The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 1029

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 1029

“That’s it!”

Rabawin raised his hand, pointing toward the darkened land where the light had vanished.

“It’s hard to believe, but that harbor is Velder Harbor!”

He bit his lip deeply as he gazed upon the harbor swallowed by darkness.

“Velder Harbor….”

I climbed onto the railing of the deck and narrowed my eyes.

‘Has it already fallen?’

Velder Harbor was darker than a moonless night sky. Had Rabawin not spoken, I would have passed by without even noticing its existence.

‘There’s no sign of people.’

I extended my aura sense, but I couldn’t detect even the faintest trace of life from Velder Harbor. It seemed all the humans who had been here were dead.

‘But the sea’s mana is flowing.’

Unlike the absence of human presence, a thick, sea-scented mana was flowing from within the harbor. If I could examine that energy, I might be able to identify the attacker’s true nature with certainty.

“Follow me.”

I nodded to the Gwangpung Hall swordsmen and kicked off the railing of the Cheongpung, leaping into the sea.

“Yes!”
“Understood!”

Starting with Burren Zigheart, who was right behind me, the Gwangpung Hall swordsmen jumped from the ship in pursuit.

Splash!

Raon advanced into Velder Harbor, where light and life had vanished, his footsteps striking the deck with the force of one shattering the sea itself.

A desolate wind swept through.

The moment my feet touched the darkened harbor, an eerie chill crept up my spine.

‘Is this really Velder Harbor?’

Rabawin had told me that Velder was quite a large harbor with a residential population exceeding three hundred, yet I could sense neither people nor the vitality that once animated their lives.

Water flowed beneath my feet.

No—water was flowing throughout the entire village. It appeared as though a massive tidal wave had crashed down and swept away everything that existed in this harbor.

‘Are they truly all dead?’

My faint hope deflated like a punctured balloon. Despite departing immediately upon hearing the news, I had clearly arrived too late.

-There is nothing here.

Wrath shook his head, sensing no trace of human presence either.

-It feels as though we have entered the depths of a cold sea.

He furrowed his brow, irritation rising sharply within him.

‘I feel as though I’m gazing upon a dead city.’

The harbor facilities built to moor ships lay in complete ruin, houses and buildings had collapsed leaving only fragments, and not a single light remained to illuminate the surroundings. The harbor city, now consumed by darkness alone, resembled a kingdom that had fallen centuries ago.

“Hah….”
“Th-this is Velder Harbor?”
“It’s completely gone?”

The Gwangpung Hall swordsmen who arrived late gasped as they beheld the ruined harbor and the blue waters flowing toward the sea.

“They’re all really dead…?”

Burren Zigheart exhaled helplessly, staring into the darkness as if unable to comprehend the sight.

“Not people—there’s nothing left at all.”

Martha furrowed her brow, saying she couldn’t see a single person, let alone dogs or insects.

“Hmm….”

Lunan Slion touched the water flowing toward the sea with her palm, her brows drawing deeply downward.

“It’s seawater. Extremely cold.”

She nodded, remarking that it was far colder than the sea itself outside—colder than a ship.

“Hmm….”

I narrowed my eyes as I gazed toward the water flowing to the sea.

‘Just as Lunan said, it’s cold seawater, but….’

The sea’s mana runs as deep as that chill does.

Throughout this entire harbor, mana bearing the scent of the sea flowed densely. While it was natural for a harbor city so close to the sea, this concentration far exceeded normal levels.

‘Wrath. This aura….’

I brushed the seawater from my fingertips and called to Wrath.

‘It’s similar to the mana that wolf possessed, isn’t it?’

The sea’s mana flowing down from this village was strikingly similar to the aura of that Blue Wolf I’d encountered when first entering the sea.

-Indeed it is.

Wrath nodded, gazing out at the dark sea.

-In fact, it’s not merely similar—it’s nearly identical.

He furrowed the bridge of his nose, saying the flow, scent, and color were the same, though there were minute differences.

‘Did that wolf really attack this harbor?’

I tried not to unconditionally assume the Blue Wolf was the culprit, but seeing the state of this harbor, I couldn’t help but harbor suspicion.

‘But I have no idea what it actually did.’

I couldn’t fathom what scheme it had employed to kill so many people without leaving a single trace.

‘Did it not kill them at all, but drag them into the sea instead?’

On the off chance, I spread my senses toward the water, but all I felt were marine creatures and monsters.

“I-I’m scared….”

Dorian’s jaw trembled as if he was terrified of entering a city where everyone had vanished.

“There’s nothing to be scared of! That wolf bastard ran away because we scared it!”

Crain shook his head, insisting there was no need to be afraid, but fear still lingered in him as he took only short, hurried steps rather than proper strides.

“Everything’s been washed away by seawater—there’s nothing left to see.”

Burren Zigheart sighed, saying it was difficult to find any traces.

“Being a harbor city, all the building debris is rotted through….”

