109: Chapter 109 The Rogue's Blade Is Not Always Sharp

The barrage of comments exploded on the screen again, and Adventurers from various regions began their keyboard exchange conference.

[Adventurer from Europa, Big Ben Repairman: "This monk is actually decent. It's the Dongying version of Hamlet. Uh, no, wait, it's a Monk's Revenge story. Too bad he didn't succeed."]

[Adventurer from Oceania, I Have a Kitchen Knife to Chop Hammers: "Isn't there a cleanup crew? Didn't the werewolf say so? His teammate is reliable enough to handle the rest of the monk's enemies. This deathmatch is interesting; it even has a plot. I'm going to go grab some wheat juice."]

[Ryan received a tip of 10,000 points.]

[Ryan received a tip of 800 points.]

[Ryan received a tip...]

[Kukai Numoku received a tip..., tip failed, Kukai Numoku is already dead.]

This time, Tuaner and Sister Loran helped Ryan off the arena stage with great care. They were gentler than ever, arranging for him to take the highest-quality potion refined by Mia, and laid him down within a circle formed by their teammates to prevent the other side from making a desperate move to finish him off...

[Match 4, Ranger Jiang Tuaner VS Ninja Hattori Hanzo]

...A red barrier slowly closed over the top of the circular arena, enclosing Tuaner and Hattori Hanzo within. The surrounding spectator stands were deathly silent—this was not an exhibition match; it was a deathmatch.

Tuaner rolled her shoulders, her fingertips gently caressing the string of her [recurve bow]. She had changed her hunting outfit into light leather armor, but her right leg and left arm were wrapped in bandages. Only Mia knew what was inside those bandages, and the sight made Mia want to chuckle.

Across from her, Hattori Hanzo was like a solidified mass of darkness. He had no unnecessary movements; his hands hung naturally at his sides, as if he could dissolve into smoke and vanish at any moment.

[Battle Start!!]

Tuaner did not rush to draw her bow. She held an arrow in her left hand with an inverted grip, stepped forward slightly with her right leg, and lowered her center of gravity—this was the starting stance of the [Self-Styled Street Free Fighting Technique] she had learned from Mia. Her eyes tracked every breath Hattori Hanzo took.

Hattori Hanzo didn't move either.

The tension between the two was like a taut steel wire, ready to snap at the touch of a single grain of sand.

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

"Whoosh!"

A shuriken flew out from Hattori Hanzo's sleeve, but it wasn't aimed at Tuaner; it was shot above her head! Tuaner didn't have the urge to look up. A Vampire's racial talents were as numerous as ox hair; one was naturally the sensing of wind, and another was keen hearing. By now, Tuaner could rely on her sense of smell to sleepwalk to Mia's bed without opening her eyes, hug her like an octopus, and sleep soundly until dawn.

This was just a standard feint; the ninja across from her hadn't even activated any ninjutsu.

Sure enough, Hattori Hanzo's figure vanished instantly!

[Hazy Moonlit Night]—Hattori Hanzo merged into the shadows, gaining the effect of a guaranteed critical kill!

Tuaner advanced instead of retreating, slamming her left foot into the ground as [Xu Step] activated—her figure instantly slid two meters away. At the same time, a flash of blade light sliced through the spot where she had been standing, leaving a fine tear in the very air.

"Is that all you've got? This is far worse than [Illusionary Body Barrier]. Not to mention the Tang Clan, even the ninjas of Bihe Mountain are far stronger than you." When fighting an enemy, Tuaner never let it hinder her talent for tearing people down.

"Swish!"

Tuaner seized this momentary opening, nocking an arrow and drawing the string with her right hand—the moment [Breath of Wind] condensed, she didn't even aim, releasing the string purely on instinct. The arrow pierced the air, flying straight for Hattori Hanzo's throat!

Hattori Hanzo's blade flashed horizontally— "Clang!" The arrow was deflected, but his position was revealed as a result. Tuaner seized the opportunity to press the attack. Inheriting the fighting habits of Mia, her close-quarters style was extremely ferocious—it wasn't the guerrilla warfare of a traditional archer, but rather violent combat techniques. (Rumor has it that English longbowmen were all close-combat brutes with arms thicker than their waists.)

