The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 415

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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 415

I advanced forward, piercing through the Sword Ghost’s oppressive pressure with my newly woven Ten Thousand Swords.

Crack!

My entire body screamed in agony. My bones shattered and crumbled, my muscles tore apart, and my fingertips trembled from the overwhelming pain.

The worst suffering came from my brain. The excessively overheated upper dantian made it feel as though my mind was turning to black ash.

‘Ugh….’

I clenched my molars and lifted my gaze. The Sword Ghost’s blue eyes remained calm and composed—a reaction that suggested he had anticipated this much.

‘So this is within his predictions?’

The fact that he showed no surprise whatsoever meant that the Sword Ghost, living up to his legendary name, had foreseen my growth.

‘Good.’

I would shatter that composure.

Enduring pain was something I had done as naturally as breathing. I gritted my teeth against the agony that felt like my heart and head would burst, pouring strength into my grip.

Whoooosh!

My upper dantian, influenced by the Ring of Fire, blazed a brilliant crimson.

The bodies of the swords buried in my mental world emerged further, and the profound mysteries of the Ten Thousand Swords contained within the Heavenly Sword radiated brilliant light.

One step. Then another.

The Sword Ghost, who had seemed so distant, now stood before my eyes, and the Heavenly Sword drew close enough to touch his blade.

Clang!

The Heavenly Sword and the Sword Ghost’s blade collided. There was no shockwave, no thunderous boom. Between the blades, the Ten Thousand Swords we had each accumulated clashed, producing a crystalline resonance.

Cling, cling, cling!

Yet despite that noble resonance, the pressure pouring from the Sword Ghost’s blade doubled in intensity, crushing down upon my entire body.

“Ugh!”

My ankles trembled as if I were treading through mud, my knees buckling as though they might shatter. Every fiber of my being screamed at me to stop.

‘…But I keep going.’

To shatter the Sword Ghost’s expression.

I poured every last drop of my remaining aura into the Ring of Fire, resonating it with all my might.

The world turned pure white, and only the Sword Ghost and his blade existed in my vision.

Along with a phantom of the sword seedlings embedded in my mental realm surging upward, a more mature martial philosophy infused itself into the Heavenly Sword.

Crack, crack, crack!

The Sword Ghost’s blade, which had descended endlessly as if bearing the weight of the heavens, was pushed back for the first time.
Like a salmon swimming upstream against a waterfall, my Ten Thousand Sword Technique began to cleave through the Sword Ghost’s Ten Thousand Sword Technique.

Shiiing!

With a cutting sound like thousands of sheets of paper being severed at once, the Sword Ghost’s blade rose more than a hand’s breadth higher.

“Mm….”

A shallow groan escaped the Sword Ghost’s lips for the first time, and his eyes—which had remained emotionless as if time itself had frozen—rippled like waves struck by wind.

‘Just a little more….’

My body felt as though it were dying, yet my mind grew clearer instead.

‘I can break through the wall.’

I had already shattered the wall known as Master-rank Supreme, but I sensed I could topple an even greater wall beyond it.

I squeezed out every last drop of remaining energy, honing the subtleties of swordsmanship to their absolute limits and pouring them into the Heavenly Sword. The Sword Ghost’s blade was driven back even further.

Whoooosh!

In the White Space where only the Sword Ghost and I existed, a blue cotton candy suddenly burst forth.

-You idiot… you… like this… dying….

Wrath appeared before my eyes, his round form flailing about as he shrieked, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying clearly.

-Your head… bursting… stop….

He was making a fuss about wanting something to eat again.

I’ll feed you later.

Ignoring him, I continued drawing power upward. My mental world warped as if it might expand, and a magnificent radiance swelled before my eyes.

‘I can go higher.’

A barrier to reaching a transcendent realm began to reveal itself.

Thinking only a little remained, I advanced toward that wall, but the Sword Ghost’s blade that had been guiding me there was deflected far too easily.

“Ah….”

A hollow emptiness, as if my heart had vanished, made me drop the Heavenly Sword.

The colossal wall that had been within reach crumbled away, and the pristine White Space where only the Sword Ghost and I existed dissolved.

That moment—whether dream or imagination—scattered like withered leaves.

‘Damn it!’

Just a little. Only a little more remained, and if I had only crossed that one barrier….

I clenched my fist, lamenting the wall I’d failed to seize. Or rather, I tried to clench it, but no strength would flow into my hand.

“Cough!”

