The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 172

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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 173

My first sword technique, Frostfall, cut through the cascading shower of flames and advanced one step further.

Screeeech!

Within my twisted vision, a thin stream of blood burst from the Red Dragon Turtle’s throat. Frostfall’s slash had transcended the creature’s perception and severed its neck.

“Grraahhh!”

The panicked Red Dragon Turtle tried to conceal its wound and retreat, but such efforts were meaningless. Frostfall was not a technique that ended with a single strike.

Roooaaahhh!

A silver spiral races along the blue trajectory. Glacial’s pure chill follows the flow of Frostfall, piercing through the Red Dragon Turtle’s neck.

“Grrrghhh….”

The blade of chill was equally swift. The Red Dragon Turtle couldn’t even react to the second slash, delivered at a speed no less than the first, and simply offered up its neck.

Roooah.

The crimson blood gushing from the Red Dragon Turtle’s neck extinguished the flames scorching the earth.

Thuuummm!

The Red Dragon Turtle finally lost control of its massive body and collapsed, leaving only a frozen waterfall of ice where its neck had been severed.

“Haah….”

I soothed my burn-scorched skin with Glacial while gazing upon the blade of ice.

Frostfall.
The character “fall” refers to the pool beneath a waterfall. Once when it drops from the waterfall. Twice when the water surging from the impact crashes down again. Frostfall was a sword technique that captured those two descents.

It was swift yet precise, and an elemental blade was concealed within it. I could say with certainty that even a Master at the beginner level would not be able to perfectly defend against this slash.

—Ugh…

Wrath let out a low groan, apparently not expecting the battle to end so quickly.

—That stupid turtle bastard! He grew too fast and doesn’t know how to use his power properly. He should’ve just hidden in that shell! All he did was mindlessly spew raw strength like an idiot!
‘He’s right.’

I nodded in agreement. The Red Dragon Turtle’s aura rivaled that of a Master, but his combat technique remained at his original level. If he’d fully controlled his power, the battle would have been far more difficult.

—Count yourself lucky. If that bastard had properly wielded those flames, you’d be nothing but ash.
‘That’s bad luck, actually.’
—What?
‘If I fought someone that strong, I could’ve grown even stronger.’
—You’re truly insane…

Wrath shook his head in exasperation, muttering his disapproval.

‘How was my swordsmanship?’
—Not bad.
‘Really?’
—For a human, anyway. If you’d dared use such a pathetic blade against me, I’d freeze you solid in an instant…

As Wrath continued his mocking jabs, messages materialized before my eyes.

[You have created a new sword technique.]
[The title ‘Young Grandmaster’ has been acquired.]
[You have defeated a mid-tier Monster.]
[All stats increase by 2 points.]

The messages confirmed that I’d created a new sword technique, defeated the Red Dragon Turtle—now a spirit-class being—and gained stat increases.

—This is absurd!

Wrath shook his head violently in disbelief.

—How in the world do you earn the title of Grandmaster with such pathetic swordsmanship that even a three-year-old could master?!

A chill of pure rage began seeping from his shoulders.

—There! That Red Dragon Turtle was merely mid-tier at best! It was just a bit stronger in aura, nothing that should have been difficult to handle!

Regardless of Wrath’s outburst, the system had given what it would give and vanished.

—Ugh, I made the system far too simplistic!
‘Too simplistic?’
—I designed it to focus solely on results for rapid growth, but I never anticipated it would become this convoluted.
‘Hmm….’

I watched Wrath grinding his teeth and let out a quiet chuckle.

‘Whatever the reason, I’m simply grateful.’

Thanks to Wrath, I was growing stronger at a pace that no one could match. I could only feel gratitude toward the system that gave so generously and toward Wrath himself.

【Young Grandmaster】
A title bestowed upon young martial artists who have independently created their own martial techniques.
Ability: When using self-created martial techniques, their power is enhanced and aura consumption is reduced. The ability to observe others’ martial techniques in greater detail is granted.

