The Do-Over System:My Beloved is the Villain! - Chapter 104

Chapter 104: 03/22- Void Reaver
The air in the cavern grew unnaturally still, a suffocating tension pressing down on the party. Aeliana’s fingers twitched over the hilt of her newly reinforced sword, her instincts screaming at her that something was terribly wrong. The moment they stepped into the next chamber, the feeling solidified into dread.

From the darkness emerged a towering abomination—The Void Reaver. It stood at least fifteen feet tall, its body a grotesque fusion of obsidian-like armor and writhing, ethereal tendrils. Its head bore no eyes, only a gaping maw lined with serrated, shifting fangs. Spines jutted from its shoulders, pulsing with eerie violet energy, and each step it took made the very ground beneath them tremble.

Kael tightened his grip on his blade. “That… does not look like something we’re equipped to fight,” he muttered.

Markus swallowed hard, raising his staff. “I can sense it. That thing isn’t just strong—its presence alone is warping the mana around us. If it has any magical resistances, I may not be able to damage it effectively.”

Dorian, usually brimming with bravado, took a cautious step back. “I’ve seen some nasty creatures in my time, but this? This is something else entirely.”

Before anyone could react, the Void Reaver lunged. It moved impossibly fast for its size, its massive clawed hand swiping through the air like a guillotine. Kael barely managed to parry, but the impact sent him skidding back several feet, his arms numb from the force.

Aeliana didn’t hesitate. She sprinted forward, her blade glowing with a hastily summoned enchantment. She struck at its legs, aiming for a joint in its armor, but the moment her sword made contact, the energy around the monster twisted. Instead of cutting through, her blade rebounded, the force of the recoil nearly knocking her off balance.

“What the—?!” Aeliana gasped, barely rolling out of the way as the Void Reaver slammed a clawed fist down where she had just been standing.

Selene gritted her teeth, analyzing the situation. “It’s absorbing the energy of our attacks! That’s why Aeliana’s strike failed!”

Lirian, who had already begun casting a powerful healing spell, narrowed her eyes. “If it negates both magic and physical attacks, we’re in serious trouble.”

Garrik let out a frustrated growl, gripping his axe. “Then what the hell are we supposed to do? Just stand here and die?”

Sylva, usually calm under pressure, was visibly shaken. “No. We fight. We have to find its weakness.”

The Ironveil leader charged forward, his twin blades flashing as he attempted a flurry of precise strikes aimed at its joints and core. But just like Aeliana, his attacks were rendered useless—the creature’s armor seemed to drink in the blows, the energy dispersing harmlessly.

Then came the counterattack.

The Void Reaver released a guttural, inhuman screech, its tendrils lashing out in all directions. Kael barely managed to shove Aeliana aside before a dark appendage slammed into his chest, sending him flying into a rock wall with a sickening crack.

“Kael!” Aeliana shouted, scrambling toward him.

He coughed, struggling to push himself up. “I’m fine… just… not sure how many more hits like that I can take.”

Dorian and Markus attempted to coordinate a spell, combining fire and lightning into a concentrated blast, but when the explosion cleared, the Void Reaver stood completely unscathed.

Markus’ face paled. “Even that didn’t work?!”

Lirian, breathing heavily from overexerting herself, clenched her fists. “I can’t keep healing everyone at this rate. If we don’t find a way to wound it, we’re done for.”

Selene tried throwing a set of enchanted daggers, aiming for what she hoped were vulnerable spots, but the result was the same. The Void Reaver was impenetrable.

Sylva stepped forward, gripping her warhammer. “If we can’t damage it, maybe we can disrupt it.” She swung at the ground near the monster’s feet, sending shockwaves through the stone, hoping to destabilize it. The Void Reaver staggered slightly but regained its footing almost instantly.

Garrik, his face set in grim determination, turned to the leader. “Orders?”

The leader of Ironveil frowned deeply, sweat dripping down his brow. “We… we retreat.”

Aeliana’s eyes widened. “What?”

“There’s no winning this fight,” the leader growled. “We’ve faced monsters tougher than most, but this is something beyond us. If we stay, we die.”

The words settled heavily over the group. None of them wanted to run—but none of them wanted to die, either.

The Void Reaver reared back, its entire body pulsing with energy. Then, it slammed both of its fists into the ground. A shockwave of dark energy erupted outward, sending everyone sprawling.

Aeliana barely managed to keep hold of her sword as she hit the ground. Her vision blurred, her ears ringing. She tried to move, but her body refused to obey.

Kael, panting heavily, forced himself up. He grabbed Aeliana’s wrist, dragging her to her feet. “Move!”

One by one, the party scrambled back, dodging the monster’s relentless attacks. They had to escape, had to put distance between themselves and that thing.

But as they ran, Aeliana couldn’t shake the bitter taste of failure. They had faced many challenges before, but this? This was a force beyond them.

And something told her they hadn’t seen the worst of it yet.

…..

The ground beneath them trembled violently, fissures splitting the stone as the Void Reaver loomed above them. Its tendrils coiled, dark energy crackling as it prepared to unleash the final, devastating strike. The party had fought tooth and nail, but it was clear now—they were utterly outmatched.

