The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 178

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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 178

I narrowed my eyes as I watched Inild, trembling violently throughout his entire body in panic.

‘Expert-level advanced, perhaps.’

Inild’s behavior was foolish beyond measure, but the aura radiating from within him rivaled that of an Expert-level advanced swordsman. A power level that absolutely could not be ignored. Morel hadn’t approved the duel without reason.

However, neither Inild nor Morel understood his true strength. They would assume he was merely Expert-level intermediate based on the momentum he displayed.

‘He certainly possesses skill, but something feels clumsy about it.’

Despite Inild’s impressive aura, the foundation of his power itself wasn’t particularly solid. It seemed he lacked extensive real combat experience.

“Tch!”

Inild glared at the massive club I held and ground his teeth.

“Are you mocking me? Draw your sword right now!”

He pointed at the Heavenly Sword hanging from my waist.

“My blade hasn’t been unsheathed yet. It would be wasted on someone like you.”
“You bastard! I’ll really kill you….”

He began to curse but caught sight of the Princess behind him and held back. Even in this situation, he was concerned about the Princess—he was no ordinary man, and not in a good way.

“What’s going on? Why are so many people gathered here?”
“They’re having a duel, apparently? Between Zigheart and Valcar, no less!”
“Two of the Six Emperors? That’s insane!”
“Wow!”

Since we were right in front of the City Hall, which saw constant foot traffic, crowds gathered in an instant and surrounded us.

“Who do you think will win?”
“Unfortunately, the outcome is already decided.”
“It has to be Valcar.”
“Why? Zigheart is also one of the Six Emperors.”
“That long-haired blonde over there is Inild, isn’t he? Morel’s disciple and a mage who’s reached the pinnacle of the 5th Circle. He wields dual-attribute fists with remarkable skill. Meanwhile, that handsome fellow is young and hasn’t even made a name for himself yet.”
“Enough chatter! Come here and place your bets! We can’t let a match like this slip away!”

As people gathered, a gambling den naturally opened up. Most of them, having heard of Inild’s reputation, believed he would emerge victorious.

“Hah, excellent. I’ll make you regret not drawing your sword.”

Inild smiled faintly upon hearing the spectators’ praise. The way he calmed his anger and excitement after hearing a bit of flattery showed he was remarkably consistent.

“After your defeat, prepare yourself to kneel before the Princess and beg for forgiveness!”

Inild slipped on combat gloves and brought his hands together at his center. As he chanted, mana surged through his body, and light began to radiate from every inch of his frame.

“Starting now?”

I smiled coldly and stomped the ground. In the blink of an eye, I closed the distance to Inild and swung a club the size of an adult’s torso.

“What—Shield!”

Caught off guard mid-incantation, Inild hastily deployed a shield spell. A blue barrier materialized before him, but it proved meaningless. Before a club, all things are equal.

Crash!

The shield shattered like glass, and the blunt club struck Inild’s waist.

Crack!

With a sound like shattering stone, Inild flew backward like a ball and crashed headfirst into the ground.

Steam rose gently…

The dozens of spectators surrounding the arena stared slack-jawed at the wisps of smoke rising from my club.

“What, what is this!”
“That movement just now….”
“I could barely see it!”
“How is he wielding something so massive….”

Not only the spectators, but the mages of the Valkar Kingdom also went pale.

“Inild!”

When Morel shouted with mana-infused force, Inild, who had been sprawled on the ground, scrambled to his feet.

“Gasp! Gasp!”

Breathing heavily, cold sweat dripping from his entire body, yet he appeared remarkably intact for someone who’d been struck by a club.

“As expected.”

I chuckled softly as I noticed the ring adorning Inild’s right hand.

“An artifact, then.”

When I struck Inild with the club, it felt like hitting a sack stuffed with beans. True to his reputation as a mage from the artifact-renowned Valkar Kingdom, he was wearing a physical defense artifact.

“You, you bastard! What are you doing!”

Inild’s eyes flushed red as he shrieked indignantly.

“What do you mean?”
“You attacked while I was preparing! You cowardly wretch!”
“Preparing? What preparation?”
“I was casting buff magic! To attack during that time—do you have no honor!”

He spun around, appealing to those around him as though he’d suffered a grave injustice, ranting about cowardice.