My heart and head—no, my entire body erupted in such terrible agony that I fell to my knees without thinking.

“Gasp! Gasp!”

I couldn’t breathe. Clutching my left chest, I forced myself to inhale. As air filled my empty lungs, my vision, which had been sealed shut, finally opened.

The countless spectators I’d forgotten about and the destroyed Sparring Arena came into view.

“Ugh….”

I wiped the sweat streaming down my cheeks with my sleeve. My uniform was stained crimson. It seemed blood was flowing from my eyes and nose.

‘What… what on earth was that?’
-You mad fool!

Wrath burst forward and seized me by the collar.

-You nearly died!

He shook his grip, saying I’d almost suffocated by recklessly operating the upper dantian.

‘I nearly died?’
-Indeed! You weren’t breathing, and you were operating both cold and hot mana simultaneously, forcibly trying to tear open the gate of the upper dantian. How could your body possibly endure such a thing!
‘Ah….’
-Your body belongs to the True Demon King! Do not treat it so recklessly!

Wrath headbutted me, telling me never to do such a mad thing again.

“Are you alright?”

A quiet voice calmed my roiling insides.

“Mm….”

I lifted my head, swallowing a groan. The Sword Ghost was looking at me with the same gaze as before.
No—it wasn’t the same. His seemingly composed eyes were trembling faintly.

“Do you realize you just came within a hair’s breadth of death?”

The Sword Ghost spoke the same words as Wrath, exhaling a low breath.

“Simply enduring my blade would have granted you considerable growth, yet in attempting to push back, you nearly suffered an irreplaceable loss—your very life.”

His eyes gleamed with a piercing light. A gaze laden with profound reproach, sharper even than when he’d brought down his sword, made my hair stand on end.

-That old master speaks truth. Had he withdrawn his blade even a moment later, your upper dantian would have ruptured, leaving you unable to maintain your form.

Wrath looked at the Sword Ghost again and clicked his tongue.

‘He withdrew his blade… Ah!’

I recalled how the Sword Ghost’s blade had given way far too easily when I thought I could touch the great wall just ahead.

I’d believed he was hindering my growth, but it seemed he’d actually been saving my life.

‘Then was he truly trying to teach me?’

The Sword Ghost hadn’t come to avenge his disciple’s dishonor as he’d initially claimed, but rather to aid the growth of a junior who lagged far behind.

“Thank you for saving me.”

I bit my lip and bowed respectfully.

“Physical wounds can be healed. Internal injuries take longer, but they too can recover. However, once a dantian is damaged, it becomes exceedingly difficult to restore.”

The Sword Ghost tapped his temple with his index finger.

“The upper dantian especially—careless handling can render one a cripple or an idiot. It requires far more delicate manipulation than other dantians.”
“I see….”
“Some children are born with their upper dantian already open, but most only open it after reaching Grand Master rank.”

The Sword Ghost glanced at Yua in the distance.

“You, however, are neither case. You weren’t born with your upper dantian open, yet it opened as you grew—a peculiar circumstance. This time, you pushed your narrowly-opened upper dantian beyond its limits, causing it to rampage and reach this state.”

He explained the cause of this phenomenon in a composed voice.

“At twenty years old, you’ve reached the highest Master rank. No, you’ve already surpassed that wall. You’ve ascended to the summit far too quickly.”

The Sword Ghost’s eyes sank low, observing me with a penetrating gaze.

“If the stairs you’ve climbed thus far were forged from sharp stone, the path ahead may be constructed of rotting wood or paper so thin it threatens to tear. Each step forward must be taken with deliberate care, unlike before.”

It seemed my future growth would demand caution with every footfall, a stark contrast to the momentum of my ascent.

“Even the most skilled woodcutter needs time to sharpen his axe. You’ve crossed one wall today—allow yourself respite for a time.”
“I will remember your words.”

I nodded, absorbing the Sword Ghost’s profound counsel.

‘He’s right.’

Through my duel with the Sword Ghost, I’d ascended to the pinnacle of Master rank and gained profound insight into the Ten Thousand Swords technique.

Grand Master and Sword Realm Incarnation still lay distant, yet if I advanced one careful step at a time, I sensed I could reach them in the not-too-distant future.

“Growing while lost in a state of transcendence during real combat means you’ve poured everything into your daily training. Now I understand why you’ve reached this realm at merely twenty years old.”

The Sword Ghost offered a faint smile as he sheathed his blade.

“Continue your diligent pursuit.”
“Yes.”

