Transmigrated as the Villain: I Will Destroy Fate

Chapter 161: Lilith [2]

A beam of violet light carved through the air where Ronan’s head had been a heartbeat before. He rolled hard, pain flaring through his recently healed ribs. The ground where he’d stood erupted in a wash of crackling energy.

Fast. Not light-speed, thankfully. If it was, he would have been dead many times over by now, especially since it had been aimed directly at his neck.

The green-haired demon tilted her head, still smiling.

"Aww, you dodged! Most people just freeze the first time. Nel would be so jealous!" Lilith giggled, her voice echoing with manic delight as she fired another beam, forcing Ronan to roll behind a crumbling stone wall. "She would just love you! I wanted her to meet you so badly. You’re totally Nellie’s type!"

Another beam, this time from an odd angle. Ronan twisted, barely avoiding it. The attack itself came fast, but there was a tell – her pupils dilated slightly before each strike, and violet energy gathered at her fingertips half a second before release.

Highly telegraphed. That was the only reason he was able to dodge these attacks. Every magic had a weakness, and thankfully this magic’s weakness was quite glaring.

That area-of-effect burst she’d opened with was different. Instant, unavoidable, devastating. But she hadn’t used it again.

Cooldown. Has to be. There’s no way she can output that attack multiple times. If I remember correctly, she’s rank 3 initial stage.

He kept moving, using the forest and broken terrain to limit her angles. She fired again. Again. Each beam carved through trees like they were paper, but Ronan stayed ahead of them by reading her eyes, not her hands.

Elara was somewhere behind him, breathing hard. He couldn’t afford to check.

"You’re boring!" Lilith pouted, lowering her hand. "Why aren’t you talking? Nel always says the fun ones talk back. Well, she doesn’t say anything, but she thinks it!"

Ronan stopped moving.

He straightened, gasping for breath but forcing his expression calm. His mana reserves were recovering, but not quickly enough for another serious fight. And his soul was in no better a state. Stalling was the only option.

"You’re talking about Nel," he said. "The assassin. Pink hair, blue eyes. Very short. Mute. Sociopath." He paused. "Unhealthy obsession with pancakes?"

Lilith’s eyes went wide. She jumped up and down like a child, clapping her hands together. "You know her! You know her! How do you know her?!"

She rushed forward, stopping just out of melee range. Her manic grin stretched wider. "Just who are you?"

Ronan didn’t answer.

She didn’t seem to notice. "This is perfect! You’re super fun! Ooh, I have the best idea – why don’t you just come with us? Lord Mesmer wants you alive anyway!" She clasped her hands together, swaying slightly. "We’ll just take you back, he’ll torture some information out of you, we’ll erase your memories, and then you can become our ally! Doesn’t that sound–"

Lovely, Ronan thought dryly.

"--lovely?!" Lilith finished, beaming.

"It does, doesn’t it?" Ronan said smoothly, agreeing with her. "And then we could all be friends."

"Right?! Oh my god, this is so fun! You’re already better than Brucey! God, he’s so stuck up and arrogant all the time, even if he’s nice sometimes. But he’s still a meanie, maybe you could help me–"

She was cut off mid-sentence, her eyes widening.

Elara’s gauntlet-clad fist slammed into Lilith’s skull with a sickening crack.

Lilith’s head snapped into the ground. The impact cratered the earth beneath her. Blood seeped down her face as she staggered back, hissing.

Elara instantly made distance, her knuckles dripping with purple blood.

"Why are you interfering?!" she shrieked, violet light flaring around her. "Why! I’m talking to Ronny, not you!"

Ronan’s body burst into flames.

Flame Mirage.

He appeared directly in front of Lilith, conjured a fireball, and drove it straight into her stomach.

She groaned, flesh burning, but her hand shot out and grabbed his wrist. Violet light gathered at her palm.

It connected perfectly.

Against any other opponent, the attack would have scythed their arm from their body. Even an average Rank 3 peak-stage mage would have lost the limb, maybe even a rank 4 if it connected like this. However, Ronan was different, because of the extent he’d taken Steel Bone Armament to.

The violet energy tore through Ronan’s skin and muscle, but then it struck something unyielding. It grated against the hardened bone with a high-pitched screech of energy before fizzling out, leaving a deep, cauterized gash but failing to sever the limb.

Lilith’s eyes widened in shock.

Before she could process the impossibility, Ronan activated his newest skill. Soul Attack. A silent, invisible jolt struck her. It was not physical, but it staggered her, disrupting her mana flow and focus.

Ronan followed with a brutal punch to her gut, reinforced with everything he had left. Then he moved. Elara followed seamlessly, her fist crashing into the same spot Ronan had struck.

The combined force sent Lilith flying.

Purple light flashed. She twisted mid-air, landing upright – but her wounds remained. Blood ran freely down her face and torso.

She snarled, eyes wild with fury.

"You betrayed me!" She pointed at Ronan, voice breaking. "I thought you were joining us!"

Ronan ignored her. He turned to Elara, voice low and controlled. "We have a chance now. The cooldown for her area-of-effect attack is going to come soon. Right after she uses it, she’ll be vulnerable for a few seconds." He met Elara’s eyes. "I’ll tank the attack fully. When that happens, you deal the final blow."

Elara stared at him like he had lost his mind. "Tank it? Are you insane? That thing almost killed us both. I’m not letting you–"

She was cut off as Lilith got back to her feet, her gaze having shifted. She was no longer looking at Ronan with childish interest like before. She was glaring at Elara with absolute, possessive hatred. The look a girl gives someone who just stole her favourite toy.

"We don’t have time," Ronan said, his voice cutting through her refusal. "You need to trust me." He gave her a thin, humourless smile, if only to reassure her. Elara needed to do this. "I’ll be fine."