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

Chapter 187: The Beginning of the Finals

Once Sharueina’s match concluded, there was a brief stage repair time, after which the finals would finally begin.

“Alright! It’s finally the last match! This year’s finals feature first-years battling it out! Amazing, right? It’s going to be a spectacle! And so much fun! We need no more words! Let’s welcome the contestants! First up, Iris-chan! Come on out~!!”

With Lime’s bright voice, out came Iris, who had advanced with exceptional magic control and power that left others in awe.

The moment she made her entrance, the audience erupted in loud cheers as if they had been waiting for this.

“Her incredible magic control is top-notch even among students! Advancing solely with magic, she’s even shown the power of the Sea Dragon King! She’s truly a genius of effort! What kind of battle will she show us in the finals? Can’t wait!!”

Iris, feeling a bit bashful from Lime’s introduction, waved at the audience as she stepped onto the stage.

“Now entering is her opponent, the other first-year, Sonia-chan! Come on!!”

Sonia appeared from the left, having triumphed through whips and outstanding magic, defeating Sharueina by mimicking me in the semi-finals.

“If Iris-chan is a genius of effort, then she is undoubtedly a genius of magic! With overwhelming talent, she even defeated the noble Sharueina in the semi-finals! What incredible magic will she display this time? I doubt we’ll be able to take our eyes off her in this match!!”

As Sonia proudly walked down the path towards the stage, the audience breathed in breaths of awe at her presence, enveloping the venue in a silence born from admiration, unlike the cheers for Iris.

“Alright, alright, alright! Both contestants are here! So, you two! Fight without any regrets and have lots of fun! With that, I officially declare the start of the finals!”

As Lime spoke loudly and stepped down from the stage, the finals between Iris and Sonia commenced.

~Iris & Sonia~

As the match began, the audience was captivated by what kind of contest the two would present, falling into a hushed silence as they focused on their movements.

“Iris, I feel honored to be fighting you in the finals,” Sonia said.

“Hehe. I feel the same, Sonia. I’m really looking forward to fighting a magic genius like you,” Iris replied.

Without immediately jumping into combat, they first acknowledged their opponent’s accomplishments in reaching this grand stage.

“A genius of magic… I suppose Lime-sensei did say that about me, but I think you’re just as talented, Iris. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have been able to use the Sea Dragon King or that magic control,” Sonia stated.

“Being called that by you makes me feel good. Thank you,” Iris responded.

Though it was the finals, the two enjoyed their conversation without any disruptions from the audience, who understood just how many opponents they had overcome to reach this point.

The camaraderie between them shone through as true friends, mutual respect evident for how long they had anticipated this moment.

“Honestly speaking, it seems we have never fought before, right?” Iris said.

“That’s true. During the ranking battle, we both lost, and afterward, we were too busy to find the chance,” Sonia noted.

“Yeah, we did lose. I wanted to have a rematch in this tournament… not that we would have even participated,” Iris lamented.

“Hehe, it can’t be helped. Since Lewis chose not to participate, it’s only natural that Fiera and the others wouldn’t either. They were always recognized by the very person whose recognition they sought, so there was no meaning for them to enter this tournament,” Sonia replied.

“Sigh. Really, whose fault is it that they didn’t participate?”

“Hohoho. Who indeed?”

As Iris and Sonia exchanged these words, they turned their gazes to a striking location in the audience, spotting Fiera, Shuvina munching on something alongside Dōna, and in between them, the ever-imposing Lewis, exuding a regal air that overshadowed even that of a king.

The distance between the stage they stood on and the audience where Lewis and others were felt like a stark representation of their own differences in skill, appearing even further away.

“Still so far away,” Iris remarked.

“Indeed. But I’ll definitely catch up,” Sonia asserted.

“Absolutely. I will catch up too,” Iris added.

“But first…”

“The opponent in front…”

“I’ll take down Sonia.”

“I’ll beat Iris.”

The instant their eyes met, the earlier amiable atmosphere vanished, and without any signal, both released their magic.

Deep blue magic, meticulously manipulated by Iris, collided with Sonia’s violently flickering purplish magic, resembling flames.

Sonia had a greater amount of magic, but due to its density, Iris’s magic held strong, resulting in an equilibrium where the shockwaves reached even the audience.

Witnessing the clash of magic that compressed the air and blurred the girls’ figures, the audience fell speechless, entranced by the terrifying yet beautiful sight before them.

“Water Sword: Dance of Blades!”

“Dark Butterfly Petals!”

As they simultaneously unleashed their spells, dozens of water swords appeared around Iris, while tens of black butterflies manifested around Sonia.

“Go!”

“Fly!”

As Iris swung her arm down, the water swords danced toward Sonia with their tips aimed for her, while at Sonia’s gentle footfalls, the black butterflies fluttered toward Iris.

The water swords moved to slice through the slowly approaching butterflies, and the black butterflies dodged the swords as though they were riding the air currents.

Despite some not managing to avoid, the butterflies that made contact with the swords disintegrated, as though absorbing the magic itself.

“I see. Those butterflies must have absorption magic mixed in,” Iris concluded.

“That’s right. My butterflies absorb the opponent’s magic. So, it’s better if you don’t touch them carelessly,” Sonia explained.

The black butterflies created by Sonia had that absorption magic intertwined within, fluttering elegantly like petals drifting away.

(Then, let’s attack Sonia while being careful not to touch those butterflies.)

Understanding that continuing to target the butterflies was futile, Iris shifted her aim toward Sonia, sending the swords in her direction.

“Chains of Darkness!”

As the water swords surged toward Sonia, she muttered a small spell and tapped her foot lightly, causing dozens of chains to burst forth from the ground, halting the movement of the water swords completely.

“Looks like it was futile after all,” Iris said.

“Of course! But tell me, Iris, aren’t you going to defend? My butterflies are about to absorb your magic,” Sonia taunted.

“If that’s the case, you don’t need to worry. Water Strike: Chain Reaction!”

Iris conjured a small water orb right before the approaching black butterflies and shot it forth, causing a burst in the middle, scattering water droplets that knocked down all the butterflies.

“I see. To eliminate my butterflies, absorbing their magic is the best method, but wasting your own magic can put you at a disadvantage. Good choice, Iris,” Sonia praised.

“Thanks!”

Even with Iris’s high magic density, she was still lacking in overall magical power compared to Sonia. If she continued to expend her magic at Sonia’s pace, it would surely lead to her defeat.

“Well then, let’s stop using this cautious approach. I want to try our full power,” Sonia declared.

“Agreed. The longer this drags on, the more disadvantageous it’ll be for me. I’ll bring you to your knees while I still have magic to unleash,” Iris retorted.

“Oh dear, bringing your friend to her knees sounds harsh! Perhaps I’ll bring Iris to her knees as well and grant her some humiliation?” Sonia shot back.

With the sentiment of light-heartedness now shifting to more intensity in their words, the full-fledged battle between Iris and Sonia was about to begin.

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If you’re enjoying the simultaneous serialization of “The Former Hero, Becoming the Demon King, Devotes Himself to the World,” feel free to check it out!

https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16817330663836544021

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