The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 201

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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 201

I gazed steadily into Sheryl’s eyes, the Heavenly Sword Master.

“When you say a task, you’re referring to a mission, aren’t you?”
“That’s right.”

Sheryl nodded as if it were obvious.

“Wouldn’t the Heavenly Sword Squad alone be sufficient?”
“The Heavenly Sword Squad’s purpose is to protect the family and the Patriarch. Our role differs from that of a general military force.”

I had heard from Judith that the Heavenly Sword Squad members guarded all the family’s major strongholds. Indeed, the swordsmen protecting the Annex Building belonged to the Heavenly Sword Squad.

“Moreover, thirty percent of the squad is currently deployed outside due to recent missions. I don’t have many available personnel at the moment.”

The Heavenly Sword Master’s eyes dimmed as she spoke of the shortage of available swordsmen. Yet contrary to her words, she didn’t appear particularly regretful. It felt as though she would accept my refusal without issue.

“Hmm.”

I smacked my lips thoughtfully.

‘This could be an opportunity.’

Sheryl, the Heavenly Sword Master, was a master who had reached the Grand Master realm. Observing her every move and action would surely teach me much.

‘But it could be dangerous too.’

A mission significant enough to require the Heavenly Sword Master’s involvement would be no ordinary task. If I failed, I could die, or the reputation I’d built thus far could crumble.

‘If I succeed, I’ll gain even greater rewards.’

Completing this mission properly would earn me the Heavenly Sword Master’s trust and substantial compensation.

The mission presented both clear advantages and disadvantages.

“May I ask what the mission entails?”
“Of course I should tell you.”

Sheryl raised her index finger.

“This mission is an escort assignment.”
“An escort? Then for the Patriarch….”
“No. It’s to accompany a distinguished guest from another family.”
“Why would the Heavenly Sword Squad handle that?”

As Sheryl had stated directly, the Heavenly Sword Squad’s role was to protect the family’s internal affairs and the Patriarch, making this an unusual assignment for her.

“Because a debt has come calling.”
“A debt?”
“One that the Patriarch left behind when he was still the heir. He staked his name—Glen Zigheart—on it, so the Heavenly Sword Squad has no choice but to fulfill it.”

She spoke with absolute certainty, her gaze sharpening with resolve.

“Would you explain in more detail?”
“The young lady of a prestigious family has fallen ill with an unknown disease. Priests, healers, physicians—all have given up. Our mission is to bring her to Letran, where the Saintly Beggar is said to reside.”
“The Saintly Beggar….”
“You have a connection with him, don’t you?”
“Yes.”

I nodded. The Saintly Beggar Pedrick had visited me every year from infancy until I turned five, checking my condition and leaving fire-attribute elixirs.

“Then the reason I was selected….”
“Your recent duel left an impression, but more importantly, you have a connection with the Saint.”
“I see.”

Now I understood why Sheryl, with whom I had little common ground, had sought me out. She had chosen me precisely because of my small connection to the Saintly Beggar.

“You seem to understand why she must be taken to him.”
“Yes. The Saint does not discriminate among patients.”

The Saintly Beggar Pedrick does not go when kings summon him, nor does he refuse when slaves seek him out. To him, who treats both enemy and ally without distinction, the only thing that matters is the patient before his eyes.

No matter how prestigious a family, summoning Pedrick was nearly impossible.

‘That’s why I can only be grateful.’

Pedrick visiting me every year to check my condition and provide elixirs was truly exceptional. It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say I owed him my life.

‘It wouldn’t be bad.’

The mission itself didn’t seem particularly dangerous, and as the daughter of a prestigious family, the compensation would surely be satisfactory.

‘I’ve been wanting to see that person again for a while.’

Truth be told, I wanted to meet the Saint of Rags and express my gratitude more than I cared about the mission itself. I was curious what he would say to me, who had nearly overcome the curse of the bitter cold.

“I will do it.”
“We depart two days from now at dawn. Bring six people including yourself and the leader of the Gwangpung Unit.”
“Six is sufficient?”
“That family has their own guards, so we don’t need large numbers. Too many would slow our movement and complicate things. Six of you will be enough.”
“Understood.”

Sheryl nodded without showing approval or disapproval.

“May I ask one thing?”

She turned back to stand before me just as she was about to leave.

“Please, go ahead.”
“You were practicing creating aura just a moment ago, weren’t you?”
“Yes.”

Knowing that Sheryl had been watching the entire time, I nodded honestly.

“But why did you give up and try to do basic training instead? You must know that you’re right on the verge of mastering it.”
“Of course I know, but I thought there was no need to become obsessed with aura.”
“No, no need to become obsessed?”
“After several attempts, I realized that this approach would never reach aura even after ten years of training.”

