The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 136

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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 136

As I lowered my sword, the flames of Ilnyeom Geuk scattered like falling leaves.

Above the dissipating inferno, the colossal form of the Ice Troll Lord—which had been obscuring the moon—dropped to its knees. A charred hole pierced through its left upper body where the spear of flame had impaled it.

Sizzle, sizzle.

As if time itself were reversing, the melted skin and flesh of the Ice Troll Lord knitted back together. The regenerative power befitting a Lord was extraordinary, yet it was meaningless. Its heart had already been shattered by the flames of Ilnyeom Geuk.

“Grrgh….”

I met the gaze of the Ice Troll Lord clutching its chest. Life drained from those white eyes, as if they held the eternal snows themselves.

‘I cannot tell.’

It seemed to resent me, seemed to yearn for life, or perhaps….

Though it might have been my imagination, it seemed to be grateful.

“I will grant you a painless end.”
“Grrgh!”

I raised my sword again. Just as I prepared to sever its neck so it would suffer no longer, the Ice Troll Lord trembled and forced itself to stand.

“Graaah….”

It clenched its fists and stood firmly on both legs, as if determined to fight to the very end. A will not to die on its knees. Even in death, it remained every inch a king.

“Remarkable.”

I felt genuine admiration. I never imagined I would experience such emotion toward a monster.

“Roooaaaargh!”

The Ice Troll Lord charged forward with a roar. Its balance crumbled bit by bit, like a child taking its first uncertain steps, yet it did not fall.

I drew my sword with all my might, ensuring that will would not fade. Zigheart’s noble blade severed the Ice Troll Lord’s lifeline.

“Kuurgh!”

The Ice Troll Lord’s thick lips curled upward. A clear smile. I hadn’t misread it. He was grateful.

“Kraaagh!”
“Krrrrgh!”
“Kyaaaah!”

The monsters who heard his final roar abandoned the battle and retreated. They scattered in all directions and began fleeing desperately.

“Dying like a king until the very end….”

Just as I had said, the Ice Troll Lord died like a king. It was almost shameful by comparison.

‘Farewell.’

I closed my eyes, hoping that the one who died like a king would be reborn in as favorable circumstances as I now enjoyed.

-It’s been a while since I’ve seen a true king.

When I opened my eyes again, Wrath was gazing down at the Ice Troll Lord’s corpse.

-This troll, by human standards, is younger than you. Yet at that age, he knew what he had to do. Truly a kingly creature.
‘Yes.’
-Looking at that young troll who was born and died like a king without possessing anything, you can understand this: kings are not made—they are born transcending their very species.

Wrath turned and met my gaze.

-…Or so I thought.
‘Thought?’
-Yes. But seeing you changed that belief.
‘What do you mean?’
-When I first saw you, I felt not even a chocolate chip’s worth of kingly essence. But you have changed. Your power is not all that transformed—the very caliber of your soul has shifted.

Wrath’s eyes gleamed as if sapphires had been set within them.

-Just as a craftsman shapes clay into pottery, a king’s vessel is being formed in your soul right now.
‘A king’s vessel….’
-Yet you show no desire to become a king.
‘That’s true. I’ve never even considered it.’

Born as the grandson of the Zigheart patriarch, I never harbored thoughts of inheriting the family. I simply wanted to gain various benefits and ensure that Sylvia and her attendants were happy.

-A king’s vessel with a commoner’s spirit. How amusing. I’m curious how that vessel will transform, how it will expand, what changes your spirit will undergo. There’s no one like you in the Demon Realm.
‘So you’re not taking my body? A declaration of defeat?’
-Wh-what nonsense! I merely find it interesting! I never said I wouldn’t seize your body and soul!

Wrath flailed his short arms and let out a sharp cry.

-Once I set my sights on something, I must obtain it no matter what! By any means necessary, I will claim your body!
‘Yes, I understand.’
-Since we’re on the subject, my temperament is similar to that troll child. A true king who saves his subordinates even at his own peril. The difference is that my strength yields to no one… Why, why are you looking at me like that!

Wrath trembled as he saw my gaze, cold as ice, settle upon him.

‘This creature—even now, nothing but chatter and self-praise….’
“Raon!”

As I shook my head at Wrath, Dorian came rushing over. His arm was broken, his entire body covered in bruises, and his armor hung in tatters.

“You….”

I had thought he held his own reasonably well, but I was wrong. He had truly exhausted himself buying me time.

“I really can’t keep up with you. You killed Cheongjugui and Bingarui, and even severed the Lord’s head. I broke my arm just fighting the Lord alone.”

