The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1028

 Chapter 1028

 

Rumble, rumble, rumble!

The wolf rose above the water, its lustrous fur imbued with the ocean standing on end.

Its massive body, so huge it could reach the sun hanging in the center of the sky, was as grand as an island. The way natural mana bloomed from the blue-tinted tips of its fur made it feel less like a living being and more like facing the World Tree that protects Seipia.

“T-That’s the one!”

Rabawin raised his trembling finger and pointed at the blue wolf that blocked out the sun.

“That’s the wolf I told you about!”

Even amid the sudden shock, he revealed the killing intent he harbored toward the beast that destroyed the village.

“W-Why is it so huge! You never said it was big enough to block out the sky!”

Martha swallowed dryly, overwhelmed by the wolf’s enormous size.

“Size isn’t the only problem. That energy… we can’t handle it.”

Burren felt the immense mana radiating from the wolf and bit his lip deeply.

“A big, cool puppy…”

Unlike the others, Runaan didn’t show any fear and simply nodded with calm eyes.

“Uwaaaaah!”

“M-Monster! No, that thing’s way beyond that!”

“That thing’s not a monster, it’s more like a dragon!”

“J-Just one kick from that thing could split this ship in half…”

The Light Wind swordsmen and crew were all so terrified they couldn’t even look directly at the blue wolf, their legs shook uncontrollably.

“That won’t happen.”

Raon told them not to worry and walked to the front of the Azure Wind.

‘Didn’t expect to meet it this soon.’

He’d been wondering how he would even begin to search the vast ocean for the wolf, yet here it was, right after they set sail.

‘So Sir Rabawin wasn’t mistaken after all.’

No doubt about it, it was Transcender level.

The massive wolf possessed a presence and mana on par with, or even exceeding, a Transcender, just as Rabawin had described. It really did seem to carry the power of the ocean itself.

‘I didn’t expect things to turn out like this.’

He had originally planned to help Rabawin and give the Light Wind swordsmen some real combat experience by fighting pirates, but instead, the opportunity for his own growth had come first.

Hooh.

Wrath smacked his lips in interest.

It’s pretty cute. It would look perfect tied up in front of the King of Essence’s castle!

Even after seeing a mystical wolf with power beyond a Transcender, he casually talked about capturing it, he wasn't a Demon King for nothing.

‘But…’

Raon drew Heavenly Drive from his waist, narrowing his eyes.

‘Is that thing… really alive?’

All living beings possess mana. The blue wolf held immense mana surpassing even a Transcender’s, but something about it was different from others.

‘It feels like a spirit, but there’s a chilling energy. Like a monster, but it gives off a spiritual power.’

That blue wolf didn’t seem like something that could be classified as just one kind, like a monster or a spirit.

‘Setting aside what it really is…’

Why is it just standing still?

The blue wolf, having risen above the surface of the ocean, was silently gazing this way, or rather, at him, with its ocean-colored eyes.

‘Is it gauging me?’

With the mana-infused ocean breeze flowing from the wolf, it was clear the creature was trying to gauge his strength.

‘Hmm.’

Raon studied the wolf, then shook his head.

'I can't tell for sure with my senses.'

He couldn’t gauge the wolf’s true strength just by the amount of mana. In the end, he would have to face it directly.

“Guard the ship.”

After ordering the Light Wind swordsmen to protect the Azure Wind, Raon stepped down onto the ocean.

“Beasts don’t overthink. Let’s go at it, body to body.”

He smacked his lips and was just about to step forward, using footwork to cross the ocean—

Fwaaah!

The blue wolf began to sink back into the ocean, as if it had lost interest in him. Its body scattered, turning into blue water droplets, as if its form had never existed in the first place.

“What the—!”

Raon frowned and rushed toward the spot where the wolf had been standing.

‘That thing…’

He activated the Perception of the Snow Flower and spread his aura perception, but the mana of that immense wolf was nowhere to be found.

‘Wrath!’

Raon immediately called out to Wrath.

The King of Essence can’t sense it either.

Wrath shook his head, saying it really seemed like the wolf had disappeared.

Maybe it came just to greet you?

He muttered that it must be a well-mannered wolf, which made him like it even more.

'There's no way that's true.'

