THE VILLAIN'S POV

Chapter 346: Maekar Valerion vs Astaroth (1)

Without warning, Maekar Valerion appeared... the final boss of the Empire, descending upon the battlefield.

Wearing the mighty Fume Knight Armor and wielding the Sunfire Spear in his right hand, Maekar shook the heavens as a terrifying storm of lightning slithered through the clouds like giant serpents.

The Emperor showed no mercy. With a simple motion of his hand, lightning bolts crashed down, illuminating the sky and violently tearing through the Ultras fleet.

The lightning incinerated ships and humans alike, setting them ablaze and ripping them apart one after another.

The thunder was so deafening it drowned out every other sound—the screams, the tearing of flesh and bone—all vanished beneath the roar of nature’s fury.

Thousands perished in that single assault... but among them, a few survived.

The Lords and the Hollows withstood the onslaught, their eyes locked on Maekar, who floated calmly above their heads.

”So this is the current Emperor.”

Removing his reading glasses, the orphanage director Smough stepped forward, unfazed by the lightning that had annihilated everything around him.

”Let’s see what the strongest man in the Empire has to offer.”

As he spoke, Smough lowered his stance and stomped with such force that veins bulged beneath his darkened skin.

Gathering all his power, the Hollow launched himself into the air, soaring toward the figure in the sky.

Maekar reacted instantly. With a flick of his hand, a column of lightning shot downward, swallowing Smough entirely.

”Return to where you belong.”

His voice rang out with the same ferocity as the storm, but to his surprise, Smough emerged from the lightning column, still charging upward.

His clothes had been burned away, revealing his disfigured, coal-black skin. His body was massive and grotesque... yet he’d absorbed the strike without injury.

”...Disgusting.”

Maekar muttered, visibly disgusted by the sight before him.

”Sorry, but piercing this body won’t be so easy,” Smogh boasted, coating his fists with a terrifying amount of dark aura as he targeted Maekar.

But the Emperor showed no concern. Adjusting his stance and gripping the Sunfire Spear tightly, his golden eyes blazed as the weapon ignited in flame—so hot it warped the air around them.

”I’ve faced many like you before... fools who blindly rely on their so-called toughness.”

With each word, the fire around his spear intensified, growing into a devastating inferno.

”Your arrogance led you straight into my domain. Foolish Hollow.”

Then, like a human warhead, Maekar hurled the spear—now a blazing projectile—straight at Smough with terrifying accuracy.

Smough felt the overwhelming power it carried but was confident he could endure it.

Taking a defensive stance, he prepared to absorb the impact mid-air.

’I’ll block it... then strike back the moment he’s disarmed.’

His dark aura twisted into a metallic cocoon, shielding his entire body like iron.

He was certain of his defense.

But his expression collapsed the moment the Sunfire Spear tore through his arms, then his chest, and burst out of his back, leaving behind a charred, gaping wound.

He spat blood, staring at the massive hole in his chest... then at the flaming spear that returned to the Emperor’s hand.

”You thought you could block that? Idiot.”

With his right hand, Maekar reclaimed the spear. With his left, he raised his palm, black lightning coiling in his grip.

”Who exactly do you think I am?”

The black lightning surged into a colossal beam, obliterating Smough and launching him far into the depths of the sea.

”...This is bad. He’s stronger than I expected.”

”Hehe, so this is what reaching the peak of SS+ looks like.”

Madam A, Gvardiol, and Evelyn gathered as soon as they saw the Emperor’s destructive display.

”Hey, did that Hollow bastard die?” Gvardiol asked.

But before anyone could answer, Smough resurfaced, clutching his chest, blood pouring from his mouth and nose.

”His weapon... it’s not ordinary...”

Resisting the flames still burning within his body, Smough joined the others.

At that moment, Maekar descended like a meteor, his golden eyes glowing through the fog.

The sheer pressure of his presence silenced them. None of the four dared move.

”What’s wrong? Why aren’t you attacking?”

Step by step, Maekar advanced across the sea’s surface as if it were his own ground.

”I’m here. I’m not going anywhere... so come at me, all of you.”

In a flash, Maekar erased the distance between them, appearing in their midst.

All four SS ranked fighters lunged at him at once—but the Emperor was too fast, cloaked in black lightning as he effortlessly dodged every strike.

Simultaneously, he spun his flaming spear with expert precision, sending them all flying one by one.

