Endless World: The Rise of Leonard Lawson

With Leonard clarifying and exposing the elaborate scheme conducted by the enemy, the atmosphere quickly turned to deathly silence.

Mirelle couldn’t imagine someone could be so ruthless in committing such an act.

Number 13 himself was quite frustrated to allow the enemy to commit such an act under their supervision.

As for the enemy, their expression was grim.

What Leonard exposed was not just a mere scheme, but something that they had meticulously planned for a long time.

Moreover, they were confused as to how a supposed incompetent prince could suddenly be so clever as to understand such a complicated synthesis process.

”So what if you have correctly deduced my methods?” The enemy scoffed and continued, ”Just like you have stated. The dying ether scent on me is gone now. How are you going to stop me from leaving?”

Leonard didn’t bother to respond because there was someone else to do it on his behalf.

HONK!

Amidst the dead night of the Virellian Sea, there was suddenly a ship honking from somewhere.

”What the?” Startled and alarmed, the enemy was visibly taken aback by the honk. There shouldn’t have been any other ships in the sea at the moment because of the Crown Prince’s high-profile sea journey.

To ensure there was nobody eligible to ambush the crown prince, all sea traveling was temporarily restricted. Although such restrictions imposed great difficulty on the commoners, this was the reality of the powerful being able to do as they pleased.

Nevertheless, this kind of arrangement actually benefited the enemy because their deed would remain a mystery for all.

Besides the enemy being taken aback by the situation, even Mirelle and Number 13 glanced at Leonard in disbelief.

”What’s there to be surprised at?” Sensing their gazes, Leonard smirked and spread his arms. ”Did you seriously think I value my life this little or entrust the crewmates enough to protect me solely?”

When Leonard raised the question, Number 13 subconsciously lowered his head. He was ashamed and embarrassed for being a failure in protecting the crown prince.

Meanwhile, the enemy realized that the conversation all along was a stalling strategy for the reinforcement to arrive.

”I’m confused though. How could you stall for time if you don’t even know I might be forced to wait here?” The enemy asked.

”I don’t.” Leonard mused. ”But you gave me the answer when you responded to the communication device. Aside from that, I have told my men to surround the perimeter and detain anyone who enters the vicinity. So even if you don’t wait and try to escape, you will be spotted.”

”...”

Silent, the enemy took a deep breath and exhaled. It appeared that the moment they committed the sabotage act, they were already in the trap.

”You’re one ruthless person. To capture one enemy, you could sacrifice all the crewmates on the ship.” The enemy laughed hysterically.

Despite being trapped, they weren’t going to plead for mercy. They remained sarcastic and confident in the face of danger.

What kind of assassins had never faced any dangers or obstacles in their mission?

Most of them braced through the danger and succeeded. As for those who failed, they would never be heard from again because dead people like them leave no record.

”I’ve never planned on sacrificing them.” Leonard shook his head and denied the accusation.

”I have only made backup plans for security measurement. The ones who got them killed were you, and solely you. Don’t try to shift the blame to me.” He continued, clearly not falling for the enemy’s antics.

The enemy grinned in response, pressing a hand to the glowing interior console of the lifeboat.

”Then don’t blame me for using the tools borrowed from Your Highness.”

A soft whir soon echoed from the lifeboat’s base.

Leonard’s eyes narrowed. ”So you’re going on the offensive huh.” He wasn’t surprised by the enemy’s decision to confront him directly this time.

With no better card left to play, their only choice was to eliminate him or grab him as a hostage to escape the dire situation.

In the blink of an eye, mana glyphs began to light up around the lifeboat’s hull, the interior defensive runes transitioning to attack-mode circuits.

The once-harmless lifeboat began to shift, its shape subtly warping as ports and fins rotated, plates locking into an offensive stance.

From afar, it now looked less like a survival pod and more like a low-altitude siegecraft.

”What a pathetic struggle.” Leonard sneered and extended his hand. He tried to absorb and condense the nearby mana to his palm.

However, the lack of control in the circulation made it obvious that he wasn’t adapted to making such a move.

”Incompetent is always incompetence in the end.” The enemy roared in laughter when they noticed Leonard’s pathetic display of action.

How could an uncontrollable dense ball of mana be capable of defending, much less deflecting her incoming attack?

”Crown Prince.” Number 13 glanced at his action with a worried look. He could discern that the mana condensed by the crown prince would soon burst and backlash upon him.

”I’m still here. There’s no need for you to personally make a move.” Mirelle chimed in, hoping he would stop his reckless action.

”When did I say I was attacking?” In response, Leonard scoffed and unleashed the raw density of mana forward.

Unfortunately, the unstable mana scattered like confetti, harmless particles drifting onto the lifeboat and sea. Some of them happened to land on the enemy, but they didn’t react much because there was no sense of danger in it.

After all, the so-called particles were nothing more than a failed display of magic.

Number 13 could barely watch the disgraceful scene with open eyes. Mirelle was also covering her face with her palm.

On the other hand, the enemy nearly fell to the floor from such an embarrassing scene.

”Hahaha, are you trying to do a circus show?” The enemy thought the crown prince might have concealed his ability as well. But this time, the rumor remained true. The crown prince was incapable of controlling mana and was circleless.

While everyone thought Leonard had become a clown, they failed to notice the undercurrent was starting to ripple.

”The automatic barrier on the lifeboat only deflects danger, but they don’t deflect foreign substances disguised in mana particles.”

He mocked and continued, ”There’s a common saying to let the enemy have a taste of their own medicine. I wonder if you can survive an increased dose of the dying ether from out there.”