The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 1012
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 1012
I quickly closed the lid of the bead ice cream box and stepped outside the Annex Building.
—Thank you, truly.
Wrath muttered his gratitude with genuine concern for the ice cream.
‘It’s nothing.’
I waved my hand dismissively and walked toward the back of the Annex Building. Glen stood before the Lake as always, gazing up at the night sky.
“Grandfather.”
I approached Glen and bowed deeply.
“After you left, I gave it some thought….”
Glen slowly turned around.
“Considering that you defeated Guisalchang and Tacheon, and rescued Evelyn, I felt the reward I gave you was insufficient.”
He smiled faintly, saying he had come to make up for the shortfall. Yet seeing his flushed face, animated with excitement, it seemed he had been anticipating this moment from the start.
“Thank you.”
Unlike other times, I showed no false modesty, simply bowing and expressing my gratitude.
—What’s gotten into you?
Wrath’s eyes widened in surprise.
—Normally you’d spout some nonsense like, “N-no, it wasn’t my doing! I was just lucky!” and grovel about it.
He tilted his head, finding this unexpected.
‘Such an attitude would be disrespectful to the Head of House who came all this way. Besides….’
I smacked my lips as I gazed at the Soul Reaper Sword held in Raon’s hand.
‘I cannot afford to miss this opportunity to understand the Heart Sword.’
Even when I resonated the Ring of Fire at full power, I could not fully comprehend the battle between Glen Zigheart and the Heavenly Demon.
Though I had stepped into the realm of the Heart Sword, it remained an unknown world to me.
“It seems you’ve already guessed what I intend to do, so we should begin at once.”
Glen Zigheart nodded calmly, as if he had read my thoughts.
“What I wish to teach you today is, of course, the Heart Sword.”
He continued speaking with his hand resting on the hilt of the Heavenly Sword at his waist.
“To be honest, I have not yet grasped everything about the Heart Sword. And even if I were to teach you, it is not something that can simply be learned. However, you will be capable of it.”
Glen Zigheart gazed at me with eyes that radiated warm trust.
“Because you have already reached that level.”
He tilted his chin slightly, as if reading my inner thoughts.
“But I used the Heart Sword through the power of this Soul Reaper Sword, not my own strength. Can I truly learn it?”
While it was true that I had imitated the Heart Sword after witnessing Glen Zigheart’s technique, the quality was different, which caused me some concern.
“Whether you enter through the front door or the back door, what matters is that you have entered the house.”
Glen Zigheart smiled, indicating that using the Soul Reaper Sword posed no problem whatsoever.
-That old fool speaks truth. Regardless of what you do, once you have reached that level, the past holds little significance.
Wrath tilted his head to the side.
-Even if you imitated that decrepit geezer’s Heart Sword, you will not be able to unfold the same blade.
He shook his head, saying that because their souls were different, their swords could not help but be different as well.
“I see.”
I tightened my grip on the Soul Reaper Sword and lifted my crimson eyes.
“I’d like to see your sword first. Can you manifest it now?”
Glen pointed his fingers at his chest, as if inviting me to thrust my sword through him.
“Understood.”
I steadied my breathing and drew the Soul Reaper Sword. Another person might have hesitated, but trusting Glen, I felt I could unleash my full power.
Whoooooosh!
I resonated with the Ring of Fire and reached out spiritually to the souls dwelling within the Soul Reaper Sword.
‘Wind…’
The moment I sought their aid, a cool green wind blossomed from the blade’s tip. A sword aura unmistakable in its nature—Rimer’s Garunua.
‘Are you helping me?’
A fragment of Rimer’s soul didn’t scatter into the void; instead, it seeped into the Soul Reaper Sword.
When I fought the Heavenly Demon, I’d been too desperate to notice, but it seemed he was still supporting me even in death.
‘It’s been so long since I’ve fought alongside my master.’
A gentle smile crossed my face as I honed the blade of my soul alongside the spirits, raising it above the crimson edge.
“I’m coming.”
I moved the pointed sword and unleashed it toward the colossal soul shimmering within Glen’s body.
Clang!
Glen caught the sword he’d manifested with his index and middle fingers, as if he could see it.
“I can feel your soul and the power of the spirits contained within the Soul Reaper Sword working in harmony. The weakness in your sword force must stem from the mixture of positive and negative souls.”
