The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 342

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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 342

I entered the newly opened passage, examining the countless cracks that covered the walls, ceiling, and floor.

‘These aren’t simple sword marks.’

Traces of battle.

They were sword marks left by a Zigheart ancestor who had mastered the Ring of Fire and Manhwagong, evidence of their clash with someone.

‘Is this the mark of Revolving Heaven?’

On the right wall, a sword mark was carved as if ground by a saw blade. Judging from the gouged surface, it seemed to possess far greater power than my own Revolving Heaven, even with my recent growth.

‘Those countless holes must be from Flower Petal Bloom.’

Hundreds—no, thousands of holes covering the left wall were undoubtedly traces left by Flower Petal Bloom, which scattered the petals of enhanced energy. However, the number of petals differed so vastly compared to mine that it was almost embarrassing.

I swallowed dryly at the sight of the massive crater-like mark.

‘Infernal Dragon Slash….’

Infernal Dragon Slash was a simple technique among Manhwagong’s sword arts that focused purely on destructive power, making the difference all the more stark.
If my Infernal Dragon Slash was a hatchling’s breath, the traces left here were an Ancient Dragon’s roar.

“Haa…”

I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead and descended further.

‘There are marks from Lightning Strike and Crimson Fortress Wall too.’

The traces that fell like lightning and the marks as if struck by a shield were sword marks left by Lightning Strike and Crimson Fortress Wall. More than half of the marks here were sword techniques embedded within Manhwagong.

‘But I don’t recognize this one….’

There was a sword mark that was definitely left by my ancestor, but I couldn’t identify it. It looked exactly like traces swept by waves, yet it seemed to exist on a completely different level from any Manhwagong technique I had seen so far.

‘So that person had to fight someone of this caliber….’

I had only glimpsed it like a dream, but the Ancestor’s martial prowess touched the heavens. That such a master would exert this much power meant his opponent was equally formidable.

I narrowed my eyes and examined the traces left by the other side.

‘A sword…perhaps?’

It was both sword-like and not quite a sword. The marks were so enigmatic that even using the Ring of Fire made them difficult to decipher.

‘But one thing was certain….’

There was one undeniable fact: whoever left this mark was damnably strong. Even in the sword marks left by the Ancestor’s opponent, I could sense martial power that had ascended to the heavens. An absolutely formidable master.

‘Neither one dominated the other.’

Following the flow of sword spirits left by the Ancestor and his opponent, neither side had gained the upper hand. The marks showed only that both had wielded their blades with everything they had against each other.

-Hmph, so your eyes are finally opening.

Wrath let out a scoff as he looked at me.

-Indeed.

He nodded, tracing along the sword marks.

-These are the traces left by strong ones, free from amateurism, clashing against each other.
‘Strong ones, you say….’

I narrowed my eyes.

‘This is no joke, then.’

Wrath evaluates humans by their martial power. The fact that something he dismisses even Grand Masters would call strong meant these two had transcended the category of human and become monsters.

-To be precise, I’d say this dungeon itself was created by the battle between those two.
‘They fought and created a dungeon?’
-Indeed. The sword marks on the walls were carved there because power remained after they carved out this passage.
‘I see….’

I turned around and my jaw dropped.

‘Come to think of it, we’re underwater.’

Underwater, aura inevitably scattered, and maintaining the flow of swordsmanship became difficult. Since this tunnel hadn’t existed back then, it meant the ancestor had fought while holding their breath. My mind reeled at the thought.

‘…There’s no end to strength.’
-Of course. Even the True Demon King still has heights to climb. A mere pup like you has a long way to go.

Wrath let out a scoff and waved his hand dismissively.

‘That’s true.’

I still had far to go.

Raon smiled faintly and reviewed the sword marks he had seen so far. After taking in Hoecheon, Hwaryeong, Yeomryong-gyeol, Jeoksseom, and even Yeomjubyeok, he placed his hand on the final sword mark whose nature he could not discern.

I traced the nameless sword mark with my hand to examine it more closely. The trace extended from the wall down to the ground, but the floor was obscured by accumulated soil.

Scrape, scrape, scrape.

I carefully dug at the ground and examined the sword mark carved into the floor.

Roooooar!

The ground was harder than expected, and the moment I activated the Ring of Fire and Manhwagong, a crimson light erupted from within the sword mark.

