SWDnovel Chapter 12 Assassin
Chapter 12 Assassin
Gale gritted his teeth, looked around the hall like a wolf, and then took out the magic mirror and held it against the wall in front of him.
Just then, a ghostly green light flashed by, silent and incredibly fast, striking Gale directly in the back.
Tenor only had time to take half a step to the left to block Gale's side and back.
In the instant of transformation, he saw the change in the high-frequency burst state of the cold-blooded species—a ratman draped in a gray robe, its figure as faint as a thin mist, leaped backward with ghostly movements and swung its tail. At the same moment, the green short sword at the tip of its tail had already slashed at Tenor's chest.
A strange force, unlike anything that a rat-man's slender body could produce, instantly tore through his scales, and the eerie dagger further sliced through his flesh, the excruciating burning pain appearing only a moment later.
He finally understood why the mission to investigate the ratman clan was of extreme difficulty; these ratmen not only included the rabble he had seen in the first half of the night, but also powerful elite members.
Tenor's reason was overwhelmed by his frenzied bloodlust. His body, like a dying beast trapped in a cage, lunged at the ratman assassin, but the ratman had already used a backflip to instantly create distance and disappeared without a trace in the blink of an eye.
It was as if everything was an illusion, as if it had never happened.
Tenor struggled to suppress his violent instincts. Gale, having already set up the magic mirror, saw his companion's miserable state and was filled with shock and rage.
If Tenor hadn't sacrificed himself to block a sword, he would probably have died silently.
He quickly shielded Tenor behind him, his beast-shaped tattoos glowing with an unusual crimson hue. A frenzied violence seemed to burst from his pupils, his golden hair billowing wildly, and his voice roared like a golden lion.
"Who is it! Do you dare to stand up like a man!"
Come out! Coward!
In the name of Angela! I'll fucking crush your bones!
Only echoes responded to him.
Tenor almost fell back into human form, but he dared not end the transformation and used all his willpower to maintain his alienated form.
Because the previous blow had almost severed him from his left shoulder to his lower abdomen, the shredded internal organs were dripping out with the blood.
Fortunately, his abnormal state made him incredibly resilient. What would have been a fatal injury to an ordinary person seemed to have activated some kind of potential. Instead of worsening, his injury was healing at a much faster pace than ever before.
But there was definitely something wrong with that dagger; its malevolent energy clung to the wound, causing the newly healed flesh to quickly shatter.
His tenacious vitality was only keeping him alive; once he retreated into his fragile human body, he would die.
The echoes, layer upon layer, were oppressive. Had the assassin left? Or had he moved stealthily, like a tiger hunting in the forest?
Tenor turned his back to Gale, focusing on protecting his own side.
If the assassins launch another attack from an angle they haven't noticed, people will surely die tonight.
Fortunately, Tenor blocked the sword for Gale, allowing Gale to successfully mount the magic mirror on the wall, and reinforcements arrived soon after.
As the mirror shimmered, the adventurers appeared one after another. Seeing the chaotic scene in the hall, some gasped in shock, while others cursed, "Are we too late? Who beat us to it?"
Some eyes were also on the mutated Tenor. Reginald and the doctor rushed over, their incantations coming to an end, but the green light fell on Tenor without any reaction.
"Healing magic won't work!" Reginald didn't bother to examine Tenor's strange appearance. He forced himself to remain calm and looked around at the reagent bottles in the hall, but couldn't find anything that could solve his immediate problem.
Other adventurers, too busy to loot the spoils and fearing something might happen, gathered around to provide cover for the spellcasters.
Gail, in a loud voice, half-scolding and half-narrating, recounted the whole story, and a noisy buzz immediately filled the hall.
Tenor removed his magic amulet, worried that it might be blocking the healing spell. He said, "Can you help me stop the bleeding? I'm not feeling well." This was the first time he had spoken in his mutated form, and his tone was sinister and eerie, with dramatic inflections.
The hot-blooded warriors couldn't help but feel a chill run down their spines, as if they were seeing a snake speaking in human form, sending shivers down their spines.
The lively atmosphere suddenly turned into a deathly silence.
Reginald's expression shifted, a struggle crossing his face. "...Don't worry, you'll be alright. I'll definitely heal you...but..."
Before he could finish speaking, a more experienced doctor offered advice. After examining, smelling, and touching Tenor's wound up close, the doctor's furrowed brows relaxed with relief.
"This is a curse! Defeat it with the power of Haishi!"
Reginald was awakened, and the words stuck in his throat turned into crisp incantations.
A warm, hazy light of purification swept over Tenor, and he immediately felt much lighter, as if he had been pulled back from the brink of death.
The doctor prepared another treatment, and Tenor's wound healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Realizing he was out of danger, he ended his mutated form, and his once imposing and ferocious body shrank instantly, revealing a weak human form.
"Has the assassin left?"
"It's not here," a melodious, clear female voice answered. The usually taciturn elven deputy official looked grave. "Unless someone is willing to pay for your life, or you insist on publicly proclaiming their existence, there's no reason for Skaven assassins to keep an eye on your back."
"You know about them?" Tenor asked curiously.
If it were a clever elf skilled at reading people, they would have already detected obvious surprise and doubt in the deputy official's expression: "You don't know them?"
Her voice became resolute at the end.
Despite being surprised that this cold-blooded species, which was born even earlier than the elves, lacked the common sense of an ancient race, she had no intention of causing any trouble—who knew what unspeakable mission this lizardman was carrying out?
It's half-human? Haha, don't joke around. She doesn't believe that a mere magic potion can steal the secrets of the Old Gods' creation.
A half-human can be a dragon descendant or a snake species, but it can never be a lizardman—this kind of creature does not rely on bloodline reproduction at all.
These tough-skinned warriors are mentioned in the oldest records of Orrodlin.
Without exception, the fragments of words passed down by the ancient elven sages all advise future generations to avoid venturing into the territory of cold-blooded species, for they are strange in thought, mysterious in behavior, and cruel and ruthless.
"So what brilliant idea do you have?" Tenor wanted to ask more, but the elf didn't say a word and just kept looking for medicine.
"Lotte has always been like this, we all call her a weirdo... Well, she's definitely not human, and every word you say could insult her noble but sensitive dignity, so there's really no need to communicate with her," Reginald chimed in with a chuckle.
With a whoosh, the arrow slid almost past Reginald's crotch.
The elf, bow slung over his shoulder, gave him a cold look. Reginald raised his hands in surrender and muttered to Tenor, "Look, I bet she's not popular in Orodlin's social circles either!"
Perhaps only the elves know that even such a faint sound can be heard clearly by them.
Seeing that the madwoman was about to shoot another arrow at Reginald, and to prevent this "know-it-all" from dying young, Tenor sighed and casually blocked him.
"Which bottle contains the sublimation reagent? Don't forget our agreement." Despite the unexpected turn of events, obtaining the reagent without bloodshed is still a great achievement.
Reginald's subtle changes in expression could not be hidden from the beast-like sensitivity of Tenor. His heart sank to the bottom. Could it be that something unexpected had happened again?