The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 357

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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 357

The door to Adis Sepia’s office opened quietly, and Butler Rigwin entered and bowed his head.

“Merchant Guild Master. It’s finished.”
“Hmm….”

Adis, who had been reviewing documents, stopped his pen and lifted his gaze.

“How did it go?”
“As expected, it ended in the White Sword Dragon’s victory.”
“I see.”
“However, there was something rather unusual about it.”
“Unusual?”
“Yes. He shattered strong qi with sword energy.”
“…Is such a thing even possible?”

Adis exhaled softly and set down his pen.

“I’ve never seen anything like that before. Whether it was improvisation or not, he erased Mark Goeten’s strong qi without a single wound. He was a monster beyond the rumors.”

Rigwin’s eyes narrowed in disbelief.

“My eyes must not be as blind as I thought.”

Adis chuckled and nodded.

“What of Dorian’s condition?”
“He sustained injuries, but the White Sword Dragon intervened at the right moment, so it didn’t become a serious wound.”
“Hmm….”

Adis released a brief sigh of relief.

“There’s one more unusual thing about Young Master Dorian’s match.”
“What is it this time?”
“Young Master Dorian defeated Toten Robel.”
“What?”

Adis Sepia slammed his hand on the desk and shot to his feet. It was a reaction rarely seen from someone of his cynical disposition.

“Is that… truly the case?”
“Yes. He struggled at first, but after gaining enlightenment, he ascended to the pinnacle of Expert rank and brought Toten Robel to his knees.”
“Then Dorian’s injuries are…?”
“Wounds inflicted by Mark Goeten. He never retreated before that formidable power and endured to the very end. I have come to see young master Dorian in a new light.”

Rigwin’s face brightened with a subtle smile.

“Ha, ha!”

Adis Sepia let out a hollow laugh and began pacing circles around his desk.

“That boy has come this far…?”
“His resolve is unshakeable. Not only in appearance, but his character too—he reminds me of the young lady.”
“…Yes. He does resemble her.”

Adis Sepia nodded and settled back into his seat. A gentle smile bloomed at the corners of his mouth.

“What of Palen Sepia?”
“She suffered no physical trauma, but lost consciousness under the overwhelming pressure of the White Sword Dragon’s aura.”
“He merely rendered her unconscious…?”

Adis Sepia exhaled a heavy sigh upon hearing this.

“Raon Zigheart. A far more terrifying man than I anticipated.”
“Indeed. He was clearly thinking ahead to the trials that would follow.”

Rigwin nodded gravely.

“It seems young master Dorian is the one who has brought back the greatest treasure in this moment.”
“True. I never imagined a martial master who could become the next Continent’s Premier would care for Dorian to this extent.”

Adis Sepia lowered his gaze and finished signing the final document.

“Summon everyone for dinner tomorrow evening.”

He set down his pen with a smile.

“I should begin the successor’s test.”

*

*

*

I finished dinner with Dorian at the Dining Hall inside the Sepia Merchant Group’s headquarters.

-Kyaaaah!

Wrath let out an exclamation upon seeing the empty dishes.

-Magnificent! With premium ingredients and a chef of such skill, the food couldn’t help but be delicious!

He grinned widely, his expectations thoroughly satisfied.

-However….
‘However?’

I turned to Wrath while sipping the tea that had been served as dessert.

-It lacks warmth, it does.
‘Warmth? Did he just say warmth?’
-Indeed. While this cuisine surpasses that of the Charm Girl or your head maid, what truly calls to me is the food from the Annex Building. I’ve a craving for it after so long.
‘Heh….’

I never imagined such words would come from the Demon King’s lips. Every time I feel it—the Lord of Wrath is truly unlike his nature.

‘Still, it feels good.’

A natural smile bloomed at the thought that Helen and Yua’s cooking appealed to him more than the Sepia Merchant Group’s finest cuisine.

I finished the apple that had been served with the tea and lowered my gaze.

