The Strongest Villain Sets Out: Reincarnated into a Merit-Based Clan, I Become the World's Strongest Swordsman - Chapter 45: Waste of Resources

“How do you know about forbidden designation magic?”

Looking at Lucia, who had completely healed the burn marks from magic, I asked for now.

She smiled fearlessly.

“Fufu. Are you curious about it too?”

“Well, yeah.”

Honestly, it would be a lie to say I wasn’t curious.

I too walked the path of magic. The existence of magic that could fulfill elements I currently lacked made my heart race.

“What should I do? I don’t mind telling you, but… what will you offer me in return?”

“An exchange of conditions?”

“Of course. Did you think forbidden designation magic could be obtained for free?”

“Let me see… how about I beat you to a pulp and torture you by force?”

“Not bad. Assuming you can beat me, that is.”

Saying that, Lucia refined her magic power. Reflexively, I also refined my magic power. The darkness leaking from Lucia’s body became sharp blades that rained down on me. I countered with flame thorns transformed into a similar shape.

However,

“Tch!”

My magic collided with Lucia’s magic and—was absorbed. The flame magic disappeared without a sound. Lucia’s magic remained intact. I jumped backward to avoid the countless blades. The black blades were deeply embedded in the ground. They didn’t look like they lacked lethality, but did they have such properties?

“I see. So it absorbs magic.”

“Convenient, isn’t it, this magic? Even your magic is powerless before it. I’ll forgive you if you bow your head and apologize.”

“No problem. Anyway, what it can absorb is only magic… no, strictly speaking, only magic power, right?”

“What—”

I seemed to have hit the mark. Astonishment appeared in Lucia’s expression. No matter how powerful the magic, it was meaningless if the user was immature.

Certainly the property of swallowing magic was troublesome, but it didn’t mean much to me with my multiple trump cards. I still had three more powers. I firmly refined my aura. In that state, I leaped into Lucia’s embrace. Even faster than before.

“Damn! So what if that’s the case!”

Lucia disliked my approach and attacked with combinations of placement-type magic and other magic as before. During that time, the dark magic didn’t appear.

This was a chance, so I released attack magic. The magic exploded right in front of Lucia’s eyes. She rolled backward.

“Kyaaaah!”

She writhed in pain.

“Haha. Even if you can heal wounds, it doesn’t seem like you become resistant to pain.”

Then what I should do was simple. Attack Lucia repeatedly, wound her, and break her spirit.

I didn’t think that darkness was the type of magic that could be used limitlessly, but I’d be extra careful and thoroughly crush her.

I didn’t want to waste divine power by getting unnecessarily injured before subjugating the dragon. I closed in on Lucia with sword in hand.

Lucia generated those black blades, but my aura-clad sword could deflect them. Since she didn’t counter with magic, her defense was delayed.

My sword severed both of Lucia’s arms.

“Aaaaaaaah!”

Lucia’s death scream echoed.

A large amount of fresh blood flowed on the ground, and I could clearly see Lucia’s expression stained with despair and agony.

“Too bad, Lucia. Forbidden designation magic is interesting, but you chose the wrong opponent. It doesn’t work on me.”

“Guh! Why! How come?! Am I still not reaching you?! Can I… not win against you?”

While bleeding, she staggered to her knees.

Black magic power covered Lucia’s body. It regrew her severed arms. The performance was better than my divine prayer.

Naturally, I waited for her recovery. If Lucia died, the matter of forbidden designation magic would disappear.

“If you had kept working hard as you were before, the outcome might have been unclear.”

“What do you… what do you mean?!”

She screamed. She was angry at having her current self denied. But facts had to be thrust forward as facts. It was also a waste for talent like hers to rot here.

Besides, Lucia had a clear role to play. At least fulfill that before dying. With such feelings, I opened my mouth.

“If you had purely continued researching magic… you should have been able to raise your control ability more and toy with me. At least, it wouldn’t have been this one-sided.”

Lucia had strayed from the path. She probably thought she could beat me if she had the power of forbidden designation magic, but instead, training time—resources—had been diverted to that.

That made it half-hearted. If she had limited it to just healing wounds, she would have been much more formidable.

It was truly regrettable.

“That’s wrong! My efforts can’t be mistaken…!”

Bang, bang! She struck the ground hard.

Her skin tore and blood flowed.

While watching that scene, I was about to deliver another blow—but there, a new presence appeared. Both Lucia and I simultaneously turned our gazes toward the mountaintop.

Before us… in the sky, the shadow of one large creature fell. In the golden eyes glaring at us dwelt intense killing intent and hatred. Both Lucia and I muttered. The enemy’s name.

“Dragon…”

It seemed our battle had been noisy and made it come out of its lair. Flapping its wings with a whoosh, it raised a cry that shook the air.

“GRUAAAAAAAH!”