I Became a Dark Fantasy Villain Chapter 483

A blazing purple glare shone in his eyes. Though the pupils weren't visible, Diana felt the gaze that swept past her for an instant like a burn.

That alone left her frozen, like a frog before a snake. Every kind of death flashed vividly through her mind, but she couldn't even breathe, let alone run. The sheer stiffness in every muscle kept her from falling.

Of course, Ian didn't turn her fears into reality.

"Krrrk...."

He rely parted his pointed teeth, revealed without lips, and once more let out a sound that seed to gnaw at the soul.

It was natural. In truth, Ian had simply checked on the group's condition. Even now, he was perceiving Seren, who had barely propped up her upper body, the two standing side-by-side, and Moro, which had staggered to its feet, almost simultaneously.

It was right then that Ian reached up and ran a hand over the back of his neck, the sickly green glow fading from his fingers. His eyes narrowed slightly. He realized, for the first ti, that his voice was unsuitable for talking.

Buooooh—

As Yanar Tash's roar rippled through the air, Ian responded in the only way he could. He extended one arm towards the group and then flicked his wrist up and down several tis.

"Stay back, you an?" Lucia asked blankly.

Instead of answering, Ian, revealing his sharp teeth more clearly, turned. As the tentacles curved forward as if to envelop him, he, having bent his knees, kicked off the ground.

Woosh!

The tentacles shot backward all at once, and Ian receded as if launched. Beyond the surging ash-colored sand, the purple trajectory he created distanced itself in an instant.

Buoooooh—

He was aiming straight for the reddish-brown silhouette now climbing back up through the haze.

Lucia, who had been watching that sight, finally turned to Diana standing beside her.

"Did you see that? I knew it! Sir Ian hasn't gone mad at all—Diana!"

Lucia, her eyes wide, rushed towards her. Diana, who had been frozen like a statue, suddenly crumpled to the ground. Lucia caught her, holding her close and slipping an arm beneath her shoulder as she turned her head.

"Are you okay, Diana?"

"Absolutely… insane… this is unreal," Diana muttered, gasping for the breath she had been holding. Cold sweat drenched the area around her mask and her neck.

Looking back at Lucia, who was slowly helping her up, Diana added, "That… that wasn't just a demon. It looked like the avatar of chaos itself."

"Certainly...." Lucia, one eye twitching for a mont, nodded as she fully straightened her knees. "It does seem so."

"What? How can you be so—"

"Have you forgotten? I've already seen an avatar of chaos. I even fought against it."

"Huh?"

"Perhaps that's what the archdemons ultimately desired. To be reborn as a complete being of chaos. I finally understand why Yog calls them failures."

Diana stared blankly at Lucia. This ti, it wasn't out of fear. She was speechless at Lucia's composure and her ability to think calmly even in such a situation.

As Seren staggered towards them through the gust, Lucia added, "The important thing is that Sir Ian's soul remains the sa. Regardless of his appearance."

"Lucifer. You really are—" Diana, who had been muttering in admiration, flinched.

The gust of wind that had been blowing continuously suddenly intensified, and a vibration that shook the Earth's axis spread.

Buooooooooh—

Beyond the thickening dust cloud, a massive silhouette, flashing reddish-brown, was once again being sucked into the ground. The sa went for the faint purplish trajectory connected to it.

Seren instinctively crouched low again, and Lucia grabbed a fistful of her cloak. Even though the gust was raging fiercely, the Cloak of the Undying still clung to her as it fluttered.

"Fuck. Are they planning to tear up the entire desert?" Diana, still being supported by Lucia while lowered, eventually murmured.

It ant they would once again have to chase after Yanar Tash across the desert, braving quicksand and sand tornadoes.

Instead of answering, Lucia turned her head to the side. A purple silhouette was approaching through the thickly swirling sand fog.

Grrr…

It was Moro, its mane rippling. The creature was walking without falling, even amidst the earthquake and fierce winds.

