Villain: I Must NTR All The Hidden Bosses!-Chapter 31: Path Of A Villain.

James’s eyes slowly fluttered open, and an agonizing throb immediately erupted in his skull, as if his brain had been replaced with a jackhammer.

He groaned, his head heavy, and he instinctively rubbed his temples. Everything felt... wrong.

His whole body felt like it had been run over by a herd of stampeding horses, and his throat was as dry as sandpaper.

His limbs trembled weakly, and the dryness in his mouth made it feel like he hadn’t had a drop of water in days.

Blinking against the pain, he squinted in an attempt to gather his bearings. Where was he? How had he gotten here?

His mind was still a foggy mess, but then a strange sound reached his ears—a rhythmic snoring. He turned his head slowly, trying not to make his headache worse, and blinked in confusion.

Sitting beside him on the bed, with her bright blue hair cascading down her shoulders, was his big sister, Kaela.

She was asleep, her head tilted slightly, one hand resting on his bedspread, her lips parted in peaceful slumber.

Her blue eyes, normally sharp and observant, were closed, and she looked... incredibly peaceful for someone who should have been worrying about his well being.

James blinked again, trying to make sense of the scene. He hadn’t expected her to be here, especially not like this.

Slowly, the fog in his mind began to clear. The memories flooded back, sharp and jarring.

The assassination. The attack. The three spirits. They had come for him, sent to kill him, and he had fought back with everything he had.

The blood, the pain, the desperation. His heart hammered in his chest as he remembered the flames—the fire phoenix that had nearly ended him.

He could almost feel the heat again, licking at his skin. But then, the most shocking memory of all hit him like a punch to the gut.

Martha.

Martha, the maid. Just an ordinary human—no soul weapon, no special abilities—had stepped in front of him, taking the full blast of the fireball meant for him.

She hadn’t hesitated. She had given her life for him. James felt a mixture of guilt and awe rise up in his chest. Why would she do that?

For love?

He couldn’t help but smile, albeit a bittersweet one. He really wished she hadn’t done that. What was she thinking, throwing herself into harm’s way like that?

He shook his head slightly. If she survived... he’d personally "discipline" her for such a foolish act.

But in the end, she was only trying to protect him, he couldn’t be mad at her. No one deserved to die like that, especially not someone who cared for him so selflessly.

James’s gaze drifted back to Kaela, and he shifted slightly, intending to sit up.

The movement was slow and careful, but as soon as he stirred, Kaela’s eyes fluttered open, and she gasped, her face lighting up with pure relief.

Before he could say a word, she flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around him in a tight, tear filled hug.

"Oh my God, James! I thought you weren’t going to make it! I—I was so scared!" Kaela’s voice cracked as she held him close, her sobs muffled against his chest.

She was shaking, her body trembling with the force of her emotions.

James blinked in shock, his mind still reeling from the pain in his body and the overwhelming flood of emotions.

He gently placed a hand on her back, rubbing it in slow, comforting circles. "Hey, it’s okay, Kaela. I’m fine now," he said in his usual calm tone, though inside, he felt a strange, unexpected emptiness settle over him.

He had thought about the attack, the death, and the destruction he’d faced, but now that he was here—alive and awake—something had changed.

It was like he had already processed it all and accepted it. He realized with a sudden clarity that this was just part of the path he’d chosen.

Or rather, the path he’d been given. The path of the villain.

His goal had always been to pursue strength, but now, he was more determined than ever to reach it.

Kaela finally pulled back, wiping at her eyes. "How long have I been out?" he asked, his voice still steady despite the whirlwind of thoughts inside his head.

"Five days," Kaela said, sniffling and giving him a relieved smile. "You’ve been unconscious for that long. We were all so worried."

James’s heart tightened, but he pushed the feeling aside and nodded. "And Martha... did she—" He couldn’t even finish the question before Kaela answered.

"She’s alive... barely. But she’s recovering." Kaela’s voice softened, and for a brief moment, there was a shadow of worry in her eyes. "She’s tough, though. She’ll pull through."

James nodded, his chest aching slightly at the thought of Martha, battered and broken because of him. He couldn’t allow her sacrifice to be in vain.

He would make sure she recovered, and then—then he’d figure out what came next.

But just as he was about to ask Kaela what had happened after the attack, the door to the room creaked open, and a maid stepped inside.

"Young master," she said, bowing slightly, "Lord said to report to his study as soon as you are awake."

James’s eyes widened in surprise. He had almost forgotten. Of course, the Lord—his father—would want to hear his experience.

He guessed this was going to be about the assassination attempt, about everything that had happened. Kaela made a sound of protest, rubbing her eyes again.

"Isn’t it too early for that?" she grumbled, her tone irritated as she slouched back in her chair. "Can’t you just relax for a while?"

James gave her a small, reassuring smile and pushed himself up, wincing at the weakness in his body. "I’ll go. It’s important."

_____ 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Power stone Goal!

20 PS - 1 Bonus Chapter

50 PS - 2 Bonus Chapter

100 PS (Quite an achievement as of now) - 3 Bonus Chapters.

Castle - 20 Bonus Chapters!