Chapter 49

Asulin’s presence drew me in, and I hastened my steps, activating hostility to the maximum extent.

It had been a long time since my mana core recovered and was functioning normally, and this test was a way to check that.

Even though the outcome was already decided with the blue lightning covering the sky, I prepared myself just in case the league’s assassins, who were bundles of variables, did something unexpected.

Feeling the mana, accepted through extreme breathing techniques, circulating through my body as hostility, I realized that my body was truly recovering and felt a sense of joy.

Regardless of how good I felt, I expected that even if I arrived at my destination, I wouldn’t be able to use all this power. But now, I was satisfied with the activation of hostility, which no longer caused pain in my body.

With the enhanced strength from activated hostility, I turned back and headed towards where Asulin was. Everything seemed to have ended as expected.

What I saw was Asulin taking a break by gathering her breath, and Khalid, who was completely blackened and sprawled out on the floor, having suffered from her attacks.

Unlike Khalid, the assassins who were enveloped by Asulin’s lightning were left with nothing but ashes, unable to maintain any semblance of life.

First, I turned my attention to the one who deserved credit for ending the situation like this.

Asulin, after regulating her breath, closed her eyes, seemingly preoccupied with calming her mind.

She was definitely in a state where she couldn’t hear anything if I spoke to her right now.

Whether she was consolidating the enlightenment gained from the brief fight earlier or trying to control the recoil from the incomplete discharge of Behemoth’s lightning, only Asulin would know when she opened her eyes.

One thing was clear: Asulin, who had entered a state of rest with her eyes closed, looked quite exhausted.

Seeing her hurriedly gather her breath and not manage to hide the cold sweat on her forehead, even in this cold weather, made me realize that this was a side of her I had never seen before in our practice duels.

Yes, it reminded me of the fatigue she showed at the end of the Succession War when breaking through the demonic siege.

‘The incomplete inheritance of Caladbolg’s lightning can’t do much.’

The memory of that moment still came to mind.

That was the instant that reversed the desperate situation created by the hordes of demons filling the land.

Even though the incomplete inheritance of Caladbolg’s lightning was a burden, it spread across a much larger battlefield than even the summoning of Caladbolg itself, turning everything into ashes and leaving Asulin exhausted and collapsed.

And it ended with me eliminating Behemoth, who had survived the lightning strike.

Compared to then, Asulin’s condition seemed relatively stable.

Although the lightning was incomplete, it was triggered in a smaller area, and Asulin’s skills with Caladbolg had improved over time, making this level of damage more manageable.

From the sight of her meditating and resting so openly, it seemed she trusted me enough to do this.

Though it wasn’t the right time to speak, I stayed close, knowing she trusted me from the growing smile on her face.

I stayed by Asulin’s side to prepare for any unexpected emergencies.

If I could control the situation while providing protection, she would recover in no time.

Though the hostility seemed unnecessary, I was glad it could be used in such a way.

Carefully observing the results of the lightning Asulin had called forth.

Despite the lack of visible damage to the facilities from the pale lightning, the condition of those directly hit by Asulin’s will and the lightning was dire.

‘Neat work.’

Well, the poor condition of their bodies clearly showed the effectiveness of Asulin’s actions. With enhanced vision from infused hostility, I scrutinized the surroundings meticulously.

Since I had predicted such a scenario when Caladbolg, known as the legendary sword capable of wielding hostility and creating lightning, was drawn, the only difference was that Khalid found it difficult to handle Asulin alone and brought in other assassins from the league.

‘They’re ashes now; it’s a waste of resources.’

Since the assassins were reduced to ashes by Asulin’s lightning, it was a poor outcome for them.

Considering the number of assassins left as ashes, the league would suffer significant losses.

Training assassins requires considerable investment in both money and time.

Unlike Khalid, who might become an assassin without proper training, most assassins are carefully selected and trained over a long period, sometimes taking up to eight years to reach a proficient level.