Rumble…

anwhile, the earthquake rapidly subsided. Though the sand-mixed gust remained. Diana and Lucia, almost simultaneously, straightened up and looked far beyond.

The ash-colored sand fog had only thickened;

the ominous reddish-brown silhouette that had adorned it was no longer visible.

Psssss...

As Moro stopped beside Lucia, Seren rose again from ahead.

Stroking Moro's flank with her right hand, Lucia looked at the approaching Seren. "Is the stigmata alright, sir? I was worried because you got close to Sir Ian."

"Yes, Priestess. I had to struggle to calm the stigmata, but...." Seren, replying with a bitter smile, approached Lucia and continued, "More than that, the Agent of the Saint truly seed to have completely shed his shackles. Even more so than any demon I've ever seen..."

Pausing hesitantly, she finally added, "He looked closer to a being of the void."

"But still, at his core, he was Sir Ian." Unlike Seren, Lucia replied calmly, shrugging. "You saw it too, Sir Seren, didn't you? So surely, he will return to his original form."

"Priestess...." Seren's eyebrows drooped. Her expression was clearly one of pity. It was clear she believed this young apostle before her was clinging to an impossible hope.

"This is no ti to be worrying about Ian." It was then that Diana interjected.

Without averting her gaze, which was fixed far beyond, she added, "We need to get out of here quickly."

Only then did Lucia and Seren, looking in the sa direction, widen their eyes almost simultaneously. Far beyond the unusually billowing sand fog, whirlwinds were shooting up sharply like bamboo shoots. They were growing at an incredible speed, sucking in the surrounding fog.

"Diana is right. Let's move for now." Lucia, finally recalling the concentric shockwaves Yanar Tash had unleashed, imdiately turned towards Moro.

After helping Diana up first, she skillfully mounted Moro behind its neck.

It was right after that when she realized the soaring sand tornado wasn't the only one. Ominous spirals were erupting from various places as if to encircle them. This was likely the reason for the chaotically swirling gusts.

"If we get caught in even one, it's over," Diana muttered, wrapping her arms around Seren's waist as Seren settled into the saddle.

Nodding, Seren gripped the reins and said, "We'll have to trust Moro."

"I'm counting on you, Moro," Lucia whispered, hugging Moro's neck.

Though violet chaos undulated in its mane, it had no effect on Lucia, who was protected by the Cloak of the Undying and the Sacred Blood.

Grrr...

Moro, snorting and looking around, finally dashed off powerfully. It seed intent on piercing through the middle of the undulating, swirling sand fog. The direction also held Ian's presence, a fact known only to Seren.

Swoosh—

As the group lowered their stances, heads down, the gust of wind grew increasingly fierce. The sand tornado, which had instantly soared to the sky, was now expanding sideways. Each moved in a different direction, so veering near, but Moro never once veered.

It was tracing a broad arc to the left, occasionally leaping or veering with sudden shifts in pace, cutting wide turns with precision.

However, not even Diana doubted Moro's actions. She knew Moro was avoiding the quicksand.

Rather, she was relieved that its detection ability remained intact even in this situation. Even Moro wouldn't be able to run like this if it fell into quicksand.

Boom, boom, boom!

Soon, Moro passed the approaching sand tornado. Though a wind strong enough to be called a gale was raging, it didn't even stumble, nor did it pass by precariously.

Looking back at the whirlwind that had filled her vision for a mont as it passed, Diana silently let out a sigh of relief, even leaning the side of her head against Seren's back. In any case, they had escaped the imdiate threat of death.

"What?"

It wasn't long before Lucia's exclamation reached Diana's ears.

Diana, her eyes twitching, lifted the head she had been leaning on. Diana blinked and lifted her head, her hair blown wild by the gust from behind. Then, her mouth fell slightly open behind the mask.

"That's… insane…"

Beyond the scattering veil of dust, the desert itself was shifting.

Countless sandworms were leaping up and passing in front of them. It looked as if all the sandworms in the desert were engaged in a mass migration.

