Chapter 61 The Magic Swordsman Xenos and Princess Elenor
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
WHOOOOOOOA!!
An immense roar like thunder shook the circular coliseum.
Dust swirled through the air, and the smell of iron and blood filled the air. In the center of the ring, where the spectators’ gazes rained down, Elenor and I stood quietly facing our first-round opponents—three members of the [Iron Blood Mercenary Band]. The surrounding noise faded to the edges of my awareness like a distant dream.
At the center of the enemy formation stood Golgus, a heavily armored warrior clad head to toe in thick steel plate. Countless scars were cut deep into the darkened iron surface, and his worn-out pauldrons gave off a dull gleam. The greatsword he rested on the ground looked like a massive tombstone, giving off a heavy sense of intimidation. Just his stance alone made it clear—this was an experienced veteran. High defense and devastating one-hit power were his trademarks.
To the right was Rigaldon, an archer in light leather armor. His flexible body stayed low, like a beast ready to pounce at any moment. Several venomous green fletchings peeked from his quiver. He was a sniper-type—swift and precise, capable of nasty status-effect attacks.
And on the left, clad in gray robes, was Glen Margan, a sorcerer. His face was hidden beneath the hood, but I could feel the faint shimmer of mana at his fingertips. An illusion, perhaps—a slight trembling in the air. He was the team’s commander, skillfully using offensive and defensive sorcery to support the group.
”Listen, Elenor. I’ll take the center—Golgus. You handle the archer first,” I said, my voice cutting through the tension.
Elenor shot me a sharp look. “Shouldn’t we target the sorcerer first? If we want to break their coordination, it’s standard practice to take out the caster.”
Her gaze was already fixed on the archer, as if she’d chosen her prey, but her tone carried the clear authority of someone used to having her strategies respected.
”Yeah, that’s fine. I’ll deal with their sorcery. Focus on your job,” I replied, letting a confident smile cross my face as I quietly drew the sword at my waist. The blade flashed under the coliseum’s bright lights—as if announcing the battle to come.
Elenor looked puzzled for a moment, then gave a dismissive “hmph” and drew her own blade. She closed the distance with Rigaldon, just as I’d ordered.
Her movements were smooth, like a blade cutting through the wind.
”Tch…!” The panicked archer fired arrows in rapid succession while retreating—swish, swish—the sharp whistles cutting past my ears. But Elenor swatted them away with her sword as if brushing off annoying insects.
CLANG! CLANG! The dry impact echoed across the ring.
As expected of the kingdom’s strongest swordsman. Not a single wasted motion in her blade work.
I also closed the gap with the heavy warrior Golgus in one burst.
KEEEEN!
A sharp metallic clang rang through the entire coliseum. My sword and his greatsword clashed, sending sparks flying. The smell of burning metal spread through the air with each shower of sparks.
Behind the heavy warrior, Glen was already starting a large offensive spell. Thin purple threads of mana began to weave from his fingertips.
”Not bad, boy,” Golgus’s low voice rumbled between clashing blades.
I met his gaze with a smirk. “You’re not all talk yourself.”
Our back-and-forth exchange continued. I’d strike with agility; Golgus’s heavy frame would block with precision. Each clash sent a dull shock through my arm.
Golgus wasn’t content to just defend—he seized every opportunity to press forward. Each time I blocked his heavy attacks, the ground shook slightly.
Finally, the sorcerer’s spell was complete. A massive sphere of searing flames hovered above his head, flickering ominously. It gave off overwhelming heat, like a small sun descending. Even meters away, I could feel the burning warmth against my skin.
”Get back, Golgus!” Glen shouted, his voice strained with concentration.
The heavy warrior quickly moved away from me to avoid being caught in the blast.
Then the blazing spell was launched in my direction.
BOOOOM! A thunderous roar that seemed to burn the very air itself echoed through the arena, and the mass of fire rushed straight toward me.
A roar of mixed screams and cheers erupted from the stands.
The match was decided.
That’s what everyone must have thought.
But I just slowly raised my left hand toward the approaching fireball. To the spectators, it must have looked like I’d caught the flames with my bare hand.
In the next instant, the spell—which had been so violently powerful—disappeared without a sound, as if it had never been real.
The heat vanished in an instant, replaced by a cool breeze on my cheek.
I didn’t even need to raise my hand, really. My special ability—[Magic Seal]—automatically cancels all mana in my vicinity.
But this was performance. A show to convince the audience that I’d canceled their magic with “some special method.”
Glen’s face went pale, his voice cracking as he demanded, “What—?! Wh-what did you do?!”
I met his wide-eyed stare with calm. “It’s simple, really. I instantly analyzed the structure of your spell and countered it by applying mana with the exact opposite properties.”
Of course, I couldn’t actually do anything like that. Probably no one in this world could. Because that explanation was a complete lie I’d made up on the spot.
I didn’t need to explain it at all—but I chose to, to guide the audience’s thinking. It adds a sense of mystery and prevents unwanted prying.
Besides… it makes the tournament more exciting.
Even Golgus couldn’t hide his shock, his voice showing genuine confusion. “A spell like that… actually exists…?”
My lie had been plenty effective.
[Magic Seal]. This ability was mine alone, tied to my zero mana. Right now, I was disguised using the [Ring of Transformation], pretending to be someone other than “Zero the Loser” Xenos. Even so, “being able to erase magic” was one of my abilities I’d rather keep hidden if possible.
”Well, can’t be helped,” I muttered under my breath.
There was a prize in this tournament I wanted badly enough to risk revealing this ability.
And given the current situation, this level of risk was acceptable.
