A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

Within the rift of the mirage realm stretched an infinite sea of flames.

Perhaps not quite so hyperbolic, this might merely be an illusion conjured by Evora's spatial dominion, advanced to unfathomable heights. Yet, the ceaseless, searing sensation of conflagration remained undeniably real.

As they traversed the fiery expanse, the extraordinary beings pondered: Without protection, relying solely on their own power, how long could they endure this inferno?

Ten minutes? Twenty?

The intensity had diminished considerably, reduced to a vast ocean of Feast Flames. But if these were the purest, truest Source Flames... would they last ten seconds? Twenty? Or be consumed in an instant?

Such thoughts only fortified their resolve to vanquish Evora.

As the nine-headed serpent at the vanguard shattered one spatial labyrinth after another with brute force, as if shattering mirrors, their hearts pounded with increasing ferocity and fervor.

To slay a Flamefeast descendant - a true heir with imperial qualifications - was a feat unaccomplished throughout the long march of human history, from the awakening of consciousness, through tribal societies and kingdoms, to dynasties and the present empire!

Now, they stood on the precipice of realizing this ambition, of forging the new order spoken of by the young Hydral, of becoming true legends!

"We approach the labyrinth's core," the colossal serpent, occupying nearly their entire field of vision, suddenly proclaimed. Its overlapping voices echoed through the blood flames: "Prepare yourselves, and remember to safeguard Lord Faust."

As the linchpin providing their barrier, Faust was ensconced at the center of the extraordinary beings, generating abyssal matter to shield all twenty-nine from the blood flames - a monumental burden even for this legendary figure.

Gone was his usual detachment; his visage now bore a grimace, with veins and meridians pulsing black across his neck and face - a truly terrifying sight.

The abyssal adventurers were naturally concerned for Faust's well-being, eager to discuss the powers of the abyss with him once this grand battle concluded.

The Duke of Wyvern, also shrouded in abyssal essence, knew all too well what thoughts preoccupied some others.

As they delved deeper, the extraordinary beings sensed… the fire sea's intensity escalating at a terrifying rate. Their failure to locate Evora amid these conditions bred mounting unease.

A grave suspicion arose in the Duke of Wyvern's mind.

Could it be that he also intended to...

Suddenly, the nine-headed serpent, tearing through blood flames and rending the labyrinth asunder, came to an abrupt halt, catching the extraordinary beings off guard.

"My friends," it slowly turned its colossal form, dwarfing mountains, its layered voices reverberating through the sea of flames:

"I bear perilous news."

"The labyrinth... has been unraveled."

Ansel wasn't scheming or lying at this moment; he genuinely sensed that breaching one more barrier would lead them to Evora's dilapidated palace.

Yet, a troubling question arose... He had clearly felt Evora exerting all her might to manipulate space before, so why had she now relented?

It was eerily reminiscent of... the previous encounter.

Just before Ansel had shattered the spatial barriers to reach the ruined palace last time, he had sensed Evora offering no resistance, almost welcoming his arrival.

While Evora's demise was imperative, this anomaly demanded caution.

The extraordinary beings grasped the danger implicit in Ansel's words, but at this juncture, retreat was inconceivable.

"I implore you all to be fully prepared."

Four vivid heads, four pairs of serpentine eyes gleaming with obsidian light, gazed deeply at the extraordinary beings shrouded in abyssal matter. Then, facing forward, the five dormant heads suddenly awakened. All nine heads reared high, unleashing a deafening roar that shook the fiery expanse.

An infinite surge of dark energy coalesced around the serpent's bloodied maws. Destruction, annihilation, pulverization, devastation, impact, decay... nearly every element of harm known to existence concentrated in this massive orb of power! Continue your journey on My Virtual Library Empire

This was the antithesis of the Feast Flame's path of incineration - a pure, unrivaled force that only Hydral could wield... the power to harness myriad elements from the very depths of the abyss!

No being could survive such an onslaught - this was the unanimous consensus among the extraordinary beings present.

Yet, consensus aside, none were foolish enough to stand idly by as Hydral amassed such power. The attack's lethality was one matter; whether it would connect was another entirely.

"..."

While all attention focused on Hydral's accumulating might, none noticed the frenzied surge of dark essence enveloping Faust. It wasn't just his face; tendrils of darkness enshrouded his entire form. The visible veins beneath his skin no longer carried blood, seemingly replaced entirely by this black substance. It appeared as though minute ebony serpents writhed beneath his skin.

The zenith of destruction and annihilation climaxed under Hydral's command. Even the nine-headed serpent's eyes flickered with uncontrollable savagery and madness. As the orb of power, which even the blood flames dared not approach, rose like a black sun, a jet-black beam erupted instantaneously from its core!

The Flamefeast's sea of fire, capable of reducing all to nothingness, succumbed to this absolute devastation. The final spatial barrier shattered like fragile parchment. Before the astonished gaze of the extraordinary beings, the ruined palace, fractured throne, and the figure upon it, wreathed in blood flames, materialized.

This annihilating strike, accompanied by Hydral's roar, hurtled undiminished towards the enthroned entity:

"Slay her!"

In that moment, every extraordinary being sprang into action.

One faction rushed unhesitatingly towards Evora on the shattered throne, each summoning terrifying powers that could easily obliterate mountain ranges and annihilate citadels in the mortal realm. But another group...

They launched themselves directly at Hydral!

No one had anticipated this, not even Ansel, it seemed. But one individual... had foreseen it.

A massive lightning strike, poised to crash into the nine-headed serpent's back, vanished instantaneously.

No, not vanished - it had been... displaced, swallowed by space itself!

"An...sel..."

The voice dripped with venom, hatred, and fury.

Yet beneath this maelstrom of manic emotions, the most vivid was a frenzied yearning, a... hope born of desperation?

"Ansel... ANSEL!"

Upon the fractured throne, the arch-demon condemned by all, faced with… impending obliteration, erupted with hysterical light in her colorless eyes?!

"SAVE ME!"

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