Reincarnated as the Villainess’s Unlucky Bodyguard

The soldiers lunged toward us, their armor clanking like thunder in the dim corridor. My pulse surged, and the system's calm, clinical voice sounded in my mind.

[Alert: Combat Engaged. Hostiles Detected: 8. Scanning...]

A moment later, translucent panels appeared before me, outlining the enemies' stats.

Elite Guard (4)

Level: 14Health: 1200/1200Strength: 40Agility: 35Endurance: 38Magic: 20

Myrthe's Acolyte (3)

Level: 16Health: 1000/1000Magic: 50

Lady Myrthe

Level: ???Health: ???Magic: ???

Oh, great. A mystery boss.

"Enara, we've got company!" I shouted, summoning my Shadowflare Blade. The black flames crackled along the length of the blade, licking the air as if eager for blood.

Enara smirked, her small hands already glowing with the familiar dark purple of her magic. "You handle the brutes," she said, her voice cold and confident. "I'll take care of the spellcasters."

"Don't get cocky," I retorted, stepping in front of her to block the first strike. The guard's sword came down in an arc, but I twisted my weapon and parried, sparks flying. My arms strained against the force of the blow, but my enhanced strength held firm.

[Tip: Exploit Agility Disparities. Suggest using Ember Swipe to destabilize enemies.]

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, pivoting on my heel. My sword hissed as it sliced through the air, releasing a surge of black flames at the guard's legs. Ember Swipe. The attack connected, and the guard stumbled back, his greaves scorched and glowing red-hot.

"Impressive," Ananara commented dryly, still nestled under my arm. "But you'll need more than parlor tricks to win this."

"Maybe if you'd help for once, I wouldn't have to work so hard!" I snapped, sidestepping another attack.

Another guard lunged at me, his blade glowing faintly with enchantment. I ducked under his swing and retaliated with a quick slash to his exposed flank. The black flames clung to his armor, and he roared in pain.

Enara, meanwhile, was a whirlwind of precision and fury. Her Darkfire Manipulation sent tendrils of flame curling through the air, targeting the acolytes. They countered with shimmering barriers of light, but her magic was relentless, chipping away at their defenses.

"Liria!" she shouted, her voice strained. "Keep them off me!"

I turned just in time to see another guard charging toward her, his sword raised. With a burst of speed, I intercepted him, my blade meeting his with a deafening clang.

[Health: 2700/3000. Minor injury sustained.]

"Could you not get hit?" the system chided.

"Gee, thanks for the encouragement," I muttered, shoving the guard back with a grunt of effort.

My blade flared as I unleashed Inferno Burst, a wave of black fire erupting outward. The guards scrambled to evade, but one wasn't quick enough. He screamed as the flames engulfed him, his health bar dropping to zero.

"One down!" I yelled, adrenaline surging.

Enara cast a glance my way, her face a mix of exasperation and amusement. "Try not to set me on fire while you're at it!"n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Can't make any promises!"

Behind us, Myrthe watched the battle with an infuriatingly calm demeanor. Her hood obscured most of her face, but I could feel her golden eyes boring into me. She raised a hand, and the air around her shimmered with dark energy.

[Warning: High-level magic detected.]

"Myrthe's about to pull something big!" I warned Enara.

"I'm busy!" she shot back, her tone sharp as she fired another blast of Darkfire at the remaining acolytes.

Myrthe's spell coalesced into a massive sphere of crackling energy, pulsing with ominous power. She raised it high, aiming directly at us.

"Move!" I shouted, grabbing Enara and diving out of the way. The sphere exploded against the wall, sending debris flying. Dust and smoke filled the air, and I coughed, trying to clear my lungs.

[Health: 2500/3000. Moderate injury sustained.]

"I really hate this lady," I muttered, pushing myself to my feet.

Enara brushed herself off, her eyes blazing with fury. "She's going to pay for that."

Before I could stop her, she darted forward, her small frame surprisingly agile. Shadows curled around her feet as she activated Shadow Step, teleporting behind one of the acolytes. Her dagger-like hands plunged into his back, and he crumpled with a gasp.

"Two can play the ambush game," she said, her voice dripping with satisfaction.

I didn't have time to admire her work. Another guard was barreling toward me, his blade glowing with enchantment. I raised my sword and met him head-on, our weapons clashing in a shower of sparks.

[Strength Check: Success.]

I shoved him back and spun, delivering a powerful kick to his chest. He staggered, and I followed up with a Hellstorm, black flames raining down in a concentrated burst. The guard fell, his health reduced to nothing.

"Three down," I said, panting.

"You're counting?" Enara asked, rolling her eyes as she dodged another attack.

"Gotta keep myself motivated!"

As the battle raged on, Myrthe's voice cut through the chaos, smooth and mocking. "You fight well for children, but this game will not end in your favor."

"Shut up and fight us yourself, coward!" I yelled, raising my blade.

