The Villain Purchased the Heroine

Right after Class 2's elimination was broadcasted.

At the Intermediate Base near Class 1.

Following the orders of their leader Vargan, seven students, including Liam, were guarding the area.

⎯!

A brilliant light suddenly swept across the ground.

Then, thunder roared loudly each time Liam's sword thrust, causing static to crackle around him.

Utilizing lightning-based swordsmanship is Liam's specialty.

Being able to manipulate electricity among elemental magic, Liam concentrates an aura filled with lightning or amplifies tiny currents in his body to control his nerves and muscles.

Of course, output and precise adjustments are still challenging, so using it directly on himself is risky.

Still, just the form and sound of lightning tend to instill fear.

Zzt– zzt.

Liam moved rapidly without stepping out of the Intermediate Base's buff range and faced four opponents simultaneously.

Each time he moved, the sound of crackling currents made onlookers tense.

His dazzling footwork and swordsmanship caught many of them off guard, preventing them from advancing easily.

However, that doesn't mean Liam was strong enough to face four opponents 'by himself.'

Swoosh⎯⎯!!

Serena's arrows, loaded with mana, threatened the Allied Forces. As their movements froze and openings appeared, Liam burst into a flash and dashed to touch them from behind.

The sudden flash made it especially difficult for archers with developed vision to target Liam.

Serena, his ally, seemed to suffer a bit but kept shooting her arrows silently, her brow furrowed, yet her accuracy was exceptional.

Having successfully eliminated another member of the Allied Forces, Liam panted while scanning his surroundings.

In his rapidly moving gaze, he spotted the heated numbers around him.

Including Bantlo's group watching the battlefield from a distance, there would be around fifteen.

"C-Cough."

His breath was caught at the top of his throat.

Although they were receiving overlapping buffs from the base, the difference in numbers was evident.

The longer the battle dragged on, the more the stamina of their allies rapidly diminished, while the enemies grew more spirited.

The Allied Forces, once fearful of the lightning threat, seemed to have developed resistance and were now moving even more aggressively.

Crackle⎯!

Every time Liam infused mana, the lightning aura he recently acquired sparked.

Originally, "Attribute Establishment" could only be used after reaching a certain level, but Liam was able to acquire it as a 'skill' through leveling up.

He was able to manifest it early compared to his abilities.

"Ugh…!"

Once again, swords clash.

As Liam rides his weary steed, an Allied Forces swordsman leaps in.

Liam's feet are pushed back.

His overclocked heart rushes to supply oxygen, but it's not enough.

A throbbing sensation traveled from Liam's fingertips.

And then.

"…Damn."

A different man who had been visible in his line of sight slips aside.

He must be planning to take advantage of Liam's current immobile situation to stab him in the back.

If they get him now, it's game over!

"Graaah⎯⎯!!"

Sensing the danger, Liam released a massive amount of mana in one go.

His hand gripping the hilt felt like it was about to burst from the strain in his arm.

Veins like snakes crawled up his legs.

The mana charged with his current had enough voltage to briefly stiffen the muscles of those around him.

Liam swiftly raised his sword to strike.

⎯Chaaan! Chaeng!

During the pause.

Liam sent both swords flying into the air.

If he had any stamina left, he could've taken them out, but that wasn't the case.

Still, now they couldn't wield their weapons, so he just needed to look for a chance to flee.

He can hold on.

He must hold on.

⎯Liam, it's dangerous!!

Just when he couldn't even finish reassuring himself.

Emily's voice hit him like a thunderclap.

A beam of light shot straight at Liam, who was guarding the door.

The strongest first-year archer, Bantlo, the Allied Forces' front-line commander, had made his move.

The arrowhead glowed as if all the mana around it was gathering. It was blinding, even worse than Liam's lightning, and keeping his eyes open felt torturous.

Peering through his squinted eyes.

He noticed that the two men who had been around him had already distanced themselves. There wasn't even a hint of panic on their faces.

It was clearly a timed attack.

Mana, the mana…!

It was already too late to dodge, so Liam began to squeeze out the mana left in his body while holding his sword.

There was no time.

He had to gather every bit he could.

However, Bantlo's arrow was shot at a speed far beyond his expectations.

Before he knew it, the distance between them was just roughly 3 meters.

"Ah."

At the moment when the excessive intensity of the light hastily constricted Liam's pupils.

Kududududek⎯⎯!

The arrow, flying fiercely as if to pierce Liam, suddenly seemed to stop moving as it collided with something, creating a considerable distance.

He focused on the bow.

A space charging forward with intense heat and sparks.

Something was definitely causing friction with it.

Had an Academia staff member intervened, deeming the situation dangerous?

Just as that thought crossed his mind.

As if to respond that there was no need for concern.

The person appeared, exuding an overwhelming confidence and laughter.

"Hahahaha!!"

Kuwung⎯⎯!

From seemingly out of nowhere, someone landed like a bomb, stirring up a thick cloud of dust.

The dust storm blew away in the gust, revealing only the figure of a man.

A well-trained physique was visible even through his clothes. A robust spirit resonated through his hearty laughter. An animal-like seasoned intuition emanated from him.

