The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 18

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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 18

“Momentum?”

I furrowed my brow.

‘I thought he would test stamina and mental fortitude.’

Considering the training Rimer had directed until now, it made sense to test stamina and mental fortitude, yet his choice was momentum.

“Momentum?”

“Testing momentum on these children….”

“That man still doesn’t know his limits.”

The parents of the children also raised their voices, surprised by the test’s content.

“I’m the instructor here, so everyone please keep quiet.”

Rimer let out a scoff and waved his hand dismissively.

“Momentum is an inseparable element in a warrior’s life. It’s an essential ability, and I’m testing it—so why are you all so dissatisfied?”

He wasn’t wrong. Momentum was the harmony of a warrior’s temperament and bearing. It was common for warriors with formidable momentum to shatter their enemies’ will to fight before the battle even began.

“The children have only recently learned aura. Testing momentum doesn’t make sense.”

“Some children haven’t even learned to manifest aura yet.”

“This test is unfair!”

“You clearly don’t understand. Momentum isn’t merely the manifestation of aura.”

Rimer swayed his long fingers back and forth like a pendulum.

“True momentum is the bearing that accumulates from the achievements a warrior has accomplished. It’s proof of a warrior’s existence—something that can manifest even without aura.”

With his resolute voice, a cool green wind swept across the entire Training Ground.

‘This is….’

I narrowed my eyes. Rimer had just manifested momentum without using aura—proving his own words through action.

“If you’re still dissatisfied, perhaps you should ask the family head directly.”

Rimer spun around. As if he’d never been serious, he grinned and bowed before Glenn.

“Esteemed family head, is a warrior’s momentum truly created by aura?”

‘Tch.’

I exhaled sharply. Rimer—or rather, this elf—was unpredictable, suddenly dragging the family head into the situation like this. His movements defied anticipation.

“That’s not entirely wrong. Those who haven’t learned aura develop their own momentum based on how they’ve lived their lives.”

“As expected of the family head!”

Rimer turned around and clapped his hands.

“Hmm….”

“Oh dear.”

“If the family head says such a thing….”

Since Glen had spoken directly, neither the Main Family nor the Branch Family questioned it any further.

-That pointy-eared fellow finally says something sensible. The aura created from mana, demonic energy, and auras is false. Only the aura accumulated through Achievement in the soul is genuine.

Wrath nodded in agreement.

-I remember when I was in the Demon Realm. When those improperly formed demons began to act up, I drew forth a tremendous aura and made those fakes submit… Ugh!

I struck the bracelet again before his story could grow longer.

“Over the past six months, the children have continuously transcended their own limits. Thanks to my detailed training….”

“Don’t lie.”

Karun Zigheart, Burren’s father and Glen’s second son, rose to his feet and glared at Rimer.

“More than one person saw you sprawled out taking naps during regular training hours. Did you actually conduct proper training?”

“I’ve heard it too. That you only showed up during training time without any real interest.”

“They say you slept every day and just let them train on their own!”

“Oh, you’re quite well-informed.”

Rimer showed no signs of embarrassment. Instead, he nodded, acknowledging my impressive information gathering.

“That was part of my training as well.”

“That was training?”

“Which yields greater achievement—exerting full effort by one’s own will, or exerting full effort under another’s command?”

“Obviously the former.”

“Precisely. What I sought to cultivate in these children was that very spirit. Physical strength and technique can be taught, but willpower is far more elusive. I wanted to select and nurture children with exceptional mental fortitude.”

Rimer’s tone remained measured as always, yet his words carried a subtle weight of conviction.

“Children who overcome their own limitations forge a certain dignity within themselves. That will prove invaluable to their futures.”

His confident voice left the others speechless.

Their eyes gleamed with anticipation as they contemplated how much their own children had truly transformed.

“Since everyone understands, shall we begin the examination….”

“One last question.”

Karun did not back down. The distrust that had settled in his gaze remained unchanged.

“Even if all the trainees underwent identical training, their individual levels of dignity would differ. How exactly do you intend to test that?”

“We’ll evaluate how much the children have grown from their initial aptitude. The temporary trainee who has achieved the most growth will be ranked first.”

“By initial, you mean the children from six months ago? You’re claiming you remember the aptitude of over 160 children?”

“If I couldn’t do that, I’d have to quit being an instructor.”

Rimer chuckled, and Karun Zigheart’s expression grew even colder.

“Well then, troublemaker. But since the parents have all approved, let’s begin the test immediately. Lunan Slion, step forward. The rest of you, fall back.”

Lunan Slion gave a small nod and stepped before Rimer, while the other children all retreated backward.

“Lunan Slion. The aura I release is at a level you can overcome if you’ve trained diligently.”

Rimer continued speaking, still wearing that light smile.

“If you break through my aura and touch my body, you pass.”

“Yes.”

Lunan Slion answered softly and nodded.

“Then let’s begin.”

Rimer closed his eyes, then opened them. A verdant gleam flickered in his gaze as a formidable aura erupted forth.

Rumble!

The sudden oppressive aura that swept over Lunan Slion shattered her composed expression.

“Ugh!”

She bit her lip and curled her body like a shrimp, trembling under the weight.

“Using aura means disqualification. Awaken the mental fortitude you’ve cultivated through all your training.”

“Hng!”

She suppressed the aura she had been about to deploy and took a step forward. Cold sweat trickled down her forehead, but she endured it to the end, shuffling forward with small, deliberate steps.

Tap.

Lunan Slion slowly but precisely extended her hand and grasped Rimer’s sleeve.

“A comfortable pass. I can see the fruits of your diligent training all this time.”

Rimer chuckled and patted Lunan Slion’s head.

“Hah!”

Lunan Slion exhaled heavily and stepped aside.

“Next, Dorian.”

