The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 210

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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 210

Midway up Bekmang Mountain, behind the Zigheart Annex.

“Tsk.”

Rimer smacked his lips as he leaned his back against an elongated rock with grass blades standing vertically across its surface.

“Lord Zigheart.”

He lifted his head and looked up toward the top of the rock.

“Why did you entrust Raon to that irritating woman?”
“….”

Glen Zigheart did not answer, his sunken eyes fixed on the Annex Building that glowed faintly in the darkness.

“What if Raon picks up Sheryl’s fastidiousness!”

Rimer shook his hands as if horrified.

“The boy is already flawless as it is. If he takes after Sheryl… ugh! The very thought is dreadful!”

He shook his head, insisting that such an outcome must never come to pass.

“That child seeks to forge his own swordsmanship.”

Glen Zigheart slowly raised his gaze and spoke.

“Indeed. He is currently studying intermediate swordplay.”

Rimer nodded, recalling Raon’s training with intermediate techniques.

“The Heavenly Sword Master has honed multiple elemental sword techniques to their absolute limits. She is the person most capable of aiding him now.”

Glen Zigheart calmly explained his reason for entrusting Raon to Sheryl.

“As expected, you’re looking after Raon again this time. Teaching him while even mobilizing the Heavenly Sword Squad—you’re truly a doting grandfather.”
“Silence.”
“If you care so much about Raon and want to look after him, then say something! Or better yet, take care of him directly! This is driving me mad!”

Rimer thumped his chest repeatedly.

“Lord Zigheart. If you keep this up, you might never show your true feelings before it’s too late. At our age, there’s no guarantee of tomorrow….”
“You seem to need a beating once a month, or thorns grow in your mouth?”
“Ugh!”

Red sparks crackled from Glen’s grip, and Rimer clamped his mouth shut.

Yet he couldn’t endure even a brief silence, opening his mouth again before ten seconds had passed.

“Your consideration for Raon was admirable, but you made a mistake this time.”
“A mistake?”
“Will that temperamental woman actually teach him swordplay?”

Rimer’s brow furrowed deeply.

“Once she begins teaching, she’ll do it properly, but I doubt it will reach that point.”

Sheryl was the most meticulous person in Zigheart. There was no way she’d easily take Raon as a student.

“Raon is remarkable in many ways, but it will take at least ten joint missions for him to win over Sheryl’s heart.”

Rimer waved his hand dismissively.

“Rather than wait for that, it would be better to open the library and show him various sword manuals.”

Though I acknowledged Raon’s abilities, I didn’t believe he could overcome Sheryl’s fastidiousness.

“Then what if Sheryl were to teach Raon swordplay?”
“Well, if she did teach him, it would certainly be of great benefit.”

Rimer scratched his chin and continued.

“Being as meticulous as she is, she teaches properly. He would return having grown considerably.”

If Sheryl decided to teach me, she would ensure I understood the true essence before returning—and I would achieve far greater progress than before.

“Then there’s nothing to worry about.”

Glen Zigheart withdrew a torn letter envelope from his pocket.

“Apparently, the Heavenly Sword Master isn’t just teaching Raon swordsmanship—she’s instructing the other children as well.”
“Huh?”

Rimer’s jaw dropped.

“That… that can’t be right! Why on earth would she do that?”
“Apparently, Raon deceived her.”
“D-deceived? Her?”
“Yes.”
“Huh…”

Rimer’s lips trembled. He never imagined that even the meticulous Sheryl would fall for Raon’s schemes so completely. That boy truly was something else.

“She promised to teach Raon the greatsword technique properly.”
“Ugh…”
“He’ll return having grown considerably, just as you said.”

Glen Zigheart wore a faint smile, clearly enjoying Rimer’s shocked expression.

“I find myself looking forward to it.”

*

*

*

I narrowed my eyes as I observed Sheryl standing motionless.

“Did you run away again because you didn’t want to prepare dinner?”
“W-what are you talking about!”

Sheryl blinked rapidly, flustered.

“Even when she went to the Yonan Family, she ruined the food so many times that she had to flee….”

Strangely, Sheryl was skilled at everything else, yet cooking eluded her. Her dishes inexplicably carried the taste of mud—an ingredient she’d never added.

