Reborn As a Villain Son With The Strongest Wife-Chapter 26: The Calamity of Valtara – Birth of a Villain Army

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[Holy Church Headquarters – Sanctum Aurum]

Rael knelt before the grand hall of the Church.

His face was pale. His eyes hollow.

In front of him—the surviving Holy Hunter knelt. Barely breathing. Traumatized beyond measure.

"T-The massacre... t-they were all slaughtered..." the hunter stammered.

Rael's heart dropped.

"Who...?"

The hunter sobbed.

"L-Leonhardt Valtara... h-he killed them all... l-like they were nothing..."

Rael froze.

(Leonhardt... did this?)

"And his beast... it evolved... into a Mythical-Class Beast..."

Rael's hands trembled.

"No... no, that's impossible..."

"And his wife... she... she laughed... as they killed us..."

The hunter's voice cracked in horror.

Rael's breath turned ragged.

(N-No... this is my fault... I should've killed him... I should've—)

And then—

The Holy Church Cardinal stepped forward.

"I have heard enough."

The hunter collapsed, sobbing.

Rael turned to the Cardinal.

"W-We have to stop him! I-I can still—"

The Cardinal cut him off.

"No, Rael."

Rael froze.

"What...?"

The Cardinal's face darkened.

"Leonhardt Valtara is no longer a mere villain. He is now classified as a National Calamity."

Rael's mind shattered.

"No..."

The Cardinal's eyes burned with zeal.

"And therefore—the Church declares a Holy Crusade against the Calamity of Valtara."

Rael's throat clenched.

"...A Crusade?"

The Cardinal raised his hand.

"Summon the Heroic Legions. Mobilize our Sacred Armies. Call upon the Archbishops."

His voice boomed.

"We shall wipe Leonhardt Valtara off the face of this world."

[Meanwhile – Valtara Estate]

I stood at the peak of my estate, overlooking the vast plains.

And beside me—Ironhorn stood in his newly evolved Mythical-Class form.

Celestia clung to my arm, purring seductively.

"Ara~ My darling... you're becoming such a splendid calamity~"

I exhaled.

"It's only the beginning."

Celestia giggled darkly.

"My, my~ And what shall you do next, darling~?"

I smirked.

"We build an army."

Celestia's eyes widened in delight.

"Ohoho~ Are you finally embracing your role as the Villain King~?"

I turned to Ironhorn.

"Scout the outskirts. Find me outcasts, cursed individuals, and rejected beast tamers."

Ironhorn snorted and dashed off.

Celestia practically melted beside me.

"Ara~ Recruiting the unwanted, building an army from the shadows, turning the outcasts into loyal soldiers~?"

I smiled coldly.

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"Society rejects them. I'll turn them into my army."

Celestia licked her lips.

"Ooh~ I love you even more now, darling~"

[Three Days Later]

The result was terrifying.

Ironhorn returned—leading dozens of cursed beast tamers, rejected ex-soldiers, and outcast individuals.

They all knelt before me.

One of them—an older man with a cursed Direwolf—spoke.

"Are you... the Villain of Valtara?"

I approached him.

"No. I am the man who will destroy this world and rebuild it in my image."

The man gulped.

"And you would... accept us?"

I smiled darkly.

"I don't care about your past. If you swear loyalty, you will have power, freedom, and vengeance."

A long silence.

And then—

The man knelt.

"I pledge my loyalty... to you, my Lord."

The others followed.

"My Lord..."

"My Lord..."

"My Lord..."

Celestia shuddered beside me.

"Ara~ Darling~ You're truly building a Villain Army now~ How delightful~"

I exhaled coldly.

"It's only the beginning."

[Meanwhile – Hero Faction]

Rael's hands trembled as he watched the Crusade being prepared.

Thousands of soldiers.

Hundreds of Holy Knights.

The Heroic Legions.

And yet—

His heart was drowning in dread.

(Because deep down... I know.)

(Leonhardt will kill them all.)

And that terrified him.