The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1342

 Chapter 1342

 

“The Blue Wolf...”

Raon lowered his chin slightly as he looked at Bjorn, the Viking chief.

'Just as I expected, the Vikings' guardian beast really is the Blue Wolf.'

Just as he had guessed from the murals scattered across the island, the Viking tribe's guardian beast was indeed the Blue Wolf. However, he still couldn't quite understand the significance of the priest attacking with a false Blue Wolf.

“You must have sensed it yourself...”

Bjorn lightly bit his lower lip as he looked at Raon.

“We Vikings are warriors. We never shy away from challenges, no matter where they come from.”

He nodded, saying that was why there were no walls built to protect them on the island.

“Then what about the barrier hiding the island...?”

Krein blurted out the remark without reading the room.

“Ahem!”

Bjorn awkwardly cleared his throat and shook his head.

“That wasn't to keep outsiders from challenging us. It was merely a measure to avoid getting dragged into needless troubles.”

He glanced aside, explaining that any skilled warrior or mage could break through the barrier without much difficulty.

“Well, that's true.”

She chuckled, saying that both the Light Wind swordsmen and the crew of the Azure Wind had sensed the island's presence.

“…Anyway, I will explain again.”

Bjorn glared slightly at Krein, who had cut off his words, before continuing his speech.

“Our tribe never refuses a challenge, whether it comes from outside or from within. I, too, earned my current position by overcoming countless challenges.”

He gave a firm nod, saying he had become chief through trials of martial skill.

“The priest, on the other hand, inherits his position. The bloodline that serves the Blue Wolf continues to pass the priesthood down through the generations.”

Even after what the priest had done to him, Bjorn spoke of him respectfully instead of dismissively.

“As I said before, the chief and the priest are meant to respect one another. I, too, was grateful to the priest for preserving the Blue Wolf's blessing on behalf of the tribe. But he did not feel the same.”

His teeth ground together with an audible sound.

“What do you mean by that?”

Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at Bjorn.

“The truth is, we also knew that a war deciding the fate of the continent would soon break out.”

Bjorn nodded, saying they had foreseen the war between the Five Kings and Eden.

“In times like these, it's impossible to cut ourselves off completely from the outside world, so there was no way we wouldn't know.”

He smiled faintly, saying they had maintained a certain amount of trade with trusted friends on the continent who could keep their secrets.

“I figured as much.”

Raon calmly nodded while looking at the helmet Knut was wearing.

“After hearing news of the great war, we Vikings decided that we, too, had to take part in it. No matter how deep in the western sea our tribe remained, the effects of the war would inevitably reach us.”

A sharp light began to shine in Bjorn's subdued eyes.

“The side we chose was naturally the Five Kings. We are warriors, not butchers, so joining Eden never even crossed our minds. But...”

Grinding his teeth, he lifted his head.

“The priest opposed us. He arrived with outsiders whose identities no one knew and insisted that we had to side with Eden rather than the Five Kings if we wanted to survive.”

Bjorn's bandaged fist trembled as he recalled what had happened back then.

“Of course, we couldn't reach an agreement. Just as I was about to make the decision using my authority as chief, the priest challenged me to a duel.”

His brows furrowed as he said it was the first time the priest had ever challenged him.

“The priest's bloodline has always been physically frail. Serving the Blue Wolf directly gave them steadfast souls and minds, but their bodies were never those of warriors. Naturally, I intended to refuse, but the priest would not back down. In the end, I had no choice but to accept the duel.”

Bjorn let out a heavy sigh and shook his head.

“Just as I resolved to end it as quickly as possible, the priest summoned the Blue Wolf from the sea. That monster, identical in appearance to our tribe's guardian deity, let out a savage roar and attacked me. The priest joined in as well, his face twisted into something like an evil spirit that I had never seen before. In the end...”

He bit his lip deeply as he looked at his own wounds.

“This is what became of me.”

Bjorn let out a murky sigh, saying the priest possessed enough might that he did not fall behind him.

“Hmm...”

Raon lowered his brows as he examined Bjorn's condition again.

'This man is strong. Very strong...'

