The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 903

 Chapter 903

 

"Wait, the person joining us on this mission is..."

Raon swallowed dryly as he met Karoon’s cold, sharp gaze.

“The Central Martial Palace master?”

He was certain that Glenn would send strong armed groups to join him on this mission, but he never expected it to be Karoon.

‘I thought it would be the Void Sword Division or the Warring Sword Division.’

He’d been thinking of how to greet Serena, Serena, the leader of the Void Sword Division, or Lattein, the leader of the Warring Sword Division. Then, Karoon appeared so suddenly that his heart nearly dropped.

“F-Father, you’re really coming along on this mission?”

It seemed even Burren hadn’t known, as he widened his eyes and stepped toward Karoon.

“Yes.”

Karoon gave a calm nod.

“The head of house personally assigned me this mission.”

He placed his hand on his sword hilt as he mentioned that Glenn had given him the mission.

“To be on a mission with father! This is an honor!”

Burren clenched his fists in excitement, unable to hide his excitement at the thought of going on a mission with Karoon.

“Burren Zieghart.”

Karoon frowned as he looked at Burren, whose face had turned red.

“I am not your father here. I am the Central Martial Palace master. Keep your mind sharp.”

“I-I apologize….”

Realizing his mistake, Burren quickly bowed his head.

“As long as you understand.”

Karoon turned away, as if that was all that needed to be said.

Haaah….

Wrath shook his head as he looked between Karoon and Burren.

What is wrong with this family? The old man, the son—they’re all the same!

Clicking his tongue, he scoffed at how none of them ever revealed their true feelings.

“The head of house personally….”

Raon turned to glance at the lord’s manor and smacked his lips.

‘You’re more concerned than I expected.’

Calling in Chamber and the mages of Balkar, and even personally assigning Karoon to this mission, Glenn seemed determined to prevent any casualties on this mission.

"You've brought quite an interesting piece of news, Light Wind Palace master."

Karoon’s sharp eyes narrowed even further, as though questioning why he hadn’t heard about the Black Tower from Raon in the audience chamber.

“That’s…”

"Well done."

However, contrary to Raon’s expectations, Karoon simply nodded in approval.

“Valuing the family and keeping classified information secure are two entirely different matters. We cannot be certain there are no spies in Zieghart, so it’s best not to bring up important matters in front of others.”

Karoon told him to continue keeping classified information hidden when necessary and placed his index finger against his lips.

“…Thank you.”

Raon accepted Karoon’s praise with wide eyes. He hadn’t expected such words from him, and for a moment, his head spun slightly in disbelief.

"Then, is everything ready?"

“Time was short, but I finished all the necessary training. I’ve also laid out a rough plan.”

Karoon gave a firm nod, indicating there was nothing to worry about.

“A plan….”

"There’s no need to worry. We’re well aware that the Light Wind Palace is at the center of this mission."

He lowered his hand, implying that unless something exceptional happened, he wouldn’t take the lead.

‘That’s unexpected.’

Raon furrowed his brows slightly as he looked at Karoon.

'I thought for sure he'd take the lead himself….'

Given Karoon’s nature, Raon had assumed he would step forward and lead the mission personally. But instead, he was taking a step back and leaving things in Raon’s hands—that was surprising.

“The Light Wind division hasn’t completed its organizational structure yet. How do you plan to proceed?”

Karoon tilted his chin slightly to the left, seemingly curious about that part.

“As you said, our organizational structure isn't fully established yet, so we plan to move as we did before, splitting into the Light Wind division and the Warring Steel division.”

For now, it seemed best for him to command the Light Wind division while Trevin led the Warring Steel division.

“That does seem like the best approach.”

Karoon nodded, showing no objections.

“You’ve done well preparing in such a short time. However….”

He scanned Raon and the swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace before narrowing his eyes.

“Being late is never a good thing.”

“Late…?”

Raon looked up at the sky and shook his head.

“I don’t believe we’re late.”

Time had passed while they were speaking, but when they had first arrived at the main gate, they had been five minutes early.

“Ten minutes.”

Karoon raised a fully spread hand in front of Raon’s eyes.

“You should always arrive ten minutes early. That is basic etiquette.”

He narrowed his nose slightly, emphasizing his point.

“Arriving early is certainly a good habit, but I believe being five minutes early, like we were, is enough. No, in fact, as long as we're not late, that should be what matters.”

This wasn’t a mission where they had to start fighting immediately—it was just a meeting. As long as they arrived on time, there shouldn’t be an issue.

“No. You should arrive ten minutes early so you can prepare.”

“If you prepare beforehand, there’s no need to stand around waiting for ten minutes.”

