The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1343

 Chapter 1343

 

“It's too late for regrets now!”

Arne, the Viking priest, glared at Raon as killing intent laced with malice poured from him.

“I'll tear you apart until there's not even a shred of flesh left!”

One of the things he hated hearing most in the world was that he was "skinny."

Every man around him had a sturdy, rock-like build, while his own frame was thinner than even a woman's. More than any other insult, he despised being called skinny. But instead of simply mocking him for being skinny, Raon had called him a grasshopper. It was the worst humiliation he had ever suffered in his life.

“Come forth!”

Unable to contain his rage, Arne immediately summoned the Blue Wolf without even signaling his ally. Answering his call, the sea spirit that had been staying in the nearby waters descended upon the island with a ferocity that looked ready to swallow the world whole.

"Kuhuhuhu!"

Arne curled his lips into a sneer as he looked at the outsiders, whose eyes trembled in apparent shock.

“The Blue Wolf is the guardian deity of warriors. It knows no mercy.”

He arrogantly lifted his chin as he looked at the Blue Wolf, which let out rough, growling breaths.

“Even that old bear was torn apart beneath this wolf's claws.”

Grinding his teeth, Arne glared at Bjorn, whose entire body was wrapped in bandages, yet whose eyes had lost none of their spirit.

“And today, I'll be taking that old man's position as well.”

Bjorn was one of the strongest chiefs in Viking history. He was a man worthy of everyone's respect, lacking nothing in might, mental fortitude, or leadership.

That's why I envy him.

'Unlike that old man, I have nothing.'

As a descendant of the priest's bloodline, my physique and stamina are weaker than an ordinary person's. No, weaker than even the women of the tribe. I can never sleep because of the eerie howls and the sound of claws every night, leaving my mind utterly exhausted, and even my appearance is hideous.

Unlike Bjorn, I have nothing to be proud of, and that makes me unbearably envious.

'Especially...'

His words and actions infuriate me.

Despite everything, Bjorn has always shown me respect and reverence simply because I'm the priest. That only makes me feel even more pathetic, causing rage and envy to fester inside my heart.

Because I harbor that resentment and envy, the moment someone from the outside offers me help, I accept the outstretched hand without a second thought.

‘I had nothing to lose.’

The outsider is one of Eden's demons. Naturally, I'm wary at first, but he wants nothing except my blood. He promises that in exchange, he'll summon the Blue Wolf and allow me to command it. Half believing and half doubting, I offer a small amount of blood.

The demon truly brings forth a colossal Blue Wolf powerful enough to swallow the entire island.

Handling the Blue Wolf with the red collar around its neck effortlessly, the demon from Eden transfers control of it to me.

Afterward, the demon tells me that if I join Eden, I'll be granted a body even stronger than Bjorn's and a handsome appearance to match. He promises it won't be a temporary change wrought by magic, but a permanent transformation. I agree to follow Eden without hesitation.

‘The world's going to end? That's none of my concern.’

I've spent my entire life suffering because of my weak body, fragile mind, and ugly appearance. Naturally, my own happiness matters more than anyone else's suffering, so I immediately challenge Bjorn to a duel and reduce him to a battered wreck.

‘This time, I'll finish him for good.’

Resolving to kill the outsider from the Five Kings, Arne turned to look at the demon from Eden standing behind him.

‘Hm?’

But the demon of Eden's eyes trembled slightly, as though he had seen something he never should have.

'Why is he acting like that?'

I've never once seen him wear such an expression before. Seeing fear in his eyes, as though he'd witnessed something terrifying, makes even my stomach churn.

‘Has he lost his nerve? Then I'll finish him myself!’

No matter how extraordinary these outsiders from the Five Kings are, they can never defeat the Blue Wolf that overwhelmed Bjorn with ease.

“Kill him!”

Expecting certain victory, Arne thrust out his hand toward the outsider from the Five Kings.

Grrrrrr!

The Blue Wolf exhaled a furious breath and lunged at the outsider like a bolt of lightning.

“It's over!”

Arne clenched his fist with an excited cry. The wolf charged just as fiercely as it had when it tore Bjorn apart. There was nowhere the outsider could possibly escape.

But then something happened that he had never imagined.

Swaaash.

Instead of attacking the outsider, the Blue Wolf flopped down at his feet and wagged its tail.

Crack!

That wasn't all. The red collar around the Blue Wolf's neck ripped apart mercilessly like soaked paper.

“Urgh!”

A sudden splitting headache struck Arne, and he clutched his temple. Strangely, the instant the Blue Wolf's collar was ripped apart, it felt as though his head were about to split open.

But this was no time to be overwhelmed by pain.

“What are you doing?! Kill him!”

Arne screamed, pointing a finger at Raon. He shouted with all his strength, ordering the Blue Wolf to kill him.

“Grr...”

The Blue Wolf acted as though it could no longer hear Arne. It even rolled onto its back and shamelessly begged for affection from the outsider from the Five Kings.

“N-No... What is this...?”

Arne's jaw trembled as he stared at the Blue Wolf. The majestic being that had always carried itself with dignity now looked no different from a pet dog. The wolf that had been a god to him was nothing more than a puppy before that man. The despair born from that overwhelming difference sent chills through his entire body.

“So that's why. To protect this sea.”

