The Third-Rate Academy Villain Who Refuses to Become a Beggar

If he didn't win, there would be no future. For the peace of the continent, and even to survive, Aint had to behead the demon and emerge alive.

<Have you forgotten your resolve from last time?>

<You've always fought against enemies stronger than you. Yet, you're the one who's still alive!>

<I'll help you. Behead that disgusting demon and show the world that Armian is still strong!>

Grip! Aint's hand holding the sword tightened.

Gardner was right. This wasn't a question of whether he could win or not. It was a battle he had to win.

There was no hope in running away.

"Unpleasant, utterly unpleasant."

The demonic energy intensified. In response, Aint also activated his aura. Brilliant light opposed the darkness.

"Indeed, the Armian folk have no reason to exist in this world."

It was at that moment.

—!

——!

—!

As magic circles activated, a massive whirlpool of mana surged. Bright light beams flashed like fireworks.

They were over dozens of magic spells.

Lightning struck, flames flickered, and spears of ice and earth were shot.

They all pounced on Andromalius at once.

"Pathetic."

None of them seemed to reach Andromalius.

Or so they thought.

"...Kugh?"

Andromalius let out a short scream. Hissss, acrid smoke was rising from his entire body.

<What is that? Is it decomposing the demonic energy?>

Something hidden within the magic was decomposing the demonic energy, breaking through and effectively striking Andromalius.

"...Who on earth?"

"Aint!"

At that moment, a call for him was heard.

"Senior Luina? Ariadne?"

"Aint."

"Hello, Aint! Veriana is here too?"

"Why are you here? What's happening...!"

"It's a long story. We don't have the luxury of time now."

Luina stood beside Aint. Ariadne held her staff behind them.

"For now, that demon, Andromalius, is the priority."

"...That's true."

<Not bad. With these people, especially Luina Berchef, they will be considerable help!>

Aint felt his heart ease. It was the difference between shouldering everything alone and having companions.

"Let's attack first before he regains his senses."

"But what was that? Did you do it, Senior?"

"It was Gerhard."

"...Is Senior Gerhard here too?"

Now that he thought about it. Aint belatedly realized that Veriana had come to see Gerhard.

"This damned creature...!"

But the conversation couldn't continue any longer. The enraged Andromalius began to move.

Boom! The wall of rock that had risen collapsed in an instant. No one was unaware of what this phenomenon meant.

"Senior Gerhard is in danger!"

<Go save your patron immediately!>

The aura activates. It boasts an even more brilliant presence along the first Emperor's sword.

Aint became a flash of light and charged. Like a galloping horse, he compressed the distance in an instant.

There was no room to gauge this or that.

Full power from the start.

However they did it, the vulnerabilities exposed thanks to Gerhard were a good opportunity.

——!

Sword and hand collide.

The shockwave spread. Shattered demonic energy and light aura scatter in all directions.

It was much more manageable than the initial collision. Whether the reason was Gardner's help or Gerhard's help didn't matter.

Aint's sword strike falls upon Andromalius.

—!

Andromalius's body is slammed into the ground. The earth shakes, and fragments of rock bounce up.

Aint, who has twisted his body in mid-air, draws his sword in the air.

The concentrated beam of light becomes a flash and falls vertically.

—!

A massive explosion occurs. Aint, who has closely followed, swings his sword repeatedly.

"No matter when I feel it, it's always unpleasantly repulsive...!"

But Andromalius remained intact. With an angry roar, his entire body is stained black.

—!

Aint's body is thrown back even faster than when he was descending.

Andromalius follows closely.

Even as he couldn't properly control his body due to the shock, Aint raised his sword. Fists pour down like a waterfall.

"That sword. That damned sword! It's that chilling and disgusting sword from back then! Garbage that should disappear from this world!"

The sacred nature of the sword was eating away at the demonic energy, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Aint was enduring thanks to it.

But even that had its limits.

A streak of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth due to his battered internal organs.

At that moment.

—!

Another sword intervened. It ambushes the demon, who was focusing all his attention on Aint.

Andromalius screams. Black blood stained the tip of the sword that pierced his weakened back.

"You worm of a woman...!"

"Foul-mouthed, as a demon should be."

The owner of the sword, Luina, catches her breath.

Swish, as the wind of the hiding elf pounces on the demon, it hits the ground.

Clang, sword and hand collide.

Slash, the sword flows along the arm and cuts the demon's chest.

Or rather, it seemed to cut.

—!

A small shadow that popped out blocked Luina's sword.

It was a snake.

The black snake that Andromalius had wrapped around his right hand.

"Fine. I acknowledge that I've underestimated you too much."

A chilling bloodlust weighs down heavily.

"To think I have to give my best against worms. Such humiliation wouldn't have occurred in hell...!"

