NOVEL NEXT Chapter 31
— 1 hour later —
Eugene, Yuffie, and I had come to a vast arena, much larger than the practice grounds we usually used, for our duel. The arena served both as a tournament and a duel ground. Hundreds of students had gathered as spectators, but most of them were cheering for Eugene and Yuffie. I keenly felt like the away team in a sports match. My anger helped me not mind it too much, though.
Back in the classroom, a teacher had arrived with some students and quickly allowed the duel, ignoring my side of the story completely. Even the teacher regarded me with disdain.
Everyone believed in my guilt without questioning it. After all, I was known as a dropout, and I was pitted against Eugene, the top-ranked student, and Yuffie, who ranked third among the second-year students. Just by the numbers, my disadvantage was obvious. Adding a 2-on-1 handicap made it seem impossible for me to win, and it was only natural for everyone to think that way.
I had hidden my true abilities all this time, and my past behavior of playing the fool had also contributed to the negative perception of me. Though it had been instigated by Mea’s words, ultimately, it was my own actions. I had no intention of complaining about it now.
Besides, —
“Are you sure about this, Jin?! They’re both super strong!”
“Yeah, Jin-san! It’s already tough facing one of them, and now you’re taking them on at the same time! It’s too dangerous!”
I had friends who genuinely worried about me.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got this. I promise I won’t get a scratch…”
And then…
“I’m really sorry… It’s all my fault for telling you to hide your powers…”
My beloved Mea looked so apologetic as she spoke. I immediately raised my head.
“No, it’s not your fault at all! She’s just holding a grudge because I broke off our engagement.”
Well, I had a feeling that Eugene had set up this duel, not Yuffie. If it were Yuffie, she would have schemed something far more sinister.
“Besides, Mea, you know how strong I am, right? Those guys are a piece of cake, so just watch and relax.”
“Well… yes, that’s true. Jin-sama, you’ll be fine for sure. Do your best.”
My crush… no, the person I loved, was cheering me on right in front of me. As long as I had that, I could overcome anything.
“Ah… watch my triumphant moment.”
With a heart full of burning anger, I stepped onto the stage.
–
“Oh, how lovely of you to come! I thought you’d run away like a coward…”
“Why should I run from a fight? You still lack a brain.”
“What?! Did you just insult me? No matter how much you grovel for forgiveness later, I won’t forgive you!”
“Do as you please. The day I apologize to you will never come.”
I shifted my gaze from Yuffie to Eugene, who seemed to be the mastermind behind all of this. He wore the same confident smile as during the ranking battle.
“I believed Jin would come,” he said.
“I didn’t need your trust. But… why did you challenge me to a duel? I should have done nothing to you, right?”
Unexpectedly, he replied with a reason I didn’t anticipate.
“I thought you were in the way.”
“What? Why?”
I asked, and his usual confident smile vanished, replaced by a creepy, lustful grin.
“I… I wanted your maid, Mea!”
“Huh?”
“Certainly, Aria and Sophia are beautiful… but I’m bored of them. But her – Mea – she’s different! No matter how much I played, I could never take her away from you! But this is reality! If I kill you here, she’ll have nowhere else to go. Even if she resists at first, I can make her my maid by force, and then I can have my way with her as I please! Ah… I can’t wait to see what kind of expressions that cool girl will make under me… I’m so excited right now! So… I’ll have you die here.”
With a murderous intent, Eugene, wielding a formidable-looking sword – a light sword – spoke these words. Yuffie, with a twisted smile, brandished a slim rapier.
Relieved, I watched them. It felt like I could break as much as I wanted without a shred of guilt.
“Now then… let the match begin!”
At the signal of the female referee, Eugene and Yuffie activated [Body Enhancement] without chanting and closed in on me.
“Dieeeee!”
“Lie helpless on the ground!”
Eugene and Yufi’s swords were about to sever my neck and torso…
“―――[Time Acceleration] [Water Chains] – too slow.”
Without any problem, I easily dodged their attacks and used my magic to immobilize them.
Of course, the two who thought the game was settled with my previous response were shocked.
“What!? Th-This is… Jin… you!! How dare you—”
“Kuh… Release me!! Or else—”
“―――Silence.”
With my words infused with mana, their voices ceased.
Not only that, but the cheering of the spectators also stopped, and they froze as if they didn’t understand what was happening. But that didn’t matter.
“―――[Unseal].”
*Crack!!*
“What!?!!”
I unleashed the mana I had sealed until now.
In an instant, a surge of mana surged around me, and the two who were caught in that immense power showed even more astonished expressions.
“I won’t forgive you for targeting someone I care about. Prepare yourselves!”
With just those words, the two of them turned pale, trembling in fear. There was no fighting spirit left in their eyes, only terror at the overwhelming power of the anger they had provoked, greater than anything they had ever encountered.
As I took a step closer, they both pleaded,
“S-Stop… D-Don’t come any closer!”
“N-No, stay away!”
They were now both quaking in fear, their faces contorted in desperation.
Or rather, I should correct myself. They were not just quaking; they were spewing bodily fluids all over the place. As a result, the area around them had turned into a gruesome scene.
However, the situation seemed to have crossed a dangerous line, as a female student, sensing the peril, rushed in to intervene despite the rules of the duel, with her magic already activated.
Damn… This is getting really frustrating!
“Wait!! Don’t go any further—”
“You’re in the way! Don’t come any closer! [Divine Barrier], [Reflection Barrier: Refraction], [Multi-Element Spear: Rain]!”
Without even looking at the female student, I activated barrier magic to contain her and prevent her from interfering. I also summoned hundreds of magical spears of various elements to protect myself and prevent other teachers and students from interfering.
“All of you, too! If you interfere with this duel, consider your lives forfeit!”
I advanced to confront the two of them, ignoring the terrified onlookers, and flashed a confident smile.
“Despite the interruptions… it’s time for judgment.”
To ensure that they could never harm Mea again…
I was prepared to utterly destroy them.
“At this moment… [Hell Creation] …”
And in that instant, the scenery transformed.