I looked down at the Sword of Judgment. What had formed on the blade was merely a concentration of aura—it contained no proper martial technique. Such practice would be meaningless even after years of effort.

“I thought that if I continued building my martial foundation slowly as I have been, I would naturally reach beyond that point.”
“You really are….”

The Heavenly Sword Master gripped her left wrist with her right hand, her expression contorting.

“Pardon?”
“No. Never mind.”

She quickly masked her surprise and turned away.

“We depart at dawn tomorrow, so don’t be late.”
“May I ask one more question?”
“What is it?”
“Which family does the young lady we’re to escort belong to?”
“Yonan.”
“Yonan….”

The Yonan Family was renowned not for martial prowess, but for artifact craftsmanship—standing as equals to Balcar in the field of creation.

“Our mission is to escort their youngest daughter to Letran, where war now rages.”

The Heavenly Sword Master turned back, a faint smile crossing her lips.

“The task shouldn’t prove too difficult, so set your mind at ease.”

*

*

*

The Heavenly Sword Master made her way directly to the Audience Chamber and stood before Glen.

“Raon has accepted the mission.”
“He accepted it right away?”

Glen stroked his chin and tilted his head.

“He reviewed the mission details and accepted it only after careful consideration.”
“How did his condition appear?”
“Fully recovered. Both his internal aura and physical body were stable.”
“I see.”

Glen nodded slightly, seeming pleased with the answer.

“You understand well enough, but this mission won’t be a smooth path. Make sure you handle it properly.”
“Of course.”

Sheryl placed her hand over her heart and nodded.

“I need to prepare as well, so I’ll take my leave.”
“Wait.”

Glen raised his hand as she turned to leave.

“Has something happened? Your complexion doesn’t look well.”
“Hmm….”

Sheryl let out a small sigh and looked at Glen.

“Raon. That boy isn’t right.”
“What do you mean by that!”

Glen’s voice rose—a rare occurrence—as he shot up from his chair.

“When I went to find him….”

Sheryl explained how Raon had firmly abandoned his training in aura manifestation and attempted to return to basic cultivation.

“By my understanding, that makes no sense.”

Aura manifestation was the dream and goal of all martial artists. Especially when standing on the threshold of mastery, one becomes consumed by the pursuit of that radiant light alone, training day and night.

‘They say one becomes enchanted by aura manifestation.’

Ignoring the counsel of others, fixating solely on aura manifestation day after day, only to realize much later that it wasn’t the right path—that was the typical course. Glen had wasted nearly a year in such foolishness himself, but Raon had abandoned the pursuit after only a few attempts and returned to basic training.

A chill ran down my spine.

‘It was unsettling.’

Raon’s eyes were as calm as a midnight lake. The chill that ran down my spine at the sight of his resolve to abandon strong energy and return to basics to build martial prowess made me unconsciously grasp his wrist.
I had never seen a martial artist on the verge of becoming a Master, someone more desperate than anyone else, so easily abandon strong energy.

“There’s no other way to describe him but as a Monster.”

As Glen said, Raon seemed destined to surpass even the Grand Master’s wall before reaching forty.

“Ahem, well, I see.”

Glen cleared his throat awkwardly and leaned back against the jade throne.

“Haven’t I been saying it all along? That child is extraordinary.”
“There are limits to that. This is far too much. It’s not just his talent in martial arts—his spirit is even more remarkable.”

Sheryl exhaled a deep sigh. Raon’s first impression had been ordinary, but the more she observed him, the more astonished she became. She had witnessed countless swordsmen, but never one like this.

“Unfortunately, even if I don’t do anything special, Raon will have become a Master by the time I return. Through his own strength.”
“You don’t need to exert yourself. Simply demonstrate the martial arts you’ve cultivated from various angles. If the children of the Gwangpung Unit fail to notice, then it’s their misfortune.”

Glen emphasized the Gwangpung Unit, not Raon.

“Understood.”

Sheryl bowed her head and stepped back.

“Then I shall take my leave.”

She departed from the Patriarch’s Hall as she was.

“Hmm….”

A peculiar laugh, as if barely suppressed, escaped from the Patriarch’s Hall where Glen remained alone.

*

*

*

I headed toward the 5th Training Ground where all members of the Gwangpung Unit had gathered. Since independent training had ended, everyone was assembled in the Training Ground.

“Are you feeling better now?”

Lunan Slion rushed over first. His expression was fierce, but his voice was filled with concern.

“I’m completely recovered.”

When I offered a faint smile, Lunan Slion nodded with a subtle grin.

“The ice cream was delicious too.”
-You certainly enjoyed it!

When I was bedridden, Lunan Slion had visited with pearl-shaped ice cream, but since it was all mint chocolate flavor, it was Wrath who let out the cheers rather than me.

