My mind was coming up with countless battle tactics before the other shadowy figures the assassin conjured using her Dark Attributed Light Mana as she was advancing towards me. The most prominent tactic that I came up with after realising that I only had twelve bullets left was using my Clockwork Radiance Variant Skill and the five Elemental Marbles I had previously hidden underground to ambush her.

Dark Attribute Light Mana wasn’t exactly the best at enhancing physical capabilities so I didn’t need to enhance my strength to deal with her. Fighting her using martial arts alone will be fine.

I swiftly countered them after the clones finally got close enough to attack me. The lack of Aura radiating off my body caught her off guard as she was probably used to reacting to a target’s Aura Clad to predict their next movement rather magic-less combat.

Gunshots resounded as I shot two shadowy figures in their foreheads at point blank range. The bullets may not have had much penetrative force due to how lacking my guns were but they were enough to kill an average human being who wasn’t wearing Earth Aura.

The four clones I shot by allowing the bullets to dig into the targets behind them disappeared and were replaced by more doppelgängers without pause.

It was extremely difficult to stop the multiple clones that had surrounded me from piercing black needles into my physique, but not impossible! The pistol in my right hand was dropped onto the floor as I moved my entire body to dodge and parry every attack.

Relying purely on the battle instincts I honed through actual combat, I weaved my body around the attacking clones and mercilessly stabbed my hand into the throat of the clone that was furthest from me with absolute precision.

The clone immediately disappeared after I stabbed my fingers through its neck, but like before, another clone of that girl smiled before replacing it.

“Sharp...” The clone replacing the old one spoke in surprise. This was before it took a front kick to the chin that caused it to go flying onto the others.

A new battle tactic was formed in my mind as I found a new way to search for the real assassin. It seemed like launching attacks were more effective!

"Nice crossbow you got there, can you give it me?" A another nonchalant voice sounding like the assassin continued from behind my ear. I reflexively moved my body so that I could defend against the clone that took advantage of my blind spot... but was too late.

Blood trickled down my arm as a few black needles were stabbed into it.

I lifted my Revolver in my right hand and tried to shoot the one that had attacked but was unable to pull the trigger. This wasn't because I suddenly felt like giving mercy to the assassin before me but due to the fact that my right hand had suddenly went limp.

I revolved the Dark Mana within the Skill Root inside me and tried to eliminate any poison that may have entered my system, but found that I had completely underestimated my enemy's techniques. I never realised there were martial arts this advanced on Sphera... The assassin in front of me was more like a Hapkido Practitioner.

Not only were the pitch-black needles interfering with my body's nervous system, they had also locked into place due to the Dark Aura stored within them. My only option to survive was to use my deactivate my Clockwork Radiance Variant Skill and use my Atomic Light Ether Halo to retrieve Magicians Inventory on my back so I could use it as a shield once more.

The Light Mana of my Atomic Light Ether Halo psionically grabbed onto the Weapon Cache on my back and enhanced it enough to resist her follow up attack. Pure Light Mana was more effective when defending against individuals who are armed so it was natural I’d use that to my advantage!

I was too overconfident... I forgot that this wasn't Earth, but Sphera: A world that had an insanely unpredictable element named Magic incorporated into warfare and close-combat tactics.

Charging towards this assassin was reckless, I shouldn't have closed the distance between us without getting a good understanding of her magical abilities. After all, a severe lack of knowledge towards an opponents abilities could lead to death...!

I have to somehow take back the initiative in this battle and catch her off guard. A scared expression appeared on my face as I acted like a wimp who had been frightened by her technique.

Acting was key to deceiving enemies and I had never been the type to get embarrassed about lying someone I already consider to be my enemy.

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"You really suck at deception." I tried to bide my time by talking to her with a show of ‘feigned courage’. She looked surprised for a moment before shrugging her shoulders in disinterest.

"So you finally want to say your final words? Fine, I'll allow it for now since this weapon of yours is intriguing." She ignored the deep meaning behind my words and confidently picked up the Pistol I threw away in order kill one of her clones. I wasn’t really bothered though since I have already put a trap on that gun as soon as I dropped it.

"It's a unique type of weapon I created myself after copying the blueprints from someone else. The original creator of this weapon called this a ‘Gun’." I didn't lie. Well, not all of what I was a lie if you really think about it...

I secretly revolved my Light Mana so that the three Spell Circles left behind by the disassembled Warlock Hand moved towards my glove from within my clothes as we were ‘happily’ chatting. It doesn’t look like she’ll give me the time to unblock the nerves she was clogging with her thick Dark Aura.

I'm glad this young girl before me has some screws loose because I needed some time to assimilate the Spell Circles into the glove on my hand.

"A ‘Gun’, is it? What an interesting weapon. How about you tell me where the blueprints for their creation are and I promise to kill you quickly."

"Wouldn't it have been easier to persuade me with a chance of living?"

"Denied. A genius like you is also a danger to the organisation I work for."

"How honest of you." My deadpan tone seemed to have hit a soft spot as she glared at me, then her hand traced over the gun as she familiarised herself with the Pistol's mechanisms. It was then a clicking sound could be heard due to her unlocking the safety lock I put.

