The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1043

 Chapter 1043

 

“That beggar….”

Raon grabbed Rector’s clothes while keeping his gaze fixed on the beggar with the eye patch.

“That’s the Dark Night Sword God, Darkan, right?”

It was hard to believe, Darkan, once the previous master of the Holy Sword Alliance and the man known by the nickname Dark Night Sword God, was crawling on the ground, pretending to be a beggar.

“Yes.”

Rector gave a slow nod and let out a sigh.

“That’s why I said you wouldn’t believe me even if I told you.”

“You’re right. If I heard in Zieghart that Darkan had become a beggar, I’d have thought something was seriously wrong with grandfather.”

Rector had only told him Darkan’s location, not what he was doing. Now, he could understand why he’d made that choice.

‘A Transcender. And not just any Transcender, but a highest-level Transcender who has mastered the Heart Sword, who would believe he became a beggar?’

Even though he trusted Rector, he would’ve never believed those words.

The King of Essence has seen many madmen over the long years of his life…

Wrath let out a hollow laugh as he scanned Darkan up and down.

But it has truly been a long time since he has seen one this insane. It feels like his brain is structured completely differently.

He said the guy’s brain was structurally different, then slowly turned his gaze toward Raon.

‘Why are you looking at me?’

Because you’re just as much of a lunatic as that madman.

Wrath jerked his chin as if saying they were in the same league.

‘Come on! I’m not as crazy as that guy!’

Raon shook his hand, saying he couldn’t accept that.

The nature may be different, but the level of madness is the same!

Wrath snorted confidently.

‘I said I’m not!’

Raon shouted not to compare him to Darkan and turned his eyes back to the casino.

“Nngh….”

Darkan walked unsteadily toward the casino as if he hadn’t even noticed Raon had arrived.

“Please, just a bit of spare change…”

He clung to the ankles of people entering or exiting the casino, begging for money.

“Ugh, gross!”

“You’ll ruin my luck!”

People kicked him aside as if to get rid of him and walked into the casino.

Seeing that state of his, it reminds me of shitty ears.

Wrath wore a faint smile, as if reminded of Rimmer who used to crawl around at the casino.

‘That guy got kicked out while gambling. But this guy….’

Raon shook his head as he examined Darkan’s appearance.

‘He’s putting on a clumsy act as a beggar.’

Rimmer got kicked out after losing his money and clothes gambling, but Darkan, with no interest in gambling or anything like that, was clumsily carrying on as a beggar

‘But…’

He’s injured?

Raon frowned, seeing Darkan touching spots where he had been beaten by people.

‘Don’t tell me… he lost his power?’

Darkan was a monster even among Transcenders, at the top of the hierarchy. He shouldn't suffer any harm from ordinary people’s punches or kicks, yet his body was full of bruises and wounds.

That’s not it.

Wrath shook his head as if telling him to look closer.

That guy has hidden his aura beneath his soul and adjusted his body to make it the same as an ordinary human. In truth, he’s even stronger than the last time we saw him.

Wrath, telling him to look with his newly acquired eyes, flicked his hand.

‘Hmm…’

Raon clicked his tongue briefly and activated the Mind’s Eye of the Azure Flower.

Whooooosh.

A chill like cold frost seeped into his eyes, and he began to see Darkan’s immense soul, and the terrifying aura writhing beneath it.

‘You’re right…’

Darkan had deliberately suppressed his aura and adjusted his physical body to make himself like a normal person. With power and soul greater than before, he was performing a pitiful beggar act.

‘He already knows I’m here.’

Though he wasn’t even glancing this way, Darkan was surely aware that Raon and Rector were watching him.

Since he’d already been noticed, there was no need to lower his voice or hide his presence.

“Why is Darkan doing that?”

Raon let out a quiet breath as he looked at Rector.

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Rector furrowed his brow.

“To raise his level in the Heart Sword.”

“As expected, that must be it.”

Raon nodded calmly. Even he couldn’t think of any reason besides that for the Dark Night Sword God to act like that.

