The Villain Bought the Female Lead - Ch. 42
Immediately after the elimination of Class 2 was broadcast.
The intermediate base near Class 1.
Following the orders of the leader, Vargan, seven students, including Liam, were guarding the place.
⎯!
A blinding flash of light engulfed the ground momentarily.
This was followed by a loud thunderclap, and every time Liam’s sword thrust, residual static crackled.
Swordsmanship utilizing lightning was Liam’s specialty.
Liam, who could manipulate electricity among the elemental magics, would either imbue his sword with lightning-attribute aura or amplify the minute currents within his body to control his nerves and muscles.
Of course, the output and fine control were still difficult for him, making it dangerous to use directly on his body.
Lightning itself tended to incite fear through its mere form and sound.
Crackle⎯ sizzle.
Liam moved at high speed without leaving the buff range of the intermediate base, simultaneously facing three to four opponents.
The crackling sound of electricity whenever he moved made onlookers tense.
Many opponents were easily thwarted by his dazzling footwork and swordsmanship.
However, this didn’t mean that Liam was strong enough to face four opponents alone.
Swoosh⎯⎯!!
Serena’s arrows, heavily imbued with magic, threatened the allied forces. Whenever their movements halted and gaps appeared, Liam would burst forth with a flash and touch their backs swiftly.
Due to the blinding flash, archers with enhanced vision found it especially difficult to target Liam.
Despite Serena’s somewhat affected performance, she continued to shoot silently without easing her stern expression, maintaining a high hit rate.
Having successfully eliminated another member of the allied forces, Liam looked around, panting heavily.
He could see about ten people through his busy pupils.
Including Bantlo’s group watching from afar, there would be about fifteen.
“Ha, huh.”
His breath was ragged.
Although receiving overlapping buffs from the bases, the difference in numbers was evident.
As time passed, his allies’ stamina rapidly dwindled, while the enemies grew more vigorous.
The allied forces seemed to be building a resistance to the lightning, becoming less fearful than initially.
They moved more fiercely and aggressively.
Crackle⎯!
Whenever Liam infused mana, the recently acquired lightning aura sparked.
Originally, <Attribute Establishment>, which could only be used at a certain level, was obtained by Liam as a skill through leveling up.
It allowed an early manifestation compared to his skill level.
“Urgh…!”
Once again, his sword clashed.
A swordsman from the allied forces lunged at him, taking advantage of Liam’s exhaustion.
Liam’s steps were pushed back.
Despite his heart pumping oxygen furiously through overclocking, it wasn’t enough.
A splitting sensation transmitted from Liam’s fingertips.
Then.
“… damn.”
Another man, visible in his sight, moved to flank him.
He aimed to exploit Liam’s immobility and attack from behind.
If he got his back taken, he would be out!
“Aaargh⎯⎯!!”
Sensing the danger, Liam released a massive amount of magic at once.
The muscles in his arm holding the handle seemed about to burst.
Veins, like serpents, bulged out along his legs.
The magic imbued with his electricity had a voltage strong enough to temporarily paralyze the muscles of those around him.
Liam swiftly swung his sword upwards.
⎯Clang! Clash!
During the pause.
Liam sent the swords of two people flying into the air.
Had he had more stamina left, he could have eliminated them, but he lacked the energy.
Nevertheless, now that they couldn’t use their weapons, he could seize a chance to escape.
He could endure.
He had to endure.
⎯Liam, watch out!!
Before he could even finish steeling himself.
Emily’s voice pierced his eardrums.
A beam of light shot straight towards the door where Liam stood guard.
The strongest archer of the first years, and the vanguard leader of the allied forces, Bantlo, had moved.
The arrowhead glowed as if all surrounding mana was being drawn to it. It was so blinding that it was more dazzling than Liam’s lightning, making it painful to keep his eyes open.
Squinting through the narrowed gaps of his eyes.
The two people who were around Liam had already stepped back a considerable distance. They showed no signs of being startled.
It was clearly a timed attack.
Mana, mana…!
It was already too late to dodge, so Liam gripped his sword and began squeezing out the remaining mana within his body.
There was no time.
He had to scrape it all out.
However, Bantlo’s arrow flew with a speed that far surpassed his expectations.
By the time he regained his senses, it was already about 3 meters away.
“Ah.”
As the excessive brightness caused Liam’s pupils to constrict rapidly.
Rumble⎯⎯!
The arrow, which seemed about to pierce Liam, appeared to stop abruptly as if colliding with something.
Focusing on the arrow.
It crackled, generating sparks and moving rapidly in the high heat.
It was clearly making contact with something.
As he began thinking that perhaps an Academia official judged the situation as dangerous and intervened.
As if to answer that there was no need to worry.
The person appeared with overwhelming confidence and a bold laugh.
“Hahahaha!!”
Thud⎯⎯!
A person fell to the ground, raising thick dust clouds like a bomb had been dropped.
The dust was blown away like a gust, leaving only the figure of the man visible.
A well-trained body evident even through his clothes. A robust spirit felt within his hearty laughter. The seasoned instincts of a beast.
