I Became a Dark Fantasy Villain

Chapter 362

That sight wasn’t shocking to Lucia alone.

A grotesque eye had emerged in the center of the avatar’s chest, swiveling wildly as it fixated on Ian, who was advancing amidst a flurry of golden afterimages.

Whoosh—

At the same moment, violet streaks erupted like pulsating veins across the avatar’s body. The grotesque eye glowed intensely, spitting out a powerful arc of magical energy.

Rumble! Boom!

The arc of violet energy exploded brilliantly after deflecting upward at a sharp angle just before Ian. For a moment, the flash illuminated him holding his Platinum Barrier high with his left arm.

How did he deflect that from that close?

Lucia’s jaw dropped as she realized what had just happened. Ian had not only intercepted the arc of energy but had struck it precisely with the barrier, sending it off course.

What stunned her even more was not the barrier’s ability to deflect the attack, but Ian’s reaction speed to such a close-range assault.

Meanwhile, the avatar’s two elongated arms extended forward, their ends transforming into single-edged blades. The blades condensed into a hardened, rock-like form, shimmering faintly with cold violet light.

Woosh—

Ian didn’t wait. He pushed off the ground and charged, swinging his Light Sword as he closed the distance. The avatar’s writhing tentacles twitched, and it turned one of its bladed arms to meet Ian’s attack head-on.

Clang.

A shower of sparks erupted and the two blades collided. The golden blade sliced through the violet one, scattering fragments of energy. As the severed arm flew harmlessly through the air, Ian spun like a windmill and closed the distance further, slipping into the creature’s range.

Crackle!

The golden arc of his sword carved a long gash along the avatar’s side. The wound glowed with molten violet light where the blade had struck.

However, that was all. The avatar’s body didn’t collapse this time.

After a brief pause, it raised its remaining bladed arm. At the same moment, Ian’s mutated right arm tensed, gripping his Light Sword tightly.

Boom—

With incredible speed, Ian’s Light Sword swept across the avatar’s body in a whirlwind of motion. To Lucia’s eyes, his movements blurred, too fast to follow.

In the blink of an eye, a dozen golden afterimages streaked across the avatar’s entire form. If it had been human, the impact would have reduced it to countless chunks of flesh.

The avatar’s mutilated body remained intact, save for the glowing violet scars that now blazed across its surface.

Has it adapted to avoid being dismembered?

Lucia’s eyes narrowed. She supposed it wasn’t surprising. The avatar had already shown the ability to alter the density and form of its body at will.

Humm—

Yet, it seemed the creature wasn’t immune to pain or rage. The light glowing like scars across its body suddenly spread, consuming its entire form in a blinding violet radiance.

Boom!

Ian leaped back, raising his Platinum Barrier just as a blinding pillar of light exploded from the avatar’s entire body. The sheer force of the blast was enough to overturn the ground and shake the surrounding area like an earthquake.

Lucia, who had halted in her tracks, quickly lunged forward, wrapping her cloak around Miguel as she crouched low to shield him.

Whoosh—

The shockwave, laden with dirt and debris, swept past her back. Despite trembling under the impact, Lucia held her ground without collapsing.

"Ugh…" A low groan escaped from Miguel just then.

Startled, Lucia’s eyes widened as she placed a trembling hand on his face. "Miguel? Are you awake? Can you hear me?"

Miguel’s eyelids fluttered faintly as he groaned again, unable to open his eyes fully. His lips barely moved. "... Lucy?"

"Oh, Lu Entre, thank you." With a shaky sigh of relief, Lucia sank to her knees, cradling Miguel’s head in her lap.

His dazed expression soon gave way to a chaotic mix of fear and confusion.

"Lucy? My body… it won’t move… what is this… what’s happening?" Miguel’s words tumbled out incoherently as his limp limbs trembled.

Seeing his fingers twitch weakly, Lucia leaned closer and whispered, "It’s okay. You’ve just suffered a shock to your soul. Your body isn’t responding, but it’s temporary. You’ll recover if you rest. Don’t be afraid—it’s going to be fine."

"A shock? What kind of—ah…ahhhh!" Miguel’s eyes shot open. His wide, unfocused gaze locked onto the swirling black-and-red storm clouds churning in the sky above.