‘But was Merlin really not there earlier?’

I had sensed a small creature’s presence in the tree, but I couldn’t be certain it was Merlin.

-There were animals, but I can’t say for certain if that was the Mad Woman. Honestly, it’s a completely insane spell.
‘A completely insane spell?’
-Indeed. In animal form, she can’t attack, and swapping back to her true body requires an enormous amount of mana and time. The efficiency is absolutely terrible.

Wrath recalled the time he’d appeared as a lion and let out a hollow sigh.

-It’s a spell created solely for stalking you. Absolutely unhinged. The obsession of someone like Grid….

He trembled, muttering that she was truly a terrifying woman.

‘Grid….’

It’s a name that comes out of Wrath’s mouth only very rarely. Based on the name, one could guess it belongs to the Lord of Greed. It was the name of a demon king filled with desire.

‘The Lord of Greed?’
-Indeed. An absolute madman obsessed with money.
‘Money? Does the Demon Realm even have currency?’

I tilted my head in confusion. I’d always imagined the Demon Realm as a world where only violence and screams prevailed, so the existence of money had never crossed my mind.

-Don’t underestimate the Demon Realm!

Wrath puffed up his cotton candy form and let out a sharp cry.

-Intelligent beings live there—why wouldn’t there be currency?
‘Ah, my apologies.’

He was right, so I lowered my gaze and offered an apology.

-But then….
‘Hmm?’
-Have you developed an interest in the Demon Realm?

Wrath’s eyes gleamed like polished glass, sparkling with intensity.

‘This could work out well.’

I nodded lightly, recognizing this as an opportunity to extract information about the Demon Kings from Wrath.

‘Why is that Grid fellow so obsessed with accumulating wealth?’
-What other reason would there be? The more money he gathers, the stronger he becomes.
‘…The more money he gathers, the stronger he becomes?’

I widened my eyes in surprise.

-Indeed. Both humans and demons pour their desires into money. Fine houses, fine clothes, fine food. The very concept of money reflects the desires of intelligent beings.

A blue aura flickered subtly in his eyes.

-Grid. That filthy wretch absorbs the desires of humans and demons through money, using it to strengthen his own power.

Wrath frowned, calling him a despicable creature.

-But even if that bastard gathered all the world’s wealth, he’d still be weaker than I! If he were told all that money would be destroyed, he’d cower and never even show his face!
‘Heh….’

There was a hint of bluster to it, but Wrath’s superiority seemed genuine enough.

-Anyway, enough about that filthy wretch. Now I shall begin explaining the history of the Demon Realm and my own greatness. From the moment I was born, I was different….

I let his unnecessary words go in one ear and out the other.

‘I see.’
-Wait, my story isn’t finished yet?
‘I heard it all.’
-…I truly wonder why you were born in the human realm! I shall start again! From the moment I was born….

I tuned out Wrath’s voice and popped a slice of apple into my mouth.

“Lord Dorian.”

Dorian set down his fork and released a long sigh.

“What is it?”
“I hesitate to say this, but our third sister… I doubt she’ll stay quiet about this. She’s never experienced defeat at anyone’s hands, so she’ll definitely seek revenge….”
“I’m aware.”

I nodded without the slightest surprise.

“Huh?”
“I’ve seen people like that more than once or twice.”

Palen Sepia was born into the direct lineage of the Sepia Trading Company, spending money like water and doing whatever she pleased—which naturally made her this way.

Now that she’d tasted the humiliation of kneeling and bowing for the first time, it was obvious she’d prepare her revenge the moment she recovered.

‘That’s exactly why I let her go.’

I merely scratched her pride to finish her off properly. My purpose in coming here wasn’t to make her kneel—it was to devour this entire merchant company.

‘Though there’s one more reason for it….’

I smiled faintly as I sipped my tea.

“If she brought a powerful warrior and challenged me to a direct fight, I could let it slide cutely. But that won’t happen.”

