The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 142

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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 142

“It’s fair to say this is a second Wave.”

Milend clenched his fists as he watched the yellowish-blue tide of monsters surging toward Habun Castle.

“Sound the Wave-class combat alert! Mobilize all available swordsmen and soldiers!”

His commanding voice reverberated across the entire Castle Wall.

“Open the armory gates and prepare for battle!”

At Milend’s swift and precise orders, the Scout Unit members who had been staring blankly at the monsters scrambled down from the Castle Wall.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

The highest-level alarm bell—the same as during the Wave—rang out across all of Habun Castle.

“What, what is this!”

“What’s happening now!”

“Damn it! How much longer do we have to deal with this curse!”

“Shut up and move! They’re coming soon!”

“The armory is open—grab your weapons first!”

The swordsmen and soldiers who heard the alarm bell burst out from the Dormitory and Training Ground, rushing to their designated positions.

“Radin.”

Milend gestured to Radin, who was biting his lip.

“You were the last one to scout, weren’t you?”

“Yes. I returned three days ago.”

“Did you detect any signs of this?”

“As I reported, I found no unusual changes.

“Then Eden might have made another move. Those three have the ability to control monsters, after all.”

Milend looked toward me, seeking agreement.

“It’s merely my opinion, but I don’t believe that’s the case this time.”

I shook my head while gazing down at the base of the Castle Wall.

“You don’t?”

“No. Even if those Eden bastards are known for their stupidity, they wouldn’t repeat a method that failed once. And….”

I pointed at the monsters charging toward us.

“The expressions and momentum of the monsters are different from usual. Don’t they seem to be fleeing from something rather than driven by slaughter or madness?”

“I felt it too. That’s why I thought it was Eden.”

Milend stroked his scabbard and exhaled a weary sigh.

“Either way, this situation won’t be easy to brush aside.”

“That seems to be the case.”

-Whoosh.

As I nodded, Wrath rose from the ice flower bracelet like embers flaring to life.

-Finally, he’s arrived.

He wasn’t looking at the monster before us, but far beyond—toward the faintly visible Sturrin Mountains.

‘What’s coming?’

-Didn’t I tell you? There’s a sleepyhead. That damned bastard has finally woken up.

Wrath’s blue eyes blazed with emotion—joy and fury and anticipation all mingled together.

‘Is that what you told me to run from a month ago?’

-Exactly. That bastard I warned you about has finally awakened. He must have woken when that doppelgänger burst.

‘Is it some kind of dragon?’

I followed Wrath’s gaze toward the Sturrin Mountains. Naturally, I felt nothing. Only a faint whisper of unease.

-A dragon? You’re making a grave mistake.

Wrath let out a scoff and waved his small hand dismissively.

‘Then what is it? I need to know what we’re dealing with if I’m going to decide whether to flee or fight.’

-It’s already too late. There was a chance when you were half-asleep, but it has already detected you.

‘What?’

A chill ran down my spine at those words.

-It will not stop until it razes this castle and kills every last one of you. Unless, of course, you offer it a suitable sacrifice.

‘A sacrifice? What sacrifice! Who exactly is coming?!’

I grabbed Wrath by the head and lifted him up. Unlike usual, he wore a smile brimming with confidence.

-See it with your own eyes. I owe you no such courtesy as to explain it to you.

‘You….’

-I told you. This wager will end in my victory. At this rate, I might even claim your body as the prize.

Wrath was utterly convinced that the being descending from above would obliterate this castle.

“Hah….”

I exhaled a deep, heavy breath. From Wrath’s reaction, I could narrow down the possibilities to a few entities, but he seemed unwilling to reveal it, so I kept my suspicions to myself.

“Form ranks!”

“Spearmen and infantry, take positions before the castle wall! Archers without space, stand below the wall!”

The soldiers and knights, having made their preparations swiftly, took their designated positions and watched the approaching monsters with tense expressions.

“Damn it….”

“They say luck’s been rotten this year….”

“Absolutely wretched. Utterly wretched!”

The soldiers’ lips trembled as they watched the monsters surge forward like a scorching desert wind.