“Cowardly?”

I tilted my head, resting the club against my shoulder.

“Will you say such things even on the battlefield?”
“What?”
“A blade enters your neck, and you’ll ask me to stop because you’re not ready? Is that what you’re saying?”
“That’s different! This is a duel!”
“If a mage begins casting magic during a duel, isn’t that the signal to start? If anything, I was at a disadvantage?”
“That is….”

I fixed Inild with a cold gaze as his lips trembled, unable to respond, and continued.

“A mage wielding magic is the same as a swordsman drawing his blade. If you want a duel where we wait for each other like children playing house, go home and do it there.”
“D-Don’t insult Valcar!”
“I insulted you, not Valcar.”
“What you said wasn’t about me, but—”
“You talk too damn much.”

I swung the club. A tremendous gust of wind crushed Inild’s voice.

“I’ll do it. Or I won’t.”
“Ugh, I won’t let my guard down again!”

Inild leaped backward and rapidly began casting buff spells. Haste, Strength, Iron Skin, and various other buffs seeped into his entire body.

“….”

This time, I simply remained still while he finished casting all his buffs.

“Fool! There’s no point in preserving honor at this stage!”
“It’s not about honor. I just stayed still because I didn’t want to be bothered if you complained again.”
“All mouth!”

Inild gathered flames in his right hand and wind in his left, then vanished before my eyes. His presence reappeared behind me—not rapid movement, but his aura disappearing and reappearing. It was Blink, a close-range teleportation spell.

“Die!”

Wind and flames swirled around Inild’s fist as it extended in a proper stance toward my waist. A powerful attack—a childish one, repaying me in kind for what I’d done to him.

“Too predictable.”

I pivoted without hesitation, shifting my stance. Drawing monstrous power from my ankles and channeling the rotational force through my waist, I swung the club.

Whoooosh!

The mighty club infused with tremendous power collided head-on with Inild’s magic fist, which swirled with wind and flame.

“Foolish brute!”

Inild sneered as he watched my club extend toward him. His reflexes were sharp enough for a swordsman, but attempting to pierce a combination spell—a 5-Circle wind torrent merged with a fire spirit’s blade—with nothing but a club? He was as empty-headed as they came.

‘I’ll incinerate him right here.’

He was concentrating more mana to sear that smug face clean off when—

‘What?’

The club that should have burned away long ago was now inches from his face.

‘This… what is this?!’

The club was large, yes, but its material was merely wood. For it to resist this inferno and instead crush through the magic itself—it was unbelievable.

‘Could he have infused it with aura?’

The larger the weapon and the duller its shape, the harder it is to imbue it with aura. That’s why there are many Sword Masters, but very few Hammer or Morning Star Masters.

Yet this madman seemed to have infused mana into that club. He appeared to be all talk, but it seemed he possessed genuine skill after all.

“Krraaagh!”

Inild screamed and concentrated his mana, but it was futile. The club pierced through his 5-Circle combination spell with terrifying force.

“B-Blink!”

Inild finally abandoned the clash and retreated. He needed to fall back first, then use another spell to exploit an opening.

‘Good, I escaped. If I’d stayed there, I’d have taken another hit… wait?’

As he exhaled in relief, watching his magic dissolve, a shadow fell across his head. He looked up to see an enormous club blotting out the sun, plummeting toward him.

“Ah…”

My mind goes blank. I can’t even think to use Blink or cast a shield—my mouth just hangs open in shock.

“Blink won’t work anymore.”

Raon smiles faintly as he brings the club down.

Crash!

A shockwave powerful enough to gouge the ground erupts, and Inild crumples to the earth. The artifact still absorbs a considerable amount of impact.

“Good. This is satisfying.”

Raon’s eyes gleam with savage intensity as he lifts the club again.

“W-wait! Just a moment! I concede—argh!”

Before the words of surrender can fully leave Inild’s lips, the club swings down once more.

Boom!

The sand beneath him swirls like a tornado as Inild is launched skyward by the violent gale.

“How wonderful—to strike with full force and not worry about killing him.”

Raon grips the club with both hands and sends the falling Inild flying once more.

Crash!

The air itself seems to rupture with a deafening boom as Inild is driven flat into the ground. The two rings on his fingers crumble to dust and scatter.

