Chapter 70: Chapter 69

“You’ve arrived, Lady Laura.”

In the deepest part of the academy, Cecilia stood.

Her dress was soaked in blood, and her skin was flushed a deep red.

From Cecilia’s body, a chilling red mist of magic seeped out, and it was clear that this was her end.

“You devoured it, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

Cecilia nodded.

“In the end, the ‘Monster of the Red Mist’ was nothing more than a mere trial for me.”

Cecilia’s eyes gleamed menacingly as she spoke.

The whites of her eyes were now stained black, a clear sign that she was no longer human.

“I’ve grown stronger by consuming the trial.”

“So it seems.”

“But no matter how strong I become, it feels empty. It seems I enjoyed the process of overcoming the trial more than the result itself.”

She laughed bitterly.

“On the day the kingdom was destroyed, my family and the people sacrificed everything to save me. No one hesitated to give their lives, and because of that, I survived.”

“...”

“Even though I lived, my body was already broken. The magical gate’s power had leaked into me, and I knew I didn’t have much time left. With each passing day, I grew weaker. Still, I had to live. I couldn’t make their sacrifices meaningless.”

-Click.

Cecilia gripped her sword tighter, pointing its tip at me.

“Yes. To me, survival was the trial. The ‘Monster of the Red Mist’ was the reason I had to stay alive. Knowing that my enemy was out there somewhere in the world was the only thing that kept my heart beating.”

“Cecilia.”

“Maybe anything could have been a reason to live. Like enjoying a cake from the bakery and wanting to survive for another day to eat it. Or wanting to see a friend again, and surviving for that. I wish my trial had been something as simple as that, but humans... we’re not that easy.”

“Enough, Cecilia.”

“From now on, I will be your trial, Lady Laura.”

-Bang!

Cecilia slammed her greatsword into the ground.

She used it as a pivot, spinning as she brought down a powerful kick.

The momentum added strength to the blow, but she was already a superhuman from the kingdom of Allenmis. She had far greater strength than ordinary people.

On top of that, she had absorbed the ‘Monster of the Red Mist,’ and the ground where I had stood just moments before was utterly destroyed.

“Just as chickens and pigs are born to be food for humans, my life too was meant to be devoured by someone else. This is all I can offer. Devour me, Lady Laura.”

“That’s a rather difficult way of asking to be killed. And you’re not really in a position to give me orders, are you?”

“That’s true.”

Her eyes were filled with a destructive urge.

Just as all monsters are born with an innate desire to kill humans, Cecilia had become the same.

With a bitter smile, Cecilia spoke.

“Draw your sword, ‘Noble Villainess’ Laura Iris.

I, Cecilia Bloni de Allenmis, fallen princess of a ruined kingdom, and ‘The Last Gladiator,’ challenge you to a duel.

I will take your life as my trial for survival, Lady Laura Iris. And then, I will live on to see tomorrow.

If you refuse, then make me your trial, Lady Laura Iris.”

[Virtual VTuber Gallery]

[Live Broadcast] What the heck is this…

I thought she’d get destroyed… and then she picks Trickster?

[Comments]

No one saw that coming…

Has Rinko ever used Trickster before? Nope. Then why’d she pick it? If she had picked Gladiator, she would’ve gotten completely destroyed anyway. She’s probably trying to turn the tide somehow.

[Live Broadcast] Can’t Rinko use anything else?

Did she really have to pick Trickster?

[Comments]

She’s only good at Gladiator.

It’s not that she can’t use other characters, it just doesn’t feel right.

She did have a few picks she was good at, but it’s been way too long.

Maybe she’s been secretly preparing Trickster.

She probably learned something after getting demolished by MadMask’s Trickster last year.

“Trickster, huh…”

Laura wiped the blood from her left arm as she stared at Rinko.

She knew that Rinko had failed to defeat MadMask’s Trickster in last year’s league.

So, for Rinko to choose Trickster now, which was likely a source of trauma for her, was significant.

“Watching that video back then was somewhat helpful.”

Though Laura hadn’t faced many Tricksters herself, she had seen the video of Rinko’s match against MadMask, so she had a decent understanding of the skill set.

