Chapter 258: It Really Is You
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 258: It Really Is You
The so-called death premonition wasn't some metaphysical concept; rather, it was an incredibly sharp sense of danger forged through countless life-and-death crises.
It was like a spider sensing the movements of prey at the other end of its web through the slightest vibration.
But when even that miniscule vibration was absent—when there was no fighting spirit, no mana, and not even a hint of killing intent—the death premonition couldn't possibly trigger in advance. To all appearances, it was just an ordinary man stumbling clumsily in front of him.
Consequently, it wasn't until those dagger-sharp claws sprang from the man’s swelling fingers that Muen finally reacted, his Alchemy Core whirring to life in an instant.
But it was already too late. The razor-sharp claws were nearly touching Muen’s chest, and even the dilated time wasn't enough to let him simply teleport out of harm's way.
A professional assassin.
A sharp light flashed in Muen’s eyes as his mind raced.
Without long-term, specialized training, it would be impossible to achieve such perfect concealment followed by such a violent outburst.
This was a premeditated assassination.
In the slowed stream of time, Muen could even see the ferocity, ruthlessness, and murderous intent erupting from the assassin’s eyes like a surging volcano!
However...
It was like someone carrying a plastic knife just to get through security.
The concealment was certainly there, but a plastic knife... could it actually kill someone?
"Trying to kill me without even using mana or fighting spirit? Who do you think you're looking down on?"
A look of ruthlessness appeared on Muen’s face. In that split second, instead of retreating, he lunged forward, choosing to slam himself directly into the assassin’s claws!
Blood sprayed!
The clothes on Muen’s chest were shredded as the claws sank deep into his flesh.
But the strike, which had been aimed directly at his heart, was suddenly ground to a halt halfway through, caught fast by pectoral muscles that were incredibly well-trained and reinforced by fighting spirit.
A flicker of panic finally appeared in the assassin’s eyes. He stared at Muen in disbelief.
"How... how is this possible? The intel said you weren't this strong!"
"Heh, I see. Trying to kill me based on outdated intel... you people really do underestimate me."
Muen let out a cold sneer and leaned forward, grabbing the assassin's swollen arm.
Then—Thunder Roar!
Shockwaves erupted, and the assassin’s bloated limb instantly began to twist and contort.
Without the protection of fighting spirit, even a beast-transformed body was nothing more than ordinary flesh and blood.
And so, blood sprayed once more.
This time, it was the assassin’s.
Crimson blood was forced out from beneath the muscle and skin. Under Muen’s expert control, the shockwaves tore directly into the assassin’s fragile internal organs.
"Pfft..."
The assassin coughed up bits of mangled organs, most of his life force stripped away in an instant.
His eyes grew dull and unfocused.
He knew he had failed. Despair flickered in his gaze, but it quickly turned into... a look of grim determination!
He slammed his teeth together, intending to crush something hidden in his jaw.
But then.
He saw the man before him—the Duke’s son who, according to the intel, was "around the Second-Tier, possessed sharp techniques, and excelled with dual daggers"—didn't even draw a blade. His figure simply blurred for a moment.
In an instant, a large hand clamped onto his jaw without warning. With a sickening crack, his jaw was snapped shut and broken.
"Whether it's TV shows, novels, or reality, why do you guys always like to hide suicide poison in your mouths?"
Ignoring his bleeding chest, Muen gripped the assassin by the neck and hoisted him up, speaking with a half-smile:
"Is the person who hired you really that stingy? They couldn't even be bothered to put a curse on you or something?"
The assassin dangled limply in Muen’s grip. With his limbs shattered and his organs ruptured by the shockwaves, there was nothing he could do.
He couldn't even kill himself. At the thought of his failure and the interrogation and torture he would face at the hands of his target, a look of profound terror finally washed over his blood-stained, trembling face.
Or so it should have been.
But Muen didn't see terror. Instead, a bizarre, eerie smile crept across the assassin's blood-slicked lips.
He’s smiling?
Why?
Could it be...
"Watch out!"
"Young Master Muen!"
Two cries of alarm rang out simultaneously with the death warning in Muen’s mind.
It felt like a needle pricking his nerves.
Muen’s pupils snapped to the side, and he saw the other person standing nearby.
The person he had overlooked.
The waiter.
The waiter who, in Muen’s perception, had also seemed like a perfectly ordinary person.
But with a crisp click, an inconspicuous bracelet on the waiter’s wrist shattered.
In an instant, a terrifying aura exploded outward as if it had been suppressed for an eternity!
Third-Tier!
Unlike the "clumsy" method of the first man, who had simply emptied his body of mana and fighting spirit, the waiter had used an expensive magic device to hide a level of power that was an entire realm higher than Muen’s!
In other words, the first assassin was merely a feint.
The real main event was this waiter—the man who had pulled out Muen’s chair, poured his wine, and busied himself with various tasks, approaching Muen multiple times without ever revealing his hand. He had waited until Muen’s attention was diverted, until his guard was at its lowest...
Only then did the waiter strike!
And when he did, he was as swift as a thunderbolt.
The sharp dagger in his hand closed the distance to Muen’s chest in an instant, once again aiming straight for the heart!
There was no way to dodge.
"Dammit!"
Muen cursed inwardly. The heat from the Alchemy Core on his back became intense as he pushed the time dilation to its absolute limit of sixty-fold.
He was prepared to go all out.
But at that moment, a faint hum vibrated through the air.
This caused Muen’s desperate countermove to grind to a halt.
A faint, holy golden light suddenly interposed itself in front of the waiter, causing his movements to stagnate for a fraction of a second.
A fraction of a second was all Muen needed.
With a contorted expression, Muen’s figure blurred.
Like a video suddenly set to fast-forward, his movements almost looked comical.
But in that lightning-fast interval, he successfully twisted his body to avoid the lethal blow. The dagger that should have been fatal merely grazed across his chest instead of piercing it.
It still left a deep, clear gash. Muen was furious.
"Goddammit! You bastards... just how much...
...do you fucking love my pecs?!"
A pure white arc reflected the candlelight as Elizabeth appeared in Muen’s hand, plunging into the chest of the stunned waiter.
...
The waiter collapsed to the floor, his life force completely extinguished.
This time, no third assassin appeared.
Sean reacted quickly, summoning men to immediately lock down the entire restaurant.
The terrifying assassination attempt had finally come to an end.
Muen slumped into a chair, panting heavily.
He looked down at his chest and let out a bitter laugh.
What a mess.
He’d just come out for a meal, and not only did he get jumped, but his pecs had nearly been carved into pieces.
Are you all really that jealous of my chest? Even Her Highness the Princess praised these muscles!
"You... you're hurt!"
Just as he was grumbling to himself, a panicked voice—one that sounded like a nightingale and had forgotten its disguise—rang out in front of him.
Muen looked up in surprise to see the Musician Miss standing before him. She was looking at his blood-drenched chest with extreme anxiety.
"Don't... don't move. I'll heal you right now!"
"Wait, there's no need..."
Muen tried to refuse. The wound looked gruesome, but for him, it wasn't actually a major issue.
But the Musician Miss gave him no chance to decline. She knelt directly in front of him and reached out. From between her slender fingers, an incredibly pure Holy Light began to flow.
"Holy Light of this caliber..."
Watching the wound on his chest knit back together at a visible rate and feeling the tranquility brought by the pure light, Muen looked down, staring at the face that was still shrouded in mist.
He couldn't help but sigh and say softly:
"It really is you, Classmate Liya."