Chapter 192: Borrowed Power

‘A vessel?’ Was he referring to her?

She had a bad feeling about this.

She knew escaping was her best option in this situation.

However, she didn’t want to do something as cowardly as fleeing while leaving Teresa behind.

Teresa had always helped and saved her, putting Iris’s safety before her own.

Iris summoned her Clone in an instant, shivering as she did so.

‘Avoid them and save Teresa!’

As she gave the command in her head, the Clone used <Light-Speed Spring> to leap into the air at high speed.

Abellus looked flustered by the sudden action, while the Black Shadow Figure stood with arms crossed, its expression unchanging.

Abellus bit his lip, hesitating as he prepared to command the Chimera to attack Iris.

The vessel had to be captured alive for the Ritual.

She couldn’t be critically injured. Furthermore, he didn’t want her to be seriously hurt either.

He planned to strip her of all her power and keep her by his side forever.

However, the Chimera, which lacked fine control over its power, didn’t seem capable of capturing her safely.

After some deliberation, he ordered the Chimera to take down the Clone.

But the Chimera, which only possessed simple physical attack power, fumbled as it failed to land a blow on the Clone that was bouncing here and there.

Sighing at the sight, Abellus turned to “That One” and whispered quickly.

“It’s hard to capture the vessel alive. At this rate — “

“It’s fine. She’s already in the palm of my hand anyway.”

“Then do something, ugh…”

The anxious Abellus fell silent as he looked at the composed side profile of “That One.”

He felt like he understood why it was so relaxed.

Ever since it appeared in the basement, Iris’s condition had been strange.

Though she was still standing tall, she was definitely feeling the chill, just as “That One” had said.

He had no choice but to trust its words.

‘It’s so, so cold.’

White breath began to puff from Iris’s mouth. To help the Clone save Teresa, she had to distract the other Villains.

After downing several Magic Potions in a row, she immediately cast the <Flying Fur Through the Shield> Skill.

Abellus’s mouth hung open as soon as he saw the Skill, and even the expressionless eyes of the Black Shadow Figure were filled with shock.

It was a Skill that was second to none when it came to unsettling an opponent…

‘It’s fine. Isn’t it about time I got used to this?’

Swallowing her shame, she sent fur flying everywhere.

Abellus, dodging the sharp, metallic fur, could no longer endure it and transformed.

A purple mask covering his entire face and a White Lab Coat — it was a Transformation Suit that made him look like a mad scientist.

Iris stared blankly at his transformed appearance before pressing her lips together.

‘He looks… somewhat cool. But he’s still just a Villain I have to take down.’

“Do you think transforming will help?”

“Do you think a puny attack like this will work?”

Having become faster after transforming, Abellus easily dodged Iris’s attacks.

His movements were distinctly different from the Villain she had defeated at Rugang Park.

That one had been easy to finish because he was hit by every piece of fur she threw.

Setting Abellus aside, the flying fur attacks didn’t work on the Black Shadow Figure at all.

As soon as the sharp, metallic fur touched the figure’s body, it bounced off as if hitting an invisible wall.

The Black Shadow Figure even caught the flying fur before dropping it in sheer horror.

It wasn’t human, yet it seemed to possess human emotions.

Seeing it so appalled made Iris feel slightly embarrassed.

Iris finally stopped her useless fur-shedding attack.

This Black Shadow Figure — likely an Evil Spirit — was not something to be taken lightly.

‘That guy feels like the Evil Spirit that cast the curse. Maybe this chill is because I’m getting closer to him.’

Just then, Iris’s Clone flickered and vanished while trying to dodge the Chimera’s attack.

It was because Iris’s physical condition was poor. After quickly downing another Magic Potion, Iris bit her lip.

She could summon the disappeared Clone again, but it would just be running in circles.

It would be blocked by the Chimera again and fail to rescue Teresa.

She had known from the start. Taking on all of them alone was an impossible task.

But if she truly was the Hero meant to save Gyodam City as mentioned in the Legend of the Savior, she wondered if a miracle might happen.

She had jumped in recklessly with that thought, but it was impossible after all.

She grit her teeth as she saw the Chimera standing beside Abellus.

