The Obsessive Male Leads Want to Eat Me Alive - Chapter 145

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 145
“Damn it all!!!”
Thousands upon thousands of rays of light erupted from her, piercing through the demonic beasts.
Shrieeeek!
The demonic beasts that had been about to devour the people crumbled into nothingness the moment the light touched them.
Gerard staggered, raising both hands to shield himself from the light, but he could only feel the searing pain of his body being torn apart.
As though cleansing the impurities from the earth itself, that pure light engulfed the entire world.
Boooooom!
Acra trembled violently as the light touched it, swaying in the sky.
And moments later.
The people who had been blinded by the light slowly opened their eyes.
The demonic beasts that had been attacking them so perilously had vanished without a trace.
Someone cried out first, their expression one of disbelief.
“…The demonic beasts are gone. Waaaahhh!!!!”
Leading the charge was the man who had nearly been devoured, and several others cheered and rejoiced with him.
Even those who had been rushing forward like mindless zombies, unfeeling of pain, regained their senses and collapsed with groans.
It was clear that Acra’s power had weakened considerably.
“Anette, are you alright?”
Amidst the chaos and jubilation, Sisrain pushed through the crowd and approached Anette.
As Anette opened her eyes calmly, her pupils gleamed with a brilliance like fragments of sunlight.
“I’m fine, Sis.”
“….”
“Better than ever, in fact.”
I could feel the power of Exordium surging deeply from my chest and fingertips.
This was what they called ‘awakening’—
That dangerous and noble power Sordi and Um had explained so thoroughly, I now felt its true nature coursing through my entire being.
―It was on an entirely different level from the modest light and fire I had wielded before.
[ Chapssalsal! Hahahaha, you’ve finally awakened! ]
[ You did wonderfully, little one. ]
No, Sordi. Um.
The real work is only just beginning.
Though damaged, Acra still floated in the sky, and fortunately those who had lost their minds had returned to themselves, but…
Crash!
At that very moment, a massive blade descended toward Sisrain and me, which he parried and quickly sidestepped.
“Gerard’s Forces are targeting me, Anette. Staying close will only put you in danger.”
“Be careful, Sis!”
Anette cried out loudly.
‘Gerard’s combat forces are still attacking.’
Though the power of mental control had weakened and they no longer attacked like mindless zombies, the inherent strength of these formidable warriors remained relentless.
Gerard had assembled them just as he had with the Tracking Team—gathering all the brutal foreign warriors from across the world. They still possessed tremendous momentum.
At that moment, an unwelcome voice pierced through.
“Hahahaha! Congratulations, you’ve finally ‘bloomed’. Do you know there’s no one who’s waited for your bloom as eagerly as I have?”
Gerard could not conceal his joy. Yes, he was delighted!
At last, the power destined to be his was complete!
He no longer had to worry about receiving incomplete power and whether it might derail his plans.
Gerard remained utterly convinced.
That he could perfect his strength through Anette’s ‘buff’ ability.
Even though he had witnessed her grow powerful enough to threaten Akra herself.
Because….
‘You’ll make the same choice as before, you foolish girl.’
Anette responded coldly.
“I don’t want your congratulations. Not from a man destined to fall.”
“I’m destined to fall?”
Gerard burst into convulsive laughter, raising his hand with genuine delight.
“Hardly. I feel certain that I’m fated to claim that ‘noble seat’.”
With Gerard’s gesture, the air peeled away like a layer, and space rippled open to reveal a man’s silhouette within.
Exhausted, worn down…
“Heinrich!”
Anette called out, her voice trembling with shock.
Heinrich hung suspended in the void, both arms bound tightly.
Gerard thrilled at Anette’s expression of panic, seizing Heinrich by the hair and wrenching his head back roughly.
“Sister….”
Heinrich forced his dimming eyes open and found Anette.
His parched lips moved weakly.
“I’m sorry. Truly….”
“Heinrich!!!”
Below him, Anette’s face drained of all color as she covered her mouth with both hands.
Ah, what an amusing scene this was.
Gerard could not suppress his glee at their reunion, his mouth splitting into a grin—a smile as chilling as a serpent’s.
Heinrich was such a formidable mage that capturing him alive would normally be impossible, but fortunately his body had been greatly weakened by the incident at the Banquet Hall.
It was thanks to that weakness that Gerard could seize him now.
