Villainess X Villain: They are obsessed with each other!

Chapter 278: Chapter: 277 Duel of mortals.[6]

The entire arena fell into stunned silence.

Thousands of spectators stared at the scene before them with expressions of complete disbelief.

Just moments ago, victory had seemed certain. Masamune had dominated nearly the entire Duel of Mortals, pushing Kavin further and further toward defeat until the outcome appeared inevitable.

Yet now the Sword Demon stood frozen in place with a blade pressed firmly against his throat.

For several long seconds, nobody spoke.

The exchange had happened directly before their eyes. That was precisely why the silence did not last.

"He cheated!"

The furious shout exploded from somewhere within the crowd. Like a spark landing in dry grass, the accusation immediately spread.

"He cheated!"

"Disqualify him!"

"Disqualify him!"

"Disqualify him!"

The arena erupted into chaos.

Thousands of voices merged together into a deafening roar as anger swept through the audience.

Many spectators had bet on Masamune. Even more had come specifically to watch the Sword Demon fight.

To them, what they had just witnessed was unacceptable. Kavin had used some strange substance to blind his opponent before taking advantage of the opening.

Worse, from their perspective, the decisive attack had occurred while Masamune’s vision was obscured.

The crowd did not care whether it was clever, they cared that it looked dishonorable.

The chants grew louder with every passing second.

"Disqualify him!"

"Disqualify him!"

"Disqualify him!"

The sound echoed throughout the underground arena like rolling thunder.

Despite the chaos surrounding them, neither fighter moved.

Masamune remained perfectly still as the edge of the wakizashi pressed against his throat.

A thin line of blood had already appeared where the blade touched his skin. He could hear every accusation being thrown toward Kavin.

He could hear the outrage in the audience’s voices. Yet what surprised him most was the complete indifference displayed by the man standing before him.

Kavin simply did not care.

Masamune frowned, "D-don’t you have honor?" he asked quietly.

His voice was calm, but a trace of frustration slipped through despite his efforts.

The Sword Demon had dedicated his entire life to the blade. Swordsmanship was not merely a weapon to him.

It was a path. A philosophy. A way of life. Throughout countless battles and years of training, concepts such as honor, dignity, and pride had become inseparable from his understanding of the sword.

That was why he felt disappointed.

No....angry, he had genuinely respected Kavin.

The young man had pushed him further than almost anyone else in recent years despite the vast difference in ranks. He had shown courage, determination, and monstrous talent.

Yet now he had chosen such a method to secure victory.

"How dare you cheat in a duel..." Masamune began.

Before he could continue, Kavin interrupted him.

"Was there a rule that forbade me from bringing external weapons?"

His voice was rough and strained from blood loss, yet there was a sharp edge hidden beneath the exhaustion.

Masamune fell silent.

For a moment, he searched his memories.

The rules of the ranked Duels were strict in some areas and surprisingly loose in others.

After several seconds, he reluctantly shook his head.

"No. There wasn’t."

Kavin’s expression did not change,"then what’s the problem?"

Masamune frowned.

"That doesn’t mean you ambush your opponent in a duel. A duel is about honor and pride. It is a contest between warriors. You wouldn’t understand if you aren’t a swordsman. Ask your wife and I’m certain even she would criticize you for showing such disrespect."

Kavin stared at him before a quiet chuckle escaped his lips.

Honor and pride.

To many people, those words sounded noble.

To Kavin, they sounded like chains.

Throughout his life, he had seen countless individuals preach about honor only when it benefited them.

Pride was often no different. Strong people used it when displaying superiority. Weak people used it to comfort themselves when they lacked the strength to win.

On a battlefield, nobody cared about honor...on a battlefield, nobody cared about pride.

The dead certainly didn’t, there was only one thing that mattered.

Victory...survival and Kill or be killed.

That was the reality Kavin believed in.

Even Jasmine had once valued honor far more than he did. Yet after traveling together for so long and surviving countless dangers, even she had gradually come to accept a simple truth.

Reality was rarely as noble as stories portrayed it to be. When death stood before you with a blade aimed at your neck, concepts like honor became luxuries that many could no longer afford.

Unfortunately, Kavin had neither the strength nor the patience to explain any of that.

His injuries were worsening by the second, his vision continued to blur, the world seemed to sway around him.

Every breath felt heavier than the last.

He could feel consciousness slipping away like sand through his fingers.

There was no time for philosophical debates. Without hesitation, he pushed the blade deeper.

A thin stream of blood trickled down Masamune’s neck.

The Sword Demon immediately froze.

"Give up," Kavin said coldly. "Or die. I’ll count to three."

Masamune narrowed his eyes.

Then he slowly exhaled, three seconds were enough, Kavin was barely standing, his ribs were broken, both clavicles were shattered, his shoulder was dislocated.

The moment the count reached three, Masamune would strike first. A punch to the broken ribs. Another to the shattered clavicle.

The pain alone would create an opening. Once that happened, he could reverse the situation instantly.

The plan formed rapidly within his mind.

Simple, efficient and reliable.

Unfortunately for him, the plan depended entirely on Kavin following expectations.

"Three."

Masamune blinked, his thoughts came to an abrupt halt. For a moment, he genuinely thought he had misheard.

Then his eyes widened, the bastard had skipped the count entirely.

Panic surged through him. The blade immediately dug deeper into his throat.

A sharp sting spread across his neck as more blood flowed down his skin.

"I give up!" Masamune shouted instantly.

The words burst from his mouth before pride could interfere. The moment they left his lips, the pressure disappeared.

Kavin immediately withdrew the blade.

Masamune stumbled backward before collapsing onto the arena floor. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he fought to steady his breathing.

Looking down, he could see fresh blood staining his collar. Had he hesitated even slightly longer, the outcome might have been very different.

For several moments, he simply sat there in silence.

Meanwhile, Kavin looked even worse.

Now that the battle had ended, the adrenaline keeping him conscious began to fade. His body swayed unsteadily.

The wakizashi nearly slipped from his grasp. His vision had become little more than a blur of colors and shadows.

Slowly, he dropped to one knee, the arena around him felt distant.

Muted.

As though he were listening to the world through water. Through the haze, he vaguely noticed the referee walking toward the center of the battlefield.

The old man’s voice echoed throughout the arena.

"After one year and eleven months, Rank Three, Masamune, has finally been defeated! The new holder of the third rank is..."

A dramatic pause followed, then the announcement came.

"Kavin!"

The gamblers exploded with excitement and rage. Countless cheers erupted from those who had wagered on the impossible underdog.

The fans, however, reacted very differently.

"We don’t accept this!"

"We don’t accept this!"

"We don’t accept this!"

The chant spread rapidly throughout the arena.

Fruits, eggs, and various objects began flying toward the battlefield. Some smashed against the ground. Others burst apart before reaching their targets. The crowd’s dissatisfaction was obvious.

They refused to acknowledge the result, to them, this victory felt tainted, Kavin, however, could not have cared less.

The chants sounded distant, the insults meant nothing, the anger of thousands held no value in his eyes.

However, his eyelids felt impossibly heavy and his body no longer listened to him.

The arena began spinning. Darkness crept steadily into the corners of his vision.

He felt himself falling. Then two gentle hands caught him before he could hit the ground. Kavin did not need to look up to know who it was.

Jasmine remained silent.

Not because she wanted to, because she simply couldn’t, not in front of an audience this large. Yet her actions spoke more clearly than words ever could.

Carefully, she supported his battered body and lifted him from the arena floor. For a brief moment, Kavin felt himself being carried.

Then the last thread of consciousness snapped.

The world faded into darkness....and he finally allowed himself to rest.