The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 39

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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 39

“Whoosh.”

I unfurled all twelve forms of the Garam Footwork, then exhaled a shallow breath through them.

‘Not bad at all.’

My body moved exactly as I had envisioned the footwork’s postures and flow in my mind.

It felt like observing myself from another’s perspective.

Going forward, when training in martial arts, it seemed like a solid approach to first grasp the flow clearly using the ring of fire, then move my body accordingly.

“Hm?”

I narrowed my eyes. The Training Ground, which should have been bustling with noise from footwork practice, was as silent as a library.

I turned around, sensing strange gazes upon me.

“Insane….”
“What, what is this….”

Burren and Martha stood with their mouths agape, half-dazed, while Lunan shook his clenched fist. From the shape of his lips, he was asking me to explain.

It wasn’t just the three of them. Every trainee and instructor in the Training Ground had their eyes wide open as if they might burst from their sockets.

“Why are you all….”
“Raon.”

I turned around again at the surprised call. Rimer, who had been lying on the Platform, had come down and now stood before me.

“Did you already know the Garam Footwork?”

His green eyes trembled finely like harp strings being plucked. It was unmistakable shock.

“No, sir. I’m seeing it for the first time.”

I had never even heard of the Garam Footwork, though its flow resembled the Shadow Footwork I had mastered in my previous life.

“But how…”

Rimer’s words left much unsaid, but his expression made his intent clear enough.

“How should I put it…”

Raon scratched his lips and offered a faint smile.

“I could read the flow.”
“You could read the flow?”
“Yes. When you demonstrated the footwork, I didn’t focus on the postures and sequence—I observed the underlying flow instead.”

The Garam Footwork shared a similar flow with the Shadow Footwork I had mastered in my previous life. Thanks to that, I grasped its essence without difficulty.

“Rather than seeing the individual trees, when I looked at the forest as a whole, the footwork’s progression became clear.”
“Ha, well…”

Rimer seemed at a loss for words, clutching his head as he let out an exclamation of amazement.

“I thought you’d at least struggle for a week.”

He muttered to himself that he never expected the footwork he’d painstakingly discovered to be broken through so easily.

“I apologize.”
“No, no. There’s nothing to apologize for. I’m simply astonished.”
“Hmm…”

I clicked my tongue quietly, making sure no one could hear.

‘Did I move too fast?’

I had simply recreated the flow I felt the moment I witnessed the footwork, riding the exhilaration of that insight—I hadn’t expected such a reaction.

‘Though in my previous life, I was confident in footwork.’

In my past life as an assassin, while I was no master of combat itself, my footwork rivaled even the masters.

-How pathetic that mere footwork astounds you humans. The Frost Flower Step I created in the Demon Realm freezes an entire mountain and sea with a single stride….
‘Yes, yes.’

I flicked Wrath away as he suddenly emerged to boast about himself.

“Ahem.”

Rimer cleared his throat once, then turned around with his hands clasped behind his back.

“For a first attempt, you performed well, but your form still needs refinement. Your flow is acceptable, so focus on each individual movement. Direct any questions to the instructors, not me.”
“Understood.”

I nodded and turned away. Since this was my first time executing the technique, I could certainly feel the gaps in my performance.

“Gasp!”
“You want us to teach that?”
“It looks like he’s better than we are….”

The instructors shook their heads, their eyebrows drooping so far they nearly touched their cheeks in expressions of dismay.

*

*

*

After completing her training in the Garam Footwork, Martha left the Training Ground with butler Camel.

“That footwork technique looked quite promising.”

Camel scratched his chin with a smile.

“It’s suitable for building a foundation until you receive instruction in the Master’s footwork. You should make sure to learn it properly.”
“Understood.”

Martha nodded slightly as she walked toward the Main Mansion.

“Miss. Is something troubling you?”

Camel noticed Martha was different from usual and moved to stand right beside her.

“Sigh….”

