The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 1022
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 1022
Raon returned to the Sinjuoryeong Conference Hall with Heekyuk Je and Akgeomhu.
“Now I should introduce you properly.”
Heekyuk Je handed me a cup of tea he had prepared himself and opened his mouth.
“I am Ariel, the leader of Baek Gyeong.”
She revealed her position as the leader of Baek Gyeong rather than her alias Heekyuk Je. It seemed to signify that she had genuinely decided to follow the Five Emperors.
“Bridget.”
Heekyuk Je sent a glance to Akgeomhu, suggesting she introduce herself as well.
“I know.”
Akgeomhu received Heekyuk Je’s gaze and gave a brief nod.
“I am Bridget, the master of Mugeomgak.”
She too seemed to have taken a liking to me, introducing herself in a noticeably softer tone than before.
“I am Raon Zigheart of Gale Wind Hall, House Zigheart.”
I rose from my seat and bowed respectfully to Heekyuk Je and Akgeomhu.
-What’s gotten into you? Not being crude?
‘They’re people we’ll walk alongside from now on. There’s no need to provoke them. Besides…’
I lifted my head and licked my lips.
‘The leaders of a faction deserve proper respect.’
Having advanced from leading the Gwangpung Corps to commanding the Gale Wind Hall, I had come to understand just how difficult it was to manage such a vast organization. Heekyuk Je and Akgeomhu were leaders worthy of my respect.
Heekyuk Je and Akgeomhu were leaders whom he could respect.
“Could you tell us what plans the Five Emperors have and how they intend to move forward?”
Heekyuk Je set down the teapot on the Round Table as she asked. Her eyes gleamed with an intellectual brilliance, like moonlight pushing back the darkness of night.
Having escaped the mental demon’s influence, she seemed to have recovered her original temperament and judgment.
“Right. We need to know that first. We also need to determine what we should do.”
Akgeomhu leaned her upper body toward the Round Table, her hands clasped together as if requesting him to speak.
“Before that, I’d like to ask one thing.”
I turned my gaze toward Akgeomhu.
“Is Brianna listening in as well?”
“No, she went straight into the Mental World.”
Akgeomhu shook her head as she mentioned that Brianna had departed for the Mental World.
“She said she wanted to internalize the insights she gained from sparring with you.”
She chuckled softly, saying Brianna wouldn’t emerge for quite some time.
“I see. However…”
I narrowed my eyes as I observed Akgeomhu’s raised lips.
“You’re calling her ‘sister’ because Brianna isn’t here.”
Akgeomhu appeared not to acknowledge Brianna as her sister, yet the moment Brianna disappeared, she called her exactly that.
“That’s… ah, no…”
Akgeomhu’s cheeks flushed as if struck at her weak point, and she stammered.
“I understand now.”
I smiled faintly, saying I finally understood.
“So you were acknowledging it in your heart, even while complaining on the surface.”
“W-well, it just came out that way! That’s not true!”
Akgeomhu shook her head insistently, but her trembling eyes betrayed the truth of my observation.
“It’s time you admitted it now.”
Heekyuk Je nodded calmly, as if he had always known that Bridget acknowledged Brianna.
“No, I’m telling you it’s not like that….”
Akgeomhu bit her lip in embarrassment, but her voice grew quieter and quieter.
“Then let’s leave it at that.”
I smiled and nodded.
“First, let me explain how we destroyed the Black Tower and killed Tacheon. To begin with….”
Since even Heekyuk Je wouldn’t know all the detailed circumstances, I explained everything that had happened in meticulous detail.
“A-a Heart Sword? You really are insane!”
Akgeomhu let out a hollow laugh, as if she finally understood why Brianna had been defeated.
“I thought the conclusion of the battle with Tacheon was strange, but so you had the Heart Sword. Now it makes sense.”
Heekyuk Je also stood dumbfounded, his jaw slack, not having expected that I would use the Heart Sword to kill Tacheon.
“After we destroyed the Black Tower, we accepted a large number of neutral factions who had been indecisive at the Five Emperors Conference that opened afterward. We plan to use their information networks spread across the entire Continent to track down the Four Demons.”
I explained the plan from the Five Emperors Conference and placed my hand on the Round Table.
“Will you attack immediately once you find them?”
Akgeomhu twirled her dirt-covered fingers from the Training Ground, as if asking whether we would wage war right away.
“The Four Demons remaining are Eden, the White Blood Sect, the Holy Sword Association, and Derus Robert. On the other hand….”
I pointed to the continental map spread across the Round Table.
“We have Zigheart, Owen, Valcar, the Beast Alliance, and the Magic Tower standing together. With three of the Divine Continent Five Regions joining us, we’ve secured a decisive advantage—not just in the number of masters, but across our entire forces.”
I explained how the addition of the Divine Continent Five Regions had created a clear fracture in the Five Emperors, and that we could strike immediately.
