The Same Move Won't Work on Me Twice!

At the moment Roy guessed how his opponent fought, he already had a plan.

As long as he did not let her widen the distance, her Originium explosives would be useless. As for the bombs she had already planted, as long as Roy could react in time, they could not hurt him.

After all, Roy had great confidence in the blocking skill he had mastered.

"I'm Roy. I'm your next opponent."

As he drew the blade that had once belonged to Chen from its leather scabbard, whose Lungmen Guard Department insignia had already been worn away, Roy spoke.

Then, he added:

"Won't you give me your name, little girl?"

"W. The person who's about to kill you."

The moment she finished speaking, the girl calling herself W took the initiative. Drawing her blade, she charged straight at Roy. Both her bearing and her movements made it seem as if she intended to take Roy's life outright, but Roy knew very well that this was merely a probing strike.

W had never expected this blow to defeat her enemy. This was not her area of expertise, after all. Of course, if her opponent really fell to such a probing attack, that only meant they were far too weak.

Clang! Clang!

Two successive clashes echoed through the area. At that moment, not only did the two Sarkaz mercenaries who had moved away from the battlefield turn their attention this way, but the surrounding mercenaries had also gathered around.

When they saw the girl fighting Roy, some mercenaries even took out a board and began setting up bets.

"Rising star W is fighting an unknown mercenary! Will W claim victory, or will this man replace her as the strongest newcomer and take the bounty that bears W's name? Come on, place your bets!"

At that moment, a large crowd of mercenaries gathered around the man taking bets.

If Roy were still in Lungmen and serving as a police officer, he would have definitely abandoned what he was doing to stop them. After all, gambling in a crowd was illegal.

But now, he could not worry about that. He had no authority to enforce the law in Kazdel, and besides, there was someone in front of him eyeing him like prey.

"You won't defeat me with that."

The instant he spoke, Roy angled his blade in an extremely strange way and blocked W's strike, then drove her back with a Slash.

However, Roy did not stop there. Almost the instant that exchange ended, he was already in front of W. A faint glow shone from his blade. In that instant, W decisively threw out an Originium explosive, because she knew that if she took that attack head-on, she would die!

Perhaps she had underestimated Roy at first, but now that contempt had completely vanished. This time, she was ready to get serious.

Boom!

A violent explosion erupted between them. Having prepared for it, W leaped high and fell backward, avoiding the blast. She stared toward the dust that had yet to settle.

Under normal circumstances, an Originium bomb of that yield would have been enough to kill someone. Yet Roy's earlier performance left her uncertain. After all, people had survived being struck by such bombs before.

A faint silver gleam tore through the scattering dust, and Roy emerged with it, completely unscathed!

Without hesitation, W pressed the detonator in her hand. A chain of explosions blossomed around Roy.

"Bang! Hahaha—"

W let out a wild laugh. By then, she had sheathed her blade, replacing it with a grenade launcher that bore obvious signs of modification—a grenade launcher with a caliber exceeding twenty millimeters.

By the weapon classifications Roy remembered, something like this could no longer be called a gun. More accurately, it was already powerful enough to be called a cannon!

Round after round of Originium ammunition fired from the grenade launcher. Almost the instant Roy rushed out of the blast zone, several projectiles were already about to hit him in the face.

As though by instinct, Roy raised his blade. A faint pressure of wind spread outward from him, and when the explosions ended, Roy remained unharmed!

"You bastard..."

Cursing under her breath, W continued retreating. If there had been a designated arena, she would surely have already been considered defeated.

But mercenary battles had no arena boundaries. Using every available means to accomplish one's goal—that was how mercenaries fought.

"It ends here!"

At that moment, Roy threw an object. Before W could react, he rapidly closed in on her with a Raging Dragon Slash, then swung his blade straight at W!

This time, W took out another Originium explosive. Perhaps these things were expensive, but if she could not settle the battle before her, she likely would not have another chance to use them.

With that thought, W hardened her resolve. Even if she had to pay someone to make new ones for her over a long period afterward, she could not die here!

"The same move won't work on me twice!"

Before she could detonate it, Roy struck W's hand with the flat of his blade. A sudden pain shot through her, and the bomb slipped from her grasp.

Like batting a shuttlecock, Roy sent the bomb flying away. At the same time, his free hand caught the object he had thrown earlier—a firearm that Roy had modified himself.

Bang!

With a gunshot, an Etching Round carrying Originium energy collided with the bomb. The next instant, flames burst across the sky like fireworks.

Roy sheathed his sword.

"Let's end it here."

"Why aren't you continuing?"

"Because you're no match for me."

Without hesitation, Roy said it. A trace of anger appeared on W's face.

"Are you looking down on me?"

"I'm merely stating a fact."

At that, Roy stopped and turned to look at W before continuing:

"If you're not convinced, you can challenge me again anytime. Hand-to-hand combat, weapons, firearms, or bombs—take your pick."

With that, Roy started walking again, heading toward the two Sarkaz mercenaries.