The SSS Ranked Villain's Return

[Are you sure you don't want to use skills? I mean, you might actually lose this time.] Evangeline asked in a soft voice.

But he merely shook his head.

If I want to be the strongest again, I need to beat the future second-strongest, Neraxis replied, determination clear in his tone.

And the moment he did, Kael suddenly dashed forward, his speed leagues above what it had been the last time they fought.

But the same could be said for Neraxis.

Kael slammed his gauntlets down, aiming to crush him.

However, Neraxis reacted by simply thrusting his sword right at Kael's vitals, making him back off.

"You changed your fighting style," Kael remarked with a scoff.

"It's been a single move..." Neraxis said with a sigh.

Just this time, it was his turn to go on the offensive.

Neraxis extended his sword in a stabbing motion and began shaking his hand at a very rapid speed.

"Are you scared or something?" Kael asked, puzzled.

But Neraxis didn't reply, focusing instead on what he had been doing. Eventually, he felt his sword resonate with the vibrations, increasing their intensity multiple fold.

Finally, Neraxis halted the vibrations and, in the next moment, used the sword like a gun, pointing it directly at Kael.

Immediately, a small lump of plasma shot out, the speed catching Kael completely off guard as he was sent flying into a pillar of fire, until eventually, he impacted a nearby rock.

[Fragment of Calamity Series Skill Unlocked!]

[Skill (3/???) Universal Stab]

[Skill Description: Vibrate your sword and release all its energy in an instant, sending out a ball of deadly plasma at your opponent.]

No cooldown? Is this a passive? Neraxis thought with wonder.

[Nope, the skill is just so easy to replicate, there's not much of a limit. The strength increases depending on how fast you vibrate the sword either way.] Evangeline said matter-of-factly.

I guess opponents won't wait for me to charge up an attack, Neraxis pondered before letting out a sigh and approaching Kael, who was staring up at the ceiling with a shocked look.

"You're not done, are you?" Neraxis asked, tapping his sword on Kael's knee.

"I'm not... I'm just trying to visualize the attack you just did," Kael replied and stood back up, a dazed look on his face.

"Are you alright—!" Neraxis's eyes widened when, all of a sudden, Kael began vibrating his gauntlets.

The frequency was identical to what Neraxis had done; therefore, he attempted to slash downward and cancel Kael's variation of the {Universal Stab}.

But before he could, a pressure-filled, dull pain appeared on his abdomen, and in the very next moment, Neraxis's legs buckled as he began gasping for air.

"You can concentrate the attack into a single point instead of letting it out like a shotgun," Kael remarked with an enlightened look on his face. "Now this is something I will definitely use in my fights."

"Urgh... You do know about holding back, right?" Neraxis grunted, feeling as if his internal organs might implode.

"I'm not you, Neraxis." Kael shrugged. "I don't hold back unless I need to. Which, right now, is not the case."

"Then I'll return the favor," Neraxis said before dashing in, his sword dragging on the ground and leaving a tiny mark.

Kael didn't stand and wait for the attack to arrive and proceeded to summon a large whirlwind before sending it right at Neraxis.

But despite its appearance, Neraxis managed to completely dissolve it by slashing in the opposite direction of the wind.

However, that seemed to be a mere decoy as Kael suddenly appeared right below Neraxis, with his gauntlets about to make contact.

Before they could, Neraxis stretched out his arm, and by grabbing the gauntlets, he managed to reposition himself into the air and avoid being hit.

Yet he was still not safe, as he could see a wind blade forming inside Kael's palm, and he shot it directly at Neraxis.

Neraxis had no choice but to disperse it, and as he did, another wind blade came, then another, until eventually, he dropped down to the ground.

"I think we should finish this, don't you think?" Kael said with a grin.

"I guess we can, I don't mind," Neraxis replied, narrowing his eyes as he kicked off the ground, arriving right before Kael.

Neraxis's speed seemed to not even startle Kael, as he swung his vibrating gauntlets downward.

I bet he's expecting me to block that, Neraxis chuckled inwardly, as he suddenly performed a feint and instead kicked Kael right at the knees, audibly shattering them.

Kael fell to the ground with a sour look, but it seemed like the fight was not over, as out of nowhere, the wind began gathering, and soon, it formed a pair of legs and fixed Kael's injuries, even if for a moment.

[He's pretty talented, I'll give him that.] Evangeline praised. [But he's way too reckless.]

Yep, Neraxis nodded.

All this time, while he didn't use skills, he neatly cornered Kael into the perfect position.

He was surrounded by the fire pillars all around—9 in total.

Therefore, Neraxis did what any good friend would do.

Slashing his sword, he directed all the fire directly toward Kael, who attempted to block it with his wind.

But at the same time, Neraxis dashed in from the blind spot, and with a full-power roundhouse kick, struck Kael right on the side of his head, sending him flying to the side.

Kael's gauntlets came clean off his hands, and as he finally collided with the wall, he was immediately knocked out.

He held back just as much as I did. If anything, it felt like he let me win, Neraxis remarked inwardly as he approached Kael.

Unlike last time, he decided to hold a bit of distance, not wanting to have his leg grabbed again.

"1-0," Neraxis stated to the knocked-out Kael, who was now loudly breathing, as if asleep.

"That was... something," Eris said from the sidelines, clapping her hands a few times.

As she did, the arena the two fought in soon returned to normal, with the fires and everything else completely disappearing.

"But why didn't you use the skills you showed me that other time?" she asked.

"It wouldn't be fair if I did. But knowing Kael, he would be able to still somehow find a way to deal with it," Neraxis replied with a chuckle.

The spar turned out pretty much as he expected, with the added bonus of his abdomen still feeling like it was crushed—he won.

And now, it was time for him to have a little chat with Aella. Enjoy new chapters from My Virtual Library Empire

"I'll take him to the infirmary," Neraxis said, picking up Kael and giving Eris a small wave. "See you later."

"Mhm," she nodded absentmindedly.

Soon, Neraxis arrived at the infirmary and merely slumped Kael down onto one of the beds, before explaining the situation to the healer and getting out.

Now that he was alone, he took out his phone and sent a message.

<Neraxis: Where are you? I'm done.>

After a bit of a delay, he received a reply.

<Aella: I'm in the cafeteria with Celina and Aurelia. I think it might be a good idea to tell them your plan as well... Unless you want me to send them back?>

He felt hesitant for a moment before letting out a sigh.

<Neraxis: It's alright. I'll be there in a moment.>

[I'm happy you're finally opening up.] Evangeline said with a giggle, making him shrug as he walked toward the cafeteria.

Finally, he arrived, and as he did, he spotted another person Aella failed to mention.

Why is she here...?