Martha, who had maintained her silence, wrinkled her nose and turned her head away.

“How difficult is it to master that footwork technique from earlier?”
“Hmm, the fundamentals are clear, but the flow is quite complex, so it’s not an easy level to learn.”

Camel closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them.

“Since you have talent in footwork as well, Miss, I believe you could grasp the flow in about four days.”
“Four days? Damn it….”

Martha shook her head with an expression of utter disbelief.

“Miss?”
“Then could a trainee possibly master that footwork in one go?”
“Martial artists who’ve reached enlightenment would replicate it upon sight, but a trainee? Impossible. They lack all theory, knowledge, and experience with footwork, and their martial foundation itself is too shallow.”
“There’s a trainee who pulled it off.”
“What? What do you mean….”

Camel’s eyes widened.

‘That’s possible?’

No matter how fundamental the Garam footwork technique was in its basic steps, the martial flow contained within it was intricate.

For a trainee to master it immediately was impossible—unless they were a monster born with footwork techniques already ingrained in them.

I looked at Martha’s face. The shock still hadn’t faded from her expression.

Seeing that look, a trainee’s name flashed through my mind.

“Could it possibly be Raon?”
“That madman—who else would it be?”
“Well, that’s….”

Camel barely managed to stop a curse from escaping his lips by covering his mouth.

“Could you explain the situation?”
“After the technique demonstration ended and everyone began their practice, that fellow simply closed his eyes and remained still. Then, just before the training session concluded, he opened them. After that….”

Martha recounted everything she had witnessed in the Training Ground to Camel.

“Hm….”

Camel shook his head slowly.

‘He’s lost his mind.’

Closing his eyes and remaining motionless for such a duration meant he had internalized the Garam Technique through visualization.

‘To master mental imagery at that age….’

I had merely thought his talent was somewhat exceptional. Enough to bring light back to the Annex Building.

But I was wrong.
Raon Zigheart was a monster—a bridge capable of connecting the Main Mansion’s brilliance to the Annex Building.

‘I must report this immediately.’

This was extraordinarily important information. After escorting Martha back to the Main Mansion, I would need to convey this to Denier at once.

“Hm?”

As I walked, Martha was no longer beside me. Turning back, I saw her following behind with her head lowered.

‘Tsk. I was far too insensitive.’

Not long had passed since Martha’s defeat at Raon’s hands, and yet I had been thoughtless.

“Miss. Your talent and that of Raon are of different qualities. It is not a matter of higher or lower….”

As Camel offered his consolation, he met Martha’s gaze as she lifted her head, and his words caught in his throat.

‘Those eyes.’

Martha’s eyes held not the light of defeat.

A challenger.
A beast that devoured the backs of those ahead, and the gleam in a challenger’s eyes.

It was the same light she had possessed when I first met her at the White Blood Cult’s branch.

“Thank goodness.”

Martha’s lips twisted into a distorted smile.

“The one who defeated me isn’t a fake.”

A chill ran down my spine at the savage smile blooming from her refined features.

‘I was wrong.’

Camel swallowed hard. Martha hadn’t been disappointed by the talent gap between herself and Raon.

She was thrilled at the prospect of crushing Raon, who was stronger and more talented than herself.

Martha was the kind of person who needed neither concern nor consideration.

“Miss.”

Camel bowed his head, and Martha passed by him.

Watching her small yet confident back and the stride that radiated self-assurance, I could envision her future.

A swordswoman of terrifying beauty, gazing down upon the world from the highest throne.

*

*

*

“…That’s how it happened. Learning sword techniques mentally at that age—does that even make sense? The family head’s grandson must be a true genius!”

Rimer chuckled while gazing at Tiger Rock on Bekmang Mountain, where he had met Glen each time.

“Have you become Raon’s butler? Every time we meet, you only talk about that boy.”

A solemn voice poured down from atop the rock, and Glen Zigheart’s expressionless face came into view.

“I’m merely satisfying the patriarch’s curiosity.”

