The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1124

 Chapter 1124

 

“Can you find him?”

Raon asked about Rector’s location while holding the swallow in his palm.

Chirp!

Though the young swallow had just landed from a long flight, it let out a spirited chirp, as if saying it could set off again immediately.

Hey!

Wrath raised his hand toward Raon, blue flames flickering around it.

The King of Essence understands that receiving a bloodstained letter from your grandfather would make anyone panic. However…

His eyes narrowed deeply.

If someone stronger than you, your grandpa, has run into trouble, you must not act rashly in such a state.

Wrath struck Raon's forehead with his hand, telling him to snap out of it.

Paang!

Raon blocked the strike with the back of his hand and parted his lips.

‘I know. I’m not agitated at all, so don’t worry.’

I meant it. It was true that when I first saw the blood on the letter and the swallow’s body, my heartbeat had spiked and my head grew hot.

But the Ring of Fire had spun on its own, calming my mind. I was now more composed than anyone else.

‘I was just checking whether the swallow knows my grandfather’s location and can lead me there.’

Even if I used Evelyn’s magic to teleport to where the letter came from, I would still need to track Rector afterward, so the swallow’s role was crucial.

“I’ll be counting on you later.”

Raon stroked the swallow’s forehead, thanking it for its answer.

‘Now I need to think about the reason.’

Taking a breath, he looked again at Rector’s letter.

‘If the letter came from grandfather who’s supposedly at the Holy Sword Alliance, then why are the letter and feathers stained with blood?’

He examined the young swallow’s body and the blood on the letter once more.

‘This is definitely human blood.’

From the bloodstains, I could sense the energy of a warrior, mana deeply mixed into it.

Moreover, this swallow, being a mystical creature, was much faster than any hawk or flying monster. (spirit creature changed to mystical creature)

And since the swallow itself bore no wounds, it was even clearer, there was no doubt this was human blood.

‘Then why is the letter stained with blood?’

Was the Holy Sword Alliance attacked?

At present, the Holy Sword Alliance’s location was completely concealed by powerful arrays and magic.

Of course, since Derus had archangels, if they used a special ability, the alliance’s location could be exposed.

‘Who could have attacked them? The Five Kings are inactive right now, and both Eden and Derus have no reason to attack the Holy Sword Alliance.’

The Five Kings were conserving their strength for the war that could erupt at any moment, while Derus and Eden had no reason to attack their ally, the Holy Sword Alliance.

‘And there’s no way it’s because of the White Blood Religion war.’

Through Rector’s letter, I already knew that grandfather had secretly come to help me during that war.

But even I hadn’t been able to sense his presence then, only Wrath had barely noticed it, so no one else could possibly know that he had moved.

‘Wrath.’

Raon narrowed his eyes slightly and called to him.

‘When my grandfather came to the White Blood Religion’s headquarters during the war, there wasn’t any movement from Derus or an archangel nearby, right?’

None.

Wrath shook his head firmly.

He might not know about that bastard Derus, but if an archangel had moved, there's no way this King of Essence would not know.

He snorted as if to say he was sure of it.

‘So he really wasn’t discovered during the White Blood Religion war.’

Raon exhaled and looked again at the letter.

‘Then who attacked him, and where?’

He clenched the letter slightly, needing at least some clue before acting.

‘Why would grandfather, who wasn’t discovered even in... huh?’

Raon, while recalling the magic circle drawn in the sky above the Holy Sword Alliance, felt his chin tremble.

'Could it be...?'

Have you figured it out?

Wrath leaned forward, urging him to speak.

‘Grandfather was the one who came to help me in the war, even while concealing his appearance and identity. That means...’

Raon bit his lip, recalling Rector’s kind face.

‘He probably isn’t actually at the Holy Sword Alliance right now. He must have been working elsewhere to help me again.’

Rector had personally participated in the war, and then sent a letter acting as if he knew nothing, saying he was proud of Raon’s victory in the war against the White Blood Religion.

If that’s how he’d acted before, there was a high chance he was lying about being at the alliance now as well.

‘Since grandfather belongs to the Holy Sword Alliance, one of the Three Demons. He would know much more information about Derus or Eden than us.’

Raon pressed his lips together, imagining what his grandfather must have done.

Then...

‘Right. He must have been gathering information about Derus or Eden’s whereabouts and got discovered, then ambushed.’

Rector had often said he’d do anything for me. The reason he became the master of the Holy Sword Alliance was to strike Derus from behind for my sake.

He must have been collecting intelligence on Derus and Eden to prepare that move, only to be caught and attacked.