Crunch, Andromalius's face distorted fiercely.

"Rejoice. I'll make sure you're not really dead even after you die..."

The storm poured down like blades. Another knight, who had been terrified, pushed away his fear and delivered a sword strike.

"You worms dare to interrupt my words...!"

Veriana screamed and was thrown back.

"Well done! Ariadne, Veriana!"

Following that, the two knights struck successively.

Sword and hand collide, sword and snake collide.

Darkness and light, demonic energy and aura express their presence while eating away at each other.

The coordination between Aint and Luina was like comrades who had entrusted their backs to each other for a long time.

They filled each other's gaps and struck at the demon's vulnerabilities.

The winds that flew appropriately added vigor to them.

Nevertheless, Andromalius was not easy to deal with.

"How dare...!"

He opens his mouth and spews demonic energy.

Extremely compressed demonic energy directly hits Aint. Though he blocked it, he couldn't withstand the shock and stepped back.

The snake follows, blocking Aint's movement.

Luina, who was targeting the demon's back, is astonished by the grotesquely twisted body that avoids her sword.

Crunch, enduring the rupturing of muscles, she forcibly changes course and penetrates the side.

"You damned woman!"

Clang-

But immediately after, a heavy fist breaks through the aura and dents the armor. Luina's body flies far away.

"Pathetic."

The wind tries to restrain the demon, but dozens of demonic energies pour down like fireballs with a lightly flicked finger.

Along with an explosion, Ariadne's scream was heard.

"Cursed bloodline of Armian. Now there's no one to help you."

The snake returns to Andromalius's right arm. Instead, a spear of demonic energy pounces on Aint.

Amidst this, once again, a fist falls.

"I've been waiting for this moment for a long time."

In the face of overwhelming power and demonic energy, the aura was gradually losing its light.

"The moment of wiping out the seed of that cursed one."

The aura is crushed, and the armor is smashed.

"He will spit blood in the afterlife. After a thousand years, we will ultimately be the victors."

"...I won't let that happen!"

"You won't let that happen?"

Bang!

Aint's body staggered.

"Do you think you can defeat me relying on that meager sword?"

Bang!

A thick foot trampled on the fallen Aint.

"Yes, perhaps, as he said, if I had delayed more, I might not have been able to defeat you in this state."

But everything is retrospective.

"From now on, I'll wipe out everything bearing the name Armian..."

——!

Andromalius was thrown back.

"...Quite persistent."

After rolling on the ground once, he straightened his posture.

"I highly commend your spirit. That you can still have such a look in your eyes when facing me."

He expressed admiration for the eyes that didn't die even though they were wearing broken armor and bleeding all over.

"Aint Armian."

It was Luina.

With a pale complexion, she blocked Aint's view.

"I'll somehow draw his attention. You watch for an opportunity and stab his heart."

The demon is strong. But if asked whether it's absolutely unbeatable, the answer was no.

"My sword was effective."

Her sword had wounded Andromalius. Twice, in fact.

"Then your sword would be even more fatal."

Since the Armian sword is the natural enemy of demons.

"So I'll pull him in. Aim for the vulnerable spot, aim for the vital point."

It was the only way to victory, and Aint was more suitable for that role than Luina.

"I should..."

Aint's eyes wavered.

Luina's condition was abnormal to anyone's eyes. Drawing attention in this situation was no different from sacrificing one's life.

"Set aside personal feelings. As things stand, we'll all die."

Either they defeat the demon, or they fall. It was one or the other.

"And I am a knight. Though I don't have a lord to serve at the moment."

This empire, this world could be considered her lord.

A knight.

"Does not flee, leaving the lord behind."

Does not overlook the empire being destroyed by a demon.

A knight.

"Does not die after the lord."

There's no meaning in living if the empire collapses. So they do their utmost to prevent it.

That is.

"My chivalry."

And this method is the only way to protect the empire.

Luina's hand holding the sword tightened.

"Remember, Aint."

There's only one chance.

Luina was about to charge towards the demon, Andromalius...

"No."

Someone abruptly blocked Luina's view.

"I can't allow you to go, Luina."

By whose decision.

"...Gerhard?"

Gerhard's eyes were wild.

"After all I've done to get here."

After all the effort I've made to stop that damned creature. After all the money I've spent.

Do you think I'd let the future unfold exactly as the prophecy book showed?

"Watch, Luina."

Crack crack crack-

Space split open.

"This is."

A giant hand popped out.

"Something that has never existed before and will never exist again."

Following that, shoulders, torso, and legs revealed themselves to the world.

"An ego golem."

A giant steel giant carrying its master on its shoulder entered the battlefield.

Gwoooooo-

The golem roared.