The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 236

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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 236

Dogyae approached with weary steps. He placed the pouch of gold coins on the platform and exhaled roughly.

“This is the interest you should receive from that fool.”

He pushed the pouch inward with displeasure etched across his brow.

“I see.”

I glanced at Rimer collapsed behind me, gasping for breath.

Neither of us had revealed our true strength, and it seemed Rimer had conceded one step to Dogyae, who had come for the first time today.

“Thank you for your effort.”

I smiled faintly and pushed the pouch of gold coins back toward him.

“As we discussed, please use this for the Gwangpung Order’s operating expenses.”

I handed over all the gold coins Dogyae had brought.

“You won’t change your mind later, will you?”

“Of course not.”

Dogyae was a man who knew how to multiply wealth. If I entrusted him with those funds, he would multiply them several times over and make the Gwangpung Order prosperous.

“You’re quite the handful from day one.”

Dogyae ground his teeth and straightened his posture.

“That foolish elf. Weakened as he is, he’s become even more stubborn than a leech.”

“You’re no different, old man. You’ve grown stronger despite your age and having abandoned the sword long ago—why is that?”

Rimer rose to his feet with a soft chuckle. The way his breathing had settled in that brief moment revealed that both of them were still holding back considerably.

Despite their unwanted clash, neither displayed displeasure. Rather, a faint smile lingered at the corners of their mouths, as if refreshed by the encounter.

“I’ve followed your instructions, so I’ll be on my way. There’s much to do if I’m to transform this wretched place….”

“Today’s schedule hasn’t even begun yet.”

“What?”

Dogyae’s jaw trembled. His expression was quite varied when he wasn’t gambling.

“While other matters are important, the most urgent priority is strengthening the Gwangpung Order’s combat capabilities.”

I gestured toward the Gwangpung Order members who stood ready after completing their training preparations.

“Training is about to begin—where exactly were you planning to go, Instructor?”

“You intend to squeeze every last drop from this old man.”

“You’re a rare talent I’ve obtained with great difficulty. I must use you well.”

“Phew.”

Dogyae exhaled deeply and leaned his back against the platform. Seeing him nod with his arms crossed, it seemed he wanted me to hurry.

“Thank you.”

I bowed respectfully to Dogyae and took my place before the Gwangpung Order.

“You’ve all witnessed the instructor’s martial prowess. This is your first opportunity to demonstrate your own abilities, so give it your all!”

“Understood!”

The swordsmen marveled at Dogyae’s power, which had matched Rimer without yielding an inch, and the Training Ground erupted with cheers.

I smiled and drew my sword.

“Regular training begins.”

*

*

*

After finishing individual swordsmanship, footwork, aura techniques, and situational awareness training, I approached the platform.

Dogyae remained in that same posture, his back against the platform, while Rimer lay sprawled on top of it, groaning.

“What did you make of them?”

“They’re all around your age, I’d wager?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Not bad at all. Those three in particular show promise.”

Dogyae nodded, gesturing in turn at Burren Zigheart, Lunan Slion, and Martha.

“Once they mature, they’ll be capable of making names for themselves across the entire Continent.”

Naturally, he had assessed the unit leaders’ capabilities at a glance.

“The others aren’t lacking either. For their age, the Zigheart swordsmen possess exceptional martial prowess and experience.”

He offered surprisingly accurate evaluations of the remaining swordsmen as well.

“Teaching those brats won’t be tedious, at least. But….”

Dogyae’s eyes narrowed as he scrutinized me from head to toe.

“What in the world are you?”

“Pardon?”

“You grew up alongside those whelps, yet somehow you alone became such a monster?”

“I’m hardly a monster, sir….”

“A madman who reached the lower Master rank at eighteen—if that’s not a monster, then what the hell is?”

He waved his hand dismissively, as if telling me not to joke.

“That’s all thanks to me.”

Rimer, who had been rolling around on the platform, suddenly lifted his head. Perhaps because his money had been taken, his face had grown gaunt.

“I taught him so well that Raon became such an uncouth monster.”

“Don’t make me laugh. How could a pauper like you raise such a monster!”

“I’m serious! Right, Raon?”

“You’re not wrong.”

I nodded with a faint smile. Beyond swordsmanship and aura, even my mindset—Rimer was truly an excellent teacher, gambling aside.

“You acted like a demon just now, and now you’re being courteous. I can’t tell which is your true self.”

“I’ve always been courteous.”