He narrowed his eyes, saying that the Heavenly Demon was no different from a renowned blade mixed with impurities.
“However, the form of the Soul Reaper Sword remains stable thanks to this wind. In any case, he’s quite the character.”
Glen Zigheart felt Rimer’s wind emanating from the Soul Reaper Sword and let out a soft chuckle. He closed his eyes briefly, as if recalling a cherished friend he could no longer see, then opened them again.
“Raon, what do you think a Soul Reaper Sword is?”
Glen Zigheart erased his own Soul Reaper Sword held between his fingers and spoke.
“A blade that cuts not the enemy’s body, but their soul. An absolute sword capable of severing anything in this world.”
I shared with Glen Zigheart what I had been thinking about the Soul Reaper Sword.
“Indeed, that is what I thought as well. Then, what must one do to forge a blade capable of cutting an enemy’s soul?”
Glen Zigheart posed the question, then directly answered it by releasing the magnificent presence of his soul.
‘There it is….’
I swallowed hard, meeting Glen Zigheart’s serene gaze.
‘Right now, the Head of House’s Soul Reaper Sword is before me.’
Though invisible to the eye, Glen Zigheart’s Soul Reaper Sword was now sweeping across my entire body. A chill ran down my spine.
“Just as one needs an iron blade to cut an enemy’s body, one must wield a blade honed by one’s own soul to cut an enemy’s spirit.”
Glen Zigheart raised his right hand and placed it over his left chest.
“There is only one piece of advice I can offer to you who have already set foot upon this path. Hone your soul. Make it sharper and more unbreakable than it is now.”
He nodded, urging me to forge an indestructible soul blade, much like a vow made in childhood.
“A blade honed by my own soul….”
I gazed at my own hands and bit my lip. It seemed that the stronger and more solid my soul became, the sharper my Soul Reaper Sword would grow.
“Your soul’s presence is remarkably elevated, even considering your power. However, it remains but raw ore for now. Only through proper refinement and honing will it gain true meaning.”
Glen Zigheart said the foundation was already sufficiently laid, and that all I needed was the resolve to build upon it. With that, he calmed the magnificent aura that had been stretching outward.
—The quality of a soul has no choice but to be high!
Wrath glared at me and gnashed his teeth.
—Not only the True Demon King’s power, but I also devoured the powers of those other wretches, so it would be strange if it weren’t high! And there’s that cursed ring too!
He cried out that if it were low, that would be an even bigger problem, shaking his head.
“From now on, as you elevate your mastery of the sword, try conversing with your own soul. Then you will naturally achieve your own heart sword.”
Glen Zigheart smiled serenely, as if he could still see that future unfolding before him.
“…I understand.”
Glen Zigheart offered vague teachings rather than detailed advice as before, yet strangely, I felt I understood what his words meant.
“Still…”
Glen Zigheart lifted his gaze slightly.
“When I realized your heart sword carried a flow similar to mine, I felt quite proud.”
He smiled with affection, as if watching a child taking its first steps.
“Grandfather, you are someone I have always wanted to emulate.”
I spoke the sincere feelings blooming in my chest honestly.
“…Is that so.”
Glen Zigheart gazed at me with vacant eyes for a moment, then nodded warmly.
“Even if it were flattery, it feels good to hear.”
He smiled, satisfied with this moment, and gazed up at the moon hanging in the sky.
“It is not empty praise. Grandfather, you have always been… well.”
I shook my head, then bit my lip as I gazed at Glen, whose figure appeared faintly in the moonlight.
‘That’s right. I should have remembered that….’
After exhaling a long breath, I took another step closer to Glen.
“Grandfather.”
I swallowed dryly and met Glen’s crimson eyes, which seemed to be fading.
“There’s something I’d like to ask you.”
“Go ahead.”
Glen nodded as if he would answer anything.
“When you used the Heart Sword against the Heavenly Demon, you appeared blurred, as if you were disappearing from this world.”
I bit my lip and continued.
“And the Heavenly Demon also spoke of you as if you would soon vanish. I want to know why.”
I had already heard about causality from Wrath, so I had some idea, but I wanted to hear the reason directly from Glen.
“To perceive it already—how impressive.”
Glen maintained a subtle smile and nodded to me.