‘To become stronger, he gouged out his eyes… and now he’s become a beggar…’

He believed he had worked harder than anyone to become stronger, but it felt impossible to go as far as Darkan had.

“Let’s go. He already knows we’re here.”

Raon dusted off his shoulder and walked toward Darkan, who was leaning against the wall of the casino.

“It’s been a while.”

Since Darkan wasn’t one to care about honorifics or casual speech, Raon jerked his chin up as if greeting an old friend he’d seen just yesterday.

“Hrrgh…”

Darkan exhaled a dull breath, as if playing the beggar act even to Raon, and slowly raised his head.

“Who are you?”

He let out another murky breath, pretending not to recognize him.

“Can you stop the act now?”

Raon bent his knees and looked into the black eye patch covering Darkan’s eyes.

“Tsk.”

Darkan clicked his tongue briefly in annoyance.

“What’s this about?”

Only after forming a subtle and fluid energy barrier that enveloped just him and Rector did he speak in his original voice. The manipulation of aura was so smooth it sent chills down one’s spine.

“The deal between you and me should’ve been over.”

Darkan wrinkled his nose as if unable to understand the reason Raon had come. As expected, he had already realized Raon had seen through his disguise.

“I have a request.”

Raon pressed his hands together as he looked at the wrinkles carved into Darkan’s forehead.

“No.”

Darkan shook his head without even listening to what Raon had to say.

“I’m calling it a request, but it’s something that’ll benefit you too.”

Raon bit his lip lightly, asking him to listen before deciding.

“It would benefit me?”

Darkan looked up at him and scoffed.

“I thought I told you, the reason I value you isn’t because of your current strength, but because of your future potential.”

He firmly shook his head, saying he had no interest in Raon as he was now.

“Unless you’re offering up Glenn Zieghart before me right this moment, there’s nothing you can do for me, so just go.”

Darkan snorted as if to say not to disturb his training.

“You call it training? What’s the point in acting like a beggar?”

“Because I haven’t done it before.”

Darkan let out a faint chuckle and scraped the ground with his finger.

“From the moment I was born, I stood in the sky. I came from a good family, had overflowing talent, and always ruled above others.”

Lowering his chin, he spoke of the dazzling and lofty life he had led more than anyone else.

“And that’s why I want to live the lowest life now. To walk a path I haven’t walked. Doing things that don’t suit me…”

Darkan brushed the eyepatch over his empty eyes and curved his lips faintly.

“…brings great growth to the soul and swordsmanship.”

He said that’s why he became a beggar, clenching his soot-stained hand into a fist.

“My mind is really tingling right now. If I focus just a little more on this life, I feel like I might be able to obtain a new enlightenment, so don’t disturb me.”

Darkan waved his hand as if to say, leave now.

“Hmm….”

Raon furrowed his brows as he watched Darkan return to begging like a beggar.

‘Doesn’t seem like he’ll listen.’

Normally, he would at least hear Raon out, but right now, Darkan seemed to be on the verge of either attaining or missing enlightenment, so he appeared completely uninterested in anything else.

“Darkan.”

Rector tilted his head toward Darkan.

“When do you think that enlightenment will come?”

“As you know, enlightenment isn’t something a warrior can schedule. It feels close, but just out of reach, so I have no idea.”

Darkan scratched his temple with a finger, as if he too found it frustrating.

“Then at least listen to—”

“It’s fine, grandfather.”

Raon stopped Rector by grabbing his arm as he tried to approach Darkan.

‘Right now, he’s not in a state where words will get through.’

Darkan was someone who had always valued his talent in swordsmanship highly.

For someone like him to be acting that way, it meant that right now, it was best not to interfere.

“Let’s go.”

Still holding Rector’s arm, Raon stepped back.

“A wise decision. Once I attain enlightenment, I’ll at least listen to what you have to say.”

As soon as they withdrew, Darkan released the energy barrier that had been flowing like the mana of nature.

“……”

Raon said nothing and leaned his back against the wall of the alley where he had first watched Darkan.

