The Genius Villain Dies Tomorrow

The lake swallowed Rian whole, plunging all of his senses into a state of dullness.

Freezing water rushed into his wounds, sending a jolt of pain through every part of his body. Whatever breath he had taken beforehand nearly escaped his lungs immediately.

But unlike before, whenever he kicked, Rian felt like he was actually going somewhere. The water did not stretch endlessly all around him like before.

’So leaving is easier than entering...? Maybe it’s because I already belong to the human world.’

Though Rian couldn’t afford to linger on the thought any longer.

A violent splash erupted right behind him. Rian didn’t really need to turn around to know what was going on.

Felix had entered the lake, using the dark water to propel him upward without the need to even swim at all. The jagged armor surrounding his body blended in, making him resemble some kind of deep-sea predator.

Rian turned, checking how much distance Felix was gaining on him...only to see a sharp spike of ice barreling through the water in his direction.

’Shit!’

He barely managed to twist aside, but the spike passed close enough to slice open his cheek before continuing upward and shattering against the cavern ceiling.

Two more followed right after the first.

Rian kicked desperately, forcing his damaged body to change direction. One just barely missed his ribs by a finger’s width while the other grazed his thigh.

"Gghkk—!"

Blood scattered through the water, so much that any potential sharks nearby were already licking their lips.

Rian opened his mouth from the pain, losing a precious amount of air in his lungs. His injured leg nearly stopped moving altogether, leaving him to pull himself upward with one functioning arm.

Felix was gaining on him, that much he was sure about.

Another formation of ice appeared below, and this time, there were simply too many to dodge individually.

But he was so close to the surface. All Rian could do now was hope and pray that he made it above before Felix could fire his attack off.

’Come on, come on!’

With one final sweep, Rian emerged onto the surface of the lake. With barely a fraction of a second before the spikes got to him, he used his good hand to drag himself onto shore.

Rian collapsed onto the stone floor, barely managing to flip onto his back to watch the barrage of ice shoot out from the lake and embedding themselves onto the cavern ceiling above.

"Phew..." he released a breath he didn’t even realize he was holding. "Thank god I didn’t turn into Swiss cheese."

From the corner of his vision, Rian realized that the room was significantly darker than before. Yet using his Mana Sensitivity, he quickly figured out why.

At the center of the cavern, a single crystal had begun taking shape. It already stood taller than Rian, its surface growing layer by layer as more mana condensed around it.

Smaller crystals cracked and crumbled throughout the cavern once their energy had been completely drained. And at the center of it all, stood Sylph.

She hovered above the growing crystal with both arms extended, using countless currents of wind to direct the mana toward it. Her tiny body flickered beneath the strain, but the crystal continued becoming brighter and denser.

But upon closer inspection, its edges remained uneven and translucent. Cracks ran throughout its structure as streams of mana continued pouring into it.

’Tch...the crystal’s not ready yet...’

Rian forced himself onto one knee. His entire body swayed, and his reopened wounds continued spilling blood onto the stone.

To be frank, Rian had no idea how he was standing right now. It might’ve just been pure adrenaline keeping him going at this point.

"Need to...distract him...for a bit...longer..."

Rian dragged himself farther from the center of the cavern, placing his body directly opposite the condensing crystal.

The lake erupted behind him.

SPLASH—!

Felix rose from the water, carried upward by a twisting current. He landed on the shore without stumbling, while the dark liquid surrounding his body coiled around him like a living organism.

"Run out of places to flee, little brother?"

Rian wiped the blood from his mouth.

"Have I?"

"You can barely move."

"And yet you still haven’t managed to kill me."

"You always were irritating," Felix muttered. "Even when we were children, you never understood when to admit that you had lost."

"Says you?"

Rian gave him the most irritating smile he could manage. "You spent your entire life losing to the rest of us. Then, like the sore loser you are, you begged daddy Leviathan for some power."

"WHAT DO YOU KNOW?!"

The water surrounding Felix exploded outward. Several spikes struck the ground beside Rian, shattering the stone and sending fragments across his face.

At this point, all Rian could do was take the hit. He couldn’t even stand on his feet, and he could barely move.

"Gragghk—!"

The resulting crash sent him flying straight across the cavern and landing next to the giant crystal. But at this point, Sylph had accomplished her task.

"It’s done, Rian."

"Start the ritual."

"What organ are you offering up?"

"My right eye."

"Mmm," Sylph nodded, placing both hands together as she started chanting. "By my authority as the Lord of Sacred Wind, Sylpheed—I wish to form an assimilation contract with Rian Rosenheim..."

Miraculously, Rian managed to use whatever was left of his strength to push himself along the crystal into an upright position.

He spat out another mouthful of blood, but at this point, any vampires that wanted to drink from him would be met with a hollow sac.

"You know Felix..." Rian rasped with the last of his strength. "There was once a time when I respected you...before all of this."

"SHUT UP! YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME!"

He stared at the blue panel that popped onto his screen, expression relieved and distant at the same time.

[Spirit Sylpheed wishes to establish an Assimilation Contract with you.]

"It’s true," he continued. "I looked up to you for being the suave brother, the one who was always confident despite having nothing."

"AND NOW...I’LL HAVE EVERYTHING!"

Rian placed a hand onto the gigantic crystal, allowing the mana to flow from inside the crystal into his body.

[Life Force Synthesis Lv. MAX — Activated.]

[Estimated Lifespan: 1 year, 2 months, 15 days, 7 hours, 31 minutes.]

"No...you have nothing. You’ve sacrificed everything for power."

"I—I..." Felix stuttered before catching himself. "Don’t listen to him, Felix. He’s looking down on you. Everyone’s looking down on you..."

"GURGHH...!"

Felix clutched his head as dark water crawled farther across his face. It was like the spirit inside of him was finally able to manifest, speaking through his own mouth and using his own self-doubt as chains to control him.

Rian shook his head in disappointment.

There was no longer any hope in saving him.

"Sylpheed, I offer all of my lifespan except for a single day."

"Are you sure...?"

"Yes."

Rian felt the effects immediately. The enormous reserve of life force he had just gained was ripped from his body. Strength fled his limbs and his skin turned deathly pale. Even his heartbeat slowed until each beat felt like it might be his last.

[Equivalent Offering accepted.]

[Estimated Lifespan: 24 hours.]

[Host, it is advised that you write a will.]

The same warning he had received upon entering this world.

After everything he had done, every crystal he had drained and every minute he had desperately clawed back—

Rian was going to die tomorrow once again.

Yet this time, something was different. As his life force disappeared, another power welled within him.

Sylph’s tiny body dissolved into countless particles of green light, scattering into the air before spiraling around Rian and seeping into his right eye from the iris.

Pain pierced through his skull as he threw his head back. The cavern trembled, and every current of air within the mine rushed toward him at once.

He opened his eyes once more, revealing a pale green iris that shone from within, surrounded by rings of silver mana that rotated like an endless storm.

"What...are you?" Felix stuttered.

Wind gathered around his broken body, lifting Rian above the ground and into the air. A single blue panel appeared before him.

[Spirit Sylpheed has requested the use of Sacred Assimilation.]

[Proceed?]

"Yes."

〈Sacred Assimilation — Rex Fae〉

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!