“You’ve made a quick recovery.”

Dorian approached while chewing on a pastry. His cheeks had puffed up noticeably from eating so much during the break.

“You’ve gained some weight. Looks comfortable, doesn’t it?”
“C-comfortable?! Not at all!”

He shook his head in alarm.

“You said it was comfortable though?”
“Don’t tell me you’re starting again.”
“Come on, the sparring matches are all over!”
“It better not be! It absolutely cannot be!”
“Hmm….”

The members of the Gwangpung Unit, still haunted by three months of hell, watched nervously and took a step back.

“You’ve already fully recovered? Are you made of iron?”
“Just have a sturdy body, that’s all.”

Burren Zigheart and Martha spoke curtly as if questioning why I was already back, but they both revealed small, welcoming smiles.

Boom!

When I was about to call the three of them and discuss the mission, the Training Ground door burst open, and Rimer walked in wearing a golden coat.
Jewels of various colors hanging from his fingers, wrists, and neck gleamed brilliantly.

“Ha….”

I let out a hollow laugh. This was truly the first time I’d seen someone display such nouveau riche behavior to this extent.

“M-Master Rimer. Why are you….”

Burren’s jaw dropped.

“I had so much money I didn’t know what to do with it, so I started by buying some jewels.”

He waved his hands and fingers about proudly, showing off his rings.

-How irritating. Crush him and burn all of those things!

Even Wrath seemed displeased, growling as he looked at Rimer. When he had no money, he was pitiful, but when he had money, he was unbearable to look at—truly a peculiar person.

“Training again? Just live comfortably. It’s all for eating and living anyway.”

Rimer looked over the inspectors one by one with a smirk. Whether it was because he felt at ease, his voice was softer than usual. Of course, it wasn’t something a Unit leader should be saying.

“Oh, Raon! My lucky charm is here too! You’re all better now, right?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Good. I’ve been praying for you to recover quickly.”
“It seems you were too busy running around to have time for prayer.”

I smiled coldly, gesturing toward Rimer’s clothes and jewels.

“I prayed every time I spent money while running around. For your long and healthy life, Raon, who earned this money for me!”
“Long and healthy life….”

I was so dumbfounded that I let out an exasperated breath. It seemed he’d prayed not for my quick recovery, but for me to live a long life altogether.

“I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me. I’ll listen to anything!”

Rimer nodded immediately, apparently willing to do anything as long as it didn’t involve giving money.

“Just a moment ago….”

I mentioned that the Heavenly Sword Master had come to visit, and asked if I could take the squad leader and two others on a mission.

“The Heavenly Sword Master? Then you have to go!”

Rimer clapped his hands together sharply.

“There’s no sword technique attribute she doesn’t know. You’ll learn a lot by following her around.”

He said I should definitely go, calling it a great opportunity.

“When we first formed this unit, we said we’d be dispatched to various places anyway. Go ahead and complete the mission.”
“W-wait, a mission with the Heavenly Sword Master? That’s incredible!”

When Rimer told me to go, Burren let out a cheer.

“The Heavenly Sword Master?”
“Hmph. I heard she’s the best female swordmaster in the family, but I’ll see and judge for myself.”

Lunan tilted his head as if he didn’t particularly care, while Martha scoffed, though she couldn’t hide her trembling fingers.

“That makes four with you. Who will you bring for the remaining two?”

Rimer pointed to the remaining Gwangpung Order members and asked.

“Well, one of them is my pocket.”
“Your pocket?”
“Ah, I mean Dorian. I need to help him lose some weight.”

I smiled faintly while looking at Dorian.

“Eek!”

My pocket—no, Dorian—yelped in surprise and dropped his snack. His chubby cheeks trembled like pudding.

“Then who’s the last one?”
“Hmm….”

I swept my gaze across the remaining members of the Gwangpung Unit. Most of them rolled their eyes and looked away, clearly reluctant to volunteer.

“Crain. Come here.”

I gestured to the long-haired swordsman who had been hiding at the very back.

“M-me? Why would you….”

Crain’s eyes widened as if they might burst from their sockets.

“During our sparring match, I noticed you had a lot you wanted to say to me.”

I smiled and tapped my sword sheath lightly.

“Let’s have an honest conversation during the mission.”
“Ah….”

Crain recalled how he had called me a demon or a madman in the Sparring Arena, and he stumbled backward.

“I’m done for….”

He closed his eyes and drooled as if he had already been beaten senseless.

“Since this will take some time, I’m entrusting the unit members to you.”

I informed the five of them about the schedule and bowed to Rimer.

“Isn’t that something the unit leader should be saying?”
“Do you actually intend to fulfill your role as unit leader?”
“No.”