Dorian touched his broken arm and sniffled.

“What possessed you? Why did you step forward?”
“Well….”

He didn’t answer immediately, instead patting the pouch at his waist.

“I had fought Gwahyeolgwi before.”
“Right.”

It was more about enduring than fighting.

“When I ran away back then, my heart felt so suffocated. Like it was about to tear apart. Physical pain is frightening, but emotional pain is even more terrifying. That’s why I swore I would never abandon my comrades and flee again.”
“And you kept that oath this time?”
“Yes….”

Dorian lowered his head in embarrassment.

“I see. You were genuinely helpful.”

I smiled at Dorian. His sincerity touched me, and warmth spread through my chest. This was my first time receiving help, but it didn’t feel bad at all.

“And you as well.”

I turned my head to look at Edquil, who stood there awkwardly. His condition was more severe than Dorian’s. His armor was drenched in blood, and his leg bones appeared to be shattered.

“…No, sir.”
“Formal speech?”

Edquil had suddenly switched to formal language. Previously, he used to mutter that he would kill me later.

“I stepped forward because I wanted to, so there’s no need to concern yourself.”

He bowed respectfully and returned to the castle. His eyes were clear and untainted. A genuine change of heart had truly occurred.

“Cry out the name of the hero!”

Terian stood atop the castle gate, raising his blood-soaked sword and roaring.

“Aaaaaaaaa!”
“Raon! Raon! Raon!”

The soldiers chanted my name as one. The name Raon shook through all of Habun Castle.

I clenched my fists tightly.

‘My name….’

A name I could never reveal in my past life, one I could only hide, now seemed to spread across the entire world. A scorching thrill pounded against my heart.

“Let’s go.”

As I clenched my trembling chest and turned to walk toward Habun Castle, a message suddenly flashed before my eyes.

[You have achieved an Outstanding Achievement.]
[Your soul’s grade has increased.]
[Regenerative power increases significantly.]
[The title 【One Who Becomes a Wall】 has been created.]
[All stats increase by 3 points.]
[The rank of Indomitable Will has increased.]

The moment I tried to smile at the countless rewards, Wrath burst forth and let out a shriek.

-How can there be this many?!

*

*

*

Lusain Mountain, which supported the West Side of the Robert Family.
Beneath that mountain, renowned for its splendid scenery, lay an underground cavern unknown to anyone. In the center of the cavern, darker than the night itself, five hundred children knelt with their eyes closed.

The children held their hands together as if in prayer, while cold sweat poured endlessly from their foreheads and backs.

“Ugh….”
“Ah….”
“Kgh….”

The children, who had been gritting their teeth and enduring, collapsed one by one. Blood streamed from their eyes, noses, or ears as their entire bodies trembled violently.

Each time a child lost consciousness, the masked figures watching from the side took them away and disappeared somewhere.

As time passed, the frequency of children collapsing increased, and eventually only 108 children remained standing.

The tall masked figure standing in the center, observing the scene, ascended to the upper level overlooking the entire cavern.

Derus Robert, his silver hair like a snowy plain swept back, held a wine glass and gazed down below. Despite the passage of considerable time, his appearance looked even younger and more vibrant than before.

“The brainwashing is complete.”

The masked figure knelt and bowed his head.

“One hundred and eight?”

One hundred and eight children were reflected in Derus Robert’s cold, piercing gaze.

“Yes. More than we anticipated. This batch of hounds should prove quite useful.”
“Cut that number in half.”
“Pardon?”
“The mediocre are worthless. What I need are hunting dogs capable of baring their fangs even against Master-tier opponents.”

He smiled while observing the children bleeding from their mouths—a dry, emotionless smile that sent chills down the spine.

“H-how should I reduce their numbers, sir?”
“That’s your concern, not mine. Surely you understand that?”

Derus Robert’s blue eyes gleamed coldly.

“I-I apologize!”

The masked figure slammed his forehead against the ground, begging forgiveness. Blood dripped steadily from his brow.

“Did you feed them the Lazy Worm?”
“Yes! We administered the improved specimens, so there’s no risk of brainwashing breaking like it did with Raon!”
“Raon. Raon, you say….”

A cold voice suppressed that name, contrasting sharply with the fervent tone that had echoed through Habun Castle.

“He was quite capable.”

Derus Robert frowned, gazing at the wound on the back of his right hand. Raon had been the most skilled hunting dog he’d ever raised.

Had he not broken free from the brainwashing on his own, he would have become a weapon capable of slaying even the highest executives of the Six Emperors—a true waste.

