Chapter 410 Alvara's Madness [2]

410 Alvara's Madness [2]

"Oh my, of course," Alvara giggled, her voice laced with a sickening sweetness. "I will release her from her weak existence."

-BOOOOOOM!

A massive golden ray erupted from Alvara's sword, its light blinding as it shot out and engulfed Cylien entirely. The beam swallowed her whole, leaving nothing but the radiant glow of Alvara's destructive power in its wake.

Rodolf stood paralyzed, his body refusing to move as shock washed over him. He never truly believed that Alvara would go through with it. The sight before him, however, shattered any doubts.

"CYLIEN!!!" His voice broke with a worry as his face twisted in anguish. Without a second thought, he charged toward her, his heart pounding in his chest.

Alvara should have been wearing a triumphant smile, basking in her victory. But instead, an expression of irritation marred her features, as if the situation had not played out exactly to her liking.

Dentiel Elaryon stood protectively in front of his unconscious sister. Yet, the attack from Alvara had been so swift, so brutal, that even he, with all his skill, hadn't been able to defend himself fully. His entire right arm was smeared with blood, the deep red staining his clothes as his cold gaze fixed on Alvara.

"Why are you stopping the match? Do I need to remind you of the rules?" Alvara's voice dripped with disgust as she spoke, her eyes narrowing at the interference.

"The match has already been stopped," Dentiel replied as he cast a brief glance at Gamir's unconscious figure, lying motionless on the ground.

"Hah? You think you're the one who decides that?" Cylien's voice cut through the tension, sharp and icy. "You heard her, didn't you? She asked for no one to intervene. So leave her on the ground until I'm done with her."

"You little bitch!"

From the left, a tremendous blast of prana shot toward Cylien, the air crackling with raw power. But Alvara's gaze shifted, and with a calm, almost bored motion, she raised her left hand.

-BOOOOM!

The prana ray dispersed in a spectacular explosion of golden particles, disintegrating harmlessly in the air.

But Roda didn't back down. "Don't you think you have something better to do? You love her, don't you?!" Rodolf's gaze flicked to where Cylien was being treated by Dentiel and Sephira, their efforts frantic as they worked to heal her wounds. His jaw clenched, teeth grinding as he fought against the rage boiling inside him. With a final, reluctant glance toward Alvara, he turned and headed toward Cylien, who was being moved further away, out of Alvara's reach.

Alvara's attention shifted back to Celeste, her eyes narrowing with irritation. "You're such a nuisance, Celes. Why don't you just move out of the way?" With a flick of her wrist, Alvara swung her sword, its blade cutting through the air with lightning speed.

Even an awakened genius like Cylien would have struggled to follow such a swift strike, let alone someone like Celeste. But to Alvara's surprise, Celeste dodged the attack before the blade could even come close, her movements fluid and precise. Alvara's eyes widened, a rare moment of astonishment flashing across her face.

"Alvara... that could have seriously injured me..." Celeste muttered annoyed as her eyes faintly glowed with a soft, white light.

Alvara's surprise quickly morphed into a wide smile. "Celeste Indi Zestella... I'm truly impressed." But she wasn't the only one taken aback. High above, Cyril watched the scene unfold with the calm detachment of a spectator at a theater. A faint smile played on his lips as he observed Celeste. 'As expected of you, Celes. You're slowly becoming the one you're meant to be,' he thought, his eyes glinting with quiet satisfaction.

"Can you stop now?" Celeste asked as she tried to appeal to whatever remnants of reason might still linger within Alvara.

"Hmm? Stop?" Alvara mused aloud, her tone laced with mockery. "I wonder? I do need someone to replace Cylien... Would you, Celes?"

"Cut it out, Alvara! You've done enough for today, don't you think?!" Celeste's voice trembled with anger.

She had enough.

Cylien wasn't just a classmate to her; she was a close friend. While Celeste could sympathize with Alvara's judging her loss, there were boundaries—lines that should never be crossed. And Alvara had obliterated them.

Alvara's eyes turned cold, the warmth in them vanishing like a candle snuffed out in the dark. Celeste suddenly felt something hurtling toward her at blinding speed, a lethal force that gave her barely a fraction of a second to react.

-BAM!

But just as the attack was about to connect, a shadow moved faster than her eyes could track. Strong arms wrapped around Celeste, pulling her into a protective embrace, while effortlessly parrying Alvara's strike. The sudden warmth that surrounded her was too familiar.

Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized the scent that filled her senses, the one she had come to love over the past few months. "Amael?"