“Ugh….”

With the rings destroyed, the impact-absorbing artifacts are gone. Inild can no longer rise, only whimper in pain.

“P-please… spare me….”
“I won’t kill you.”

Raon rests the club on his shoulder, looking down at Inild.

“But you talk too much nonsense. Let’s observe a period of silence.”

I struck his mouth as I spoke.

Crack!

With a sharp sound, corn kernels spilled from Inild’s mouth in a torrent.

“Grrgh….”

Inild’s eyes rolled back as his head lolled. I hadn’t killed him, but he’d suffer for a while.

I wiped the blood from my club and smiled faintly.

‘That felt good.’

Whether he harbored affection for the Princess or sought her attention mattered little to me. Inild had used me to gain her notice. With his endless prattle and childish antics, I’d beaten him thoroughly, and the satisfaction was immense—like clearing away years of congestion.

-Brutal, truly….

Wrath shook his head as he observed Inild, now reduced to a rag.

-I would not inflict such prolonged suffering. I would have ended it in a single blow.
‘Even this was restrained.’

Had I unleashed my full strength, Inild would have died on the first strike. This mercy was considerable.

-Humans are weak creatures, yet cruel beyond measure.
‘Cruel? Killing would be more—’

As I shook my head, it happened.

[You have elicited admiration from Wrath.]
[Strength ability increases by 1 point.]

‘Interesting.’

The system granted me the stat increase and withdrew.

—What, what are you talking about! When have I ever admired anything!
‘You admired it. You said it was cruel.’
—Ah, no. That was just something I said in passing!
‘You’re a king, aren’t you? A great king of the Demon Realm, no less.’
—That, that’s true.
‘So does a great king like you just say things without meaning? Shouldn’t everything you say carry weight?’
—That is….
‘Anyway, this is perfect. My stats are rising from capturing someone like this.’

Wrath ground his teeth as he watched me check my stats.

—Damn it. Your mouth really is filthy with its ability to provoke.

Inild was merely verbose, but Raon wielded his words with precision. Every time I faced him, I realized I couldn’t win through words alone.

—This is an opponent I should never engage….

*

*

*

Crack.

The spectators stared blankly at me until they heard the ground where Inild was embedded collapse, snapping them back to reality.

“The young swordsman from Zigheart won? And overwhelmingly at that….”
“Gasp!”
“This isn’t a dream, is it?”
“I’ve never seen aura applied to a club like that in my entire life….”
“Does Zigheart teach club techniques now?”
“He’s insane. Absolutely insane. He doesn’t even look twenty yet….”

They leisurely examined me, who had so easily defeated Inild, and swallowed hard.

“I-Inild lost?”
“And not even to a sword, but to a club….”
“D-did he let his guard down?”
“What are you saying! He even used Blink! He simply couldn’t evade it!”
“How is this possible….”

The mages of Valcar trembled in disbelief as they watched Inild collapse.

“Alright, the match is over, so let’s distribute the winnings. Those who bet on Zigheart, come this way! The payout is a remarkable 4.2 times!”

The man who had initially set up the Gambling Den waved his hands rapidly.

“We hit the jackpot!”
“From now on, I’ll bow to Zigheart every day!”
“Handsome swordsman of Zigheart! Let me buy you a drink today!”
“Me, me! Pick me!”

Among those celebrating their winnings was a cheerful voice that the Gwangpung Unit knew well.

“Ahahaha! Jackpot!”

The Red-haired Elf, who had somehow joined the gambling, giggled as she gazed at the twenty gold coins in her hand.

“I’m so glad I borrowed money for this. They say you never lose when betting on Raon! If only I’d had a bit more to wager….”
“Rimer.”

As Rimer grinned and pocketed the coins, Morel grabbed his shoulder.

“…What is that creature.”

Morel’s expression had transcended mere surprise—it was pure shock.

“Is he some Monster that Zigheart secretly raises? To conceal his aura so completely that I couldn’t sense it… what exactly is he.”
“I’ve never seen that expression before.”

Rimer chuckled as he tucked the coins away. Morel was a flame mage, yet remarkably composed—this bewildered look was entirely new.