‘I should have stolen the <Tamer> Skill… If I had, there would be one less enemy.’

She had lost her will to fight after her trump card, <Flying Fur Through the Shield>, had been blocked.

Her Clone had also vanished as her mana ran dry.

Above all, the chill had intensified so much that it was becoming unbearable.

The cold had now penetrated her head, causing a throbbing headache.

Taking advantage of the moment Iris stopped, Abellus looked back and confirmed that the Clone that looked exactly like Iris had disappeared.

Wasn’t that <Clone> Skill Laika’s?

There were many Superpowered Individuals in Gyodam City, and there was a possibility that some had similar Skills.

However, calling this a mere coincidence was absurd. Iris was using the same ability Laika had gained through additional Awakening via the Ring.

No matter how he looked at it, it seemed she had stolen the Clone-summoning Skill from Laika.

He had only suspected it before, but seeing Iris’s Clone turned that suspicion into a conviction.

After confirming the Ring was a fake, Laika had fumed and borrowed a Monster, and there had been no news of him since.

Abellus had seen the news about a Monster going on a rampage at Pink Street.

He had assumed Laika was simply too embarrassed to show his face because he couldn’t find the thief and had even lost an expensive Chimera.

But what if his Skill had been stolen by Iris too?

If that were the case, with his narcissistic personality, he probably would have wanted to die from the humiliation.

Since <Clone> was one of his signature Skills, his despair must have been immense.

‘Thinking about that bastard Laika losing his Skill is quite refreshing. Just imagining that obnoxious face of his contorting feels like ten years of stress is being washed away.’

A cruel smile played on Abellus’s lips.

Once the power of the Relic was complete and he claimed it for himself, he would not only regain his lost Skills but also make Laika’s Skills his own.

Not only that, but he might even be able to force Director Kaisar, who had been treating him like a servant with his overwhelming power, to his knees.

Abellus regained his composure and undid his transformation, staring directly at Iris.

Looking at her staggering state, she seemed incapable of continuing her attack.

He lightly dusted off his clothes and raised an eyebrow.

“Are you getting good use out of the Skill you borrowed from me? I’m talking about <Wondrous Perception>.”

“I… didn’t borrow it. I stole… it.”

Iris blinked slowly, squeezing the words out. She couldn’t save Teresa alone.

In that case, instead of dying a pointless death here, she had to find a way to escape and call for Support Troops or come up with another plan.

At that moment, Johannes’s face flickered through her dazed mind, and she bit her lip.

Wouldn’t Johannes have helped her without hesitation?

Yes, he probably would have. So why hadn’t she trusted him?

Regret washed over her too late.

Johannes was a Villain, but he had never acted like a Villain toward her — probably.

If she had reached out, he surely would have helped, yet she had walked into this deathtrap alone, relying on who-knows-what.

Iris tried to stumble backward. However, her body no longer obeyed her. It felt as if she were being frozen alive.

“No? You borrowed it. Because now, you’ll have to give it all back. Every last bit.”

Abellus’s eyes curved into a bright smile. Iris, filled with a surge of anger, tried to retort but held her head instead.

Her headache had become so severe that she couldn’t continue speaking.

White breath leaked from her parted lips.

“That’s… ugh…”

Through her blurred vision, she saw the corners of Abellus’s mouth lift dangerously.

She tried her best not to pass out, but she had reached her limit.

Perhaps she really had sought out the place of her own death.

Although regret for her reckless actions washed over her, she felt she would have regretted it even more if she had ignored Teresa and not come to save her.

Ultimately, she could no longer hold on, and the strength left her legs.

She collapsed with a thud and closed her eyes while watching Abellus’s boots as he walked toward her.

‘I thought I was the Hero who would save Gyodam City… If I were, I wouldn’t be meeting such a pathetic end. Senior Teresa, I’m sorry. I’m not the legendary Hero.’

***

At that time, Johannes arrived in front of the Enraka Church Shrine and got out of his car.

He looked around before standing in front of a black car and knocking on the driver’s window.

Soon, the window rolled down, and a man wearing Sunglasses bowed deeply.

“You’ve arrived, Heir.”