The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 317
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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 317
I felt the gazes of spectators piercing me from all directions and smiled coldly.
‘They’re looking down on us.’
When the Gwangpung Unit entered, their fierce momentum had momentarily unnerved the crowd, yet the spectators’ eyes gleamed with undisguised contempt. They were dismissing the Gwangpung Unit’s swordsmen based on age, experience, and reputation.
‘It’s only natural, I suppose.’
The Gwangpung Unit was younger than warriors from other factions. We were the youngest here. It was understandable that they underestimated us, given that the difference in age meant a difference in training time.
‘But age isn’t everything.’
The quality of experience was different.
The Gwangpung Unit’s real combat and training rivaled that of any other faction. We had navigated through battlefields where a difference of even a few years could be easily overcome.
-Soon you’ll find yourself trembling with fear, worm.
Wrath climbed atop the Frost Flower Bracelet and narrowed his eyes.
-Even the True Demon King doesn’t treat his subordinates as harshly as you do. Even Envy, rumored to be the cruelest to his subordinates in the Demon Realm, would be left speechless by you!
Having observed the Gwangpung Unit’s training for two days, Wrath trembled as if terrified.
‘Is that so?’
I chuckled softly, watching Wrath ramble on.
‘If Wrath was exhausted by the training, we can’t afford to lose.’
With limited time, I had intensified the training beyond what the family had done, yet not a single member of the Gwangpung Unit fell behind. They had all awakened the latent potential buried deep within their bodies and spirits.
If anyone dared to underestimate the Gwangpung Unit, now radiating ferocity and capable of unleashing their full power, the victor would be decided in an instant.
“Hmm.”
I smiled with satisfaction as I gazed into the eyes of the Gwangpung Unit member. A searing yellow madness burned at the center of his pupils.
‘Whether that madness is directed at me… I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry.’
The Gwangpung Unit member seemed less interested in fighting the Six Emperors’ warriors than in pummeling me for the two days of torment I’d put him through.
“Now I shall reveal the bracket!”
The Announcer gestured from the Sparring Arena, and mages displayed an Expert-tier bracket in the air. With so many participants, an enormous 128-competitor bracket had been formed.
“Woooooow!”
“The Third Prince is sixth! He’s fighting the Beast Alliance!”
“Princess Jeina! Please win for us!”
“These matchups are incredible! There’s not a single boring pairing!”
Since most were renowned warriors and mages, the spectators cheered in anticipation of the tournament’s beginning.
‘Our first match is…’
I searched through the roaring crowd to find the Gwangpung Unit member fighting first.
‘Burren Zigheart, then.’
With Burren Zigheart, who served as the eldest of the Gwangpung Unit, fighting first, it was a satisfying matchup.
‘And his opponent is Rickel Robert.’
Not a direct member of the Robert family, but a swordsman in his early twenties who had earned some renown through elegant swordsmanship. For the original Burren Zigheart, he would be a formidable opponent, but with the growth achieved through this training, he should be able to handle him.
“Ugh…”
“That person looks so much stronger than me…”
“Hmm…”
“We’re… we’re doomed.”
The expressions of the Gwangpung Unit swordsmen hardened as they confirmed their opponents on the bracket. They seemed intimidated by the crowd’s reaction, as if they’d already lost, and they were acutely aware of how unremarkable their own names were compared to the renowned seniors.
“Everyone, pay attention.”
I clapped my hands to gather the Gwangpung Unit’s attention.
“You all know this, don’t you? There’s not a single person in this Sparring Arena who believes Zigheart will win.”
“Hmm….”
“Damn….”
The Gwangpung Unit gritted their teeth. Even in their half-maddened state, their pride was clearly wounded.
“There’s no reason to be angry.”
I shrugged as I watched the Gwangpung Unit’s fury.
“What do you mean by that?”
Burren Zigheart, whose cheeks had hollowed in just two days, tilted his head in confusion.
“This is a stage for you.”
I spread both arms wide, gesturing to the spectators filling the arena.
“Wouldn’t it be entertaining to shock those arrogant faces who underestimate you and have already predicted your defeat?”
“Ah!”
“That’s….”
At those words, the madness faded from the eyes of the Gwangpung Unit’s swordsmen, replaced by a burning fervor. They clenched their fists as they gazed at the spectators.
“You’re right. That does sound entertaining.”
Martha, with dark circles beneath her eyes, licked her lips while observing the crowd.
