After Ramel forced the fight outside, another fully transformed Tiktik stepped out from the dark corridor of the house.
Tiktik: "To think someone could keep up with us alone... Looks like staying hidden was the right call."
He slowly turned his gaze toward Tasyo, whose body was still possessed by Venus, struggling to purge the corruption from within.
Tiktik: "I'm not sure what you're trying to do… but it looks important."
The Tiktik calmly reached forward and gripped Tasyo's neck.
Tiktik: "Sadly for you… you need to die now."
With a sudden squeeze, the Tiktik began choking the life out of the possessed Tasyo.
Tasyo (Venus): "Ugh… ughh…"
Venus was gasping, struggling to breathe through Tasyo's mouth, the energy in her spell flickering.
Tiktik: "This is your end."
Venus managed to whisper a single word.
Tasyo (Venus): "N... now."
Just then, Elayna appeared behind the Aswang and drove a blade straight into his back—aiming for the heart.
But as the steel hit resistance, Elayna's eyes widened.
Elayna: "Shit… it didn't pierce deep enough."
Tiktik: "Damn it!"
Elayna pushed with everything she had, forcing the blade inch by inch, trying to reach the heart. The Tiktik's grip on Venus's neck started to loosen, his muscles trembling. For a moment, it seemed she would finish it.
The Tiktik suddenly released Venus and backhanded Elayna, sending her crashing into the kitchen wall.
She grunted on impact but managed to shield herself in time—avoiding a knockout blow. Staggering, she pushed herself back to her feet.
The Tiktik turned toward Tasyo.
Tiktik: "Die, you worm!"
Just as the blow was about to land, Venus cast a spell. In an instant, a mist-like chain appeared—glowing faintly. It was the same chain she used to restrain Tasyo earlier, the same one infused with the essence from the Luzbrasa bomb she threw at the barangay hall earlier to save Elayna. It wrapped around the Tiktik's arm and blocked the lethal strike, Scorching his skin while keeping him locked in place.
Tiktik: "What the—?! It burns!"
The Tiktik snarled in pain, the chain sizzling against his flesh, its holy energy searing him.
Venus: "Elayna! Again!!"
Venus, still in control of Tasyo's body, held the end of the chain tightly.
Elayna: "Hyaaaaaaaa!!"
With a battle cry, Elayna smashed an LPG tank straight into the Tiktik's head. A loud metallic BONK echoed through the house.
Elayna: "I'm not done yet!"
She stepped in front of the stunned Aswang and began slamming the tank into his face over and over—left, right, again and again. The Tiktik finally raised his arm to block, growling through clenched teeth.
Tiktik: "Damn youuuuuu!!"
He drew back, shaping his hand like a spear, ready to strike—but just as he lunged, Venus (still in Tasyo's body) jumped off the couch and landed a sucker punch right into the Tiktik's jaw.
Tasyo (Venus): "Elayna! I'm almost back in my real body—let's finish this!"
The two didn't let up. Every time the Tiktik tried to move, one of them was already a step ahead. Blow after blow, they kept him off balance, not giving him a moment to recover.
Frustrated and furious, the Tiktik let out a deafening roar.
Tiktik: "RAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!"
The sound was so intense it rattled the walls. Elayna and Venus instinctively covered their ears.
The Tiktik seized the moment—he kicked Elayna hard, sending her crashing into the wall with a heavy thud. He turned next to strike Tasyo, his hand already drawn back for a killing blow—
But he stopped.
Tasyo was lying on the ground, unconscious.
The possession had ended.
Standing at the doorway was Venus, in her original body, calmly puffing on a cigarette.
She exhaled the smoke, then casually walked forward and grabbed the LPG tank Elayna had been using.
The Tiktik growled and prepared to leap at her—but before he could, the mist-like chain wrapped around his ankle, yanking him mid-jump.
Tiktik: "What the—?!"
Venus swung the tank with both hands, smashing it into his face, halting him for a moment.
Tiktik: "Ugh!"
