Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Grabbing the Tail (2)
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"Don't be afraid! No matter how much of a 7th Circle he is, he's just one man!"
"The Dragon's Curse has taken its toll—he's bound to have limits in battle!"
"Now's the time to lay down our lives for the Blood Sword Squad!"
Kuuooo!
The three elite assassins raised their voices one after another, unleashing their auras.
Their sharp killing intents intertwined, finally shaking off Martin's pressure.
Regaining some freedom of movement, the three immediately kicked off the ground.
They weren't just charging in blindly.
Each wrapped their sword in crimson aura that pulsed with life force, flickering like flames.
The remaining subordinates drew courage from their leaders' charge and followed right behind.
Watching them, Martin shook his head slowly.
'This is why brainwashing is so terrifying.'
Three at the 3rd Circle level who could wield aura.
The rest were all 2nd Circle, merely enhancing their bodies with mana.
The vast gap in realms rendered their numerical advantage meaningless.
They had to know that, yet they were forcing themselves to rationalize it and fight anyway. It was ridiculous.
'I could subdue these guys with a single finger.'
He could crush them into the ground by intensifying gravity.
Or manipulate the wind's flow to tear them apart.
No matter what, victory would be effortless.
Yet the reason they still breathed was simple.
'I can't miss this chance for real combat practice.'
He had diligently practiced the Rotaer Body Technique in the dungeon and learned its tremendous power.
But using only mana was only half the story.
The true might of the Rotaer Body Technique came from combining it with spatial innate abilities.
So he resolved himself.
He would face the Blood Sword Squad using only the Rotaer Body Technique.
The fusion of Distortion of All Things and the Rotaer Body Technique.
How devastating would that power be?
Just imagining it made his heart race.
"Die!"
The elite assassin closed the distance and swung his aura-wreathed sword down with full force.
But Martin easily dodged with a slight twist of his body.
The blade came close enough to graze his hair, yet his expression remained relaxed.
Swish.
His left palm extended smoothly, landing on the opponent's right shoulder.
'Now.'
Martin's eyes flashed.
He first injected mana into the foe's body, shredding his mana circuits, nerves, and blood vessels.
At the same time, he twisted the space encompassing the entire right arm with Distortion of All Things.
The entire process took less than a second.
Kwaang!
A massive explosion erupted, sending bone fragments, flesh, and blood spraying everywhere.
"Graaaak!"
The elite assassin who lost his right arm screamed in agony.
But before the cry could finish, Martin kicked his abdomen with his right foot.
Kwaaaang!
His upper body exploded on impact.
It was a gruesome sight too horrific to watch directly.
Yet the other assassins' momentum didn't falter.
Their loyalty to the organization had overcome their fear.
Pabat!
The remaining two elite assassins split to either side.
The one on the left was faster, proving it by thrusting his sword at Martin's back first.
'I'll pierce your heart!'
The crimson aura flickered more intensely.
In response, his hair turned snow-white beneath the mask, and wrinkles spread across his face.
The price of sacrificing his life force.
'Sacrificing everything doesn't guarantee you'll get what you want.'
Feeling a pang of pity, Martin pivoted slightly on his left foot.
As he turned, he swung his right hand to smack the opponent's sword.
Kwaaaang!
A deafening roar exploded.
It was hard to believe it came from a hand striking a blade.
The explosion's force was terrifying.
In the blink of an eye, the sword shattered, its fragments piercing the elite assassin. His right hand clutching the hilt was crushed, along with his entire right arm.
The mangled corpse slumped to the ground.
But Martin's senses were already focused elsewhere.
Whoosh!
From his lowered, spinning stance, Martin's right leg whipped horizontally, rising toward the head.
"Tahap!"
The last elite assassin swung his sword with everything he had, clashing with Martin's foot.
He met the same fate as his comrade.
The sword fragmented, and the shards swept over its owner.
'Not easy after all.'
He was glad to confirm the true power of the Rotaer Body Technique.
But its immense power came with equally severe recoil.
Even after just a few strikes, faint pain throbbed in his mana circuits, and his muscles screamed outright.