“Don’t worry so much. We have the commander and Raon with us!”

“True. Casualties have dropped significantly since Raon arrived.”

“Ice Troll Lord Slayer, and now Doppelgänger Slayer too. He’s making history before our eyes.”

“He’s worthy of respect not just for his strength, but for his character as well.”

The swordsmen and soldiers smiled faintly as they looked at me. Their expressions brimmed with trust—an emotion I found difficult to fully accept in this moment.

“Commander.”

I approached Milend, tasting the bitterness that rose to my tongue. His gaze, fixed upon me, was equally laden with faith.

“If, by chance, an enemy we cannot defeat appears, what will you do?”

I raised a barrier to block out the others’ hearing, covering both Milend and myself.

“That’s not like you to ask such a question.”

Milend’s expression remained unchanged, as if he wore a mask. He maintained his composed demeanor and tapped his sword scabbard lightly.

“Still, we fight. Behind this castle lie countless civilian villages. Even if it only buys time, we’ll endure and minimize the casualties. That’s the very reason Habun Castle exists.”

“…I see.”

I bit my lip. Unless a dragon itself came flying down, I had no way to know the identity of what was coming, let alone persuade it.

‘I have no choice but to face them.’

Steeling myself to fight whoever it was, I took a deep breath.

-Hmm.

Wrath nodded with an expression of leisure.

-Don’t worry. This king will definitely save the pineapple girl.

‘Shut up.’

I shoved the delighted Wrath aside and took my position.

What Wrath said was true. Something formidable would definitely arrive.

But.

“Raon! We believe in you!”

“We’re counting on you today!”

“I’ll shoot until my fingers bleed. Leave the rear to us!”

I could feel the soldiers and swordsmen drawing strength from watching my back. I couldn’t betray those hopeful gazes and flee alone.

‘Receiving expectations isn’t purely joyful, is it.’

Being trusted and expected by others came with responsibility far beyond mere happiness. It was an emotion I could never have understood during my days as an assassin.

‘This damned bastard is teaching me everything.’

I glared at Wrath and gripped my sword tightly.

“Oh no, we’re doomed. We’re doomed.”

Dorian’s voice trembled with despair as he dumped logs and boulders from his satchel in heaps. He seemed to be preparing to scatter them when the monsters tried to climb the Castle Wall.

“All units, prepare for battle!”

“Prepare for battle!”

Milend drew his sword and issued final orders. The soldiers responded in unison, driving their spear shafts against the ground.

“Raon.”

He turned his head, calling out to me. Every eye in the castle fixed upon me.

“I’m entrusting you with the battle address.”

A battle address was a single statement meant to elevate the soldiers’ morale before combat began. Until now, Milend had always delivered it, but this marked the first time he was passing that responsibility to me.

“Why me…?”

“I suspect your words will resonate more effectively than mine.”

Milend gestured toward the soldiers with a slight nod of his chin. My chest swelled as I met their gazes, brimming with trust.

‘A battle address….’

Perhaps due to the way I’d lived, eloquence was not my strength, yet there was one thing I desired.

I turned my body to face them. Meeting the gaze of everyone in Habun Castle, I offered a faint smile.

“All of you—survive.”

I poured my sincerity into those unpretentious words.

“That’s… that’s all?”

“He really can’t speak well, can he?”

Dorian’s mouth fell open, and Beto chuckled softly.

“Hmm….”

“It’s nice that he’s so straightforward.”

Edquil simply watched, while Terian nodded gently.

“I like how simple it is.”

“You’re right—the Commander’s full title is way too long.”

“At first, I thought he was the headmaster of a sword academy.”

The knights and soldiers erupted in laughter. The fear and tension that had lingered before the war scattered like dust on the wind, and a soaring military spirit surged through the ranks.

“A mere swordsman has elevated the troops’ morale to its peak.”

The corners of Milend’s mouth curved upward slightly.

“This is your position now. It means you possess trust that transcends even a commander.”

“I’m simply….”

“I’m counting on you today. Save as many soldiers as you can.”

Milend’s smile faded as he raised his hand toward the sky. The moment his fist clenched, the third war began.

“Fire!”

