The Strongest Villain Sets Out: Reincarnated into a Merit-Based Clan, I Become the World's Strongest Swordsman - Chapter 68: Fear

Cornelia’s first match was over.

The other woman—I don’t remember her name—was convulsing and showing the whites of her eyes.

I felt sorry for her as a fellow human being. She’d been humiliated in front of so many people.

Meanwhile, Cornelia, who had simply punched her opponent’s face and returned…

“I’m back~! Luka!”

She threw herself at me in a tackle-hug.

Two soft masses pressed against my arm with all their might.

“Welcome back, Cornelia. How was it? What did you think of your first match?”

“Hmm… She was too weak for me to tell. She was weaker than Sheila.”

“Please don’t drag me into this comparison.”

Sheila glared at Cornelia with an annoyed expression.

Cornelia chuckled and apologized honestly.

“I didn’t mean anything by it~ Sorry. But… is there any point to such a low-level tournament? I feel like it’d be faster if we just fought among ourselves.”

“You’re absolutely right.”

The one who agreed was Lucia Morgan.

She spoke up with her ladylike attitude.

“I can’t imagine there are any fighters better than us. It’s a waste of time.”

“Oh ho, talking big when you haven’t even fought yet.”

“That’s my impression from watching the fights so far.”

“Well, I understand the feeling.”

I was disappointed by the low level too.

I’d entered with the tournament prize as my goal from the start, but I thought I’d at least enjoy it a little.

But when it came down to it, most of the participants were people who couldn’t even use aura properly.

This was just bullying the weak.

I didn’t have a hobby of tormenting small fry.

I sighed and watched the next fighters.

Then, since I hadn’t been listening to the announcer’s introduction, I was surprised.

My eyes widened slightly.

“Hmm? That guy is…”

In my line of sight, the one who stepped into the central ring of the colosseum was a young man with familiar hair.

A man with the appearance set as the default character creation in the original story.

This world’s protagonist—Aiden.

“Why is he in a place like this…”

“Who? Someone you know, Luka?”

Cornelia, who followed my gaze and saw the same person, tilted her head with a question mark floating above it.

I could only smile wryly.

“Who? That’s Aiden from our class. You know, the guy I beat up before.”

“…Sorry, I’m not interested in weak people so I don’t remember him.”

“Figures.”

Classic Cornelia Zehabaruto.

She declared outright that she had no memory of nobodies.

Though technically, you’re supposed to be his heroine.

Oh well, I cut off that line of thought and continued speaking.

“Still, I never expected he’d be participating too. Has he grown at all? Mr. Protagonist?”

I stared intently at Aiden’s face.

This was a good opportunity. I’d check how much stronger he’d gotten.

While I watched, Aiden’s match began.

Aiden used aura. The output was only a small amount.

About the same as when he fought me.

Surely he hadn’t failed to grow. He was probably holding back.

His opponent, a swordsman, also used aura.

A good opponent for measuring Aiden’s abilities.

However, he was no match for Aiden, who could use other abilities too.

Debuffed by curses and unable to dispel them with aura… after taking some time, the opponent was overwhelmed by Aiden.

Finally, he took a powerful blow and was knocked out of the ring.

It was an anticlimactic end.

“Tch. Could’ve put up more of a fight…”

I clicked my tongue without thinking, but that guy’s matches would continue.

I’d see how well he could hide his abilities.

I chuckled internally with amusement.

▼△▼

Unaware that Luka was observing him closely, Aiden won his first match but felt no sense of accomplishment.

Rather, his face was pale.

“Wh-why are Luka Salvatore and Princess Cornelia in a place like this…!”

The moment he returned to his seat, his legs trembled violently.

This was instinctive fear.

He never imagined that his nemesis Luka Salvatore would participate in the tournament.

After being saved by Luka previously, Aiden had tasted a moment of despair.

Shown an even greater gap than when he lost in a one-on-one fight, his heart had nearly broken then.

But with the resilience that came with being a protagonist, he somehow recovered and chose the tournament as a place to test his abilities after intense training.

This was the result.

At this rate, he’d eventually face that monster.

Did he have enough ability to beat Luka now… his anxiety couldn’t be dispelled.

“I-it’s okay… it’s okay. I trained hard. I went through blood and tears. All of it was to beat that man…!”

The trembling gradually consumed his whole body, but he somehow suppressed it and clenched his fists.

He quickly looked up and glared at Luka, who sat far away on the opposite side.

Then, for some reason, Luka was also looking at Aiden.

Their gazes crossed, and Aiden instinctively looked away.

The murky emotion born in his heart would never be dispelled.