The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 355

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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 355

I narrowed my eyes as I observed the middle-aged mercenary standing before Dorian.

‘A mercenary with Master-level power….’

The Six Emperors Five Demons, along with other renowned families and kingdoms, possessed numerous Masters. With countless warriors in their ranks, it was only natural that multiple Masters existed among them.

However, there was one group where, despite harboring an incalculable number of warriors, the number of Masters was extremely limited.

Mercenaries.

Mercenaries who sold their martial prowess and pride for coin possessed abundant combat experience, yet their overall power level remained low due to the lack of systematic training.

‘Moreover, talented warriors quickly abandon the mercenary life.’

Those with the talent to become Masters found far greater wealth, renown, and status by joining prestigious families or kingdoms rather than remaining as mercenaries.

Only those who aspired to become the Mercenary King or eccentric individuals who cherished freedom remained as mercenaries despite their exceptional talent.

‘However….’

Rarely, the opposite occurred.

Masters from prestigious families or kingdoms, having despaired at their stagnant growth, sometimes lived as hollow shells or were expelled for causing incidents before becoming mercenaries.

‘That’s exactly who this man is.’

I let out a quiet chuckle while observing the middle-aged mercenary leaning on one leg, swaying slightly.

‘Mark Goeten.’

A knight from the Warner Kingdom considered just below the Six Emperors, he had reached Master rank at a young age but, trapped in despair after over a decade of stagnation at the lower Master tier, caused an incident and was expelled before becoming a mercenary.

Thus he earned the epithet “Fallen Blossom Blade”—a derisive name meaning a flower past its bloom.

Ten years ago, twenty years ago, and even now, he remained at the lower Master tier.

‘But it’s a bit different from what I expected.’

I watched Mark Goeten’s finely honed blade and disciplined physique, smacking my lips. It seemed rumors truly couldn’t be trusted entirely.

“Whenever you’re ready, come at me!”

Dorian, still riding high on excitement, hadn’t noticed his opponent was Mark Goeten and rotated his wrists.

“I’m ready whenever.”
“That’s good.”

Mark Goeten chuckled softly as he observed the confidence blazing in Dorian’s eyes.

“What, what is it?”

Dorian shuddered, sensing something amiss.

“With that level of power at your age, you’ll reach Master rank before thirty.”

Mark Goeten narrowed his eyes, his blade held low.

“Ah, it’s not quite that much….”
“But you’ll never rise beyond the lower Master tier.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“The path to Master rank opens to those with exceptional talent and perseverance. Even if you start late, if you possess talent and train with all your might, that path will eventually open. However….”

Futility and despair began to settle in his gaze.

“Those who rise beyond the lower Master tier need a talent that transcends talent itself. Like Raon Zigheart, the vice-commander of your Gale Wind Squad. Unfortunately, you lack that talent.”
“I know I don’t have talent like the vice-commander. But if I don’t try to the end….”
“I’m a petty man. Disgustingly petty.”

Mark Goeten raised his blade with a twisted smile. A chilling aura emanated from the crescent-thin, curved blade.

“So when I see a cocky brat like you, it irritates me.”
“Ugh….”

Dorian bit his lip at the cold aura that seemed to lower the very temperature. Yet he showed no sign of backing down, gripping his sword firmly and lowering his stance.

-ya.

Wrath turned his head sharply upon seeing the look in Dorian’s eyes.

-Isn’t he going to die like this?
‘I won’t let it come to that.’

No matter how harshly I trained him, I had no intention of letting him die or suffer severe injuries.

‘What I want is awakening.’
-Awakening?
‘Yes. Both Dorian and that foul-mouthed sister of his are under a grave misunderstanding.’

I gazed at Dorian’s back with eyes as blue as blooming Glacian flowers.

‘This foolish confrontation exists for that very awakening.’

*

*

*

Adis Sepia’s office.

Knock, knock, knock, knock!

The door burst open with an urgent knock, and a young warrior entered and bowed his head.

“M-Merchant Guild Master!”
“What is the matter?”

Adis Sepia slowly lifted his gaze from the documents he had been reviewing. His eyes were dry and devoid of emotion.

“I am occupied at the moment. If it is not urgent, speak to me later.”

He returned to his documents the moment he finished speaking, his eyes moving swiftly across the page.