“….”

“….”

Raon and Karoon fell silent and glared at each other with their red eyes.

“If you take it easy like that, you’ll end up being late when something unexpected happens.”

“As I mentioned, we finished our preparations at the fifth training ground before coming here. That was our way of preparing for unforeseen circumstances.”

“Even so, arriving early is—”

“That would only apply if we were heading straight into battle….”

The two continued their bizarre argument, each firmly rooted in their own philosophy, completely oblivious to the passing time.

‘These two….’

Illiune, the Foreign Minister, had been about to open the main gate when he stopped, his brows furrowing deeply.

‘Why the hell are they arguing about this here?’

Shaking his head, he let out a long sigh.

‘Who in their right mind put these two on the same mission?’

*   *   *

Crackling, crackling.

Raon spooned a serving of meat stew in front of the gently crackling campfire. The salty chicken and the rich, smooth broth blended harmoniously, filling his mouth with a small but satisfying warmth.

Kuuuuuh!

Wrath let out a deep sigh of pleasure, clutching his head.

Sometimes, this kind of outdoor cooking is good! You can taste the flavor of nature!

He curled up the corners of his mouth, saying this was happiness.

‘Then should we eat this every day?’

Raon shrugged as he took another spoonful of stew.

He said sometimes! Sometimes, you wicked bastard!

Wrath gritted his teeth, saying he wanted to eat it occasionally when he was tired of home cooking, not every day.

'Is that so?'

Raon let out a small chuckle as he picked up the bread that had been served alongside the stew.

W-wait! That bread…

‘Hmm.’

Ignoring Wrath, who was frantically signaling him to stop, Raon took a bite. The freshly baked bread melted softly in his mouth, its delicate layers unfolding with each chew.

Ohhh….

Only then did Wrath lower his round hands and let out a relieved sigh.

‘What’s wrong?’

He… He thought it was Nadine bread.

He exhaled heavily, as if he had just avoided a near-death experience.

‘Why? Are you disappointed?’

Disappointed? He was terrified!

‘Then you don’t need to worry. We won’t be eating it on this mission.’

Since a large group disappearing all at once near Montiro through a dimensional gate would undoubtedly raise suspicion from the Black Tower, they were traveling on foot from the center of the continent. The distance was still great, so there was no need to erase their tracks just yet.

‘Might as well train my Energy of Death Detection while eating.’

Raon activated his newly acquired trait, <Energy of Death Detection>. The mysterious energy blooming from deep within his chest harmonized with his own aura and extended outward.

‘What the…? There’s energy of death around here?’

There were no monsters or demons nearby, yet he could sense faint traces of energy of death lingering in the surroundings.

Of course there is.

Wrath snorted, as if it were ridiculous that Raon didn’t already know.

Energy of death, bloody energy, and demonic energy are also among the energies that exist in the world. Unlike mana, they may not be spread across the entire continent, but as long as humans exist, faint traces of them will always be present.

He shook his head, saying it would be stranger if these energies weren’t present where humans were.

‘I see. I didn’t know that.’

Feeling the miniscule particles of aura of death, smaller than droplets of dew, Raon slowly lowered his hand.

Clack.

While Raon was immersed in sensing the aura, Karoon was the first to finish his meal. He even washed his own plate before handing it to the person in charge.

‘Huh?’

Raon exhaled softly in disbelief as he watched Karoon sip his tea.

'He's washing his own plate?'

The King of Essence is shocked as well. He thought the shitty eyes’s dad would just toss it aside….

Wrath nodded, sharing Raon's surprise.

“You wash your own plate, palace master?”

Raon blinked as he looked at Karoon sitting across from him.

“A Zieghart swordsman takes care of his own responsibilities. That is as it should be.”

Karoon tilted his chin slightly, as if the question itself was odd.

“Are you the type to push your responsibilities onto others, Light Wind Palace master?”

His gaze sharpened slightly in disappointment.

“I…”

“That’s not true!”

Before Raon could respond, Burren quickly cut in.

"Raon doesn’t just handle post-meal cleanup—he also sets up the tents and takes his turn for night watch."

Burren shook his head, emphasizing that Raon had set an excellent example as the leader of their armed organization.

“That’s right. He’s so involved that we barely have anything left to do.”

Martha let out a small sigh.

“He butts in so much, it’s honestly exhausting.”

“Mm. Always moving around non-stop….”

Runan raised her hand slightly, adding that watching him rush around had been entertaining.

“I see. My apologies for the misunderstanding.”

