The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1011

 Chapter 1011

 

“Nephew!”

Balder unfolded his arms and raised a hand as large as a pot lid.

“Don’t keep us waiting, just tell us! I’m dying to know!”

He stomped his foot in frustration, saying he knew the result but didn’t know a single detail about the process.

“I’m curious too.”

Aris turned her body to look at Raon.

“What kind of trick did you use this time to take down the Fallen, you lucky brat!”

He gave a refreshing laugh, urging him to quickly tell the heroic tale of how he defeated the Fallen and drove the Heavenly Demon away.

“Light Wind Palace master.”

Sheryl, the division leader of the Heavenly Blade Division, slightly tilted her chin.

“The executives gathered here now are curious about your story. Please tell us in detail, one by one.”

Since it was an official setting, she used honorifics and voiced her support for Raon.

“Huhuhuhu.”

Roenn let out his usual hearty laugh and nodded.

“Palace master! We’re curious too!”

“Tell us what happened while we were left behind!”

Burren and Martha frowned as they shouted at him to speak up. They seemed frustrated at not being able to participate in the war.

“Handsome Supreme Raon.”

Runaan simply gave a thumbs-up, as if saying he’d done well.

“Hm….”

“It’s a tremendous achievement.”

Karoon gave a small nod without speaking, and Denier looked at his nephew with warm eyes, clearly proud.

“Hoo….”

Raon let out a short breath and stepped forward toward the platform.

He didn’t know about Denier, but it felt like the people gathered here had come not because Glenn had summoned them, but because they genuinely wanted to hear about his battle.

“Then I’ll begin. First, I was in a relation—no, a friendship—with Merlin, who was part of the Fallen’s group. She sent me information about Eden’s location and a letter that seemed to hint at her death. So I went to find her…”

Starting with why he had gone to find Merlin, he explained how he broke through Eden’s Sky and Earth Net, defeated the Demon Slaying Spear, cut down the Fallen, and even the appearance of the Heavenly Demon and how he cut down the soul of the Fallen that the Heavenly Demon had been protecting.

He explained everything to the gathered executives in the audience chamber, leaving out only Evelyn’s circumstances.

Because the incident had been so enormous and harrowing, even though he talked for a long time on his own, everyone listened intently, eyes filled with interest.

“…And after the Heavenly Demon left, I lost consciousness right away.”

Raon ended by saying he didn’t know much about what happened after the Heavenly Demon disappeared and bowed his head.

“That’s incredible! Every single thing is astonishing!”

Balder clapped with both hands, beaming that Raon truly was his nephew.

“But man, I really wanted to be the one to take down that Demon Slaying Spear bastard! I wanted to snap that spear of his in half!”

He furrowed his brows, saying he had wanted to face the Demon Slaying Spear himself.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Even if ten of you came at him, you wouldn’t win.”

Aris smacked the back of Balder’s head and shook her head.

“You really went through more than I imagined. I’ve been training day and night trying to catch up to you, but I didn’t expect the gap to widen even more. Heart sword? Unbelievable.”

She let out a dry laugh, saying it was something she couldn’t have imagined.

“It’s not all that impressive. It wasn’t something I achieved through my own power alone, and it’s so weak that I couldn’t even kill a regular person with it.”

Raon shook his head as he ran his hand over the Blade of Requiem strapped to his lower back.

“I was only able to cut the Fallen because just one thread of his soul was left.”

He clicked his tongue briefly, saying it wasn’t a true Heart Sword.

“Even if you borrowed the power of a weapon, even if it’s so weak it can’t kill a single person, a Heart Sword is still a Heart Sword.”

Karoon spoke for the first time. He acknowledged Raon’s Heart Sword for what it was, regardless of how faint or weak it might be.

“Congratulations on reaching a new swordsmanship realm.”

With calm eyes and no trace of envy or pretense, Karoon sincerely congratulated him on his growth.

“…Thank you.”

Raon blinked blankly for a moment, then lowered his head.

