The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1182

 Chapter 1182

 

“What?”

Raon tilted his head slightly as he looked back at Envy.

“Not Burren, but Martha caught your interest more?”

There had been a time during their trainee days when Burren became the embodiment of envy, watching Raon’s every move and constantly challenging him.

He had displayed envy even more intense than Mustan’s, so Raon had thought that no matter how much Burren had grown, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to be chosen by Envy.

Yet Envy, instead of Burren, licked her lips while looking at Martha, as if she were more drawn to her than Burren.

Since a connection between Martha and envy was something Raon hadn't considered at all, he was slightly flustered.

“Strictly speaking, if we’re talking about envy alone, that mage bitch over there would be the right one.”

Envy pointed at Evelyn, who was smiling beside Martha.

“She gives off such a thick stench of envy that it sends chills down my spine. And it’s the real thing.”

She smacked her lips again, saying that Evelyn was far more qualified to become her apostle.

“But that bitch is already stained with filthy lust, so I don’t want to give her my authority.”

Envy frowned, as if she didn’t get along well with Lust.

“I can handle it, though?”

Evelyn curled her red lips as if she could handle the envy even if it were handed to her.

“I don’t like you. Besides, you cannot handle my power.”

Envy snorted roughly.

“If you hadn’t received Lust’s <Lust>, you could’ve handled my power. But since <Lust> has already taken root in you, if you were to gain my envy as well, your soul would be crushed and burst apart.”

She shook her head roughly, saying that no matter how much Evelyn was a mage who had reached Transcendence, she could not receive the authorities of two Demon Kings.

“But I heard Raon received multiple powers?”

Evelyn raised a finger and pointed at Raon.

“This one is different.”

Envy frowned as she looked at Raon. Her expression kept shifting, as if even she found it absurd.

“He is different from humans, and different from Demon Kings. His body and soul should have burst and died a long time ago. I don’t know where that damn bastard Wrath found a vessel like this…”

Clicking her tongue, Envy said that this was a result that only Raon could produce across all dimensions.

“In any case, that Wrath bastard is the problem.”

Even while acknowledging Raon’s abnormal abilities, she cursed Wrath and stomped her foot.

Why….

Wrath’s round fists trembled violently.

Why is the King of Essence getting cursed again! He really didn’t do anything!

He hadn’t done a thing, yet kept getting cursed, and he shouted loudly as if it were unfair.

“That’s enough chatter.”

Raon pushed his hand between Envy and Evelyn.

“You’re saying you can pass your power on to Martha, right?”

He pointed to Martha, who was standing blankly behind them.

“Actually, what I see isn’t exactly envy. It’s another emotion.”

Envy slowly swept her gaze over Martha and scratched her snow-white chin.

“Another emotion?”

“Competitive spirit.”

Her eyes gleamed sharply, like a swordsman’s.

“That bitch’s competitive spirit is on a level I’ve never seen before.”

Envy twisted her green hair around her finger.

“The desire to fight humans stronger than herself and to reach their might is similar to the envy I possess, so it looks like there’s plenty I can make use of.”

She smacked her lips at length, saying that Martha’s competitiveness seemed extremely useful.

““Competitive spirit….”

Raon nodded slightly as he looked back at Martha.

‘In that regard, no one can keep up with Martha.’

Since childhood, Martha had carried the resolve to never lose to anyone, and she was a swordswoman who had struggled to follow me to the very end.

No, she surely hadn’t given up even now and was still chasing after me.

The competitive spirit she had nurtured since her trainee days seemed to have grown enough to reach even Envy, the Demon King of Envy.

‘In fact, I also received Envy’s authority, but it didn’t awaken in the form of envy.’

He had also obtained the emotion of envy from Envy, but that power had awakened as a positive emotion called admiration. It seemed Martha was a similar case.

That’s right!

Wrath clapped so hard it rang in Raon’s ears.

Even the King of Essence acknowledges the beef girl’s competitive spirit!

He nodded, saying that Martha herself was practically the personification of the word “competitive spirit.”

‘It’s a bit of a shame for Burren, but it can’t be helped.’

I had thought that Burren would match extremely well with the authority of envy, so it was somewhat disappointing.