Karoon lowered his head slightly, acknowledging his mistake. Whether he had always been this way or had changed over time, Raon couldn’t tell, but either way, the fact that Karoon admitted his mistake and apologized so quickly was surprising.

“Now, let’s talk about the mission.”

Karoon lifted his chin slightly as he looked at Raon over the campfire.

"I’ve heard the general details from the head of house, but I want to hear the full story from you."

He straightened his posture and asked Raon to explain everything, starting from his conversation with the DemonBlade up to the present.

“We’re curious too.”

“Yeah! All we were told was that it’s a Black Tower investigation mission.”

“I want to hear it….”

Burren, Martha, and Runan nodded along with the other swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace, expressing their curiosity.

“Understood. Then….”

Raon set up an energy barrier to prevent sound from leaking before explaining everything, from when he heard about the Black Tower from the DemonBlade to Chamber’s sudden arrival.

“I see. No wonder the head of house praised you so highly.”

Karoon nodded, acknowledging that the information on the Black Tower hadn’t been obtained by mere luck.

“So, what’s the plan moving forward?”

“We will infiltrate Montiro in small groups at different times to investigate each area.”

“Small groups?”

“Yes. Right now, the south is crowded with tourists. We’ll split into smaller groups, posing as families, couples, and friends—to gradually enter the city. Once inside, we’ll examine buildings, objects, and people, searching for any traces connecting Montiro to the Black Tower.”

Raon folded his hands together, outlining the plan he had devised.

“A standard strategy. Neither particularly bad nor particularly good. But given the limited information, it’s the best option for now.”

Karoon nodded, agreeing that there weren’t many alternatives at the moment.

“However, there is a problem.”

“I think I know what you’re referring to.”

Raon lowered his gaze slightly, his eyes sharpening.

“The Black Tower’s barriers, correct?”

"Right. If the Black Tower is really hidden in Montiro, then there will definitely be barriers or demonic creatures designed to detect a person’s energy and presence in the surrounding area."

Karoon nodded and continued.

"We can avoid those barriers detection and those demonic creatures, but others are likely to get caught. If several master-level warriors suddenly enter the city disguised as tourists, mercenaries, or adventurers, it will undoubtedly raise suspicion."

His gaze swept over the Light Wind Palace swordsmen.

“There may even be artifacts that detect only strong individuals like you, me, or the Warring Steel division leader. If we don’t find a way to deal with that, this mission will be impossible.”

Karoon’s tone was cold and precise, immediately identifying a flaw in the plan.

"I anticipated that as well, which is why I’ve prepared something in advance."

"Prepared something?"

“Yes. We don’t have it right now, but at the rendezvous point….”

“Oh, that’s what you meant?”

Even before Raon finished speaking, Karoon nodded in understanding.

‘Huh….’

Burren exhaled in disbelief as he watched Raon and Karoon continue their conversation smoothly, as if they had been working together for a long time.

‘What the hell? Why do father and Raon get along so well?’

Who decided to put these two together?

*   *   *

The golden sands of the beach shimmered as if they had been melted by the sun.

“Hmph.”

A well-built, black-haired middle-aged man plopped onto the sand.

‘Hah… This is tougher than I expected.’

Disguised as a wealthy noble, Roenn massaged his shoulder and let out a relaxed chuckle.

‘I’ve checked every suspicious location, but nothing’s come up.’

He had changed disguises five times and spent a month in Montiro, yet he hadn’t found a single trace of the Black Tower's demonized humans, let alone anyone committing major crimes. The worst he had seen were drunkards causing disturbances at night.

‘No traces of the energy of death or demonic energy, either.’

No matter how well hidden, he wouldn’t have missed negative energies like demonic energy or energy of death. But in all his time in Montiro, he hadn’t sensed a single trace of them.

‘Is the Black Tower really here?’

It wasn’t that he doubted Raon. If there was anyone he trusted after Glenn, it was him. But now that he was here in person, Montiro simply didn’t seem like a place where the Black Tower would be hiding.

‘If anything, this place puts my mind at ease.’

Perhaps because it was tucked away in the southernmost corner, the city's residents were friendly, and the tourists were calm yet lively. It was, without a doubt, one of the best vacation destinations on the continent.

‘Haah… Guess I’ll check out the underground casino tonight.’

He hadn’t investigated that area yet, so he decided to head there while still disguised as a wealthy noble.

“Hm?”

Just as Roenn clicked his tongue and tried to stand up from the sand, a massive wave surged from the sea.

Kwaaaaaaah!

As if it intended to swallow the sun itself, the towering wave rose high, and from behind it, a gigantic limb covered in red suction cups emerged. A Kraken, one of the most powerful ocean monsters in existence. However, instead of eight tentacles, it had only seven.

