The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1190

 Chapter 1190

 

“Pardon…?”      

Raon stared blankly at Glenn, blinking in a daze.

‘That I can’t become grandfather?’

That was obvious.

More than anyone, I knew how utterly lacking I was compared to Glenn. What I couldn’t understand was why Glenn was suddenly saying that I could never become him.

What nonsense is that geezer spouting now?

Wrath also widened his eyes, as if he couldn’t grasp the meaning of Glenn’s words.

And on top of that, why burn a book you went through all the trouble of writing down your enlightenment in?!

He wrinkled the bridge of his nose as he looked at the gray ashes that had once been a book.

“I know that you and I are different, grandfather. But…”

Raon narrowed his eyes as he caught the ashes drifting through the air with his fingers.

“Aren’t we both swordsmen walking the path of the versatile sword? Then why did you burn that book?”

I thought I had come to understand Glenn’s thoughts and emotions a little these days, but that wasn’t true at all. I couldn’t understand why Glenn would deliberately burn a book he had gone through the trouble of creating.

“Walking the same path of the versatile sword, you say?”

Glenn shook his head firmly.

“Absolutely not.”

As he curled the fingers wreathed in crackling lightning, he once again declared that he and Raon were different.

“What do you mean…?”

Raon frowned, demanding an answer from Glenn.

“I believe I told you this once before. The versatile sword is one of the martial systems that pursues and develops every sword technique that exists in the world. In other words, a swordsman who walks the path of the versatile sword must always be mad with desire for the sword.”

Glenn waggled his finger, as if asking whether Raon remembered what he had said before.

“But I gave up on that path halfway.”

He raised his faintly trembling hand and placed it over his own chest.

“What…?”

Raon’s eyes went wide at the words he was hearing for the first time.

“Is that… really true?”

He had heard Glenn explain the versatile sword before, but this was the first time he had heard that he had abandoned that path.

“My versatile sword does not contain all the sword techniques of the world. I tried to include everything I learned and witnessed, but I could not pursue anything beyond that.”

Letting out a heavy sigh, he placed his hand on Heavenly Tremor at his waist.

“Originally, new sword techniques are born when different sword arts clash with one another. Just as the flexible sword emerged to overcome the powerful sword, and the slow sword emerged to counter the swift sword, the world of the sword continues to expand endlessly even now.”

Glenn stretched his hand toward the sky, as if drawing a constellation.

“That is why the versatile sword can never be completed. I believed it would remain unfinished until the day swordsmen themselves disappeared and this world was destroyed.”

He clenched his fist and furrowed his brow.

“And so I gave up on pursuing the versatile sword to the very end, and instead completed my own sword. Through the versatile sword, I reached an extremely high realm and became stronger than anyone else, but by achieving my own completion, I could no longer reach beyond that.”

Glenn pressed his lips tightly together.

“If there is a swordsman who reaches a higher realm of the versatile sword than I did, I have no choice but to be defeated. Because while I can become stronger, I cannot develop my swordsmanship any further than this.”

As if envisioning his own defeat, he slowly closed his eyes, then opened them again.

And yet, for some reason, Glenn’s face looked somewhat happy.

“But Raon. You are different.”

Unlike when he spoke of himself, Glenn wore a gentle smile.

“The path of the versatile sword is unbearably painful, tedious, and grueling. Yet you will not abandon the versatile sword, neither now nor in the future. As swordsmanship continues to develop, your sword will also grow without limit. That is a realm more noble than completion itself.”

His eyes glowed warmly, as though he were already picturing Raon’s future.

“You understand now, don’t you? Why you and I are different.”

“Yes. As you say, grandfather, I won’t give up.”

Raon nodded heavily as he reflected on the meaning behind Glenn’s words.

“Because the sword is too much fun.”

The versatile sword is not about mastering a small number of swordsmanship principles, but about growing dozens of swordsmanship principles together.

In other words, one must endlessly repeat the same sword techniques according to their principles, moving from the swift sword to the powerful sword, from the powerful sword to the heavy sword. As Glenn said, that inevitably leads to tedious and painful time.

‘But…’

Is it really tedious?

In my previous life, I learned swordsmanship I never wanted, solely to kill people. Compared to that, my current life, where I could learn and wield the sword by my own will, was like a blessing.

‘It’s just fun.’

Being able to swing the sword exactly as hIe wished was an overwhelmingly happy thing.

My training was unusual. I didn’t only practice newly learned sword techniques,  I always began with basic swordsmanship and repeatedly trained all the way up to techniques I had created myself.

When I spent time like that, I would realize that the sun had already set and night had arrived, even though I had only swung my sword a few times.

Even so, I kept swinging my sword, refining what was lacking.

I had repeated that kind of training from childhood until now, yet there had never been boredom or pain, only happiness.

‘There’s only one reason.’

