The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1349

 Chapter 1349

 

“Haaah!”

Dorian let out a thin, ragged breath with his face pressed against the deck.

“Why, why...”

Unable to understand how things had come to this, he sorrowfully closed his eyes, which had barely remained open.

“Damn it...”

Martha raised her sword with trembling hands.

“Th-This is the real mission, isn't it? This is way harder than it was with the Vikings!”

Her voice was hoarse, as though she had exhausted every last bit of her strength.

“Seriously.”

Burren straightened his bent back and let out a sigh.

“You can't let your guard down for a second.”

He brushed back his hair, soaked with sweat and seawater, looking thoroughly worn out.

“Hoo...”

Runaan slowly closed her eyes before opening them again.

“Sleepy...”

She repeatedly blinked her drowsy eyes, her stamina clearly drained as well.

“Ughhh...”

“Urgh!”

“S-Save me!”

“I think I'm gonna thr—bleegh!”

The other Light Wind swordsmen either retched over the deck or collapsed where they stood, unable to get back up, looking as though they were at death's door.

“I mean...”

Krein ground his teeth so hard they creaked as he glared toward the bow.

“Why did you have to provoke him?! You should've just kept quiet!”

Rather than glaring at the one causing all this, he shot an accusing look at Aris, who had given Raon the idea in the first place.

“Noooo...”

Standing at the bow, Aris clutched her head.

“I did say I was bored...”

Grinding her teeth until they creaked, she stared straight ahead.

“But how was I supposed to know he'd take it this far?!”

Crying that this had gone way too far, Aris shouted at Raon, who was riding atop Haerang's head as they crossed the sea.

"'Take it too far?'"

Raon calmly shook his head.

“We're only getting started.”

Saying they hadn't even gotten to the real beginning yet, he smiled faintly.

“W-We haven't even started?”

“I'm already dying...”

“Wh-What the hell is wrong with that guy...?”

Even the Azure Wind's crew, who had barely been hanging on until now, trembled from head to toe, saying they wanted to run away.

“See? Even my crew says they're dying!”

Aris waved her hand, telling him to stop.

“And me too—”

"You started this, aunt, but we agreed that I would finish it."

Saying there was absolutely no chance of stopping, Raon sat down on Haerang's head.

“Let's start again.”

Asking for another round, he gently stroked Haerang's forehead.

Rooooooar!

Apparently delighted by Raon's touch, Haerang let out a thunderous roar as its sea-colored mane bristled.

KWAAAAAAAH!

Understanding Raon's intent, it moved its forelegs and raised a tidal wave of unimaginable size.

RUMBLE!

The sea surged violently, and even before the tidal wave reached them, the Azure Wind rocked so violently it looked ready to capsize. The Azure Wind was a fairly large warship, but before the tidal wave Haerang had raised, it looked no different from a paper sailboat.

“Aah!”

“T-This is insane...”

"Is that a wave? It's not a m-mountain, right?"

"He was serious when he said the real thing starts now? Normally, people just say that!"

“That guy isn't a normal person!”

The Light Wind swordsmen and the Azure Wind's crew gulped nervously as they stared at the colossal tidal wave, large enough to swallow the entire ship whole.

“Don't panic! Hold your ground on the deck! I'll cut it down!”

As though telling everyone not to worry, Aris drew her sword back behind her waist. Just as she had done when hunting the Mad Dragon Kaibar, she appeared ready to split the wave apart with her space sword.

“You can't.”

Reading Aris's intentions, Raon the scabbard of Wooden Ring Sword.

FWIIING!

Wooden Ring Sword shot out of its scabbard on its own, turning into a crimson streak as it flew toward Aris.

“Interfering again!”

Aris redirected the sword she had been about to use on the tidal wave and struck away Wooden Ring Sword as it came flying toward her.

CLAAANG!

Wooden Ring Sword didn't go flying away despite taking the full force of Aris's strike. It spun only once in midair before immediately diving down again, unleashing Crimson Slash.

CLAAANG!

Once again, Aris failed to cut through the tidal wave and had no choice but to block the Crimson Slash instead.

RUMBLE!

Thanks to that, the tidal wave, completely unhindered, crashed toward the Azure Wind.

“Daaaaamn it!”

“We'll cut it down!”

“Haaa...”

