Timeless Assassin

Chapter 1157: The Curse Of Immortality

(Within The Fourth Dimension, Kaelith’s POV)

The longer the battle dragged onward, the more unsettled Kaelith became by the complete lack of fear shown by the Cult Demi Gods surrounding him.

Because despite the twin Origin Daggers resting within his hands, the legendary weapons once wielded by the Timeless Assassin himself, none of the four opponents attacking him displayed the instinctive caution that most Gods developed the moment those blades appeared on a battlefield.

And that, more than anything else, disturbed him deeply.

’Why are they not afraid of receiving a permanent injury?’

Kaelith wondered, as throughout the countless years of his existence, Kaelith had witnessed even veteran Gods subconsciously hesitate while facing Origin Weapons, because every God understood what those blades truly represented.

And yet these four Demi Gods continued attacking relentlessly as though the daggers in his hands were merely ordinary weapons.

’Is it just pure courage? Or is it something deeper?’

Kaelith wondered, as while comparing himself against the Cult warriors surrounding him, he slowly realized that unlike them, he instinctively flinched every single time Leo charged toward him with the Origin Dagger in hand.

Not because he feared Leo himself.

But because he feared the blade.

And yet strangely enough, that same instinctive hesitation was completely absent from the younger Demi Gods surrounding him.

As, even while Kaelith continuously flashed across the battlefield with the twin Origin Daggers passing only inches away from their bodies during countless exchanges, Veyr and Leonardo still committed themselves fully into every attack without the slightest trace of fear or hesitation.

While Dumpy was even worse.

The gigantic frog practically fought like a complete lunatic.

Several times already, Kaelith’s daggers narrowly missed vital regions on Dumpy’s body by mere centimeters, and yet the corrosive beast showed absolutely no concern whatsoever, as instead of retreating or becoming cautious, he only attacked more aggressively with every passing minute.

"RIBBIT!"

*BOOOOM*

Dumpy’s gigantic blade smashed downward once more while poison fumes endlessly flooded the surrounding dimensional layers, as Kaelith blocked the strike before instantly twisting sideways to evade Leo’s Origin Dagger appearing beside his throat moments later.

*FLASH*

Kaelith blocked that strike too before Leonardo attacked from the side a split second later, followed by Dumpy charging once more without pause—

As the cycle then repeated itself all over again, almost endlessly and relentlessly.

Until eventually, while continuously deflecting attacks arriving from every direction around him, Kaelith finally began understanding the true reason behind their fearlessness.....

"That’s right...."

He muttered to himself.

’These Demi Gods have only ascended recently.

They have not yet learned how precious immortality truly is....’

Kaelith thought internally, as another clash erupted between himself and Leo.

’You cannot fear losing something you’ve never truly possessed.

That’s why they fight like demons!’

He realized, as the realization unsettled him far more than he expected.

Because unlike him, these Demi Gods still fought with the instincts of Monarchs.

They still approached battle with the mentality of mortals who could lose limbs, suffer wounds, and die permanently from almost any exchange throughout their entire lives.

To them, battle had always carried danger.

Which was precisely why Origin Weapons did not terrify them the same way they terrified older Gods.

Meanwhile Kaelith himself instinctively recoiled every single time Leo approached him with the Grudgekeeper Dagger, precisely because he now treasured this body like it was a pristine machine.

And as a result, his heartbeat accelerated whenever the Origin Blade entered his vicinity.

Because unlike these younger Demi Gods, Kaelith already understood exactly what permanent pain truly meant.

’Was this what I used to be like...?’

Kaelith suddenly wondered, as his daggers continuously exchanged blows against the four surrounding him.

’Two thousand five hundred years ago...’

’Was this why I fought so fearlessly back then?’

The thought shook him more than he cared admitting.

Because for the very first time in countless years, Kaelith began questioning whether immortality itself had slowly dulled his edge as a warrior.

After all, back then, before becoming a God, he too once fought without subconsciously calculating the consequences of every injury he suffered.

And perhaps...

That was precisely why he once felt stronger than he did now.

Because unlike these Demi Gods surrounding him, Kaelith now possessed something terrifyingly valuable to lose.

An endless future.

An eternity.

And perhaps because of that, he had unconsciously started fearing damage itself more than battle.

Meanwhile—

*CLANGGG*

Veyr’s sword suddenly collided against Kaelith’s dagger at a slightly awkward angle during one high speed exchange, as the recoil from the strike forced Kaelith’s arm upward briefly from the unexpected force behind it.

’What?’

The God thought in shock, feeling horrified, as this was definitely not a normal occurrence.

Had he been completely focused on the battle, he would never have made such a silly mistake, and yet, because he let his thoughts wander, he now stood exposed.

