PHASE 10 - HOW TO STOP FLAME REDNECKS

“I am the Eidolon of Envy.”

The girl in a black frilly maid dress introduced herself in front as she bowed with manners. This woman, who is taking the form of my deceased subordinate Emily, is now emitting malicious aura the same as the Eidolon of Lust I killed not long ago.

“Emily…” I muttered. “No, you’re not Emily in the slightest. You’re just copying her form to intimidate me.”

“You are right about that one, but I am also the embodiment of Emily Teronette’s sins. For all her life, she envied all persons who are having a better life than her. She envied your love for Tiara Hikari. She envied her sister for awakening the Goddess Core of Hel. She has the most powerful emotion of envy amongst your friends.”

Evil Emily showed her black wolverine claws and her drill tail. She went into a battle stance that imitates a beast that is ready to kill her prey. Then, she talked once again with a smug on her face.

“You may have defeated Eidolon of Lust by surprise, but that won’t work against me!”

The dark maid bolted forward and made swift slashes, ripping the wind it touches. Her attacks are fast, but not fast enough to be parried. Together with my , I predicted all points of impact and blocked all her claw attacks.

“Haaah!” Evil Emily’s drill tail was intended to pierce my heart, but in the nick of time, I deflected it. She managed to graze my left shoulder instead.

“!!!”

Jeanne spun like a top with her gunblades outstretched. A small tornado materialized and went between me and the dark maid. Evil Emily immediately jumped back to evade the oncoming gusts of wind that might have minced her to a hundred pieces.

“Alaric…” Jeanne whispered. “What the heck are you doing? You should have finished her immediately with that platinum sword with one swoop. Why aren’t you materializing it again?”

“I can’t.” I forced a smile. “That sword drains a lot of energy. I need to charge enough prana to materialize it again.”

“Are you telling me to fight again while you relax and watch?” Jeanne had this disgusted face. “How dare you boss a lady around!”

“You’re just a girl. Not a lady.” I made a smug.

“Finished teasing each other?” Evil Emily readied herself to cast an attack spell. “!!!”

Seven consecutive drill tornadoes chased us, but we didn’t have to run away. This arrogant runt had it all covered.

“!!!” Jeanne swiped her gunblades as soon as the projectiles reached her, and the changed direction. They are now chasing the caster of that spell!

“!!!”

Evil Emily spawned gigantic spider legs from her back, and she used it to leaped forward and maneuver to evade the drill tornadoes while closing in the distance.

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“That’s the worst move to do!” Jeanne laughed as she pointed her gunblades to the approaching spider maid lady. “!!!”

The revolvers launched marbles that immediately morphed into frag grenades, and it went cleanly to the evil maid’s face. Upon impact, the grenades exploded, making a short sonic boom and thin smoke covering the area of effect. Jeanne kicked the ground and dashed backward to avoid being caught by the explosion.

The aftermath of the blast left Evil Emily’s torn body. Her right-brain and right shoulder have been melted and fused together, making a gross prop for a low-budget horror movie. And oh, her right face now looks like a pizza. She’s now helplessly lying on the floor at the center of a small crater.

“Jeannette… Amiella Fontaine... von Noctis…” Evil Emily weakly muttered. “You’re quite strong… no wonder Hades sealed you in this place.”

“You shouldn’t underestimate the Aether Crusade’s leader!” Jeanne held her hips and chinned high.

“But unfortunately, you’re no goddess.” Evil Emily smugged. “You’re no match for our true form!”

“Wha-!!!”

Jeanne failed to finish a word. A loud explosion brightened the area.

Well, I saw it coming... but I didn’t warn her.

<>

The Eidolon of Envy is one of the bizarre yet coolest monsters you will ever find.

She is a seven-meter black dragon that has claw-shaped wings and crimson-red eyes. She is wearing a horned skull helmet, and her spiky spine is an armor that covers the back of her body. Her legs are extraordinary, for it resembles a spider’s. She has eight boney arachnid legs and a long rope-like tail that has a giant drill on its tip.

“A-Alaric…” Jeanne muttered as her toes trembled. She immediately ran towards me and hid on my back like a scared kid. “I handled the human form. Now you handle that Eidolon.”

“Fine,” I said.

I have gathered prana, but not much. I think I’ll be able to use the for fifteen seconds, and that’s usually a long time.

I swiped my fingers and opened a golden portal, designated to reach the Realm of the Frozen Soul. But for some reason, I don’t feel the energy flowing through the connection. I can’t draw any hilt. It’s like the is not ready to manifest.

“Well, shit-!!!”

“FWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!”

The spider dragon blew out an endless stream of fire. In the nick of time, Jeanne grabbed me on my collar and jumped back just to avoid being toasted alive. Now I look like a poor kitten being dragged by his mother.

“What the heck are you doing!?” Jeanne cried. "Use that sword!"

“I’m trying! I’m trying!” I cried back.

As Jeanne drags me to avoid the chasing flames, I attempted over and over to open a Gate to the Realm of the Frozen Soul. But the sword is not materializing. I don’t even feel the energy coming from it.

“D-Darn it!” I opened and closed the Gate repeatedly, hoping that the platinum sword would show up. But no good.

On my ninth try on making a dimensional portal, something strange came out from the Gate. It’s not the . Instead, it’s an ice shard that is clear as glass. It feels cold but feels warm for some weird reason.

Holding this shard feels like holding the Frozen Soul. Now that I think of it, it looks like a piece of it.

I threw the shard away since I assumed that it won’t help me in my current situation. What would a shard of the Frozen Soul do in a situation like these?

Jeanne stopped when she was already about twenty meters away from the spider dragon. There are already burning cages and toasted Cursed Guardians around. But hey, at least we’re safe. The tall flames will make it hard for the Eidolon of Envy to find us.

I opened another Gate, and a piece of ice came out from the Gate again.

Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind blew out the raging flames. It came from the powerful flap of the gigantic wings of the spider dragon. She revealed herself, showcasing her sword-like razor teeth.

Jeanne looked around for an escape route, but no more running this time. Behind us is a wall. We’re completely cornered.

“RRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHH!!! PLAYTIME IS OVER!!! TIME FOR YOU TO BE COOKED ALIVE!!!”

When the dragon opened its mouth, its throat glowed, signaling that it will blast out flames that will convert us to ashes at any moment.

In the nick of time, my genius brain worked.

I swiped my finger sidewards with full force, opening a giant Gate. And that Gate unleashed barrages of sharp icicle fragments that went straight to the enemy’s throat!

“GURB!!!”

The Eidolon of Envy’s neck exploded.