I Am The Game's Villain Chapter 750: [Final Event] [Blood Moon Festival] [32] Victor Raven VS Leon Grimlock

"You’re quite late, Amael."

How on earth had the situation deteriorated to this point...

I took a rapid survey of my surroundings.

First, there was Cyril himself. The mana radiating from him was abnormal—dense, heavy, and corrupted by the scent of blood. I had witnessed such mana only once before: from Elizabeth during the Blood Moon War. Of course, what she had unleashed back then was on an entirely different level. Cyril didn’t match that scale, yet he disturbingly mirrored Rucain’s raw power. Even worse, the Blood Moon Spell looming above was resonating with him. It fed him, and he fed it in return.

During my frantic dash here, I had only caught glimpses, but now the truth was undeniable: the crimson canopy above was becoming clearer, almost 'solidifying', while the mana circle carved into it expanded, growing more intricate with every passing pulse.

I forced my eyes to sweep across the area.

That was when I noticed Kendel Teraquin. How he had managed to break out of prison was a mystery, but the crucial detail was evident—he wasn't allied with Cyril.

Then my gaze settled on James Raven, who was kneeling on the earth with Leora cradled in his arms.

I winced at the sight. Leora was pale—excessively so, even for one of the vampire race. She shuddered weakly, struggling to maintain consciousness. At the very least, she was alive. James’s blood was being channeled into her, and with their natural regenerative traits, she had a fighting chance.

A small sense of relief eased the tension in my chest.

Alicia certainly wouldn’t have wanted Leora to perish. And in truth, Leora didn't deserve such a meaningless end.

"Professor," I shouted as I drew closer. James looked up, his expression tight with anxiety. "You need to take her to the Tree. Do it now."

Every inhabitant of Sancta Vedelia possessed the Tree’s blessing. Within its vicinity, their bodies would recover faster and more effectively. Leora would be safe there.

James didn't protest. He simply gave a firm nod, carefully shifting Leora in his grip. Before departing, however, he cast a complicated look toward Cyril.

Once they had vanished, I finally turned my full attention to Cyril.

"You know," I remarked, locking eyes with him, "you’ve harmed the woman who gave you life. The one who continues to love you—even though you’ve become absolute trash. She reached out to you repeatedly, yet you still chose this path."

Cyril snorted in derision. "And why should any of that concern you?"

"It doesn't," I confessed. "You’re right. But people usually only realize the worth of something after it’s gone."

I spoke from experience.

I had already lost my biological family once... and quite foolishly, the family I thought I had found in this world as well.

Cyril smirked. "You’re starting to sound like Connor. I was expecting a man of action, not someone spewing sentimental drivel like your brother."

I raised my hand, and Trinity Nihil appeared with a resonant vibration.

Vysindra’s flames ignited instantly, engulfing the white blade in a torrent of violet fire.

"Unfortunately for you," I said, moving forward, "I’m nothing like him."

-BOOOOM!!

Our weapons clashed the moment I closed the gap. His blood-red blade met Trinity Nihil with enough impact to trigger a shockwave, sending embers and gore-like energy spiraling outward in jagged ripples.

However, Cyril didn't budge.

He grinned, pushing back effortlessly. He was powerful—absurdly so. Unlike my encounter with Rucain, I realized immediately that catching Cyril off-guard would be impossible. The Blood Moon Spell was effectively saturating him with power. With every passing second, as more victims collapsed due to the ritual, his body absorbed more mana and blood. He was ascending... and I wasn't sure if there was a limit to it.

"You dared to challenge me with such mediocre strength, Amael?" Cyril laughed harshly and shoved me back with sheer physical force.

My boots skidded across the blood-soaked earth.

Yes, his power was staggering. It was to be expected—he had entered the realm of a Demigod. Rucain had reached that level too, and I had made sure never to take a direct hit then. A single clean strike from someone of that caliber could crush me... or end my life instantly.

I didn't fight the momentum of the push. Instead, I allowed my body to roll with it, gliding backward—just as Cyril lunged, his sword cutting through the air in a lethal arc. The blood trailing his blade coalesced into jagged spikes, flying at me like a storm of needles.