Raon pushed Wrath away and wrinkled his nose.

‘What’s it thinking?’

Did it plan to attack this harbor but retreat after seeing me?

Since he didn’t know what the blue wolf was or what it was thinking, it left him feeling frustrated.

“Tch.”

Clicking his tongue long, Raon crossed the ocean and returned to the deck of the Azure Wind.

“Did it disappear?”

Rabawin asked, scanning his surroundings anxiously.

“Yes. It completely erased its presence.”

Raon let out a short sigh, saying he couldn’t sense it at all.

“Did it disappear like this the first time you encountered it?”

Since Rabawin had also said the wolf vanished, Raon asked if the same thing had happened back then.

“No.”

Rabawin shook his head firmly.

“It just showed me its face and then ran across the ocean.”

He added that unlike now, it didn’t linger this long, nor did it dissolve into water droplets, twitching his eyes as he spoke.

“I see.”

Raon raised his hand and rubbed his chin.

‘Is it really trying to gauge people?’

But why?

‘Because someone might interfere with whatever it’s doing?’

If that were the case, though, he didn’t feel any strong malice.

No matter how much he thought about it, Raon couldn’t grasp the blue wolf’s intentions.

“What did you all think?”

Raon turned and asked the Light Wind swordsmen.

“It felt like I was facing the force of nature itself.”

Burren groaned, saying he still couldn’t pull himself together.

"I know I wouldn't last a single hit, but..."

Martha straightened her back with determination.

“But I wanted to fight it.”

She spoke with strength in her voice, saying it seemed like it would be fun.

“I… I couldn’t read its mind at all…”

Dorian slumped his shoulders, saying that even with his mind’s eye, he couldn’t tell what the wolf was thinking.

“I…”

Runaan slowly opened her lips.

“…It looked like it was in pain.”

She waved her hand, saying the wolf didn’t look well.

“Why did it look like that?”

“It just… did.”

Runaan blinked, saying she didn’t really know either.

‘In pain, huh…’

As Raon smacked his lips, Wrath approached him from the side.

The King of Essence…

Wrath stared at the ocean with a serious expression. From the look on his face, it seemed like he’d sensed something.

‘What did you see?’

That thing probably tastes terrible.

He shook his head, saying the wolf had the face of something that wouldn’t taste good.

‘……’

Still, it’s worth a taste just to check—hey! Where are you going!

Raon ignored Wrath, who was licking his lips, and approached Rabawin.

“Let’s get moving. We still have a long way to go.”

*   *   *

“Haa…”

Raon let out a short sigh as he entered a tavern in the harbor city of Kurt to get a meal.

Rabawin

He and Rabawin had visited the harbors and villages under the Pirate King’s protection, and fortunately, none had been attacked.

Because the wolf might appear in other villages or harbors, they even came all the way to Kurt, a secluded village, but gained nothing.

‘Should I be calling this a relief?’

It was a relief that there were no deaths or destroyed cities, but the lack of any sign of the wolf made things a bit frustrating.

“Let’s eat first.”

Burren, looking tired, suggested they eat and handed Raon the menu.

What’s gotten into shitty eyes?

Wrath nodded grandly, saying it was the first time Burren had said something he actually liked.

Since we’re by the ocean, let’s start with seafood…

“Order whatever. Mostly seafood.”

Raon passed the menu to Martha, who was sitting across from him.

The King of Essence wasn’t done talking! He said seafood was first, and there’s still more!

‘They’re big eaters, they’ll take care of ordering plenty themselves.’

Runaan eats little, but Burren and Martha aren’t picky. It was obvious they would just order everything on the menu.

“Is there even a point in looking at the menu?”

“Might as well just order it all.”

Martha and Burren shouted for the tavern to bring every dish on the menu, as if it were only natural.

‘See?’

Kuh… Still, there’s something satisfying about ordering it yourself…

Wrath licked his lips with disappointment.

‘But…’

Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at Wrath.

‘It really was a village that could only be described as a ruin.’

Now I understand why he used the word destruction.

On the way here, Raon had also visited the village Rabawin said had been destroyed. Just like he described, the village was decayed and collapsed, as if it had been left untouched for decades.

There’s no way seawater alone could cause that kind of corrosion.