Still, since this gave Martha a chance to grow instead, it didn’t seem bad.

“Martha.”

Raon gestured to Martha behind him.

“You more or less understand, right?”

Having seen what happened with Dorian, Evelyn, and Runaan, he didn’t explain at length and simply called her forward.

“Like how Runaan gets stronger just by being herself?”

Martha nodded calmly, as if she already understood everything.

“Right. This woman is Envy, the Demon King of Envy. She says she’s interested in your competitive spirit.”

As he introduced Envy to Martha, Raon drew out the envy resting deep within his soul.

“The Demon King of Envy is interested in my competitive spirit?”

Martha tilted her head, as if she didn’t quite get it.

“Runaan matches extremely well with the <Sloth> she received from the Demon King of Sloth, but you don’t necessarily have to be faithful to that emotion. I also awakened envy in the form of admiration.”

Using his own case, Raon explained the Demon Kings’ emotions to Martha.

“I see.”

With just that brief explanation, Martha nodded, as if she had understood everything.

“Competitive spirit….”

After hearing the explanation with Martha, Burren clenched his fists so hard they bled. He looked disappointed that Martha had been chosen instead of him for her competitive spirit.

“Alright. I’ll take it.”

Martha nodded heavily as if she would give it a try.

“It pissed me off that Runaan, that idiot, keeps getting stronger just by sleeping!”

She pressed her lips together, saying she wanted to grow stronger faster by borrowing a Demon King’s power as well.

“Hmph. It’s not you choosing, I chose you. Be honored.”

Envy snorted and snapped her fingers. Two green snakes rose up around Martha’s wrist, biting each other’s tails and blooming into the same green flower bracelet Raon wore.

“Uuuugh!”

Martha immediately clutched her wrist, her entire body trembling as she felt Envy’s authority.

“My authority isn’t gentle like the others’. Especially since you’re receiving envy through competitive spirit, you’ll have to fight for your entire life.”

Envy licked her lips as if she found the current situation amusing and predictable.

“Fight for my entire life?”

Martha twisted her lips as she locked eyes with Envy.

“No. Your authority will soon be crawling beneath me.”

She accepted the pain instantly and flashed a refreshing smile.

“As expected, you’re interesting. Fine. I’ll be a bit more generous.”

Grinning, Envy snapped her fingers once more. The green flower bracelet embedded in Martha’s wrist shone with an even more vivid light.

“Ghh!”

Martha bent forward, unable to properly lift one shoulder as the pain intensified.

“Let’s see you endure it.”

Envy sneered and tilted her chin.

“…….”

Raon didn’t stop Envy and simply watched Martha struggle.

‘Looks like Martha really caught Envy’s eye.’

Envy had passed only a very small amount of <Envy> to Martha at first, but now she had bestowed a properly completed authority of <Envy>. Martha’s rebellious nature also seemed to please her.

“Fine. Just wait a bit…”

Martha smiled, baring her white teeth. She glared at Envy and growled like a beast, her resolve to never lose clearly visible.

“…….”

Watching that scene, Burren’s hand holding his sword trembled faintly. It seemed envy toward Martha and disappointment in himself had struck him at the same time.

“Hmm.”

Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at Burren.

‘I want to give Burren a Demon King’s authority too.’

But it doesn’t seem easy.

Most of my closest subordinates had already received Demon Kings’ authorities and were growing rapidly. I wanted to pass that power on to Burren as well, but for now, it seemed difficult.

‘Because the ones remaining aren’t ordinary.’

The remaining Demon Kings were the march of Greed, Greed, and the monarch of Pride, Pride.

Because both of them were rivals acknowledged by Wrath, obtaining the authorities of two Demon Kings was truly a difficult matter.

‘Especially Pride would be impossible.’

As for Greed, a very small ‘friendship’ had formed, so it might be possible, but I had never even seen Pride, and since he was tied to the Heavenly Demon of Eden, it didn’t seem likely he would give me his power.

‘Then that leaves only Greed.’

Raon let out a short sigh, agonizing over how to pass Greed’s <Greed> to Burren.

“That’s enough of that.”

After telling Martha how to use <Envy>, Envy returned to stand in front of Raon.

