I Am The Game's Villain Chapter 738: [Final Event] [Blood Moon Festival] [20] Blood Moon Spell

"There, it is finished, Princess," Lera murmured, retreating with a weary exhale after what seemed like an eternity of preparation.

Ten grueling minutes—that was the time required to meticulously arrange every ribbon, fold, and layer of Celeste’s snow-white dress. Under the flickering candlelight, the fabric gave off a faint shimmer, cascading over her skin like fallen starlight. A small smile touched Lera’s lips, her gaze filled with pride. "You look... truly magnificent."

Celeste fixated on her own image in the mirror.

The girl in the reflection appeared like a dream—regal, elegant, and glowing. It was the sort of beauty that would spark envy in anyone. However, her eyes held no happiness. There wasn't a hint of the joy a bride is meant to feel on her wedding day.

Once, she had fantasized about wearing a gown like this. It was every girl's fantasy. She had pictured herself standing under the moon's glow next to the man she loved—and that man had been Amael.

But now, seeing herself adorned as the bride of another man only made the void in her heart grow deeper.

Taking a soft breath, Celeste suppressed her feelings. She squared her shoulders, flattened the silk of her gown, and reached down to lift the hem so it wouldn't drag across the stones.

Just as Lera moved to open the door, it swung inward from the hallway.

"Y—Your Highness?" Lera stammered, instinctively lowering her head.

Cyril stood in the doorway, dressed flawlessly, a thin smirk playing on his lips. "I decided to check on Celeste. She was taking quite a long time," he remarked.

Celeste went rigid at his presence. Her fingers, resting against the expensive fabric of her dress, tightened involuntarily.

Cyril’s gaze traveled over her from head to foot, making her skin crawl with discomfort. Then, with a quiet laugh, he glanced away as if he had seen enough.

"Come," he commanded, extending his arm. "I shall lead you."

"I can walk by myself," she snapped back.

"Don’t be so reserved," Cyril laughed. "Do you really wish to avoid speaking with your future husband before the rites begin?"

Celeste paused. If she was truly forced into this marriage, she needed to establish her boundaries immediately. "It’s alright, Lera," she said finally, stepping to Cyril’s side.

The two of them walked out. Outside, the world was drenched in the glow of a crimson moon. Celeste looked up, her forehead creasing. The moon had never appeared this blood-red—not even during the festivals of the blood moon. Something felt... fundamentally wrong.

"An unusual night, wouldn't you agree?" Cyril’s voice sliced through the quiet. "Almost like poetry. The Prophetess coming into her mother’s legacy."

Celeste remained silent, her eyes fixed on the scarlet heavens.

"I am aware you’ve always despised that gift," Cyril went on. "But you wouldn't have reached this level of Cultivation unless you had embraced it. I can't help but wonder what caused your change, Celeste."

He glanced at her sideways, smirking. "Or rather... who was responsible for it? Was it Connor’s brother? Did he claim he’d only bed you if you became the Prophetess?"

Celeste halted, glaring at him with fury.

Cyril gave a dark chuckle. "He is likely just pursuing your status. Your body is merely a... delightful perk."

"You are revolting," Celeste spat, her voice shaking with rage. "He is nothing like you."

"Oh, I don't blame the man," Cyril said, shrugging his shoulders. "Anyone who recognizes the value of the Prophetess would seek to own her. And now..." He reached out, flicking a loose lock of her hair with his finger. "Now, I finally possess you."

Celeste recoiled sharply. "I am not your property."

Cyril’s grin grew wider. "You still fail to grasp your circumstances, don't you? You will learn to obey me soon enough. And believe me, you won't regret it."

"CELESTE!!"

The shout tore through the heavy atmosphere.

Celeste turned toward the sound—several people were sprinting toward her across the courtyard. Her heart hammered. "Father...?"

Her father was approaching, his face white with fury. Evan was at his side, along with John and Victor, all of them visibly distraught.

"Get away from him, Celes!" Victor bellowed. His eyes stayed locked on Cyril, seething with anger. "Where is Selene?! What have you done with her?!"

Cyril merely smiled, completely unfazed. "You certainly took your time figuring it out. I was starting to think you were playing dumb just to set a trap for me."

