The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1276

 Chapter 1276

 

“Hoo…”

With the Snow Flower Sword planted in the ground, Runaan let out a rough breath.

“I’m going to rest for a bit…”

Using the Snow Flower Sword like a cane to hold herself up, she wiped away the cold sweat pouring down her face. She had endured Pride’s pressure right behind Raon while simultaneously protecting the entire Light Wind Palace swordsmen, so exhaustion was inevitable.

“You did well.”

Knowing exactly how hard it had been for her, Raon gently patted Runaan on the shoulder.

“No…”

Runaan slowly shook her head as if to say she was fine.

“It’s still nowhere near enough…”

She lightly bit her lip, thinking she still hadn’t done enough to atone for what she had done.

“Hmph…”

Martha snorted and forced herself back to her feet.

“How long are you going to keep chaining yourself to the past? Even after becoming a Transcender, you’re still frustratingly stubborn.”

She clicked her tongue sharply at Runaan, as if telling her to get a grip.

“She’s right. You don’t need to keep beating yourself up over it.”

Burren let out a long sigh as he straightened his trembling knees.

“Everyone makes mistakes, and you already apologized more than enough.”

He nodded in agreement with Martha.

“You heard them, didn’t you?”

Raon looked at Runaan as if asking what she thought.

“…”

Even after Raon, Burren, and Martha acknowledged her, Runaan still remained silent, seemingly convinced it still wasn’t enough.

“For crying out loud…”

Grinding her teeth in frustration, Martha stomped her foot. But she was completely drained herself, so unlike usual, it barely made a sound.

“What exactly happened?”

Evelyn clicked her tongue in curiosity, frustrated that everything had ended before she could understand what was going on.

“Forget it!”

Martha waved her hand lazily.

“That blockhead won’t listen no matter what we say anyway. Let’s just go find the Heavenly Demon!”

She furrowed her brow deeply, saying they should just leave Runaan alone.

“But do you really know where the Heavenly Demon is?”

Still struggling to recover from the shock of receiving Pride’s authority, Burren panted lightly as he spoke.

“Yeah.”

Raon nodded calmly.

“I can’t be absolutely certain. But I’m sure he’s there.”

The Heavenly Demon hadn’t bowed even to Pride, the one who had saved him and made him stronger. There weren’t many places in this city where someone like that would choose to stay.

What do you mean you know? Where?!

Wrath blinked his blue eyes in confusion.

The King of Essence has no idea what you mean!

He wrinkled his nose as if telling Raon to explain it if he knew so much.

"If you're so curious, just follow me."

Raon turned around, telling Wrath and the others to follow him.

“What about these guys?”

Martha blinked as she pointed at the unconscious Light Wind swordsmen.

“Why don’t you stay and guard them?”

Raon pointed at Martha.

“W-What kind of nonsense is that?!”

Martha shook her head violently, clearly refusing.

“I’m going too—ugh!”

As soon as she tried to stand and follow him, her legs buckled from exhaustion.

“You’re completely spent.”

Raon lowered his hand toward Martha.

“You endured Pride’s energy wave with your entire body. It’s no surprise.”

He ordered her to rest here while guarding the Light Wind swordsmen.

“Pride?”

Evelyn’s eyes widened.

“Pride was really there?”

The moment the name of the Monarch of Pride came up, her eyes grew round with fascination.

“Yeah. Just like we expected, the Heavenly Demon and Pride were—”

Raon nodded and started explaining to Evelyn.

“No way!”

Martha violently shook her head and stepped forward with her right foot.

“I’m going no matter what! A chance to see someone comparable to the head of house doesn’t come twice! There’s no way I’m staying here babysitting these idiots!”

Even with trembling legs, she stubbornly forced herself behind Raon, making it clear he wasn’t leaving her behind.

“This loudmouth interrupted me again! Stop butting into conversations between Raon and me!”

Evelyn raised her eyebrows in irritation at having her conversation interrupted.