I swung Trinity Nihil in a blur, parrying five of them—but two managed to break through.

One sliced across my arm, leaving a stinging trail of red. The other struck my shoulder, sending a sharp jolt of pain through me.

Before I could regain my footing, Cyril was in my face, his blade descending once more.

-BOOOOM!!

The collision vibrated through my bones. My arm went numb despite Trinity Nihil holding its ground.

"Why did you even come here, Amael?!" Cyril’s grin widened as he struck again, forcing me to parry with another tight maneuver. I deflected the blow just enough to minimize the damage. If I were wielding any weapon other than Trinity Nihil, I’d already be dead on the ground.

"Did you come to watch my wedding with Celeste?!" he bellowed.

He unleashed a tide of blood at me—dense enough to demolish a building.

I immediately activated the Anathema’s Fire, letting the violet flames envelop me. The fire consumed the blood, preventing me from being crushed.

"You’re too late, Amael," Cyril mocked. "Once I’ve finished purging Central Vedelia, Celeste will have no choice but to submit. Her power, her body—all of it—will belong to me."

-BOOOOM!!

"You’re dreaming a bit too loudly," I whispered.

I tightened my hold on Trinity Nihil with my right hand—and balled my left into a fist.

Wrath.

-BAM!!

My fist punched through his blood shield and connected with him. Cyril grunted—a flash of genuine pain crossing his features. His smirk vanished instantly. Then, driven by either fury or instinct, he closed the distance in a heartbeat and swung with even greater ferocity. Flames—crimson blood flames—erupted from his sword, crashing against me and corroding the Anathema’s Fire like acid.

It was the first time I had seen my flames being suppressed in such a manner.

Cyril’s grin returned, but then vines surged from the earth, wrapping around his arms and pulling his strike off-balance.

I didn't miss the chance.

Trinity Nihil swept down in a fast arc—but Cyril’s reaction was just as quick. A geyser of blood erupted around him, forming a fresh barrier. The blade screeched ineffectively against the surface.

I focused my left hand again, summoning Wrath.

My fist smashed straight through the shield. And once more. A second burst of Wrath, and my knuckles collided with his face.

-BAM!!

He was sent tumbling back, hitting the ground hard. I didn't give him a moment's peace. I lunged forward, the landscape blurring beneath me. Trinity Nihil was raised high—white sands swirling around the steel, while five glowing rings of Vysindra spun violently around it.

Then I struck.

Cyril looked up, his eyes widening as he hurriedly conjured a new barrier, thicker and darker, thrumming with stolen life force.

-BOOOOOOM!!!

The resulting explosion illuminated the entire dome. Before I could even assess the damage, Cyril flickered out of existence—reappearing right behind me. His sword was already in motion, a blood-red arc aimed at my throat.

Instinct took over.

I swung Trinity Nihil backward at a desperate, awkward angle. I managed to block the strike, but the position was so unstable that my grip failed—and the sword flew from my hand.

Cyril’s smirk grew broader.

His kick slammed into my ribs with crushing force.

-CRACK!

"Ughh!"

The blow shredded my layer of Ruah like it was nothing. Agony flared through my side as I was launched across the floor, bones fracturing under the impact.

Cyril was already upon me again, moving with terrifying speed, his blade raised for the kill.

"Reflect!"

Three shimmering mirrors appeared between us in a burst of light. Cyril’s sword shattered them all instantly—but the reflected energy slowed his momentum enough for me to jerk my head aside. The steel grazed me, carving a hot line across my cheek.

Cyril’s eyes narrowed. His knee drove into my midsection.

-BAM!

The air was knocked out of me, and I hit the ground hard, gasping for breath. This man was fast. Far too fast.

He pursued me again, sword held high, blood dripping from the red steel. He wasn't giving me a single window to summon Trinity Nihil back.

"Damn it—"

White sands spiraled up my right arm rapidly. Simultaneously, the Anathema’s Fire surged out, braiding with the sands in a twisting double helix of power. In a heartbeat, a violet blade formed in my palm.

I had barely half a second. I swung it upward to meet Cyril’s attack.

