The Shut-In Prince’s Splendid Social Debut — Me, a Villainous Imperial, Have Spent the Last Fifteen Years Fighting the “Wicked Thoughts” Eating Away at My Mind. When I Finally Returned to High Society, There Were Way Too Many People I Didn’t Recognize — - Chapter 20: Equal

A fierce pain burned through my left shoulder, the sensation so intense that it felt as though it were on fire.

“Haa… haa…! Damn it… where is it…?”

Even so, I kept running and searching while the pressure behind me slowly chipped away at my mental strength, because if I took even a single hit, it would all be over.

The place I had chosen as the decisive battlefield—[The First and Last Paradise]—was no longer anything that could be called a paradise.

“Fuhaha…! I never imagined you would bring me to our ‘hometown,’ Human…! Could you please die already? At this point I am interested only in your corpse!”

Vahlen had become an incarnation of destruction, constantly appearing behind me while purple flashes streaked across the battlefield.

—Annihilation Magic.

It granted equal death to everything that existed in this land.

This so-called paradise was an area unlocked only after defeating the Last Boss, and from a player’s perspective it initially provoked complaints like “Where exactly is the paradise here?” because the monsters were so strong. However, since even greater hell awaits beyond this place, when you look back later you realize that this really was paradise after all.

That was why it is called [The First and Last Paradise].

It used to be the field I liked the most, but now there was no trace of that beauty left, because countless floating islands had been blasted apart and the once-rich ecosystem had been completely destroyed.

“It’s already a disaster… even the monsters are running away…”

Normally, powerful monsters appear here as fixed symbols, but it seemed they had fled because a disaster beyond reason had arrived.

(I have to hurry.)

GUOOOOOOO…!

At that moment, the roar of a monster echoed through the ruined landscape, causing me to immediately turn toward the source of the sound.

(…Found it.)

—Level Manticore.

Probably around Lv. 120.

This paradise was never a place where a human who had just spent fifteen years shut inside could survive, but for the current me it was exactly the level range I needed.

While dodging Vahlen’s annihilation magic, I unleashed the fastest high-power dark magic I could use.

“[Canopy Drop Darkness].”

It was magic that felt as if night itself had fallen, likely a Tenth Tier spell.

“…GUAAAAAAAAAA!”

The Manticore screamed before I severed its head.

(Alright. —Limit Break.)

The moment my level reached the cap, I selected that option.

――――
[Overcomer Display: ON]
Yoan Joachim Rodenze [Overcomer] Lv. 1 (Max 55) Limit Break: 5 times
Vitality 4565 (+2867)
Mental Strength ∞
Strength 4045 (+2539)
Dexterity 2977 (+1872)
Intelligence 4522 (+2834)
Faith 2978 (+1881)
Agility 3430 (+2221)
Equipment: Curly’s Treasure Sword (Wind)
Magic Power: 13th Tier
Magic Change: 13th Tier
Attributes: Darkness / Overcoming
Sword Arts: [Vertical Slash], [Sword Wave], [Strike Flash]
――――

(—One more.)

Victory was finally within sight.

◇◇◇◇

My strategy itself was extremely simple.

—Hunt monsters, repeatedly perform Limit Break, and eventually defeat him with overwhelming stats.

Of course, it was far easier said than done, because there were two major problems to overcome.

The first was deciding which monsters to defeat.

Raising levels by slowly killing weak enemies would take too long, and if I tried that, Vahlen would undoubtedly kill me first. Therefore, I needed monsters strong enough to reach the level cap in a single kill.

That made [The First and Last Paradise] the ideal hunting ground, because monsters between Lv. 100 and Lv. 120 appear here, allowing me to jump roughly sixty levels with just one kill. Since my starting level was around 110 in total stat value, defeating four monsters would theoretically give me stats equivalent to about Lv. 320.

The formula works like this:

50 + 51 + 52 + 53 + 54 + 55 = 310.

If I include the Limit Break bonus as well, it becomes roughly 320.

…Yes, it’s absurd.

By killing just four monsters, I could become one of the strongest beings in this world, and even then my growth would continue.

The second condition had already been cleared—whether I could teleport to this paradise in the first place.

Honestly, that had been a gamble.

If I couldn’t reach paradise, Fryure and I would have simply been tortured to death inside that hideout where no monsters existed to provide experience points.

But the gamble paid off.

My [Spatial Transfer] seemed capable of reaching any place I had visited in ERT, which meant I had barely managed to survive.

To summarize, my victory condition was simple: defeat four monsters before Vahlen killed me.

If time passed, my legs would slow and my chances of being hit would increase, meaning the only path to victory was a short, decisive battle.

At the moment, I had already defeated three monsters and completed the corresponding Limit Breaks, bringing me roughly to the equivalent of Lv. 260.

Even that was still not enough, because Vahlen is Lv. 320.

No matter how refined my technique is, I can only compensate for about twenty levels at most, which is why the final monster was absolutely necessary.

However, Vahlen was not a naive Demon who would overlook that.

◇◇◇◇

Just as I closed in on the final monster, a wall of purple light suddenly appeared before my eyes.