Bundles of silver arrows infused with the will to survive traced beautiful arcs through the air, tearing into the monsters’ flesh.

“Kyaaaagh!”

“Graaaah!”

“Kiiaaaah!”

Yet the monsters did not slow their advance. Their eyes twisted with fury as if their reverse scales had been struck, and they charged toward the Castle Wall.

“Fire!”

At Milend’s command, hundreds of arrows fell in succession. Many monsters crashed to the ground, their heads driven into the earth, but far greater numbers pressed forward, their bodies colliding against the wall.

Booooom!

As the monsters hurled themselves against the wall simultaneously, the Castle shook as though it might crumble.

“They’re scaling the wall! Prepare for close combat!”

“Throw stones and timber first!”

“Yaaaah!”

Led by Dorian, soldiers hurled stones and timber down upon the orcs, trolls, and krats climbing the Castle Wall. Spearmen thrust their weapons downward in relentless volleys, while archers drew their bowstrings without pause.

The blades, bathed in the fading light of dusk, gleamed with formidable military might, yet the monsters refused to retreat. Driven by a singular obsession to breach the Castle, they climbed the wall with frenzied desperation.

I watched the monsters’ eyes and bit my lip.

‘As expected.’

Terror filled their eyes—I hadn’t misread it. The monsters weren’t driven by hunger or bloodlust; they were consumed by a single desperate thought: escape beyond this Castle Wall.

“Roooaaarrr!”

An ogre was the first to scale the Castle Wall. With a tremendous leap, it cleared the barrier in just two bounds and landed atop the rampart.

“Shrieeeek!”

“Gahhh!”

As the soldiers recoiled in terror from the ogre’s roar and murderous intent, I moved. I severed its right arm in a single fluid motion just as it was about to crush a soldier’s skull.

“Grrrraaahhh!”

Rather than counterattack, the ogre turned to flee back down the Castle Wall. But I wouldn’t allow it. A slash of pure light extended forth, severing its head clean from its shoulders.

“Gaaahhhhh!”

“Kyaaahhh!”

Trolls and Sharkmol surged up the Castle Wall in swarms like ants. I covered the rampart with Glacial, protecting the endangered soldiers while cutting down the monsters.

“Kiiaaahhh!”

Sharksting ascended, demolishing a section of the Castle Wall. The spines bristling across its entire body quivered like arrows drawn and ready to loose.

“Gasp!”

“It’s, it’s Sharkmol!”

“The spines are coming!”

“Ahhh!”

Just as Sharkmol’s spines began to retract after piercing slightly, its neck flew clean off, and I emerged from behind it.

“Th, thank you.”

“Raon!”

I acknowledged the salutes of the soldiers who had collapsed to the ground, then gazed beyond the Castle Wall.

‘Are even wild animals coming?’

Behind the surging monsters, I could see wild animals from the Sturrin Mountains region fleeing in panic. My hair stood on end watching creatures that hadn’t moved even during the waves now desperately escaping.

“Hmm….”

Milend clenched his lips, perhaps sensing the same thing I did. Even for someone who had lived his entire life here, the current situation seemed shocking.

“Terian!”

“Yes!”

At my call, Vice Commander Terian prostrated himself.

“Send the Scout Unit to evacuate the villages behind the castle. All the civilians inside the castle too. Everyone!”

“Sir?”

Terian’s eyes widened at the unexpected command.

“Quickly!”

“Yes, understood!”

Terian swallowed hard and descended below the Castle Wall, beginning to issue orders to the Scout Unit.

‘As expected.’

I had finally grasped the full gravity of the situation—it was far more dire than a wave. Yet despite this realization, I showed no signs of retreat.

A massive diamond-shaped shadow fell across the Castle Wall as I licked my lips.

“It’s a Mantakun!”

“Two of them! Coming from both sides!”

Just as the soldiers reported, two colossal manta ray-shaped monsters—Mantakuns—soared through the air.

Raon and Milend moved simultaneously, each lunging toward a Mantakun rising from opposite sides, their blades descending in unison. Two swords erupted with flames of different hues.

Boom!

