A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

Roar!

The approaching howl of the demonic wolf caused the Duke of Azuregold’s brow to furrow deeper, yet his momentary displeasure swiftly vanished, leaving only a confident, composed smile for the spectators below.

A staff of pure azuregold materialized in his hand. With a mere flick of his wrist, the Duke conjured layered, heavy crystal blocks to encase the ethereal claws poised to shred his incorporeal form. Before they could reach him, the claws collided with a thick iron wall.

The same dull impact echoed through the arena as before, evidencing that the Duke had employed this technique to thwart Seraphina’s earlier assault. However, while the previous iron wall had dissipated instantly, this one remained suspended in mid-air.

The reason was simple: his performance had begun, and the spectacle must be perfectly choreographed.

Namo of Azuregold, a fifth-stage extraordinary being and one of the world’s foremost alchemical masters, commanded the element of [Transformation].

This ability to devour aetheric vibrations was the absolute bane of his illusory spirit form. Should the duel continue, victory was far from certain.

Though not overly concerned with his reputation, even the most carefree of dukes could not accept defeat at the hands of a third-stage extraordinary being who had only gained notoriety that very day.

Burning through his remaining aether, he estimated he had about thirty seconds left.

…No matter. If sufficient pressure were applied, Faust would surely appear. He wouldn’t stand idly by as Fenrir perished. A draw would suffice in that scenario.

With this thought, the perpetually smiling Duke of Azuregold unleashed a shocking wave of aether. Facing the crimson-black mist that rushed towards him like a pack of wolves, he calmly waved his staff. A vast cloud of gems coalesced above his head.

With a slight forward gesture of his staff, countless dazzling jewels, radiating incredible brilliance, hurtled towards the enormous scarlet-black tide like a meteor shower.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Incessant explosions reverberated through the tide. The strange, aether-devouring force was not merely blasted away… no, it was neutralized.

“You have one last chance to apologize, Miss Fenrir,” the Duke of Azuregold said with a smile.

“Withdraw and apologize now, and I may overlook this transgression in light of your exceptional talent.”

Before completely exhausting the power of this illusory form, he had to maintain this air of composure, lest he appear desperate in the eyes of onlookers.

Bang!

The crystals on the demonic wolf’s arm shattered. Howling, it flickered and materialized behind the Duke of Azuregold, its razor-sharp claws reaching for his head, only to strike sparks in a blinding cascade.

“Do you know the hardest substance in this world, Miss Fenrir?”

The Duke inquired with utmost composure as a block of azuregold iron materialized behind his head, deflecting the wolf’s assault.

“It’s orichalcum, the celestial azure metal you see before you—the very essence of my title.”

This theatrical exposition of one’s abilities mid-battle never failed to captivate the audience. The spectators below, having regained their senses, cheered for the aerial duel. It seemed that adventurers, much like moths to a flame, would flock to anything sufficiently intriguing.

“This is my creation—a material that only I and Lord Flamelle can independently produce. For me, it has long transcended mere substance. The possibilities it affords me are boundless… as you’re witnessing now.”

Ten seconds had passed, yet the illusory form’s power had not reached its zenith. Nevertheless, defending against the wolf’s onslaught had become effortless. No matter how the crimson-black shadow darted and weaved, attacking from multiple angles in mere instants, the Duke’s conjured iron walls intercepted each strike a heartbeat ahead.

Prepared to incinerate this ephemeral form, the Duke of Azuregold slowly pointed his staff at Seraphina. Dozens of orichalcum orbs, gleaming with brilliant radiance, encircled the arena, emitting a dazzling pale azure light.

“I’ve always believed that money can solve all problems,” the Duke recited his lines with consummate professionalism, ready to bring this spectacle to its finale.

“But there’s an even more fundamental principle, Miss Fenrir, one you’d do well to remember.”

The resplendent azure glow contracted to its limit, becoming a thread so fine it was almost invisible to the naked eye. Yet the concentrated power it held seemed capable of obliterating even Dispute Fortress itself.

“Power is the ultimate arbiter of all things.”