“It’s a matter concerning the youngest master.”
“Hmm….”

The moment the word “youngest” left the warrior’s lips, Adis Sepia’s eyes, which had been swaying back and forth like a pendulum, came to an abrupt halt.

“What happened?”

Adis lifted his head. Clear curiosity now permeated the gaze that had been dry moments before.

“The third young lady has taken the youngest master away.”
“Where? You’ve tracked his location, haven’t you?”

His usually calm voice wavered like the sound of waves, making it difficult to understand what he was saying.

“The guards’ Training Ground.”
“Do you know who’s there?”
“The warriors the third young lady recently hired. Toten Robel, Kelmek, and Mark Goeten are present.”
“Two high-tier Experts and one Master.”

Adis tapped the documents with the pen he held, his brow furrowing. He exhaled a short sigh and pressed his fingers to his temples.

“Did she take Dorian there to spar with them?”
“That appears to be the case. She likely intends to demonstrate that the wealth she has accumulated surpasses the youngest master’s martial prowess.”

Rigwin, the Old Butler standing to the right, nodded his head.

“No matter how much she dislikes him, to lay hands on the youngest after he’s returned after nine years—truly, she shows no sense of propriety.”

Adis crumpled the paper with ink dripping down it. His forehead wrinkled like that very paper.

“The youngest master is indeed stronger than warriors of his age, but he won’t be able to defeat any of those three.”

The young warrior placed his hand over his chest and bowed deeply.

“If you give the order, I will go and stop them at once.”

He raised his momentum as if to say the word was all he needed.

“Hmm….”

Adis didn’t answer, instead tapping his pen against the desk.

“Did Dorian go alone?”
“No. The Zigheart swordmaster who came with him followed as well.”
“I see. Then that’s fine.”

He chuckled softly and retrieved a fresh document from his right side. He lowered his gaze and examined the papers as if it were nothing of consequence.

“Master Merchant Guild Master?”
“Leave it be.”
“Pardon?”
“With him there, nothing serious will happen. I said to leave it.”
“Who exactly is that person….”
“Raon Zigheart.”
“Raon Zigheart… the White Sword Dragon!”

The young warrior stumbled backward in shock.

“Why is he here….”
“He came with Dorian as the Vice Commander of the Gale Wind Squad, or so I heard….”
“Then, shouldn’t we go even more urgently? The White Sword Dragon might not interfere in family matters, or if he does, it could spark a massive conflict….”
“That won’t happen.”

Adis smiled faintly, speaking with absolute certainty.

‘It’s absolutely impossible.’

As a merchant, I couldn’t claim to understand much about a warrior’s martial prowess, but when I witnessed Raon’s true gaze in this place, old memories surfaced.

‘It felt like seeing the leaders of the Six Emperors Five Demons.’

Not like Raon now—someone in their teens or twenties—but rather the sensation I’d felt when observing the leaders in their thirties, fully matured.

‘A monster. Pure and simple.’

I was confident in my ability to read people, as I’d told Raon, but the depths of Raon Zigheart’s character were unfathomable.

Such a man could never fall prey to the third son’s schemes. He would certainly shatter that boy’s plans and provide Dorian with tremendous aid.

“And Raon, you have more than enough qualifications to be involved in this matter.”
“Pardon? What do you mean….”

The young swordsman, who had been standing dazed, lifted his head.

“You, Dorian, and Pallen are all under a grave misunderstanding.”

Adis Sepia smiled faintly and tapped his desk.

“That boy hasn’t built up only martial prowess.”
“That is….”
“Still don’t understand? It is….”
“Master Merchant Guild Master.”

The quiet Old Butler Rigwin stepped forward.

“If you don’t finish your duties now, you’ll have to remain in your office tomorrow as well.”
“Ah, that’s true.”

Adis Sepia nodded and cast his gaze toward the documents.

“You must prepare yourself for the time to see the young master tomorrow.”
“Yes. I’ve been waiting for just today….”

He shook his head hastily and furrowed his brow.

“That’s not what I meant!”

*

*

*

“Ugh!”

Dorian blocked Mark Goeten’s blade and let out a stifled groan.

‘What… what is this person….’

