The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 388

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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 388

I lifted the hidden blade from the wooden box after throwing open its lid completely.

‘The killing intent is overwhelming.’

The hidden blade, shaped like a fusion of an arrowhead and an awl, emanated a chilling aura of murderous intent.
I couldn’t believe that a weapon that had never tasted blood could radiate such potent malevolence.

‘Is this truly a hidden blade…’

The hidden blade was originally forged not for subdual, but for assassination.
Its purpose was to pierce an enemy’s vital points and sever their life in a single stroke—and this weapon seemed to have reached the pinnacle of that design.

‘He infused it with killing intent instead of cold.’

Borgos appeared to have stripped away the frigid aura that clung to Drake’s fangs, channeling every ounce of sharpness and murderous intent into the blade.

Wrath’s eyes narrowed as he gazed down at the hidden blade.

-That dwarf bastard has crafted something grotesque.
‘Yes. This is no ordinary weapon.’

I nodded, gripping the hidden blade firmly.

‘I thought he’d send something adequate, but I never expected him to craft a hidden blade of this caliber.’

Regardless of the outcome, since the process of obtaining the hidden blade had been coercion, I hadn’t harbored great expectations for its quality.

Yet this hidden blade that Borgos had sent was a weapon that rivaled even the Celestial Sword or the Soul Reaper Sword.

‘And he sent two of them.’

I had requested a pair of hidden blades, but even one of this caliber would have sufficed.
The fact that he sent two made it clear that Borgos had pushed himself to his limits.

-That gullible bastard!

Wrath pounded his own chest and ground his teeth.

-After suffering so much at your hands, why would you forge such a weapon for me?! I cannot fathom it!
‘It must be the craftsman’s pride.’

Borgos revealed his competitive spirit upon seeing Balkan’s Heaven-Slaying Sword and Kuberard’s Soul Reaper Sword.
It seemed the effect of showing him those two blades had worked far better than expected.

-This is truly bizarre! Why do fools never cease to gather around you?! They cling to you like flies to filth!
‘Well…’

I watched Wrath trembling with rage and let out a quiet laugh.

Perhaps it was because the very embodiment of foolishness was attached to me.

In my past life, only those seeking to exploit me had gathered around, but in this life, seeing so many people eager to give me things, it all seemed to be thanks to that fool of a Demon King.

Thank you, Lord of Fools.

I smiled at Wrath, who floated about while continuing to complain.

“Quite an impressive creation.”

Dogyae exhaled softly as he gazed upon the dagger.

“Yes. It seems Borgos put considerable effort into it.”
“Craftsmen never do shoddy work because of their pride.”

He nodded slowly, then handed me a piece of paper that had been inside the wooden box.

I received the paper and unfolded it. Along with a brief greeting, the dagger’s name was inscribed upon it.

“Heaven’s Reaper…”

Borgos had given this dagger, brimming with murderous intent, a sinister name meaning to slay the heavens themselves.

“It’s a frightening name.”
“That dwarf has always been famous for giving harsh names.”

Dogyae waved his hand, saying that was just how the dwarf naturally was.

I bowed my head slightly to Borgos with gratitude, acknowledging his kindness.

‘I’ll put them to good use.’

I tucked the two curved blades into my chest. They felt so light, as if they had become one with my body.

I tapped my chest where the blades were stored and smiled.

‘Now there’s just one left.’

*

*

*

After finishing all the training with the Gale Wind Squad, I returned to the Annex Building at dawn.

Knock, knock, knock.

I had just finished showering and was sitting on the bed listening to Wrath’s complaints about being hungry when three knocks sounded at the door.

“Come in.”

Before the words had even finished, the door opened and Judith stepped inside.
She set a covered dish on the table and pulled a booklet from her skirt, handing it to me.

“This is the compiled information about the Arian Family and the Swamp of Death.”

I had only mentioned that a new mission had come down, but it seemed she had already compiled the information and prepared it as a booklet in the meantime.

“Thank you.”
“Not at all.”

Judith shook her head and lifted the cover off the dish on the table.