His expression turned sharper and more frigid. "But no—once again, you've confirmed what I always suspected. You are all too small-minded to see past your own tiny world."

"Cyril, I don't care what your plan is," Harvey’s voice boomed coldly, "but surrender now. Central Vedelia has been completely cut off. Every path, every roof, and every exit is held by knights. There is no escape for you. Release Selene and give yourself up."

The moment he finished speaking, dozens of mana circles flared into existence around Cyril, shimmering symbols glowing in shades of azure and gold. They rotated and locked together, trapping him within a radiant sphere of energy.

The air hummed with the sound of condensed mana as the prison solidified.

A sudden ripple warped the space directly behind Cyril.

Alector manifested in a flash of light, his long robes snapping as he leveled his staff. His expression was composed, but his eyes were filled with deep disappointment.

"Cyril Raven," he stated coldly. "That is enough. You have brought shame upon yourself. Are you truly treading the same path as your grandfather after the atrocities he committed?"

Cyril’s mouth twisted into a jagged smile. Then he began to laugh.

"The same path as my grandfather?" He echoed, his voice thick with contempt. "No... this has always been my own path."

As the words left his mouth, scarlet mana surged from his frame, exploding into the air like an inferno.

"...!"

Celeste instinctively recoiled as a shockwave of mana erupted, causing the ground to tremble under her feet. His strength wasn't just increasing—it was surging, breaking through normal constraints in a matter of heartbeats.

"His mana... it’s growing at an impossible rate!" Alector’s eyes went wide with alarm. "Peak Ninth Ascension?! No—" He gripped his staff, his voice shaking. "He is ascending to the Demi-God Realm?! That is impossible!"

The very atmosphere vibrated violently, and the stone floor began to crack under the sheer weight of the pressure. Every knight in the courtyard stood frozen, the sound of their gear drowned out by the roar of the rising mana.

Then, the sky transformed.

A low, pulsing vibration filled the night as a massive scarlet mana circle appeared high above—swirling like a blood-soaked eye looking down at the capital. It expanded, consuming the heavens until its haunting glow bathed all of Central Vedelia in a dome of red light.

Evan stared upward, his face turning pale. "W–What on earth... is that?"

Harvey’s voice cracked. "No... it can't be... a spell of that magnitude—!"

Alector’s face became grim. He could sense the essence of the magic—the thickness of the blood mana and the malevolent hum vibrating from the circle. It wasn't merely strong; it was forbidden.

"Blood Arts..." He breathed. "Based on that scale and the blood essence woven into the mana... this is a Forbidden Spell." His expression grew even darker. "But that shouldn't be possible. Only the Vampire Witch could manifest Blood Arts on this scale. Don't tell me—"

"Cyril," he growled, conjuring fresh mana circles to bind him even tighter. "What have you done?"

Cyril’s eyes snapped open—shining with a deep, predatory crimson. His pupils constricted into slits, and a freezing smile stretched across his face.

"Nothing of consequence," he answered softly.

-BOOOOOOM!!

The prison barrier shattered like glass, the blast sending a shockwave tearing through the courtyard. Knights were hurled backward, and Celeste barely managed to react, manifesting a flickering mana shield in front of her. The impact slammed into her, tossing her hair wildly as dust and stone filled the air.

"Cyril!!" Victor screamed, charging forward. In an instant, he drew his blade, Ruah blazing around him as he swung downward with everything he had.

Cyril intercepted the blade with his bare hand. His palm radiated crimson, mana sparking along his fingers as the steel groaned under the force.

"You wish to see Selene, do you?" He whispered with a malicious grin.

Victor’s jaw tightened. "What have you done to her?!"

"Oh, very little," Cyril said casually. "She longed for her sister so dearly... I simply granted her desire."

"What—?!" Victor’s eyes widened, but before he could react, a freezing instinct washed over him. He threw up his arm just in time—

-CRACK!

His bones groaned in protest as a shockwave hit him at point-blank range. His protective layer of Ruah flickered and broke as he was sent flying, slamming violently into the marble wall behind Celeste. The masonry crumbled from the force.

"Victor!!" Celeste screamed, her voice shaking with terror.

