I Am The Game's Villain

Chapter 327  [Event] [Dolphian Kingdom Under Ruins] [13] John VS Amelia

"S-S–SE–SELENE?!!!" Amelia's voice, booming with unexpected intensity, reverberated through the room following Selene's bombshell revelation. Nôv(el)B\\jnn

The air thickened with tension after Amelia's declaration, sparking a flurry of reactions ranging from disbelief to outright shock.

"Surely, you jest!"

"It must be some sort of prank!"

"But... he's a known criminal!"

"Well, he does have a certain charm..."

"Regardless! He hails from a less esteemed realm!"

"And Amelia, she's a Princess of Sancta Vedelia!"

"There is no freaking way!!"

Amidst the cacophony, Amelia's complexion shifted from flushed embarrassment to a ghostly pallor as the realization of her parents' likely overhearing dawned upon her.

Cautiously, she lifted her gaze to meet her father's furious glare, while her mother attempted to diffuse the escalating tension.

"Are you kidding me…?" Adrian, furrowing his brows deeply, struggled to reconcile the revelation, his gaze darting between his sister and John. Their occasional clashes had seemed merely contentious to him, leading him to believe they simply harbored animosity toward each other.

"Ah, sister," Elizabeth sighed, her palm meeting her forehead in exasperation, a rueful shake of her head accompanying the gesture. Selene had always been indifferent to the opinions of others, leaving Elizabeth to pick up the pieces of her sister's recklessness, particularly when it involved conversations with Victor.

"Classic Selene," Victor said, a mischievous grin playing on his lips.

"This isn't funny Victor... I'm genuinely concerned for Amelia," Celeste retorted, her gaze shifting from Adrian's stoic demeanor to the troubled expressions of the King and Queen.

Whether it was Amelia or herself, they were no different from royalty in other nations; their lineage and status were held in the highest regard, making them prime targets for strategic marital alliances sought after by kingdoms across the globe. As the heads of their respective families and as parents, Celeste and Amelia's parents shared the common desire to secure advantageous matches for their children, preferably with other influential royal families.

So, it came as a shock to many when news of Amael and Elizabeth's engagement surfaced. Amael, not of royal descent nor a member of the main branch of the Olphean Family, defied conventional expectations. Yet, it was known that Amael still carried the esteemed Olphean bloodline, and more significantly, hailed from the prestigious Falkrona House. This revelation altered the landscape significantly, prompting Duncan Tepes to push for the engagement with fervor.

"The real concern should be for him..." Cylien muttered, his gaze fixed on John, who wore an expression of extreme irritation since Selene's revelation.

James Raven shook his head in exasperation before raising his hand high. "Begin!"

Selene wasted no time in seizing the initiative, darting towards Amelia with purpose.

"I'll handle her! You deal with the rest!" Amelia commanded her companions before engaging Selene head-on.

With a resounding splash, Amelia swung her sword, conjuring a barrier of tumultuous water to intercept Selene's jet-black rapier. The crimson veins coursing through Selene's blade pulsed ominously as it pierced through Amelia's watery defense.

"Catch her!" Amelia bellowed, using her free hand to conjure a torrent of water from the ground, erupting in a violent explosion that caught Selene off guard, hurling her backward.

Midair, Selene swiftly adjusted her stance and thrust her rapier forward. "Tepes Art: First Movement," she intoned, a line of blood emanating from her blade, hurtling toward Amelia with deadly precision.

"Raging Waters of Anuket!" Amelia countered, her voice echoing with power as she unleashed a barrage of water tendrils from her blade, intercepting Selene's bloodline attack in a spectacular clash. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the air.

Selene twisted gracefully in the air, evading the majority of the water tendrils but unable to dodge them all. One grazed her arm, leaving a shallow gash that quickly closed as her vampiric bloodline kicked in

Undeterred, Selene landed lithely on her feet, her eyes narrowing as she assessed Amelia with a predatory gaze, slits appearing in her crimson eyes. With a flick of her wrist, she sent a wave of dark blood hurtling towards Amelia, who countered with a wall of water, the two forces colliding in a chaotic explosion of power.

-BOOOOM!

As the dust settled, Amelia charged forward, her sword gleaming with boiling water but a sudden dark red fireball appeared in her vision. She quickly swung her sword.

-BOOOOOOM!

The forceful impact sent her tumbling backward, but she swiftly regained her footing, her gaze fixed firmly ahead.

"Take this seriously," John scoffed, his entire being enveloped in a sinister crimson blaze.

"What are you doing?" Selene questioned, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"Given the predicament you've landed us in, I'll handle the rest for now," John retorted sharply, his eyes flashing with intensity.

Selene regarded him for a beat before turning her attention towards Amelia's companions, who were locked in combat with her own allies.

"What do you think you're..." Amelia's words trailed off as John interrupted her with a decisive gesture.

"Curse of Hecate: Fireball," John uttered, his hand outstretched as a dark aura coalesced into a blazing sphere hurtling towards their adversaries.

Amelia, like the others, felt a shiver run down her spine as she beheld the ominous energy surrounding the fireball.

Reacting swiftly, Amelia drew her sword and traced a large, intricate mana circle in the air, channeling potent energy from her bloodline.

