The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 1150
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 1150
I led the Gwangpung Hall swordsmen and took position on the left side of the Training Ground.
The commanders of the Military Force Division who had arrived earlier greeted me with respectful nods and gestures of acknowledgment.
-Sigh.
Wrath swept his gaze across the entire Training Ground and exhaled deeply.
-It appears all the humans from your household have gathered here. The Training Ground will burst at the seams.
He shook his head, remarking that seeing only the tops of human heads looked exactly like bean sprouts sprouting densely together.
‘It’s an important day, after all.’
Today was the crucial day for selecting the final two successor candidates.
Since the people of Zigheart would need to focus solely on war preparations for the next year, they had gathered here thinking of this as their last celebration.
-Indeed, there won’t be anything enjoyable for a while.
Wrath nodded, saying that nothing drained the spirit quite like preparing for war.
-So, are you confident?
He tilted his chin as if asking how I assessed my chances.
‘To some degree.’
I glanced sideways at Karun standing beside me, opening my eyes halfway.
‘At least he seems confident.’
Karun stood with his hands clasped behind his back and his posture perfectly straight, as if he believed he would never lose. His gaze was fixed solely on the Jade Throne atop the Platform, as though he had already become the successor.
“Then what about the other person…?”
Raon calmly turned his gaze to look to his right.
“Hehehung.”
Aris Zigheart hummed cheerfully, her shoulders swaying as if she were simply enjoying this moment.
“Nephew! You’ve arrived!”
“Aunt. Hello.”
“You’re the star of today—you should have come a bit later.”
She grasped my hand warmly and shook it vigorously. Honestly, it was difficult to read what this woman was thinking.
‘And.’
I observed Serena standing alone in the space where the Organization Masters waited.
“Silence.”
Serena had closed the mouths of the Gonggeom Unit examiners and now gazed forward with steady eyes. At the end of her gaze hung the empty golden Jade Throne.
‘That woman has always been sincere.’
Among the successor candidates, only Serena and Karun still gazed upon the Jade Throne. Those two seemed more genuine about the position of Head of House than anyone else present.
‘Indeed, she declared she would become Head of House at our very first meeting.’
Before the selection ceremony, Serena had sought me out and proposed that I join the Gonggeom Unit to support her path to becoming Head of House.
At the time, I thought she was mad, but having come this far, I found myself genuinely impressed by her resolve.
‘That’s what it means to never give up.’
In Zigheart’s history, no outsider had ever become Head of House. Serena knew this better than anyone, yet she never surrendered, pouring all her effort into pursuing the position. Regardless of how today’s outcome unfolds, I wanted to applaud her will and spirit.
Boom!
As I turned my gaze back to the platform, heavy footsteps thundered from behind, shaking the ground.
“Ahahaha!”
It was Valdemar. He strode toward me with a booming laugh like a general commanding a battlefield.
“Joker! How have you been?”
Valdemar patted my back and shoulders vigorously, as if we hadn’t seen each other in ages. Even without aura flowing through his strikes, his strength was so formidable that I feared my collarbone might shatter.
“Ah, yes.”
I nodded while rubbing the shoulder that had taken the brunt of Valdemar’s assault.
“That’s right! That’s right! Your face looks good.”
Valdemar chuckled heartily, his mood clearly excellent, and stood beside me to gaze toward the platform.
‘Hmm?’
I narrowed my eyes slightly as I observed Valdemar, whose laughter he couldn’t suppress.
‘What is this?’
Valdemar was a straightforward man who couldn’t hide his expressions better than anyone. If even he couldn’t wipe the smile from his face, it meant he was confident about today’s outcome.
-Hooh!
Wrath also sensed the same thing and let out an exclamation.
-That blockhead has prepared something!
He licked his lips eagerly, as if anticipating the results based on Valdemar’s overflowing confidence.
‘Indeed.’
I furrowed my brows briefly.
‘I thought the outcome was already decided, but now I’m uncertain.’
Honestly, I had naturally assumed that Karun and I would become the final successor candidates. But coming to the Training Ground today, I realized Valdemar was brimming with confidence beyond even Karun’s level, and Serena seemed to have made her own preparations as well. The only person whose true intentions remained inscrutable was Aris Zigheart.
But when she came to the Training Ground today, Valdemar was overflowing with confidence beyond even Karun, and Serena also seemed to have made some preparations of her own. Aris was the only one whose true intentions remained unknowable.
“Well, it’d be nice if it works out, but if it doesn’t, there’s nothing we can do about it.”
I would be pleased to become the Head of House, but what truly matters is Zigheart’s survival.
I have already grown attached to the Zigheart family, so even if I fall from consideration as successor today, my path forward will not change.
-How boring, this one is.
Wrath snorted dismissively at my composed response, finding it tedious.
-There should be some trembling, some delicious fear to savor.
‘I’ll show you later. Once I’ve achieved my goals.’
It was then that I waved my hand at Wrath.
“The Sky of Zigheart. The Head of House, North Destruction King Glen Zigheart, enters!”