Satisfied with his performance, the Duke smiled as the compressed orichalcum became the epicenter of potential destruction. He watched the delicate ring of pale azure light slowly encircle Seraphina, knowing that any movement on her part would surely lead to regret for her rash actions.

Faced with such dire straits, Faust should intervene now, he calculated. By the time he appeared… this illusory form would be completely spent. Perfect timing.

Yet imagination and reality often diverge significantly.

For Fenrir, trapped within that terrifying azure radiance, showed no sign of agitation. Instead, her expression was one of… epiphany.

Power is the ultimate arbiter… to everything.

Yes… that’s how it is, isn’t it?

This thought flickered through Seraphina’s mind.

The Duke of Azuregold found it peculiar that Faust had not yet intervened. This illusory form was on the brink of exhaustion, and if not for the need to maintain a facade for the fake-Faust and facilitate future negotiations, he would not hesitate to obliterate Fenrir.

If he doesn’t act now, then…

“…Ah, never mind,” the entrapped girl suddenly sighed.

“Now is not the time to think about this.”

She raised her head towards the Duke, a cruel and playful smile spreading across her face, instantly instilling a sense of foreboding in him.

Almost simultaneously, the Duke unhesitatingly detonated the pale azure halo encircling Seraphina. The pure energy unleashed shattered the arena’s protective barriers within the first second. Some unfortunate spectators nearest to the explosion were instantly vaporized, leaving not even a trace.

Had the Duke not compressed the blast radius to its limit, half of Dispute Fortress would have been obliterated. Conversely… Fenrir could not possibly survive this maximally concentrated, devastatingly powerful explosion.

But why hasn’t Faust—

The Duke’s pupils constricted to pinpoints as the question formed in his mind.

Thud!

A muffled sound emanated from behind him, not the usual impact of the spectral wolf being deflected, but a thunderous crash as if something was about to be pulverized!

Castling?!

Such an unexpected move! But even if you’ve managed to close in, it’s futile. I can still—

“You don’t actually think…”

A mocking, contemptuous voice resonated above the Duke’s head as he prepared to launch a second wave of explosions.

“…that you could run faster than me, do you?”

Her hand was already resting atop the Duke’s head.

The illusory form had reached its limit, precisely at its weakest point after burning through all its aether.

Had she… timed this perfectly? Was it mere coincidence, or had she calculated it to this degree of precision?

No, not coincidence. From the very beginning, she possessed speed surpassing this phantom’s perceptive abilities. She had been waiting for the most opportune moment.

From the very start…

As his entire body was forced downward by the hand on his head, his form dissolving into a spectral mist before vanishing completely, the final thought that flashed through the Duke of Azuregold’s mind was—

Fenrir, what kind of monster are you?

Boom!

A deafening explosion rocked the arena, shattering its magical protections and reducing it to rubble. The terrifying shockwave, as if determined to annihilate the Duke of Azuregold in a single strike, sent tremors through half of Dispute Fortress.

“As expected, just an illusory fake,” a sigh emerged from the dust cloud.

“Why is it always like this… Seemingly strong, but finally not that powerful. And without true fighting spirit.”

“Well, I suppose this is it.”

ROAR!!!

The wolf’s howl pierced the heavens, instantly dispersing the vast cloud of dust.

Standing in the crater at the center of the ruins, Seraphina looked around, scratching her neck. “Am I now the last one standing on the arena?”

“Oh… It seems the arena itself is gone.”

The spectators who had narrowly escaped death struggled to crawl out of the debris, staring in terror at the humanoid monster before them.

They watched as she slowly revealed a terrifying smile… as if ready to devour everyone present alive.

“I’ve waited for so long,” the wolf murmured.

“I’m no longer that foolish, troublesome idiot. There’s no better way to make you see that, right?”

Her face began to flush, never before feeling such boundless power surging within her body.

Seraphina desperately wanted to call out his name but held back.

Concealing that love only he could hear in her deepest core, the wolf threw back her head and howled with exhilaration:

“Let’s fight to the death!!!”

In the next instant, a flash of pitch-black light crossed everyone’s eyes.

BOOM!!!

The Dispute Fortress split in two.

*