Chapter 150 – The Saintess and Her Guardian (28)

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CLANG!

Triceratops, with its three horns, clashed against the crimson cross-shaped spear, each weapon straining to devour the other.

CLANG!

The metallic ringing reverberated through the air with every impact, shaking me to my core.

My movements were a blur, too fast for the naked eye, and I’d laid traps to exploit the angel’s information-relaying abilities. Yet Vempir showed no hesitation, as if determined not to repeat past mistakes.

CLANG!

Another collision, and the ground beneath me cratered. Despite nothing visibly changing, my grip on Triceratops trembled.

“Starting to tire, are we?”

“You hit harder than I expected. Been bulking up?”

Even holding back against Edel, I’d never been overpowered like this.

Was it the blood mist?

The swirling storm of bloodlust around us was like standing in the eye of a hurricane, except the hurricane was Vempir herself.

A pattern I’d never even seen in the game.

If I just stood there and took it, I might get bisected again.

I gathered mana, and Triceratops’ horns swelled even larger.

Then, with a burst of energy, I shoved Vempir back and unleashed a sweeping slash, a blade of pure force.

“You think brute force will work on me?”

Mocking me, Vempir spread her wings and took to the skies.

Exactly what I wanted.

If she took that hit head-on, the Saintess’s body might split in two, and even with healing magic, wounds tainted by Triceratops’ curse wouldn’t close without a miracle.

“I wasn’t aiming for you in the first place.”

“Oh?”

The scarlet storm split cleanly under my slash. As the winds tried to reform, a ripple of pink mana disrupted them.

The typhoon, corroded by Triceratops’ curse, dissipated into eerie silence.

“Tch. The angel warned me about that broom. A dragon that devours the world, was it?”

“The angel told you that too?”

“Witch, now I see why you were so confident. I want it.”

Vempir licked her lips, eyeing my one-of-a-kind broom with greed.

Oh hell no.

First, she steals the Saintess’s body. Then she comes after Edel. And now she’s eyeing my broom?!

Two hundred years in a seal isn’t enough, she deserves to rot until Kyle kills her once the original story starts!

“Know your place. You think being a vampire makes you special?”

“Nothing is beyond my reach. So let’s end this.”

Backlit by the blood-red moon, Vempir raised her spear and dove at me again.

“No learning curve, huh? Same attack won’t work twice.”

“Oh, it will.”

No blood mist buffs this time, you really think I’ll lose?

I moved to counter with Triceratops, but my mana wouldn’t gather properly.

Something was suppressing me.

My strength, mana, even my speed, all dulled. A familiar, unsettling sensation crawled over my skin, reminding me of Leo’s Holy Eye.

A quick glance around confirmed it.

A barrier of holy power encased the entire battlefield.

“No way… a temporary sanctuary? Since when?!”

A domain that halved the stats of demonic entities inside.

From the outside, I hadn’t noticed—but now, feeling its weight firsthand, I couldn’t ignore it.

That grand bloodstorm was just a distraction?!

“Slow to realize, aren’t you? You’ve been distracted since the blood mist appeared.”

“Ghk—?!”

“That weapon may be fearsome, but with its wielder weakened, it’s nothing.”

I layered magic circles to block, but they cracked one after another.

One. Two. Three.

Ten layers shattered before Vempir closed the distance, her power swelling.

“I’m still curious how you survived last time. Show me how you do it.”

The spear’s tip spiraled into a needle-sharp point, condensing into a single, devastating thrust.

Oh, this is gonna hurt.

BOOM!

The explosion sent me flying.

I bounced across the ground like a skipped stone before crashing through a boulder and skidding to a stop in the wasteland.

I’d avoided being split in half, but a gaping hole in my abdomen gushed blood.

Damn. Overdid it.

Didn’t plan to take this much damage.

“Surprised you’re still alive. Though you’re in no state to fight. Lucky for you, I’ve no interest in turning corpses into thralls.”

Vempir approached leisurely as I struggled to rise.

“Not… bad… cough.”

I spat blood, giving her the compliment she deserved.

“Finally looking presentable. After the humiliation you put me through… I’d love to finish you, but even I have limits.”

Her earlier confidence wasn’t unfounded, the blood mist around her had weakened.

She’d hidden it well, but covering this entire battlefield in a temporary sanctuary must’ve drained her.

Her wings, now skeletal and translucent, flickered faintly.

Didn’t expect to get a hole punched through me, but… worth it.

“All that arrogance, and this is your reward. ‘Pure love’, was it? Just pretty words only the strong can afford.”

Vempir’s victorious smirk oozed condescension.

Like a winner lecturing the loser, she monologued without pause.

“In the end, you’ll have nothing, not love, not even your body. I’ll take everything from you.”

She bared her fangs, leaning in.

“You wanted to see ‘pure love’? The Saintess and her Guardian’s, mine and the Black Knight’s, I’ll let you experience it all… as my thrall.”

Too short to reach my neck, she floated on bony wings, her rancid breath whispering in my ear.

“I told you not to say ‘love’ anymore.”

I couldn’t take any more of her nonsense.

Yes, I’d hoped to season the Saintess and Guardian’s love story deliciously—

But hypocrisy had its limits.

A leech like her, preying on Edel, who’s still a novice in love? Unacceptable.

“And get those stinking fangs out of my face. Who said you could touch me?”

This delicate body didn’t need more holes.

I hadn’t meticulously maintained it for over a century just to hand it to Vempir.

One hole in the gut is enough.

As Triceratops’ three horns reemerged, Vempir hastily retreated.

“How…? You were dying!”

“Convincing act, wasn’t it?”

“Wait—then those wounds…?”

Her face twisted in realization.

My near-death performance had been very effective.

“Didn’t plan to humor you, but you went all out. Not bad.”

“You—! To the very end, you—!”

You think halving my strength means I can’t handle one vampire?

I could’ve sealed, or killed, her right then.

But that wouldn’t have been satisfying.

After insulting love itself, Vempir needed to be humbled, and the Saintess and Guardian’s love story had to shine for Edel.

“I had to tire you out first. You’re not my only business here.”

The prince saves the princess from the monster, that’s how fairy tales go.

Witches are just supporting characters or villains. Didn’t you read the stories?

I’m the spice that makes love richer, not the main course.

The Saintess wouldn’t want me to save her.

She’d want her Guardian, her knight in shining armor.

And he’d been waiting for my signal.

“The witch’s role ends here. The rest is up to the Guardian.”

“That thrall saving the Saintess? Don’t make me laugh. By now, he should be—”

No need to correct her delusion.

“Hey there, demon.”

“…You! How—?”

Clutching the cross I’d given him, the Guardian stepped forward, his expression said everything.

“I’m here to take the kid back.”

Lucent