“What is this yellow-green mist?” Realizing that the smoke was problematic, Limdis covered her mouth and nose.
However, it was all in vain.
The particles of the paralyzing powder were so small that unless one stopped breathing entirely, some would inevitably be inhaled.
Another effect of the smoke was greatly reduced visibility.
Although this also applied to Mo Li, it was far more deadly for the more agile party to lose a large portion of their vision.
Moreover, Mo Li had been exposed to poisons since childhood and had developed some resistance, making the situation most advantageous for him.
Due to the competition’s stage being confined to such a small area, stepping out of bounds meant losing, which greatly restricted Limdis’s mobility, giving her no chance to relocate and avoid the poisonous mist.
Yes, from the start, Mo Li was clear about his strengths and weaknesses.
A nimble assassin should maximize strengths and minimize weaknesses.
Planning, scheming, and premeditation were all things assassins excelled at, but as a member of the beast race, Limdis was not skilled in these areas.
By capitalizing on these strengths, Mo Li had a chance to win this match.
As Limdis fell into panic and confusion, Mo Li seized the opportunity, launching a surprise attack from the shadows.
But this girl was truly troublesome.
Even in chaos, she keenly sensed danger and intercepted Mo Li’s sneak attack.
The two engaged in a duel within the mist, where visibility was less than five meters.
After executing the standard assassin’s ‘five-hit combo,’ Mo Li didn’t linger in battle and immediately retreated.
Among various assassination techniques, his forte was this fierce opening five-hit combo.
If it wasn’t effective, continuing the fight held little meaning.
In the smoke, he could retreat unscathed, while Limdis, affected by the paralysis, couldn’t pursue.
So, he only needed to change positions and occasionally harass with the five-hit combo, greatly wearing down Limdis’s will and composure.
“Nice block.” After another interception of his five-hit combo, Mo Li praised, while simultaneously, five throwing knives shot out from the opposite direction of his voice.
The knives misled Limdis’s judgment, and she blocked three but was hit by two.
“Such despicable tactics!”
“This is a competition, little kitty.
As long as it’s within the rules, it’s part of one’s strength.”
“Ambushes, poison gas, hidden weapons… are these considered fair?” Limdis questioned.
“Be grateful.
In real combat, this is nothing.
When aiming to kill, no means are spared, and besides…”
“Who said I had to fight you fairly?” Mo Li raised an eyebrow slightly.
“Ambushes or hidden weapons, this is the way of an assassin.
If you can, don’t use your claws either.”
“You…!” Limdis was both anxious and angry.
“Do you think this means I can’t deal with you?”
“Aurevigia, please favor your follower! … This is the power of the divine fox.”
Is it coming? Although Mo Li was prepared, when Limdis suddenly appeared behind him without warning, it still caught him off guard.
It was spatial movement! Mo Li quickly ducked, avoiding the slashing claws, but still ended up with a shallow scratch on his cheek.
Barely dodging the attack, Mo Li rolled backward, creating distance from Limdis.
Limdis gradually understood the situation.
To prevent Mo Li’s endless tricks, she had to engage in close combat to stop him from using hidden weapons and poisons.
The mist from the paralyzing powder was almost gone, and the paralysis effect on her body was dissipating.
Limdis was regaining her mobility.
However, just as she was about to move, she felt a sudden dizziness, followed by an uncontrollable urge to flail her limbs.
“Sorry, the throwing knives earlier were poisoned.” Mo Li leisurely took out a crossbow bolt, aiming it at Limdis.
It was just an ordinary crossbow bolt.
Such a common bolt would struggle to penetrate the skin of a beast race member.
But Mo Li didn’t expect his makeshift weapons to harm the beast race.
He relied on the alchemical potion applied to the bolt.
Fire.
“Pfft!” The bolt, upon touching Limdis’s skin, triggered an alchemical reaction, forming a large yellow slime that enveloped Limdis.
Slime potion, spreading upon contact, encasing the opponent and suspending them in mid-air, temporarily immobilizing them.
It would cause a small explosion when exposed to fire.
“What is this?! Ugh… so sticky, it’s unbearable…” While Limdis was trapped by the slime, Mo Li leisurely took a firecracker from his pocket, lit it with a flint, and tied it to an arrow, aiming the crossbow at Limdis again.
A competent assassin never relied solely on their raw strength but on the tools they carried.
The more tools an assassin could carry, the stronger they were.
“Whoosh” An arrow shot through the air, precisely embedding itself in the surface of the slime.
The firecracker explosion triggered a chain reaction with the slime potion, resulting in a series of explosions around Limdis, turning the area into a shower of sparks.
Barlow, who watched the entire process from the stage, twitched slightly at the corner of his mouth, feeling a cold sweat.
He was relieved that he wasn’t the first to face Mo Li.
Otherwise, this combination of hidden weapons and poison would have been unleashed on him.
The audience, having witnessed the entire scene, couldn’t help but think: Is this how it’s done? Although the competition rules didn’t explicitly prohibit hidden weapons and poisons, this… was a bit much.
“Father, don’t you think allowing hidden weapons in the competition is too unfair?” Viscount Minster didn’t respond to Barlow’s words.
The seasoned veteran was staring at Mo Li, or more precisely, at Mo Li’s cloak.
“That boy’s cloak is peculiar.”
“Huh? What?”
“Miss Limdis, if you’re still standing, meow like a cat.
If you can’t get up, bark like a dog.
It depends on whether I continue to pursue you.” After the explosion, Mo Li shouted into the black smoke.
“…” Silence.
“Miss Limdis? If you don’t speak, I’ll assume you’ve conceded.” Mo Li frowned slightly, wondering if he had gone too far and knocked the little kitty unconscious.
Just as he was about to check the situation, a sharp wind struck his shoulder.
After a chilling sensation, pain quickly erupted, spreading throughout his body.
“Ugh!” His timely dodge prevented a fatal injury, but the opponent’s speed was too fast.
Even though he avoided it, his shoulder was still wounded.
Now, his left shoulder was covered in blood, and his entire arm hung limp, numb.
If it weren’t for the protection of the fox spirit cloak, his arm might have been severed…