Wrath shook his head, saying that kind of damage couldn’t be caused by a natural phenomenon.

That wolf must’ve used some sort of trick.

He bit his lip, calling it a beast that didn’t know the value of life.

‘The blue wolf…’

Raon narrowed his eyes, thinking back to the wolf he encountered the moment he entered the ocean.

Just then, a group of men who looked like fishermen sat down behind them, raising their glasses as they took their seats.

“Tides have been good lately, but with things like this going on, I’m getting worried.”

A bald fisherman furrowed his brow as he gulped down his beer.

“Right? These days, you toss out your line and fish come pouring in, but it’s too scary to go out now.”

A middle-aged man with a cactus-like beard let out a sigh.

“By the way, did you hear that rumor?”

The bald fisherman leaned in slightly, as if about to share a secret.

“What rumor?”

"About Raon Zieghart. Just by looking at your face, I can tell you don't know."

He scoffed as if to say, 'you still don't know?'

"I-I know about him too. Why wouldn't I know about the Sword Emperor who defeated the Black Tower’s master."

The bearded man shook his head, not wanting to lose.

“Tsk, tsk.”

The bald fisherman clicked his tongue briefly.

“Staying in here fishing all day, no wonder you don’t know.”

He shook his head, disappointed.

"Why! What else happened!"

The bearded man banged his glass on the table, urging him to talk.

“Ahem. Hard to speak when I’m hungry and my throat’s dry…”

The bald fisherman smacked his lips.

“Owner! Bring this bald guy two beers!”

“I’ll cover the snacks!”

“You really do love free stuff. No wonder your hair’s gone.”

The other villagers sitting around the tavern, just as curious, ordered drinks and snacks and gathered around the bald fisherman.

“Now that I’ve wet my throat, time to begin!”

The bald fisherman set down his glass and smacked the table with his palm.

“Let’s begin with what happened in Eden. To hunt down the traitor, Eden used the Sky and Earth Net. Just like the name says, not even a rat could slip through…”

He began recounting in vivid detail the incidents that had happened when Raon went to rescue Merlin. The rumors seemed to be spreading even more thoroughly than before.

“D-Did Raon Zieghart really kill the Fallen?”

The middle-aged man with the cactus-like beard opened his eyes wide.

“That’s what I’m saying!”

The bald fisherman tilted his chin, as if to say, you think I’ve spent my whole life just getting fooled?

“Of course, the Magic Tower master handled most of the Fallen’s attacks, but the one who finished it, was definitely the Sword Emperor!”

He took a big gulp of beer, shouting that it was Raon who dealt the finishing strike to the Fallen.

“A-Amazing…”

“A young warrior who’s barely dried behind the ears killed a monster like the Fallen…”

“With one of Eden’s pillars gone, maybe things will get a little easier for us now?”

The people in the tavern began murmuring that the Four Demons would have to lay low now, and gradually returned to their seats.

“Hey! Where are you all going!”

The bald fisherman urgently raised his hand.

“I haven’t finished!”

He shook his head violently, saying he wasn’t done yet.

“Huh?”

“You’re not done?”

“You just said he killed the Fallen, there’s more?”

People widened their eyes, not expecting there to be anything beyond that.

“I’m telling you. The Fallen’s death is just a flavorless rumor that’s already spread everywhere. What I really want to talk about is what came next.”

The bald fisherman chewed on the head of a fish that came as a snack and spread his arms

“After killing the Fallen, Raon Zieghart didn’t even rest for a few days before heading straight to the Five Divine Orders. And there…”

He went on to explain in detail, as if he had seen it himself, how Raon helped the Thespian Emperor and the Queen of Swords enter a trance, and even secured alliances with the White Whale and the Blade Martial Pavilion.

“No, come on, even if Raon Zieghart carries the nickname of Sword Emperor, you’re saying he helped the Thespian Emperor and the Queen of Swords enter a trance?”

“That makes no sense! Their skill levels are almost the same!”

“I’d believe it if you said he beat them in a fight, but saying he helped them enter a trance just sounds like a lie.”

The bearded man and the other villagers shook their heads, saying it was hard to believe.

“I get that it’s hard to believe, but this is the undeniable truth. Because…”

The bald fisherman grinned and raised three fingers.