When I straightened after bowing to him once more, the Sparring Arena erupted in cheers.

“Ahhhhhhh!”
“The White Sword Dragon blocked the Sword Ghost’s strike!”
“Raon! Raon! Raon!”
“White Sword Dragon! White Sword Dragon! White Sword Dragon!”

The crowd, unaware that the Sword Ghost had withdrawn his blade, chanted only my name.

“How does this man grow stronger every time we see him?”
“What level is he at now?”
“Can he beat the upper ranks of the Twelve Continents now?”
“Absolutely!”

The spectators roared with excitement, debating the extent of my martial prowess.

“That’s not it!”

I raised both hands.

“This time, I….”

I tried to explain that the Sword Ghost had simply retreated on his own, but it was pointless—every spectator in the Sparring Arena was roaring.

“It’s fine.”

The Sword Ghost shook his head.

“But if you don’t explain properly, the Sword Ghost’s reputation will….”
“Reputation doesn’t matter to me.”

He said that such things held no meaning for him, then lowered his gaze.

“It may be presumptuous, but would you mind answering a few questions?”
“Of course, I’d be happy to….”

As I nodded, Rimer’s triumphant shout erupted from behind.

“A path of flowers! From now on, I walk only on flowers!”

Despite the roar of countless voices, his voice somehow cut through and lodged itself in my ears.

“I’ll answer whatever I can. But before that….”

I turned around, my eyes flashing with a piercing light.

“May I burn some flowers?”

*

*

*

The moment Rimer realized something had gone wrong with me, he burst forward—then stopped.

‘Fortunately, it seems he’s recovered.’

Raon had pushed the upper dantian to its limits, but fortunately, the Sword Ghost had stopped him in time.

‘I heard he had a cold personality, but this is unexpected.’

I hadn’t relaxed my guard, worried the Sword Ghost might do something terrible, yet he had instead elevated Raon’s realm and rescued him from danger.

‘Just as they say, rumors can’t be trusted.’

Seeing how he even offered advice to Raon, who had embarrassed his disciple, suggested that despite his reputation for being sharp, he possessed a magnanimous nature.

“The sparring match ended well, and I….”

I’ve become wealthy again!

The gold coins I’d entrusted to the Third Prince of Owen, the profits I’d gain from them, plus a 40% commission—it was as if I were raking in money with both hands.

‘They’ll resist the 40% commission a little, but once I mention supporting the Arian Family, they’ll settle down.’

People would certainly protest such a hefty commission, but once I explained it was for supporting the Arian Family, they’d have no choice but to accept it.

‘I really am a genius. And….’

Rimer clasped his hands together in prayer toward Raon, who stood facing the Sword Ghost.

‘My precious treasure Raon is truly my only fortune god. I look forward to your continued blessings…wait?’

Rimer’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Raon and the Sword Ghost standing opposite each other.

‘Now I understand. Why it felt so familiar.’

I was seeing the Sword Ghost for the first time, yet now I finally grasped why he’d seemed so familiar.

I gestured to Dorian, who stood beside me clapping blankly.

“Dorian.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t you think Raon and the Sword Ghost look somewhat similar?”
“Huh? The Sword Ghost is certainly handsome, but not quite at the level of the Unit Leader.”
“Never mind the hair and eyes—look closely at the harmony of his facial features.”

Dorian scratched his head and examined Raon’s and the Sword Ghost’s faces in turn.

“Oh? Whoa!”

He nodded rapidly at Rimer.

“Now that you mention it, they really do look alike! Raon is far more striking in appearance, but there’s definitely a resemblance to the Sword Ghost!”

Dorian nodded, saying it wasn’t just similar—it felt almost identical.

“Could this be mere coincidence… hmm?”

As Rimer smacked his lips, Raon gestured to him—a signal to come over.

“Unit Leader, it seems the Sub-Unit Leader is calling you?”
“Is he? I wonder why.”
“Since we were just discussing training, perhaps he wants to praise you for helping him withstand the Sword Ghost’s blade?”
“Hmm, perhaps so.”

Raon had never cared much for reputation, so it occurred to me he might be doing this to avoid unnecessary trouble.

“Ahem! Well then, shall I head out?”

Rimer cleared his throat, straightened his clothes, and climbed onto the Sparring Arena.

“Uoooooo!”
“The Gale Wind Squad Leader!”
“The White Sword Dragon’s master!”

Because Raon had displayed such extraordinary prowess, cheers erupted for Rimer, whose name had become known as his master.