“Hmph. You served your courtesy in a stew bowl!”

Dogyae unfolded his arms and let out a scoff.

“I’ve seen enough. Now let me think about what training you all need.”

He lifted himself from the platform as if to leave, rolling his neck.

“You haven’t seen my swordsmanship yet.”

“I’ve seen your sword enough yesterday. There’s nothing left for me to teach you, so figure it out yourself.”

“Then may I ask just one question?”

I stepped in front of Dogyae as he tried to leave, my eyes sharpening with intent.

“Speak.”

“What is an Illusory Sword?”

“Hmm….”

Dogyae closed his eyes and furrowed his brow.

“Sigh, you certainly ask troublesome questions.”

A sigh escaped him. If you had asked me to explain what an Illusory Sword was, or how to execute it properly, or what elements were crucial to it, that would have been simple. But this bastard had pierced straight through my life with that question. It was truly a difficult one to answer.

“I believe it is an illusion shown to the enemy.”

“An illusion?”

“No matter how brilliant and magnificent the swordsmanship, the ultimate goal is always the enemy’s life. The Illusory Sword is showing the enemy’s eyes an illusion that doesn’t exist in reality, then severing their neck.”

“The enemy’s eyes….”

“Those first learning the Illusory Sword—no, even those who have trained in it for years—make a mistake.”

Dogyae drew his blade. Without even assuming a stance, the sword extended in a graceful rotation, blooming into beautiful serrated petals of light.

“Like this.”

He retrieved his sword and tilted his jaw to the side.

“The essence of the Mirage Sword, as I see it, isn’t about how my swordsmanship appears to me—it’s about envisioning how it looks from the enemy’s perspective.”

“I see.”

I closed my eyes, sensing the lingering aura still suspended in the empty air.

‘Now I understand.’

My mind felt cracked open. The true essence of mastering the Mirage Sword wasn’t about my own perception—it was about understanding the enemy, about crafting illusions tailored to how they would perceive them, with what method, and with what intent. That was the path to wielding the ultimate Mirage Sword.

‘This principle could apply to other sword techniques as well.’

It wasn’t advice limited to the Mirage Sword alone—it was wisdom that could be applied to Swift Sword and countless other techniques.

Dogyae’s tone was light, yet it carried within it the subtle mysteries of the Mirage Sword that he had spent decades mastering.

“Using a mirror would be beneficial, wouldn’t it?”

“Indeed. When learning the Mirage Sword, the mirror is more essential than the sword itself.”

“Thank you for the guidance.”

I bowed respectfully to Dogyae. I hadn’t expected such heartfelt advice, and I was genuinely grateful.

“It’s nothing special.”

“No, truly, it was invaluable.”

I bowed my head once more.

“Hmm….”

My sincere greeting seemed to touch something within him, and Dogyae’s gruff demeanor softened ever so slightly.

“There’s something I haven’t mentioned either, Chief Steward.”

“What is it?”

“If you manage to beat me at drinking or gambling, I’ll release you immediately.”

“You’re… truly serious about this?”

“Of course.”

I smiled.

“Then right away—”

“It just ended yesterday, so doing it again immediately wouldn’t be right. This year is already gone, so challenge me next year.”

“Ugh!”

He lowered the hand he’d been about to raise and bit his lip.

-Sigh.

Wrath rose above the bracelet and let out an exasperated breath.

“That old man has no chance of beating you through gambling and drinking. You’ve given him the bait of hope, making that stubborn fool fulfill his role perfectly. Cunning—truly cunning.”

Dogyae shook his head in admiration.

“I’m impressed enough that I’d like to learn how you think such things. Care to give me a lecture?”

‘Not really.’

I chuckled softly and stepped closer to Dogyae.

“One more thing.”

I raised a finger as I continued.

“If I ever fail to meet the Chief Steward’s expectations, you’re free to leave whenever you wish.”

“Fail to meet my expectations?”

“Yes.”

“By your logic, I could leave right now, then?”

“Of course. But I know you won’t.”

I smiled faintly.

‘He’s not that kind of man.’

Dogyae cheated at gambling and mocked his opponents, but he never imposed harsh penalties when he lost.

He simply drove them away stripped of their clothes and continued to give them chances. Even when fighting him, he never threatened their lives or attacked vital spots. Seeing that he came here to keep his word, he was someone worth befriending as a human.

“Tch.”

Dogyae furrowed his brows in displeasure. His ears burned crimson.

