The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 908

 Chapter 908

 

Toowong!

Raon’s lips trembled as he stared at the pulsating black heart emerging from Rensia’s waist.

‘What is that…?’

The black heart was alive, breathing, and emitting a faint wrath.

Just looking at it made his chest tighten, as if something was pressing down on him.

“Aah….”

Dorian, apparently in severe shock, dropped the backpack he was holding and fell to his knees.

“Rensia, you….”

Krein was so taken aback that he couldn’t form a proper sentence, only managing to mutter Rensia’s name.

“You’ve seen it, right?”

Rensia lowered her shirt, covering the black heart protruding from her waist.

Her cheeks flushed red. Despite her confident tone, it seemed she felt embarrassed.

“As Sir Kayden said, there is no such thing as a life that is always happy. Montiro may appear full of laughter and joy on the surface, but beneath that exterior, pitch-black shadows are rising. Shadows so immense that neither wealth nor power can erase them.”

She shook her head, as if resigning to the fact that it was a problem neither she nor anyone else could solve.

“…Can you tell me what that is?”

Raon pointed at the black heart still visible at Rensia’s waist.

“You know what oysters are, right?”

“Yeah. We even bought some when we went to your house.”

Rensia hadn’t particularly wanted to buy them, but she brought some along, thinking one of her younger siblings might like them.

“Oysters have the ability to purify water, which is why they’re called the ocean’s cleaners. If you put them in a dirty aquarium, they can turn it crystal clear in just a day.”

She suddenly started talking about oysters, a faint, bitter smile forming on her lips.

“It’s the same as that.”

“What…?”

Raon couldn’t immediately accept her words and asked again. He had an idea of what she meant, but he didn’t want to believe it.

“These black hearts we have… They absorb the negative energy emanating from this land and send it elsewhere. Sir Kayden, we are not human.”

Rensia grasped the black heart protruding from her waist with trembling hands.

“This Montiro is a massive aquarium. And we are nothing more than the oysters that purify it. To survive here, we must consume the filth.”

A single teardrop clung to the corner of her eye as she bit her lips.

“…If you mean ‘we,’ then don’t tell me—”

“That’s right. Just as Sir Kayden saw, every resident of Montiro, except for those in power, has this heart inside them. Even my younger siblings.”

Rensia bowed her head, whispering that even her youngest sibling, who had just turned six, had been implanted with the black heart.

“That’s why I made clothes for them. So their skin wouldn’t sting….”

She let out a breathless laugh, explaining that was why she had knitted the garments herself.

“Those rotten bastards!”

Krein clenched his fists so tightly that blood dripped from his palms.

“How could people—”

Dorian’s hands trembled as his eyes filled with disbelief.

Summon the King of Essence immediately.

Wrath pressed down on Raon’s shoulder, his brow furrowed.

The King of Essence will rip apart those wretches who dare to use demonic energy in such a disgusting way.

His blue eyes burned fiercely, radiating an overwhelming surge of wrath.

“….”

Raon let out a deep breath as he looked at Rensia. He wanted to lash out in anger like the others, but now was the time to gather as much information as possible.

“The ones in power, are you talking about the hotel managers and those so-called ‘heroes’?”

“Yes.”

Rensia nodded, explaining that they were the ones overseeing everything.

“So everyone else has a black heart inside them…”

Raon shut his eyes tightly as he recalled the Montiro residents he had met so far.

‘Now everything makes sense.’

The Black Tower had used Montiro’s people to create a barrier that concealed their demonic energy. That was why even the faintest traces of demonic energy or the energy of death couldn’t be detected.

Indeed. With this many humans, it’s no wonder there was not a single trace of demonic energy or energy of death.

Wrath let out a hollow laugh, finding the situation absurd.

The Black Tower, or whatever those scum call themselves, have no right to exist.

His killing intent flared, manifesting as a silver frost, as if he were ready to storm the Black Tower immediately.

“But the residents don’t have hearts protruding like yours.”

Raon narrowed his eyes, glancing at the bulging black heart at Rensia’s waist.

Being near the beach, many men walked around shirtless, yet he had never seen anything like that on any of them.

“For most people, it’s attached next to their actual heart. But I’ve had two surgeries, so when I get angry, the heart moves and pushes out through my waist like this.”