Two egg sandwiches lay there, with ham, cheese, and scrambled eggs tucked between slices of bread.

“I thought you might have skipped your meal, so I brought you something.”

She set the lid down beside me, gesturing for me to eat at my leisure.

-As expected of the Charm Girl! She knows how to take care of the essentials!

Wrath grinned, saying that at this rate, he’d be willing to take her on as a subordinate.

-Eat it quickly before it gets cold!

He immediately shoved the sandwich toward my mouth while drumming my shoulder like a small drum.

‘Stop pestering me.’

I let out a short sigh and took a bite of the sandwich.
The buttered, crispy bread melded perfectly with the salty ham, cheese, and savory scrambled eggs—a combination that naturally drew a smile to my face.

-It’s delicious! I’ve decided! From today on, the Charm Girl shall also become a subordinate of the True Demon King!
‘Yes, yes. Do as you please.’

I let Wrath do as he wished and opened the document.

“Hmm?”

One sword squad and a Grand Master at the beginner level?

I knew the Arian Family wasn’t particularly strong, but I hadn’t expected their strongest to be only a beginner Grand Master with just a single sword squad. The family was weaker than I’d anticipated.
They were far more fragile than expected.

“Originally, the Arian Family was renowned for their martial prowess. There are even records suggesting they were once a match for Slion.”

Judith began explaining, as if reading my thoughts.

“However, because the monsters emerging from the Swamp of Death that the Arian Family guards are only weak zombies and skeletons, they gradually neglected their martial training.”

Hearing that, I began to understand.

“Moreover, since they cultivate the notoriously expensive marsh grapes, they’ve never lacked for money, and so they’ve lived a life of idleness for a long time.”
“I see what you mean.”

Raon chuckled coldly. Even without witnessing it firsthand, I could sense how the Arian Family operated.

“Does the Swamp of Death only spawn zombies and skeletons?”
“According to records, an Arch Lich born in that swamp centuries ago started a war but was annihilated by Zigheart and the Arian Family. Since then, only zombie-level undead have appeared.”

Judith had grasped all the information in this brief span, answering without hesitation.

I nodded and read through the pamphlet from beginning to end. Thanks to the Ring of Fire, even a single reading etched every detail into my mind.

“So this swordmaster Wendy achieved Master rank in the midst of all this?”
“He’s the warrior currently shouldering the Arian Family. His actual authority is weak, but he’s the person the residents there follow most closely.”
“I’m starting to see how I should move once I reach the Arian Family.”

Thanks to Judith’s meticulous investigation, a clear picture of how to act within the Arian Family had formed in my mind.

“What’s the current state of the Central Intelligence Agency and Jinmu Hall?”

I returned the pamphlet to Judith and asked.

“They’re moving busily to accumulate achievements.”
“Achievements?”
“Yes.”

Judith nodded.

“Sensing a crisis from the achievements accumulated by the Gale Wind Squad, the Branch Family, and external personnel, the Main Lineage is desperately resolving multiple missions quickly to prevent losing their dominance.”

She let out a faint scoff, noting that the Main Lineage members seemed to be gradually feeling threatened.

“That pleases me.”

A smile naturally bloomed as I heard that the Main Lineage members, who had refused to lift their heavy posteriors as if they were already the Head of House, were now moving frantically.

Among the Main Lineage, only Cain, Trevin, and Denier—Martha’s father—were worth respecting, so I hoped the others would suffer all the more.

“Is there anything else?”
“This information came from the Black Market….”

Judith hid the pamphlet back in her skirt and lowered her hand.

“A man calling himself the Pirate King has appeared, it seems.”
“The Pirate King?”
“He claims to have traveled all the waters of the Continent and calls himself the Pirate King. His power is extraordinary, and he’s been recognized by many factions, or so I’ve heard.”
“A king, then….”

Many called themselves kings, but few earned recognition from others. It meant he possessed genuine skill.

“Since he operates far from our territory, there’s no need for concern.”
“Understood.”
“Then rest well.”
“Thanks for the information.”
“Not at all.”

