Reincarnated As A First Rate Villain: I Don't Know How To Play My Role

Lucien sat cross-legged on the cushioned floor of the training lounge, his back straight as he held the book Knight Rex had handed him. The pages were filled with intricate diagrams, detailed explanations, and precise annotations on the basics of aura—its generation, control, and projection. The content was dense, far more elaborate than what Lucien had seen in the Velebrandt library, and the overwhelming technical language made him feel a bit out of his depth.

Knight Rex, standing at the front of the room, watched Lucien as he flipped through the pages. His piercing gaze never wavered, always sharp, always calculating. For someone like Lucien, who had grown accustomed to learning through practice and sparring, the dense academic nature of the material felt like a wall to climb.

"Do you understand so far?" Rex's voice broke the silence, low and steady.

Lucien looked up from the book, his brow furrowed as he tried to digest the textbook knowledge. "Yes, I think so... but it's... much more detailed than I expected. A lot more complicated than the other book I read."

Rex nodded, a slight, approving smile tugging at his lips. "Aura is not something you can simply pick up from reading. It requires deep understanding, not just of how it works, but of its limitations. The theory is as important as the practice. And it is not something to be learned in a day. You'll be immersed in it for years."

Lucien nodded slowly, still turning the pages, trying to keep up with the dense explanations. He could already feel his mind starting to feel foggy from all the new concepts. The book laid out three main fundamentals: generation, control, and projection.

Generation was the first stage, the ability to summon and channel aura. Control, the next step, focused on manipulating it once it was summoned, allowing an aura user to direct it within their own body, making it a tool for defense, healing, or strengthening. Finally, projection—the art of pushing aura beyond the body, whether to fortify weapons, heal others, or manifest protective fields.

"Now, enough reading," Knight Rex interrupted, sensing the confusion in Lucien's eyes. "Let me show you."

Lucien snapped out of his thoughts as he looked at Rex, his focus now fully on the man before him. Rex had always been a quiet, methodical teacher. Today, however, there was a palpable energy about him as he stepped toward a set of training equipment in the far corner of the room.

Lucien stood, following Rex with a mixture of curiosity and excitement. As they walked, Lucien's gaze swept across the vast space—an arena of sorts, one that spanned wider than any training room he had seen. The long running track in the middle felt almost out of place, surrounded by walls lined with shelves, each holding various training tools, books, and manuals.

At the far end of the room stood an iron dummy—larger than any he had encountered during his previous practice. Its body was a simple frame of metal, shaped to resemble a human figure, and it stood ominously still.

Rex walked over to a nearby rack, pulling out a wooden sword with practiced ease. Lucien watched intently as Rex inspected the weapon, giving it a firm swing through the air to test its weight before turning toward him.

"This is where you'll begin," Rex said, his voice low but firm. He glanced at Lucien, his expression unreadable. "Aura generation. The first and most important skill any aura user must master."

Lucien stood silently, his heart thumping in his chest. This was it. His first real practical lesson in aura, not just the theory in a book.

"Watch carefully," Rex continued, raising the wooden sword in his hands. "I will show you how to generate aura in its most basic form."

With that, Rex raised his hand and extended his fingers, palm open. Lucien's eyes widened as a faint glow began to form around Rex's hand—a soft, ethereal blue light that pulsed like a heartbeat. Slowly, the light expanded, swirling around the wooden sword. Within seconds, the aura had completely enveloped the blade, and Rex swung it through the air with fluid precision.

The wood of the sword didn't seem any different, but Lucien could feel it—the surge of energy, the subtle crackle of the aura extending from the weapon. It wasn't just an extension of Rex's arm; it was a part of him, an invisible force flowing through the sword. The aura seemed to enhance the weapon, giving it strength and power beyond its humble construction.

"This," Rex said, "is how generation works. You bring forth the aura from within yourself and direct it into an object. In this case, the sword." He gave the wooden sword another strike through the air. The energy hummed, amplifying the impact and making the air vibrate.

