Chapter 610

Crack!

Colin ground his teeth, crushing the burn on his cheek.

“Where are those bitches?”

“The fourth and the fifth teams have reached near them.”

The second team leader of the Phantom Assassin division walked up to him and lowered his head.

“You should get moving as well! Tear him apart! Don’t even leave a bone behind!” Colin shouted maliciously, and the assassins rapidly dashed forward.

“And make the fire even bigger! So that no one can escape!”

The assassins who stayed behind moved left and right to spread the oil and tore the scroll engraved with fire magic.

Whaaap!

Crimson flames soared endlessly toward the sky, and the entire forest turned into an inescapable inferno.

“Division leader.”

The second team leader swallowed nervously while looking at the flames, which were getting more and more intense.

“Further ahead is the Suran tribe’s domain. Since they should be guarding from the outside because of the flames, I’m afraid they might accept Number 196 under their protection…”

“That’s not going to happen.”

Colin calmly shook his head as if he had never been enraged.

“Those damned barbarians cherish the forest more than anything else. Do you think you’d protect an assassin wearing a black outfit when you are busy extinguishing the flames?”

“Ah…”

“Yes. They will beat him to death the moment they see him.”

He smiled coldly, as if his anger were just an act.

“This is even better.”

Colin licked his lip, weakly slapping the burn on his cheek.

“Because our objective isn’t to assassinate the Suran tribe anyway.”

* * *

Raon entered the wall of flames, which were raging strongly enough to block the path.

‘Where’s Judiel?’

The King of Essence isn’t your subordinate.

Wrath twisted his lips into a sneer.

He told you that she’s still alive, so find her on your own!

He shook his round hand, saying that he’d already given him a hint.

‘Seriously, he has such a difficult personality.’

Raon frowned and examined the ground. There were marks of blood on the ground, but many of them were burnt, making it difficult to find the direction.

He activated the Perception of the Snow Flower and spread his aura perception.

Since the forest was vast and a long time had passed, he couldn’t find Judiel or even the assassins.

“Ahem.”

Liston came next to him, fanning himself with his hand.

“They’ve set a huge fire. There must’ve been even more embers hidden around than what I saw.”

He furrowed his brow at the unexpected scale.

“Weren’t you waiting outside?”

“Our Lady asked me to serve Sir Raon until the very end.”

Liston shook his head, saying that it was Denning Rose’s intentions and not his own.

Raon normally would’ve refused his help, but he didn’t say anything because he was running out of time.

“We should head to the Suran tribe for now.”

Liston pointed forward, removing the smoke.

“Do you know its location?”

“I know the direction, but it should take some time to find it because of how the forest ended up.”

“Hmm…”

Raon narrowed his eyes, looking at the forest once again.

‘Shall I ask Wrath about it?’

He was contemplating whether he should throw him some food and obtain information in return. A flame of a different color burst from the Ring of Fire where it was rotating around his heart.

Whaap!

The intense flame surged to his upper energy center in an instant, widening his vision field with smoke and fire.

He could feel the flames all around the forest as if they were his own breath.

He could sense the presence of people from far away that even the Perception of the Snow Flower couldn’t sense.

‘This is…’

The heat was the exact same as the flame that he’d felt recently. It was the crimson flame that the fire spirit king had left behind. His flame had turned into a new sense inside him.

Whir!

He examined the entire forest using the perception of the crimson flame resonating with the Ring of Fire.

He could feel that tens, even over a hundred people were moving, spread in a long formation shaped like a wing.

‘They are the assassins.’

They were rapidly moving while hiding their presence. They were definitely the assassins.

‘And they are chasing after someone.’

The long formation of the assassins implied that they were chasing someone. He could guess that he would be able to find Judiel by following them.

“Sir Raon, this way is…”

“Let’s go this way.”

“What? But that’s a roundabout way…”

“She’s over here.”

Raon shook his head at Liston and dashed towards the direction where he’d sensed the presence of the assassins.

Thud!

He used the Supreme Harmony Steps as fast as possible. The flames in the bushes subsided from his movement, which felt like the god of wind was possessing him.

“I did hear that he is a monster, but…”

Liston gasped while watching Raon extinguishing the flame as he advanced.

“He’s even more amazing than I thought, both in terms of might and personality.”

* * *

“Huff!”

Juvel rapidly turned his head around, the scent of blood mixed into his breath.

His stamina was rapidly decreasing because he was running with Judiel on his back after being injured.

He would’ve normally arrived near the Suran tribe already, but he still had a long way to go.

“Juvel? Are you okay?” Judiel asked from his back with a teary voice.

“I’m fine.”

Juvel nodded while looking forward to avoid showing her his exhausted expression.

“Let me down. I’ll run on my own from now on.”

“It’s faster to have me carry you on my back.”

Juvel shook his head and accelerated further.

“......”

Judiel bit her lip, looking at Juvel’s sweat-drenched neck.

