The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 478
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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 478
I narrowed my eyes as I gazed at the entrance of the Dormitory.
‘Why are they all gathered like that?’
Martial artists radiating formidable auras stood in a single line before the door.
They looked like customers queuing outside a popular restaurant, which made me tilt my head in confusion.
‘I wanted to avoid troublesome matters.’
I had gained some enlightenment through my one-strike duel with Guisalchang.
It was a frustratingly incomplete understanding of intent, and I had planned to organize my thoughts through sparring with Rimer, but looking at the current situation, I might not have that luxury.
“Master, what is this situation….”
I turned to speak to Rimer but stopped mid-sentence.
“Where did that guy go?”
The red-haired Elf, who had been chuckling while admiring the gold coins in her pocket just moments ago, had vanished without a trace.
“Wait, she’s really gone?”
Dorian was startled as well, instinctively rubbing his own coin pouch.
-That elf disappeared while your senses were focused on those people, fool.
Wrath glanced back and furrowed his brow.
‘That elf really is like a ghost.’
My attention had been diverted to the people standing before the Dormitory only briefly.
She had seized that fleeting moment to escape—if she had been raised as an assassin, she would have been called not merely the King of Assassins, but the Reaper itself.
-He probably went to the Gambling House again. If that fool had been in the Demon Realm, he might’ve become the Lord of Gambling.
‘So you’ve figured it out too.’
-It’s obvious.
I chuckled. Rimer’s behavioral patterns were so simple that even Wrath, who lacked perception, could predict them.
‘Thank goodness I withdrew the money beforehand.’
I was grateful I’d recovered most of the gold coins Rimer had been secretly stashing away.
If I’d let him keep them, it would’ve been no different from spitting back out all the money I’d squeezed from the New Rising Powers.
‘His addiction has progressed beyond obsession—his mind is completely shattered.’
I shook my head, picturing Rimer with his eyes rolled back.
-That fool isn’t the problem right now.
Wrath’s eyes narrowed deeply as he gazed at the people standing before the entrance.
-I’m uneasy.
‘What’s making you uneasy?’
-Looking at these humans, I have a bad feeling we won’t get dinner tonight!
‘That won’t happen.’
I shook my head. The lobster and pig’s feet restaurant Wrath had wanted to visit was right nearby.
Unless a war suddenly broke out, there was no way we’d miss dinner.
-But hasn’t it always been quiet until something goes wrong?!
‘Why is a Demon Lord such a coward? Have some faith.’
-Ugh, you’ll understand once you’ve been unfairly persecuted by the world.
‘How dramatic.’
I patted Wrath’s trembling back reassuringly and stepped forward.
“Let’s go inside and see.”
“Yes!”
Ensia nodded with a bright smile.
“…Please stop taking those photographs.”
I shielded my face with my hand and shook my head. Ensia had continued snapping pictures even after we left the Gambling House.
It was remarkable how so much paper could fit inside a palm-sized artifact.
“How could I possibly stop!”
Ensia lowered her camera and placed her hands on her hips with a decisive gesture.
“Right now, your beauty is absolutely radiant under natural light! Natural light truly surpasses artificial illumination! You’re devastatingly handsome.”
She murmured something incomprehensible and resumed taking photographs.
‘This is exhausting.’
A brief conversation with Ensia proved more draining than spending an entire day dealing with Heekyuk Je or engaging in a one-on-one duel with Guisalchang. My mind felt utterly foggy.
‘Is this harassment?’
-Harassment? Nonsense! After witnessing what I endure in this world, you dare speak such foolishness? This transcends mere jest!
‘I suppose you’re right.’
I shook my head and headed toward the Dormitory. The eyes of the warriors waiting before the entrance suddenly turned toward me in unison.
“Huh?”
“Blonde hair and red eyes?”
“He’s here!”
“It’s Raon!”
“White Sword Dragon! We’ve been waiting for you!”
The warriors rushed forward, their eyes gleaming with unmistakable fervor. Several groups with similar attire suggested they hailed from the same place.
‘There’s a master-level expert leading each group.’
The younger members, around thirty years old, possessed high to peak Expert-tier cultivation, while the middle-aged leaders who commanded them had ascended to the Master realm.
“Why are you here?”
I stopped walking and posed the question that had been nagging at me.
“I am Dumtkan from the Trevan Family. I have come to request a duel with you, Raon.”
“I share the same sentiment! After hearing tales of your heroic deeds, I desperately wished to cross blades with you!”
“Please allow us to witness the sword that defeated two Layer Masters of the Black Tower!”
The middle-aged men who appeared to be representatives of the group bowed respectfully.
Their martial prowess was considerable, and most held positions equivalent to or similar to that of a Head of House—individuals whose names I already knew.
