Chapter 175: Crown of Envy

Stella swung Hellbreaker toward Envy, and an invisible air blade erupted from the sword, tearing through the room with enough force to make the air itself scream.

However, the sharp pressure simply passed through Envy’s spiritual body without harming her and slammed into the wall behind her with a deafening boom.

Stone shattered on impact, and when the dust settled, a large hole had been carved through the wall.

Stella narrowed her golden eyes as she stared at Envy, while Natasha stood nearby with a confused expression.

From Natasha’s perspective, Stella had simply swung her sword toward an empty section of the wall.

Envy, however, could see Stella perfectly.

Her eyes widened in horror as she stared at the golden radiance in Stella’s eyes, and her lips trembled before she muttered, "T-Those golden eyes... how?!"

Her gaze then shifted toward the sword in Stella’s hand, and whatever color remained in her face drained away.

Hellbreaker.

She knew that sword.

She had heard stories about it from the Gredemons, stories that had survived even within the Spirit Realm.

It was the weapon forged by the first incarnation of the Sword Spirit herself.

The first Sword Spirit had carved the weapon from her own body, leaving it behind so that mortals would still possess a means of fighting demons even if she failed to slay every one of them.

That was also why the Sword Spirit incarnated again and again.

Her existence was bound to the task of keeping demons trapped within the Spirit Realm.

Envy’s expression twisted with fury.

"You wretched warmonger!" she hissed. "How dare you try to ruin my plan?!"

Stella furrowed her brows, apparently more confused by Envy’s words than angered by them, and then she mumbled, "A spirit..."

Natasha’s eyes widened.

Only then did she understand what had been happening.

However, her attention quickly returned to Stella, and her eyes trembled as another realization struck her.

’She can see spirits? Then... is she the one?’

Before Natasha could think any further, Stella moved.

"Seems like I have to cut you down with my sword," she said calmly.

Her figure vanished from where she stood, and in the next instant, she was already beside Envy.

Hellbreaker whistled through the air, its blade sweeping directly toward Envy’s spiritual body.

Envy immediately shot backward, barely escaping the sword as its edge passed through the space where her neck had been a moment earlier.

The danger was different from anything she had expected.

That sword could actually end her.

"You think I will just stay here so you can kill me?!" Envy spat as she flew farther away.

Then, despite the fear flashing in her eyes, she broke into demonic laughter.

"I can simply wait until you return to your more broken self!"

"Is that so?" Stella mumbled.

A terrifying pressure suddenly erupted from her body.

Thick crimson Aura surged outward like a flood of smoke, spreading across the room before rising around Stella, Natasha, and Envy. In moments, the Aura formed a massive dome that completely enclosed them.

Envy’s laughter stopped.

She stared at the crimson barrier surrounding her, and her expression became terrified.

"You think your Aura Zone can stop me, The Crown of Envy?! How foolish!"

She immediately flew toward the nearest section of the dome and pressed both hands against it.

Purple smoke began seeping from her palms.

Wherever the smoke touched, Stella’s crimson Aura twisted and darkened before slowly dissipating.

However, the corruption spread far more slowly than Envy wanted.

She stared at the barrier, calculating frantically.

At this rate, she would need more than a minute to break through.

A minute was far too long.

Stella had already raised Hellbreaker.

She lunged forward without hesitation, her expression remaining strangely calm as the sword swept toward Envy.

Envy jerked herself sideways.

Hellbreaker passed within inches of her spiritual body.

She immediately flew toward the opposite side of the dome, her mind racing as Stella turned and pursued her.

’When did it all go wrong?’

She had believed Elias trusted her completely, that every step of her plan had been flawless. But that belief had been false.

Elias had already noticed the oddities in her behavior, and whatever preparations he had made before had apparently been enough to take care of her.

’I cannot die here. Not like this! Never!’

Envy pushed more demonic energy, desperately trying to accelerate the destruction of the Aura Zone, but the amount she could use was limited.

She had already spent too much energy escaping the rift and maintaining her existence in the mortal world.

If she wasted more now, she would have nothing left.

Stella attacked again.

Hellbreaker swept horizontally toward Envy’s chest, forcing her to duck beneath the blade before she shot upward.

The next strike came immediately from above.

Envy twisted her body in midair, and the sword passed beside her shoulder.

Another slash followed from the side.

She bent backward, allowing the blade to pass over her face, before retreating again.

Then Stella stepped forward and swung once more.

Envy narrowly slipped through the opening between the blade and the Aura dome, only to realize that the attack had been deliberately driving her toward the opposite side.

Her expression paled.

She was being cornered.

’No...’

Stella’s golden eyes remained fixed upon her, and Hellbreaker rose once more.

Envy dodged another strike by twisting sideways, and the blade passed so close that she could feel the terrifying power contained within it.

Her gaze suddenly shifted past Stella and settled upon Natasha.

Envy’s thoughts raced.

Natasha’s body was weak, and her physique was far too... pronounced for Envy’s preference. Under normal circumstances, the Crown of Lust would be far more interested in such a vessel than she was.

But she had no choice.

Her own body was already trapped, her demonic energy was running low, and Stella was steadily closing the distance.

If she remained here, she would die.

Envy’s eyes hardened.

’I need a vessel.’

Stella swung again.

Envy dodged the blade by the narrowest margin possible, then immediately abandoned the Aura dome’s weakening barrier and flew straight toward Natasha.

Her face twisted into a desperate grin.

"Give me your body!"

Her claws reached Natasha.

Before Natasha could react, Envy’s spiritual form crashed into her body and disappeared inside.

Natasha’s face twisted in pain as her body jerked violently, and she stumbled backward.