The Strongest Villain Sets Out: Reincarnated into a Merit-Based Clan, I Become the World's Strongest Swordsman

The carriage we had been riding arrived near the mine.

There was a town nearby, but there was no need to bother stopping by. This carriage belonged to the Salvatore ducal family. We could return to the mansion on a round trip without transferring.

I told the coachman who had opened the door:

“I’m going to exterminate the dragon in that mine. You take care of the horses here.”

Sheila, who had been riding with me, followed after.

When I stepped down onto the ground, I felt the air that was slightly chilly, having passed through summer.

Sheila, standing behind me, also voiced her impression:

“Ugh… somehow, near the mine I feel a bit of a chill.”

I laughed softly and started walking.

“There’s a dragon in this mine. Besides, it’s about time for it to get cold. I need to return to the royal capital quickly and prepare for the colosseum.”

“Come to think of it, there was such an event.”

“I don’t care about the event itself, but I have to seize the championship prize.”

“The expression ‘seize’ is already dangerous, Luka-sama.”

“Oops. I unconsciously became crude with my words. Well, I’m going to win anyway.”

After collecting information on challengers and winners who had participated in the colosseum over several years, they were all not particularly strong.

Honestly, even Karmren and Ilario could probably rise to fairly good rankings. I had no intention of losing to opponents of that level.

“I want to learn from that confidence of yours, Luka-sama. I’m the one who’ll win.”

“Probably. I think only Sheila or Cornelia will stand before me.”

These two were special. Just having trained with me, they were quite strong.

Even so, I would still be the one to win.

“Speaking of Princess Cornelia, I haven’t seen her recently. Is she busy?”

“She’s an imperial princess. Even if her screws are loose, she’s a good person who can do her job.”

“I can’t tell if you’re praising or insulting her.”

“If anything, I’m praising her.”

I loved talented people. When talented people were nearby, I could steal their talent… the experience and techniques they’d cultivated, which was irresistible.

Naturally, I also provided techniques and experience. I provided them and wanted people to mix them with their own unique techniques and empirical rules to create original power.

Such cooperation allowed one to become much stronger and more efficiently than training alone.

This dragon subjugation was just my personal event, though.

“I don’t really understand Luka-sama’s praise—”

Sheila stopped mid-sentence.

The sound disappeared, and the air became tense.

I had also stopped my feet just like her. I was the one who noticed first.

Straight ahead, deep in the mountain path leading to the cave, someone was there. Rather than someone, it was a woman I recognized very well standing there.

She also noticed us. Having noticed, her eyes widened.

“I never thought… I’d meet you in a place like this.”

Her face bore the traces of a certain young girl.

If a girl I had met several years ago marked the passage of several years, this was how she would grow.

I called out to the beautiful yet somehow shadowed woman. I called her name.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it—Lucia.”

When I called her name, she raised the corner of her mouth and smiled.

“I knew it… you’re Luka Salvatore.”

“That’s right. Since the royal-hosted party, I believe. You’ve changed quite a bit.”

“Thanks to you. What I am now is something that wanders endlessly seeking power.”

“I see.”

What was this? Had she developed chuunibyou after losing to me?

It wasn’t bad for this kind of world, but I had no intention of indulging her.

More than that, I asked her about something that concerned me.

“What did you come here for?”

“From your appearance, it seems our purposes are the same.”

“…The dragon?”

“Correct.”

Lucia smiled again with a soft laugh.

There was nothing strange about it.

Since Academy Director Feodora Morgan knew the dragon’s habitat, I wasn’t surprised that her sister Lucia also knew.

Rather, had that woman given me the information to make Lucia and me clash?

If so, I’d strangle her someday.

I didn’t dislike Lucia, but if our objectives overlapped, it would be troublesome.

No matter what, from anyone’s perspective, there was only a future of conflict.

Who would subjugate the dragon faster? Or… would someone eliminate the obstacle here?

Personally, I chose the latter.

“Then if I blow you away here, the dragon becomes mine?”

I drew Muramasa from the sheath at my waist.

I couldn’t afford to fight the dragon while dealing with her interference. I’d eliminate her quickly here and fight the dragon one-on-one.

She probably reached the same conclusion. She raised her staff, looking somewhat pleased.

“I agree. I can’t retreat here either. Honestly, I think it’s still too early, but… this is also a good opportunity. Here, I’ll throw everything I have at you.”

Lucia directed genuine killing intent at me. As if answering that, I clad my entire body in aura.

The fighting spirit I felt from her body was incomparable to several years ago.

But… for some reason, I felt I saw something pitch-black behind her.

“Here I come, Lucia. Just like several years ago, lick the ground for me.”

“This time I’m the one who’ll make you eat dirt!”

Lucia refined her magic power, and I simultaneously kicked off the ground. Sheila retreated backward, and the battle began.