I Am The Game's Villain Chapter 754: [Final Event] [Blood Moon Festival] [36] Sanctum Renova
Previously on I Am The Game's Villain...
I lacked the time to even respond.
A piercing, searing agony sliced through my back, draining the oxygen from my lungs. My perspective shifted violently, turning into a blur for a split second. When I forced my gaze downward, I saw it—a blade protruding from my stomach, glistening with my own blood.
For a brief interval, my mind went blank.
There was only the pain. A sharp, incinerating line that felt as if it were cleaving my torso in two.
Clenching my jaw, I strained to look behind me.
Cyril.
He resembled a cadaver held together by pure malice—his skin was shredded, his frame soaked in crimson, barely maintaining its form. He shouldn't have been capable of standing after the assault we unleashed on him. Yet, he was grinning.
A thin, fractured smile stretched across his face.
"Did you truly believe it would be that simple, Amael?" he questioned, his voice wet with blood and thick with disdain.
"H–How...?" I managed to choke out.
"As long as blood remains," he declared, "restoration is always possible. How many souls in Central Vedelia do you think have succumbed to the Spell? Even a single percent provides enough power for me to withstand a hundred warriors like you."
Only then did I perceive what lay in his wake. Dozens of bodies were scattered across the earth under the influence of the Blood Moon Spell. They were still. Entirely depleted. Their lifeblood had been siphoned away.
Much like the crimson canopy above, those ensnared by that profaned spell were sustaining him, shielding him—serving as a macabre source of power.
"How many years do you imagine Lazarus dedicated to refining this spell for this specific moment?" Cyril continued, his voice regaining its vigor with every passing second. "You never had a prayer, regardless of how many of you joined the fray."
Then, the sensation hit me.
My own blood was being drawn out of my body.
A freezing, nauseating pull throbbed within my veins.
"A—Amael!!" Celeste’s eyes grew wide with terror as she witnessed the sight.
Cyril ripped his blade from my back, and the abrupt loss of pressure nearly sent me into a collapse. He leaped backward just as Celeste scrambled toward me.
My strength evaporated. The horizon tilted and swayed, and I began to fall—only to be caught in Celeste’s embrace.
"Amael! Stay with me!" she shrieked, pulling me against her as she instantly channeled Fate.
A glowing warmth surged through my frame. The bleeding stopped. The agony receded into a dull ache. Perhaps because I also possessed Fate—Nevia’s Fate—Celeste’s magic reacted with extraordinary efficacy on my person.
Nevertheless... it could not fill the void expanding within my chest.
He had harvested too much of my blood. Coupled with the exhaustion from the battle, I felt weightless and numb—my body refused to obey.
"What is this essence?" Cyril cackled, licking the red stains from his fingertips. "Ahahah! Is this Olphean blood? It is quite potent."
His mana flared in a fierce surge, sending dust swirling around him.
Celeste shot him a look of pure hatred, but when I coughed up a spray of blood, she was seized by panic and gently lowered me to the ground.
"Amael! Please—stay with me!" she cried, pressing her palms against my injury, pouring Fate into me to her absolute breaking point.
Warm droplets splashed onto my face.
She was weeping.
Was this truly the conclusion...?
Despite Celeste’s efforts to stabilize my condition, I could feel my life slipping away. My limbs were losing all sensation. The sounds of the world became muffled and distant.
No...
No, I cannot perish here.
Not at this moment.
"Y–You cannot die!!" Celeste wailed.
I forced my eyelids to open. Her visage came into focus—red eyes shimmering, overflowing with terror and desperation.
"D–Don’t leave me... I beg you..." she whispered through her grief.
The sheer volume of Fate she was manifesting was staggering. It was perilous. If she persisted, she would incinerate her own life force.
I raised a trembling, heavy hand to brush her cheek. My thumb only succeeded in smearing blood across her skin rather than drying her tears.
"I—I won’t..." I croaked.
I dug my nails into the soil, gritted my teeth, and attempted to rise. Every fiber of my being protested. My body felt like a foreign object—but I refused to stop.
-Thud!
I collapsed back down instantly.
"D–Don’t..." Celeste said softly, resting a hand on my chest to prevent another attempt.
But I had to move.
I had to stand up.
I had to end his life.
