Struggling as a Villain

The Headless Puppet is a Monarch-ranked Bate who appears at the very end of the novel, just before the King of Death.

The Headless Puppet was named as such because it was controlled by a different Bate which was known as Minx. Minx is a mind-influencing Bate that isn't strong on its own but has skills that can easily manipulate any Bate, regardless of their rank.

In the novel, the Headless Puppet never appears in Awsperg. Rather, the Minx sent several smaller forms of the Puppet to destroy the town.

The smaller form of the Headless Puppet or Headlings, appeared to be the same as its parent body but in a small size and possessing not as much strength as the Puppet.

Lilia and Richard didn't have to wander for long before they came across a Headling which was wandering on the street and crushing every being that came in its path.

The grotesque body of the seven-foot-tall monster gave a very eerie vibe. From what Richard knew, this Bate has only two skills: Body strengthening and enhanced senses.

The chaos among the people was growing fervently. People were crushing each other to move away from the monstrosity. Tens of civilians were already crushed by the demon and many more would meet the same conclusion if someone doesn't put a stop to this.

Lilia's grip on her dagger tightened, and before Richard could react, she had already launched herself at the Bate. Her form blurred, nearly vanishing as she pushed her mastery of 'Enhancement' to its limits.

The Bate slowly turned to face her, remaining unflinching, as if daring her to come closer.

Lilia had no time for second thoughts. She lunged at the demon, both hands gripping her dagger, and drove it into its gut with the force of a spear piercing an ice pillar.

*Shlink*

However, the Bate was far tougher than any ice pillar. The dagger deflected off its skin, leaving only a shallow scratch.

In an instant, the Bate's massive hands shot out, aiming to crush Lilia between them like a ripe tomato. But before it could close in, Richard's spell streaked through the air like an arrow, striking the Bate square in the chest.

*DHHKA*

The Bate took a few steps back and Lilia got the jerk she needed to travel out of that red zone.

"Young master."

"Get a hold of yourself, Lilia," Richard shoved Lilia behind him, his voice sharp with warning as he quickly clasped his hands together, readying another spell.

The Bate adjusted its stance, aligning itself with Richard before disappearing in a blur of speed. Richard's 'Detection' spread out, searching for the creature, but it couldn't keep up with the Bate's unnatural movements.

Thankfully, he had Lilia.

"Above!"

She shouted and the already-prepared spell shot out. A massive fireball roared through the air, slamming into the descending Bate. But to Richard's horror, the creature swatted the fireball aside with ease, continuing its dive.

In the blink of an eye, Lilia shoved Richard aside, erecting a barrier around herself just as the Bate crashed down.

*CLINK* *SHATTERS*

However, the Bate was far too strong for Lilia's barrier to withstand. She was, in the first place, not proficient with Barrier magic as such, the Bate ended up crushing Lilia under its massive feet.

"L-Lili..."Richard staggered on his feet, seeing the cloud of dust erupting from the spot where Lilia stood once. There was no doubt about it. The Bate has shattered her barrier and crushed Lilia under its feet.

However, Richard's worst fears were unfounded. As the smoke cleared, Lilia's figure emerged, barely standing but defiant. The massive feet of the Ambrobate pressed down on her shoulders, yet she held her ground. A deep crater had formed around her, but Lilia refused to yield.

"Master!" She cried.

Richard was already in the process of conjuring the spell he had never tried before.

Breathlessly chanting a spell that would overwhelm a novice like him, Richard kept his gaze locked on the Bate. His chanting grew increasingly frantic, each word slicing through the air with dangerous intensity. Massive magic circles began to materialize behind him, and the sheer amount of ether he unleashed made the very air tremble in agony.

"*GRFFFF*"

The Bate sensed the impending danger as it kicked Lilia on the head, and released itself from the hold.

The Bate leaped into the air, aiming to strike Richard from above, matching the height of its massive parent body. But in its haste, neither the Bate nor Lilia noticed the seventh activation circle, hovering silently in the air—perfectly positioned right behind the Bate.