Ranked fifth in entrance scores.
Leon Banteolo Ocell.
“I cannot overlook the injustice of ganging up on and suppressing someone! Class 1⎯⎯!!”
Leon roared with a tiger-like voice.
Simultaneously, the arrow, which had been blocked and unable to advance, lost all its energy and fell feebly to the ground.
“Do not worry! From now on, I, Leon Banteolo Ocell, will hold back these villains⎯⎯!!”
Liam blinked in surprise, staring at the man who had appeared like a comet.
Vargan had given him a heads-up, and Liam also knew that he would come, but he didn’t expect such prompt and efficient action.
“Ha.”
Liam’s body jerked violently, as if he had hiccups.
***
I folded the view I had through the owl.
Leon Banteolo Ocell.
There was no need to watch further, as that young man who seemed like he had been hit hard on the head in his childhood had appeared.
I had set up a defense with a small number of people, knowing that the scout team, including Leon of Class 3, would stop by the intermediate base.
That foolish guy, who pursued true heroism and constantly talked about justice, would never tolerate the form of an alliance.
The class battle was a field of strategy where all actions were permitted, but this didn’t apply to Leon.
From his perspective, it just looked like two people ganging up on one.
I couldn’t understand it, but it wasn’t something I couldn’t use to my advantage.
-“Master, what should we do?”
Alicia’s gentle voice echoed in my ears.
After being defeated by the prince and collapsing, she quickly regained her composure, assessed the situation, and contacted me through my familiar.
All nine members who were eliminated from the base ruined by Arterion had revived thanks to my capturing the king of Class 2. Most of them were in good condition without any serious injuries, making them usable.
Yes, most of them.
“We abandon this base. Lead all troops except Finn to the intermediate base and carry out the mission I instructed beforehand. It’s near the main base of Class 1 where Liam’s group is, not between Classes 4 and 5.”
Finn, who was fighting Fallon at Arterion’s communication tower, was literally covered in blood.
The difference between Fallon and Finn was as vast as that between a five-year-old child and a teenager.
Nevertheless, Finn had managed to pin him down by grabbing onto his trouser leg.
Finn’s collapse was, in a way, inevitable.
-“We will obey.”
Alicia spoke with the formality of a knight in her delicate voice. As her voice started to fade, indicating she was about to end the communication.
“Alicia.”
I added.
“Well done.”
Successfully blocking that formidable warrior, Arterion.
Using a single skill, employing illusions during battle.
Reaching a new level of aura, and more.
It was a brief sentence with many implications.
-“…”
Alicia was silent for a while, almost making me think there was a problem with the communication.
-“…Yes, thank you.”
Her slightly shy voice gradually faded away.
And with that, Alicia’s voice was completely gone.
“Well then, I should get moving too.”
I stood up and rolled my shoulders. Although I wanted to stretch and do some exercises, it wasn’t appropriate with eyes watching.
The area around me was a ruined fortress, burning in many places.
Not just the flags of Class 2, but carpets and wooden furniture—anything flammable was ablaze.
The sturdy walls that once served as a shield for the castle were now full of holes or crumbled like fragile cardboard.
Clap!
I snapped my fingers.
Not to cause any physical change around here.
But somewhere farther away. Specifically, at the main base of Class 5, guarded by Diphelia.
I lifted the curse on the petty thief there.
The class battle had passed the midpoint. At this stage, it was the right time for the person I had bribed on the airship to act.
The mark on her body had disappeared, and now she would carry out the instructions I had given her.
A unique way of using curses.
It was also to give off a certain impression. That way, the leader of Class 5, the saint, would take the bait.
In any case, I had given the order.
“First….”
After a quick stretch, I turned my head and stared intently at a tree some distance away.
If I hadn’t known in advance, I wouldn’t have noticed the presence of mana so well-hidden.
Unlike the riffraff I dealt with in Class 2, this one was different. Hiding their presence to this extent was impossible for mediocre ones.
“No need to keep your guard up from such a distance. I have no intention of harming you, and the monsters that turned this place into a ruin are already gone.”
This wasn’t a lie.
My total mana capacity might be vast like the sea, but it wasn’t infinite. To be precise, it wasn’t a sea yet.
Compared to my goal, it was more accurate to call it a river.
Thus, maintaining curses on monsters was limited to 54 for about 40 minutes.
Beyond that, some would gradually stop obeying.
“Did you come because you couldn’t wait to see someone from the outside?”
I teased her with a mocking tone. Erica, who had been watching the situation while hiding, showed her pale face as I pinpointed her hiding spot.
“Of course not.”
Erica’s sharp eyes and harsh tone hit me. She looked like a hunter waiting for the right moment.
But Erica, you were still not good at hiding your emotions. The wavering in your eyes betrayed you.
“No need to be so tense.”
I grinned and cast an illusion spell.
Erica began emitting an extreme chill that felt like it could freeze anything.
I was waiting for you, Erica.
If you didn’t come, the story wouldn’t unfold in an interesting direction.