“Have you heard of the Sword Specter of Habun Castle?”
“You mean that madman who defended the collapsed castle wall from below during the Wave?”
“That’s the one. That madman is him.”
“I see. So the Sword Specter of Habun Castle was indeed a swordsman of Zigheart, just as expected. Though I never imagined he’d be so young.”

Morel’s eyes narrowed as he studied Raon. All thoughts of his defeated disciple and the wager had vanished, replaced entirely by astonishment at this young man.

“It’s not what he’s accomplished so far that’s impressive—it’s what lies ahead. Mark my words; in just a little time, he’ll become far more renowned.”
“Don’t be so smug. He’s certainly remarkable, but Valcar has similar—”
“I don’t accept this!”

A sharp, piercing voice suddenly cut through the air, and both men turned their gaze to the right.

“I don’t accept this match!”

Princess Jeina stepped forward before Raon, her crimson lips pressed into a firm line.

*

*

*

Raon tilted his head, regarding the princess who now blocked his path.

“What do you mean you don’t accept it?”
“This match!”

Jeina’s gaze fixed on Inild, who lay pinned beneath her feet, as she continued.

“I never accepted it!”
“Your delegation’s representative already approved the match.”

Raon gestured toward Morel, whose eyes now gleamed with surprise as he watched the exchange.

“The representative isn’t him—it’s me!”

Jeina declared confidently, pointing to herself. It was certainly plausible. In noble families, it was common practice to designate heirs as representatives to accumulate experience, regardless of actual authority.

But I couldn’t simply let this pass.

“That doesn’t make sense.”
“What?”
“If you were going to say something like that, you should have said it before the match ended. Now that it’s over, you won’t accept it? You’re proving your own vessel is small.”
“Ah, I didn’t get a chance to speak earlier….”
“Besides, this man invoked the names of both Valcar and Zigheart.”

I gestured toward Inild, who still hadn’t regained his senses.

“The fact that you didn’t stop until both of your affiliations were mentioned means you implicitly gave permission. You’re going to insist on victory even after fighting under Valcar’s name? Is your kingdom’s name really so light?”
“Right. If you wanted to stop, you should have stopped long ago.”
“Exactly. It’s already over, so why are you acting like this?”
“Insisting after it’s done is just too pathetic.”

The spectators whispered in voices just loud enough for Jeina to hear.

“Ugh….”

Jeina felt the spectators’ contemptuous gazes and her expression twisted sharply.

“All of you shut up! This was an unfair match!”
“Fine. Then I’ll give you a chance.”

As she shouted at the spectators, I picked up the club I’d set down on the ground again.

“If you fight me and win, I’ll nullify the previous match.”
“A, a match? You and me?”
“Why are you so flustered? Did you think I’d just let it slide?”
“I….”

Jeina’s gaze shifted to the blood-stained club. Seeing the weapon that had just beaten Inild mercilessly, the words to accept the challenge wouldn’t come.

She swallowed hard and turned around. She looked at Morel, but he simply watched in silence. It seemed like a signal to accept defeat.

“No! Valcar cannot lose to Zigheart!”
“If you won’t accept that, then come at me. Don’t just flap your mouth there. Come.”

I smiled coldly and raised the club. The aura surging from the weapon pointed at Jeina was far more formidable than when I’d struck Inild.

“Ugh…”

Jeina was crushed beneath that overwhelming momentum, her mouth hanging slack, her hands trembling.

“So that’s all they do—run their mouths? All talk, no substance.”
“Would it be alright if I tried?”

As Martha laughed coldly, a bright voice rang out from among the Valkar Kingdom knights.

‘Another fool stepping forward.’

I turned to see which idiot had been drawn by instinct.

A knight in his mid-to-late twenties with a compact, solid frame stepped forward. Unlike Inild, his eyes were clear and resolute. He seemed more interested in testing his own strength than in the Princess.

“I am Jatis of the Valkar Royal Guard Knights. If it’s not too presumptuous, I would like to receive a strike from your sword, Raon.”

He approached and bowed respectfully in salute.

“Are you confident?”
“Not at present.”

Jatis spoke without hesitation about his lack of confidence. But he said “at present”—meaning someday he would block it. His power hadn’t reached Expert intermediate rank, yet I sensed a resolve far beyond that.