“Are you really okay with this? If we back off like this…”

Rector narrowed his eyes, as if worried about the war with the White Blood Religion.

“Of course, I have no intention of leaving things like this.”

Raon curled his lips slightly as he looked at Darkan clumsily begging.

“I think a way will present itself soon.”

*   *   *

“Tsk.”

Raon clicked his tongue as he watched Darkan begging on his knees in the back alleys of the capital.

Huuuaaam!

Wrath let out a yawn so big it looked like his mouth would split open.

How long do you intend to stay here? The food’s not bad, befitting the kingdom of indulgence, but this is so boring!

He grabbed Raon’s shoulder, asking him to at least gamble or something.

‘How long have we been here?’

It’s been a week! You’ve been watching that beggar for a whole week!

Wrath twisted his body like a rose vine, saying he was dying of boredom.

‘I see.’

Raon clicked his tongue briefly, watching Darkan beg from passersby.

‘A whole week of that…’

Darkan had been constantly changing locations as he begged from people.

He seemed serious, getting kicked by gamblers, hit by merchants, trampled on by other beggars, yet never once did he reveal his true identity.

But despite all that effort, there were very few times he actually succeeded in begging.

‘I know what the problem is.’

Raon curled the corner of his mouth slightly as he watched Darkan spend all day getting beaten instead of receiving anything.

‘That’s just a warrior in beggar’s clothing.’

His instincts, honed from living as an assassin and disguising himself as a beggar countless times, told him, that’s a fake beggar.

‘I guess it’s time to move.’

Ehh?

Wrath blinked as if to ask what he meant.

Didn’t that guy tell you not to come? He won’t listen to anything you say right now.

Wrath shook his head, saying nothing would get through to the current Darkan.

‘I’m not going to ask for anything.’

Raon gave Wrath a slight grin.

‘I’m going to show him. What a real beggar is.’

He took out rags from his subspace pocket, rags that not even a beggar would wear, and changed into them. Then he smeared soot all over his face and body.

After transforming into a beggar who looked like he hadn’t eaten in ten days, he approached Darkan.

“Hmm…”

Darkan frowned as he looked at Raon.

“I told you I’m not interested in any requests, didn’t I? I’m sure I told you to disappear.”

His tone turned cold, his eyes sharp in a way that hadn’t been there before. A chill killing intent dug into Raon’s heart like it would pierce through it.

“Request? What nonsense are you talking about.”

Raon shook his head, repeating the same words he had said to Wrath.

“I’m here to teach you what a beggar really is.”

Saying he would show him directly, he knelt down and hunched his back forward like a hunchback.

“I… I haven’t eaten in a week…”

Raon approached a young woman walking alongside a man with an air of wealth. Shrinking his shoulders, he lifted a trembling hand.

“Please… just a single copper coin…”

Though it hadn’t been long since he’d eaten a greasy lunch with Wrath, he panted as if he truly hadn’t eaten for a week.

“How pitiful….”

The young woman grabbed the man’s arm tightly.

“Tch, count yourself lucky.”

The noble-looking man clicked his tongue and tossed a gold coin toward Raon.

“Th-thank you… thank you so much!”

Raon bowed deeply and carefully picked up the fallen gold coin.

After that, he continued to target elderly people and young women, managing to gather five silver coins and two gold coins.

“H-how…”

Darkan let out an empty breath as he watched Raon collect more in under an hour than he had managed in a whole week.

“You…”

Raon turned back to look at Darkan and let out a short breath.

“You rarely ever succeed in begging, do you know why?”

He slipped the gold and silver coins he had just obtained onto his fingers and shook them.

“What are you…?”

“You say you want to become a beggar, but you haven’t even thought about what a beggar truly is.”

Raon clicked his tongue and examined Darkan’s posture.

“Kneeling with your knees together and your shoulders straight like that, you’re not a beggar, you’re a warrior. Who’s going to pity you like that?”

Raon shook his head, mocking the way Darkan was sitting so upright.

“You’ll never become a true beggar like that.”

He slammed his fist into the ground, telling him to get a grip.

