Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 184 The Contradictory Assassin

In the midst of extreme pain and blurred consciousness, Thales seemed to sense something.

He felt it; he seemed to be breaking down.

The cracking sounds inside the body became increasingly clear.

Thales was in so much pain that he couldn't speak. He just kept his eyes tightly closed and vaguely felt the little rascal's arms holding his head.

Her tears fell onto his face, mingling with her own nosebleed, and seeped into his mouth, which was agape in pain.

Slightly fishy and salty.

He really wanted to open his mouth and comfort her.

But waves of intense pain were continuously emanating from his head, chest, heart, abdomen, thighs, and other parts of his body.

Thales trembled in pain, drenched in cold sweat, and was on the verge of losing consciousness.

Ashida's words echoed in my ears:

[You must stop using magic power—I don't want you to become a corpse before you even become a magic user.]

And regarding the Black Sword:

Overuse of legendary anti-magic weapons will place a tremendous strain on the body... and could be dangerous.

Magical energy out of control...

Legendary anti-magic weaponry...

Both of those fatal flaws are present.

This time, however, he showed no signs of improving on his own.

There was no doctor like Ramon by his side.

It seems...

In his pain, Thales thought to himself as he lay dying.

I did something amazing.

Is it over?

"Ahhh-"

As the pain intensified, his groans gradually grew louder.

Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, he groaned incessantly, his consciousness grew increasingly blurred, and his limbs twitched unconsciously.

The little rascal's tears fell faster and faster.

It's getting darker and darker in front of me.

He even started experiencing tinnitus and couldn't hear his own screams anymore.

Until Thales vaguely heard the little rascal's exclamation.

He vaguely sensed that someone was lifting him up.

Several strong pressure points came from my chest.

A strange vibration seeped into his skin.

A strange, stimulating sensation suddenly rose within him!

The sins of the River of Prisons!

Thales snapped out of his daze.

Waves of power surged through his body as the force of death washed over him.

However... wherever the River of Hell's sins reached, the excruciating pain suddenly intensified!

"Aaaaaah!" Thales screamed in agony, his head thrown back.

How could this be?
But then he suddenly realized: his tinnitus had disappeared.

He could hear his own howling.

then……

The chilling, terrifying cracking sound slowly faded away.

Every part of his body gradually recovered after the terrible pain brought on by the sin of the River of Hell.

Until his vision returned.

The pain completely disappeared.

Thales was panting heavily, trembling all over, looking at the terrified little rascal.

He turned his head.

He looked at the other person squatting beside him.

The man carrying a strange black sword was covered in wounds and looked terrible.

"You even know how to heal?" Thales asked Black Sword, panting heavily and sounding almost like he was dying. "You're really... versatile."

Black Sword gave a completely humorless snort.

“It’s not healing,” he slapped Thales hard on the shoulder, causing the latter to cough violently, “it’s just using the same power of termination to stimulate your own life force.”

"This will quickly repair your body's damage at the cost of energy and physical strength—of course, it's best not to use it too much, I suspect it will shorten your lifespan."

Thiels coughed, and with the help of the little rascal, sat up, wiping away a cold sweat.

He felt more joyful than ever before that being alive and breathing was such a wonderful thing.

“As I said, the overuse of legendary anti-magic weapons…” Black Sword tightened the burlap bandage on his left arm a little, and said calmly, “You’ve seen the consequences.”

Thales touched his chest, still shaken, and wiped away the blood from his nose.

Perhaps it's not just the legendary anti-magic weaponry.

He said it to himself quietly.

“This could very well cost you your life,” Black Sword paused, a sorrowful look on his face, “the most painful way to die.”

Thales frowned, looking at the black sword: "You've seen it before?"

In that instant, Thales clearly felt the temperature around the black sword drop sharply, and the little rascal even let out a "Ah!"

His eyes became incredibly terrifying.

Thales felt a chill run down his spine, wondering if he had asked the wrong question.

However, Black Sword remained silent for a few seconds and ultimately did not answer.

“Okay,” Thales stuck out his tongue and chuckled awkwardly, “thank you.”

Black Sword remained silent, simply staring coldly at him.

Just as the atmosphere became awkward, Black Sword suddenly sighed.

"You're welcome," the man said with a slight smile. "I'm not doing this for free."

Thales was taken aback.

