Acting as a Slit-Eyed Villain Perfectly

Chapter 297

Chapter 297. Delusion (2)

About 3 cm on the diagonal from the left.

Seeing Kikubad swinging his sword with all his might, I had a thought.

'His aura forms an invisible blade.'

That was the secret to enhancing his lethality while simultaneously creating technical maneuvers, something Kikubad excelled at.

But.

'I can see it.'

It wasn't that I could see Kikubad's aura, the Blade of Hypocrisy. It was simply my instincts telling me.

This is the distance. At this distance, it won't hit.

"Kugh...!"

Once again, Kikubad swung his sword, but I evaded it with ease.

As I saw his twisted expression, I stepped forward and slashed at his shoulder.

"Strong!"

Though his face twisted in pain, Kikubad praised my swordsmanship.

"Strong indeed. So strong! As expected of the top disciple of Hayden Reich! You've become just like him!"

Whether it was a compliment or an insult was unclear.

Uttering inscrutable words in an elated state, Kikubad continually swung his sword.

This time, was he pretending to coat his sword in 'aura'? If I increased the distance, he probably planned to strike using untouched 'mana'.

It wouldn't work. With that thought, I closed the distance instead.

Using the 'Moonlit Sword', I thrust forward. Unfortunately, Kikubad extended his blade with 'aura' to block it.

"If I kill you, I'll truly surpass the Sword Saint!"

Crack.

The sound of clashing swords echoed repeatedly.

"Even if I kill you, no one will remember it."

You are nothing.

As if provoked by those words, Kikubad quickly turned his body and deflected my sword.

Then, Kikubad's thrust came toward me. As the blue blade approached, a wry smile formed on his lips.

The attack landed. He probably thought so.

Kang──!

"Ugh!?"

However, Kikubad's attack never reached my body. I used the mask of the 'Black Knight', 'Angelica', to block his attack.

"Is it the demon I saw that time!?"

"Let me introduce you. This is Angelica."

As if introducing Angelica, the many eyes of 'Angelica' squirmed and she shrieked.

― Kyaaaak!

In that fearsome display, Kikubad hesitated for a moment. In that instant, I adjusted my stance and thrust my sword into his abdomen.

Thunk──!

The sensation of piercing his flesh transmitted through the hilt. However, it wasn't deep. To minimize the damage, he was clutching the 'Moonstone Sword' with his own hands.

"K-ha-hahaha!"

With maniacal laughter, Kikubad glared at me.

***

Though not penetrating, the sword stuck in his abdomen. Following the sword with his gaze, Kikubad raised his head to look at Yulian.

He wore a gentle smile, yet his expression was close to 'expressionless'. Feeling a change in Yulian's usual demeanor, Kikubad flinched.

Indeed, Yulian, despite being the 'Sword Saint's' disciple, was a man with a lighthearted demeanor.

He showed no strong conviction or determination, so his swordsmanship was the only aspect of him of any interest.

However, at that moment, Kikubad was curious.

Who is this human in front of me?

"Who are you!?"

Kikubad voiced his question.

No response came.

The sword embedded in his abdomen, which he held onto tightly, continued to penetrate inch by inch.

"Kuh..."

Cold.

It wasn't the sword piercing his skin he was talking about.

His aura.

His demeanor.

His breathing.

All of it was colder than the impression Yulian originally gave off.

Yet, ironically, it made him feel all the more like 'Yulian'.

Was this his instinct, his true nature?

"I asked a strange question."

"That's right. I am Yulian."

"Then let me ask another question. What trick did you use?"

"What trick, indeed."

Yulian let out a short laugh. It wasn't the 'sneer' he'd shown before.

There was no emotion. It was just laughter flowing out like inertia.

"I merely looked back at myself. Wouldn't you consider embarking on a journey to find yourself, Sir Kikubad? Ah!"

Yulian exclaimed as he took a step forward.

"It's no longer possible, it seems."

"That's something we don't know yet!"

Kikubad gripped the Moonstone Sword embedded in his abdomen with both hands.

'Forcing it out with strength is impossible.'

Yulian's strength was notoriously overwhelming, but Kikubad believed it was possible to counter it with 'skill'.

However, the current 'Yulian' was in a state where he surpassed even himself in terms of skill.

'Thus.'

A different approach was necessary.

Kikubad quickly started channeling his aura into the 'Moonstone Sword'.

Due to the 'Moonstone Sword's' uniqueness and Yulian's 'aura', it was difficult to interfere with the inner blade, but Kikubad's aim was the blade's exterior.

Tsiijijijik──!

With a chilling sound, the mana began to stir. Seeing that, Yulian quickly released the Moonstone Sword.

'Tsk.'