“I really don’t like that guy.”

“I look forward to working with you in the future.”

Raon smiled faintly and headed toward where the Gwangpung Order members were to end the training.

-Ohhh!

Wrath bounced and leaped into the air excitedly.

-This time you’ve captured his heart! You’re truly not human but a demon! To the True Demon King….

‘I’m really not.’

I let out a hollow laugh and pushed Wrath away.

“That bastard.”

Dogyae exhaled heavily while watching Raon’s retreating figure.

“What exactly is that guy? Which side is his true self?”

The seasoned gambler’s demeanor he displayed at the Gambling House, the cunning devil-like appearance he showed here, and the courteous and respectful manner he exhibited moments ago—they all seemed like different people entirely.

It was enough to make one confused about which was the real Raon Zigheart.

“They’re all Raon.”

Rimer waved his hand as if accustomed to this.

“That’s just how he is. From what you’re saying, it seems the old man took a liking to him?”

He chuckled and gave Dogyae’s shoulder a light tap.

“Hmph! I don’t care what that brat does.”

Dogyae turned away from the platform with an irritated expression.

“Being here is suffocating. I’m leaving.”

“Wait.”

As he tried to depart, Rimer grabbed his sleeve.

“There’s somewhere we need to go together.”

“Somewhere?”

“The Patriarch summoned you.”

Rimer pointed toward the Patriarch’s Hall visible in the distance.

“Was it you who said that?”

“Why would I bother doing something so troublesome? The old man has returned, so it doesn’t make sense for the Patriarch not to know.”

“Well, I suppose I should pay my respects.”

Dogyae scratched his cheek awkwardly.

“Then you’d better be careful.”

Rimer twirled his finger and smirked.

“He might be a bit heated.”

*

*

*

“I greet you, Patriarch.”

Dogyae knelt before Glen Zigheart and bowed his head.

“It’s been a while.”

Glen removed his hand from where it had been resting and gave a slight nod.

“It seems you’ve had many good things happen to you.”

Dogyae chuckled and pushed himself to his feet.

“Good things?”

“You look far more vibrant than before.”

“As if I’m the only one who left saying I’d live as I pleased.”

Glen Zigheart laughed coldly and shook his head.

“You said old memories would haunt you and you wouldn’t return. So why are you back?”

“Sigh….”

Dogyae exhaled deeply and looked up at Glen Zigheart.

“It’s all thanks to the Patriarch being so fond of his grandson.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Raon Zigheart. That reckless little brat….”

He vented his grievances against Raon Zigheart to Glen Zigheart, recounting everything that had transpired.

Rimer watched Dogyae’s complaints and Glen Zigheart’s attentive listening with a faint smile.

‘Dogyae has no idea why the Patriarch is listening to him.’

Glen already knew everything that had transpired. He wasn’t curious about Dogyae’s circumstances—he simply wanted to hear about my accomplishments from Dogyae’s own lips.

‘Truly remarkable grandfatherly affection.’

Watching him treasure me so dearly while outwardly rejecting me, Glen was truly a formidable man.

“…And so I unwillingly became the Chief Steward of the Annex Building.”

Dogyae exhaled a long sigh, clearly embarrassed.

“Is the boy really that skilled at gambling?”

Glen asked, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“He’s utterly mesmerizing. He wouldn’t lose even against a renowned gambler known across the Continent.”

Dogyae muttered that he had felt despair when gambling against Raon.

“Then he couldn’t have learned from that fool.”

Glen gestured toward Rimer, who stood dumbly in the background.

“There’s a saying about students surpassing their masters, but that idiot is a fool among fools. Raon is of an entirely different caliber. Absolutely different.”

“Aha! I told you!”

Rimer walked forward, his expression darkening.

“Being called a fool does irritate me, but I’m telling you it wasn’t me! I didn’t teach Raon gambling!”

“Hmm….”

“Apologize! My bones still ache from how many times you struck me with lightning!”

I had been struck by lightning three times due to the misunderstanding that I taught Raon gambling. Now that a witness had appeared, I couldn’t let this slide.

“Apologize! Apologize! Apologize!”

Rimer punched at the empty air as if waging a protest.

“I’m sorry. I was mistaken.”

“Words alone! Words alone! Words alone!”

I raised my voice even louder to extract something else from this opportunity. My goal was naturally gold coins.

“Enough with empty words—proper compensation….”

Crack!

