I Became the Husband of a Sword Demon

The projectile, more precisely a paralyzing spell-casting arrow, was not difficult to deflect. However, when I inadvertently let out a groan due to the pain caused by gathering refined hostility from the slightly damaged core, the reaction from Asulin nearby was dramatic.

Even though I was extracting mana from the damaged core to squeeze out hostility, it wasn’t life-threatening. There were no notable side effects other than the delay in core recovery, yet the response was intense.

Considering that only one person was involved, her reaction was hotter and denser than what dozens of people might show.

“Are… Are you alright?!”

Throwing away the image of the commanding figure who led the heavy knight corps with a shout, Asulin swiftly approached me to check my condition.

“If you say you’re fine, then you must be…”

Katarina sighed lightly, trying to stop me, but—

“Medic! Someone, bring either one of them here immediately!”

Asulin didn’t seem to hear my dismissal or Katarina’s attempts to stop me, so she rushed to find a medic and healer amidst the battlefield, which seemed urgent.

Her expression looked desperate, and her green eyes, lost and wavering slightly, were filled with a peculiar emotion.

It was strange seeing Asulin flustered over someone who hadn’t suffered much, and it tickled something inside my chest. But taking advantage of her kindness to steal the chance of those needing immediate treatment would be unreasonable.

“I’m fine.”

I suppressed the numbness in my dantian and spoke clearly to Asulin, pressing down lightly on her left shoulder with my left hand.

Physical stimulation can be very effective in snapping someone out of panic, regardless of the intensity.

As expected, Asulin responded in a way that matched my expectations.

“Y-You’re really alright?”

Her eyes, once trembling without direction, now stabilized as she repeatedly asked about my condition.

“You’ve survived battles with far worse injuries. If you start complaining here, who knows what mockery you’d face.”

I retorted firmly, a smile breaking through, and saw Asulin’s unease ease instantly at my laughter.

But it seemed she had no intention of letting my relief linger.

Whoosh—!

Another arrow whizzed past, coming from an ambiguous direction, still carrying the paralyzing spell and with greater speed than the first.

Whoom!

Before the arrow could serve as a projectile, Asulin stood in front of me, wielding her greatsword with a look of annoyance, creating a wind that sent the arrow crashing to the ground.

…It occurred to me I could do the same if I tried.

“Come out. Shooting arrows like this is ridiculous.”

Asulin’s voice, furious and cold, echoed on the battlefield, a sound I rarely heard even there.

She had never been so angry when I appeared wearing a helmet to assassinate her. Hiding and shooting arrows had truly upset her.

Whether this threat worked or not—

“Heh heh. Doing things that don’t suit your nature makes you get caught easily.”

A gruff voice, unsuitable for assassination, came from a distance.

Thud!

“Frankly, this is a ridiculous act.”

The figure revealed itself, cloaked in a robe, making it hard to discern its appearance.

Click!

Asulin gripped her greatsword tightly, ready to engage the opponent, but—

Tap-tap-tap!

Someone moved faster than Asulin, stepping forward.

“Who are you?!”

Katarina, shouting with a force that seemed impossible from a woman, drew her blade and charged towards the hooded figure.

During the Succession War, she always thwarted my plans to bind or knock Asulin down, accompanied by knights.

Though her passionate words belied her unwavering stance in wielding her blade, her strikes were precise and powerful.

“Hmph.”

Despite the lack of emotion, the figure raised its right hand, as if nothing had happened.

“Wench. I have no business with you. Go to sleep.”

With these words, the figure closed the gap between us and Katarina in an instant.

“…!!”

“Did I not tell you to go to sleep?!”

Before Katarina could react, the figure struck her jaw with a punch.

Though not a strong blow, it hit her perfectly as she was charging forward, causing her to stumble and fall.

“Katarina!!”

Asulin exclaimed, using her nickname, her concern evident.

“I don’t kill those I have no business with recklessly.”

The figure’s gravelly voice confirmed that Katarina, though unconscious, was breathing steadily.

As Asulin checked Katarina’s condition, a slight relief washed over her face.

“But, you, mad with the sword. You aren’t.”

The figure, revealing itself by removing the hood, showed us its face.

‘Shit.’

Seeing its face, I barely maintained my composure, glaring at it.

Its countless scars made even someone accustomed to war gasp, but the faint mark on its bald head told me exactly what kind of person it was.

“Is it okay for an assassin from the League to show their face like this?”

I shot back, knowing its identity.

“This face, this voice, are all fake. I took off the hood because it was uncomfortable.”

