The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 989
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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 989
Drip. Drip. Drip.
The black spear blade pierced through Merlin’s chest, and blood flowing from her soaked the shaft, staining the thicket crimson.
“Ah….”
I couldn’t even scream as I watched Merlin close her eyes. Her breathing and vitality were rapidly fading.
‘Merlin….’
Seeing Merlin suspended on the black spear shaft, her breath stilled, Rimer’s final moments came to mind. The memory of my teacher’s death—how she had smiled while worrying about us until the very end—began to paint my mind white.
As the memory of their teacher’s death—who had worried about them and smiled for them until the very end—came to mind, his thoughts began to turn white.
Crackle! Crackle! Crackle! Crackle!
It felt as though a completely different god of wrath, not Wrath himself, was dwelling in his own body. Anger surged through every inch of him from head to toe, and he wanted to erase everything that existed before his eyes.
You idiot!
Wrath struck his shoulders with both hands as if trying to calm himself down.
I’m still alive!
He shook his head vigorously, saying that Merlin wasn’t completely dead.
“What…?”
Raon exhaled his rough, ragged breathing and checked on Merlin again. Though very faint, her breathing was continuing.
“Raon Zigheart?”
The transcendent Kern, owner of the Machang Society and bearing the alias Guisalchang, widened his eyes as if recognizing himself.
“So she was connected to this woman after all?”
Guisalchang shook the spear shaft piercing through Merlin with a thin, deliberate motion, as if to say he had expected as much. Blood cascaded from her like rain.
“But you’re a bit late. I just finished.”
He smoothed down Merlin’s violet hair flowing along the spear shaft with a regretful expression.
“You bastard….”
It was the moment I surged forward toward Guisalchang, my killing intent erupting explosively.
“R-Raon….”
Merlin called my name and opened her eyelids with agonizing slowness.
Time seemed to have stopped, so gradual was her movement, yet I couldn’t tear my gaze away from her.
“How did you get here….”
Even as she was being pierced by the demonic spear and dying, Merlin thought of me first and offered a strained smile. At the sight of it, my heart felt as though it would shatter.
“Huh? You’re speaking in this state?”
Guisalchang let out a hollow laugh as if utterly bewildered.
“Your skill was lacking, but I have to acknowledge your will and perseverance.”
He nodded, remarking that she still bore the bearing of an Eden executive, however briefly.
“Leave this place….”
Merlin gasped for breath as she told me to abandon her and flee. Blood trickled from her eyes and ears.
“Please… please….”
Merlin closed her eyes again after those final words of pleading. Her vitality began to fade with accelerating swiftness.
“So what will you do?”
Guisalchang shrugged as if to say I could do as I pleased, then playfully twisted the spear shaft piercing through Merlin.
“….”
I bit the inside of my lip as I watched the pupils of Guisalchang’s eyes, which mocked Merlin.
-Get a grip. She’s still alive.
Wrath furrowed his brow, insisting that Merlin hadn’t died yet.
‘I feel it too.’
Though I couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason, Merlin was still breathing despite her chest being completely pierced through.
If I could just get her away from Guisalchang, there might be a chance to save her.
-It’ll be difficult with the spear lodged in her, but do whatever it takes!
‘Right. This isn’t the time to let rage cloud my mind.’
I couldn’t afford to make the same mistake as I had with Rimer. I sent Glacsia’s frigid energy into my Upper Dantian, pushing away the fury that threatened to overwhelm my thoughts.
‘I can’t act recklessly.’
No matter how fast I was, I’d always be slower than Guisalchang, who held the spear through Merlin. I needed to find another way to save her—not through raw speed, but through strategy.
“Why are you here?”
I swallowed the curses threatening to spill from my tongue and addressed Guisalchang.
“Can’t you tell by looking?”
Guisalchang laughed mockingly and gestured around with a flick of his finger.
“I’m aligned with Sama. More specifically, I’m working alongside Eden.”
He tilted the spear shaft toward the ground, explaining that this was why he’d pursued Merlin.
Thud!
Merlin couldn’t rouse herself; even as the spearhead that had pierced her came down to the earth, she couldn’t move a single finger.
“I thought if we followed Heekyuk Je and created the Divine Continent Five Regions, we could clash directly with the Six Emperors Five Demons. But they kept hesitating. So….”
Guisalchang pressed his foot down on Merlin’s head.
“The Divine Continent Five Regions split between me and the Four Demons. I wanted to fight the Five Emperors properly.”
“Why did you go to the Four Demons instead of the Five Emperors…?”
I exhaled sharply, deliberately avoiding looking at Merlin.
“The Five Emperors have more people, right? That means more opponents for me to fight, so naturally I should choose the Four Demons.”