“Why did you call me?”

Rimer’s voice carried a weight that seemed impossible for someone who had been running a gambling house mere moments ago.

“Our unit leader did something good, so we should let everyone know.”
“Something good?”

Even as he spoke of something good, my eyes gleamed with something decidedly sinister. They resembled the gaze of a hawk zeroing in on its prey.

Thud.

As I raised my hand, the roar that had filled the Sparring Arena ceased instantly. I nodded with satisfaction and took my place at the center of the arena.

“I’m sure you all know that our unit leader has opened a gambling house.”

At those words, people tilted their heads in confusion, wondering why he was suddenly bringing up gambling.

“It’s certainly strange for the leader of the Zigheart Force Unit to be running a gambling house. However, there was a grand plan behind our unit leader’s actions.”
“Hmm….”

My words were certainly close to praise, yet my heart felt oddly compressed.

“What you may not have known is that our unit leader set the commission for this gambling operation at forty percent.”
“F-forty?”
“Is he insane?”
“What gambling commission is forty percent!”
“That’s taking nearly half of the winnings!”
“That scoundrel!”
“Grab him and tear his ears off!”

Rimer had written the forty percent commission in such tiny letters on the betting stall that only Master-rank cultivators could read it.

Those who had just learned of this detail drew their blades as if about to leap into the arena at any moment, channeling their auras.

“W-what! Why are you saying that now!”

Rimer covered his mouth with his hand.

‘How is this even happening!’

I looked to Rimer for an explanation, but he wouldn’t even meet my gaze.

“You must want to curse me out. You must want to scream that even loan sharks don’t take this much. But our Unit Master’s plan is only just beginning.”

He raised his hand with a wicked smile spreading across his face.

“Our Unit Master has decided to donate all the commission fees earned from the two gambling matches to the Arian Family, who have suffered such grievous wounds!”
“What? Me?”

At those words, Rimer’s complexion drained of all color, and cheers erupted from the crowd once more.

“Uooooooooo!”
“Of course, the Gale Wind Unit Master!”
“So that’s why he took 40%! He was playing the long game!”
“If he’s donating to the Arian Family, we can accept that much!”
“Rimer! Rimer! Rimer!”

The crowd, swords still in hand, chanted Rimer’s name once again.

“And there’s more!”

I hadn’t finished speaking yet. I wanted to clamp my mouth shut immediately, but my limbs refused to obey.

“The Unit Master will personally donate an additional one thousand gold coins, and will be hosting a second festival the day after tomorrow!”
“Wh-what…?”

A thousand gold coins—it was no different from spitting out every coin I’d earned using the Third Prince. The world began spinning like a kaleidoscope.

“No, wait! I never said anything like that! You crazy bastards!”

Rimer used his entire body to express his denial, but no one would listen.

“Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!”
“Rimer! Rimer! Rimer!”
“Blade of the Gale! Blade of the Gale! Blade of the Gale!”
“Angel of Charity, Rimer! We can’t live without you!”
“Thank you!”

The loudest cheers yet erupted, and the members of the Arian Family, including Wendy, had tears glistening in their eyes.

“Blade of the Gale.”

The Sword Ghost approached Rimer and bowed his head slightly.

“I thought operating a Gambling House was shameful, but I didn’t realize you had such profound intentions. I apologize.”

He gazed at Rimer anew, a gentle smile gracing his features.

“As expected of our Unit Master!”
“You’re magnificent!”
“I thought you were obsessed with money, but you had such a grand plan in mind!”
“From now on, we’ll follow you with genuine devotion!”

The Gale Wind Squad also offered their applause to Rimer, their eyes brimming with admiration.

“Ah….”

Rimer lowered the hand he’d raised to stop them.

‘This is a disaster….’

If I corrected them now, I’d be skewered by thousands of blades and perish on the spot.

“I had intended to make a personal donation, but thanks to you, Unit Master, that’s no longer necessary. I’m grateful.”

Raon smiled cunningly and bowed his head.

“Why don’t you wave to everyone? Isn’t this the path of flowers you desired?”

He waved first, urging him to do the same.

“You mad bastard! What kind of path of flowers is this!”
“It’s a path of flames, sir. A ‘path of fire.'”
“F-flames….”

Rimer forced a smile and waved to the crowd. A single tear rolled down his cheek.

“That vicious bastard….”

Wrath watched Rimer’s silent anguish and chuckled wickedly.

-The young king has become quite the ruthless bastard.

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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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