True to its name, the Young Grandmaster title seemed designed to enhance the power of martial techniques that might still be lacking, and to encourage me to observe my opponents and gain even more from them.

Since I would need to create many more martial techniques in the future, this was an ability I was extremely pleased with.

—Damn it….

Wrath let out a hollow sigh as he looked at the title.

‘Didn’t I tell you? That you’d gain much from this place.’

I sheathed my sword and gave Wrath a light tap.

—You’re living life on easy mode….

Wrath’s shoulders trembled as though he were about to have a fit.

“Raon.”

I heard Lunan Slion’s voice. Turning around, I saw Lunan Slion approaching with his usual sharp eyes, and Haren rushing over with a pallid complexion as though he might retch.

“You actually caught that….”

Haren swallowed hard as he stared at the lifeless Red Dragon Turtle. His expression was almost hollow as he asked how I had managed to slay it.

“There’s more than one way to fight.”

Frost Consecutive was a water-attribute sword technique, and the purity of the cold I had refined through Glacial was so intense it was rarely found on the Continent. No matter how much the Red Dragon Turtle had strengthened itself by absorbing geothermal energy, I believed it couldn’t withstand it.

“Then why didn’t you use that technique from the start? Why drag it out like this?”

Haren was now speaking with perfect formality. He no longer saw me as a child.

“I couldn’t use that technique until just now.”
“What? What do you mean….”
“The sword technique that pierced that creature’s neck. I created it moments ago.”
“Gasp!”

When I spoke honestly, Haren’s jaw trembled violently. I glanced sideways at Lunan Slion, and when she nodded, Haren dropped to his knees entirely.

“Insane….”

Haren pointed at the Red Dragon Turtle with wide eyes.

“So you charged in without any plan whatsoever until then?”
“Well, I could see a path to grow stronger, and if worst came to worst, I could just strike it tens or hundreds of times until it fell.”

Even if Frost Consecutive hadn’t been perfected, it wouldn’t have mattered. It would have taken longer, but I would have eventually brought down the Red Dragon Turtle.

“Hah….”

Haren sat motionless, shaking his head slowly. He seemed to be in awe, yet confused, yet simultaneously as if he had grasped something profound.

“Mm.”

Lunan Slion poked the Red Dragon Turtle with her finger, pouting slightly. Since she favored cold, she seemed somewhat irritated with the creature that had only emitted heat.

‘Wrath.’
-Don’t call the King’s name so carelessly.
‘Fine. You said it was a spiritual creature earlier. Does that mean it has a core like mine?’

When a Monster or beast transcended the limits of its species, it formed something called an inner core within its body. Consuming it would increase one’s aura or strengthen the physical form, making it a treasure worth its weight in gold.

-The master said it was practically a spiritual creature. Not that it was a spiritual creature, but rather….

Wrath let out a sneering laugh.

-That turtle exhausted all its power strengthening its flames and shell. The only thing you’ll obtain from within is a hardened carapace.

He chuckled, saying even my fortune couldn’t change that. It seemed he’d mistaken my reaction for disappointment.

‘That’s more than enough.’

I smiled faintly and waved my hand. I’d created a new sword technique, obtained a title, and raised my stats. With the corpse of the Red Dragon Turtle as spoils of war, the gains exceeded my expectations.

‘I don’t need anything more than this… wait?’

I approached Lunan’s side and placed my hand on the Red Dragon Turtle. In that instant, the Flame Pavilion flared up like embers, beginning to absorb the formidable fire-attribute mana contained within the Red Dragon Turtle’s body.

Kugugugugugu!

A massive surge of mana was absorbed, causing my grip to tremble, and an exhilarating chill ran down my spine.

[The Flame Pavilion (4-star) has absorbed the Red Dragon Turtle’s fire essence.]
[The Flame Pavilion’s proficiency has increased.]
[Due to the vast amount of fire essence, all stats increase by 5 points.]
[Fire-attribute resistance rises to 4-star.]

