I’m the Main Villain but the Heroines Are Obsessed With Me

Chapter 24

24 – 11. Time to Prove (4)

Ariel could not possibly comprehend the current situation.

“He blocked the attack? Is that even possible?”

The sudden appearance of a massive shield. Ian’s new technique, which was not in their analysis, effortlessly blocked their attacks.

Ariel could not accept that fact.

That was why.

“Save… save me.”

Crack!

Even in the midst of their allies being brutally massacred, the reason she was frozen was because of the device that started ringing loudly.

Zing!

Upon receiving a call from Bianca Matiev, who was in the rear, Ariel quickly took out her device.

As soon as the connection started, Bianca’s voice, as if torn, flowed in.

“Ariel? What’s happening now? What happened to the attack? Did it fail?”

“I don’t know… I have no idea what’s happening right now.”

“Well, this is not the time. Ariel? Just hang in there as much as you can. Rayna and I will prepare stronger attacks.”

“A stronger attack?”

Bianca’s words would have been reassuring under normal circumstances. But why?

To Ariel in her current state, her voice offered no comfort at all.

The thought of preparing a stronger attack did not even cross Ariel’s mind. Would it be possible to penetrate Ian’s defense?

After a few seconds of bewildered silence, Ariel forcefully lifted her head.

“No. I can’t give up here.”

Though weakened by her fleeting doubts, Ariel managed to dismiss them.

Who was she? Wasn’t she a warrior and a squad leader? It would be unthinkable for someone with qualifications to lead others to give up first.

“Yeah…I can’t go on like this!”

Somehow, she had to bring Ian down. Only then could she prove herself.

In the end, Ariel made up her mind.

“Alright. I’ll buy us some time, so prepare for a strong attack.”

“Okay. I’m counting on you, Ariel.”

After reinserting her device, Ariel surveyed the situation.

At a glance, the situation seemed dire.

Kwaang!

“aaah!”

A gruesome scene that seemed deserving of the name massacre.

Occasionally, there were individuals aiming for Ian’s weak points, but…

“Die! Ian Volkhanov!”

“I see you.”

“What!”

Thunk!

Whether it was because of his heightened senses or not, Ian remained composed and continued to mow down his allies.

“Damn it…losing Dias was a huge blow.”

The moment they lost the stalwart figure who had been holding the front line, a gap appeared in the first squad. Ian did not let that opportunity slip by.

Of course, they made intermittent attempts to counterattack, but it was the first squad that suffered in return.

The situation offered no options due to the disparity in abilities.

In the end, Ariel was certain that she had to step up.

With her sword at the ready, Ariel approached Selia, who was struggling for breath.

“Celia, I think it’s something we should try together.”

“Huh? J-just the two of us?”

“Yes. If we leave Ian as he is, everyone will die. It might already be too late, but we have to intervene before it becomes uncontrollable.”

“Do you have a plan?”

“A strategy… I do have one.”

Ariel’s gaze towards Ian intensified.

Ariel had thoroughly analyzed everything about the upcoming war game.

Of course, there was information about Ian Volkanov and among the plethora of information, Ariel remembered the movements Ian used during defense.

“Ian doesn’t create distance when evading attacks.”

While most people create distance when evading attacks, Ian did not.

When evading, he would bend his hind legs and bow down, deflecting the attack.

His intention was to evade with the least amount of movement possible and immediately counterattack.

Ariel was aiming for that.

“This is a gorge.”

A narrow gorge. The place they were standing had some space, but where Ian and Ria Hurst were, it was a space where even two people could barely stand.

There was no way to escape from such a place.

“There’s no space. You’ll have to evade attacks as you normally do.”

That was the focus point for Ariel.

After Celia first broke down his stance with a preemptive strike, she would follow up with her own attack.

As expected, it would be impossible to bow down again after shifting the center of gravity once.

Ariel ran simulations in her mind just in case.

“There’s no way to avoid it.”

The more she thought about it, the more certain she became.

There was a possibility that the shield Ian used could create variation, but Ariel decided not to think about it.

A shield that effortlessly blocked attacks, even if everything of a platoon was at stake.

Using it excessively would be logically impossible.

It would require at least some time to use it again.

“Ian doesn’t seem to be using mana to implement the shield.”

If that’s the case, then there’s no need to consider it.

Once the judgment was made, there was no reason to hesitate.

“Sister, first, approach Ian and attack. It doesn’t matter if you miss. I’ll take care of the rest.”

“Got it.”

At that calm moment when she measured the timing, Ariel captured the perfect moment in her eyes.

Without hesitation, Ariel gave the command.

“Sister, now!”

As Celia Wignoran accelerated towards the ground, Ariel followed suit.

Celia, holding a spear, drew in her inner mana. The blue mana began to envelop her body.

Celia Wignoran.

She possessed the water element. Water, capable of becoming anything.

Although usually gentle like the sea that could hold everything, with her intent, water could become sharper than any blade.

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Before long, Celia opened her eyes, and her spear was infused with mana.

A spear carrying the mana of a blue light. It would shred the enemy to pieces with just a slight touch.

Of course, it didn’t matter if it didn’t touch. The moment Ian tried to evade, Ariel’s follow-up strike would be there.

Whether he dodged or not, Ian’s future held only death.

“I don’t want to harm Ian, but…”

A moment of tenderness filled her, but Celia steeled her heart.

Even though she had received help from Ian, it was true she hadn’t expressed her gratitude yet. However, should she not distinguish between personal and professional matters?

After the training was over, it would be time to comfort the gloomy Ian.

Celia, gripping the spear tightly, struck the ground. Enhanced by mana, her body made a thundering noise as she advanced toward Ian.

Kwaaah!

In an instant, Celia approached Ian right in front of his nose.

