The Survival of the Third-rate Villain

"Fire doesn’t really work on me, you see."

Raye said casually.

’It’s thanks to Pyro. Being contracted with him gave me a passive skill—fire resistance. And that skill greatly leveled up after taking two enhancement pills at once before.’

He thought to himself.

And just then...

"You’re lying!"

Ignis exclaimed with an angry look on his face.

"Well—"

Raye was about to tell him that he could try firing fire spells at him again to prove it.

But before he could even finish...

"[Inferno Pillar!]"

Ignis already cast another 3rd-stage Mid-Rank spell!

It was one of his signature spells too!

SWAAAAAASH—

A magic circle appeared below Raye, and from it erupted a pillar of fire!

The pillar only lasted for a couple of seconds...

And when it disappeared.

"..."

Ignis just saw Raye still standing casually in the same place, unharmed!

"..."

Ignis was beyond shocked and bewildered seeing this.

But ignoring him...

’I’m glad Zion’s uniform has fire resistance.’

Raye just thought of that, looking at his white uniform.

The cloak that Old Man Rey gave him is in his spatial ring. He doesn’t want to ruin it too, like the first one he gave him, after all.

Raye knows that Ignis is a fire mage.

’It’s pretty obvious, actually. His name is fuckin’ Ignis—it means ignite.’

He said in his head.

Anyway...

Raye currently...

He’s Ignis’ natural enemy!

That is why he was so confident to face him!

’In the game, Allen was the one that faced Ignis in this competition. And because he’s the protagonist’s rival and the story wants to portray that Ignis is on the same level of power, Allen struggled a lot fending him off.’

Raye recalled from the game.

’But he’s an easy opponent for me. With his magic useless, he’s not a threat to me. I just need to make sure not to let him cast High-Rank spells.’

’My fire resistance isn’t that strong yet.’

He declared in his head.

And opening his mouth...

"Are you done now?"

He asked that to Ignis!

Tap—

Raye took a step forward, closer to Ignis.

And unconsciously...

Tap—

Ignis stepped back.

’Arrogant brats... Breaking their spirits is so easy. Once the thing they relied on the most doesn’t work, they lose their will to fight—a bunch of idiots.’

Tap—

Raye said in his head as he took another step.

’If I was in his shoes, I would’ve relentlessly attacked and used stronger spells.’

He added, looking at Ignis.

And seeing him get near...

"Ugh...!"

Ignis panicked.

Bam!

And then he kicked off onto the ground and rushed at Raye!

And seeing him do that...

’That’s the stupidest thing he could’ve done.’

Raye thought that to himself!

Ignis is a mage, he’s not really strong physically. Because unlike Raye and Devin, he only focused on improving his magic!

He’s just above average in terms of physical strength, if ever!

’What is he going to do anyway? I have two swords, and he’s unarmed.’

Raye asked in his head.

And when Ignis got near him not long...

"HAAAA!!!"

Fwoosh—

He punched out with his right hand!

"That’s the lamest punch I’ve ever seen."

Raye mumbled.

SLASH—

And he just cut off Ignis’ whole right arm!

Thud—

Ignis’ arm flew away and fell behind him!

’Haha, I just unarmed him.’

Raye joked in his head.

Then, Ignis, realizing what happened...

"GRAAAAAAH!!!"

He crouched down on the ground, screaming in pain!

"H-How...? I always beat anyone physically too, even against the close combatant students back in the academy...!"

Ignis muttered with a confused expression on his face.

"Well, they probably just didn’t want to receive your magic because they can’t win against that. So they made it easier for themselves by letting you beat them physically."

And Raye just said that!

(That’s what actually happened.)

Ignis looked up at Raye.

And looking down at him for the second time...

"I’m telling you, without your fire magic, you’re nothing special, really."

Raye just casually declared that!

"You’re wrong!"

Ignis rebutted.

Bam—

He jumped back and put a few meters of distance between him and Raye.

"..."

Raye just let him. He’s certain of his victory, after all.

Tap—

Ignis landed on the ground. He stumbled a little because of the blood lost from having lost his right arm.

And desperately opening his mouth while glaring at Raye...

"[Incarnate Inferno!]"

Ignis exclaimed that!

"...?"

A confused expression appeared on Raye’s face, hearing that.

After all...

’What the fuck is that?’

He doesn’t know what spell that is!

And just then...

SWAAAAAASH~

Ignis’ whole body was swallowed by raging fire!

But then, it slowly condensed into his body!

And soon...

"Urgh...!"

His whole body became literal fire. His clothes were included too!

Even his right arm was replaced by a bright yellow arm-shaped flame!

"..."

Raye was astonished seeing this.

It’s his first time seeing something like this, even though he played [Brave Hearts] a bunch of times and went through this scenario numerous times before!

’That’s cool.’

Raye unconsciously thought.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

And then, Ignis suddenly laughed maniacally.

"It worked!"

He exclaimed.

Raye can’t see Ignis’ face because he’s just really a fire in the shape of a human at the moment, but he’s pretty sure he’s smirking.

"I succeeded! I became one with nature—with fire!"

Ignis added proudly proclaimed.

Swaaa—

Everything around him was burning.

And even though he’s standing a few meters away from him...

"..."

Raye could still feel the heat coming from Ignis!

"You see this? Now physical attacks won’t hurt me. This is the realm of talent nobody can cross but me!"

Ignis declared.

"..."

But Raye just looked at him, cringing...

’Does he think he’s the main character?’

He asked in his head.

Anyway, moving on...

"You."

Ignis brought his attention back to Raye.

And while pointing at him...

"I’ll make you pay for humiliating me."

Ignis threateningly said that!

"What?"

Raye asked.

"You humiliated yourself for being stupid, stupid."

And then he said that!

"SHUT UP!!!"

BAM!

Ignis decided to rush at Raye once again to finally stop him from talking.

And when he got to him...

Swish—

He just raised his right hand and aimed his palm at Raye!

FWOOSH—

And then a fireball just came out of his hand and blasted toward Raye!

"Haaah... I don’t even need to use my swords on you."

Raye casually said, kind of disappointed.

And opening his mouth...

"[Void Vortex]"

He just calmly muttered that!