[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-am-i-the-villain-or-not":3,"chapter-am-i-the-villain-or-not-am-i-the-villain-or-not-chapter-23":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Am I the Villain or Not?",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},571432,820,"Chapter 23: The Boss Used His Ultimate! What? We Have One Too!","am-i-the-villain-or-not-chapter-23",23,"\u003Cp>\"Phew~ finally escaped smoothly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erica was overjoyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She knew that using normal means, it was absolutely impossible to shake off Gwen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To avoid getting caught, she had deliberately started preparing the teleportation spell ahead of time, waiting for the moment when Gwen was distracted, and then, activate it in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, when Professor Viktor first came to the academy, he had already taught her how to properly use teleportation magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although she couldn't teleport dozens of miles away like a Tier 3 mage, a few miles was still doable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gwen probably thinks I teleported somewhere much farther.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erica hadn't teleported all the way to the mountaintop, but only crossed several miles to the other side of the mountain at mid-slope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scenery around her was still barren and desolate, not much different from before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She began heading toward the volcano's peak, and the higher she climbed, the more she could feel the temperature rising sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before long, the heat became unbearable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surrounding rocks were steaming, as the moisture in the air was being evaporated by the intense heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Further up, she could even see all kinds of rocks cracking apart from the temperature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking around at the scene, Erica felt uneasy, but she still gritted her teeth and pressed on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, she cast a few heat-resistance buffs on herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being a mage, she knew well that this phenomenon was caused by the concentration of fire elements in the volcano.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I knew it, this isn't just an ordinary volcanic eruption.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A normal volcano couldn't possibly draw out this much magical energy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her guess was confirmed, to understand what was happening, she had to go up the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, her father and the others only knew how to use magic to block the effects temporarily, never thinking about solving the problem from the source.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stubborn old mages.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She muttered to herself, then suddenly thought of Viktor, another Tier 3 mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The youngest Tier 3 mage in history, to this day, no one had broken his record.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'This volcanic disturbance… was it really caused by Viktor?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While she was thinking, a stone broke behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What's that!?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She spun around sharply, a red hedgehog-like creature crawled out of the ground, flames flickering across its spiky back, charging straight toward her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A level-two monster! A Flame Hedgehog!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erica quickly formed a magic array and aimed at the creature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Tier 2 Magic: Water Cannon]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, a giant water orb spun rapidly in her palm before bursting forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flaming hedgehog was blasted dozens of meters away, landing on its back with its legs in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its flames went out completely, leaving its body charred black like coal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, it was dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A level-two monster's strength couldn't compare to that of an elite, well-trained mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instant kill, as expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That was easy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erica could hardly believe it. It was her first time defeating a monster out in the wild.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turns out she wasn't weak at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She felt proud of her own bravery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Vesuvius Volcano had always been a dangerous place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fire-type monsters roamed here widely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The further one went up, the more monsters there were.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And naturally, the stronger they became.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, Erica could handle them easily, but later, things got harder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The closer she got to the peak, the stronger the monsters became.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She could barely deal with them, but something felt wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"These monsters… I've studied them at the academy. So why is their strength so much higher than what was described in class?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another Flame Hedgehog jumped out from the ground. This time, it took several spells before she could finish it off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the previous ones, its claws were sharper, and its back burned hotter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, its attacks were also fiercer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'These monsters have been strengthened?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought flashed in Erica's mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'The fire elements in the area… they've made them stronger.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a thick concentration of fire energy wasn't normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wanted to climb higher, she felt that whatever was happening at the summit held the answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the terrifying temperature was already making her dizzy, and the increasingly powerful monsters were stopping her in her tracks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even her magic was starting to lose its effect against the searing heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erica stood there, breathing heavily, deciding to rest and think of a way to reach the top.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, she remembered the one remaining bottle of magic potion in her bag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked at the potion, then up toward the peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A spark of inspiration lit up in her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I've got it!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>———\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[On the Other Side of the Mountain]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gwen was sprinting toward the top, sweat pouring down her face despite the heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her silver sword gleamed with frost, slicing through one monster after another in her path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'First Viktor, now the duke's daughter.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Why do they all love running into trouble?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did she not want to find Viktor herself?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, she did. In fact, she wanted it desperately, almost to the point of madness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wanted to find him and ask face-to-face if the volcanic disturbance was really his doing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he said yes, her fist would be in his face the next second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Gwen had to follow orders. She was tasked with protecting all the mages, and the townspeople.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Viktor… just you wait.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She slashed through another monster blocking her way and charged forward like a storm, unstoppable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before long, she too ran into trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In front of her, magma was gushing out of cracks in the ground, like the volcano itself was bleeding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no way forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The burning heat of her armor was unbearable. She had to retreat a few steps, staring up toward the peak, thinking of a solution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>———\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gravely injured… It's definitely gravely injured.