Roooooar!

As if urging me to replicate this technique, the nameless sword mark left by my ancestor unfurled in a magnificent arc.

“Ah….”

I couldn’t think of anything else. My mind was completely filled with this new swordsmanship.

[The Ring of Fire has observed Yeonhae Mujul.]
[Entering the realm of absolute concentration.]

I didn’t even see the messages appearing before my eyes, my vision fixed solely on the sword marks as I plunged into the lake of immersion.

-Again? You entered a state of oblivion again? Why would you fall into a trance while digging a tunnel!

Wrath grabbed my shoulders, his eyes wide open.

-This is a scam! Where is the god, where is iiiiit!

*

*

*

“Stop.”

Matio halted and looked upward. His eyes narrowed to slits.

“The mana above seems to be fluctuating.”

He turned his head toward Kosini on his left, as if seeking her opinion.

“You’re right. It is fluctuating.”

Kosini nodded slowly.

“Not just above, but below as well.”

She pointed to the ground with her index finger.

“Why is that happening?”
“I told you before. There’s a monster guarding an artifact down there.”

Kosini smiled, lifting her chin slightly.

“The creature can easily devour any sea monster we’ve encountered so far, so it definitely knows we’re descending right now.”
“I don’t sense anything.”

Matio shook his head, spreading his senses with full force. Even concentrating his energy downward revealed nothing. He could only feel a faint warmth.

“It’s grown to nearly spirit-beast level strength from the artifact’s power, so it won’t be easy to sense. It’s similar to natural mana.”
“Then that surge of energy means….”
“Yes. It’s preparing to fight us.”

Kosini nodded and extended her hand forward. Mana flowed from her grip, gently lifting the ground and compacting the earth to create a stable foundation that wouldn’t collapse.

“I see. I understand. However….”

Matio looked up from the rapidly splitting earth.

“Something feels uneasy. I have a bad feeling about this.”
“From above?”
“Yes.”
“Sigh….”

Kosini shook her head with a sigh.

“I’ve set up my warning magic with checkpoints throughout, and yet you’re still anxious about something.”

She continued with a look of exasperation, her eyes narrowing.

“You’re just a coward. That’s why you lost your position.”
“Your mouth still runs recklessly. That tongue of yours is precisely why you remain vice-commander.”
“Hmph….”

Kosini lowered her eyes under Matio’s cold gaze and turned her head away slightly.

“Besides, it makes no sense for anyone to come here. Even if they’d found this place, they would’ve entered when we weren’t around. What madman would walk in while we’re all here?”
“Hmm….”

Matio closed his mouth, apparently agreeing with that assessment.

“We’re well past the daytime work hours anyway. Mages are sensitive, unlike those crude assassins. Don’t provoke them.”

Kosini wrinkled her nose and increased her mana output. The speed at which the earth was excavated and compacted doubled.

Whoooooosh!

She watched the tunnel being carved in a circular pattern, then turned around.

“I’m curious about something too.”
“What is it?”
“Why do you follow him so blindly? Even after stepping down from your position as leader, I can’t understand you or him for keeping you around. It’s almost like love, isn’t it?”
“Love? When you think about it, it’s not so different.”

Matio’s eyes darkened with a somber light.

“To me, he is a god. Do I need a reason to offer devout affection to a deity?”
“…A god?”
“Yes. Just as the Holy Kingdom reveres the goddess, I worship him.”
“Hmm….”
“I would squeeze every drop of blood from my body and offer it for him.”

Kosini swallowed hard at the eerie glint in Matio’s eyes.

‘He’s insane.’

She too believed in and followed Derus Robert, but only Matio, Rezel, and that man possessed such devotion without any brainwashing.
Now she understood why Derus Robert continued to keep Matio around despite his inferior abilities. He was nothing short of a fanatic.

Kosini rubbed her arms as goosebumps rose across her skin, twisting her lips.

‘If either of them dies, something interesting might unfold.’

*

*

*

“Haaah….”

Rimer staggered forward before grabbing the wall and exhaling a long, weary sigh.

‘Damn, this hurts.’

My shoulder, struck by Glen Zigheart’s lightning, throbbed with a burning pain that never dulled no matter how many times I endured it. Lightning truly was a cursed attribute.

‘No, that’s not it.’

