Villain's Second Heart: Trapped in A Fantasy Novel (BL)-Chapter 125: A Thousand Monsters

"Ezra, get behind me, now. Close your eyes, open your mouth. And get ready because I’m going to need mana very shortly."

Ezra looked to Oberyn in a panic. The horde of a thousand monsters was rapidly approaching.

"What are you going to do!?" he yapped frantically, turning every which way.

Surely when he asked to be brought to a fantasy world, he wasn’t expecting this level of danger.

"My very best. Down, Ezra. NOW!"

Ezra skidded to the ground and did what Oberyn commanded. He’d heard similar advice once in his world - but that was if a grenade happened to be thrown in your direction. Was Oberyn about to -

The Nephilim raised his arms up high, his bare chest glowing a violent and unstable orange. Mana radiated through him with unstoppable force. He eyed one of the Encephalim at the front of the pack, a hideous creature with a thin, cracked mouth that left all of its bloody, jagged teeth exposed.

"Chain Reaction!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, clapping his hands together once more.

A brilliant streak of amber light surged from him like lightning to the targeted Encephalim. The air became loud with the sound of something charging up, and then -

It exploded with the force of a hundred landmines just a hundred feet away from the both of them. Oberyn stumbled in the aftershock but maintained his form. It had only just begun.

Suddenly after, two more exploded. Then four. Then eight. The flashes of heat so intense Oberyn was sure his eyebrows were burned off. But he couldn’t stop - not yet. His magic darted from monster to monster, magical bombs chaining through their targets. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Mana! Now!" Oberyn gasped, barely able to keep it together. Ezra grabbed onto his lover and poured all the energy that remained inside him into Oberyn’s magic.

The blasts intensified, shaking the earth as more and more enemies were blown to smithereens. Every muscle in Oberyn’s body tensed, and though his body tried to falter he remained in his stance through sheer willpower alone. He had lost track of how many he’d bursted through, but it was over a hundred. But even a hundred was but a dent in a horde of that size.

’Have to...keep...going!’ Oberyn thought, his mind obsessively focused on the task at hand and nothing else. This was his moment. If he fell here, so too would Ezra. He couldn’t let that happen, no matter what.

His curse mark snaked down his back and began to grow over his body, thick black tendrils curling their way into his flesh. He ignored the searing pain and kept blasting.

It was so loud - there were so many explosions - that each one ceased to be distinguishable. The air was filled with nothing but the continuous sound of bomb blasts. Sweat dripped down both the men’s bodies as the relentless heat overtook them.

Even the land itself reacted to the intensity - the ground began to break away underneath them, and the sparse vegetation contorted and twisted in agony.

And finally, some five-hundred kills in, Oberyn fell to his knees and his spell was broken. The curse overtook his entire back, arms, chest, and neck and it choked the life out of him. He could have kept going, if only a little longer, if not for the blight put upon him by Asteria and Demetrius.

He hit the ground in despair, thoroughly exhausted. Ezra saw it happen - felt the horror as it sank deeply into his chest and threatened to consume them both.

Ezra rose to his feet, spear in hand, facing the remaining five hundred monsters. Those remaining were still some distance ahead, but quickly closing the gap.

He had no idea what became of Rav - if the Sage was even still alive. Just thinking about it caused his stomach to churn in unease.

His fingers gripped his spear tightly. Was this possible? Could he do anything against such an immense force?

He gulped, his breath catching in his throat and causing him to gasp for air. A thousand yellow eyes fixed on him, hungry.

Oberyn behind him was down for the count. He’d used an enormous amount of mana, and was suffering for it. Behind him, he could hear the Nephilim’s cries of agony. It hurt his heart to hear, but he had no time to comfort his beloved.

’Could we run? No...’ Ezra realized. There was no way they’d outrun the charging horde.

[You have your Fulfillment Points.]

Ezra’s eye twitched. Alcor had a point - but he already was forced to use some during his battle against the Magician of Thorns. But he only had 35 FP. What could he do with -

A screen opened up in front of him, and time stilled.

[Current FP - 65/100

5 Points - Obfuscation

10 Points - Override

20 Points - Rewind

30 Points - Manifest

50 Points - Evolution

75 Points - Steal

100 Points - Alter Fate]

’Wait, when did I get an extra 30 FP!?’ Ezra thought, confused. It was Alcor who answered, snakily and smugly as ever.

[Oberyn told you he loved you, did he not?]

The voice purred in his ears.

[Your first quest of the system, to find True Love - you were rewarded with those points atop the mountain, but things were a little too hectic for you to notice.]

’What should I do, Alcor? I need help. There’s nothing I can do against so many...’

[Then you must Evolve past your limits.]

Ezra quivered. Fifty Points - Evolution. That’s what Alcor meant. But he couldn’t know for sure what ability or skill he’d evolve. It could be something totally useless.

[If the Storyteller wants you to survive this, and I have reason to believe she does...you will Evolve exactly as you need to, Ezra...have a little faith.]

"Damn it!" Ezra shouted, time still stopped around him. "Fine! Fifty point Evolution, here we come!"

The menu in front of him disappeared and replaced itself with another.

[Congratulations! You have successfully used ’Evolution’.

New Skill Acquired: Heavenly Embodiment]