The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 904

 Chapter 904

 

A small uninhabited island, with gray palm trees sparsely scattered around.

“Hm…”

Raon, now with his hair dyed blue, stepped onto the island and scanned his surroundings.

“They’re not here yet?”

“Yet?”

Burren stopped walking, tilting his head.

“Don’t tell me… we’re meeting Lady Chamber on this island?”

“Here? Isn’t here too far?”

Martha furrowed her brows, unable to understand.

“That’s right.”

Raon nodded as he turned to the swordsmen, who all had questions in their eyes.

“Since we don’t know whether the demonized humans have cast magic or sorcery around Montiro, meeting on the nearby land wasn’t a good choice.”

It was uncertain what kind of magic or sorcery the demonized humans of Montiro might have cast over the surrounding area, so meeting anywhere nearby was not a wise option.

“A good choice.”

Karoon stroked his chin with calm eyes.

“No matter how cautious the Black Tower is, they wouldn’t have extended their reach to this uninhabited island.”

With mages among them, setting up a temporary base on this uninhabited island didn’t seem like a bad idea. He nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, I think so too…”

Runaan, standing next to Karoon, mimicked his pose, bobbing her head up and down in the same way.

“….”

Karoon shot a glare at Runan, but she stared back at him even more intently, as if asking, what’s the problem?

“Thank you for understanding.”

Raon quickly expressed his gratitude before wrinkles could form on Karoon’s forehead. This was his first time working on a mission with him, yet strangely, it already felt as if they had been working together for a long time.

“Before Lady Chamber arrives, let’s find a suitable spo—hm?”

Raon, who had been walking through tall bushes that reached up to his shoulders, suddenly stopped.

‘Something’s here.’

Sensing an abnormal flow of mana within the island, he immediately turned around.

“Everyone, step back!”

Raon warned the swordsmen following him and attempted to retreat, but space shattered like a kaleidoscope, and his hands and legs became trapped within the gaps of the cracked space, preventing him from moving.

‘Magic?’

Without panic, he activated the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation. The flames, which purified everything, burned away the mana binding his hands and feet.

Chiririring!

Raon regained control of his right hand and drew his sword. Just as he was about to cut through the very barrier that divided space, a witch’s hat suddenly popped out from one of the cracks.

“Wait! Stop!”

Chamber emerged from under the hat, waving both hands.

“I put a lot of effort into making this! It’s just a joke! A joke!”

She shook her head frantically, shouting for him to put his sword down.

“…I was joking as well.”

Raon let out a faint smile and lowered his sword.

“You knew?”

“There was a trace of your presence in the magic, Lady Chamber.”

At first, he hadn’t realized it, but when he saw the space splitting apart, he recognized it as Chamber’s magic. Truthfully, had he wanted to, he could have cut through the space instantly, but he had simply played along until she revealed herself.

Hmph. Well, that’s a relief.

Wrath snorted while looking at him.

The King of Essence almost slammed the ground in frustration, thinking that the bastard who has devoured my flesh and blood had fallen for such a simple trap.

Wrath frowned, as if dissatisfied with either outcome.

‘I didn’t devour your flesh and blood.’

To the King of Essence, it was far worse than that!

Wrath snapped back, grinding his teeth in frustration.

‘O-okay….’

Feeling like arguing would only make things worse, Raon let it slide.

“Now I’m too scared to even pull a prank.”

Chamber let out a faint smile and snapped her fingers. The space that had been splitting apart in yellow reverted to the original uninhabited island.

“Division leader! What’s going o—huh?”

“Hm?”

“Lady Chamber!”

Burren, Runan, and Martha, who had been standing just outside the barrier, widened their eyes in shock upon seeing Chamber.

“We greet the Archmage of Eternal Flame.”

Karoon, who seemed to have anticipated this to some extent, remained composed and bowed toward Chamber.

“Karoon?”

Chamber let out a surprised breath, as if she hadn’t expected to see him.

