Chapter : 27 End of duel

"It seems like you've unintentionally amassed your own group of admirers over the years," Najenda commented to Leo with a smirk, her words getting lost amidst the boisterous cheers.

Najenda was well aware of the misconception among some that Leo was a beautiful girl, fueled by his unique condition and melodious voice. 

While she saw no issue with people admiring Leo for his accomplishments, Najenda couldn't help but internally chuckle at those who fell for the illusion of the mysterious 'immortal wraith'."

Leo disregarded Najenda's taunts and focused solely on his next clash with her.

Rushing towards her, he launched a relentless barrage of powerful punches, refusing to give her a moment to counterattack.

With unwavering focus, he kept his gaze locked on her hands, which gripped the sword she used to deflect his onslaught.

Najenda adeptly parried Leo's punches, redirecting them with precision. But despite her skill, the force behind Leo's blows was substantial, forcing her into a more defensive stance with her sword. 

The intensity of Leo's assault pushed Najenda to maintain a strict defensive posture, unable to mount a significant counteroffensive against his relentless barrage.

As Leo steadily increased his assault, he was caught off guard by a surprise move from Najenda. Without warning, she launched her mechanical arm, which had remained motionless throughout the duel, in an unexpected direction, clutching Leo's leg.

With a swift spin, she hurled him toward the end of the training hall, sending him crashing to the floor in a cloud of dust and debris.

As the dust settled, Najenda activated her mechanical arm to call it back to her, but to her surprise, it didn't return. But after a tense moment, she realised the reason for its delay. 

Leo was clutching onto the metallic ropes of her mechanical arm, his grip unwavering even after the heavy impact. Leo instantly rose to his feet, facing Najenda.

During his tenure in the revolutionary army, Leo delved into the mysterious phenomenon that occurred during his initial match against the masked instructor.

For a fleeting moment during the spar, Leo's strength had surged to extraordinary levels, only to return to normal afterward as if nothing had happened.

Despite numerous attempts to replicate the feat through training, Leo's efforts proved futile.

However, during a perilous mission where he faced near-death, his body once again unleashed that same extraordinary strength, enabling him to survive against all odds.

Reflecting on the incident, Leo concluded that his body could only tap into this phenomenon when his blood pressure surged, triggered by the adrenaline and danger of the moment. 

The spar with Najenda provided the perfect catalyst for this surge, as Leo had primarily faced regular soldiers until now.

And as the intensity of the confrontation with Najenda increased, Leo felt the familiar rush of power coursing through his veins

Najenda's instincts warned her of imminent danger, causing her to be more alert as she sensed the shift in the atmosphere. 

Abandoning rationality, she trusted her instincts and moved to detach her mechanical arm, but Leo's swift action denied her the opportunity. With a firm grip on the rope, Leo pulled Najenda towards him with formidable force.

At a fast speed, Najenda flew through the training ground's middle section and headed towards Leo in the air, but after a few seconds, she regained her composure.

As she approached Leo, she slashed her sword towards him, but he deftly deflected the attack with his gauntlet, seizing the sword in his hands and sending it flying out of Najenda's reach.

In one fluid motion, Leo released his hold on the rope of the mechanical arm and moved to restrain Najenda, closing in on her. 

However, as his hand moved swiftly towards her, Najenda displayed her incredible agility by rotating her body in mid-air and deflecting his gauntlet with a well-placed kick. 

Leo was still undeterred, as he quickly seized the opportunity and grabbed Najenda's leg, which was still in midair, and sent her hurling to the ground.

But Najenda, using her arm to cushion her fall, quickly rolled away while simultaneously recalling her mechanical arms.

Evading Leo's punch with practised agility, she sensed the danger and swiftly retreated to maintain a safe distance from him.

The recruits watched in astonishment as Leo's display of strength and Najenda's agile evasion unfolded before their eyes, leaving them wide-eyed and in awe..

NAJENDA! NAJENDA! NAJENDA!

IMMORTAL WRAITH! IMMORTAL WRAITH!

But after a few seconds, the shouts of the onlookers continued, their excitement unabated by the conclusion of the duel and the display of combat prowess by both Leo and Najenda.

"Is the test match over? It feels like it's been 20 minutes since we started," Leo remarked to Najenda, his voice cutting through the clamour of the crowd.

"Hah, yeah, the duel is over, and you've passed with flying colours," Najenda replied with a smirk, her eyes glinting with amusement.