“Moreover, I recently swept away a large number of Eden’s executives and ghosts, so it’s safe to say Eden’s current military strength is less than half of what it originally was.”
I nodded, explaining that the Four Demons had completely hidden their movements for precisely this reason.
“You’re right—we’ve definitely gained the upper hand.”
Akgeomhu clapped her hands in agreement.
“But three of the Divine Continent Five Regions? Wasn’t your Pirate King supposed to be retired?”
She furrowed her brow as if questioning whether Aris Zigheart had already left this world.
“She was about to retire, but….”
I shook my head, recalling Aris Zigheart’s bright laughter.
“She’s returned. And she’s grown even stronger than before.”
“Then we can rest easy. That woman will certainly be a great asset.”
Akgeomhu drew a light smile, satisfied with the news.
“….”
Heekyuk Je closed his eyes calmly for a moment, as if he already knew about Aris Zigheart, then opened them again.
“But how exactly do you plan to find the Four Demons using the Neutral Factions’ intelligence network?”
Akgeomhu tilted her chin, curious about the point I had mentioned earlier.
“The Four Demons are a force as vast as their name suggests. They’re perfectly hidden now, but with so many people under their command, they require enormous resources. Eventually, they’ll have no choice but to expose gaps in their concealment.”
I traced my finger across the continental map.
“As I mentioned, we’ll gather intelligence using the Neutral Factions spread across the Continent, and the Black Market will analyze that information to narrow down suspicious locations one by one.”
With the Five Emperors, the Divine Continent Five Regions, and countless Neutral Factions working together, the Four Demons would have no choice but to expose themselves eventually.
“Moreover, Baekgyeong has information-gathering capabilities rivaling the Black Market, so if we cooperate, that timeframe will shrink further.”
I thanked Heekyuk Je and looked toward him.
“Finding the Four Demons is important, but there’s something else we need to consider.”
Heekyuk Je raised his hand over the map as if cleaving the Continent in half.
“Something else to consider?”
Akgeomhu blinked, gesturing for him to continue.
“First, it’s the balance of the Five Emperors and Four Demons.”
As Heekyuk Je raised his finger, the flags of the Five Emperors and Four Demons embedded in the continental map floated into the air.
“The Northern Destruction King remains unharmed, but the Silent Sword Master, the Great Mage of Glory, and the Wrath King haven’t yet recovered from their injuries.”
“Hmm….”
Akgeomhu let out a low groan as that part came to mind as well.
“The Silent Sword Master’s injuries are nearly healed, but the Great Mage of Glory and the Wrath King’s wounds are tied to their souls, so they can’t recover easily. Especially Ogram—you should assume his power might not recover at all.”
Heekyuk Je furrowed his brows, implying that Ogram’s strength couldn’t be restored until the White Blood Cult Master died.
“On the other hand, while the Four Demons’ leaders have decreased in number, each one retains their full overwhelming power. The Heavenly Demon possesses strength equal to Glen’s, the White Blood Cult Master has grown rapidly after drinking the Wrath King’s blood, and Derus Robert is strong enough to overwhelm the Silent Sword Master.”
She exhaled heavily, emphasizing that we needed to consider this difference carefully.
“Of course, the Holy Sword Association has suffered a great fracture, but the current Rion Lord is no weak opponent either. He’d need someone of the Silent Sword Master’s caliber to be a match.”
Heekyuk Je bit her lip lightly, noting that we should also keep Lectar in mind.
“That’s a fair point.”
Raon nodded while listening to Heekyuk Je’s words.
“The Five Emperors may have many transcendents, but the Four Demons could actually be stronger. So we need to defeat them one by one, just like we did with the Black Tower Master and Tacheon. They can’t unite like we do.”
I clenched my fist, noting that we had to exploit the gaps in the Four Demons’ inability to achieve perfect cohesion.
“There’s one more thing we need to consider.”
Heekyuk Je exhaled a thin breath as if slightly weary.
“The Four Demons—or rather, beside Derus Robert stands the Archangel, who ranks among the leaders of the Five Emperors. If we factor in the Archangel and the Celestial Race, we have to acknowledge that the Five Emperors are at a disadvantage even now.”
She shook her head, saying the situation wasn’t entirely favorable to the Five Emperors.
“The Archangel….”
Akgeomhu furrowed her brow, apparently not having considered the Archangel.
“Are there two Archangels that have appeared so far? If more emerge, this could become truly dangerous.”
She clicked her tongue, unable to fathom why someone like Derus had Archangels at his side.
“I failed to make proper judgments because I was consumed by demonic obsession, but I never thought the current situation of the Five Emperors was as favorable as it appears.”
Heekyuk Je sighed heavily, saying this was inevitably a source of concern.
“Regarding the Archangel….”
I nodded slightly while observing Wrath yawning.
“I have a plan. It would be difficult to use against the leaders of the other Four Demons, but I believe we can likely stop the Archangel.”
