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

"I wanted a cooler name, you know. Something like Sismerial or Fortilecia."

The magical energy emanating from Linlin's body began to fill the training arena. In terms of sheer volume, it might not be on par with Miley-neechan, but it's probably more than mine. That formidable armor of hers isn't just a product of skill—it's generated by an immense amount of magical energy.

For example, with a small amount of magical energy, you might barely be able to create a rock. But with Linlin's level of power, she can generate ores composed of complex minerals. With her undeniable talent and abundant magical energy, she stands at the pinnacle of what a mage can achieve. Honestly, I didn't expect her to be this strong.

"Divine Edge."

I instinctively crouched down. Immediately after, a strand of my hair fluttered to the ground.

(If that had hit me, I would've been knocked out in one shot.)

The strike from her ore blade created a vacuum slash. It's incomparable to those jagged, imperfect wind blades. This isn't just about enhancing the body with magical energy.

Just like Vaid-nii-san, who honed his body and skills, Linlin has fused her magical energy, physical strength, and techniques into one. It's frustrating how a genius like her doesn't just rely on her high magical energy but continues to refine herself.

"Black Hole + Shadow Servant + Shadow Entry."

No holding back. I used multiple Black Holes to restrain Linlin while providing cover fire with Dark Needles. My main body and the Shadow Servants switched places using Shadow Entry, constantly moving. I even infused the Dark Needles with destructive waves, meaning they could pierce through any armor. But—

"Earth Cradle."

The ore golems Linlin created matched the number of my Shadow Servants. Each one engaged either a Shadow Servant or my main body. In an instant, she neutralized the advantage I had with my numbers. Moreover, Linlin countered the destructive waves on my Dark Needles with what you could call super-regeneration.

No, that's not quite right. To be precise, it was repair. Her armor was being repaired by magical energy as fast as it was being destroyed, so my attacks never reached her body. This stalemate would eventually lead to my defeat, as I couldn't sustain the destructive waves for long. It's like the Emperor Worm battle all over again.

"You've made some improvements. I'm impressed."

Calling the destructive waves a "small improvement" is just demoralizing. I gave up and tried to attack Linlin from behind using Shadow Entry, but—

"Too naive."

"Tch!"

I attempted a sneak attack from Linlin's shadow, but she easily blocked it. Her ore blade nullifies magic, so any careless attack would be rendered useless. Even if I infused it with destructive waves, she'd just repair it.

Firing Dark Needles from the Black Holes to increase my options didn't work either. I hoped to hit her in the gaps of her armor, but it wasn't that easy. Instead, her ore golems deliberately moved to intercept the Dark Needles, nullifying them.

My dark magic can penetrate simple materials, but magic-nullifying ore is a different story. It seems that magical energy takes precedence over physical collision, so my attacks can't pass through that ore.

(Having multiple enemies with magic nullification is a nightmare.)

I kept my distance, engaging Linlin in close combat to prevent her from using Divine Edge. I'm not bad with a sword, after all. Even though Linlin is originally a mage, I can still press the attack since I've mainly fought with a magic sword.

"Impressive skills! Your talent at such a young age is astounding!"

"I never expected Linlin-sensei to be this strong."

When I aimed my magic sword at her neck, Linlin slightly pulled back. Seizing the opportunity, I went for the strike.

"Got you."

Sharp ore spears, like stalactites, shot out from beneath my feet. I dodged instinctively, but my left side was grazed. Blood dripped, but it wasn't a serious injury.

"You dodged that, huh?"

"Dark Sphere."

Using the Dark Sphere I showcased in the level 20 battle, I enveloped both Linlin and myself in darkness. I left the ore golems to my shadow clones—this was now a true one-on-one.

"This is surprising... I can't see anything at all. And unlike normal darkness, my eyes aren't adjusting to it."

"Shall we make this a fair fight, then?"@@novelbin@@

When I said that sarcastically, Linlin attacked. She was probably relying on my voice to locate me, but her movements lacked the decisiveness they had earlier. That slight delay gave me the upper hand.

In the darkness, I relentlessly attacked with my magic sword, and even Linlin began to tire. Darkness has been a primal fear for living beings since ancient times. No matter how strong Linlin is, she can't completely shake that instinctual fear.

The stress of fighting in such conditions was clearly getting to her. As her movements slowed, I aimed for the gaps in her armor.

"There!"

Something slammed into my back.

"Gah...!"

I was hit from outside the Dark Sphere. It was a punch from one of the ore golems created by Earth Cradle. The powerful blow made me stagger slightly. I had assumed my shadow clones were keeping them at bay, so how did this happen?

"You treat those shadow clones as mere pawns. The moment they leave your control, your combat becomes sloppy. That's why there are so many openings."

"I see... I'll take that as a lesson for the future."

"But the tuition fee will be high."

A barrage of punches came from all directions in the darkness. Even if she couldn't see me, attacking blindly from outside the Dark Sphere was enough to create pressure. Yes, the Dark Sphere isn't very effective against multiple enemies. If only I could expand its range, but for now, a radius of a few meters is my limit. I quickly gathered my shadow clones to counter.

But then I realized Linlin's plan. She was already in position.

"Damn it...!"

"I knew you'd gather in one place... Divine Edge."

Linlin's Divine Edge wiped out both me and my shadow clones in one strike. The clones vanished, and though I tried to dodge at the last moment, my left shoulder was severely cut. Even though this is just a training field, losing an arm doesn't feel great.

"Ugh, damn it...!"

"Hoh, I meant to finish you there, but you're truly impressive. You're stronger than any student I've seen before."

"Thanks for the compliment..."

"But this isn't over yet. Who do you think I am, Ranran?"

She's calmly furious. Damn it, I'm in serious trouble now. If that damn sister of mine were here, she'd probably be so excited she'd get a nosebleed.

But seriously, Linlin is incredibly strong. There aren't many in the country who can match her. It's not just raw talent—her strength comes from a core of unwavering justice that doesn't tolerate wrongdoing.

Those without a core are like weathervanes, turning whichever way the wind blows. They lose sight of their own traits and the strength they aim for, chasing power for its own sake. The current top three—no, top two—might be just like that.

"Well, I didn't plan to take this much time. Alphise, are you ready to be beaten to the brink of death and knocked out of the field?"

Linlin knows her own personality and traits well. That's why she's been able to develop such focused strength. As proof, she hasn't used any magic other than earth attribute spells.

Even Divine Edge is just a byproduct of her training. She probably has many other techniques. Her speed might be on par with Vaid-nii-san.

"Now, let me give you a thorough beating."

But I'm going to win, you know. I've been waiting for this moment.

"Dark Sphere, release."

"Ugh...! M-my eyes...!"

The sudden brightness made Linlin close her eyes. I thrust my magic sword at her neck.

"Gah...! Gah...!"

"See ya."

I slashed her neck with the magic sword. Linlin's body turned into particles of light and was ejected from the field. She landed outside the field, sitting dazed on the ground.

"...Unbelievable."

"Se-sensei lost...!"

The classmates who were watching began to stir. As for me, I sat down heavily on the floor outside the field. Yeah, I won.

The key to victory was creating a situation where Linlin let her guard down to the extreme. If I had just released the Dark Sphere suddenly, it might have created a small opening, but it wouldn't have been enough to target her neck. To do that, I had to make her think she had me cornered, luring her into a false sense of security.

Of course, the fact that I'm a student probably played a role in her underestimating me. If this were a real battlefield, I might have been killed. That said, my lost arm is fully restored now. All hail the field!