-That was truly horrific….

Wrath exhaled deeply. Even this Demon King of Gluttony threw up his hands, declaring that Sheryl’s food was inhuman.

“That was then, but not this time!”

She shook her head vigorously, as if protesting a grave misunderstanding.

“Then why have you suddenly come here?”
“Sigh, I told you I’d teach you the Middle Sword technique….”

Sheryl’s voice had grown weary, as though she’d already explained this.

“Once I start something, I finish it completely. My lecture on the Middle Sword technique isn’t over yet.”

She narrowed her eyes, gesturing toward the Celestial Sword.

“Your Middle Sword technique has a significant flaw right now. I came to teach you what it is—nothing to do with food. Truly!”
“Ah, I see….”

I nodded awkwardly. Given her insistence, it seemed there was indeed some merit to her cooking.

“Before I teach you the Middle Sword technique, I have one question.”
“Please, ask away.”
“Why are you trying to create a new sword technique instead of learning the existing ones?”

Sheryl seemed to already know that I intended to innovate a new sword technique by grasping the essence of the Middle Sword.

‘Of course she would.’

Someone who had mastered most sword technique attributes would have discerned my intentions long ago.

“Can you answer that?”
“It’s not particularly difficult to explain.”

I nodded with a composed gaze.

“Even after mastering advanced swordsmanship, I continued training in Soft Blade techniques. I simply wanted to loosen my body and avoid forgetting the fundamentals, but at some point, my swordsmanship began to evolve to match my nature.”
“Evolve?”
“Originally, Soft Blade techniques emphasize defense over offense, but the Soft Blade I use now has shifted toward greater offensive power. My swordsmanship has evolved to align with my personality and aura.”

Since reaching the pinnacle of Expert rank and creating Frostwhirl, my mind had truly awakened. With swordsmanship acquired through extreme limits, I could now alter the very flow of the technique itself.

“However, even with these changes, it hasn’t surpassed the swordsmanship I created myself. Just as custom-tailored clothing is more comfortable than ready-made garments, self-created swordsmanship proved superior in both power and responsiveness, and showed the greatest potential for future development.”
“True. Since you can operate it however you wish, it would suit you better than any other technique. But that’s an extraordinarily difficult path.”

Sheryl gazed at the Heavenly Sword in my grip with clear, penetrating eyes.

“Creating swordsmanship belongs to the realm of enlightenment. Even if you master countless techniques and raise your proficiency to the highest levels, the door may never open.”
“That doesn’t concern me.”
“What?”
“Even without creating new swordsmanship, simply training and growing stronger brings me joy.”

I smiled. It was no lie. As I had told Wrath, the joy of progress and improvement brought greater happiness than any other emotion.

“I see. So that’s why.”

Sheryl nodded with a faint smile.

‘Truly, he’s no ordinary person.’

The answer itself overflowed with depth. I had wondered how someone so young could possess the qualities of a great master, but his mental fortitude and the caliber of his spirit operated on an entirely different plane from ordinary people.

‘Impressive.’

While his confident and composed response was admirable, what particularly pleased me was that he had mastered Soft Blade techniques—the fundamental swordsmanship—to the absolute limit.

“Have I answered your question?”

I tilted my chin slightly as I observed Sheryl lost in thought.

“Yes. That’s sufficient.”

Though I hadn’t said anything particularly remarkable, something seemed to have pleased her, and an elegant smile blossomed at the corners of Sheryl’s lips.

“Now that I’ve heard your answer, it’s my turn.”

Sheryl lifted the sword from her back, still in its scabbard.

“The method is the same as with Sylvia. You’ll strike down with the finest greatsword you can wield. I’ll match my greatsword to your strength and achievements.”
“Understood.”

A physical clash—I preferred it to theoretical instruction.

“Come.”

Sheryl curled four fingers in a beckoning gesture.

Kuguguugu!

I raised the Heavenly Sword to an overhead position, drawing mana to its peak. I channeled the scorching aura surging through my mana circuits and exploded forward toward Sheryl.

Kwaaaaa!

I brought the Heavenly Sword down in one fluid motion, imbuing it with weight. The mass of Bekmang Mountain, which enveloped the entire Zigheart, wrapped around the blade.

