I don't think I have a lot of time left before my core implodes
Twelve Veronicas now surrounded them, and unlike before, some of these copies looked different.
"Impressive deduction," all twelve said simultaneously. "Yes, my copies share sensation. But you missed something very important."
Four of the Veronicas suddenly lunged at Damion.
He managed to block two strikes with his golden blade, but the other two got through. One blade sliced across his chest. Another carved a deep gash in his left arm.
Damion groaned and stumbled back.
"Did you really think it was that simple?" The Veronicas laughed. "I can choose which copies are connected and which aren't. The ones you just hit? They were all linked. These new ones? They're ompletely independent."
Shit. She's adapted to our strategy already. How are we gonna win now?
"Lucas!" Celeste's shouted. "Whatever plan you have, execute it NOW!"
Three Veronicas were pressing her hard, and despite her Iron rank strength, she was being overwhelmed by sheer numbers.
Plan? What plan? I barely understand her ability, and now she's already throwing curveballs! I'd need more time but the core...
I'm not sure what to do now. The Legion wasn't supposed to attack for another two years. Veronica Bavres wasn't even a character in the original storyline.
"System," Lucas thought, "is there anything in my arsenal that could help? Any skills, items, anything?"
[Current available options:]
[- Intimidating Presence: Still on cooldown for 3 minutes]
[- Basic Swordsmanship: Insufficient against Iron rank opponent]
[- Storage contains: throwing knives, Leklass fruits, Rainberries, voice modulation candy]
[- Remaining Villain Points: 13]
[- Available shop items in price range: Limited]
Thirteen Villain Points. What can I even buy with that?
"System, show me everything under fifteen points. NOW."
A window flashed:
=====
[AFFORDABLE ITEMS:]
• Smoke Bomb (Single Use) - 5 Villain Points
• Caltrops (Set of 10) - 6 Villain Points
• Basic Stamina Recovery Pill - 9 Villain Points
• Flash Bang (Single Use) - 12 Villain Points
=====
Flash bang. That might work if I can hit all twelve at once, but...
Raymond let out a shout.
Lucas turned to see one of the Veronicas standing over him with her sword raised for a killing blow.
"No!" Charlotte thrust her hands forward.
Another barrier materialized, but it was even weaker than before.
The Veronica's blade shattered it like paper and continued its descent.
Lucas moved without thinking.
Mana flooded his legs, and he crossed the distance in a burst of speed that left cracks in the cobblestones.
His sword met Veronica's blade inches from Raymond's throat.
The impact drove Lucas to his knees and he was barely holding on.
But he held out.
"Interesting," the Veronica said, her face inches from Lucas's. "Your core is unstable. I can feel it. You're going to die anyway, even if I don't kill you. Why struggle?"
"Because," Lucas said, "I'm not done being a pain in your ass yet."
He channeled mana into his sword and pushed which forced the Veronica to take a step back giving Raymond time to scramble away.
"Lucas Estellan," Veronica said. All twelve copies stopped attacking simultaneously, turning to look at him. "That's your name, isn't it? I heard it shouted earlier."
Oh no. Don't tell me she's going to...
"The Legion keeps extensive files on noble families," the Veronicas continued.
"Estellan... yes, I remember now. Marquis family. Current heir: Lucas Estellan, age seventeen. Known for being lazy, weak and easily manipulated. Recruitment Probability: S+"
She smiled.
"But you're not weak at all, are you? Nor are you easily manipulated. You just formed a core in the middle of combat, after all. That's not the behavior of the incompetent fool in our files."
She's analyzing me.
"Which means," all twelve Veronicas said, "either you've been hiding your true abilities, or something happened to you recently. Something that changed you. I really want to capture you and figure out what it is."
If she realizes I'm a transmigrator, if the Legion figures out there's someone with knowledge about the future... they'll prioritize killing me above everything else.
"Well," Veronica said, "I suppose it doesn't matter. You'll be dead soon either way."
She was right. Lucas could feel it.
His core was growing more unstable by the second. Without proper stabilization and with constant use, it would collapse within minutes.
And when it collapses, I die. Painfully.
Six of the Veronicas resumed their attack. Three went after Damion and Zacard, who were both bleeding heavily now. Two engaged Celeste. One moved toward Lucas's group.
The other six Veronicas just stood there. Waiting.
She's conserving energy. The copies that aren't fighting aren't using mana. She can maintain them indefinitely while rotating fresh ones into combat.
It was a war of attrition. And they were guaranteed to lose.
We need a game changer. Something to get the advantage on our side.
Lucas's looked at little Timmy. The boy who had released that massive burst of mana earlier.
Suddenly, he got an idea.
"Timmy," Lucas said quietly, "can you do that thing again? The mana burst?"
The boy looked up at him. "I... I don't know how I did it. It just happened."
"Okay. Then we're going to make it happen again." Lucas turned to Charlotte. "Can you create a barrier? Not around us. Around all twelve Veronicas."
Charlotte's eyes widened. "I... that's too big. I can't..."
"You don't need to maintain it. Just one second. Just long enough to trap them."
"But..." Charlotte's said. "Even one second, with that much area... it would drain everything I have. I'd pass out."
"I know," Lucas said. "But it's our only shot."
"Do it. I'll handle the rest." Celeste said.
It seemed she had overheard them talking.
"But..." Charlotte started.
"DO IT!" Celeste said.
And Charlotte, sweet timid Charlotte, nodded.
She took a deep breath and raised both hands.
A golden dome began forming. It was massive, larger than any barrier Charlotte had created before.
The Veronicas noticed immediately. Several tried to dodge outside the dome's range.
They weren't fast enough.
The barrier came together and captured all twelve copies.
Charlotte's eyes rolled back and she collapsed.
"NOW!" Lucas grabbed Timmy. "Think about protecting Charlotte! Think about that feeling from before!"
"I don't..."
"DO IT!"
Timmy's face scrunched up. His hands trembled. Nothing happened.
Come on, come on...
Inside the barrier, the Veronicas were already attacking it. Cracks were forming in the golden light. Charlotte's barrier wouldn't last more than a few seconds.
"Timmy," Lucas said more gently, "Charlotte protected you. Now protect her. I know you can."
Timmy looked shocked. He looked up into Lucas' eyes and then after a moment, his face became filled with determination.
He lifted up his hands.
And then the mana came.
The wave hit Charlotte's barrier from the inside, and Lucas's gambit paid off.
The mana couldn't escape through the barrier.
It was trapped inside with the Veronicas, bouncing off the golden walls building up speed and power like a pressure cooker ready to explode.
The Veronicas screamed. All twelve of them clutching their heads as the mana affected their senses.
"Celeste!" Lucas shouted.
She was already moving.
"Frost Spiral." She said.
Her blade traced a circle in the air, and suddenly ice was forming. It rushed along the ground and passed through Charlotte's golden light like it wasn't there.
It was like Lucas had thought, just like in the game, defensive barriers didn't block allied magic.
Ice spikes erupted throughout the barrier's interior. Dozens of them. Hundreds.
The Veronicas tried to dodge but it was too late.
Several copies were impaled immediately.
All twelve Veronicas screamed out in pain.
They're linked again! All of them!
Charlotte's barrier collapsed. She'd maintained it for exactly three seconds. Thankfully, it was long enough.
Eight of the twelve Veronicas collapsed. The ice spikes had went through various vital organs.
They began dissolving into smoke.
That left four. Still four Iron rank opponents.
But they were injured now. Badly injured. Blood poured from wounds that they all shared. One was missing an arm. Another had an ice spike through her abdomen