“Hmm….”
I tightened my jaw as I gazed down at the warriors before me.
‘So they came for duels.’
I had wondered why they were gathered in this remote Dormitory, but it seemed they had all come to request matches.
At festivals like this, it was not uncommon for skilled warriors to gather and engage in appropriately-leveled duels.
The martial power of these middle-aged men who had challenged me far exceeded the Master realm, so there was nothing particularly strange about it.
‘However….’
They had all arrived at once.
While word could spread after a duel and draw others, the fact that they had all appeared simultaneously was highly suspicious.
‘Guisalchang wouldn’t bother with something like this. It must be Heekyuk Je.’
A hollow laugh escaped me as I realized who was behind this.
‘Is she a masochist who enjoys being trampled?’
If she had been broken to that extent, she should have exercised restraint. Yet she continued to devise schemes—Heekyuk Je was far from normal.
“Did Heekyuk Je send you?”
“You knew!”
The man who had introduced himself as Dumtkan nodded.
“I went to pay my respects to Heekyuk Je, and I heard that you were here, so I came to find you.”
“I feel the same way.”
“Since my quarters are rather isolated, I was told you might find it lonely, so I thought I’d check in….”
The other martial artists agreed with Dumtkan’s words and openly admitted that Heekyuk Je had sent them.
“Would you mind waiting just a bit longer?”
I asked the martial artists to wait a moment longer before heading into the Dormitory.
The Gwangpung Corps had gathered in a circle at a small Training Ground outside the Mansion.
‘Hmm?’
I thought they were having a meeting about the martial artists outside, but that wasn’t it.
They were gathered around someone, laughing and conversing. They seemed quite close.
‘Did they have someone they were close to?’
As I headed toward the Training Ground thinking it was strange, the person the Gwangpung Corps had been surrounding stood up first.
A purple dress with blooming red flowers fluttered lightly. The black rose eye patch, contrasting with her pale white skin, caught the sunlight and revealed an even darker hue.
It was Deningrose, the Black Market Master’s disciple and the one serving as the Branch Master.
‘Deningrose?’
I smacked my lips as I looked at Deningrose.
‘I never expected to see her here.’
When we exchanged letters before leaving the Family Estate, she hadn’t mentioned anything, so I hadn’t thought she would come to this place.
“I greet you, White Dragon.”
Deningrose grasped the middle of her dress and bowed her head.
“It’s been a long time.”
I bowed my head in return to Deningrose.
“We’ve seen each other quite often through letters, haven’t we?”
Deningrose narrowed her eyes slightly, as if lamenting that it had been so long.
“It’s been over a year since we’ve met in person.”
“You look surprised that I would come here.”
She lowered her hand with a faint smile.
“Indeed.”
Raon nodded honestly.
‘This must be an uncomfortable place for her.’
Baekgyeong had seized the Black Market’s business operations and territory to expand her power and information network. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call them enemies, yet I never expected her to come in person.
“One must know their enemy to defeat them, after all.”
Deningrose smiled faintly, as if understanding my thoughts.
“Since you extended the invitation, I accepted it gladly.”
She placed her hand gently on her skirt, remarking that Baekgyeong would come to regret this invitation someday.
‘She’s no ordinary person either.’
Heekyuk Je was mad for sending an invitation to the Black Market, but Deningrose was equally unhinged for accepting it and coming here.
-Hmm, it’s getting a bit chilly….
Wrath shuddered, sensing the cold aura emanating from the two women.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ensia.”
Deningrose bowed her head toward Ensia, who continued taking photographs beside Raon.
“Huh?”
Ensia tore her gaze away from the camera for the first time since entering the Dormitory.
“Do you know who I am?”
“Given the nature of my profession, I can’t afford not to know the genius of the Yonan Family.”
“Profession?”
She tilted her head curiously while looking at Deningrose.
“This is Deningrose, a disciple of the Black Market Master.”
Since I was standing between them, I introduced her on Deningrose’s behalf.
“Ah! So that’s what you meant by the nature of your profession! It’s wonderful to meet you!”
Ensia extended her hand with the same refreshing directness as her appearance.
“It’s an honor to meet you.”
Deningrose gracefully reached out and took Ensia’s hand.
“But….”
Her eyes narrowed as she glanced at the camera.
“If you don’t mind my asking, what have you been doing since a moment ago?”
“Oh, this? It’s an artifact called a camera that I developed myself. It allows me to capture something called photographs.”
Ensia waved a photograph of me proudly as she explained the camera she’d created herself.
Since the two were of similar age, they quickly became comfortable and began conversing without any awkwardness.
“So you created this camera artifact solely for….”
“Yes. To photograph the devastatingly handsome Raon.”