The moment I finished absorbing all the heat from within the Red Dragon Turtle, messages appeared before me.

“Phew!”

I clenched my trembling fist. While much had been converted into stats, considerable energy still remained in my mana circuits. If I could accept all of it, I could grow even further.

‘This is better than an inner core.’
-What, what is this! You already gave it to me, so why are you giving again! I just received stats and a title!
‘The earlier one was from my victory in battle. This time, the Flame Pavilion moved on its own….’
-Shut that mouth of yours!

Wrath slammed his fist—formed from cold energy—against the ground.

—Why is the world like this?! This shouldn’t be happening! The world shouldn’t be this way!

A scream of anguish tore through the middle slopes of Skelay Mountain, shrouded in darkness, unleashed by the Demon King consumed by rage.

—Why does everyone refuse to give anything to this bastard?!

*

*

*

“Hmm….”

Haren let out a groan as he examined the shell and skin of the dead Red Dragon Turtle.

‘He cut through that.’

Having spent a lifetime as a blacksmith, I could tell. The hardness of this flame turtle’s hide rivaled that of the finest steel. It was a thickness that would require countless strikes without the aid of aura, yet that madman severed it with a single blade strike.
The hardness of this fire turtle’s shell is comparable to Hyun Chul’s, which is incredibly tough. It’s a thickness that would require countless strikes if not for overwhelming strength, but that madman cut through it with a single sword strike.

“Of course, it’s not just a simple inspection.”

I couldn’t fathom what he’d done to grow so much that he could sever a Red Dragon Turtle with mere blade strikes.
I don’t know what you did to cut down a Red Dragon Turtle that has grown so much with just a sword.

But what’s truly surprising is something else.

Haren bit his lip as he watched Raon tending to his meridians. More than half of his clothes were burned, and his entire body was blackened with soot.

What amazed me more was that he endured that terrible heat without flinching while fighting, grew stronger, and severed the Red Dragon Turtle.

What was even more surprising was that he fought while enduring that intense heat without any difficulty, grew stronger, and managed to cut down the Red Dragon Turtle.

He must be in severe pain from the burns, yet he doesn’t show a single sign of it. To be honest, it was the first time I’d ever seen a monster like that.

I just thought you were just an ordinary genius in a greenhouse…

At seventeen, I was powerless. I thought I was a hothouse flower born in Zigheart, living life on a predetermined path, but that was a huge mistake.

One could tell from the brutal combat moments ago and the sunken gaze that this creature had crossed through deep, murky depths.

“Hah….”

My heart pounded for the first time in ages. I wanted to equip this Monster with weapons of my own creation and witness it standing tall across the Continent. It was as though dormant passion was surging back to life within me.

“Then let’s head back.”

Raon approached the Red Dragon Turtle. He raised both his left and right hands simultaneously, lifting the Red Dragon Turtle by its neck.

“You’re… lifting that?”

Though it had suddenly shrunk after death, it was still larger than most eight-horse carriages. His strength transcended human limits, just as his swordsmanship did.

Crunch, crunch, crunch!

Raon began dragging the Red Dragon Turtle as if he intended to carry it away like this. It was astounding that he could lift it, but the fact that he was actually taking it was even more shocking.

“W-wait! Shouldn’t we call people to help move it…?”
“It’s fine.”

Raon exchanged a glance with Lunan Slion.

“Lunan. Give me a hand.”
“Sure.”

Both of them extended their hands simultaneously, spreading frigid energy across the ground. A pristine sheet of ice formed from the ridge all the way down.

“Sir. Climb aboard.”
“Huh?”
“We’re going to ride this creature down. Just climb onto the turtle’s shell like Lunan is doing.”
“An… a slide?”
“Exactly.”

Raon pointed to Lunan Slion, who was already seated on the turtle’s shell. Though her expression remained unchanged, the faint blush on her cheeks suggested she was anticipating this icy slide.

“Ah, I understand.”