Sylva, her usually steady grip on her warhammer shaking, spat out a curse. “We are not going to make it,” she gritted, eyes darting around for any means of escape. But there was none. The cavern was too tight, the only exit too far away. The monster had them trapped.

As the Void Reaver’s claws arced forward, gathering a swirling mass of void energy at its core, Aeliana felt the crushing weight of defeat settle in her chest. She had fought so hard, struggled against countless enemies, but this… this was beyond them.

Kael staggered to her side, his breathing ragged. “Aeliana—”

And then it happened.

A deafening explosion rocked the cavern, a surge of golden light cutting through the darkness. The Void Reaver screeched, its attack interrupted as a radiant force slammed into its side, sending it stumbling.

Aeliana’s heart lurched as she turned towards the source. A figure stood at the mouth of the cavern, their silhouette glowing with an intense aura. The figure leaped forward with impossible speed, their blade igniting in a brilliant arc of celestial fire.

The strike connected.

For the first time, the Void Reaver reeled back in pain, its obsidian flesh searing under the celestial blade. The dark energy it had gathered dissipated as it let out an unearthly howl, its form writhing.

The Ironveil Company stared in shock.

“Who in the gods’ names—” Garrik started, but Aeliana already knew.

The figure landed gracefully, standing between them and the monster. As the dust settled, the light from their blade dimmed slightly, revealing the face beneath the hood.

Lucian.

Aeliana’s breath caught in her throat. She hadn’t seen him in weeks, and now, of all times, he appeared like a divine warrior descending from the heavens. His silver armor bore scorch marks, proof of battles hard-fought. His deep blue eyes met hers for a split second before he turned back to the Void Reaver.

“Get up,” Lucian commanded, his voice sharp as steel. “This fight isn’t over yet.”

Kael, though still winded, found his footing. “Took you long enough,” he muttered.

Lucian didn’t respond. His focus was locked on the Void Reaver, which had begun to recover from the blow. The creature snarled, tendrils snapping in fury. The golden energy from Lucian’s attack still crackled along its form, disrupting its otherwise impenetrable defense.

Aeliana realized what this meant. “It’s vulnerable!” she shouted.

Selene was already moving, daggers glowing as she threw them at the monster’s weakened spots. This time, they struck true, embedding deep into the cracks in its armor.

Dorian, emboldened, rushed forward, swinging his sword at the monster’s leg. Though the blade barely cut through, it was enough to make the Void Reaver stagger.

Lirian, despite her exhaustion, chanted a powerful incantation, sending a surge of healing energy through the party. “Keep fighting!” she urged. “We have a chance!”

Markus, shaking off his earlier despair, raised his staff. “I can amplify the light magic! Lucian, give me an opening!”

Lucian didn’t hesitate. He leaped again, his celestial blade striking downward in a blinding arc. The monster shrieked as the energy surged through its form, forcing it back once more.

Markus seized the opportunity, channeling all of his remaining strength into his staff. Golden runes spiraled outward, forming a circle of radiant power. “Now!” he roared, releasing the stored energy in a devastating beam.

The Void Reaver had no time to react. The attack struck its core, the golden light seeping into every crack and crevice of its writhing form. The creature let out a deafening, ear-splitting wail as its body began to fracture, void energy pouring from its wounds like blackened mist.

Sylva, seizing her moment, rushed forward with a battle cry, slamming her warhammer down with all her might. The impact sent a final shockwave through the beast’s collapsing form.

The Void Reaver convulsed, its body shattering like brittle glass. With a final, agonized shriek, it imploded into a vortex of darkness, vanishing into nothingness.

Silence fell over the cavern.

Aeliana stood frozen, panting heavily, her sword still raised. It was over.

The entire party stood in stunned silence before Garrik finally let out a breathless laugh. “Holy hells. We actually did it.”

Selene wiped the sweat from her brow. “Remind me to never fight one of those again.”

Dorian collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath. “Markus. I take back every time I called you a dramatic fool. That magic was glorious.”

Markus, barely standing, gave a weak smirk. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Kael turned to Lucian, his expression unreadable. “You saved our hides.”

Lucian sheathed his blade, his gaze locking onto Aeliana’s. “I told you before—I’d always find you when it mattered.”

Aeliana felt her heartbeat quicken, but before she could respond, Lirian cut in with a dramatic groan. “Alright, lovely reunion and all, but can we please get out of this cursed dungeon before something worse shows up?”

The leader of Ironveil clapped his hands together. “Agreed. Let’s move.”

As they all made their way toward the exit, Aeliana found herself walking beside Lucian. He didn’t say anything at first, but the warmth in his presence was unmistakable.

After a moment, he glanced at her. “Are you alright?”

Aeliana nodded, exhaling slowly. “I am now.”

Lucian held her gaze for a second longer before turning forward, a small, satisfied smirk playing on his lips.

Kael, watching from a few steps away, sighed heavily and muttered, “Just my luck.”

And with that, they left the battlefield behind, victorious—but forever changed by the encounter.