A violent coughing fit seized me once more. I expelled blood—far too much of it. My heart felt as though it were being wrung out, tightening into a smaller and smaller knot.
"Urghhh—!"
"Amael!!" Celeste screamed, her panic escalating as my body began to convulse uncontrollably.
"At last... the hour has arrived," Cyril remarked under his breath.
I directed my hazy sight toward him. Above his head, a massive crimson mana circle manifested, a perfect replica of the one sustaining the red dome over Central Vedelia.
He wasn't finished.
He intended to expand the Blood Moon Spell even further—stretching it beyond the borders of the city.
No.
He had to be halted.
I tried to push myself up again, but before I could move a muscle, Cyril drew in a massive torrent of blood. The resulting pressure exploded outward in a brutal shockwave that slammed into Celeste and me like a crashing wave.
The force sent us tumbling through the air.
I hit the earth hard and rolled, my body too fragile to absorb the impact. Celeste, however, crawled through the debris toward me, catching me before I could slide further.
"Stop this!!" she shrieked at Cyril, but his only response was laughter.
"This is merely the opening act, and you are already pleading for mercy, Celes?" he mocked. "Come now. Stay right there and witness as I—"
-SPURT!
"...!"
What?
My breath hitched.
Celeste froze as well.
A pale, ruthless hand had punched directly through Cyril’s chest from behind.
The world fell into a dead silence.
Cyril’s grin vanished instantly. Blood leaked from his mouth as his eyes, wide with shock, stared down at the arm impaling him.
"Witness what exactly... brother?"
Cyril went rigid.
He turned his head with agonizing slowness.
Standing behind him was Sirius.
His crimson eyes were cold, his expression unreadable. Though his blond hair was matted with dried blood, he appeared more composed than ever.
"S–Sirius..." Cyril gasped.
"What was I meant to see?" Sirius asked in a soft tone. "You wielding Merithra’s magic? Or perhaps you seizing control of Sancta Vedelia... the recognition you have always hungered for. Hoping that one day, she might finally notice you."
Cyril’s features contorted with rage.
"Sirius, you—"
-SPURT!
Before he could finish his sentence, Sirius manifested a crimson mana circle—directly inside Cyril’s chest cavity. Ancient, jagged runes swirled within it, bearing a terrifying resemblance to the complexity of the Blood Moon Spell.
"This...!!" Cyril choked, horror washing over him.
"Every Forbidden Art demands a price," Sirius stated. "And you have reached yours."
"S–SIRIUS!!!"
The blood circle flared with a violent light. Crimson veins erupted across Cyril’s arms and chest, crawling up his neck and over his face like a lethal web.
"ARGHHHHHH!!!!"
His scream echoed throughout the city. A massive explosion of mana erupted, carving a crater into the ground beneath them.
-BOOOOOOM!!!
A colossal column of blood shot out from Cyril’s frame, spiraling into the heavens before shattering into a grim rain of red droplets.
Then... there was only silence.
Cyril’s body crumpled like a hollow shell, striking the ground with a dull, final sound.
Sirius remained motionless.
He simply stood there, gazing at his brother's remains as the red rain dyed his blond hair and face a darker shade of crimson.
"S–Sirius..." Celeste whispered, her voice a mix of relief and total exhaustion.
He had slain Cyril.
We should have felt at peace.
We should have been thankful.
But...
Something felt wrong.
Deeply, fundamentally wrong.
Sirius leaned down, took hold of Cyril’s hand, and removed the ring set with a red gemstone.
The instant the ring slid onto Sirius’s finger—
-BOOOOOOOM!!!
The mana circle in the sky flared with renewed violence. The crimson dome overhead shimmered and expanded—growing wider and more powerful, like a beast waking from slumber.
"Sirius...?" Celeste looked around, her confusion growing.
Slowly, Sirius raised his head.
His countenance had transformed entirely. The warmth was gone, replaced by a cold, stern mask.
Celeste’s eyes began to glow white—Fate was screaming a warning at her.
She leaped in front of me, unsheathing her blade in a single motion.
-BOOOOOOM!!!!!
"Ughhhh!!" Celeste groaned as she barely managed to block a sword strike.
It was Cyril’s blade, now wielded by Sirius.