Even if they were quickly trained, losing seven skilled assassins like this would be a major setback for the league.

‘The league master must be furious.’

This thought naturally made me chuckle.

Why bring up the league master? He’s an old enemy of mine, perhaps even older than my biological father.

He’s persistent and relentless, like my father, who once tried to kidnap me to become an assassin because he saw potential in me. Even during his days in the shadows, he commanded me to be kidnapped.

I thought my connection with them was over when I was taken to the Sword Mansion by my father, but unexpectedly, it continued due to Khalid’s sudden attempt to assassinate Asulin.

“Huh…”

Letting out a faint bitter laugh, I scanned the surroundings to ensure nothing disturbed Asulin’s rest when a terrible sound reached my ears.

“Kr… Kruuuu!”

It was a scream, a groan, or a moan, indistinguishable.

There was no need to confirm whose voice it was.

“Amazing, he’s not dead, and now he’s regaining consciousness.”

Suddenly, I understood why the league couldn’t discard Khalid, who lay sprawled on the ground, despite his reckless behavior during the mission.

Even though Caladbolg’s lightning was incomplete and intense, unlike the other assassins who perished, Khalid managed to survive in such a condition.

Given the league’s constant struggle to replenish their valuable assassins, there was no reason not to utilize Khalid.

However, it seemed more pressing to firmly subdue him rather than admire his resilience.

“…Krrk… Krrrrlk.”

There was no one else to move but me. Seeing Khalid’s condition, it was clear that he needed to be properly restrained or subdued.

“Where…”

I slowly approached Khalid.

Even without drawing a sword, the hostility that hadn’t been released yet seeped through my entire body.

Not releasing stored hostility was not ideal, especially right after the core had recovered. It was fortunate that it was being utilized.

—

Khalid was disoriented.

Not only had the initial plan to steal Failord come too close, but even his reputation for ensuring mission success was shattered in an instant when he faced the two individuals responsible.

But that exhilaration was fleeting.

Memories were hazy.

He remembered fighting the sword-crazed woman and intercepting her countless bolts of hostility.

But then, he was struck by the pale lightning the moment he regained consciousness, turning his skin black and burning him alive.

Such intense pain made him feel like he had never experienced anything like it before.

Even with his natural ability to regenerate wounds instantly, the injuries he sustained felt so severe that he felt death might be preferable.

‘Run…’

Despite the pain, the thought of escaping filled his mind.

He moved. His joints and muscles, completely destroyed, showed no signs of regeneration. Using his arms instead of his legs, each step inflicted excruciating pain on him.

‘Escape…’

Yet, Khalid’s pace didn’t slow down.

Moving on his arms, he realized that his burnt skin and muscles were regenerating, albeit slowly.

The pain in his arms was also diminishing.

Indeed, time was on his side. If he kept struggling, he could eventually escape on his feet.

Though he would have to face the consequences of failing his mission later, it could wait.

Perhaps, he might even receive praise for surviving such a desperate situation.

Khalid, who was gradually recovering, could make it to safety if no interruptions occurred.

But an unfortunate fact awaited him.

—

Focusing solely on bodily regeneration for escape, he failed to activate his senses fully.

“Hey? Crawling away? Little one, you’re like a cockroach that could be your brother.”

Someone had fixed their gaze on Khalid, who was crawling away, and was approaching with a slow but intimidating gait.

This was a grave mistake, given that Khalid had neglected his senses, assuming Asulin was resting and that the sword-wielding woman with the destructive lightning was nearby.

“What?”

“Kuuu-!”

“…Gyaah.”

In a world where ignorance leads to punishment, the truth is absolute.

“We have a lot to talk about, don’t we?”

To save himself, he had to endure twice the pain for half the punishment.

As he confirmed the face of the one who had trampled his back, Khalid’s regained consciousness flickered away, feeling like the night sky was singing.