Struggling as a Villain

"You look unnaturally tense today." Brenda, the founder of the Scarlette clan and someone who has received the title of a Sage, asked in a weary tone.

Her eyes were caved in, her face pale, and sweat continued to pour down her head as she remained seated beside her beloved.

In her current state, she should have better be lying down. However, the woman wanted to spend a few hours before childbirth with her beloved.

The crimson-haired man heaved a sigh as he looked into a vast space. His eyes, which held nothing but hunger for power once, were now welled up with regret and concern.

He knew that there would come a point when he would need to part ways with Brenda. However, he was far from prepared for that moment.

However, sharing his fear with her would only make her worried even further, so he shared the reason for his concern for the future,

"With time, things are bound to change. People will begin to become weaker as compared to this era. And those descendants I have left behind might no longer exist after a few hundred years."

Bringing his hand which was no longer encased with the flames, the man rested it on his wife\'s swollen belly as he muttered, "I fear our son or the future generation might not be able to withstand what I am leaving behind."

The pink-haired woman smiled softly and held her lover\'s hand fondly, which was on her. Leaning her head on his shoulder, she softly whispered, "You know, seeing this caring side of yours always warms my heart. It shows how much you have matured in so little time."

The Flame Warden, formally known as Cristopher Emberclad, huffed, "I was mature even at the time when we met."

"Oh yeah? I remember all you used to shout, \'DIE!\' or \'BURN!\' even at the slightest movement, no?" The immortal warden had to cover his face with flames to cover the blush.

His wife is still mischievous as ever.

Brenda giggled, only to wince when she felt her chest burning even more fiercely.

Christopher held her shoulder and asked if she wanted some water.

Brenda shook her head and asked, "Have you thought of a way...?"

The Warden raised his brows, "Of what?"

"Inheriting your beloved trident...I know you must have already decided how you are going to select the worthy one."

Cristopher heaved a sigh and nodded, "That trident...is an addictive weapon, and I don\'t want anyone who can\'t have control over their powers, to wield that insane thing."

Brenda curiously asked, "Do you think any of your descendants can gain control over their elemental form? I doubt it."

Cristopher looked at the open space in front of him before some words escaped his lips, "I know there will be one....someone who will control these flames and tame that trident."

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Vornyx stared at the being, clad in burning flames, his human features no longer visible.

The being who stood before him was no longer the pitiful child on whom Vornyx was venting his frustration until now. His opponent has shredded his humanity to ascend into something more....pure and profound.

Vornyx almost wielded his sword seeing that form. However, he didn\'t want to...not yet.

*Crack*

A single step was taken, and a huge crater was formed with the impact. The ground burned and turned black under the sheer intensity as Richard advanced towards the demon.

Vornyx narrowed its eyes and raised its left hand to release a torrent of ice, in a straight path. However, a few inches apart from their target, the ice melted, and before the water could hit the ground, it evaporated as steam.

*Hiss*

"Heh~" Vornyx grinned, this was fascinating.

*Thump*

*Crack*

Another step shook the ground as Vornyx summoned massive crystalline boulders above the human—though now, the one before it looked more demon than it did. With a snarl, the silver-skinned demon hurled the boulders toward Richard, each one whistling through the air like a promise of death.

**BOOOOOOM**

The ground trembled violently as the boulders crashed down, sending shockwaves rippling through the surface. A massive cloud of dust erupted, swallowing the battlefield whole. But beneath the debris, something sinister was unfolding—the once pristine blue ice began to darken, turning a deep, menacing crimson.

Then, in a sudden eruption, it shattered into countless shards as it was assaulted by the unrelenting, never-extinguishing flames of the elemental ascended.

Another step echoed, and in that instant, Richard\'s figure vanished from Vornyx\'s sight. The demon\'s eyes widened in shock as it whirled to the left, but it was too late. A searing pain tore through its chest—Richard\'s burning hand had pierced through its armour, punching clean through to the other side.

Flames flickered at the edges of the gaping hole, and the demon\'s breath hitched as it realized the depth of the strike.

Richard was relentless. Burning the Demon\'s skin, he began to elevate his arm, tearing the demon from the middle.

Vornyx snarled in rage as the searing pain coursed through its body, clawing desperately at Richard\'s burning hand embedded in its chest. But Richard, eyes blazing with a fiery intensity, yanked his arm free, leaving charred flesh and molten metal dripping from the gaping wound. Vornyx staggered back, coughing up black blood, but Richard gave no room for recovery.

He closed in like a predator, his fist colliding with the demon\'s jaw, snapping its head to the side with a sickening crack.

Vornyx roared, swinging its massive claws in desperation. The demon\'s talons whistled through the air, aimed for Richard\'s throat. But Richard moved with brutal precision, ducking low and driving his knee into the demon\'s gut with bone-shattering force. Vornyx doubled over in agony, its breath knocked from its lungs, but Richard\'s assault was relentless.

His hand ignited with flames again; this time, he rammed his burning fist into the demon\'s side, the heat so intense that the flesh sizzled and cracked under the pressure.

Vornyx, half-blinded by pain and fury, tried to lash out again, but Richard was already behind him, moving like a spectre. He grabbed the demon by the back of its head and slammed it face-first into the ground with a thunderous impact. The surface split beneath the force, dust and debris erupting from the crater.

Vornyx\'s silver skin was smeared with blood and dirt, the demon gasping for air as Richard stood over him, radiating power.

Pressing his boot firmly into Vornyx\'s spine, Richard gripped the demon\'s wrists, his fingers tightening like a vice. With a brutal twist and a swift, ruthless yank, both arms tore free from the demon\'s body, the sound of bones splintering and flesh ripping echoing across the blood-soaked battlefield. Vornyx\'s agonized howl split the air, a final, desperate cry of a defeated general.

Richard stood tall, holding the demon\'s severed arms aloft like trophies. His eyes gleamed with primal hunger as he opened his maw wide and began to devour the limbs, tearing into the flesh with savage haste, blood dripping down his chin as he consumed the remnants of his foe.

Vornyx\'s body convulsed once, then fell still, its lifeless eyes staring blankly into the void. It never saw what came next.

Richard\'s arm shot into the air, flames bursting forth from his fingertips. In mere seconds, a massive, burning trident materialized in his grip, its fiery blades taller than any mortal man. The heat radiating from it distorted the very air, and with a low, menacing growl, Richard readied his weapon, prepared to deliver the final, obliterating strike.

**SQUELCH**

The trident pierced the demon right through its skull, and the faint struggle it showed was no longer existent.

Richard held the trident with both hands before sliding it upward and plucking the head of the demon.

Raising the fiery trident high above his head, Richard let out a war cry so fierce it shook the very foundation of the capital. The deafening roar tore through the air, reverberating through the streets, rattling windows, and chilling the blood of every living being within the city\'s boundaries.

His voice carried with it the unmistakable declaration of something far more terrifying than any demon—a beast had risen, unstoppable and unrelenting. The skies seemed to tremble, and the earth quaked beneath his fury, as the capital bore witness to the ascension of a monster.

"Man..you are quite a beast." Suddenly, the voice of the same Demon arrived from the front, urging Richard to direct his battle-hungry eyes at the demon.

However, before he could have taken a step, the Demon raised its hands, "Okay, times up! I am no longer in the mood to get burned."

Richard growled, not willing to let the demon escape, however, he wasn\'t able to take another step as he heard a familiar voice calling out,

"Richie!!"

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A/N:- Thanks for reading.