The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 226

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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 226

I furrowed my brow as I observed Rimer, wondering what on earth had transpired.

‘What in the world happened to him?’

Rimer wore a uniform that had completely fallen apart, cracked leather boots, and his hair stood on end like strands of seaweed.

‘Before we departed, he was the very picture of a nouveau riche….’

He was the only one from the Gwangpung Unit who had wagered on their victory during the sparring match against the Geumcheom-dan, earning an astronomical sum. I couldn’t fathom how someone who had been so ostentatious about his wealth—wearing rings not just on his fingers but even on his toes—had ended up looking like a pauper.

‘Surely he couldn’t have lost all that money gambling?’

Gambling houses had their limits on payouts. It seemed impossible he’d squandered such a fortune. Yet judging by the state of his clothing, there appeared to be no other explanation besides gambling.

“Raon! You’ve truly become a Master!”

Rimer sensed the natural, flowing refinement in my aura and broke into an unforced smile.

“I always believed in you! I knew you could do it!”
“Thank you, Commander.”

I bowed my head to Rimer. Despite his wretched appearance, I was grateful that he celebrated my achievement as if it were his own.

“One of my disciples becoming the youngest Master on the Continent—and at just eighteen years old! I can hardly contain my joy!”

Rimer turned away with a satisfied smile.

“You’ve all worked hard. I heard you saved many people, and I felt proud even from afar.”

He surveyed the state of the Gwangpung Unit before returning to my side and grasping my shoulder.

“I haven’t heard much except that you slew three of Eden’s phantoms. Why don’t we have a drink and you can explain—”
“Get lost!”

Sheryl kicked Rimer’s waist as he tried to lead me away.

“Cough!”

Rimer clutched his waist, his jaw trembling.

“Why, why…?”
“I didn’t even say anything, and here you are spouting nonsense! Don’t be a nuisance—you’re the one who gambles away money in places like this.”

Sheryl waved her hand dismissively. She too was certain that Rimer had squandered his funds on gambling.

“Commander, did you really gamble again?”
“This is pathetic.”

Burren gazed down at Rimer with a sigh, while Martha cast a cold glance his way.

Lunan simply stared at Rimer blankly, either oblivious to the difference or indifferent to it.

“No, no! This time I really had it all! I could have attempted the ‘Triple Stake,’ but I lost everything by the narrowest margin at the end! If you’d just give me one more chance…!”
‘Triple Stake?’

I tilted my head. I’d heard the term somewhere before, but couldn’t quite recall it precisely.

“Get your head on straight now, you fool!”

Sheryl kicked Rimer once more and gestured ahead, signaling for everyone to follow without paying attention to such a wretch.

“Let’s go.”
“Yes!”

As I followed Sheryl, not only the Heavenly Sword Squad but even the Gwangpung Unit swordsmen ignored Rimer and entered through the main gate.

“Hey, you guys?”

No one turned back to look at Rimer, who desperately reached out his hand.

“You bastards! After all I’ve done for you! I haven’t even asked to borrow money yet!”

Everyone shook their heads at his predictable muttering.

“That’s the fate of a gambler.”

Dorian told Julius never to imitate what he had done.

“He’s strong, certainly, but I find myself reluctant to acknowledge it.”

Julius shook his head, his expression clouded with reluctance.

-That wretch remains petty to the end. In a certain sense, he’s quite remarkable.

Wrath clicked his tongue in exasperation.

‘Indeed.’

I nodded in agreement and walked down the Main Street alongside Sheryl. Like a triumphant general returning from war, every swordmaster around us stopped in their tracks and turned to observe our procession.

“Is he a Master…?”
“So it wasn’t mere rumor. The aura he radiates is on an entirely different level than before.”
“A Master at eighteen? Has he received divine blessing?”
“It wasn’t a blessing—it was a curse. And he stands there now as the price of overcoming it.”
“Indeed, even the Saint couldn’t properly treat his constitution.”

The swordmasters made no attempt to hide their astonishment as they whispered about me.