“Watching those fools’ jaws drop would be better than any side dish for dinner tonight.”
“I really want to see that.”
“My heart’s racing.”
The Gwangpung Unit bit their lips as they stared at the spectators. Their expressions showed more excitement than madness now.
‘The intensity is still a bit lacking.’
The current state wasn’t bad, but to truly showcase their abilities, they needed a touch more of that frenzy.
“From what I can see, you’ve all met opponents you can definitely defeat.”
I lifted my chin as I observed the Gale Wind Squad.
“Unless the Gale Wind Squad faces itself, if they lose even once….”
My eyes blazed with a madness that surpassed even the Gale Wind Squad itself, and I curled my lips into a smile.
“The moment we return to the family, we’ll conduct the training we’ve been doing for an entire month.”
“Ugh!”
“Gasp….”
“Khh….”
The Gale Wind Squad released groans as if their breath had stopped. The madness that had been dormant in their eyes ignited like wildfire.
Kugugugu!
I smiled as I faced a madness far more eerie than bloodlust itself.
“That’s just the right temperature.”
*
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“Victory for Charlie Wibin of the Owen Kingdom!”
“Uwaaaaaa!”
The young knight of the Owen Kingdom, having triumphed over a Valcar knight, raised both hands in response to the audience’s cheers.
After savoring the moment of victory, he descended from the Sparring Arena with a smile still gracing his face, while the fallen knight bit his lips with a pallid complexion.
“The next match will now commence. Burren Zigheart and Rickel Robert!”
“Wooo! Zigheart versus Robert!”
“A clash of sword families!”
“Still, won’t the outcome be decided easily?”
“Indeed. Rickel reached the highest tier of Expert long ago. He even bears the epithet of the Hundred Swords.”
The audience had already predicted Rickel’s victory before the match even began. Since most renowned figures had won thus far, their judgment was unwavering.
“Huff.”
Rickel Robert ascended to the Sparring Arena and exhaled sharply.
‘Burren Zigheart, then.’
This should be easy.
A nineteen-year-old brat I’d never even properly heard of. Despite being from the Main Lineage and commanding a military faction, he was absolutely no match for me.
‘After all, it’s just Zigheart. There’s only Glen worth mentioning there.’
Until recently, when Glen overwhelmed the White Blood Cult Master and Tacheon, Zigheart had ranked at the bottom even among the Six Emperors. Glen was strong—not the others. There was nothing worth seeing here.
‘Best to finish this quickly.’
This was a tournament, and I had no desire to waste time and stamina on some fledgling from Zigheart. I needed to end this as fast as possible and prepare for the next match.
Thud.
The boy called Burren ascended from the opposite side. It had been a while since his name was called, and seeing him climb up now, he seemed nervous.
‘If he’s nervous, this will be even easier.’
I examined Burren as he climbed up with a faint smile. His thin blue hair and his eyes… Why do his eyes look like that?
‘The color has changed entirely.’
A more intense madness burned in Burren’s pupils than when he had entered. This wasn’t a sparring match—it felt like real combat, the kind where life hung by a thread.
“Uh, well, are both of you ready?”
The Announcer swallowed dryly, sensing something was amiss.
“Yes.”
Burren nodded as if entranced by something.
“Yes, I’m ready.”
Even Rickel Robert, narrowing his eyes, nodded in acknowledgment, and the Announcer descended below the Sparring Arena.
“Then let us commence the sixth match!”
The moment the Announcer lowered his hand, Rickel Robert pushed off the ground.
‘As fast as possible!’
A chill ran down Burren’s spine at the intensity in Rickel’s gaze. To end it in a single stroke, he twisted leftward and brought his sword down in a diagonal arc. The fierce blade of the White Wave Sword, modeled after crashing waves, descended at an angle.
Clang!
Despite the surprise attack, Burren lightly twisted his sword and deflected the White Wave Sword’s opening move.
“That won’t work!”
Rickel twisted his wrist and unleashed a second strike. It was a technique called White Beast Guardian Shadow, infused with stronger aura and flow than before.
Zing!
Yet again, Rickel’s blade failed to penetrate Burren’s defense and dissipated.
‘Impressive. So he does have some skill.’
Even if young, he was of the Main Lineage of Zigheart. It seemed unwise to underestimate him.
Whoooosh!
Rickel drew a steady breath and raised the aura from his core to over half capacity.
“Try blocking this!”
He leaped to the left and brought his sword down. The strike was faster and fiercer now, aimed at Burren’s waist.