"Is Yanar Tash summoning them?" Seren, realizing that was also the trajectory Moro would eventually follow, murmured softly.

"Run slowly, Moro. Slow down!" Diana pounded her palm against Moro's back, ignoring the chaos and shouting over the wind.

Though it snorted irritably, Moro slightly reduced its speed. And then, just ahead, the undulating wave of sand sank into the ground all at once, as if swallowed.

Diana's brow tightened, the breath catching in her throat.

Pssss…

The larvae leaped up. Changing direction, they were surging towards the group. Even the ones further back were turning one after another, like a spreading current.

"Direction! Moro! We need to change direction!" Diana, her eyes wide, shouted, frantically slapping Moro's back.

Her pupils darted around, searching for an escape. "Shit! Where on earth do we go—"

"It's already too late," said Lucia.

Handing the flail she had drawn from her waist to Seren, she looked at Diana with eyes glowing faintly red.

"We have to fight. Trying to run will only get us closer to that tornado zone."

Diana, looking at her, finally squeezed her eyes shut.

"Will you be alright?" asked Seren, having taken the flail. She hadn't forgotten how much magic Lucia had already used just getting them here.

"Of course not," Lucia replied calmly, spreading both her hands wide.

As fire began to swirl into her palms, she added, "But what can I do? I have to try."

"Moro is currently chasing Agent of the Saint. If we can just break through and escape, we might be able to receive help," said Seren.

"Oh, what a comforting thought," Diana muttered under her breath. However, despite the sarcasm, two throwing knives had already found their way into her hands.

"Your hooves might get a little hot. I apologize in advance, Moro," said Lucia, eyes fixed on the wave of incoming larvae. As Moro snorted, she extended her right hand.

Fwoosh—

A blazing fireball erupted from her right hand, streaking across the air and exploding in a brilliant flare above the larvae.

Woosh—

The fla clung to their bodies, sending the creatures flailing and thrashing as they dove back into the sand. It was pointless;

the fire wouldn't die until all the divinity within the ember was consud.

However, it didn't matter.

Fwoosh, boom!

Space opened up before them.

Lucia extended her left hand, and another fireball shot past the first before erupting into another blaze. Even before the flas subsided, a new fireball was swirling and rising in her right hand.

Fwoosh— Boom, boom!

She flung them forward in rapid succession, alternating hands. A path of fire cut through the expanding, fan-like wave of larvae.

Grrrr!

And Moro dashed into the middle of it without hesitation. The flas charring the sand caught on its hooves, but Moro rely snorted and galloped on.

Psssss…

Before they knew it, larvae were flailing past them on either side. Most of them shot past Moro before they could adjust their course, but a few arced through the air and flew straight at them.

Swoosh!

A faint trajectory brushed past Seren just as she raised the flail, scanning the area.

Crunch.

It was a dagger, accurately embedding itself right in the middle of a larva's wide-open maw. The larva, its trajectory slightly altered, writhed as it passed by.

Seren glanced back. Diana, her eyes now filled with desperation, was drawing a new dagger, having forgotten even to grumble as she continuously scanned her surroundings.

Clang! Woosh—

Of course, amidst all that, explosions continued at the front. Perhaps due to her previous experience, Lucia was skillfully and relentlessly throwing fireballs without any gaps.

Grrrr!

Moro suddenly threw its head back and roared right after Lucia had conjured a new fireball in her right hand.

She flinched instinctively, grabbing his mane with her left as the beast twisted and skidded sideways, slowing his charge.

The reason beca clear a mont later.

Boom, boom, boom!

The sand to their side erupted as if exploding, and a massive, grayish-black trajectory shot up in a small parabola.

Boom, boom, boom!

Yanar, its maw wide open, swept through the area as if plowing a field.

While Diana, her eyes wide, looked to the side, Moro, growling once more, swung its head.

Crunch—

The larvae that had once rely skimd past them were now lunging directly at the group. The blade-like horns on Moro's head and snout struck down all the attacking larvae.

Lucia startled back into focus, flung the fireball in her right hand to the left.

