I Am The Game's Villain

Chapter 217  [Final Event] [Closing Ceremony] [17] Discard 

"Fire Tornado!" Brida shouted, stretching out her hands.

-BOOOOOM!

A powerful explosion rang out as a swirling burning tornado shot toward Alphonse, who calmly stared back at it.

With a slow movement, she pointed to the golden Scepter and channeled her mana. A curtain of golden lightning appeared and easily deflected the tornado.

Charles Celesta, out of breath, looked at Alphonse with a tired complexion. "W-Why? Why?! You are our savior and a legend of the Celesta Kingdom!" he exclaimed, clenching his fists in frustration.

He couldn't understand how and why the previous Prince or Princess, who should have died over six hundred years ago, was back now and fighting alongside Ante-Eden.

"Please…I just want to know where my sister is…" Brida pleaded. "She is my only family…"

Alphonse's gaze shifted to Brida, and in a crackle of golden lightning, she disappeared.

-BAM!

Brida opened her eyes wide after receiving a lightning-fast kick to her sides. She barely managed to protect herself, but the impact was powerful. "Cough!" Her body crashed on the ground, leaving a deep crater.

Struggling to stand up, she was met with Alphonse's beautiful figure floating above her. Alphonse pointed her Scepter at Brida and spoke. "Kleah Teraquin is alive, but her status as a friend of Amael and her relation with Leon Grimlock brought her into this situation. You can only blame Eden for that."

-CRACKLE!

A sphere of golden lightning materialized, electrifying the air itself.

"I will not hold back because you are my ancestor!" Charles shouted, raising his sword which shone gold. A tremendous amount of mana gathered around him. "Michael's Celestial Sword!" He slashed down, creating a strong shockwave.

Alphonse, still handling her Scepter with her right hand, raised her left hand toward the incoming attack. A golden crackling sword appeared, and she raised it high, just like Charles. Her right silver eye shone slightly, and as she brought down the sword. "Celestial Sword."

-BOOOOOM!

Alphonse's attack easily overpowered Charles's attack, striking him right in the stomach. The Crown on his head shone slightly, protecting him, but he was already out of strength and fell to the ground.

"T-Traitor…" Brida muttered, coughing blood.

"..." Alphonse looked at her without emotions and prepared to launch another attack, but- "?" She felt something on her left. Without saying a word, she disappeared in a crackle.

After a few seconds, she reappeared several kilometers away.

"Lisandra." Alphonse muttered, looking down at the sight in front of her.

The ground was utterly destroyed, and smoke was rising here and there. Deep gouges marred the ground in several places.

Geoffrey Higer Eden lay on the ground, surrounded by a pool of his own blood, his severed arm and staff lying nearby. Lisandra Arvatra stood there, holding her rapier, showing no signs of exhaustion, but her body bore some visible cracks from the intense battle.

-BOOOM!

Suddenly, behind Geoffrey, the ground exploded, and a young woman emerged from the debris, clad in tattered clothes. Her mask was partially broken, revealing a striking golden eye and a white horn protruding from her head. Her white hair was stained with blood, and she was breathing heavily.

"Y-You will pay for that…" Myrcella muttered, her breath ragged. She had fought alongside Geoffrey, but their combined efforts were no match for Lisandra Arvatra, and Geoffrey had ultimately sacrificed himself to protect Myrcella. He was barely breathing.

"You are here…" Lisandra murmured, plunging her rapier into the ground to support her weakening body. "It seems I reached my limit, Sylvia." She managed a small smile at Alphonse, who had arrived on the scene.

"W-Who the hell are you?!" Myrcella shouted, unable to comprehend the presence of such monstrous beings within the Celesta kingdom, first Lisandra, and now another one before her.

Alphonse ignored Myrcella's question and landed gracefully on the ground. "You should have waited before 'giving it', Lisa."

Lisandra smiled sadly and shook her head. "I-I couldn't, Sylvia…he is our hope." The cracks on her body expanded, and it seemed like she was about to crumble.

"I will take care of the rest," Alphonse assured her.

"Ahaha…" Lisandra let out a single tear. "I, at least, wanted to see him one last time…"

"You will see him again." Alphonse replied gently as Lisandra vanished, taking the symbol on her hand with her.

Alphonse stared at the spot where Lisandra had been for a moment, a touch of sadness in her eyes, before retrieving the Rapier and stabbed the Scepter instead.

"W-What happened?" Myrcella asked, her mind still in a whirl from the unexpected events.

Alphonse raised her gaze and studied Myrcella carefully. "Apollo's Bloodline runs through your veins."

Myrcella was taken aback for a moment.

"But you have been biologically modified, and you possess a thicker infusion of dragon's blood than your family's natural heritage," Alphonse continued.