"End this insanity, Cyril!" Evan yelled, darting forward. His entire form glowed with icy blue mana, and frost began to coat the ground beneath his boots. "You will ruin everything!"

Cyril only laughed. He jumped back with grace, pulling out a small glass vial containing a dark red fluid.

He held it between his fingers, the blood inside churning unnaturally. "You talk far too much," he remarked, then crushed the glass.

The vial broke, and the blood turned into a mist, soaking into his right arm. The air became heavy and suffocating. Everyone present felt the atmosphere shift.

Alector’s face turned white. "No... it can't be—"

Cyril pointed his arm toward the sky. A giant mana circle blossomed above him, linking with the crimson dome that covered the city.

Then the entire world turned red.

A beam of bloodlight shot upward, piercing the clouds and merging with the massive circle above. The earth shook. The crimson dome began to rotate.

Cyril’s lips curled into a grin as he muttered. "Blood Moon Spell."

A dark red pulse exploded from the crimson pillar, washing outward like a tide. It flowed through everything—stone, air, and flesh alike.

And then, suddenly, there was silence.

The world went still. Even the wind seemed to stop moving.

"W—What... just happened?" Harvey asked tentatively, scanning the area.

"Ugh..."

Harvey spun around—and froze in place. One of the knights, his armor reflecting the red light, had just thrust his sword through a comrade's chest. The victim fell without a word, eyes wide with shock. The killer turned, his face blank and his eyes glowing with a dull crimson light.

"What are you—hey! What are you doing!?" another knight yelled.

But before he could do anything—

"Ugh!"

"Augh!"

The sound of clashing steel broke out all around them. Screams filled the air as several knights turned on their friends, their movements stiff and robotic.

Not all of them were affected—only some. But it was enough to throw the courtyard into total chaos.

The Blood Moon Spell had taken effect. Its red light pulsed like a heart, spreading its rot across Central Vedelia. Every flash of red on the horizon signaled another mind being lost.

"Cyril!!" Alector’s voice boomed, his calm finally shattering. "Stop this spell at once! Do you have any idea what you have started?!" His staff shook with the mana he was restraining, his fury louder than the sounds of battle.

Celeste barely heard him. Her eyes searched for Victor—his uniform was shredded, and blood was leaking from his arm. He ground his teeth and forced himself up, glaring at Cyril. But then... his face changed.

His gaze settled on something behind Cyril.

A figure was floating limply in the scarlet light.

"S–Selene...?" he whispered.

The name had barely left his mouth before he began walking toward her.

"Selene! It’s me—Victor!"

Celeste, however, felt a wave of dread.

"Victor, wait—"

Her warning was lost as the figure raised its head. Selene’s body was shaking, her shoulders hunched, her hair drifting like silk in the blood-red breeze. Her skin had a faint crimson glow, and dark lines—veins of active blood—crept across her face and arms.

"Selene!!" Victor cried out louder.

Slowly, her head jerked to the side. The movement was too sharp, too inhuman. Her eyes met his—and Victor stopped dead. Those eyes weren't hers. They were hollow, empty, and red like the moon.

"V... Vic...tor..." she croaked weakly.

Victor’s mouth opened in relief. "Yes! It’s me, Selene, it’s—"

-SPURT!

He gasped. His body went stiff.

He looked down—Selene’s hand had driven straight into his chest. Her fingers were buried in his flesh, and blood was dripping slowly down her wrist.

"...!"

He grabbed her arm by instinct, preventing her from pushing deeper. Blood leaked from his mouth as he spoke her name hoarsely. "Selene..."

She stared at him with a blank expression, devoid of any feeling. Then her lips moved again.

"Vi... ctor..."

And this time, she shoved her hand further in. Her nails scraped against bone.

Victor’s face contorted in agony. "Gh—ah!"

Before she could finish him, a blast of freezing air swept through.

A wave of ice erupted between them, knocking Selene back as shards of frost flew everywhere. Celeste stood in the middle of the storm, her long sword drawn and glowing with blue-white mana.

"Something has happened to her—" Celeste began, but she cut herself off as a sudden chill ran up her spine.

"Celeste!"