“Then I’ll—”

“I-I’ll stay behind…”

Just as Runaan was about to raise her hand and say she would stay behind, Dorian slowly lifted his head with visible effort.

“Maybe because I have an authority too, I didn’t pass out. Honestly, I kind of wish I had…”

Dorian shook his head, saying that because he stayed conscious, he had been forced to endure Pride’s overwhelming waves of energy with his entire body and nearly died because of it.

“Perfect! Then I’m going!”

Martha smacked her lips and immediately declared they should leave the rest to Dorian and go find the Heavenly Demon.

“Fine. Do whatever you want.”

Raon sighed as he answered, already knowing Martha would never listen anyway.

“And…”

But instead of leaving immediately, he turned back around.

“You get up, too.”

Raon stared coldly at the unconscious Light Wind Palace swordsmen.

“…”

But even after Raon spoke, nobody moved.

“Hurry up.”

The moment Raon urged them again, the pile of swordsmen who had been lying there like corpses suddenly shifted. From among them, the Black Form Snake slowly raised his head, still wearing his black snake mask.

“Hah! How’d you figure it out? I’m usually pretty good at playing dead.”

The Black Form Snake rose while whistling in amusement.

“What are you doing here?”

Raon narrowed his eyes at him.

“I was standing behind your group, so I guess Pride assumed I was on your side and dragged me along too.”

The Black Form Snake waved his hand in front of his face, insisting it wasn’t his doing.

“Look. He’s here too.”

He shrugged while pointing at the Bear Alteration Demon, who had been dragged along with him.

“You…”

Raon narrowed his eyes further.

“What exactly are you after?”

The Black Form Snake felt completely different from the snake-masked figures Raon had encountered before. The strange, unmistakable presence unique to them was still the same, but his demeanor, personality, and even his loyalty toward Eden were the complete opposite, making him feel like an entirely different being.

“I just choose whatever seems the most entertaining.”

Smacking his lips, the Black Form Snake said he simply did whatever he wanted.

“And right now, you’re the interesting one. I’d like to follow you to the Heavenly Demon too.”

He clasped his hands together, clearly eager to witness the meeting with the Heavenly Demon firsthand.

“…”

Raon slowly steadied his breathing while looking at him.

‘For now, I’ll let him be.’

I wanted to know what the Black Form Snake truly wanted, and I was also curious about his relationship with the Bear Alteration Demon. For now, it seemed better to leave him alone.

‘Besides, I can control him whenever I want.’

The Black Form Snake might be a Transcender, but the gap between us was enormous now. No matter what he tried, I was confident I could stop him.

“Do as you please.”

Raon nodded toward the swordsmen behind him before stepping forward first.

“I’m coming too!”

Evelyn immediately rushed after Raon, clearly determined not to miss this chance.

“You said you’d explain everything!”

Her eyes sparkled as she urged him to quickly tell her everything that had happened in Eden.

“Yeah.”

Raon nodded at Evelyn and looked up at the vast night sky.

“It won’t take long.”

*   *   *

After explaining everything to Evelyn, Raon passed through the center of the trade city of Cameloon.

Though it was already late at night, countless people still filled the streets, fitting for the busiest city on the continent.

“Acting head of house. No… Raon.”

Burren stepped up beside him.

“Thank you. Truly.”

He lowered his head slightly as he spoke.

“For what?”

Raon slowly raised an eyebrow, realizing Burren had approached him not as a subordinate, but as a friend.

“For giving me the chance to receive a Demon King’s authority this time.”

Burren pointed at the bracelet sprouting crimson thorns around his wrist, thanking him for making Pride choose him.

“That wasn’t something I gave you. You earned it yourself.”

Raon calmly shook his head.

“Even for someone like me, who had reached the absolute realm, could barely endure Pride’s waves of energy. Every swordsman without an authority passed out on the spot. The only reason I could even ask Pride was because you stayed conscious under that pressure and never let go of your sword until the very end.”

It wasn’t false modesty. True to his nature as the Monarch of Pride, Pride was the type to act solely according to his own will, without the slightest regard for what others wanted.

