The Villian Who Broke The Story

Kael stepped into the next room, the scenery around him changing almost instantly.

The stone walls of the previous arena vanished, replaced by a much larger circular battleground with smooth white flooring and towering walls covered in glowing runes. The mana formations carved into the walls shimmered faintly, reinforcing the Domain that served as the battlefield for the tournament.

Kael slowly surveyed his surroundings before his gaze landed on the two figures standing opposite him.

One of them immediately caught his attention.

”...Charlotte.”

Charlotte stood several meters away, her silver-blonde hair swaying gently as she rested her lance against her shoulder. Beside her stood another student carrying a longsword. He possessed a muscular build that easily stood above six feet, broad shoulders giving him an intimidating appearance. His short dark-brown hair was neatly trimmed, while a long scar stretched across his left cheek, giving him the appearance of someone who had already seen countless battles despite still being a first-year student.

Kael blinked.

”Well... that’s quite the change for Phase Two.”

The announcement from moments ago echoed through his mind.

Every one present in the tournament is currently in Class A. Entering the next battle is your final battle for this round of the tournament. We wish you luck. Welcome to Phase Two.

So instead of another one-on-one battle...

A two-versus-one.

Kael rubbed the back of his neck.

He couldn’t help imagining the possibilities.

Either Charlotte and the other student would work together and jump him...

Or...

The two of them could begin fighting each other instead, leaving him to watch.

The image made him grin.

”Why don’t both of you attack me?” Kael said casually, stretching his shoulders. ”I’ll spice things up a bit.”

The muscular student burst into loud laughter.

”Hahaha! Now that’s confidence!”

He rested the flat of his sword on his shoulder before pointing it directly at Kael.

”I’m Wilt Ashcroft,” he introduced proudly. ”Rank Fifteen, Class A.”

Charlotte immediately recognized the name.

Rank Fifteen.

One of the strongest students among the first years.

Wilt’s grin widened.

”I know you.”

He pointed his blade directly at Kael.

”You’re Kael Draven. That noble that bought his way into the academy.”

He chuckled.

”Although I hear that you have a bit of talent.”

Kael simply smiled.

Wilt continued.

”Why don’t both of you join arms and fight me? You could learn a thing or two from fighting me.”

Charlotte frowned slightly.

She had expected Wilt to challenge Kael.

She hadn’t expected him to completely ignore her strength.

Kael, however, only smirked.

”Well...”

He stretched both arms lazily.

”I hate to break it to you...”

His smile widened.

”...but I’ve already defeated you.”

Wilt frowned.

”What?”

Kael continued as though he hadn’t heard him.

”Under five-times gravity.”

Charlotte’s eyes widened.

Five-times gravity?

”You fought him?”

Kael nodded casually.

”During my training.”

He rolled his shoulders.

”And that’s only half of it.”

Wilt’s confident smile slowly disappeared.

His brows furrowed.

”I would really love to fight one of the Top Twenty...”

Kael slowly drew his sword.

”...without the influence of extra gravity.”

Wilt stared at him.

His expression became noticeably more serious.

”...What exactly are you talking about?”

Kael simply tilted his head.

Instead of answering immediately, he asked another question.

”Tell me, Wilt.”

His crimson eyes met Wilt’s own.

”What have you ever taught yourself?”

Wilt blinked.

”What do you mean by that?”

Before the sentence completely left his mouth—

Kael disappeared.

Vanishing Step.

Charlotte’s pupils contracted.

”So fast!”

She had fought beside Kael during the dungeon assignment.

She had trained under him for weeks.

Yet...

He was still faster than she remembered.

Wilt barely managed to react.

CLANG!

Their swords collided.

The first strike was blocked.

Then came the second.

The third.

The fourth.

Each movement looked identical to Wilt’s own sword style.

Down to the smallest detail.

The angle.

The footwork.

Even the minute movements of his wrists.

Wilt’s eyes widened in disbelief.

”Impossible!”

Three crimson lines suddenly appeared across his torso.

His body was thrown backward, skidding across the arena before crashing into the far wall with enough force to crack the stone beneath him.

Charlotte froze.

She had watched Kael fight before but he was way too quick.

But never this perfectly.

Wilt slowly pushed himself back onto his feet.

Blood trickled from the shallow cuts across his chest.

His breathing became heavier.

His eyes never left Kael.

”There...”

He tightened his grip on his sword.

”...Where did you learn that technique from?”

Kael merely smiled.

”I believe I asked first.”

He twirled his sword once.

”Have you ever taught yourself?”

Silence filled the arena.

Wilt’s expression gradually hardened.

For the first time since entering the room...

He understood.

Kael wasn’t mocking him.

He was teaching him.

Whether he wanted the lesson or not.

Wilt remained silent for several seconds.

His grip around his sword tightened until his knuckles turned white.

He replayed the previous exchange repeatedly in his head.

Every strike Kael had used...

Every step...

Every movement..

It had all been his own sword style.

Not something similar.

Not an imitation.

It was his technique.

Down to the smallest detail.

Kael simply smiled.

”I guess you’ll take my deal of joining hands to battle me.”

He casually pointed his sword between Charlotte and Wilt.

”Because if we change sides and I team up with Charlotte to battle you, the battle won’t take long.”

Wilt’s face twitched.

He glanced toward Charlotte.

Charlotte also looked back at him.

Neither of them spoke.

Finally, Wilt sighed.

”...Don’t hold me back.”

