The Return Of The Exiled Villain

They spent the rest of the night making love like rabbits, and when morning finally arrived, both of them were peacefully asleep.

”Mhm...”

Stirring from his sleep, Gray slowly blinked before lifting his upper body and stretching his arms above his head.

”That was quite an eventful night...” he looked over at Selene and smiled lightly before getting out of bed and heading toward the bathroom.

It was currently half past six, so he still had two and a half hours to do whatever he wanted. And he would start by taking a bath.

He turned on the bathtub’s switch, and instantly a faint blue magic circle appeared, with hot water beginning to pour out rapidly.

Then, he went to the sink, grabbed one of the toothbrushes, applied a bit of toothpaste, and started brushing his teeth while the bathtub was still filling.

After about two minutes, he was finished, so he quickly took off his clothes, throwing them randomly aside, before getting into the bathtub.

”Ohh...”

He groaned in satisfaction, and looking at the ceiling, he waved his hand lightly.

[———✵ Status Panel ✵———]

Name: Gray Vireux D’Aurélion

Titles: Vessel of Beauty & Destruction, Exiled Noble, Incubus In Human Form

Race: Human

Class: 𖤐 Villain 𖤐

Rank: Early Master Realm [Ready to break through at any given moment]

Unique Skill: [✧Swap✧]

Unique Talent: Nullification [1134/1170 (1290)]

Active Skills: Nine Illusionary Dream Steps [2% (9th Step)], Spirit Eyes [Elementary (0%)]

Passive Skills: High Mana Recovery, Parallel Mana Processing, Heightened Senses, Sinful Mind [Class], Villain’s Presence [Class], Cruel Instinct [Class], Shadow of Sin [Class]

Equipment: Demon Converging Gourd (Godly), Phantom Loop Earrings (Godly), Unnamed Rapier (High Emperor), Ring of Gluttony (Early Saint), Trascendent Robe (Intermediate King)

Dimensional Storage: 1x Low-grade Saint Qi Orb, 4x Great Grandmaster Qi Orbs, 7x Bottles of Bloodvein Poison, 6x Spirit-grade Daggers, 24x Poisoned Needleboxes, 24x Package of Essence Blood (3x King-level Essences, 21x Great Grandmaster Essences), 43x High-grade Spiritual Crystals, 192x Intermediate-grade Spiritual Crystals, 422x Low-grade Spiritual Crystals, 192.029x Gold Coins, 12.990x Silver Coins, and 120x Copper Coins.

Sword Spirit: Unnamed (Nine-Colored Attributeless Snake)

——+——+——+——

”...The rapier my mother gave me is actually a High Emperor-grade Weapon?!” Upon taking a look at his status, that was the first thing he had truly noticed.

”How is that possible... if it was, it should be an Emperor Mark1, no?”

He pulled out the rapier and started taking a closer look at it, and just like he had thought, there was no Emperor Mark whatsoever.

”...Is it sealed?” he pondered, his eyes narrowing as he looked at it.

”[Spirit Eyes]”

He even tried to activate the skill he had copied from Seraph, and still didn’t see anything useful except the faint seven-colored light that came from the Sword Spirit.

[Proficiency +5%]

”Tsk... it seems that I’ll need to find that crimson-haired guy.”

What Gray needed more was actually information... which should be quite stupid since he has the memories of the person who created his world.

However, things were bound to change at all, since the ”difficulty” of the world had increased a lot.

”If only he had written a bit more about my power,” he mumbled in thought.

But of course, there was no use in dwelling on those stupid thoughts instead of taking action, so he took his time to wash his body, and instantly left the bathtub, drying himself and getting out of the dormitory.

Selene was still sleeping, and he, of course, wouldn’t wake her up.

He headed over to the arena, where he signed himself up for a never-ending battle... which was basically a fight, where one could die if he didn’t forfeit.

Still, Gray would only be able to leave the arena where there were actually no opponents.

It was basically a suicide thing that only stupid people could do, but Gray was in a hurry, so he opted for this kind of thing.

”...Are you sure?” the guy asked once again.

”Yes,” Gray nodded lightly.

This caused the staff member in front of Gray to frown deeply, but after noticing his unusual features, he sighed and spoke once again.

”Press the palm of your hand in this crystal, and the challenge shall be announced. Remember, there’s no shame in going back in your intrusive thou...”

Thud!

Before he could finish his words, Gray pressed the crystal, causing it to start pulsating lightly before flaring up.