A solid body. A strong spirit felt within a boisterous laugh. Experienced senses akin to a beast.

Entrance exam rank: 5th.

Ocell Banteolo Leon.

"I cannot just stand by and watch the unjust alliance trample on our opponent! Class 1—!!"

Leon bellowed with a voice like a tiger.

At the same time, an arrow that had been stuck and unable to advance lost all its energy and fell limply to the ground.

"Don't worry! From now on, I, Ocell Banteolo Leon, will stand against those evildoers—!!"

Liam blinked his eyes in disbelief, staring at the man who appeared like a comet.

Although Vargan had given him a heads-up, and Liam knew he would come, he never expected him to move so decisively….

"Hah."

With a little hiccup, Liam's body jolted once.

*

I folded away the view I had as an owl.

Ocell Banteolo Leon.

Now that that young man, who seemed like he had a hard knock to the head when he was younger, has shown up, there's no need to watch anymore.

I had known the Class 3 scouting party, including Leon, would stop by the Intermediate Base, so I organized a defensive unit with minimal personnel.

That guy, who is naively pursuing the true hero and constantly touting justice, could never tolerate a form called an alliance.

While the Class Battle is a battlefield where all actions are permitted, that doesn't apply to Leon.

To him, it probably looked like just two people holding hands and bullying one person.

I can't comprehend it, but I also can't ignore the opportunity.

—Young Master, what should we do?

Alicia's gentle voice rang in my ears.

After being knocked down by the Prince, she quickly regained her composure and assessed the situation, contacting me through my Familiar.

From the base that was destroyed by Arterion, there were a total of nine casualties. I had captured the King of Class 2, who revived eight of them.

Most weren't overly reckless or significantly injured, so they were in usable condition.

Most, that is.

"We'll abandon this base. Lead all troops except Finn to the Intermediate Base and carry out the mission I instructed you earlier. It's near the main base where Liam's party is, not between Class 4 and Class 5."

Finn, who had been matched against Fallon in the communications tower of Arterion, was literally a bloody mess.

The difference between Fallon and Finn was like comparing a five-year-old to a teenager.

Yet, Finn clung to his pant leg, trying to restrain him.

It was almost predetermined that Finn would be wrecked.

—I will obey your command.

Alicia spoke in a delicate voice with a knightly formality. As her voice faded, as if she was about to cut off communications,

"Alicia."

I added.

"You've done well."

That monstrous powerhouse. Successfully blocking Arterion.

It was just one technique, yet it utilized illusions during combat.

Reaching a new realm of aura and more.

It was a brief sentence with multiple meanings.

—...

Alicia was silent for a while, making me wonder if there was an issue with the communication.

She was silent for a while.

"Yes, thank you."

Her voice gradually faded away, tinged with a hint of shyness.

And just like that, Alicia's voice was completely gone.

"Well then, I suppose it's time for me to get moving."

I stood up and shrugged my shoulders. I wanted to stretch out like a cat, but with eyes on me, that felt inappropriate.

Around me lay the ruins of the fortress, burning in several places.

The flag of Class 2, the carpets, the wooden furniture—everything that could catch fire was ablaze.

The sturdy castle walls that served as our shield now had holes like a paper box, crumbling apart.

Snap!

I flicked my fingers.

It wasn't to cause any physical change around me.

It was for somewhere a bit further away—notably, the main base of Class 5 guarded by Diphelia.

I had lifted the curse placed on a little thief lurking there.

The Class Battle was now past its midpoint. It was the perfect time for her, who had been bought off from the airship.

The markings etched somewhere on her body disappeared, and once confirmed, she would fulfill what I had pre-arranged.

A rather unique way of using curses.

Also, I wanted to let that lingering feeling flow out. After all, it would be a tasty bait for the leader of Class 5, the Saint.

Anyway, I had given her a command.

"First…."

After wrapping up my quick exercise, I turned my head and gazed at a tree standing off in the distance.

With my mana levels kept extremely low, it was possible that one wouldn't notice me if they didn't already have a hint.

These were different from the scraps dealt with by Class 2. Lesser creatures couldn't even hide their presence.

"You don't need to be so distant and vigilant. I have no intention of mistreating you, and the monsters that turned this place into ruins have already retreated."

That wasn't a lie.

No matter how vast my mana pool was, it wasn't actually the ocean. To be precise, it wasn't a sea yet.

Compared to my target level, it was more like a river.

Thus, cursing monsters was still limited to about 54 of them for roughly 40 minutes.

If I held onto more, those bastards would slowly start resisting.

"Couldn't resist the urge and came to see an outsider?"

I teased her, and as Erica peeked out from her hidden spot upon hearing my gaze, her porcelain face soon appeared.

"Not at all."

Erica's fierce glare and tone pierced through. She seemed like a hunter waiting for the perfect opportunity.

But, Erica, you're still clumsy at hiding your emotions. You haven't managed to kill the fluttering willow leaves deep in your pupils.

"There's no need to be so tense."

I smiled slyly and cast an illusion spell.

Erica began to exude an extreme cold as if she were a statue.

I had been waiting for you, Erica.

If you didn't show up, the story wouldn't flow in an interesting direction.