I Am The Game's Villain

Chapter 715: [Blood Moon War] [56] Edward VS Rucain

I had made it—barely, but in time.

”I’m here, Alicia,” I whispered, sliding an arm around her waist and pulling her close.

Her body trembled against mine. She was in a terrible state—blood streaked down her face, mixing with tears until it was impossible to tell one from the other.

”S–Senior...” Her voice trembled, and she clutched my arm, burying her face against the cold plates of my black armor. ”B... Beth, she is...”

The words never fully came. They broke apart in her throat, strangled by grief.

I lowered my hand gently, cradling the back of her head, guiding her to rest against my chest. My grip tightened, protective.

But then my eyes caught the sight of her right wrist, twisted and broken, and something black stirred deep inside me. My gaze hardened, turning colder.

I looked past her—toward Amaya.

She floated above the battlefield, summoning monstrosities from the space: grotesque giants with endless, unblinking eyes. Her expression was twisted, not with sadistic joy, but with something else—ecstasy. It wasn’t the delight of killing that consumed her, but the rapture of vengeance. Every movement screamed of her hatred for Sancta Vedelia, hatred carried not just from this life but burned into her soul across countless incarnations.

She wasn’t just fighting.

She was exorcising centuries of torment she had endured.

And if she kept going... she’d destroy everything.

But first—Rucain.

I turned my head slightly, catching his eyes as he rose to his feet. His face darkened as he looked at me.

”Go back to Viessa’s side,” I told Alicia quietly, keeping my hand soflty on her. ”Get your wrist healed.”

Her eyes widened, brimming with protest. ”B–But—”

”Go,” I interrupted, softer this time. ”I’ll bring Elizabeth back with me. I promise.”

For a moment she hesitated but finally, with a pained nod, she pulled away and ran, stumbling toward safety.

Only when she was gone did Rucain’s voice cut the air.

”You finally came, Mael.” He smiled faintly, though there was no warmth in it. ”I thought you wouldn’t. Destiny, it seems, doesn’t let us avoid each other.” His eyes narrowed. ”But this time will be different. You’ll die here. By my hand.”

I sighed slowly and reached behind me.

”No,” I said.

In one fluid motion, I drew Trinity Nihil.

The gleaming blade caught Rucain’s eye, his expression sharpening. For once, he looked serious.

”A Holy Sword of Eden...” He muttered, his voice edged with disdain. ”Even so, you can’t win. I’m stronger than you. You’re weaker than the previous Mael. I’m curious... how far do you think you’ll get befor—”

-BAM!

His words died in his throat as my fist collided with his raised arm.

-CRACK!

The sound of bone snapping rang out. Mana rippled violently from the impact, shaking the ground beneath us.

Rucain’s eyes widened. He snarled, summoning a crimson lance into his free hand.

-BOOOOM!

Before he could strike, mana exploded from my body in a surge of purple light, a storm that tore through the ground and roared toward the heavens. The blast hurled him backward, sliding across the broken earth until he managed to steady himself.

He looked at me in shock.

”You... you’ve grown much stronger. No, this is... something else.” His eyes flickered with unease. ”You’re ascending to a higher state of power.”

I didn’t answer. My grip tightened on Trinity Nihil. My breathing slowed.

And then—I called Wrath.

-CRACK!

The air itself fractured, as though rejecting the power I was about to unleash. The moment Wrath touched Trinity Nihil, a violent resistance surged through me. The sword recoiled against my will, sparks of mana crackling as the two forces clashed.

The Holy Sword of Nihil despised Wrath. It always had. Forcing them together had nearly destroyed me before—my arm had burned as if I’d thrust it into molten iron.

But this time... this time was different.

I forced Wrath deeper into the blade, pushing past the resistance, ignoring the searing rejection. The air screamed as cracks spiderwebbed around the weapon, reality itself seemed to be protesting against what I was attempting.

Trinity Nihil had been forged by Samael Eveningstar himself, and he had crafted it to reject the Sins—especially Wrath. To wield it as I did now was to defy not only the blade’s purpose, but its very existence.

And I intended to break it to wield it at its full extent.

I raised Trinity Nihil in a clean arc, the blade humming as if protesting my grip.

”Stop resisting already,” I said, and forced more of Wrath into the sword.

-BOOOOM!