Richard smirked before some words rolled down his lips, "Hell Blaze."

Amidst the chaos, fireworks of fiery destruction erupted. A torrent of molten lava cascaded from the seventh circle, engulfing the Bate entirely. Its agonized howls echoed through the air, reaching the ears of every citizen in Awsperg.

Richard didn't stay there to marvel at his spell for long and rushed toward Lilia.

She was not badly injured but her head was a little dizzy.

"No young master, I don't need-" She was about to reject the potion only for Richard to shove it in her mouth and make her drink it.

"You are an important soldier in the battle. So stop giving me excuses and get healed already." He reminded her.

Lilia didn't resist any further and after gulping down the potion, she felt a lot better.

"Now we should start moving?" Richard asked and got a nod from Lilia.

However, before they could move, they heard a loud reverberation from three o'clock.

They glanced at each other before marching in the direction.

They both were superhumans, so covering the distance of a few kilometers only took a few seconds...and the scene they were met upon reaching the destination was horrifying.

The twin sabre-wielding ex-adventurer was currently beaten black and blue and laid at one side. While the group of several Headlings tore the group of children mercilessly.

It was a school which was under Cristina's protection until now. However, the emergence of several Bates was too much for her to handle.

Witnessing the gruesome scene of those little ones getting stomped and torn apart was heartbreaking. Tears and blood filled the school grounds as some of those children kept on crying even after getting bisected to death.

The once ground of laughter and playfulness was overwhelmed by the misery of death.

"Lilia..." Hearing his voice, Lilia was able to get out of her trance before she looked at his burning gaze.

Suddenly, a staff made from an ancient, dark wood that seemed to pulse with a faint, mystical energy appeared in his hand. The staff was adorned with golden runes that glow softly, shifting patterns as if alive.

"I am going to demolish the whole place...get Cristina and move away."

"B-But master, the children..."

Richard looked at her indifferently, before asking, "How many do you think we can save without risking our own lives?"

Lilia was stunned before she looked back and found only a bunch of them remained there, while cowering in a corner and waiting for their turn to be crushed.

Lilia didn't say anything any further and dashed in her mother's direction.

Carrying Cristina in her arms, she turned to look at Richard before saying, "Please be safe, my lord."

Richard remained silent, instead leaping into the air. His form melded with the encroaching darkness of the sky. The staff in his grasp emitted pulses of intense energy, each one radiating with a deadly heat that threatened to incinerate his foes.

His staff crackled with ominous energy, its runes glowing fiercely as he prepared for the ultimate attack. The school beneath him was teeming with Bates, their twisted forms darting through the corridors, oblivious to the impending doom.

Having a long breath, he enhanced his body and increased his weight by four times. His left hand held the staff while his right one held the baton he received from his mother.

His targets suddenly paused and looked in the sky, or to be precise at the meteor which was about to crash.

The Bates tried to jump at him, but Richard pushed them back while airborne using his Telekinesis. His eyes became red and blood began to shoot out of his nose because of the excessive use of ether

However, he never considered stopping, and his staff finally landed on the school grounds.

The lightning surged forth with a deafening crack, merging with the raging inferno he conjured. The combined onslaught descended upon the school in a cataclysmic wave, shattering the stillness with an explosion of light and heat.

This wasn't enough for him as Richard struck the baton with utmost strength on the staff, creating an explosion with enough force that the school was engulfed in a tempest of destruction.

**BOOOOOOOOOM**

The very air seemed to burn and crackle as the structure buckled under the relentless assault. The Bates' anguished cries were swallowed by the inferno, their forms disintegrating into ash and cinders.

A massive crater was formed at the spot where he stood and everything around him was in ruins.

Richard's eyes were barely open when suddenly he found a pillar of light emerging from somewhere in the town.

Richard's dizziness evaporated in an instant as he nearly shouted, "Ethan received the Blessings?!"

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A/N:- Don't curse me in the comments for weird fight scenes!