Insane…

Wrath let out a hollow breath as he looked at Raon.

‘Yeah. It’s insane.’

No, he meant you’re insane!

Wrath frowned deeply.

Who the hell makes that kind of deduction from one bloodstained letter?!

He shook his head in disbelief.

If it were him, he’d have just thought the baby swallow had fought another bird! Getting that far from such a tiny clue, that’s what’s insane, not anything else!

Wrath kept shaking his head, still unable to believe it.

‘It’s nothing that special.’

Raon sighed and shook his head.

‘I still don’t even know whether the culprit is Eden or Derus, or what kind of being could injure grandfather.’

Rector’s current might was on par with the heads of the Five Kings and Three Demons.

He wasn’t at the level of Glenn, Derus, Darkan, or the Heavenly Demon, but comparable to King Lecross or the Beast King Ogram, no less than that. Only beings like the Heavenly Demon or Derus came to mind as those capable of wounding him.

‘But those two wouldn’t personally move.’

The Heavenly Demon and Derus were the apex of the Three Demons, their greatest powers.

If either of them acted and failed, the war would end before it began, with victory for the Five Kings. Unless they were absolutely certain, they would never make a move.

‘Especially Derus. He wouldn’t take action unless grandfather (Glenn) himself moved first.’

Given Derus’ cautious nature, he would never attack anyone when Glenn’s location hasn’t been identified.

‘And the Heavenly Demon isn’t that type either.’

From what Glenn had told me about the Heavenly Demon’s personality, and considering the authority of Pride he possessed, he wasn’t someone who would personally chase after someone like Rector, whom he had no interest in.

‘Then…’

Raon furrowed his brows, looking at Wrath who was floating blankly in the air.

‘It must be a hidden Transcender or an archangel.’

If it was Derus or the Heavenly Demon, each would surely have hidden secret forces or Transcenders.

Still, even for them, it wouldn’t be easy to put Rector in danger. It seemed most likely that one of the archangels had attacked him.

‘No, almost certainly.’

Raon lifted his finger toward the young swallow.

“Was the person who attacked my grandfather someone with wings on their back?”

He lightly held the swallow’s wings and pointed to his own back.

Chirp!

The young swallow nodded vigorously, as if saying yes.

“As I thought. Grandfather was wounded after being caught by an archangel while spying on Derus.”

From the young swallow’s reaction, it was certain grandfather had been struck by an archangel.

Are you seriously insane?

Wrath gave a hollow laugh.

He can understand that you read your grandfather’s personality and guessed his actions, but you figured out it was an archangel behind it all?

He stared, mouth agape in disbelief.

Ah… Right. The King of Essence had forgotten. That your real weapon is that damned insight of yours.

Wrath’s lips trembled as he muttered that he was starting to feel afraid of Raon again.

‘Sorry, but I don’t have the mind to accept your compliment right now.’

Raon weighed his options, whether to go straight to Rector or contact the Holy Sword Alliance or Zieghart first.

‘No, there’s nothing to think about. I’m going right now.’

He decided it was best to contact only Glenn, who knew Rector’s true identity, and then head straight to find Rector.

‘Then… to Evelyn….’

Raon had just finished his thoughts and was about to move when—

“S-Sir Raon?”

“…Did something happen?”

Dorian and Martha narrowed their eyes, noticing the seriousness on his face.

“You look worried.”

Evelyn, too, lowered her brows, seemingly reading his emotions.

‘Should I take only Evelyn?’

If Rector was injured, then that battlefield would be nothing short of hell. Since it was likely to be extremely dangerous, it seemed best to take only Evelyn, who could use teleportation magic.

“S-something dangerous happened, didn’t it?”

Dorian’s jaw trembled as if he had read Raon’s expression.

“Yeah, that face says it all.”

Martha twisted her lips, saying it was obvious.

“I-I’m going too!”

“You’re not planning to leave me behind, are you?”

Both of them raised their hands immediately, without a moment’s hesitation.

“Ha….”

Raon let out a dry laugh, looking at Martha and Dorian who had determined expressions.

Martha, maybe, but he hadn’t expected Dorian to say he’d follow with such determined eyes.

“It’ll be dangerous.”

“I-it’s fine! I’ll make sure to stay alive!”

“Any pain that doesn’t kill me only makes me stronger.”

Both nodded, insisting they would go with him no matter what.

“Guess there’s no way to shake you off.”

Evelyn came closer and took the letter in Raon’s hand.

“So, we just need to go to where this letter was sent from, right?”

