Villainess X Villain: They are obsessed with each other!

Chapter 273: Chapter: 272 Duel of mortals.[1]

Kavin jumped into the air and swung his arm forward. The sickle at the end of the Kusarigama shot across the arena with a speed that was difficult for ordinary spectators to follow.

The chain stretched behind it like a silver line, whistling through the air as it rushed toward its target.

Masamune remained calm.

The Sword Demon simply raised the Honjo Masamune and intercepted the incoming sickle.

Steel collided against steel with a sharp clang as the curved blade hooked itself against the sword. For a brief moment, the two weapons locked together.

Kavin had been expecting that.

The instant the sickle was caught, he rushed forward, closing half the distance between them.

His grip shifted on the remaining chain as he swung the iron weight attached to the other end of the Kusarigama. The heavy sphere cut through the air and descended toward Masamune’s head with enough force to shatter stone.

The Sword Demon showed no signs of panic.

His free hand rose smoothly.

As Kavin watched, the flesh of the man’s arm transformed. Skin hardened into shining steel while his fingers fused together, lengthening into a broad sword-like blade.

The transformation was swift and disturbingly natural, as though his body had always been meant to become a weapon.

Masamune brought the blade down.

At first glance, it appeared he intended to strike the iron ball itself. Only at the last moment did Kavin realize the true target.

The chain.

The sword descended and sliced through the metal links with terrifying precision.

The Kusarigama split apart.

The iron ball continued flying harmlessly past Masamune while the severed chain dropped toward the arena floor.

Yet the Sword Demon still wasn’t finished.

With his transformed hand, he casually touched the sickle that remained locked against the Honjo Masamune.

The reaction was immediate as the weapon began to melt.

The steel softened like wax placed over a flame. Its shape distorted before collapsing into glowing liquid that dripped onto the arena floor. Within moments, the sickle had vanished completely.

"Damn."

Kavin grimaced.

Now he understood why the man carried the title of Sword Demon.

Masamune wasn’t merely a swordsman. His Steel Path abilities allowed him to transform parts of his own body into weapons, and his spells granted him terrifying control over metal.

Any steel that remained in contact with him for too long could be reduced to nothing.

Against most weapon users, that ability was a nightmare.

Without wasting another second, Kavin summoned a bow into existence. The weapon materialized in his hands as he retreated, intending to create distance and force the battle into a different rhythm.

Unfortunately, Masamune had no intention of allowing that.

The moment Kavin began drawing the bowstring, the Sword Demon disappeared.

Kavin’s eyes widened as a blur crossed the arena.

By the time he fully registered what had happened, Masamune was already standing before him.

The Honjo Masamune descended toward his heart.

There was no time to dodge.

Both of Kavin’s hands were occupied, one gripping the bow while the other held the string taut. He had underestimated just how fast the Sword Demon could move even while affected by his spells.

Instinct took over.

Kavin raised the bow as a shield as the sword struck, the bow shattered instantly.

The blade cut cleanly through the weapon as though it were made of paper.

Kavin reacted immediately. His hands seized the two broken halves and wrapped them around the descending sword, desperately trying to slow its advance.

For a brief moment, it worked, then the Honjo Masamune continued forward.

The sword bit into his shoulder. Pain exploded through his body as the blade carved deep into his collarbone.

"Guh!"

Kavin’s knees buckled under the force of the strike as blood splattered onto the arena floor.

Yet Masamune still wasn’t finished, the Sword Demon lifted his right leg.

As Kavin watched, the limb transformed. Flesh hardened into shining metal while the shape sharpened into a massive dagger. The edge gleamed beneath the sunlight as Masamune drove the kick forward.

The dagger shot toward Kavin’s chest.

A direct hit would end the match instantly.

"Mire of Time. Two times slower!"

The spell burst from Kavin almost instinctively. The surrounding mana trembled.

The dagger’s advance visibly slowed.

