The Novel’s Antagonist: I walk the path of a Villain - Chapter 87

Chapter 87: My Master

Raphaela’s POV:

“M-Master?!”

My voice trembled as I muttered in disbelief, my eyes widening in sheer shock.

This shouldn’t be possible—at least, not yet.

For Master to return, the merging must be complete. He has to unite with all three iterations of himself. But… that has yet to happen. So how?

“How is this possible?”

I tilted my head, my gaze shifting toward Diana, who had taken several fearful steps backward. Her entire body trembled, her breathing ragged.

“What did you do, Diana?!”

I snapped, my voice laced with rage.

This was a problem—a severe one. If any step in Master’s resurrection process were tampered with, complication are inevitable.

“…I didn’t do anything,” Diana stammered.

My attention flickered back to Master—or what should have been Master. He stood utterly motionless, his unreadable gaze fixed upon us.

“Haah,”

I exhaled sharply.

And to think… everything had been going so smoothly.

Just one final tragedy and it would all be over.

Master would return in his entirety.

I had considered quickening it. After all, from what I had observed, Diana had once again managed to make him fall for her.

But now…

Now, something was terribly wrong.

Even though the process was nowhere near completion, I could already feel Master’s aura.

That shouldn’t be possible.

“Second Form.”

The moment I heard those words, my breath hitched.

My eyes widened.

Just as I feared.

This isn’t Master.

If the process had truly been completed, he would have regained his memories.

But…

He was about to attack me.

That shouldn’t be possible.

Not if he were truly Master.

Damn it.

I clenched my fists, frustration welling up inside me. As much as I despised the thought, I couldn’t let Diana die here. Not yet. She still had a purpose to serve—his final tragedy.

Without hesitation, I thrust out my hand, and in an instant, tendrils of darkness erupted from the ground, coiling around him, pulling him downward into the abyss.

He didn’t resist.

He simply stared.

Tsk.

Even though he isn’t Master yet, why do I feel this way?

“Cosmic imbalance.”

The moment I heard those words, my stomach dropped.

No.

My gaze darted to Diana.

She stood there, completely out of it, her body swaying as though she were on the verge of collapsing. I supposed I couldn’t blame her. I had kept her trapped here for quite some time, toying with her, letting her believe that I intended to kill her.

Now, however, she was utterly spent.

Her divine energy had been nearly depleted. Her body was covered in wounds from her futile attempts to escape my domain.

Creak.

I flicked my wrist, distorting the space around Diana in an instant.

“Haa—”

She gasped as she appeared beside me, barely escaping in the nick of time.

I scowled.

What was that just now?

He’s using Elyon’s abilities—the abilities of Master’s first iteration.

From the very spot where I had just pulled Diana away, the fabric of space split open, a jagged crack forming in the air itself. A blade pierced through it, its edge gleaming with an unnatural brilliance.

Damn it.

He hasn’t even recovered a fraction of his power, yet he is already manipulating reality itself.

This is bad.

“…Why did you save me?”

Diana’s voice was laced with confusion, her brows furrowing as she turned to face me.

I ignored her.

I wouldn’t have saved her if she weren’t the perfect sacrificial lamb for Master’s final tragedy.

I had already had enough.

I had waited for so, so long.

I wanted to see Master again.

No—

I needed to see him again.

But that couldn’t happen if he killed Diana now.

Not yet.

He would have to kill her himself eventually, but that would be after he comes to love her above all else. That would be the final Tragedy.

However, if I her with him, in his current state. It would only be a matter of seconds before he kills her.

He hates her.

It’s something etched into the soul of his first iteration.

So even without a cognizant mind, he would still kill her.

So I can’t leave her here with him.

Besides, she’s just annoyingly weak. Even in this form of his, he could kill her without even batting an eye.

“Why are you so frustratingly weak?” I asked, erecting a barrier as I saw Master preparing to attack once more.