Boom!

Although the wave of larvae had briefly stopped with Yanar blocking the side, so had already slipped past while Moro was montarily halted. Those larvae were now circling back toward them.

Swoosh! Crunch!

As Moro surged forward, overtaking Yanar's path, Diana began launching daggers to the left, one after another.

Boom, boom, boom—

Yanar was burrowing back into the ground, scattering sand. The wave of larvae surging past the rising sand drew closer. Perhaps because they had changed direction due to being blocked by Yanar, they were erging much more densely.

Lucia, who had been holding up both hands blazing with red magic, forcefully thrust them towards the very center of it.

Fwoosh—

A dazzling fla radiated from her palms, turning all the larvae passing in front into fireballs and engulfing the area behind them in a sea of fire.

"Keep going... the way we were headed... Moro!" Lucia shouted, clenching her teeth.

Moro, growling, dashed into the middle of the sea of fire. A violet chaos flickered over its entire body, likely because flas were blazing on its hooves.

Woosh!

Lucia relentlessly spewed flas as if to clear a path for the creature. It was a heat that not a single larva could penetrate.

Worry tinged Seren's eyes as she watched Lucia's back.

She had known for so ti that Lucia was overexerting herself. Even now, Lucia's fingertips trembled as they cast spell after spell.

"Faster! Damn it... Moro! Run faster! They're catching up!" Diana, who had been relentlessly throwing daggers behind them, shouted.

Of course, her daggers weren't infinite either. The leather bands crisscrossing her, once packed with blades, were now almost empty.

Seren, looking down at Moro's charring hooves, unknowingly bit her lower lip.

She had a feeling that both Lucia and Diana would reach their limit before breaking through this wave. And soon, Yanar would co crashing down on them again. If Moro's charge faltered one more ti, they wouldn't survive it.

But the truth was, she knew how to turn things around. The problem was that it might be a choice she could never take back.

Seren's sharp teeth dug deeper into her lip, and blood trickled down. However, the grimace on her face wasn't from pain—it was sha. Even now, in a mont like this, she was hesitating.

That young apostle had long since committed herself to fight with her life on the line, and the Agent of the Saint had already made an irreversible choice for their sake. And yet, she was still hesitating in a situation like this.

Thump—

Finally, placing her left hand on her breastplate, she closed her eyes.

Then she focused her mind on the stigma she had barely suppressed. The chaos tangled within it flared up with heat, and amid it, she felt a faint ripple. Seren locked her consciousness into it.

A searing pain like her soul was burning alive tore through her. The now-clear ripple was scorching away the original chaos embedded in her stigma.

Woosh—

And even amidst that, Lucia continued to unleash flas without pause.

However, she was already at her limit. Her face was pale and slick with cold sweat, and her reddened hands trembled uncontrollably. Still, she gritted her teeth and held on.

"Khak..." Until, finally, a mouthful of blood spilled from her lips. The flas spewing from her palms instantly died down.

"Lucifer?" Diana, her eyes wide, looked back. "Are you oka—".

Lucia, not knowing Diana had frozen, wiped her mouth with the edge of her cloak and said, "I'm... I'm okay...."

Even as dizziness washed over her, she was, almost instinctively, observing her inner state. The stigma was empty, but there was still a little magic left.

Grrr!

The mont her eyes, teeth clenched, were about to blaze again, Moro roared fiercely, unleashing a wave of chaos.

The precariously fading purplish light instantly beca vivid, spreading across it in slash-like trajectories.

Crunch—

It was a curtain of chaos that struck down all the lunging larvae.

Lucia blinked in confusion.

"You've done well, Priestess," said Seren, gripping Lucia's waist with her left hand.

Lucia froze. There was a low, chilling resonance buried in Seren's voice.

Lucia, looking back, her mouth falling open. "Sir Seren?"

A violet hue was slowly spreading across Seren. Her eyes, now tinged the sa deep purple, lowered to et Lucia's.

With blood staining her lips, she said, "Now, I'll open the way."