The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 706
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 706
Whoooooosh!
Brilliant spells of every hue ignited above the magic circle Merlin had drawn. Multiple incantations—hundreds of spells woven into a single utterance. It was her specialty: magical bombardment.
Not merely the four fundamental attributes of fire, water, wind, and earth, but hundreds of spells infused with light and darkness as well cascaded down upon the Phantom Soul Ghost’s undead legion.
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
Despite her grave injuries, Merlin maintained her focus without wavering. She detonated every spell at precisely the desired location with flawless precision.
Crash! Crash! Crash!
The sky and river erupted in succession, leaving cracks in the air as if slashed by a blade, while the steam from evaporated water rose like a towering wall.
“Haa…”
Merlin bit her lip as she gazed at the wall of steam stretching to the heavens.
‘I hit them, but the power was weak.’
The magic circle embedded in my heart had suffered tremendous damage, leaving my spells devastatingly diminished in potency. They were barely half their normal strength.
“Damn it!”
Searing pain engulfed my entire body as if consumed by flames, but that wasn’t the real problem. Physical suffering was something I could endure indefinitely.
‘The real issue is…’
The mental anguish. Despair gnawed at my heart—the fear that Raon might not escape this place alive.
‘I was foolish.’
Tacheon had promised not to interfere in the life-or-death duel between Raon and the Demon King.
On the day of the duel itself, seeing no movement from him, I had relaxed my guard and attempted to gather information as usual when Tacheon suddenly launched a surprise attack.
I took a massive blow that would have knocked me unconscious in a single strike, but I managed to barely escape by switching my body into a prepared clone.
If Raon hadn’t instructed me to prepare an escape route, I would have died or been captured right there.
‘Even though I escaped, it ended up like this anyway….’
The Phantom Soul Ghost knew better than anyone that I could not betray Raon. Even knowing he had laid a trap, I had no choice but to come out.
Whoooosh!
A harsh river wind blew down from above, settling the steam and dust, and the Phantom Soul Ghost’s form became visible.
“Even a mosquito bite would hurt more than that.”
The Phantom Soul Ghost brushed off his robe, which didn’t have a speck of dust on it, and curled up the corners of his mouth. It seemed he had blocked the magical bombardment using black magic Bonwol, which summoned a wall of solid bone.
Still, about half of the undead legion he had been commanding melted away from the magical bombardment.
If I could eliminate all of them, it would make it easier for Raon to escape this place.
“There’s no need to worry.”
The Phantom Soul Ghost laughed as he watched Merlin’s wavering eyes.
“I have no intention of chasing after Raon Zigheart while leaving you behind. Right now, the only thing I want is you.”
He waved his hand with eyes filled with desire and hatred.
“I won’t kill you right away. I’ll make you feel the same pain as me. Pain far more excruciating than what I’ve endured!”
“Well, that’s a problem. I can’t feel pain like that… cough.”
Merlin bent over and coughed up dark blood.
‘At this rate, I won’t last long….’
A sharp pain gripped my chest from the inside. It meant my body and mind had reached their limits, and it wouldn’t be strange if I died soon.
I could endure pain indefinitely, but I would lose consciousness against my will very soon.
‘But I can’t die like this.’
It wasn’t because I feared death.
If I died, the Phantom Soul Ghost’s malice would turn toward Raon. I couldn’t allow myself to perish like this. I had to kill that creature, even if it meant resorting to my final trump card.
“Can’t feel pain? Then I’ll just capture Raon Zigheart and torture him instead.”
The Phantom Soul Ghost twisted its lips as it gazed at Raon’s abdomen, now hidden from view.
“Watching him suffer will cause you pain too.”
“Shut up!”
Merlin opened her hands, her complexion turning ashen. The magical circles blooming behind her back erupted with brilliant light once more.
“You’ll cast a fireball in that state?”
As the Phantom Soul Ghost sneered, the undead legion began to move. Monsters flooded in from all directions, filling her entire field of vision.
Screeeeeech!
Bone gargoyles and bone wraiths poured down from the sky, while bone manta rays and bone Sharkmol surged up from the river. Even the breath of a bone dragon composed of dark mana streaked through the gaps in the undead legion—there was nowhere left to escape.
With the Undead Legion closing in and even the Bone Dragon’s breath made of dark mana flying at them, there was nowhere left to run.
But this dangerous situation was exactly the picture Dun had hoped for.
Whoooosh!
Merlin folded the wings of the magic circle she had spread out wide as she watched the approaching undead legion. Hundreds of magic circles overlapped above her palm, drawing a grotesque geometric shape.
A brilliant white light bloomed above it. It was the spear of God that swept away the darkness entirely.
The Great Annihilation Magic Palace Grugnil.
Through the collision of yin and yang, an absolute magic bearing only the concept of destruction shattered the undead legion and extended toward the Phantom Soul Ghost.
Crash!
The moment the palace’s light exploded before the Phantom Soul Ghost, darkness subsided and the world brightened to the point that day returned. All the undead filling the area around the River melted away.