“Hm!”
Burren showed no panic at the markedly different quality of the blade. He stepped back slightly to the side and unleashed a strike wreathed in cold wind.
Clang!
Our swordsmanship was evenly matched. Burren Zigheart stood firm without yielding an inch.
“What is this…?”
Rickel Robert’s jaw trembled. Despite drawing over sixty percent of his aura, Burren Zigheart refused to give ground. He couldn’t comprehend what was happening.
“Forgive me, but…”
A murky smoke-like substance flowed from Burren Zigheart’s lips.
“I have a reason I cannot lose. Especially not to you.”
He ground his teeth and charged forward.
“Insolent bastard!”
Rickel Robert drew his full aura and unleashed his blade. The silvery edge rippled, conjuring a mighty wave of sword qi.
‘He won’t be able to block this!’
This was the ultimate technique of White Wave Sword—the more the opponent evaded or defended, the stronger its power and transformation became. It was a technique he’d reserved for his next opponent, but now was not the time to hold back.
“Now it ends… what?”
Rickel Robert’s eyes widened. Burren Zigheart neither dodged nor retreated—he charged straight through the mighty sword qi.
“How—how do you know the counter to my technique?!”
“Counter? I don’t know any of that!”
A wild, frenzied battle cry erupted from Burren Zigheart’s lips.
“If I lose, I die!”
With that, his blade descended.
Craaaash!
The immense will and force channeled through his sword shattered Rickel Robert’s ultimate technique and struck his shoulder.
“Gahhh!”
Rickel Robert cried out and collapsed to his knees. Having lost his sword, he gazed up at Burren Zigheart with eyes wavering like a sailboat tossed by waves.
“Wh-what?”
“Rickel Robert lost….”
“How is this even possible?”
“They’re not even that far apart in age!”
“This is insane….”
The spectators trembled at the sight they never could have imagined, their jaws quivering. Their wide-open eyes fixed solely upon Burren Zigheart.
“You… who exactly are you….”
Rickel Robert called out to Burren Zigheart with trembling hands, but he only stared at his own palms.
‘What is this….’
I had merely swung my sword in a frenzy, desperate not to die during Raon’s training, yet somehow Rickel Robert had already collapsed.
‘How did I even win?’
Rickel Robert was a swordsman of considerable renown. Though not favored to win the tournament, he was expected to breeze through to the quarterfinals—yet I had crushed him far too easily.
“Burren Zigheart’s victory!”
Hearing the Announcer’s declaration of victory, I turned to look back. Raon was smiling faintly, as if to say I had done well.
‘What have you done to us again!’
You demon king’s spawn!
*
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*
Boom!
Martha, unlike Burren Zigheart, rushed at her opponent from the start and unleashed a sword strike. Against an assault more ferocious than the Beast Alliance itself, Valcar’s knight—renowned for his defensive prowess—tumbled across the ground with his armor torn to shreds.
“Is that ten wins out of ten?”
With Martha’s victory, the Gwangpung Unit had now achieved ten consecutive wins across all ten matches. They were the only ones who had won every single bout so far.
“Is this real?”
“W-wait, the Gwangpung Unit is this strong?”
“But they’re still just children… how is this possible?”
“I-I don’t mean to say this, but aren’t these Zigheart swordsmen absolutely insane?”
“Exactly. Not Gwangpung, but Gwanggyeon…”
The spectators could no longer even gasp, their lips trembling in stunned silence.
-Hmm.
Wrath narrowed his eyes as he watched Martha, who had just split the knight’s breastplate open.
-Power gained through training and combat doesn’t convert directly into skill. Instead, it settles into the depths of body and spirit, rising slowly over time.
‘Right. The growth of martial prowess follows a staircase pattern.’
I nodded in agreement. Unlike myself with my stat system, most martial artists grow in incremental steps. They can’t ascend immediately—they need time to adapt before they can truly progress.
-But you forcibly plastered over an incomplete step and dragged them up anyway. Most people know this is difficult, yet you relentless bastard…
‘It’s not that I’m relentless. The children simply followed my lead so well.’
Drawing out true skill isn’t something an instructor alone can accomplish through sheer determination. It was only possible because every member of the Gwangpung Unit followed my guidance.
-Followed well? They nearly died!
Wrath’s jaw trembled as he looked at Martha still standing in the Sparring Arena.
-The beef girl was always fierce, but not to this degree! That’s a rabid beast, not a human!