Martha charged forward with a furious shout, Burren steadied his breathing as he drew his sword, and Runaan exhaled frosty breath as she raised Snow Flower Sword.

BOOOOM!

The moment the Light Wind Palace's three executives leaped into the air to cut down the tidal wave in Aris's place—

KWAAAAAAAH!

As though refusing to allow anyone to cut the tidal wave, Haerang extended its claws and unleashed razor-sharp slashes at the three of them.

“You damn mutt!”

“Focus on cutting down the slashes first!”

“Hoo!”

In the end, Burren, Martha, and Runaan also failed to cut the tidal wave, managing only to block Haerang’s slashes.

The gigantic tidal wave, large enough to overturn the sea itself, smashed through every obstacle in its path and struck the Azure Wind head-on once again.

KWAAAAAAASH!

The impact was great enough to shake the entire western sea, but Haerang controlled its strength at the very end, so the Azure Wind wasn't destroyed. It merely rocked so violently that everyone thought it was about to break apart.

“I-I'm gonna die...”

“It feels like I got hit in the back of the head with a hammer...”

“Ugh... Haerang's gotten way too strong.”

Naturally, the swordsmen standing aboard the Azure Wind were crawling across the deck, completely drenched like puppies caught in the rain.

“Ugh...”

Even in the middle of all that, Aris was busy fending off Raon's incoming Wooden Ring Sword.

“I-I take it back!”

Sounding as though she sincerely regretted her own words, she shouted at Raon, who sat atop Haerang humming to himself.

“I take back what I said about being bored!”

Shaking her head vigorously, Aris declared that enough was enough.

“I'm sorry, but...”

Raon let out a long yawn, just as Aris had when she complained about being bored.

“The Haerang Tour does not allow passengers to disembark while it's in operation.”

Saying the tour would continue until they returned to the continent, he intensified the flames imbued within Wooden Ring Sword.

“Thanks a lot...”

Biting her lip, Aris knocked Wooden Ring Sword away.

“You damned nephew!”

She shouted that she finally understood why the Light Wind swordsmen were so afraid of Raon.

“I think we can turn it up a little more.”

Saying they should have even more fun, Raon stroked Haerang's head.

Kyao.

Haerang grinned happily and raised an even fiercer tidal wave before crashing it down toward the Azure Wind.

Ha...

Wrath let out a breath of utter disbelief.

To think that making it fun meant this....

His jaw trembled as he admitted he had never imagined anything like this.

'Because among the celestials, there are bound to be those who handle the sea even better than Haerang.'

Every celestial I've encountered so far possesses a unique ability. Among them, there are certainly those who wield the sea or the wind with ease. It's only right to prepare for that in advance.

Well, that is true, but....

Wrath nodded reluctantly.

But your training is harsher than actual combat!

His jaw trembled as he watched Krein, who had nearly been swept out to sea by the waves.

The King of Essence understands you're trying to make them stronger, but show a little restraint!

'Well, nobody died. Besides...'

Raon slowly closed his eyes and opened them again at an almost painfully leisurely pace.

'It's not just aunt or the Light Wind swordsmen who are training.'

Recalling the first head of house's sword he had seen on the Viking island, he guided Wooden Ring Sword.

'I'm...'

As though understanding his intent, the Wooden Ring Sword blazed with an increasingly deeper golden radiance, just like the flames the first head of house had left behind.

'Getting stronger.'

*   *   *

“Hmm...”

Looking down from the platform, Glenn let out a low murmur.

“Why did everyone come back looking like drowned dogs?”

Tilting his head, he looked at the Light Wind swordsmen, whose hair and clothes were completely soaked as though they had been caught in a downpour despite there being no rain. Even the Transcenders Aris and Runaan were drenched from head to toe. Raon was the only one who looked perfectly fine.

“Were the Vikings really that strong?”

Glenn smacked his lips, his curiosity piqued by the Vikings' might.

“We did a little training on the way back.”

Raon shook his head, saying it was nothing out of the ordinary.

“A l-little?”

“...That wasn't little at all!”

“Ha...”

Burren's jaw twitched in disbelief, Martha clenched her fist in frustration, and Runaan merely sighed, as though she lacked the strength to speak.

“Well, he isn't wrong...”

Apparently too drained to say much herself, Aris simply waved her hand weakly.

“Thanks to my wonderful nephew, who listens to every word I say, we had a very entertaining trip back.”