"I saw… something incredible, Lucy! Beyond the universe… in the endless abyss… something lurking there!" His breathing grew ragged, his chest heaving as his eyes darted wildly across the heavens.

His voice cracked with panic. "It was vast and horrifying, but… but also more majestic than anything—"

"No, Miguel!" Lucia’s shout cut through his frantic rambling. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms tightly around his face, pulling him into a desperate embrace.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she choked out her words. "Don’t think about it! Don’t remember it! It was just a terrible nightmare, nothing more. Focus on us—on our memories together. Please, Miguel."

Her tears dripped onto his face, her voice breaking as she sobbed. "I can’t lose you too… not you, Miguel…"

Miguel’s erratic breathing slowed, his panicked gasps subsiding into faint, shallow breaths. With her eyes shut tight, Lucia held him even closer, clinging to him desperately.

"Can’t… breathe… you little… idiot…" A muffled, strained voice broke the silence.

Lucia’s eyes snapped open in surprise. Hurriedly loosening her grip, she leaned back and looked down at Miguel.

"Miguel?"

"What’s with your face? Is it because you cried?" Miguel, with weak but steady eyes, forced a tough smile onto his face.

Lucia’s lips twitched at his attempt. "Are you really one to talk right now, Miguel?"

"Maybe not… heh." Miguel chuckled weakly, his voice low, before asking, "Have all the priests, passed away?"

The small smile that had lingered on Lucia’s lips vanished. "While protecting me."

"Vice Priest as well?" asked Miguel.

Biting her lower lip, Lucia gave a small nod.

Miguel’s smile grew more bitter. "Well, it’s ended up like that again, hasn’t it? Damn it… But…"

A bone-rattling roar echoed through the air, reverberating across the battlefield. Miguel briefly turned his gaze to the sky, where the swirling, crimson-black clouds pulsed violently in response.

As the roar subsided, he spoke again. "It doesn’t look like it’s over yet… unless I misheard it just now."

"No, you’re right. That was the void’s, no, never mind." Lucia trailed off, averting her eyes. "It’ll be faster if you see for yourself."

Not far behind, a rock protruded from the ground — the destination where Lucia intended to bring Miguel. Moving behind him, she slid her arms under his, carefully lifting his upper body.

"This is embarrassing," Miguel muttered as he leaned heavily against her. However, his words faltered, his mouth hanging open in stunned silence.

What unfolded before him was a battlefield teeming with chaos. The legionnaires clashed furiously with massive, grotesque mutants twisted beyond recognition.

"Peace to our brothers!"

"For Karha!"

The air echoed with indistinct shouts and chants, their sources lost amidst the chaos. At the battlefield’s edge, several injured legionnaires lay sprawled, shouting encouragement to their comrades despite their dire conditions.

Crack, crackle—squelch—

Across the battlefield, new monsters rose. Mangled flesh and entrails of the fallen beasts and legionnaires formed the grotesque creatures.

Some surged forward before their forms fully formed.

"That shockwave that woke you. I think it triggered something on the battlefield, too." Lucia turned toward the rock, adjusting her grip as she carried Miguel.

Only then did Miguel’s gaze, which had just passed over the battlefield, shift to the left front. "Lu Entre, have mercy."

To be precise, his gaze landed on the giant, gleaming ominously in a sinister purple hue as it slammed its fist down. Almost simultaneously, dazzling purple cracks spread out like a spiderweb from the point where the fist struck the ground.

Boom!

The explosion ripped through the air as if tearing apart the very fabric of reality.

Miguel’s jaw dropped. "What the hell is…"

"It’s a concentrated mass of chaos, directly wrought by an ancient god. A being that defies the laws of this world, a creature that should not exist," Lucia spoke, stepping closer to the rock.

Miguel, still dazed, stammered as he added, "No, I mean, not that monster… the other one..."

His gaze followed another figure bursting forth through the explosion. It had a massive, mutated arm and leg, and a familiar white scale armor barely clung to its swollen upper body. A golden shield rested on its left arm, which kept a distinctly human shape, while its right hand gripped a long, Light Sword. Most striking of all, a blazing crimson holy energy enveloped its entire body.

As Lucia faltered, Miguel continued to speak, "... No matter how I look at it, that’s him. But how in the world did he end up looking like that? It’s not just corruption… he looks almost like a demon."

