Villainess X Villain: They are obsessed with each other!

Chapter 276: Chapter: 275 Duel of mortals.[4]

The moment the words left Masamune’s mouth, the world around them seemed to distort.

A strange pressure swept across the arena, not oppressive in the usual sense, but absolute. Kavin felt it immediately. The spear lodged within Masamune’s abdomen vanished without warning, dissolving into particles of light before disappearing entirely.

At the same time, the mana flowing through his body abruptly stopped. It was as though...as though...an invisible hand had reached inside him and slammed shut every pathway connected to his core.

Kavin’s expression darkened. He attempted to circulate mana out of instinct, but nothing responded.

His core remained silent. Even worse, the familiar sensation of the All Seeing Eyes disappeared. The golden eyes that had guided him throughout countless battles became ordinary once again.

A bitter smile appeared on Kavin’s face.

’I was afraid he would use this.’

A plain wakizashi materialized before him and dropped into his waiting hand. The weapon felt light, almost disappointing.

Kavin examined it for a brief moment before tightening his grip. There was not a trace of mana within it, no enchantments, no runes, no hidden abilities....just steel.

Throughout this tournament he had intentionally used cheap-quality weapons to avoid drawing attention to himself, but even those weapons had possessed some degree of craftsmanship.

This sword was different. It was completely ordinary, the kind of blade a mundane soldier might carry into battle.

Across from him, Masamune’s legendary sword had also vanished. The Honjo Masamune, a treasure capable of cutting through powerful spell casters, was replaced by a simple katana bearing the same shape but none of the power.

Despite that, the Sword Demon’s grin only widened. His body looked terrible. Blood continued to flow from the wound in his abdomen.

Cuts and bruises covered him from head to toe, and his complexion had become noticeably pale from blood loss. Yet the excitement in his eyes had only grown stronger.

"Welcome to the Duel of Mortals."

His voice echoed through the arena as he slowly raised the ordinary sword. There was no mana surrounding him anymore.

Yet the way he stood sent an uncomfortable chill down Kavin’s spine.

Masamune gripped the sword with all the strength a mundane human could possess, and for the first time since the battle began, Kavin felt genuinely threatened.

His jaw tightened.

Just like the name suggested, the Domain was centered around a single concept.

The Duel of Mortals.

Within this Domain, no one could access mana. No spells. No abilities. No treasures. No Paths. Everything supernatural was stripped away, leaving behind only flesh, steel, and skill.

The domain reduced both combatants to ordinary humans and forced them to settle their conflict through nothing but swordsmanship.

And knowing exactly how much of his strength relied on his abilities, Kavin understood one thing with absolute clarity.

He was completely fucked.

Even so, surrender never crossed his mind. His eyes drifted toward the deep wound in Masamune’s abdomen. Blood continued dripping onto the arena floor. The Sword Demon was injured.

He was losing blood. He was in pain. No matter how terrifying his swordsmanship might be, he remained human within this Domain.

Humans grew tired. Humans bled. Humans collapsed. If Kavin could not overpower him, perhaps he could outlast him.

Taking a deep breath, Kavin adjusted his grip on the wakizashi and began walking forward.

His steps were slow and deliberate. The arena had become strangely quiet. Every movement felt heavier without mana reinforcing his body.

When he stopped roughly two meters away from Masamune, neither man spoke. They simply stared at one another.

Though his powers had vanished, his experience remained.

Kavin had spent years fighting opponents who moved faster than sound. He had trained his eyes to track impossible movements and react to attacks that ordinary people could never perceive.

That experience would not disappear simply because his mana was gone. It might not be enough to defeat Masamune, but it was something.

Masamune seemed to sense his thoughts.

The Sword Demon grinned.

"I would have enjoyed our battle a little longer," he said, his smile widening further. "But it ends now."

The instant the final word left his mouth, he moved.

Kavin’s eyes widened.

’What the—!’

Despite standing only two meters away and watching with complete focus, he could not comprehend the movement.

There was no burst of speed.

No flashy acceleration. No supernatural technique. Masamune simply stepped forward, yet somehow crossed the distance and appeared before him.

The motion was so smooth and efficient that Kavin’s brain failed to register the transition.

A downward slash descended toward him.

Without hesitation, Kavin raised his wakizashi and intercepted the strike. Steel collided with steel, sending vibrations through his arms.

The impact rattled his bones, but he endured it. The moment the blades met, Kavin twisted his body and launched a vicious back kick toward the wound in Masamune’s abdomen.

If he could not match the Sword Demon in technique, then he would target the injury.

However, Masamune reacted instantly.

Instead of retreating, he lowered his blade and intercepted the kick with the flat of the sword. Kavin’s foot slammed against steel.

Before he could recover his balance, however, the Sword Demon counterattacked. The tip of the katana shot forward like a striking snake, aiming directly for Kavin’s thigh.

The intent was obvious.

Cripple the leg.

End the fight.

Kavin narrowly twisted aside. The blade missed by inches. He immediately retaliated with a slash aimed toward Masamune’s knees, hoping to limit his mobility.

Masamune jumped backward and avoided the strike before advancing once again. The two men collided in another exchange of steel.

Swords flashed repeatedly as attacks and counters flowed without pause. Neither side was willing to surrender even a single step.

The crowd, however, reacted very differently.

The deafening excitement that had dominated the arena earlier had largely faded.

Most spectators had come to witness overwhelming spells, impossible movements, and displays of might that shattered common sense.

Those younger audience members who barely understood swordsmanship found themselves struggling to stay engaged.

To them, the fight now looked like two ordinary men swinging swords at one another.

There were no exploding techniques. No storms of mana. No impossible leaps across the arena. Some spectators yawned. Others leaned back in their seats with visible boredom.

Only the truly experienced warriors remained focused.

Their eyes never left the battlefield, because they understood. What appeared simple was anything but simple.

Clang!

Kavin blocked another attack, steel grinding violently against steel. The moment he felt the pressure disappear, he realized something was wrong.

A feint.

Masamune’s grin widened.

Before Kavin could react, the Sword Demon stepped inward and slammed the pommel of his sword directly into Kavin’s left clavicle.

A sickening crack echoed through the arena.

Pain exploded through Kavin’s body.

For an instant, it felt as though lightning had shot through his entire shoulder. His muscles seized. His left arm went partially numb. Even his right hand lost strength as agony spread through his chest and neck.

The damaged bone creaked under the force of the blow, and for a brief moment neither arm responded properly.

Masamune’s eyes gleamed.

Fortunately, Kavin’s combat instincts remained sharp.

Ignoring the pain threatening to overwhelm him, he immediately retreated several steps and created distance before the Sword Demon could capitalize further. His breathing grew heavier as he steadied himself.

Every movement sent sharp pain shooting through his shoulder.

Across from him, Masamune slowly lowered his sword.

The grin on his face only grew wider.

For the first time since entering the Domain, Kavin truly understood why this man had earned the title of Sword Demon.