She laughed, a sound that sent chills down my spine. "Oh, I will. But not yet. You've barely scratched the surface of what I have planned."

Great. A cryptic villain. Just what I needed.

[Alert: Reinforcements detected. Additional hostiles approaching.]

"Of course there are more," I muttered, bracing myself.

The reinforcements arrived in a synchronized march, their heavy boots echoing in the stone corridor. My heart sank as the system flashed a fresh scan in my vision.

[Additional Hostiles Detected: 6]

Elite Guard (4)

Level: 15Health: 1300/1300Strength: 42Magic: 25

Acolyte of Myrthe (2)

Level: 16Health: 1100/1100Magic: 55

"Six more," I grumbled under my breath. "Because clearly, we weren't already outnumbered enough."

"Perhaps if you fought with more finesse and less fire," Ananara quipped from under my arm, "you'd stop attracting half the dungeon to our location."

"You are the least helpful familiar in existence!" I snapped, barely dodging a guard's swing.

Enara, ever composed despite the chaos, flicked her wrist, sending another darkfire blast spiraling into the nearest acolyte. The man stumbled, his robes catching alight, and she grinned wickedly. "You're welcome to retreat, pineapple."

Ananara sniffed haughtily. "Retreat? I'm a witness to greatness—or whatever this is." Discover exclusive tales at empire

A new wave of attackers surged forward, weapons glinting. I tightened my grip on my Shadowflare Blade, its black flames roaring in defiance.

[Tip: Focus on one target at a time. Use Stone Shot or Earth Wall to create barriers and control the battlefield.]

"Fine, fine!" I hissed, slamming my palm to the ground. Earth Wall. Jagged rocks erupted between us and the guards, momentarily halting their advance. The system was right; we needed breathing room.

"Not bad," Enara admitted, stepping up beside me. Her small frame was tense, her dark eyes scanning the room for openings. "I'll distract the casters. Keep the brutes off me."

"Oh, sure, I'll just handle the four giant murder machines while you take a magical stroll!" I shot back.

She didn't reply, already vanishing into the shadows with Shadow Step.

The first guard smashed through my barrier with a mighty swing, chunks of rock scattering around us. I raised my blade and parried his follow-up attack, gritting my teeth as the impact rattled up my arms.

[Health: 2400/3000. Minor injury sustained.]

"You're making a habit of getting hit," the system commented dryly.

"Yeah, well, they're big, and I'm not!" I snapped, twisting to avoid another blow.

I countered with Ember Swipe, the black flames arcing toward the guard's unprotected neck. He roared as the attack landed, his health bar dipping. Before he could recover, I unleashed a rapid slash to his side, finishing him off.

"Three more," I muttered, spinning to face the next opponent.

Behind me, Enara was a blur of motion, her Shadow Step keeping her one step ahead of the acolytes' attacks. Her magic was relentless, darkfire tendrils snaking through the air to strike at their defenses.

"Focus, Liria!" the system barked as another guard lunged at me.

I ducked under his swing and thrust upward, my blade piercing through his chest. The black flames surged, and he crumpled with a groan.

[Enemy Defeated. Experience Gained: 200.]

"Level up yet?" I joked breathlessly, yanking my blade free.

"Not even close," the system replied, unimpressed.

Myrthe, meanwhile, stood unmoving at the edge of the battlefield, her hands folded serenely. Her golden eyes gleamed with amusement as she observed the chaos.

"You're holding up better than I expected," she called out, her voice like silk dipped in poison. "Perhaps I underestimated you."

"Feel free to stop watching and fight us yourself!" I shot back, slamming my sword against another guard's shield.

"Oh, I will," she purred. "Once you've exhausted yourselves. No sense in wasting energy on children who can't keep up."

Enara growled, her magic flaring brighter in response. "I'll show you 'children,' you smug—"

"Focus!" I cut her off, deflecting another blow.

The battle raged on, the room filling with the sounds of clashing steel, roaring flames, and shouted curses. Despite our best efforts, the reinforcements were relentless, their attacks coordinated and brutal.

"Liria, behind you!" Enara's voice rang out.

I turned just in time to see an acolyte casting a spell, his hands glowing with malevolent energy.

[Warning: High-damage magic incoming.]

"Not today!" I growled, raising my hand. Nightflame Shield. A barrier of black fire erupted in front of me, absorbing the spell's impact. The force pushed me back a few steps, but I held firm.

The system chimed in. [Excellent use of defensive skills. Consider a counterattack before the shield dissipates.]

"Already on it," I muttered, rushing forward. My blade sliced through the dissipating flames, catching the acolyte off guard. He barely had time to react before I delivered a decisive strike, his health bar dropping to zero.

[Enemy Defeated. Experience Gained: 150.]

"Still alive over there?" I called to Enara, who was crouched behind a toppled column, catching her breath.

"Barely," she admitted, her face pale but determined. "But this isn't over."

"No kidding," I muttered, glancing at Myrthe. She was still watching, a sinister smile playing on her lips.