I was Reincarnated as the Youngest Child of a Villainous Noble Family Who Controls the Kingdom from Behind the Scenes

"Ah, I see, I see. So, in the end, it's my turn, huh?"

Muto waved both hands playfully and stepped forward with a jesting demeanor.

He descended from the stage of the abandoned theater, cracking his neck.

The amount of magical energy I could feel from him was substantial.

Moreover, surprisingly, he seemed stronger than those who had summoned and bound these creatures.

He mentioned sowing seeds, and it seems they’ve been growing well.

"So, you’ve made a contract with one of the Thirty-Two Pillars of the Demon Realm, huh? What did you trade?"

"Huh? Trade?"

"If you're a summoner, you must have exchanged something when making a deal with demons or magical beasts, right?"

"Nah, not really."

Muto spun around and struck a pose.

That can't be true. Why would demons or magical beasts even contract with humans?

They wouldn’t obey humans without some benefit.

"I see. That’s unfortunate."

"Eh? Why?"

"You seem like the type to fall for scams. Well, it’s also your fault for not checking anything when dealing with demons."

"...I made a contract with Deathur, one of the Thirty-Two Pillars of the Demon Realm."

Muto's voice lowered, and the atmosphere shifted.

The silhouette of a death god appeared behind him, intimidating me.

As the tension rose, Hiyori stepped forward.

"Hmm..."

"Hiyori, he should be somewhat satisfying, right?"

"Well... no, hmm..."

"Don’t be picky. He’s one of the Thirty-Two Pillars who, according to official history, defeated you."

"Fine. I guess it can’t be helped."@@novelbin@@

Hiyori didn’t seem too thrilled.

For me, just being able to fight an enemy of this level while still in school is satisfying enough.

Can’t afford to be greedy.

"Was that guy from the Disvalide Demon Sword just now?"

"Supposedly, yes."

"No way he’s a match for my Deathur. He’s too dull..."

Muto charged at me.

Somehow, he now held a sickle in each hand.

"You can’t handle my attacks."

"I see. You’re pretty fast."

When I blocked the sickle with my demon sword, our strengths were evenly matched.

He’s got quite the boost.

He’s benefiting more from the magical boost than that Togari guy, and his base physical abilities are higher too.

The stronger the contracted demon or magical beast, the greater the enhancement to basic abilities.

Being one of the Thirty-Two Pillars, he can surpass my strength with sheer power alone.

"Should I just push through? Maybe I’ll push through?"

"Sounds fun."

"Life’s no fun if you don’t enjoy it. There are too many fools in this world. Fools bound by common sense who don’t enjoy life."

Muto suddenly became talkative.

He seemed to be thoroughly mocking the world from the bottom of his heart.

"Fools who frown and worry about the future, fools who regret what they could’ve done, fools who wonder what could’ve been better. Life’s about enjoying it as it comes."

"That’s optimistic. But that’s because you’ve never seriously committed to anything."

"Hoh?"

"You’re the type who sits in the corner of the classroom and mocks those who are actually trying, aren’t you?"

I sneered and simultaneously changed the angle of my sword, deflecting the sickle.

"Whoops!"

"Whoa!"

As Muto staggered, I kicked him in the face.

"Ugh!"

"First, I’ll break that overconfident nose of yours."

Muto held his nose, blood dripping.

I literally broke his nose.

"Hoh. Well then..."

Muto raised both hands and swung them down.

The sickle’s slash tore through the ground, coming at me at high speed.

I dodged to the side, but one of Muto’s sickles disappeared.

"Tch...!"

The sickle came flying at me from behind like a boomerang.

I barely dodged, but it grazed me.

He must have thrown it right after the slash.

Tricky guy.

"Hahaha! Grazed you! Grazed you!"

"Ugh...! Right. With Deathur, even a graze is bad news."

Blood came out of my mouth.

It won’t affect the fight much, but a second hit would be trouble.

"This is my ability. No matter who it is, if I hit them, I can shave off their lifespan and kill them for sure."