I can’t hurt Master.

Never.

I can’t bring myself to harm him, at least not by my own hands.

So I suppose I’ll have to keep this up until whatever effect he is experiencing fades away.

“DID I CHOOSE TO BE MADE THIS WEAK?!” I heard her scream.

Oh.

My bad.

I made her weak intentionally.

But how is it my fault that Master has this strange fetish for weak, beautiful girls?

I’ve tested it so many times that it’s practically a fact—if I put on a weak, seductive persona, he always falls for my charm.

Wait.

Could it be because he was a womanizer from the very beginning?

…No.

That can’t be right.

All his disciples are too beautiful for him to lust after women outside.

Wait.

Come to think of it—me included—all his disciples are female.

… I see.

So Master wasn’t the paragon of perfection we all thought he was.

But…

At the end of the day, I am the one he favors the most.

The others haven’t even realized that Master was under their noses this whole time.

Wait.

Maybe I can do something to him in this vulnerable state.

Hm.

Maybe I don’t need to share him with those bitches after all.

“WHY ARE YOU SMILING LIKE THAT?!” I heard, and my mind snapped back to the present—Master was rushing forward with a sword, the very air around him rippling with power.

Cute.

He’s not even at 1% of his strength. How does he hope to defeat me? I’m literally one of the strongest immortals in the celestial realm.

Should I…?

No!

What am I thinking?!

“STOP BLUSHING! HE’S ALREADY HERE!” That irritating voice again. This girl is really getting on my nerves.

Who knew she could actually become this afraid?

Well.

I don’t blame her.

She was chosen as the scapegoat for Master’s third tragedy, after all.

But…

I really want to kill her at this point.

She’s already starting to irritate me.

Honestly, if she weren’t important for Master’s return, I would have killed her a long time ago.

Not only because she thinks she owns him, but because she has the ability to make him fall hopelessly in love with her.

Which…

…makes me want to kill her.

It’s quite funny she thought I didn’t know she snuck into this realm. After all, it was all within the plan.

She is, after all, the last piece of the puzzle. The very last piece to make him whole again.

And yet, even now, I still don’t understand why Master wanted all this.

Why did he want to feel this much pain?

Why did he choose to experience what these lowly beings feel?

It irritates me beyond bounds.

And these lowly beings dare to even be around him.

Even this stupid Diana.

God, I really want to kill her.

With my hand stretched forward, I released a powerful gust of wind, hoping to disorient him.

Well, it should have—if not for that annoying ability of his.

He only ever taught Cassandra that skill.

Tsk.

That reminds me—I should be careful when coming to this realm. I don’t want the others realizing what’s happening.

Come to think of it…

I should probably end this fight now. With Master’s aura manifesting for some reason, there’s a chance the other immortals will sense him.

“Hey, you,” I turned back to see the frightened Diana.

“W-what?” she stammered, taking hesitant steps back.

“I’m going to do something to you. It’s going to hurt—a lot,” I said.

She frowned, stepping back even more.

Too bad for her, but I can never hurt Master with my own hands.

So since she holds a part of his essence, I can tamper with it just a bit. That should knock him out.

I hope.

Suddenly—

“!?”

My eyes widened, and I leaped back just in time to dodge a deadly space distortion strike.

Even though I’m far stronger than him, healing from such an attack would take a considerable amount of power.

Tsk.

That’s why I hate fighting that bitch Cassandra. I always end up more injured than her.

“Nighty night, Master,” I said, watching as he turned his sights on Diana.

However, before he could strike, a bolt of light shot out from my palm, hitting her straight in the chest.

She screamed.

Well.

Not just any scream—it was a roar of agony.

Hm.

She should be weakened for now.

I suppose I’ll let things be for the time being.

The tragedy is near.

Too near.

I glanced at Master, who had now collapsed. After all, they share the same soul essence.

I cupped his face.

I smiled.

“We will meet again very soon, Master.”