The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 14

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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 14

I finished breakfast and returned to the Training Ground.

-Disgustingly tasteless. If such garbage had been served when I ruled the Demon Realm, I would have crushed the chef’s skull.
‘Wait, you can taste?’
-Indirectly, but I can share your senses. Particularly your sense of taste. When I ruled the Demon Realm, I was renowned as a gourmet, you see…
….
‘He talks too much. So he can taste through our shared senses. One sentence would’ve sufficed.’
-Silence! I am known for my taciturn nature… Ugh!
‘It’s giving me indigestion. Keep it down.’

I flicked the bracelet to silence Wrath and looked toward the platform.

Rimer lay sprawled across the platform as if taking an afternoon nap, utterly motionless like a statue.

-A despicable sight. I’d love to pluck those pointed ears right off.

Wrath exhaled a chill whenever he laid eyes on Rimer, his anger rising unbidden.

‘The Radiant Blade of Zigheart…’

Rimer earned the title “Radiant Blade of Zigheart” for his formidable martial prowess, though rumors suggested his personality was frivolous and reckless.

I’d dismissed it as mere gossip, but witnessing Rimer now, that information proved disturbingly accurate.

‘Yet there are no openings.’

Even sprawled out like that, he revealed no vulnerabilities.

Despite his retirement from a grave injury, his former mastery hadn’t completely faded.

-The moment I devour your body, I’ll pluck those ears first.
‘Sure.’

Though that would never happen.

“Ugh!”

Rimer rose only after all the temporary trainees had gathered and a considerable time had passed, stretching languidly.

“Did you eat well?”
“Yes.”

Since their stamina hadn’t fully recovered, the children’s responses were far more sluggish than they’d been at dawn.

“Then we’ll begin the next training immediately.”

Rimer grinned wickedly. As his gaze turned toward the wooden swords placed at the edge of the Training Ground, the children’s expressions brightened.

“Swords are fine, but follow the stance I’m about to show you.”

However, as if teasing the children, he didn’t pick up a wooden sword at all. Instead, he spread his feet to shoulder width and bent his knees.

“Wait, aren’t we supposed to be learning swordplay?”

One of the Branch Family members raised his hand and called out.

“No, you’re not.”
“But we thought we’d be learning the sword….”
“That’s right. The Sword Master is renowned for his swordsmanship, so why….”
“Swordplay? Sure, it’s good. But can you run before you’ve learned to walk?”

Rimer’s lips curled upward in a smile. He laughed refreshingly, yet it felt as though an icy wind had swept through.

“How could you possibly master proper swordplay when you lack stamina, mental fortitude, and correct form?”
“Ah….”
“I’ve said it every time—you don’t have to follow my instructions. You just bear the responsibility yourselves.”

Though his tone was playful, silence settled over the Training Ground.

“Those who want to follow along, stay. Those who’d prefer different training, step to the right.”

Of course, not a single person left. They all stood their ground, eyes fixed on Rimer.

“Then let’s begin again. Spread your feet to shoulder width, and bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the ground.”
“Yes!”

The children followed the stance without difficulty.

“This posture is called the horse stance. It means the posture of riding a horse, and it’s the foundation of all martial arts—sword, saber, spear, and hand combat. From now on, maintain the horse stance until I tell you to stop.”
“Yes!”

The children shouted vibrantly and raised their arms. Since it was one of the basic stances, not a single child failed to follow along.

-Such an undignified posture to train the body… humans truly are contemptible.
‘You couldn’t even seize this human’s body.’
-Ugh, that’s a different situation….
‘I need to focus, so be quiet.’

I tapped the flower bracelet and closed my eyes.

‘This is crucial time.’

With the Ring of Fire, I could gain much even from basic training like this. In the same duration, I obtained far more than the other children.

“Well then, I’ll take a nap.”

Rimer lay back down and began dozing off, while the horse stance continued relentlessly.

“Nngh….”
“Ugh!”
“H-how much longer are we doing this!”

The children trembled as if an earthquake had struck. Even though the horse stance was fundamental, they’d never held it for this long before.

Only Lunan and Burren, along with the other upper-tier children and myself, maintained perfect form.

“Wh-what is that guy anyway.”
“How is he enduring this!”
“But his constitution is supposedly the worst!”
“I heard he was a patient….”

I poured cold sweat while keeping my posture intact. My form was superior to anyone else in the Training Ground.

“Gaaahhh!”
“I… I can’t lose.”
“How can we stop when that bastard is still holding on like that!”

The children who had been about to release their magical power and give up gritted their teeth and maintained their stance upon seeing Raon from the lower group still enduring.

Yet contrary to their expectations, Raon remained in a state of ease.

‘This is nothing.’

In my past life, I had stood in magical power stance with stones tied to my thighs and back at an even younger age. Compared to those days, this training was effortless.

Of course, the pain of the creeping cold spreading across my exhausted body was excruciating. It felt as though my flesh was tearing and my bones were freezing, but this was an opportunity to grow stronger.

Whoooosh.

While maintaining my magical power stance, I rotated the ring of fire and accepted the spreading cold into my body.

A considerable amount of cold was absorbed in proportion to the pain inflicted, and the ring of fire’s proficiency rose once more.

At this rate, I could easily win the bet against Wrath. Of course, he wouldn’t know that.

Gooooh.

As I became lost in my own world, forgetting that I was training in magical power stance, the sound of applause rang out from the platform.

“Stop!”

Coming to my senses, I saw Rimer standing and nodding, while the children sat collapsed on the ground, kneading their thighs like dough.