At least a Grandmaster.

Bjorn had not reached Transcendence, but he was an exceptionally powerful Grandmaster. Raon found himself curious about the false Blue Wolf and the priest who had left such a man in this state.

“Only then did I realize it. The priest had spent a long time preparing to defeat me, and his ultimate goal was my position.”

Bjorn bit his lip, saying the priest wasn't satisfied with merely forcing his own opinions onto the tribe, he wanted the chief's seat as well.

“No matter the circumstances, defeat is defeat. A warrior must never make excuses, whatever the situation. But...”

His trembling hand pressed against the floor.

“If we side with Eden like this, I will have no face to show my ancestors! Please help us!”

Bjorn acknowledged his defeat, but said he could not allow the tribe to stand with Eden and help bring ruin to the continent, then dropped to his knees.

“The Blue Wolf...”

Raon slowly nodded as he looked at Bjorn, who was kneeling with his head lowered, his body covered in wounds.

“Now I finally understand.”

After hearing Bjorn's story, recalling the Blue Wolf murals all over the island, and the familiar energy he had sensed ever since they came from the sea, everything fell into place.

“Very well. I'll resolve this matter with the priest. However...”

Raon offered a faint smile as he took Bjorn's hand and helped him up.

“You'll have to keep your promise to stand with us.”

“Of course!”

Bjorn shook his head vigorously, as though there was no need to worry.

“Nephew.”

Aris stepped up beside Raon.

“Are you really sure you can settle this? It might not be enough just to defeat the priest.”

She smacked her lips briefly, stating that the situation seems a bit complicated.

“Don't worry. I already know how to handle it.”

Raon smiled faintly as he looked at the painting of the Blue Wolf hanging in Bjorn's room.

“If I'm right, we won't just gain the Vikings, we'll gain an even greater ally.”

*   *   *

“High Priest.”

An old man draped in the hide of a sea buffalo knelt down.

“The chief has invited outsiders.”

He kept his head lowered, unable even to properly look at the young man seated before him.

“Outsiders?”

The gaunt young man, seated on an ornate golden chair that looked nothing like something the Vikings would use, lowered his chin slightly.

“Bjorn invited outsiders?”

His eyes, faintly filled with murderous intent, turned downward.

“Yes. Knut, the chief's closest—”

“Wait.”

The high priest raised his long, slender hand.

“Don't call him chief. Call him Bjorn. The title of chief doesn't suit a loser.”

He let out a sneer, openly looking down on Bjorn.

“Y-Yes. The outsiders Knut brought went straight to Bjorn's residence.”

The old man swallowed dryly before speaking Bjorn's name.

“So the old bear invited outsiders first...”

The priest scoffed and waved a hand.

“It seems Bjorn lost to me and finally lost his mind.”

“Shall we take action?”

The old man bowed his head to the priest, as though waiting only for the order.

“No need. It doesn't matter what that old man does anymore.”

The high priest smacked his lips, as though everything had already been decided no matter what Bjorn did.

“Wouldn't you agree?”

He shrugged toward the man standing beside him.

“Of course.”

A young man standing in the darkness curled his lips into a grin.

“We've got the Blue Wolf, don't we?”

As he casually spoke the words "Blue Wolf," a broad smile spread across the priest's lips as well.

“Kuahahahaha! Exactly!”

The priest burst into laughter, clutching his forehead.

“As long as we have that...”

He clenched his dry hand into a fist as he looked at the enormous shadow reflected beneath the sea.

“Because I can become the king of this tribe. No, I already am the king!”

The priest nodded vigorously, as though the thought alone filled him with delight.

“So help me just one more time! Once this is over, I swear I'll stand with your side no matter what!”

As he pleaded for help, he looked up at the young man.

“What are you going to do?”

The young man gave a slight nod, signaling for him to continue.

“Previously, I took away the old bear's right to make decisions, so….”

As though he had made up his mind, the high priest stomped his foot hard enough to crack the golden chair beneath him.

“This time, I'll take his life and the chief's helmet!”

Grinding his teeth, he declared that he would kill Bjorn and seize the position of chief as well.