“Is that all?”

Sheryl’s eyes turned cold as she thrust the scabbard upward from below.

Kuguguguugu!

Like a tidal wave suddenly erupting from a calm sea, a colossal force burst forth and collided with the Heavenly Sword.

Kwaaaaaaang!

The Heavenly Sword and Sheryl’s scabbard clashed, and the terrifying shockwave that erupted cracked the ground like a spider’s web.

“Kugh!”

I gritted my teeth, watching the overwhelming power burst from Sheryl’s scabbard.

‘I’m being pushed back!’

Though the aura transfer and the weight embedded in the blade were similar, I was pushed back relentlessly as if a twig were blocking steel.

Screeeech!

I couldn’t overcome the tremendous weight contained in Sheryl’s scabbard and retreated five steps backward.

“This… what is this?”

I couldn’t comprehend it. Sheryl had delivered exactly as promised—an aura and greatsword technique at my level—yet I was pushed back as easily as an adult overpowering a child.

‘Moreover, I had the advantage.’

When comparing a downward strike with an upward strike using a greatsword, the downward strike should naturally be superior. Yet I was still pushed back. It made no sense.

“May I try again?”
“Of course.”

Sheryl nodded and lowered her scabbard. She was signaling me to attempt another downward strike.

“Haaah…”

I resonated the ring of fire and swung the Heavenly Demon Sword. With concentration drawn to its absolute limit as if engaged in a life-or-death battle, I drove my feet into the ground.

Whoooosh!

Brilliant crimson flames bloomed along the blade of the Heavenly Demon Sword, merging with its weight to create tremendous pressure. The heaviness that had been confined to the blade now invaded the space itself, pouring toward Sheryl.

‘I need to see this properly.’

As I brought down the greatsword with all my power, I focused every ounce of my awareness on Sheryl’s blade.

Tiiiiing!

A gray aura spread like heat shimmer from her scabbard, rising to dominate the space far faster than my own.

‘It wasn’t just the blade!’

The weight carried in her strike wasn’t confined to the blade alone. The branches of aura spreading from her scabbard also contained the essence of greatsword technique.

Crash!

The Heavenly Sword and its sheath collided once more, and I bounced back like a rubber ball, dropping to one knee.

“I… I understand now.”

I rose to my feet, breathing heavily.

“The method of infusing weight.”
“Hmm?”
“Until now, I’ve only infused weight into the blade itself. Like a fish following the current of water, I dominated space through the weight dwelling in the blade. But the Heavenly Sword Master’s sword strike was different.”

I gestured toward her sheath as I continued.

“Weight wasn’t just in the blade, but also in the branches of aura spreading from it. That’s why I was pushed back—because she dominated a larger space more rapidly.”

Despite my aura and heavy sword technique being equal, I was overwhelmed because she had infused weight not just into the blade, but into the aura spreading from it as well.

“Correct.”

Sheryl smiled and nodded.

“You only infused weight into the blade. Thanks to your aura and physical strength, you show impressive power, but the space consumed by that weight is narrow.”
“That’s right.”
“But if you infuse weight not just into the blade, but also into the spreading aura, your power, speed, and range will double. And…”

For the first time, she raised her sheath upward. Gray energy gathered and coalesced above it, forming a perfectly materialized strong qi.

Crash!

Even while standing still, an immense pressure poured down. Despite operating the Thousand Pagoda Technique as if her previous heavy sword demonstration was mere child’s play, my entire body felt like it would be crushed.

Crunch, crunch, crunch!

Not just me, but the entire Training Courtyard was being pressed down. This space was completely in her grasp.

“When you operate strong qi and true heavy sword technique simultaneously, you create this result. The only ones who can fight within this space are warriors who have reached my level.”
“Ugh…”
“Don’t be consumed by the blade. Practice infusing the blade’s properties into your aura and space as well. The hint, as I mentioned before, is mental imagery.”

Sheryl erased the aura and strapped the scabbard back across her shoulders.

“If you can achieve that, your swordsmanship will ascend to a higher dimension. And that is….”

She paused mid-sentence and gazed upward at the sky.