Rensia shook her head, saying she was the only one whose black heart behaved this way.

“Then… when you met Felix…”

Thinking back to when Rensia had encountered Felix, the leader of the Tiger Spear Division, Raon realized her wrath must have been what caused her heart to protrude.

“That’s right. That man…”

Rensia grabbed her trembling wrist and nodded.

“He’s the one who implanted these black hearts into me and my siblings…”

She cast her eyes downward, revealing that Felix was the one responsible for their implantation.

“So that’s why you always carried that backpack. To hide the heart in case it pushed out.”

“…Yes.”

Rensia nodded, confirming his suspicion.

“That bastard! I already didn’t like the way he looked down on us….”

Krein ground his teeth, his murderous intent directed toward Felix.

“For once, I’m not scared, I’m just angry.”

Dorian clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.

“Does it hurt?”

Raon held back his urge to rush out and slaughter those so-called ‘heroes,’ instead turning his gaze to Rensia.

“About once a month, the pain becomes unbearable. But as long as the heart isn’t protruding like this, it’s not too painful.”

Rensia nodded as if to reassure him. But if what she said was true, then she was in immense pain at this very moment. Still, there was something Raon absolutely had to do.

“I’m really sorry, but… can I touch that heart?”

“…What?”

Rensia widened her eyes, as if unsure she had heard correctly.

“I promise, this is my last request.”

Raon bowed his head, emphasizing that this was something he had to do.

“…Then I have a condition. I’ll let you touch it, but you must leave this place immediately afterward.”

Declaring her terms, Lencia lifted her shirt again. She squeezed her eyes shut, enduring both embarrassment and pain.

‘I have no choice.’

Raon needed to examine the black heart directly to locate the Black Tower and figure out how to destroy it.

Even if he couldn’t figure it out himself, he could pass the information to Chamber, making this an absolute necessity.

“I’m sorry.”

Raon reached out with a steady hand and grasped the black heart protruding from Rensia’s waist.

“Ugh….”

Rensia bit her lip in pain but didn’t utter a single complaint.

‘Demonic energy and energy of death….’

Yes. He can finally feel it now. But the energy isn’t staying inside her, it’s moving elsewhere.

‘It’s moving downward?’

Down, yes. But not in a physical sense. It’s flowing into another dimension.

Wrath shook his head, implying that digging into the ground wouldn’t uncover anything.

‘In the end, this is up to Lady Chamber.’

This wasn’t something he could solve alone. He needed to return to their temporary base and discuss it with Chamber.

‘For now, my job is…’

He activated his upper energy center and the Ring of Fire to their extremes, Raon memorized the black heart’s movements and the mana flow around it.

“Thank you.”

Raon patted Rensia’s head before stepping back.

“…Yeah.”

Rensia let out a weary breath, lowering her shirt. Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead, showing just how exhausted she was.

“Are you okay?”

Dorian took out a handkerchief and gently wiped her forehead.

“You’ll leave now, right?”

Rensia raised a trembling hand, urging Raon to keep his promise.

"Why do you keep telling us to leave?"

Raon narrowed his eyes as he met Rensia’s emerald gaze.

“There was someone like you before, Sir Kayden.”

She lowered her voice, as if recalling a painful memory.

“They tried to save my older sister, the one who raised me… But in the end, both that person and their entire family were erased from existence. And my sister too…”

Rensia covered her eyes and forehead with her hand, as if overwhelmed by the past.

"You… don’t tell me, that’s why you’re taking care of the children…."

“That’s right.”

She nodded with a faint smile that held no joy.

“Just as my sister once helped me, I’m looking after the children now. So please… just leave us alone.”

Rensia bowed her head, pleading. Her eyes were shaking with various emotions and worries.

"Kuhhh!"

"Rensia…."

Krein twisted the hilt of his greatsword as if unable to contain his anger, and Dorian finally let the tears welling up in his eyes fall.

“It’s not just us. Sir Kayden, even your entire trading company could be erased. No matter how much money you have, you can’t defeat the ones who control Montiro.”

Rensia bent at the waist, begging them one last time to leave.

“…I see.”

Raon nodded his chin and got up from his seat.

“A promise is a promise. At dawn tomorrow, we will leave this place.”

“What…? Y-you mean it, palace—no, president?”

Krein’s lips quivered as if he hadn’t expected Raon to actually agree to leave.

