Extra's POV: My Obsessive Villainous Fiancee Is The Game's Final Boss Chapter 286 286: A Bet's A Bet

Ren didn't wait. The second he saw his father, he sprinted forward like a bullet, arms wide.

"Terence?" His father stood from his chair to leave but caught sight of him. "What are you—"

He barreled into his father with all the strength a ten year old body could manage and wrapped his arms around the man.

Lord Abram stiffened. It was subtle. A flicker of his fingers, and a brief, almost undetectable hitch in his breathing.

For anyone else, it would have gone unnoticed. But Ren was older now. He was no longer that little kid, so he could see it clear as day.

His father's coldness wasn't cruelty. It was unfamiliarity. Hesitation. As if the idea of affection was an unfamiliar weapon aid his way, and he didn't know how to counter it.

"Terence." Lord Abram said stiffly. "You should be preparing for your studies. Not charging into dining halls."

Ren pulled back slowly, but his smile didn't waver. "I missed you."

Abram blinked. Once. Twice. Then looked down at the papers in front of him, using them as a shield. "You should be with your nanny. Where is she?"

The doors opened almost imdiately and Margaret entered, breathing hard from her run.

"Lord Abram." She said with a bow before turning a sharp eye on Ren. "Young master, you're not to disturb your father at breakfast. Co along now."

Ren gave his father one last grin before slipping away with Margaret.

As she scolded him quietly, Ren's thoughts raced. If Father was alive… then Darius would be too.

The thought hit him like lightning. Darius. He'd lost him to the war. He'd never had a chance to say goodbye to his brother or really have fun with him, but right now, he had a second chance.

He turned a corner and broke into a sprint.

"Master Ren! Where are you going?" Margaret shouted behind him.

Ren didn't stop. He knew exactly where he needed to go. At this point in ti, his two brothers were together, discussing.

He charged through the eastern hallway, up a spiral staircase, and into a long corridor that overlooked the Ross castle training yard.

And there they were.

Darius and Felix stood side by side, deep in conversation. Darius, muscled and thick like a tree trunk, gesturing with one hand as he explained sothing. Felix, listening intently, arms crossed.

Ren didn't pause. He ran straight at them.

"Darius! Felix!"

They both turned, startled, as Ren launched himself forward and hugged them both around the waist.

"Wh— Ren?" Darius asked, voice suspicious.

Felix looked even more confused. "Did he hit his head again?"

Ren laughed. He couldn't help it. This was his brother. His brother was alive!

He pulled back and looked up at them both.

"How are you today?!" He grinned. "Feeling alright?"

The two brothers exchanged a suspicious glance. Why would their weak brother co to et them like this?

Then, there was a ding and a ssage appeared before Ren.

[Level Up: Hypnosis Resistance Lvl 80.]

His smile flickered. He'd been hypnotised! All this was a powerful illusion and Unfettered Enhancent was fighting it!

All these were taking place inside his head.

Eventually, he'll get out of the illusion. But that didn't an he couldn't use the ti he had left to enjoy ti with his brothers.

It didn't matter if all this was not real. He'll enjoy it all the sa.

An idea entered his head.

"I challenge you to a spar." He said to his brother, grinning.

Darius raised an eyebrow. "You don't even know which end of a sword to hold."

"So you'll win easily, then." Ren replied. "Unless you're scared?"

Felix snorted. "Oh, I want to see this."

"How about I make this sweeter?" Ren had a mischievous grin on his face. "Loser has to go to Father and tell him, in front of everyone, that they love him."

Felix doubled over laughing.

Darius, to his credit, didn't even flinch at the thought.

"That's cruel." He said. "But I accept."

They descended the stairs and entered the training yard, where a few knights were practicing their drills.

One of the trainers paused as they approached. "Young masters?"

"We're having a match." Darius said simply.

The trainer blinked, then stepped aside. "Very well. One of the spare rings is open."