I thought the aura he radiated was weaker than Toten Robel’s, so I’d win easily. I was completely wrong. The complexity of his technique, the power of his aura, his physical abilities—everything operated on a different level.
Just blocking a single sword strike drained all the strength from my body.

“You can’t even block this much? It seems I’ve overestimated you.”

Mark Goeten fluidly spun his blade. The sword edge, infused with extreme killing intent, fell with an eerie gleam.

“Ugh!”

Dorian unleashed the Sapphire Cloud Bloom, a secret technique of the Ten-String Zither Sword. Blooming blue clouds formed a thick barrier of sword energy, but Mark Goeten’s blade tore through that formidable defense in a single breath.

Crash!

Dorian felt the impact as if struck by a hammer across his chest and was driven backward in a sliding motion.

“Cough…”

Though I tried to suppress it, a cry escaped my lips. The violent nausea, as if I’d ridden in a carriage for hours, suggested I’d suffered internal injuries.

‘It wasn’t even a special technique…’

Mark Goeten had shattered my secret technique with nothing more than a simple downward slash. The gap in our abilities was immense.

‘Peak level, or perhaps even beyond that…’

Master rank.

I trembled as I watched Mark Goeten approach slowly. Realizing he was far above me, the excitement that had filled my mind turned ice-cold and terrifying.

“H-hey, wait?”

Mark Goeten didn’t answer Dorian’s call and unleashed a diagonal sword strike instead.

Screech!

Dorian desperately deployed both the Ten-String Zither Sword and the Cloud Manifestation Technique simultaneously to meet the strike, but unable to withstand the tremendous impact, he was sent flying backward.

“Ugh…”
“What’s happening?”

Mark Goeten lifted his chin as he watched Dorian breathing heavily and roughly.

“May I… ask your name…?”
“Mark Goeten.”
“Falling Blade? Gasp!”

Dorian, who had uttered the epithet “Falling Blade,” immediately covered his own mouth.

“It’s fine. My blade did fall, after all.”

Mark Goeten showed no change in expression despite hearing the derisive epithet of “Falling Blade.”

“And I am also your future.”
“W-what on earth have you been saying this whole time!”
“Warriors who reach the Master realm experience what we call a plateau. It’s a period where your strength ceases to grow due to the backlash of transcending the Wall.”
“I’ve heard of it…”

Dorian nodded stiffly. Rimer had once explained this plateau to me when I reached the Master realm.

“Some continue climbing the steps toward the heavens without ever experiencing such a plateau, but there are those like me who can never escape it for their entire lives.”

Mark Goeten wore an indescribable expression, his smile tinged with melancholy.

“So when I see a young upstart brimming with confidence like you, I want to crush that pride and teach you your place.”

The sword aura blooming from his blade began to thicken progressively.

“I don’t like all the talking, but the conclusion is good.”

Pallen let out a scoff and pointed at Dorian.

“Crush him starting from his head. Make sure he never raises it again.”
“It seems I’ve made quite an impression on that one as well.”

Mark Goeten turned to look at Pallen and chuckled softly. The aura gathering from his blade coalesced, twisted, and formed a thick, razor-sharp river of power.

Whoooooosh!

At the resonance of the formidable blade force, Dorian swallowed hard. Without retreating or fleeing, he gripped his sword tightly with both hands.

“You’re going to keep trying even after seeing Dorian’s strength?”

Mark Goeten frowned as he observed Dorian’s pupils trembling with fear.

“I… I’m nothing special compared to the people around me.”

Dorian exhaled deeply while looking at Mark Goeten.

“My strength, my mental fortitude—I’m lacking in everything.”

Compared to Raon, or even the squad leaders Burren, Lunan, and Martha, I possessed nothing of merit.
Despite standing closest to their backs and observing them, I had gained not a single insight into swordsmanship.

‘But I learned one thing.’

Never to surrender, no matter the circumstances.

I was terrified—horrifyingly terrified of dying to his aura or suffering grave wounds—but as Raon’s subordinate who had watched him from the closest vantage point, I could not kneel in defeat without doing anything.

A resonant hum erupted!

The most brilliant light yet surged forth from Dorian’s blade.

“I have no thoughts of victory, but I won’t be trampled shamefully here!”
“An irritating gleam in those eyes.”

Mark Goeten ground his teeth and moved. The aura layered upon his blade gnawed at space like a saw blade as it erupted upward.

