The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1107

 Chapter 1107

 

“P-playing?”

Siyan widened her eyes as if she couldn’t understand what he meant.

“P-play? W-with me? What kind of playing are you talking about?”

She hunched her shoulders like she had gone back to her days as a shut-in.

“The name of that artifact is <Voice of the World Tree>.”

Raon pointed at the ocarina in Siyan’s hands.

“It’s a good artifact that strengthens spiritual power just by holding it, but if you play it, you can call forth the power of the World Tree.”

He told Siyan about the artifact’s true ability.

“T-There was such a thing?”

Sterin widened his eyes, saying it was the first he’d heard of it.

“So it wasn’t simply for strengthening spirit power, who in the world would make such an artifact…”

Sterin couldn’t close his wrinkled mouth, as if it was hard to believe.

“Judging by the craftsmanship of the artifact and the magic engraved in it, it seems to be a joint work of elves, dwarves, and humans. Quite rare.”

Raon shook his head, saying he didn’t know who had made it either.

“Y-you told me that at the beginning too. That if I played the ocarina, I could call forth the artifact’s true power. But I can’t play at all…”

Siyan, saying she had never played an ocarina until now, trembled at her fingertips.

“Compared to other instruments, the ocarina isn’t so difficult. You’ll learn quickly. Besides….”

Raon placed his hand on the Wooden Ring Sword and looked at the World Tree.

“Since the piece itself will follow the World Tree’s breath, it will become familiar music to you, Lady Siyan.”

He nodded, saying she could definitely do it.

“C-Couldn’t you play instead, Sir Raon? If I make a mistake for no reason….”

Siyan lifted her gaze toward the crimson fog. She wasn’t worried about her mistake itself, but that it could affect Rimmer’s soul.

“As I told you from the beginning, this is something we do together. I must play as well.”

Raon waved his hand, saying it wasn’t something he could do alone.

“T-Together? What instrument will you play then?”

Siyan looked him up and down as if searching for an instrument.

“This is my instrument.”

Raon raised the Wooden Ring Sword upright toward the sky. Its leaf-shaped guard was identical to the ocarina and the leaves of the World Tree.

“W-With a sword?”

“It seems you forgot. I have a bit of a reputation in this field as well.”

Not fame, but notoriety, isn’t it?

Wrath nodded, as if to affirm his own words.

Anyone who heard that sound ended up coughing blood and dropping dead!

He scrunched his nose, calling it the terrifying song of the sword.

“Listen.”

Raon wrapped Garunua’s wind around the blade of the Wooden Ring Sword.

Wooooong!

The pale-green pressure of the wind made the sword vibrate and released a powerful resonant tone.

The sword’s cry, once like the howl of a starving beast, softened under Raon’s touch and drew out a graceful rhythm like the harmony of piano and violin.

Sword song. The song sung by the sword rode along the Wooden Ring Sword’s blade and spread across the entire great forest.

Fwaaaaaah!

The World Tree spread its branches even wider, scattering green mana as if pleased with Raon’s performance.

“A sword song! So it was singing with a sword!”

Siyan finally understood and let out a ringing exclamation.

“I never imagined a song sung with a sword could be this beautiful.”

She put her hands together toward Raon, saying she was moved.

“I thought it was only for killing enemies, but I never imagined it could be used to play music like this.”

Sterin widened his eyes in amazement.

“It was a song that moved the heart.”

He nodded, saying the sword’s song was truly good.

“Isn’t that a technique you haven’t used in a long time?”

Martha narrowed her eyes at Raon.

“Why are you still so good at it!”

She let out a scoffing sigh, unable to understand.

“It’s been a while since I’ve shown it to others, but…”

Raon waved his hand calmly.

“…but I’ve always practiced it on my own.”

I always repeated every form, from basic to the highest, in my training, so there was no such thing as a technique I hadn’t used in a long time.

“Raon! Play for me too!”

“Evelyn spread both her hands, asking him to play a piece just for her.

“…….”

Raon ignored her words as if he hadn’t heard, and looked back at the World Tree.

“If we play by following the World Tree’s breath, we’ll be able to create a mighty purification power strong enough to wipe away the fog and wind that have shrouded Seipia.”

He turned his gaze to Siyan, saying that only if they could play would they be able to save Rimmer and Seipia.

“Th-then, are you the one who will compose the song, Sir Raon?”

Siyan swallowed dryly, as if the thought had never even crossed her mind.

“Of course.”

Raon nodded calmly.

“You… you knew how to compose as well?”

Sterin gaped his eyes and mouth wide as if astonished.

“There’s no need to go as far as composing. Right now, in my eyes…”

Raon gazed at the World Tree with eyes blazing with blue light.