“One of the paths that can lead to Sword Heaven Manifestation.”
“Sword Heaven Manifestation….”

At those words, I swallowed hard without meaning to.

“I thought it would take much longer, but I didn’t expect it to end this quickly. You’re not a satisfying student to teach.”

Sheryl chuckled softly and turned away, heading back to the camp without hesitation.

“Thank you.”

I bowed my head toward Sheryl’s departing figure.

‘She’s different from what I expected.’

When I first met Sheryl, I thought she was just a fastidious swordmaster as the rumors suggested, but traveling with her revealed many facets of her character. She was far more compassionate and considerate than I had anticipated.

“Now that I’ve learned it, I should practice a bit.”
-A crude technique like that should be executable without practice. Let’s just go eat.
‘I’m not a Demon King, so I need practice.’
-What are you saying! Your mindset is already that of a magnificent Demon King! Even I have much to learn from you!

Wrath’s eyes widened with genuine sincerity.

“I can’t tell if that’s a compliment or an insult….”

I sighed and inscribed the incantation of the Heavy Sword onto the blade of the Heavenly Sword.

‘Not just the blade, but the aura as well….’

I inscribed the Heavy Sword’s incantation into the shimmering flames that rippled from the blade’s edge. However, the flames dispersed before the weight could settle into them, preventing the technique from taking proper hold.

‘This won’t be easy.’

Since Sheryl had called it a true heavy sword, embedding the structure of a heavy sword into the spreading aura was an extraordinarily difficult task.

‘This will be fun.’

A smile bloomed naturally on my face. It was certainly a grueling and challenging endeavor, but the anticipation of how my heavy sword would transform upon achieving this made me laugh.

‘And….’

Sword Realm Manifestation.
It was still such a distant realm that I had deliberately avoided thinking about it, but thanks to Sheryl’s words, that name now surfaced in my mind.

“So it’s possible to achieve that too….”

I loaded the structure of the heavy sword onto the silver-white blade and brought it down with full force.

Kwaaaaaaa!

Unlike before, weight settled into the aura on the right side, and the right floor blackened and exploded outward.

“I can do this.”

I smiled and lifted the Heavenly Sword above my head once more.

No matter where that place might be.

*

*

*

When I returned after finishing my training, the tent had been completed and meal preparations were done, with a mouth-watering aroma spreading throughout the entire campsite.

-The smell is wonderful. It seems today’s meat is duck. Duck roasted with butter is always delicious.

Hearing Wrath’s murmur as he identified the food by scent alone, I headed toward the carriage where Ensia was.

A small campfire was burning in front of the carriage, and Ensia, Lunan Slion, Dorian, and Crain were seated in a circle around it.

“Excuse me, Ensia?”

Dorian tossed a log into the fire and waved at Ensia.

“I’ve heard you have an exceptional eye for aesthetics. Is that true?”
“Not to that extent. I’m simply a bit more discerning than most people.”

Ensia offered a light smile as if it were nothing remarkable.

“Then could you take a look at me too? What do you think of my face?”

Dorian pointed to his own face with his finger.

“Hmm.”

Ensia examined Dorian’s face from different angles, her eyes narrowed thoughtfully, and nodded.

“You’re adorable.”
“A-adorable? I’m not asking about that. I mean handsome, like—”
“You seem kind-hearted.”

She consoled Dorian with the sort of compliment one offers when there’s nothing praiseworthy about someone’s appearance.

“No, not kind-hearted! There’s something else, you know! Like what you said about the Master!”
“Your clothes suit you well.”

She refused to call him handsome and laughed brightly. It seemed she was incapable of lying.

“Look at me too.”

Crain brushed aside the bangs covering his left eye and stood before Ensia. From the way he was speaking, it was clear he desperately wanted to hear that he was handsome.

“I’m not inferior in appearance anywhere—”
“You’re impressive.”
“But I’m asking if I’m handsome—”
“You have a captivating presence.”

Ensia laughed softly without giving Crain the answer he wanted this time either.

“Then what about Raon’s face…?”
“Why even ask! He’s ridiculously handsome!”

Ensia raised her voice, watching Raon from behind as if she’d been waiting for this moment.