Lucien's eyes widened. "So… this is generation?"

Rex nodded, his eyes never leaving the glowing sword. "Yes. But it's not just about enhancing objects. The real power lies in the ability to generate aura freely within your own body, to bolster your physical abilities."

Lucien's mind raced with the implications. This was nothing like the exercises he had done with his sword. He had trained his body to react quickly, to develop muscle memory. But this, this was something else entirely. Aura could transcend the body's natural limits. It could make the ordinary extraordinary.

Knight Rex turned, looking at Lucien. "Now, your turn."

Lucien blinked. "What?"

"Your turn. Try it. Focus on your core and imagine your aura rising. Bring it out."

Lucien stared at the wooden sword in Rex's hand and then back at Rex's expectant gaze. He swallowed, standing tall and trying to calm his breath. His mother had always taught him the importance of focus in magic, and the same would surely apply here.

Taking a deep breath, Lucien tried to concentrate, closing his eyes for a moment. His mind swirled with images of energy—his own energy, glowing like the light in Rex's demonstration. He tried to summon it, to feel it stir within him. At first, nothing. Then, a faint warmth near his chest, just below his ribcage. He focused on it, willing it to rise up through his body.

But nothing happened. His body felt heavy. There was no force pushing outward.

"Try harder," Rex's voice cut through his concentration.

Lucien gritted his teeth, focusing harder, but it felt as if something inside him was blocking the flow. He could almost feel it, but not quite.

"Focus on your heartbeat," Rex said, seeing Lucien struggle. "Let it sync with the flow of your aura. Feel the pulse."

Lucien's brow furrowed, but he nodded, taking the advice to heart. Slowly, his focus sharpened again, aligning with his breathing. A slight hum tickled the back of his mind, and finally, there it was—an almost imperceptible pulse, like a low hum of electricity within his chest.

Lucien opened his eyes, his heart racing with excitement. "I think… I think I felt it."

Rex nodded. "Good. That's the beginning. But you'll need more than just the feeling. Aura isn't about willpower alone. It's about understanding the flow of energy within you. You must learn to guide it with precision and control."

Lucien exhaled, feeling both relieved and overwhelmed.

_______________

Time flowed like a gentle stream in the silent chamber, broken only by the steady rhythm of Knight Rex's deep voice. He stood beside Lucien, patient and unhurried, like a mountain carved by wind and time. The lessons so far had been dense yet fascinating—concepts layered upon other concepts, each branching into variations and intricacies.

Lucien tried his best to absorb everything. He sat with legs tucked beneath him on the padded floor, his posture attentive but his mind slightly fogged with the effort of focusing. Sweat dotted his brow—not from exertion, but from the mental strain of repeatedly attempting to summon and guide the inner flow of aura.

Rex noticed the subtle fatigue behind his young master's calm expression. "You're doing better than most first-timers," he remarked quietly. "Your natural affinity is there. What you lack is finesse. But that will come in time."

Lucien, breathing slowly, managed a small nod. "Thanks... I think I'm starting to feel the pulse. Just barely."

"Good. That pulse is your root. It connects all aura movement. Once you feel it instinctively, you'll understand how to bend it to your will."

Lucien gave a small exhale, then lifted his head with a curious expression. "Knight Rex?"

Rex stopped mid-explanation and looked down at him. "Yes?"

Lucien wiped the back of his hand across his forehead and asked, "Can you show me? I mean... what aura really looks like when it's used properly? A demonstration, even just a little?"

There was a pause. Rex didn't answer right away.

The silence in the chamber hung thick for a few heartbeats before Rex finally gave a low hum of consideration. His gaze drifted toward the iron training dummy standing motionless at the far end of the track. He narrowed his eyes slightly, then looked back at Lucien.

"It's not a bad idea," he admitted. "Seeing it in action may help you understand the difference between theory and application. Motivation is just as important as discipline."

