Using the remaining mana in her body to activate the “Regeneration Pump” and prevent the infection of aberrant factors, Yvette brushed off the dust from her shoulders and stepped out of the shallow pit.

She was not at all surprised by the backstab from the Six-Armed Demon; in fact, both parties were well aware that they were on each other’s kill list.

Having thwarted the Tide Insect Queen’s evolution, she would certainly find a way to eliminate the Six-Armed Demon, for she could not allow another fourth-phase aberration to be born. Conversely, the Six-Armed Demon would also seek an opportunity to kill her, understanding that this formidable silver-haired girl would never permit the emergence of a similar threat.

Their cooperation had always been built on a foundation devoid of trust. The only reason it had not been openly severed was that they were both scheming, hoping to gain a measure of mutual trust, albeit unsuccessfully.

“The Tide Insect Queen isn’t ascending to the fourth phase; she’s healing, isn’t she?” Yvette suddenly asked after a moment of silence.

“Ha… hahahahaha—!!” After a brief pause, the Six-Armed Demon erupted into a wild mix of joy and triumphant laughter, seemingly at last receiving its expected payoff.

“Foolish human, you’ve figured it out? But it’s too late!”

“That’s right; from the very beginning, there was never a Lord. That was just a fabrication of mine! No aberration on this island has ever reached the fourth phase. How would I know what a Lord looks like?”

“I just wanted to toy with you, to make you and the largest nest here exhaust one another, allowing me to reap the benefits in the end!”

“What a pityful little worm you are; you cannot verify the truth of this matter! Whether I speak truth or lie, you will have to probe deeper into the Corrupted Forest to find out, and obediently play the role of my pawn.”

“So, I say I am the wisest, perfect being, and I am not lying, am I?”

Yvette stared silently at it, showing no hint of anger, shame, or regret at its words.

During the fight, when the Six-Armed Demon had wasted time and avoided engaging, she had sensed something amiss, almost predicting its motives.

However, one, its performance had been convincing—it resembled a creature that specialized in nimbleness, inadequate for a direct confrontation, not overly threatening; two, as it had indicated, she could not find peace without firsthand verification of the state of the Mother Nest.

Amidst this anxiety, she granted it more leeway and added unnecessary mana expenditure.

This was essentially a trap set using misinformation; even knowing it was a ploy, she had to step into it.

After contemplating, she asked again, “Is this your special ability?”

She had harbored doubts before; since all third-phase aberrations possessed mana, there must be a means of utilizing it. Initially, she believed the Six-Armed Demon’s speed came from mana consumption, but sensed that even so, its performance wasn’t strong enough—at best, it could evade, excelling at escape.

Now it became evident; its true special ability was this form of six arms and six wings—it radiated an aura of superiority that no previous third-phase aberration could match.

“Very perceptive,” the Six-Armed Demon chuckled darkly, stretching its body and picking up the nearby alloy blade, but upon swinging it once, tossed it away—it had enough limbs, and wielding a long blade was likely to result in self-injury. It mainly didn’t want Yvette to gain it, as that could complicate matters.

“On this entire island, only you have the privilege of witnessing my ‘full power.’ Take pride in it, human mage, take pride! I am but a step away from the fourth evolution! To die at the hands of the strongest and most evolved perfect being on this island—you should feel honored even in death!”

With that, it transformed into a blur, arcing toward Yvette with lethal intent.

Yvette’s pupils contracted slightly. Instinctively, she summoned a blue-white circular runic ring, unleashing an electric snake. However, it missed entirely, exploding in a patch of scorched earth instead.

After evading the electric strikes three times, the Six-Armed Demon closed in, its claws and bone blades slashing toward Yvette’s neck and waist.

Surrounded by a gale of turquoise energy, Yvette leaned back to avoid the attack, feeling a fleeting strand of her silver hair get severed. Her hands summoned a runic ring through which flames surged, forcing the Six-Armed Demon back for a moment.

As the flashing lights dispersed, the two figures momentarily came together then separated.

In this initial exchange, despite not sustaining injuries, Yvette had danced close to death; a slight misstep could have led to her throat being cut.

The Six-Armed Demon, having felt the heat wash over it, though pushed momentarily back, still had an ominous smirk tugging at its lips, revealing its satisfaction.

It had discovered that the mage’s mana was nearing its limit; her aura resembled a candle flickering in the wind, and her spells no longer held the same potency as before!

Although it didn’t know why she had yet to be infected by aberrant factors, it didn’t matter. Her time was running out; the next strike would be her demise! Chapters first released on novel{f}ire.net

Its heart surged with enthusiasm as it leapt into the air, its wing membranes vibrating furiously to maximize speed, turning into a diving black rainbow that would execute its lethal strike.

However, it was also highly vigilant, preparing to retreat at a moment’s notice. After all, it had multiple chances for follow-up attacks, but the mage was likely out of cards to play.

“Die!” At that instant, the Demon’s frenzied laughter and deadly strike arrived simultaneously.

Yvette still opted for evasion, her slender figure resembling a lamb desperately struggling beneath a wolf’s jaws.

But this time, instead of immediately increasing the distance as before, she turned side-on and, with her alabaster hand, firmly grasped the Six-Armed Demon’s bone blade, weathering the pain of her wounds without relinquishing her grip.

In the next instant, dense, overlapping rings of runes materialized close to the Six-Armed Demon.

Its countenance shifted noticeably—though it had expected its opponent to leave a card up their sleeve, this was far too grand of a plan.

It immediately launched the other bone blade violently toward the young mage’s heart, intending to force her back. Strangely, at that moment, as the blade descended, the magical defenses that had just been capable of shattering flared brightly with crimson light, bolstering against the attack and deflecting it completely!

Broken defense?

Coul… not break defense?

Why can’t it break the defense? Just moments ago, it clearly could!

Momentarily stunned, the Six-Armed Demon was faced with the sight of the silver-haired girl’s beautiful, lifeless face, her lips slowly curling into a smirk.

“You… deceived me…” it suddenly realized as death loomed closer.

All this talk of broken defenses and weakness had been a charade! From the first wave of its attacks, each time it shattered her defenses, it was all part of her deliberate ploy to create an illusion—one that made it believe it had the opportunity to kill her!

Only under this illusion could it afford not to flee and instead provide opportunities for the mage to restrict its speed—a feat that would usually be impossible for such a swift creature to be caught.

To set this trap, she had willingly endured the risk of injury, infection by aberrant factors, and even the chance of demise!

But now, it was too late to seek refuge.

In an instant, amid the dawning realization, the dazzling magical particles converged like a supernova, erupting in brilliance.

In the last fleeting second of consciousness, the Six-Armed Demon beheld an enormous, beautifully colored flower of elements blooming against the azure sky.