It wasn’t enough to stop the attack entirely, but it was enough.

Kavin gritted his teeth and threw himself backward. Agony shot through his wounded shoulder as he forced his body to move, but the distance he created allowed the transformed blade to pass just in front of his chest.

The attack missed.

Kavin landed heavily several meters away and immediately grimaced.

His shoulder throbbed violently as warm blood continued to flow from the wound.

Across from him, Masamune lowered his leg and studied it with mild curiosity. The slowing effect was obvious even to the audience. The transformed weapon moved as though trapped within invisible mud.

The Sword Demon flexed his leg before giving a small nod.

"You are good." His voice carried genuine appreciation.

"I have never encountered spells like these before."

He shook the blood from the Honjo Masamune and examined Kavin carefully. His expression remained calm and indifferent, but his next words carried unmistakable disappointment.

"Unfortunately, they are not enough."

Kavin sighed internally.

’Here it comes.’

Masamune glanced toward him and continued.

"To be honest, I would have preferred challenging Ball Crusher Jasmine."

A hint of regret appeared on his face.

The Sword Demon had watched Jasmine’s previous matches, and the memories clearly remained fresh in his mind.

He had seen countless weapon users throughout his life, yet very few had left a lasting impression on him.

Jasmine was one of them.

Her swordsmanship alone had been enough to earn his respect. In a pure sword duel, she could stand on equal footing with him, something almost nobody within the rankings could claim.

What disturbed him even more was that the sword was not her only specialty. She wielded maces with terrifying proficiency.

Her archery was exceptional, her spearmanship was equally impressive.

Even daggers seemed perfectly natural in her hands.

Every weapon she touched became an extension of herself.

Masamune had spent his entire life pursuing the sword, yet Jasmine somehow displayed mastery across nearly every weapon she picked up. The thought still left him feeling unsettled.

If she had devoted herself solely to the sword, he genuinely believed there might not be a single opponent capable of defeating her in a battle of swordsmanship.

Unfortunately, the person standing before him now was not Jasmine.

Kavin possessed skill with weapons, but only enough to use them competently. Compared to true masters, the difference was obvious.

Masamune released a quiet sigh.

"I had hoped you would be a worthy swordsman. What a pity."

He slowly raised the Honjo Masamune once more and pointed it toward Kavin.

"Very well. I shall defeat you and wait for Miss Ball Crusher Jasmine."

Kavin couldn’t help smiling bitterly.

The man somehow managed to sound incredibly respectful and incredibly insulting at the same time.

The worst part was that Jasmine was undoubtedly listening somewhere.

He could practically imagine the expression on her face.

The Sword Demon clearly intended the title as praise, but Kavin could already feel the irritation she would be experiencing after hearing it.

Still, he couldn’t entirely disagree with Masamune’s assessment.

Jasmine truly was a monster when it came to weapons.

Most people spent their lives mastering one. Some exceptional geniuses mastered two.

A handful managed three.

Jasmine had somehow learned almost everything.

Whenever Kavin thought about it, the sheer absurdity of her talent became difficult to comprehend. Compared to her, he honestly felt less gifted in many areas.

That said...

There was one statement he absolutely disagreed with.

Masamune believed he could defeat him.

Kavin wasn’t convinced. The smile gradually faded from his face.

His thoughts calmed.

The pain in his shoulder remained, the cheers of the crowd continued around him.

The blood running down his arm still felt warm.

Yet none of it mattered. His attention narrowed entirely toward the man standing across the arena.

A faint golden light appeared deep within Kavin’s eyes.

The glow remained hidden beneath layers of illusion. Contact lenses and Jasmine’s Color Path spells continued disguising them as ordinary black eyes, concealing the truth from the spectators.

Beneath the illusion, however, the golden hue brightened.

Kavin slowly inhaled.

His gaze sharpened.

The world seemed to become clearer. A smile appeared on his face.

"It’s time."

The golden light intensified.

"All Seeing Eyes."