When I Cleared the Death Game World, I Reincarnated as a Villainous Noble Even if They Talk About Doom Flags, I'm Actually Immortal. - Chapter 35

“I’ll admit, you’re strong, Ren… but don’t get ahead of yourself just yet!”

The swordsman snarled, veins bulging on his forehead.

He was absolutely furious.

Like a mindless goblin, he charged at Ren, swinging his sword high.

Such an obvious attack had no chance of landing.

Ren effortlessly sidestepped and, in passing, slashed her sword.

A deep gash tore across the swordsman’s arm—but within moments, the wound began to close, healing itself.

“Guh…!? Looks like this barely counts as damage. Do you really think you can kill me, Ren?”

“I was showing you mercy by not aiming for your neck.”

“Not that it would matter. Even if you aimed for my neck, I could dodge it now!”

“Oh really? Demonic power is strong, sure… but with someone like you wielding it?”

Ren’s taunt made the veins on his forehead throb even more.

His ever-present smirk vanished, and his eyes twitched with barely contained rage.

“Don’t act like you know everything, you worthless woman with nothing but a big chest—!”

He swung his sword wildly.

Each slash ripped through the air with a deafening roar.

But his attacks were predictable.

They never came close to hitting her, and each reckless swing only created openings—openings Ren exploited, slicing him in return.

His arms, legs, and chest were all cut open… but every wound gradually sealed itself back up.

His regeneration was stronger than she had expected.

Defeating him without killing him might not be an option.

“Oh? So that’s what you really think? So that stupid fake smile of yours was all just an act?”

“That’s right. Just a survival tactic to fool those idiots. Pretending to smile made me sick.”

“Wow, not holding back, huh?”

“I don’t need to anymore.”

The swordsman muttered, resigned, then reached into his coat again.

“…A second dagger!?”

“I’m done pretending…!”

Without hesitation, he plunged the second dagger into his chest.

Instantly, black flames erupted from the wound, consuming him entirely.

“AAAAAGH!! IT BURNS—IT BUUUUUURNS!!!”

He clawed at his own body in agony.

At first glance, it looked like nothing more than self-immolation.

But the flames were changing him.

His muscles swelled grotesquely. His body stretched unnaturally.

His once-handsome face melted like kneaded clay, reshaping into something monstrous.

A pair of massive wings sprouted from his back. A thick tail emerged from his waist. Large horns jutted out from his head.

When the transformation settled, he was no longer human.

He had turned into a towering, muscle-bound demon—like an ogre from hell.

“POWER… POWER SURGES THROUGH ME!!!”

“…Tch!”

BOOM!

With a single swing of his massive arm, the swordsman crushed the ground as if wielding a hammer.

A brute-force attack—no, even worse than before.

His swordplay was completely gone. He had lost all technique.

Calling him a swordsman was laughable now. He was nothing more than a monster.

Even so, his attacks still couldn’t touch Ren.

She dodged with ease, using wind magic to glide around him.

“DON’T RUN, REN! I’LL CATCH YOU AND MAKE YOU MINE!!”

“Sorry, but I’ve got my eyes on someone else. I don’t have time for you.”

“YOU BITCH!!”

He swung his thick arms wildly, trying to grab her.

But it was useless.

Not only did he fail to catch her, but his own body was covered in more and more deep cuts.

“THEN HOW ABOUT THIS!?”

“What now?”

He raised both hands, gathering black flames between them.

A bad feeling crept over Ren.

She immediately put more distance between them.

“TAKE THIS!!”

The moment he slammed his fists into the ground, black flames erupted from below.

But something was off.

The flames didn’t rush toward Ren.

Instead, they twisted through the air…

And flew in the opposite direction.

(Did he miss…?)

Ren’s eyes followed the flames’ trajectory.

They landed on a massive pile of straw stacked at the village outskirts—likely meant for feeding livestock.

The flames engulfed the straw, creating a towering pillar of fire.

If not for the eerie black color, it could have been mistaken for a bonfire at a festival.

“…Are you throwing a harvest festival or something?”

“No. This is what I was aiming for.”

“Wait… is that—?”

WHOOSH!

The black flames sucked in the surrounding air, whipping up a violent gust.

A fire whirl.

A phenomenon that occurs during large-scale fires.

The massive flames consumed oxygen, pulling in air from all directions and generating intense winds.

Though the flames were magical, the effect was strikingly similar to a fire whirl.

“…Sh1t!”

Ren’s balance wavered.

She nearly stumbled but quickly dispelled her wind magic and planted her feet firmly on the ground.

(Damn it… I can’t use my floating magic in this!)

Ren’s technique required precise wind control.

If her magic failed, she would lose balance and fall.

And in these chaotic, turbulent winds, maintaining her magic was impossible.

The fire whirl interfered too much with her control.

It was no use.

With her feet now on the ground, a cold sweat ran down Ren’s forehead.

She glanced at the swordsman—now a demon.

He was grinning.