"..." Myrcella didn't utter a word but glared at Alphonse, memories of the suffering she endured due to the Iris Project resurfacing in her mind.

As Alphonse turned around to leave, a sudden change swept through the Kingdom. In less than a second, a dark and chilling breeze engulfed the entire area, causing the golden aura of the Kingdom to turn ominously dark for a brief moment.

"!" Myrcella's eyes widened in shock, and she lost consciousness under the impact of the mysterious force.

"Ugh…" Alphonse held her head, feeling the overwhelming energy that had just surged through the place. Her gaze shifted to the floating garden, where everything appeared to be back to normal. But those with a keen sense knew that something significant had occurred.

"The Key," Alphonse muttered urgently, realizing the gravity of the situation. Without wasting any time, she vanished from the spot, determined to find out the truth behind the sudden disturbance.

***

"It's near!" I shouted, accelerating even further towards the two approaching presences.

I readied my staff, prepared for a fight, but then I spotted Elona on someone's shoulders.

"Edward…" The masked man muttered, confirming my suspicions that it was indeed Walter.

"Leave her," I pointed my staff at him, my tone cold and resolute.

Walter laughed in response. "Unfortunately, I need her to-"

"To get Alfred?"

His surprise at my words was evident.

I snorted in annoyance. "I know it's you, 'Professor' Walter. Give me back Elona."

"Ahahaha!" He laughed again. "I see you're well-informed. Whatever. You can have her back once I get Alfred. He'll be here soon."

Damn it. Milleia already saved Alfred, so Walter's plan is useless now.

I clenched my staff, activating my Second Wing.

-Bam!

I closed the distance between us in an instant, attempting to strike Walter, but he managed to dodge with Elona in his arms.

Stomping the ground, I launched myself at him once more, but my attack was parried by a sword.

"What are you doing here, Edward?" It was Jasmine. Her tone was cold as she questioned my presence.

"He has my sister," I replied, trying to break her sword.

"I warned you, Edward," Jasmine said, her (Χ) symbol glowing red.

"This is…!"

The Symbol of a Priestess of Nemes.

-Crack!

My eyes widened in shock as I saw my white staff starting to fracture.

Impossible!

-BOOOOM!

My staff exploded into shards of white, and I was hurled away.

"..." I looked down at my empty hand, my expression filled with disbelief.

She broke my staff, made of branches from the Holy Tree...

Walter jumped back and glared at Jasmine. "Where is Alfred?"

Jasmine glanced at Walter. "Alfred has disappeared from the place we kept him. I will bring him to you. Release her."

"What?!" Walter lowered Elona from his shoulder and yelled. "We had an agreement! You, Ante-Eden, kidnap him and present his head in front of everyone, then I kill him!"

"The agreement is still on. Don't waste my time and find him with me. He must still be inside-"

"Don't take me for an idiot, Jasmine!" Walter cut her off and forced Elona to stand. "This is a warning."

"H-Hey! What are you doing?!" I shouted as I saw Walter take out a knife and hold it to Elona's throat.

"Don't do that, Walter," Jasmine glared icily at him.

"Don't give me any orders. I will take one of her Wings as a warning!"

"Idiot! She doesn't have any more Wings-"

-Spurt!

Time seemed to slow as I watched in horror as Elona struggled in Walter's arms, her throat sliced. Her eyes locked with mine as she managed to say, "B-Big brother…"

"ELONA!!" I kicked off the ground with all my strength to reach Walter.

-Snap!

"N-No…" I stopped a few meters away.

Elona's lifeless body fell to the ground, and blood soaked the earth.

"N-No…no...no..."

into the wall. "She didn't have any more lifesavers!"

"W-What?"

"What have you done?!" Jasmine punched Walter, and he crashed into the wall. "She didn't have any more lifesavers!"

"W-What?"

"She lost her last one in that Dungeon!"

As I knelt before Elona's lifeless body, a storm of emotions raged within me. Grief, anger, and despair clashed in my heart, tearing it apart piece by piece. I gently lifted her head, my trembling fingers caressing her blood-stained cheeks.

"L-Look at me…" I choked out, my voice barely audible. "D-Don't leave me, Elona…"

W-Why?

Why am I losing everyone…

Silence engulfed me as I held her lifeless form, but-

…then a haunting whisper echoed in the air.

{Are you angry, Amael?} "..."

{Do you want the strength to exact vengeance on those responsible for this?} The words whispered sent a chill down my spine, dark and enticing but they were abnormally soothing to me.

"..."

{Then discard it, Amael.} "..."

{Discard that which has burdened you with such agony and what has failed to protect your sister.}

Raising my tear-filled eyes, I beheld the figure before me—a girl with a black blindfold concealing her eyes. Her lips curled into a sinister smile, and a sense of allure emanated from her very being. It was as if darkness itself had taken a tangible form.