RIIIIIIIIINGGGGGGG!

A sharp chime echoed through the grounds, ringing far louder than the usual match announcements.

The sound rolled across training fields, dorm paths, and even into nearby halls.

The students eventually slowed until they stopped to hear a cold, clear voice that spread through the academy through the sound array.

”Attention. An open-ended combat registration has been submitted.”

Murmurs started instantly.

”What kind of match?”

”Open-ended?”

The crystal flared again, brighter this time.

”Participant. Gray Vireux D’Aurélion.”

The courtyard went silent for half-second before it exploded.

”NOOO WAYYYY!”

”Did they say Gray Vireux?”

”That Gray?”

”You mean the one from yesterday?”

”YEAH! THE ONE WHP SHUP DRAKE UP IN THE CAFETERIA!”

”That damn monstrous genius from before?!”

Students started pouring toward the arena entrances, some running, some fast-walking, others activating movement skills without caring who noticed.

Inside the arena control room, a few instructors stiffened.

”...Is this a mistake?” one of them asked, staring at the screen.

”Registration is clean. There are no restrictions or opponent limit...,” the administrator shook his head slowly with a bitter smile.

”That format hasn’t been used in years.”

Even so, the announcement continued, making sure that everyone hard abouyt it.

”Match type. Endless combat.”

”Exit condition. Voluntary forfeiture by the registered participant.”

A third flare.

”Warning. Lethal force permitted.”

The stands shook as students flooded in.

”What kind of lunatic signs up for that?”

”Is he trying to make a point or something?!”

Down in the preparation corridor, Gray adjusted the sleeve of his robe with a cold expression. The noise above did not bother him at all.

It was strange to think that in just a few minutes after the first ring from the crystal, the arena was already filled with students.

Step, step...

A staff member suddenly approached him with a bitter expression. ”Student Gray. You are aware that this format does not pause between opponents.”

”I know.”

”And that challengers may enter at any time.”

”I know.”

”And that injuries are your responsibility.”

”If I fall, end it,” Gray looked at him with his blank eyes.

”Gulp!”

The staff member swallowed after seeing those black pools.

”Understood.”

Creaaaackk...

The gates of the arena suddenly opened, and Gray slowly stepped forward, bringing out two daggers from his dimensional storage and putting them at his waist.

He didn’t even bring out his rapier and only kept one of the needleboxes, hidden in one of the compartments of his black jacket.

After reaching the center of the arena, he halted and looked at the audience.

”...Who’s my first opponent?” his voice was strangely quiet, but reached everyone’s ears because of the propagation magic of the arena.

At the same time, the crystal rang out again.

”Endless combat begins now.”

For two full seconds, no one moved.

Then, a second-year student with a spear jumped down, his aura flaring as if trying to claim the moment.

”I’ll go first!”

Based on Gray’s current popularity, anyone who would be able to beat him would get a lot of recognition, even if that person were older than Gray.

”[Spirit Eyes]”

The moment his opponent stepped onto the arena, Gray instantly activated Seraph’s ability and took a look at him.

’Peak of the Master realm... reasonably stable mana flow. However... his left hand meridian is terrible... almost reaching the level of a cripple.’

’...A few moves should be enough.’

After calculating his enemy’s power, Gray simply lifted his right arm and stretched it out, palm open, fingers curling inward in a slow, lazy motion, calling him over like a stray animal.

The guy laughed and leaned forward, his boots tapping against the stone floor as he pulled his spear back for a strike.

”Hah! Those petty tricks won’t work with m—”

”—[✧Swap✧]”

Before the guy could finish his words, Gray swapped with the little rocks in the ground and slapped the shit out of him.

BAAAAM!

A loud crack rang out as Gray’s hand met the guy’s cheek.

The man’s head snapped sideways, spit and blood flying from his mouth.

His body lifted off the ground, legs flailing as he shot backward like he had been kicked by a giant.

Thud, thud, thud...

CRAAAAAAASH!!!!!

He bounced across the arena floor, rolling and spinning, arms loose, body hitting again and again with dull, ugly sounds.

Each hit knocked the air out of him until he flew straight past the boundary and slammed into the ground outside, lying there twisted and still, like a broken doll tossed aside.

Back at the arena, Gray lowered his hand slowly, flexing his finger lightly before his gaze returned to the audience.

”Next.”

A mark that proves that the weapon is of Emperor Grade.