The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 116

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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 116

I smacked my lips together with satisfaction.

‘That worked perfectly.’

After obtaining the Soul Reaper Sword, I realized that using demonic energy differed slightly from how I wielded aura.

The Soul Reaper Sword illuminated the path forward, so using demonic energy wasn’t difficult, but I possessed another power I hadn’t yet mastered—one I couldn’t properly wield.

The bitter cold of the extreme frost.
Through Manwha Gong’s swordsmanship, I could maximize the advantages of fire-attribute aura, but I hadn’t yet learned any technique capable of handling the bitter cold beyond aura alone.

I’d felt it even during my fight with Gwahyeolgwi—I couldn’t wield the bitter cold perfectly. Whether I tried Manwha Gong’s swordsmanship, Yeonseong swordsmanship, or mimicked Lunan, everything felt awkward.

‘I need a way to handle the cold.’

The being in this world who wielded cold most masterfully was the Lord of Wrath residing on my forearm.

But Wrath would never teach me how to use cold willingly.
He’d undoubtedly make strange demands—to accept his anger, to kneel and beg, or to fill a bathtub with mint chocolate.

‘That’s why I needed to set the groundwork.’

As I grew closer to the Soul Reaper Sword and engaged in deeper conversation, finding common ground between us, Wrath grew restless, desperate to be included.

After two weeks of feeling isolated and anxious, he finally approached me and eagerly bit the bait.

He offered me his greatest treasure—the method to use cold. But my response remained indifferent.

‘Now isn’t the time to reel in the line.’

Wrath was gullible, but not stupid. If I responded immediately and showed interest, he’d grow suspicious and surely retract his offer to teach me cold.

‘I need to let the tension build a little longer.’

When fishing for a powerful catch, reel in too quickly and the rod snaps or the line breaks.

Now was the moment to swing from both sides, draining the beast’s strength.

‘The usage of cold energy?’

I responded without moving a muscle, as if barely interested.

-Yes, yes. From what I can see, you don’t truly understand cold energy.
‘Hmm….’
-With your level of ability, you should know you’re lacking, shouldn’t you?
‘It’s true there are various problems when I use the aura compared to before.’
-Exactly! If I help you just a little, you’ll be able to wield cold energy far better than any human. There isn’t just one way to use cold energy!

Wrath’s voice pitch rose, and his words quickened. As if someone were chasing him from behind.

‘But can you actually use cold energy well? All I’ve seen is you screaming “Aaaahhhhh!” while spewing it out?’
-That, that’s because I have no physical body! If I had one, I would have shown you far more refined control!
‘Well, it’s not bad….’

I turned my head slightly. Wrath was curled up like cotton candy, watching me.

-Think about it carefully. How much longer do you think you can hide cold energy? Eventually, everyone will learn of it anyway, so it would be better for you to master how to use it properly.
‘That’s a fair point too.’
-When I was in the Demon Realm, countless demons came begging me to teach them how to use cold energy, but I never revealed that secret to anyone. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity has come to you….
‘You’re talking too much. I’m getting sleepy again.’

I quickly turned my head away and pulled the blanket up to my chin.

-Grrrrgh!
‘I’ll sleep for now. We can talk later.’

I closed my eyes as if it didn’t matter at all.

-Raon Zigheart! You’re throwing away the opportunity of a lifetime! My mastery of cold energy is a skill that cannot be learned even if you offered all the gold in the world or risked your life! If not now….
‘Ahem. I’m sleeping.’

I pushed away the endlessly chattering Wrath and smiled faintly.

‘I’ll be able to learn it soon enough.’

The very fact that Wrath is coming forward like this is evidence of his anxiety. Before long, he’ll end up teaching me the proper way to wield cold energy with his full sincerity.

I tapped the Soul Reaper Sword lightly as a sign of approval for its performance so far, and the blade trembled slightly, as if acknowledging my praise.