She smiled faintly, saying she’d done this kind of spell before and could track the coordinates precisely.

“But it’ll still take a bit of time.”

Evelyn asked him to wait a moment, holding the letter with both hands as she began her chant.

“That’s fine.”

Raon shook his head at Evelyn and turned away, clenching his fist and biting his lip.

“I’ve got more things to prepare too.”

*   *   *

Kuuuuuuu!

The vast forest, like a green ocean, trembled as if crying out in pain.

Kugugugugugung!

As though receiving the wrath of the heavens, trees were uprooted on their own, and the earth split apart, revealing black, gaping holes.

Boom!

Mustan barely leapt over the torn earth and bit his lip as he looked ahead, at his master’s right arm.

“Master….”

The right arm of Rector, the current master of the Holy Sword Alliance and one of the high level Transcenders, was shredded like a rag, dripping blackened, dead blood.

“It’s not your fault.”

Rector turned his head and shook it. Though cold sweat streamed down his face, as if he were enduring pain, he still didn’t lose his smile.

“That place was a trap. Even if I hadn’t protected you, I would have suffered this much anyway.”

He told him not to blame himself, shaking his bloodied, festering arm.

"It's as he said."

Lawrence sprinkled healing potion on Rector’s arm, wrapping it in bandages as his eyebrows furrowed.

“I wouldn’t have dodged that attack either in that spot. It’s not your fault, it’s ours.”

He shook his head, saying they had simply fallen into a trap.

“For now, forget everything else. Just focus on getting out of this forest.”

Rector told them to pick up the pace, smashing through trees and brush with his left hand as he moved forward.

“Ugh…”

Mustan bit his lip and lifted his gaze.

“Ugh…”

Even with an artifact wrapped around his arm to boost regeneration and dull the pain, master’s shoulders trembled from the severity of the wound.

‘Damn it!’

If master hadn’t injured his arm protecting me, even against that monster, we wouldn’t be running like this.

His lips quivered in self-loathing.

‘No, especially at a time like this, I have to force myself to move forward.’

That’s what Sir Raon would’ve done.

Looking at master’s back brought Sir Raon’s image to mind. The boy who hadn’t been that different from me was now standing shoulder to shoulder with the continent’s absolute powers. Even if I couldn’t reach that level, I couldn’t afford to shrink back here.

“I’ll take the lead!”

Gritting his teeth, Mustan sprinted past Rector and Lawrence.

Shaaak!

He swung his sword silently, cutting a path forward for Rector and Lawrence, who was supporting him.

“He’s got a soft heart despite that face.”

Lawrence let out a faint chuckle at Mustan’s back.

“Yeah. I’m counting on you.”

Sensing his disciple’s resolve, Rector followed with a gentle smile as they pushed through the forest.

“I can see the end!”

Mustan lifted the corners of his lips as he saw bright light blooming at the edge of the dense forest.

“Once we reach there, even that monster will have to give up the chase….”

Just as he raised his finger and pointed toward the exit—

Krrrraaa-boooom!

The sky roared in fury as a bright yellow bolt of lightning fell from above Muston’s head.

It wasn't a martial arts or magic spell. It was pure lightning of nature, descending to annihilate humans.

“Ah….”

Overwhelmed by the overwhelming power, Mustan couldn’t even move, he could only stare blankly.

“Khuh!”

Even so, he didn’t forget his resolve to protect the wounded Rector. He overcame his instinctive fear and raised his sword.

“Uaaahhh!”

Just as Mustan stepped on the cracking earth to unleash his strike—

“You’ve grown a lot.”

Rector smiled faintly and stepped beside him, raising his sword. A blue flash blazed, cleaving apart the golden lightning pouring from the sky.

Kwaaaaaaang!

The sword’s strike and the lightning collided, sending a tremendous shockwave rippling through the entire forest.

The sky cracked like a spiderweb, and the ground tore open, revealing a pitch-black abyss.

Pzzzzzt!

As blue sparks spread and scorched the forest, a man with blue hair descended from the sky, clad in pure white robes, his body wrapped in holy light and wings.

“No matter how much wingless insects run, they’re still inside the palm of my hand.”

The blue-haired man spread his pure white wings and landed atop the blue lightning.

He wasn’t looking at humans, his eyes were those of someone about to crush a bug beneath his heel, lifting his chin with arrogant contempt.

“Perhaps having your head cut off by this wingless insect will make you come to your senses.”

Rector raised his arm, pus seeping from the wound, and aimed his sword at the blue-haired man.

“Archangel Ramiel.”

 

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