Phew!
The Phantom Soul Ghost was not unscathed either. His left upper body had been severed as cleanly as if cut by scissors.
“Cough….”
Yet the specter, possessing the undead’s regenerative ability, continued to reconstruct his flesh even as he coughed blood.
“Hah….”
Merlin bit her lip and raised her hand.
‘I must end this here.’
Since Gungnil itself was incomplete, the fact that she had even manifested it in this state was remarkable enough. She had to sever his life force decisively while his wounds were still severe.
She needed to finish him before he could recover.
“Die… cough!”
As Merlin channeled her mana, she vomited blackened blood. Her entire body trembled as blood streamed not only from her mouth, but also from her nose and eyes.
“Foolish woman.”
The Phantom Soul Ghost curled his blood-soaked lips into a sneer.
“Do you still think you’re in any condition to fight?”
He snarled and extended his right hand.
Crash!
Merlin’s body lurched violently, and the old woman’s mask she wore split in half. The face of a young woman with skin so pale that veins were visible beneath the surface was revealed. Her beauty was so extraordinary that calling her peerless would not be an exaggeration, yet peculiarly, within her half-lowered eyes burned a crimson cross.
A young woman’s face came into view, her skin so pale that her veins were visible. Her beauty was such that calling her “peerless” would not be an exaggeration, yet peculiarly, a red cross was formed in her half-lidded eyes.
“I’m sorry. Raon…”
She fell into the river, calling out Raon’s name until the very end.
“Even in death, you won’t escape… ugh!”
The Phantom Soul Ghost tried to lift Merlin with telekinesis, but his strength seemed to fail him as he furrowed his brow.
“Bring her out immediately!”
Instead of exerting his power directly, he gestured backward, and a gargoyle descended, stretching its razor-sharp claws toward Merlin.
Whoooosh!
Just as the gargoyle’s claws were about to pierce Merlin’s shoulder, the river water surged to life of its own accord, erupting into a thick fog and translucent water droplets that obscured everything beyond a single step.
“What—what is this!”
The Phantom Soul Ghost gnawed his lip and summoned wind, but the fog remained fixed in the air as though anchored to reality.
“Damn it all!”
He descended directly into the river water while riding the bone dragon he had summoned.
But all that was visible was the gargoyle floating upon the river’s surface. Merlin, whom he had gone to capture, was nowhere to be found.
‘Did she escape?’
No! She was definitely unconscious!
Merlin cherished Raon more than her own life. There was no way that madwoman would flee.
‘And this isn’t magic.’
The fog and water droplets that filled the riverbank displayed a fluid flow as though nature itself had conjured them—not Merlin’s magic at all.
“Search!”
The Phantom Soul Ghost summoned every remaining undead, grinding his teeth.
“Find her even if you have to overturn this entire river!”
His golden eyes blazed with madness.
“I will not—I will not let her slip away!”
*
*
*
Boom!
Dorian’s ship, riding Merlin’s wind, touched the river water, and its speed dropped sharply.
However, no enemies could be seen pursuing from behind. It seemed they had all converged on Merlin.
“R-roughly counting, there seemed to be over a thousand undead. Will she be able to hold them off?”
Crain glanced back, his jaw trembling.
“Ah! I’m not worried about Merlin or anything….”
He lowered his shoulders as if acknowledging his mistake.
“It’s true that Merlin saved us. There’s no harm in worrying about her.”
Rimer sighed and shook his head.
“H-her condition looks bad, which makes me even more worried.”
Dorian swallowed dryly, anxiety evident in his expression.
“She’s a mage. She should be able to fight for a while and then escape.”
Burren ran his hand through his hair and bit his lip. His expression betrayed anxiety despite his words.
“No.”
Martha turned back, clenching her fists tightly.
“What?”
“Merlin won’t run away.”
“Yeah….”
Lunan nodded in agreement with Martha’s words.
“If she leaves, that woman will fight until the day she dies.”
“….”
The two of them, rarely in agreement, bit their lips.
“Sigh….”
Rimer exhaled deeply and rubbed the back of his neck.
“Right now, all we can do is trust. Raon said something about it too.”
“The, the Organization Master, sir?”
“What did he say?”
Dorian and Crain widened their eyes and thrust their chins forward.
The other Gwangpung Corps swordsmen leaned forward their upper bodies, curious as well.
“He said that as long as she doesn’t leave the river, she shouldn’t die in most circumstances. There’s help coming from unseen places, apparently.”
Rimer pointed toward the Rabel River, his eyes narrowing.
“Help from unseen places?”
“That’s right.”
He shook his head, saying he didn’t know the exact details.
“Let’s keep moving for now. We don’t have much distance left to the meeting point.”
“Yes. But….”
Dorian sighed as he adjusted the helm.
“The ship took some damage, so our speed has slowed. We have repair materials, but….”
“Keep going as is.”
Rimer looked around and shook his head.
“Once we pass through this gorge, the river widens again. We’re almost there.”
“Yes, sir!”
Dorian nodded and tightened his grip on the helm.
