The Villian Who Broke The Story

Chapter 70: Chapter 70:The Tournament: Lilith’s P.O.V

Lilith found herself standing inside the first room of the tournament’s Domain.

She quietly observed her surroundings before shifting her attention toward the young man standing several meters away.

She didn’t know his exact name, but she recognized him.

He was one of the higher-ranked students in Class D.

Under normal circumstances, defeating him would have been effortless. Compared to her true strength, almost every first-year student was nothing more than a toddler learning how to walk.

Unfortunately...

She couldn’t simply reveal that strength.

The restrictions placed upon her by the Velvet Gang were still in effect. Drawing too much attention to herself would only create unnecessary problems later.

"Should I just surrender?" Lilith wondered.

She immediately dismissed the idea.

That would only attract the attention of the teachers.

"Then I’ll simply hold back."

Her opponent rested a wooden staff on his shoulder before flashing her a smug smile.

"So... do you plan on fighting, or do you just plan on admiring my décor?"

Lilith simply stared at him without answering.

The silence made the boy grin even wider.

"Well, you seem quite pretty. I’ll hold back a bit... if you promise to go on a date with me."

Before he could even finish speaking—

Lilith had already appeared directly in front of him.

Her hand was already halfway toward his throat before she suddenly stopped.

"I’m meant to be holding myself back."

The realization came just in time.

The student froze in horror before instinctively stumbling backward, falling onto his backside.

"W-What..."

His heart pounded violently.

For a brief moment, he had genuinely believed he was about to die.

Trying to calm himself, he quickly raised his staff.

"Create Water Spear!"

A magic circle appeared beneath him as several compressed spears of water shot toward Lilith.

Instead of counterattacking, Lilith deliberately allowed one of the attacks to collide with her.

Boom!

She flipped several times before crashing into the opposite wall.

Dust rose around her.

She remained completely motionless.

The student blinked.

"...Did I actually win?"

After several seconds, Lilith slowly stood up while dusting off her uniform as though nothing had happened.

The student swallowed hard.

Something about the girl felt...

Wrong.

Even after taking a direct hit, her expression hadn’t changed in the slightest.

Lilith brushed a strand of silver hair behind her ear before quietly staring at him.

"I suppose..."

She muttered softly.

"...this should be enough."

She casually stepped backward.

The Domain interpreted her actions as surrender.

A flash of light enveloped her body before she disappeared from the room.

...

Outside the Domain...

Lilith slowly opened her eyes.

She now found herself seated among hundreds of eliminated students inside the massive stadium.

Above them floated countless enormous magical screens, each displaying different battles taking place throughout the tournament.

The injuries she had supposedly received moments ago had completely disappeared.

She looked down at herself before lightly touching her shoulder.

"Well... that was quick."

Meanwhile...

Back inside the Domain...

The mage slowly released the breath he had been holding.

"That was quite scary..."

He steadied himself before forcing out a nervous laugh.

"But no worries..."

"I’ll become a future A-Rank Mage."

His confidence slowly returned.

After all...

He had technically defeated someone.

He walked confidently toward the next doorway.

The door opened.

A single silver flash crossed his vision.

Slash!

Everything went dark.

...

The boy reopened his eyes inside the stadium once more.

He instinctively checked his body.

His injuries had disappeared again.

"...That was even quicker."

He let out a helpless sigh before finding an empty seat among the spectators.

Just as he relaxed—

A cold shiver suddenly crawled down his spine.

He slowly turned around.

Several rows behind him...

Lilith was quietly staring directly at him.

Although students surrounded her on every side, it somehow felt as though she was looking only at him.

Her beautiful pinkish-red eyes glowed faintly.

The boy’s face instantly turned pale.

An overwhelming sense of primal fear washed over him.

He was already sweating buckets.

Lilith tilted her head ever so slightly.

"Do you still want to go for that date?"

She asked in a perfectly calm voice.

The student shot to his feet.

"N-No thank you!"

Without waiting another second, he sprinted away from his seat, disappearing into another section of the stadium.

The surrounding students stared after him in complete confusion.

"Is there any reason for that guy to be that panicked?"

One student asked.

"Well... it could be his opponent."

Another shrugged.

"I bet that’s not possible. His opponent was just defeated by Charlotte... the second Dark Horse."

Someone else replied.

"The latest Dark Horse has surprised everyone."

"Who would’ve thought that someone who slept through most classes would become this strong?"

Another student commented.

"I still can’t believe it."

"Aside from Kael and Charlotte, everyone else from Class D has already been eliminated."

The statement caused several nearby students to nod.

"Kael doesn’t surprise me anymore."

"Ever since the Ogre examination, everyone knew he was special."

"Yeah."

"But Charlotte?"

"Nobody expected her."

"I heard she’s been going to the gym almost every single day."

"Seriously?"

"So the rumors were true."

Lilith quietly rolled her eyes.

Gym?

That was technically true.

Charlotte did visit the gym every day.

However...

Nobody knew what she was actually doing inside.

Training under gravity.

Following Kael’s ridiculous methods.

Enduring pain that most students would never willingly experience.

The results were simply beginning to show.

The enormous magical screens floating above the stadium continuously shifted as battle after battle unfolded inside the Domain.

Students eagerly searched for familiar faces.

Some watched their friends.

Others watched the highest-ranked students.

One particular screen, however, had gathered almost everyone’s attention.

Kael Draven.

"I switched to his screen again."

"Same here."

"I want to see just how far that monster is going."

