The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 278

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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 278

I narrowed my eyes as I resonated the Ring of Fire.

‘It’s not just about numbers….’

There were strong ones among them too.

The White Blood Cult cultivated their blood energy by consuming the flesh and blood of others.
Seeing the blood energy seeping through the flow of mana like oil rising to the surface of water, it seemed many masters had fallen in this place.

‘I can’t trace it.’

I tried to find the source of the blood energy, but couldn’t reach that far. The aura of the Soul Reaper Sword snapped in the middle like an overstretched rubber band.

‘I need to be careful.’

Seeing the faint stench of blood wafting through the air and the blood fiends that didn’t reveal even the slightest presence, it seemed best to conduct the investigation while posing as a wandering mercenary without revealing my identity, just as originally planned.

“The buildings all look interesting.”

Burren Zigheart whistled as he looked up at the peculiar buildings of Granseville. He seemed to find the different architectural style interesting compared to the angular and cold buildings of Zigheart.

“Hmm…”

Lunan Slion was his usual self. He showed little interest in the building, gazing only toward Molve Lake beyond Granseville. It was clear he thought it was a good place to space out.

“G-good grief, what’s with all this glitter?”
“If it’s like this during the day, what happens at night?”
“This place is insane.”
“This neighborhood is crazy.”

The other inspectors were too busy looking around to notice the blood energy.

Raon smiled faintly as he observed the Gwangpung Unit’s seemingly indifferent reaction.

“Actually, it’s better that it’s not acting.”

My rustic demeanor upon arriving in Granseville for the first time was a realistic reaction befitting a mercenary, and it served my purpose well. No one would suspect I was a swordsman from Zigheart.

“Haah….”

Martha exhaled roughly, her fists clenching tight. It wasn’t that she had sensed their auras—rather, she seemed to have caught the scent of blood from the White Blood Cult members within Granseville, as if driven by pure instinct.

‘Is this what they call an enemy?’

They say vengeance is pursued by the heart, not the mind, and Martha appeared to have found her White Blood Cult adversaries through her very soul. In a way, it felt similar to the Soul Reaper Sword.

“It’s embarrassing. Don’t act so rustic!”

I gestured to the bewildered Gwangpung Order members. I deliberately adopted a crude tone to maintain the appearance of a mercenary captain.

“Ugh….”
“The captain’s all excited too.”
“Right. The most rustic one here is the captain.”
“Hehehehe….”

The Gwangpung Order members played their roles as a typical small-scale mercenary band, just as I had instructed them before arriving.

“How rustic.”
“That’s natural if they came from the countryside.”
“More fools have arrived.”
“They’ll leave here stripped of every coin.”
“Some of them will become bound spirits in this place.”

Seeing the passersby and the gatekeepers behind us sneer, it was clear our act was working perfectly.

“Shut up and follow me! We’ll find lodging first, then you can do whatever you want!”

I smiled faintly and headed toward the Dormitory where I had stayed in my previous life.

*

*

*

I summoned the unit leaders—Martha, Lunan, and Burren—into the chamber. After closing the door, I had them sit down.

“The Bi-Yeon Society’s prediction was correct. What we’re dealing with here are blood fiends of the White Blood Cult.”

The faint, diluted blood energy I’d detected through the Ring of Fire and the Soul Reaper Sword was merely the residue left behind after a master-level cultivator’s power had been consumed by those White Blood Cult dogs.
Considering the original magnitude of that energy, it seemed at least an Archbishop-level powerhouse was hiding somewhere within this city.

Crunch.

Martha ground her teeth. The moment the White Blood Cult was confirmed, the energy she’d been suppressing ignited with fury, rising in dark wisps.

“Martha.”

I looked down at her with cold eyes.

“If you can’t control your emotions, step back.”

My tone was colder than usual—enough to make Burren turn in surprise.

“We have no one watching our backs this time. If we encounter Master-class enemies or higher, or even a Grand Master, we shouldn’t fight—we should retreat. If you lose your composure and your reason, it won’t just be you who dies. The other unit members will fall too.”

Rimer and Sheryl weren’t here. The Gwangpung Order had to handle everything alone, which meant retreat was always an option we had to keep in mind.

“I understand….”