Black Sword narrowed his eyes and raised his hand: "And as the price for saving your life—perhaps many lives—..."

Thales' eyes widened.

He watched as the black sword reached out its hand.

It reached out to his feet.

"I'll take this thing."

Then, without any hesitation, the black sword grabbed the now dimmed Blade of Purification.

Under Thales's incredulous gaze, Black Sword sheathed the Blade of Purification back into his waistband.

He suddenly frowned slightly, and his tone changed: "No, it was originally mine."

Black Sword sighed: "It seems I really am doing this for free."

Thales looked at the Black Sword with a grim expression, then at the Blade of Purification, hesitating in his heart.

This is a legendary anti-magic weapon...

Moreover, if we were facing Ashida, having this thing in hand...

However, the person in front of him was Black Sword.

The Brotherhood's legendary assassin.

It could also be a bloody year...

Finally, Thales couldn't help but speak up: "Well, actually, if this thing is only effective in my hands, it's not really useful for you to have it..."

The little rascal on the side nodded in agreement.

But the black sword suddenly looked up.

His icy gaze froze Thales's face, and he paused, speechless.

“But,” Thales forced his jaw to stop, swallowing the words that were about to come out, and said with a grin, “after all, you saved my life…”

Black Sword gazed at him silently, a knowing smile in his eyes that made Thales uneasy.

“This is an unregistered legendary anti-magic weapon,” Black Sword said.

Thales' eyes widened: So what?

“Believe me,” Black Sword took a breath and said calmly, “the danger of keeping it with you far outweighs the benefits it can bring you.”

Thales frowned in frustration.

"correct."

"Regarding the Sin of the River of Hell," Black Sword shook his head, changing the subject, "you'd better not use it again after tonight."

Upon hearing the name, Thales looked puzzled: "Why?"

“As I said, this is a cursed power, and there is always a price to pay,” Black Sword’s expression slowly darkened. “And unlike other powers of destruction, you can only enhance it through special methods.”

Thales's heart skipped a beat: "What method?"

Black Sword stared at him silently, as if trying to see through his face.

Finally, the black sword spoke:

“Death,” he said calmly.

Thales' eyes widened: "What?"

The little rascal next to him also curiously looked up.

"The state of hovering between life and death will maximize your potential," Black Sword continued to explain, a strange cold light flashing in his eyes. "This is also the only chance to unleash and enhance the Sin of the River of Hell—daily practice alone is useless."

Thales gaped, speechless.

die?

“There’s a reason it’s called the Sin of the River of Hell,” Black Sword said, extending a finger and poking Thales’ chest. His words were calm, yet chilling: “Only those who have survived death are qualified to wield and control it.”

"People like us have all escaped certain death and struggled to survive."

Thales's doubts deepened.

“We should have left this world forever, but we have repeatedly deceived the ferryman of the River of Hell, escaping the call of death at the last second,” Black Sword said in a rather somber tone. “Therefore, our existence is the sin of the River of Hell, proof that it has failed to properly govern death.”

"This is the sin of the River of Hell."

Thales shuddered slightly, as if remembering something: "The River of Hell?"

“These are stories and legends spread among the people during the imperial era, when the Church of the Bright God was at its peak,” the sly one said with interest. “The River of Hell is the opposite of the sun and governs death.”

Black Sword frowned slightly.

The little rascal got excited and his eyes lit up: "In contrast to the sun that hangs high in the sky and brings life to all things, the River of Hell flows eternally in the unfathomable depths of the earth, constantly gathering and devouring the souls of the dead, washing away the filth of the world, and balancing the world's life and death."

"Legend has it that there was a ferryman on the Hell River who rowed a small boat adorned with bells to guide all the souls of the dead into the Hell River."

Thales listened, completely stunned.

"Guiding the souls of the dead?"

Thales turned his head, glanced around, and sighed, "Looks like he's going to be very busy today."

"Anyway, that's how it's written in Chapter Two of the 'Edict of the Holy Emperor of Ming'," the little rascal said with relish.

"It also records the original words of the Supreme God when assigning duties to the sun and the River of Hell during the creation of all things: 'You are the red sun, unreachable high, you shall illuminate life, initiate all things, and be the most holy in the world; you are the black river, unfathomable deep, you shall devour death, end all things, and become the ultimate hell of this world.'..."

