The Villainous Noble Who Kept Rewinding After Death: The Story Somehow Changed When I Committed Suicide

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The Villainous Noble Who Kept Rewinding After Death: The Story Somehow Changed When I Committed Suicide

Chapter 24: Envy

Having defeated four men on the stairs and extracted information from one of them, I was now descending to confront the final enemy.

After walking for a while, I finally arrived at a place resembling an underground facility.

“Oh wow, it’s spacious!”

As I took in the relatively large underground area, it seemed that magic was sealed within this room.

(It looks like magic can’t be used in here.)

While I was observing the room, a man suddenly appeared without a sound.

“Are you the one who defeated my subordinates?”

“If those weaklings were your subordinates, then I definitely took them down.”

The man, appearing to be in his thirties and about 180 cm tall, had a physique void of any unnecessary muscles, indicating he was a strong individual. He wielded a spear, suggesting he was a spear user.

“Hmph. To be defeated by a kid like you. They still have much to learn.”

“Not really, they were somewhat strong. It’s just that this time, they faced the wrong opponent. Dragon Worshipper.”

“Tch. So they’ve spilled the information too. Useless fools. Then, I guess I have to kill you here.”

Saying that, the man gripped his spear with both hands and pointed it sharply at me.

“Heh! Sounds good! Then come on and try to kill me!”

Feeling the murderous intent directed at me heightened my spirits, and I eagerly drew my sword and took my stance.

After a moment of staring each other down, it was the man who moved first.

With power in his legs, he kicked off the ground, attacking at a speed that made it seem like he had vanished.

However, I could see his movement, and as he lunged at me, I shifted my body slightly to dodge and placed my sword in the trajectory of his attack, pointing the tip toward his face.

“Ugh!”

Realizing that if he continued forward, he would get impaled, the man released one hand from the spear and twisted his body to avoid the sword.

“Oh, you managed to evade that with such speed.”

“Of course. It’d be a joke to charge into a sword. More surprising is that you could see my movements. You seem to be decent after all.”

“Well, not that fast. If that’s your limit, my companions are way faster.”

In reality, his current speed couldn’t even compare to Fiera’s sharp agility.

“Ha hahahaha! No way. This is just a light warm-up. By the way, I forgot to ask your name. I am Gaizar.”

“I’m Eir. Nice to meet you.”

After finishing our introductions, we both took our stances again. Then, Gaizar moved at a speed that was incomparably faster than before and swung his spear in a horizontal slash.

I slipped my sword in to guard against it, but the centripetal force and Gaizar’s strength were tremendous, and I couldn’t deflect the attack, causing me to be blown away.

Rolling on the ground a few times before getting back up, I felt a tingling sensation in the arm that was gripping the sword.

“That spear. Is it a magical spear?”

“You noticed quickly. This is the magical spear Igbelia, imbued with lightning-element magic.”

“So that’s why my hand feels numb.”

It seemed that spear has a paralyzing effect on those who are hit by its attacks.

(This is troublesome. Probably, the more we exchange blows, the more my hands will numb.)

If that happens, I would eventually lose my grip on the sword and end up defenseless, becoming prey to his spear.

“Heh. Ah, this is enjoyable. The feeling of being gradually cornered. It’s just so much fun!”

Gaizar readied his spear again and launched a flurry of thrusts, slashes, sweeps from below, and downward smashes at me.

I fended off his continuous barrage of attacks, either deflecting, dodging, or parrying.

However, even after blocking, electricity pulsed from the sword that touched his spear, causing the sensations in my arms to fade further.

Then…

After a few minutes, I finally lost the strength in my arm and dropped the sword to the ground.

“Ha. It seems it’s the end. You have skill, but with that sword blocking, you had no chance of winning.”

Gaizar grinned with victory, slowly approaching me.

(Ah. I can’t feel my arm. If I don’t do something, I’m undoubtedly going to die. But…)

“Heh heh heh. Ah ha ha ha ha!”

My sudden laughter made Gaizar stop in his tracks, looking at me suspiciously.

“What’s so funny?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I’m just having fun. My arm is numb, I’m weaponless, and only awaiting death. Ah, this is the best! It’s been so long since I felt this way.”

The situation of death looming so close was genuinely thrilling for me.

“Now, entertain me some more. Fighting Spirit: ‘Leg Style!'”

The Fighting Spirit: ‘Leg Style.’ This technique concentrates the spirit usually enveloping the entire body solely onto the legs, enhancing my movement speed and leg strength.

“Ha!”