Rimer narrowed his eyes as he gazed at his hands, blackened and adorned with gemstone rings.

‘Have I grown accustomed to this?’

Now that he thought about it, the previous times he’d been struck by lightning, he’d lost consciousness and remained bedridden for quite some time.
He’d spent at least a full day writhing in agony, but this time he’d taken a direct hit and hadn’t collapsed. Walking was somewhat difficult, yet he could move immediately.

“Hmm….”

Rimer raised his hand and summoned the lightning aura still coursing through his entire body. With a crackling sound, verdant lightning erupted from his fingertips.

Previously, he’d relied on lightning aura as a temporary measure, but from repeated exposure, it seemed the wind mana had naturally absorbed the lightning aura into itself.

‘Perhaps it was inevitable.’

When he considered that he’d been struck by lightning once every three days, it would have been strange if lightning aura hadn’t accumulated in his body.

‘Humans truly are creatures of adaptation.’

The pain remained unchanged, yet his body had adapted to the Head of House’s lightning aura—truly, the human form was a marvel beyond measure.

‘If I use this well….’
“Haaaaaah!”

As Rimer grinned wickedly, plotting some sinister scheme, a thunderous battle cry echoed from the 5th Training Ground.

‘It’s nighttime, though?’

Despite the evening having passed and sleep being the order of the hour, the 5th Training Ground blazed with daylight brilliance, and he sensed the presence of many people.

“Hmm?”

Rimer smiled faintly and climbed atop an oak tree standing beside the training ground.

‘They’re all here?’

Every member of the Gwangpung Unit except Raon and Dorian had gathered, each wielding their blades. And it wasn’t merely a casual warm-up—it was rigorous, full-power training.

‘What’s going on?’

The Gwangpung Unit had achieved impressive results at the Six Emperors Duel Tournament, and not long after their return, I found it remarkable how everyone threw themselves into training with such earnestness even in Raon’s absence.

‘It’s all because of Raon, isn’t it.’

Those soldiers were clearly moved by the fighting spirit Raon had displayed at the Six Emperors Duel Tournament, and they yearned to climb even higher.

‘Good.’

A smile bloomed naturally as I watched Raon, who advanced without knowing his limits, and the Gwangpung Unit, who desired to follow in his footsteps—both were truly admirable.

‘The time has come.’

It seemed the moment to transcend the Unit and ascend to the next level was approaching.

Whoosh.

A gentle wind sound drifted from the tree beside me. Rimer turned his head to the side with a smirk.

“What do you think?”

In his gaze, Glen Zigheart, who had climbed into the tree, came into view.

“What do you mean?”
“All this intense training they’re doing as if they’ll die tomorrow—it’s all thanks to your most cherished grandson. You must be proud.”
“Ahem!”

Glen Zigheart cleared his throat and turned his head away. His earlobes flushed crimson.

“Proud? Warriors training is simply their duty.”
“Still, not everyone throws themselves into training like that immediately upon returning.”
“Hmm….”
“So here’s the thing….”

Rimer raised his hand while observing the slight upturn at the corners of Glen Zigheart’s mouth.

“When Raon returns, I’d like to reorganize the Gwangpung Unit into the Gwangpung Corps. Would that be acceptable?”
“Gwangpung Corps….”

Glen Zigheart didn’t answer immediately, instead stroking his chin as he watched the Gwangpung Unit striking their swords below.

“You’re aware there’s an examination, aren’t you?”
“Of course.”
“Make sure you go through the proper procedures.”
“Yes!”

Rimer nodded briskly, the jewels hanging around his neck swaying in a cascade.

“Clean up those filthy things.”
“Ah, this is my devotion to worshipping Master Raon! I absolutely cannot remove it!”

He stretched out his hand, insisting he couldn’t back down.

“You’re losing your mind more and more.”

Glen Zigheart sighed and flicked his finger, tossing something to Rimer.

“Huh?”

Rimer reached out and caught it—a high-grade ointment for burns.

“This is….”
“I’m not giving it to you because I like you.”

Glen Zigheart left those words behind and vanished without a trace.

“Huh, so he gives medicine too when someone praises his grandson?”

Rimer stared at the ointment in his hand, his mouth falling open. Despite being struck countless times before, this was the first time Glen Zigheart had ever given him medicine.

“The Raon effect is terrifying….”

He shook his head and headed toward the Dormitory.