Martha clenched her fists tightly and slowly exhaled. With the turbid breath leaving her lips, the roiling energy began to settle.

Her eyes cleared again as she brought her emotions under control and suppressed her rage. The training I’d put her through on the way here had been effective in teaching her emotional regulation.

“Then let’s begin again.”

I nodded with satisfaction and looked at the three unit leaders.

“Our first objective is reconnaissance. The fact that even the Soul Reaper Sword can’t track their movements suggests the White Blood Cult leader here won’t reveal themselves easily.”

Given that even the Soul Reaper Sword’s detection abilities couldn’t pick up their traces, they were clearly concealing their blood energy using formations or martial techniques.

“In other words, we need to search from the ground up. Even if we discover White Blood Cult members, we shouldn’t attack. We ignore them and track their movements to find the True Demon King.”

White Blood Cult members are fanatics, so torture won’t work on them. To expose their identities, I had to first identify a White Blood Cultist and then track their movements.

“That sounds good. I understand.”
“Got it.”

Burren and Lunan Slion nodded without hesitation the moment they heard the instructions.

“Sigh…”

Martha closed her eyes without responding.

‘Will this ever fade?’

Even now, the moment I close my eyes, that day returns. The Ten Apostles and blood demons tearing into the villagers’ flesh and blood, dragging my mother away—that hellscape replays in my mind.

I’ll probably never forget it.

It’s a scene that haunts my dreams every single day. Even if I kill the 10th Apostle and save my mother, I may never escape this nightmare.

‘Until now, I’ve only made excuses for myself.’

Because I experienced such horrors. Because I have these nightmares every day.

I told myself it was inevitable to lose my composure when facing White Blood Cult members. I convinced myself that my hands moving of their own accord and my mind going blank were natural responses.

‘I can’t keep doing this.’

Now I have to abandon that self-comfort.

Because I’m no longer a child.

I can’t live forever as a helpless child unable to do anything. Just as I promised Raon and my unit members, it was time to move forward.

‘That aside, that guy is truly a monster.’

Less than an hour after arriving in Granseville, he had already identified the White Blood Cult’s presence and devised a countermeasure. Every time I witness it, his vision and experience—not just his martial prowess—rival that of an Archbishop-level master.

‘I need to learn everything from him.’

There were countless other things to learn, but what I needed right now was cold rationality. I wanted to emulate Raon’s composure—the way he maintained his composure at all times.

Martha settled her mind and opened her eyes. She gazed at Raon with an unwavering gaze.

“That works.”

Raon let out a soft laugh as he observed Martha’s composed eyes.

“Relay the same message to the unit members. And have the pairs move in groups of three as I assigned earlier.”

Moving in groups of three meant that if something happened to one person, reporting and responding could happen simultaneously. In a situation like this, groups of three were the most efficient.

“If there are no questions, you’re dismissed.”

Raon gestured for the unit members to leave.

“Are you going alone?”

Burren turned his head as he was heading out.

“Are you worried about me?”
“I’m not about to worry over a monster.”

He laughed awkwardly and scratched his cheek.

“Then what are you doing?”

This time, Martha narrowed her eyes.

“I’m going to meet them.”

Raon rose to his feet with a faint smile.

“The one who summoned us to this place.”

*

*

*

I left the Dormitory alone. Wandering about like a careless mercenary, I slipped into an Antique Shop tucked away in a corner of the Alley.

“Welcome.”

An Old Man wearing a monocle nodded with obvious irritation.

I slowly surveyed the scattered miscellany on display before heading toward the counter where the Old Man stood.

“What are you looking for so intently? Buying or selling?”

The Old Man scrutinized me from head to toe, his brow furrowing.

“I’ve come to rent something.”
“What?”
“An axe for felling large trees.”
“Hmm.”

The Old Man rose slowly. The irritation that had gleamed in his eyes moments before vanished instantly, replaced by the transparent, emotionless clarity of glass beads.

“This way, please.”

I followed the Old Man behind the counter. Passing through several rooms whose purposes remained obscure, we arrived at the innermost chamber, where a gray window frame hung beneath the Wall.

“It’s in here.”

As he opened the window, a space rippling with darkness and white stairs materialized before me. It was a secret passage treated with magic.

I nodded and descended the stairs. Though I sensed the presence of several people in the darkness below, I ignored them and continued downward.

-Pathetic creatures. They can face the sun, yet they always hide beneath the earth.

Wrath clicked his tongue in disapproval.

-What kind of place is this?
‘Where the client for this mission is located.’
-Why would any client bury themselves underground?
‘People who prefer to hide naturally gather in the Black Market.’

Raon let out a quiet chuckle. The organization he was about to visit was an information network spanning the entire Continent, and the Black Market that operated numerous gambling houses and taverns throughout Granseville.

-Why would they issue such a request?
‘Because money is bleeding out of this place.’

No matter how enticing the pleasures here were, people wouldn’t indulge to the point of throwing away their lives. With the number of missing persons increasing, fewer people were visiting this place, and the Black Market’s revenue was likely hitting rock bottom.

-Hmph, so the fools are disappearing.
‘Exactly. You have to maintain the environment well for the fools to keep bringing in money.’

As I spoke, I glanced meaningfully at Wrath.

‘I’m learning something here.’

Since Wrath gave so freely, I needed to make sure to provide him with proper meals so he wouldn’t run away. Macarons excluded.

-Hm? Why… why are you looking at the True Demon King like that?
‘It’s nothing.’

I waved my hand and let out a quiet laugh.

Tap.

As I descended the stairs completely, soft lighting illuminated the dark corridor. It was a signal to follow. Moving toward that light, an antique-looking door appeared.

Creak.

Upon opening the door and stepping inside, a woman in a purple robe with her hood pulled down sat before a circular table.

“Please, have a seat.”

The woman gave a slight bow and gestured to the chair across from her.

“I am Deningrose, Branch Director of the Black Market in Granseville.”

Deningrose introduced herself as she removed her robe. She was a striking beauty with short red hair, and wore an eye patch on her right eye adorned with a black rose.

“I am Raon Zigheart, Commander of the Gwangpung Unit.”

Raon took a seat across from Deningrose and lowered his head respectfully.

“Are you disguised as a mercenary?”
“Yes. When investigating, mercenary attire is the most convenient.”

Mercenaries were so free-spirited by nature that they rarely followed orders strictly. In my past life, mercenary had been the profession I’d disguised myself as most frequently.

“What a shame. I would have liked to see the face that captivated the youngest master of the Yonan Family.”

Deningrose offered a faint smile and placed documents on the table.

“The situation has changed somewhat since the initial request.”

She pushed the documents forward, her expression growing serious.

“White Blood Cult members. And it appears high-ranking officials among them have been confirmed.”
“H-how did you…?”

Deningrose’s left eye widened.

“When I arrived here, I sensed faint traces of blood energy lingering about. It seems renowned masters have fallen victim to it.”
“That’s right….”

She trembled slightly, visibly astonished.

“Powerful individuals have been dying daily. There’s a high probability an Archbishop or Apostle is involved.”

Deningrose pointed to the lower section of the documents. Listed there were the names of recently disappeared individuals. Among them were intermediate, advanced, and peak-level Experts, and even one Master whose prime had long since passed.

“All of these people….”
“Yes. They all disappeared after the request was sent, and very recently at that.”
“A Master vanishing without a trace….”

The situation seemed far more dangerous than I had anticipated.

“Has it not been determined which Apostle or who the Archbishop is?”
“Not at all. We did capture a White Blood Cult member a few days ago, but they took their own life immediately, so we couldn’t extract any information.”

Deningrose’s eyes narrowed with frustration.

“They were caught by one of our agents while conducting covert missionary activities, so they’ll be even more careful about revealing themselves now.”
“Even the Black Market hasn’t been able to locate the White Blood Cult.”

I reviewed the documents and clicked my tongue. I’d hoped to find something new, but what I’d obtained here didn’t differ much from what I already knew.

“It’s embarrassing to admit, but the White Blood Cult is like our natural predator.”

Deningrose exhaled a long sigh.

“We’re a collective formed by people at the bottom to protect themselves. In Granseville, countless individuals—gamblers, thieves, courtesans, restaurant staff, servants—come to us for information. But the White Blood Cult members aren’t the kind you can find through such means.”
“Fanatics….”
“Yes. They never reveal their identities to anyone except believers in the Blood God. Lower-ranking cultists have blood similar in color to ordinary people, so they’re difficult to distinguish.”
“That must be why Granseville’s revenue is plummeting exponentially.”
“How did you….”
“Not many madmen enjoy entertainment while facing death.”

As I’d explained to Wrath, most people don’t risk their lives for entertainment. There were plenty of entertainment cities comparable to or larger than Granseville, after all.

“Hmm….”

Deningrose swallowed hard as she met my composed gaze.

‘He’s certainly different.’

The moment he arrived in Granseville, he sensed the bloodlust and discerned the White Blood Cult’s presence—something no one had managed before. He was a man operating on an entirely different level from ordinary Masters.

‘He wouldn’t lose to the Twelve Continents either.’

She’d never felt such astonishment even when meeting members of the Twelve Continents. Raon seemed capable of standing against even a senior member of the Twelve Continents.

‘How can someone not even twenty years old be like this?’

What was even more surprising was his temperament and composure.
She’d expected him to be arrogant, having gained both power and renown at such a young age, but there was none of that. He maintained appropriate courtesy while focusing solely on the mission, absorbing information at a remarkably rapid pace.

‘A dangerous man indeed.’

The world scrutinized only Raon’s martial prowess, but what truly deserved attention was his judgment and insight.

“If there’s anything we can support you with, we’ll do whatever it takes. You don’t need to eliminate the entire White Blood Cult—just kill the high-ranking cultists here in Granseville.”

Deningrose gathered her thoughts and bowed her head. Granseville generated substantial revenue relative to its size. If she could simply drive out the White Blood Cult members, she could truly do anything for him.

“Anything at all….”

I rose to my feet with a smile.

“I’ll remember those words.”

*

*

*

After meeting with Deningrose, I drank and wandered through all of Granseville before heading toward Molve Lake. Since there were quite a few people boating with courtesans, I suppressed my presence and walked across the lake.

I climbed the hill on the opposite side of the lake and surveyed Granseville.

-What are you doing now? You’re not eating dinner! You said this was a city of fine cuisine!
‘I need to handle business first.’
-A demon who eats and dies has a fine complexion, they say!
‘I can earn money for food once I finish the work.’
-Food!
‘Work.’

I hurled Wrath toward the lake as he screamed about food, then gazed down at Granseville. The longer I delayed, the more danger the Gwangpung Order and ordinary people faced. I had to uncover this place’s secrets as quickly as possible.

‘Excessively ornate.’

As night fell, brilliant lights flickered and bathed the city in splendor entirely different from the day. Disappearances, murders, blood cults—none of it seemed to cross anyone’s mind. Only joy overflowed everywhere.

‘There’s something here.’

The nighttime Granseville emanated a damp, sinister stench different from the day. The flow of blood energy became even more concealed, and the Soul Reaper Sword’s spectral energy felt weakened as if suppressed by something. The White Blood Cult had clearly done something to this entire city.

‘This place would make it possible.’

Now was the time to see the forest rather than the trees, so I climbed a hill outside Granseville where I could observe the entire city.

Whoooosh.

I exhaled a deep breath that had settled into my lungs, my eyes closed. Feeling the suffocation fade, I opened them.

Uuuuuung!

I resonated the Ring of Fire, now expanded to seven circles. My heart raced as the world’s flow began to pass slowly around me.

The river’s undulations, the movement of air, the drifting clouds—all flowed at a sluggish crawl.

Chiiiiing!

I poured greater force into the rapidly spinning rings. The moment their crystalline resonance unified with my consciousness, I grasped the Soul Reaper Sword.

Uuuuuuung!

The Soul Reaper Sword resonated with the rings of fire spinning around my heart as if it were an eighth circle, unleashing a magnificent aura.

‘One more layer.’

I clenched my teeth and awakened the Eye of Wrath. The fury clinging to my soul pierced through my reddened vision.

When the world’s flow revealed by the Ring of Fire, the aura of the Soul Reaper Sword that perceived vital essence, and the penetrating sight of the Eye of Wrath converged, an unimaginable sight entered my eyes.

“Those bastards really have lost their minds.”

An eerie spark of light flickered in my eyes.

“What the hell have they done?”

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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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