He really has changed a lot.

Wrath let out a hollow laugh, as if genuinely surprised.

‘Saying he changed isn’t even enough to explain it.’

It was shocking that someone who used to look at him and Sylvia with nothing but hatred and disgust could now offer such sincere praise.

Besides, the old Karoon would’ve been furious just knowing Evelyn was still on this land, and yet, he said nothing about it.

‘They say when a person changes, they die… hmm!’

Raon looked up at Karoon and quietly exhaled.

‘So that’s it. He wasn’t just praising me.’

The emotion in Karoon’s eyes wasn’t jealousy, envy, or resentment—it was confidence.

He praised Raon with the belief that he could still catch up to him.

‘Come to think of it, his energy wave feels completely different now.’

It was clear that while Raon had been growing, Karoon had also been pushing himself to the limit in training.

A smile unconsciously formed on Raon’s face at the sense of kinship he couldn’t quite explain.

“Even before the Heart Sword, defeating the Fallen was impressive. That guy’s a monster who just won’t die no matter how many times you kill him.”

Sheryl, the Heavenly Blade Division’s leader, nodded in admiration.

“I think I saw him die about three times myself.”

Roenn let out his usual chuckle saying it was amazing that Raon finally finished off that leech-like bastard the Fallen who just wouldn’t die.

“That wasn’t just my own strength either. Because Evelyn broke his spell, I was able to cut off his head.”

Raon shook his head firmly. If Evelyn hadn’t been there during the fight against the Fallen, he likely would’ve died instead, so he spoke honestly.

“Ugh, you’re so frustrating!”

Martha stepped forward with a scowl.

“Whether Merlin helped you or you used the Blade of Requiem, it was still your strength and your achievement! Just own it already!”

She ground her teeth in frustration, demanding he acknowledge it like a true leader of Light Wind.

“If it were our master who taught us, he would’ve claimed even things he didn’t do as his own accomplishments.”

Burren chuckled, seemingly recalling Rimmer, who created the name Light Wind.

“Yeah. Be confident. You’re extra handsome today.”

Runaan nodded, saying his slightly worn-out face today looked the best.

“It’s not that I lack confidence. It’s just…”

Raon looked at Burren, Martha, and Runaan, his subordinates, and also his friends, and gave a soft smile.

“I just don’t want to say I did something I didn’t do.”

It wasn’t because he lacked confidence that he was deflecting credit. He simply didn’t want to lie to the people who trusted him.

“You’ve done well.”

Glenn nodded with his hand covering his mouth. His entire face was flushed red, and his legs were trembling like someone desperate to use the bathroom.

Rumble—!

A massive tremor shook the audience chamber—no, shook all of Zieghart.

That doting old man, as always.

Wrath shook his head, saying Glenn was like a puppy that drools the moment it sees food.

“But there’s one thing the Light Wind Palace master didn’t mention.”

Glenn clicked his tongue lightly and raised his flushed finger.

“The Heavenly Demon acknowledged the Light Wind Palace master’s talent and strength.

He said that, as of now, Raon is the person closest to reaching the level of the heads of the Five Kings and Four Demons.”

Glenn, though he was speaking of an enemy, seemed to genuinely consider it praise that such a colossal being as the Heavenly Demon had acknowledged Raon.

“W-Wait… I don’t think he said that…”

Raon went over the Heavenly Demon’s words in his mind, but he couldn’t recall ever being told he was close to the level of the heads of the Five Kings and Four Demons.

“Um…”

He raised his hand to try and clear up the misunderstanding, but the audience chamber had already erupted into chaos, and no one was listening anymore.

“The Heavenly Demon did?”

“The head of Eden. No, to think that a monster who could be called the head of the Four Demons would acknowledge him.”

“To be recognized by a warrior who can even endure the Heart Sword…”

“As expected, the Light Wind Palace master is something else…”

“At this point, ‘genius’ doesn’t even begin to describe him. Just call him the one and only Sword Emperor!”

