The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 273

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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 273

Concentration training throughout the night on Bekmang Mountain, physical conditioning at dawn, one-on-one sparring in the morning, and supplementary martial arts training in the afternoon to fill gaps in knowledge.

The Gwangpung Unit, having spent all twenty-four hours of the day in training, collapsed entirely as evening fell.

“Ughhhh….”
“D-dying. We’re all going to die like this….”
“Grraahhh!”
“Ah, the pain won’t go away….”
“Ugh, how is the spot he hit this afternoon still aching now?”

The Gwangpung Unit lay motionless with their faces buried in the sand of the Training Ground. Only their shallow, labored breathing testified to their survival.

I surveyed the entire Gwangpung Unit with a satisfied smile.

‘Not bad.’

It should be etched firmly into their minds.

Thanks to the Ring of Fire, I could grasp each swordsman’s strengths and weaknesses at a glance. Having beaten their shortcomings directly into their bodies through sparring, they would never forget them.

“Everyone did well. From tomorrow onward, follow the Chief Steward’s instructions for training.”

With concentration training, sparring, and supplementary martial arts instruction completed, they should be able to progress well under Dogyae’s guidance.

“Raon. You’re not even handsome.”

Lunan Slion barely lifted his head. His eyes, sharper than usual, pouted in protest. Come to think of it, this seemed to be his first complaint.

“Yeah. I know.”

Since I genuinely had little interest in my own appearance, I readily nodded in agreement.

“How irritating….”

With those words, Lunan Slion buried his face back into the sand.

“Just… just kill me instead. You crazy bastard.”

Martha lay sprawled on her back, her eyes squeezed shut. Even her stubborn, unyielding spirit seemed to have broken under twenty-four hours of relentless, all-out training.

“I can’t anymore. I don’t have the strength to move a single finger. Huff!”

Her exhaustion had caused her to misspeak, and her eyes snapped open in alarm.

“So you can wiggle your toes instead?”
“Don’t you dare!”

Martha lifted her neck and let out a cry of protest.

“Interesting. You can move your neck just fine, even if your fingers and toes are useless.”
“Ugh…”

She ground her teeth in frustration and turned her head away.

“Did you all really endure this for a whole week?”

Burren, who had held out until the very end, collapsed to the floor with a pale complexion.

“This is insane. You’re all insane. That lunatic is insane!”

Just twenty-four hours earlier, he had called Raon his lifesaver, the one he would be indebted to forever. Now he was screaming that he was a lunatic.

“A lifesaver’s gratitude doesn’t last long, does it?”
“I’m a patient! Who makes a patient do all this!”
“Don’t patients die when struck by a blade?”
“What?”
“That’s why you need proper training—so you won’t end up in that situation again.”
“No, this time it wasn’t because I was weak. Gelmir attacked from behind…”
“Enough.”

I cut off Burren’s excuses with a wave of my hand.

“You’re a week behind. Get ready to catch up. Once my punishment ends, I’ll start your separate training.”
“Noooo!”

Burren’s eyes wavered as if struck by waves.

“…Why do I miss being kidnapped?”

He gazed at the sky with sorrowful eyes before collapsing.

“Everyone, let’s meet again in a week. If there’s no change when I return, you should prepare yourselves.”

Raon waved his hand with an expectant smile.

“Grrrrr!”
“Ah, he’s a demon. He’s definitely a demon….”
“The Deputy Chief has no emotions! His human heart has already worn away!”
“Krrrr….”

The Gwangpung Unit, sprawled and collapsed on the ground, trembled violently with their ears covered. Some of them even made bestial sounds.

“Then I’ll ask for your help starting tomorrow.”

Raon approached Dogyae, who stood on the platform, and bowed his head.

“So, do you want to kill all of them?”

Dogyae sighed as if fed up.

“That couldn’t be further from the truth. I only pushed them to their absolute limits.”

It’s not a lie. I simply examined the stamina and aura of the entire Gwangpung Unit using the Ring of Fire, then drew out their power to the limit.

It would be grueling enough to feel like death, but ultimately, it was within their capability.

“I see….”

He nodded reluctantly while observing the Gwangpung Unit, who couldn’t even move.

“I’ll take my leave now.”

It was when Raon was about to bow and leave.

Crash!

The Training Ground door burst open with violent force. Only one person ever entered like that.

“Where have you been all this time? Unit Master, you still have training that needs to be—”

I stopped short as I went to greet Rimer.

‘Why is he like this again…?’

He looked like a beggar.

