The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1245

 Chapter 1245

 

"Whoa..."

Sheryl leaned forward, eyes wide.

“What, what happened to you? Why are you covered in blood, and why do you have so many wounds?”

Seeing the countless injuries and bloodstains covering Raon’s body, she let out a helpless breath.

“Huh….”

Roenn’s easygoing chuckle died in his throat as he arched an eyebrow.

"I don't know what transpired down there, but you’ve certainly returned much stronger."

Gulping, he seemed to sense Raon’s explosive growth through his seasoned assassin’s instincts.

“…….”

Karoon said nothing and quietly watched Raon, the Raon who intended to take the head of house’s seat.

"I see. So, the time has come."

After a long silence, their eyes meeting, Karoon gave a calm nod.

"I feel as though I’ve hardly done anything, yet time has truly flown by."

A faint smile formed on Karoon’s lips as he ran his hand along the armrest of the throne. There was no trace of obsession or ambition toward the position, only serenity.

“I feel the same.”

Raon brushed off his training clothes, soaked with blood and sweat, and smacked his lips.

“I did nothing but swing my sword all day, yet somehow more than two months have passed.”

He laughed, saying that even though all he’d done was train with Glenn, the time had vanished in the blink of an eye.

“It certainly looks that way.”

Karoon nodded heavily as he looked at Raon’s tattered clothes and torn hands.

“If you truly swung your sword that much, then this level of growth makes sense. Honestly… it’s almost frightening.”

His jaw trembled slightly, as if he could feel just how much stronger Raon had become.

"It seems you haven't just been buried in paperwork either, acting head of house."

Raon narrowed his eyes into thin, needle-like slits as he studied Karoon.

‘He’s gotten stronger. And not just a little….’

Terrifyingly so.

The gap between Karoon’s might and mine had already been significant even before I faced Derus Robert. I grew by cutting down Derus, and grew even further through this training.

I had honestly thought that Karoon would no longer be a match for me in terms of might, but contrary to my expectations, Karoon had made tremendous progress as well.

‘What’s even more surprising… is that it’s not just might.’

The intangible pressure radiating from Karoon was on a completely different level than before. That wasn’t something created by aura or swordsmanship, it was the power of the soul itself. It meant that the level of his soul had risen higher than his might.

‘How could this be possible?’

Even knowing how wide the gap between us once was, it was hard to believe Karoon had grown nearly as much as I had through endless sparring with grandfather.
The difference still remained, but the thought alone made a hollow laugh slip out.

The King of Essence knew this would happen.

Wrath nodded as if it were nothing unusual.

Have you ever heard the saying that a position shapes the person?

‘I have.’

That’s exactly it! That throne turned that big shitty eyes into someone worthy of it!

He twisted his lips, saying that Glenn’s golden throne had been the catalyst for Karoon's transformation.

In the human world, plenty of unworthy fools sit on thrones… but that big shitty eyes? He seems to belong there.

Wrath smacked his lips, saying that was why Karoon had grown so much, mentally, physically, and spiritually.

“Even after becoming acting head of house, I didn’t put down my sword.”

Karoon nodded, confirming Raon’s observation.

“I handled my work quickly in the mornings, and whenever there were no external affairs, I always swung my sword at the training ground. However….”

He frowned slightly as he looked down at his calloused palms.

"What truly made me who I am today... is this seat."

Lowering his hand again, Karoon gently tapped the throne’s armrest, like playing a piano.

“It’s just a glittering chair, yet I found myself growing stronger without realizing it, because I didn’t want to embarrass myself while sitting here.”

He let out a soft chuckle as his reflection shimmered in the golden throne.

“I see….”

Raon lowered his head heavily.

See that! Just like the King of Essence said!

‘You were right.’

Just as Wrath had said, it was clear now. The throne itself had shaped Karoon, forcing him to grow, not just in might, but in spirit and as a person.

It made no sense logically, but it was happening right before my eyes. There was no denying it.

‘Come to think of it… grandfather said the same thing.’

Grandfather had said that when he first became head of the house, he made serious mistakes. But after coming to understand the weight of the throne and the responsibility it carried, he gradually changed. In the same way, it seemed clear that Karoon, too, was being shaped by the head of house’s seat, growing into a man worthy of it.

“Light Wind Palace master. You will change, too. That is simply the nature of this place.”

Karoon nodded, confident that the throne would push Raon to even greater heights.

“The same goes for you, acting head of house.”

Raon lifted a finger and pointed underground.

“If you stay with the head of house, you’ll likely be able to grow even more than you have now. Mostly in terms of might, of course.”

Glenn had instructed Raon to take over as acting head of house so that Karoon could be sent to the underground training ground. While Karoon might not spar with Glenn in the same way Raon did, even simply assisting the head of house would clearly allow him to return far stronger.

“Yes. That’s something to look forward to.”

Despite his words, Karoon’s gaze remained calm as he lowered his chin.

“Come.”

He extended his hand toward Raon.

“Let’s proceed with the handover immediately.”

It seemed his attachment to the head of house’s seat had already faded, as he called Raon over without hesitation.

“You don’t seem particularly attached to the throne.”

Raon climbed the steps of the platform one by one and lifted his gaze.

“If I said I had no attachment at all, that would be a lie. However….”

Rising from the golden throne, Karoon smiled faintly.

