The Survival of the Third-rate Villain

Devin was carried into the resting area where Raye and the others are.

And there...

Fwooo—

He was healed by the healers.

Not long after...

"Ugh..."

Devin regained his consciousness.

And seeing him awake...

"Good work out there."

Raye said that.

Following him...

"Good job!"

"That was a great fight!"

The others started praising Devin’s performance as well.

"You got a lot stronger, huh."

Lycus said, he finished his duel in under a minute. He won, obviously.

Anyway, looking at the others...

"Hehe, thanks."

Devin awkwardly, but happily responded.

And then...

"..."

He went silent immediately after.

"The match was a draw, but it was clear that I lost."

Devin mumbled, feeling kinda down.

"..."

Raye and the others didn’t say anything.

Though, they’re worried that Devin might lose confidence in himself...

"..."

Devin stayed silent for a few seconds, recalling his match.

He was frustrated.

But contrary to everyone’s expectations...

"I’ll do better next time."

Devin didn’t lose hope!

"Next time, I’ll win for sure."

He declared with a resolute expression on his face!

"Phew..."

Raye smiled, seeing that Devin didn’t succumb into depression.

"Mhm..."

The others were relieved as well.

"You’ll need to train a lot to be as strong as her."

Raye suddenly said that.

"I know."

And Devin replied.

Then, looking at Raye...

"Let’s train together later."

He followed that!

"I want in too."

And Lycus joined in!

Raye shrugged his shoulders, then with a smirk...

"Sure, why not?"

He replied to the two.

And just as their conversation finished...

"Lena Dravenhart."

Sariel called Lena’s name!

"Oh, it’s my turn now."

Lena mumbled, standing up.

"Good luck."

Raye said, looking at her.

"Do your best out there!"

Jerusha added.

"Ehh, don’t you feel bad for her opponent? Lena is crazy strong, you know?"

Then Sofia followed.

Devin and Lycus just wished her luck normally, like Raye.

"Thanks, I’ll do my best."

Lena replied to them.

And then...

"Leon Lightbringer."

Her opponent was called, it was the protagonist!

’Oof, this wasn’t in the game too.’

Raye thought.

But still...

"Meh."

He was cheering for Lena.

Though, suddenly...

"Raye Alvah."

His name was called too!

"Huh?"

Raye uttered with wide eyes.

...

*****

"Finally."

Raye mumbled to himself, standing up and stretching his neck.

"Demolish your opponent!"

Devin exclaimed.

"I’m excited to watch your fight."

And then Lycus commented.

"Good luck!"

Sofia cheered on him too.

And looking at them three...

"Thanks."

Raye simply replied to them.

And then...

"Hm?"

He saw Jerusha at the corner of his eyes.

She kept wriggling, unable to sit still, her fingers fidgeting in her lap.

Jerusha keeps on glancing at him, her gaze darting away whenever he noticed

And seeing her like that...

"What is it?"

Raye directly asked her that.

"Ah!"

Which surprised Jerusha, she almost panicked.

"..."

But after collecting herself...

"Do your best, I’ll be cheering for you!"

She said that brightly with a smile on her face!

"Oh..."

Raye doesn’t know what to say back to her.

Though, a wide smile was threatening to appear on his face. He was happy to hear such words aimed at him.

"I guess I need to take this seriously then."

Raye said, just smiling softly.

And after that...

"I’ll be right back."

Tap- tap- tap—

He started walking toward the arena.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Devin, Lycus, and Sofia just silently watched their interaction just now with such great interest.

And with a sweet smile on her face...

’Is that what I think it is?!’

Sofia exclaimed that internally, looking at the slightly blushing Jerusha.

*****

"We’ll be fighting at the same time, huh."

Raye said, walking beside Lena.

They’re both headed to the arena.

"Looks like it... Good luck for both of us."

Lena mumbled.

"Yeah, good luck to us."

Raye responded.

Tap- tap- tap—

Tap- tap- tap—

And then the two separated ways.

...

...

Tap-

Raye climbed onto the arena.

And looking at the other side...

"..."

He saw his opponent.

A handsome young man with white hair and red eyes...

That’s right!

It was Allen Iverson!

"So we’ve been paired, huh."

Allen said, glaring at Raye.

"..."

Raye just ignored him, he doesn’t want to talk to Allen.

So instead...

’Hmm, this weight is fine.’

He started choosing a wooden sword to use in the match.

"Tch, he’s really a scumbag."

Allen grumbled to himself, realizing what Raye was doing.

But then, opening his mouth...

"Just let me ask you one thing."

He said that.

"Hmm?"

This made Raye look at him, curious.

And with his attention now on him...

"What’s your relationship with Lena?"

Allen asked that with a serious expression on his face!

"..."

Raye was silent, unmoving.

’What...?’