“My, you must be quite worried, Anette. Isn’t he a child you’ve always cherished specially―”
That special affection.
That heart that cares for and loves another.
That useless tenderness was undoubtedly a weakness. Simply by grasping it, he could see how it rendered his opponent so vulnerable.
“In the past too, you made great sacrifices to save this boy.”
“…You contemptible wretch!!!”
“Once Exordium’s power is perfected, you can wield ‘buff’ freely, can’t you?”
Anette’s pupils trembled. Gerard seized the advantage and extended his hand.
“Come to me and cast ‘buff’ upon me.”
Thus, he would turn back time, erase Sisrain, and start anew.
He would become the Crown Prince of this Empire, seize an unshakeable power, and ultimately claim the throne to rule over Eldorado.
It was time to walk that rightful path.
Time to claim what should have always been his.
“Sister! Don’t worry about me. Just kill this bastard….”
Crackle, crackle, crackle!
Gerard’s fierce scarf struck Heinrich, and he coughed up blood violently.
Anette’s face went pale.
Watching Heinrich writhe in agony, she cried out as though she could bear it no longer.
“I’ll cast Gerard’s ‘Buff’ on you! Please, let Heinrich go!”
At last, the answer he desired had come.
Gerard’s mouth twisted into a vicious grin.
“Good. Come here.”
How foolishly predictable—repeating the same mistake as before.
You were always like this in the past.
When I said I would adopt Heinrich, you abandoned your resolve and meekly offered to be adopted in his stead.
Even as a child, you were that way—willing to do anything for those you cherished.
Such a foolish-hearted woman you were.
Gerard had no doubt you would make the same choice now, unchanged.
Unable to let go of this trivial affection, you would ruin everything, Anette.
“Come here and surrender that ‘power’ to me!”
Gerard drew her before him.
Beneath a starless black sky, beside Akra.
Anette’s hair and clothes whipped wildly in the wind.
“Sister, …in the end, it’s because of me… I’m sorry.”
At Heinrich’s whisper, Anette extended her hand toward Gerard, as though to grant the ‘Buff’ at once.
At that very moment, a sharp crack!
Gerard seized her wrist and spoke.
“Wait.”
“…!”
“Who do you take me for a fool? You little wretch, were you trying to cast ‘Retrieval’ on me?”
“….”
“Listen well. I’ve placed a curse in advance, prepared for the scenario where you don’t grant me the Buff’s power―”
Gerard roughly yanked Heinrich’s head back by the hair.
“Gasp.”
A thin red line, like a delicate choker, was revealed across his pale neck.
“This curse was set beforehand, so it will activate even if my power is ‘Retrieved.’ The moment ‘Retrieval’ takes hold, I’ll sever this wretch’s head from his body right before your eyes.”
A sinister smile spread across Gerard’s face.
Anette spoke calmly.
“I wasn’t thinking of that. If I give you my power, you’ll release Heinrich and end this war—you’ll promise me that.”
“I promise. It’s a deal.”
I’m sorry, girl.
The truth is, I’m not very good at keeping promises.
“Sister, you can’t….”
Heinrich pleaded desperately until the end, but she seemed to have made up her mind.
As Gerard slowly released Anette’s hand, her palm began to glow brilliantly, pressing against his chest.
An overwhelming surge of vitality flooded through his chest, and his heart thundered—thump, thump, thump—with tremendous force.
At last, this moment had arrived.
The moment he had yearned for his entire life.
Though he had failed countless times and stumbled repeatedly, he had finally reached this point.
In that instant, drowning in rapture and exhilaration, his consciousness seemed ready to scatter.
And then, from Anette’s lips, the incantation finally spilled forth.
“Receptus!”
Gerard’s chest burned as though consumed by flame, and he felt his entire body fill with radiant light.
“Tch, foolish girl…!”
Unaware that this very path would lead to the destruction of the Sisrain you cherish so dearly.
Gerard laughed aloud and swiftly activated the curse he had laid in advance.
At last, the moment had come to return to the past and eliminate Sisrain.
But in that very instant, Gerard caught sight of Anette’s expression before him.
Her jade-green eyes were unmistakably smiling.
And with a rather cunning expression at that.
“…!!!”
What could this possibly mean?
That ominous smile?
A chill ran through his chest.
Before he could even form a question, Gerard was hurled back through time in an instant.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————