Guisalchang chuckled, saying he’d joined the Four Demons because he wanted to fight more masters. He was truly a man obsessed with combat.
“I was just waiting around boringly in Eden when someone asked me to capture this woman. Since you conveniently blocked the path, all I had to do was thrust my spear. Of course….”
Guisalchang kicked Merlin’s waist with his foot, his eyebrows lowering.
“There was no satisfaction fighting a mage. She was weak too.”
He spat on the ground where Merlin lay, saying it had been an unsatisfying battle.
“Then….”
I stepped closer to Guisalchang.
“I’ll be your opponent. In exchange….”
“You want this woman?”
Guisalchang twisted his lips, as if my intentions were completely transparent to him.
“Do I need to? Looking at your state, I think you’d attack me regardless of whether I give her to you or not.”
He curled his lips upward, sensing the anger I was forcibly suppressing.
“You said you like fighting, right?”
I shook my head, pressing down the rage clawing at my mind.
“If I get consumed by anger and start swinging my blade recklessly, wouldn’t that lose its appeal?”
Since appealing to Merlin would be pointless, I touched the thirst of Guisalchang, who was obsessed with combat.
“Hoh?”
Guisalchang’s eyes gleamed softly as his previously sunken gaze kindled with interest.
“If you hand over Merlin now, I’ll face you with my full strength. No—I’ll even give you time to recover your stamina and aura.”
I nodded, offering him time to recover his depleted power and stamina to provoke his competitive spirit.
“I swear it by the name of Sword Master Raon Zigheart.”
I placed my hand over my chest, declaring that I would not flee with Merlin but would end this here and now.
“Everything else aside….”
Tendons bulged above Guisalchang’s temples.
“You’re giving me time to recover my strength and stamina? You, of all people?”
He furrowed his brows as if utterly absurd.
“Yes. Because you’re not at full strength right now.”
I nodded, examining the various traces of magic inscribed upon Guisalchang’s armor. It was clear he had endured quite an extensive pursuit and battle.
“Ha! You’ve got a talent for provocation. Fine! I have no interest in a mage who’s going to die anyway.”
Guisalchang’s lips curled upward with amusement.
“But before that….”
He withdrew two pairs of crimson-tinged bells from Merlin’s possession.
“I was specifically told to recover these.”
Guisalchang placed the bells he had taken from Merlin into his own possession, smacking his lips.
“Take this.”
He thrust the spear shaft—upon which Merlin was impaled—toward me with a derisive sneer.
Crash!
Following the spear’s fluid motion, Merlin, who had been embedded in the blade, was sent flying helplessly backward.
Whoosh!
Even as I sensed Guisalchang’s incoming attack, I rushed toward Merlin with my divine and demonic blades lowered.
Crash!
The moment Guisalchang released Merlin, he drove his spear blade down toward my head with vicious intent.
Clang!
I caught Merlin gently with my right hand while raising my left demonic blade to parry Guisalchang’s descending spear strike.
Screech!
To shield Merlin from the impact, I spread Glacsia’s chill in a fan-like pattern, preventing my body from being shaken.
“Well done. You’ve passed.”
Guisalchang withdrew, seemingly satisfied that I possessed sufficient strength to keep my promise.
Despite his wounded pride, he appeared eager for a full-strength battle. He consumed a spiritual elixir to recover his aura and stamina, then began his cultivation stance while standing.
-Tch!
Wrath exhaled in disbelief.
-You actually saved her. Your mouth really is….
He shook his head in utter amazement at what he’d witnessed.
‘This isn’t the time to marvel at such things.’
Once I confirmed Guisalchang’s movements, I retreated and examined Merlin.
Growl.
Blood poured endlessly from the wound torn through Merlin’s chest by the spear blade, drenching even her uniform. The black fabric had taken on a crimson hue.
‘She’s still alive.’
Despite Guisalchang’s spear strike shattering her chest, Merlin still drew breath. Of course, with death closing in, I had to act as quickly as possible.
A sharp intake of breath.
I placed both hands on Merlin’s chest, praying for a miracle. I poured the sacred light blooming from the darkness I had accumulated onto the charred wound.
A brilliant surge of power erupted.
As the soft luminescence—not the radiance of ordinary holiness—bathed Merlin’s chest, her wound began to slowly mend.
The severe hemorrhage ceased, and new flesh sprouted forth as if by divine miracle.
-It’s still far from enough! Draw out more!
Wrath waved his hand, insisting the healing power remained insufficient.
‘I want to, but…’
I bit my lip.
‘There isn’t much left.’
I had depleted most of the sacred light blooming from darkness. It was impossible to heal Merlin with what remained.
