Endless World: The Rise of Leonard Lawson

While the announcer commented on the fight in excitement, the battle quickly spread past the Arena Sector.

Ted wanted to target Claudia, having believed she was the easier person to deal with.

Unfortunately for Ted, he wouldn’t get the opportunity.

”Your opponent is me.” Mirelle snickered and snapped her fingers. Soon, a powerful wind pressure blasted toward Ted.

Ted clicked his tongue in response. He was forced to kick the ground to propel himself backward to avoid the wind current range. Although seeing Claudia escape his range of attack was indeed a regrettable situation, he prioritized his safety more.

With the coverage assistance provided, Claudia was reassured and focused on Redflow. Her boots scraped against the broken seating as she landed on an elevated beam.

In the meantime, Redflow was already there, his silhouette flickering in and out of view under the arena’s dim lighting.

No cheering crowd mattered to either of them anymore.

Assassin versus assassin.

Same Syndicate.

Opposing goals.

Only one would walk away.

Redflow’s lips curled into a cold grin. ”Just a mere gold-ranked assassin, and you dared hinder my objective. Who gave you that courage?”

Despite the taunt, Claudia remained silent. An assassin would never take the initiative to speak up unless they had something planned.

’I must stall the battle out until Mirelle finishes dealing with that Ted person.’ She had listened to the announcer calling out Ted’s name earlier. The name was unfamiliar to her. But in her mind, this person was considered a dead man.

Just when she was slightly distracted, Redflow’s attack came in at the right time.

”Tsk,” Claudia hissed. She drew a thin, obsidian dagger from her belt, the blade humming with a cold metallic gleam.

In that instant, she deflected all the hidden weapons that were coming in her direction.

As for those she couldn’t deflect, she twisted her body fluently and dodged the attacks.

Unfazed by the attack not landing anything, Redflow tightened his wrappings, and the bandages around his arms subtly shifted.

WHOOSH!

The bandages slithered forward like a snake, threatening to harm Claudia.

However, concealed within the bandages were actually metallic, sharp objects.

’Hmph, paltry tricks.’ Claudia caught the sound of metal scraping with her sensitive ears, confirming dozens of hidden objects.

As soon as Claudia avoided the hidden weapons and hastened her movement, Redflow also increased his pace.

Both assassins vanished at the exact same moment!

CLANG!

A spark burst mid-air as blade met blade.

Claudia forced Redflow back with a precise sequence of stabs, each one meant to be dodged, not blocked.

However, Redflow slipped away effortlessly, his body bending unnaturally.

His movements were slippery like a serpent.

He flicked his wrist!

Shk—Shk—Shk!

Three needles shot forth from his sleeve.

”Always the same trick.” Claudia’s heel slammed into a pillar, propelling her upward. The needles sliced past beneath her feet, embedding themselves into the seats with a sharp tuck.

The audience gasped in excitement.

”Now this is what I paid for!”

”Sheesh, their movements are no different than assassins.”

”Could it be that they are assassins? Oh my, assassin vs assassin, exactly my type of entertainment.”

Ignoring the crowd’s words, Claudia remained focused on Redflow.

”Your aim doesn’t seem to match that of a platinum-ranked assassin,” she taunted, hoping to force Redflow into making a mistake.

Alas, Redflow remained silent throughout the fight. He ignored the taunt and continued his onslaught with no hints of stopping.

BANG!

The needles that Claudia narrowly avoided had suddenly detonated.

The shockwave hit the beam she was landing on, cracking it in half and sending debris raining down.

Claudia spun midair, twisting her body to land lightly on a lower row of seats.

”Tch. So they explode now,” she muttered, and blood trickled down from her left cheek. Despite reacting as fast as she could, she was unable to come out completely unscathed.

”You didn’t think I’m platinum ranked with the same tricks, did you?” Redflow chuckled, hopping off the collapsing beam. His feet touched the ground without a sound.

This was the first time he had spoken.

Claudia narrowed her eyes. She would be a fool if she believed he was the type to have the mood to converse with her all of a sudden.

’What other schemes is he hiding?’ He had techniques she hadn’t seen before.

Moreover, she was able to confirm one thing. He had trained specifically to counter assassins.

Although the fight seemed even at a glance, Claudia must admit that she was actually being pushed back in each instance. Droplets of sweat had already begun to form around her forehead.

She was about to use her sleeve to wipe away some of the sweat to prevent it from falling down, lest it might obstruct her view. Unfortunately, this inconspicuous action was taken notice of by the experienced Redflow.

’A chance!’ Redflow abruptly dashed forward, bandages whipping behind him.

’Crap!’ Claudia hurriedly vanished from the spot.

Her image ruptured into an afterimage, reappearing behind him with her dagger aimed at his kidney.

Too bad, it was all planned in advance.

Redflow spun in lightning speed, and a vicious grin could be seen on his face.

’I’ve been fooled...’ Claudia put up a defensive shield, but it was too fragile.

Redflow elbow lashed out, wrapped in bandages stuffed with metal plates.

THUD!

The impact directly shattered her impromptu shield.

Claudia was forced back, sliding across the ground. Blood soon trickled down from the corner of her mouth as she coughed repeatedly.

”What a weakling.” Redflow sneered mockingly. To think a weakling had the nerve to target him was the funniest joke ever.

Claudia wiped blood off her lip. ”You only know how to throw hidden weapons. Only a weakling resorts to weaponry.”

”Still better than a dead person.” Redflow’s eyes turned cold. His bandages unraveled completely.

Dozens—no, hundreds of tiny metallic shapes clattered to the ground around him.

Needles, hooks, weighted cards, shards, small tubes—tools for killing, disabling, tearing.

The audience gasped as the floor seemed to glitter with dormant death.

”An entire armory?!”

”An assassin actually carries that much!”

”He’s insane!”

While the audience was startled by the numerous hidden weapons, Claudia’s face darkened.

’I’m dead meat...’ She frowned and could foresee the upcoming scene.