Ren moved away and picked up a practice sword, noting its weight. It was much heavier than he rembered. But his current body was still ten years old, barely trained.

Still, he wasn't the sa person. His mind, his skills, everything he'd been through gave him the advantage.

[Level Up: Hypnosis Resistance Lvl 85.]

Darius smirked as he stepped into the training circle, rolling his shoulders and swinging his practice sword in easy arcs. The wooden blade whooshed through the air, the weight and reach of it familiar in his grip.

Felix leaned against the fence just beyond, already settling in for what he assud would be a short, entertaining match.

"Try not to trip on your own feet, little brother." Darius said, grinning as Ren stepped forward.

Ren held his own practice sword differently. It was too long for his small arms, the grip clumsy in his small, ten-year-old hands. But his eyes... his eyes were focused. Calm in a way that made Felix more attentive.

They circled each other.

Darius ca at him with a casual overhead swing, slow and wide.

Ren sidestepped easily, angling his body just out of reach and letting the wooden sword pass close. He didn't counterattack. Not yet.

Darius frowned and swung again, this ti a horizontal slash. Ren ducked, the movent clean despite his weak and unfamiliar body.

"Co on, Ren." Darius taunted, hopping back. "Swing the sword. It won't bite."

Ren did.

He darted forward, going for Darius's leg. The strike was aid low, and Darius barely parried in ti, his expression flickering.

"Lucky." He muttered.

Ren didn't answer.

He stalked closer, this ti testing Darius' stance. He feinted a low stab, then flicked the tip up toward Darius's ribs.

Darius blocked, but his form was loose, and Ren recognized the gap instantly.

Darius tried to push him back with a heavy shoulder, but Ren spun, sliding past him, and tapped the middle of Darius's back with the flat of his blade.

Felix blinked. "Point to Ren."

Darius turned, face flushing. "You've been holding out."

"Nope." Ren said, voice calm. "You've just been underestimating ."

[Level Up: Hypnosis Resistance Lvl 90.]

Darius grit his teeth and lunged, aiming to overpower Ren with sheer force. Their swords clashed. Ren grunted as the force of the strike pushed him backward, but he moved along with the motion, putting up no resistance.

Darius stumbled forward, off balance.

Ren struck his shoulder.

"Point to Ren." Felix called again, now watching with real interest.

Darius growled. "You're not this good."

"Maybe you're just rusty."

Another round.

Darius swung faster, with more aggression. Ren ducked, parried, spun. Even though this body had no muscle mory, everything was inscribed into his head.

Everything he'd learned was at his fingertips. Positioning, leverage, timing. He didn't have the strength, but he didn't need it. He used angles. Let Darius's own force work against him.

Twice more, Ren struck clean points.

By the fourth, Felix stood straight. "Ren's one away from winning."

"You little brat." Darius snapped. "This isn't how this was supposed to go."

"Bet's a bet." Ren replied. "One more and you tell Father you love him."

Darius roared and ca at him in a flurry of attacks.

Ren let it co. He moved like he could see the future, dodging narrow swings, and barely deflecting the ones he couldn't dodge. Then, he saw the overcommit.

Darius raised his arms for an overhead strike.

Ren dropped low and lunged under his guard, jabbing the wooden blade into Darius's stomach.

Thud.

Silence.

Darius gasped and fell backward onto the sand.

Felix blinked. "Ren wins."

Ren stepped back, lowering his sword.

Darius sat up slowly, winded. His face was a mix of embarrassnt and confusion.

"What the hell?" He muttered. "How did you..."

Ren smiled and offered him a hand.

Darius stared at it, then grudgingly took it.

"That was the deal." Ren said. "You know what you have to do."

Darius groaned. "You're going to pay for this."

But he grinned, despite himself.

Felix laughed. "I can't wait to see Father's face."

Ren grinned wider. "Let's go find out."

[Level Up: Hypnosis Resistance Lvl 95.]