The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 32

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 32

My steps toward the Training Ground felt lighter than ever before. It wasn’t mere imagination. My body itself had grown weightless, as though carried by the wind.

‘It’s thanks to the aura.’

While my stats had increased and my constitution had changed, the most significant difference came from the aura itself.

Aura was a condensed form of mana. Its very existence elevated human physical capabilities.

With two auras now gathered in my dantian, it was only natural that my body felt lighter and more vibrant than usual.

‘That’s not all, though.’

My senses had become far more refined.
The flow of wind, the footsteps of wild beasts bounding through the grass, even the presence of the swordsmen guarding the base of the mountain—everything around me felt tangible, within reach.

“Hmm.”

I smacked my lips together.

‘I want to test this.’

To wield my power effectively in real combat, I needed to understand precisely what I was capable of now.

‘After today’s training, I should head back to the mountain.’

The clearing on Bekmang Mountain where Rimer had taught me to sense the wind would be perfect for testing my abilities.

—Krraaah!

As I walked toward the Training Ground with anticipation blooming into a smile, Wrath let out a fierce cry.

—Damn it!

He continued to emit savage cold and fury, though his power had weakened considerably, making him far from threatening.

How in the world did you see the furnace at that moment!
‘I suppose I was lucky.’
Don’t mock me! Did you really think I wouldn’t notice you pulling it toward yourself!

Wrath ground his teeth audibly.

‘This monstrous bastard!’

I had anticipated that Raon Zigheart possessed the ability to block both cold and mental attacks.

‘I thought it wouldn’t matter what else he had.’

I believed I could devour his body and soul in mere moments. That’s how it had always been until now.

‘But it wasn’t.’

He was different.

From the start, I had targeted the moment when human consciousness is most vulnerable—that state of absolute focus where one’s mental defenses are lowest after reaching the pinnacle of cultivation.

Even after unleashing all the accumulated rage and cold I had gathered, Raon’s spirit remained unbroken.

He endured through sheer willpower and then used the furnace’s heat to push me away.

I still couldn’t believe that perfect plan had crumbled.

‘Where does a creature like this come from….’

Even demons who had endured countless trials couldn’t withstand such agony, yet that young boy bore it without flinching. I was left utterly speechless.

Gulp.

I swallowed hard. A terrifying thought crossed my mind—that I might spend the rest of my existence dangling from that boy’s forearm.

‘That can never happen.’

I clenched my jaw. I had failed before, and again today, but I couldn’t keep surrendering like this.

-Raon Zigheart. Don’t get cocky. I haven’t even begun yet.
“Alright. Do your best.”

Raon gave a small nod and turned to leave the Training Ground. That indifferent response. The more I saw it, the more irritating he became.

-Clean out your ears and listen. I am a demon who knows no surrender. I’ll consume your body and slaughter every human around you—
“You’ve got this.”
-Aaaahhhhh!

At Raon’s bland encouragement, Wrath exploded for the second time.

*

*

*

Lunan Slion stood in the center of the Training Ground, staring at the door.

‘When will he arrive?’

Raon’s recent condition was poor enough that all the trainees could see it, and he knew the reason why.

Aura.
Even children who had started their cultivation later than Raon had all manifested their aura, yet seven months had passed and he still hadn’t stabilized his.
Raon was the only one in the 5th Training Ground who hadn’t acquired an aura.

Even the children who had acknowledged him as their superior after he defeated Burren Zigheart had changed their minds. They now hoped the top position would go to Martha, Burren, or himself.

‘I want to help him.’

Raon had been a great help to me. Training beside him, I achieved greater heights, and the cool fragrance he gave off always made me feel good during practice.

‘Mother said so too.’

Mother had told me to repay those I’m grateful to. So I brought my favorite marble ice cream again.

Last time I gave him the last one remaining, but this time I had three left. I hoped eating these would lift his spirits.

Click.

As Lunan Slion was arranging the box containing pearl ice cream, the Training Ground door opened and Raon, whom I’d been waiting for, entered.

Tap, tap.

I scurried over and stood before Raon. He’d grown accustomed to my closeness, showing barely any change in expression.