Rimer’s red hair was singed black as if burned, his clothes were torn, and bruises covered him in various places. He looked as though he’d been beaten senseless and dragged across the ground.

“Grrr…”

The moment Rimer’s eyes met mine, his hands trembled and he bared his teeth like a wild beast.

“Did you go gambling again?”
“Grrrrgh!”

The moment the words left my mouth, Rimer’s growl deepened.

-Do you have a talent for raising beasts?

Wrath tilted his head as he observed Rimer.

-Why does everyone turn into a mad dog whenever they meet you?

I shrugged at the sight of Rimer grinding his teeth.

‘How should I know?’
-You truly are a demon…

*

*

*

That night.

Though the Family Law Enforcement attempted to suppress rumors of the clash between the Gwangpung Unit and the Jeonmadan, rumors were never so easily contained.
Even if the detailed circumstances remained unclear, news that the Gwangpung Unit and Jeonmadan had collided spread throughout the entire Zigheart in a single day.

The Old Tavern in the back alley that Rimer frequented was also abuzz with the story.

“If it’s the Jeonmadan versus the Gwangpung Unit, isn’t the winner already decided?”
“The Jeonmadan must have won for sure.”
“Right. The experience is on a different level. If the Gwangpung Unit is a cat, then the Jeonmadan is a tiger!”
“It’s not just the members—the battle between the leaders is obvious too. Well, unless it’s Rimer. Raon still can’t match Gelmir.”
“There’s no need to even see the results.”

The people in the tavern naturally predicted victory for the Jeonmadan, who had completed more missions and accumulated martial knowledge over a longer period.

“W-wait, the Gwangpung Unit defeated the Jeonmadan!”

But an hour later, when an inspector from the Main Mansion arrived with the results, the entire tavern was engulfed in shock.

“T-they won? The Gwangpung Unit?”
“How is that possible? The Gwangpung Unit was just created! The Jeonmadan is a unit with tradition!”
“Unbelievable….”
“H-how on earth did they win? Did they use dirty tricks?”
“Apparently not. The Family Law Enforcement confirmed it was all sword-to-sword combat.”
“I heard the Gwangpung Unit’s name was being mentioned most often lately, and now I understand why. They already possess such martial prowess….”

Upon hearing that the Gwangpung Unit had won, people drank their beer as if their souls had left their bodies.

“S-so what about the battle between the leaders?”
“Right! There must have been a fight between Raon and Gelmir too.”
“But wait, why were they fighting in the first place?”
“Of course there’s news about the battle between Raon and Gelmir. Anyway, the two of them clashed in the underground of the Central Intelligence Agency. As for why they fought underground…ah, I ran here so fast my throat is parched.”

The male inspector from the Main Mansion who had brought the detailed news rubbed his throat and coughed dryly.

“That’s the Severing Divine Technique!”
“No! That’s demonic energy! Barkeep! Beer!”
“A glass? Bring me an entire barrel!”
“Get every appetizer on the menu!”
“I have plenty of money! I’ll pay! Just tell us what happens next!”
“Hurry up! Feed him that rubber-tasting bread before he continues!”

The patrons in the tavern threw money at the man indiscriminately, shouting for him to reveal what came next. Some even threatened to feed Wrath the rubber-flavored bread he despised most.

“Ah, wait a moment.”

The red-haired man raised his hand, restraining everyone.

“I’ll tell you piece by piece. First, the one who started all this was Burren, the third unit captain of the Gwangpung Unit.”
“Burren? Why would Burren suddenly….”
“Actually, Gelmir, the leader of the Jeonmadan, kidnapped his younger brother Burren….”

The man recounted the reason the Gwangpung Unit and Jeonmadan came to fight as if he had been there himself.

“Damn! Not content with kidnapping his own brother, he brainwashed him too?”
“Those bastards! Absolute scoundrels!”
“Those Central Intelligence Agency dogs are nothing but brute strength. They’ve lost their humanity!”
“In contrast, the Gwangpung Unit is impressive. They actually stormed the Central Intelligence Agency to rescue their comrade….”
“I thought they were just kids, but I need to reassess them.”
“Gwangpung Unit! Gwangpung Unit!”
“Raon! Raon! Raon!”

The tavern patrons, moved by the story of the Gwangpung Unit fighting the Jeonmadan to rescue Burren, chanted the names of Raon and the Gwangpung Unit.

“Now for the finale, the highlight. The battle between Gelmir, leader of the Jeonmadan, and Raon, leader of the Gwangpung Unit. A clash between a Master-level intermediate and a Master-level beginner. However, contrary to what you might think, Raon dominated that fight. Every time blade met blade….”

