The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1195

 Chapter 1195

 

Gulp.

Raon swallowed dryly as he felt the lofty energy wave of a swordsman that seemed to fill the entire peak of North Grave Mountain.

‘Grandfather?’

The warrior standing atop North Grave Mountain, thrusting his sword toward the sky, was his paternal grandfather, Rector. His entire body was soaked in sweat, as if he had trained through the night.

‘What is this?’

From Rector, Raon felt a far more violent surge of aura than before. It seemed as though his sword energy was burning more fiercely than when he still had both arms and stood as the master of the Holy Sword Alliance.

‘How could he, in such a short time….’

Raon knew that after receiving Encia’s prosthetic arm, Rector had renewed his fighting spirit and begun his training.

But it hadn’t been that long. He couldn’t understand what kind of training Rector had been doing to recover his might this quickly.

‘Sheer willpower alone should have its limits… ah!’

As Raon studied Rector’s exhausted face, he let out a small exclamation.

‘Could it be grandfather?’

Glenn was waiting for him in front of the lake, where Rector standing atop the North Grave Mountain could be seen most clearly. Considering the place and the timing, it seemed Glenn had been helping with Rector’s training as well.

‘Now the pieces fit together.’

Raon curled his lips slightly as he glanced back toward the main building.

‘So there was another reason grandfather came to the annex building himself.’

A grandfather helping another grandfather.

Glenn hadn’t come to the annex building to help him and Sia grow, he seemed to have come to help restore Rector’s might as well. As befitted the strongest man on the continent, a single move of his served several purposes at once.

‘And on top of that….’

Raon smacked his lips as he sensed the energies of Transcenders wavering around Rector.

‘The Sword Sovereign and the War King are here as well.’

Glenn wasn’t the only one who had helped Rector. It was clear that the Sword Sovereign and the War King had also set aside their own training time to assist him.

‘To think they’d move before I did.’

He had been planning his schedule, thinking he should help Rector with his training soon, but Glenn, the Sword Sovereign, and the War King had stepped in to fulfill that role before he could.

‘Even without me moving….’

Feeling something hot welling up in his chest, Raon clenched his fist.

‘The world goes on.’

At some point, I had come to believe that problems were only solved and things only worked out if I acted personally.

But that wasn’t true.

Around me were people bound by deep ties, people who could walk the best path on their own, without my instructions or intervention.

You’re only realizing that now?

Wrath descended before his eyes, frowning deeply.

Arrogant fool! You’re neither a god nor a Demon King. Don’t try to do everything, focus on what you’re actually good at!

Wrath lifted his nose, telling him not to get full of himself.

‘You’re right.’

Raon smiled faintly and nodded.

‘I should focus on what I can do.’

What I needed to do now was to completely grasp Derus Robert’s plan, complete the tenth Ring of Fire, and raise the strength of the swordsmen of Light Wind Palace. I will devote all my time and effort to those three goals.

‘The Dragon Lord and the ancient dragons are dead, and grandfather is regaining his might… maybe our side is stronger now.’

Watching the sunlight begin to illuminate all of Zieghart, Raon clenched his fist.

‘Let’s do this.’

There really isn’t much time left now.

*   *   *

Purrrrr.

Runaan, who had been dozing while leaning against a wall, slowly lifted her eyelids.

“Haa….”

She turned her head toward the trees on the right and let out a quiet breath.

“Why do you keep staring….”

Muttering that she couldn’t sleep, Runaan brushed back the strands of hair that had fallen near her ear.

“I wasn’t staring.”

From behind the tree she’d been looking at, Martha stepped out and shook her head.

“I was just leaning my back against the tree like you.”

She shrugged, saying she was resting before starting her evening training.

“Then hide that wave before lying like that….”

Runaan narrowed her brow slightly, saying that Martha’s energy wave lingered so heavily that it snapped her awake.

“You could’ve just said it…. That you want to fight….”

She put strength into her fingertips, telling her not to beat around the bush.

“Really? Then….”

Martha curled her red lips and stepped closer.

“Let’s fight! Right now!”

She trembled, saying she couldn't hold back the competitive spirit boiling up toward Runaan. It looked as if the authority of Envy, the Demon King of Envy, was reflecting in her black eyes.