“Because the World Tree’s breath is all laid bare before me.”

Through the Ring of Fire and the Mind’s Eye of the Azure Flower, the World Tree’s breath and the flow of mana were visible to me.

If I only taught the mana breathing method that follows that flow, the music would form on its own.

“How long will it take to make the song?”

Siyan nodded, saying she would practice the basics of the ocarina until then.

“It’s already finished.”

Raon nodded, saying he had already completed a mana breathing method that could follow the World Tree’s breath.

“Ah….”

Siyan froze in place, as if she had never imagined it would be completed so quickly.

“Unbelievable….”

Sterin too looked horrified, unable to close his gaping mouth.

High elves being surprised at another’s talent…

Wrath twisted his lips as if in disbelief.

That damned system has created a monster!

He ground his teeth, saying he would take it all away someday.

‘Do as you please.’

Raon pushed Wrath away and stepped up to Siyan.

“Let’s try it together. To grant the foolish elf’s wish.”

*   *   *

“Hueeeh…”

Siyan slumped down to the ground, still clutching the ocarina.

“I’m sorry. It’s not working well.”

She dropped her head, saying it was her first time playing and not easy.

“It’s fine.”

Raon lowered the Wooden Ring Sword and shook his head calmly.

“There’s plenty of time.”

He grinned, saying that the one together with malice right now wasn’t them, but Rimmer.

“I-It only makes me more anxious when you say things like that!”

Siyan frantically shook her head, begging him to stop.

“It’s a joke. Just a joke.”

Raon gently waved his hand.

“As I said from the start, there’s no need to play perfectly. We just need to follow the breath of the World Tree.”

He smiled, telling her to think of it as something as easy as eating a meal.

“That may be possible for you, Sir Raon. For me, it’s hard.”

Siyan wiped the sweat from her forehead and bit her lip.

‘It’s not easy.’

The ocarina was a more difficult instrument to play than I had thought.

It wasn’t just about playing, I had to manage mana, control her breathing, and keep my fingers endlessly moving, so my mind and hands kept falling out of sync.

‘And it’s embarrassing because Sir Raon is so good.’

Sir Raon’s sword song alone produced a melody so beautiful it felt complete in itself.

Compared to my own awkward, repetitive breathing sounds, his level was out of reach, leaving me inevitably discouraged.

‘And also…’

Siyan swallowed dryly and glanced behind her.

Ssshhhhh!

From behind the tree, Evelyn was watching her and Raon with a chilly glint in her eyes.

Her long purple hair fluttering in the wind made her look as eerie as a ghost.

‘Wh-Why is she staring like that so scarily!’

I’d even set aside my fangirl feelings for Sir Raon and was just practicing my playing, but that woman wasn’t eating, wasn’t sleeping, and only kept watch here. It was so scary I wanted to crawl under a blanket.

“D-don’t mind her.”

Sensing Evelyn’s presence through Siyan’s gaze, Raon shook his head.

“S-she’s just that kind of person.”

But even he stammered for the first time, as if Evelyn frightened him too.

“Shall we try again?”

Raon was the first to raise his sword.

“…Yes.”

Siyan nodded and put the ocarina to her lips.

Woooooong!

The Wooden Ring Sword vibrated faintly, letting out a gentle resonance, while the ocarina gave off a blunt but heartfelt melody.

Jiiiiiiiing!

Together, the sword and the ocarina vibrated, spreading music that mirrored the World Tree’s breath. Around the World Tree, a pure green radiance rose up as nature’s mana surged.

Taaak!

Just as the enormous mana, bearing the energy of purification, was about to surge skyward, the ocarina’s sound went crooked.

Chiiiiik!

At that moment, the light blazing from the World Tree subsided, and the graceful melody, as if from a heavenly instrument, faded away.

“I-I’m sorry.”

Siyan lowered the ocarina and bowed her head to Raon.

“I was concentrating, but I made a mistake…”

“Let’s stop here for today. Your breathing is trembling, it looks like you should rest.”

Raon sheathed the Wooden Ring Sword, telling her they should stop.

“Haah, understood.”

Siyan nodded with a sigh. Her expression darkened like Seipia’s sky.

“I-I’ll rest for a bit.”

Siyan bowed her head first, then went into her house.

Aren’t you worried? At this rate, it won’t succeed.

Wrath frowned, saying her practice and skill were far too lacking.

‘Not really.’

Raon gave a faint smile and hid himself behind Siyan’s house.

About ten minutes later, Siyan came out of the house, dressed in more comfortable clothes, and went back into the forest.

“Not enough.”

She returned to the spot where she had practiced with Raon, put the ocarina to her lips, and began to play.

Her eyes were more serious than ever, and her slender fingers moved cautiously, like stepping across thin ice.