"As expected of Deathur, one of the Thirty-Two Pillars who governs lifespan. Fine, bring it on."

"Still playing defense at this point? How bold."

In his case, he doesn’t need to deal a fatal blow.

Just grazing me like this can shave off my life.

No matter how thick my armor is, it doesn’t matter.

Even that Emperor Worm would probably die after a few hits.

Though, whether Muto could overpower it is questionable.

"Well then, I’ll go ahead and reap your life."

Muto spread his arms wide in a "T" pose.

Then, with a skull-like expression, he opened his mouth wide and charged at me.

I blocked Muto’s sickle with my demon sword again, this time reinforcing my arm with magic and pushing back.

"Na, hah! Such strength...!"

"You’re too wasteful. Instead of relying on demons, why not study a bit?"

"Well then, how about this!"

While being pushed back, Muto leaned forward and bit my hand.

His jaw strength was incredible, his teeth sinking into my hand.

"Hahaha! How’s that!?"

"Tasty?"

Muto’s mouth disappeared from my hand.

In front of him was a shadow—my Shadow Servant.

"Wha—!? What’s this!?"

"Can’t even tell you’re fighting a fake, huh?"

I spoke from behind Muto.

He spun around quickly, a bunch of question marks above his head.

"When did you...?"

"I’ve been here all along. The one you slashed earlier was the real me, though."

"But I definitely bit you just now."

"That’s just what you thought. You never bit anything from the start."

"No way...!"

Muto channeled magic, and sickle-like blades, resembling stag beetle horns, shot out from the ground on both sides of me.

Trying to trap me, but I escaped by moving forward.

Using that momentum, I closed in on Muto and slashed.

"Ugh...! Wha, what’s this? My body..."

"Blood Sword. It’s not just your demon that can steal life force. That hit must’ve hurt, huh?"

"You bastard...! The fun’s over!"

"Guess the 'yon' speech is over too."

Muto swung his sickle wildly, unleashing countless slashes at me.

The speed of his slashes surpassed even Togari’s wind.

Seeing me unable to block them all and getting cut, Muto grinned.

"Hahaha! That’s what you get for messing with me! Everyone’s so annoying!"

"What are you so worked up about?"

When the me he thought he was slashing spoke from the side, he must’ve been shocked.

Once again, he had been fighting my Shadow Servant.

"Wh—!? When did you...!?"

"Look around, idiot."

"Huh!"

In the dark night, my Shadow Servants faintly floated into view.

They flickered, sometimes taking my form, other times returning to shadows.

Muto finally seemed to grasp the situation, completely overwhelmed as he looked around.

"What is this...?"

"I can switch places with my Shadow Servants anytime. Though, I only recently learned how to do it."

"Then I’ll just destroy them all! This isn’t fun!"

Muto went berserk, slashing wildly and attacking every Shadow Servant in sight.

I switched between my real body and the shadows, dodging his attacks.

If he had honed his magical perception, this might’ve been a more even fight.

But sadly, it’s too late for that now.

"This isn’t fun! Stop messing around, you spoiled brat from the Balfonte family!"

"Flattered. That’s right, I’m the spoiled brat cornering you."

"Ugh—! This is boring, boring, crap, crap, crap—! Deathur! Lend me more power!"

"Can’t believe you’re demanding that from someone who probably doesn’t even have a manual."

After Muto’s wild swing missed, I switched places with a Shadow Servant behind him and slashed his back.

"Gah...!"

"If it takes a few hits to kill, that means you need at least a few hits to win."

Muto fell face down.

While he was desperately trying to land those few hits, I only needed one.

"Thinking you can win just by landing hits? No way someone like that can beat someone who’s been training seriously. The presence or absence of abilities matters too."

I spat those words at the fallen Muto.

He probably didn’t hear, but I quietly stretched and breathed in the night air.

Galeo was staring at me, dumbfounded.

Oh, right. I forgot about him.