“I heard he slew Gwahyeolgwi before becoming a Master, and after achieving that rank, he defeated both the Red Wolf Demon and the Black Wing Demon.”
“I heard all three of them were exhausted from fighting the Saint, their strength depleted.”
“That’s what I understood as well. They were so exhausted they could barely muster their aura techniques.”
“So tell me—even if you reached the Expert realm and grew exhausted, would any of you have the audacity to enter a forest teeming with Masters without hesitation? He defeated three Masters and returned. Such petty complaints only expose your own baseness.”
“The Red Wolf Demon and Black Wing Demon attacked simultaneously. Against their combined techniques, exhaustion would be meaningless.”
“He even fought the Evil Goat Demon to a draw at the end, so his strength has been proven beyond question.”

I narrowed my eyes. Something was different. Voices defending against jealousy and envy echoed intermittently through the crowd. Some swordmasters even engaged in heated debate with one another.

‘Things have changed somewhat.’

In the past, no one would have stepped forward even if others belittled my achievements, expressed jealousy, or hurled insults. Now that I had become a Master and accumulated significant accomplishments, it seemed the family’s perception of me had shifted slightly.

“Lord Raon, Vice Unit Commander.”
“Congratulations on reaching Master rank.”
“I heard you endured a grueling battle to the very end. I was deeply impressed.”
“I am Jekal of the Spear War Unit. Might I request a sparring match with you at a later time?”

Not only were there people watching from afar, but many approached to speak with me. Their bright eyes gleamed with genuine admiration.

“Thank you.”

I nodded awkwardly, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. I moved closer to Sheryl, the one person who kept her distance from the crowd.

“It seems their shameless approach is weighing on you.”
“Not quite that much….”
“It’s because you’ve gained strength.”

Sheryl tapped her sword hilt with a faint smile.

“That’s what true power is—transforming indifference into interest, and interest into affection. And….”

She glanced at the swordsmen whose eyes burned with cold intensity, letting out a soft chuckle.

“Converting jealousy and contempt into malice is also power. You’ll face far more troublesome situations ahead.”
“I’m prepared for it.”

I nodded. Truthfully, I was far more accustomed to humanity’s ugliness than its kindness. This was something I could easily endure.

“There’s one more thing.”

Sheryl turned around, sweeping her cold gaze across those who had mocked her moments before.

“Gack!”
“Ugh!”
“Kyaaah!”

They stumbled backward in terror, their courage shattered by merely meeting her eyes.

“With absolute power—not mere competence, but overwhelming strength—you can crush even the malice of others beneath your heel. Don’t settle for your current position. Reach further, climb higher.”

She patted my shoulder with a gentle smile.

-That clumsy oaf speaks the truth.
‘Clumsy oaf?’
-You’re hopeless at cooking, aren’t you.

Wrath’s brow furrowed sharply.

‘Ah, that’s true enough.’
-In any case, if that clumsy fool speaks truth and you possess such formidable power, none shall dare challenge you. Even in the Demon Realm, countless demons united against me, yet when I unleashed my wave of frigid energy once, they all froze solid, and never again did any dare approach. Ah, the wave of frigid energy is one of my techniques, you see….

Wrath had begun boasting about the Demon Realm after so long. As I listened with one ear and let it drift from the other, he suddenly whipped his head around.

-…Therefore, surrender your body to me. I shall make you the absolute ruler of this Continent, untouchable by any!
‘There it is—the inevitable conclusion.’

I chuckled softly and gave Wrath a gentle shove as he lunged forward. By the time I’d endured his endless Demon Realm prattling, we had already arrived before the Main Mansion.

“Hah….”

I gazed upon the Patriarch’s Hall standing imposingly at the center of the Main Mansion and exhaled slowly.

‘Wherever I go, there’s conflict.’

I needed to secure what was rightfully mine, but this was also an opportunity to discern Glen’s true intentions.

*

*

*

I knelt in the center of the Audience Chamber, my gaze sweeping across both sides. Glen had summoned them—all the commanders and unit leaders of the martial forces remaining in the family had gathered.

