The Villainess is my fiance: But she is gentle towards me-Chapter 235 -: Perfect copy.[3]

"Come here, Father!"

Elena’s copy raised her sword and slashed again.

A wide arc of lava rushed toward Duke Sant.

At the same time, the strange creature pulled back its arm and threw its spear.

The spear cut through the air with a sharp sound.

Duke Sant did not stay still.

He flew backward, putting distance between them. His cloak fluttered behind him as he moved.

His eyes were calm, but his mind was moving fast.

He turned his body midair. His sword came down in a clean strike.

His lava crescent met Elena’s lava crescent in the sky.

Boom!

Fire exploded again.

At the same time, he tilted his body and let the spear pass by his shoulder. The tip brushed past him and kept flying.

’It seems... it can copy all my elements,’ Duke Sant thought as he glanced at Elena’s copy.

Wind. Fire. Earth.

Even the flow of energy felt the same. He knew it was not his real daughter.

He knew that. But the face.

The voice. The way she moved.

It made his chest feel tight for just a moment.

Duke Sant turned again and kept flying.

He was not escaping. He was buying time.

Sometimes he would suddenly turn back and block a strike.

Sometimes he would twist and dodge at the last second. Elena’s copy and the strange creature chased him without pause.

The creature kept throwing its spear.

Each time, the spear would fly forward, miss or clash with Duke Sant’s attack, and then return to the creature’s hand like it was alive.

"What happened to you, Duke Sant?" the creature shouted with a cruel smile.

"Weren’t you going to kill me today? Why are you running now?"

It caught the returning spear and stepped forward. This time, it did not throw it at once.

It closed its eyes.

For a brief second, its body became still.

Then—

An invisible energy began to gather from its abdomen. It moved upward and wrapped around the spear tip.

The air trembled slightly. It was spiritual energy.

Dense. Sharp. Dangerous.

"All this time I did not use my Intuition," the creature shouted.

"I knew there would be a day when I had to fight you. That is why I saved it!"

In its battles against Vined, it had never used Perfect Copy. Back then, it was sure it would not die.

But today was different. It was facing Duke Sant.

It could not take risks.

"Now take this!"

It threw the spear.

Whoosh!

The spear shot forward with explosive speed. The air around it twisted as if it was being torn apart.

Elena’s copy did not stay quiet.

"Father... it has been so long since we met," she said softly. "Come fight with your daughter."

Her voice was gentle. Almost warm.

She raised her sword.

Spiritual energy gathered around her blade. It wrapped around it like clear fire.

Slash. She swung down.

A crescent arc moved toward Duke Sant.

It could not be seen. But it could be felt.

The air in front of him became heavy.

Duke Sant remained calm. He kept flying backward. The two attacks rushed toward him.

The spear from the front. The invisible crescent from above.

They were closing in fast.

When they were only twenty feet away—

Duke Sant pulled out a small dagger.

Basic teleportation runes were carved on its blade.

He hid it behind his left palm.

At the same time, he poured his own spiritual energy into his sword. Lava and spiritual energy mixed together, burning brighter.

From the outside, it looked like he was preparing to block.

The spear came closer.

The invisible crescent was almost on him.

Ten feet.

Five feet.

Duke Sant raised his sword high, as if he was about to cut both attacks head on.

Then—

At the very last moment—He threw the dagger.

It shot past the spear. Past the invisible crescent.

It flew straight toward the strange creature.

The dagger appeared in front of the creature almost instantly.

The creature let out a cold snort.

It was about to shift its body and move out of its throwing stance.

Right at that moment—

"Die!"

Duke Sant vanished.

The next second—

He appeared directly in front of the creature.

He had switched places with the dagger.

His sword was already mid swing. Spiritual energy roared around it.

His eyes were sharp.

Cold.

Without hesitation.

He swung down with full force toward the creature’s neck.

"You—!!"

The creature’s eyes widened in shock.

It did not expect Duke Sant to appear in front of it like that.

It tried to pull back.

It tried to twist its neck away.

But Duke Sant had lived through many wars. His hands did not shake. His timing was sharp.

Still—

The creature reacted at the last moment.

It raised both arms to block its neck.

Chik!

The sound of flesh being cut echoed in the air.

For a brief second, everything felt still.

Then—

The left hand of the creature fell.

Blood burst out.

"Ugh!!" 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

The creature let out a low, painful groan and jumped back quickly. Blood poured from its arm as it retreated in panic.

Duke Sant’s eyes narrowed.

He was not satisfied.

"Come here!" he shouted and rushed forward.

That had been the perfect chance. One clean strike. One more inch.

It would have been over.

Behind him—

The wind moved.

Elena’s copy had already closed in. She moved smoothly and raised her sword.

"Father!!"

She thrust forward.

"Tsk!"

This time, real irritation showed on Duke Sant’s face.

He spun around sharply.

"Stop calling me father with my daughter’s face, you stupid thing!" he roared.

He charged straight at her instead of dodging.

Clang!

Their swords crashed. The blades were the same.

The weight felt the same. Even the heat was the same.

Duke Sant let out a cold snort.

He suddenly pulled back one foot and kicked her hard in the stomach.

Ugh!

She groaned and was sent flying backward through the air.

Her robe fluttered as she lost balance.

"Damn it..." Duke Sant muttered under his breath.

"I should have killed it with that strike."

Regret flashed in his eyes for a short moment.

He turned immediately and chased after the wounded creature.

The teleportation dagger—

It had been given to him by Vivian.

All of them were made by Vivian’s wife, Charlotte. She was skilled with magic. She had made several of those daggers for surprise attacks.

Vivian had given some to Vined. And some to Duke Sant.

They were meant to change the flow of battle in one sudden move.

And it had worked.

But Duke Sant had missed the final blow.

"Damn it," he muttered again as he flew faster.

Blood was still falling from the creature’s severed arm. It was injured.

It was weak. This was not the time to hesitate.

His eyes grew cold again.

This time—

He would not miss.