The gatekeeper of the Family Head’s Training Ground unleashed a roar that shook heaven and earth—more than twice as loud as when Karun and I had entered.
Thud!
Footsteps echoed through the Training Ground, silencing the multitude gathered there.
At Glen Zigheart’s appearance alongside the Head of House’s personal Heavenly Sword Squad, everyone instinctively closed their mouths and froze like statues.
“We greet the Head of House!”
“We greet the Head of House!”
The moment Glen entered the Training Ground, Karun began the salute, and all who stood in the Training Ground fell to their knees and bowed.
Thud.
Unlike when he was in the Audience Chamber, Glen ascended the platform with deliberate, almost tedious slowness, receiving the salutes of Zigheart’s swordsmen.
“Rise.”
He nodded with an impassive gaze and seated himself upon the solitary golden Jade Throne that gleamed with radiance.
“Yes!”
The Zigheart swordsmen, as if his appearance were only natural, bowed once more before rising to their feet.
“Begin.”
“Yes? Y-yes….”
At Glen Zigheart’s command, Chad stepped forward from the platform, clutching documents to his chest. His lips trembled as though something had gone terribly wrong.
“Th-the successor candidates determined after the first trial were the Organization Master, Jinmu Jeonju, Gwangpung Jeonju, the Gonggeom Unit commander, and, ah, Aris Zigheart.”
Chad announced the results of the first trial, his gaze moving from one candidate to the next.
“The second trial required each successor candidate to gather supporters who would follow them.”
He drew a slow breath, visibly tense from the mere act of presenting.
“I will now announce the results of the second successor candidate trial.”
Chad unfolded the documents he held with trembling hands.
“First, regarding the Gonggeom Unit commander. The forces supporting the Gonggeom Unit commander include the Artina Kingdom, the Water City of Aqurian, the City of Time Reminisce, the Tower Village of Eldor….”
Serena, the Gonggeom Unit commander, had secured support from most of the regions where she had undertaken missions. It was a testament to how thoroughly and devotedly she had completed every task.
“Finally, Nokrin, the village where the Shadow’s Tower stands.”
Though Serena had garnered considerable support, most of her backers commanded relatively modest forces, making it unlikely she would advance to the final round where only two candidates could proceed.
“Serena! Serena! Serena!”
Those who supported Serena chanted her name with fervent voices, their fists raised high.
“Thank you.”
Serena bowed her head to her supporters with a composed expression. Despite knowing her chances of reaching the final round were slim, she appeared satisfied with what she had accomplished through her own efforts.
“Next, I shall present the forces supporting Jinmu Jeonju. The Crystal Village of Arsia, the Cloud City of Ethersian, the Mining Kingdom of Pelun….”
The forces backing Valdemar were far more numerous than anticipated, and their quality was exceptional. It seemed he too had traveled extensively to gather his supporters.
‘A considerable number indeed.’
Of course, there’s no possibility of becoming a successor.
Raon nodded calmly. Though many faction names had been mentioned, more than I’d anticipated, I had divided them with Karun, so they weren’t enough to rival my own forces.
“…Even the moving city Norid.”
Chad breathed slowly, as if slightly out of breath.
“Woooooooah!”
“Valdemar! Valdemar! Valdemar!”
This time, the Training Ground erupted with people chanting Valdemar’s name. It was quieter but felt different from when Serena’s name had been called—less warm somehow.
“Hahahaha!”
Valdemar simply burst into delighted laughter. Now that I thought about it, he seemed to be in a good mood simply because he’d slept well.
“Hmm.”
Glen Zigheart didn’t think to stop the commotion in the Training Ground and instead drew a faint smile, seeming to truly accept this situation like a Festival.
“I will now announce the third group of forces supporting the Gwangpung Jeonju. The Shield of the North, Habun Castle, the vassal houses Slion and Arian, and from the Five Sovereigns, Baekgyeong and Mugeomgak….”
Chad began listing the third group of forces supporting Raon.
‘I remember them all.’
Each time Chad called out a faction’s name, I recalled the past moments we’d shared together. Since they were all battles fought with our lives on the line, the tension of those days resurfaced, and I found myself smiling.
“And finally, the Holy Kingdom Shuper.”
The moment Chad finished speaking, the spectators sitting in the Training Ground rose to their feet.
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
“Raon! Raon! Raon!”
“Sword Emperor! Sword Emperor! Sword Emperor!”
A roar far louder than when Valdemar’s name was called erupted, shaking the entire Training Ground. My popularity had apparently risen recently, and it seemed far more people supported me than I’d expected.
“….”
Raon bowed silently to those who called out his name.
‘That should be enough.’
The numbers surpassed Serena and Valdemar by a considerable margin without even needing calculation.
With only Karun and Aris—who showed no interest in the succession—remaining, it felt as though the outcome was already decided.
“Phew.”
Chad steadied his breathing as if it required some effort, then lifted the fourth document.