“In this world, there exists a law called causality. Where there is a cause, there must be a result. Everything in this land is connected organically, and the future is determined by the past. You could think of it as fatalism—the idea that human lives are already predetermined—or as the will of heaven.”
Glen explained the foundations of causality in detail.
“However, even in a world where everything is predetermined, occasionally beings appear that transcend causality. This world interferes with such beings and banishes them to another dimension so they can no longer exist in this land. That is what is commonly called ascension.”
He waved his hand, explaining that the reason the warriors of myth and legend disappeared was precisely because of this ascension.
“I now stand at that threshold.”
Glen placed both feet on either side of the narrow fissure created by the Heart Sword.
“If I were to ascend to a realm I deliberately refused to acknowledge, this world would regard me as a being beyond causality and banish me to another dimension.”
He chuckled, explaining that this was why his body had appeared hazy when he wielded the Soul Reaper Sword.
“Then why is the Heavenly Demon…?”
I furrowed my brow, recalling the Heavenly Demon who appeared perfectly intact, unlike Glen Zigheart.
“He has someone else who bears the burden of causality in his stead. I couldn’t see them clearly, but they seem to be a formidable existence.”
It seemed he had already sensed the power of Pride dwelling within the Heavenly Demon’s soul.
“You’re in a similar situation, Raon.”
Glen Zigheart’s gaze shifted to Wrath, who stood beside me.
—That old geezer speaks the truth!
Wrath waved his hand rapidly.
—You’re defying even that law through the power of the True Demon King!
He gnashed his teeth, lamenting that he alone continued to suffer losses.
“Honestly, I’ve trained with the sword aiming for ascension. I wanted to transcend humanity and become a true Sword Saint. But…”
Glen Zigheart’s eyes gleamed with divine brilliance, yet they held the warmth of human emotion.
“Now, I don’t wish to go there.”
He smiled at me with gentle eyes, as if explaining why he no longer desired that path.
“But you needn’t worry. I will stop both the Heavenly Demon and Derus Robert, no matter what it takes.”
Glen Zigheart nodded, declaring he would not depart before those two disappeared. Despite having his childhood dream within reach, he was prioritizing Zigheart first.
“Ugh…”
I bit my lip as I gazed into Glen’s tender eyes.
‘I don’t want to let him go.’
Now that we had finally grown close, now that I could finally call him Grandfather, I couldn’t bear to send Glen away.
Especially not to sacrifice him because of a wretch like Derus Robert.
“The Heavenly Demon said something to me.”
I exhaled deeply and lifted my gaze.
“That I might possess the power of destiny—the strength to alter fate itself.”
I clenched my fists, recalling the title 【One Who Turns the Wheel of Destiny】.
“I will change it. I will shatter destiny itself so that Grandfather does not leave this world, even if he ascends to a higher realm.”
I asked him to wait, grinding my teeth with determination.
-Excellent!
Wrath descended above my head and clapped loudly.
-A vessel worthy of the True Demon King must possess such audacity!
He laughed heartily, as if finally pleased with me.
“Kahahaha!”
Glen stared at me blankly before bursting into laughter, clutching his forehead.
“G-Grandfather?”
I blinked in confusion at Glen’s unexpected reaction, much like Lunan Slion would have.
“I’m not mocking you. It’s just….”
Glen stepped forward and gently stroked my head.
“Your words. Your sincerity has simply made me happy.”
He thanked me profusely while grasping my trembling hand.
“Yes. I will wait. Until you change my destiny.”
Glen Zigheart drew a gentle smile and withdrew a worn book from his embrace.
“I brought this thinking it might help with your mental cultivation. Read it when you have time.”
He handed me the worn book and turned his back toward the Lake once more.
“I think I’ll sleep well tonight. Or perhaps not at all, for that matter.”
Glen Zigheart left those cheerful words behind and wandered away.
“….”
I bowed my head to Glen Zigheart while cradling the still-warm book in my arms.
‘I may be able to do this. No—I must try.’
Even after Glen Zigheart departed, I gazed at the Lake for a long while, pledging to protect this home, Glen Zigheart, and Zigheart itself, before entering the Annex Building.
-You always appeared weak when it came to family matters, but today I was satisfied for the first time!
Wrath patted my shoulder as if praising me earnestly.
-Exactly! This is the first time my heart feels refreshed!
He furrowed his brow, saying he had been frustrated all this time.
