The Villain's Second Time

Chapter 27

I like obstacles. The more difficult they are, the greater the pleasure when I overcome them, like a massive whirlwind sweeping through. Solving the riddles of obstacles is truly my greatest hobby in life.

And right now, a rather simple but undeniable obstacle is rushing toward me like a mad bull.

On the edge of a useless cliff, where a single misstep would send me straight to the afterlife, I must hunt down a guy with superior physical abilities and not a single drop of magical power. Truly, a simple and brutal obstacle.

Come on, obstacle.

Like the Divine-Devil War between the Archangel and the Great Demon, like the bloody battle between the first Demon King and the first Hero, let’s have a splendid showdown between us. Even though we’re just the eldest and youngest sons of the Northern Duke Family, our determination won’t lose to theirs.

"Kwaaaaak-! You bastard-!"

Ugh, I take it back. Retavis, you’re not cool at all. I feel sorry for the Great Demon and the first Demon King I compared you to, even for a moment.

Retavis clenched his fist and charged at me recklessly. Thud, thud, thud—the sound reverberated through the cliff, completely different from the drumming in my head.

I held the pocket knife in the correct position and pretended to swing it lightly at him. Retavis, despite his explosive momentum, flinched in response to my movement.

Normally, he would have scoffed no matter what nonsense I pulled, but it seems the shock of just having killed Leonard still lingers. A very favorable reaction.

"Huh? What, are you scared now?"

I bought myself about a second. Without missing the opportunity, I opened my mouth.

"Oh, come on, there’s almost a two-fold height difference between us. There’s no way you, an adult demon, would be scared of a nine-year-old brat like me."

"What nonsense are you spouting now! Who’s scared of you!"

"Hehe, just admit it. Being scared isn’t something to be ashamed of. It’s the proper attitude of a 'weakling.'"

"...!"

I’ve felt this way for a long time, but for me, running my mouth feels like a divine blessing. Whether it’s from a Demon God or the Lord, I don’t know. It’s always fun.

It never gets old. It’s thrilling. Talking nonsense is the best.

"Who are you calling a weakling!!"

Enraged, Retavis closed the distance between us in an instant, using his shoulders and arms like shields to push me back. And behind me was a cliff that would mean certain death if I stepped back even a little. The same cliff where a young demon had just met his end by my hand.

"Hup!"

Hop!

A dilemma. I lightly kicked off the ground and leaped into the air, aiming to escape the predicament by jumping over Retavis’s head.

Of course, my pitiful leg strength as a child couldn’t possibly lift me to the top of Retavis’s head in a single jump.

Thud!

"You’re too slow for this, right? Hahaha!"

After reaching waist height with one jump, I jumped again from there. Stepping lightly on the air, I spread my knees wide and soared like an energetic rabbit.

How is this possible without magic? It’s a double jump I learned when I was learning to steal. I used it often to get over the palace walls.

Whoosh!

"Waaah!"

Retavis, who had lost his target, flailed at the edge of the cliff, half of his body teetering between the cliff and the abyss, crossing the boundary between life and death.

After a light somersault in mid-air, I landed on Retavis’s back, which was losing its balance.

Using the rotational force and momentum, I tried to push Retavis off the cliff with a kick, but...

"Hahaha! You’re not seriously going to lose like this, are you......!"

Thud.

"...Well, adult demons are a bit different, huh? Even if I pushed with all my might while you were wobbling, it’s too much that you didn’t even budge."

He didn’t budge. He wasn’t even affected. Leonard would have fallen over with a simple kick, but compared to Retavis, who weighs several times more, I’m nothing but a buzzing mosquito.

"Kuh... ugh... you damn rat...!"

"Is that a compliment? It feels good to be acknowledged for my speed."

"Even so, you’re just a weakling with a big mouth!"

He’s got me figured out. I’m all mouth, no strength, and my body is pretty quick. Some sage said that knowing your enemy and yourself leads to victory in every battle, but I wonder how that applies here.

Thud.

My feet touched the solid ground again after a brief separation. My positioning is more advantageous. I’m on the wide flat ground, while Retavis is standing on the edge of the cliff where I was earlier. But from a combat perspective, it’s not that advantageous.

It’s become harder to create variables. Earlier was perfect, but I made a mistake by thinking Retavis was on a similar level to Leonard.

A thrilling sensation runs down my spine. My whole body feels like it’s been struck by lightning, burning hot. The already unfavorable fight has become even more difficult. The thrill of not knowing when I might die forms into round droplets of sweat on my forehead.