“Insane….”
“No, it really happened.”
“Master rank at eighteen….”
“I thought it was obviously nonsense.”

The eyes of the commanders who had sensed my martial prowess trembled violently, like reeds battered by wind.

“Hmm.”
“Ugh!”

Karun and Valdemar bit their lips to maintain composure, yet they could not hide the trembling within them.

But there was one exception.
Glen Zigheart, seated upon the golden Jade Throne on the platform, maintained an expression of hollow indifference—utterly unmoved and visibly bored.

I lifted my gaze toward Glen, my brow furrowing.

‘Did that man truly bestow the elixir?’

Witnessing those emotionless eyes, I found myself doubting whether Pedrick had spoken truthfully.

“Raon Zigheart.”
“Yes.”

At Glen’s summons, I knelt and lowered my head.

“I hear you were at the center of this mission. Tell me directly what transpired.”
“Understood.”

I closed my eyes briefly, then opened them and rose to my feet.

“When we arrived at the Yonan Family and completed our preparations for departure, Themurs appeared….”

With so many ears listening, exaggeration would only invite suspicion. I recounted the events that unfolded during the mission with unwavering truthfulness.

“…And thus we completed Ensia’s treatment and returned to the family.”
“There is no falsehood in his account.”

As Sheryl nodded in agreement, the eyes of the Heavenly Sword Master and the unit commanders widened beyond measure.

“Goodness, three masters of Eden—honestly, even I lack confidence….”
“Overcoming the combined assault of the Black Wing Demon and the Red Wolf Demon is truly astounding.”
“A true monster has emerged within our family.”
“The aura of power already transcends the novice stage. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it lower-tier. How did you overcome the plateau?”
“Such remarkable mental fortitude, and sword energy that sends shivers down one’s spine. It won’t be long before his name echoes across the entire Continent.”

The Heavenly Sword Master and commanders, impressed by my power, cast their gazes upon me with admiration and pride.

“To discern Themurs’s weaknesses and prepare for an ambush—his intellect is equally extraordinary.”
“Unlike those muscle-bound brutes who act on instinct, he possesses a composure that comes from thoroughly assessing the situation before moving.”
“His mental acuity doesn’t match that of an eighteen-year-old. He should have been brought to our side.”

Some swordsmen even admired my preparedness, planning, and judgment.

“Damn it.”
“How did such a bastard emerge…?”
“For fuck’s sake.”
“The Branch Family dogs will throw a fit praising him.”

Some cursed under their breath and shot murderous glares.

“You’ve all worked hard.”

Glen Zigheart examined each swordsman who had returned from the mission in turn, then nodded.
Though his words praised their efforts, his expression remained cold—so much so that it felt like he was presiding over a funeral, save for the barely perceptible twitch at the corner of his mouth.

“Though many variables arose during the mission, I acknowledge the achievements of all of you who never lost your way and completed the objective to the end. I shall bestow rewards befitting your accomplishments.”

When he announced the rewards alongside his praise, the eyes of the Main Lineage members turned vicious. Of course, not a single one dared step forward in defiance of Glen Zigheart.

‘Such glares are adorable now.’

I accepted their stares with ease and smiled. Such looks no longer even served as a deterrent to me.

“Then.”

Sheryl glanced back briefly before stepping aside to the side.

“Heavenly Sword Master?”
“This mission was mine from the beginning. I merely did what needed to be done—I cannot accept a reward for it.”

She murmured “Your turn now” and gestured forward.

“Then I as well.”

Eckon also moved to the left, following Sheryl.

“Raon Zigheart. Come up to the platform.”
“Yes.”

I climbed onto the platform at Glen Zigheart’s commanding voice. With each step up the stairs, he loomed larger. The figure who had seemed like a boulder now towered like a mountain, standing at the edge of the sky.

‘Still can’t see it….’

Even after reaching Master rank, I couldn’t begin to fathom the magnitude of Glen’s power. His aura seemed to exist beyond the very heavens themselves.