Now Ian would have to shift his weight and move his center of gravity.

Thinking this, Celia smiled at that moment.

Shwick!

“Huh?”

In an instant, Ian turned on the spot. What was the reason for him to turn his body before the attack even landed?

Celia was perplexed because it was a style she had never seen before.

It was for that reason.

Bam!

“Ugh!”

The reason Ian couldn’t see the back of his own hand facing his face was that Ian didn’t just rotate his body. He moved slightly to the right while rotating and aimed for Celia’s face using the back of his hand.

Backspin blow.

It’s really difficult to hit, but if successful, it creates a powerful attack that leaves Celia vulnerable.

Kwaaang!

He had no choice but to allow the attack to continue. Ian’s hand, enhanced by Neltalion and Ether, was not an ordinary hand. It exerted the power of a mace with tremendous weight.

The punch’s power doubled due to the rotation.

The moment it hit her chin, it became impossible to maintain consciousness.

“…Kuh, kuh!”

Celia, unconscious from a single blow, slumped against the wall.

Celia, spitting out crimson blood, collapsed. Eventually, she disappeared into a blue light.

Ariel looked bewildered.

“What! Where did that come from all of a sudden!”

Ariel, taken aback by the unexpected attack, tried to regain her posture.

Thud!

“Ugh! Let go of me!”

Unfortunately, it was after her arm was caught by Ian.

Ian sneered as he looked at her.

“Did you plan to continuously attack, thinking I would move my center of gravity back to avoid it? I’ll give you credit for that. But did you really think that was the only way I could avoid it?”

He couldn’t stop laughing at her one-dimensional thinking.

How can she be so clueless?

Of course, Ariel’s approach wasn’t wrong. In boxing, when an opponent avoids an attack, there is a way to make it impossible to avoid consecutive attacks. However, if she wanted to use that method, she should have completely cornered him first.

“Perhaps Ariel thought this place was cramped enough for that.”

Ian looked around him.

At the edge of the gorge. A space barely enough for two or three people to enter.

It was narrow, but there was enough room for this.

“Ugh….”

“You’re dense. But then, you’ve always been like this. Always reckless, always planning in a one-dimensional way.”

“Are you preaching now?”

“Preaching, yes. Think of it as advice from an older brother to a clueless younger sibling.”

“Huh, really?”

Her lips curled into a sneer as she stared at Ian, who seemed unfazed by her mockery.

“Is that so? Then how about some advice for the older brother who can’t see two steps ahead?”

“You’ve come up with some strange plan, haven’t you? But it’s useless. You’re utterly powerless, aren’t you?”

“Your arrogance is amusing. When I think of your face crumpling like a paper bag, I can’t help but laugh. Want me to tell you something? I didn’t get caught without a plan.”

With those words, Ariel pulled out a device from her pocket.

A smirk played on Ariel’s lips.

“This is connected to my comrades hiding above the gorge. Do you understand what that means? It means an attack is coming down here!”

“Huh. Then you won’t escape unscathed either, will you?”

“It doesn’t matter. Unlike you, I understand how noble the concept of sacrifice is.”

Growling, Ariel seemed deliberate in her actions.

*Whoosh!*

Ariel began to draw upon the mana remaining in her body.

It wasn’t a move for an attack. What Ariel created with her mana was a chain, connecting her arm to Ian’s.

She intended to become a water spirit, making sure he couldn’t escape.

“Let’s die together, Ian.”

With those words, Ariel smiled.

Even though she would die here, her determination would bolster the courage of the remaining members of her unit.

In that case, she could face her end with no regrets.

“Hmph.”

Ariel closed her eyes calmly.

She had requested backup. Soon enough, Bianca and Reyna’s attacks would rain down upon her.

Ariel knew just how powerful the fusion bombing they used was.

She was sure. The gorge would turn into a sea of flames. No one would escape unharmed.

Ariel was confident that she could even burn down the iron fortress-like Ian Volkanov.

Now all that’s left is waiting for it.

Ariel continued to wait like that.

“Huh? Why isn’t the attack…”

Unfortunately, the attack she expected did not fall into the ravine.

Instead, something else fell.

Thud! Thud!

Two figures tumbled into the ravine, becoming a bloodied mess.

Ariel’s eyes widened as she saw them.

“Bi… Bianca? Reyna? What happened to all of you!”

“Ariel, you’re not the only one with trustworthy comrades.”

“What?”

At Ian’s words, Ariel raised her head and could finally see.

“Ian! The bandits who were in the rear, I took care of them! Don’t worry, they won’t be bothering us anymore!”

It was Igor, his fists covered in blood, smiling broadly.

“No way.”

While facing their adversaries alone, did he send his comrades to the rear? It was certainly the reality that unfolded before her, but Ariel couldn’t easily accept it.

“How?”

Finding the people in the rear and attacking them? Was that even possible?

Ariel wasn’t a fool. From the moment she turned the ravine into a battlefield, she had left traces all over to disrupt the enemy and protect the rear.

Finding them all and attacking them? It was an impossible task unless they combed through the entire forest surrounding the ravine…

She briefly thought about tracking the flow of mana, but it didn’t last long. After all, Bianca, a skilled mage, wouldn’t make such a mistake.

Ariel’s dilemma, which seemed insurmountable, was resolved when she saw a woman next to Igor.

A woman with blonde hair. By her memory, she was the one who stuck close to Ian.

“Erie Everhart. A spirit mage…”

As Ariel thought about her, she shuddered.

“Yes, a spirit mage!”

Finally, it felt like all the questions were being answered.

If one could manipulate spirits. Using them to search the forest might be possible. If they had a connection with earth spirits…

“You can’t escape as long as you’re on the ground.”

Ariel, sensing her impending defeat, raised her head.

She could see it.