In my past life, I layered eleven protective barriers around myself to avoid meeting a meaningless end. If I were to be assassinated like the Emperor of the Empire, I wouldn’t even get to enjoy this lively continent.

I enjoy the thrill. There’s nothing as fun as jumping rope with my life on the line. That’s what this is like now.

"Try dodging this again!"

Retavis charged at me with both fists forward. If I took it head-on, my entire skeleton would be crushed, so I sidestepped. But unlike before, Retavis didn’t falter and immediately pursued me as I dodged.

It’s because he’s no longer trying to push me. My positioning has changed, and so has his attack pattern. Still, with his experience and skill, he’s more versatile in combat than Leonard.

"Eek!"

I quickly leaned back to dodge the fist he swung. Retavis’s thumb barely grazed the tip of my nose. If I had been wearing a mask, it would have shattered into pieces by now.

Admiring my own foresight, I threw myself backward. Using my head as the pivot, I did a backward somersault, different from before, to escape Retavis’s range.

Retavis immediately raised his guard and followed. Like a cat chasing a bouncing ball.

"Ugh! Aren’t you being too calm!? You’re burning down the whole house just to catch a bedbug! Take it easy!"

He’s like a solid fortress. A well-forged, heavy hammer. That’s Retavis’s combat style.

In terms of compatibility, I have the advantage. I read my opponent’s movements and act beforehand, persistently targeting their weaknesses. But that’s only if I’m at least a dagger compared to him.

Retavis’s bold charge continued.

Flick.

"Kuh...!"

Along his path, I lightly stabbed with the pocket knife. Retavis, not expecting my quick counter, failed to dodge.

Stab.

But that was all. The pocket knife I confidently thrust couldn’t even cut or pierce Retavis’s forearm skin. Not even a scratch was left.

Compared to Retavis, I’m like a toothpick. A toothpick that picks out the gunk between teeth after a meal.

"Oh dear, is it my turn to get beaten up now?"

With my attack failing, the turn to attack shifted to Retavis. The problem is, I don’t have any extra time to dodge his attacks.

Thud!

Retavis’s precisely thrown fist collided with my lower jaw. It’s less of a collision and more of an accident.

Ringing.

The ringing in my ears takes over my head. For a moment, the world splits into three, and Retavis becomes six people. My head vibrates violently, demanding rest. My jaw feels like it’s been hit by an earthquake.

Then, a storm surged. A massive storm rushed toward me. A strong premonition that I’ll die if I don’t dodge wakes me up like a divine revelation.

But I don’t have the strength to dodge now. If that’s the case, then...

"Yah!"

I thrust my forehead toward the direction of the incoming storm. Just avoid the critical spots and take the hit roughly. Retavis was aiming for my chin, so if I turn my face, it’ll hit somewhere else.

If my chin gets hit, my brain shakes. If my brain shakes, whether demon or human, I’ll pass out. That’s why I hate getting hit in the chin. There’s no time to feel the pain.

Crash!!

"......! You crazy bastard...!"

Thankfully, my plan worked. I feel a burning pain on my forehead as if it’s been split open, but at least I succeeded in getting Retavis’s fist to hit somewhere other than my chin.

...But, the attack was so strong that my body floated into the air from the impact. I flew several meters and rolled on the ground a few times before giggling.

In the now two-part world, Retavis stands. One foot supporting the ground, the other cutting through the air. It wasn’t a fist but a kick. No wonder it felt so damn strong.

"Kikikik. Ah, as expected, your coordination is splendid.... The moment you caught my opening, you sent a punch to my jaw to disrupt my balance, then immediately followed up with a kick.... Ugh, my head is spinning."

"...Your reaction isn’t bad either. I didn’t expect you to thrust your forehead toward my foot there."

"Compliments always feel good."

"But."

Retavis, who slowly retracted his foot, examined his forearm. He seemed to be checking how much damage he had taken. What, so he attacked me intending to give flesh and take bone from the start?

"Unlike your quick judgment and evasion, your attack power is pitiful."

Showing me his forearm, Retavis smirked confidently. The wariness and fear that had filled his eyes just moments ago had completely vanished.

He was certain of victory. That I could never escape him, and that I didn’t even have the ability to kill him. Even though I had a small piece of metal, it didn’t have the lethality to cut him down in his combat-ready state.

Retavis stood tall, confidently looking at me. Overflowing confidence and arrogance radiated from his face. Retavis, who had vowed to punish his younger brother’s arrogance, was now floundering in that very arrogance himself.