-How long will you keep ignoring this king’s words!
‘Sorry. I didn’t hear you.’
-Y-you insignificant wretch….

Wrath cursed at me for only now responding after he’d been muttering all along.

“Phew….”

Regardless of what Wrath was doing or saying, I breathed refreshingly and loosened the tense muscles in my thighs and waist.

Ding!

[You have completed extreme training that exceeded your physical limits.]
[Stamina has increased.]

The message confirming my stamina increase appeared once more. I straightened my back, feeling vitality return to my trembling thighs.

“Just like yesterday, some of you persevered to the end with all your strength, while others gave up.”

Rimer flicked his fingers as he observed the children still standing.

“Let me remind you once more—I only give instructions. I don’t directly involve myself in your training. You must overcome your limits on your own. You’ll only pass the examination in six months if you push through that voice in your mind telling you that you’ve done enough, even if you have to silence it by force.”

He continued speaking, maintaining his sly smile.

“This is the last time I’ll say this. From now on, I won’t care whether you give up or see it through to the end.”

Rimer instructed us to stretch our thighs for tomorrow’s training, then disappeared.

-A pointed-eared believer in the god of nature spouting such philosophy—how absurd. Willpower crumbles before overwhelming strength.
‘That’s not true.’
-What do you mean, not true?
‘Willpower is important.’

I shook my head while stretching my legs.

-You’re nothing but a pup who’s never experienced true power. If you felt the King’s strength, you would immediately bow in worship….
‘I withstood your attacks with willpower, didn’t I?’
-W-well, the King hasn’t yet recovered his true power!
‘I’m just a child, though?’
-Th-that is….

Wrath’s voice deflated like a wet towel.

‘Willpower can’t possibly be meaningless.’

Willpower and stamina are like muscles. They have limits, but the more you use them, the stronger they become.

In my past life, I faced countless life-or-death situations, and I survived more than once by pushing my physical and mental limits to their absolute maximum.

‘Let’s get going then.’

I loosened the muscles in my thighs and glutes before entering the indoor Training Chamber.
The Training Chamber was lined with various training equipment designed to increase strength and agility.

-Training again?
‘Yeah.’

I nodded. My stats only increased when I pushed both body and spirit to their absolute limits—like wringing out dried squid.

For me, additional training wasn’t tedious or grueling; it was a moment brimming with anticipation.

I began with the fundamentals: push-ups and planks, basic bodyweight exercises.

-Truly exasperating. You’re like a caterpillar clinging to a branch.
‘Even a caterpillar crawling on a twig becomes a butterfly and takes flight one day.’
-The only way for you to become a butterfly is to surrender yourself to me, the Sovereign.
‘That wouldn’t make me a butterfly—it would make me a poisoned moth. Wake up.’

I waved my hand dismissively and bent my arms again. Rather than simply doing many repetitions, I moved slowly to stimulate my muscles, bending and extending with deliberate control.
My chest muscles burned as if they might tear, yet I welcomed that pain. This present agony would become my future stats and endurance.

As I was working my core after the push-ups, children began filing into the Training Chamber.

They glanced at me sideways before dispersing to begin their own training.

Lunan Slion and Burren Zigheart also entered and surveyed the equipment.

Lunan Slion took a piece of equipment off to the side by herself, while Burren Zigheart stared at me intently before turning and leaving.

He went to where the wooden swords were kept, grabbed one, and began swinging it.

Whoosh!

The Branch Family members who typically followed Burren Zigheart picked up wooden swords and began practicing the sword techniques they’d learned.

He drew his sword.
‘I see.’
You’re not going to draw yours?
‘Not necessary right now.’

What I needed at this moment wasn’t a sword, but rather fundamental physical strength, raw power, and agility.

Besides, the swordsmanship of Burren and the other children hadn’t even reached the level of taking their first steps. Training in swordplay without proper instruction would be nothing but a waste of time.

I paid no mind to what others were doing, and continued my tedious yet grueling training, hoping for greater progress tomorrow.

*

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*

Lunan Slion had no interest in others.

It wasn’t because she looked down on people due to her exceptional talent.

Rather, she had locked the doors of her heart on the day she suffered a devastating disappointment from someone she had trusted.

Yet recently, someone had begun to capture her attention.

It wasn’t Rimer, the elf once called the Radiant Sword of Zigheart, nor was it Burren Zigheart, whom others called her rival.

Raon Zigheart.
Her gaze kept drifting toward him—the son of Sylvia, who had been cast out from the main family and relegated to the Branch Family.

‘Why do my eyes keep finding him?’

It was unprecedented. Never before had she felt drawn to someone, nor had anyone felt so familiar to her.

‘Is it because of the cold?’

They said Raon’s mana circuits were permeated with a bitter, relentless chill. Perhaps her own ability—frost—found kinship in his coldness.

‘That must be it.’

Knowing the reason, Lunan Slion tried to shift her attention away from him.

Yet the harder she tried, the more her eyes remained fixed on Raon.

‘His growth is remarkable.’

Raon’s rate of growth defied all conventional standards.

A month ago in the Audience Chamber, he had been gaunt and skeletal, devoid of any musculature, but now he bore the beginnings of defined muscle.

‘And that’s not all.’

Yesterday he had ranked among the weakest, yet today he kept pace with the middle-tier group.

Even she, blessed with heavenly talent, could not achieve such rapid advancement. It defied all logic.

“Hup!”

Lunan Slion lifted the 60-kilogram apparatus with ease, stealing glances at Raon.

“It’s truly strange.”

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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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