The Survival of the Third-rate Villain

Raye opened his mouth, and casually—

"[Flash]"

He muttered that!

FWOOSH—!

A sudden, violent gust of wind erupted beneath Raye’s feet.

BOOM—!

The air cracked as his body vanished— propelled forward at an almost instantaneous speed!

"?!"

Ace’s eyes widened in shock.

"What—?!"

He barely saw Raye move!

His instincts screamed—

React!

But—

Just as he raised his right hand, katana poised to defend—

SLASH—!

A sharp whistle cut through the air!

And for a split second—Ace felt nothing.

And then—

SPLURT—!

Blood sprayed into the air!

His right hand—

It was gone!

Ting—

His katana clattered onto the ground, severed fingers still locked around the hilt!

"Haaa??"

Ace’s breath hitched.

His body froze.

The pain had not even registered to him yet!

The only thing he could process—

"..."

Was Raye’s cold, piercing gaze, staring directly at him!

Then, snapping out of his stupor—

"Urgh—?!"

Bam!

Ace leaped back, his mind was racing.

’My hand. My right hand is gone!’

His left hand clamped down on the bleeding stump, desperately trying to stop the blood flow.

’What the fuck was that?!’

Ace’s heart pounded, his thoughts scrambled.

He was shocked. Confused, even.

After all—

’I haven’t seen anyone my age faster than me!’

Ace thought.

Tap—

Then his feet hit the ground.

His stance shook.

And then—

A sharp, searing pain shot through his body!

"Gurgh?!!"

Ace’s face twisted in agony as his brain finally registered the loss of his right hand.

Fwish—

His gaze snapped back up.

And there—

"..."

He saw Raye standing calm and unshaken!

And Raye, seeing Ace’s reaction...

Smirked—

"Is that too fast for you?"

He asked that!

"My bad."

He followed with a mocking tone!

And hearing him...

"..."

Ace’s frown just deepened.

...

*****

Ace’s irritation boiled over into fury!

’This bastard is getting on my nerves.’

He thought.

Fwish-

Then his eyes flickered to his katana—lying just beside him.

Annoyed—

Fwip-

Fwoosh—

Ace picked it up with his left hand and threw away his severed right hand!

CRACKLE—!

Electricity surged through his blade! 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

And after gritting his teeth—

[Thunder Step!]

He exclaimed that!

BZZZZZT—!!

Then Ace’s figure vanished!

WHOOSH—

His speed was blazing fast!

Ace just used a skill that could rival [Flash]!

FWOOZZZH—!!

A lightning-clad blur shot straight at Raye!

’DIE YOU FUCKING MONKEY!!!’

SWOOSH—

Ace shouted in his head as he swung down his katana with his left hand !

But responding quickly—

TING—!

Raye just simply blocked it with [Nyx]!

"!!!"

Ace’s face cringed in annoyance when he saw that!

And then—

Ace’s gaze met Raye’s.

And opening his mouth again—

"Too slow."

Raye said that!

BAM!

Then he launched a brutal kick—straight to Ace’s gut!

BAM—!

Ace’s body flew backward!

THUD—!

He crashed, bouncing against the floor before tumbling down hard!

"Tch—!"

Ace gritted his teeth, his body was screaming in pain!

But he didn’t even have time to breathe—

’Up, fast!’

He thought that Raye was going to attack him again, making use of the situation!

He was sure of it!

"Ugh...!"

Ace forced himself to move.

But—

His body struggled.

With only one hand left, pushing himself up was difficult.

And yet—

To his surprise…

"..."

Raye didn’t attack him.

No finishing blow.

No rush to end the fight.

Just silence.

The storm had stilled.

And Ace—

Didn’t know what was more terrifying...

*****

Ace panted, his breaths ragged. His left hand still gripped the bloody stump where his right once was, but the pain was already dulling—his fury was burning it away.

And yet—

Raye wasn’t attacking.

Ace’s sharp gaze locked onto him, eyes filled with confusion and disbelief.

"...Why?"

His voice came out rough, uneven.

Raye, standing there, merely shrugged his shoulders.

Then he smiled.

"Because there’s no need."

He said.

And at his words...

"..."

Ace froze.

’No need?’

He repeated in his head.

On the other hand...

Fwip-

Raye shifted his grip on his twin swords, his stance completely at ease.

His expression? Unbothered.

Was it confidence?

No—

Raye was being arrogant.

Ace’s face twitched seeing him.

His fingers tightened around his katana’s hilt.

’This bastard...!’

He feels insulted.

Then finally—

"HAAAAAA!!!"

Ace fucking snapped!

And with rage fueling his body—

BAM!

He launched himself forward, pushing off the ground at breakneck speed!

And seeing him approach... Explore more at freewebnovel

"Hah!"

Raye’s smirk widened!

Fwish-

Ace appeared in front of Raye.

Then, with a hateful expression on his face—

FWOOOSH—!

He heavily brought down his katana!

A powerful, furious strike!

It was fast!

But—

TING—!

Raye just blocked it!