“…….”

Raon softly guided the flow of natural mana to match her playing, for Siyan who kept practicing alone without rest.

‘Well?’

He gestured with his shoulder toward Wrath, whose eyes were wide.

‘Does it still look lacking to you?’

No, not bad at all.

*   *   *

A week passed.

Above the World Tree, which spread greenness across the world, crimson fog and wind swirled violently.

Kugugugugu!

During the week Raon and Siyan practiced music, the malice Rimmer had brought grew ever larger, feeding on the negative energy drawn toward the World Tree.

Now it seemed even Rimmer’s soul could no longer hold it, as the fog and wind left the sky and began descending upon Seipia’s land.

“Uuugh….”

Dorian bit his lip as he looked at the crimson sky descending almost to their noses.

“I-It looks like the sky is going to collapse! Shouldn’t we go outside?”

He grabbed Raon’s sleeve, insisting they should get out of here first.

“Don’t jinx it!”

Martha smacked the back of his head with her palm.

“It’s never going to collapse. Just stay still!”

She grabbed the back of his neck, telling him to wait here.

“It won’t collapse, but even if it does, I’ll be the one to save Raon.”

Evelyn shook her head, telling him not to worry.

“…Besides Sir Raon, what about me?”

Dorian blinked, asking why only Raon’s name was mentioned. Naturally, Evelyn gave no reply.

“It’s certainly gotten rougher.”

Raon curled his lips as he looked at the malice, now a crimson storm enveloping Seipia.

“If it doesn’t work today, everything will be ruined, huh?”

He shrugged teasingly toward Siyan, standing at his right.

“Siyan. Can you really do it?”

Sterin, whose wrinkles had deepened even more over the week, raised his hand in worry.

“If it’s too much, perhaps leave it to Raon…”

“It’s fine.”

Siyan cast aside the blanket covering her face and body.

“I can do it.”

She lifted her fingers, scarred and calloused from the sharp holes of the ocarina, and nodded firmly.

“I will save my brother!”

Siyan fixed the crimson fog and wind with a calm gaze, as if she had overcome all fear and embarrassment.

“Please begin.”

She nodded to Raon standing beside her.

“Very well.”

Raon drew the Wooden Ring Sword with a faint smile.

Chiiiiing!

Garunua’s pale green wind climbed the silver blade, distorting the air.

Raon Zieghart Style Swordplay.

Fourth Form, Blue Rain.

His sword technique, which had originally been for killing enemies by scraping the scabbard, became in this moment a most beautiful instrument, spreading a pure melody through the great forest.

“Haaaa.”

Siyan drew a deep breath and set the ocarina to her lips. With bandaged fingers, she closed the small holes one by one.

Paaaaaaah.

From the leaf-shaped ocarina burst a majestic resonance that seemed enough to shake the entire forest. Mountains and rivers, trees and grass, an elegant, beautiful sound that stirred new light in Seipia, where darkness had settled.

Woooooong!

The sound of the sword’s song and the ocarina, each with its own distinct color, reached out like separated lovers yearning for one another, merging into one path along the World Tree’s breath.

On the sound that should not be visible, a clear green light shimmered, rising into the air as a surging wave.

The breath of the World Tree was the breath of nature itself. Green radiance, purifying all malice in the world, seized the crimson-lit fog and wind.

The fog and wind that neither the highest tier spirits nor even a Grandmaster could pierce hardened like plaster, scattering into glittering particles of light.

The purification of malice. The World Tree’s energy, erasing everything and remaking it anew, was radiating heavenly power in tune with Raon and Siyan’s song.

“Th-The fog is disappearing!”

“To think this was really possible with music, damn, what an annoyingly gifted bastard!”

“I told you, it wouldn’t collapse.”

Dorian, Martha, and Evelyn each showed surprise and belief as they nodded.

“Siyan….”

Sterin pressed his lips together firmly as he watched his granddaughter, who seemed to be entering a new realm.

Woooooong!

Raon and Siyan, unaware that the malice Rimmer had brought was being purified, fixed only on each other’s eyes as they played on.

Paaaaang!

As their playing reached its peak, the deepened breath of the World Tree erased all the malice that had shrouded the great forest, bringing forth a pure flow of mana.

“You did well! It’s done now—”

Just as Raon lowered the Wooden Ring Sword to praise Siyan—

Woooooong!

Within the crimson mana and wind that had turned into the mana of nature, Rimmer’s smiling face seemed to appear.

“Master?”

The moment Raon’s eyes widened as he called out to Rimmer, the masses of mana filling the sky came crashing down like a meteor shower, engulfing Raon, Siyan, and Sterin.

Kuwaaaaaaa!

 

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