“Young master!”

Dorian also widened his eyes in shock, reverting to Raon’s old title.

“Shut up.”

Ignoring Krein and Dorian’s protests, Raon pulled a gold coin from his pocket.

“You’ve worked hard.”

He flicked the coin toward Rensia with a slight nod.

“….”

Rensia silently took the gold coin and placed it in her pocket before bowing her head.

“Thank you. Please… leave tomorrow, as promised.”

Leaving those words behind, she stepped out of Raon’s room.

“Phew…”

Leaning against the wall, Rensia pulled out the gold coin she had just received from Raon.

She stared at it for a long moment as if it were something precious before tucking it into the inner pocket of her clothes. Then, she slung her backpack over her shoulder once more.

‘This is the right choice.’

This was the only way to keep everyone safe.

Forcing a bright smile onto her face, as if she had never been sad, Lencia hummed a cheerful tune and walked down the corridor, bathed in dazzling light.

*   *   *

After leaving Montiro as promised, Raon took a detour and returned to the temporary base that Chamber had established.

By the time he arrived, the other swordsmen who had entered Montiro around the same time as him had already returned and were resting.

“You’re back.”

Chamber greeted him with a bitter smile, summoning a chair for him to sit on.

“…Good work.”

Karoon also gave him a slow nod, acknowledging his hard work.

“You both saw everything, right?”

Raon clenched his fist, pointing at the necklace Chamber had given him.

“Yes. Thanks to you, we now know everything.”

A chilling energy flickered within Karoon’s red eyes.

“I’ve once again realized that not a single one of the Black Tower’s demonized humans deserves to live.”

He twitched his long fingers as if he wanted to rush out and wipe them all out immediately.

“I knew those bastards were vile, but even I didn’t expect them to be this depraved.”

Chamber bit down on the lollipop in her mouth, shattering it between her teeth.

“Fuck! I want to go out there right now and kill every last one of them!”

Martha ruffled her hair in frustration and stomped her foot.

“We should freeze them… trap them so they can never come out again….”

Even Runaan, who rarely spoke harsh words, lowered her brows and muttered coldly.

“I’m usually the one holding you all back, but this time… I don’t feel like stopping you.”

Even Burren let out a scoff, unable to suppress his emotions.

“Raon. Did you confirm the movement of the black heart?”

“Yes. It’s difficult to explain in words, so I’ll show you using aura.”

Raon reached out and took Chamber’s hand, transmitting everything he had sensed when he touched Rensia’s black heart.

“…Just as expected.”

Chamber nodded, pulling out the now-empty lollipop stick.

“That black heart acts as a tiny dimensional gate, absorbing negative energy like demonic energy and energy of death before sending it to the Black Tower.”

She looked at Raon with a deep smile.

“Then… is it possible to open that dimension?”

“Normally, it would be impossible. But since you traced the black heart’s movements and flow, we might be able to track it back to the Black Tower.”

Chamber traced a large circle in the air with her finger, saying that it was now possible.

Clap!

The moment she clapped her hands, Jaina and the other Balkar mages gathered, their eyes gleaming with excitement.

“You’re all ready, right?”

Chamber swept her gaze over the mages, her smile deepening.

“It’s our turn to make a move now.”

*   *   *

Creeeak!

Rensia carefully opened the door, her blue backpack slung over her shoulders.

She had barely put any strength into it, but the house was so old that avoiding the noise was impossible.

“…Sis?”

“Are you leaving already?”

Her younger siblings, woken by the sound, rubbed their eyes and sat up.

“Yeah. I have work to do. I made breakfast, so eat slowly.”

Rensia waved lightly to them and stepped outside.

Leaving the shantytown behind, she headed toward Montiro’s entrance, only to have a crimson spear thrust out in front of her.

“…Ah.”

Her lips trembled as she stared at the spear blocking her path.

She could feel the black heart protruding from her waist pushing against the strap of her backpack.

“Thankfully, it seems I was mistaken.”

Felix, the leader of the Tiger Spear Division and the Doctor of Darkness responsible for implanting black hearts into the residents, slowly shook his head.

“…What? What do you mean…?”

“The Kayden you guided a month ago returned to his trading company and indulged himself in luxury, parties, debauchery, the whole spectacle.”