‘Can you help with my training then?’
-Well, I’ll do it sometimes!
‘Even right now?’
-Splendid! I’ll do it after eating ice cream!
‘With a Demon Lord blessing our family, our home is bound to prosper.’
I chuckled softly and opened the door to step inside. Yet the room felt cooler than usual, and a sweet fragrance drifted through the air.
-Wait, surely not!
Wrath flew off in a panic toward the box of bead ice cream.
—Open this at once! Hurry and open it!
He thrashed his tail impatiently, urging me to lift the lid.
‘Hmm….’
I swallowed hard and opened the ice cream box, only to find all four bead ice creams completely melted and mixed together.
‘The, the lid didn’t close properly, did it?’
In my haste to leave, I must have failed to seal it completely.
—You infuriating fool! Ice cream more precious than your own life!
Wrath’s face flushed crimson with genuine fury.
‘No, wait, this is….’
As I cautiously retreated, Wrath descended upon me like a specter.
—May blessings freeze you to death! All that awaits you is my curse, nothing more! I won’t help you train!
Wrath hurled genuine curses at me until the next day, when I bought him new ice cream. Of course, they meant nothing.
*
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“Hmm….”
I unwound the bandages that had been wrapped around my chest and shoulders.
‘It’s nearly healed.’
All the physical wounds had closed, and the mental pain had diminished considerably. It seemed I could resume training.
—After all that nonsense, to think you’d recover completely in just a week. It’s absurd.
Wrath grumbled that I possessed a body and spirit more resilient than any Demon.
‘Aren’t there Demons with regenerative abilities comparable to trolls?’
I waved my hand dismissively.
—No matter how powerful the regeneration, internal trauma persists within the body. Especially the spirit—it never truly recovers. However…
Wrath’s eyes narrowed as he regarded me.
—You bear no trauma whatsoever, neither in body nor spirit. The word ‘resilient’ doesn’t even begin to capture it.
He ground his teeth, muttering that I possessed far too many broken traits.
—Tch, it’s all the True Demon King’s power anyway…
‘Not entirely yours, though. The other Demon Lords’ authorities are part of it too.’
In truth, the greatest source of my strength came from the Demon Lords’ authorities. Since each possessed unique abilities, it wasn’t strange to say they rivaled the Ring of Fire in terms of fortune.
‘Now that I think about it, there’s something I’m curious about.’
I donned my uniform and gestured toward Wrath with my chin.
—What is it?
‘Does the Lord of Pride stay by the Heavenly Demon’s side like you do?’
Wrath had said the Heavenly Demon, not Tacheon, was the true inheritor of Pride’s power. It occurred to me that another Demon Lord might be similarly attached.
‘That won’t be the case. Pride probably doesn’t even watch over him.’
Wrath shook his head with certainty.
‘Why?’
—Because that’s the kind of bastard he is. Pride. A madman who embodies that very word.
His brow furrowed with irritation at merely the thought of Pride.
—But why are you asking about Pride? Surely you don’t intend to…
Wrath’s eyes flickered as understanding dawned on him.
—You’re trying to obtain Pride’s authority as well?
‘Well, if I can get it, why not?’
I shifted my gaze awkwardly.
‘I never thought I could obtain Grid’s authority either, but I managed it before.’
Wrath treated Grid and Pride as equals to himself. Since I had already obtained the authority of Grid, one of them, I thought perhaps I could obtain Pride’s as well.
—Impossible!
Wrath shook his head vigorously.
—Pride is fundamentally different from the other Demon Lords. He’s a madman who believes only he exists in this world!
He insisted it would never happen, shaking his head firmly.
‘Then why did he transfer his authority to the Heavenly Demon?’
—Even I don’t know!
Wrath snorted, saying Pride was incomprehensible no matter how hard one tried.
‘I’ll think about that later then.’
I stood up, sliding the Heavenly Sword, the Neck Ring Sword, and the Soul Reaper Sword into my belt.
—Where are you going the moment you’ve recovered?
Wrath’s eyes narrowed as if asking why I was moving instead of eating.
‘The Heavenly Demon said war would break out soon. Before that happens, I need to bring the remaining Transcendents to our side.’
I gazed at the sun burning brilliantly in the sky, my lips curling slightly.
“I’ve given them plenty of time. Now it’s time to tighten the leash.”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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