Ascension of the Dark Seraph-Chapter 301: Coup De Grâce (2)

'I'm right.'

Seeing Lucivar and Caldaros stumbling to this place confirmed Leandra's thought.

Keeping close to Ciri was the right choice to be where Lucivar would be.

Ever since her confrontation with Lucivar in Kalinan City, she has been going down in a rabbit hole of figuring Lucivar out. To understand how he came to turn out like this. All spaces in her mind were filled with the thought of Lucivar.

Just like he said back then, she might be the only one who could understand him.

She wanted to be the only one.

So that she could help Lucivar better.

Not so much as to return to how he once was, but to control the darkness better.

And now, the fact that Lucivar and Caldaros stumbled here meant that she was beginning to understand him more than the others. Additionally, since those two ended up here, near Ciri, that means everything has gone according to Lucivar's plan.

Like always, he's a meticulous and terrifying planner.

Becoming better as he grew.

Almost naturally, Leandra's eyes landed on the ring around Ciri's finger.

It looked like an ordinary ring, but the intricate engravings and the unsettling aura showed otherwise.

'His last piece of plan must be this ring…'

Leandra's heart began to pound inside her chest, not because she was happy that she was right, but due to one realization. At this moment, at this very second, she was the one who held the power over how this moment would end.

Although the others were here, she was the only one who understood the bigger picture.

If she wanted to, she could take off that ring from Ciri and jeopardize Lucivar's plan for good.

Unlike back in Kalinan City, this time, there's nothing Lucivar could do.

'Should I…?'

An unexpected feeling of power surged when she realized she held the key to this moment.

'I can get Lucivar back for what he had done to me. But what happens if his plan fails?'

'Will he die? Will Caldaros kill him for good?'

Leandra's hand trembled as now, there were now two roads placed directly in front of her.

One road is to end Lucivar as karma for all his bad deeds.

And the other, to see his plan unfold, which would give her more insight to understand him.

'He used a lot of people. He killed a lot of innocent people. He brings catastrophe to the lives he comes in contact with,' Leandra bit her lower lip—knowing that the right choice would be the stop Lucivar at this moment before he developed further. 'I'm sure he'll end up using me in the future.

'I… I have to stop him.' She firmed her mind.

All of the sweet words that came from Lucivar… all of them were lies.

He never meant any of it.

Lucivar has never considered them a family, never wanted a relationship with her, and never will change.

That's the most likely scenario.

'But why is it that my chest feels tight?' She thought with a troubled face. 'The choice should be clear.'

Even though Leandra was determined to change him, to bring back the semblance of Lucivar's good side, this kind of situation is hard to come by. And although she was reluctant to admit it, her willpower was shaken.

She was really tempted to end him right now and save the world some trouble.

Just as she was about to reach the ring, a stroke of pure light emerged from thin air and stopped her.

"No, don't.'

A voice greeted her, one that she recognized almost instantly.

It was the woman of light she saw begging her to save Lucivar in Veloria City.

"He can change. You have to believe he can change. He needs someone who could understand him and subtly guide him away from the darkness."

"How? Isn't it better to end it all now? Before more people got hurt?"

"That's exactly what the darkness wanted you to do. For you to abandon him. If you do, darkness will prevail."

Upon hearing this, Leandra's expression darkened.

Just moments ago, she was certain of the right choice, but the abrupt interruption from the woman of light shattered that resolve, dragging her back to the brink of indecision. Peering out of the tent, her breath caught in her throat as she saw Lucivar staring straight at her.

Despite being in a horrendously wounded state and sprawled on the ground, his eyes stared straight at hers.

And after three seconds of locking eyes, he smirked.

Something behind those eyes tells her that it wasn't Lucivar who was staring at her right now.

But something else.

Another part of him, perhaps, one that wanted to confirm something.

'A test… I should've known.'

Leandra put on a self-ridiculing smile.

She should've expected that this situation wasn't that simple.

As the woman of light stated, this 'choice' that fell into her lap… it was the darkness' trap.

One that would help Lucivar to accept the darkness more.

'I'm not going to do that. I'll believe he could change.' Leandra thought inside.

Now, her decision was rock-solid.

Leandra crept over to Ciri and covered her mouth so that she couldn't answer Caldaros' call.

Seeing Caldaros in an extremely ruinous state—one arm hanging dislocated, his body scorched and torn with deep, bleeding gashes—she snapped out of her daze. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she writhed to break free, desperation overtaking her.

She tried to escape from Leandra's grasp and tell Caldaros that she was here.

But she couldn't.

Beside them, Ravenna noticed what Leandra was doing.