*

*

*

I gazed up at the weathered, yellowed castle walls covered in bloodstains like spots on a dalmatian, breathing slowly and deliberately.

The stench of burnt corpses, the metallic reek of blood, and the feral odor of beasts hung thick in the air. It was an environment that would make even someone with an iron stomach retch.

“Ugh—!”

Dorian clutched the charred black wall and began retching violently. I patted his back reassuringly while gazing up at the castle walls once more.

“So this is Habun Castle….”

The battle-scarred walls and the lingering stench of the battlefield told me everything I needed to know about this place and its current state.

This was truly a hell of endless warfare.

-Ahhhhh! The air of the battlefield reminds me that I am alive!

Wrath inhaled deeply, clearly savoring the scent of blood and rotting corpses.

“Oh, Mother. Your unfilial son departs first! I, I must serve the family….”
“Get a grip on yourself.”

As I stood before the castle gate with the half-dead Dorian, a young man who appeared to be in his late twenties suddenly popped his head up above the castle wall. His short purple hair and cold eyes made a striking impression.

“Who are you?”
“A mercenary here to offer support.”

I showed him the mercenary badge I had received from Rimer.

“What are your names?”
“Raon and Dorian.”

A flicker of recognition crossed the man’s eyes upon hearing those names. He clearly knew who we were.

“Open the gates.”
“Open the gates!”

The man held some authority—the gates of Habun Castle began to swing open at his command.

As we stepped inside, the stench of burning flesh diminished, but the metallic reek of blood grew far more pungent. Clearly, fierce battles had raged throughout the castle’s interior.

“Raon and Dorian.”

I turned to my right at the sound of my name being called.

The man who had stood atop the castle wall moments before now stood beside me. Though not particularly tall, his frame was compact and muscular, and a thick blade hung at his waist.

“You’re a bit behind schedule.”

As expected, he knew I was a trainee from Zigheart.

“Is that a problem?”

The man’s eyes narrowed as he observed Dorian, who hung limply like a frog caught by its legs.

“It happens often enough. There’s no need to concern yourself.”

I glanced at Dorian and nodded.

“I’m Terian. From now on, address me as Vice Commander.”
“Understood.”
“Follow me.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Ugh….”

I grabbed Dorian by the nape of his neck—his legs having gone limp—and followed Terian inside. Upon entering the five-story building erected in the castle’s center, I found knights, swordsmen, and soldiers moving about with urgent purpose.

‘Their eyes are different.’

While my martial prowess fell short of the Zigheart swordsmen, the eyes fixed upon me blazed with a formidable strength.
The fierce aura of seasoned warriors who had crossed countless battlefields. Seeing them, I was reminded once more that I stood in the very heart of a war zone.

“This way.”

I followed Terian up the dilapidated stairs. Upon reaching the fifth floor, a thick door made of dark wood came into view.

“The mercenary has arrived.”
“Come in.”

After Terian knocked and stated his purpose, a heavy voice resonated from within.

Creeeeak!

The aged door swung open with a harsh, grating sound as though its hinges were twisted.

The room was spacious, yet its interior felt so sparse it seemed almost empty. Save for a bookshelf overflowing with maps and texts of Habun Castle’s surroundings, it felt less like a commander’s quarters and more like the quarters of an ordinary soldier.

Scraaape!

An elderly man with graying hair rose from a yellowed desk. Though his stature was diminutive, the power and presence blazing in his eyes were extraordinary. An overwhelming aura, as though facing a giant, sent tremors through my fingertips.

‘So this is Milland Braden.’

The guardian of Habun Castle, known as the Giant of the North, who had defended this weathered and worn fortress for over two decades—was this small, elderly man.

-After so long, I witness the gaze of a true commander.
‘You felt it too?’
-Indeed. Only those who have devoted decades to a single path possess such eyes. Even when I reigned in the Demon Realm, such devoted subordinates were as countless as mountains….
‘I see.’
-Listen here! Do not disrespect me!