Just as Rimer reached out his hand to demand money, a bolt of lightning erupted in the empty air and struck him.

“Aaaahhhhh!”

The lightning had activated in an instant, and Rimer screamed and collapsed without even a chance to dodge.

“Ah, what a devil….”

Rimer trembled violently as he struggled to lift his head.

‘The grandfather and grandson are exactly alike.’

If Raon became just a bit more shameless, he would become Glen. It was almost uncanny how perfectly they matched as grandfather and grandson.

“Harrian. I have something to ask you.”

Glen didn’t even glance at Rimer as he gestured toward Harrian. An unusual heaviness suffused his presence like waves, drowning the entire Audience Chamber.

“Y-yes, please speak.”

The sudden weight of the atmosphere caused Dogyae to swallow hard.

“Was the liquor you shared with Raon to your taste?”

“Pardon?”

“I asked if the drink you had while facing Raon was pleasant.”

“I….”

Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Dogyae’s pupils trembled like reeds in the wind.

“Hmm.”

Rimer covered his mouth to stifle his laughter.

‘He’s upset that his grandson’s first drinking ceremony was stolen from him.’

Glen’s displeasure stemmed from the fact that Dogyae had claimed Raon’s first drinking ceremony. It was clear he was irritated that his former subordinate had snatched away the grandson’s milestone he had been anticipating.

“Hmm, it wasn’t bad, I’d say.”

Dogyae nodded slowly.

“It wasn’t bad?”

Glen’s voice began to carry a heat akin to anger.

“Normally, no one can match my drinking pace, yet that boy not only kept up but surpassed me, provoking me in the process. It was a novel experience, and it made me realize I wasn’t alone. For the first time in ages, I felt what it was like to be in someone’s company.”

“Hmm….”

“It may be odd for me to say this after what that boy put me through, but you’ve truly raised an exceptional grandson.”

Unlike before, his praise carried genuine sincerity. As Dogyae suddenly lauded Raon, Glen’s immense presence extinguished like a candle flame.

“At first, I thought he was an ignorant pup who didn’t know his place, but now, despite his youth, he appears as a great tiger who has weathered every hardship and eyes the throne of the mountain. I’ve encountered many talents wandering the Continent, yet the true gem was here all along.”

Dogyae placed his hand over his left chest, a faint smile crossing his face.

“I apologize to my former master, but it seems I must serve the young master for some time yet. I cannot break a promise I’ve made with my name on the line.”

He lowered his head while maintaining that posture.

“Hah….”

Rimer exhaled softly.

‘He accepted it just like that?’

There was no way Dogyae didn’t know that Raon was from the Branch Family, yet he was genuinely considering helping him. It seemed he had truly taken a liking to him through this ordeal.

‘Has he been reminded of old memories?’

It appeared that Dogyae, upon seeing Raon, had recalled the days when he was with everyone.

‘That guy really is….’

Those final words—that it was fine to leave if he didn’t like it in the end—seemed to have struck Dogyae deeply.

Raon had no way of knowing, but those words were similar to what Glen Zigheart had once said to Dogyae.

“Hmm.”

He lifted his head to look at Glen Zigheart, forcibly suppressing the corners of his mouth that threatened to rise to the heavens.

Rimer let out a quiet chuckle.

‘He’s so straightforward at times like this.’

Just moments ago, he had been furious at losing his grandson’s first drinking opportunity, but now that he genuinely acknowledged me, he was overjoyed and didn’t know what to do with himself. He was the very embodiment of an unrestrained grandfather.

“Then you haven’t returned to Zigheart, but rather….”

“Yes. I belong to the Annex Building. I must follow their orders.”

Dogyae stated calmly that he had placed himself under me, not under Zigheart.

“I see.”

Glen Zigheart’s mouth and eyes rippled like waves—a sign that he was even more pleased.

“Since I was the one who sent you out, there’s no helping it.”

Glen Zigheart squinted his eyes and nodded. He naturally covered his mouth with his hand, as if to hide the corners of his lips that had risen.

“Thank you.”

Dogyae, still unaware of his reaction, knelt respectfully and bowed his head.

“Rimer.”

Glen Zigheart called out to Rimer with eyes that were brimming with delight.

“I have something to say to you as well.”

“Thank you. The reward you’ve given me….”

“What nonsense are you spouting now?”

He furrowed his brow and waved his hand dismissively.

“I’m not talking about money. I’m talking about a mission for the Gwangpung Order.”

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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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