He lowered his stance before exploding forward.

His body blurred as he dashed straight toward Kael.

Clang!

Their blades collided once again.

Unlike before, Wilt poured considerably more strength into every swing.

His sword traced smooth arcs through the air, aiming for Kael’s shoulders, ribs and neck in rapid succession.

Kael blocked every strike with effortless precision.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

Each collision echoed throughout the arena.

Charlotte watched for only a second before tightening her grip around her lance.

”If I stay back, I’ll only become a burden.”

Lightning mana surged through her body.

Blue sparks danced across the shaft of her lance as she accelerated.

Her footsteps became almost silent.

She thrust her lance toward Kael’s blind spot.

Kael stepped backward at precisely the right moment.

The spear barely missed him.

Instead...

It headed directly toward Wilt.

Wilt’s eyes widened.

”What the—”

He hurriedly raised his sword.

Boom!

The lightning-enhanced lance crashed into his blade, forcing him back several meters.

Electricity spread through his arms.

”Hey!”

Wilt complained while shaking the numbness from his hands.

”Watch where you throw your bolts!”

Charlotte looked slightly embarrassed.

”My mistake.”

Kael chuckled.

”You seem to be learning.”

Charlotte frowned.

”I’m trying.”

Without warning—

Kael disappeared again.

He reappeared directly in front of Wilt.

Wilt reacted immediately.

Their swords met.

Then separated.

Then collided again.

The two swordsmen exchanged strike after strike, their movements becoming increasingly difficult to follow.

Charlotte dashed in once more.

This time she waited for the exact moment Kael committed to attacking Wilt before thrusting her lance toward his side.

Kael didn’t even look.

He simply twisted his wrist.

His sword slid beneath Charlotte’s lance before redirecting it away from his body.

The lance changed direction completely.

Charlotte’s own momentum nearly caused her to stumble.

”So that’s how...”

She muttered.

Kael had just demonstrated another application of swordsmanship.

He hadn’t blocked her attack.

He had guided it away.

Using almost no strength.

Wilt attacked again.

This time his strikes became heavier.

More aggressive.

Kael answered every blow with identical movements.

Their swordsmanship looked like reflections inside a mirror.

”You...”

Wilt growled.

”Are you copying my technique while we’re fighting?”

Kael smiled.

”That just shows...”

He parried another strike.

”...that I’m still not taking this fight seriously.”

Wilt’s brows twitched.

Kael stepped backward.

”What do you think about that?”

He grinned.

”Fighting yourself.”

Wilt clicked his tongue before rushing forward once more.

Charlotte joined him immediately.

Now both attacked together.

Wilt pressured Kael from the front while Charlotte circled toward his flank.

Lightning danced around her lance.

Wilt’s sword descended.

Charlotte thrust simultaneously.

Kael calmly inhaled.

Then—

He moved.

His sword intercepted Wilt’s strike.

At the same time he shifted his body, allowing Charlotte’s lance to pass mere centimeters from his shoulder.

He spun.

The momentum of Wilt’s sword redirected Charlotte’s attack.

Their weapons nearly collided.

Both immediately jumped backward to avoid hitting each other.

Kael couldn’t help laughing.

”Much better.”

Charlotte frowned.

”You’re enjoying this far too much.”

”I am.”

Kael admitted honestly.

”It’s rare that I get to fight two opponents at once.”

Wilt suddenly lunged forward again.

Kael stepped into the attack instead of retreating.

Clang!

Their blades locked.

Wilt pushed with all his strength.

Kael remained completely unmoved.

”So this is your true strength, you’ve really kept it hidden.”

Wilt muttered.

Kael only smiled.

”You’ve improved.”

”...But not enough.”

Their swords separated.

Kael instantly shifted his attention toward Charlotte.

She had already begun gathering a large amount of lightning mana around her lance.

The tip glowed brilliantly.

Electricity crackled violently around the weapon.

She thrust.

A concentrated bolt of lightning shot toward Kael.

He sidestepped effortlessly.

The bolt continued flying...

Straight toward Wilt.

Wilt’s eyes almost popped out.

”Seriously?!”

He hurriedly raised his sword once again.

Boom!

Lightning exploded against his blade.

Although he blocked it successfully, the impact forced him several steps backward.

His arms tingled from the electricity.

”I said watch where you throw those!”

Charlotte looked away awkwardly.

”...Sorry.”

Kael couldn’t stop himself from laughing.

Even in the middle of battle...

The situation had somehow become entertaining.

Charlotte immediately rushed forward again.

This time she continuously enhanced her lance with lightning mana, coating almost the entire weapon in crackling blue energy.

Her attacks became noticeably faster.

Wilt recovered quickly before attacking from the opposite direction.

The two finally achieved proper coordination.

One attacked high.

The other attacked low.

Kael finally began taking consecutive steps backward.

The spectators watching through the floating screens couldn’t help leaning forward.

”Forcing Kael back?”

”They’re actually making him defend!”

”Did they finally corner him?”

Inside the arena...

Kael smiled.

”Much better.”

This was exactly what he wanted.

Real pressure.

Real teamwork.

Real growth.

Charlotte thrust again.

Wilt followed with a horizontal slash.

Kael raised his sword.

Both attacks collided against his blade simultaneously.

The impact echoed throughout the battlefield.

For just a brief moment...

The three of them stood completely still.

Then Kael’s smile widened.

”Now...”

He whispered.

”Let me show you both the difference.”