The red-haired man nodded with satisfaction as he watched the people curse the Central Intelligence Agency, then began recounting the final battle.

He particularly praised Raon relentlessly, describing how he overwhelmed Gelmir, a master of the piercing technique, using piercing strikes of his own.

“You… overwhelmed him with thrusts?”
“That’s insane….”
“I never thought I’d say this to someone not even twenty years old, but he’s truly magnificent. The man himself is magnificent.”
“Isn’t it strange? How can a lower rank overwhelm a middle rank and sever an arm?”
“He broke an Apostle when he was still at Expert rank, remember?”
“At this point, it’s not about martial skill anymore—it’s that Raon as a person is simply strong.”
“Forget it! From now on, I’m supporting the Gwangpung Unit and the Legend Sword Association!”
“Raon! Raon! Raon! Raon!”

The red-haired man had spoken so eloquently, and his words had struck the tavern patrons like a refreshing draft of beer. Everyone erupted in cheers once more, chanting Raon’s name and his epithet.

“Hmm.”

The red-haired man watched the tavern patrons as they continued their excited conversation, drained his beer glass, and left the tavern.

Schwick!

He placed his hand on his face and dragged it downward. The ordinary middle-aged man’s visage vanished, replaced by Rimer’s characteristic smirk.

“Raon, be grateful. You betrayed me, but I’ve only spread good rumors about you.”

Rimer patted his chest with satisfaction.

“This is what a true master does, after all.”

He nodded with a smirk, his gaze drifting toward the cloth bundle in his right hand.

“Ahem. Let me just take a look….”

Rimer cleared his throat unnecessarily and carefully opened the bundle.
The moment he saw the coins gleaming in gold and silver, his eyes went wide as a rotten egg.

“How much is all this? Our Raon truly is a genius!”

He clutched the bundle tightly and raised both arms toward the sky.

“I live because of you!”

Rumble!

“Ugh!”

Thunder suddenly cracked across the clear sky, and Rimer jumped in fright with a yelp.

“She’s not here, right?”

He wrung his hands nervously like a fly and glanced around, then exhaled in relief upon confirming that person’s absence. Still cautious, he quietly slipped away into the Back Alley.

“She’s really not here, is she?”

*

*

*

I returned to my chamber in the Annex Building. Confinement within Zigheart was equivalent to house arrest, so I couldn’t fulfill my duties as acting unit commander. I had no choice but to remain at home.

‘Perhaps this works out for the best.’

I had been somewhat neglecting my own training while developing the combat prowess and focus of the Gwangpung Unit. This was an opportunity to make up for that.

‘If they fall short of expectations in a week, I can simply push them harder.’

Now that I understood how to properly drive them forward, I felt confident in handling the Gwangpung Unit’s swordsmen.

-You’re saying there’s still more you can squeeze out of them?

Wrath furrowed his brow in apparent horror.

‘Even a dry cloth retains a little moisture, after all.’
-Huh!

He widened his eyes and let out an exclamation of wonder.

-Raon Zigheart! No matter how I think about it, your presence here is a waste of talent! Come with me to the Demon Realm….
‘I’m not going.’

I waved my hand dismissively at Wrath’s persistent urging and settled onto the floor. I savored the moonlight streaming through the window before closing my eyes.

‘I know what I need to do.’

The Ring of Fire. It was time to open a new path for the Ring of Fire, which had reached the pinnacle of the 6th tier through countless battles and training.

I wasn’t sure if it could be done within a week, but if I succeeded, not only would my own strength increase, but I could also conduct the Gwangpung Unit’s training far more efficiently.

“Phew…”

I gradually calmed my breathing and operated the Ring of Fire. The six rings circling my heart collided endlessly like glass marbles in a tube, producing a clear resonant tone.

‘So I have to form a new ring while dodging these?’

A hollow laugh escaped me.

I had already struggled when forming the fifth ring while dodging five, and now I had to create the seventh ring while avoiding six rings. The tension was already mounting.

‘Still, I have to try.’

I began forming a new Ring of Fire, dodging the six rings that rotated erratically without any fixed orbit.
Just as I was creating a fragment too faint to even call a ring, the fifth ring approached and struck my side.

Clang!

With a crisp sound, the ring I had been forming shattered in an instant.

“Tsk.”

My first attempt ended before it even began. I clicked my tongue in frustration.

-What nonsense are you up to now.

Wrath furrowed his brow in disapproval.

