CHAPTER 65: CHAPTER 65 - STAR WITCH

A flash of light sliced through the darkness of the night.

BRZZT!

A spear of light shot in from afar, ripping through the air with a thunderous crack before slamming into Axis’s chest. The massive creature was blasted backward, carving up asphalt and crushing parked cars as it tumbled across the street.

A harsh gust battered my face.

Before I could even process what had happened, I was suddenly lifted—scooped up by a pair of strong arms, and my face was abruptly pressed against a warm, soft, and... generously proportioned pillow. The subtle, alluring scent of a milf teased my nostrils.

I looked up.

Delilah.

My stepmother.

She wore a white battle-gown fit for a witch—long, double-layered fabric flowing yet reinforced, with a high slit along her thigh to allow swift movement. Golden runic patterns glimmered faintly along her sleeves. A leather belt hugged her waist, accentuating her curves. The bodice was modest... but only just enough to hide the bare minimum.

And right now, she sat atop a glowing broom, floating high in the sky... while clutching me tight against her chest.

A breath of relief finally escaped me. For a split second... I felt safe.

Until I saw her face.

Delilah looked... disgusted. And regretful. Bitterly regretful.

Her sharp gaze practically said:

If only I hadn’t answered that damned call... if only you had died back there... my child and I would finally be free from you.

My fist tightened in her embrace. A thin smirk tugged at my lips.

Just wait...We’ll settle this later at home. I’m going to punish you hard, right in front of your daughter.

Good thing I ordered her over the phone. Those two words—save me—must’ve forced her to move quickly. Otherwise... even if she arrived on time, she would’ve gladly watched me die.

Oh, right. How did she recognize me when I’m using someone else’s face right now?

Is it because of the [Slave’s Collar]?

The rushing wind twisted into a feral roar.

WHOOOM!

Axis’s wings suddenly spread out, six jagged black scythes slicing the air. In an instant, the creature was right behind us. The very air vibrated, buildings groaning like they were about to crumble just from its presence.

Then...

That gritty, rasping voice rattled my bones again.

"Are you...The one who killed my brother?"

Delilah stayed silent. Her expression was cold, filled with hatred.

Axis murmured again, antennae stiffening.

"You were lucky...You killed the weakest of us. At his weakest moment."

Those compound eyes blinked slowly... locking fully onto her.

"So it seems...You are the strongest human in this world."

A deadly silence smothered the air.

"I will kill you."

Axis raised one razor-sharp arm.

And gravity went insane.

My body was dragged downward as if the planet’s weight had multiplied over and over.

"A—AARGH!"

Delilah and I plummeted. But before I smashed into the ground, she shoved me out of her arms.

THUD!

My back exploded with pain as I hit the asphalt. The world spun, iron and blood flooding my tongue.

Delilah flipped her broom mid-air, swooping up again to regain distance... leaving me lying there.

I grit my teeth, cursing inside.

That was on purpose. That bitch did it on purpose.

Delilah soared higher into the night. The golden aura around her thickened, her hair shining like burning strands of sunlight, her eyes glowing like angry twin stars. When she raised her hand, the air trembled and the sky seemed to stretch.

Then...

Thousands of tiny lights ignited.

In seconds, they elongated into massive spears of light, each longer than a city bus. They hovered in the heavens like a constellation of meteors ready to descend.

People in Gatehaven looked up. Some froze, others trembled. Awe and panic collided in a chorus of voices:

"Oh God... what is that?"

"Falling stars?"

"Is this the end of the world?"

They had no idea what kind of monsters clashed above them. No idea that their fates dangled by a thread thinner than a heartbeat. All they knew was that their quiet night sky had become a battlefield of gods.

For now... Axis completely ignored me. His full attention was locked onto her. His black compound eyes narrowed. Thousands of spears tracked his movement from every direction, forming a killing formation with no escape.

Delilah dropped her hand.

BRAAAAAAAM!!!

A cataclysmic rain of spears descended on Axis, but the impossible happened.

Space itself bent.

As if gravity rejected everything, the spears twisted off course just inches before hitting Axis. They shot past his body, only to whip downward toward Gatehaven.

Confusion morphed into raw terror.

A curse ran through my mind: Shit, he can redirect them?!

But before doomsday struck...

Delilah clenched her fist.

Every spear vanished without a sound. Gatehaven fell into stunned silence, like a city saved from apocalypse by a miracle.

Axis watched her. Interest sparked... and a mocking smirk followed.

Delilah ignored it. She kicked her broom and launched like lightning, abandoning it mid-air to dive straight at him.

Six luminous orbs formed behind her, blooming into six floating spears, like divine guardians orbiting their chosen angel of war.

One spear shot forward.

CLAAAAANG!!

But the moment it should’ve pierced Axis, it was pushed away, repelled by something unseen.

Axis countered. His fist cracked the air, yet Delilah twisted gracefully, letting the strike pass only inches from her cheek.

Her six spears moved freely.

They coiled like living serpents—stabbing from every angle—forcing Axis backward through the air, smashing him against a high-rise.

BOOOOM!

Glass burst. Concrete rained.

Delilah pressed the assault, spinning like a deadly ballerina. The spears shifted between her hands—thrown, caught, swung, spun—an endless barrage.

Yet every time a strike neared Axis’s body... an unseen force deflected it. Something protected him, resisting every attempt to land a direct hit.

But Delilah’s form was too fluid... too lethal.

BAM! BAM! BRAAAK!

Her spears began cutting through, cracking the armored chitin of his body. The creature snarled, dark blood leaking.

Axis was pushed farther back.

Golden light exploded across the sky, reflected by shattered glass, turning the battle into the most beautiful nightmare the city had ever seen.

I watched from below, breath stolen right out of me.

Why the hell is she that cool while I’m... whatever this is? Fuck, when do I get abilities like that?

Jealousy. Awe. Obsession. All twisted in my chest.

Axis was cornered.

His hardened exoskeleton was finally scarred and bleeding. For the first time... he growled in frustration.

"A strong human... no wonder my brother died by your hands. I’ve been shifting your gravity center repeatedly. A normal human would’ve collapsed long ago."

Delilah didn’t respond. Her only focus was to kill. Her spears spun even faster.

Axis shot backward—higher, faster. Buildings trembled beneath them, rising into the air under his power. Concrete cracked, windows shattered, and entire structures came undone but did not fall.

The skyscrapers hovered, becoming a storm of colossal debris aimed straight at her.

Delilah surged after him—plowing through a hurricane of destruction, her spears shredding every obstacle in her path.