‘Juvel…’

The flames engulfing the entire surrounding area made breathing difficult, and since he had to fight the assassins on the way, he was so exhausted that even his breath was faltering.

However, his legs never stopped. It looked like he was going to keep running until the moment of his death.

‘I shouldn’t have come here.’

If she hadn’t come down from the hill, Juvel would’ve never ended up in that state.

She was so sad and sorry that she’d created the worst situation instead of caring for her brother as an older sister.

“I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be sorry. This is actually better.”

“What?”

“I told you, I was planning to die after meeting you. Since I managed to see you again, I won’t regret it even if I die here.”

Juvel’s lips curved into a faint smile as he looked back and told her that he was really fine with it.

Her little brother, who couldn’t fall asleep without her embrace, had become an extremely reliable person after withstanding all sorts of difficulties on his own.

“Yes, the same goes for me.”

Judiel nodded white clenching her back teeth.

“But let’s still live together. I have a lot of things I wanted to show you.”

By the time she gripped his shoulder tightly, throwing daggers flew towards them from left and right, engulfed by shadow.

“Argh!

Juvel hurriedly stopped running and dodged the dagger that was right under his nose already. Three assassins blocked their path while he wasn’t advancing.

“......”

The assassins dashed at him with daggers in their hands without even trying to speak.

Juvel put Judiel down and leaped towards the assassins. He pulled his shoulder back to dodge the frontmost assassin’s dagger and stomped his foot.

Crack!

The assassin’s body faltered as his foot dug into the ground, and Juvel pierced his neck with the dagger in his left hand.

“Guh…”

While the first assassin was dying, the other two assassins threw daggers from the left and right with furrowed brows.

Psh!

He deflected five of them and dodged three others, but two of them managed to scratch his thigh.

“Ugh…”

He bent his knee while letting out a groan, and the assassins took the opportunity to attack him.

Thud!

Juvel immediately straightened his knee as if he were waiting for that moment and pierced the assassins’ chests.

Crack!

He used his dagger to pierce the heart of the assassin charging at him from the left.

However, the assassin on the right bent his upper body backward and dodged it as if he were expecting his counterattack.

Whoosh!

The moment he was trying to split Juvel’s skull with the dagger in his right hand, a dark light rushed at him from behind.

Whack!

The assassin fell backward, a black dagger stuck in his head.

“Haa…”

Judiel’s lips trembled as she lowered her hand after throwing the dagger.

“Juvel, are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I’m more worried about…”

Juvel bit his lip while looking at her, more worried by the fact that she’d killed a person than his own injury.

“I’m fine, so don’t worry about me. Let’s move on. I’ll be running on my own now.”

Judiel advanced, pressing her lip with her teeth.

“......”

Juvel clenched his fist while looking at the dead assassins.

“I’m sorry.”

They weren’t exactly his companions, but they’d shared similar lives. That was why all he could do was apologize.

The assassins looked up with clear eyes, as if they could understand him instead of being full of malice, and finally perished.

Juvel exhaled roughly and ran towards the Suran tribe’s village with Judiel. He furrowed deeply his brow while looking backward.

‘They are coming. And the scale is huge, unlike before.’

Their numbers were endless, implying that all the assassins that had been hiding were coming at once. They were definitely going to die if they caught up to them.

“Just a bit more…”

It was a shortcut towards the Suran tribe that no one other than himself was aware of. Just a bit more, and he would be able to see the members of the Suran tribe.

But the assassins behind them approached even faster than that.

‘Please, please!’

He prayed to God even though he’d never done it before and forced his legs, which were getting heavier, onward. That was when he started to see people who were weakening the flames.

The chief was taking the lead, and his entire body was blue, implying that he was using sorcery.

“Chief!”

Juvel approached the chief, and one of the tribe’s members threw a wooden spear at him.

Pssh!

The spear rushed like a ray of light and brushed past his cheek. He could feel a burning pain from it.

“Don’t come any closer!”

Even though they’d only recently greeted each other with smiles on their faces, he was glaring at him with crimson eyes, completely enraged.

“Philip.”

The chief came forward and stated Juvel’s fake name.

“Chief, please listen to me! This isn’t the time to extinguish the fire!”

“Then what else are we supposed to be doing?”

His hollow voice tilted towards him.

“Are we supposed to be killing you?”

“What?”

“I could feel your warmth from the flame that burst from here.”

The chief laughed bitterly and shook his head.

“My Mind’s Eyes are special. It’s capable of seeing the warmth of objects. You and your friends were the ones who’ve ignited the flame here.”

“That’s…”

Juvel bit his lip, unable to respond. He had indeed set up that flame in that location.

“Th-that’s true. But there’s something more important right now. The assassins are going to…”

“Are you talking about them?”

The chief pointed behind him.

The dozens of assassins had already caught up, showing their murderous intent from the shadows.