“Fine. I'll help you.”

The young man stepped forward and gave a smooth nod.

“So that you can stand in that position. However...”

Twisting his lips into a long smile as he looked at the high priest with his clear eyes, he spoke.

“You'll pay the price.”

*   *   *

The next day.

Raon headed toward the priest's residence together with Bjorn.

Are you really that confident?

Wrath furrowed his brow as if he was worried.

‘I don't need something like confidence.’

Raon calmly shook his head.

'The moment they show their hand, I can end this.'

He smiled, saying he could resolve everything perfectly.

Hah, the King of Essence seriously has no idea what's going on in that head of yours....

Wrath shook his head, saying he was the one who was worried.

“Here.”

Bjorn nodded as he pointed toward the priest's residence, which stood in stark contrast to his own, rising tall and lavish like a building in a city on the continent.

“The priest is inside.”

After taking a short breath, he knocked on the door of the massive building where the priest was staying.

“Priest!”

Even though he had lost to the priest not long ago, Bjorn called out to him in a booming voice without the slightest hesitation.

“Hmm...”

A gaunt young man emerged from behind the gilded doors after a low cough. He was so emaciated that his bones were more visible than his flesh. Though his face still looked youthful, his extreme thinness made him appear every bit as old as Bjorn. He appeared even more insignificant standing beside the men who had come out with him, whose massive builds rivaled boulders.

“You should be resting and tending to your injuries. What brings you here?”

The priest tilted his chin, openly looking down on Bjorn.

“At your age, those injuries won't heal easily.”

“I came because I have a proposal for you.”

Bjorn took a deep breath before stepping closer to the priest. The unwavering look in his eyes was not that of a defeated man.

“A proposal?”

The priest scoffed and frowned.

“What proposal could a defeated man possibly have for me?”

He beckoned with a finger, telling him to go on.

“I know you want my position.”

Bjorn removed the helmet adorned with three horns and set it on the ground.

“By tradition, the paths of the priest and the chief are separate, so a duel alone can never grant one the other's position. However...”

He nodded as he looked at the chief's helmet.

“If you accept my proposal, I'll hand over the position of chief to you.”

Bjorn looked straight at the priest with unwavering eyes, waiting for his answer.

“Pfft...”

The priest covered his mouth with his long, bony hand to suppress the laughter threatening to burst out.

“Very well. Let's hear this proposal of yours.”

He beckoned with his hand, telling him to continue.

“I'll put forward my great warrior. If you defeat this man, I'll give you the position of chief exactly as I said. On the other hand, if my great warrior wins, we Vikings will stand with the Five Kings instead of Eden.”

Bjorn repeated exactly what Raon had told him, his brows deeply furrowed.

“Aha.”

The priest curled his lips into a smile as he looked at Raon.

“So it seems you've invited a guest from the Five Kings.”

He chuckled, saying he could see right through what Bjorn was thinking.

“Very well. But you do understand that defeating me means overcoming everything I possess, don't you?”

The priest curled his lips, clearly intending to have not only himself, but also the Blue Wolf and the outsiders he had brought take part in the confrontation. He wore a relaxed expression, as though rejecting the proposal would cost him nothing.

“That...”

“As you wish.”

As Bjorn frowned, Raon stepped forward and nodded.

“Do whatever you like, grasshopper.”

Raon sneered, saying it made no difference what the grasshopper did.

“Hah...?”

The priest's laughter stopped cold.

“You insolent wretch!”

Grinding his teeth, he flew into a rage at Raon for mocking him.

“Fine! I'll leave nothing but that mouth of yours so you'll regret those words!”

The priest thrust out his arm, thinner than a tree branch, declaring they would begin at once.

“Come forth!”

The moment he shouted, the sea to the right churned violently, and a massive whirlpool rose into the air.

Paaaaaaah!

Two crimson eyes flashed within the whirlpool, and then a gigantic wolf burst through a towering column of seawater that reached into the sky.

Wooooooo!

The wolf, draped in a magnificent sea-blue mane, let out a terrifying roar toward the sky.

“I knew it was you.”  

 

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