Chapter 132: Lilith’s Battle[4]
Andros raised his sword toward the arena domain. The flame disappeared, snuffed out in an instant. But the blade didn’t go dark. It burned brighter, glowing with a brilliant golden light.
The golden light wasn’t like the fire from before. It was purer. Heavier. It pressed down on the arena like a second sun, washing everything in its glow. The blood on the floor hissed and evaporated where the light touched it. The remaining tentacles withered and crumbled, turning to ash.
This was the fourth origin element that Andros had revealed.
The students stared, barely breathing. Space, Ice, Fire, and now Light. Four elements. All at high ranks. Andros wasn’t just talented. He was a monster.
Lucien’s eyes narrowed. His smile faded. He had scanned Andros before, but seeing it in person was different. The boy was holding back. Even now, he was holding back.
Lilith’s crimson eyes widened. The golden light pressed down on her, heavy and burning. Steam rose from her skin where the light touched her. She was a vampire. Light was her weakness. This was the worst possible matchup for her.
Andros didn’t hesitate. He raised his sword and released the attack.
A beam of pure golden light shot from the blade. It was thin at first, then expanded, roaring across the arena like a falling star. The air screamed around it. The stone floor cracked and melted beneath its path. The students covered their eyes, the light too bright to bear.
The beam hit Lilith dead center.
But something was wrong.
The light didn’t burn through her. It didn’t sear her flesh or evaporate her blood. Instead, the golden light sank into her body and changed. It turned dark. It turned red. It turned to blood.
Lilith’s lips curled into a smile.
The blood exploded outward, shooting toward Andros in thick, twisting streams. It wrapped around his arms, his legs, his chest, his neck. It tightened like rope, like chains, like a python squeezing the life out of its prey.
Andros released his Originat. Frost and fire burst out from his body, engulfing the blood clone that entangled him. The flames roared, the frost crackled, both tearing at the crimson bindings.
In that instant, another Lilith appeared behind him with ill intent. Everyone saw this as she attacked him.
The fire and frost tried to attack the blood clone that entangled him, but this one seemed more resilient than the others. For a few seconds, it felt as if his attack and Originat had no effect on it. The blood sizzled and steamed, but it didn’t break. It didn’t burn away. It just held on, tighter and tighter.
But there was a problem. The Lilith was getting close. It seemed Lilith had replaced herself with a clone and was attacking him from behind.
As the Lilith attacked toward his back, Andros, who was prepared for such circumstances, controlled his Originat. He released the frost and the fire behind him.
A circular rune appeared.
It was split down the middle. One half burned with roaring orange and gold fire, the flames twisting and snapping like hungry beasts. The other half was frosty blue and white, ice crystals forming and spreading across its surface. The two halves spun together, fire and ice, opposites locked in perfect balance.
The rune pulsed once.
Then it released its attack.
A blast of fire and frost shot out from the rune, spiraling together in a deadly dance. The flames roared, the ice screamed, and both slammed into the Lilith behind him.
The Lilith seemed not to stand a chance.
The fire burned through her body as it was revealed to be a blood clone, evaporating it on contact. The frost froze what was left, locking her in place. The two forces worked together, tearing her apart from the inside. The clone burst into chunks of frozen, burning blood that scattered across the arena floor.
Then immediately Andros sensed that the Lilith that attacked from behind was a clone. He immediately knew that he was wrong.
The blood clone that was still entangled around his body tightened its grip. It squeezed his chest, his arms, his legs. The fire and frost he had released earlier, even though not its target, hadn’t been enough to destroy it. This one seemed stronger and more resilient.
Suddenly, as he was thinking, he felt his Originat draining. His vision began to blur. The attack of ice and fire had sucked him dry.
At this moment, another Lilith burst out from his shadow.
She rose from the darkness beneath his feet, silent and sudden, like a nightmare crawling out of the ground. Her crimson eyes glowed. Her lips curled into a smile. Her sharp nail pressed against his neck, cold and deadly.
Andros froze.
The nail was just a breath away from piercing his skin. One push, and it would be over.
His eyes widened. His mind raced. The Lilith behind him. The one he had just destroyed. It was a clone. It had to be. But if that was a clone, then where was the real Lilith?
The question hung in his mind for a split second, cold and terrifying.
Then the answer came.
The nail pressed deeper. A thin line of blood trickled down his neck. The Lilith behind him, the one holding him, the one with the nail at his throat, was the real one.
She had been there the whole time. Waiting. Watching. Letting him fight her clones as she wear him out and he fell into her trap.