“Huh? Uh…”

Darkan swallowed dryly, as if unable to comprehend the current situation.

“Look at this.”

Raon raised the hand that had just received a gold coin.

“What does this make you think of?”

“They look like dirty hands.”

Darkan, despite not being able to see, muttered that it was dirty as if he could feel the soot on his hand.

“Then how about this?”

Raon lowered his clasped hand slightly and trembled his fingers like someone struck with a sudden chill.

“…Looks a little pitiful.”

Darkan let out a low groan as if he could feel the trembling fingers.

“Exactly. Begging isn’t about getting something from others, it’s about drawing it out of them. Which means, no matter what, you have to look pitiful! Remember the angle of my hand and how it’s shaking.”

Raon kept his hand trembling, telling him to feel it properly.

Wh-What is this?

Wrath blinked, as if he couldn’t comprehend the current situation either.

“Try it. Just like I showed you.”

Raon stepped back behind Darkan, telling him to give it a try himself.

“Hmm…”

Darkan rolled his eyes, then followed what Raon had shown earlier,  spreading his knees slightly, hunching his shoulders, and raising a trembling hand.

“And begging isn’t something you just do to anyone. It’s usually most successful with the elderly or young women, especially women who are with a man.”

He nodded, saying you have to choose your targets wisely too.

“Now try it for yourself.”

“All ri—hmph!”

Darkan nodded and started to move, but suddenly turned back to Raon.

“Your silver tongue was so natural, I nearly fell for it completely.”

He unclasped his hands and shook his head.

“I’m not doing this to actually become a beggar and make money. I’m doing it to reach enlightenment…”

“How pathetic. Dark Night Sword God, Darkan.”

Raon bared his teeth as he let out a chilling voice.

"Don’t look down on beggars."

After creating a barrier of energy, he let out a fierce shout so strong that both his and Darkan’s clothes fluttered.

“You said you became a beggar to walk a path you hadn’t taken before, right? But do you really think brushing over that life half-heartedly will bring you enlightenment? That’s not the path of seeking enlightenment, it’s just a waste of time!”

He stomped his foot and shouted that if he was going to do it, he should do it right, and if not, he should give it up right now.

“The life of a beggar is fiercer than that of a warrior! If I don’t beg, another bastard will beg and take my dinner away! If you stand around blankly, even your broken rice bowl will be kicked away! If you truly want to obtain enlightenment, you must become a beggar from the depths of your heart!”

Raon shouted at him to come to his senses and slapped Darkan across the cheek.

Y-You madman!

Wrath’s jaw dropped.

G-Get out of there right now! That madman’s going to draw his sword and—huh?

Contrary to Wrath’s panicked expectation, Darkan didn’t flare up in anger, he just stood there, frozen.

“Haa…”

After standing absent-mindedly for a long time, Darkan knelt down before Raon.

“You’re right.”

He touched the cheek where he’d been struck and looked up at Raon.

“I kept feeling like something was missing, and just as you said, I was still thinking of myself as the Dark Night Sword God.”

Darkan said he had not truly lived a life of abandoning everything and clenched his fist so hard that blood flowed.

Uh…? Is this really happening?

Wrath trembled his chin, startled by how differently things were unfolding from what he expected.

“Teach me!”

Darkan bowed his head to Raon, shouting that he was asking for it.

“Very well.”

Raon nodded as he placed his hand on Darkan’s head.

“I’ll show you what a true beggar is. Let’s start again from the posture.”

With a deep smile, he began explaining once more the begging posture he had shown at the beginning.

“First, the angle of the arms and the angle of the hands matter most. The trembling comes after that.”

As if he had felt Raon’s sincerity in his heart, Darkan hunched his body like a real beggar and formed the proper angle between his hands for begging.

The King of  Essence was completely mistaken…

Wrath shook his head, trembling, as he watched Raon teaching Darkan the true posture of a beggar.

In this world, no, across all dimensions, there is no lunatic more insane than you!

Who in their right mind teaches a Transcender being how to beg!

 

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