Wrath’s words grew lengthy, so I ignored him and turned my gaze away.

“Raon Zigheart. Is that correct?”

Milland Braden’s voice was hoarse, as though his throat had been ravaged. It seemed less his natural timbre and more the result of a throat injury.

“Yes.”
“Y-yes, that’s correct.”

I answered calmly while Dorian replied with visible terror.

“In this castle, only I and the deputy commander know your true identities.”

Milland Braden gestured with his chin toward Terian, who stood to the left. The deputy commander appeared to be Milland’s son.

“I know why Rimer sent you here. He probably hoped you’d gain considerable experience and return. But there is no training or education in this place.”

Conviction rang solidly through Milland’s voice. The aura of this giant who had protected the castle his entire life made me swallow hard.

“There are no kind instructors, no warm meals or comfortable beds. All that exists here is a bone-chilling wind that seeps into your very marrow and endless combat. If you desire a comfortable life, leave immediately.”
“W-we can really just leave… ugh!”
“It doesn’t matter. We came here to become stronger. We will accept any battlefield and any circumstance.”

I silenced Dorian, who was about to surrender, and stepped forward.

“I like that look in your eyes.”

Despite his words, Milland didn’t smile at all.

“We’ll see how long that fire lasts. From now on, your status is that of soldiers. Start from the very bottom. Charles!”

As Milland struck his desk and shouted, a middle-aged man with a long beard entered.

“You called for me?”
“Send these two to the 3rd Scout Squad.”
“Putting mercenaries in a scout squad? That’s unusual.”
“I plan to try them out at various tasks first.”
“Understood. Come this way.”

I picked up Dorian, who stood dazed as though unconscious, and followed the man named Charles out.

Boom!

The heavy door closed, leaving only Milland and Terian in the commander’s office.

“Pathetic, really.”

Terian’s brow furrowed in disapproval.

“What do you mean?”
“Didn’t you see? That Raon fellow carried himself with the leisure of someone on holiday, while Dorian was paralyzed by fear. They’re nothing but liabilities—they’ll only cause problems.”
“Hmm….”
“Both of them are all show, dangling swords from their belts like ornaments, and Raon even wore a flower bracelet on his wrist. That’s no warrior’s spirit. Send them back now, before we end up with soldiers getting hurt because of them.”
“You certainly seem displeased.”

Milland Braden smiled faintly as he observed Terian’s flushed face.

“They treat this castle we defend with our lives as a joke.”
“Perhaps. But….”

Milland Braden’s gaze grew heavier.

“You shouldn’t judge people by appearances alone. Both of them have passed the rigorous training of Zigheart, and they’re about to face their final trial. They’re not as foolish as they seem.”
“I suppose that’s true.”

Terian nodded reluctantly, his lips still pursed in displeasure.

“Reserve your judgment until after you’ve observed them both. There’s no need to harbor preconceptions.”
“Understood.”
“However….”

Milland Braden smacked his lips and withdrew a letter from his desk drawer.

“I can’t fathom why someone requested information about those two every two weeks.”
“Perhaps they’re concerned about Zigheart’s forces, given how carefully they’ve been cultivated.”
“That’s possible. But this didn’t come from Rimer or the 5th Training Ground.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s a letter from the Patriarch’s Hall of Zigheart. They want to know everything—what those two are doing and how they’re moving.”
“The Patriarch’s Hall? You mean the Northern Destruction King himself?”
“Yes. He’s never made such a request before, so I’m at a loss for the reason. And it says to provide detailed accounts, which is… troubling.”
“My! I wonder what this is about….”

As the two men pondered Glen Zigheart’s intentions, a light knock sounded and the door opened.

“3rd Scout Squad Commander Radin. I dropped my meal and rushed over at your summons, sir!”

A man in his thirties, draped in an outer robe as white as a snow field, entered and saluted.

“No reward for that kind of appeal.”
“Ha ha.”