Rimer did not lose his smile despite Glen Zigheart’s cold demeanor.

“Isn’t it remarkable that your grandson learned the stepping technique through visualization alone?”
“It probably wasn’t true visualization. To learn martial arts through visualization, one would need to be at least an Expert of the highest caliber.”

Glen Zigheart waved his hand dismissively. Yet the corners of his mouth trembled faintly—a tell he couldn’t quite suppress.

“As you said, the boy saw the forest rather than the trees, so he must have read the flow of the stepping technique. The Garam stepping technique centers on flow, after all.”
“Even so, isn’t that extraordinary? Where would you find such a person!”
“….”

Glen Zigheart did not answer. With his hands clasped behind his back, he merely gazed down at the Main Mansion below the mountain.

“You seem pleased. I’m glad I came to tell you.”

Rimer glanced sideways at Glen Zigheart’s expression and smiled.

“Quiet. If you’ve said all you came to say, then get going. As I’ve told you before, mind the other children too.”
“Don’t you trust me? I’m a Radiant Sword Master. I’m handling everything just fine.”
“A dying man calling himself a Radiant Sword Master—spare me.”

Glen Zigheart waved his hand with annoyance, but Rimer did not descend and instead leaned his back against Tiger Rock.

“Hmm, the servants at the Main Mansion seem busier than usual. What are you preparing for?”

Rimer whistled as he watched the people moving busily about the Main Mansion.

“It’s not preparation—we’re expecting visitors.”
“Visitors?”
“In a few days, an envoy from the Owen Kingdom is scheduled to arrive.”
“An envoy from the Owen Kingdom….”

Rimer’s eyes narrowed. Owen was a kingdom located in the center of the Continent and, alongside Zigheart, formed one pillar of the Six Emperors.

“That explains it.”

Few factions maintained relations with Zigheart. I’d found it strange that we were receiving guests, but it turned out to be the Owen Kingdom—one of the few we actually had ties with.

“Who leads the delegation?”
“They say it’s the Third Prince. Though in reality, it’s probably Duke Tartan.”
“Oh, so that madman finally became a duke.”

A cold smile played across Rimer’s lips at the mention of Duke Tartan.

“Wait, hold on! Isn’t the Third Prince of Karten still young? He should be around Raon’s or Burren’s age….”
“I’m not interested enough to know such details.”
“I see.”

Rimer nodded. Unless the Owen King himself came with the delegation, Glen had no reason to concern himself with such matters.

“Instruct the trainees to maintain disciplined postures so they can conduct themselves with confidence regardless of when they’re observed.”
“Pardon? Us as well?”
“The Third Prince is bringing the kingdom’s training knights with him. They wish to observe the swordsmen and trainees during their training.”
“You permitted that?”
“Of course.”

Glen’s deep crimson gaze fixed upon Rimer.

“If we grow weak from being watched, we are no longer the swords of Zigheart. We neither hide nor flee.”
“…It’s been a while since I’ve heard that.”

Rimer murmured that he used to hear it every day, a bittersweet smile crossing his face.

“If your curiosity is satisfied, get going. How much longer will the chief instructor leave the Training Ground vacant?”

Glen’s expression darkened as he frowned.

“Yes, sir!”

Rimer raised his hand in salute and bowed. He turned to leave, but suddenly stopped mid-stride.

“Hmm….”

He gazed at the 5th Training Ground visible in the distance and licked his lips.

‘The Third Prince and the training knights….’

Learning that Raon’s peers were among the Owen Kingdom’s delegation, a brilliant idea suddenly struck him.

Rimer turned his head to look at Glen Zigheart and smiled wickedly.

“That expression. You’re plotting something strange again.”

Glen Zigheart wrinkled his nose as if he’d seen something he shouldn’t have.

“No. It shouldn’t be anything strange.”

Rimer shook his head with an even more cunning smile.

“It will be helpful for the young saplings of Zigheart.”

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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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