Extra's POV: My Obsessive Villainous Fiancee Is The Game's Final Boss

Chapter 90: Ready Player Two

There was a muffled whoosh of displaced air as Ren appeared in Lilith's cell, the cold, damp air of the underground chamber barely registering to him. 

The moment he appeared, Lilith's head snapped up, her eyes widening in surprise before softening with relief.

"Ren." She scrambled to her feet, the chains affixed to her legs clanking as she rushed toward him, arms outstretched. "What happened? Why are you back so soon?"

He met her halfway, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her close. "I found something."

She disengaged from the hug, leaning back to stare up at him. "What happened?"

Ren grinned at her. "My Bloodbinding is gone."

Lilith's brows rose in confusion. "Gone? What do you mean? And why are you smiling like that's a good thing."

"Because it is." He explained, his grip on her tightening slightly. "With Bloodbinding gone, I don't use blood anymore. But what you did to stop me from dying, it gave me something else. Soulbinding."

"Soulbinding?" Lilith's eyes widened. "But all I did was…" She trailed off.

"It doesn't matter. My Divine Gift changed me. I use soul energy now. My connection to my blood was severed and replaced by my soul. It's like your Soul Dominion."

Lilith's eyes widened even further. "That's— Ren, that's incredible!"

He exhaled. "It also means I need you."

Her breath hitched, and he clarified. "Your soul energy. Your Gift generates an unlimited amount of it. You can fuel me, and in turn, I'll be at my best for whatever I need to do tomorrow."

Lilith didn't hesitate. She placed her hands on his chest and began pumping soul energy into him. 

His eyes widened as he felt the power, now clear and distinctive, flow into him. A warm, radiant sensation spread through his body like liquid, and then—

His heart beat.

He gasped, staggering slightly. He reached up and opened his chest to see the stab wound over his heart heal slowly until it sealed completely, the last traces of his injury vanishing as if it had never been there.

Lilith's eyes brimmed with tears. "You're back. You're truly back to how you were before." She whispered, pressing a palm over where his wound had been, feeling the rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her fingertips.

Ren inhaled deeply, feeling his new strength for the first time. He could already tell he was faster, stronger, and way harder to kill than he'd ever been. Based on the Unfettered Enhancement notification, he wasn't even sure if he could still be killed.

The energy filled his eyes and he blinked rapidly. By the time everything settled, he could see traces of soul energy, with Lilith shining like a beacon in front of him.

"I've never felt this powerful before." He whispered, unable to believe it.

Lilith grinned through her tears. "Then let's make sure you stay that way."

They stood in silence for a moment before Ren spoke again. "I have a plan. Tomorrow morning, I'll meet with the Penny Prince. No matter what it takes, even if it means giving up my winnings, I'll make sure you're released."

Lilith exhaled, staring at him with an expression of love that Ren was sure he was undeserving of. "Thank you, Ren."

"No. Thank you, Lilith." Ren said with a soft smile. "You saved my life. Just wait for me. I'll get you out of here."

She nodded, leaning into him. "Okay."

Ren nodded with her, before pressing a kiss to her forehead and stepping back. "Get some rest. Tomorrow, I'll fix this."

Lilith squeezed his hands. "See you tomorrow."

With that, he teleported away, vanishing into the night.

[][][][][]

"Still nothing?" Isolde asked, her voice filled with something Anders relished in those who came before him. Desperation. "No traces of Gwen at all?"

He lounged comfortably in the sitting room of his private mansion, swirling a glass of deep red wine in his hand. He took a slow sip before sighing dramatically. "I'm afraid not, Isolde. We've looked everywhere. It's as if she simply vanished from existence."

Isolde clenched her fists. "That's impossible. Someone must know something. Someone must have seen something. This is Steadfast. Nothing is ever really secret."

Anders tilted his head, watching her with lazy amusement. "Are you sure about that? There are dark secrets in Steadfast that are still secrets. I think that at this point, you need to start accepting the possibility that Gwen may never be found."

Isolde's eyes burned with frustration. "I'm not giving up on her."

Anders took another sip of wine, hiding his smirk behind the glass. "Of course not. You're loyal to a fault. It's admirable, really."

She scowled. "Don't patronize me."

He chuckled. "Oh, apologies. Do not let me stop you from feeling both hope and despair."

Isolde glared at him before a thought occurred to her. "Wait a minute. Let me speak with Lilith Underwood."

Anders raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"She has to know something." Isolde insisted. "She was the last person to be involved in any kind of disagreement with Gwen and was the last person to see her. If anyone has a lead, it's her."

Anders tapped a finger against his wine glass, considering. "Tempting, but no."

Isolde tensed. "Why not?"

"Because," Anders drawled, "Lilith Underwood is currently a criminal. And unfortunately for you, I quite enjoy watching you squirm." He sipped his wine. "Even if she did know something, I wouldn't let you anywhere near her."

Isolde's hands trembled, but she knew better than to push. Instead, she took a deep breath and stepped back. "Then keep looking."

Anders smiled. "Of course. I'll keep looking into it. But do yourself a favor. Don't hold out hope. It'll be useless in the end."

Isolde said nothing, only turning on her heel and leaving the room, the door clicking shut behind her.

Anders exhaled contentedly before Lars entered, his expression neutral. "News from the palace, my prince."

Anders smirked. "Go on."

"Terence Ross has requested a meeting. He wants to discuss his winnings."

"Smart." Anders chuckled in delight. "With Lilith imprisoned in the palace, he needs the highest ranking person he knows in the palace to help him. And that's me."

Lars nodded. "Do you want to grant the meeting?"

Anders set his wine glass down and stood. "Of course. He's far too interesting to ignore. Let's see what he has to say."

He straightened his coat, his eyes shining with amusement. "Tell the palace I'll meet him first thing in the morning."

Lars inclined his head. "Understood."

As Lars left the room, Anders turned to the flickering fire of the fireplace, a grin spreading across his face.

"Ren Ross." He murmured, "I can't wait to see what you have planned."