As expected, he's quick to notice. I aimed to use the 'aura' to surround the Moonstone Sword with an 'invisible blade' to inflict damage, but it didn't work.

'Fortunately, I managed to let go of the sword...'

Bang──!

Suddenly, there was a flash in the sky, and Kikubad's view revealed the wall of the audience chamber.

At the same time, a surge of pain shot from his neck faster than light.

'Kugh, urgh.'

He couldn't comprehend what just happened, but he had an idea.

Likely, Yulian, seeking distance, had kicked his head.

'If I hadn't instinctively surrounded my neck with aura, I would've died instantly.'

That's how threatening Yulian's every move was. He nearly died from a kick that was just casually swung while retreating.

'Interesting.'

Crack.

Slowly turning his neck, Kikubad shifted his gaze to Yulian and smiled.

'So, this was it?'

Others had said.

Wasn't he obsessed with the title of 'Sword Saint'?

Wasn't he unnecessarily fixated on the name tainted by delusion?

Kikubad had thought the same. That he was engrossed in the title of 'Sword Saint'.

'Was this what I was looking for?'

What he had desired all this time wasn't 'proof' of himself. He had been searching for someone to stand in the way of that 'proof'.

The force he wielded. Whoever stood against it must be a strong adversary. Further, someone stronger than...

'Hayden Reich, someone stronger than that fellow!'

With the certainty that the person before him was stronger than 'Hayden Reich', whom he had never properly contended with, Kikubad believed that his judgment was not wrong.

How many years had it been? To meet an opponent that made him feel like a 'challenger'.

Despite wielding dual swords, Kikubad was in an overwhelmingly advantageous situation, so he quickly put his right foot on the ground.

'It's been a while since my blood boiled!'

Concealing his excitement, Kikubad gripped the Moonstone Sword and swiftly closed the distance to Yulian.

Due to its 'Gemstone Sword' characteristics, it was more challenging to wield than a regular sword, but he managed to control his aura to form 'cutting power'.

Once swung, he was at a distance where he could cleave Yulian's neck. Kikubad began seeing two images of Yulian in his vision.

"Ugh...!"

A strong surge of nausea.

Just before he could assess this sudden physical abnormality, the two images of Yulian in his vision began to merge into one.

His body wasn't suddenly fine. He had simply gotten closer.

"A swordsman can only drop his sword when he achieves certain victory, Sir Kikubad."

Yulian's voice came to him in a low murmur.

As Kikubad began to understand what it meant, the Moonstone Sword he was holding was already in Yulian's grasp.

"The moment my head was hit, it was over."

Kikubad calmly assessed his condition.

He had thought that when Yulian kicked his head, he'd narrowly avoided 'instant death' from his neck breaking, but it wasn't the case.

"That was an aura-laden kick. It was more than enough to shake the brain."

Kikubad's damaged brain began to forcibly imprison his consciousness to go into rest immediately.

He knew it. If he closed his eyes like this, he'd die. However, an irresistible lethargy enveloped his body.

"Tsk, cough... tsk."

Faced with imminent death, Kikubad laughed.

"I can't see a way to win at all."

Though his eyes closed and his head began to droop, Kikubad managed to lift his gaze.

"I said your swordsmanship had reached the level of Hayden Reich, but that wasn't it. You've surpassed that level."

Disregarding Kikubad's words, Yulian slowly lifted the Moonstone Sword.

"A swordsman must constantly challenge new heights. That much was the part where even the mismatched values of Hayden Reich aligned."

The Moonstone Sword continued to rise.

"I may be broken like this, but I've reached a new height. In that sense, Yulian, your future life is pitiable."

Just before he struck down. The Moonstone Sword began to glint with a gentle moonlight.

"With that degree of height, no one will challenge you in the future, and for the rest of your life, what will you..."

Slice.

The Moonstone Sword struck the ground like a bolt of lightning. At the same time, Kikubad's head fell to the floor.

***

― Hic, huuuk...!"

Eulsis, lying down and gasping for air. Seeing him, Abigail was thrown into confusion.

Even though part of his body had transformed like a demon due to being the 'Demon King', his eyes were still those of 'Eulsis'. Abigail caught her reflection in those eyes.

A vision of herself crying. She vaguely guessed Eulsis's fate.

If 'Kikubad' somehow won, he could buy some time. With that thought, she turned her head in the direction he was fighting.

Klak──!

Then, a scene of a sword striking down entered Abigail's eyes. The one standing was Yulian, which meant Kikubad was dead.

"Eek! Eek...!"

Her eyes met Yulian's. While he wore a smile, there was a chilling indifference to his demeanor.

Such a figure was walking slowly toward her, clutching a gleaming sword.

Clacky's Corner:

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