"You said before that I wasn't good at deceiving, is that right?" Her smile became more real at that moment. It wasn't one of innocence, but a smile of cruelty that could terrify even Gods.

"You really do suck. Do you think I don't know what your real main weapon is?" I asked rhetorically in a contemptuous tone of voice.

One of her clone’s eye twitched as it seemed shocked by my words. In this situation, a normal person would be shaking in fear, but I contrarily still had great confidence in my tone...!

This, by itself, was a deterrence so that she wouldn't act rashly. It's a very crude and rushed tactic, but it should be enough to stall a young girl like her who probably had less experience in battle. I didn’t expect she’d be so surprised that I learnt of her tactics.

"When you first saw me, the first thing you did was blatantly reach for the black needles hidden in your hair after throwing a knife. An assassin wouldn't make the mistake of letting a target understand their method of killing. Not only that, but these black needles you’re using aren't even coated with poison... Meaning that they aren't supposed to be used to kill." Her face paled as she heard my speech. Then her eyes sharpened with resolve as her killing intent intensified greatly!

"Now then, the now question is: What is your true weapon if not the black needles in my arm? The answer is simple: What weapon would be most effective while using the Shadow Clone Aura Conjuring, a technique Ninja’s usually use to hide their weapons in plain sight?" As I spoke, I threw my Revolver into my left hand before using my right hand’s finger to tap on an invisible string not far from my body using a high Light Mana concentration.

An intricate web of thin but sharp strings which surrounded me appeared out of nowhere as they connected to her clothes. Her true body was found!

A droplet of sweat ran down her face as she seemed unable to understand how I was able to deduce her ploy with such insignificant clues... It looks like she is no longer able to keep her composure.

Although she’s an assassin, she is still a young girl after all... It probably never occurred to her that the thin strings she hid using her Dark Aura could be found so easily. Well... It’s not like I saw them with my own eyes. I had just deducted her battle strategy after taking her actions and movements into account.

Little did she know that my aunt named Anna was quite knowledgeable about weapons a Dark Specialists would use when facing opponents.

Unlike other kind of specialists, Dark Specialists were the normally the most scheming and manipulative... They would always have multiple layers of schemes hiding their true killing skills.

Well... At least the strategies I’ve heard about were better than this stupid ruse.

Who said I needed to actually see her weapon to know of its existence?

I guess I should be thankful that this unknown organisation this assassin works for sent a child like this instead of an adult to ‘assassinate’ my sister.

Though I’m still confused on why they didn’t send any older Dark Aura specialists who are a lot more tricky to deal with. After all, young and naive Dark Specialists that are just starting to understand their powers wouldn’t be able to properly show their potential...

"You're already too late to realise it anyway." She blushed as the face of all her doppelgängers twisted. A Dark Aura once again covered the sharp strings connecting to the clothes of the real physical body of the assassin as she surrounded me in an inescapable net.

[Thread Art- Ruinous Calamity!]

The black threads were like a gale as they cut through the air, intending on severing me into chunks of flesh. The assimilation of Spell Circles into my former Warlock Hand, however, was already done as used my hand to push forwards towards the young assassin!

My hand glowed a blue hue as a natural energy started to form as I lunged...!

However, what surprised me was that immediately after I touched the net, the black threads release an amethyst glow as the attribute of the attack suddenly changed. This must be her trump card!

She laughed sadistically as the net electrocuted me. She was probably certain I would die due to the Anti-Magic effect the her particularly pure Lightning Attributed Light Mana had.

Any normal young boy my age would panic upon seeing the change in attribute and end up dying at her hands without being able to resist or counter her, dying miserably as a result.

This would be true if it was someone else, but not for me... My charge was unaffected by her electrocution Skill in any way because of the glove I wore.

Both the Lightning Gatherer Spell Circle and Mana Charge Spell Circle complemented each other they created a suction force that drained the sharp strings of their Lightning Aura before storing it within itself for me to use.

She sealed her fate when she decided to change her Dark Aura to Lightning Aura considering how the Blue Lightning of my customised enchanted glove now had the ability to absorb the Lightning Attribute out of anything it comes in contact with. Looks like people CAN fall from their own traps...

The sharp threads that were being manipulated purely by Lightning Aura lost their momentum as they suddenly collapsed without their enhancements.

Even though one of my arms became unusable due to the self-injury I caused by overloading my enchanted glove, my close-combat efficiency wasn't dropped low enough for a mere little girl to be able to defend against my attacks!

The two other Spell Circles within my enchanted glove were activated as I conjured a blue bolt of lightning that hovered in front of me. The I swiftly speed-drew my Revolver at her.

The young assassin I set my eyes on panicked as she saw her trump card fail and tried to shoot me with my own Pistol... but her resistance was futile!

The Pistol had my Light Mana within it from the very beginning... With just a thought, I was able put on the safety catch on in order to lock her trigger.

[Gun Art- Railgun Bolt!]

The upgraded Customised Spell and Mana Release Spell Circles also worked to complement each other as I pulled the trigger of the Revolver after pointing it at her through the blue bolt.

In this speed draw of guns, I'm the one who obtained both life and victory! A bullet flew through the air and entered the young girl's skull from between her eyebrows before exiting the other side!