She frowned, thinking, before she quickly suppressed her aura to avoid drawing Caldaros' attention.

It seemed Lucivar was planning for the moment.

All they needed to do was keep quiet, away from the spotlight, and watch.

Meanwhile, meters outside the park.

"Where are you…?"

Caldaros panted heavily, his face contorting in pain with each movement he made.

He was completely fine minutes ago, but somehow, the orbs from the opening purple dungeon fell on him with relentless fervor. It was almost as if the person on the other side, who threw these orbs, was aiming directly at him.

It was so bad that he was struck down from the sky, causing him to sustain severe wounds.

But worst of all, that allowed Lucivar to close the distance between them again.

"Good luck finding her."

Upon hearing the condescending tone, Caldaros turned around, eyes blazing in fury as he glared at the person who was behind all of this. Lucivar was sprawled on the ground, barely able to move a muscle, and his ether was already running on empty.

In fact, both of them were extremely exhausted.

Caldaros, though, could still stand—he was suffering in pain.

At this point, the White Blood has already merged entirely with his blood.

Had it not been for Sunna's powers, he would've been the one on the ground right about now.

A soft chuckle escaped Lucivar's mouth when he saw how angry Caldaros was.

"Oh, do you think this is funny?"

Caldaros barked and approached with stomping steps.

"Do you think this is funny?!"

He repeated and pulled Lucivar roughly by his collar with both hands.

"Both of us are in the middle of the city while the purple dungeon is breaking, and you think it's funny?"

"Kind of funny…"

Lucivar chuckled again, not taking this situation seriously at all.

Bam!

Out of nowhere, Lucivar headbutted Caldaros again, breaking his already broken nose even further.

He fell down again as Caldaros staggered.

Panting heavily, he forced himself off the ground with what little strength remained, which was barely enough to bring him to his knees. Blood dribbled from his mouth as he spat to the side, loathing every second of the agony coursing through him.

Even the simple act of standing became a monumental task.

Each movement was dragged down by crushing exhaustion.

Covering his nose in pain, Caldaros pointed his broken sword at Lucivar exasperatedly.

"What even is your plan? Huh?!" He shouted. "Do you think killing Ciri will make you somehow win against me? No! The winner is the one who remained standing—and you… Before the dungeon breaks, you will be a dead man."

Despite his frustration and wrath for whatever Lucivar did to Ciri, he's still going to win.

A win that would cost Caldaros everything, as Ciri was his everything, but still, it's a win.

Upon hearing this, Lucivar chuckled, "I begged to differ."

Once he managed to stand, he breathed in and out desperately through his mouth.

Then, he turned around to face Caldaros for the last time.

"You know, I've prepared a lot to fight you," He said tiredly. "But I admit, you're still stronger than me. No matter what I do, I have no chance of beating you in a battle like this. But still, the winner is the one who remained standing last, as you said. And that's going to be me."

Caldaros tilted his head.

A ridiculing, crooked smirk crossed his lips.

"Do you think possessing the Fire Resurrection is going to secure you the win?"

"Hmm…?"

Almost instantly, Lucivar's expression fell as he wasn't expecting Caldaros to know about that.

He didn't expect Caldaros to know that he took Orivelle's ability.

Seeing the change in expression, Caldaros laughed—the hysteria behind that laugh, along with the blood smeared across his face, made him look unhinged, diabolical. Nobody in the academy has seen Caldaros use this kind of expression, but Lucivar brought the worst in people.

And now, he was facing Caldaros' worst.

"Loki is the God of Trickery, but that doesn't mean I can't know what you're up to. Marking Arthur… Creating a problem with Garran… Bringing Orivelle's group to ours… You tried your best to conceal your intention, but I saw through it!"

Caldaros raised his clawing hand, his eyes bulging with madness.

"When all things failed… You need a trump card, something that could save you. And what could be better than a Phoenix's ability, am I right? Let me guess, you're planning to use that ability to stab me in the back. Oh! Maybe you wanted us to die together before you resurrect later. Am I close?"

One could see the color being drained from Lucivar's face.

He went several steps to make sure nobody, not even Caldaros, could see through his intention.

But even then, this happened.

Slowly, Caldaros' body hummed with sunlight, not as bring as before but enough to scare Lucivar.

"You know… Aurel told me that you and your God are superior in manipulation to me. That it doesn't matter what I do. As long as I try to play your game—you'll somehow have a way to reverse it. But I can see it now…"

His eyes narrowed, studying Lucivar's fearful face, which was a delight to see.

One that he had dreamed of seeing.

"You're not as good as she said," He continued, tilting his head menacingly. "You're still not as good as me."