I Became a Dark Fantasy Villain-Chapter 444

Inaskurgl, who had driven even its fang-like sword on its right hand into the ground, suddenly turned its head. It had sensed the fragment of divinity flying toward it. A moment later, it yanked the fang-like sword free and swept it wide.

Boom, boom, boom.

The oncoming flames collided with the ashen arc traced by the blade. One by one, they burst apart in a chain of fiery explosions.

Chaotic magic hissed and crackled in the air, scorching as it burned. Just as the thick smoke gathered around Inaskurgl, Hyked, wreathed in deep blue darkness, burst through the haze and charged. Lucia had bought enough time for Hyked to catch up to Inaskurgl.

“----!” A feral roar followed, joined by a deafening crash.

The shockwave ripped through the clearing, scattering the smoke and remnants of holy fire in a single breath. At nearly the same moment, Moro slowed down and veered to the side. Lucia didn’t need to ask why. The force had come so close that she had to raise her arms to shield her face.

Clang!

Even in that instant, loud and sharp crashes rang out in quick succession. Both Hyked and Inaskurgl were furiously swinging their blades.

Though each strike lacked the heavy force of a greatsword, their speed and ferocity had only increased. And that, more than anything, seemed to put Hyked at a disadvantage.

Clang, clang, clang—

Hyked blocked the flurry of blows, but each one pushed it farther and farther back. Around Inaskurgl, the remnants of the ashen arcs left by its sweeping strikes swirled in disarray.

Crack!

At last, Hyked threw himself to the side, narrowly avoiding the next blow. The fang-like sword tore across the ground, leaving a deep, ragged gouge as it snapped back to its wielder.

The darkness still burned fiercely around Hyked’s form, but it couldn’t match the speed and fluid grace of a demon born from beastfolk blood.

Boom—

The jagged edge of the fang-like sword slammed into the earth again. Inaskurgl spun its body and flung out its left arm, just as Hyked sprang back to his feet.

Lucia’s eyes widened.

Crash!

The long arc of the fang-like sword came crashing down, slamming onto his weapon as darkness burst from behind his back.

The Fang Blade slid across the wavering blade of darkness as if clawing at its surface. Blue-tinged sparks scattered in every direction, and the blade, jagged like a fang at its tip, caught against the flat of Hyked’s sword.

Even before the clash had fully settled, Inaskurgl spun the rest of its body around and followed through with its right hand, bringing the fang-like sword down in a seamless strike from above.

Clang—

The descending blade crashed against the one in its left hand, crossing paths in a violent arc. A shockwave erupted, instantly scattering the darkness surrounding Hyked.

Hyked couldn’t even recoil from the impact. Crushed beneath the intersecting swords, he dropped to one knee and was merely dragged backward, unable to resist.

Crackle—

Inaskurgl rose over him, as if to press down and crush him completely. Even as the darkness surged and spread once more, Hyked’s body was steadily forced lower, pinned by the weight.

Whoosh—

Flames burst to life again in Lucia’s outstretched right hand—this time, a large, blazing orb of orange fire, unlike before.

Just as she was about to hurl it forward, she froze. It wasn’t because Hyked had escaped the danger. From behind Inaskurgl, she noticed a figure rapidly approaching. It was Ian, his Truesilver Steel Sword trailing at his side.

Crouched low to the ground, as if gliding just above the earth, he was closing in on Inaskurgl at high speed.

Rumble‌!

Yet neither Inaskurgl nor even Hyked, pinned beneath it, seemed to notice his approach.

It wasn’t all that surprising. Had she not been riding on Moro, and had she not been in a position with a clear view, she too might have missed Ian’s movement entirely.

Besides, the chaos radiating from both combatants was surely disrupting their senses.

Shhhhhh—

That was when a brilliant golden light flared from the sword Ian dragged behind him.

Lucia’s eyes widened as she caught sight of the dragon’s magic surging upward in the form of a blade, and at last, she hurled the searing flame she had been holding.

Inaskurgl suddenly turned its head, eyes widening as if it had only just sensed the presence approaching.

Fwoooosh—

The fireball, trailing an orange tail, struck Inaskurgl’s face dead-on and exploded.

Its head was violently thrown to the side by the impact. It wasn’t enough to take its head off—but it was enough to break its focus.

“Grrhhh!”

The orange flames singed its fur as it snarled and turned its scowling gaze toward Lucia. However, Lucia wasn’t looking at it anymore.