Though, not stopping there...

"HAAAAAAA!!!"

SWOOOSH—

Ace followed a horizontal strike!

But even how many attacks he threw...

TANG—!

CLANG—!

TING!

Raye just deflected them. Again. Again. And Again!

Ace kept swinging, pouring everything into his attacks!

Lightning surged through his blade, his strikes growing faster, stronger—

But—

TING!

TANG!

CLANG!

Raye blocked every single one.

Easily.

Ace’s frustration exploded.

’Why?!’

He was fast! Strong! His technique was sharpened from years of training!

But Raye—

He wasn’t just blocking—

He was toying with him!

And Ace knew it.

"RRRRAAAAAAGH!!!"

Ace roared and lunged forward, this time aiming directly for Raye’s throat!

A full-powered, final strike!

CRACKLE—!

The air burned with electricity—his blade surging with raw energy!

But—

Raye’s eyes flashed.

And then—

FWOOOSH—!

He disappeared.

Ace’s blade sliced through nothing.

His heart dropped.

"Wha—?"

And before he could react—

BAM!

A crushing elbow slammed into his ribs!

Ace’s body lurched to the side!

"Guh—!"

Then, before he could even recover—

THWACK—!

A sharp knee to the gut!

"GRRK—!!"

His vision blurred.

He stumbled.

His feet barely found balance.

But Raye—

Didn’t let him.

FWISH—!

Raye appeared beside him—so fast Ace barely saw him move!

And then—

BAM!!!

A spinning kick smashed into Ace’s ribs, sending him flying!

CRASH—!

Ace slammed into the ground, skidding across the concrete floor before finally stopping.

His body refused to move.

His vision swam.

His breath came out in shaky gasps!

Pain.

Pain.

Pain.

But above all—

Humiliation.

"Keuk..."

Ace gritted his teeth, glaring up at Raye through hazy eyes.

And there he was—standing calm, swords still in hand, looking down at Ace like he was already defeated.

Ace clenched his fists.

’No… I won’t lose like this…’

He refused.

He wouldn’t—

But then—

Raye sighed.

And in the most infuriatingly casual tone—

"You’re done."

He spoke.

Ace’s body stiffened.

"Fuck..."

He muttered weakly, the curse escaping his lips in a breathless rasp.

His mind reeled—memories flashing through his hazy vision.

The first time he held his sword, the weight of it in his hands, the promise of becoming strong. The countless hours spent in sweat, fighting through pain, through doubt. The endless training—endurance, technique, and that fiery passion that pushed him forward.

But now—now it all felt like a joke.

And yet—

His pride flared, burning hotter than any pain he’d felt!

The fire of his struggle, his sacrifices—it ignited.

"GRAAAHHHH!!!"

Ace forced himself to stand once again.

His body screamed, the world spinning beneath him, but he stood. His stance wobbled—barely holding together—but he stood.

Raye, ever the indifferent figure, simply watched him.

The crowd’s eyes were locked on Ace, watching the boy who refused to yield, no matter the cost.

Ace’s eyes burned. His fist clenched around the hilt of his katana, his grip tight enough to crack the handle. He was done.

No more holding back.

Swoosh—

The air around him began to hum, electric tension rising.

Ace focused, circulating mana through every muscle in his body. The storm of energy churned, building, ready to burst.

He was preparing to unleash his all—one final attack to end this.

His heartbeat thundered in his chest, matching the rising energy.

Swoosh—

The air was thick with anticipation.

And then—

BZZZT—!

Electricity crackled around Ace, coating his body in a violent, yellow glow!

His heart pounded harder—stronger.

"[Thunder Step]"

Ace muttered, his voice low, barely audible over the hum of power.

Fwoosh—!!

In a blur, he launched himself forward, a streak of lightning aiming for Raye’s throat.

SWIZZH—!

His katana came down with everything he had left—sharp, quick, and deadly, covered in crackling electricity!

But—

SWOOSH—!

A cold whisper of steel.

Ace’s eyes widened.

His final strike...

It missed.

No—

TING!

Raye had deflected it with [Nyx].

His katana had been knocked aside, the lightning crackling uselessly as his momentum carried him forward—

And in that moment—

Swoosh—

Raye’s left hand moved.

[Celestria] gleamed under the light.

And then—

SLASH—!

A perfect arc.

A clean cut.

Ace felt nothing.

For a second.

And then—

His vision spun.

The battlefield tilted unnaturally.

His world flipped upside down.

A strange, dull sensation filled his body.

No—

Not his body.

He couldn’t feel it anymore.

THUD—

His head hit the ground.

His body then crumpled.

A pool of blood spread beneath him, his katana lying still beside him.

Ace’s final expression—

Frozen in shock.

"..."

The crowd was silent.

No one moved.

And Raye—

Fwip-

He simply flicked the blood off [Celestria] with a casual motion.

Then, glancing down at Ace’s unmoving body—

"Still too slow."

Raye mumbled.

And with that, he turned away.

The fight had ended.

And Raye—

Had clearly won.