However, there was something neither Glen Zigheart nor Rimer knew.

The Gwangpung Unit hadn’t been training all this time out of admiration for Raon’s combat prowess.

“Never stop swinging your sword! That lunatic will find any excuse to criticize us! We absolutely must sharpen our skills!”

Burren brought his sword down with bloodshot eyes. The sound of the blade’s wind seemed to resemble a human’s scream of agony.

“I won the championship! Damn it! Damn it all! Damn it to hell!”

Martha spewed curses with every word that left her mouth, wielding her sword with the ferocity of a beast. The floor of the Training Ground cracked beneath the weight of her fury.

“Hngh….”

Lunan swung his sword as if drowsiness was overtaking him, his head bobbing slightly. His eyes were so clouded and unfocused they appeared utterly vacant.

“Ugh!”
“Why… why did I even join the Gwangpung Unit to suffer like this…?”
“That man is a demon. A mocking demon who toys with people!”
“P-please… save me…”
“I’d rather you just kill me….”
“Is this what living a human life is supposed to be?!”

When Raon returned, he had announced that he would subject those whose skills hadn’t improved to concentration-enhancement training, and so the other swordsmen of the Gwangpung Unit also cried out in anguish as they honed their swordsmanship.

“You’re worse than that demon!”

*

*

*

-You’re worse than this True Demon King!

Wrath gnashed his teeth as he watched me.

-Why does fortune keep erupting only for this bastard?!

Transcendence—a step on the ladder of enlightenment one could ascend. It was an opportunity far greater than even the highest-grade elixirs, ancient artifacts, or masterwork weapons.

An ordinary human might encounter it once in a lifetime of training, if at all, yet this madman had stumbled into transcendence while digging in the ground to steal something.
It was so absurd that only a hollow laugh escaped me.

-I feel like I’m losing my mind….

Having lived for countless ages and witnessed numerous humans, demons, celestials, and other beings, I had never encountered someone who stumbled upon fortune so frequently. It felt as though the entire world conspired to aid this young one.

-I’m so frustrated I can’t bear to watch!

Wrath grabbed Raon’s shoulders with trembling hands and shook him violently.

-Wake up! I won’t stand to see you prosper after I’ve fed you nothing but hard bread for five days!
“….”

Raon paid no attention to whatever Wrath was doing, his gaze fixed solely upon the wall as he sank into profound concentration.

‘I cannot merely observe the swordplay in isolation.’

The sword marks etched into the wall were not the traces of solitary practice, but rather the scars left behind from combat with an adversary. Only by keeping this in mind could I truly comprehend this swordplay.

‘The traces extend far….’

Unlike techniques such as Heavenly Rotation or Flame Dragon Severance that concluded in a single strike, the sword marks traced across the wall and continued downward into the space below.

I descended as though treading upon clouds, continuing to observe the swordplay.

‘Cutting, striking, defending.’

Everything was contained within a single stroke.

There exists a saying: “One stroke, one breath”—the ability to write multiple characters in succession without pause. The sword marks upon this wall flowed together like the calligraphy of a master, connected in one unbroken line.

I descended, holding the rising emotion within me. The serpentine sword mark that had extended so far finally concluded with a decisive point.
The moment heat kindled at that final mark, a new image crystallized in my mind.

Shiiiiing!

A wave of flames erupted along the silver trajectory, engulfing the South Sea.
A panoramic scene created by my ancestor through this swordplay unfolded, filling my entire vision.

‘Such a swordplay exists….’

A singular technique, a singular sword form—a special martial art of extraordinary nature.

‘Grrr….’

Perhaps it was because I was trying to contain swordsmanship that far transcended the realm of mastery. My heart, where the ring of fire circled, and my mind burned with a searing ache.

‘I know I can’t obtain everything, that I’m lacking. But….’

I couldn’t stop.

Like a child tasting sweets for the first time in their life, I hungered for the ancestor’s sword and focused my entire consciousness.

Like a delicacy savored for the first time, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the ancestor’s swordsmanship.

The moment I opened my eyes with effort and finally captured in my sight the flow he had created, a small explosion erupted in my mind.

-Hey, you brat! Share some of this fortune with me!

Only then did Wrath’s call reach me.

Flash.

Raon’s eyes opened. His pupils gleamed with golden light for an instant.

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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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