The force of the impact sent her sliding across the earth, while I was thrown even further, tumbling until I hit the shattered wall of a nearby ruin.
"Agh!" I gasped, wincing as agony flared through my broken body. I clawed at the dirt, forcing myself to look up.
-BOOOOOM!!!!
Celeste engaged Sirius in a rapid exchange of blows, her sword ringing with every contact. But Sirius’s power was overwhelming. Every strike he delivered knocked her back as if she were weightless.
He wasn't holding anything back.
He didn't even pause.
"Argh!" Celeste cried out as another strike caused her to stumble.
Sirius didn't show a hint of emotion.
He just kept swinging, driving her further back.
His sword cut into Celeste’s body repeatedly, and my vision began to blur with fury.
"Sirius..."
As if he had perceived my voice, Sirius shifted his gaze toward me.
He raised his free left hand even as he continued to clash with Celeste.
"...!" I looked up to see an amber, glowing spear that immediately hurtled toward me.
"ARGHH!!" I roared as the spear buried itself in my back.
"W–What are you doing?!!!" she screamed, swinging her blade as ice erupted against Sirius. He deflected the strike, shattering the ice as blood swirled around him.
"What a magnificent sight~"
The voice slithered into my ear.
I went cold.
Painfully, I turned my head. Just a few meters away, perched casually on a white rectangular crate—as if he were a spectator at a play—was a man I knew instantly.
Jack Rengel.
The same individual I had encountered with Roda.
His form was partially shrouded in shadow, but his sharp, mocking grin was unmistakable.
My blood turned to ice.
Why was he here?
Why at this moment?
What was happening to the world?
"Where is the woman who accompanied you?" Jack asked in a light, almost bored tone. Then he chuckled, not waiting for a response. "Oh, that's right. She met a miserable end. Because of you."
I glared at him, hatred seething in my chest. I tried to lift myself up, my fingers digging into the soil, but the amber spear pinning me to the earth kept me trapped.
My strength was insufficient—not even close.
"Do you intend to let another woman sacrifice herself for your selfish reasons?" he whispered, his twisted smile widening.
"Shut up..." I growled, Wrath flaring within me. The ground began to tremble slightly as my body tried to react.
Jack only laughed softly. "You are truly the most pathetic Vessel of Samael I have ever encountered."
"Aghhh!"
A scream drew my attention back to Celeste.
She had been sent flying, crashing with great force into a partially destroyed building.
"C–Celeste!!"
I had barely called her name when Sirius appeared before me, silent and sudden. His crimson eyes shone with a freezing intensity as he looked down at me.
He gripped the amber spear that impaled me. As he withdrew it, I saw it—the glowing Olphean emblem burning on his arm.
He ripped the spear out, forcing a groan from my throat, but I pushed myself up the second it was gone. With every ounce of my remaining power, I swung Trinity Nihil at him.
-BOOOOOM!!!
He parried with his spear, the shockwave creating deep cracks in the earth beneath us.
"Who are you...?" I asked, struggling for breath while glaring at him.
"Sirius."
He manifested an amber sword in his other hand and struck.
I raised my arm, coating it in Wrath to block the blow.
-BAM!!
The force threw me sideways like a doll. I crashed, spat blood, and had no time to recover before Sirius appeared again—moving faster than thought—and brought his sword down toward me.
Celeste arrived at that exact moment, her blade clashing with his.
–CRACK!!
Her sword shattered into fragments.
The blast sent us both flying backward. I twisted in the air and pulled her into my arms, making sure my back hit the ground instead of hers.
"Amael...?" Celeste whispered faintly, blood running down her brow. Her clouded eyes searched mine.
I lay there, completely spent, unable to move a muscle.
Celeste was silent. She didn't ask anything.
She simply wept, her tears falling onto my face.
"I–I’m sorry... so sorry..." she sobbed, clinging to my neck as if she feared I would disappear.
"Wh–What are you apologizing for..." I murmured weakly.
She lifted her head, her glowing white eyes shaking with emotion.
I managed a small, pained smile.
"I would never allow you to fall into that bastard’s grip."
Her tears flowed faster as she gripped my shirt, burying her head against my chest.
"P—Please, Holy Tree, hear me and..." She bit her lip. "Help me..."
