I’m a villain within the hero’s party

The day of the Combat Exam had finally arrived. Scheduled early in the morning, the academy grounds buzzed with anticipation.

The grand arena was packed, merchants, students, mages, and professors filled the thousands of seats, their voices blending into a low hum of excitement. This wasn't just an exam; it was a spectacle, a scouting ground for future representatives of the academy.

At the center of the arena, the elite Class One students stood ready for their one-on-one duels. The first match was about to begin: Jin Claye vs. Claude Smith.

They are wearing their school uniforms. The two students stepped into the center of the arena, facing each other with focused eyes and steady breaths.

Most of the girls cheered for Jin and begging his attention to look in their way.

Professor Ava stood between them and declared,

"You are allowed to use any techniques and magic. However, intentional killing is strictly prohibited.

Any action that causes a fatal injury will result in immediate disqualification and disciplinary action.

A match is won by incapacitating your opponent, forcing them to surrender, or being declared the winner by the overseeing professor.

If neither of you yields or is incapacitated within the time limit, the match will be judged based on technique, control, and effectiveness."

She stepped back, raising her hand.

Jin and Claude bowed to each other in perfect sync, their movements was sharp and respectful.

Professor Ava, standing between them, raised her hand and declared firmly, "You may begin."

The crowd was quiet, holding their breath in anticipation.

Jin stepped forward, revealing his weapon, a metal staff.

In perfect sync, Jin and Claude released their power.

A surge of deep purple mana erupted from Jin, swirling around him. At the same time, Claude's white aura flared to life, cold, sharp, and focused.

The two forces collided in the center of the arena without either of them moving. The ground trembled. Dust lifted. The air between them shimmered with pressure.

The crowd leaned forward, breathless.

Their mana and aura clashed like opposing tides, neither giving way, neither overpowering the other.

Gasps echoed through the arena.

"Overdrive," Jin said calmly.

In an instant, five glowing magic circles appeared around him, each one pulsing with a different color and unique pattern.

Claude didn't waste a second. He raised his hand, and ten daggers floated into the air. Each dagger was connected to his fingers by thin threads.

Claude smirked slightly and said, "Please, don't die, Jin."

Without hesitation, the ten daggers shot forward, fast and unpredictable, slicing through the air at sharp angles. The crowd gasped as the blades closed in with deadly precision.

But Jin was ready.

With swift, practiced movements, he spun his metal staff, deflecting each dagger one by one. Sparks flew as steel met steel, his defense fluid and precise.

The crowd erupted in cheers.

Gabby thought to himself, "Jin had reached fifth magic core in a span of three months. But Claude is not an easy opponent, an assassin who specialized dagger manipulation is a real threat, and like me, he is also a third core aura user."

The moment Claude's daggers were deflected, Jin surged forward.

Claude's eyes narrowed, "He's fast."

Jin's eyes also narrowed, "He's strong."

The daggers whipped back toward Jin, controlled by Claude's fingers like a deadly puppet master. But Jin didn't slow down. He ducked under one blade, twisted past another, and spun his staff to deflect the rest with precise, fluid movements.

The crowd erupted in cheers as Jin closed the distance in a blink.

Claude leapt back, trying to regain space, but Jin was already there, his staff crashing down into a heavy arc. Claude barely blocked it with two daggers crossed in front of him, the impact sending a shock through his arms.

Claude's expression didn't change. His eyes, sharp and unreadable, tracked Jin's every movement. The daggers hovered in the air again.

Jin moved fast, enhanced by layered speed and reflex enchantments. His staff struck out in a wide arc, aiming to break Claude's control early.

But Claude didn't flinch.

With a flick of his fingers, the thread tightened, and the daggers danced twisting midair, weaving around Jin's strikes with unnatural grace. One dagger curved low, aiming for Jin's ankle. Another came from above, silent and fast.

Jin's staff spun, deflecting both with precise timing. Sparks flew.

But it was a trap.

Claude's fingers twitched subtly, and with a slight pull, the threads snapped into motion. The daggers that had been scattered earlier weren't random; they were perfectly placed. In an instant, the threads tightened, forming a deadly web meant to strangle Jin from all sides.