Victor’s voice roared as he threw himself forward, wrapping an arm around her just as Selene’s claws cut through the air.

-Spurt!!

Blood hit the stones. Victor’s back exploded in pain as her nails ripped through his clothes and scraped his mana-protected skin. The Ruah layer took most of the hit, but the force still seared.

"Victor!" Celeste gasped, turning to him.

"I–I’ll hold her back," he grunted, his breathing heavy. "You... you help the others with Cyril."

"But—"

"Go!" he yelled, pushing her away, his eyes fixed on Selene’s twitching form. "I don't know what this spell is, but it has to be ended—broken, destroyed, no matter what it takes!"

Celeste hesitated, her lips trembling. Then she gave a nod. "Be careful."

He offered a pained smile through the blood. "Always."

Celeste sprinted forward, her sword ready and her heart thumping in her chest. But she had only moved a few meters when her world came to a halt.

A wet, sickening sound echoed behind her, followed by a soft gasp.

She turned around.

And froze.

Cyril was standing there, his arm buried deep in her father’s chest. The red light of the Blood Moon stained them both in the same cursed color.

"U–Urgh..." Harvey coughed, blood spraying from his lips. His body shook weakly in Cyril’s hold, the light slowly leaving his eyes. His hands moved as if to reach out, not to fight, but in total confusion.

"Father...?" Celeste whispered, her voice cracking. Then her legs gave out as tears filled her eyes. "F–FATHER!!!"

Her scream tore through the courtyard. She ran toward him, ignoring the danger.

Cyril turned his head slowly, his smirk growing as he met her tear-filled eyes. "Oh, how moving," he laughed. Then, with a careless shrug, he tossed Harvey’s body toward her.

"NO!!" Celeste caught him as he fell, staggering back from the weight. She held him tightly, her shaking hands pressing against the wound to stop the flow. But the warmth under her fingers wouldn't stop; it only spread faster.

"Father! Please, stay with me! Don’t close your eyes, I beg you!" she pleaded, her voice breaking with panic.

Harvey’s fingers twitched, lightly touching her cheek. "Ce... leste..." he whispered faintly. His eyes were out of focus, his breath shallow. "You must... stop him..."

"Don't talk! We will heal you!!"

Her eyes turned white as she activated Ars Fatum to keep him alive as long as possible, using her mana to force a healing effect even though mana was usually only meant for minor wounds.

Meanwhile, Evan’s face was twisted in absolute fury.

"CYRIL!!!" Rage surged through him, mana exploding outward in waves of freezing energy. The air turned white with frost, and the ground cracked under his feet.

Cyril turned to him lazily, wiping Harvey’s blood from his hand. "Ah, Evan," he said mockingly. "Finally showing some spirit. Ninth Ascension... I guess you aren't totally worthless."

"SHUT UP!!!" Evan screamed, throwing himself forward like a projectile, the air howling as he drew his blade of ice.

But before he could land a blow, golden mana circles appeared in the air one after another, trapping Cyril once more in a field of blinding light.

"That is enough, Cyril," Alector said sharply. He stood with his staff held high, his expression cold. Light-element mana gathered at his fingers, weaving nine layers of circles around his target. "You have crossed the line. Surrender now or—"

"Or what?" Cyril cut him off with a smirk. His red eyes shone.

Then the feeling in the air changed.

"...!"

Alector’s eyes snapped upward, his instincts screaming at him.

-BOOOOOOM!!!

A blast of black mana tore through the air. Alector barely had time to put up his shield; the golden light flared to protect him, but a dark hand emerged and ripped straight through the barrier.

"Gh—arghh!!"

The shadow claw tore across his chest, cutting through his robes and drawing blood. He stumbled back, gasping and clutching the wound.

When he looked up again, the air in front of him was swirling like dark smoke. From that rotating darkness, a figure began to take shape.

At first, it was just a blur—droplets of blood floating in the air, mixing with strands of black mist. Then, slowly, it became distinct.

A woman.

Her body was wrapped in living shadows, coiled with streams of dark blood that drifted like liquid smoke. Her skin was pale under the corruption, and her hands were blackened and dry like burnt bone. Through the veil of dark vapor, two crimson eyes shone with a terrifying intensity.

Alector’