Villainess X Villain: They are obsessed with each other!

Chapter 252: Chapter: 251 Dueling Magnus.[1]

Soon, Kavin and Jasmine found themselves standing within the underground arena.

The atmosphere was noticeably livelier than usual, and the massive stone stands surrounding the battlefield were packed with spectators.

Even ranked matches held in the larger arena above rarely attracted crowds of this size.

News that Magnus would finally be fighting again had spread throughout the city, drawing countless curious spell casters and adventurers eager to witness the battle.

Waves of cheers rolled through the arena as thousands of voices shouted his name in unison, causing the underground chamber to tremble faintly beneath the noise.

Kavin and Jasmine exchanged a brief glance amid the deafening cheers. Neither appeared particularly nervous.

Their expressions remained calm, almost relaxed, as though they were preparing for an ordinary spar rather than standing before a spell caster who had already passed the Third Heavenly Trial.

The two understood better than anyone how vast the gap between them and Magnus truly was.

If this had been a genuine battle to the death, the outcome would likely have been disastrous.

Fortunately, that was not the purpose of today’s match. Their goal had never been to defeat Magnus outright.

The Grand Tournament was approaching, and eventually they would have to face powerful spellcasters from across the continent.

Compared to what awaited them there, this battle was simply another step forward.

Jasmine slowly raised her left fist toward Kavin.

It was a small gesture, one they had repeated countless times before difficult battles, and Kavin immediately understood.

He bumped his fist against hers before shifting into position, his grip tightening around the weapon he would soon summon.

"Let’s do this," he said with a faint smile.

Across from them, Magnus rolled his shoulders and flexed his hands.

Wind mana immediately gathered around his knuckles, creating faint currents that spiraled around his fists and produced soft whistling sounds.

The giant cracked his neck before rotating his wrists several times, looking completely at ease despite standing before two opponents.

A broad grin stretched across his face as he studied them with obvious interest.

"Come," he said. "Let’s see what you’ve got."

Kavin’s smile widened slightly. Without wasting another moment, he activated his first spell. "Time Field."

The effect manifested almost instantly. A transparent cube appeared around the arena so quickly that even Magnus barely had time to react.

Thin lines of purple light formed along its edges, creating a massive geometric structure that enclosed the entire battlefield.

Murmurs immediately spread through the audience as spell casters attempted to identify the spell.

Magnus narrowed his eyes while observing the strange phenomenon.

Before he could properly examine it, however, he felt something unusual. The sensation was subtle, almost impossible to notice.

His body did not feel heavier, nor did his movements feel restricted, yet there was a faint sense that something around him had changed.

It was as though the flow of time itself had become slightly distorted.

Kavin noticed the brief confusion that crossed Magnus’ face and chose not to explain anything.

The spell’s effect was minor, reducing reaction speed by only a fraction.

In practical terms, the difference was almost insignificant against someone as powerful as Magnus.

However, uncertainty itself could become a weapon. The longer Magnus spent trying to understand the field, the more useful it became.

Without giving his opponent additional time to think, Kavin activated another spell.

"Weaponry."

Mana condensed before him, gathering into the shape of a massive greatsword.

The enormous blade materialized within seconds before settling comfortably into his hands.

He swung it onto his shoulder with practiced ease while Jasmine summoned her own weapons beside him.

A modified tachi appeared in her right hand, its size slightly smaller than a traditional version and its grip adjusted for one-handed use.

In her left hand appeared a shorter blade that resembled a rapier more than a sword, its narrow shape clearly designed for swift thrusting attacks.

Under normal circumstances she would have preferred using Mary, but doing so was out of the question.

The weapon was far too recognizable.

As one of the treasures of the Valentina Clan, revealing it here would be equivalent to announcing her identity to everyone watching.

Magnus observed the pair with growing interest. He immediately recognized the difference in their combat styles.

Kavin’s greatsword was designed for overwhelming force and destruction, while Jasmine’s weapons emphasized speed, precision, and lethal follow-up attacks.

Despite their contrasting approaches, the two moved with perfect familiarity, demonstrating the coordination of partners who had fought side by side for years.