“Uwaaaaah!”

“I-It’s a Kraken!”

“R-Run! Get out of here!”

Tourists who had been swimming or surfing were thrown into a panic at the sudden appearance of the Kraken, frantically trying to swim back to the beach. However, the current pulled them further into the sea, making escape impossible.

“Hmm….”

Roenn narrowed his eyes as he watched the Kraken preparing to devour the people. He wanted to help, but given his current disguise, he couldn't afford to reveal himself.

“Ah, that thing’s back again.”

Just as he clicked his tongue in frustration, a slightly raspy voice came from his left.

“Should I take two legs today?”

Unlike an old man, the voice belonged to a young man with white hair, his face full of energy. Resting a greatsword on his shoulder, he tilted his chin upward slightly. Then, with a grin, he kicked off the ground, stirring up a gust of white wind as he charged toward the Kraken.

With a single swing, he cleaved through one of the Kraken’s legs just as it was about to grab a victim.

Kieeeeeek!

The Kraken shrieked in agony and recoiled as its severed limb splashed into the sea.

"Where do you think you're going? I’m taking two today!"

The white-haired young man stepped onto the water as if it were solid ground, chasing after the retreating Kraken and slicing off another leg.

Kiaaaaaaah!

Letting out a sorrowful cry, the Kraken quickly retreated into the depths of the sea.

"Well, we won’t have to worry about running out of octopus dishes for a while."

Not only was he skilled with a sword, but his raw strength was overwhelming. Carrying the massive Kraken’s leg over his shoulder, he casually dragged it back to the beach.

Uwaaaaaaah!

Kalop! Kalop! Kalop!

Tourists and Montiro’s residents cheered wildly, chanting the young man's name.

"We’re having an octopus feast tonight, so make sure you all join in!"

Kalop, the white-haired young man, flashed a bright grin as he said he would let them enjoy a Kraken leg dish that gourmets highly praise.

“…..”

Roenn narrowed his eyes, closely observing Kalop’s greatsword and his well-trained physique.

‘He’s strong.’

Even without displaying his full strength, the energy wave radiating from Kalop weighed heavily against Roenn’s skin. If he were to fight at full strength, he wouldn’t lose even against the team leaders of the Light Wind division.

‘There were supposed to be four of them like him.’

Montiro, being tucked away in the southernmost part of the continent, had breathtaking scenery, but that also meant it suffered frequent monster attacks. To counter those threats, four armed organizations were stationed here, each led by one of these young warriors.

Despite his formidable skills at such a young age, Kalop had never ventured beyond this region, which seemed odd. Roenn had looked into him but found nothing particularly suspicious. His aura, too, was neither sinister nor tainted like the energy of death or demonic energy, it was pure mana.

‘Hah… This just keeps getting more complicated.’

Roenn sighed and shook his head just as a small set of footsteps approached him from behind.

“Mister!”

A boy, who looked about twelve years old, called out with a bright grin. He was one of those local guides commonly found in tourist destinations.

“It’s time for your meal!”

“Already?”

Roenn glanced up at the sun blazing high in the sky, signaling noon, and gave a small nod.

“Alright, Perin. Where are you taking me today?”

“There’s a place that makes amazing chili crab!”

The boy, whose name was Perin, smacked his lips as if just thinking about it made his mouth water. Roenn had already been there three times, but he pretended not to know and nodded along.

“Alright. Lead the way.”

Roenn gave a faint smile and patted Perin’s head.

“Hey, old man, make sure you come back here in the evening. I’ll serve you something even better than that chili crab.”

Kalop, having overheard their conversation, gestured for Roenn to join the feast later.

“Kraken cuisine, huh…? I’ll definitely have to join, even if it’s a bit pricey.”

Roenn nodded, agreeing to the offer.

“Hah! No need to pay.”

Kalop waved his hand dismissively, saying all he had to do was show up. Then, he turned and left the beach.

“Brother Kalop is an amazing cook, but he absolutely refuses to take money for his food! It’s like… he just doesn’t like money.”

Perin spoke with admiration as he watched Kalop’s back disappear into the distance.

“Doesn’t like money, huh….”

Roenn nodded slightly, as if he could somehow understand.

“Oh no! We have to hurry! If we don’t go now, someone else will take our spot!”

Perin suddenly panicked, urging Roenn to move faster.

“Take it easy.”

Roenn chuckled, waving his hand as he followed Perin at a relaxed pace.

He walked with a faint smile, completely unaware of the dark ripples flickering in the eyes of Kalop and Perin ahead of him.

 

 

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