-Stop wasting time and go eat.
‘It hasn’t even been an hour since I had dinner.’
-What are you talking about. Since you normally don’t eat properly, you should eat more at times like this. You’re still growing, so eat two more meals between now and midnight.

He was delighted at the prospect of eating the Annex Building’s meals instead of the Training Ground’s bland food, so less than an hour after dinner, he was spouting nonsense about eating breakfast.

‘I’m busy right now.’

I brushed Wrath away with the back of my hand and resumed manipulating the ring of fire.
When the new ring had grown to about the length of a finger joint, it collided with the third ring that charged at me like a wild boar and melted away like snow.

‘This is grueling.’

I had anticipated this, but it was proving to be far from easy.

‘Damn it….’
-If you don’t like rice, crave a snack instead. Eating is saving, after all.

Every time Wrath opened his eyes, he would rush over and mutter about putting something in his mouth.

Is this really a Demon King?

I wanted to find whoever made this creature the True Demon King of Wrath and demand an explanation. If Wrath was like this, I couldn’t even imagine what that gluttonous creature would be like.

Zing!

I ignored Wrath’s prattling about rice and resumed manipulating the ring of fire.

“Haaah….”

I exhaled deeply from the depths of my lungs and settled my mind. I blocked all five senses, including sight and hearing, and straightened my posture.

‘There’s no point in making it half-heartedly.’

Even if I only attempt once, I must focus and do it right.

Treating this as my last chance, I gathered my mana.

Maintaining maximum concentration, I forged the seventh ring.
I shaped the new ring with painstaking slowness, as if fingernails were growing—so gradual that I could barely perceive it myself.

Like fitting together puzzle pieces, I expanded the ring bit by bit while casting aside every thought and worry that surfaced in my mind.

I emptied myself of the Gwangpung Unit’s training, Rimer’s recovery, the Central Intelligence Agency’s schemes, and even the deep-seated longing for Sylvia’s return to the Main Lineage and my vengeance against Derus Robert.

My entire focus narrows to a single ring of flame.

Zing!

The moment all my concentration locks onto the ring of flame, a resonance reverberates through my entire spine, and the six rings circling my heart suddenly slow to a fraction of their original speed.

This was the realm of a master who had achieved absolute focus at the edge of human limits.

Perhaps because I had put the Gwangpung Unit through concentration-strengthening drills, my own focus seemed to have improved as well.

The third ring surges forward like an angry wave toward the new ring. I evade it swiftly by rotating the rings using the principles of the Quick Blade technique.

The sixth ring approaches like a tempest, spiraling in a vortex of rotation. I let it flow past me like water brushing against stone, employing the principles of the Flowing Blade technique.

A hollow laugh escapes me.

My concentration has increased from training my comrades, and now I evade other rings using the sword techniques I’ve learned—it’s a strange feeling.

Ten thousand streams return to one source. I’ve heard that countless tributaries eventually become a single river, but I never expected to experience that truth firsthand.

As I focus on evading the six rings, the ends of the new ring gradually begin to approach my face.

Now the real test begins.

As the new ring grows longer, the threat from the other rings intensifies. I concentrate so deeply that I can feel the granules of mana being absorbed through my breathing.

Zing!

The six rings work in concert to obstruct me, rotating like teeth as they target the seventh ring. I’m too busy evading to even think of forming it.

I manage to extend it by a hair’s breadth, pushing my concentration to the absolute limit. The tension feels like it’s choking off my breath.

As the seventh ring approaches near-completion, even my heartbeat becomes painful.

This approach won’t work.

Only the final shaping remains, but the six rings cross in interference, making completion nearly impossible.

I must seize the single moment when all six rings move in the same direction.

Whoooosh.

Raon exhaled steadily. Patience—that was something I had mastered in my previous life. I could wait as long as necessary.

Time flowed onward.

As much time passed as the cold sweat that dripped from my forehead.

Hours. Days, perhaps. Or a month. I had lost all sense of how long had elapsed. I forgot everything and simply waited.

My concentration, which I thought I had wrung to its absolute limit, climbed another level higher.

The flow of the six resonating rings and their movements thereafter materialized like a blueprint before my eyes.

I swallowed dryly and waited for the moment—that singular instant when the six rings would move in perfect unison, like the moon eclipsing the sun.

Zzzzzing!

The rings overlapped and twisted, merging into a single ring.

A fraction of a fraction of time. This was the only opportunity to form the seventh ring. I clenched my teeth and completed the final portion of the seventh ring.

Booooom!

As if two lines—soul and flesh—had become one, a golden lightning bolt crashed down through my mind.

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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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