The Trickster, as the name implied, was a character with a unique fighting style.

Even though they wielded a sword, it didn’t feel like they were a true swordsman.

It was more like they fought by relying solely on tools rather than proper swordsmanship.

So the key to playing Trickster was being highly skilled at using various tools.

In that sense, it was somewhat similar to Pathfinder. However, their playstyles were fundamentally different.

Pathfinder focused on creating pathways and supporting utility, while Trickster was all about creating opportunities through hidden swords and trap-setting skills.

As Laura cautiously approached Rinko, Rinko swung her sword.

-Whoosh!

The sound of the wind.

Rinko’s hidden sword lashed out like a whip.

The strength of a Trickster lies in controlling the battlefield.

With the long reach of the hidden sword and trap-setting skills, the Trickster was incredibly adept at creating ‘advantageous zones.’

However, Dark Knights also had solid area control capabilities.

-Rumble!

A surged up, blocking the trajectory of Rinko’s hidden sword.

Since the Trickster's sword wasn't a projectile but a whip-like weapon, walls and pillars were effective obstacles.

The wall shot up, blocking Rinko’s whip sword.

Laura was about to rush at Rinko, but she quickly stopped in her tracks.

“Hmm.”

Laura swung her sword, cutting through a wire.

The Trickster could set up wires and piano strings as traps. If you didn’t notice them, you could trip or get injured.

“This is a bit tricky.”

The darkness of the sewer didn’t help visibility, making it hard to spot the traps.

But Laura wasn’t about to fall for it. Though she hadn’t realized Rinko had picked Trickster at first and got caught, it wouldn’t happen again.

Though she wasn’t falling into Rinko’s traps anymore, Rinko had succeeded in slowing her approach.

“She’s good, as expected.”

Rinko smirked bitterly.

In terms of skill, star power, passion, and honor, she was no match for Laura.

The title of EYEAI’s flagship VTuber? Soon, it would be taken from her, and she would be replaced by a younger generation. In one or two years, even her subscriber count would be surpassed by Aurora.

But what did it matter?

There had been countless senior VTubers who were overtaken by juniors before her.

Being remembered as a good senior? Maybe that was just arrogance.

It wasn’t her goal to be remembered as a good senior. But it was better than being remembered as a disgraceful one.

Still, it felt like she was being forcibly held in this position.

Because of inertia.

The inertia of being a senior.

As a senior, it felt unforgivable to collapse embarrassingly in front of a junior.

So she kept herself together, almost instinctively.

All she had left was the fact that she debuted before them.

And that single fact was propping up her broken will.

Taking a deep breath, Rinko charged at Laura.

“...”@@novelbin@@

As she watched Rinko charge, Laura narrowed her eyes. From her perspective, this didn’t make sense.

The Trickster was a character that excelled at attacking from a distance with the whip sword, and could dominate an area by laying down traps.

For the Trickster to close the distance herself was like abandoning her strengths.

“Your strength is meaningless.”

Now that Laura knew the Trickster’s traits, she could counter its ranged attacks perfectly.

If that strength was no longer usable, then it was better to abandon it without hesitation.

Victory or defeat didn’t matter anymore.

-Clatter!

Rinko swung the whip sword down.

MadMask.

There was something Rinko hadn’t told anyone.

That she had replayed that day in her head countless times.

Even though she didn’t show it, she had been furious.

She had thought endlessly about how she could have beaten MadMask’s Trickster.

Out of frustration, she had studied it. She watched any video she could find of MadMask’s Trickster.

If there was a time machine, how would her past self have responded and won?

It was impossible not to think about it.

Rinko closed her eyes.

When her vision turned black, it felt like she could see MadMask’s movements.

She couldn’t perform perfectly.

But she could imitate.

-Clang!

Laura moved to deflect the incoming sword.

Dodging to the side was difficult. Laura was still wary of the wire and piano strings, so she judged it was too risky to move carelessly.

That was what Rinko had aimed for.

Rinko’s whip sword wrapped around Laura’s sword.

-Whoosh!

A brief struggle for power.

Before Laura could tighten her grip on her sword, Rinko grabbed the blade of her whip sword with her left hand.