He shook his head confidently.

“That’s why I mentioned it. You’ve made money, so stop gambling as well.”
“I’m done with it anyway. Don’t worry.”

Rimer waved both hands as if to show he had truly quit gambling.

“Go and learn a lot. Not just Sheryl’s swordsmanship, but her posture, footwork, breathing—everything is worth learning. Steal it all.”

His voice carried a gravity that had been absent for some time.

“Understood.”
“Should any problems arise, I’ll teach you the incantation.”
“An incantation?”
“Yes.”

Rimer continued with a sly grin.

“Tell Sheryl….”

*

*

*

Two days later, at dawn.
I stood in the Annex Courtyard, gripping the Celestial Sword with both hands.

The most fundamental stance—middle guard. With the blade positioned before my dantian and the edge facing forward without the slightest movement, I simply gathered my aura.

Whoooosh!

My aura flowed as slowly as clouds drifting across the sky, gradually beginning to envelop the courtyard around me.

After ten minutes had passed, my aura filled the entire courtyard, and the space itself vibrated in rhythm with my breathing. The space itself was held within my grasp.

“Phew….”

I dispersed the aura that dominated the courtyard all at once and steadied my breathing.

-Pathetically slow. I nearly died of boredom.

Wrath clicked his tongue in disdain.

“This is a heavy sword.”
-So you intend to devour space through sheer weight.
“Right. After fighting Garon recently….”
-Who is Garon?
“That guy I fought not long ago.”
-Ah, that insect?

The fact that Wrath couldn’t even remember him after such a short time suggested that even Garon, who had reached Master rank, was nothing more than a trivial obstacle to him.

“Anyway, the sword he used was fast and blocked space, but I think it would be better to discard the speed and control space with weight alone.”

Garon’s sword was certainly strong and swift, but it had many gaps in its ability to dominate space.
Rather than forcing greater speed, it seemed better to move slowly but surely devour all available space.

-That makes sense, but I question whether you’ll ever catch an enemy crawling at a snail’s pace like that.
“I’ll manage through diligent training.”

Thanks to witnessing Garon’s sword technique, I had gained considerable insight into the Empty Sword. With consistent practice, I could harmonize weight and spatial control.

Before departing, Raon opened his status window one final time.

【Status Window】
Name: Raon Zigheart.
Title: 【The Awakened One】.
Condition: Curse of Bitter Cold (Two Strands).
Traits: 【Wrath】, 【Sloth】, Ring of Fire (6-Star), Water Resistance (5-Star), Seolhwa’s Senses (4-Star), Ten Thousand Comic Arts (4-Star), Glacius (4-Star), Fire Resistance (4-Star), Bleeding Curse (1-Star), Ambush (3-Star), Indomitable Will (3-Star), Demon Adaptation (3-Star), Focus (4-Star).

Strength: 181.
Agility: 175.
Stamina: 176.
Aura: 178.
Perception: 199.
Wrath: 25.

A smile bloomed on my face simply from witnessing the remarkable growth in my stats and the elevated ranks of my traits.

‘Not much time left now.’

When I returned to the family, I would change that title to something related to Master rank and harmonize the Heavy Sword with the Empty Sword. I clenched my fist with renewed resolve.

‘I’m curious.’

I was already anticipating how my swordsmanship would transform once I reached Master rank with abilities that transcended human limits.

‘Let’s go.’

As I shouldered the backpack I’d set beside me and turned to leave the Training Courtyard, Judith approached from ahead.

“I wasn’t able to conduct extensive investigations due to time constraints.”

She spoke thus and handed me the thin booklet she held.

“This is….”
“Information regarding the youngest member of the Yonan Family and details about the Letran region where the Saint of Rags resides.”
“Ah!”

I opened the booklet. Written in clearly legible script was the name of the youngest daughter of the Yonan Family.

“Ensia Yonan. A genius in artifact crafting?”

Beneath her name was written that she was an exceptional artisan even within the Yonan Family.

“In her mid-twenties, yet there’s no one who can match her in creating accessory-type artifacts. Given that even the Central Intelligence Agency doesn’t know about this, her illness must be classified information.”

That made sense. Since it went directly from Glen to Sheryl, only a handful of people would know.

“She’s quite famous in the Central Region, so if she leaves the Yonan Family, many will target her.”
“No doubt.”

Escorting someone with that much talent would certainly make the journey anything but easy, contrary to what Sheryl had suggested.

‘That’s exactly what I wanted.’

An easy journey would be nothing but a waste of time. If I could advance faster and climb higher, I was prepared to walk through hell itself.

The harder I struggled, the more adversity I faced—that’s when true strength was forged.

‘This should be interesting.’

Crimson flames ignited within Raon’s eyes.

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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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