"You've got some skill! Try this!!"

—Capoeira: Spinning Axe Kick!

Her right leg chopped toward Hattori Hanzo's side like a battle axe. He blocked with his arms horizontally, but the difference in strength was too great; he was kicked flying three meters, smashing into a stone brick!

Tuaner's agility was slightly inferior to Hattori Hanzo's, but she excelled in her balanced stats; her Strength, Intelligence, and Endurance were not lower than her Agility attribute.

In their first exchange, she gained a slight advantage in strength.

Before Tuaner could pursue, Hattori Hanzo had already sprung up, slashing with his dual blades crossed—[Shadow Moon] + [Night Weeping]! The blade light of the two B-grade weapons wove into a net, covering all evasion space in front of Tuaner.

Tuaner's right hand shook, [Tumulary Flow] activated, and her muscle and bone strength erupted instantly! She blocked with the bow body, and the bowstring actually held back the slashing blades! Sparks from metal friction sprayed into the air, and Hattori Hanzo's pupils constricted—he had underestimated the durability of this bow.

In the split second of Hattori Hanzo's hesitation, Tuaner's figure lunged forward, and her left hand suddenly clamped onto his wrist! She pulled him in abruptly, slamming her forehead hard into his face!

"Thud—!"

Blood gushed from Hattori Hanzo's nose, but he didn't panic; instead, he grinned viciously. Tuaner immediately became alert—poison!

Sure enough, Hattori Hanzo's breath carried a wisp of blue-purple vapor, [Nerve Paralysis Poison]! Tuaner hurriedly closed her airways, but she still inhaled a small amount. Her movements slowed by half a beat—Hattori Hanzo's dual blades were already slashing simultaneously toward her neck and waist!

—Ultimate Kill: Niten Ichi-ryu: Death Scythe!

Tuaner's heart constricted—in the instant death approached, her instincts became even clearer!

"Hum—!"

She twisted her waist violently, forcing a spin in mid-air, and gripped the bow body with her right hand, the bowstring hooking onto Hattori Hanzo's right wrist like a garrote!

"Riiiip—"

The bowstring, sharper than metal, sliced into Hattori Hanzo's wrist, and his movements faltered slightly. This tiny opening was enough for Tuaner to counterattack.

[Fear Spell]!

A purple-black mental shockwave struck straight into Hattori Hanzo's mind, and his offensive instantly fell into chaos! Tuaner seized the chance to kick him in the chest, creating distance!

After engaging, the two quickly separated again, beginning to search for opportunities. Tuaner flicked open a small bottle of red liquid with her pretty fingernails—[Mia's Blood], and gulped it down. After finishing, she licked her own scarlet, cherry-like lips. In an instant, the consumption from [Tumulary Flow] was fully replenished, and the deliciousness of the blood even made her condition better than it had been before the fight. She had a whole row of twelve such small blood vials hanging from her waist.

"What a glutton," Ryan, lying on a lounge chair in the Paradise Lost System preparation area, said with a laugh and a curse.

Hattori Hanzo clutched his bleeding wrist, his eyes becoming even more crazed.

"Hahaha... interesting..." He laughed in a low voice and suddenly tore open his ninja outfit! Black runes were carved into his abdomen—[Forbidden Technique: Death Puppet]!

His skin began to crack, his muscles twisted and swelled, and his bones clicked and clattered; he looked like a modified puppet monster! His speed and strength skyrocketed!

—Hattori Hanzo has entered his second form!

Tuaner gritted her teeth—this was trouble. Her brain was starting to get fuzzy from the poison, and her right leg was aching faintly from the previous wound.

Hattori Hanzo's attacks became even more frenzied, the afterimages of his dual blades almost obscuring her vision. Tuaner was forced to retreat repeatedly; she needed room to breathe—

"Boom!" Hattori Hanzo cleaved the ground with a blade, sending gravel flying! Tuaner's back slammed against the wall of the arena; her path of retreat was cut off!

Hattori Hanzo's blade rose—

"Die... already..."