"Waterball!" she called out, her voice resonating with authority as the water she summoned took on a dark, foreboding form, colliding with John's fireball.

-BOOOOOOOM!

The collision of the two opposing elements sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield, shaking the very ground beneath their feet. Flames and water exploded outward in a fountain of heat, engulfing the field.

Amelia gritted her teeth against the searing heat of the flames, her concentration on her mana as she poured all of her energy into maintaining the water barrier. Sweat beaded on her brow as she fought against the overwhelming force of John's curse.

'I-Is that a Curse?'

She had only heard about it but had never fought someone using Curses before and she had to admit it, it was extremely powerful.

"Not yet!" With a surge of willpower, she reinforced her mana circle, channeling even more mana into her waterball as she pushed back against the flames. Slowly, inch by inch, she began to gain ground, her barrier holding strong against the onslaught.

Meanwhile, John furrowed his brow as he focused into maintaining the fireball, his hand stretched out.

But his fireball flickered and sputtered as it threatened to collapse under the pressure of Amelia's dark water.

For a moment, it seemed as though the two forces were locked in a stalemate, neither side able to gain the upper hand. The air crackled with tension as the two of them struggled against each other with all of their mana clashing.

"Enough... stop giving me that look!" Amelia's voice rang out as she poured even more mana into her spell. John's expression remained unchanged, the facade of indifference masking his true feelings towards her. But Amelia had grown weary of his facade.

Her mana circle expanded further, pulsating with power. Her emerald eyes glowed with a sinister green hue, and dark tendrils of water spiraled around her, wrapping around her arms like threads.

"What... what is that?" Roda muttered, visibly stunned by the spectacle unfolding before them.

"I've never seen anything like this... it's unlike Amelia's usual mana," Victor muttered, stealing a glance at Celeste for any insight, but even she was transfixed by the unprecedented display.

"Since when...?" Adrian's voice trailed off, his shock mirroring that of his parents'.

Amelia gritted her teeth against the pain, a pained groan escaping her lips as more watery tendrils enveloped her arms..

John, sensing the shift in Amelia's demeanor, narrowed his eyes, a flicker of realization crossing his features. "This idiot..."

A groan of pain erupted from Amelia as she extended her arm once more, the watery tendrils around her writhing violently before merging with the mana circle. Emerging from it, they transformed into massive whips adorned with thorned mouths, a stark departure from Amelia's usual serene mana, tapping into her Bloodline, the divine bloodline of Anuket.

The five thorned whips loomed menacingly, instilling fear in the hearts of onlookers before lashing out towards John.

(<Jonathan, dear. Do you want to die for love?>)

"Shut up..." John grunted, his own frustration echoing Hecate's exasperated voice in his mind. He clenched his fist tighter, his eyes ablaze with a deeper crimson hue. With a swift motion, he summoned a fiery sword from his remaining hand.

Despite the gravity of the situation before him, John remained steadfast in his confidence. He sensed that his awakening was progressing, nearing its final stages. His curses had grown in potency, imbuing him with greater power.

With decisive resolve, he dispelled his fireball and propelled himself forward, slashing at the thorny whips that threatened him. Though they regenerated swiftly, he persisted in his assault.

As a third whip lunged towards him, John met it head-on with his blazing sword, incinerating the water with searing heat. Concealed by the billowing smoke, he launched himself into the air, evading another whip's strike by a hair's breadth. Yet, despite his agility, a deep gash appeared across his waist.

"Urgh..." John grimaced, the pain shooting through him as he hastily stabilized his stance. Strangely, the water within the wound seemed to gnaw at him from within, intensifying his discomfort.

(<Get rid of that quickly. Burn it now.>)

Upon hearing Hecate's urgent words, John swiftly employed his cursed fire to cauterize his wound, enduring the excruciating pain as he did so. But his focus remained fixed on Amelia, who was visibly struggling to maintain control. This wasn't the Amelia he knew, not entirely. Beneath her familiar exterior, he glimpsed the presence of another, a monstrous entity lurking within her.

(<Believe me, you don't want to see Anuket taking charge. Do it now! For you and HER!>)

"Damn it..." John muttered, frustration boiling within him.

Part of him wished to lose to Amelia, to spare himself and her from future complications, using defeat as a means to sever their ties completely. Victory held little allure; what he truly desired was for Amelia to grasp the insurmountable barriers between them. Edward's words of encouragement had made an impact, yet the aftermath of Selene's revelation had stirred unease within him, particularly noting the reactions of Adrian, the Queen, and the King.

Resigned to relinquishing any semblance of a hopeful future, John found himself drawn back to the present, his gaze fixed upon Amelia.

His mind echoed with the resonance of Edward's advice, Layla's parting words urging him to prioritize his own path forward. He reflected on Amelia's past interactions with him, particularly her tearful expressions and her final words, each memory serving as a poignant reminder of their complex bond.

-BOOOM!-

In a decisive moment, John hurled his blazing sword towards the whip shielding Amelia, obliterating it in a burst of steam.

"Don't come any clos—hmmm!" Amelia's attempt to warn him was cut short as her hand was held in a firm grip, her protests silenced by an unexpected gesture that sealed her lips.