“I’m confident I can sit there again.”

He clenched his fist, as if declaring his belief that he could one day become the head of house Zieghart.

“Let’s hope you can prove that confidence.”

Raon returned a cold smile as he met Karoon’s self-assured gaze.

“If I become someone truly worthy of this throne…”

Standing before Zieghart’s seat of power, he lifted his chin.

“Then palace master… you won’t get another chance.”

*   *   *

“…The shelter has been completed beneath the northern wall. Construction on the east and west is still ongoing. It should be finished next month, though weather conditions may cause delays, keep that in mind.”

Karoon pointed directly at the map as he explained the state of Zieghart and the changes that had occurred while Raon was underground. Despite Raon’s provocation, he remained composed and continued the handover without reaction.

“Shelters, huh….”

Raon stroked his chin as he looked over the shelters being built throughout Zieghart.

“That’s not a bad idea. If war breaks out, the main estate will be a prime target.”

Even though Derus Robert was dead, Eden was still filled with monsters who knew nothing of fair play.

The Heavenly Demon himself may engage Glenn in a duel to the death, but the other demons would surely try to attack Zieghart in every underhanded way possible. Members of the house who knew nothing of combat could also be in danger, so building shelters like these to protect people seemed far safer.

“Next, regarding the swordsmen’s duty rotations. With the existing schedule, fatigue accumulates to the point that they cannot properly carry out their duty of vigilance. Forcing them to endure until war breaks out could erode discipline, so I’ve drafted a new schedule—”

Karoon wasn’t just focused on developing Zieghart, he was also considering the well-being of the swordsmen. This was truly unexpected, and an exclamation escaped Raon without him realizing it.

“That’s impressive.”

Raon nodded in genuine admiration at the system Karoon had put in place.

“It was simply what needed to be done as acting head of house.”

Karoon waved it off as if it were nothing.

“Lastly, this concerns a recent incident. Birdnew village was massacred by Eden’s demons, so I dispatched the investigation squad of the Shadow Agents along with the Light Wind Palace to protect them.”

As he spoke of the massacre of Birdnew village, Karoon pressed his lips together tightly, as if suppressing his anger.

“If it was an attack by Eden….”

Raon narrowed his eyes.

“Yes. Likely those who have slipped out of the Heavenly Demon’s direct control. Their identities are still unknown.”

Karoon nodded, confirming Raon’s suspicion.

“Sending the Light Wind Palace was a good choice. Those demons might still be lurking around the area.”

Raon read Karoon’s intentions instantly and rubbed his chin.

“You really are different.”                     

Karoon clicked his fingers in admiration, impressed that Raon had grasped his thoughts at a glance.

“I would’ve done the same.”

Raon smiled thinly, pleased that their thinking aligned.

“Still, sending the Light Wind Palace was unexpected. You could’ve sent the Central Martial Palace instead.”

Raon gave a slight shake of his head, surprised that Karoon had sent the Light Wind Palace instead of the Central Martial Palace.

“I simply believed it was the right choice.”

Karoon lifted his gaze, saying that even now, he thought sending the Light Wind Palace had been the better decision.

“I see.”

Looking into Karoon’s eyes, steady, without the slightest flicker, Raon let a quiet smile form.

‘The competition for head of house won’t be easy.’

He’d already been well aware of Karoon’s changes, but those changes were only growing more positive by the day. Even if Raon truly set his heart on becoming head of house, his rival was no ordinary opponent. It looked like the road ahead would be anything but easy.

"The handover is as sharp as a blade."

Sheryl let out a soft whistle.

“I think I’ll miss how quickly acting head of house Karoon got things done.”

She bowed her head to Karoon, as if to say she’d genuinely enjoyed the time.

“Huhuhuhu.”

Roenn approached Karoon with a hollow laugh.

“I’ll miss having tea with acting head of house after meals.”

He, too, seemed to have genuinely enjoyed the time spent working with him.

“The Light Wind Palace master will be just as quick with work as I was. And I can at least offer you tea, so come visit anytime.”

Karoon nodded calmly as he accepted Sheryl’s and Roenn’s farewells. Unlike before, he seemed to have formed good relationships with Glenn’s close aides as well.

“Of course, that’s after I return.”

Karoon let out a low breath, saying that he would first head down to assist with Glenn’s training. Since it meant helping with the head of house’s training, he seemed to feel anticipation and tension at the same time.

Ssshhh.

For the last time, he gently brushed his hand over the throne. It was a gesture filled with genuine feeling toward the position of head of house.

“I’ll be going.”

With a look of quiet satisfaction, Karoon nodded to the three of them and turned away.

“Thank you for all your hard work, acting head of house Karoon.”

Raon bent deeply at the waist toward Karoon’s back as he stepped down from the platform.

“…Please take good care of Zieghart.”

Karoon watched Raon standing before the throne for a moment, then bowed in return.

“Acting head of house Raon.”

He addressed Raon with formal respect, greeting him with a solemn expression befitting someone who now sat in the head of house’s seat.

“Hmm….”

Feeling the sincerity behind it, Raon nodded back even more deeply.

“Ah, there’s one thing I forgot to mention.”

As Karoon was about to leave the platform, he turned back.

“Runaan Sullion of the Light Wind Palace.”

As he spoke her name, his brow furrowed sharply.

“It seems something bad may be happening to that child.”

 

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