“Mmhh….”

Despite being hit head-on by Martha’s furious energy wave, Runaan merely blinked blankly.

“No….”

She shook her head, saying that unlike what she’d said just moments ago, she didn’t want to fight.

“Huh?”

Martha’s mouth fell open.

“Hey! You were totally giving off the vibe that you’d accept a spar just now! What are you suddenly talking about!”

She shouted, unable to understand the situation.

“I was going to….”

Runaan smacked her lips and yawned wide enough to tear her mouth.

“But I got sleepy, so it started to feel like a hassle….”

She lowered her hand, saying she was sorry but couldn’t do it.

“Ha! You really want to die, don’t you!”

“Instead….”

Runaan stretched out her palm toward Martha, who was about to explode in anger.

“Just one strike….”

She raised a long, blade-like index finger.

“Let’s decide it with a single strike….”

Runaan let out a deep sigh, asking her not to bother her after that.

“Fine!”

Martha said she could accept that and roughly drew her sword.

“Eeh….”

Runaan slowly drew her sword, wiggling her fingers as if even a single-strike duel was bothersome.

“It’ll be different this time!”

Martha shouted that Runaan should look forward to it and fully released her aura. The Titan’s Aura that formed her foundation surged in a massive wave and swept across the fifth training ground.

“Come at me if you want….”

In contrast, Runaan merely nodded her chin, maintaining just enough aura to barely cover her sword and her body.

“Hraaaah!”

With a roar-like battle cry, Martha charged. Her movements were as savage as a wild beast’s, yet her sword path curved and fell with the smooth elegance of a sage turning pages of a book.

Kwaaaaah!

As if to erase Runaan’s very existence, Martha channeled all of her explosive aura into the tip of her blade. The strike felt both like an uncontrolled release of anger and, at the same time, a sign of her trust in Runaan as a fellow swordswoman.

Sssshhh.

Even as she faced a strike powerful enough to shatter the earth, Runaan didn’t retreat. Instead, with steps as light as a butterfly’s wings, she advanced and traced a semicircle with her frost-blooming sword.

The blade, imbued with pure white cold, covered everything before it. Before the flow of frost that froze even time and space, Martha’s strike was no exception.

Hwaaaaaah!

Martha froze solid along with her violently extending sword, solidifying right in front of Runaan’s nose. She exhaled gray breath as her trembling eyes shifted.

“Y-yeah, as expected….”

Her lips, pale from the cold, quivered as she spoke.

“The gap’s really widened.”

She nodded heavily, as if she’d known from the start how far apart their skills had grown.

“If you knew that, then why…?”

Runaan tilted her head, unable to understand.

“Because I have to feel the difference in skill accurately to know. To know how long it will take….”
Martha twisted her mouth into a smile as she shattered the ice covering her skin like thin glass.

“To catch up to you.”

She jerked her chin, saying she wanted to find out since she, too, had obtained a Demon King’s authority.

“It looks like it won’t take as long as I thought.”

Martha left behind a remark about fighting again later and walked toward the center of the training ground. Despite her defeat, she put strength into every step, as if she felt satisfied instead.

“No….”

Runaan watched Martha’s back, then slowly lowered her eyelids.

“It won’t happen….”

She slightly lifted the corners of her lips as she muttered that it wouldn’t happen, as if declaring that Martha would never catch up to her.

“Either way….”

*   *   *

Clap.

After watching Runaan and Martha’s spar, Raon clapped his hands with satisfaction.

‘Martha has already internalized the envy.’

Just from that brief exchange with Runaan, Martha’s body and mind had grown. It seemed to be the power of the authority of Envy, an ability that allowed her to grow stronger simply by fighting those stronger than herself, envy transformed into competitive spirit.

‘And Runaan….’

Raon let out a hollow breath as he looked at Runaan, who had already fallen back asleep.

‘She really might reach Transcendence soon.’

Among everyone who had received the Demon Kings’ authorities so far, Runaan was the only one who used that power better than I did. She was growing stronger at a terrifying pace, as if she were truly the incarnation of Sloth.

At this rate, it felt like she would soon break through the wall and rise as a new Transcender.