Grinding her teeth, she brushed back her hair, which hung limply like soaked seaweed.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

Raon smiled faintly and bowed to Aris.

“Y-You really...!”

Looking genuinely furious, Aris started to charge at Raon.

“You're dead! You smug little brat!”

“Y-You have to hold back! You can't beat him anymore!

If Rabawin, the Azure Wind's vice captain, hadn't stopped her, she looked ready to draw her sword right in front of Glenn.

“Ahem!”

Clearing his throat as though telling everyone to compose themselves, Glenn turned to Raon.

“So. Did everything go well on the Vikings' island?”

He smacked his lips, eager to hear about Raon's accomplishments.

“Yes. We communicated without any issues, and we secured a promise from the entire tribe to join the war against Eden.”

Raon bowed his head, saying everything had gone smoothly.

“Hmm...”

Even after hearing Raon's report, Glenn frowned, looking dissatisfied.

“Is that all?”

He tilted his head, clearly feeling something was missing.

“The Black Form Snake worked through the Viking priest to interfere, but we dealt with it without any problems.”

Raon nodded, saying there had been nothing particularly difficult about it.

“I don't believe that's all.”

The moment Glenn turned his chin and snapped his fingers—

“That's right! That's not everything!”

The air split apart with a blue glow, and Evelyn sprang out.

"Raon did far more than that!"

Shaking her head, Evelyn said Raon had left out far too much.

“Isn't that right?”

Far from reprimanding Evelyn for suddenly appearing, Glenn instead greeted her with the faintest hint of a smile.

“...”

Raon blinked. Judging from the situation, Glenn and Evelyn seemed to be coordinating with each other now.

“Then you tell us!”

Although Glenn's tone remained stern, his eyes had already softened again, filled with anticipation.

“Raon was different from the very beginning. The Viking executive who came to drive us away ended up crushed by Raon's pressure and had no choice but to guide us themselves. Then...”

As though she had gone to the Viking island with them herself, Evelyn recounted every single event one by one. It seemed she had secretly followed behind them all along.

M-Mad woman!

Wrath shuddered, goosebumps rising all over him.

“The Heavenly Demon tried to take the Black Form Snake with him, but Raon wouldn't allow it! He drew his sword without a moment's hesitation and pierced the chest of the Heavenly Demon possessing the Black From Snake! It was like watching the mythical spear that pierced the sun itself! And on top of that...”

Evelyn exaggerated everything Raon had done, making it sound as though he had slain the real Heavenly Demon himself.

“Ugh...”

Embarrassed, Raon couldn't even look at Evelyn and tightly shut his eyes.

H-How does she know all of that?!

Wrath's mouth fell open in disbelief.

That stalker! It's clear she followed you!

His lips turned pale as they trembled, as though he no longer needed proof.

“As expected!”

Only after hearing Evelyn's explanation did Glenn finally look satisfied, slamming the armrest of his throne.

“Hah! He cut down the Black Form Snake possessed by the Heavenly Demon?”

“He really has changed. The title Sword Immortal truly suits him now.”

“So even the Vikings were won over by that might and chose to follow Zieghart rather than the Five Kings.”

“As expected of the Light Wind Palace master. Every time he goes out, he comes back with another tremendous feat.”

The executives of Zieghart gathered in the audience chamber exclaimed in amazement at Raon's accomplishments.

“Nephew! I knew you could do it!”

Balder pumped his fist through the air, praising Raon for a job well done.

“Impressive.”

Karoon simply nodded with folded arms, as though he had expected nothing less.

“Ahem! Ahem!”

Watching the executives praise what Raon had accomplished, Glenn finally looked satisfied, and he cleared his throat several times in succession.

“Light Wind Palace master! Well done!”

Thanking Raon for all his hard work, he smiled so broadly that the corners of his mouth nearly reached his ears.

“It was nothing.”

Raon lowered his head, saying that he had only done what needed to be done. It wasn't false modesty. Just as the system had awarded him only a small number of points, he genuinely believed it was nothing more than what he was capable of.

"No, that was a truly great achievement."

Glenn waved his hand, telling him not to be so modest.

“If there's something you desire, speak.”

He smacked his lips as though he were willing to grant any wish Raon asked for.

“Then there is something I would like to ask of you, head of house.”

As though he had already made up his mind, Raon immediately raised his head.

“First...”

 

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