Judith bowed and left the chamber.

“A self-proclaimed Pirate King, then.”

I smiled faintly and nodded.

“The Continent never runs short of interesting matters.”
-Pirate King, my foot! Don’t bang on drums while eating! Just stick to your sandwich!

*

*

*

A gray castle wall rose imposingly above the yellowish-green swampland.

Incongruous yet harmonious in its own way, this land was the domain of the Arian Family and the Swamp of Death.

Archers with bows slung across their backs stood atop the castle wall, their eyes glazed as if they’d drunk themselves into a stupor.

As the archers yawned against the tedium, workers in coveralls climbed onto the wall.
They tied safety lines around their waists and leaped from the castle wall.

Thud!

The workers used safety ropes to traverse the Castle Wall, applying mud to the cracked and damaged sections and wedging stone fragments into place.

“Ugh, what a hassle.”
“Right? There are only low-tier undead, so I don’t understand why we’re doing this kind of work.”
“Besides, the zombies can’t even get close to the Castle Wall anyway.”
“Wendy really does worry too much.”
“Just do it roughly. Roughly. Make it look neat on the outside.”

As they repaired the Castle Wall, their discontent was evident—they pouted and filled the interior haphazardly while smoothing only the exterior.

Though there were many sections to repair, their sloppy work meant the entire job was completed in no time.

As the middle-aged workers climbed atop the Castle Wall and the youngest of them was performing a final inspection, a faint sound echoed from the swamp.

“Hm?”

The young man turned around and furrowed his brow.

“A zombie.”

A corpse with rotting flesh shambled slowly toward the Castle Wall.

“Altel!”

At his shout toward the Castle Wall, the head of a yawning archer appeared.

“Aren’t you slacking off? There’s a zombie coming!”
“Oh, sorry. I was thinking about dinner.”

The archer called Altel smacked his lips and nocked an arrow to his bowstring. He released it casually and turned away without even checking the result.

Twang!

The arrow whistled through the air, piercing the zombie’s skull and embedding itself in the swamp beyond.
Yet the zombie merely staggered for a moment before resuming its advance toward the Castle Wall.

“Uuuaaaargh!”
“Altel!”

The young worker furrowed his brow and shouted upward again.

“Can’t you shoot anymore? That thing isn’t dead!”
“Huh?”

Altel tilted his head and picked up his bow once more.

“I’m sure I hit it?”

The arrow had flown on a trajectory that couldn’t possibly miss, yet somehow that zombie was still alive.

He nocked another arrow, aimed directly at the center of the zombie’s forehead, and released the bowstring.

Splurch!

The zombie, struck in the head by the arrow, sank straight down into the swamp.

“You’re being annoying.”
“If you’d hit it properly from the start, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“No, I did hit it! That zombie was just weird!”
“Hmm….”
“I’m serious!”

Altel shook his head and braced his hand against the Castle Wall.

“Stop worrying about pointless things. How about a beer this evening?”
“Are you buying?”
“I blew through my entire paycheck this month. You’re paying.”
“What kind of nonsense is that!”

As the two men engaged in their light banter, a pair of cyan eyes suddenly gleamed from the swamp where the zombie had sunk moments before.

Those eyes emitted an eerie glow in the darkness, as if surveying everything within the Arian Family.

*

*

*

Raon finished his preparations for departure and left the Annex Building.

Sylvia and her handmaidens stood in a circle in the Garden, with Yua and Julius at its center.

“Yua, dear. Wherever you go, you must eat well.”
“I’ve dried some jerky for you. Take it all.”
“You’ve packed all the cooking ingredients, haven’t you?”
“Be respectful to your seniors.”

The handmaidens fussed over Yua, whom they regarded as a younger sister, making sure she had everything. Her backpack had already swollen to the point of bursting.

“Thank you so much, sisters!”

Yua shouldered a backpack larger than herself and beamed with joy, embracing each handmaiden one by one as she bid them farewell.