‘A Valcar knight…’

As befitted a magical kingdom, Valcar’s strength lay in mages rather than knights. The rumors said knights were merely shields for the mages, lacking both power and zeal—yet I sensed none of that in this man.

“Very well.”

I nodded and raised my club overhead.

Jatis lowered his stance and angled his thick blade diagonally. He wasn’t dodging or retreating—he would receive the blow as promised.

‘I like this one.’

But I had no intention of holding back. I brought the club down with even greater force and aura than I’d used against Inild.

Boom!

As the club descended with a terrifying wind pressure, Jatis’s stance shifted slightly. He seemed to be both enduring and deflecting the blow.

‘Not there.’

In a fraction of a moment, I twisted the club’s trajectory. It was a path that absolutely could not be deflected.

“Ugh!”

Jatis’s concentration was extraordinary. The moment he saw the club’s trajectory shift, he abandoned his deflection and poured all his strength into defense.

CRASH!

The club imbued with magnificent force and the sword wrapped in solid aura collided, unleashing a compressed shockwave that erupted outward.

The grey energy dissipated.

As the settling grey currents faded, Jatis emerged holding a fractured blade. His sword had shattered, his knees had buckled, yet he remained standing. Despite the evident agony, he clenched his broken sword and gritted his teeth, refusing to yield.

“I… I have been defeated.”

Jatis acknowledged his loss with a faint smile. Yet his eyes gleamed brighter than before. He had clearly perceived something profound in this exchange.

‘Not all of them are fools.’

They competed fairly and accepted defeat with honor. A renowned kingdom’s warriors were not all witless after all. This man called Jatis was a martial artist destined to climb even greater heights.

“Ugh! Lost again! Why do these idiots keep stepping forward and ruining everything!”

But Princess Jeina’s thoughts diverged entirely. Blood trickling from Jatis’s lips, she glared at him and cast ash upon the settling atmosphere.

“I won’t accept this either! He acted alone without my permission!”

Her childish response ignited my irritation in an instant.

“Princess Jeina.”

I set down the club and stepped before her.

“As Vice-Commander of the Zigheart Storm Wind Group, I declare this: should you speak carelessly once more, I will consider it a declaration of war against Zigheart and draw my blade.”

The moment I tapped the sword sheath, the aura I had concealed until now surged forth like a tidal wave.

Kwaaaaa!

It wasn’t merely Princess Jeina’s momentum that was being crushed—her very emotions were being overwhelmed by an overwhelming presence. I now dominated this space entirely.

“Ugh….”

Princess Jeina bit her lip, but still collapsed to her knees. Unable to withstand my terrifying aura, she began gasping for breath.

“Answer me.”
“Haa… haa….”

I didn’t relent with my aura. Just as Princess Jeina began drooling, Morel suddenly appeared behind her.

Whoooosh!

A wind infused with heat bloomed from his gesture, pushing back my aura and severing the rope of energy that had been gripping Princess Jeina.

“That’s enough.”

Morel shook his head as he grabbed the trembling Princess Jeina’s shoulders and helped her up. Her eyes were vacant, as if she had lost consciousness.

“Ugh….”

The fact that she couldn’t even look at me properly suggested that fear had been seared deep into her mind.

“Growing up as the precious jewel of the kingdom, she still lacks discipline.”
“We don’t need to understand that.”
“Fair point. I’ll apologize on her behalf.”

His eyes held more surprise and bewilderment than remorse. He seemed quite shocked that he hadn’t grasped my true power at first glance.

“We’ll take our leave now. As promised, we’re withdrawing from this matter.”
“Where do you think you’re going?”

I blocked Morel’s path as he attempted to retreat.

“Hm?”
“I haven’t mentioned what I intend to do after winning the match.”
“Wasn’t the loser supposed to withdraw?”
“Morel said the condition of this duel was that the loser would obey the winner’s commands.”
“Tch. So what do you want?”
“Your disciple showed me something quite valuable.”

I pointed to Inild, whom the Valkar Kingdom knights were carrying.

“Until this request is complete, the Zigheart Storm Wind Group will use the Valkar Kingdom’s Salamander mage unit as our servants.”

I smiled and extended my hand to Dorian.

“Standard contract.”

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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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