Villainess X Villain: They are obsessed with each other!

Chapter 277: Chapter: 276 Duel of mortals.[5]

"Fucking hell..."

Kavin cursed inwardly as another exchange ended with the same infuriating result.

No matter what he tried, no matter what trick, feint, or sudden change in rhythm he employed, he could not break through Masamune’s defense.

Every attack was met with effortless precision, and every failed attempt invited another punishing counterattack.

The gap between them was becoming painfully clear. Both of his clavicles were broken, several ribs had cracked beneath the Sword Demon’s relentless strikes, and his left shoulder hung dislocated and nearly useless at his side.

A deep gash stretched across his stomach, continuously draining what little strength he had left.

His vision blurred at the edges, dark spots occasionally appearing before his eyes.

His knees trembled beneath him, threatening to buckle at any moment, while his pale face had lost nearly all color. He looked less like a powerful spell caster and more like a dying man desperately refusing to collapse.

In contrast, Masamune appeared almost untouched.

The wounds Kavin had inflicted before the Domain’s manifestation still remained.

Blood continued to seep from the stab wound in his abdomen, and traces of the earlier battle could still be seen across his body.

However, since the Duel of Mortals had begun, not a single new injury had appeared on him.

Kavin had thrown everything he possessed at the Sword Demon, yet none of it had been enough.

Every attack had been neutralized before it could become a threat. Standing opposite him, Masamune looked less like a wounded man and more like an immovable mountain that could not be climbed no matter how desperately one tried.

"Damn it..."

The curse echoed through Kavin’s mind as he struggled to steady his breathing.

Looking back now, it might have been better if Jasmine had fought Masamune instead.

Unfortunately, the opponent she had been matched against was someone Kavin actually stood a chance of defeating, while the opponent facing Jasmine was someone he knew he had little hope of overcoming.

The decision had seemed obvious at the time. He would take the Sword Demon and attempt to end the battle quickly before the Domain could be activated.

If he succeeded, the problem would solve itself.

Yet reality had proven far harsher than his expectations. He had underestimated the might of one of the strongest spell casters within Sun Clan City.

The realization left a bitter taste in his mouth. At this rate, defeat was inevitable.

No.

The truth was even worse. He was already standing on the edge of defeat.

Only sheer stubbornness was keeping him upright. Yet even then, surrender never crossed his mind.

Drawing a deep breath despite the agony tearing through his body, Kavin forcibly suppressed the pain and tightened his grip around the ordinary wakizashi.

Every muscle screamed in protest. Every movement felt like torture. Still, he stepped forward.

Then another step followed. Then another. Finally, with a burst of determination, he lunged toward Masamune for what might very well be the final clash of the battle.

Across from him, the Sword Demon watched quietly.

Or rather, he prepared to finish the fight.

A trace of regret surfaced in Masamune’s eyes as he observed the charging figure.

"It is a pity that you do not know much about swords," he murmured softly.

The words were not spoken with arrogance. If anything, they carried a strange bitterness.

Masamune was genuinely impressed.

No.

Astonished would have been a better word.

The difference between an Early Void Core spell caster and someone who had already passed two Heavenly Trials was immense.

The gap was so large that comparing them almost felt absurd. It was like comparing the Four Stationary Continents to the Three Floating Continents. Entire worlds separated them.

Yet despite that overwhelming disparity, Kavin had nearly defeated him.

Masamune understood exactly how ridiculous that fact was.

Had Kavin already passed the Second Heavenly Trial, the outcome of this battle might have been entirely different.

In fact, Masamune suspected that if Kavin stood at the same level as himself, only those who had passed the Fourth Heavenly Trial would possess any realistic chance of defeating him.

That thought alone sent a chill through the Sword Demon’s heart.

What puzzled him most was why neither Kavin nor Jasmine had attempted their Heavenly Trials.

With their monstrous talent and absurd combat abilities, they should have cleared them with ease.

It would not even surprise him if they managed to pass multiple trials consecutively.

A truly frightening pair.

"Really a pity..."

Masamune sighed before raising his sword. Then his gaze locked onto Kavin.

"But it ends now."

The next instant, Kavin arrived before him.

The wakizashi thrust directly toward the wound in Masamune’s abdomen, aiming for the same weakness he had targeted throughout the battle.

However, the Sword Demon remained completely unfazed. There was no panic. No rush. No sudden movement.

Instead, he simply moved. His sword shifted with deceptive laziness.

The tip of his blade met Kavin’s weapon with perfect precision. Steel scraped against steel as the katana slid along the length of the wakizashi, redirecting the attack entirely.

At the same time, the Sword Demon’s own strike continued forward without interruption. The movement was smooth, natural and effortless.

It was swordsmanship pushed to its absolute peak.

Kavin’s attack was neutralized.

Masamune’s was not. The blade slipped past Kavin’s defense and buried itself deep into his thigh.

"Ugh—!"

A strangled groan escaped Kavin’s mouth as pain exploded through his leg.

His entire body instantly lost balance as the blade sank deep into muscle. The strength supporting him vanished.

His leg folded beneath him, forcing him to one knee. Agony surged through every nerve in his body, overwhelming even the pain from his previous injuries.

His face twisted violently as his breathing grew ragged.

For a brief moment, he looked as though he might collapse unconscious at any second.

Masamune calmly pulled the sword free as blood poured from the wound.

"It’s over."

The Sword Demon stepped forward, there was no excitement in his voice. The battle had reached its conclusion.

Closing the remaining distance between them, Masamune slowly raised his sword. The blade moved toward Kavin’s throat.

Once it touched his neck, the match would officially end. There would be no need for further formalities.

The audience watched in silence, victory was decided and defeat was inevitable.

Everything pointed toward a single conclusion.

Yet just as the blade approached his throat, Kavin suddenly lifted his head.

His eyes locked onto Masamune, then he opened his mouth.

And spat.

Masamune’s eyes widened.

"Wha—"

Instinct screamed at him. Without hesitation, he swung his sword toward the incoming projectile.

At first glance it looked like blood, perhaps water mixed with blood.

However, the moment it left Kavin’s mouth, the liquid changed. What had originally been blue instantly transformed into crimson red.

Then it accelerated.

The speed was absurd....far faster than any normal liquid should have moved.

Masamune’s sword cut through empty air.

Before he could understand what had happened, the strange crimson liquid splashed directly across his face.

His vision vanished as the world turned red. For the first time since the Duel of Mortals began, surprise appeared on the Sword Demon’s face.

His mind raced.

What was this?

How?

The questions had not even fully formed before a chilling sensation touched his neck.

A sword rested against his throat.

Masamune froze, through the veil of crimson covering his eyes, he heard a strained voice emerge from directly in front of him.

A voice exhausted beyond words, a voice trembling from pain and blood loss.

Yet carrying an unshakable determination.

"Give... up."

The words were accompanied by the cold edge of a blade pressed firmly against his throat, and for the first time since entering the Duel of Mortals, the Sword Demon found himself standing one mistake away from defeat.