Squelch.

As he contemplated Raon, the wound on his hand split open, and thick blood dripped onto the floor.

“M-Master!”

The masked figure jolted to his feet and rushed forward, but Derus Robert smiled as he deliberately opened the wound on the back of his hand.

“Look. Raon embedded this in me as he died. Raise those children to be the same kind of existence.”

Darkness bloomed slowly in Derus Robert’s blue eyes.

“Hunting dogs who would sink their fangs into an enemy’s throat and die smiling, all for my sake.”

*

*

*

Milend and the expedition force galloped without pause, yet the sun had long since risen. When they arrived at the Snowy Plain where Habun Castle faintly came into view, dozens of monsters came rushing toward them.

“Tch, prepare for battle!”

Anxiety gnawed at his lips as he prepared to engage, but the monsters showed no interest in fighting—they scattered in all directions without so much as a backward glance.

Only then did the true state of the monsters become apparent. Bodies drenched in blood, empty hands, eyes hollow with despair. They were the very image of a routed army.

‘What is this?’

Milend narrowed his eyes as he watched the monsters flee in panic. In all his decades living here, he had never witnessed such a thing.

“…We move out again. Full speed ahead!”

He concealed his bewildered expression and issued the order to advance once more.

“Yes, sir!”

The expedition force shared his unease, so they began racing toward Habun Castle with renewed urgency.

Since only elite soldiers had assembled, Milend and the expedition force arrived before Habun Castle before noon. Yet the sight that greeted them was entirely different from what they had imagined.

The Castle Wall remained intact, and countless monsters lay dead at its base. But not a single soldier’s corpse was visible anywhere.

“W-what is this?”
“What in the world happened…?”
“What disaster has struck now!”

The expedition force approached Habun Castle with trembling steps.

“C-Commander! Look at this!”

As Milend surveyed the surroundings, Scout Unit leader Barti cried out. Upon inspection, a monster’s corpse—twice the size of a typical Ice Troll—lay sprawled on the ground.

“I-It’s this one! This is the Ice Troll Lord!”
“So it was a trap after all. But who could have…?”
“Commander! There’s a-an Eden specter here!”
“There’s another one here too! A B-Bingarui!”

The scouts discovered the corpses of Bingarui and Cheongjugui, their eyes widening in shock.

“The Ice Troll Lord, Bingarui, and Cheongjugui?”

Milend gazed at the three monsters in turn, swallowing hard.

“What in the world transpired here?”

Two of Eden’s calamities, the Ice Troll Lord, and countless monster corpses. Yet nowhere could a single human body or trace of flesh be found.

He understood that Eden had set a trap, but he couldn’t fathom how they’d survived it.

“Let’s go inside.”

Milend steadied his breathing and approached the castle gate. Cheers and anguished cries echoed from within the castle walls. Listening closely, he realized they were calling out someone’s name.

“Raon?”

It was Raon. His name reverberated through the heavens with such force.

*

*

*

Milend and the executives sat in the conference room, their eyes trembling as if their souls had left their bodies upon hearing what had transpired during that single night.

“In all my years, I never thought such a thing could happen.”
“Exactly. Eden and the Ice Troll Lord attacked, yet there wasn’t a single casualty—it feels like a dream. We must have received the blessing of the War God!”
“It’s not the War God’s blessing, but Raon’s blessing. That monster did everything by himself again.”
“He defeated Bingarui, Cheongjugui, and the Ice Troll Lord with only a broken arm—he’s truly a monster.”

The executives marveled at Raon’s martial prowess and strategy, clicking their tongues in admiration.

“Regardless, we won. A festival! Let’s hold a festival for three days and nights!”
“Three days and nights isn’t enough—we should do a week!”
“Yes. A day like this will never come again in our lifetime!”

Since it was clear that monsters wouldn’t appear for some time, the executives raised their hands in favor of holding a festival immediately.

“A festival is fine, but there’s something we must do first.”

Milend calmed the conference room, which had become as chaotic as a marketplace.

“Something we must do, you say….”
“The Raon you all praise—surely we won’t just cheer for him and leave it at that.”
“Of course not!”
“We must grant him the highest rewards and purses of gold!”

The executives nodded immediately in agreement.

“That’s right. I’m alive now only because of Raon.”

Terian, who had recounted Raon’s exploits to them, smiled faintly.

“Then the matter is settled quickly.”

Milend tapped the table, his eyes widening with resolve.

“I intend to give him the Habun Castle Relic.”

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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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