Chapter 14

I will translate the provided text into English using first-person point of view without additional commentary. Here is the translation:

—

Aflash, I moved before Asulin staggered from that mad assassin’s strike could even fully register.

Unfortunately, my steps toward her were quicker than the assassin’s movements.

Bang—!

The ominous sound like bursting air exploded past me, right in front of where I intended to stand.

The assassin lunged, aiming to deliver another blow to the dazed Asulin, and his kick landed on her abdomen with a force nearly deafening.

The impact reverberated quite significantly.

Asulin, unable to even scream, rolled across the ground.

Even I, who can dissect time into countless fragments, was slow to react; it happened too swiftly.

How… That was the first thought in my mind, but now, rather than dwell on such questions, I needed to move faster to save her.

Amid this tragic scene, the one fortunate aspect was that despite losing consciousness, Asulin hadn’t sustained any fatal injuries.

Just before the assassin’s blow hit her chest, she instinctively leaned back, which seemed to have prevented her from suffering a critical injury.

Still, despite this relief, there was still danger. The assassin, rough and crude, approached where Asulin had fallen and could turn things around with just a few gestures.

“Asulin!!”

This time, my movement toward her was quicker than the assassin’s intent to finish her off.

My vision filled with the sight of the assassin unleashing relentless strikes, his hostility seeping from every pore, even as I barely managed to stand before Asulin.

His pitch-black, truly black, fist, dripping with malice and menace, carried a destructive force capable of shattering anything in its path.

Though his aura was inherently negative, his hostility was as dense and potent as any formidable warrior known in the Empire.

The hue of his hostility was familiar. It belonged to the League, specifically an organization based not in the Central Continent, where the Empire stood, but at the fringes of Namub Desert on the Western Continent, in a place called Malim Mountain.

If offered proper compensation, these assassins from the League, infamous for their guaranteed kills, would emit hostility exactly like this one.

One characteristic developed through their secretive breathing techniques is the denser and stickier hue of their hostility as they advance in skill. From his aura alone, I knew this assassin was among the top-tier within the League.

While observing his hostility, I began piecing together various thoughts in my accelerated consciousness, noticing his expression twist oddly as he realized I had intervened in his intended strike on Asulin.

He hadn’t shown such awareness when Asulin used Chonbongcham earlier, which made this sudden recognition intriguing. Even if he was concealing his true strength, something he did to his own body allowed him to achieve this level of perception.

However, now was not the time to ponder his secrets. I had to focus on defending against his attack.

Already, my face bore numerous scars, making his intimidating appearance even more terrifying. His grin, almost maniacal, grew more deranged with each passing moment.

It was a chilling laugh, clearly menacing.

‘You dare stand in my way… I’ll turn you into nothing but meat!’

That was the gist of it. The kind of insane laughter a gladiator from the Fighting Grounds near the Sword Mansion might display.

Normally, I would respond coldly, fueling his emotions to create openings. But his rage was already at a boiling point, and I didn’t want to risk harming Asulin behind me.

Ignoring his mocking laughter, I positioned my sword to block his incoming punch, gathering my hostility once more.

Even amidst the fragmented moments, I drew a clear line of attack, positioning my sword to intercept his wild punch.

I considered twisting the sword to deflect his blow, but given Asulin’s vulnerable position, I opted for a safer, albeit less risky, approach.

Crack!!

The pain was immediate and intense.

Before I could even gasp, his punch struck my sword, causing a shockwave that nearly forced me back.

A step back was far better than the helpless state Asulin was in, pierced by a minor blow.

Though his strike was powerful, my armor, hardened by experience, easily absorbed the impact.

“Huh? How about this then?!”

Seeing me only step back slightly, the assassin’s pride wounded, his next punch came like a wave crashing over me.

‘I must endure.’

Gritting my teeth, I concentrated, squeezing out more hostility from my dantian, countering his moves.

Despite the fragmented moments, his attacks were swift and relentless. Yet, I remained vigilant, watching his every move.

“Too slow…”

Muttering softly, I moved with such speed that even he found it distant, severing all lines of his punches.

With my left hand, I grabbed his fist inches from my vital points, and again, when he tried to punch through, I stopped him.

Yet, his punches, aimed to crush me, gained slight acceleration.

Each time I cut his lines, his expression twisted into that of a demon, as if straining his body to its limits.

‘Not twice.’

This realization brought no joy to him. His misfortune lay in targeting Asulin, who, like me, was no easy target.

And witnessing this, I understood his tactics completely.

The sadistic smile, enjoying tormenting weaker opponents, vanished instantly.

—

“Phew… Phew…”

The assassin, having barely escaped my grasp, took a breath the moment he distanced himself from me.

There was no trace of the fierce aura he had earlier, the one that threatened both me and Asulin.

If he was exhausted, I should have pressed the attack, but…

“Whew…”

Sadly, I too was breathing heavily, not much better off.

—

“Damn… The information we gathered was completely off… This wasn’t a weed, but a fruit. A ripe one ready to be plucked.”

Even while struggling to catch my breath after expending so much energy, the assassin, his eyes gleaming with madness, seemed ready to charge at me despite his fatigue.

“But why won’t it fall from the tree?! Damn it!!”

—

“Khalid.”

“…”

“Are you, the League’s Khalid?”

“!!”

Testing his name, I saw the madman’s face, distorted to resemble a demon, freeze in disbelief.

“An assassin with a reputation becomes arrogant with a name. Clearly, not a smart move.”

—

“Damn… That son of a… We collected wrong intel… He’s not a weed, but a real fruit. A ripe one ready to be plucked.”

—

“Khalid.”

“…”

“Are you, the League’s Khalid?”

“!!”

Testing his name, I saw the madman’s face, distorted to resemble a demon, freeze in disbelief.

“An assassin with a reputation becomes arrogant with a name. Clearly, not a smart move.”

—

“Damn… That son of a… We collected wrong intel… He’s not a weed, but a real fruit. A ripe one ready to be plucked.”

—

“Khalid.”

“…”

“Are you, the League’s Khalid?”

“!!”

Testing his name, I saw the madman’s face, distorted to resemble a demon, freeze in disbelief.

“An assassin with a reputation becomes arrogant with a name. Clearly, not a smart move.”

—

“Damn… That son of a… We collected wrong intel… He’s not a weed, but a real fruit. A ripe one ready to be plucked.”

—

“Khalid.”

“…”

“Are you, the League’s Khalid?”

“!!”

Testing his name, I saw the madman’s face, distorted to resemble a demon, freeze in disbelief.

“An assassin with a reputation becomes arrogant with a name. Clearly, not a smart move.”

—

“Damn… That son of a… We collected wrong intel… He’s not a weed, but a real fruit. A ripe one ready to be plucked.”

—

“Khalid.”

“…”

“Are you, the League’s Khalid?”

“!!”

Testing his name, I saw the madman’s face, distorted to resemble a demon, freeze in disbelief.

“An assassin with a reputation becomes arrogant with a name. Clearly, not a smart move.”

—

“Damn… That son of a… We collected wrong intel… He’s not a weed, but a real fruit. A ripe one ready to be plucked.”

—

“Khalid.”

“…”

“Are you, the League’s Khalid?”

“!!”

Testing his name, I saw the madman’s face, distorted to resemble a demon, freeze in disbelief.

“An assassin with a reputation becomes arrogant with a name. Clearly, not a smart move.”