A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

He waved his scepter, and the sky darkened with clouds, the low growl of thunder weaving through them, as surging plasmic energy gathered, ready to unleash its destructive power.

"The second phase," Ravenna whispered, "The strengths of both sides are evenly matched, but Count Watson has a special advantage over Count of Spirity Lake and should be able to secure the upper hand. The endgame is—"

BANG!

With a sudden burst, the head of the fourth-stage sorcerer exploded.

Crimson and ivory fluids mingled with shattered skull and flesh, splattering across the faces of nearby sorcerers.

In their stunned silence, another head burst with a loud pop, prompting a piercing scream:

"Etheric firearms!!"

"..."

Ravenna\'s gaze settled on a sniper within the Watson frontline, clearly aware of his presence.

The weapon he wielded was not a creation of the Tower of Babel, but an improved version crafted by other alchemists after Babel shared the principles of firearm construction with the Alchemy Association. Naturally, it was part of Count Watson\'s private collection, not a boon from Babel.

"The second phase."

She turned to Hendrik, "If others had chosen to refine and upgrade etheric firearms instead of engaging in futile attempts at creation, we might now possess something far more lethal."

At that meeting, Ravenna could not fathom why Hendrik and others believed the potential of etheric firearms was capped, limiting their power.

Indeed, it was nearly impossible for anyone to craft an etheric firearm that could threaten a fifth-stage transcendent being, but how many such beings existed in this world?

After the Tower of Babel transferred firearm technology to the Alchemy Association, the extent to which this weapon had evolved under empire-wide alchemists\' modifications was unknown even to Ravenna.

If the sole purpose was "to take life" —

Firearms would be the most efficient weapon, bar none.

"Etheric... firearms." Hendrik\'s mind went blank, "When did they become so… deadly?"

"They always had this potential."

Ravenna replied calmly, her violet eyes reflecting the harrowing scene of the battlefield: "Because they need not incorporate any additional functions, focusing solely on lethality ensures their absolute purity."

Firearms might not be comprehensive or overwhelmingly powerful, but they are undeniably efficient... at killing.

"So I find it peculiar that you didn\'t focus on crafting or enhancing specialized firearms, instead wasting time on creating weapons from scratch."

"Because we are not executioners, Ravenna. Such things, designed solely for slaughter… should never have been brought into existence."

Hendrik\'s eyes were filled with despair and helplessness. He wished to sound angry, forceful, but he knew... no amount of anger could change anything.

"But weapons are inherently designed for killing, and on the battlefield, that\'s all that is required, nothing superfluous."

Ravenna glanced at Hendrik, her tone unfluctuating:

"Or do you think I am an executioner? That I created firearms for the sheer pleasure of slaughter?"

She had merely invented the firearm, aiming to ensure the Tower of Babel remained valuable in the eyes of the Elder Princess. As for the rapid development of firearms into something so terrifying and threatening...

What did that have to do with her?

Was she the one making the choices, fostering violence, pursuing carnage?

Thus, Ravenna\'s rationality remained unshaken by the brutality and violence before her.

Her humanity, too, had been gradually extinguished by similar experiences over the past three years.

"Is this the etheric firearm?"

The empress inquired with interest, observing the magnified colossal sniper rifle, "Intriguing, truly... the epitome of purity."

In a world of the extraordinary, weapons often carry greater significance and value. The more powerful the weapon, the more it tends to be a \'tool\' with special effects and abilities.

But firearms, devoid of any special enchantments, or rather, with enhancements focused solely on killing, are indeed the purest form of weaponry.

The booming sounds echoing across the battlefield threatened sorcerers in distant positions, and whenever they scrambled for cover, the gun barrels would pivot to face the extraordinary warriors head-on. Clearly experienced in countering firearms, some managed to narrowly escape, but those who didn\'t... were reduced to fragments by a single shot.

Count Watson had clearly made ample preparations, not just with the astonishingly lethal firearm, but also with the costly ammunition provided to the sniper, which now seemed to dominate the battlefield.

Undoubtedly, this indirectly demonstrated the power of firearms in combat, and even Evora, whose expression had been grim, seemed slightly relieved.

"Hehehehe…"

Ephesande propped her cheek and chuckled softly, "It seems Evora has indeed crafted some intriguing trinkets."

On the screen, the extraordinary beings of Spirity Lake territory were showing signs of defeat. Although no one knew where Count Watson had procured such a terrifying weapon, pondering over it now was futile.

Once the extraordinary beings were utterly vanquished, the outcome of the war was inevitable.

In the rear of Spirity Lake\'s lines, Conrad of Luminaris swirled his wine glass and chuckled lightly, "Quite a powerful last-ditch effort indeed."

The Watson territory could employ firearms, and naturally, Spirity Lake could as well. Initially, the Count of Spirity Lake had an even more ruthless plan — he wanted to gather as many ether firearms as possible to exert firepower suppression on Watson territory. However, this idea was vetoed by the Etheric Academy, represented by Conrad.

How could they resort to using the enemy\'s weapons in a war that would decide their fate?

Moreover, there was no need for such measures.

These so-called firearms were nothing but ants in the face of true power, the true "extraordinary."

"The plot should be sufficiently thrilling by now, and our sovereign must be anticipating the final climax."

Conrad mused as he turned his gaze toward the direction of Spirity Lake territory, raising his glass from afar, "It\'s time for you to make your entrance, \'Black\' Knight."

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