The two halves of the bisected Mantakun plummeted, crashing down upon the monsters scaling the Castle Wall. The earth trembled as if seized by an earthquake, and for a moment, the chaos subsided.

My eyes met Milend’s. His weathered, aged gaze curved into a gentle arc. Then an aura message arrived.

[Should danger arise, you are to withdraw.]

[What? What do you mean….]

[I understand now what you meant earlier. You see further than I do.]

He continued speaking as he carved through the orc horde.

[You are a swordmaster capable of ascending higher. Do not throw away your life carelessly. Think of what lies ahead.]

With those words, he turned away. He did not look back toward me again.

‘Flee?’

I turned to look behind me. Eyes filled with conviction and trust illuminated the darkness. Had I wished to escape alone, I would have done so long ago.

Crash!

Gritting my teeth, I brought my blade down. The sunset-hued flame clinging to the sword’s edge surged forward like lightning, severing the throat of a troll that filled the Castle Wall.

“I cannot flee alone.”

Raon glared at Wrath, who gazed back with sharp eyes and an easy smile.

‘I can’t lose to you either.’

-Is this meaningless thrashing?

‘Whether it’s meaningful or not, I’ll know once it’s over.’

-I can already picture you on your knees, trembling in despair.

‘Even if I kneel, I’ll save them.’

Beneath the sallow moon rising overhead, crimson and azure gazes collided.

*

*

*

The defense of the castle continued until sunrise the next day.

It was not merely a war, but a desperate struggle for survival—a battle that could rightfully be called a blood feud—and the soldiers standing upon the Castle Wall gasped for breath, their arms and legs trembling with exhaustion.

Yet with the resolve to defend this castle and a sense of duty burning in their hearts, they thrust spear and sword forward until the very end.

“We’re almost there!”

“Push through to the end!”

“Hold on! Trust your comrades behind you!”

Officers and soldiers alike shouted and wielded their weapons until the very end. As the army’s fervent discipline intensified, the wave of monsters began to subside, and their end came into view.

“Not much time left!”

“When the sun rises, victory is ours!”

“Uwaaaaaa!”

The soldiers’ eyes rekindled with vigor as they witnessed the Monster numbers dwindle noticeably compared to yesterday.

“Kyaaaa!”

“Kraaack!”

Yet the Monsters’ behavior was peculiar. Despite their diminished numbers, they did not retreat—instead, they climbed the Castle Wall with desperate fervor. Of course, many who ascended thoughtlessly offered their necks to the blades of the swordsmen and knights.

“Why are these creatures acting like this?”

“Shouldn’t they be fleeing by now?”

“Why hasn’t the sun risen yet!”

“Wait… now that I think about it, sunrise should have already happened!”

The soldiers’ brows furrowed as they realized something was amiss with both the Monsters and their current situation.

“Ah…”

Raon’s eyes widened.

‘The sun isn’t rising?’

The sky remained shrouded in darkness as if night would never end.

The moment I realized this, a man parted the curtain of night and approached.

When I saw the three horns sprouting from his forehead and temples, I couldn’t breathe—as if I’d gazed into an abyss.

“Haa….”

From that distant place—where I shouldn’t have heard anything—his breathing reached my ears.

“Cold… sleepy… annoying… but I’m awake….”

He parted his pallid lips and lifted his gaze. Eyes like Sagrado dimming—black pupils that swallowed all light. The moment our eyes met, my soul shattered from the impact.

Such a creature existed?

The creeping aura of death threatened to overwhelm my consciousness. The majesty of a Demon King. An incarnation of evil had set its sights on this place.

“Cold… I barely fell asleep… and I’m awake again… Everything’s annoying….”

Muttering incomprehensible words, he trampled across the White Night. It felt as though all the world’s light was being consumed by him.

‘Is that him? The Sleeper you mentioned?’

I clenched my teeth and looked down at the flower bracelet.

-So you’ve finally realized it.

A chilling coldness flickered within Wrath’s blue eyes.

-That sluggard’s name is the Acceptor of All. Sloth.

I twisted my lips as I gazed upon the creature called Sloth.

-A lord of Sloth who has ascended to the same heights as I.

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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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