Just as she was about to launch into another long speech, Black Sword spoke up decisively. "So, don't get caught up in the boost that power brings you," the man said slowly. "First of all, the Sin of the River of Hell often unleashes power beyond the body's capacity."

“Secondly,” Black Sword gave him a deep look, “we can’t always escape death.”

Under the gaze of the black sword, Thales felt a slight chill in his heart.

"And what about you?" he couldn't help but ask, "How many times have you faced 'death' to achieve your current skills?"

Black Sword narrowed his eyes, his expression shifting slightly.

"Enough."

His words were simple, concise, and authentic.

Black Sword suddenly moved, and he slowly stood up.

"The people from Dragon Sky City are almost here," Black Sword tightened his grip on his two weapons and sighed slowly, "Dawn will break soon, and tonight will end here."

"Little one, we'll meet again sometime."

Black Sword turned around.

Thales watched his retreating figure, thinking about his first encounter with this man that night.

Whether it was the duel with the Air Mage on Sky Cliff, the final battle with the Blood Mage on the street, or even the talk about "the strong" and the Sin of the River of Hell, all of these left a deep impression on Thales.

His kind.

This was the only person he had ever met who showed no fear or apprehension in the face of a mage, who did not panic or run away, and who had nothing but boundless faith.

Even without the legendary anti-magic weaponry.

Even if he is just an ordinary human being.

Even though he had narrowly escaped death countless times and was on the verge of death.

But he still rushed to the battlefield without hesitation.

It seems that nothing can defeat him except himself.

Suddenly, an impulse made Thales eager to know the answer to a certain question.

"You're not an assassin!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Thales clearly saw the usually calm and collected Black Sword suddenly tremble violently!
“Is that so?” the second prince blurted out, “In the bloody year, the assassin who tried to kill the crown prince at the Palace of Restoration… wasn’t you?”

However, after asking the question, Thales regretted it, realizing he had acted impulsively.

The little rascal stared in surprise, looking at Black Sword, then at Thales, and covered his mouth with both hands.

Black Sword's back remained frozen for a long time.

Until he slowly turned around.

It resembles an old, decaying tree.

"You heard what Ashida said, didn't you?" Black Sword revealed his profile and asked in a low voice.

Thales opened his mouth, but after weighing his options for a moment, he slowly nodded with mixed feelings.

"Then how dare you ask?" Black Sword emphasized, making one's heart tremble. "If I were the assassin who tried to kill the Crown Prince... you would be in danger right now."

Thales felt the little rascal beside him tremble slightly.

"So, you really aren't an assassin, are you?" Thales asked cautiously.

Black Sword remained silent for three seconds before speaking, "Why do you think that?"

Thales swallowed hard and regulated his breathing.

“Everyone says you’re a ruthless, unprincipled, and terrifying swordsman, and supposedly the infamous leader of the Black Street Brotherhood,” he observed Black Sword’s expression carefully. “But that’s not what I see.”

"You seem cold, ruthless, opportunistic, and unscrupulous."

The black sword remained motionless.

Thales sighed and continued:

"But on the Cliff of the Sky, even though she used me to hold Ashida back, she didn't forget to save my life in the end."

“When he was chasing us, you told me and Ramon to go first, and you stayed behind to cover our retreat.”

“When Ashida grabbed the little rascal and threatened me, you stood up for me without hesitation.”

"When I was being pulled away by the tentacles, you risked your life to save me."

"After obtaining the Blade of Purification, you told me that we have a responsibility to use it to end the magic masters for the destroyed cities and the lives sacrificed."

"Even if you know that our operation to seal away magic masters may very well come at the cost of your life."

"But you still went without hesitation."

"And when I agreed, you said in an approving tone: You truly are a shining star."

Thales paused for a moment, looking at Black Sword's profile.

Under the setting moonlight, the man with two swords hanging at his waist looked forlorn and dejected.

This gave Thales a lot of confidence to continue speaking.

“Everything tells me that you’re not as you appear, or as people say,” Thales said, mustering his courage. “At least, you should be a good person to the people of this city.”

“I’ve seen people like that,” Thales said in a low voice, his eyes flashing with a picture of a dashing girl wielding twin swords, wearing a bodysuit and goggles: “She too, in the most corrupt environments, held fast to her principles.”