Kicking off the ground with great force, I instantly moved to Gaizar’s front and kicked, using my hip rotation.

“Ugh!!”

Gaizar barely managed to block with his spear, but he couldn’t fully guard against the impact of the kick, which had been amplified multiple times by the Leg Style, crashing into the wall.

“Kuah!!”

“Hey, hey. That can’t be the end, right? Get up quickly.”

I said, grinning, as Gaizar stood up and glared at me.

“I never imagined you could use Fighting Spirit. However, that was just because I was caught off guard. Don’t underestimate me! Fighting Spirit!”

As he said that, an aura emanated from his body, enveloping him completely.

“Don’t think you’re the only one who can use Fighting Spirit. Here I come!”

“Bring it on!”

What followed was a battle that ordinary people wouldn’t even be able to see.

When Gaizar thrust with his spear, shockwaves gouged the ground and walls.

As I swept my leg sideways, blades of wind flew across and tore through the wall.

The battle grew increasingly intense, and soon the once pristine underground facility was filled with holes and debris.

“Hah, hah. To be this strong after having my arm rendered useless. What a truly fearsome kid.”

“Heh. Thanks for the compliment. But it’s time to end this.”

“Ah. I’ll allow that.”

As we both further elevated our Fighting Spirits to full release, our spirits collided, grinding the air around us.

“Lightning Spear Breakthrough!!”

“Leg Style: Wind Fang!”

In a simultaneous release of techniques, a shockwave filled with lightning and a roaring wind like a wolf’s jaws clashed violently.

Unable to withstand the power of our techniques colliding, the facility’s ceiling collapsed, and dust swirled about.

When the smoke cleared, I was left standing, while Gaizar lay on the ground, missing his lower half.

“Tch. Lost my arm, huh?”

However, I wasn’t without injury either; my right arm, numb from paralysis, had been obliterated by Gaizar’s attack.

Tearing my robe to staunch the bleeding, I approached the barely-living Gaizar.

“Heh… that was a marvelous… technique.”

“Thanks. Your technique was really great too. It’s been ages since I had my arm taken like that.”

“Haha. Is that so… You said your name was Eir. This was the most enjoyable fight I’ve ever had…”

“Yeah. I had fun too.”

“That’s… good to hear. And here, take my spear. Do as you wish with it.”

“Understood.”

“Ah. It was the best… life I had…”

With those final words, Gaizar passed away, smiling.

“Man, I envy you, Gaizar. To die with a smile.”

Because I’ve died countless times, I can no longer experience a life without regrets.

If I die, there will be another life waiting. That thought has ingrained itself in me, and I don’t think I’ll ever get to have such a fulfilling ending where I can die with a smile.

“Well then. Let’s go rescue the people who are captured.”

Finding the presence of the missing people beyond the collapsed wall due to the fight, I began walking slowly toward them.

Crossing the destroyed wall, I neared what seemed like a prison, where many people were locked up.

“Wh-who are you?”

From beyond the bars of the prison, a man called out to me.

“I’m Eir, an adventurer. I came to rescue you all as per the guild’s request.”

I took out my guild card from my pocket and moved it closer for them to see.

“Y-yes! Help has come!”

Hearing that, the others finally expressed their relief and joy at the return of hope.

Wielding the sword I had picked up with my now-functional left arm, I smashed the lock that secured the prison door.

Once they saw the lock was broken, one by one, the prisoners began to emerge.

“Lord Lewis?”

“Hmm?”

One of those who emerged from the prison seemed to have found the key and called out my name as they looked back at me.

Turning around, I found someone I knew well standing there.

“Miria? What are you doing here?”

Yes, standing there was my personal maid, Miria.

“I ended up captured after being caught by suspicious men when I came to the town early this morning to run some errands…”

(Right, she mentioned she hadn’t returned since going out for an errand this morning. I never thought she would have been captured.)

“I see.”

“More importantly, Lord Lewis! Your arm!”

“Hmm? Ah, don’t worry about that. It’s just that this building has magic sealing placed on it, so I can’t heal it. I’ll be fine once we get out of here.”

“But there’s pain, right? Wh-what should I do!!”

Miria started to panic unusually upon seeing my missing right arm.

“Calm down. This isn’t painful at all. More importantly, we need to get out of here quickly.”

I said that and began walking toward the exit, confirming that all the captured individuals had made it out.

“W-wait for me!”

Miria hurriedly followed after me, but I didn’t slow down.

Along the way, I collected the spear Gaizar had used, and with the help of those who were captured, we brought the unconscious men down to the outside.