.

Afterwards, he closes his eyes and scrutinises his findings.

...

Manasa stares at Zhuri in confusion and throws a glance at Zelkam. Zelkam shrugs.

"What the..." Zhuri mumbles.

He widens his eyes. "These marks on the corpse...points to 'ignite' magic but something feels off..."

Zhuri quickly left in a hurry afterwards.

"Hey?! Where are you going?" Zelkam asks.

"Settle the rest by yourself." Says Zhuri, immediately leaving without turning his head.

Zelkam clicks his tongue. "Weren't he dispatched here to help us? He does whatever he wants to huh..."

Zhuri sweats profusely when he walks out of the crime scene.

"That's impossible...Those signs might be mana collision." He starts to bite his fingernails. "Am I being too paranoid?"

Recently, he has been researching the topic of mana manipulation.
If learning magic is said to defy nature, learning mana manipulation is said to defy God.

Magic is absorbing and utilising the mana to convert it to whatever we desire or for supernatural phenomena. However, mana manipulation is absorbing and controlling the mana itself.
When a person can control the very essence of everything, mana, the expert will be able to do anything possible including utilizing every form of "magic".

"But it should be fine..." Zhuri mumbles.

It is exceptionally difficult and inhumane to master mana manipulation, even the best mana techniques can only absorb mana; it is impossible to master it.

The farthest a mana manipulator can go, according to the recorded history that Zhuri read about, is being able to manipulate the movement of the mana.

However, just thinking about the possibility sends a chill down his spine.
Because if such a person exists, only an envoy of God can stop him.

Unbeknownst to Zhuri, he is smiling subconsciously as he trembles.
==================================
I walk down the stairs to the bar and into the kitchen.
2 weeks have passed since I was taken in. I've been on a killing spree of low-level knights and drunk citizens every night until it becomes slightly stale but in return, I am nearing the second-star magician status. The skills I've gained on the other hand...amount to nothing but swordsmanship level 2. I might need to go for bigger targets soon.
Glenn, in the end, gave in to Yuki on the condition that I help around in the inn. That was when the inn experienced a little boom in business after I became the cook.

"Akuma!" Says Glenn with glee, several patrons are already sitting on the chairs outside, waiting for their food. "Hurry, we have lots of customers today and they refuse to let me cook for them. Tch."

Even though he sounds offended, he is still happy nonetheless.

Behind the counter is a young boy cutting some vegetables, there are patches of cloth around his hand. The boy's twin brother, the older one, is washing the ingredients in a bucket of water at the back of the kitchen.

They are Hazel and Iode, Iode being the boy cutting the vegetables. They are the two boys with black hair and eyes that Yuki took in.

*thud thud*

Yuki walks down the stairs when I am preparing to start working.

"Ah! It's the time isn't it?" Says Glenn.

Hm?

I shift my attention to Yuki and Glenn as I wash my hands.

"Yes, I will be back 2 weeks later," Yuki replies.

"Say hi to your mother for me," Glenn says solemnly.

Yuki smiles at her father, trying to cheer him up. "I will bring mother along on my way back."

"Thank you."

And Yuki left.

...

This is a good opportunity to move on to the final step.

"Uhm...Akuma brother..." Says Iode, nudging my sleeve.

?

I smile gently at Iode. "Yes?"

Iode shows me the deep bleeding cut on his hand and I sigh. "You are clumsy aren't you," I say.

But leaving his clumsiness aside, Iode is interesting. He shed no tears and isn't bothered by pain, even when his hand was stabbed by the knife.

I cast small healing magic and reattach the bandage on his hand. "All done. Remember, keep this a secret from Glenn and Yuki, alright?"

Iode smiles and nods.

Also, I've gotten closer to the twins and even revealed my magician status. That caused them to trust me more than the Amani family, a suspicious family who is too kind in a cruel world. It might also be our similar origin that helped.

...

Iode tilts his head when I stared into space.

"Ah, let's get back to work," I say.
=================
Later at midnight...
=================
A gush of mana gathers around my body, mixing and moulding into a physical shape. The result is a handsome teenager with blinding white hair and azure eyes, the appearance of Kazuki.

I twirl my finger for waves of mana to travel around the inn.

"Good, Glenn and the twins are asleep," I mumble.

I open the inn window and jump out after leaving a fake decoy of myself sleeping in the blanket.