Leo glanced pointedly at Najenda's mechanical arm, which had seamlessly returned to its place on her shoulder. "Seems like you're still adjusting to your new mechanical arms," he remarked

Haha, you got me there. You're as strong as the reports say you to be," Najenda chuckled, her laughter echoing through the training hall.

Najenda didn't seem disappointed by her inability to subdue Leo; instead, she appeared intrigued by his strength, recognizing him as a valuable addition if he were to join her squad.

Najenda explained that her mechanical arm was a recent prototype developed by researchers within the revolutionary army, admitting that it would take some time for her to fully adjust to its capabilities. 

But despite her jovial demeanour, she couldn't help but be internally surprised by Leo's unexpected surge of strength.

While there had been no mention of such abilities in the reports, she understood that Leo likely kept them hidden for strategic reasons.

She surmised that his sudden surge of strength was likely due to his hybrid body's mutation, granting him extraordinary capabilities for a few seconds in emergency situations, as that could be the only possible reason for Leo's sudden surge in strength.

"If you were used to your mechanical arm, I think the result would have been entirely different," Leo remarked.

"Don't offer me comfort. I know if you had used your Teigu, the outcome would have favoured you more," Najenda replied.

"Do not not forget about your own Teigu, as I've heard of its ridiculous firepower which could obliterate targets from kilometres, and it could instantly end me," Leo retorted, maintaining eye contact with Najenda.

"Hah, so you know about Pumpkin. Indeed, the match would have been more intense if I had used Pumpkin, but alas, I've entrusted it to a more suitable user in my unit," Najenda admitted, acknowledging Leo's observation. 

Both of them understood that if they had used their respective Teigus, the outcome of their spar would have been far deadlier.

"There are some conditions of mine if you want me to join your squad," Leo stated straightforwardly after a moment of contemplation.

"Hmm, as long as your demands don't hinder our operations, I can grant you as much freedom as possible. However, you'll have to answer a single question for me," Najenda replied, her tone gentle yet firm. 

Leo gained a newfound perspective of Najenda, recognizing her not only as a skilled fighter and tactician but also as a leader who valued the autonomy and well-being of her subordinates.

Leo had heard rumours that Najenda not only defected from the imperial army herself but also convinced a significant number of soldiers to join her cause, showcasing her remarkable charisma and leadership skills.

After Leo stated that she could ask her question, Najenda inquired, "Leaving aside your demands, why did you agree to join my squad as I have heard you have rejected several invitations from several high-ranking squads in these years?"

Najenda had already read a report about Leo, noting that he hadn't joined any other squads after his squad members had died, and instead preferred solo missions. It was puzzling to her what had caused Leo to change his mind and join her squad.

"Geralt cau- asked me to join your squad and I think this reason is sufficient," Leo replied to Najenda with a deadpan expression behind his mask, still harbouring his internal resentment towards Geralt for persuading him to join her squad.

'Who would have thought that the always cold and stoic Geralt would deeply care about someone,' Najenda thought to herself.

Najenda knew Geralt cared for the people under him, but he never went out of his way to help them, even at the cost of leaving his position for a few years, as she had speculated. 'He definitely is an important person to Geralt,' Najenda thought, eyeing Leo.

She had heard about Geralt leaving his position as the support unit leader's secretary for a few years, which surprised her.

After some investigation, she learned Geralt's reason for leaving, but it still baffled her that the strict Geralt would leave his position for someone.

During her investigation, Najenda delved into the details surrounding Leo's existence, uncovering information about his unique abilities and accomplishments. 

Reading through documents detailing his exploits, she was deeply impressed by what she found. Thus, she had called Leo to confirm whether the reports were indeed true or not, wanting to see his skills firsthand.

But after the duel, it became clear to Najenda that Leo was a formidable fighter, making him a suitable choice for her assassination squad, which dealt with high-ranking targets in the capital of the empire.

Leo's movements during the spar showed no hesitation in going for the kill, indicating that he would not hesitate when it came to assassinating targets—a valuable trait for Najenda.

During the duel, Leo hadn't even used other weapons in his arsenal, including his Teigu, poisonous blood, or firearms, as noted in the reports.

With his regenerative factor, Teigu, versatile combat style, and the absurd strength he had demonstrated in the last moments of the spar, Leo would be a valuable addition to the Night Raid.

"Yeah, this explanation is enough. Let's head to my office to discuss further details about your new squad as well as details regarding your demands," Najenda said with a smile as she adjusted her coat over her shoulder.

With Leo following closely behind, they made their way towards her office, the crowd's cheers still echoing in the background.