"I don’t know. I don’t understand it either. Maybe, maybe he thought there was no other way to fight that monster. But one thing is certain." Lucia pulled Miguel to the rock and leaned him against it before sitting down beside him. "The change is only on the surface. Inside, he’s still the same Sir Ian we know. Look closely—Karha recognizes him too."

"That’s… yeah, that much seems true. But damn…" Miguel frowned and glanced at her. "How does that even work? He’s pulled off impossible stunts before, but being touched by chaos and still receiving a god’s blessing? That’s insane."

"Maybe it’s because his soul remains untainted. Even chaos couldn’t corrupt Sir Ian’s soul. But still, he’s undoubtedly pushing himself too far."

Sliding her hand into Miguel’s boot, Lucia continued. "The body is different from the soul. He has been born with a superhuman body, so he’s holding on for now. But accepting two opposing forces must be unimaginably painful."

From within the gap of Miguel’s boot, she pulled out a talisman inscribed with ancient runes. Meeting his gaze, she faintly lifted the corners of her mouth in a weak smile.

"So, I have to help him, even if just a little. Now that you’re awake too, Miguel."

"What are you planning to do?" Miguel frowned anxiously.

Lucia pressed the talisman into his weakened hand, then looked toward the distant sky.

The black fog thickly shrouding the surroundings obscured the wall from view. Yet, as the darkness in the sky gradually receded, its boundary became distinctly visible.

Lucia’s lips parted. "I’ll do what I can right now: I’ll pray."

"Don’t. You look pale as a ghost, and we don’t even have a brazier."

"Have you forgotten? I’m an apostle. If I want to, I can become the brazier myself."

Miguel’s eyes widened sharply. He drew a breath and spoke urgently. "Stop it. Did you forget what the Saintess said? Using your body and soul as fuel will burn through your life! A-And showing that form of him to the Blazing Goddess is—"

"I will pray for Sir Ian and the legion. The Goddess will make the judgment. If the Goddess acknowledges that Sir Ian’s soul has not fallen into corruption, she will grant her aid, just as Karha does." Lucia cut him off, meeting Miguel’s gaze with eyes that were soft but unwavering. "Besides, there are those who gave their lives to save me. If it’s to avenge them, giving up a few years of my life is nothing."

"Don’t worry. I won’t be heading to the heavens before you, Miguel." Lucia added her words with a touch of playfulness and then stood up. "If it comes to it, use the talisman. Don’t make me worry about you unnecessarily, okay? You getting into danger is worse for my lifespan than anything else."

"Why do you have to say it like that?" Miguel muttered, clicking his tongue as he leaned back against the rock with a resigned sigh. "Fine, but spit on the ground right now. You’ve said way too many things you shouldn’t have."

With a small grin, Lucia spat on the ground without hesitation and ground it under her boot. Miguel finally let out a smile, his shoulders slumping slightly. Lucia shrugged and turned her back to him, walking away.

As Lucia walked, her gaze swept across the battlefield. She took in the sight of the legionnaires fighting valiantly despite their exhaustion, and Ian locked in battle with the avatar amidst the ash and ruins left by the bombardments.

Moving the wounded to the sidelines kept Ian and the avatar’s fight separate. The intensity of their fight made it impossible for anyone to approach.

Boom! Crackle!

The avatar, its body tinged in a deep purple hue, seemed smaller than Lucia remembered. But in exchange, it was sturdier, faster, and more destructive, scattering chaos power in ruinous bursts. Were it not for its purple glow, one might mistake it for a molten giant.

Boom! Clang!

Ian, wielding his Light Sword and Platinum Barrier, unleashed a constant barrage of spells in between his attacks. It seemed he no longer cared about hiding that he could wield multiple types of magic.

Well, it wasn’t like that mattered anymore—he had already revealed himself tainted by chaos. Besides, the barbarian warriors likely didn’t know much about magic to begin with.

And more than anything, he probably doesn’t have the luxury to worry about such details.

It wasn’t just her imagination—there was a definite urgency in Ian’s movements. He was not the one to reveal all his cards unless the moment absolutely called for it.

That was as far as her thoughts went before she realized she had already reached the edge of the battlefield. Stopping where she stood, Lucia placed her left hand over her chest plate and closed her eyes.

She prayed, fervently wishing for the spark to reignite within the sacred mark that had lost its light.