He was making sure that he heard the question right.

And just then...

"Are you not going answer?"

Allen followed, feeling impatient!

"Oh."

And Raye finally realized what was happening!

So basically, Allen likes Lena.

And he’s jealous of Raye for being close to her!

That explained the hostility Raye was feeling from Allen, even though, as far as he knew, the original Raye shouldn’t have had any beef with him in the past!

’Ugh, teenagers.’

Raye thought with a frown on his face.

"..."

He then opened his mouth to explain things to Allen.

But before he could even let out a word...

"Get ready."

Sariel instructed that!

And Allen...

"No answer, huh."

Fwip-

He immediately took a stance!

"Wait, no."

Raye tried to explain again.

"..."

But Sariel and Allen just stared at him, waiting for him to get ready.

"Haaaaa..."

So after letting out a defeated sigh...

Fwip-

"Fine, whatever."

Raye took a stance too!

’Why can’t they just fucking listen for a second?’

He thought in frustration.

*****

Raye stood at the end of the arena.

He’s holding a simple, one-handed wooden sword. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Allen has the same weapon, he’s on the opposite side.

Anyway, seeing that they’re both ready to fight now...

"Start!"

Sariel started their match!

Fwish-

Raye immediately pointed his left hand at Allen, doing a finger gun.

And with deep concentration...

"[Bang]- [Bang]- [Bang]—"

He started shooting at him!

"?!"

Allen saw three small fireballs flying at him.

Swish—

And they are crazy fast!

"Ugh...!"

Fwish-

Allen moved his head to the side to avoid one of the fire projectiles.

And following that...

Bam-

He dashed sideways to avoid the others!

’I don’t know what skill he’s using, but I feel like they’re dangerous despite their size.’

Allen thought, frowning.

Tap-

And after landing softly on the ground...

Swoosh—

He immediately sent a huge amount of mana to his legs!

BAM—!

And then he kicked off and rushed at Raye!

Fwish-

Allen’s figure disappeared from where he was standing!

His speed was no joke, the students didn’t see his movements!

The next thing they knew...

Swish-

He was standing in front of Raye!

SWOOSH—

And he swung his sword horizontally!

It was a swift, heavy attack!

"?!"

The students were surprised, it all happened very fast!

Though...

TWACK—

"..."

Raye just raised his wooden sword in his right hand and easily blocked Allen’s attack!

"Wha?!"

This surprised Allen, he thought his attack and timing were perfect!

And as he was in shock...

"Try a bit faster, then maybe you could hit me."

Raye said that to him, face to face!

"?!"

Allen felt a shiver run down his spine. He knew that Raye wasn’t provoking him but was simply telling the truth!

’Ugh, this monster!’

BAM—!

Allen leaped backwards to get away from Raye!

Tap-

But just when his right foot barely touched the floor...

"[Flash]"

Allen heard that.

Swish—

And then Raye just appeared in front of him!

"?!"

Allen’s eyes widened!

SWOOSH—

Then he saw Raye’s wooden sword already close to his face!

"Fucker!"

Swish—

Allen exclaimed as he forcibly raised his sword!

And because of his desperate response...

TWOCK—!

He blocked Raye’s attack!

"Urgraa...!"

But his entire arms tingled with pain—they had been blown away and were now completely numb!

And not missing that opportunity...

BAM—

Raye launched a side kick at Allen!

"KEUK!!!"

And Allen was hit in the stomach, he felt like puking!

Swoosh—

Thud-

Allen was sent backwards and fell on the floor...

And what did Raye do when his opponent was in that state?

"..."

Nothing!

He just stared at Allen with cold, expressionless eyes!

Though...

’Allen is persistent, I need to be careful.’

He was just actually being cautious.

But the students didn’t know that.

And seeing what just unfolded on the arena...

"WHOOOAAAAHH!!!"

"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!!"

"THAT WAS SO FAST, ARE YOU SURE THAT WASN’T TELEPORTATION?!!"

The students erupted in cheers, their excitement echoing through the room!

They didn’t see what happened because the two were moving so fast.

But suddenly...

They just saw Allen on the floor and Raye calmly staring at him from a distance!

That scene was enough to know that Raye won an exchange against an [S Class] student!

"What the fuck...?"

Lycus cursed, dumbfounded.

He normally stays calm, but Raye’s speed just now was too ridiculous even for him!

"..."

Devin was speechless, his eyes were wide open in disbelief.

"..."

Sofia was the same.

And then, Jerusha...

’He’s really awesome...’

She couldn’t help but think of that, looking at Raye!

Actually, not just her...

Every student in the room right now is feeling the same awe for Raye!

And his match with Allen...

It was completely overshadowing Lena and Leon’s fight!

’That man is really flashy, huh.’

FZZZT—

Lena thought as she fired a lightning bolt at Leon!