“I heard all these stories straight from the White Whale.”

He smirked, adding that the stories came not from just anywhere, but from the Thespian Emperor’s White Whale itself.

"Is-is that really true?"

The bearded man shook his head in disbelief.

“I’m telling you. Why would the White Whale undervalue their own master, the Thespian Emperor? That means it’s all true!”

The bald fisherman shook his fist, saying that the rumor was now spreading across the entire continent.

“How does it feel?”

Martha tapped her finger on the table and asked,

“When your name spreads all across the continent like that?”

She licked her lips, curious about what it must feel like.

“I’m curious too.”

Burren agreed, unfolding his crossed arms.

"We get included in your rumors sometimes, but we've never been the main character."

He looked at Raon with a spark in his eyes, asking how it felt to be the center of attention across the continent.

“Well… it feels really good, but at the same time…”

Raon gave a faint smile as he watched people cheerfully talking about his name and his nickname.

“It’s kind of embarrassing.”

“Seriously, our palace master’s still such a shy one!”

Martha thumped him hard on the shoulder, telling him to be more confident.

“What’s there to be embarrassed about? It’s not like you’re lacking anything!”

She frowned, saying what’s lacking is actually more rumors about him.

“Yeah. You’re amazing at everything…”

Runaan nodded quietly, agreeing with Martha.

“Thanks for saying that.”

Raon smiled awkwardly and waved his hand.

‘Spreading rumors from the White Whale?’

Now I see what the Thespian Emperor is up to.

She was deliberately spreading these detailed rumors to raise her reputation and public recognition.

It was obvious she planned to use the reputation she built up this way for something else.

Why! Why isn’t the King of Essence’s name mentioned!

Wrath furrowed his brow, insisting it was thanks to his abilities.

It was all thanks to the King of Essence’s traits, so why is it only your name being praised!

He seemed irritated that he had lent Raon his powers, yet not even his name was mentioned.that he had lent Raon his powers, yet not even his name was mentioned.

‘Praised or not, who cares. Let’s just eat.’

What matters is eating.

Raon, trying to calm Wrath before he exploded with rage, pointed at the dishes being brought to the table.

Kehehehem, shall we?

Wrath, as if he had never been angry in the first place, grinned as he looked over the food.

‘What should I start with?’

The king of Essence will begin with a nice, hot grilled shrimp, head and all…

Just as he reached out, saying he wanted shrimp grilled with salt—

Boom!

The tavern door burst open as if it were being smashed down, and Rabawin rushed in.

“Sir Raon! The harbor at Belder has been attacked!”

He raised his hand, saying he had just received the information.

“R-Raon?”

"D-don't tell me, Raon Zieghart?"

“No way…”

“A-and it’s him! That’s the Pirate King’s—no, Aris’ right-hand man, Rabawin!”

The people in the tavern gasped and slumped in shock upon realizing that the very Raon they’d been discussing was sitting right there with them.

“Is the ship ready to depart?”

Raon stood up and walked over to Rabawin, completely unfazed by the attention around him.

“Yes! We can depart immediately!”

Rabawin nodded, saying all preparations were complete.

“Then let’s go.”

Raon paid for the untouched food and exited the tavern.

Goooooooo!

The executives of the Light Wind Palace, who had never let their guard down in the first place, followed behind him with sharp discipline and spirit.

“Th-That was Raon Zieghart?”

“I didn’t even realize he was here, but once he let out his presence… I couldn’t even breathe.”

“Now, even the name Sword Emperor feels like it can’t keep up with him…”

The people shook their heads in disbelief, still stunned to have seen Raon—the Sword Emperor—right before their eyes.

But unlike the people who were delighted, there was a Demon King biting his lip with tears welling in his eyes.

The King of Essence knew this would happen…

Wrath stared at the countless steaming dishes, veins bulging in his neck.

Why is it that misfortune only ever strikes the King of Essence! They say even a dog isn’t disturbed while eating!

‘A dog would bite you if you did.’

You damn bastard! The King of Essence has teeth too, you kno—

‘Sorry, but we have to go.’

Raon shook his head as he grabbed Wrath by the tail.

‘There’s no need for any more sacrifice.’

 

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