The sight only seemed to amuse Magnus further.

His grin widened as he clenched his fists. Almost immediately, the arena floor began to tremble.

Deep cracks spread across the stone before enormous roots burst upward from beneath the battlefield.

The audience gasped as gigantic roots thicker than tree trunks erupted into the air and twisted around Magnus like living serpents.

Their sheer size was enough to remind many spectators of the legendary world tree in the novels.

The roots coiled around him protectively, creating the image of a king surrounded by loyal subjects awaiting his command.

The moment Magnus beckoned them forward, Kavin and Jasmine charged. At the same time, every root surged toward them with terrifying speed.

The enormous structures cut through the air like massive spears, their movements far faster than their size should have allowed.

Jasmine immediately shifted behind Kavin while he stepped forward to intercept the attack. His greatsword swept through the incoming roots, shattering them one after another.

Wooden fragments exploded across the arena as he carved a path directly toward Magnus.

Splintered roots shattered beneath every swing of his greatsword, scattering across the battlefield like broken spears.

More roots continued rushing toward them from every direction, twisting through the air and erupting from the stone floor in an attempt to halt their advance, yet Kavin refused to slow down.

His arms moved continuously, each strike carrying enough force to tear apart another obstacle.

Every swing of his blade cleared another opening, allowing the pair to push forward through the chaotic battlefield until they finally entered striking distance.

The moment an opening appeared, Jasmine moved.

Her figure blurred as she lunged from behind Kavin, the tachi sweeping horizontally toward Magnus while her shorter blade shot forward in a precise thrust aimed at a vulnerable opening.

Her movements were clean and efficient, wasting not even a fraction of unnecessary motion.

At the same time, Kavin stepped forward and swung his greatsword downward with enough force to crush stone.

The massive blade cut through the air with a low roar. The attack was perfectly synchronized.

One strike focused on precision, the other on overwhelming power, both arriving simultaneously from different angles. For an instant, it appeared as though Magnus had been completely trapped.

Everything happened so quickly that much of the audience could barely follow the exchange.

Some spectators only saw flashes of steel before the attacks had already reached their target.

Yet Magnus appeared completely unfazed. Rather than retreating or attempting to evade, he simply threw a punch.

There was no elaborate stance. No gathering of mana. No flashy technique.

Just a punch.

The instant his fist moved, danger erupted through both Kavin and Jasmine’s instincts.

Every warning sense they possessed screamed at them simultaneously. The feeling was so intense that neither hesitated for even a moment.

They immediately abandoned their attacks and shifted into defensive positions. Kavin raised his greatsword before him while Jasmine crossed both blades in front of her body. A fraction of a second later, the punch connected.

The resulting impact was so overwhelming that it felt less like being struck by a human fist and more like colliding with a moving mountain.

A thunderous explosion echoed throughout the arena as a violent shockwave burst outward from the point of contact.

The stone floor cracked beneath their feet, and countless fragments of debris were thrown into the air.

Both Kavin and Jasmine were launched backward. Their feet dug deep trenches into the stone floor as they struggled to maintain balance, yet the force behind the attack continued pushing them across the arena.

Pain shot through their arms and shoulders as the impact traveled from their weapons directly into their bodies.

Kavin felt every bone in his arms rattle from the collision, while Jasmine’s crossed blades trembled violently under the pressure.

Even though they had successfully defended themselves, the sheer strength behind the punch left their hands trembling.

After finally coming to a stop, both immediately regained their footing and returned to their fighting stances.

Kavin flexed his numb fingers while staring at Magnus in the distance.

The giant had not used an elaborate technique or a complicated spell. He had simply thrown a punch, and that single punch had forced both of them onto the defensive.

Seeing the relaxed grin still resting on Magnus’ face, Kavin could not help shaking his head.

The difference between them was impossible to ignore.

Even knowing Magnus was powerful and experiencing that power firsthand were two entirely different things.

The pressure radiating from the giant felt almost absurd. At that moment, only one thought echoed through his mind.

The man standing before them was an absolute monster.