Struggling as a Villain-Chapter 302 - 301- The end(1)

The battlefield was a wasteland of fire and ruin.

Ethan's breath came ragged, his silver armor cracked, golden blood dripping from deep wounds. His Holy Sword trembled in his grasp, its once-brilliant light flickering. However, all of it was slowly recovering.

Across from him, Richard stood, his body half-charred, dark flames leaking from gashes in his molten flesh. His Ryui Bang pulsed with infernal energy, its twisted metal warped from the sheer heat radiating off him.

Then they moved.

Ethan lunged first, a blur of light. His blade carved through the air, aiming for Richard's heart. But the flame-born monster twisted, his staff snapping up like a serpent. The impact shattered the ground, sending Ethan skidding back as molten rock erupted around them.

Before Ethan could recover, Richard slammed his staff down, and the land exploded. A column of black fire surged upward, swallowing Ethan whole. His scream never left his throat as his skin seared, his body flung high into the sky.

But he wasn't done. Mid-air, he forced his wings of light to flare, slowing his descent just enough. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he raised his sword, and with a single, desperate swing—light split the heavens.

A golden shockwave ripped through the inferno, parting the fire like a storm tearing the sea. Richard barely had time to react before the divine energy slammed into him, carving through his body, and sending him crashing through jagged ruins.

Ethan hit the ground, barely standing, his vision swimming. His right arm—burned to the bone. His legs—numb. But he pushed forward. His sword, still gleaming, still alive, demanded victory.

Richard rose from the rubble, half of his body missing, molten flesh struggling to reform. But his eyes, burning with madness, locked onto Ethan. With a snarl, he thrust Ryui Bang forward—and the earth itself shattered.

Black fire surged up, twisting into monstrous hands that clawed at Ethan, dragging him down into a hell of agony. His body convulsed as the cursed flames tore into his soul, burning more than just flesh.

But in that abyss of suffering, light did not fade.

Through sheer will, Ethan forced his sword downward, driving it into the scorched earth. A single pulse of divinity shot outward. The cursed flames recoiled. The monstrous hands disintegrated. The heavens, torn apart by their battle, wept golden rain.

Richard charged. Ethan stood his ground.

Seeing the flaming figure approaching, Ethan felt his heart growing heavy.

The being he was facing right now was the person he respected the most and felt indebted to.

Richard has a reason to fight, while Ethan is provoked by the Goddesses to fight without having a concrete reason to bid for the deities.

*CLANG*

Parrying the blade that came rushing down, Ethan tilted to his right and launched his sword toward Richard's neck.

The other party didn't dodge, he allowed the blade to dig into his flaming form before he summoned his trident and stabbed Ethan into his stomach.

A gasp was heard but nothing that could make Ethan waver as he pushed away his foe(?) and the marks of the trident teeth slowly healed.

Ethan advanced, throwing his fist toward the enemy's face, which was dodged before Ethan felt something striking his solar plexus.

The silver head created two arms out of his divine essence and surprised his foe before Ethan joined his hand and slammed it on top of his enemy's head.

Richard was sent plummeting down, his Aembr flickering because of being exposed to his Divine Essence for so long.

On the other hand, Ethan couldn't feel anything; no pain, no exhaustion, and no emotion.

He just moved according to how they wished him to move.

He could see that Richard's chest was heaving and he was reaching his limit. They have been battling for over a day after all.

**BOOOOM**

Congregating the divine essence in his palm, Ethan launched it after he appeared behind Richard in a flash—sending the Elemental Supreme hurling forward.

Ethan zipped through the air like he had become one with it before he appeared before Richard mid-route, and struck his knee into Richard's chest.

"Agh!" Richard winced as he was sent flying upward—only after launching Hell Blaze in Ethan's direction.

The Emissary had to move away before his instincts roared and he sidestepped in the last moment before the familiar staff dug into the ground.

Ethan narrowed his eyes and held the staff,

*SZZZZ*

Only to find his hand burning, but the weapon not budging at all.

Ethan felt something approaching from above, so he instantly jumped away, before a flaming giant landed at the spot.

Ethan looked at the being—his eyes no longer visible but the guy was now completely one with the flames.

Ethan halted in his step as he said, "You are killing yourself…that form is burning your vitality." Ethan was blessed by the Goddess of Life and Creation so he has gained the ability to track someone's life thread. And Richard was reaching the end of his thread very aggressively.

"You won't know…your family isn't on the line but mine is," Richard replied in a guttural tone.

His tone, his aura everything suggested that Richard was reaching the end, but he was not ready to give up.

Ethan heaved a sigh, "You are right…the only person I care about in this world is on your side…and fighting for the Goddesses feels boring now."

Richard was taken aback as suddenly Ethan sat on the ground with his Divine Essence now turning a little tamer.

The Goddess was also taken aback, while Veris had a frown.

Eleanor was the only one who felt excessively worried at the moment, her face pale.

Richard growled, "Are you trying to delay the battle?"

Ethan shook his head, "I am ending it." Saying so, Ethan suddenly raised his hand and stabbed his chest.

"AH!"

"NO!" Eleanor cried but she was forbidden to cross the line the deities had created.

Ethan didn't faze as he pulled out his hand and along with that, he pulled out his heart.

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A/N:- I hope you all liked the chapter. If you take a few minutes and think about what Ethan has gone through you will realize why he did that. Thanks for reading.