Because it’s fun.

Training alone with the sword, sparring, thinking up new training methods, and even fighting enemies, everything was fun. That was why I had come this far.

“I’ll keep walking this path.”

Raon nodded solemnly, resolving not to let go of the versatile sword, just as Glenn had said.

“I thought so.”

Glenn smiled faintly, as if he had expected this answer.

“Then it should be fine now.”

He nodded, as if the time had come.

“What do you mean?”

Raon tilted his head, not immediately understanding Glenn’s words.

“It seems it’s time for your sword and mine to clash.”

Glenn smiled calmly as he picked up a fallen twig from the ground. He held out the thin branch, as though inviting a spar.

“Come.”

*   *   *

Gulp.

Raon swallowed dryly as he looked at the twig Glenn was aiming at his chest.

‘A spar with grandfather…’

Glenn had taught him swordsmanship before, and they had clashed swords with each other several times. But since Raon reached Transcendence, this was the first time they were sparring properly like this.

Oho.

Wrath let out an exclamation as he looked into Glenn’s solemn eyes.

Your geezer really intends to fight you seriously.

He smacked his lips, saying Glenn was serious.

‘I know.’

Just as Wrath said, he was sweeping me with chilling eyes, as if facing an enemy. From his gaze alone, I felt a massive killing intent, as though my neck were being severed.

“I understand.”

Raon calmly steadied his breathing and drew Heavenly Drive.

‘That’s a twig, but it’s a sword.’

Glenn was holding a thin, small twig in his right hand instead of a sword, but it would be several times stronger than other Transcenders wielding peerless weapons.

‘If I let my guard down, I might die instantly.’

The twig in Glenn’s hand looked sharper and sturdier than Heavenly Drive, which Vulcan had forged and refined multiple times. The difference in the swordsman was creating the difference in the weapon.

‘Still…’

An opportunity like this would never come again.

Learning swordsmanship and enlightenment from Glenn was already a tremendous opportunity, but sparring with him properly was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Steeling his resolve, Raon raised Heavenly Drive.

“I’ll go first.”

After stating that he would attack first as the junior, Raon stepped forward with his left foot.

‘Should I start with probing?’

The gap in skill between him and Glenn was far too great, so he used the Supreme Harmony Steps to probe. Just as he was about to sweep Heavenly Drive upward to unfold the Sword’s Silvery Dream, a sword technique that matched the smooth and flowing footwork perfectly—

Fwooooooong!

The twig Glenn had been holding was suddenly right in front of his eyes.

‘W-when did it…?’

Even though he had spread his aura perception to its limit, he hadn’t felt the twig move at all. Despite the seriousness of the situation, the absurdity of it made a hollow laugh slip out.

‘I have to block, ah!’

Raon hurriedly tried to lift Heavenly Drive. But the arm holding the sword wouldn’t move.

‘This is…’

Right now, the reason he cannot react is twofold. First, the twig was too fast, and within it were mixed profoundly subtle forms that made it impossible to read its flow.

In the end, Raon failed to block Glenn’s single strike. He was struck on the head and toppled backward, closing his eyes as though he had lost consciousness.

“Hmm….”

Glenn clicked his tongue lightly as he examined the twig that had struck Raon’s forehead.

“Was it still too much? It seems I used too much strength.”

Just as he frowned slightly, thinking he should hold back a little—

“No.”

Raon snapped his eyes open and lifted his upper body.

“Please don’t hold back.”

He shook his head, saying that this was just right.

“W-what? You definitely should’ve been unconscious.”

Glenn’s jaw trembled as if he couldn’t understand.

Hmph! He still doesn’t know this brat well, even though he calls himself his grandfather!

Wrath snorted as he looked at Glenn.

This bastard has sucked up all of my energy, so his body is already as tough as a Demon King’s chief aide!

He clicked his tongue, saying that ordinary attacks wouldn’t be enough to knock him unconscious.

“Are you truly all right?”

Glenn narrowed his eyes slightly, looking somewhat concerned.

“Yes. This is perfect. As you said, grandfather….”

Raon looked at Glenn and formed a deep smile.

“I won’t abandon the versatile sword.”

*   *   *

Koooom!

Raon was struck in the chest by Glenn’s twig and rolled roughly across the ground.

“Kugh….”

Because Glenn hadn’t held back his strength, the pain was far worse than expected, and his chest throbbed so badly that it was hard to breathe for a while.

“If you think it’s too much, say so even now. Don’t be embarrassed.”

Glenn tilted his head, as if he would still adjust his strength if needed.

“…No. You can hit me even harder.”

Raon bit his lip and shook his head.

“Then would you like me to tell you why you can’t block it and keep getting knocked down?”

Glenn lowered his gaze, as if he would give the answer the moment Raon asked.

“No.”

Raon shook his head firmly once again.