If Burren had lost consciousness or let go of his sword, Pride would never have granted Raon’s request.

It wasn’t that he would have simply allowed the Death Sword Spirit to die. More likely, he would have chosen some completely different way to reward or compensate them instead.

The fact that Pride had handed over the authority of pride meant that, at least to some degree, Burren had earned his acknowledgment.

“Thank you for saying that. But I still don’t see it that way. I owe it all to you.”

Burren thanked him once more, his eyes now steadier and more resolute than before.

“I’ll push myself even harder so your efforts won’t have been wasted.”

He nodded solemnly, as though asking Raon to keep watching him from now on.

“Good. Then live proudly.”

Raon let out a faint laugh as he recalled what Pride had said.

If it’s about being full of himself, that shitty eyes was born for it. He’s always had a damn awful personality anyway.

Wrath snorted, sounding convinced Burren was perfectly suited for pride.

“I’ll do just that.”

Burren calmly nodded his chin, already seeming to adapt to the authority of pride, before stepping back.

“The authority of pride, huh…”

Evelyn smacked her lips while staring at Burren, clearly intrigued by this new Demon King authority.

“Hmph. He already looks more full of himself.”

Just as Martha was about to scowl at Burren, Raon suddenly stopped walking.

“We’re here.”

Unlike the city’s clean and spacious main streets, the place Raon stopped at was a filthy, cramped alleyway.

Before them spread a dirty shantytown packed with laborers who survived doing the roughest jobs throughout the city.

“H-Here…?”

“The Heavenly Demon is in a place like this?”

Burren and Martha widened their eyes in disbelief.

“…”

Runaan narrowed her eyes as if surveying the surroundings, cold energy radiating from her.

“Hm! Honestly, it kind of makes sense.”

Evelyn swung her arms as if she would follow Raon anywhere, no questions asked.

"What made you think he'd be here?"

The Black Form Snake smacked his lips curiously, wanting to know why Raon had chosen the slums.

“I once saw something similar before.”

Raon answered while stepping into the alley lined with rundown houses and crumbling buildings.

“I once saw a swordsman who believed his sword was the strongest in the world. After suffering defeat, he chose to live as a beggar in order to grow even stronger. The Heavenly Demon is powerful, but even more than that, he’s prideful. A monster who believes he alone stands beneath the heavens would eventually want to walk a path he’s never known before. Or a path completely different from the one he’s walked until now.”

Raon’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Though what truly convinced me… was the smell coming from him.”

“Smell?”

The Black Form Snake raised an eyebrow.

“It wasn’t just his own scent. I smelled sweat mixed with the scent of other people… and wood. Wet wood, especially.”

Raon narrowed his eyes as he recalled the scent that lingered around the Heavenly Demon when he appeared.

“Huh…”

The Black Form Snake’s eyes widened in surprise, clearly never expecting Raon to pay attention to something like scent.

“The Heavenly Demon is a man who sees himself as the supreme being beneath the heavens. And when someone believes they rule both sky and earth, what they’ll want to witness next is obvious.”

Raon slowly steadied his breathing as he approached a building where exhausted shipyard laborers gathered to build ships.

Whooooom!

Just as the Heavenly Demon had once called out to Glenn, and Glenn had answered in turn, Raon released a subtle wave of energy with his breath, something only beings at the absolute level could perceive.

Fwoooosh.

Before Raon could even take a third breath, the door of the oldest, filthiest shack in the entire shantytown creaked open.

A gigantic man stepped outside, broad enough that carrying an ox on his shoulders wouldn’t have looked strange. Despite his ragged clothes, he still wore the crimson-black helmet of the demonic dragon as he tilted his chin toward Raon.

“You found me faster than I expected.”

For the first time, the Heavenly Demon sounded genuinely impressed. As if acknowledging Raon, if only for this moment, he lowered the chin he always kept arrogantly raised and met his eyes directly.

“Sword Emperor Raon Zieghart.”

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