“His hair, his skin, his nose bridge… everything’s insane.”
“Well, I’ve heard I’m handsome too…”
“There’s no one to compare you to!”

She grew indignant, as if asking such a question was foolish.

“Dorian.”
“Yeah.”

Crain called out to Dorian, and Dorian slowly nodded before rising to his feet.

“Let’s die.”
“Yeah.”

The two men closed their eyes and nodded, their voices trembling with what sounded like quiet sobs.

“What’s so important about a face anyway…?”

Raon clicked his tongue at the two of them.

“Ugh!”
“That’s too much!”

Dorian and Crain wiped their eyes with their sleeves and bolted into the forest.

-You really are a demon king after all.

*

*

*

The journey proceeded smoothly.
The roads were well-maintained, there were no monsters or bandits, and with Ensia holding up remarkably well, it seemed we would arrive at Letran ahead of schedule.

“Once we cross this forest, Letran is right ahead. We’ll move without rest, so prepare yourselves!”

Sheryl pointed toward the Kren Forest, dense with broad-leafed trees and undergrowth thick as animal fur. Taking the detour would cost us three additional days, making this forest the fastest route to Letran.

“Advance!”

After confirming everyone was ready, she took the lead and entered the Kren Forest.

“Advance!”

Raon and the swordsmen echoed her command and followed behind. I opened my senses as we moved through the forest path, but detected nothing unusual.

‘Still nothing?’

I had expected Robert’s forces to strike here—the Kren Forest was their ideal ambush point—but all I sensed were animals and monsters.

‘Given his nature, he absolutely should come.’
“Vice Master.”

As I was contemplating Themurs’s likely thoughts, Dorian approached from the side.

“They say Letran has been at war for months now. What on earth are they fighting about?”

He scratched his cheek, finally curious about the conflict. The other swordsmen also glanced in this direction, their interest piqued.

“You’re mistaken about something—wars don’t arise from grand reasons.”
“Really? Then what?”
“Most are remarkably trivial. Letran’s war is no exception.”

I continued, addressing not just Dorian but all the swordsmen.

“The families at war in Letran are Basin and Trian, and the reason they fight is….”
“W-what reason?”
“Because of a single child.”
“A child?”
“A child?”

I knew for certain because I’d heard it from Judith and in Dembel City. There was only one reason the war in Letran broke out. Both sides wanted to claim a boy with genius-level talent, and what started as a quarrel escalated into war.

“That… that doesn’t make sense. A war over a single child…?”
“It may have started over one child, but the two families are now dividing Letran in half. Pride ignited the flames, and it evolved into war.”
“Then what happened to that child?”
“By now, they probably don’t care much about him anymore. They’re fighting over pride.”

This type of conflict happened quite frequently across the Continent. In my previous life too, wars had erupted over trivial plots of land or unremarkable objects.

“You must be having a difficult time, Saint.”
“I suppose so…”

I nodded, then narrowed my eyes.

Whoooosh!

The moment we entered the area where the leaves of the broadleaf trees grew slightly dimmer, the air turned cool and I caught the faintest traces of presence.

‘He came after all.’

I had worried that Themurs might have given up because things seemed too peaceful, but I was wrong. He hadn’t disappointed my expectations—he’d arrived early, set up a formation, and positioned assassins in waiting.

Sheryl and Eckon’s eyes had already grown sharp; they’d known about this beforehand. It seemed they intended to use this situation as training for the Gwangpung Unit.

Creak, creak, creak.

The moment Ensia’s carriage passed a large oak tree with a gaping hole in it, the presences blanketing the entire forest moved in unison.

“Enemies!”
“Battle stations!”

The moment Sheryl and Eckon issued their commands, the Heavenly Sword Squad spread outward and formed a defensive formation.

“Gwangpung Unit, establish a small-sword formation and fall back behind the carriage!”
“Understood!”

Burren assessed the situation, led the swordsmen behind the carriage, and established the formation.

“If you move as instructed, no one will die!”

I turned my head while bolstering the spirits of the tense Gwangpung Order members.

Whirrrrr!

I gazed at the forest twisting as if caught in a whirlwind from the formation array, and smiled with ease.

“Have you been waiting long?”

Just as you waited for me, I have been waiting for you.

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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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