‘No, it’s not just that.’

In the sword Runaan had shown earlier, faint grains of aura had been connecting into hazy, constellation-like lines. The energy of nature was already moving on its own, without her intent, an unmistakable sign that her sword field was about to open.

‘Transcendence, and a sword field too….’

Raon curled the corner of his lips as he imagined Runaan opening her sword field after reaching Transcendence.

‘She’ll be an enormous asset.’

Nodding to himself, he resolved to help Runaan reach Transcendence before the war began.

“Hmm….”

Raon frowned slightly as he watched Dorian cleaning up the training ground during the break.

‘Dorian is steadily growing too.’

Dorian wasn’t on Runaan’s level, but he was growing quickly thanks to how well he harmonized with the authority of gluttony. He had originally been comparable to Krein in might, but now the gap between them had widened considerably.

‘And then….’

Raon narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked to the right.

‘Burren.’

Burren was staring blankly into the air, biting his lip until it bled. He seemed shaken by the growth in might of Runaan and Martha, whom he had regarded as rivals.

“Damn it….”

After spitting out a curse, Burren grabbed his sword again and began swinging it. Whether it was a comrade who had once stood at the same level moving ahead, or a junior overtaking him first, he looked like someone who would never abandon his sword.

‘I should look after him too.’

Burren was the vice palace master of Light Wind Palace, personally chosen by Raon. Feeling sorry that he hadn’t been able to provide him with a Demon King’s authority, Raon thought it would be best to give him separate personal training instead

Good thinking.

Wrath nodded toward him.

Greed. Obtaining that bastard’s authority will be just as difficult as taking the King of Essence’s authority!

He snorted, saying that acquiring the authority of greed and giving it to Burren would be no easy task.

‘Hmm? It was easier than eating bread while lying down.’

Raon tilted his head as he looked at Wrath.

‘<Wrath> came to me on its own.’

He waved his hand, saying there hadn’t been any difficulty at all.

Y-you little…!

Wrath ground his teeth, irritated that Raon kept picking at his words whenever he had nothing better to do.

‘And getting Greed’s power doesn’t seem all that difficult either.’

As he watched Wrath burn with blue flames, Raon idly rolled a coin around in his pocket.

‘I’ve got a decent plan.’

*   *   *

“Raon! Raon!”

Evelyn burst into Raon’s room, throwing the door open roughly.

“Uh….”

Raon stared blankly at Evelyn, his sweat-soaked shirt half removed.

“Oh my! Should I come back later?”

Despite saying she would return later, Evelyn closed the door and stepped inside. She covered her eyes with one hand, but spread her fingers apart to carefully examine Raon’s body.

“The mole on your side has gotten a bit bigger. Want me to remove it later?”

She frowned slightly, saying it looked like Raon’s mole had grown.

“A… mole?”

Raon’s lips trembled in shock that Evelyn knew about a mole in a place even he wasn’t aware of.

T-truly a terrifying woman!

Wrath held his breath, saying he never imagined there would be a human he couldn’t get used to.

She probably knows more about you than you do yourself!

‘I think so too.’

Raon sighed and pulled on a fresh set of clothes.

“Tsk….”

Evelyn clicked her tongue in mild disappointment and sat down in a chair.

“Did you go check the location written in the Dragon Lord’s records?”

Raon draped a towel around his neck and sat across from her.

“Yeah! You were completely right!”

Evelyn nodded vigorously, as if she had only just remembered the main point.

“There was a barrier around the area that detects animal possession magic. It doesn’t use mana, but divine power, so it looks hard to dispel. If you break it, the caster will be notified immediately.”

She smacked her lips, saying that if the barrier were removed, a signal would immediately be sent to the caster.

“Just as expected.”

Raon nodded with a faint smile.

“That’s exactly how I thought Derus Robert would act.”

“Then why did you tell me to check every location around it?”

Evelyn tilted her head, asking why he had her thoroughly search the surroundings even though they already knew the barrier was there.

“I want to move with as little suspicion as possible.”

Raon grasped Heavenly Drive resting against the table and drew a chilling smile.

“Because I’ll have to enter the angels’s den myself.”

 

Advance Chapters