“I’ll bring you to your knees in one stroke.”

His twisted, surging blade descended like a crimson thunderbolt.

“Aaaaaaah!”

Dorian roared and thrust his sword forward.

Dorian cried out fiercely and drove his blade forward. The Ten String Sword’s supreme technique, the Great Ten String Slash—the same technique that had broken Toten Robel—conjured a second massive cloud of aura.

A sharp crackling erupted!

The cross-shaped sword energy spread across the empty space, yet it was meaningless before the overwhelming aura.

Boom!

The seemingly solid cloud of energy shattered, and Dorian tumbled across the ground, coughing blood.

“Ugh….”

Dorian tried to rise immediately, but his body wouldn’t respond—his strength exhausted, his neck barely twitching. While he hadn’t suffered grave injuries, the backlash from expending all his aura combined with the physical impact left him immobilized.

“Ahahaha!”

Pallen pointed mockingly at Dorian, her laughter ringing out.

“I knew it would come to this. That’s your limit. No matter how much you sharpen your swordsmanship, you can’t defeat even one mercenary I hired!”

She gazed down at Dorian with cold eyes.

“While you wasted time swinging that sword, I earned money. Enough to hire not just that mercenary, but warriors who could crush someone like you without effort.”
“Ugh….”
“Before, and even now, you’re best suited to kneeling beneath me… huh?”
“Hm….”

Dorian used his sword as a cane to push himself upright. He locked eyes with Pallen, gritting his teeth.

“Ah, it’s not over yet.”
“W-what are you doing! You’re standing!”

Pallen stumbled backward in alarm, gesturing frantically to Mark Goeten.

“Finish him quickly! Smash that mouth of his!”
“Hmm….”

Mark Goeten approached Dorian, narrowing his eyes.

“If you move in that condition, you won’t like what happens. The internal injuries are severe—you might not be able to move for a while.”
“I’m a coward. I hate being scared, and I hate pain even more.”

Dorian drew a breath and lifted his sword. His weakened wrist trembled, causing the blade to appear bent.

“…Still, I know it’s time to get up and take hold of a sword.”

It was only now that the thought occurred to me, but Raon was not the sort of person to ask someone to do something without reason. I trusted him and gathered strength in my wavering legs.

“Your eyes are becoming increasingly displeasing to me.”

The moment Mark Goeten scowled and brought his blade down, a crimson line flashed up like lightning.

Clang!

The azure blade was driven back roughly. What appeared before Dorian’s eyes was Raon’s longsword burning with crimson fire.

“Why are you interfering? This is our family matter!”

Pallen furrowed her brow and pointed an accusing finger.

“No, it concerns me.”

Raon pushed back Mark Goeten’s blade and looked down at Pallen with cold eyes.

“You said the martial prowess Dorian built was worth less than the money you accumulated, didn’t you?”
“What of it!”
“I’m sorry, but what Dorian has built is not merely swordsmanship.”

I raised my left hand with a cold smile.

“Slightly harder than copper coins.”

A copper coin split into two pieces fell from my grip.

“More resilient than silver coins.”

Silver coins crumbled like biscuits and scattered.

“More tenacious than gold coins.”

Finally, gold coins turned to dust and dispersed.

“Because we’ve built a bond of fate.”
“A bond of fate? What nonsense are you spouting….”
“Just as you boasted about earning money, Dorian came to Zigheart and forged connections. That means I am his strength.”

My sword aura blazed with the intensity of the sun, pressing down upon Mark Goeten’s azure energy.

“Both I and the other swordsmen of the Gale Wind Squad are prepared to stake our lives and draw our blades for this man. That is something money can never buy.”
“Ugh….”

Pallen’s face twisted at my cold laughter.

“Crush that bastard too. Trample him into the ground!”

Pallen ground her teeth and pointed an accusing finger at me.

“Your eyes displease me even more. They’re absolutely infuriating.”

Mark Goeten furrowed his brow and flicked his blade. A brilliant cyan energy erupted along his sword.

“Forgive me if I grow rough.”
“Falling Petal Blade, was it?”

I tilted my chin and flicked my fingers. A chilling frost gleamed across my blue eyes.

“I’ll knock your energy away with my sword aura.”

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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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