Rustle.

I held out the small box I’d been carrying to him.

“Do your best.”

Lunan Slion nodded at Raon, who had accepted the box somewhat bewilderedly.

‘Hmm?’

Just as I was about to step back to my usual distance of five paces, the cool fragrance emanating from Raon felt noticeably stronger.

Sniff, sniff.

I wasn’t mistaken. It was a refreshing scent so vivid it made my heart race.

My eyes gleamed as I stepped one pace closer to Raon than usual.

*

*

*

‘Why is he doing this again?’

Raon’s eyes narrowed. I’d come down the mountain in good spirits, but Lunan Slion was sniffing intently from a distance much closer than usual. It was somewhat disconcerting.

I looked at the box Lunan Slion had given me. It was the same box that had contained the pearl ice cream.

Opening it, white cold mist rose, and three pearl ice creams of different colors lay inside.

-Huh! So it’s not bead ice cream after all!

Wrath’s voice brimmed with anticipation.

“You want me to eat this?”
“Yeah.”

Lunan Slion, who had been humming contentedly, opened his eyes and nodded.

-From this day forth, I recognize this girl as my ice cream maiden. Raon, eat it all! I wish to taste other flavors as well. Let me start with that black one in the center….
‘Tone it down a bit.’

I retrieved a black ice cream from the box and placed it in my mouth. Cool and sweet chocolate melted across my tongue. It was so delicious that I wondered if this was what it meant to find happiness through food.

-Magnificent! The coolness drenches my mouth, and atop it, sweet chocolate wraps around my tongue like a ribbon. What an exquisite flavor!

Wrath described the ice cream’s taste with the precision and eloquence of a seasoned critic.

-Eat more, eat more! This time, that red one….
“Heh….”

Lunan Slion licked his lips slightly, a thin line of saliva betraying his desire.

“That was delicious.”

I handed the box back to Lunan Slion with two ice creams remaining.

“You’re not eating any more?”

Lunan Slion stared at the returned box with vacant eyes.

“That’s enough. Thank you.”
-Enough? Nonsense! I am still hungry! Eat them all!
‘Can’t you see he wants to eat them? Act your age.’

I pressed my palm down on Wrath’s ranting form, silencing him.

“Feeling better now?”
“Huh? Oh….”

I let out a soft chuckle as I watched Lunan alternate his gaze between me and the box.

‘As expected.’

Seeing the longing expression on his face, I was certain now. Lunan had given me this ice cream to lift my spirits.

Though his expressions were subtle and he spoke little, Lunan was a kind and gentle child.

“I feel better now. Thank you.”
“Mm!”

Lunan smiled softly and accepted the box, cradling it in his arms as carefully as an explorer who had discovered treasure.

“But…”
“Hmm?”
“Never mind.”

Lunan shook his head mid-sentence. The strange thing was that he stood closer than usual, and he sniffed at the box far more frequently than normal.

‘I really can’t figure it out.’

I shrugged and waited for Rimer to return after finishing his cleanup.

*

*

*

“I’m planning to do something special a month from now.”

Rimer, who had arrived ten minutes late to training, grinned widely.

“Instructor, you’re late again today. In ten minutes, one could swing a sword over a hundred times.”

Burren furrowed his brow and raised his hand.

“Ah, my apologies. I needed some time to prepare.”

Rimer apologized with a familiar gesture, though his words of apology contradicted the unbothered expression on his face. He simply smiled.

“Hmm.”

Burren’s displeasure was evident, but he lowered his hand.

“You’ll all enjoy this. It’s been a while since we’ve had proper training.”

Rimer curled his lips into a smile and pointed behind him. A circular line was etched into the Training Ground at the rear.

“After seven months of building fundamentals and continuous cultivation, it’s time to test yourselves. We’ll hold sparring matches one month from now.”
“Woooah!”
“Finally!”
“Sparring!”

The children erupted in roars of excitement. It was only natural they were thrilled—they finally had the chance to test the aura and swordsmanship they’d been honing through repetitive training.