-CRACK!!

The glass-like sword shattered on contact, but the ensuing detonation—

-BOOOOOOM!!!

—was colossal. The shockwave threw both of us back. Cyril’s eyes were wide with shock; he clearly hadn't anticipated that level of explosion. Cuts appeared on his face and bruises formed, only to be mended by his healing factor seconds later.

"What the hell was that?" he growled, wiping blood from his chin as his skin stitched itself back together.

"I wonder," I replied with a thin smirk, cleaning the blood from my lip. Trinity Nihil returned to my hand a moment later. "Just a bit of creative improvisation."

"He’s growing stronger," Kendel noted suddenly, moving to my side.

"I noticed," I replied dryly.

We stood there in silence for a brief moment as I tried to steady my breathing.

"What caused this sudden change of heart?" I inquired.

"You have plenty of time for reflection when you're rotting in a cell," Kendel answered simply.

"Did you think about the people who died because of your actions?" I asked coldly.

"Often," he said, his voice carrying a tone of sincerity. "But I still despise your kind."

I snorted. "It seems to run in the family."

"Even Freydis—who hated them more than I—took a liking to you," he muttered.

"Oh, don’t start," I groaned. "If you’re about to make some pathetic plea for me to look after your sister, save it. I’m not in the mood."

"You’re arrogant, but you’re right—time is a luxury we don't have."

"Are you two finished with your chat?"

Cyril’s voice sliced through the air. Kendel and I turned—and both of us went still.

Dozens upon dozens of humanoid shapes made of blood had manifested around Cyril. They were faceless and formless, yet seemed alive. Each one gripped a crude sword forged from blood.

"Another Forbidden Blood Art?" I whispered, clicking my tongue. "He truly has abandoned all morality..."

But then I noticed something far worse. Each figure possessed a distinct shape, size, and silhouette. A cold realization washed over me.

He wasn't crafting these from random gore. These were the people he—and more likely Lazarus—had sacrificed.

Cyril’s smirk confirmed it without a word.

"Witness," he said, spreading his arms as the blood puppets moved in perfect synchronization.

"The true power of Merithra’s arts."

***

On the far side of Central Vedelia, another conflict was shredding the city—one that was equally brutal and seemingly hopeless.

The ground had already been devastated. The streets were torn into jagged chasms, and everything within a fifty-meter radius—residences, shops, the remains of a peaceful neighborhood—had been turned to cinders. Violet flames licked the wreckage like famished ghosts, consuming whatever was left.

-BAAAM!!

"Victor!!" Jennyfer’s voice broke as she saw Victor’s body sent flying across the ruins, hitting the ground with enough force to create a crater.

A whisper brushed against the back of her neck.

"Do you honestly think you have the luxury of worrying about others?"

Leon’s voice drifted into her ear. He appeared behind her in a blur—faster than a lightning strike, faster than thought—and swung his blade with lethal intent.

A beam of pure white light manifested instantly. Alector had acted first, a glowing shield blooming around Jennyfer as he channeled the power of the Tree of Eden. Drawing from the strength of the Tree’s Guardian, he couldn't afford to hold back. Leon was not an opponent you fought with hesitation.

-BOOOOM!!

The shockwave devastated the area. Jennyfer was knocked off her feet despite the shield, skidding through the dirt before rolling back up, electricity dancing violently across her skin.

But Leon was already behind her again. She froze—her reflexes weren't even capable of keeping up.

-BOOOM!!

Victor descended like a falling star, swinging a massive greatsword forged of blood that shrieked as it tore through the atmosphere.

Leon was forced to back off, his boots scraping the earth as he skidded away.

"V–Victor..." Jennyfer panted, her eyes wide. His brow was split, blood masking his face, and his skin was pale from sheer exhaustion. He looked awful—no, he looked like he was barely clinging to life.

The harsh truth hit her: Leon had been playing with them. He was toying with Victor like a predator with its prey.

"I... I’m alright." Victor tried to offer a smile, but it was frail. His vampiric healing was active, but that wasn't the issue. His will was beginning to fracture.