“What was that war with the archangels you mentioned earlier?”

She crooked her finger, as if genuinely interested and asking for a proper explanation.

“There’s someone trying to bring archangels down onto the continent. You probably know already….”

Certain that Envy knew about Derus, Raon began his explanation.

“Hoh! I see.”

Even as she listened, Envy showed no particular surprise or confusion. As Raon had felt earlier, she seemed to have anticipated the descent of the archangels to some extent.

“Alright. I’ll take part in that war. However….”

She raised a finger.

“Don’t interfere in my fights. And I’ll be taking spoils with me.”

Envy tilted her chin, as if she had something she was aiming for in the war against the archangels.

“I’ll allow it, as long as no harm comes to people.”

Raon nodded calmly.

“Then that settles it. Tell that bastard Wrath not to come out and to stay holed up.”

As Envy snapped her fingers as if preparing to leave, a green dimension opened behind her.

“When the war breaks out, break that bracelet while releasing <Envy>. Then this body shall personally grace you with its presence.”

She pointed at the green flower bracelet on Raon’s wrist.

“And….”

Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Martha, who was struggling under the authority of envy.

“The reason I was drawn to that bitch isn’t just because of her competitive spirit.”

Envy shook her head, saying that competitive spirit wasn't the only thing Martha possessed.

“Then….”

“She has quite a bit of envy as well. A very human, pure envy.”

She smacked her lips, saying it looked utterly delicious.

“Hey! Shut up and get lost!”

Martha ground her teeth, her face flushed red.

“I was leaving anyway. Keep being happily Envious.”

Envy waved her hand lightly and disappeared into the green dimensional gate. As she vanished, the massive demonic energy that had been wavering around them dissipated in an instant.

“Hoo….”

With Envy gone, Martha let out a thin sigh, seeming to find it easier to control the authority of envy.

“Now all that’s left is….”

Raon smiled faintly and turned to look toward the dragons behind him.

Kwaaaadududuk!

With a chilling sound of flesh tearing and bones shattering, the Dragon Lord’s long neck was severed in half and fell to the ground.

Kuuooooooo!

It seemed Bartius had manifested his true body and crushed the Lord’s neck with his massive jaws. In the Dragon Lord’s lifeless eyes, pain and shock remained frozen as they scattered.

Puuuuuh!

Bartius closed his eyes as the Lord’s blood poured over his entire body. His mana and soul were visibly growing at an explosive rate. Dragons were not supposed to possess the authority to devour their own kind, which made the sight all the more abnormal.

Resolve.

Wrath exclaimed as he looked at Bartius.

By killing with his own hands the leader of the tribe he respected more than anyone, and by accepting that leader’s sins himself so that such a mistake never happens again, that resolve has caused that dragon to grow.

He nodded, saying it was similar to a warrior awakening by falling into a trance.

Interesting. It’s been a long time since a proper dragon like this appeared.

Wrath nodded, acknowledging Bartius not as prey, but as the mediator of this continent.

“Haaa….”

Bartius returned from his true body to his human form and descended to the ground. Even in human shape, his entire body was soaked in blood.

“Raon Zieghart.”

Bartius stood before Raon, breathing roughly.

“Yes.”

Raon briefly closed his eyes and opened them again.

‘Now I should explain.’

Bartius and the adult dragons behind me were the ones who had started this war to stop the atrocities of the ancient dragons who had abandoned their duties as mediators. It felt right to explain, at least in part, my relationship with the Demon Kings to them.

“I—”

“Let me speak first. No, let us.”

Bartius stepped closer, straightening his bloodstained clothes. The four other dragons behind him also stood straight and looked at Raon.

“Thanks to you, we were able to stop the Lord’s sins. Thank you for allowing us dragons to remain as mediators of this continent.”

Bartius placed a hand on his chest and knelt.

“What…?”

Raon clamped his mouth shut, having been about to explain about the Demon Kings.

“We thank you, Raon Zieghart.”

The other four dragons knelt in the same posture behind Bartius, bowing their heads deeply.

“You all….”

The dragons, absolute beings and mediators of the continent, offering a human gesture of gratitude in human form delivered an overwhelming sense of emotion to Raon.

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