Without missing a beat, Venus raised her other hand and cast her final spell. The last remaining mist chain shot forward, coiling tightly around both the tank and the Tiktik, binding them together.
Then—whoosh!
A small dagger flew past Venus, striking the valve of the LPG tank with perfect accuracy. It clicked—and hissed as gas began to pour out.
Venus glanced sideways.
Venus: "…heh."
Elayna, bruised but still standing, stood at the hallway with her hand raised from the throw—grinning.
Venus raised her hand and cast another spell—a lightness enchantment. Anyone she touched would weigh no more than a feather.
She grabbed hold of the mist chain still wrapped around the Tiktik's foot, then spun with controlled force. With a powerful whirl, she hurled the Tiktik across the room, his body crashing through the ceiling, tearing it open as debris rained down.
Venus took one last drag from her cigarette, inhaling until only a tiny stub remained. She exhaled the smoke slowly, casually.
Venus: "They better promote me after this."
She flicked the glowing stub of the cigarette straight at the exposed lid of the LPG tank.
Then—BOOOOOOOM!!
A massive explosion rocked the house, loud enough to be heard in parts of the town. The blast sent shockwaves through the air, scattering loose objects and setting part of the roof ablaze.
Elayna who's staggering.
Elayna: "That's… odd. An LPG tank isn't supposed to blow up that hard."
Venus: "Yeah, I may have... enhanced it a bit. Cast a spell to amplify the blast—burned through half of my soul essence for it. That's why I needed that last soul cigarette...."
She turned to Elayna, her tone shifting back to business.
Venus: "Anyway—help Ramel. He's still fighting the Tiktik that kicked you earlier."
Elayna: "What about you?"
Venus: "I'm going after the charred body of that one. Gotta make sure he stays dead."
Without another word, Venus stepped through the hole in the wall, the same one Ramel had smashed open earlier.
Minutes passed.
Venus followed the stench of burning flesh, heavy and foul in the air. She finally found him—the Tiktik, barely clinging to life. His limbs were either missing or mangled beyond repair. Charred skin clung to his bones. His regeneration, once terrifying, now struggled just to keep him breathing.
Venus: "Looks like you're in so much pain. Even your healing can't keep up—it's not repairing you… just keeping you alive."
Tiktik: "Ki... kill… meee…"
Venus: "How about this? Answer my question, and I'll give you the death you want."
The Tiktik slowly turned his head toward Venus, as if ready to speak—like he was willing to talk just to end the pain. But she noticed something else… a faint, twisted grin forming on his broken face.
Venus: "The infant—the one from the murdered mother. Why was that kid needed for the ritual?"
The Tiktik began to speak… but suddenly, his body started to convulse. Venus's eyes narrowed.
She had seen this before.
Just like with the Tiktik secretary earlier—this was no seizure. It was a suicide spell, a last-ditch effort to explode and take her down with him.
But Venus was ready.
She raised her hand and fired a restraining spell, locking his body in place with glowing fields of soul essence. The Tiktik thrashed violently as his self-destruction was interrupted.
Tiktik: "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
Venus: "Yeah, nice try, dumbass. I already saw this coming. Now speak—fast. Or I swear I'll keep you alive just long enough to feel every bit of this pain you're in."
She wasn't bluffing to sound tough—she was stalling. The truth was, she didn't have the power to keep him alive much longer. She could feel her spell faltering.
Venus: [I've got less than a minute left… I'm almost out of juice. I need him to talk.]
The Tiktik's voice rasped through the pain.
Tiktik: "The rit…ual… it's for the res…surrection of Valderama's soul… and they're trying to—"
He froze.
The last part didn't come out, but Venus watched his lips carefully—and caught the meaning.
Without hesitation, she whispered a quick incantation. A tiny orb of light appeared at her fingertip. With a flick, she sent it straight into the Tiktik's heart stopping him from exploding.
He fell limp. Silent. Gone for good.
Venus let out a breath and wiped the sweat from her brow.
Venus: "What the hell have we gotten ourselves into…"