Transmigrated as the Villainess Princess - Chapter 69

Chapter 69: Mind Link

Suddenly, Ahcehera’s mind was forcibly linked. What’s happening…

“Your Highness… can you hear me?”

Ahcehera was dumbfounded when she heard Richard’s voice in her head. “What is this?”

“A mental link. This is a special talent possessed by werewolves.”

“Okay.”

“I’ve taken care of one. Three left. Can you disable the array without drawing attention?”

Ahcehera replied in a calm but urgent tone, “Not yet. I need to disrupt the energy flow first. Keep them busy if they notice anything.”

Richard smirked faintly. “That’s the easy part.”

As he prepared to strike again, one of the remaining chanters paused, their head tilting as though sensing something amiss.

Richard tensed, his dark energy sparking at his fingertips. He had to act fast.

Ahcehera, meanwhile, traced her fingers over the glowing runes etched into the ground. She found the central node, a pulsating crystal embedded deep within the array’s core.

It was the anchor tying the array to the students’ life energy, and now, to her replicas. The absorption of energy has not stopped.

Light energy surged through her veins as she prepared to dismantle the node, her resolve unshakable. Time was of the essence, and failure was not an option.

The battle to save the students and destroy the demonic sacrificial array was reaching its peak. Damn it! I still need more time to stop the flow.

Why does it need to contain a lock? Ahcehera’s fingers were mere inches from the pulsating crystal at the array’s core when a sharp crack echoed through the forest.

The sound of hurried footsteps and muffled voices broke through the tense silence. Did the demonic carriers request for backup? It can’t be possible!

Ahcehera froze, her focus wavering as the brilliant light surrounding her hands dimmed. No way!

Humans? She glanced toward the disturbance and saw a group of students and instructors charging into the clearing. Why did they come here?

At their forefront was a young woman with striking confidence, her auburn hair catching the faint glow of the array. Why is it her?

Khaterine Imee Lumagloria, the novel’s heroine, Ahcehera recognized her immediately. I have checked the profiles of all the freshmen students entering the academy, I can’t be wrong.

A student from the food technology branch, Khaterine was well-known for her boldness and her knack for rallying others to her side.

“Stop right there!” Khaterine’s commanding voice rang out, drawing the attention of the remaining demonic chanters.

Ahcehera cursed under her breath. “Why now?” she whispered to herself, her frustration mounting. “Is she stupid? Does she want everyone to die with her?”

The chanters ceased their ritual, their heads snapping toward the newcomers. The atmosphere thickened with malice as the dark energy swirling around the array flared violently.

“Princess, move!” Richard’s voice was sharp in her mind, but she was already too late.

The core crystal nearest to her hands began to crack, its glow intensifying as dark energy spiraled out of control. The pressure built rapidly, threatening to unleash an explosion.

Ahcehera instinctively tried to shield herself with her light energy, but the force was too volatile. Suddenly, strong arms wrapped around her waist, yanking her away from the array.

“Hold on!” Richard growled, his dark energy forming a protective barrier around them as the crystal erupted.

The explosion sent shockwaves rippling through the clearing, hurling debris in every direction.

The replica students Ahcehera had created flickered and shattered, their forms dissolving into harmless sparks of light.

Khaterine and her group scrambled for cover, their arrival now a chaotic mess.

The demonic chanters turned their full attention to the intruders, their chants growing louder and more frantic as they summoned reinforcements.

Richard landed heavily on his feet, still clutching Ahcehera tightly. He released her once they were safely behind a cluster of boulders.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice strained but steady.

Ahcehera nodded, her breathing uneven. “I was so close… If they hadn’t shown up…”

“Focus,” Richard interrupted, his eyes scanning the battlefield. “We’re not done yet. We need a new plan, and fast.”

From their hiding spot, Ahcehera watched as Khaterine rallied the students and instructors. Her clear, confident orders echoed through the chaos.

She has the heroine’s luck. She can save everyone with no worries.

Despite the blunder of their arrival, she seemed determined to fight back against the chanters. But the array was already destabilized, its dark energy spiraling out of control.

Ahcehera could see the fractured core trying to draw power from the unconscious students she had saved, even though they were now safely within Cresencia.

“We can’t stay here,” Richard said, his tone firm. “If that array fully collapses, it’s going to take everyone out, Khaterine’s group included.”

How did he know her? When did they meet?

Ahcehera clenched her fists, her light energy flickering around her fingertips. She felt torn. If they left now, the array would consume everything.

But staying meant risking exposure and potentially losing control of the situation entirely.

“Fine,” she said finally, her eyes narrowing with determination. “We retreat for now. But I’m not letting that array destroy this place. We’ll regroup and come back.”

Richard nodded, his grip on her arm reassuring. “Then let’s go before they notice us again.”

As they slipped deeper into the shadows of the forest, Ahcehera cast one last glance at the chaotic clearing. Let the heroine handle this chaos.

Khaterine’s presence had complicated everything, but Ahcehera couldn’t shake the feeling that their paths were meant to collide.

For now, she would retreat, but this fight was far from over.

As Richard led Ahcehera through the dense forest, his senses remained sharp, not only for potential threats but also for her well-being.

The low pressure radiating from her was impossible to ignore, a suffocating weight that seemed to deepen with every step they took.

She was silent, her expression unreadable as her light energy flickered faintly around her hands.

Richard knew that something was bothering her, and it didn’t take much to guess what. It started when Khaterine arrived.

Richard hadn’t missed the slight stiffening of Ahcehera’s posture or the fleeting shadow of unease in her eyes.

He wanted to ask her about it, to understand what had unsettled her so deeply, but he held his tongue. Now wasn’t the time to pry.

Richard glanced at Ahcehera, searching for the right words to distract her, to lighten the mood, but he had never been good at this sort of thing.