“Really? What is this method?”
Heekyuk Je’s eyes widened in surprise.
“I cannot disclose it at this moment. However, the possibility is certainly there.”
I smiled faintly, telling her that she could trust me on this matter.
“Hmm….”
Heekyuk Je’s eyes narrowed to slits.
‘It doesn’t work after all?’
Heekyuk Je was a cold strategist who followed reason over emotion. There was a high likelihood he had devised his plans without considering methods that wouldn’t allow for proper communication.
“I understand. Then I’ll trust you and plan for a battle that excludes the Archangel.”
Contrary to my expectations, she nodded, saying she would trust my words.
“Pardon?”
I exhaled sharply, staring at Heekyuk Je in disbelief.
“You trust me without even hearing the full explanation?”
“The old me wouldn’t have. However, thanks to you, I fell into a state of selflessness and came to feel the soul of Raon Zigheart, even if only slightly. You’re a man who doesn’t speak empty words.”
Heekyuk Je herself seemed surprised by her own judgment, laughing awkwardly as she said she would give trust a try.
“Then I’ll trust you too.”
Akgeomhu also raised her hand, saying she would trust me. Both of them seemed to have shifted their temperaments somewhat after falling into that state of selflessness.
-It’s not a change in temperament. It’s something only for you.
Wrath shook his head, saying the two hadn’t changed—they were simply giving me special treatment.
‘That might be true.’
I lowered my head to Heekyuk Je and Akgeomhu, moistening my lips.
“Thank you for trusting me.”
I lifted my head, revealing eyes filled with conviction.
“I won’t let you regret joining us.”
He laughed, saying he would show me victory at the end of this battle.
-But why don’t you mention your grandfather’s story?
Wrath tilted his head as if suggesting that bringing up Lectar’s tale would make things easier.
‘I can’t.’
I shook my head firmly.
‘I won’t drag Grandfather and the Holy Sword Association into this war.’
The Holy Sword Association’s refusal to participate in the war on the side of the Four Demons was already an invaluable advantage.
I had no desire to pull those pure souls who revered the blade and devoted their lives to training into the bloodshed of war.
‘I will protect that land.’
I clenched my fist while gazing at the location of the Holy Sword Union Holy Ground on the map of the Continent.
‘So that no evil can ever touch it.’
*
*
*
Gooooooh!
Lectar narrowed his eyes as he beheld the corridor suffused with sacred light.
‘What is this place?’
Upon arriving at the location Derus Robert had designated, a corridor of white light opened before him.
The moment he stepped inside, sacred energy as if welcoming divinity itself bloomed forth, and white radiance spread in all directions.
‘Remarkable.’
This land emanated a holiness far greater than the grand cathedrals he had occasionally encountered during his travels. Yet from deep within that luminous expanse, an inexplicable, damp stench seemed to seep forth.
‘This is neither magic nor sorcery.’
What I sensed in this corridor was not the mana of this world. It was holy energy—and it seemed to be operated by the divine power that the Celestial Race possessed.
“Hmm.”
Lectar stepped onto the undulating path of light like a sea, his eyes narrowing.
‘Ominous.’
Simply standing on this path made my heart clench, and every hair on my body stood on end. An inexplicable dread swept across my entire being.
‘I want to turn back….’
But I cannot stop here.
Only by walking this path can I protect Raon and the things he holds dear. Even if I die at the end of this conference, I must move forward now.
‘Sigh.’
Lectar exhaled a deep breath inwardly and continued down the sacred path of light.
As I pressed onward across the white ground that clung to my legs like a swamp, a door emanating subtle divine power soon came into view.
‘Is that the entrance to the conference hall?’
After steeling myself, I grasped the door handle. Unlike the warm yet sacred path, the handle emanated a chilling coldness that sent shivers down my spine.
Click, click, click.
I bit my tongue slightly and turned the handle without hesitation.
Darkness seeped from within the open door, spreading like the tentacles of an octopus to consume the path of light.
Thump.
I pushed back the darkness with the strength of my soul and stepped inside.
The moment I felt the warm, undulating air turn abruptly cool, a black round table came into view before me, with four candles floating above it.
“You’ve arrived.”
Derus Robert, seated to the right of the Round Table, bowed respectfully.
“Why is the brat so late? How rude.”
The White Blood Cult Master, her face half-concealed by white cloth, wrinkled her nose in displeasure.
The Heavenly Demon had not yet arrived, leaving the head seat of the Round Table vacant.
‘Hmm….’
Lectar felt the darkness and chill permeating the conference hall, along with the immense pressure emanating from the White Blood Cult Master and Derus, and curled his lips slightly.
‘Yes. This suits me.’
Knowing himself to be a man without honor, he found this darkness and coldness far more comfortable than sacred light.
“Since we’ve met before, there’s no need for introductions.”
Lectar tilted his chin upward, his smile unwavering.
“The Holy Sword Union Master.”
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————