He tightened his grip on the sword's hilt until his knuckles were white, glaring at Leon with pure hatred.

Leon made no effort to hide his amusement.

"What the hell do you want?!" Victor barked, finally losing the last of his patience.

Leon tilted his head, his eerie, pitch-black eye shimmering.

"Can you feel it, Victor? The agony?" His voice turned disturbingly soft. "You know I could end that precious woman’s life whenever I choose. And you would be powerless to do anything but watch. So tell me... if she dies, what will you actually do?"

Something frigid and lethal flickered in Victor’s gaze—unadulterated killing intent.

"That’s more like the Victor I remember," Leon laughed darkly.

He summoned a black sword wreathed in shadows and vanished from sight in an instant.

Jennyfer’s heart hammered. Lightning erupted from her skin, sharpening every sense she possessed. She understood Leon’s goal—to break Victor’s spirit by slaughtering her first.

However, Victor understood even more quickly.

He appeared in front of her, blood swirling around them like a scarlet hurricane as he constructed a thick shield of solidified blood. Jennyfer blinked in surprise.

"Victor!! Wait—!"

It was too late.

-BAAM!!

A shockwave rent the air as Leon reappeared, overpowering Victor instantly with a brutal kick to his ribs.

"Ugh...!" Victor growled, somehow remaining upright instead of collapsing.

Leon’s eyes narrowed. Victor’s entire frame had begun to glow with a faint, pure white light.

"The Apostle’s blessing... the power of Nihil," Leon muttered with annoyance.

Victor ground his teeth and swung his greatsword with a shout, the blade carving a white path through the flames—

But Leon had already disappeared.

A second later, Leon stepped down on the greatsword’s blade, pinning it to the earth, and then drove his heel into Victor’s face.

-BAAAM!!

Victor skidded back, but the divine radiance around him only grew stronger. He didn't stay down this time. Victor lunged, seizing Leon’s ankle in a vice-like grip and twisting, attempting to slam him into the ground—

But Leon’s presence flared outward, making the air feel suffocatingly heavy.

He unleashed his Sin of Pride.

Victor froze in mid-motion. His body reacted instinctively—becoming rigid as if crushed by an invisible weight.

"That cursed Apostle power..." Leon growled, swinging his blade with a wave of disdain.

-BOOOOM!!

Victor blocked with his greatsword, but the momentum still sent him flying, tumbling over shattered stone until he finally stopped—pushed a great distance away from Jennyfer.

Leon chuckled softly as he drove his sword into Victor’s blood shield.

The scarlet shell shattered instantly—like glass hit by a sledgehammer. But Jennyfer wasn't inside. There was a clean hole torn through the rear of the barrier.

-BOOOOM!!

Leon raised his arm just before a lightning-clad leg struck it with enough force to crack the air. Jennyfer gritted her teeth, electricity exploding around her like a tempest. She raised her palm and released a maximum-power thunderbolt directly into Leon’s chest.

-BOOOOM!!!

Debris and raw mana erupted outward. When the smoke cleared... Leon stood there without a single mark on him.

Jennyfer’s eyes widened. "I—Impossible..."

"The Sin of Pride," Leon stated. "Mana has no effect on me."

"W-What...?" Jennyfer whispered, dread creeping into her voice.

Leon’s blade flashed toward her neck, but a massive white root erupted from the earth, blocking the strike. The sword cut through one root, then another, before hitting a wall of tangled vines and branches that tightly shielded Jennyfer.

Alector was finally committing everything, drawing heavily from the Holy Tree of Eden.

"You think that can stop me?" Leon sneered.

Violet fire roared along his blade.

-BOOOOM!!

The roots turned black, shriveled, and disintegrated into ash.

Jennyfer didn't hesitate—she propelled herself backward in a burst of lightning, her body becoming a streak of blue-white light. But Leon moved with her. He reappeared at her side in midair, his black sword already in mid-swing.

Jennyfer twisted—barely—her reflexes pushed to the absolute limit. Even so, Leon’s blade grazed her, and for a fleeting second, she felt the cold touch of death. His sword rose to strike again, but Victor’s greatsword collided with his blade at the perfect moment.