"The old man said he’d send someone who would be a good match for Raon… and that turned out to be you?"

"A good match…?"

Karoon frowned slightly, as if he didn’t like the sound of that.

"I respect the head of house, but I can’t agree with that."

He muttered that it was a misunderstanding and bit his lip.

"I think so too. It seems he was mistaken."

 

Raon also shook his head with the same expression as Karoon.

“But from what I saw, you two actually work pretty well together."

Burren grinned, clearly amused by how well Raon and Karoon were working together.

“That’s ridiculous!”

"That’s not true!"

Raon and Karoon stomped their feet in protest, scowling the moment Burren finished speaking

“…I see.”

Chamber’s lips curled into a faint smile, as if she had figured something out.

“Anyway, come inside. Let’s talk in there.”

She beckoned with a finger, and the thick bushes around them vanished, revealing a luxurious tent and an array of magical devices. Inside, Balkar mages had already settled in, making various preparations.

“This is….”

"I set up a barrier in advance."

Chamber, chewing on a red candy, gestured with her chin.

"A barrier to prevent intruders?"

Raon stepped inside, his sharp gaze scanning the interior.

“Of course. But more importantly, I made it so that any mana or presence inside won’t leak out. On top of that….”

With a snap of her fingers, a blue screen rose into the air, displaying scenes from Montiro.

On the screen, beachgoers played in the waves, tourists strolled through bustling streets, and gamblers loitered near a casino entrance.

“I also added a device that lets us monitor Montiro in real-time.”

“Huh….”

Raon let out a quiet breath as he stared at the blue screen showing Montiro. He hadn't expected Chamber to have prepared this much in advance. She really seemed determined to take down the Black Tower.

"But for now, there are only three of them."

"Three? You mean…"

“I got some agents from the black market to assist us. The artifacts they’re wearing are relaying this vision in real time.”

Chamber raised a finger and pointed toward a jewel box on the table. Inside were various accessories—necklaces, rings, badges, and bracelets—all completely devoid of any mana presence.

"I made sure each one had a different appearance to avoid suspicion. That was the hardest part."

Chamber sighed, shaking her head slightly, as if recalling the tedious process of crafting them.

“So if we wear those and enter Montiro….”

“Yes. Dozens of these screens will be active here, making the search much easier.”

Chamber shrugged as if asking what he thought of the plan.

"I appreciate you going to such lengths for us."

Raon bowed his head slightly.

He had expected her to help, but not to this extent, and certainly not this quickly.

"I just mass-produced something I had already been researching."

Chamber waved her hand as if it wasn’t a big deal.

"That’s not all. I also want to thank you for trusting us."

These artifacts must be a secret within Balkar. The fact that she was sharing them with them meant she trusted them, and Raon was grateful for that.

"Sigh, I told you, it's nothing…"

Chamber turned her head slightly, looking a bit embarrassed.

“Then… have you personally entered Montiro yet?”

Raon set down the bracelet Chamber had made and narrowed his eyes.

“I took a quick look before coming here.”

Chamber nodded, lowering her lollipop.

“I checked from the sea, but I didn’t find anything unusual.”

She smacked her lips, saying she hadn’t sensed any demonic energy or energy of death.

“I see….”

Raon bit his lip slightly.

‘Then this might be harder than I thought….’

If even Chamber, one of the strongest Transcenders, couldn't sense anything from a distance, he doubted he would be able to find anything either.

'Well, that explains why Sir Roenn couldn’t find it either.'

Raon let out a short sigh before stepping closer to Chamber.

“Then… Did you prepare that as well?”

“Of course.”

As if she had been waiting for this question, Chamber pulled a yellow sugar candy from her pocket.

“If you eat this, your mana will disperse within your energy center, making it impossible to detect you even with barriers or artifacts.”

She explained that it was an improved version of an existing potion, meaning even the Black Tower’s barriers would struggle to detect them

“What if we need to use mana?”

“You can use aura cultivation techniques. But once you do, the candy’s effect will wear off, and you’ll be detected.”

