Translator: "Pink Tea" Editor: "Weasalopes"

Surprised by that sudden voice I open my eyes and notice a man standing right next to me.

It's S. Did he follow me?

No, what's more important, he had a knife in his right hand and currently was looking at me with a cold stare.

「ーIn this world, everyone is a protagonist. Don't you think so?」

The knife is coming down. Aimed at my heart.

Rolling away I desperately avoid it. With a sound of tearing fabric, the knife stuck into the bed. I barely escaped death.

But I can't relax. I immediately get up and grab the sword that was left on the table.

「Phew… If you didn't say anything I probably would've been dead.」

「I probably wanted to finish you off in combat. It's not like people themselves understand their own actions all of the time. Some days one would prefer a rich taste, some days bland suits one better. What's the difference between those days? No idea.」

Indeed. Sometimes I also act on the impulse.

「S, I'd prefer to change the location. I won't run away, so just follow me.」

Fighting in the inn would be a bother to others and there is also not enough s.p.a.ce. He also shouldn't be that keen on it. In fact, though he didn't express his agreement, he also made no attempts to reject the idea.

Opening the door I descend to the first floor right away. I attempted to get out just like that, but it wasn't that simple as Nainsan called out to me.

「Noir-kun, did you hear the noise from above?」

「I will go out for a bit!」

I hurried away, S followed after me.

Seeing S, Naina donned a doubtful expression.

「Who is that?」

「Ehm, it's one of my acquaintances, don't mind it. 」

It would get really troublesome were I to announce here that he is S.

It seems that Naina's and S's eyes met, but that didn't last for more than a fraction of a second. I managed to peacefully get out of the inn. A bit later S also did the same.

Running I thought of a place to fight.

As a result, I arrived at a public park. Quite s.p.a.cious, it was crowded with children and their parents during the day.

However, during the night it barely had anyone around.

Thin trees wouldn't get in the way. The footing also wasn't bad. At a bit of a distance, there was a pond.

I stopped at the park submerged into night's silence.

Turning around, behind me stood S, breathing calmly.

「Despite your reputation of a terrible villain, you actually listen to what people tell you.」

「I send my underlings to commit crimes, but that's generally to collect funds. I don't hurt civilians without need.」

「Then what about that pickpocketing lady?」

She was killed with some strange poison magic. S made a bit of displeased expression but replied calmly.

「That woman killed two of her own children. Previously a harlot, upon contacting a disease she had a man kill them.」

I probably would've been better off without knowing such details…… That fellow that he brainwashed earlier also wasn't a model citizen.

S chooses targets for brainwas.h.i.+ng…… In that case…… No, no, I shouldn't think that way.

That might be a part of his plan.

I'm not that strong mentally, to begin with, so I might easily get done in.

「Even so, your actions cannot be forgiven.」

「Sure thing. History is written by the victors. Such is the rule of this world. As a proof, filthy n.o.bles are getting away with everything!」

My eyes went wide. It wasn't a mere explosion of emotions. And in response to that, a real explosion occurred nearby.

You kidding me?!

I somehow dodged by jumping to the side, but the explosion was unexpectedly strong, throwing me to the ground. At this point, I almost want to cry, just when I thought that I managed to retain control of my movements, it turned out that S is right next to me.

His foot traced the ground closing upon me so I hurry to get up. Well, that's just a normal kick. Blocking it with one hand I get knocked away.

Yes, the damage is nothing great.

「Eh?」

Suddenly, moonlight disappeared. Glancing above, I saw a giant boulder falling my way! So now I had to engage in a very hectic task of running away while getting back to my feet.

Somehow I managed to do it without getting crushed flat. Suddenly, I recalled a scene of Father crus.h.i.+ng c.o.c.kroaches in his usual manner.

Is this how those bugs felt?……

What worried me is that the boulder immediately vanished. And right after that, moving became much harder. The ground gradually began turning into a quagmire.

S' sight was focused at my feet.

Are there no limits to 【Freewheeling】?

Shooting a large【Stone Bullet】I first tried to break his concentration.

「It's big……」

Though S was surprised by that extraordinary size, he remained completely composed. Taking one step to the side he avoided the incoming projectile.

Even if it doesn't hit it's fine. The ground beneath my feet became more solid, allowing me to move away.

Standing in one place sounds scary, so I move around S in half-run.

「Fuu… Fuu…」

That S, though he is trying to hide it, he is quite exhausted. He is acting as normal as possible on purpose so it won't be noticed by me.

Picking up a stone from the ground I tried to throw it at his legs.

「Tch.」

Being hit in the leg, S reflectively took a step back.

So his reaction is delayed after all.

He almost certainly is tired. In that case, let's simply drag out this battle.

Stamina contest! And the moment I got all c.o.c.ky with those thoughts high waves enclosed on me.

Suddenly appearing right in front of me, I had no means of defending.

So the wave knocked me away.