“Block our path with the flames and call the assassins. That must’ve been your plan.”

He nodded his head as he watched the intensifying flames.

“Is this how you pay us back for our affection and sincerity?”

Crimson flame blazed from his eyes, showing that he was enraged from the bottom of his heart.

“…I’m sorry.”

He couldn’t do anything other than apologize to him because it was true that he was trying to assassinate the Suran tribe.

Since he didn’t really care whether he died or not after meeting his sister, he just wanted to tell them the truth.

“You can kill me if you want. However, we need to stop them before…”

“Bullshit!”

“You will be the first one to go!”

“Philip!”

Suran’s people yelled at him and showed their murderous intent instead of the chief. They were the ones who were getting along with Juvel the most.

“Kill them. Kill them all!”

The chief raised his trembling hand. The sorcerers and warriors of the tribe dashed towards Judiel and Juvel upon hearing his shout.

Ssssh.

Assassins also approached Judiel and Juvel, their murderous intent surrounding their daggers and swords.

Juvel smiled faintly as he watched the Suran tribe’s warriors run towards him to kill him.

‘I didn’t expect that I couldn’t even hold a conversation.’

He just needed to say a single line, but they had no intention of letting him speak at all.

However, it wasn’t completely unexpected. It was because of how innocent and kindhearted they were that the betrayal must’ve left such a deep mark on them.

‘I’m glad they weren’t assassinated, at least.’

The Suran tribe was powerful. They weren’t going to be annihilated by the Phantom Assassin division in a frontal clash instead of an assassination.

“Judiel.”

Juvel shook his hand backward, releasing Judiel’s hand.

“Stay back.”

“Juvel…”

He pushed Judiel away and came forth. He clenched his daggers on both hands and mustered all of his energy.

He couldn’t even block a single assassination technique from the team leaders, nor a single punch from the chief, but he still didn’t withdraw.

“Kill the traitor!”

The Suran tribe and the assassins charged at him at the same time. Juvel clenched his teeth amid the battlefield brimming with malice and murderous intent.

“Aaaaah!”

He shouted while thinking that he wanted to at least protect Judiel no matter what when Judiel stepped up in front of him.

“Judiel! Why?!”

“He has arrived!”

“What?”

Judiel put her hands together while looking up at the dark night sky.

At that moment, a golden sun and a silver moon rose in the moonless sky.

The flame and frost flickered proudly and connected themselves with the sun and moon before descending upon the land.

Whaaam!

The blades of flame and frost pushed back the Suran tribe and the assassins at the same time.

Whoosh!

A blond-haired swordsman walked out of the flames. Even the forest fire was being extinguished by its intensity.

Everyone was overwhelmed by his eyes, which were blazing even more strongly than the sun, and his perfectly polished energy wave.

“Stop the battle.”

His quiet voice flowed towards them, and the light returned to the people who were standing there in a daze.

“That coat…”

Suran’s chief recognized Raon’s Black Dragon Coat, his lips trembling.

“Judiel.”

Raon lowered his sword and called out to Judiel, who was standing behind him.

“Yes.”

Judiel came forward and knelt in front of him.

“J-Judiel?”

Juvel’s eyes widened upon seeing Judiel fall to her knees despite the urgency of the situation.

“Are you and your brother responsible for this incident?”

“We are.”

“I see.”

Raon calmly nodded. He could roughly understand what kind of situation it was upon hearing that they were responsible.

“I’d like to resolve the misunderstanding,” he declared, shifting his gaze at the man who seemed to be the Suran tribe’s chief.

“Let’s talk…”

“Resolve the misunderstanding?”

The chief violently ground his teeth to the point of breaking.

“I would’ve cut your head off already if it weren’t for your coat. Step back!”

The extremely fiery look in his eyes implied that he couldn’t think straight anymore.

Whir.

The assassins’ bloodlust was also prickling their skin, showing that they had no intention of talking either.

Whaam!

Huge explosions occurred one after the other around the Suran village, ignited by their determination to continue the battle.

“Alright.”

Raon extended the hand holding the divine sword. The flame engulfing his surrounding sloshed like a tidal wave and got sucked into his hand.

He almost looked like he was dancing with the fire and dominating the flame at the same time.

Everyone fell silent upon witnessing that mysterious sight, and Raon stepped forward.

“The Suran tribe’s anger.”

He calmly pointed his divine sword at the Suran tribe.

“And the malice of the murderous demons. I’ll take both of them onto me.”

He unleashed a frightening light, pointing the demonic sword at the assassins.

Whir!

Raon stomped the ground with his left foot. The pressure of a conqueror emanated from the crumbling land and oppressed the world.

“I am Raon of Zieghart.”

His unyielding determination burst from his divine and demonic swords as flames and frost advanced toward them.

“Come at me.”

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Writing Ant, 글개미]

[Translator – Kyangi]

[Proofreader – Harley]