The crowd gasped as the trap closed in.

But Jin wasn't a fool.

As if he had anticipated Claude's plan, his body twisted mid-air with inhuman precision. Boosted by his speed and reflex enchantments, he narrowly avoided the tightening threads, slipping just outside their lethal range.

However, not everything escaped.

His metal staff, caught in the web of threads, was yanked from his grip and suspended mid-air, trapped and useless.

Jin landed lightly, eyes locked on Claude. He was now unarmed, but his stance didn't waver.

Jin casually rolled his neck, the faint hum of mana still pulsing around him. His eyes locked onto Claude's with calm intensity.

"Time to end this, Claude. What do you think?" he said, his voice steady, almost bored.

Claude's fingers twitched slightly, the threads still taut in the air. He narrowed his eyes, studying Jin's stance.

Claude thought, "He's a mage yet he fights like a seasoned warrior. Every move is calculated. Every reaction, precise. It's like I'm facing a veteran swordsman, not a spellcaster. Even my traps don't work on him."

A grin slowly formed on Claude's lips he replied, "You're right. This time, I won't hold back."

Jin uttered, "Ulti--drive."

Everyone witnessed something that a grandmaster can perform. A multi-layered magic was being cast on himself. His body is now surrounded by a storm of purple mana, crackling with arcs of lightning-like energy.

He thought to himself, "This ability burns an insane amount of Mana. I wanted to use this magic against Gabby, but Claude is also strong in his own suit."

Meanwhile, Claude's eyes narrowed, his calm demeanor sharpening into something far more dangerous.

"Amazing," he thought, watching the storm of purple mana swirl around Jin.

Then, with a voice as cold as steel, he spoke, "Scorpio, Zodiac Sword style, First Form: Sting of Silence."

The atmosphere shifted instantly.

A chilling pressure swept across the arena. Claude's white aura condensed, taking on the shape of a scorpion's silhouette, its legs, pincers, and tail formed by the swirling motion of his thread bound daggers.

He raised one hand slowly, meeting the tip of a hovering dagger with his point finger. The blade trembled slightly, as if responding to his will.

The daggers began to orbit him in a precise, deadly rhythm. The threads shimmered faintly, forming the illusion of scorpion limbs, pincer and sting, each movement calculated, each angle lethal.

Claude's long hair flowed in the wind, stirred by the force of the daggers. His beautiful red eyes shimmered under the light, calm yet sharp. A beauty that could kill.

The crowd fell silent, stunned by the transformation. Few had ever seen a Zodiac Sword Art in action. Let alone one as refined and deadly as Scorpio.

Scorpio Swordsmanship, one of the Twelve Zodiac Art styles, whispered through the minds of the professors and senior students.

No one had known Claude was a wielder of such a rare and feared technique. To reveal it in a mere practical exam meant only one thing.

He was serious about crushing Jin.

Jin blurred forward as he launched his attack, a confident smile on his face—only to be met by the gleam of Claude's dagger, equally ready.

But before either could land their blows, a powerful force interrupted them.

The East's Strongest Sword stepped in, fury in his eyes.

Professor Ava's voice rang out, sharp and unimpressed:

"These kids are seriously trying to kill each other. This is the end of your practical exam."

Both fighters froze mid-charge, their eyes locked as they recognized each other's strength.

At the same time, they let go of their aura and mana, and the powerful energy around them slowly faded away.

With matching cocky grins, Jin and Claude said in unison, "You're lucky."

"BOOOO!"

The crowd erupted in disappointment. They had been on the edge of their seats, eager to witness the climax of the duel between the top two ranks of the trial. The fight had been evenly matched, neither was wounded and neither backing down.

But this moment gave the Junior Elite Class something to think about.

Even though the fight was stopped, it was clear: Jin and Claude were two of the strongest students this year. Their speed, power, and control impressed everyone.

Soon, whispers spread through the crowd.

Many students who once thought about challenging them started to change their minds. Fighting Jin or Claude no longer looked like a chance to shine, it looked like a quick way to lose.