I coughed a few times while sitting down. Red droplets scattered across the dirt floor covered in green grass. How long has it been since I bled while fighting? I couldn’t help but smile.

"Kikikikikik-."

I’m not a masochist. I’m not being sarcastic, I really am not. As proof, during my 111 days in Tartarus, I cursed and ranted while suffering under the magic of the Great Mage Merlin Gregory.

There are different kinds of pain. Some pain is meaningless when felt, while other pain heightens the thrill and excitement of violence. The pain I’m feeling now is the latter.

"Have you finally lost your mind?"

"Lost my mind? This is my true self."

"...How the hell did you hide such a screwed-up personality all this time?"

"How? *Cough*."

Chewing and swallowing the pain in my jaw, I pointed at Retavis with my finger.

"This moment, I’ve been waiting to play with you two brothers."

I lowered my finger. Now pointing at his right foot, which was touching the ground.

"But, that attack was too weak, so it’s a bit boring. I thought the world would spin, but only my head is spinning, you know? Can you keep up with me at that level?"

"Tsk, I should’ve covered my ears."

Though his words were blunt, Retavis’s face was as hard as stone.

He had no intention of maintaining his composure anymore. Since I didn’t have the ability to harm him, he seemed to have abandoned any thought of caution.

Step-.

"This is the end of your insolent mouth."

Retavis began to walk slowly toward me. His lips twitched threateningly. Even a single word was dripping with murderous intent, covering the area.

The curtain falls. The sun has set, and the veil of night covers the stage. The audience, thinking the show is over, prepares to leave.

The magician, or perhaps a film director, or the insignificant youngest son of some family, is sprawled pathetically on the ground. Unable to control his body due to the burning pain.

The moment everyone is disappointed with the magician’s show. The moment the audience is certain of their victory and declares it all over. The moment the long-awaited show ends in futility, and the audience murmurs.

This moment, I’ve been waiting for, over and over.

Step, step, step!

Retavis, who had rushed over with quick steps, tried to kick me while I was crouching. He probably thought I couldn’t move due to the pain.

Whoosh-!

I lowered my body even flatter to evade his kick. Thanks to that, Retavis’s right leg passed behind me, and I slipped between his legs. Like a boa constrictor climbing a tree.

The time had come. I gathered all the strength I had been accumulating and stood up. Raising both arms above my head, I stabbed sharply with the pocket knife.

Toward one of the few weak points even my fragile pocket knife could pierce!

Stab-!

"Gahk!"

The gruesome sound of flesh tearing spread like a clear bell. It’s such a pleasant sound. The situation reverses, and the lights that had gone out turn back on. The positions of predator and prey return to their original places.

"Guh, uh, uh, heuk...!"

Retavis, who hadn’t realized the situation, let out a bizarre groan and moved both arms toward his lower body. His hands frantically rubbed between his legs, searching for what he had lost, but it was a futile effort.

One of the few areas my pitiful pocket knife could pierce, even without cutting the skin—the testicles. By accepting Retavis’s wariness, I naturally targeted his lower body, closing the distance and eye level between us.

The only strike point I’ve been aiming for, from start to finish.

"Uh, ugh, kueuuuaaahk...!"

Thud-!

Unable to endure the pain, Retavis collapsed, clutching his lower body with both hands. I quickly moved to avoid being crushed and stabbed the pocket knife into him again.

The second area I could penetrate with my strength—straight toward the eyeball.

Stab-!

"...! Kueuk! Keh, keheuk! You bastard!! If I catch you, I’ll tear you to pieces!!"

The pain of losing an eye must have been comparable to the pain of a ruptured testicle. Retavis, now aware of me, screamed and threatened me at the top of his lungs.

He shouldn’t have done that. He shouldn’t have opened his mouth and exposed his weakness. Arrogantly clutching his crotch with his right hand and his empty eye socket with his left, he shouldn’t have dared to scream.

I threw the pocket knife I had retrieved earlier again. Aiming for the gaping hole of Retavis’s mouth. Blocking the background music of his screams, the most horrifying sound effect in the world.

Stab-!

".........!!!"

"Hahaha! Brother, you’ve become a mute who ate honey! Though I fed you a knife instead of honey, the taste is about the same, right!?"

Gush, bright red blood poured out profusely. The third area I could tear with the strength of my arms—the inside of his mouth—was slashed with all my might.

A red mist floated in the air, tickling my sense of smell.

Red flower water seeped into the white suit that covered me.

"As expected, the highlight of the show is the blood fountain. Right?"

It’s a night intoxicated by the metallic scent of blood.