A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

"The competition for the points leaderboard is fiercely contested, and it seems the Desolate at the second spot has a chance to claim the top..."

The broadcast of the Dispute Selection Tournament was being projected on the vertical channel in the center of the lower, showcasing the power and glory of the extraordinary beings to the inhabitants.

However, today, no one was paying attention to the dazzling contests of the extraordinary beings. Waves of anger and frenzy swept over the civilians, hurling them into the most primitive and brutal struggle.

"Why do I feel..." an extraordinary being leaning on the railing watched the chaos below with interest, "that this is more exciting than the tournament?"

"This? Exciting? Hardly."

His partner, munching on snacks, mumbled indistinctly, "If it weren't for Milo forbidding us from rounding them up for beast fights, I would have shown you what real excitement is."

"Oh... I forgot you're from Bloodust's faction, Ghoul. I heard he's quite disgusting, treating people like dirt."

"You get used to it. Though he's not as generous as Azuregold, he doesn't meddle much. Honestly, I'm still not used to the legion's rules."

"Haha, but the boss is pretty good... I've long wanted to join him on the battlefield, but the slots were already full when I signed up."

"Who hasn't? Now we're stuck here with Milo and that lioness Inothea... it's really frustrating."

As the two chatted idly, the crowd below clashed again. A man at the forefront, eyes bloodshot and wielding an iron rod, shattered the neck of an opposing gang member. The reckless thugs were beaten back step by step, prompting the extraordinary being to whistle in surprise:

"They've got some guts, killing like madmen. I've never seen them this fierce before when I visited the lower."

"It's probably because of the numbers. If they still don't dare to resist, they deserve to be trampled by those punks. But you're right, it's quite thrilling to watch."

"Right? It's like watching… well, a beast fight. If one side is lifeless and lacks spirit, it's not worth watching."

"True... so do you think that Margarate orchestrated this to amuse Faust? Does our legendary lord have such a twisted taste?"

"Who knows, maybe she wants to play herself—wait, my telecrystal is ringing."

An adventurer lazily pulled out a crystal from his pocket and connected the call: "Hello, it's me, hmm... a temporary job? What temporary job..."

The smile on his face slowly faded, even turning somewhat grim.

"Are you serious? You want us to confront that wicked wolf? Isn't it said that she can twist the Butcher's head off with one hand? Are you sending us to our deaths?"

"... Just make an appearance?"

After a few more exchanges, the adventurer spat fiercely at the ground below and disconnected the call.

"What's the matter, Birdcatcher?" Ghoul inquired.

Birdcatcher rolled his eyes. "Another new order from our legendary lord's lackey. What else can we do but comply?"

*

Birdcatcher could no longer roll his eyes.

The crimson-black wolf shadow, now seemingly larger, flung his barely breathing body to the ground. Seraphina then advanced step by step towards the increasingly frantic Ghoul. Her expressionless face seemed to emanate all her killing intent through the demonic shadow behind her.

"Where is Margarete?" she demanded.

The wolf shadow behind her seemed to echo her words, its overlapping voices reverberating like an abyssal echo, further shattering Ghoul's resolve.

"I... I don't know, I don't know!" he stammered, retreating in terror, his trembling hands barely able to grip his weapon.

"I was just following orders... following orders to intercept you. I don't know—"

Boom!

The demon wolf's claws seized the adventurer, then, with brutal simplicity, smashed him into the ground. Amidst the dull thud and crisp crack of bones, he joined his partner.

Seraphina stood silently, gazing at the majestic fortress standing firmly on the ground, but she did not move forward.

"Doug, has Margarete really been captured?" Find your next adventure on My Virtual Library Empire

The young girl turned to the severely injured man hiding not far behind her, trying to soften her tone.

"Cough, cough, cough—"

The man coughed incessantly, his face twisted with pain and urgency.

"Yes... Miss Fenrir, a group of extraordinary beings suddenly took Miss Margarate away! You must rescue her!"

"..."

Not long ago, just as Seraphina was about to storm into Dispute Fortress, this severely injured man had ridden out of the city on horseback.

Seraphina naturally recognized Doug. He was one of the first people she had saved from the thugs in the lower, and he had been helping her ever since. They had met numerous times.

So, upon seeing Doug, the anxious Seraphina immediately inquired about the situation in the lower. She hadn't expected... that the Revolutionary Army hadn't lied to her; a massive riot had indeed broken out in the lower.

Given the urgency, Seraphina didn't ask Doug about the cause of the commotion. She planned to charge straight into Dispute Fortress and suppress the riot as quickly as possible.

But Doug quickly brought a second piece of news that nearly caused Seraphina to collapse.

—Marlina had been captured.

A group of mysterious adventurers had seized Marlina, and no one knew where they had gone.

"Miss Margarete is Lord Faust's servant... Though it's unclear why Lord Faust hasn't appeared, if anything happens to Miss Margarate, Lord Faust will surely come after you!"

"Moreover... Miss Margarete has helped us so much. We don't know how to repay her kindness. Miss Fenrir, please, you must save her!"

Doug, fully aware of the dire implications of Margarete's disappearance, had desperately fled the lower town, hoping to find Seraphina in the town. Fortunately, he encountered her just outside Dispute Fortress.

And as soon as Doug finished speaking, two adventurers suddenly appeared, corroborating his words.

Those two openly declared, "Our target is Faust, stay out of our way," which ignited Seraphina's fury to the extreme, and she left them barely clinging to life.

"Miss Fenrir!"

Seeing Seraphina still staring at Dispute Fortress, unmoved, Doug urged her anxiously, "Can you think of a way to save Miss Margarete?"

"...I can." Seraphina replied in a low voice, her expression deeply conflicted. "I caught a faint scent of Margarete on them. It's elusive, but traceable."

Head of wind could vaguely lock onto Marlina's position, but it was very, very far from here.

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