His voice was calm, but his eyes narrowed.

“I was worried he might have said something unnecessary. But fortunately, it seems that wasn’t the case.”

Felix’s lips curled slightly as he studied her.

“Then again, after watching your sister die with your own eyes, I doubt you’d be foolish enough to make the same mistake.”

He lowered his spear as if it was the most natural conclusion.

“Continue to work hard for us. You have a lot to protect, don’t you?”

Leaving those words behind, Felix disappeared over the hill.

“…Yes.”

Even after he was gone, Rensia remained frozen in place for a long time.

She forced herself to smile—a hollow, doll-like expression, before making her way down from the shantytown to start her work.

Haaah…

But today, suppressing her emotions felt harder than usual.

Her hands trembled as she reached into her inner pocket, grasping the gold coin Kayden had given her. Only then did she feel a little more at ease.

‘It’s fine. This is the best choice.’

It had already been a month since Kayden left Montiro.

At first, she had feared he might suddenly storm back in, but thankfully, that never happened.

‘Thankfully…?’

If she was being honest, part of her had wanted Kayden to return.

Kayden had always seemed indifferent, yet when it truly mattered, he had shown kindness, kindness that reminded her of the sister who had raised her.

She wanted to see him again.

But more than that, she hoped he wouldn’t return.

The darkness engulfing Montiro was too vast for anyone to erase.

‘Nothing has changed. I just have to protect the children like my sister did.’

Wiping away the moisture in her eyes, Rensia hurried toward Montiro’s main gate.

There was too much to protect to dwell on sadness.

Approaching the incoming tourists at the gate, she bowed her head and offered her services as a guide.

However, most of them were regular visitors to Montiro and had no interest in hiring a guide. Many chose to hire younger children instead of her.

“Welcome!”

Rensia maintained a bright smile despite the weight in her chest as she approached a group of travelers who looked like newcomers.

“Is this your first time in Montiro? I’m a local and can guide you to all the best places!”

She greeted them as brightly as she had when she first met Kayden, raising her voice in hopes of being hired.

“…Anywhere, you say?”

A blond-haired, blue-eyed man at the center of the group tilted his chin.

“Yes! There isn’t a single place in Montiro that I don’t know!”

Rensia patted her chest with confidence, anticipation flickering in her eyes.

“Alright. We’ll hire you.”

The blond-haired man nodded and tossed her a silver coin.

“Thank you!”

The way he flicked the coin to her reminded her of Kayden, making her heart ache for a brief moment.

Still, she kept her smile and bowed her head.

“Here, take these first.”

She handed each of the six people a handmade flower necklace before flashing a cheerful grin.

“Where would you like to go first?”

“I’d like to see the beach before anything else.”

“Alright! I’ll guide you there!”

Since the beach was usually the first stop for most tourists, Rensia nodded and led them toward the nearest shoreline.

“This is Montiro’s pride—the emerald sea! You can see right through the water, isn’t it beautiful?”

Spreading her arms wide, Rensia enthusiastically explained that swimming, surfing, and fishing were all possible here.

“Not much has changed.”

The blond-haired man clicked his tongue, sounding unimpressed.

“Well, what did you expect to change in such a short time?”

A slightly chubby man let out a chuckle.

“Oh? Have you been here before?”

Rensia tilted her head, looking at them curiously.

“Yeah. We came about a month ago.”

The blond man lifted his gaze as he spoke, confirming that he had visited a month ago.

His blue eyes—resembling the emerald sea—stirred something in Rensia’s memory. She had seen those eyes before.

“…No way.”

“It’s been a while.”

Kayden.

The man who had seen her secret, the man she had tried to save, had returned to Montiro.

“Why….”

Overcome with shock, Rensia’s hand trembled, and the gold coin she had been clutching in her pocket slipped through her fingers, landing on the sand with a soft thud.

“Why did you come back?! You promised you would leave!”

Her voice cracked as she shouted, shattering the doll-like smile she had been wearing.

“I promised to leave. But I never promised not to return.”

The man, whose name she hadn’t even known back then, smiled gently.

“…You idiot. This place is dangerous. I told you that….”

Kayden’s gaze remained steady.

“I’m strong. No—we are strong.”

From within his blue eyes, golden flames surged.

“We’re here to destroy this aquarium called Montiro.”

 

 

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