Raon nodded with a faint smile, as though conversing with the Blue Wolf.

“You've done well.”

“W-What... what are you?!”

Arne swallowed hard before shouting.

“Just what are you, for my guardian deity to...!”

“I am Raon Zieghart, master of the Light Wind Palace of Zieghart. And this child is not your guardian deity...”

Raon firmly shook his head as he gently stroked Haerang's head.

"This is my spirit."

*   *   *

“Y-Your spirit?”

Arne shook his head as though it were impossible.

“Don't be ridiculous! That spirit is the guardian deity of us Vikings!”

“Then I guess that makes me your priest.”

Resting his hand on Haerang's forehead, Raon let out a mocking laugh.

“After all, your guardian deity is begging me for affection.”

As he told Arne to hand over the position of Viking priest, he beckoned with a finger.

“W-What nonsense!”

Just as Arne waved his hand, insisting he stop saying such ridiculous things—

“D-Doesn't he actually have a point?”

“He's right. The priest's role exists to serve the Blue Wolf.”

“Instead of simply summoning the Blue Wolf, just look at how he's handling it. Doesn't that mean he should be the real priest?”

“Hmm... I have no idea what's going on anymore....”

The Viking warriors were so shocked by the sight of Raon treating their guardian deity, the Blue Wolf, like a pet dog that some even suggested he truly ought to become their priest.

“Shut up! How can you hand the position of priest over to an outsider?!”

Instead of yelling at Raon, Arne lashed out at the Viking warriors beside him.

“Give it back! The Blue Wolf is my guardian deity!”

Grinding his teeth, he demanded that Raon return the Blue Wolf at once.

“I see.”

Raon let out a small chuckle without paying Arne's words the slightest attention.

“You're just as ugly on the inside as you are on the outside.”

Whether it was because Raon had grown, or because Haerang had grown, everything Haerang had seen and heard until now flowed into his mind. Thanks to that, he understood everything that had happened here.

“W-What do you mean...?”

“The reason you wanted the Vikings to follow Eden wasn't for the sake of this tribe...”

With a sneer, Raon pointed at Bjorn standing behind him.

“It was because you wanted a strong body and handsome looks like the chief standing here.”

He had seen everything through Haerang's memories. The reason Arne wanted to follow Eden was to obtain a manly physique and attractive appearance so he could become popular.

“I-Is that really true?”

“Priest! You said the only way for us to survive was to follow Eden!”

“Good looks? What in the world would you even use that for?!”

The warriors who had followed Arne stared at him with trembling jaws, unable to believe what they had heard.

“What do any of you know?!”

Arne ground his teeth as he lifted eyes burning bright red.

“I'm short, ugly, and weak! Don't spout that kind of nonsense unless you've lived with this pathetic body that stays useless no matter how much you train!”

He slammed his fist against his own chest as he screamed.

“Especially women! They don't even see me as a man! Forget being popular, they don't even think of me as one!”

Revealing every bit of the inferiority he had kept buried, Arne stomped his foot.

“If only I had even a little talent, I never would've ended up like this...”

“You do have talent.”

Raon gave a calm nod as he looked at Arne, whose face had turned red.

“W-What?”

Caught off guard by the unexpected praise, Arne's eyes widened.

“You didn't know?”

Raon let out a faint chuckle as he gently ran a hand over Haerang's neck, where the marks from the collar still remained.

“The collar that was around Haerang's neck was made from your blood. It really did possess a powerful control effect.”

Haerang said that the collar made from Arne's blood had caused it to lose control over itself for a short time. True to the priest's bloodline, Arne seemed to possess exceptional talent for sorcery.

“What are you...?”

“True to the priest's bloodline, you possess exceptional talent in sorcery. But...”

Raon gestured with his chin at the slack-jawed Arne.

“Instead of even trying to develop your own talent, you immediately chose the wrong path simply because it was the easier one. Effort? What effort did you ever make? You spent every day holed up in that luxurious room, sleeping in.”

From what Raon had seen through Haerang's memories, Arne was nothing more than a spoiled brat born into privilege. Contrary to his own claims, he had never put effort into anything, spending his days lounging in a chair, eating and idling away his time.

“Wow, it's been a while since I've seen someone who acts exactly the way he looks.”

Martha sneered as she waved a hand.

“He's utterly pathetic.”

Burren clenched his fist, looking genuinely disgusted.

“...”

Runaan paid no attention to Arne at all, keeping her eyes fixed solely on Raon.

“Judging by your talent, if you had simply fulfilled your duties as the tribe's priest and offered proper prayers, you would have become at least a high-ranking spirit contractor. But you never once offered a proper prayer or put in any real effort. No, you never even believed in your own tribe's traditions.”

Raon let out a snort as he walked toward Arne.

“D-Don't come any closer! I...”

“You're not even worth killing.”

Clicking his tongue, Raon slammed his fist into Arne's head.

Baaaaam!

With the sound of rock shattering, Arne coughed up blood and collapsed onto the ground.

“Urgh!”

“Gasp!”

Perhaps because of the ugliness Arne had revealed, no one rushed over in concern.

“Now come out.”

Stepping over the fallen Arne, Raon moved forward.

“And speak.”

He beckoned with a finger to the demon of Eden hiding behind Arne.

“Tell me what you were after by devising such a contemptible scheme.”

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