Struggling as a Villain

The first thing to do in a one-on-one battle is to assess your opponent before throwing your aces on the table. You need to retain a calm mind and act based on your instincts despite how easy or difficult your opponent seems.

As such, the first thing Richard did was throw several fireballs at the clone. He has to start with the basics to see how far he could keep on pushing. However, the clone easily absorbed those flames, or more like the ether involved in those spells.

Richard was reminded of that day when he saw numerous soldiers dying because of the very same reason: the clones can absorb magic from their opponent, so attacking with spells would be futile. If not for the Duchess who easily overwhelmed the clones then things might have turned quite nasty that day.

However, Richard didn't have much resource to try and use the same method as his mother.

'Here it comes....' Richard stopped using spells as he saw the clone advancing.

The clone lunged at him, a blur of muscle and speed. Richard barely managed to deflect the blow with his baton, the impact reverberating up his arm as he twisted to dodge a follow-up punch. He countered swiftly, swinging the baton toward the clone's ribs. The strike landed, but the clone didn't flinch; instead, it absorbed the energy, its body rippling as if consuming the force.

Richard snickered, "Of course."

Reeling its head back, the clone struck its head onto Richard's—however, Richard was alert enough to enhance himself, so no damage was dealt, and his head was just flung back a little.

The clone stared into Richard's eyes with a frown before the redhead pulled his head and headbutted the clone—creating a loud sound and forcing the clone to step back.

The clone staggered from Richard's headbutt, its expression twisting into something close to frustration.

Richard didn't let the chance go and charging forward, he swung the baton in a wide arc toward the clone's side. The clone anticipated it, raising its arm to block, but Richard was ready. At the last second, he twisted the baton in a feint and drove his elbow into the clone's ribs instead.

The solid connection knocked the air from the clone's lungs, forcing it back a few steps, urging a smirk to lift the left side of Richard's lips.

One thing was for sure and that is the clone's inexperience in combat. Surely it has an upper hand when it comes to sorcery but it was unfortunate that Richard was a bonafide brawler.

However, the clone recovered soon, thanks to the divine essence flowing across its body.

Looking at Richard with a dark look, the clone clasped its hands before a sudden burst of energy sent a wave across the battlefield.

"HUPP!" With a strong grunt, the clone slammed its palms on the ground before the pulse of energy dug from inside the ground and made its way towards Richard. They were numerous in number and approaching him like worms.

Richard's eyes widened as the ground beneath his feet trembled. He could see the energy pulse rippling toward him, distorting the earth like serpentine waves, fast and relentless. The clone's dark gaze remained fixed on him, its hands still pressed to the ground, sending the energy burrowing toward him like a swarm of hunting worms.

"Damn it," Richard muttered, quickly analyzing his options.

He didn't have time to summon a spell to counter, knowing the clone would absorb the ether before it even reached its target. Instead, he enhanced his legs, feeling the ether course through him, muscles tensing as he prepared to move.

With a burst of speed, Richard leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding the first wave of energy as it exploded from the ground where he had been standing. Sand and rock flew into the air, but he barely had time to catch his breath before more pulses shot up from the earth, zig-zagging toward him.

He spun the baton in hand, his instincts kicking in. The second pulse shot up directly in front of him, but he jumped, his enhanced legs carrying him over the attack just as the ground cracked beneath him. Landing in a crouch, he rolled, keeping his momentum going. But the energy pulses weren't letting up—they were coming faster, converging on him.

One pulse shot up just behind him, grazing his side and sending a sharp shock through his body. He hissed in pain but was quick to recover.

"This is bad..."Richard inwardly muttered as he kept on dodging the pulse of attacks that charged at him from his blind spot. He was incurring injuries which wouldn't heal for a long time, he knew.

The development of divine essence could be seen in the clone far faster than in the protagonist.

"I can't let this continue," Calculating his options, Richard summoned the bo staff with which he had trained for most of his time in the Duchy.

He instantly sprang on top of it, and, using the staff, he propelled himself into the air to get some much-needed relief from the relentless attacks.

Richard twisted in midair, the wind whistling past his ears as he spun with the precision of a blade. His grip on the bo staff was steady, using it to guide his momentum as he flipped toward the clone with the force of a cannonball. Each rotation increased his speed, his body a blur of motion, and the staff became an extension of his will—sharp, deadly, and focused.

The clone's eyes narrowed, sensing the incoming attack. It braced itself, planting its feet firmly on the ground. But Richard's movements were too fast, too unpredictable. In a final spin, Richard swung the staff with both hands, bringing it down like a hammer.

The clone raised its arms to block, but the sheer velocity of the strike was overwhelming. Richard's bo staff crashed into the clone's forearms with a thunderous crack, sending shock waves through the ground beneath them.

Sand erupted in all directions, scattering like a storm as the sheer force of the attack. The impact was so intense that it created a powerful gust of wind, whipping up a sandstorm that obscured the sky for a brief moment. Waves of energy pulsed out from the center of the clash, hurtling toward the distant ocean with incredible speed.

The other four warriors were also nearly knocked off their feet because of the blow.

'Is this enough...?'

As Richard stood over the fallen clone, ready to end the fight, a sudden flash of movement caught him off guard. The clone, though beaten and battered, had not yet surrendered. With a low growl, it surged upward, faster than Richard could react.

In an instant, the clone grabbed the bo staff with both hands and yanked it hard, pulling Richard off balance. Before he could regain his footing, the clone twisted its body and swung its leg in a brutal arc, connecting with Richard's side.

He was thrown towards the water with something broken inside him...probably his ribs.

He instantly shot his head up and through his wet hanging hair strands he saw the clone was about to devour the staff

"System!"

However, before the clone could have chewed on the mythical weapon and absorbed its powers, Richard called it back to his inventory leaving the clone biting on air.

"Young master!" Suddenly Lilia called out, urging Richard to look at her before she informed, "They are coming!"

Richard's eyes widened as he realised that the previous shockwave must have alerted the patrolling unit. And considering their strength and speed he had only a few seconds before they arrive here.

Gritting his teeth he looked at the clone who have changed his appearance and now looked like a random guy with pale yellow hair.

'I can't let this end here!' Clenching his fist, he enhanced his legs to the most and vanished from his previous spot into thin air.

His target was the clone and intention was to kill the bastard. He couldn't let go of this chance or who knows how long the detention would go on.

With every ounce of energy he had, he approached the bastard with his punch reeled back.

**BOOOOOM**

However, just a few meters before the clone his figure was pressed against the ground and Richard was rendered completely motionless.

Air knocked out of his lungs as he felt the person above him pressed their knee on his back and holding Richard with the back of his neck.

"Just on the second day, huh?" It was none other than Lucy who was pressing down Richard currently with a disappointed look in her eyes.

The clone has already retracted its clones and is now behaving innocently to show that he was the victim here.

The other patrolling guards surrounded Lilia and Nora as well.

Richard was soon pulled by Lucy to stand up with his hands locked behind his back.

Now this surely was going to be troublesome.

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A/N:- Don't worry, no false accusation. Thanks for reading.