13 Forfeit side quest? Hell no!

Lenny assumed his fighting stance, ready to take on E444. To the untrained eyes, like those of the gladiators, he appeared nothing more than a clown, lacking the intimidating presence of a seasoned warrior. They believed aggression with weapons was the key to winning a fight.

Meanwhile, E444 turned to the demon instructor, feeling insulted by the situation. Surprisingly, the Demon instructor seemed genuinely interested in how this fight would unfold. He nodded for E444 to begin the fight.

However, E444 was caught off guard. He had not fully composed himself after the signal was given. And he certainly was not expecting Lenny to sprint towards him as he did. Lenny knew that he did not have much strength left, and in all honesty, he wasn't willing to waste his energy or even the little HP that he had. He placed most of his strength in his legs as he charged at E444.

In a typical scenario, one would gradually increase speed step by step to reach maximum velocity. Even Olympic runners did not just start at full speed right away, rather, they progressed gradually.

However, Lenny's approach was entirely different; his legs seemed to unleash the fastest output they could produce from the very start. This was a technique he had learned in the other world, where speed was essential for assassins to strike swiftly and escape even faster. This technique had allowed him to execute very quick kills and even quicker escapes in the past.

He refused to wait for this big guy to crush him like a bug. Although this took E444 by surprise, he instinctively thrust his spear forward as he saw Lenny charging straight at him. For a spear user, telegraphing your location was as good as sealing your fate. E444 aimed his spear right at Lenny's temple, confident it would meet its mark. The demon instructor raised an eyebrow, starting to reconsider his initial judgment of Lenny.

However, instead of hearing the satisfying sound of a spear piercing flesh, he found himself overextending his own weapon. The demon instructor's eyes widened in realization. "Afterimage!?" he exclaimed. E444 looked around, perplexed, unable to locate Lenny. Suddenly, he felt a weight pushing against his spear. Lenny had used the spear for support as he rolled, swiftly maneuvering until he got to E444's face. The wooden knife in his hand went for E444's throat.

However, these were not normal human beings but rather half-borns, possessing certain advantages over normal humans, and this was in all aspects of life. E444 was experienced in the Blade Act combat. He instinctively leaned in the opposite direction of Lenny's wooden knives, narrowly dodging the attack. And he had done it just in time too.

*Slash!*

A small cut appeared on E444's face as the knife grazed him. He quickly created some distance between himself and Lenny.

*Silence!*

Both the Demon Instructor and Potty could not believe what had just happened, but neither could anyone. Many thoughts raced through their minds, questioning what had just happened. In their minds, a lot of things were wrong. However, the Demon Instructor, with his knowledge, could see the truth behind the unexpected turn of events.

He analyzed the situation. When E444 thrust his spear, his focus was solely on the attack, causing him to overlook his surroundings. Lenny capitalized on this by maneuvering low, utilizing his small size to his advantage, making E444 believe he had disappeared. Then, he relied on the spear to locate E444's body as he leaned and rotated, building momentum in the process. Though it was a broken wooden sword, the accumulated force behind it turned it into a deadly weapon, and that was why it made a slight cut on E444's skin. If E444 had not evaded the attack in time, that broken wooden sword would have pierced his neck.

This was unbelievable. The fight had only just begun, yet death had nearly been the outcome.

However, Lenny was not to be blamed for this; he was not one to engage in fights or parry attacks like timid little girls fighting. Every attack he delivered was intended to be a lethal blow. He had honed his skills in such a way that the only thing his opponents could expect was their demise. Just like the two other fights he had engaged in since he came to this world. He always aimed for regions that would effectively cripple or kill his opponents.

Lenny turned his attention back to E444, the broken sword in his hand still stained with the blood of his opponent. Out of curiosity, he licked the blade. His eyes brightened, and a slight smile appeared on his lips. "Not bad!" he commented. 

E444 became visibly angry. "I'm going to bite that smile off your face." He threatened. Although Lenny appeared to be smiling, only he knew about the kind of pain he was enduring.

This body was indeed truly weak. It couldn't bear the strain of such a technique. In his mind's eye, E444 should have been bleeding out his life on the ground by now. He could feel the muscles in his legs and body ache intensely realizing the consequences of using a such a technique on a frail body. Surely, they were going to be problems later on. However, showing his enemy weakness now, would only result in his defeat. He endured the pain holding his knives steadfastly before him.

One wrong move, and he could fall from fatigue, but he held on. Lenny understood that sometimes attitude mattered more than anything else. After all, he could sense the nervousness of E444 by the way he held his spear. But E444 maintained his stance, conscious of his position. After all, he was the boss here, and others were watching. Showing fear would harm his prestige.

The Demon Instructor nodded his head. He had seen enough. "Stop the match," he declared loudly.

E444 was surprised by the command but had no choice but to obey. He turned around, preparing to return to his training area. However, Lenny suddenly received an alert from the system.

<Forfeit 10 side quest in seconds>

"Huh!?" Lenny frowned. He was fully aware of what it meant. His opportunity for rewards was about to slip away right before his eyes. There was no way he would allow that to happen. Despite having little to no strength remaining, he could not lose like this. He employed the same technique again. As he sprinted towards E444, he dropped the wooden knives.

E444 felt someone approaching and turned, astonished to see Lenny leaping towards him. Lenny latched onto him, his mouth wide open and his teeth aiming for the most fleshy thing they could find. With a sadistic expression on his face, he bit off E444's entire upper lip like a dog did it's dinner...