Haren swallowed dryly and climbed onto the Red Dragon Turtle, settling into position.

“Then I’ll be going.”

I moved behind the Red Dragon Turtle and shoved it down the icy slope. The colossal monster—practically the master of this entire mountain—became nothing more than a sled, careening down the mountainside.

“Uuuaaahhh!”

The ferocious wind forced his mouth open involuntarily, and a scream tore from his throat.

‘This… this madman! They’re all absolutely insane!’

Haren felt the biting wind and made a solemn vow: he would never, under any circumstances, provoke that young lunatic behind him.

‘But I lost the bet!’

I’m completely screwed!

*

*

*

On a hill overlooking the ridge where Raon had departed, the mountain slope stretched out in a thin line below.

Glen stood with his hands clasped behind his back, watching the Red Dragon Turtle slide down the mountainside.

“Heavenly Sword Master.”

At his call, a figure emerged from behind a tree.

She had purple hair tied back tightly, a sword strapped to her back, and sharp, narrow eyes—a female swordmaster of small stature. Though her face appeared to be in her early twenties, she was the Heavenly Sword Master who had walked alongside Glen for decades.

“What do you make of it?”
“Now I understand why that lazy one cherishes him so.”

The Heavenly Sword Master nodded as she watched Raon descend on the Red Dragon Turtle.

“That’s remarkable talent. Especially that final sword strike—it appears you created it yourself.”
“Yes. The battle with the Red Dragon Turtle was practice for that sword technique.”
“I’ve never seen a Master create their own martial technique before. That’s the mark of a Grand Master.”

The Heavenly Sword Master clicked her tongue as she gazed at the lingering traces of cold energy still etched in the air.

Warriors creating their own martial techniques required reaching Master rank at the earliest, yet Raon had forged his first sword technique at the peak of Expert rank. It would be a lie to say she wasn’t astonished.

“And there’s also that ability to absorb the residual heat from the Red Dragon Turtle’s body. Is that the Flame Absorption technique you mentioned before?”
“Yes. With Flame Absorption at its peak, he absorbed the heat from deep within the Red Dragon Turtle directly.”
“This child is truly remarkable in every way. It’s not just raw talent—he has the strength to overcome adversity. Wherever he goes, he’ll fulfill his role.”
“Well, it’s not quite that special. Just moderately exceptional.”

Glen looked ahead where the Heavenly Sword Master couldn’t see, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. His expression betrayed his pride that Raon could draw admiration from the notoriously cold Heavenly Sword Master.

“He’s already surpassed half the barrier to Master rank. The real trials begin now, but I believe that child could break through that wall around age twenty.”

The Heavenly Sword Master’s already narrow eyes grew even thinner as she watched me slide down the mountainside.

“The youngest Sword Master in Zigheart’s history….”
“Yes, he could reach it before twenty.”
“Pardon?”
“That child will attain Master rank before coming of age.”
“The remaining barriers before him aren’t something talent alone can overcome quickly.”
“I’m not speaking of that child’s talent alone.”

Glen turned away with a slight frown.

“He’s risen too quickly, which may make breaking through barriers even harder. Surely you understand that, Lord of the House.”
“….”
“That lazy gambler’s praise speaks to remarkable talent and skill, but I believe Master rank is still distant.”
“Raon has never missed dawn training since he began. When the Training Ground closed, he trained in the Annex Building. Even on missions standing night watch, he practiced his sword techniques. With both effort and talent, he reached his current position.”
“Ah….”

The Heavenly Sword Master’s mouth fell open in surprise. It was the first time she’d heard Glen speak at such length, and about someone else no less.

He resembled a stubborn grandfather subtly bragging about his grandson, then bickering with anyone who dared criticize him.

“I’m certain. If we’re fortunate, you’ll reach Master rank by next year. At the latest, the year after.”
“W-wait, you said just moments ago that it wasn’t anything particularly special….”
“Hmm, it seems I’m running a bit behind schedule. Let’s head back.”

