Transmigrated as the Villainess Princess - Chapter 167

Chapter 167: Unfazed (Special Chapter)
Dan’s boots crushed the brittle leaves beneath him as he stepped into the Forbidden Forest of Bianzion.

The weight of Xevenruz, the ancient sword of the Bloodstone lineage, pulsed in his grip, responding to the magic that filled the air.

Shadows slithered between twisted trees, and the wind carried the whispers of spirits long since lost to the forest’s curse. He did not falter.

Dexivdwyne had already gone ahead, leaving behind everything he had learned, his warnings clear and precise.

The forest will not welcome you. It will try to consume you. But Dan was unfazed. Lifting Xevenruz, he ran the blade across his palm, drawing a thin line of blood.

The crimson essence dripped onto the blade, coating it in the power of his lineage. He felt the sword come alive beneath his grip, humming with restrained energy.

A few stray drops fell onto the ground, vanishing into the darkened soil. Then, the air shifted.

A soundless ripple spread through the trees as unseen creatures stirred. The ground quivered. They had sensed his blood.

A deep growl rumbled through the darkness, but no beasts attacked. Instead, eyes blinked open within the shadows, flickering between the trees.

The spirits that roamed the forest, souls of warriors lost to the endless cycle of Bianzion’s curse, watched him with eerie anticipation.

He walked forward, his grip steady, his presence unshaken. Even the spirits hesitated to attack. They are waiting.

Dan knew what they wanted. They wanted him to lower his guard, to let fatigue slip into his muscles, to let his focus waver for even a moment. But he would not give them that chance.

Then, beyond the veil of darkness, he saw them. Two figures clashed under the pale silver glow of the moon. His heart clenched when he recognized them.

Dexivdwyne and Alexander.

But Alexander was no longer the man they once knew. Dan’s gaze narrowed. No… he’s something else now.

Alexander’s once noble countenance was warped by something unnatural, his body pulsating with erratic, unstable power, his eyes glowing with a menacing golden-red hue.

Dark veins curled from his neck, spreading across his jaw, his arms, his exposed hands. He moved faster than the human eye could follow, his strikes carrying inhuman force.

Dexivdwyne barely managed to keep up, his sword clashing against Alexander’s corrupted magic.

The ground beneath them cracked with every impact, sending debris flying in all directions. Dan’s pulse quickened. Alexander was changing.

The forest had done something to him. It had sunk its claws into his soul, twisted his very essence into something monstrous. And if Dexivdwyne didn’t end this soon…

Alexander would lose what was left of his humanity. Without hesitation, Dan moved.

With a single leap, he descended into the fray, Xevenruz igniting in a fiery blaze, its enchanted edge burning away the suffocating darkness.

The moment his feet touched the ground, he swung his sword, a controlled, precise arc meant to separate the corrupted from the living.

CLANG!

Alexander spun at the last second, catching the blade with his own darkened weapon. Sparks erupted from the impact, the sheer force sending tremors through the ground.

For a moment, their gazes locked. Dan saw it. A flicker of something human still lingering in Alexander’s eyes. But it was drowning beneath the madness.

“You shouldn’t have come,” Alexander snarled, his voice layered with something deeper, something ancient.

His breath was ragged, his stance unstable, as if he were fighting something within himself just as much as he was fighting them.

Dan’s jaw tightened. “Neither should you.”

Alexander’s lips curled into a wicked grin. “I was chosen.”

Dan didn’t give him time to elaborate.

He struck.

His blade cut through the air, aimed for Alexander’s weakened stance. But before it could land, a pulse of dark energy erupted from Alexander’s core, sending a shockwave outward.

Dexivdwyne and Dan were thrown back.

Dan dug his heels into the dirt, skidding to a halt, while Dexivdwyne flipped mid-air and landed on one knee. The impact had been strong, but not enough to break them.

Alexander laughed. The forest responded to him. The trees shuddered, their roots twisting unnaturally. The spirits that once watched silently now began to move.

Dan’s eyes darkened. This fight is about to get worse. Dexivdwyne wiped blood from his mouth, his eyes never leaving Alexander. “Dan, we need to take him down. Now.”

Dan nodded. There was no room for hesitation. The forest roared as the spirits surged forward, their ghastly figures weaving between the shadows. But Dan was ready.

He lifted Xevenruz, his voice steady as he muttered an incantation. The blood that coated his sword began to glow, turning into a molten gold hue. The spirits flinched. Then, he moved.

In the span of a breath, Dan was upon Alexander once more, his blade shining like a falling star, cutting through the oppressive darkness.

Alexander blocked, but Dan’s strength was overwhelming. With each clash, the corruption inside Alexander faltered.

Dexivdwyne followed through, his own sword flashing as he struck from the opposite side. Their coordination was flawless.

Alexander was fast. But he was fighting two Bloodstones. And no matter how strong the forest made him… Dan and Dexivdwyne had one thing he didn’t. Their bond.

The battle raged on. The forest trembled. The spirits screamed. And as the night stretched on, one thing became clear. Alexander Vancial was running out of time.

Alexander staggered, his breath ragged, the once-overwhelming energy surrounding him waning with each passing moment.

His corrupted power crackled like a dying ember, flickering with instability.

Dan and Dexivdwyne pressed their advantage, their movements relentless, their blades cutting through both darkness and time itself.

For a moment, Alexander’s gaze wavered. The madness that had taken hold of him faltered, revealing something else, desperation. Dan saw it.

“You’re losing,” he said, his voice cold, unwavering.

Alexander gritted his teeth, his muscles trembling. The spirits of the forest hissed, sensing his weakness. They no longer feared him. They wanted to consume him.

Dexivdwyne took a step forward. “Come back with us, Alexander.”

But Alexander only laughed, a hollow, broken sound.

“I can’t.” His grip tightened around his sword. Then, with one final surge of defiance, he lunged forward.