He hasn’t expected that the Lilith that attacked him was a clone too. Vampire with Royal Bloodline can only create 2 Blood Clones at their level, but Lilith had created 6 Blood Clones which shocked everyone and caused him to lose.
Lilith leaned in close, her lips brushing his ear.
"Checkmate," she whispered.
Andros hearing her words knew he had lost. If it was life and death scene, he would have lost. And also he hasn’t sensed her presence until she placed her nails on his neck. What concealment did she use?
"I yield."
Andros said.
The students who were watching the match were surprised, some of them couldn’t even understand how the match ended and what was going on.
All they could see was different Lilith and from nowhere, Another burst out from his shadows with quick speed with her fingers on his neck and he admitted defeat.
Lilith who heard this smiled as if the battle was nothing to her. Her gaze was on Lucien as she left the arena, not even waiting for Sylas to announce the results.
She walked toward Lucien, her eyes looking pure. "Darling, my pat."
Her gaze was so eager and anticipative that it made the students speechless. They stared at her, mouths slightly open, unable to believe that the same girl who had just crushed Andros was now acting like a child asking for candy.
Lucien just smiled. He patted her on the head, ruffling her hair. She leaned into his touch, closing her eyes, behaving like a cat.
Ding!
[Lilith Veyn’s Obsession Link has deepened. Obsession increased by 30%. Resonance increased by 40%. The bond tightens.]
Ding!
[Seraphina Drax’s Obsession Link has deepened. Obsession increased by 20%. Resonance increased by 10%. The bond tightens.]
The system notifications resounded in his mind. He glanced at Seraphina, only to see her gaze burning with possessiveness.
Her golden eyes were fixed on his hand as it ruffled Lilith’s hair. Her lips were pressed into a thin line. Her fingers twitched at her sides. She didn’t say anything, but the air around her grew heavy and cold.
Lilith noticed. She opened one eye, still leaning into Lucien’s touch, and smirked.
"What’s wrong?" Lilith said, her voice sweet and mocking. "Jealous?"
Seraphina’s eye twitched. "Don’t push it, bloodsucker."
"I’m not pushing anything," Lilith said, nuzzling against Lucien’s hand. "I’m just enjoying my reward. I won my match. I earned this."
Seraphina took a step forward. Her voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. "You’ve had enough. Let go."
"Make me," Lilith said.
The students watched, barely breathing. The tension between the two women was thick enough to choke on.
Seraphina’s gaze shifted to Lucien. Her expression softened, just a little. "Darling, she’s taking too long. Tell her to stop."
Lucien sighed. He pulled his hand back, and Lilith let out a small whine of protest.
"Seraphina’s right," he said. "That should be enough, Lilith."
Lilith pouted. "But darling, I won. I deserve more."
"You got your pat," Lucien said. "Don’t be greedy."
Lucien doesn’t want any problem or fight between them.
Lilith crossed her arms, her crimson eyes narrowing. "Fine. But then Seraphina shouldn’t get one either. She already got hers after her match."
Seraphina’s head snapped toward her. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me," Lilith said. "You got your pat. It’s my turn now. Fair is fair."
"Fair?" Seraphina’s voice rose. "You just spent five minutes hogging him. I barely got a few seconds after my match."
"That’s not my problem," Lilith said with a shrug. "You should have asked for more."
The two women glared at each other. The air between them crackled with tension. A few students in the front row scooted their chairs back, just in case.
Lucien rubbed his temples. He could feel a headache coming on.
"Both of you," he said. "Stop."
They didn’t stop.
"He’s mine," Seraphina said, her golden eyes flashing.
"He’s mine too," Lilith shot back. "We agreed to share. Remember?"
"Sharing doesn’t mean you get to hog him."
"Then maybe you should learn to speak up."
Lucien sighed again, louder this time. He reached out and grabbed both of them by the back of their heads.
They froze.
He pulled them closer and patted both of their heads at the same time. His left hand ruffled Seraphina’s golden hair. His right hand ruffled Lilith’s silver-white hair.
"There," he said. "Happy?"
Seraphina blinked. Her cheeks flushed pink. She looked down, suddenly shy.
Lilith’s pout disappeared. Her eyes widened, then softened. She leaned into his hand, a small smile playing on her lips.
Ding!
[Seraphina Drax’s Obsession Link has deepened. Obsession increased by 15%. Resonance increased by 10%. The bond tightens.]
Ding!
[Lilith Veyn’s Obsession Link has deepened. Obsession increased by 15%. Resonance increased by 10%. The bond tightens.]