Reincarnated As The Villainess's Best Friend

Kyro's words hung in the air like a death sentence. His eyes locked onto mine, cold and unfeeling.

I was certain that my wind spear had knocked him out, but I had underestimated how powerful he really was.

With a slow gesture, he raised both hands into, and slapped them together, making a loud clap that echoed all around.

Suddenly, his mana pressure broke through the air.

I could feel the power surging from him, strong and intimidating. Just like I had felt when I first shook hands with him at the academy.

There was no way I was going to let him strike first. I had to make the first move and end him quickly.

My mind raced quickly as I pieced together a desperate plan.

Freya stood beside me, her eyes wide with confusion.

For a moment, I felt sorry for her. She had heard every word, but she had no idea what was happening... who Kyro really was, what he meant by demons, or why Lucy was lying on the ground like a broken doll. None of it made any sense to her.

I could see the questions burning in her eyes, but there was no time for answers now.

"Freya," I snapped, my voice low and urgent. "We have to work together. I need you to distract him."

She blinked, shaking her head as if to clear her mind.

"Rin, I don't understand any of this. Demons? Grand Mage? What the hell is going on?"

"I'll explain everything later," I promised, my heart pounding. "I swear it. But right now, I need your help."

Freya hesitated for a moment, her lips parting as if she had something to say. She glanced at Kyro, then at Lucy's unconscious body on the ground. Finally, she shrugged, and a spark of determination flickered in her eyes.

"Alright, Stormborn. But this better be worth it."

"It will. Just follow my instructions."

"Do not bother plotting against me," Kyro's voice cut through the night. "I have defeated opponents far more powerful than you. Your magic is meaningless compared to mine."

"Ignore him," I muttered to Freya. "I can defeat him. I just need you to distract him for a bit."

"Fine," she replied, her expression hardening. "What do I do?"

"Find a way to trap him with your magic. I'll handle the rest."

Freya nodded, and stepped forward, her eyes glowing with green mana.

"Nature Affinity: Vine Surge."

The ground rumbled beneath Kyro's feet. Large green vines burst out from the soil, each of them lined with thorns. They snaked up his legs, wrapping around him, pinning his arms to the ground.

Kyro grunted, struggling to free himself from the grip, but the vines tightened, pricking his skin. Soon, he was completely encased in a cocoon of green vines.

I wasn't going to give him a chance to break free.

I released my mana, the sky above us darkening slightly as clouds gathered in the sky above

"Weather Affinity: Lightning Bolt."

A brilliant arc of lightning tore down from the sky, slamming into the pile of vines. The impact lit up the clearing with a binding flash of light as a roar of thunder echoed throughout the forest. When the lighting disappeared, a wad of smoke filled the air.

Freya exhaled sharply, her mana still feeding the spell.

"Did we get him?" she asked. "Is he dead"

The vines held for a moment longer, then they began to wither, their energy fading as Freya released the spell.

I approached the area cautiously, clutching Freya's dagger in my arm.

But when the vines crumbled to dust, there was no body.

Kyro was... gone.

"Where is he?" Freya muttered, eyes locked onto the burnt vines.

I imagined for a moment that the lightning eviscerated him, but something told me he wasn't going to go down that easily.

Then, I heard a faint rustle behind us.

I spun around sharply, Freya mirroring my movement.

Standing behind us was Kyro, unharmed, his sinister smirk in place. He brushed off a speck of dirt from his sleeve, as if our attack was nothing more than a mild inconvenience

"Impressive," he muttered. "Your magic is almost as powerful as mine."

I stared at him, legs frozen in disbelief.

"How did you do that?"

His evil smirk widened into a grin. "You already know the answer to that, Grand Mage."

I did.

It was a teleportation spell.

But it was impossible.

"Space Affinity belongs to House Solaris," I said. "You're not from House Solaris."

"No. I'm not."

Kyro reached for a silver ring on his finger and pulled it off

A bright light engulfed him. When it disappeared, Kyro's form changed completely.

Standing in front of us, was a tall, muscular young male, with short red hair. His eyes were red as well, and his face was decorated with scars, far worse than Theo's.

"Thorn," I whispered.

He made a slight nod. Then slipped his ring back onto his finger, turning back to the usual blue-haired Kyro.

"I make it a habit to show myself to those I'm about to kill. It would be a shame if you died without knowing the face of your real killer."

I swallowed, trying to retain my composure. "You are a noble of House Lin. Your affinity is Time. How did you use a teleportation spell?"

Kyro's laughter cut through the night, low and mocking. The eerie sound sent a cold shiver down my spine.

He tilted his head, studying me like I was stupid. "Oh, Stormborn. You disappoint me once again. When I told you my shape shifting was unique, I assumed you'd figure it out."

He paused, closing his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, his eyes were glowing with a blue aura.

"I don't just copy faces. I copy everything."

My mind raced as the pieces fell into place.

I never detected his mana before, not because he was hiding it with a spell, but because he'd copied everything about Kyro Solaris perfectly, including his mana capacity and magic affinity.

A perfect mimic.

And it was all thanks to the ring artifact on his finger.

Everything made sense, but it didn't help us now. The ring made him very powerful, and for the first time, I wasn't sure if I could take him down.

I turned to Freya. Her face had paled, and her hands trembled slightly.

"That's... That's not possible," she said. " Magic affinities are bound to the blood. You can't just steal them."

"Oh, but I can," Kyro said, his voice laced with mockery. He flexed his fingers, blue mana rippling around them like a mystic light. "Watch and learn."

Without hesitation, Kyro raised his hand, the air around him distorting.

"Space Affinity: Up."