“Always stay aware of your surroundings.”
“Since you’re the youngest, you must act before your seniors during operations.”
“You get bitten by insects so easily. When you camp outdoors, be sure to light insect repellent incense.”
“When combat breaks out, watch how your seniors move from behind and act accordingly.”

The handmaidens dressed Julius in his outer coat, their eyes glistening with tears.

“I shall bring honor to the Annex Building!”

Julius puffed out his chest as if he were already a knight, his expression brimming with confidence.

“Oh, you precious things!”
“It feels too soon to let you go!”
“Stay here just one more year! Please?”

The handmaidens pouted, worried about the children they had raised like siblings venturing into danger.

“It may not be such a dangerous place, but you must always be careful.”

Sylvia smiled as she stroked Yua and Julius’s heads.

“When danger comes, hide behind Raon.”
“Yes!”
“As a swordsman, I cannot hide behind my benefactor!”

Yua nodded enthusiastically, while Julius refused with firm resolve.

“How grand of you.”

I chuckled softly and walked toward where Yua and Julius stood.

Yet Sylvia, Helen, and the handmaidens paid me scarcely a glance, fussing only over Yua and Julius.

“No amount of provisions will ever be enough… hmm?”

Sylvia looked up from inspecting the two’s bags.

“You’re here?”

That was all. She continued examining Yua and Julius’s condition and luggage.

“It seems the time has come.”
“Travel safely.”
“I’ve said it before, but flee if danger strikes!”

The handmaidens too offered me no attention, attending only to Yua and Julius.

I stood awkwardly, clicking my tongue.

‘This is a bit….’

Normally, when Sylvia and the handmaidens showed me concern, I felt embarrassed and didn’t appreciate it. But now that they paid me no mind whatsoever, my chest grew strangely heavy.

-A troublesome one you are.

Wrath snorted at my peculiar nature.

“Young Master!”
“We’re all set!”

Yua and Julius approached after finishing their farewells with the handmaidens.

“…Let’s go.”
“Raon! Take good care of Yua and Julius!”
“Young master. Please look after the children!”
“Make sure they eat well!”

Sylvia and the maids fretted over Yua and Julius until the very moment of departure.

“Don’t worry.”

I gave a small nod and walked toward the Training Ground. The two children chattered behind me as they followed.

Just as I thought I’d leave without a proper farewell, Sylvia and the maids’ voices called out from behind.

“Raon! You be careful too! Don’t push yourself too hard!”
“Yua! Make sure the young master eats well!”
“Julius. Don’t let the young master only train!”

This time, their voices carried concern not for the two children, but for me.

“I’ll be back soon.”

I glanced back and gave a much more pronounced nod than before, then headed toward the 5th Training Ground.

-Truly a bothersome one….

Wrath sighed as he watched the back of my head.

I walked toward the 5th Training Ground while reminding Yua and Julius of the precautions for the journey.

As I opened the Training Ground’s door and stepped inside, I saw the Gale Wind Squad lined up before the platform.

I sent Yua and Julius to the very back, then ascended the platform.

I stood at the edge of the platform, looking down upon the Gale Wind Squad.

“It seems preparations are complete.”

The squad members’ eyes gleamed sharp as finely honed blades. They had disciplined not just their bodies and techniques, but their very spirits.

“It may not seem like a difficult mission, but you never know the truth until you face it. There are no fools in the Mad Dog Squad who let their guard down. Always give it your all.”
“Yes!”

The Gale Wind Squad roared with such force that the Training Ground trembled.

Raon nodded in satisfaction.

“When we return to this place, we will no longer be called the Mad Dog Squad, but the Mad Dog Unit.”
“Uwaaaaaaaaa!”

The Gale Wind Squad erupted in another thunderous cheer.

“Ooooh! Mad Dog… huh?”

Burren Zigheart stopped mid-shout, his face flushed red.

‘Can’t anyone else sense something strange?’

Even though Raon had clearly said “Mad Dog” twice, the inspectors only cheered.

“This is insane!”

He thrust his chin up and glared with blazing eyes.

“It’s Gale Wind, not Mad Dog!”

Why was he so desperate to create a Mad Dog Squad anyway!

—————
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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