It wasn't enough to stop him from fighting, but careful management was clearly necessary.
"Just tell me where your leader is. Then you can die peacefully. Even if you're going to die, nobody wants to end up like that, right?"
Martin's tone was gentle, but to the assassins, it sounded like the voice of the Grim Reaper.
"Uwaaaah!"
"Cling to him no matter what!"
"We have to kill him!"
The assassins trembled violently as they lunged in a frenzy.
The terror gripping their flesh and instincts was even greater than when they first faced Martin.
Years of brainwashing left no room for retreat or betrayal in their minds.
But deep down, they instinctively knew.
How futile this struggle was.
"If you won't tell me, no choice."
Truth be told, he had no need for their answer.
He had already mapped out every Blood Sword Squad member's location with his detection net.
All he had to do was clean up these guys and pursue the strongest one.
'Too bad I'll arrive after Sien.'
He wanted to beat her there and tease her.
But he held back this time.
One wrong move, and he might actually get hit.
Squeeze.
Thinking he'd take it slow, Martin lightly clenched his fists.
* * *
The Blood Sword Squad's leadership had gathered in Jard's office.
All were aura wielders, and Jard, a 4th Circle, could even manifest an aura blade.
Yet his expression was gravely serious.
The others were much the same.
'Can't stop him after all.'
Every assassin except the leadership had been deployed.
Yet the screams and explosions showed no sign of stopping.
They couldn't halt Martin and Sien's advance.
A 5th Circle swordsman was one thing, but with a 7th Circle swordsman, it was inevitable the subordinates couldn't hold.
Still, they had pinned hopes on Martin's Dragon's Curse and sent out nearly everyone at once.
To overwhelm him with waves of attackers and expose an opening.
But that hope was shattered.
The subordinates he had painstakingly raised died without even grazing Martin or Sien.
Someone spoke cautiously.
"Shouldn't we escape, Leader?"
"Where to?"
"Well..."
"Even if there was a destination, that's not the issue. Do you think we can slip from the grasp of an enemy who wields spatial dominion?"
"We'll hold them off! Escape as far as you can in the meantime, Leader."
"Exactly! As long as you survive, the Blood Sword Squad can rebuild!"
"Impossible."
Despite their sincere pleas, Jard shook his head firmly.
"It's not just Martin. The Rustal family is after us too. Word is the Jade Dragon Knights have already mobilized."
"Th-the Rustal family?"
"Why would they..."
The leadership knew the Blood Sword Squad's ties to the Rustal family well.
That's why Jard's words shocked them deeply.
"The moment our base was exposed, we became useless to Valdemaar. And we hold his—and the Rustal family's—weaknesses. No reason to let us live."
"No way!"
"You know how tenacious Valdemaar is. No matter where I flee, he'll hunt me to the ends of the continent."
"Then what should we do?"
"Kill Martin Adalbert. That's the only way we survive."
"Isn't that perfect? Valdemaar is dying to kill Martin Adalbert. With the Jade Dragon Knights joining, they can surely take him down..."
"Good idea, but Valdemaar won't. He lacks the guts from the start. We have to do it ourselves."
With that, Jard fell silent.
He could feel it clearly.
Martin's immense aura drawing relentlessly closer.
'He's openly taunting us.'
Martin was deliberately radiating his aura to announce his position.
A display of confidence that he could catch them even if they ran. Mocking them as prey.
Jard ground his teeth.
Who could show kindness to someone threatening their life?
Kwaaaang!
The office door exploded in a cloud of dust.
In that instant, the vice-leader drew his sword and charged.
His aura, infused with mana and life force, blazed fiercely. Certain this all-out strike would reach Martin.
"Get lost."
Slap!
Sien swung her right palm lazily.
The vice-leader's neck snapped from the slap, his brilliant aura extinguishing in an instant.
"No way..."
"This can't be real..."
The Blood Sword Squad leadership—even Jard—was speechless.
The vice-leader was an extraordinary talent.
On the verge of 4th Circle at any moment.
For such a man to be swatted like a fly—it felt like a nightmare.
"Now. Pay attention."
Clap!
As Martin clapped and spoke, all heads turned.