The executives of Zieghart looked at Raon with eyes filled with admiration and envy.

“There’s no need to say it, everyone already acknowledges the Light Wind Palace master’s accomplishments, so I must respond accordingly.”

When Glenn snapped his fingers, Roenn stepped up onto the platform carrying a golden tablet and two wooden cases.

“To the master of Light Wind Palace, who killed the Demon Slaying Spear and the Fallen and brought down Eden, I bestow a golden plate and two highest-grade elixirs.”

He nodded, explaining that they were elixirs meant to heal injuries and further his growth.

“Thank you.”

Raon climbed onto the platform, received the golden tablet and elixirs, and bowed his head.

“Next, Mark Goetten, Guardian of the Light Wind Palace, step forward.”

Glenn called not only Raon but also Mark Goetten, who had fought alongside him, to the platform.

“For devoting your life to opening the path for your palace master and protecting him to the end, I commend that dedication with a golden tablet and a high-grade elixir.”

He added that he had worked hard, and personally patted Mark Goetten’s shoulder.

“Thank you!”

With trembling hands, Mark Goetten received the golden tablet and elixir and bowed deeply to Glenn.

“I wanted to give a proper reward to Merlin, no, Evelyn, as well, but she didn’t come with you?”

Glenn narrowed his eyes slightly, as if disappointed.

“She was a bit exhausted, so I told her to rest.”

Raon answered, lowering his gaze slightly.

‘I didn’t know what she might say if I brought her.’

He had left Evelyn behind in the annex building, knowing he couldn’t handle it if she repeated what she had said to Sylvia in front of everyone.

“There’s one thing I’d like to ask.”

Karoon raised his hand and looked at Raon.

“What kind of person is the Heavenly Demon?”

He narrowed his eyes, as if that was the one thing he most wanted to know.

“To describe his appearance first, on his face, he wears the helmet of a red dragon with ten horns sprouting from it. He was taller than me or the head of house, and his physique was also rock-solid and massive. He didn’t have the body of a swordsman, but that of a fighter, and he actually used his fists in combat.”

Raon slowly closed his eyes, recalling the Heavenly Demon he had seen.

“But what truly matters isn’t his appearance or his fists. The moment you see him, you can tell—he is the Heavenly Demon. He radiates such a terrifying energy wave that even in a crowd of thousands—no, tens of thousands—he feels like the only one standing there.”

He bit his lip, recalling the immense soul the Heavenly Demon possessed.

“Before I can even raise my sword, my spirit is already broken. It didn’t feel like he was even human.”

Raon exhaled a heavy breath and shook his head.

“Hm…”

“That… A being like that actually exists…”

“Even the word ‘monster’ doesn’t do it justice…”

“So the name Heavenly Demon—a demon who ascended to the heavens—fits him perfectly.”

The executives pressed their lips tightly together, as if crushed under the weight of that name. Raon hadn’t intended to instill fear, but just by describing what he had seen, that became the result.

“But…”

Just as Raon opened his mouth again to dispel the heavy atmosphere, a trembling voice rang out from behind him.

“Th-there’s no need to worry!”

Dorian stepped forward, lifting his chin.

“B-Based on what the palace master said, it means our head of house is stronger than the Heavenly Demon, right?! So there’s no need to be scared of someone like that when we have the head of house!”

He nodded vigorously, as if he were trying to reassure himself more than anyone else.

“Y-Yeah, he’s right!”

Krein grabbed Dorian’s shoulder and swallowed hard.

“The Sword God is right here with us! And the palace master even killed the Fallen!”

He raised his fist, saying that all that remained now was to win the war.

“He’s right! We have the head of house!”

“The Heavenly Demon’s nothing in front of the Sword God!”

“When I think of it that way, I’m actually looking forward to the war with Eden.”

“With both the Sword God and the Sword Emperor, there’s nothing to fear.”

Encouraged by Dorian and Krein’s words, faint smiles began to spread across the executives’ faces.

“Hm.”