Lucien straightened, a flicker of anticipation igniting in his chest.

Reaching a stand nearby, Rex selected a wooden sword from a rack. The blade was simple—smooth, aged wood reinforced along the spine with soft enchantments to keep it from splintering during practice. He gave it a quick once-over, testing the weight with a single flick of his wrist before turning toward the dummy.

"First, no aura," Rex said calmly. "Just raw strength. Watch carefully."

He didn't bother to shift into any sort of formal stance. Instead, he took a relaxed position, holding the sword loosely in one hand like a child might hold a stick. Then, without warning, he swung.

The sound that followed was immediate and explosive.

BOOM.

A shockwave burst from the point of contact, and the air around them trembled. A gust of displaced wind whooshed past Lucien's ears, tousling his silver hair. The impact echoed across the dome-like space, only to be quickly muffled and absorbed by the subtle enchantments woven into the chamber walls. The very air seemed to ripple with aftershocks.

And yet… the dummy didn't move.

Not a scratch. Not a dent. It stood as still and indifferent as ever.

Lucien's mouth hung open slightly. "That was… without aura?"

Rex nodded. "Yes. That was physical force alone. The dummy is designed to withstand blows from C-rank knights. Its body is forged with refined mithril alloy and reinforced with binding enchantments."

Lucien didn't know which detail stunned him more—Rex's casual power, the enchanted training dummy, or the realization that all of that hadn't even involved aura.

Rex stepped back and rolled his shoulders with ease. "Now, observe the difference."

His tone deepened as he shifted into a more deliberate posture. Lucien instinctively stood a few paces farther back.

Without a word, Rex extended his aura.

A soft, dark-blue light shimmered to life around his body. It didn't flare or crackle like fire—it flowed, slow and steady, like a still river concealing unmeasurable depth. The aura clung to him like a cloak of translucent flame, wrapping around his limbs and suffusing into the sword in his hand.

Lucien watched, captivated. He could feel it even from here—the weight of Rex's presence had suddenly doubled, a silent pressure filling the room like unseen gravity.

The wooden sword in Rex's grip now glowed with the same ethereal blue. It didn't look like an ordinary weapon anymore. It looked alive.

"Compare this next swing," Rex said. "Same stance. Same strike. Only difference—one thing added: aura."

Lucien didn't respond. He couldn't. He could only nod, frozen in anticipation.

Rex moved.

The swing came as swiftly as the first—simple, clean, elegant in its lack of flourish.

BOOOOOOM.

The explosion of force was deafening, even with the enchanted walls suppressing the noise. A tidal gust of wind crashed outward from the point of impact, powerful enough that Lucien had to take a step back and brace his feet. The air around them howled as if protesting the unnatural surge of power.

Even so, the dummy still stood.

But unlike before, faint white cracks now traced the surface of its chestplate—spiderweb fractures formed from a blow that had bypassed the enchantments and rattled the very core of the iron figure.

Lucien's eyes widened, his heart pounding.

"That... was just a slight use?" he mumbled, more to himself than to anyone else.

Rex dispelled his aura with a breath, the light fading from his limbs like the last flicker of a dying lantern. "That was a modest application," he said. "What I just used was less than ten percent of my full strength. A beginner's sample."

Lucien swallowed hard, unable to hide the mix of awe and disbelief that danced across his face. That kind of power—wielded so casually—was terrifying. And to think, it had been just a demonstration.

Rex glanced down at Lucien. "That is the difference. Aura is not just a tool. It is a force multiplier. When mastered, even a blade of grass in your hand can cut through steel."

Lucien was silent for a moment.

Then he straightened, tightening his grip on the wooden training sword in his hand. A new weight settled in his chest—not fear, but resolve.

"I want to reach that level," he said quietly.

Rex gave him a slight nod, something close to approval glinting in his eyes. "Then let's get back to work."