For a warrior to have any chance of defeating me, they’d need to be at the peak of Master rank or Grand Master tier.

Among such elite masters, some do move for money, but astronomical sums are required.
Even as the legitimate daughter of the Sepia Trading Company, Palen would exhaust her funds trying to hire one, leaving her unable to wage a succession war.

In other words, her path forward was obvious.

“She’ll most likely hire an assassin.”
“Then, then why didn’t you pressure her more decisively….”
“Because she maintained her principles.”

Neither Palen nor the warriors under her command ever unleashed killing intent.
Because they observed that final line, I refrained from dealing them fatal blows.

“Besides, the real protagonist of this affair isn’t me—it’s you. If I handled it too harshly, I thought you’d feel guilty given your nature.”
“Ah….”

Dorian is the gentlest, most tender-hearted one across both my past and present lives.
Since he might regret it later, I wanted to hear his resolve before he took action.

“You decide. Can you fight your brothers and shed blood with them?”
“….”

Dorian swallowed dryly and met Raon’s gaze.

‘He’s truly….’

A fascinating person.

He charges forward like a madman one moment, yet displays the wisdom of a sage the next. He seems indifferent to others’ feelings, yet when it truly matters, he respects their will. He moves as though thoughtless and arbitrary, yet every outcome leads to success.

Truly impossible to predict.

Yet two things are certain.

‘He is someone I can trust. And someone I must follow for the rest of my life.’

After resolving his heart, Dorian exhaled deeply.

“So….”

“P-please don’t kill them. And don’t sever their limbs either….”

Raon chuckled as he watched Dorian scratch his cheek nervously.
“Huh?”
“They’ve belittled and ignored you since childhood, and when you returned, they only schemed to drive you away. Yet you still…?”

Raon chuckled as he watched Dorian scratch his cheek.

“These are the people who bullied and ignored me since I was young? Even after I came back, they only thought about how to drive me away?”
“Fair enough. There are plenty of ways to inflict suffering without taking lives.”

Raon rose from his seat with a faint smile.

“Ugh….”

Dorian’s jaw trembled as several troubling thoughts crossed his mind.

“Ugh…”

Dorian’s chin trembled as a few thoughts seemed to cross his mind.

“Let’s head back.”
“Yes….”

As I turned to leave the Dining Hall, the door swung open. It was Dialun Sepia, Dorian’s older brother whom I’d seen that afternoon.

“Hmm….”

He must have already heard the news, for he showed no surprise upon seeing my hair and eyes. Though he couldn’t quite prevent his expression from hardening like plaster.

“A pleasure to meet you for the second time, White Sword Dragon.”

He bowed respectfully.

“My apologies for the deception before. I am Raon Zigheart.”

Since Dialun had maintained his courtesy even then, I returned his greeting properly.

“You’ve certainly made quite an impression since your arrival.”

Dialun tilted his chin slightly downward.

“I simply don’t tolerate provocation.”
“That sounds rather terrifying. Almost like a threat.”
“I have no intention of making the first move.”

I smiled as I met Dialun’s darkened gaze.

“Sigh….”

Dialun exhaled deeply, then looked at Dorian standing beside me.

“Honestly, I thought you wouldn’t even be able to compete, yet you’ve brought someone quite difficult to handle.”

He regarded Dorian with a cold gaze.

“You might be the most dangerous one of all.”
“You have keen eyes.”

Dorian swallowed hard and lifted his head.

“I won’t lose to my older brothers either. I’m not alone anymore.”
“Ha!”

Dialun let out a cold laugh at those words.

“I know. Dorian Sepia of the Gwangpung Unit.”

Dialun patted Dorian’s shoulder and entered the Dining Hall. The warriors and servants following him streamed in after him. Every one of them had a sharp gleam in their eyes.

I committed their presence to memory and stepped outside.

“Um, I didn’t say anything strange, did I?”