Chamber waved her finger, emphasizing that they should avoid using mana as much as possible.

“Thank you.”

Raon bowed slightly and accepted the candy Chamber handed him.

“It’s lemon-flavored.”

“…Excuse me?”

“That candy. It’s lemon-flavored.”

Chamber smiled, saying that since it was candy, she had considered the taste as well.

Lemon flavor?

Wrath’s eyes widened as he stuck out his tongue.

The King of Essence loves lemons too! Eat it immediately!

He practically drooled, his tongue stretching out eagerly.

“So this candy is the countermeasure you mentioned.”

Karoon, unsurprised, nodded calmly.

“Yes. With this, we can avoid detection from barriers or artifacts that sense aura.”

Unlike him and Karoon, the Light Wind Palace swordsmen couldn’t evade detection barriers on their own, so they had no choice but to take the candy before entering Montiro.

“Bring more candy!”

At Chamber’s casual hand gesture, a young woman in a robe approached with a basket of candy. She was none other than Princess Jayna of Balkar Kingdom.

“Oh, long time no see… sir.”

Jayna knitted her brow, apparently still holding a grudge about what she had gone through before, yet she still spoke politely.

Anyone who’d forget that isn’t human, right? More like a frog.

Wrath nodded, as if her reaction was only natural.

“How did you end up coming here?”

“Because… those Black Tower scum insulted our kingdom…Sir. As the princess, it’s only right that I come here… Sir.”

Jayna clenched her fist as though it was her duty to be here. She was nothing like the girl who once only knew how to run away.

“I see.”

Raon sensed that Jayna had changed at least a bit, accepting the basket of candy she handed him.

“You’re not all planning to enter Montiro at once, are you?”

Chamber shook her head, as if that would be absurd.

“No, of course not. We’ll enter in phases.”

Sending this many people into Montiro all at once would only raise suspicions. They needed to decide who would go in first.

“I know you’re eager to see me in a swimsuit, but I can’t go.”

Chamber let out a sigh and waved her hand dismissively.

“If I get caught by that bastard, Black Tower’s master, everything will be over.”

She raised an eyebrow, saying that fighting in the stronghold he had built would be too difficult.

“I understand. And I’m not particularly curious about any swimsuit.”

Since only Chamber could stand toe-to-toe with the Black Tower’s master, the best plan was for her to remain on standby until the tower’s location was discovered.

“Hmph! You don’t understand the charm of a mature woman.”

Chamber snorted, as if sulking.

“I’ll go in first, and it’d be best for the Central Martial Palace master to enter last.”

“That would be best.”

Karoon stroked his chin, saying he would stay here and train the swordsmen in the meantime.

“Then, who should….”

“Since it’s a resort and a beach, wouldn’t it be best to disguise as a couple?”

Chamber suggested posing as lovers, glancing at the women beside Raon.

“Hah? Not acting all high and mighty now, are you? Did you finally come to your senses? Or is this an act?”

Martha was picking a fight with Princess Jayna.

“Cr-crab…”

Runaan, meanwhile, was tapping a hermit crab skittering across the sand, blinking absentmindedly.

“…Yeah, that won’t work.”

Chamber shook her head, seeing that they’d be exposed the moment they arrived.

"Yeah..."

Raon clicked his tongue slightly as he scanned the swordsmen.

“Wow! This plant is Paron! Which is rare on the continent! I can add this to my supply!”

Dorian was completely absorbed in gathering plants, stuffing them into his belly pouch without a care for his surroundings.

“There he is.”

Raon grinned and pointed at Dorian.

“The real deal, not an act.”

*   *   *

Clatter, clatter.

A small wagon rolled along the dirt path, scattered with golden sand grains., its wheels crunching over golden grains of sand embedded in the soil. 

Inside the wagon, three young men sat. One, with blue hair, lounged against the inner side of the wagon, yawning lazily. Another, with brown hair, was busy counting and checking their cargo. The third, a red-haired man, gripped the reins and guided the wagon, his large sword resting beside him like a typical mercenary.