Raon clicked his tongue softly and looked up at the platform.

“……”

Glenn drew a smooth, untroubled smile, as if to say there was truly no need to worry, just like Dorian said. But to Raon, that smile looked somehow bitter… and quietly filled with sorrow.

“Just as those two said, there’s no need for you to worry about the Heavenly Demon.”

He gestured with his hand, telling them to leave the Heavenly Demon to him, and focus on their own training.

“As expected!”

“Head of house!”

“We’ll place our trust in you!”

The executives pounded their fists to their chests and bowed to Glenn, as if pledging eternal loyalty.

“The Light Wind Palace master’s injuries haven’t fully healed either, so let’s end things here for today.”

Glenn lowered his eyes, signaling it was time to wrap up and leave.

“Understood.”

The executives bowed their heads with bright expressions and began to leave.

Creeeaaak—

Just as the executives were about to leave the audience chamber, a maid with fluttering purple hair burst through the half-open door.

“Huh?”

Raon took a sharp breath when he saw the maid’s face.

‘Evelyn?’

Evelyn, who had been left in the annex building, had somehow made her way here.

“Wait!”

Evelyn stretched out her hand and shook her head.

“There’s still something haven’t said! I—at night, when I called Raon by name—”

“No!”

Raon freaked out and dashed over, clamping her mouth shut.

“Mmph!”

“It’s true, but it’s not true!”

He shook his head wildly, shouting that this wasn’t the kind of initiative Sella had advised her to take.

“Please, just stop!”

*   *   *

“Huff…”

Raon sat on the edge of the bed, clutching his swollen stomach.

“Even eating isn’t easy.”

He felt like his stomach would burst from having eaten all the dishes Wrath had wanted.

If he hadn’t used aura to regulate things along the way, he might’ve fainted from overeating.

Making a fuss over just one meal! The King of Essence could eat ten

meals without sleeping a wink!

Wrath clicked his tongue, saying kids these days were too weak.

Enough talk. Bring out the bead ice cream already!

‘Just one meal? I’ve been eating non-stop for four hours!’

Raon grabbed Wrath’s tail and shook it up and down. Since Wrath had helped him during the war, he’d given him a four-hour feast as a reward, but hearing him say that made his insides boil.

‘Want me to feed you nothing but Nadine bread for the rest of your life, huh?’

N-No, not that…

Wrath flinched and shook his head at the threat of Nadine bread.

‘Then keep quiet.’

Raon flicked Wrath’s forehead and opened the box of bead ice cream.

‘I’m too full to eat them all, so just pick one.’

He showed Wrath four different flavors and told him to choose one.

Grrrr….

Narrowing his eyes like he’d just run into his nemesis, Wrath let out a low groan.

H-He wants to eat them all, but if he must choose… The king of Essence will have mint chocolate!

“……”

Mint chocolate, he said!

Wrath kept shouting, but Raon just widened his eyes, staring out the window.

“Grandfather?”

The Glenn he had seen earlier in the audience chamber was now standing outside the annex building window, looking in at him.

“What brings you here?”

Raon put down the ice cream box and opened the window.

“I just remembered something I didn’t give you at the audience chamber. Can you step out for a moment?”

Glenn nodded with a calm gaze.

“Understood.”

“When you come out…”

Just as Raon turned his body, Glenn continued speaking.

“Bring the Blade of Requiem with you.”

He lowered his finger and pointed at the Blade of Requiem resting on the table.

“I want to see your Heart Sword properly.”

“Ah…”

Raon swallowed dryly as he met Glenn’s serene gaze.

‘Is he going to teach me?’

It was clear that Glenn intended to teach him something about the Heart Sword.

“Understood.”

Feeling the rough pounding of his heart, Raon grabbed the Blade of Requiem and immediately stepped outside.

Hey, you brat! Where are you going!

Wrath screamed as he stared at the open box of ice cream.

At least eat one before you go! Or close the lid, at least!

It’s all going to melt!

 

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