‘I have no choice but to use the final method.’
I infused the sacred light blooming from the remaining darkness with the powers of Sloth and Lust, which slumbered in the deepest recesses of my soul.
A tremendous surge of energy erupted.
Ordinary sacred power would have rejected the Demon Lords’ authorities, but my sacred light, born from darkness, gently accepted their powers.
-You absolute madman!
Wrath’s eyes widened in disbelief.
—It could become even more dangerous than it is now!
‘If I don’t restore her now, she’ll die!’
There was no time to send Merlin elsewhere. I had to save her here, by any means necessary.
—Hmm….
Wrath, realizing there was no other choice, let out a low groan.
—But why Sloth and Lust?
‘Sloth has the ability to restore both body and spirit through sleep. Lust should help because I’ve spent considerable time with Rust, so I’m familiar with its essence.’
The Sloth that had awakened within me possessed the function of heightening the recovery of flesh and spirit during sleep, and Merlin had grown accustomed to the essence of Lust through her time with Rust.
I blended the energies of the two Demon Lords, hoping it would aid her.
‘Please!’
I focused on harmonizing the sacred and the authority, praying for Merlin’s breath and vitality to return.
Whoooosh!
As if my desperation had taken hold, Merlin’s wounds sealed completely, and the endless stream of blood ceased.
Her skin remained pallid as though death were imminent, but slowly, her breathing began to return.
—She’s recovering! She’s actually recovering!
Wrath clasped his hands together as if a miracle had occurred.
‘Not yet.’
I shook my head firmly and warmed Merlin’s body with the heat of Manhwagong, burning away the turbid energies lingering within her.
‘I should give her a spirit elixir as well.’
I retrieved a spirit elixir I’d packed as emergency supplies from Zigheart’s Treasury. I tried to remove her mask to place it in her mouth, but strangely, the mask wouldn’t open.
‘What?’
I had removed Merlin’s Old Woman mask without difficulty before. But now, even with force, it wouldn’t come off.
‘There’s no helping it.’
Fearing the mask would shatter, I crushed the elixir into fine powder and carefully placed it between Merlin’s slightly parted lips beneath the mask.
Whoooosh!
As the elixir’s warmth spread through Merlin’s body, the vitality that had faded began to return, bit by bit.
-We’ve caught our breath at last….
Wrath exhaled a sigh of relief as he watched Merlin’s breathing stabilize.
‘Yes….’
I nodded, wiping the sweat that dripped from my brow. Saving Merlin had been several times more exhausting than fighting thousands of monsters. My entire body felt heavy, as if drenched in water.
‘She’s been wounded so much.’
The wound pierced through her chest by the spear was so massive that I hadn’t been able to pay attention to anything else, but there wasn’t a single spot on Merlin’s body without injury.
The blood she’d shed across her entire frame had turned her originally black robe a crimson red.
‘And she’s lost her magic….’
Mages originally create circles within their hearts. Merlin hadn’t escaped that boundary either—the mana circle she once possessed could no longer be felt.
“Hoh? You really saved that one?”
Guisalchang rolled his eyes as if he found it absurd.
“Do you have talent in medicine as well? Impressive.”
He clapped his hands as if genuinely impressed.
“But that’s only prolonging her suffering. She’ll die again anyway.”
Guisalchang licked his lips, declaring that he would kill me and pierce Merlin’s chest anew.
“As for stamina….”
I turned away, ignoring Guisalchang’s provocation.
“Are you fully recovered?”
“Thanks to you.”
Guisalchang declared himself in perfect condition and drove his spear down into the earth.
His aura surged forward with such intensity that it felt like it was squeezing my heart—the unmistakable presence of a transcendent being of superior rank.
“I see.”
I rose to my feet after establishing a defensive formation around Merlin, weaving together the Manhwagong’s flames and Glacsia’s frigid aura.
“Then let’s begin.”
I apologized for making Guisalchang wait so long and raised both the Divine Sword and the Demonic Sword.
“Don’t you need time to recover your stamina?”
Guisalchang tilted his chin as if asking whether I’d be alright.
“It’s unnecessary. The outcome will be the same regardless.”
I shook my head calmly and stepped forward toward Guisalchang.
Thud.
With each step I took, golden flames and azure frost spread like unfurling wings, consuming the entire Forest.
“What?”
Guisalchang’s brow furrowed as he felt my momentum savagely overwhelming his own aura.
“Are you trying to play games with me?”
His pride wounded, he summoned an even more powerful aura, yet my momentum refused to yield or falter.
“To you….”
I suppressed Guisalchang’s formidable aura through sheer force alone, my eyes turning a chilling shade of blue.
“I’ll teach you the true terror of battle.”
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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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