Just behind Inaskurgl, Ian was already springing upwards. Gripping his Light Sword with both hands, he swung in a rising arc. The bright yellow trail slashed straight into the lower portion of Inaskurgl’s second tail, which was shrouded in ashen magic.

Even though it wore no armor, the sound rang out like metal striking metal, and from the center of the tail where the Light Sword had lodged itself, a storm of golden sparks erupted. Of course, the delay in slicing through was only marginal.

Crunch!

With a powerful downward swing, Ian's Light Sword sliced cleanly through its tail as if it were soft clay. For a moment, Inaskurgl’s huge form froze, rigid as if time stood still.

The instant after, deep blue darkness flared across Hyked’s entire body, still pinned beneath its twin blades.

Clang—

With a sweeping motion, Hyked swung his arm upward and forced himself to his feet. A shockwave burst from his blade, and Inaskurgl’s arms, which had been gripping the fang-like swords, were flung aside.

Continuing his movement, Ian again stepped aside and powerfully brought his raised arms down. The yellow arc left by his Light Sword came crashing down—striking the base of Inaskurgl’s second tail.

Slice!

The second tail was severed before the first even hit the ground. No blood burst from the sliced ends—both had been scorched red-hot, cooked through before they were cut.

In an instant, Inaskurgl's eyes flashed with furious, twitching anger.

“----!” It threw its head back and let out a deafening roar.

At that very moment, an immense explosion of ash rocked outwards from its entire form.

Woosh—

The shockwave swept through in an instant, knocking back not only Hyked, who had just tightened his grip on his sword, but also Ian, who had just begun to move sideways again.

Just one more… If I could’ve taken off just one more!

Even as the blow slammed into him like a speeding truck, Ian clenched his teeth. The magic of his Light Sword faded, scattering into the air.

“-----!”

Still, the two severed tails had clearly had an effect.

Tumbling across the ground with the severed tails, Ian caught sight of Inaskurgl’s back as it let out a howl. It wasn’t like any roar they'd heard before—this one felt different, so raw and harrowing it could only be described as a scream.

Scrape!

Ian came to a stop, dragging the edge of his Platinum Barrier across the ground as he activated his barrier. Despite the continued wailing and lingering shockwave, he stood up relatively easily.

Good. You’re doing just what I told you.

Even through clenched teeth, Ian tilted his head ever so slightly, catching a glimpse of Moro sprinting beyond the reach of the shockwave. He already knew he’d only got close thanks to the flames Lucia had unleashed.

It would’ve been ideal to cut all three at once…

But truthfully, he hadn’t expected much. Without Lucia, he wouldn’t have been able to take off even one. Just taking out two was already beyond expectations.

Ian kept his eyes fixed on Inaskurgl’s back as it continued spewing waves of gray shock. The tails that had once fanned out beneath its empty scabbard were now reduced to a single one rising from the far right.

The remaining two, less than half their original length, dangled limply without strength. There was no sign of magic flowing into them—no hint of regeneration, either.

Just as I thought… they’re not just for balance.

He’d noticed it with Charlotte, too. Beastfolk tails held something beyond the physical—something magical, or perhaps even shamanic, tied directly to the soul. While impossible in his home world, it made complete sense in this new reality.

Swoosh.

At last, the screams and shockwaves subsided.

Letting out a low, growling breath, Inaskurgl slumped its head forward. With its beastlike posture, its two legs—already short compared to its massive torso—collapsed to their knees without resistance.

Ashen energy dripped from its mane and shoulders in thick, unstable streams, and its shoulders heaved unevenly.

Tap, tap.

Ian was already charging forward again. He had to sever the final tail before the creature could recover.

Shhhhh—

Golden Mantra circuits rippled across the flat of his Truesilver Steel Sword, followed by a radiant surge as a golden-edged magic blade erupted from it.

No sooner had the ashen magic surged from Inaskurgl’s mane—running from its head down its spine—than Ian’s instincts screamed a chilling warning.

Crack!

Unexpectedly, Inaskurgl convulsed, twisting its body violently. Its limp left arm swung upward, and the fang-like sword traced a long, gray line through the air.

Boom, boom, boom—

The line blurred, unleashing a shockwave like an aftershock. The ground beneath exploded outward, and Ian, who had hurled himself to the side in the nick of time, tumbled across the dirt. By the time Ian had fully turned to look behind, Inaskurgl had locked its burning red eyes on him.

Without even adjusting its outstretched arm, Inaskurgl lunged forward. Grinding his teeth, Ian kicked off the ground just as he rolled.

