Everything was dark. Pitch black.

 

I suddenly felt that my body was moving on it’s own. It was like I was walking.

 

Why was I walking? I didn’t know. I couldn’t understand.

 

I couldn’t even remember who I was. Who am I? Why am I walking in pitch darkness?

 

More importantly, where am I? Am I in some kind of dark cave? If so, then why?

 

How did I even get here? So many questions, without any answers.

 

Then suddenly I felt a bright light, it was blinding. I had to blink my eyes to get used to the brightness.

 

The light became bigger and bigger as I found myself in a large open area. I looked around.

 

 It looked like arena of sorts. It was circular in shape with crowds sitting on all sides.

 

The crowd was very noisy and after seeing me the noises increased.

 

Suddenly memories came flooding to me. Memories of two lives. Two lives I have lived. This one and the previous one. It seemed ridiculous but felt very real to me.

 

There was no pain or anything but the sheer flood of memories made me disoriented for a moment.

 

I controlled myself so as not to fall. But I was overwhelmed with the sheer amount of information, like who I am now, who I was in my previous life, how I died, etc.

 

I felt I knew myself for the first time since I got my consciousness back a few moments ago.

 

But that wasn’t the main problem right now, the main problem was my current situation.

 

Because I was in a bit of a mess right now. You see, what I got from my memories of this life and previous life was that I was currently in the world of a popular novel I read in my previous life.

 

It had several volumes. Getting straight to the point, I was reincarnated as a villain in the said novel. Well, to be precise the main villain but that comes at a later date.

 

My name David Ackerman.

 

Currently I am the first villain that the protagonist faces, after I get defeated by him, I go through some circumstances which causes me to return as the main villain.

 

The problem was that I was currently at the exact part of the plot where I face against the protagonist and lose for the first time.

 

The situation is that I had a situation where I was having a confrontation with my fiancé, who didn’t want to hang out with me and after I was taking her by force, the protagonist intervened and he declared a duel between us to protect her.

 

Cliché, I know. Now, the worst part is that duels are taken very seriously in this country, as well as noble ranks.

 

A Duke’s heir like me should never lose to someone below them, especially to a commoner like the protagonist.

 

If I lose, I will lose my rights as heir and will be sent to a remote area in the Duke’s territory, that’s what happens in the story anyway.

 

Also, the winner can ask the lose to do anything and the loser has to obey, no matter what their ranks are. They can also ask for one another’s life.

 

While I know this won’t happens, losing my title will be big blow to me. So, I can’t afford to lose.

 

The problem was that my head was all over the place and I needed time to sort out my thoughts but I don’t have time to do so as I am standing in the arena. I have sort out my thoughts later and form plans for the future.

 

To make matters worse, although I know how to use magic and how magic works from my memories and names of some spells I can use that I know from my previous life that I don’t know in this life, I haven’t actually used them so, I can’t be sure if I can use them.

 

Also, this body is fat, like quite chonky, twice the size of a normal boy my age. So, I can’t move properly for dueling.

 

Fortunately, the rules set for this duel was anything goes so, I can use magic. The reason I lost so spectacularly in the original was that I tried to use swordsmanship with this body, well I would have lost anyway due to no practice but that badly.

 

I would not be using swordsmanship here but relying on magic.

 

The good things I had going for me was that I could do [chant less magic] which was very rare in this world, which the protagonist will not learn until much later.

 

Also, I had a bigger mana pool than the protagonist currently, so I can use the mid-level magic spells that I learned from my past life. Mana is basically the source of magic, they are like particles that are present in every living beings.

 

But even with those, I am not sure if I can win as it depends on luck whether I can actually use magic or not as I haven’t practiced and whether situation in the battlefield will go according to my favor.

 

I slowly formulate a plan in my mind according to how the protagonist thinks and how he is supposed to move in this battle.

 

I also do not plan to hold back. It might kill the protagonist who is in the initial stage of his power. Actually, it might kill anyone on his level, however he is the protagonist after all, so he might survive due to plot armor or some shit.

 

But even if he dies, I do not care. I do not care about the plot; all I care about is maintaining my position and dignity.

 

Of course, I don’t want to kill anyone and I would definitely avoid killing if I can. But right now my faith depends on this brawl so I don’t care what happens by ‘accident’ as long as I can win.

 

But winning is not guaranteed, in fact it’s more unlikely considering my current situation. But nonetheless I have to try, I can’t go down without a fight, otherwise I will regret it later.

 

Oh, how I wish I got reincarnated yesterday.

 

“Ummmm…Mr. David, are you al right? It’s almost time for the duel to start.”.

 

I heard a voice saying the above lines and turned to see it was referee who was saying that, he was also a teacher in this school. The protagonist was standing near him with a hateful look on his face. The protagonist had black spiky hair and blue eyes, and looked kind of handsome, like a typical shonen protagonist.

 

I calmed myself and said, “Yes, I am fine, I am ready. I was just lost in thoughts. Let’s do this.” And made my way towards them.

 

“What? Already lost confidence?”, sneered the protagonist. I ignored him.

 

“Now I will check you both for any hidden items. This is standard procedure. You both ok.”.

 

The referee said that and I nodded and the protagonist said, “No problem!”, enthusiastically.

 

After checking both of us the referee said, “Ok, everyone to your positions”.

 

And both of us took our positions. The protagonist taunted me saying, “I will defeat you today and wipe that arrogance off your face and protect Sera-san”.

 

Sera Rockwell was my fiancé.

 

I just kept quiet and positioned myself, which pissed him off even more, judging by look of anger on his face.

 

He readied his sword. I didn’t draw mine as it wasn’t in my plan anyway, and it’s not like it will do any difference.

 

The referee looked at me and asked, “Umm, you haven’t taken out your sword.”.

 

I just shrugged and said, “I don’t need it.”.

 

The protagonist got angry and said, “Are you looking down on me?”. Again, I said nothing.

 

He shouted, “I will show you who is better”.

 

The referee signaled the start of the match saying, “Start!” and backed off.