—A wall of annihilation magic.

“Kuh…”

I stopped abruptly and tried to slip past the side, but the purple wall expanded faster than I could move, closing in around me.

(At this rate I’ll be trapped.)

I immediately turned around to escape from the opposite direction.

“—Where do you think you’re going, Human?”

“Tsk.”

Vahlen stood directly in my path.

Breaking through was impossible, and I could only watch as the purple wall connected at both ends.

(—My escape route is gone.)

This was essentially the decisive battle mode triggered when Vahlen’s third HP bar is reduced in the game, where the battlefield shrinks and touching the wall means instant death.

What made this situation strange was that I had not even reduced his HP yet.

“…”

Vahlen stared at me silently.

What appeared on his face was vigilance.

And that was the worst possible development.

Since arriving here, I had deliberately acted cautiously, never counterattacking even when attacked and always dodging at the very last moment.

Everything had been done to conceal my stat growth.

Unfortunately, Vahlen’s next words shattered that plan.

“You—haven’t you become stronger than before?”

“…Tsk.”

I felt the blood drain from my face.

“I knew it. You disguise it well, but my eyes cannot be deceived. Your movements are inconsistent, and I realized that you yourself cannot fully keep up with that sudden increase in ability.”

“…What are you talking about?”

(How sharp is this guy…)

“Kuku… I have been observing you carefully. Did you think I wouldn’t notice that you were targeting the monsters of this paradise rather than attacking me?”

“…”

He had been wary of me from the beginning.

After all, I had boldly declared my intentions before teleporting here, which was exactly why I had tried to finish things quickly.

Because eventually—

I would be discovered.

“According to my estimate, you have already exceeded Lv. 250. Truly incredible. I have never seen a human whose level rises so quickly, but that growth speed was your only chance of victory, wasn’t it?”

“…”

Unfortunately, he was correct.

“If I had to guess… defeating one more monster would have done it, right?”

“Tsk.”

He even figured that out?

“Did I hit the mark? Too bad, too bad. Tell me, Human, how does it feel to have your winning move snatched away just before victory?”

“Fuu…”

Calm down.

Think.

There must still be a way to defeat him.

(There has to be something.)

After coming this far, I refuse to give up.

And then—

“BYA…?!”

Something suddenly leapt out of the bushes between Vahlen and me.

—Level Vorpal Bunny.

It was a monster.

And more importantly—

experience points.

“Tsk…!”
“Tsk…!”

We reacted simultaneously.

It seemed luck had not completely abandoned me.

I swung my sword with maximum speed.

This was my only chance.

If I missed it, my path to victory would disappear forever.

But—

my sword sliced through empty air.

(What…?)

When I looked again, the Vorpal Bunny was already dead, pinned to the ground by a single sword of light.

“Manifest—”

I turned toward the voice.

Why do the worst scenarios always pile up like this?

“—Arsenal of Ten Thousand Converging Lights.”

Countless swords of light floated around Vahlen.

There were easily more than a hundred.

(—He drew the Spirit Armament.)

The technique well known from ERT.

Once drawn, there is no escape from the countless blades.

Vahlen’s ultimate technique.

That was precisely why I had tried to prevent it.

“Did you think I would allow that, Human?”

With the walls surrounding me and no monsters left to become experience points, the situation had become completely hopeless.

“Tsk.”

(…What am I supposed to do now?)

No plan came to mind.

There was nothing left.

Someone help me.

I give up.

…And then that wicked thought appeared.

[If it were Yoan, he would twist the Demon in front of him to death.]

“Fuh…”

A smile slipped out involuntarily.

As always, you’re spirited.

Even though you were weaker than I am now, you still insisted on fighting despite having no chance of winning.

But—

…piki piki.

(—You gave me a little courage.)

“Come—scatter, Human!”

Hundreds of swords of light fired simultaneously.

Yoan… I’ll resist this fate just a little longer.

◇◇◇◇

“…Magnificent, Human. To endure my Arsenal of Ten Thousand Converging Lights to that extent—truly impressive.”

Vahlen’s voice sounded distant.

My body had been pierced by countless swords.

They missed my heart.

But I would die soon.

What I remembered in that moment was the hospital room from my previous life, when my consciousness faded away as if being swallowed by darkness.

Is this—

death?

“—You fought well, but this is the end. Goodbye, Human. I will treasure your corpse as part of my collection!”

…Idiot.

Even if I die, I refuse that.

I have endured this far.

Pain like this means nothing.

That is why I used one final spell—the ultimate path obtained through endurance.

“[Dead Re-placement].”

My target was the corpse of the Vorpal Bunny that Vahlen had killed earlier.

“…BYA…? GYA—!”

And I immediately cut off its head.

“Wha—”

Vahlen stared in disbelief.

(—Limit Break.)

“Y-You! Why did my technique—Gugh!?”

My Treasure Sword pierced Vahlen’s abdomen.

The attack—

went through.

Naturally.

The current me was equivalent to Lv. 320.

In other words—

“…Now we are finally equal, Vahlen.”

The flames of the final decisive battle had finally been ignited.