As I was thinking this, Golgus launched a desperate attack. He swung his greatsword wildly, like a broken puppet. Heavy blow after heavy blow split the air.
”How about this, then!” he shouted, his voice raw with desperation. “I’ll keep up the pressure and stop that petty magic of yours!”
The sorcerer had also regained his composure and started another spell. This one was smaller than before, but clearly built for speed—I could see the mana gathering at his fingers glowing faster.
”If you get too close, you’ll be caught in it too,” I warned, my tone flat.
Golgus’s eyes blazed with reckless determination. “I don’t care! Even if I have to take you down with me, I’ll finish you first! Then it’ll be two against one!”
I admired his resolve. But unfortunately—even in close combat, I was the stronger.
I expanded the effective range of [Magic Seal] to its maximum—two meters in radius. In that instant, the balance of our duel shifted dramatically.
The force vanished from Golgus’s sword. The mana that had been strengthening his physical abilities disappeared completely the moment it touched my field. Like a fish pulled from water, his movements became clumsy and heavy.
I pressed my advantage without hesitation. I relentlessly cornered the heavily armored, slow-moving enemy. Sweat beaded on Golgus’s forehead.
And just as the sorcerer’s second spell was on the verge of completion—
SWISH!
A sharp sound cut through the air, and Elenor—who had somehow circled behind the sorcerer—landed a powerful blow to the back of his neck with the flat of her blade. Glen’s body crumpled, the sound of his collapse swallowed by the crowd’s roar.
The archer Rigaldon had apparently held his own in close combat as well, but he was no match for Elenor—I could already see him lying facedown at the edge of the ring.
With Elenor’s final strike, the sorcerer too toppled over, his robes kicking up dust as he lay still on the arena floor.
Three against two—overwhelmingly unfavorable odds. But we crushed the experienced mercenary team as easily as taking candy from a baby.
Our complete victory.
A thunderous ovation from the stands poured over us like a shower, soaking us in applause. That sound, sweet as victory wine, seeped into every inch of my being.
—
Summary:
Xenos and Elenor defeat the [Iron Blood Mercenary Band] in a 2-vs-3 tournament match, with Xenos revealing his [Magic Seal] ability and fabricating an explanation to the audience. Elenor takes out both the archer and the sorcerer while Xenos overpowers the heavy warrior Golgus. Xenos reflects on the risk of exposing his ability but considers it worthwhile for the tournament prize.
—
Trivia:
- Xenos is disguised using the [Ring of Transformation] and is pretending to be someone other than “Zero the Loser” Xenos.
- [Magic Seal] automatically nullifies mana in Xenos’s vicinity—he doesn’t need to raise his hand.
- Xenos’s explanation about analyzing the spell structure and countering it with opposing mana is a complete fabrication.
- The tournament prize is valuable enough for Xenos to risk revealing his [Magic Seal] ability.
- Xenos expanded [Magic Seal]’s effective range to two meters during the fight.
- Elenor defeated both Rigaldon and Glen Margan, demonstrating her superiority as the kingdom’s strongest swordsman.
- The [Iron Blood Mercenary Band] consists of a heavy warrior, an archer, and a sorcerer—a classic RPG party composition.
Notes:
• de – A particle used in the aristocratic name of the Margrave Albion de Blanchefort.
• Elenor – Princess Elenor, the “Saint of Light,” is a proud, haughty gladiator for Xenos’s Royal Phantom team. This elegant, blonde-haired princess with piercing sky-blue eyes carries herself with royal dignity, though she masks a stubborn, tsundere nature. Bound by Xenos’s Magic Seal, she shares a complex history with him, secretly harboring twisted desires for his dominance despite her outward disdain.
• Golgus – A heavily armored warrior clad in thick steel plate with a greatsword. He is the center fighter of the [Iron Blood Mercenary Band]. He has a low, rumbling voice. Countless scars mark his armor. He is a seasoned veteran with high defense and devastating one-hit power. Leader of the Iron-Blooded Mercenaries. A warrior clad in jet-black heavy armor scarred from countless battles. Speaks with a low, grinding voice full of insult and fury. Views the protagonist’s team as circus performers.
• Rigaldon – A sharp-featured archer. Sub-member of the Iron-Blooded Mercenaries. Carries a well-worn bow. An archer clad in light leather armor with a supple, low stance. He carries a quiver with venomous green fletchings. He is a swift and precise sniper-type capable of status-effect attacks. He fought on the side of the [Iron Blood Mercenary Band] but was defeated by Elenor.
• Glen – A cool-headed sorcerer. Rear support for the Iron-Blooded Mercenaries. Clutches an aged staff. Has calculating eyes. A sorcerer clad in gray robes with a hidden face. He is the team commander of the [Iron Blood Mercenary Band], skillfully weaving offensive and defensive sorcery. He has a strained voice when concentrating. He was defeated by Elenor with a blow to the back of his neck.
• Margan – Glen’s last name. The Sorcerer.
• Kai – A pale-faced young male commoner with Fire-attribute Mana, he serves as Lizel’s Magic Slave and shadows him constantly. Once enslaved, he is now regaining his sense of self while searching for his long-lost sister, Mina. Recently, he has been invited to see a cat, marking a small step in his journey to reconnect with the world and his past.
• Xenos – Xenos Grimlock, a reincarnated otome game villain, masks his genius as a loser heir to manipulate events from the shadows. Known as the “Black Magic Swordsman” under a cold mask and jet-black attire, he uses his [Magic Seal], [Ring of Transformation], and mind control to build an empire. Strategic and theatrical, he commands a loyal household of allies, including his slave Cecilia and familiar Kuuko.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply