The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 288

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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 288

Striking a rock with an egg.

Watching Sia’s aura knock against the walls of my upper dantian, I felt as though I were witnessing that old proverb come to life before my eyes.

I let out a hollow laugh.

‘She’s far too weak.’

Had Merlin failed to control the concentration of the Impure Soul Water?

The moment it entered my body, the Impure Soul Water moved with such stealth, seeping like shadow itself to assault my upper dantian—there was no mistaking its nature.

Yet the potency of the Impure Soul Water infused within the elixir felt so feeble that it seemed Merlin had made some error.
Just as striking a steel shield thousands of times with a twig would prove meaningless, my mental fortitude could never be breached by something of this caliber.

‘It’s weaker than when I first met Wrath.’

The mental assault was so pathetic it was almost laughable—far inferior to when Wrath had charged at me, intent on seizing my body the moment we met.

-That is only natural, it is.

Wrath crawled up over the ice flower bracelet.

-If thou, who hath endured the True Demon King’s wrath and chill since thy snot-nosed days, were to fall to such an aura, the True Demon King would have bitten his own tongue and perished, he would have.

He sat upon my forearm and scoffed.

‘That’s true.’

I nodded, regarding Wrath.

‘It wasn’t a problem with the Impure Soul Water….’

My mental fortitude had simply grown far too strong.

My mental fortitude, strengthened by my past life, was amplified through the Ring of Fire and grew even further upon meeting Wrath.
At this point, there might not exist a single drug in the world capable of breaking my mental resolve.

‘I could even take a nap like this.’

Even without operating the Ring of Fire, if I fell asleep, the aura of the Chaotic Soul Essence would fail to penetrate my spirit and would dissipate from exhaustion.

‘There’s no need to waste such an opportunity.’

I gestured toward the door at Merlin, who still stood shoulder to shoulder beside me.

“I need to cultivate. Leave me alone.”
“Of course. I’m a woman who knows how to wait.”

Merlin brushed her shoulder with a mysterious heat burning in her eyes, then stepped outside.

‘She’ll be waiting right outside the door.’

The space was so peculiar that I couldn’t sense her presence clearly, but judging by Merlin’s personality so far, she would be waiting outside the door. Of course, not as protection, but for surveillance.

“Exhale.”

I closed my eyes and resonated the Ring of Fire. As the ring’s magnificent vibration spread through my entire body, the aura of the Chaotic Soul Essence trembled and froze.

Whoooosh!

When the Chaotic Soul Essence aura tried to escape like a loach, I activated the Mana Conversion Technique to block the mana circuits it would use to slip away.

‘Let me see what we have here.’

I examined the trembling Chaotic Soul Essence aura, which seemed terrified. While the shell itself was weak, the purity of the mana within it was exceptional.

‘If I just purify it, I’ll be able to absorb it without issue.’

If I resonated the Ring of Fire at the 7-Star level, I could easily erase the weak aura of the Chaotic Soul Essence.

Since most of the aura in the Spirit Medicine was cold energy, converting the high-purity aura of the Chaotic Soul Essence through the Mana Conversion Technique would likely achieve balance.

I smiled and operated the Ring of Fire at maximum intensity. The pure aura emanating from the seven rings began to purify the impurities of the Chaotic Soul Essence.

Whoooooosh!

Each time the ring resonated with greater force, the dark shell of the Infernal Fruit cracked away, revealing the pure mana dwelling within.

‘Better than I expected.’

The mana nestled within the damp aura of the Infernal Fruit possessed a purity far exceeding my calculations. It was pure enough to accept without any complications.

Roooooar!

I nodded and guided the refined mana along the flow of the Celestial Circulation.

The mana, which had been saturated with impurities moments before, seeped into my dantian while carrying an auspicious warmth.

‘Phew.’

I exhaled a heated breath. Now that I’d converted the Infernal Fruit’s aura through the Celestial Circulation, it was time to transform the chill brimming within the Spirit Elixir into Glacial essence.

‘No need to accept it all.’

Even after harmonizing only the Spirit Elixir’s advantages, considerable impurities remained in the chill. Accepting all of it would be counterproductive.

Whoooooosh!

I activated the ring of fire once more. I carved away the chill—larger than my fist—again and again, melting away every trace of filth. What remained was raw, pristine coldness.
The chill that had been fist-sized had shrunk to the size of a fingernail, but this was sufficient. This tiny force possessed far greater power than the massive chill before it.

I smiled with satisfaction, guided the refined chill according to Glacial’s incantation, settled it into my dantian, and opened my eyes.

“Phew….”

Lifting my gaze to the window, I saw the sun had vanished and moonlight now poured in. Though it felt brief, more than half a day seemed to have passed.

-Slow. Too slow.

Wrath thrust his face forward and clicked his tongue in disapproval.

-If I were the True Demon King, I would have digested such a Spirit Elixir in a single minute. Every impurity within it, completely.

He shook his head in disappointment, his expression dismissive.

-I acknowledge your mental fortitude, but your power still falls far short.
‘I know.’

I chuckled softly and nodded. Wrath was right—in terms of raw power, I was still woefully inadequate.
Even now, I’d been squeezed between stronger warriors, unable to accomplish anything meaningful. To achieve my goals, I had to relentlessly hone my abilities without pause.

‘Thank you.’

Thanks to Wrath, I’d managed to endure Merlin’s mental assault, and I was grateful for his candid counsel. I conveyed my sincere gratitude.

-W-what!

Wrath’s shoulders trembled as he stumbled backward in panic.

-What did you just say! What does that mean!
‘What do you mean?’
-Why did you curse the True Demon King!
‘A curse? I was genuinely grateful, so I simply said thank you….’

There was no such thing as a curse. I’d only expressed my sincere appreciation.

-Take it back! A wicked spirit like you would never say something like that!

Wrath gnashed his teeth as if he would charge at me if I didn’t comply.

-Hurry!
‘Fine, I’ll take it back.’
-Phew!

Wrath exhaled deeply and nodded in relief.

-The True Demon King doesn’t jest about such matters. I’ve learned much from you, so trivial curses like that hold no sway over me.

I gazed at Wrath with melancholy eyes, genuinely curious about how this demon king perceived me in that peculiar mind of his.

‘I really am….’

I was about to tell Wrath it was a misunderstanding.

[The achievement of 【Ring of Fire】 has increased.]
[The achievement of 【Myriad Harmony】 has increased.]
[The achievement of 【Glacial】 has increased.]
[All stats have increased by 5 points.]

The message indicated that by absorbing the spiritual elixir Merlin had given me, my cultivation technique’s achievement had risen, and in return, my stats had increased.

-Y-you curse! You haven’t lifted the curse you cast upon the True Demon King!
‘….’
-And now you’re stealing stats from your student too, you despicable….

Wrath now believed everything was according to his intentions. There was no reasoning with him. I shook my head in exasperation when the door opened.

“All done?”

Merlin rolled up her sleeves slightly as she entered, smiling.

‘She was watching after all.’

I bit the inside of my cheek as I observed the gleam in Merlin’s eyes. The fact that she’d entered the moment my cultivation ended confirmed she’d been standing right outside the door as expected.

“What’s your ulterior motive in giving me such an elixir?”

I narrowed my eyes, concealing my true thoughts.

“I told you. I’m always thinking of you and looking out for you.”

Merlin’s voice dripped with seduction as she pressed close beside me, playfully toying with a loose thread on my sleeve and laughing.

“My head feels a bit foggy from the long cultivation session. Let me rest.”

I frowned and touched my temples. Those afflicted by spiritual contamination typically experienced mental fog—I was feigning the symptoms of a shattered upper dantian, leaving me completely vulnerable to mental attacks.

“A bit foggy, you say?”
“Yes.”
“I infused the elixir generously with cold essence. That could certainly cause it.”

Merlin stepped closer to the side and our eyes met. Seeing her narrowed gaze, I deliberately relaxed the tension in my pupils, much like Lunan Slion would have done.

“Hmm.”

Merlin’s finger traced lightly across the lips of her mask.

“I think it would be nice to have one more tomorrow?”
“What? Again?”

I forced down the racing of my heart and raised my voice.

‘Is it really going to work out this easily?’

I had deliberately feigned a slight mental fog and relaxed my pupils just a touch, hoping she might give me another one—and it had worked perfectly.

“Yes. Just one more. This time I’ll adjust the dosage.”

Merlin leaned in close, her face drifting toward mine, carrying an indescribable floral fragrance.

-You’re giving it to him again?

Wrath’s eyes widened in disbelief.

-Why are you giving the hostage more elixir?! What’s the point of holding him captive if you keep doing this?!

He ranted, demanding an explanation for her reasoning.

“You don’t want it?”
“Sigh… Fine.”

Since obedience—whether to requests or commands—was a trait of the Impure, I furrowed my brow in reluctant acceptance and nodded.

“You’re so obedient. Good boy.”
“I’m simply aware of my circumstances.”

I brushed away Merlin’s hand as it reached to pat my head and turned away.

‘This one too…’

Like a pushover?

*

*

*

A windowless rectangular workshop. Beneath the soft glow of overhead lighting, roughly twenty craftspeople sat at their desks, meticulously working on accessories—rings, bracelets, necklaces. Their concentration was absolute, the silence broken only by the faintest whisper of breath, when the white-haired old man at the front rose from his chair.

He held aloft the crimson ring he had crafted and approached Deningrose, who stood at the center of the workshop.

“It’s complete.”

He brought the red ring directly to Deningrose in the middle of the workshop.

“Mm!”

Deningrose examined the ring through her monocle and nodded with satisfaction.

“Master Craftsman Karol, your skill remains undiminished. Wasn’t your retirement a bit premature?”
“Hmph. Of course my skill is unchanged. I retired simply because I feared I’d die before spending all the wealth I’d accumulated.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Don’t say such things. The debts I owe you cannot be repaid with something like this.”

Karol shook his head slowly.

“So this must be quite urgent, then? To summon all of them.”

He gestured toward the craftspeople working in the back. Each one was a renowned artifact artisan whose name alone would be instantly recognizable.

“Yes. There is someone I must save, no matter what.”

Deningrose nodded gravely.

‘By any means necessary.’

Raon is a hero who has saved not merely Deningrose’s life, but the lives of everyone in Granseville.

I could have abandoned my position as the fourth successor of the Black Market to save that man who stood alone against monsters like the 10th Apostle and Merlin without yielding until the very end.

‘I must save him no matter what.’

Working as a Black Market branch director, I had seen and met countless heroes, but I had never encountered anyone like Raon. I could not let someone who would influence the world for good die—someone whose power extended far beyond mere martial strength.

‘I can definitely save him.’

They said Zigheart possessed a necklace that could pinpoint Raon’s location, and with that and this tracking artifact, I would be able to find him no matter where he was.

“Hmm, then it’s not time to leave yet.”

Karol watched Deningrose’s trembling hands and returned to his workbench.

“I’ll create the same item for you, so don’t worry.”
“Thank you. I’ll provide sufficient compensation.”
“Did you think I’d work for free?”

He offered a faint smile and began his second task.

Deningrose rose from her seat, holding the ring Karol had given her.

‘I need to inform them first.’

She left the workshop to meet those who were waiting for news of Raon more than anyone else. However, as she was about to ascend to the upper floor, her secretary approached with an urgent expression.

“A visitor has arrived.”
“A visitor?”

*

*

*

The Gwangpung Unit gathered in the lobby of the dormitory Deningrose had arranged for them in a nearby village near Granseville.

“When exactly will it be finished?”

Martha, with thick bandages wrapped tightly around her shoulder, gripped the armrest of the sofa with white knuckles.

“This is taking too long, isn’t it?”

Anxiety gnawed at her as she chewed her lip nervously.

“Deningrose is doing her best to prepare. Stay calm and wait.”

Burren Zigheart shook his head, his hands clasped together. Yet even he seemed tense, his leg bouncing with rare agitation.

“….”

Lunan Slion remained wedged in the corner, staring silently into the void. Unlike the other swordsmen, she hadn’t received treatment, so her hands and nails were still stained with blood.

“Sigh….”
“Has it been two days already….”
“Damn it!”
“This helplessness is driving me insane.”

The Gwangpung Unit swordsmen, bandaged in various places, clutched their heads in despair. They wanted to do something—anything—but without a method or the strength to act, desperation consumed them.

Boom!

As the Gwangpung Order members’ voices gradually fell silent, the dormitory door burst open and Deningrose rushed in.

“The tracking artifact is complete!”

She hurried toward the members and held out the ring in her hand.

“It took time to amplify the continental scent, but now it will spread rapidly!”

Deningrose’s complexion was as pale as the Gwangpung Unit’s, bearing the weight of her mental anguish.

“Now we can begin tracking immediately….”
“I’m coming too.”

Lunan Slion raised her hand. Her blood-stained nails caught everyone’s attention.

“I’m going as well.”

She hardened her gaze, as if declaring her intent to join the pursuit. Within those violet eyes burned an unwavering resolve.

“I’m going too.”

Martha stepped forward before Deningrose, clutching her wounded shoulder.

“Even if I die, I’ll die there.”

The heat in her voice was too fierce to be extinguished.

“There’s no need to push yourselves. I’ve already secured the finest tracking experts on the Continent. We’ll depart immediately. Please don’t worry too much….”
“Please, let us go!”
“Let us come with you!”
“We can’t abandon Raon and Dorian. Even if we can’t fight, allow us to help find them!”
“Yes, please let us help!”

Not just Lunan and Martha, but every swordsman of the Gwangpung Unit rose and bowed their heads before Deningrose.

“Hmm….”

Deningrose bit her lip and stepped back.

‘I understand their feelings, but….’

They were cursing themselves for doing nothing when Raon and Dorian were abducted. Because they were disappointed in their own helplessness, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse them.

“Don’t make this difficult for the branch director.”

Burren sighed and stepped in front of the swordsmen.

“There are tracking experts available. We’d only be a hindrance if we tag along.”
“But we don’t know what state Raon and Dorian are in—we can’t just sit idle!”
“I’m going.”
“We’re dead weight right now! Heavy dead weight!”
“That’s true.”

At the suddenly cheerful voice, everyone’s heads turned.

“Huh…?”
“That voice….”
“M-Master Rimer!”
“Long time no see.”

Rimer. With his crimson hair tied back tightly, he leaned his shoulder against the doorframe and waved his hand.

“You’re all pretty beaten up.”

He clicked his tongue briefly before stepping in front of the Gwangpung Unit.

“M-Master, how did you come to be here….”
“Of course I had to come. You’re here, aren’t you? I did get a bit of motion sickness from crossing the dimensional gate after so long, but seeing your faces makes it worthwhile.”

Rimer examined the faces of the three squad leaders and the swordsmen in turn, then nodded.

“Burren was right. Tracking should be left to a master of tracking arts. You won’t be of help. It’s a waste of time.”

At his sharp words, the Gwangpung Unit hung their heads low. The sting of being told they were useless cut deep into their hearts.

“But it’s also true that you can’t just sit idle.”

Rimer’s lips curled upward. It was the warm smile he always showed in the Training Ground.

“Your task isn’t tracking—it’s drawing your blades. Prepare for battle.”
“P-Prepare for battle?”
“We couldn’t do anything against the 10th Apostle.”
“W-When Merlin and the 10th Apostle fought, we could only watch from the sidelines….”
“Raon bore all the burden!”
“We tried so hard—we really did everything we could—but there was nothing we could do….”

The Gwangpung Unit poured out the emotions they had been holding back all this time, biting their lips hard.

“You prepare for your own battle. I’ll handle the monster.”

Rimer’s eyes sank into a dark light as if they held the depths of an abyss.

“Zigheart is moving.”

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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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