“Dev, devastatingly?”
“He’s absurdly good-looking!”
“I….”
Even Deningrose’s usually composed eyes wavered slightly.
“Doesn’t he look like a sculpture? How is there not a single flaw!”
Ensia proudly displayed the photographs of me one by one.
“Hmm, certainly….”
Even Deningrose, who had been flustered, nodded calmly as if acknowledging the point.
“Is it possible to purchase one of these camera devices?”
“This is a prototype, so it will take some time to establish the manufacturing process. We’re also short on materials.”
“What about these photographs then?”
“Are you interested?”
Ensia grinned and leaned closer to Deningrose.
“I’ll just give them to you if you say one thing.”
“One thing?”
“Yes!”
“What would that be….”
“It’s simple. You just have to shout ‘Raon is devastatingly handsome!'”
“Uh….”
Deningrose’s lips trembled.
“Sigh….”
I exhaled deeply and turned away, unable to bear hearing any more. I approached the Gwangpung Corps.
“When did those warriors outside arrive?”
“Not long after you left.”
Burren answered while leaning his back against a tree.
“They arrived at almost the same time, as if it were planned.”
He said they came one after another in succession.
“They haven’t even eaten lunch and they’re still at it.”
Lunan, eating a small ice cream from who knows where, nodded his head.
“Should I just chase them all away?”
Martha’s expression twisted into something fierce and menacing.
“Someone’s clearly scheming something.”
Even she, who typically lived a straightforward life, recognized the problem and began clenching her fists.
“Hmm….”
I scratched my chin while gazing at the Dormitory’s entrance.
‘I can see Heekyuk Je’s strategy now.’
If I refused the duel with warriors who had waited without even eating lunch, rumors would spread that I was narrow-minded or cowardly. If I accepted, she would observe this place while extracting information about Zigheart’s martial techniques.
‘Now I understand why she chose this dormitory.’
The dormitory where Zigheart’s swordsmen were staying was spacious and luxurious, but the walls were low enough that anyone could easily peer inside and observe what was happening.
It seemed she had deliberately assigned this dormitory with such intentions from the start.
‘Now I understand what kind of person Heekyuk Je is.’
She preferred to present two choices and create situations where either option benefited her. It was the most troublesome approach I’d encountered repeatedly.
‘However….’
She made a mistake this time.
Through my duel with Guisalchang, I had gained a faint enlightenment regarding intent. I had intended to organize those insights through light sparring, but the opponents conveniently came to me of their own accord. I almost wanted to thank Heekyuk Je for this.
I wanted to organize that through light sparring, but those opponents came to find me on their own. I was at the point of wanting to thank Heekyuk Je for it.
“Besides, it doesn’t matter even if my lack of education shows.”
Since I was cultivating my martial techniques themselves through the Ring of Fire, my level today differed from my level tomorrow.
If anyone judged my martial prowess based on what I displayed today, they would suffer greatly.
I licked my lips while looking at the Gwangpung Corps.
‘Should I have them spar as well?’
The disciples of the martial artists who had requested duels possessed enough combat prowess to make for ideal opponents against the Gwangpung Corps.
‘I’ll fight the Heads of House, and the Gwangpung Corps can face the ones who came with them. That would work out perfectly.’
It was a golden opportunity for both myself and the Gwangpung Corps to accumulate experience and martial strength.
‘She’s helping us this much—should I send her a gift?’
Heekyuk Je had surely devised multiple schemes for her revenge, yet her machinations were only benefiting the Gwangpung Corps instead.
-This is maddening. Why does every person I meet end up being a fool!
Wrath threw a punch at the empty air in frustration, as if picturing Heekyuk Je’s face.
‘You’re right—this city really does feel like a den of fools.’
I chuckled softly and turned away.
“It wouldn’t be a bad idea to accept the challenge.”
Just as I was about to convey my acceptance of the duel, Deningrose’s voice reached my ears.
“The ones outside are all martial artists who have honed advanced martial techniques. If you accept the duel, you’ll gain something worthwhile from it.”
She offered her counsel as if she had discerned my thoughts.
“Since they’re not affiliated with the White Whale, you can face them without restraint. However, if you’re concerned about exposing your martial techniques during the duel….”
Deningrose smiled as she pulled a few needles from the hem of her dress.
“I’ll set up a Formation for you. Nothing will be visible from the outside.”
She laughed quietly, deciding she ought to be a bit mischievous. Yet tucked within the hem of the dress from which she’d withdrawn the needles were several photographs that Ensia had taken.
‘…She’s done it. Clever woman.’
I exhaled a sigh, my gaze fixed on the ground.
It seems Ensia’s followers are steadily increasing.
-Aren’t you one of her followers?
‘Shut up.’
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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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