At his words, I turned my gaze to the arena. Despite her victory, Martha’s eyes still gleamed with that golden-yellow ferocity.
‘Perfect.’
I smiled faintly and nodded in satisfaction.
‘Humans need a touch of madness, after all.’
-A touch?
Wrath shook his head vigorously.
-That’s not a touch—she’s just completely unhinged!
*
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*
The highest floor of the Owen Royal Palace.
Five transcendents had gathered in the conference hall, originally reserved for discussing matters of royal importance.
“So the semifinals are supposed to happen today?”
Chamber, the Grand Mage of Yeongwha, twisted her red hair around her finger and licked her lips with anticipation.
“Yes. The semifinals and finals will take place tomorrow. We’ll be there as well.”
Derus nodded with a faint smile playing across his lips.
“Duels are meaningless anyway. Whether Expert or Master rank, all our people have made it through regardless.”
Ogram, the Beast King, drained his glass in one gulp and bared his teeth in a grin.
“It won’t be that simple. The others haven’t been idle either.”
King Lecross waved his hand lightly. Confidence radiated from his gaze.
“You’ve always been our prey since the old days.”
Chamber cast a scornful glance at Ogram.
“Aren’t you just going to get stripped bare again this time?”
“Shut that mouth of yours.”
Ogram crushed the wine glass he held in his hand to powder and glared with fierce eyes.
“Our swordsmen won’t fall back easily either.”
Derus Robert smiled faintly and tapped the table with his fingers.
“I have some friends who recently achieved enlightenment.”
“Enlightenment? Crude enlightenment—mere skewers—cannot pierce a trained body.”
Ogram twisted his mouth as he looked at Derus Robert.
“Yet that vaunted body of yours gets pierced by our magic every time.”
Chamber chuckled as she looked at Ogram.
“You shut your mouth!”
Since it was true that they were at a disadvantage in terms of matchups, Ogram couldn’t refute Chamber’s words.
“Well, that may be so. But regardless of anything else, I’m confident in a Master duel.”
Clear trust shone in Derus Robert’s eyes, as transparent as the sea.
“You speak of the Blue Sword, I presume. His growth has indeed been dazzling. However….”
King Lecross nodded slowly and continued speaking.
“Borini Kitten has also reached a new realm. Should those two clash, it would make for an interesting match.”
“Hmph. Those brats are decent enough. But if they fall into Garona’s hands, their limbs will be torn asunder like a wrung-out rag. He tore a drake apart with his bare hands, after all.”
Ogram raised his massive hand, large as a pot lid, with confidence.
“Age doesn’t change a thing. Don’t you all ever tire of this?”
Chamber brushed back the hair falling over her forehead and smirked. She turned her gaze toward Glen Zigheart, who had maintained silence until now.
“What about you, sir? The Gwangpung Unit, wasn’t it? How far do you think those children will go?”
“….”
Glen didn’t answer, as if uninterested, and simply remained still with his chin resting on his hand.
“Anyway, it’s boring.”
Chamber clicked her tongue briefly and turned her head away.
“Of course it would be. You know better than anyone that you have no chance of winning.”
Ogram smiled coldly while looking at Glen.
“Even this child Raon who’s competing in the Master duel was kidnapped. A warrior getting kidnapped—I would have bitten my tongue and died from shame. There won’t be a single brat bearing the Zigheart name in the semifinals. And they all look so inexperienced.”
“Well, that was unavoidable. With Merlin and the 10th Apostle involved, it’s not easy for anyone to escape.”
Derus sided with Glen and smacked his lips.
“Of course, it’s also true that the current Legend Sword Association would find it difficult to reach the semifinals. Perhaps in a few years….”
“Ahem, my thoughts differ somewhat, but let’s discuss the matches later.”
King Lecross waved his hand and glanced toward the back. The attendants who had been waiting brought documents and placed them on the table.
“Semifinals? What nonsense you speak.”
When the documents were placed before the leaders of the Six Emperors and all the attendants had left, Glen finally opened his mouth.
“Raon and the Gale Wind Squad have accumulated experiences that transcend their years. The resolve of children who have tasted defeat once burns far more fiercely than before.”
At his cold voice, which seemed to carry murderous intent, the other leaders fell silent.
“They are not inferior in strength or spirit. And above all….”
At Glen’s eerie gaze, the fingertips of the leaders trembled slightly.
“Our children are the most adorable.”
“…?”
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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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