“The discernment to predict an enemy’s movements and act accordingly. The valor to stand and fight without retreating before a formidable opponent. The overwhelming achievements born from harmonizing these two qualities so perfectly, and reaching Master rank at eighteen to make the Zigheart name resound across the Continent—it’s all magnificent.”

At Glen’s words of praise, the eyes of the Main Lineage members gleamed with the ferocity of predatory beasts.

“I shall grant Raon Zigheart, Vice Commander of the Gwangpung Unit, a golden medallion and authority to enter the Treasure Vault.”

The moment I heard “Treasure Vault,” my eyes widened.

‘The Treasure Vault?’

The Treasure Vault was the Patriarch’s treasure repository where the Zigheart’s wealth accumulated. The library he occasionally opened to me was also filled with items from the Treasure Vault. To gain access to such a place—my hands clenched involuntarily with excitement.

“Patriarch.”

Valter Zigheart, standing directly below the platform, raised his hand.

“While I acknowledge the Vice Commander of Gwangpung’s remarkable achievements, I believe access to the Treasure Vault is excessive. Since no one has received a golden medallion in the past decade, the medallion alone would be sufficient compensation.”
“Indeed, I also believe Treasure Vault access exceeds what his achievements warrant.”
“Perhaps it would be better to choose one or the other….”

The Main Lineage and Branch Family leaders agreed with Valter’s words as if orchestrating public opinion.

“With those achievements, he absolutely deserves Treasure Vault access.”
“Right! He slew three of Eden’s phantoms!”
“He became the youngest Master on the Continent and made the Zigheart name echo across the land!”

Some commanders and unit leaders offered their support, but they were outnumbered, their voices drowned out.

“Heh heh.”

Seeing the smile play at Caron’s lips, I realized this was exactly what the Main Lineage wanted—a chaotic clash of opinions that would confuse the matter.

“….”

Glen remained motionless, chin resting on his hand—whether lost in thought or simply indifferent, his gaze was serene and detached. It was as if he were saying: figure it out yourself.

‘I knew this would happen.’

I clicked my tongue briefly. I had fully anticipated the Main Lineage would react this way. From their perspective, even if Glen reprimanded them, they would want to block any rewards flowing in my direction.

That’s why I had deliberately withheld one of my greatest accomplishments.

“Ah, there’s something I neglected to mention.”

I turned around and raised a finger.

“If it’s from the Yonan Family, is it an artifact?”
“One artifact alone wouldn’t amount to much….”
“First right of purchase.”

At those words, the eyes of the unit commanders wavered like a sailboat caught in waves.

“I have secured the exclusive right to purchase first any unique-grade artifacts produced by the Yonan Family.”
“Gasp!”
“What?”
“Insane—first right of purchase?”
“Is that… truly the case?”

Not only those unit commanders who had supported me, but even the Main Lineage members who had opposed me turned pale with shock.

“Yes. A delegation from the Yonan Family will arrive soon to finalize the transaction. You may verify it then.”

I lifted my chin and looked down upon the Main Lineage members. My vivid crimson eyes suppressed the envious gazes directed at me.

“Does anyone still believe my compensation is excessive?”
“Ugh….”
“Hmm….”
“Damn it….”

Naturally, no one raised their hand or stepped forward to object.

“Hahahaha! Oh, how delightful!”

Rimer’s laughter, echoing from the back of the chamber, pierced through the heavy silence and reached the ceiling.

“Very well.”

I turned to glance at Glen Zigheart. Whether he’d anticipated this or not, his expression remained unmoved—the only change being a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth.

‘This is irritating.’

I desperately wanted to shatter that iron mask of a face.

‘There’s no helping it.’

Though somewhat embarrassing, I resolved to deploy the secret weapon Pedrick had taught me.

“Raon Zigheart, step forward.”
“Yes!”

I nodded and approached the Jade Throne.

“For completing your mission with excellence, I grant you a golden badge and one access permit to the Treasure Vault—ugh!”

The instant Glen Zigheart stepped forward to hand me the golden badge, I flashed the radiant smile I’d shown Pedrick.

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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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