Madam A tried to surround him with her speed—but she was stunned when Maekar surpassed her in an instant. With a rocket-like thrust of his spear, he impaled her with ease and hoisted her high into the air...

”Say goodbye.”

With a single motion, Maekar unleashed a blazing wave from the Sunfire Spear, incinerating Madam A as she screamed, her body consumed by fire at a terrifying speed.

At that moment, both Smough and Gvardiol lunged at him from opposite sides, hurling devastating punches.

Maekar blocked the first with his free hand, while the second slammed into the shoulder bearing his spear.

The Fume Knight armor absorbed the impact instantly, before Maekar repelled both attackers with a devastating surge of black lightning.

”This emperor is fucking insane.”

Evelyn chuckled as she backed away from the battlefield.

”I don’t get paid enough to deal with this shit! See ya, and good luck, everyone!”

Maekar tossed Madam A’s charred corpse aside as she struggled faintly, then turned his palm toward Evelyn, gathering black lightning once again to finish her off.

But he froze when a tendril of divine lightning struck his head from above—so powerful it evaporated the surrounding seawater, creating a vast crater.

Unfazed, Maekar slowly raised his head, his armor enduring the deadly sparks trying to tear him apart.

In that instant, the Emperor spotted the source of the strike.

”Fall back. You’re no match for him.”

The voice was venomous and rough, the aura vile.

Black wings. Long horns. Ash-gray skin. Snow-white hair.

”So, you finally decided to show up.”

The battlefield plunged into chaos as the 19th-ranked Demon —Astaroth—appeared.

It was their first face-to-face meeting since the raid on the Ultras.

Maekar calmly ascended to meet him in the sky.

”King of humans, you’re toying with a power you cannot endure.”

Astaroth unleashed his full pressure, trying to bring Maekar down. But the Emperor met his gaze with the same chilling calm—and detonated his own overwhelming aura.

”You misunderstand something... demon.”

The Sunfire Spear ignited once more, while Maekar’s body was wrapped in black lightning.

”You’re the weakest one here. So give it your all—try to endure.”

And with that final word, Maekar suddenly appeared beside Astaroth .. his speed so immense it felt like teleportation—swinging his spear in a blazing arc.

”Because if you don’t... this will end far quicker than you think.”

BOOM!!

A thunderous explosion erupted as Astaroth caught the Sunfire Spear with both hands, summoning lightning to block the searing flames.

Both unleashed their full auras, clashing with such force that the sky quaked—the embodiment of raw, divine power.

”Lowly human!”

Astaroth roared, trying to retaliate, but the spear’s heat surged beyond control, overwhelming him.

He retreated swiftly, but Maekar chased after him relentlessly, raining down blows.

”People think the first Emperor, Kazes Valerion, was just a swordsman...”

BOOM!!!

The battlefield exploded once more in waves of infernal flame.

”...but they forget—he fought from every position. Vermithor in his right hand, and Sunfire in his left!”

Wielding a weapon that blazed with the heat of the sun itself, the SS grade Sunfire Spear was a terror incarnate.

Maekar and Astaroth moved so fast they left afterimages in the air, exchanging thousands of strikes in mere seconds.

Maekar with his spear .. Astaroth with his bare hands.

Their impact churned the sea into a raging storm, shockwaves ripping through water and sky alike.

The Empire’s soldiers watched in awe as their Emperor stood against a Demon high rank —and their courage surged.

They rose again with blazing resolve ..just in time to notice the green auras enveloping their bodies.

That’s when they saw it.

A massive fleet of white ships emerging from the rear—bearing the insignia of the Church.

At the front were Ramiel Callestis, Michael Platini, and seven Holy Maiden Candidates.

The Church’s forces spread across the battlefield, healing the wounded and restoring morale.

”What are you waiting for?! Follow the Emperor!!”

shouted Iris Sunlight, still locked in battle with Pontiff Sulyvahn, shoulder-to-shoulder with his brother.

”The enemy isn’t dead yet! Keep fighting—until we wipe them out completely!!”

”YES!!”

”LET’S GO!!”

”KILL THEM ALL!!”

Riding the momentum the Emperor had forged, the Imperial side surged forward with everything they had.

The remaining Hollows and Lords were immediately attacked by Ivar Valerion and Melina Maiden, both of whom had remained in the heart of the battle.

The Church’s support rained down again—flaming artillery tearing through the skies.

The Ultras had already lost their fleet to the Emperor’s lightning—they had no defense left.

All of it happened... because of one man.