The figure’s calm, unwavering voice dismissed any effect my mockery might have had.

“Like a worthless wretch, this lowborn from the Sword Mansion said you’d kill her for a hefty fee, a nameless assassin from the League.”

“Looks like she was abandoned in an orphanage without a name because her parents couldn’t even give her one.”

Pff—

I laughed. At that moment, Asulin’s sharp tongue made me burst into laughter, despite myself.

There were times in the alleys when I was called a nameless orphan, and I usually just ignored such remarks.

“—”

The bald figure before us seemed to have taken Asulin’s provocation well.

Rumble—

It emitted such a thick aura that it felt like a real assassination.

Compared to the raw savagery of demons, it was bearable, but the aura emanating from a human body was quite intimidating.

“Hahahaha!!!”

Laughing, but his laughter contained a dense, needle-like aura, a mix of joviality and malice.

Though he lied about his name, his intense aura and confident appearance made it clear he wasn’t just any assassin.

That’s why I observed him carefully, keeping my distance.

Asulin, however, wasted no time and charged directly at him.

“…I’ve seen scum like you provoke me before dying.”

Watching Asulin rush towards him, the man stopped laughing and growled menacingly.

Bang!

He charged at Asulin forcefully.

The world is vast indeed.

Even though I struggled to control time, it always offered me immense power in dire situations.

I believed only Asulin could move freely in those split seconds.

“Ha ha ha ha!!!”

It turned out another entity could traverse those moments just as freely, threatening Asulin’s life.

Fortunately, despite the man’s terrifying attacks, Asulin dodged them skillfully.

“Uuung—!!”

The sound of her blade slicing through flesh and blood echoed across the cold ground.

“Gak! Tch!”

The man, whose strikes were all blocked by Asulin, retreated quickly after being counterattacked.

Blood mixed with saliva indicated he had suffered internal injuries from Asulin’s counterattack.

“F*ck. Even if I take a lot, I shouldn’t lose everything.”

His words, delivered aggressively, suggested he wasn’t seriously injured.

What should I do? Since he ambushed us, I doubted Asulin would be angry if I helped.

Given how difficult it would be for Asulin alone to subdue him, I thought joining in would be appropriate.

As I pondered, I noticed Asulin shaking her head slightly.

Her silent gesture clearly meant “don’t interfere.”

It wasn’t just a competitive desire to join the fight; she clearly didn’t want me getting hurt, especially since I couldn’t perform at my best.

When she faced the man, her vibrant green eyes read my intentions, and she shook her head subtly.

Why ask? I had already shown desperation when I groaned from the pain, and she almost cried.

Didn’t she care if I got hurt?

Even as I thought this, I wanted to send her a look saying, “I don’t want you to worry.”

But—

“F*ck. Even if I’m a beggar, if I don’t get as much as I put in, I’ll starve. I need to play dirty too!”

The man spat out blood, speaking with unexpected seriousness despite his sinister appearance.

“Come!”

He stood arrogantly, gesturing with his right hand, challenging Asulin.

Unlike when she looked at me with earnest eyes, her gaze at the man was fierce.

The decisive factor that solidified her title as the Sword Demon.

Rumble—

As Asulin’s aura surged, her greatsword glowed blue, matching her hair color.

‘Here she goes.’

Seeing her raise her sword and the concentration of hostility on her blade, I knew what she intended.

In the final days of the Succession War, she had single-handedly defeated Behemoth, the ground king, who had swarmed from the Zakarat Mountains, turning the battlefield into chaos.

Behemoth, cut in half by Asulin, was a sight witnessed by many, immortalized in song.

Heavenly Collapse Slash (天崩斬).

The name, though somewhat presumptuous, described the attack that shattered the sky.

Everyone present, regardless of allegiance, remained silent, acknowledging her prowess.

Even I, who witnessed it firsthand, knew the significance.

My heightened awareness allowed me to perceive every detail of Asulin’s Heavenly Collapse Slash.

The presumptuous assassin’s eyes couldn’t even grasp Asulin’s presence, let alone her strike.

Asulin’s greatsword descended with overwhelming speed, far surpassing the man’s perception.

It was a death sentence, unavoidable.

‘Got you.’

Without hesitation, Asulin’s blade aimed to split the arrogant assassin’s body vertically.

Boom!

“Cough—!!”

But before the blade could strike, the man’s powerful fist, charged with his aura, hit Asulin’s sternum faster and more accurately.

Asulin screamed and stepped back, the last thing I perceived before my awareness ended.

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