Martha brushed the rust from her hands and clicked her tongue.

“It’s true that salt and humidity cause the outer walls to corrode faster in coastal areas, but….”

I approached Martha’s side and examined the building debris she had been looking at.

“Buildings don’t corrode this deeply inside so quickly. This is a recent phenomenon.”

Buildings near the beach do corrode faster than inland structures due to salt, wind, and humidity. However, it’s rare for the interior to corrode as rapidly as the exterior.

‘Could it be….’

I entered the building to the right and examined the walls and floor.

‘It’s the same here too.’

It wasn’t just the areas Martha had inspected—many of the other buildings and house foundations were rotting away from salt damage.

‘So it wasn’t simply a matter of summoning waves to sweep away this harbor.’

Whether it was magic or sorcery, I couldn’t say for certain, but it was clear that some special power had been used.

‘I should examine other traces as well… Hmm?’

Just as I was about to look around at other areas, my eyes narrowing with suspicion.

Kuguguguguguuu!

A colossal wave of mana surged up from the sea like wildfire, bearing down upon my shoulders.

“What?!”

I spun around, and a towering wave that seemed to touch the heavens rose before me. Within its depths, the face of the Blue Wolf emerged.

‘What is this…?’

My fingertips trembled as I gazed into the Blue Wolf’s eyes.

‘It’s changed since last time?’

The Blue Wolf had grown larger and radiated far more powerful mana than before. Yet there was an even more significant transformation.

‘Its malevolence has deepened.’

The Blue Wolf I had seen previously had occupied a middle ground between spirit and monster, but the creature now before me had shifted far closer to the latter. The scent of blood that wafted from it suggested it was growing stronger by consuming humans.

“Puppy….”

Lunan Slion’s lips trembled as she gazed upon the Blue Wolf.

“It seems like it wants to cry….”

Even as she felt the eerie aura reaching across the distance, she pitied the wolf.

“I… I can’t read that wolf’s mind….”

Dorian brought his trembling hands together.

“It feels like… it’s grieving.”

He clutched at his head as if he couldn’t trust his own senses.

“What nonsense! It’s staring at us with murderous intent!”

Crain shook his head vehemently, insisting he couldn’t even meet the wolf’s gaze.

“Regardless of what’s happening…”

I drew the Heavenly Sword and advanced toward the sea.

“I can’t leave it like this.”

As I stepped onto the water’s surface and plunged into the sea, the wolf dissolved into seawater and foam, just as it had at our first encounter.

-It’s running away again?

Wrath blinked, unable to understand why it was retreating.

-What is that mutt thinking!
‘I don’t know either.’

I furrowed my brow, staring at the foam and water trail that had turned redder than before.

‘Did it judge that it couldn’t defeat me? Or…’

Did it have something to tell me?

*

*

*

A long, drawn-out breath.

Raon sat perched at the bow of Cheongpung, cleaving through azure waves, and released a heavy sigh.

‘I thought I could resolve this quickly….’

There was no answer.

For ten days after Velder Harbor’s destruction, I had patrolled the surrounding coastal areas, yet the wolf had not appeared again, and no harbors or villages had been attacked.

‘This means nothing has been resolved.’

Rabawin and the Gwangpung Hall swordsmen claimed the Blue Wolf had fled in fear of me. If that hypothesis were true, the moment I disappeared, it would undoubtedly resurface—the problem remained unresolved.

-That’s right.

Wrath nodded calmly.

-The moment thou vanishest, that wretched creature shall resume its hunt.

He too seemed to believe the wolf had fled because it couldn’t defeat me yet, twisting his mouth wryly.

‘Let me organize the information.’

I leaned my back against the railing and gazed up at the crystalline sky.

-What information is there to organize? Every village attacked by the Blue Wolf was left with nothing, and that beast grows stronger the more humans it devours.

Wrath waved his hand dismissively, as if it were simple.

-That it turned malevolent and appeared is proof of this!
‘That might not be the case.’

I shook my head calmly.

‘I never actually witnessed the wolf attacking.’

I had sensed the Blue Wolf’s presence at the destroyed Velder Harbor and suspected it initially when it appeared from behind as if waiting. However, given what Lunan and Dorian—both renowned for their keen senses even among Gwangpung Hall—had said, and the way the wolf vanished without even fighting, I felt it was premature to be certain.

However, seeing the wolf disappear without even fighting against Lunan Slion and Dorian, who were renowned for their keen senses even within Gwangpung Hall, made him feel it was too early to be certain.

So you’re going to let them go again?

Wrath clicked his tongue as if I were being foolish.

‘That’s not it. I won’t kill them outright, but next time I’ll make sure to clash with them decisively.’

I shook my head, saying I wouldn’t miss them next time.

‘But I need the wolf to appear for that… hmm?’

As I spread my senses to search for the wolf, I detected the presence of many people.

‘From the West Side?’

