Playing the Perfect Fox-Eyed Villain Chapter 182

Episode 182. Overtime (2)

Krrrrrr, bang──!

Once again lightning illuminates the world.

Through the gap, you can see Claude and Yurian exchanging swords.

'……fast.'

In the midst of heavy rain, it is difficult to even keep track of the sight.

The only way you know they're fighting is because of the sparks that fly when metal meets metal.

Although the bloodstains are not visible because they were washed away by the rain, the glass is covered with large cuts and wounds here and there.

'Still… …overwhelming.'

Right now, the upper hand is clearly in Yurian's hands.

Every time his sword touched, Claude's body shook violently.

'but…….'

The problem is Yurian's physical condition.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that the tragedy was so tragic that it seemed like the dead had come back to life.

His current condition could be described as a 'walking corpse'.

“Huh, huh huh……!”

But somehow… it didn’t seem like it would work.

Yurian, who was laughing as if possessed, seemed to be enjoying this situation that had pushed him to the limit.

‘Then, what I can do now is… … .’

Raising his head slightly, Lazrot's eyes caught the sight of Dantes trembling in fear.

Kang──!

“Huh, huh……!”

Through the lightning, as Yulian's face appears, Dantes can also be seen taking a deep breath.

'Run away!'

That kind of thinking is obvious.

Dantes began to move his body, as if he had no time to think of anything else.

Even though it was washed away by the rain, the blood stuck to Yurian's face made him look like a demon.

It may be scary, but now is not the time to express or even think about such feelings.

'What you can do now.'

Lazrot got up from his seat and started chasing Dantes.

***

Claude looked at the hand holding the sword.

'Is this the power of a dying man?'

Jerit.

The aftermath of a terrible shock felt in the hand.

It feels like knocking on a wall and the attacks keep poking at your weak points.

In the process, Claude clearly felt that his abilities were lacking.

But his eyes narrow as he looks at Yurian.

'The situation is strange.'

I'm not talking about physical condition.

To be precise, Yulian's state of mind or spirit.

His somewhat excited aura was clearly different from his usual calm demeanor.

'No, it must be my imagination.'

More importantly, there is a strange energy that Yurian is holding right now.

Surely, there must be a fragment of 'Dark Iron' in that guy's mana blood.

But what is this 'mana' that surrounds that body?

“Should I say that you’re really amazing? In the mana blood. There must be a ‘fragment’ in the main blood vessel, but you’re handling mana so well.”

No matter how good a magician is at mana management, he cannot overcome this wound in one day.

Even for the great archmage 'Flugel', theoretically it would be impossible.

But laugh at it.

“Is this it?”

Yurian easily revealed a glimpse of the 'impossible'.

“What is that……!?”

In Yurian's body, or more precisely in his blood vessels called 'major veins', something like a pitch-black shadow was flowing.

When Claude saw it with his own eyes, he couldn't help but laugh out loud in disbelief.

'That energy surrounding my body wasn't mana!'

To be exact, it is a mixture of ‘mana’ and ‘magic.’

It is an energy source whose name cannot be precisely defined.

“So then, you’re saying that the black shadow that popped out then was a ‘demon’!?”

“Haha.”

Instead of answering, a hearty laugh escaped Yurian's lips.

“He wasn’t usually crazy.”

Raising a demon is not an ordinary thing.

Even replacing the 'Mana Blood' damaged by the 'Demon' is something that goes far beyond the realm of common sense.

'When humans are exposed to magic, their bodies become corrupted or their minds become abnormal.'

So, is the cat-like feeling Yurian is seeing now a mental contamination caused by ‘magic’?

'Whatever it is.'

It's not a big deal to defeat an opponent you've defeated once again.

In fact, it is a situation where there is no need to compete.

'This side just has to run away.'

Dantes was already out, and judging by the movement he was making, he must be heading towards the carriage.

Even if Yurian, who looks like a corpse, has the upper hand in 'battle', 'pursuit' will be impossible.

But then a change of heart struck.

'I want to try breaking it.'

If you won once, you can do it twice.

Just like the other day, if Yurian is defeated now, he will be able to tarnish the name of the 'Sword Saint', which is a hotbed of knights he detests and a symbol of his admiration.

He is the disciple of the Black Swordsman and a dirty royal dog. If he can just deal with him, he will be one step closer to achieving his desired ideals.

Kwak.

As the thought crossed his mind, Claude checked his numb hands once more.

'By the way, I guess we shouldn't fight head-on.'

Slowly, Claude began to infuse mana into his 'Dark Iron Sword'.

While his special ability, 'Fragment Coagulation', was further coagulating and hardening the sword.

'hmm……?'

The raindrops became weaker and then stopped.

At the same time, the 'moonlight' that had been floating softly like a firefly disappeared.

'Moonlight Sword.'

The name 'Moonlight', which is the unique aura that Yurian possesses, is given because the reflection caused by the rotation of the aura multiple times looks like 'moonlight'.

'Do you not have enough mana to maintain your own aura?'

no.

'Yurien's' sword was clearly made of 'moonstone', so it would have always had a soft moonlight glow.

Right now it's like.