Glen Zigheart gazed up at the darkening sky and lightly kicked off the ground. His body launched into the air, shooting toward the direction of Zigheart.

“….”

The Heavenly Sword Master watched his retreating figure with a tilted head.

“Why does he feel like a gambler….”

*

*

*

Boom, boom, boom!

In the evening of Mirtan Village, where only the faint sound of a small hammer could be heard, a tremendous tremor shook the entire settlement.

“What, what is that!”
“An earthquake?”
“The geothermal activity has been weak lately, and now tremors too?”

The villagers who had been eating their late evening meal felt the tremor and rushed outside in panic.

“It’s, it’s not an earthquake.”

One of them swallowed hard and pointed below the village.

“What? If it’s not an earthquake…gasp!”
“That, what is that!”
“Ahhhhh! The Red Dragon Turtle!”
“Why is that monster in the village!”
“I’ve never seen anything so massive….”

The villagers’ mouths fell open as they caught sight of the colossal Red Dragon Turtle, and they stumbled backward. Some of the blacksmiths even turned to flee.

“You idiots. It’s not alive!”

The first person to witness the scene pointed beneath the Red Dragon Turtle. A blonde youth with charred clothing was dragging the Red Dragon Turtle along.

“Gasp!”
“He… he caught that?”
“Who is that guy!”
“That’s the kid! The former Village Chief said he’d forge him a weapon!”
“Wow, catching a monster like that… the former Village Chief wasn’t senile after all….”
“H-his strength is incredible. How did he lift something that size?”

The blacksmiths watched Raon ascending with the Red Dragon Turtle, their tongues hanging out in amazement.

“Hmm.”

I smiled faintly as I observed the blacksmiths lined up on both sides. They looked like children watching a circus parade.

“Wait a moment! You’re not thinking of selling that corpse to me, are you? I’ll pay handsomely!”
“Don’t cut in line! I’ll buy it! Five hundred gold coins and ten weapons!”
“I’ll pay entirely in gold coins. How about two thousand gold coins!”

Halfway up the hill, blacksmiths and merchants swarmed forward, blocking my path and demanding I sell the corpse.

“Hey! What are you all doing!”

Just as I was about to wave them off, Haren, who had been applying barely perceptible force, stepped forward and shoved the merchants and blacksmiths aside.

“Five hundred gold coins? Two thousand? You think you can lowball with such pittance! Don’t you know this person is our father’s guest? Huh?”
“Well, that is….”
“Keep this up and you’ll be out of business here.”

At those words, the merchants and blacksmiths quietly retreated. A few tried calling out higher prices, but they lowered their hands at the murderous glint in Haren’s eyes.

“Let’s go!”

Haren pointed toward Balkan’s Blacksmith Workshop at the very top, gesturing as if he were a butler.

“Thank you.”

I chuckled softly as I dragged the Red Dragon Turtle up the hill. Lunan froze just the bottom portion against the ground, allowing us to pull it upward with ease.

“Hmm….”

Balkan had come outside, sensing the vibrations. His eyes swept across the Red Dragon Turtle from top to bottom, widening in astonishment.

“Was that the problem?”
“Yes. It was draining the geothermal energy, so I brought it here.”
“I’ve never seen a Red Dragon Turtle of that size before. I thought it was a hatchling and was quite startled.”
“It wasn’t just the size! Its firepower was absurdly strong too!”

Haren stretched out his hand.

“It’s shrunken now, but it was even bigger before. You should have seen it, old man.”

He muttered regretfully and sighed.

“I’ve stabilized the area where the geothermal energy was disrupted, so it should normalize by tomorrow or the day after.”

I set the Red Dragon Turtle down in the courtyard before the Smithy and brushed the dust from my hands.

“Well, to catch such a monster and say only that much. I’ve always said you never do anything ordinary.”

Balkan gazed at my serene eyes and exhaled softly.

“Come inside.”

He gestured toward the Smithy with a faint smile.

“Everything is ready on this end as well.”

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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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