Immediately after, the emblem of the Prophetess on her arm began to glow, and I felt a white light envelop my entire body. It wasn't exactly healing, but I felt my strength returning; I no longer felt as fragile as I had moments ago.
Celeste hugged me tighter, the glow intensifying until it faded, leaving her gasping for air against my chest.
"Edward?"
A voice rang out across the debris.
We both turned our heads.
My eyes widened.
What?
Standing there—after what felt like an eternity—was someone I never thought I would see again.
"M–Milleia?"
Her pink eyes found me, and a look of shock crossed her face as she saw my state.
"Edward!" she cried, rushing over and falling to her knees on the other side of me from Celeste.
Celeste tensed, caught off guard. "Who are you...?"
"Edward! What happened to you?!" Milleia shouted, tears welling up as she cradled my face with shaking hands.
Her hands moved over my body, touching the blood that covered me.
"W–What happened?!"
"W–What are you doing here..." I asked, my voice rasping.
She had no reason to be in this place...
"Y–You are bleeding everywhere..." Her face went pale, her hands resting on my chest.
"Hey! You are hurting him!" Celeste snapped, grabbing Milleia’s hand.
Milleia looked at Celeste, her expression turning stern.
She then closed her eyes. "Raphiel, please grant me your power," she whispered before a warm light surrounded me.
It didn't mend my wounds, but my body felt lighter, as if the exhaustion were being washed away.
I forced my torso off the ground, my breath hitching—it felt as though someone had pumped a second life into my system. It might sound dramatic, but compared to the deathly state I was in, it was the truth.
"Edward, you shouldn't move..." Milleia said, trying to hold me steady.
But I pushed myself up, ignoring the protests of my body. I reached out, and Trinity Nihil flew back into my hand, its blade still dark and scorched from the battle.
"Milleia."
"Yes?" she asked, her eyes wide with concern.
"Use Sanctum Renova on me."
She froze. Her pink eyes trembled.
"H—How do you even... no—no! I can’t! It is far too dangerous!"
"Please," I said in a quiet, serious tone, my hand closing over hers. "Use it. If you don't... none of us leave this place alive."
"No! Jayden is on his way, and the others—"
"Milleia."
"Amael, what are you doing?" Celeste asked, her voice rising with anxiety.
"Use it," I told Milleia again. "I can be saved later."
Milleia bit her lip in hesitation but finally pressed her palm against my chest.
"S–Sanctum Renova."
"...!"
A soft gasp left my lips.
Pink light burst from her hand, warm and overwhelming, washing over me like a tide. I shivered as mana permeated every part of my being.
The pain vanished.
The fatigue was swept away like dust.
Mana flooded back into me—violently and rapidly—filling every void within.
It felt as though the spell were scouring me from the inside out, rebuilding me into something more precise, lighter, and faster, awakening parts of me that should have remained untouched.
When the light dimmed, Milleia slowly pulled her hand away, her breathing ragged.
"..."
For a moment, I stood there with wide eyes.
My pupils dilated slowly as I stared into the distance.
"Thanks," I said simply, walking past her.
"Wait—Amael!" Celeste seized my arm, her grip desperate and shaking.
I turned to look at her.
Her eyes were shimmering, her pupils trembling. "I–I saw something... you cannot fight—"
Before she could finish, her voice failed. Her eyes fluttered and closed as her body went limp.
I caught her gently and lowered her to the ground, my hand glowing with a faint silver light.
"I'm sorry," I whispered to her. "But I cannot let you witness this."
I turned back to Milleia.
"Milleia, protect her. And him." I gestured toward Jack Rengel, who was still smirking in the distance. "Do not take your eyes off either of them."
Then I began to walk toward Sirius.
Or rather—my legs moved on their own, driven by something beyond my conscious will.
[WARNING!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!!]
Sanctum Renova had pushed my physical form beyond its natural boundaries—my mind felt sharper than ever, almost terrifyingly so, while my body moved with a precision I had never known.
[SYNCHRONIZATION FAILED! SYNCHRONIZATION FAILED! SYNCHRONIZATION FAILED]
[AMAEL IDEA OLPHEAN SYNCHRONIZATION: 70%]
There was no weight. No hesitation.
[AMAEL IDEA OLPHEAN SYNCHRONIZATION: 58%]
There was only focus.
It felt like every single s