The Strongest Villain Sets Out: Reincarnated into a Merit-Based Clan, I Become the World's Strongest Swordsman - Chapter 72: Protagonist and Villain

Lucia’s powerful magic attack exploded.

The ring beneath their feet had already suffered considerable damage from my fight with Sheila earlier, but despite the earth magic user’s efforts to repair it, it was violently ravaged once again.

Somewhere, an earth magic user’s scream rose up.

However, showing no signs of concern, Lucia gathered her mana anew.

Meanwhile, Cornelia stood up while looking down at her partially burned clothes.

“Ow ow ow… I never thought you’d actually use a suicide attack just to hit me.”

“Good strategy, right? I’ve been beaten up by you so many times. I’m happy to see you like this.”

“No no, this is still just the beginning~ I haven’t lost yet.”

Cornelia’s eyes turned straight toward Lucia.

The cheerful atmosphere from before vanished. The strong, brilliant light dwelling in her eyes made Lucia instinctively feel pressured.

She stepped backward with scraping sounds.

“My mana is still plenty. What can a battered princess do!”

Lucia cast magic. The ice magic I’d seen in her fight with Sheila.

Cold air approached from below.

Cornelia—simply avoided the attack. Her figure disappeared.

“What—”

Lucia’s surprise was brief.

In an instant, Cornelia appeared behind her.

“I think I’ll seriously crush you!”

Cornelia, wearing a vicious smile, mercilessly swung her wooden sword at Lucia’s face.

Faster than before. That was Cornelia’s true speed.

Lucia’s placement magic activated. But it was too slow. Even while taking the explosion, Cornelia’s sword reached Lucia first.

“Tch!”

Lucia hastily put up a shield.

That was non-attribute magic any mage could use. Rather than converting to an attribute, it used mana to create a barrier for defense.

But it had a weakness.

“Kyah‼”

Lucia’s deployed shield easily shattered from Cornelia’s single strike. Though the wooden sword’s momentum was slightly reduced, it ultimately hit both of Lucia’s arms crossed before her face.

Clean hit.

Lucia bounced off the ground and was blown outside the ring.

That was the shield’s weakness.

Originally, mages’ shields were meant to defend against magic. They were weak against physical attacks.

While they could stop attacks from moderately skilled aura users, they were utterly meaningless against aura masters like Cornelia.

The match ended.

“Th-the winner! Lia!”

The venue erupted.

Unlike my match, this one had been somewhat competitive, so the audience could enjoy it.

Lucia was truly disappointing.

If it hadn’t been ring conditions, she could have fought much better.

Mages are fundamentally long-range attackers. They weren’t suited to colosseum rules that facilitated close combat.

Lucia, who had rolled on the ground, got up with a frustrated expression.

“Ahhhhh! I lost again! I was doing well this time too!”

“You got careless at the very end. You could have kept fighting if you’d prepared wind magic.”

I descended from the spectator seats and headed toward Lucia.

She held out her right hand with a sullen face.

“Hmm?”

“Help me up. I’m really tired right now.”

“Yes, yes. You fought well. That wasn’t bad combat.”

If she could learn to deal with opponents more calmly in the future, she’d grow even more.

I took Lucia’s right hand and pulled her up strongly.

“Right? I’ll surpass the princess soon and catch up to Luka.”

“Impossible impossible. No one but Luka could beat me.”

“Says the person who’s all battered up!”

“I healed with aura so I’m fine~”

After the fight ended, Cornelia joined us too.

We returned to the spectator seats together amid the cheers.

So my final opponent would be Cornelia after all. I’d prefer to clash with Aiden before fighting her.

Though Cornelia versus Aiden would be fine too.

Perhaps my feelings reached through, as the tournament continued for a while longer, and in the third round, Aiden and my names were called.

“Oh, that’s me.”

A suspiciously convenient tournament.

As if God wanted the protagonist and villain to compete, Aiden and I stood on the ring.

Aiden’s complexion was poor.

“Yo, Aiden. The last time we faced each other like this was when the academy was attacked, right? Or wait, were you too scared and trembling to actually face me then?”

“L-Luka Salvatore! Don’t make fun of me! I’ll show you how much I’ve grown!”

With a swing, he pointed the tip of his wooden sword at my face.

Full of fighting spirit. His stance was somewhat defensive, but his will to fight wasn’t completely broken.

Then I’d crush it completely. Having someone like you scurrying around me is an eyesore.

I’d make sure he suffered except when I could use him.

I grinned and we both readied our swords.

Aiden with a serious gaze in the middle stance. Me relaxed in low stance.

Seeing this, the announcer declared the start of the match in a loud voice.

“Match—begin‼”

Aiden was the first to kick off the ground.