"I still don’t understand how someone from Class D could be this strong."

The discussions grew louder with every passing minute.

Lilith silently lifted her head toward the largest screen.

Kael had just entered another room.

Opposite him stood a Wolf Beastkin wielding dual blades.

The moment the battle began, Kael smiled.

It wasn’t a smile filled with arrogance.

It was excitement.

Steel clashed repeatedly as both fighters disappeared from one spot after another.

The Beastkin attacked relentlessly, yet Kael matched every strike with frightening precision.

"He’s copying him..."

A student muttered.

"No... he’s adapting."

Another corrected.

Every exchange seemed to make Kael stronger.

His movements became smoother.

His attacks sharper.

The Wolf Beastkin gradually found himself being overwhelmed by the very style he specialized in.

Before long...

The Beastkin vanished.

Eliminated.

The stadium erupted into another wave of discussions.

"I don’t get it."

"How can someone improve during the middle of a fight?"

"He’s insane."

"I thought he only relied on brute strength."

Lilith simply smiled.

"Of course Kael would win."

She had never doubted him.

Not even for a second.

Kael calmly stepped into the next room.

His next opponent turned out to be a mage.

The battle immediately became different.

Unlike the Beastkin, the mage refused to engage in close combat.

Spells continuously filled the battlefield majorly Wind spells.

Kael calmly avoided every attack while steadily closing the distance.

"He dodged that?"

"How is his reaction speed that fast?"

"I didn’t even see him move."

The students could barely follow the battle.

A few moments later...

Kael’s blade rested against the mage’s neck.

The Domain immediately declared the victor.

Another elimination.

Lilith watched quietly.

For some reason...

Every time Kael smiled during battle...

He looked...

Extremely charming.

Her cheeks became slightly warm.

"Kael is mine."

The thought echoed softly inside her mind.

She didn’t even realize she had smiled.

...

Several more battles passed.

Then...

The screen suddenly changed.

Lilith’s expression stiffened.

Standing opposite Kael...

Was Verdia.

The beautiful blonde swordswoman stood with her sword drawn while looking at Kael with complicated emotions.

Around the stadium, whispers immediately spread.

"That’s Verdia."

"Wasn’t she Kael’s former fiancée?"

"I heard they were engaged when they were children."

Lilith slowly frowned.

Her gaze never left the screen.

She carefully watched the conversation taking place before the battle.

Although she couldn’t hear every word clearly...

She could see them talking.

Far longer than Kael had spoken to any previous opponent.

An unpleasant feeling slowly formed inside her chest.

"Does Kael still... love Verdia?"

The thought quietly surfaced.

For a brief moment...

An ominous aura unconsciously leaked from Lilith’s body.

The surrounding students immediately felt the temperature around them drop.

Several instinctively rubbed their arms.

"...Did it suddenly get colder?"

"I thought I was imagining things."

"Maybe it’s because of the barrier."

Nobody realized where the pressure was actually coming from.

Lilith continued staring at the screen.

She watched every exchange between Kael and Verdia.

Every clash.

Every conversation.

For some reason...

None of it pleased her.

Meanwhile...

Charlotte occasionally appeared on another screen.

She continued advancing through the tournament.

Winning battle after battle.

The students were equally shocked.

"I still don’t understand Charlotte."

"I never noticed her before."

"She was practically invisible in Class D."

"And now she’s defeating people from Class A?"

"Seriously..."

"Class D produced two monsters."

Lilith clicked her tongue.

"Charlotte..."

She wasn’t exactly angry with her.

But...

She couldn’t ignore how close Charlotte had become to Kael recently.

During meals...

Training...

Even ordinary conversations...

Charlotte always seemed to be beside him.

Lilith lightly pouted.

"She’s getting a little too close..."

She didn’t immediately know what to do.

Besides...

The restrictions placed upon her by the Velvet Gang prevented her from acting however she wanted.

For now...

She simply continued watching.

Her attention eventually returned to Kael.

As the battles continued...

Lilith began noticing something strange.

Occasionally...

Very occasionally...

Kael’s expression changed.

His crimson eyes seemed colder.

His movements became more savage.

His killing intent intensified before disappearing again.

"Those instincts..."

Lilith quietly observed him.

"They’re becoming stronger..."

Fortunately...

Kael always regained control before anything dangerous happened.

Still...

It left her worried.

Eventually...

The battle with Verdia came to an end.

Kael emerged victorious.

Only after seeing Verdia disappear from the Domain did Lilith finally relax.

The oppressive aura surrounding her quietly vanished.

The nearby students unknowingly sighed in relief.

Then—

A loud voice echoed throughout the entire stadium.

[Everyone Present In The Tournament Are Currently In Class A.]

[Entering The Next Battle Is Your Final Battle For This Round Of The Tournament.]

[Wish You Luck.]

A brief pause followed.

Then another announcement echoed.

[And Welcome To Phase Two.]

The magical screens shifted once again.

Students leaned forward in anticipation.

"What?"

"Phase Two already?"

"I thought there’d be another round first."

"The matchups are changing!"

Lilith’s eyes immediately searched for Kael’s screen.

Then...

She saw it.

Kael had entered another room.

Standing opposite him...

Was Charlotte.

Beside her stood another opponent.

Lilith slowly smiled.

It was a sweet smile.

One that somehow sent chills down the spine of the students sitting nearby.

"Kael versus Charlotte..."

"And that extra..."

She softly muttered.

"This seems interesting."