The Great Villain! A Brief Skirmish with the Hero...?

"You can't escape now." The Hero stepped forward, unstrapping his massive shield and gripping his greatsword with both hands.

Lucian let out an anxious, mocking laugh. "And how can you be so sure about that?" His legs tensed, ready to spring into motion.

Reid Perval chuckled softly, his eyes blazing despite the calmness in his voice.

"Collapse."

The word rang out like a commandment, and Lucian's body faltered—legs twitching, muscles tightening. Reid's Codex glowed with a brilliant, domineering light.

"Shit…" Lucian cursed internally, realizing his mistake. He'd underestimated Reid, assuming his power only lay in charm Dominions. He had forgotten how powerful nobles could be.

Reid raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk forming.

"Tougher than you look. You remind me of someone I met just a few hours ago." He raised his hand once more.

"I said—collapse!"

The oppressive weight doubled, and Lucian's legs buckled, forcing him to one knee. His breathing grew labored, like a vise was squeezing his chest.

The Hero glanced at Lucian with an odd mix of pity and determination—the same frustrating empathy heroes always seemed to have, even for villains like him.

Lucian managed a strained laugh, his voice biting despite his weakened state.

"Screw you both!"

His Codex shimmered, flipping to the Dominion of Cruelty. Lucian's eyes burned a deeper violet, darkening as he abandoned control to his Dominion.

"Guess I've got no choice but to go all out." He snapped his fingers, his aura shifting from desperate to menacing in an instant.

Sensing the change, the Hero moved to strike, his greatsword raised to end the transformation before it could complete. But Reid blocked him with a calm hand, not taking his eyes off Lucian.

"I'll handle this," Reid declared, stepping forward, his throat glowing with a golden light.

"For daring to threaten my people… Die!"

Lucian's body convulsed under Reid's command, spasms wracking his limbs. Yet, just as it seemed the final blow would land, he stopped.

A low, unsettling laugh rumbled from Lucian's throat—devoid of theatrics, just pure, ominous certainty. His demonic Codex flickered, the grotesque cover appearing to laugh alongside him.

"Cruel Hailstorm." The words slipped from Lucian's lips, not shouted, but stated with cold finality.

Reid choked, the golden light in his throat vanishing as he crumpled to the ground, gasping. Pure terror contorted his face.

"Aghhh! Get... out of my head!" he howled, clawing at his temples.

The Hero, unaffected by Lucian's attack, took a decisive step forward. His earlier pity was gone, replaced by a searing fury.

"Seems my sympathy for you was misplaced."

He dropped his current weapon, and with a blinding flash, a new sword materialized in his hands—the Sword of Legends used by all other heroes, Heavenfall.

"Only Dark Lords were worthy to be fought using this sword in the past," the Hero quipped, eyes narrowing as he lunged at Lucian.

"But you… you're different."

Lucian's lips curled into a smirk as his Codex shimmered ominously. "Oh, that sword again? You heroes really don't have much variety, do you?"

"The Cruelty of the Sanguine." His voice was almost a whisper, the declaration punctuated by the sound of tearing reality.

From the blood-soaked ground, a demonic sword emerged—the handle and hilt made from the hides of legendary demons, the blade forged from the left eye of the goddess herself—the same goddess who chooses the Heroes that save the world. A swirling portal of blood and darkness birthed the weapon, the air itself vibrating with its malice.

Lucian's Codex flashed, pages flipping as if possessed, finalizing the passage that had been left incomplete.

'The Villain of the Night (Unique)'

The Hero's eyes widened, his gaze flicking from the blade back to Lucian, disbelief and caution blending on his face.

"You... wield Damnarex?"

Before Lucian could answer, he lunged, Damnarex crashing against Heavenfall with a resounding clang. Sparks flew as both warriors strained against each other, muscles taut.

"Cursed Tendrils." Lucian muttered, and spiked, barbed tendrils burst from the ground behind the Hero, aiming for his unguarded back.

"Nice try!" The Hero shouted, wrenching himself back and spinning, Heavenfall cleaving the tendrils in a single, clean arc. He whirled around, now fully on guard, his grip on the legendary blade unwavering.

Lucian's Codex trembled, its control over him faltering—the ancient book itself recoiling in fear from the Hero's unwavering resolve.

Lucian tightened his grip on Damnarex, a wicked smile playing on his lips despite the Codex's hesitation.

"Scared? Even you know what it means to face a true Hero, huh?"

The Hero steadied himself, determination blazing in his eyes.

"I won't let you corrupt this city. Prepare yourself, villain!"

As the Codex's grip on Lucian loosened, Reid Perval staggered to his feet, sweat trickling down his face as he regained his composure. His throat glowed gold once more.

"Territorial Defense!" Reid roared.

The city bent to Reid's will, as if acknowledging him as its unquestioned master. Walls and cobblestones alike twisted and lunged at Lucian, commanded by Reid's indomitable authority.

The Hero seized the opportunity, lunging forward with a titanic swing aimed straight at Lucian's head. Lucian barely ducked in time, almost going prone, then twisted his body with feline agility to slash at the encroaching walls, shattering them before they could crush both him and the Hero.

The ground beneath Lucian's feet transformed, jagged spikes erupting from the cobblestones. Lucian vaulted upward, spinning in midair. As he descended, he aimed a powerful kick at the Hero's face.

The Hero reacted instantly, raising his sword and parrying the blow, the force sending Lucian skidding backward across the street.

Landing gracefully, Lucian wiped a streak of blood from his mouth, his darkened violet eyes burning with grim determination.

"You really are persistent, Hero."

The Hero smirked, not lowering his guard for a second.

"And you're surprisingly nimble for a villain."

Lucian's laughter was low and mocking, his grip on Damnarex tightening as the city itself seemed to close in around him once more.

"I guess I'll have to break this whole place apart to get rid of you both."

Lucian spoke, his voice strained as the Codex's control over him wavered—growing weaker with each passing second as the battle dragged on.