“Fourth, I shall present the forces supporting the Organization Master. The Organization Master has secured the backing of Zigheart’s traditional allies and vassal houses. The forces supporting him include the Ciserian Family, the Tyran Kingdom, Yuber….”
He listed the forces supporting Karun while beads of cold sweat formed on his brow. Far more names emerged than anticipated, and all of them were densely populated regions. Truly, the connections befitting Glen Zigheart’s eldest son.
“A-and finally, the desert city of Jerha. Phew.”
The moment Chad finished listing all the forces supporting Karun, he exhaled a long, weary sigh as though his throat ached.
“Karun! Karun! Karun!”
“Organization Master! Organization Master! Organization Master!”
Those supporting Karun roared his name and the Organization Master’s title, their voices thundering through the chamber. As was always the case, the eldest son commanded the greatest support, and his name erupted from the crowd’s lips with equal fervor as my own.
‘Nearly equal, but….’
I clicked my tongue softly.
‘Karun seems to have slightly more than me.’
Karun had indeed secured the backing of Zigheart’s traditional networks, just as Chad had stated.
Though I had garnered considerable support myself, it appeared I could not overcome the connections of Zigheart itself, accumulated across a thousand years.
‘Still, it’s fine. They’re selecting two candidates anyway… wait?’
I was nodding with a faint smile when something gave me pause.
‘Wait a moment!’
I swallowed hard, my gaze fixed on Chad.
‘If I think about the order so far, it matches the rankings, doesn’t it?’
Serena, Valdemar, myself, and Karun. The four names had been called not by rank or alphabetical order, but in sequence by the number of supporters backing each candidate.
‘Then, could it be…?’
I stared at Chad, my eyes trembling with anticipation.
“Ahem.”
Chad, looking exhausted, moistened his throat with water before lifting the fifth document.
“F-fifth, I shall now present the forces supporting Aris Zigheart. First, the underwater city Atrian, the western coastal alliance Sirfin, the Flower Harbor Ribelis, the mechanized harbor Mecrian…”
He recited Aris’s supporters at a far more rapid pace than when he had announced mine or Karun’s. Yet the list of names showed no sign of ending.
“What, what is this…?”
“Why are there so many?”
“Those aren’t villages or cities on the Continent—they’re all harbors or harbor cities, aren’t they?”
“And there’s even an alliance among them!”
The audience, astonished by the forces backing Aris, sat with their mouths agape, hanging on Chad’s every word.
“A-and finally, the Misty Harbor Sirentium. Huff! Huff!”
Chad’s voice had grown hoarse from the strain, and he breathed heavily in ragged gasps.
“Uooooooo!”
“Aris! Aris! Aris!”
The crowd erupted, astonished yet delighted by Aris’s unexpected triumph, chanting her name with fervent enthusiasm.
“I’ve been outmaneuvered…”
Karun pressed his lips together firmly.
“While the four of us divided the Continent among ourselves, my sister monopolized the sea and all the powers nearby. In a way, it was an inevitable result.”
He furrowed his brow, realizing he hadn’t anticipated Aris Zigheart would move so diligently.
“Hmm….”
I trembled slightly at my fingertips.
‘I certainly overlooked this too.’
Focused on the powers across the Continent, I hadn’t found the time to visit the coastal cities where the Robert Family once stood or where the Dark Tower had been located.
Now I could see that Aris had returned with the support of those very factions that no one else had bothered to seek out.
“W-well then, I shall announce the rankings.”
Chad lifted the final sixth document.
“Ahem! Fifth place: Gonggeom Unit Master. Fourth place: Jinmu Hall Master. Third place: Gwangpung Hall Master. Second place: Central Intelligence Agency Master. And… first place is Aris Zigheart!”
Even as the Flying Swallow Unit’s leader, he seemed unable to have anticipated today’s outcome, shouting Aris’s name with his eyes squeezed shut.
“Uuuuugh….”
“W-wait, really?”
“Aris really took first place?”
“Then… Raon didn’t make it!”
“Insane….”
The swordsmen and spectators stood slack-jawed, unable to close their mouths at a result so far beyond their expectations.
“Gaaahhhhh!”
Glen, who had naturally assumed Raon and Karun would advance, drew a sharp breath, his eyes trembling. The dignity he’d displayed upon entering the Training Ground had already vanished without a trace.
“Ah….”
I too was flustered, my legs trembling as I repeatedly moistened my parched lips.
-Puhehehehe!
Wrath grabbed his belly and burst into laughter.
-So you claim not to panic, yet here you are showing it today! Yes! This is it!
He clutched his stomach, cackling with delight at my flustered expression.
-You and the King’s eyes both strutted about as if you’d already won, and now look at you! How pathetic! Absolutely pathetic!
Wrath mocked both Karun and me simultaneously, his tongue flicking out in mockery.
“The timeline was tight, but I managed to pull it off.”
Aris Zigheart thrust her fist upward triumphantly.
“This is the power of connections built over twenty years traversing the seas! You rabble of this Continent!”
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————