The man who identified himself as Radin scratched the back of his head.

“So what’s the matter, sir?”
“I’m sending two recruits to the 3rd Scout Squad.”
“Oh, how did you know we were short-handed?”
“Don’t get too excited. I might reassign them elsewhere soon.”
“That’s just your way of saying you’re sending them, isn’t it? Ah, I got my hopes up too soon.”
“They’ll be soldiers under our command regardless. Make sure they’re trained properly so they don’t die.”
“Then we should deploy immediately. Real combat is the most reliable education, after all.”

Radin nodded with a wry smile.

“Monster activity has been unusual lately. Many are venturing beyond their territories, so stay vigilant.”
“I’m the 3rd Scout Squad Commander. Trust me, sir!”

He placed his hand to his forehead once more and left the room.

“Immediate deployment—will they be alright?”
“They’ll be fine. I’m not sure about that coward Dorian, but that fellow Raon….”

Milland Braden tapped the desk and let out a soft chuckle.

“He’s no ordinary soldier.”

*

*

*

Raon and Dorian arrived at the 3rd Scout Squad’s dormitory under the guidance of a swordsman named Charles. The quarters had many rooms, and they were assigned a double room where the two of them could stay together.

“Ugh!”

Dorian’s hands trembled as he still couldn’t acclimate to the stench of blood.

“Th-this place seems far more dangerous than I thought! Why would they stack corpses like mountains!”
“Calm yourself.”
“But you saw it too! That blood smell and corpse stench from before. It wasn’t just monsters—there were many d-dead people too!”
“I always tell you this: when you’re anxious and struggling, that’s when you must stay composed. Keep panicking like this and you’ll find danger even in safe situations.”
“Mm!”

Dorian covered his mouth with his hand and breathed slowly through his nose.

“First, unpack our things. It looks like we’ll be staying here for a while.”
“Yes…”

He wiped away the tears that had begun to form and unrolled the mattress onto the bed.

He retrieved a plush mattress and warm blanket from his pack, arranged them on the bed, and hung a sky-blue cloth beside it.

“You’re even decorating?”
“The atmosphere is too dreary. It feels like we’ve walked into a funeral parlor. But no matter what I do, the mood just won’t improve.”

He sighed while adjusting the cloth this way and that.

“Do you have a golden cloth in there?”
“Of course.”

Dorian nodded and pulled out the golden cloth.

“Green.”
Whoosh.
“Blue.”
Snap.
“Pink.”
Swish.

Each time I named a color, he immediately produced the matching cloth. His preparedness was truly astounding.

“You should sleep on this too. Your back will give out if you sleep on a bed like that.”

Dorian sniffled as he pulled out a mat and blanket for himself as well.

“Thanks.”

I nodded and was about to arrange the bed when the door swung open with a heavy thud.

“Recruits. Are you finished settling in?”

A man in his early thirties, dressed in pristine white, entered with a smirk.

“I’m Radin, captain of the 3rd Scout Squad you’ll be joining.”
“I’m Raon.”
“I’m… I’m Dorian…”

I bowed my head calmly while Dorian trembled, his lips quivering.

“Good faces. But… where did you get that mat and blanket?”
“I… I brought them, sir?”
“Hm…”

When Dorian raised his hand, Radin tilted his head and muttered that he’d never seen anyone like this before.

“Anyway, we’ll organize later. Put on your outer coat first.”
“Huh?”
“A deployment order just came in.”

Radin smirked and tossed over a white snow suit he’d brought.

“Today, I’m going to assess whether you can survive in the scout squad by evaluating your reconnaissance skills, judgment, and instincts.”

He went on menacingly, saying that if any of the three were lacking, they’d die quickly.

“Kyaaaah!”

Dorian shrieked in terror, but I was different. I smiled faintly and lifted my head.

“So you’re assessing our reconnaissance skills and instincts right now, sir?”

That was something I was more confident in than anyone else in Habun Castle.

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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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