「Gough, cough.」

I wasn't able to produce any adorable screams like 「Ooh my」.

I swallowed some of the water. Salty, is it seawater?

The worst of all was that my sword got washed away.

Since S keeps attacking I guess I'll use 【Ice Needle】.

I shot several ice pillars. S avoided them in elegant steps as if he could read the future.

Missing all of them, I, panicking, tried to come up with the next move. But my opponent was faster.

「Wha, wai……」

I yelled in vain. S won't wait. But instead, he fell over. ……Mm? Did he slip on the water?

「Haa, haaaa.」

He breathed very heavily. I see, that was a pretty big attack, so it also consumed a lot of his stamina.

But I wasn't in a rush to attack him. Instead, I aim for a certain victory.

Great Stamina Consumption 400 LP.

With【Create】I make a skill that will increase stamina expenditure. Naturally, it was to 【Grant】it to S.

Required LP varies depending on the compatibility with the target. Adding sluggishness to a quick target is very troublesome, on the contrary, slowing an already slow target is quite easy.

Even so, detrimental skills generally tend to be on the pricey side.

This time was the same.

The required LP is 4800. This much is enough to create a pretty powerful skill. However, I had no hesitation.

It was for this that I sweated every night to acc.u.mulate LP.

「Here I come, Grant!」

「……You did something, didn't you?」

Perhaps S has quite sharp senses, but it seems he noticed changes in his body. I encourage him to surrender.

「I know the weak point of your skill. If you keep using it you soon will reach complete exhaustion. No matter how trained you are, you still might die from overworking yourself this way.」

「……What's my life worth? From the moment I saw the corpse of my sister, that was killed in cold blood, I never feared death.」

I thought that situation changed to my favor…… But his abnormal stare makes me feel threatened.

I shouldn't get caught up in his pace.

I pick up the sword and take a stance.

S slowly stood up. His face is covered in mud. Wiping it off with his fingers he scowled at the night sky with a hate-filled stare.

「How dirty. Almost like royalty and n.o.bles of this town.」

「I also have a little sister, so I understand y……」

「Like h.e.l.l you do! One day she is suddenly kidnapped and the next time I see her she is a corpse! And on top of that, it was clear from the remains how much she suffered before death!」

Alice's smile came to my mind. She always worries about me.

Surely, S' sister also was dear to him. Were I in S' place I probably would've turned into a demon of revenge too.

I don't know much about the n.o.bles, but I hate the king. Abusing his power he tortures countless people.

「Boy, you are helping that filthy king. So you are no different from his dog. As such, I will take you down even if it will cost me my life.」

Using the remainder of his strength he came at me with a terrifying attack.

「Ouch?!」

The moment I heard the sound of the wind my hand was torn up. Fortunately, not that deep. The scary part was that it wasn't just one cut.

Blood spouted out from here and there.

Attack by changing a wind into a force rivaling a blade.

I promptly brought the champion's s.h.i.+eld out of subdimension.

The long s.h.i.+eld had【Solid】【Fire Resistance A】【Water Resistance A】【Wind Resistance A】attached.

Until now it saved my life many times.

I hide behind it. For only a moment my movements stopped, then I got back to running around and backstepping.

「Yo-ou lit-tle!」

Being out of breath S couldn't speak properly. a.s.suming that【Freewheeling】demands more concentration and stamina for more abnormal effects, his limit should be near.

It seems that the detrimental skill I added works really well.

I probably will win even if I just keep running around.

The opponent will get hyperventilation or even die in the worst case.

…The worst case? Why do I consider his death to be the worst scenario? And while I was caught up reflecting on my thoughts, pillars of fire rose nearby, encircling me.

Way higher than me, jumping over them doesn't seem possible. There is also no gap between them.

The heat is about to scorch my skin. Death by fire doesn't sound too appealing to be honest……

「You will burn. Or I pa.s.s out. In the end, the victory goes to one with a stronger will!」

Pillars of fire blocked my view, so I couldn't see his face. But I felt his spirit. And most likely, I will be the winner of this fight. I still have a few thousand LP.

I could gain fire or heat resistance. But I also had other ideas.

I create【Water Sphere】of the maximum possible size. However, I shoot it not at the fire but overhead. Shot towards the night sky, the sphere of water lost its form unable to resist gravity and fell to the ground.

Most of the resulting downpour fell on me.

This is good. To begin with, it was questionable if I can use this to extinguish this fire. Drenched in water I put the s.h.i.+eld in front of me and charged towards the fire.

As I pa.s.sed through the wall of fire I didn't feel that much heat.

「Fuu, fuu……」

Looking agonized, S was grabbing the base of his throat. He long since pa.s.sed his limit. He can't even breathe properly!

And yet, he keeps trying to use 【Freewheeling】.

Though surprised by his tenacity I dash at him, throwing away my s.h.i.+eld.

*ーSlash*

「Ugyah?!」

And cut off S's left arm from the elbow down.