As almost immediately—

*FLASH*

Leo instantly appeared beneath Kaelith’s exposed arm before driving the Grudgekeeper Dagger directly across his torso in one horrifyingly precise slash.

*SHHHHK*

Blood exploded outward immediately afterward while a deep cut spread diagonally across Kaelith’s chest.

"AARGHHHH!"

Kaelith screamed in genuine pain, as his pupils visibly constricted while he looked toward the blood endlessly pouring from his own body.

And for a brief moment...

He froze.

Because unlike ordinary wounds that immediately began healing beneath divine essence, this one was going to sting forever.

"You..."

Kaelith muttered shakily afterward while clutching the wound across his chest.

"Do you even understand what you’ve just done to me?"

His breathing gradually became unstable afterward.

"How am I supposed to live after this fight now?"

His voice trembled slightly while his eyes widened.

"Do you understand that this pain will follow me forever?"

He questioned, as Leo merely frowned while wiping blood from the Grudgekeeper Dagger calmly.

"You’re not making it out of this battle alive anyway," Leo replied bluntly, as though irritated by Kaelith’s demeanor.

"So what exactly does it matter whether the pain lasts forever or not?"

He questioned, as the moment those words entered Kaelith’s ears, his entire expression changed completely.

Because suddenly...

He realized Leo was right.

There was no escaping this battle anymore.

No retreat.

No negotiation.

And even if he somehow survived today, the wound carved across his chest would never heal for the rest of his existence....

Dooming him to a fate just like Soron’s.

"No..."

Kaelith thought internally, as panic slowly began spreading throughout his mind.

"No no no..."

His breathing became rougher afterward while the wound across his chest continued burning endlessly.

"I refuse..."

His eyes darkened sharply.

"I refuse to spend eternity suffering like that."

Images of Soron suddenly resurfaced inside his mind afterward.

His brother endlessly enduring unbearable pain for centuries while still continuing forward stubbornly.

Still fighting.

Still living.

And for the very first time in his life, Kaelith realized something terrifying.

He could never do the same.

"I refuse to become like that pathetic fool..."

Kaelith thought, however despite trying to convince himself otherwise, deep down, he already understood the truth.

Soron was stronger than him.

Not because of talent or power.

But because Soron possessed the will to endure suffering that Kaelith himself never had.

As from that moment onward, Kaelith’s mentality began changing rapidly.

Because the calm and controlled warrior from earlier slowly disappeared, as desperation gradually started controlling his actions more and more.

*BOOOOM* *SLASH* *FISSS* *CRASH*

The battle instantly escalated afterward.

Chains of attacks exploded endlessly across the fourth dimension while devastating techniques continuously collided against one another within fractions of seconds, as the battlefield itself gradually descended into pure chaos.

Kaelith fought like a dying man now.

Every strike became more aggressive.

More reckless.

More desperate.

Meanwhile the four Demi Gods surrounding him pushed themselves harder than ever before trying to contain him long enough for Leo to land another decisive strike.

"[Dragon Cleaver]!"

*SLASH*

Veyr’s sword tore across dimensional space once more.

"RIBBIT!"

*BOOOOM*

Dumpy’s gigantic blade smashed downward immediately afterward while corrosive fumes spread across the battlefield endlessly.

Leonardo simultaneously compressed spatial layers around Kaelith to restrict his movement paths while Leo continuously searched for another fatal opening.

And although Veyr and Dumpy barely managed to keep pace with the increasingly dangerous exchanges, Leonardo slowly began falling behind.

Because compared to the others, his battle experience remained far too shallow.

Then eventually—

*FLASH*

Kaelith’s dagger slipped through Leonardo’s defense during one high speed exchange before carving directly across his forearm.

"AHHHHH!"

Leonardo screamed instantly afterward while burning pain spread violently throughout his body the moment the Origin Blade cut into his flesh.

Blood spilled endlessly from the wound while Leonardo’s face twisted in agony briefly.

Yet despite the pain flooding his body, Leonardo still gritted his teeth and forced himself back into battle immediately afterward.

Because he understood that he still had a role to play here.

.

.

From the distance, Leo witnessed the injury happen clearly.

And instantly, his own expression darkened slightly.

Because unlike before, the battle had now crossed into irreversible territory.

Kaelith had proven himself to be far stronger than Leo originally anticipated, and as a result, this fight had now reached a critical point where every participant in it had reached their limits, pushing it to a zone where errors like the one Leonardo just made became highly likely.

’No.... These guys are the future of the Cult.

I can’t let them pick up any more injuries.

I need to end this fight.... Now!’

Leo thought internally, as although dangerous, he decided to push through and end this fight, for once and for all.