Swoosh—

The fang-like sword in Inaskurgl’s right hand slammed into the ground. A flood of gray energy cascaded down, and the earth on either side of the blade erupted as if struck by explosives.

It’s fast as hell—

Even as he rolled, Ian gritted his teeth and cast Wind Blade. Barely getting back on his feet, he spun around to face his opponent.

“Grrhh...”

Beyond the downed blade, Inaskurgl came into full view. Its pitch-black face was shadowed as if cast in darkness, but its crimson eyes—each marked by a vertical, cross-shaped pupil—blazed more fiercely than ever before. The ashen magic surging from its mane did so similarly.

Instead of fading, its wild aura appeared even more menacing.

So its mind hasn’t completely collapsed.

But Ian knew better—it wasn’t instinct or rage that drove it now. It was madness. While the change might have appeared minimal at first glance, its effects would soon be obvious.

Crack!

Inaskurgl yanked back its right arm and lunged again. The fading shockwave lashed its body as it passed, but the beast didn’t seem to care. This alone was proof that it had become a slave to madness.

Boom, boom, boom—

The fang-like blade in its wildly swinging left hand came crashing down at an angle, aimed straight at Ian. It was far too fast to dodge.

Zing...

Ian reflexively summoned the Platinum Barrier, slamming both feet down as if driving them into the ground. Dust kicked up as his body was pushed back, the Platinum Barrier held across his raised right arm, braced against his left as if in a cross-guard.

Claaang!

A long blade came crashing down upon it. A blast of force erupted like a shockwave over the golden hexagonal shield, and Ian staggered as one knee buckled under the impact.

The pressure was so intense that it felt like every bone in his body might shatter. Ian’s face twisted involuntarily from the strain.

He found himself missing the Blessing of Battle—painfully so. If Karha had been watching, this was exactly the kind of fight that would have earned that blessing. Had that been the case, this pressure might have felt bearable.

But of course, if he had that blessing, he wouldn’t have been able to keep himself hidden and wait for the right moment to strike. And Karha would’ve probably burned him alive for even trying something that cowardly.

More importantly, this wasn’t the time for wishful thinking.

Boom, boom!

As the magic in the Mantra circuit of his left hand rapidly drained, Ian clenched his teeth with all the strength he had. A metallic taste spread in his mouth, and the molar that had already been cracked shattered completely.

Though the pressure weighing down on his shield had lessened noticeably, Ian’s expression showed no sign of relief.

“Grrhh!” Inaskurgl, still looming directly in front of him, had not backed off an inch.

The beast’s red eyes, brimming with ashen magic, burned with nothing but the primal instinct to kill. That was all that remained of it.

And indeed, its right arm, which had been thrown back awkwardly, was beginning to tense again. It was aiming to cleave Ian clean in two.

Strangely, though, Ian’s Intuition was only issuing warnings on par with what he had sensed so far. He realized why in the very next moment.

Thunk—

A throwing dagger flew in from the side, slicing past Inaskurgl’s eye. It didn’t pierce the beast’s hide, instead deflecting off with a metallic ring—but that wasn’t the only one.

“You runny little goblin turd!” came a somewhat sluggish-sounding shout from behind, followed by a flurry of thrown blades. They had been pushed close to where Diana was.

Inaskurgl didn’t even glance in her direction, unlike before, but that indifference turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Ian.

Crack!

One of the daggers embedded itself in Inaskurgl’s eye. Unlike its hide, the eyeball couldn’t deflect the blade.

Inaskurgl’s right arm jerked and halted mid-swing.

“----!” Throwing its head back, Inaskurgl let out a scream laced with pain—a reaction Ian had never seen from it before, not even when it lost its tail. The power within its roar scattered into the air like dust.

Clang!

Ian finally pushed off the fang-like sword pressing down on his Platinum Barrier. He straightened his buckled knee and sprang up, but his expression twisted again almost immediately.

Even while screaming, Inaskurgl spasmed and violently swung its right arm once more.

Swish.

The fang-like sword, snapping like a whip, slammed down onto Ian’s hastily raised shield.

His body was thrown sideways, forced off balance. A jolt of numbness shot down his left arm, which had been positioned right by his face.

There was no doubt a fracture had formed—but frankly, the fact it hadn’t shattered outright was a miracle in itself.

“Grrhh!” Right then, Inaskurgl suddenly ducked its head. One of its eyes had gone completely dark.

It writhed as it pushed the blade back out, trying to regenerate—but its eyeball never returned to its original shape.

There was no mistaking it—the dagger had been coated in poison. A poison potent enough to affect even an archdemon.

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