“Someone like you,” he took a deep breath, watching Black Sword’s retreating figure, “would really become an assassin… to assassinate the Starry Sky royal family…”

"To throw the entire Star Kingdom into turmoil and chaos," Thales said through gritted teeth, "and even drag millions of people into the quagmire of war and the abyss of turmoil?"

"or……"

"Do you have some unavoidable difficulty?"

Black Sword remained silent.

The little rascal didn't dare utter a single breath.

Thales watched him quietly.

After an unknown amount of time, Black Sword took a deep breath and exhaled evenly.

He turned around abruptly!
This startled Thales and the little rascal.

“You don’t know me, little guy,” Black Sword’s expression was terrifying, his eyes filled with a chilling coldness. “And don’t presume to know my past.”

"And don't be so arrogant as to think you have the whole situation under control—"

The next moment, Black Sword, his face grim, moved his right hand.

Thales was startled!
Suddenly, he felt a chill in his throat.

The little rascal cried out in surprise.

Thales stared at him, stunned: Black Sword held out his right arm, facing him directly.

And that strange black longsword was already held against Thales' neck.

The tip of the sword was only an inch from the skin.

The wind from the sword only then brushed past his neck.

"How do you know I won't turn on you right away?"

Black Sword said indifferently, his expression as heavy and cold as a glacier that had stood for millennia, unyielding.

Thales was so frightened he couldn't speak.

The chill emanating from the sword's edge made him tremble slightly.

“Listen up, Thales Star,” Black Sword said, raising his longsword with a fierce look in his eyes, his voice icy, “Your Highness, the pitiful and pathetic prince of the Star Kingdom.”

Thales felt a chill run down his spine and was filled with deep regret.

"Twelve years ago that day," Black Sword said in a somber tone, his eyes flashing with a fierce light, like a wild beast ready to devour its prey, "it was indeed me..."

"Holding the sword with my own hands..."

"It was stabbed at Midil Shining Star."

The man's expression was sinister, and the tip of his sword rotated slightly.

"Your former eldest son."

"And I did it willingly, and I have never regretted it."

Thales stared blankly at the assassin's expression, his mind a complete mess.

The next moment, the black sword instantly retracted into its longsword.

He turned around and disappeared from their sight.

The little rascal's legs went weak, and he knelt down beside Thales, trembling as he clung tightly to him.

"It's okay, don't be afraid."

Thales touched his throat with lingering fear.

"He left already."

Black Sword was gone, but it left countless questions in his mind.

The identity of the Black Sword.

The Black Sword's actions.

Black Sword's attitude.

An assassin whose hands were once stained with the blood of stars, and a ruthless gang leader.

Thinking of the notorious Black Street Brotherhood, the countless children who had died unjustly in the past four years, and Quaid, Rick, and Maurice, Thales clenched his fists.

Black sword.

Is he their leader?
But this man also had another face, one that was completely out of place with this identity.

Knowing one's own identity.

He risked his life to save and protect himself.

Faced with the crisis in Dragon Sky City and the terror of the magic masters, he stepped forward without hesitation.

How can there be such contradictory people in the world?

Thales stared blankly at the retreating figure of the black sword.

At that moment, he suddenly felt that the back of this ordinary man was so lonely and desolate.

It was filled with indescribable sorrow.

Thales sighed, feeling as if his head had grown even bigger.

He sat there for several minutes until he felt he had regained some strength, then he and the little rascal helped each other to their feet.

With heavy hearts, they walked out of the street, following the still relatively intact road surface.

Just now.

"boom!"

A huge tremor came from underground!
Both Thales and the little rascal were knocked down.

Thales barely managed to regain his balance, and before he could even be surprised, he and the little rascal both fell down again.

"Boom!"

A huge, blood-red tentacle burst forth from the ground beside them.

Then came the second one, the third one...

A gigantic monster, its entire body composed of crimson limbs, with no discernible head or tail, emerged from the ground!

It extended more than a dozen huge tentacles, one of which slammed down hard.

"boom!"

A half-collapsed house was smashed to pieces!

Amidst the dissipating dust, Thales stared blankly at the multi-headed snake before him, which was still lively and showed no signs of weakness: How could this be?

Giza...

Wasn't it already sealed away?
How can it be?

(End of this chapter)