The unit commanders and Gwangpung Corps remained tense, encircling Raon without relaxing their guard.
After about ten minutes, the gorge opened up, and the true expanse of the Rabel River—vast enough to be mistaken for the sea itself—came into view.
“We’re almost there. Just a little longer….”
Rimer was encouraging the exhausted Gwangpung Corps when it happened.
ROOOAAAARRRR!
A colossal warship erupted from the river’s depths, sending spray skyward as if to touch the heavens. It was the Nambuk Alliance’s First Warship, the Blue Wolf—a vessel with submersion capabilities.
CRASH!
Dorian’s ship shook violently as if it would shatter upon impact with the Blue Wolf.
“Ugh….”
Rimer pushed Dorian’s ship backward while biting his lip.
‘The Blue Wolf, here of all places….’
The collision sent an ominous creaking sound through the ship’s hull.
If he hadn’t blocked it with his aura beforehand, the vessel would have been completely shattered and everyone would have fallen into the river.
“Finally caught you!”
Helgurum, the Beast Alliance Master standing at the bow of the Blue Wolf, split his lips into a vicious smile.
“How… how is this possible….”
Dorian’s hands trembled on the helm as disbelief washed over him.
“We took a different route to avoid your monster.”
Helgurum raised his chin as he spoke, explaining that they had deliberately taken an entirely different path to evade Glen.
“Your destination is obvious.”
He emanated a thick killing intent, as if escaping the Nambuk Alliance via the river was an impossibility.
“The fighting is fierce there too—why chase us all the way here?”
Rimer forced out a bitter laugh.
“He takes priority.”
Helgurum furrowed his brow, pointing at Raon Zigheart cradled in Pedrick’s arms.
“Raon Zigheart is the most dangerous one on this battlefield.”
He bit his lip, as if the man had to be killed without exception.
“You’re popular with both women and men—must be nice.”
Rimer grasped Raon’s shoulder, his brow creasing.
‘Damn it!’
Just a little further and we’d make it.
Once we crossed this waterway, reinforcements and swift warships waited to block their path—but being caught here was agonizing.
‘We have no choice but to fight.’
There was no other option besides combat. The best we could do was hold this position and pray the backup forces arrived in time.
“Prepare for battle!”
At Rimer’s command, the Gwangpung Corps raised their blades. A keen, cold aura—as if they’d wrapped themselves in the river wind itself—gleamed in the swordsmen’s eyes.
“Ram it straight through!”
Helgurum ordered them to destroy Dorian’s ship itself, maximizing the river as their battlefield.
Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch!
As the azure beast lunged forward as if to devour Dorian’s ship, a dark shadow rose above the river’s surface. Everyone’s gaze drifted upward in a daze.
“Huh…?”
“What… what is that!”
“A ship! It’s a ship!”
A black-tinted warship descended from the sky, as if mocking the azure beast that had emerged from the depths. It was falling.
The black warship descended in front of Dorian’s ship, blocking the azure beast’s path.
Boom!
As the azure beast and the black ship collided, the bows of both vessels snapped like dry kindling.
“That ship is…”
Rimer’s lips trembled as he saw the emblem carved at the center of the black ship—a sword adorned with a star.
“The Holy Sword Association!”
Helgurum’s eyes widened upon seeing the Holy Sword Association’s emblem.
“What in the world are you doing! You said you wouldn’t get involved in this matter!”
He waved his hand dismissively, as if ordering them to withdraw immediately.
“Do you know the meaning of the name ‘Holy Sword Association’?”
A handsome young man stepped forward from the bow. It was Mustan, the Sword Ghost’s Disciple and the newly appointed Sword Master.
“What?”
“The sacred sword we revere is neither a sharp blade nor absolute swordsmanship.”
Mustan shook his head while facing Helgurum.
“A holy sword is praise and admiration for a true swordsman. Rather than witness trash like you extending filthy hands toward a swordsman destined to become a holy sword, I would sooner gouge out my own eyes.”
His eyes no longer gleamed with arrogance and jealousy. They gazed down upon Helgurum with a clear, crystalline light that resembled mine.
“Haah….”
Helgurum ground his teeth together.
“Why do all these nuisances have to swarm me today!”
He gritted his teeth and hurled the spear he’d been gripping like a harpoon. A tempestuous aura blazed along the spear’s blade, erupting forth as if to obliterate Mustan entirely.
Crash!
Yet his spear strike crumbled before a single white blade, its force dissipating into nothing but a lash against the river water.
Splash!
As the water surged and subsided, the figure of a white-haired old swordmaster emerged. It was Lectar, the Blood Sword Master of the Holy Sword Association.
“Lectar….”
Helgurum’s jaw trembled violently.
“You too dare to interfere….”
“You laid hands on my disciple first, did you not.”
From beneath Lectar’s feet, a shimmering aura ignited like heat haze. The killing intent was so chilling that even the epithet “Sword Ghost” seemed insufficient.
“This is self-defense. You rabble of the Nambuk Alliance.”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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