He’d been confident just moments ago, but now he shrank back, his shoulders trembling. Truly a fascinating fellow.

“That was the first time you’ve expressed your will so openly. It was impressive.”
“Really?!”
“However….”

I smiled faintly and raised a finger.

“Your voice cracked and you were trembling the whole time.”
“Ah….”
“Honestly, it looked a bit pathetic too.”
“Nooooo! I’m so embarrassed!”

Dorian grabbed his head and let out a wail.

“This is just the beginning. You’ll improve gradually.”

I chuckled and headed toward the Dormitory.

-…And that is how I, the True Demon King, was able to become the lord of the Demon Realm!
‘….’

He was still talking?

*

*

*

Palen Sepia’s eyes fluttered open with great effort.

“Mmm….”

The familiar ceiling and the soft touch of the bed greeted me. It was my own room.

“Why am I here… oh!”

A throbbing headache brought back the recent events. I must have lost consciousness, overwhelmed by the presence of Raon Zigheart with those crimson eyes revealed.

“Damn it!”

Palen Sepia jolted upright, cursing. The events from the Training Ground flickered through my mind like fragments of a dream.

“Swin!”

At my call, the door opened and a secretary in uniform entered.

“You called for me.”
“Tell me what happened.”
“After you lost consciousness, miss….”
“No, from the beginning!”
“We arrived at the Training Ground with Young Master Dorian and faced Toten Robel….”

Swin recounted every detail of what had transpired in the Training Ground.

As I listened, the dream became reality, and the vivid memories of that place flooded back. All I could do was curse.

“Ugh….”

Palen Sepia gripped my long hair and ground my teeth together.

“Damn it all!”

Born as the legitimate daughter of the Sepia Trading Company, I had knelt before another for the first time and raised the white flag. Humiliation. Utter, irreplaceable humiliation.

‘I was being considerate….’

Even though I had intended to merely rough him up since he shared half my blood, the situation had escalated my murderous intent to a fever pitch.
I wanted to beat Raon Zigheart to death even more than Dorian.

“We still have a connection to those Black Death assassins, don’t we?”

Palen regarded Swin with cold eyes.

“Miss. They haven’t revealed their identities….”
“Shut up and just answer.”
“Yes, we do.”

Swin exhaled softly and nodded.

“Contact them. Not just my brothers and Dorian—Raon Zigheart too. I’m going to kill them all.”
“What? If we touch Raon Zigheart….”
“I know. The Merchant Guild itself could be destroyed. So just make contact now, and we’ll move after he leaves this place.”

Touching Raon Zigheart could jeopardize the entire Merchant Guild, so I had to wait until after he departed.

“Sigh….”

Swin exhaled deeply and nodded.

“Understood.”
“Wait.”

As he turned to leave, Palen raised her hand.

“Bring alcohol too. Something strong.”
“…Yes.”

Swin returned with a dark amber whiskey and several appetizers, then left the room.

Palen sat at the table and downed the whiskey.

“Damn it….”

Even now, as I drink, Dorian’s victory and Raon’s crimson eyes flash through my mind.
Without the alcohol, I doubt I could fall asleep.

“Hm?”

I was downing whiskey without even a snack when a small cry echoed from the right window. I turned to see a flying squirrel clinging to the glass.

“Get out!”
“Squeak!”

Palen hurled her glass toward the window. It shattered into fragments, and the flying squirrel fled into the darkness.

“Sigh….”

Her anger still unabated, she drank the whiskey straight from the bottle. After draining every last drop, she collapsed onto the bed.

“…I’ll kill him no matter what it takes.”

Palen stared at the spinning ceiling and swore vengeance against Raon Zigheart.
Between the alcohol and exhaustion, her eyes closed, and she surrendered to sleep.

…

‘What?’

Palen’s entire body trembled.

‘I can’t move.’

My mind was perfectly clear, but I couldn’t move a single finger. My eyelids wouldn’t open either, leaving me in complete darkness.