'It looks like a lunar eclipse.'

That doesn't mean that the essence of the 'unique aura' that Yurian possesses will change──.

'What!?'

At one point, Yurian is swinging a sword right in front of you.

Somehow, he managed to retreat and evade, but this time Claude was flustered.

‘… … This is the second time, and you didn’t see it this time either?’

The question is a question, and he swings the sword that has been solidified through 'shard coagulation' at the approaching Yurian.

The best defense is a good offense.

***

Claude's silent sword lunged at me, but the trajectory of the attack was easy to read.

If you can read the orbit, that means you can't be hit by that attack.

'Plus, you can launch a little more lethal counterattack.'

Crispy──!

After deflecting Claude's attack, he slashes at his waist.

Thanks to the rain having stopped, the guy's face is clearly visible.

It felt like a slight scratch to my hand, but my face was distorted in pain.

"ha ha ha……!"

Suddenly, laughter broke out.

It's a laughter that is far from 'my' feelings.

===

⇒ The characteristic “Open Eyes” is being applied.

⇒ Emotions are heightened.

⇒ The characteristic, “Master of the Vessel,” has been activated.

⇒ Deals additional damage to 〈Demon King’s Vessel〉.

===

After a near-death experience, the intense adrenaline rush and the elation of having 'open eyes'.

A body that has accepted ‘magic’ to fill in the lack of ‘mana blood’.

For some reason or another, the world felt bloodshot and red, but Claude was the only one who could see clearly.

“The guy who came back from the dead……!”

“How does it feel to be cornered by a guy who almost died and came back to life like that!?”

“I don’t know yet!”

===

⇒ The “Moonlight Sword” enters the “Lunar Eclipse” state.

===

One blow.

Pakang──!

A clash of swords.

When the 'Moon Sword', which had entered the 'Lunar Eclipse' state, touched him, his sword was cut into pieces.

“Is this true?”

“……Ugh!”

Claude's face is filled with confusion, but he still prepares to counterattack.

Two strikes.

This time too, fragments of the Dark Sword were scattered.

Three strikes.

The more they clashed, the shorter his sword became.

“Ha, haha! The sword breaks easily! Just like your unnecessarily grandiose beliefs!”

Chewing on the anger towards the article.

Burning with hostility towards the imperial family.

It was absurd that they would commit similar atrocities.

Claude, he seems to know that well too.

With eyes filled with embarrassment and discomfort, the guy kept swinging his sword.

“You, who so carelessly carries out orders that are far from humane, say such things!?”

“I wouldn’t make up excuses like you do!”

Dismissal──!

As this collision shatters the guy's 'Dark Iron Sword' into two pieces, his eyes sparkle.

It's as if they were waiting for this.

Fragments of the silent color were spread across the world, and at the same time, mana began to freeze over them.

Claude's unique aura, 'Fragment Coalescence'.

I applied it and the fragments flying in the air flew towards my face.

===

⇒ Character, “Black Knight” is applied.

===

Charrr.

“Could that be the face!?”

Not caring if anyone found out about my identity, I wore 'Angelica' as a mask to block the flying debris in my face.

“Black Knight?”

“Why? Are you happy with this face?”

I've never done anything to please the likes of you.

I pulled my sword towards my side, blocking the shrapnel with my mask.

After that, a stab to Claude's chest.

I tried to block it with my shortened sword, but my sword pierced right through the guy's chest.

“Ugh……!”

This time, it hit the mark, and Claude's face distorted.

“You recognize the ‘Black Knight’ by the looks of it. You detest all knights, but perhaps you admire this face?”

A bitter laughter.

If the character of the 'Black Knight' had been applied normally, such sarcastic remarks would not have been made.

The emotions heightened by 'open eyes' were more than enough to ignore that.

“Nonsense……!”

Claude endured the pain and pulled the sword that had dug into his chest towards him.

It's a way to prevent someone from drawing their sword and counterattack somehow.

But unfortunately, this method doesn't work for me, or for 'Moonlight Sword Eclipse'.

'Yurien's aura and magic repel each other.'

While in the 'open eyes' state, some degree of control is possible, but that is only if you can 'tune' it.

If you let go of even a little bit of strength, it's like this.

“Ugh, ugh!”

It is also possible to detonate an aura.

“Coolook, coolook……!”

Claude fell to his knees, spitting out blood.

Claude's body was so badly damaged that the word 'wounded' was fitting.

Even without looking, all of his internal organs would have been destroyed.

The guy slowly raised his head and met my gaze.

“T-If I had known this would happen, I should have definitely killed you earlier.”

As I listened to Claude's ramblings, I once again held the handle of the 'Moon Jang Sword' tightly with both hands.

“Don't worry.”

In his pupils, the face of 'Yurien' with red eyes wide open was reflected as the mask of the 'Black Knight' flowed down.

“I won’t make that kind of mistake.”

Crunch.

As he turned the sword stuck in Claude's chest with both hands, blood gushed out like a fountain.

The moment when the dark night sky turns red.

His gaze gradually turns towards the sky.

With a thud, the bastard's body fell to the ground, and Claude was no longer able to move.