“I can understand why I have to be a third-rate mercenary, but….”

Krein, disguised as a mercenary, sighed and turned slightly to glance behind him.

“Why is the division leader acting as the president of a trading company instead of the actual heir to a trading company?”

He shook his head at Dorian, who was happily counting supplies.

“I can’t be the one carrying things, can I?”

Raon, now playing the role of a young president of a trading company, tapped his chin with an air of nonchalance.

“…Hah.”

Krein let out a breath, caught somewhere between exasperation and amusement.

“Hey! You say something too! Are you really okay with being a mere porter, even though you’re the heir to a trading company?”

He grabbed Dorian by the head and gave him a light shake.

“I don’t mind. I’m just excited to see what kinds of supplies they have over there.”

Dorian grinned, completely content just thinking about the goods he could buy in Montiro. He seemed more like a real traveling merchant than someone on a covert mission.

“Sheesh! Unbelievable.”

“Enough. Focus. We should be nearing the sign pointing to Montiro.”

Though they still had some distance left to cover, Raon cautioned them to stay alert, all while maintaining the relaxed demeanor of a carefree merchant.

“Ugh…”

Krein hesitated, looking like he had more to say but ultimately shook his head and returned his attention to steering the wagon.

“Yaaawn.”

Raon stretched and leaned back against the cargo pile, letting out a drawn-out yawn.

How fascinating.

Wrath narrowed his eyes as he looked at him.

It’s rare to see you just sitting around, but now that you’re doing it, you’re annoyingly good at it.

‘I’ve seen it plenty of times.’

Ah, you mean that shitty ears.

Wrath chuckled, recalling Rimmer.

So he really is your master in more ways than one.

‘But can we find it?’

Raon chuckled softly and nodded. Simply mimicking Rimmer’s usual behavior was enough to pull off the act of a top-tier slacker.

‘But… will I be able to find it?’

He had been continuously using his energy of death detection on the way here, and while his proficiency had increased, he wasn’t confident that a mere three-star trait would be enough to locate the Black Tower.

And if you don’t? Just enjoy the seafood and head back. That’s what life is about.

Wrath waved his hand, suggesting they enjoy gourmet food.

'That might be the life for you, but not for me.'

The amount of money and manpower invested in this mission was astronomical. Even if they couldn’t find the Black Tower itself, they needed at least some clue leading to it.

Bah! What really matters is that food is the only thing you can truly keep in the end! Fish! Lobster! Shrimp! Seaweed! Clams!

As Raon listened to Wrath list off foods he wanted, the distant shape of Montiro gradually came into view.

“There it is! Montiro! And beyond that… the sea!”

Krein, now fully immersed in his mercenary role, shouted with an excited expression.

“The sea, huh…? Supplies we can get there include seafood, water-attribute stones, and…”

Dorian, whether acting or genuinely interested, began listing items he wanted to purchase. For once, he seemed even more natural in his role than Raon.

“Hm….”

Raon narrowed his eyes as Montiro drew closer.

‘I don’t sense any barriers or traces of demonic energy.’

Even standing right in front of Montiro, he couldn’t detect any ominous energy, just as Chamber had said.

‘What about you?’

He turned to Wrath.

He can’t sense anything either… but…

Wrath scanned Montiro before baring his white teeth.

Something here disgusts me.

‘Disgusts you?’

Yes. Something here seems to provoke the King of Essence’s wrath.

Wrath tilted his head, saying even he wasn’t sure what it was.

‘Is this a demon king’s instinct…?’

Wrath always relied on instinct rather than logic. If he was reacting this strongly, then whether or not the Black Tower was here, something filthy was definitely hidden in this place.

“Ugh, my ass is sore from all that sitting. Let’s get moving already.”

Raon got off the wagon, speaking in a leisurely, carefree tone.

“Yes!”

“Understood!”

