Gunshots resounded as I shot two energy clones at point blank distance.

The clones I shot at disappeared and were replaced by more without pause.

It was extremely hard stopping multiple clones from piercing needles into my flesh, but not impossible!

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.

"Nice crossbow you got there, can you give it me?" A nonchalant voice resounded near 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 Pistol 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 arm suddenly went limp.

I revolved the Spacial Energy within my body and tried to eliminate any poison that might have entered my system but found that I had completely underestimated my enemy's ability.

Not only were the black needles interfering with my body's nervous system, they were also locked into place due to the Dark Aura stored within them, my only option to survive was to use my Psionic Energy to retrieve Magicians Inventory on my back so I could use it as a shield once more.

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

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

I have to do something. I have to somehow take back the initiative in this battle, somehow catch her off guard.

"You really suck at deception." I tried to bide my time by talking to her. 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 dropped after my arm numbed.

"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 think about it. I secretly revolved my Psionic Energy so that the three Spell Circles left behind by the disassembled Magicians Hand moved towards my glove from within my clothes as we were happily chatting.

I'm glad this young girl before me has some screw 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 these 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, 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 with her hand.

"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 ask rhetorically in a contemptuous tone of voice. Her right eye twitched as she seemed shocked by my words. In this situation, a normal person would be shaking in fear, but I instead still had 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 has less experience in battle.

"When you first saw me, the first thing you did was blatantly reach for the black needles hidden in your hair, an assassin wouldn't make the mistake of letting a target understand their method of killing. Not only that, but these needles 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. Her eyes sharpened with resolve as the killing intent radiating from her intensified.

"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?" As I spoke, my finger tapped at a invisible string not far from me, an intricate web of sharp strings which surrounded me appeared out of nowhere as they connected to her clothes. A droplet of sweat fell from her face as she seemed unable to understand how I was able to deduce her ploy with such small evidences.

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

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

I guess I should be thankful that this unknown organisation that's targeting Merilin sent a child like this instead of an adult. Since older Dark Aura specialists are a lot more tricky than young and naive ones that are just starting to understand their powers.

"You're too late to realise it anyway." She blushed as her face twisted. A Dark Aura covered the sharp strings connecting to her clothes 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 were already done as used my hand to push forwards towards young assassin.

However, what surprised me was that immediately after I touched the net, the black threads glowed purple 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 Lightning Attribute has. Any normal boy my age would panic upon seeing the change and end up dying at her hands without being able to do anything in return.

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

The sharp threads that were being manipulated purely by Aura lost their momentum as they suddenly collapsed.

Even though one of my arms was unusable, my close-combat efficiency wasn't dropped low enough for a little girl to be able to defend against, the two other Spell Circles within my glove were activated as I pointed my gun.

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 own Psionic Energy within it from the beginning, with just a thought, I was able put on the safety catch in order to disorientate her.

[Gun Skill- 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. 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.