“Ah, me? Already? Really me?”

Dorian, who had been hiding behind me, trembled as he poked his head out. Anxious, he fidgeted with the pouch at his waist.

“W-what’s the order supposed to be…?”

“It’s my decision. Come out quickly.”

“Ugh!”

Dorian stepped forward with tears streaming down his face, looking as though he were being dragged to the slaughterhouse.

“Blegh!”

He began retching again.

“You saw what Lunan did. Use the mental fortitude you’ve built through training to break through the wall of pressure I’m unleashing.”

“C-can I really do that? I’m famous for having no mental fortitude at all…”

“If you can’t, you fail.”

Rimer unleashed a second wave of pressure. Noticeably weaker than what he’d sent at Lunan. It was true—he was sending different levels of pressure tailored to each child.

“Bleeegh!”

Dorian made a sound like a raccoon and staggered backward.

“If you retreat any further, you’re disqualified immediately.”

“Nngh…”

“One final piece of advice. You’re fearful by nature, but you’ve approached your training with genuine sincerity. Trust in yourself and come forward.”

“Yes, I understand.”

At Rimer’s steady voice, Dorian closed his mouth and slowly stepped forward.

He stumbled like a child taking his first steps, yet he did not fall. Moving slowly but deliberately, he extended his hand.

Tap.

Dorian’s hand touched Rimer’s waist.

“You pass. For your skill level, your confidence is far too lacking. From now on, be more assertive—”

“Bleeegh!”

Unfortunately, Dorian was too busy retching to hear Rimer’s counsel.

“Hmm. Next.”

Rimer immediately called the next candidate.

*

*

*

As the sun, which had climbed endlessly into the sky, began to sink toward the western horizon, most of the children had completed their examinations.

While a considerable number of children had passed the examination, several times more had failed and burst into tears.

Interestingly, the small group of children who had drawn inspiration from Raon and trained their stamina near him had mostly passed.

However, among those who had followed Burren Zigheart and honed their swordsmanship and martial arts rather than physical conditioning, more than half had failed.

As the examination progressed, Burren Zigheart’s expression grew increasingly cold, and when it came to his turn—with only Raon remaining as the final contestant—he stepped forward.

“Burren Zigheart. Come forward.”

“Yes.”

Burren Zigheart approached Rimer with heavy, deliberate steps. His expression was visibly contorted.

‘Of course it would be.’

I stifled a laugh. Unlike Burren Zigheart’s expectations, many of the trainees who had trained alongside him had failed, and his pride was clearly wounded.

“Then let us begin.”

Rimer maintained his smile as he unleashed his momentum. A powerful aura on par with Lunan’s transformed into a green wind that rushed toward Buren.

*Crunch, crunch, crunch!*

Burren Zigheart bit his lips until they bled under the onslaught of the overwhelming aura’s tempest.

‘Did… did he really endure that and push forward?’

The aura I felt directly before me was on an entirely different level from what I’d observed from the sidelines.

Lunan. I couldn’t believe that coward who’d abandoned our rivalry had pierced through an aura of this magnitude.

“Ugh!”

Even biting my lip until it bled, my feet wouldn’t move forward. It was unbearably difficult.

‘Could he be making it stronger just for me?’

Seized by the thought, I glanced back at Father. But he merely kept his expression rigid, unmoving. It meant there was nothing wrong with the test.

“Your talent is exceptional. Among 160 gifted individuals, few can match you. However.”

Rimer continued with a faint smile.

“You and those children who followed you wasted time. Instead of training in swordplay that was nothing but empty form without understanding its essence, you should have cultivated your stamina and mental fortitude.”

“Argh!”

I bit my lip until it bled and pushed forward. Aura naturally surged from my core.

“You’ve relied on aura whenever things grew difficult. Use it now, and you’re immediately disqualified.”

“I… I won’t use it.”

I forcibly suppressed the surging aura and dragged my feet forward. With each step, pain shot through me as though I were walking across molten lava.

I inhaled sharply.

A cold gaze pressed against my back. It was Father’s.

‘If I cannot overcome this, I will be cast aside….’

The faces of my two older brothers—discarded for failing to meet Father’s expectations—flashed through my mind. I could not become such a failure.

“Aaaaaaah!”

Burren Zigheart released an ugly cry unbecoming of a direct heir, his expression twisted in agony as he crawled forward. With every ounce of strength remaining, he seized Rimer’s garment.

“You pass.”

Rimer chuckled softly and released his pressure.

“Haaah, haaah!”

Burren Zigheart collapsed where he stood, his ragged breathing pouring out uncontrollably. It was a sight one would never see from him in his usual composed state.

“You are still only twelve years old. Do not pretend to be an adult—train at your age. If you only look upward while walking, you will stumble over branches in your path.”

Rimer offered his counsel to Burren Zigheart and turned his head away. The smile at the corner of his mouth deepened.

“Finally, Raon Zigheart.”

“Yes.”

At his call, Raon stepped forward.

“Are you ready?”

“Of course.”

“Then let’s begin.”

Rimer’s aura erupted explosively—a torrent far greater than what he’d unleashed upon Lunan and Burren, sweeping over Raon like a tempest.

“Raon!”

“Young Master Raon!”

Behind him, cries of alarm erupted from Sylvia and Helen.

“Is this really my test?”

Raon’s brow furrowed. When I first arrived here, my power fell short not only of Lunan and Burren, but even of the lower-ranked children. Compared to that, this aura was overwhelming.

“Who knows?”

Rimer shrugged and continued.

“The talent I’ve seen in you surpasses even Lunan and Burren. Let’s see if you can endure it.”

“Is that so?”

Within Raon’s eyes, veiled by emerald wind, crimson flames ignited.

“Then I mustn’t disappoint those expectations.”

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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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