Burren’s previously furrowed brow smoothed out, Martha’s lips curved into a cool smile, and Lunan’s blank expression remained unchanged.

“Your performance in the sparring matches will be factored into your graduation scores and determine your rankings. You’d do well to prepare diligently over the next month.”
“Just a moment.”

Martha, who had been smiling leisurely, called out to Rimer.

“What about the laggard who still hasn’t manifested an aura?”

Though she hadn’t mentioned a name, everyone’s gaze turned toward Raon.

Raon received the trainees’ stares without any reaction, his expression calm as he watched only Rimer’s mouth.

“Fortunately, that person has manifested an aura, or so I’ve heard.”
“What? When exactly…?”
“Yesterday? Or today?”
“Ah, is that so?”

Martha’s head snapped around. Her dark eyes gleamed like black pearls buried in mud.

“Finally, the opportunity has arrived. I was dying of boredom waiting for this.”

She approached with a smile—a blend of mockery and arrogance.

“Remember what I said before? I don’t take orders from anyone weaker than me. I think I’ve been patient enough. Let’s end this now. You….”
“Martha Zigheart. Stand down.”

Before Raon could step forward, Burren cut in from the side.

“You want to duel someone who awakened their aura less than a day ago a month from now? Do you have no honor as a swordmaster?”
“Ha! Honor?”

Martha twisted her lips into a long sneer, waving her finger with blatant contempt.

“I see someone raised precious by the family doesn’t know that honor doesn’t put food on the table.”
“Martha.”
“Honor is only shown to those worthy of it. Those laggards over there also awakened their aura in a month, but our first-seat took over half a year.”

She pointed to the recommended students learning the Linden aura cultivation method.

“Even with a high-tier or higher cultivation method, awakening an aura in seven months means that bastard has no talent. You took the same evaluation test, so you know better than anyone, don’t you?”
“Hmm….”

Burren furrowed his brow, then closed his mouth.

‘It’s true….’

He himself had mastered the highest-tier aura cultivation method in just two weeks. Even with an exceptional cultivation method, taking over half a year to awaken the first stage was problematic.

“I acknowledge that bastard has talent in swordsmanship and martial arts, but that’s all. Without talent in aura, it means nothing.”
“Hmm.”
“She has a point.”
“There’s no renowned warrior with weak aura.”

The trainees nodded in agreement with Martha’s words.

“Did the instructor suddenly want to duel because he wants to change the first-seat?”
“Who knows?”

Rimer raised both his eyebrows and shoulders simultaneously.

“Raon Zigheart. For your abilities, you’ve held the top position for quite a long time. You don’t have many followers… well, only a handful, so I think it’s time you gave up that seat, don’t you?”

Martha glanced at Dorian and a few other trainees standing behind Raon, then let out a snort of laughter.

“As we discussed before, whoever wins in a sparring match gets the position of top trainee.”
“I refuse.”

I shook my head before Martha could even finish speaking.

“What?”
“Do you think you can sit at a gambling table without putting down any money? If I’m wagering my position as top trainee, then you need to put up something of equal value.”
“Don’t you understand the situation you’re in? You don’t have anyone on your side here….”
“Are you afraid?”

I tilted my chin slightly and smiled. It was a far more contemptuous smirk than anything Martha had shown.

“Afraid? You’re asking me that right now? Ha! Fine. I’ll accept this provocation—your last one.”

Martha laughed sharply. Irritation flickered across her dark eyes as she pulled a small wooden box from her bosom and set it down.

“This is the Nine Harmony Elixir that Father gave me. If you win the sparring match, I’ll give it to you.”

The Nine Harmony Elixir was a spiritual medicine crafted from nine rare herbs, capable of strengthening both the body and aura.

‘Wrath. This is the moment I mentioned before.’
-What are you talking about?
‘I said something would come up that I could extract from Martha, remember? This is it.’

I already knew Martha possessed this elixir through the gossip that Dorian had spread.

‘The Nine Harmony Elixir will do nicely.’

I gazed at the wooden box containing the elixir and at Martha, who had fallen for the provocation, my smile growing thin and sharp.

A prize for a wager I was absolutely certain to win.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————