Focusing my vision toward the west, I saw four massive sailing ships approaching us. The flags fluttering above the sails bore skulls—they were clearly pirates.

“Pirates! Pirates approaching from the west!”

Not long after I sensed them, a lookout stationed on the mast lowered his spyglass and shouted that pirates had appeared.

“So they were pirates after all…”

I exhaled a short sigh.

“They call themselves the Kusar Pirates, and they’re the strongest and most brutal pirates in these waters.”

Rabawin nodded as he observed the four pirate ships coming into view.

“It seems they were planning to raid the harbor ahead but encountered us instead.”

He furrowed his brow, explaining that the pirate crew had been continuously encroaching on the territory while Aris was away. From what he said, they were villains who wouldn’t be missed if killed.

“Then we should repay them accordingly.”

I smiled coldly and nodded.

“Then let’s prepare for battle starting now—”
“That won’t be necessary. There are some hot-blooded friends over there who are eager for this.”

I sliced through the magical cannon fire from the Kusar Pirates with the Heavenly Sword and gave a slight nod.

“Go. Bring the captain back alive.”

I ordered Gwangpung to sweep away everything, pointing my sword at four pirate ships.

“We obey your command!”

Led by Burren Zigheart, the swordsmen of Gwangpung launched themselves from the deck of Cheongpung and dove into the sea. They strode across the waves as if they were solid ground and leaped onto the pirate ships.

‘This should be a decent opportunity to build experience and achievements after so long.’

The pirates were warriors specialized in naval combat, and there were several Master-class fighters among them, so it seemed like a good chance for the Gwangpung swordsmen to gain experience.

But there was one massive miscalculation on my part.

Kuwaaaaang!

Martha, irritable from ten days of being on a ship, cleaved one pirate vessel in half, Trevin sliced the second ship into dozens of pieces as if practicing sword forms, and Lunan froze the third pirate ship solid behind them.

“W-what is this…?”

The captain remaining on the last pirate ship stared in disbelief, his mouth agape.

“Retreat! Fall back!”

But the swordsmen who hadn’t even drawn their blades yet charged madly onto the final pirate ship, unwilling to let their prey escape.

“Huh…”

Rabawin blinked blankly, as if he knew Gwangpung Hall was strong, but had no idea they would display such overwhelming force.

Kugugugugu!

I felt the thunderous explosions reverberating from the fourth pirate ship and smacked my lips briefly.

“It’s getting hard to give the kids proper experience now.”

I’d thought pirates would be sufficient, but the swordsmen had grown so powerful that it seemed pointless.

-Children?

Wrath raised his finger in exasperation, pointing at the fourth pirate ship that was beginning to sink.

-How are they children! They’re just mad dogs!

He shook his head, muttering that they were becoming increasingly rabid.

*

*

*

“This one’s the captain.”

Martha threw the one-eyed middle-aged man dressed in a crimson uniform at my feet.

“Apparently he’s the captain.”

She frowned, remarking that he was far too weak for a captain.

“Yeah. It was too easy….”

Lunan nodded in agreement, clearly unimpressed.

“That’s why I told you to hold back!”

Burren stomped his foot, complaining that because of them, the other swordsmen couldn’t even properly wield their blades. It seemed only he had grasped my intentions.

“Your name?”

I pressed my foot down on the one-eyed middle-aged man’s shoulder and tilted my chin.

“P-Pharos, sir.”

The one-eyed middle-aged man trembled, clearly terrified by Martha and Lunan’s overwhelming power.

“What did you crawl all the way here hoping to scavenge?”

I brought the Heavenly Sword to Pharos’s neck and asked him.

“W-we didn’t come down because we wanted to….”

Pharos swallowed hard and shook his head.

“What do you mean by that?”
“Sir, all the harbors and villages in our territory have been destroyed. We need to eat, but we have nowhere to go….”

He clasped his hands together, explaining that the villages and harbors they had protected had all collapsed, so they came seeking the Pirate King’s territory.

“Surely not….”

I furrowed my brow as I looked at Pharos.

“Your territory was destroyed too? Not a single person left?”
“Y-yes, that’s correct. All four harbors we protected were completely obliterated. Not a single person survived, and all the buildings were destroyed….”

Pharos nodded, saying they had no way to survive.

“It’s identical.”

As I listened to Pharos’s account, my eyes met Rabawin’s. What Pharos had experienced was perfectly identical to what had happened at Velder Harbor.

“Did you happen to see the Blue Wolf?”

I narrowed my eyes as I looked at Pharos.

“Y-yes, I saw it. The ship passed by, and the harbor collapsed afterward.”

Pharos nodded heavily, as if he had witnessed everything.

“As expected… wait?”

My eyes widened as I stared at Pharos.

“The ship passed by? The wolf didn’t destroy the harbor?”
“No, sir. The wolf appears after the village is destroyed. What destroys the harbor is….”

Pharos trembled at the mere mention of that name, as though fear coursed through his entire body.

“A g-ghost ship, sir.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————