Ignoring the blood pouring from her palm, she put strength into both hands.

With a self-inflicted injury and a powerful pull, Laura’s sword slipped from her grasp.

“Well done.”

Despite losing her sword, Laura remained composed. In fact, she even seemed impressed.

Is she a monster?

No, she’s the villainess.

Come to think of it, Laura had always shown an air of composure. As if it was unbecoming of a noblewoman to ever appear flustered.

She truly was a villainess to the core.

-Clatter!

Rinko tossed Laura’s sword into the sewer and resumed manipulating her whip sword.

Now that Laura had lost her sword, she had no way of cutting the wires and piano strings.

This should have restricted Laura’s mobility, but instead, she started running even faster.

Was she not afraid?

Perhaps not, but it didn’t seem reckless either. Laura likely understood the danger better than anyone.

It was pure obsession with victory.

Without her sword, Laura’s chances of winning had decreased. In this situation, she must have felt the need to take a gamble.

Now that I think about it, there’s one more thing where I’m lacking.

Laura’s mental fortitude far surpassed my own.

-Whoosh!

When Rinko swung her sword again, Laura countered with . Then, she angled her diagonally, closing the distance in an instant.

By chance, there were no wires or piano strings in that trajectory.

How did she see that through the darkness? Her instincts were impressive, to say the least.

But now that Laura had used up two skills, she had nothing left.

Rinko quickly swung her whip sword.

But then—

-Clatter!

Laura deliberately wrapped the whip sword around her left arm.

She spun her arm, grabbing the blade tightly, even embedding it in her skin to make it harder to pull out.

“Hah…!”

Rinko was momentarily taken aback, but she reacted quickly. After a brief struggle, she let go of the whip sword.

After all, Laura had effectively lost her left arm. It hung limp, unusable.

Rinko, on the other hand, had both arms. In terms of pure physical strength, she was now twice as powerful as Laura.

She even still had a weapon.

Rinko pulled with her left hand again.

-Swish!

The wires and piano strings she had previously set up began to close in. She pulled the traps she had laid earlier toward her.

Laura, glancing at the approaching wires, tugged on her limp left arm.

She managed to grip the hilt of the whip sword with her right hand.

Then, she used the remaining blade to slice off her own left arm.

“…What the hell.”

Did she really go that far?

Was victory all that mattered to this woman?

Her actions, bordering on madness, were unnerving, but the result was undeniable.

Laura now wielded the whip sword.

And with a powerful swing, she extended its blade.

She swatted away the incoming wires and piano strings with one strong swipe, while the remnants of her left arm scattered like chunks of meat.

Laura skillfully returned the sword to its proper form and pointed it at Rinko.

“So this is the end,”

Rinko thought.

Now that Laura had a weapon again, she knew there was no way to win.

But—

“Yet, I feel like I’m almost there.”

I can’t get past the wall, but I feel like I can reach it.

Suddenly, that thought struck her.

This was a fight meant for me to be devoured.

As a senior, I should always be ready to be overtaken by a junior.

To become food for a junior and leave behind even a sliver of heart and will.

Since I place no importance on victory, there’s something I can see.

If I stop worrying about appearances.

I can find a freer way to achieve my goals.

Perhaps I’m just a crude and shameless person, Rinko thought.

And so, Rinko accepted the blade Laura had thrust at her shoulder.

“...?”

Laura’s eyes widened in surprise.

Seeing that, Rinko chuckled. You didn’t expect this, did you?

This is just suicide, abandoning any concern for victory.

Unlike you, I’m not obsessed with winning.

-Slam!

Rinko pressed Laura’s blade deeper into her flesh, gripping Laura’s arm tightly.

She gathered all the remaining wires.

The wires wrapped around both Rinko and Laura, binding them together.

“6th-gen! Anna! Rion! Especially Sora! Are you watching!!! Your precious Laura and I are about to die together!!!!! Bet you guys can’t do this!!”

In an odd burst of energy, Rinko threw herself forward.

-Splash!

Rinko and Laura, entwined, plunged into the sewer.

To put it nicely, it was a mutual destruction.

To put it bluntly...

Well, never mind.