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vega's voice trembled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before it, the body of the Fire Calamity was falling apart, molten lava spilling from its massive wounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That lava, was its blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What a terrifying creature.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vega couldn't stop murmuring in awe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And \"it\" referred to Viktor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Tier 3 Magic: Raging Storm Rupture]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Tier 3 Magic: Sandstorm Landslide]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Colorful magic arrays swirled above the sky, five of them casting spells continuously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below, the volcano was roaring with magma, the rock walls cracking and oozing with glowing lava.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor was still casting spells, bombarding Guldon with layers of weakening effects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After suffering a series of heavy injuries, Guldon's movements became sluggish, he couldn't even scratch Viktor anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This battle had completely changed Vega's perception of the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn't care that its own feathers were on fire; it couldn't even blink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'No way… is he really about to win?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Viktor won, Vega swore it would call him the strongest human it had ever seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, even if he didn't win, Viktor's power was already beyond comprehension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strictly speaking, what he had wasn't overwhelming strength, the difference between him and Guldon was vast, like heaven and earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That thing was huge, strong enough that a single blow could have killed Viktor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It couldn't land one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though Viktor needed to hit it countless times to win, and it only needed one, he somehow made the impossible possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After nearly three days and two nights of intense battle, Guldon had only grazed Viktor once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Viktor?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He fought as if strolling through a garden, calm and composed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To him, Guldon's attacks looked like they were moving in slow motion, sometimes he didn't even bother to teleport, just stepped aside to dodge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His earlier injuries didn't weaken him; if anything, they fired up his spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since being wounded, his spellcasting had become even smoother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, one of them weakened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't Viktor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Guldon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A being no human could ever defeat, now forced into a corner by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its health had dropped to thirty percent, a critical state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its outer shell had lost its glow, its power and speed greatly reduced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vega was dumbstruck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A moment ago, in that terrifying form, it couldn't even graze Viktor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now that it was weakened…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Didn't that mean Viktor had already won?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vega looked at Viktor, but he didn't relax.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the contrary, his face was tense and cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He muttered under his breath, \"That attack… it's coming.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'That attack? What attack!?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Vega could react, an earth-shattering tremor erupted, so strong that it nearly lost its balance midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The volcano was shaking wildly, the ground splitting apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The magma began to still, and then, from beneath the layers of molten rock, a colossal form surged upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire volcano seemed ready to collapse. Guldon's eyes blazed like twin suns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pillar of flame shot skyward, bursting through layers of magma and rock, engulfing the heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fiery boulders wrapped in lava rained down everywhere like meteors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Flame Severing Wrath.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor knew exactly what it was, calmly saying the name of Guldon's ultimate move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vega dodged the falling fireballs while shouting, \"Fire Calamity! You damned coward! Can't you fight fair!?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'How was anyone supposed to dodge that!?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Dodge?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor gave a cold smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had never planned to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that critical moment, Viktor's eyes blazed with a stunning azure light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A terrifying surge of magical energy enveloped the entire base of the volcano.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, a colossal phantom castle appeared in the sky, as if to crush the entire mountain beneath it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The castle shone with countless massive magic circles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One… two… three...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three layers of barrier arrays rapidly formed, their lines intertwining, linking into one massive formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At its core, a radiant ark rose like a divine tree blooming into the heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The immense power radiating from it made even Vega feel danger from midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blinding array descended slowly, breaking through the dark clouds, and for a fleeting moment, the sky turned bright blue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The overwhelming pressure weighed down on every living creature, except Viktor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mighty Guldon sank a foot into the ground, unable even to lift its head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vega was forced out of the air, tumbling helplessly onto Viktor's shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"War magic!? When the hell did he cast that!?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It stared at the enormous magic array descending from the heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fiery meteors fell into the war magic's light, and vanished instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still perched on his shoulder, Vega couldn't utter a word, just cursed internally, 'Isn't war magic supposed to require a whole team of mages to cast?!'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'This lunatic can cast it alone!? Isn't that way too much!?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next second, the flaming pillar from the ground collided with the heavenly ark above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two world-ending attacks met head-on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vega couldn't even hear the explosion, only blinding light and an earth-shattering force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The violent clash ripped sound itself apart, the shockwaves tearing down the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a daze, it thought it heard Viktor's chanting voice beside its ear, \"Arcane Imperial Capital, Fall of the Heavenly Ark\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A blinding white light shot skyward, swallowing everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>patreon.com\u002FXenosX\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰\u003C\u002Fp>",1834,"2026-05-30T15:48:18.313Z","2026-06-01T04:31:37.164Z",1,"novelbin.me","1823c0bc773e8bb5d3cebc80a0afed4c6ad85a40d606f68e9000f35e9c19628c","am-i-the-villain-or-not-chapter-24","am-i-the-villain-or-not-chapter-22",393,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fam-i-the-villain-or-not-cover.jpg"]