Dorian grinned as he followed suit, while Krein, still wearing a half-smile, drove the wagon to the front gate of Montiro.

"Please present your identification pass."

He handed the guard blocking the gate of Montiro the identification pass for his current disguise.

‘This part is flawless.’

His current identity, along with Dorian and Krein, was that of a small trading company directly operated by the black market, so there was no reason to arouse suspicion.

“Is your purpose for visiting business?”

“Yes!”

Dorian nodded enthusiastically, saying they had come to purchase goods.

“Well, that and a little fun on the side.”

Raon lazily tilted his chin, exuding the air of a carefree noble.

“Alright, you may pass. Time is gold in Montiro. Enjoy your stay.”

The guard welcomed them and opened the gate.

“Thanks.”

Raon gave a casual wave before leading the wagon into Montiro.

As soon as they entered, the atmosphere shifted dramatically.

Men with their shirts off and women with exposed legs roamed the streets freely. From the taverns, lively music of various melodies spilled out. It was clear at a glance that this place existed purely for pleasure.

“Welcome!”

As Raon, Krein, and Dorian took in the lively surroundings, a young girl approached, holding necklaces made of ocean flowers.

“Is this your first time in Montiro?”

She handed each of them a necklace with a bright smile.

“And if we are?”

Raon nodded slightly, giving her a faintly arrogant look.

“In that case, you’ll need a guide! This place is bigger and more complicated than you’d think!”

The girl patted her chest confidently, saying no one knew Montiro better than she did.

Who is this little one?

Wrath furrowed his brows at the girl.

‘She’s a typical tourist guide. Every travel destination has kids like her—offering to show visitors around for a price.’

Ah, there was a similar brat before. They sure work hard.

Wrath nodded approvingly.

“You say you know the place well? So, you know places like casinos and fighting arenas?”

Playing the part of someone interested in nightlife, Raon smacked his lips.

“Of course! I even know someone at the casino!”

The girl raised her hand eagerly, boasting that she could get them in immediately.

“Name?”

“Rensia!”

“Alright. Lead the way.”

Raon tossed her a silver coin.

“Wow! Thank you!”

Rensia hugged the coin close to her chest, grinning from ear to ear.

“So, where would you like to go first?”

“The beach!”

A restaurant!

“The market!”

Krein, Wrath, and Dorian all spoke at the same time before exchanging sharp glances at one another.

“First, let’s drop off our things. Carrying them around is annoying.”

Raon sighed briefly and pointed at the wagon behind them.

“Got it! I’ll take you to the best-value lodging!”

“Not the best value. The most expensive one.”

“Oh, I see!”

Rensia’s eyes sparkled as if she had just found an easy mark, and she eagerly took hold of the horse’s reins to lead the way.

‘Hmm….’

Following behind her, Raon lowered his gaze slightly.

‘As expected, I don’t sense any demonic energy.’

Just like Roenn had reported, there was no sign of demonized humans anywhere in Montiro.

‘Then….’

Just in case, he activated his Energy of Death Detection, which had recently reached three stars.

“…Huh?”

Before he realized it, a faint sound escaped his lips.

“What’s wrong?”

Rensia turned her head, curious.

“It’s nothing. I tripped on something.”

Raon clicked his tongue and kicked at the ground.

“Oh, be careful. There’s a lot of sand and stones on the road.”

Rensia giggled, saying she tripped often herself.

“Yeah, I should watch my step.”

Raon looked down at the ground, pressing his lips together.

What’s up with you?

Wrath frowned, unable to understand.

‘Didn’t you say that demonic energy and the energy of death exist wherever humans are?’

That's correct. As long as humans exist, so too does negative energy. Of course, even the King of Essence can’t do anything with such a tiny amount that is difficult to sense properly.

Wrath tilted his chin, as if wondering why Raon was bringing this up again.

‘But in this place….’

Raon bit his lip as he stared at the sandy street.

‘There’s no energy of death at all.’

 

 

Advance Chapters