“Am I being pressed down by scissors?”

I’ve never been caught in scissors before, but it was similar to situations I’d heard about from other people.

“When luck isn’t on your side, everything goes wrong.”

He silently cursed and wiggled his fingertips, hoping it would come loose quickly, but his entire body remained completely still.

‘How much longer… huh?’

Even though I was pinned down, my senses remained intact—I felt something touch my forehead. At the same moment, my eyelids and eyes began to move.

‘What is this….’

Palen opened her eyes, seized by inexplicable dread.

‘Gasp!’

The moment her eyes opened, she nearly lost consciousness again.

A young woman with blue eyes marked by a crimson cross was leaning down, her forehead pressed against mine, staring directly at me.
The aura emanating from her distorted pupils was saturated with madness.

‘What, what, what is this! Who is this woman….’

The woman radiating an eerie presence said nothing, merely gazing down at me. The crimson light in her pupils, suffused with a sinister aura, made my heart clench as if it might burst.
My heart clenched as if it would burst at the crimson light in his eyes, tinged with a dark and gloomy aura.

“Who are you going to kill?”

As those brief words brushed past her ears, she felt an eerie sensation, as if an earthworm were crawling through her ear canal.

Goosebumps erupted all over his body from the damp, murderous intent blooming in the woman’s eyes. But this wasn’t the end.

Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill? Who am I gonna kill?
‘Ahhh….’

With each utterance of her voice, agony tore through me as if flesh were being ripped from bone. The unbearable pain made me want to scream, yet I could still only move my eyes.

‘Ughhhh!’

I tried desperately to close my eyes, but my eyelids refused to obey. Staring into the woman’s gaze felt as though my very soul was being torn asunder.

“Who will you kill?”

The woman’s hand seized my shoulder. A scorching energy surged into me, and a searing pain erupted as if ants were devouring my entire body from within.

‘Aaaaargh!’

Unbearable agony made my eyes roll back involuntarily, yet my mind remained painfully lucid. I wanted to lose consciousness, but couldn’t.

‘P-please….’

I begged for mercy with my eyes, but the Mad Woman’s expression never wavered. She simply pressed her forehead against mine, wearing that eerie smile.

“Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me.”

The Mad Woman’s obsession and Palen Sepia’s silent screams echoed through the Sepia Merchant Group all night long.

Aaaaaaaaaaagh!

*

*

*

Raon opened his eyes after finishing his dawn cultivation. Sunlight pouring through the window touched his shoulders pleasantly.

-How can you do that tedious thing every single day without missing once?

Wrath shook his head, unable to comprehend why I cultivated daily.

‘I just do it.’

It’s not tedious or bothersome. I cultivate to grow stronger the same way I breathe to live.

‘Now my body feels stiff if I don’t.’

Cultivation stimulates the mana circuits within my body, much like stretching after waking. My aura and cultivation realm deepen, and my body loosens—there’s no reason not to do it.
There was no reason not to do it, as both his aura and the realm of his martial skills were increasing, and his body was loosening up as well.

Anyway.

Raon gazed at the door where he could sense the presence of two people, a cold smile crossing his face.

‘They found me faster than I expected.’
-Indeed. They’re not fools, after all.

Wrath nodded in agreement.

‘Are they planning a direct confrontation? Or will they resort to deception?’

I chuckled softly and rose to open the door. Palen Sepia and Mark Goeten, whom I’d met last night, stood on either side.

“What is—”
“Please, save us!”
“Accept us!”

The two of them cried out in unison before simultaneously dropping to their knees.

“P-please, save us! We were wrong!”

Palen Sepia wept with distorted eyes, her forehead pressed to the ground.

“Accept me, I beg you! Even as a servant, I’ll do anything!”

Mark Goeten bowed his head, his jaw wrapped in thick bandages.

“….”

I stood frozen, my mouth agape at this unexpected turn of events.

What in the world were these two?

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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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