"Thanks for not running. Saves me the hassle of one more chore. So, as a bonus, mind giving me one more service?"
"...What do you want?"
"Who commissioned my assassination? Spill it nicely. The contract would be even better."
"No one keeps something like a contract lying around."
"Thorough. Then just tell me who the client is?"
"I'll guard the client's secret to the death. That's the iron rule of an assassination organization."
"Not always, from what I've seen. The ones who told me about this place? Your subordinates, you know."
Martin openly mocked him, but Jard didn't bite.
"If it were subordinates, maybe. But I'm different."
"We'll see. Everyone says that until it happens, but the results are always different."
With that, Martin started to beckon with his right index finger.
That was when it happened.
Jard drew his sword and charged at Martin.
His speed was so blinding it seemed he leaped through space.
Wuuung.
His red blade was overlaid with a sword of blood-red light.
The feat of 4th Circle swordsmanship: an aura blade.
'This is my first and last chance!'
He had watched Martin ceaselessly for an opening and finally spotted it.
That's why he moved, swinging his sword.
The aura blade-wreathed edge closed in on Martin's head.
Just a bit more—just a little closer—and it would cleave his skull.
"Uwaaaah!"
Jard's roar thundered.
But contrary to the ferocity, the blade halted right before Martin's hairline.
Sizzle.
The aura blade's intense heat singed the tips of his hair, but that was it.
Once stopped, the body refused to budge.
Even squeezing every drop of mana changed nothing.
"Already at Spatial Binding... Isn't your ability development too fast, Martin?"
"Come on. My innate ability alone is 3rd Circle. Gotta deliver at least this much."
"Even so, it's been days, not weeks. Most can't even handle their newfound strength properly."
"Well, I'm not your average guy."
"You're seriously infuriating."
"Can't argue with facts."
Martin shrugged lightly and twisted his right hand casually.
In that instant.
"Kraaaak!"
"Uwaaaak!"
Screams echoed everywhere as massive explosions rocked the room.
Everyone except Jard burst apart.
The room became a sea of blood in seconds.
Tremble.
Jard's eyes twitched violently.
He couldn't see directly with his body pinned, but the sounds painted a vivid picture of the carnage.
"Watch this guy for me, Sien. Got some business."
"Got it."
Martin released the Spatial Binding.
Jard tried to move in that instant but failed.
Wuuung.
Sien instantly teleported.
Appearing behind Jard, she kicked his back with her left foot, slamming him face-first into the floor.
She then unleashed spatial repulsion pressure to pin him completely.
Martin knelt on one knee, meeting Jard's gaze.
"Personally, I think fear is the emotion to watch out for most. Once it grips you, your mind freezes, and judgment fails."
"......"
"Never wondered why I bothered talking to you?"
Jard clamped his mouth shut.
Martin gave a sly smile.
"Worried you might self-destruct or something. But you responded, so I got exactly what I needed."
No sooner had he spoken than Martin extended his left hand.
Wuuung.
Space warped, revealing a black void, and he plunged his left arm inside.
"No innate ability claims supremacy. Opinions differ. But everyone agrees on this: spatial abilities are omnipotent."
The moment he entered, he used Distortion of All Things to probe the space within.
He discovered a vault buried deep underground.
The powerful magic circles covering it didn't matter.
He simply warped space to reach inside.
'Ugh.'
Consecutive innate ability activations strained his body.
Warping space repeatedly overloaded his left arm and mana circuits.
Only the Rotaer Body Technique's breathing and Dragon Blood reinforcement kept him going; without either, his left arm would be useless.
Agonizing pain surged, but Martin endured, focusing on his goal.
Luckily, it didn't take long.
Click.
He felt thick paper.
He withdrew his left hand, pulling out a thick ledger with it.
"H-how did you...!"
Jard screamed in horrified disbelief.
That ledger held all the Blood Sword Squad's secrets, written in code.
Unbelievable.
The vault was protected not just by powerful magic but curses too, openable only with the leader's blood—yet Martin ignored it all.
"Thanks so much. I'll never forget this favor."
Martin smiled, conveying his genuine gratitude.