“I’ll figure it out myself. If I just swallow the answer whole, my sword won’t develop.”

If I sought answers from others, I might grow stronger immediately, but the versatile sword would not grow and would remain unchanged.

As always, only by finding the answer myself and putting in the effort to work it out could my sword develop, and only then could the realm of the versatile sword reach a higher place.

“I see.”

Glenn nodded, seeming pleased with Raon’s way of thinking and his fighting spirit.

“Then we’ll meet again this evening.”

He waved his hand as if telling him to think carefully, then approached Sia, who was swinging her sword in the garden.

“Sia! Shall we learn a different sword technique this time?”

Glenn stepped closer and gently stroked Sia’s head.

“Yes! I want to learn!”

Sia nodded eagerly and lowered her sword.

“Good! Today, let’s learn the Heavenly Wolf Earth Sword. Someone like you will pick it up quickly.”

Unlike with Raon, Glenn guided Sia’s sword very carefully.

“Hmm….”

Raon narrowed his eyes as he calmly watched Glenn’s sword path trace patterns through the air.

‘Perfect. A sword without the slightest excess.’

Glenn displayed flawless swordsmanship even when demonstrating. Just watching it sent a chilling shiver crawling up Raon’s spine.

‘No, this isn’t the time to be watching that.’

Raon smacked his lips and turned his head.

‘I need to think about how I was beaten.’

Three times a day, after meals, Glenn swung his twig at me. That branch contained the essence of the sword Glenn had cultivated over his entire life, so even swinging Heavenly Drive with full force wasn’t enough to block it.

It had already been four days since Glenn arrived at the annex building, yet I hadn’t managed to block or deflect his twig even once. To be honest, he couldn’t see the answer at all.

This is certainly no easy trial.

Wrath clicked his tongue, as if admitting this one was difficult.

But why are you smiling?

He frowned as he looked at Raon, who was wearing a deep smile.

‘Because this situation is fun.’

Raon curled the corner of his mouth upward as he picked up Heavenly Drive that was stuck in the ground.

‘I’ve been given the chance to spar three times a day with the strongest swordsman on the continent. And in a way that lets me develop my sword. How could I not be happy?’

He shrugged, saying that the moment was simply too enjoyable not to smile.

You really are a pervert. No wonder that madwoman clings to you!

Wrath shook his tail in visible disgust.

So, do you see the answer yet?

He tilted his chin, asking whether there had been any improvement.

‘No.’

Raon shook his head as he sheathed Heavenly Drive.

‘Honestly, I still don’t know.’

Glenn’s swordsmanship changed every time, and the combinations of martial principles were always different, making it difficult to block.

Still, I was gradually becoming familiar with Glenn’s sword. It felt as though the Ring of Fire was growing within the domain of the versatile sword.

‘Still, I think you—Huh?’

Just as Raon was telling Wrath to be patient a little longer—

“Raon!”

Edgar leapt like a frog and landed in front of him.

“Want some help? At least enough to land one hit on that old geezer!”

Having been tormented by Glenn for the same four days, he lowered his voice, saying he wanted revenge.

“Uhh….”

Raon rolled his eyes and looked toward Glenn, who was visible behind Edgar.

“He can hear everything, you know?”

Raon sighed, asking why on earth he was saying that here.

“What are you talking about! I set up a solid aura barrier!”

Edgar shook his head, insisting he had put up a thick aura barrier so Glenn couldn’t hear.

“No, do you really think something like that would work on the strongest man on the continent…?”

Raon clutched his head, saying the aura barrier was so thin that even he could hear through it.

“Ah, th-then….”

Edgar’s mouth fell open in shock.

“Old geezer, you say.”

Glenn appeared behind Edgar, his eyes shining with a cold light.

“I didn’t realize you felt close enough to address me like that. I suppose I should repay you accordingly.”

He drew Heavenly Tremor with a chilly smile.

Krrrrrrumble!

Red lightning began pouring into the sky above the annex building, following Heavenly Tremor.

“W-wait a moment! Father-in-law, I—!”

As Edgar raised his hands to apologize, the red lightning filling the sky took the shape of a dragon and crashed down.

Kwaaaaaang!

Struck head-on by the lightning, Edgar couldn’t even let out a proper scream. Smoke poured from his mouth as his body crumpled.

“Hmph!”

Glenn snorted, as if warning him to be more careful in the future, and then returned to Sia’s side.

“Wow, I’ve seen this scene a lot.”

Raon let out a small chuckle as he looked at the charred Edgar.

‘It feels like I’m seeing my master defy grandfather again after a long time.’

Until now, the only person Raon had ever seen Glenn treat this roughly was Rimmer, but now it seemed there was one more.

‘Anyway… huh?’

Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the scorched Edgar.

‘Wait. This method might actually work?’

 

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