Temple of the Demon Lord of Wishes

"Get off me, you miserable pest!" Lyria roared, her voice losing its composure.

Despite the cat's efforts, Lyria activated [Pain Infliction], sending a shockwave of agony radiating outward.

The clone crumbled to the ground, writhing as it flickered and began to dissolve. Ivaim felt the familiar, excruciating pain tear through his body, his knees buckling as he dropped to the floor.

The cat let out a yowl of pain, tumbling from Lyria's shoulder and landing awkwardly on the stone floor. It tried to stand but faltered, its small body trembling from the effects of her ability.

Ivaim forced himself to his feet, sweat dripping down his face as he glared at Lyria.

"You're... really annoying, you know that?" His voice was strained, but the defiance in his tone remained.

"And you're really fragile," Lyria retorted, her voice dripping with disdain.@@novelbin@@

"A Reality Master, brought to his knees by a single Ruiner. How pitiful."

Ivaim gritted his teeth, activating [Coin of Fortune] once more.

The shimmering coin appeared in his hand, spinning rapidly before vanishing into golden light. He surged forward, aiming for the gap in her armor.

But Lyria was faster.

With a flick of her wrist, she activated [Reverse Direction], and Ivaim's momentum betrayed him. His body twisted mid-strike, his blade veering off course and leaving him wide open.

Ivaim hit the ground hard, his knees buckling beneath him. Blood dripped from his lips, and his chest heaved with the effort of staying conscious.

Across the ruined temple, Lyria stood tall, her serpent-like eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

She twirled the gauntlet on her hand, inspecting it idly, as though the fight had been nothing more than a passing amusement.

"Still standing?" she purred mockingly, taking slow, deliberate steps toward him. "I'll give you credit—you've lasted longer than most. I'll surely remember you quite dearly."

Ivaim forced himself to his feet, swaying slightly. His hand brushed against the coin in his pocket, his lifeline and his last gamble.

He smirked through the pain, his voice cutting through the tense air like a blade.

"You know, Lyria, for a Ruiner, you sure do love the sound of your own voice."

Lyria stopped, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "What do you mean?"

He wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, meeting her gaze with defiance.

"I said you talk too much. Every time you've had me cornered, you've wasted it monologuing. It's almost like you're desperate for attention. Let me guess—no one really gives you attention at home, huh?"

Lyria tilted her head, unimpressed.

"Does mocking me make you feel brave? Or is it just a distraction from your inevitable demise?"

"Oh, it's not for you," he said, rising shakily to his feet.

"It's for me. I like hearing myself talk too—it's one of my better qualities. You should try it sometime, though I get the feeling you're more about the 'let me flaunt my scary gauntlet' shtick."

Lyria's lips curved into a faint, almost patronizing smile.

"You amuse me, Spirit. But amusement won't save you."

She moved faster than he could react, her gauntleted fist slamming into the ground where he'd been standing moments before.

Ivaim narrowly avoided the strike, activating [Lucky Leap] to propel himself backward. He landed awkwardly, his knees buckling, but he kept his balance.

"Still missed," he called out, grinning. "Maybe you need glasses. Or is that just part of the 'I'm so cool, I don't need accuracy' vibe you've got going?"

Lyria didn't respond this time, her serpent-like gaze following his every move. Her indifference was infuriating, and Ivaim knew he was running out of time. He clutched the coin in his pocket, flipping it between his fingers as he thought furiously.

She lunged again, faster this time, her movements erratic as she activated [Reverse Direction] to make her approach unpredictable.

Ivaim barely dodged, relying on his enhanced reflexes from [Coin of Fortune]. The golden shimmer around him flickered, warning him that his reserves were running low.

He had to end this somehow.

"I told you," he said, panting as he sidestepped another attack. "Your mouth is going to get you killed." His eyes darted to the cracked altar, an idea forming in the back of his mind.

With deliberate slowness, he began flipping his coin repeatedly, the metallic pingechoing in the temple.

Each toss caught Lyria's attention, her serpent-like eyes narrowing as she watched.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, pausing mid-stride.

"Setting the stage," Ivaim said with a grin. "You want to talk about luck? Let's play a little game. Heads, I win. Tails, you lose."

"You're stalling!" she spat, charging once more.

This time, Ivaim didn't dodge. Instead, he let the coin fly into the air with one final toss.

It spun, catching the faint golden shimmer of his [Coin of Fortune], and as it descended, he leaped forward with [Lucky Leap], using the last of his energy to place himself directly in her path.

Lyria smirked, her gauntleted fist swinging toward him. "Idiot."

But Ivaim wasn't aiming for her—he was aiming for the shattered altar behind her. At the last moment, he twisted mid-air, slamming into the weakened structure with all the force he could muster.

The altar collapsed with a thunderous crack, sending massive chunks of stone cascading down.

"Idiot who?" Ivaim shouted as he rolled away from the debris.

Lyria's serpent eyes widened as the falling stones pinned her in place. She thrashed, activating [Reverse Direction], but the chaotic collapse made it impossible to orient herself.

A massive slab landed squarely on her chest, crushing her gauntleted arm and pinning her to the ground.

"No!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the temple.

Ivaim staggered to his feet, clutching his side as he approached the rubble. His coin landed at his feet, gleaming faintly in the dim light. He picked it up, flipping it one last time before catching it in his palm.

"Sorry, Lyria," he said, looking down at her struggling form. "Being mouthy while battling is sorta my thing."

Without hesitating for a response, he activated [Lucky Leap] once more, propelling himself toward the collapsed altar.

Each step carried a deliberate weight as he stomped forward, his focus locked on ensuring the altar pressed down firmly, crushing the lady beneath it with no chance of escape.

A system notification flashed before his eyes:

[Ruiner Eliminated. Authority Partially Restored.]

Ivaim collapsed to his knees, laughing weakly as he stepped off the rubble. "I told you... talking too much kills."

The brown cat limped over to him, letting out a low meow before curling up against his side.

"Thanks for the backup," Ivaim muttered, stroking its fur. "We're gonna need a lot more than luck to survive the next one."