The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 481
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 481
“A conference of the New Rising Powers…”
I let out a cold laugh as I looked at Mekain.
“Surely you’re not trying to imitate the Yukhwanghoe?”
“No, sir.”
Mekain shook his head calmly, even knowing I was mocking him.
“The five forces that comprise the New Rising Powers have distinctly different characteristics. To be honest, I’m amazed that five organizations, including us White Whale, came together at all.”
He had a point. White Whale felt like the Black Market brought into the light, and the Machang Society I’d seen yesterday resembled the Nambuk Alliance.
The other three groups clearly had their own distinct traits. Since these previously unconnected factions had banded together to avoid the Six Emperors Five Demons’ interference, it was only natural that they needed to exchange views.
“To coordinate the opinions of five different organizations, a conference is essential. Unlike the Six Emperors, who are already established, this is a necessary procedure.”
Mekain furrowed his brow as he mentioned that they’d even drawn blades on each other during previous conferences.
“Why are you calling me to such an important conference?”
I uncrossed my arms and turned my body fully toward Mekain.
“Because you’ve come to represent Zigheart.”
“I’m not the real representative.”
“Since Rimer isn’t available, I had no choice but to inform you.”
“Then would it be acceptable to send our Lord instead?”
“…Yes, it would be.”
Mekain’s response came slightly slower than usual.
‘Heekyuk Je wants me to attend. What is he plotting now?’
Of course, I had no intention of sending the troublemaker Rimer to the conference, but simply learning Heekyuk Je’s intentions was a significant gain.
“Regardless of which of the Six Emperors attends, I wanted to demonstrate that the New Rising Powers harbor no ill will toward the Six Emperors.”
Mekain bowed, insisting he had no other intentions beyond that.
“The other Six Emperors haven’t come?”
“Owen and the Valkar Kingdom have not responded at all.”
“I see.”
Raon nodded calmly.
‘They must think they’re being ignored.’
Directly above Barena, the city of the New Rising Powers, lay the trading city of Camelrun, with Owen and Valkar positioned on either side.
The city had been built by cleverly exploiting neutral territory, so those two kingdoms undoubtedly harbored resentment toward the New Rising Powers.
“As for the Beast Alliance….”
Mekain trailed off. Recalling the fierce visage of Beast King Ogram, I could easily imagine what had become of the envoy sent in that direction.
“The Magic Tower arrived even faster than Zigheart.”
“The Magic Tower?”
Raon’s eyes widened.
‘I didn’t expect them to come.’
It was unexpected that the Magic Tower, which I had thought would be even less likely to attend than the Beast Alliance, had sent representatives so promptly.
“Who came?”
“It is Yulia, a Divine Mage.”
“Yulia, a Divine Mage….”
I had heard rumors of her—a young mage called a genius who emerged from the Magic Tower for the first time in a century, with extremely limited external activities. I never expected her to come here.
“Not only the Six Emperors, but leaders of other neutral factions have also been invited, so I sincerely hope you will attend.”
Mekain bowed once more, requesting my attendance.
“So you’re inviting the Black Market and the Yonan Family as well?”
“That is correct.”
“When is the conference?”
“This evening. It will be held alongside the first banquet.”
“This evening?”
I furrowed my brow as I gazed up at the sky.
“Shouldn’t something like this normally be announced a few days in advance?”
“There was someone opposed to making the conference public, but they changed their mind just this morning. We hope you understand—this is to demonstrate our sincerity.”
-Refuse!
Wrath shook his head at a speed where his eyes became invisible.
-Didn’t you make a promise with the True Demon King! Tell them to get lost!
He ground his teeth, insisting I absolutely could not go.
‘I’m sorry, but…’
I shook my head while grasping Wrath’s head.
‘I think I have to go. Let’s postpone the dinner reservation for now.’
An opportunity to meet all the leaders of the Divine Continent Five Regions at once was rare. It was the right call to attend the conference and learn what they were thinking.
-We already paid for the Dining Hall reservation!
‘The Gwangpung Corps members can eat it. I’ll tell them to save some.’
-It tastes bad when it gets cold!
‘There’s nothing I can do about it.’
-Grrrgh! Cursed heavens! This infuriating world!
Wrath’s form shifted back into strawberry-flavored cotton candy.
-This won’t do! Just hand over your body!
‘What are you suddenly…?’
-Last time you wouldn’t let me eat ice cream, and now you’re denying me lobster and pig’s feet! I’ll freeze every last one of these wretches who dare interfere with the True Demon King’s meals!
Saliva dripped from Wrath’s mouth as he raged.
-I’ll use it carefully and return it! Hand it over right now!
‘Use it carefully?’
-Ah, no, I’ll handle it with care and return it!
‘Wipe your mouth and stop lying….’
*
*
*
Raon stepped out of the room after draping a black dragon robe over his formal black attire.
Ensia and Deningrose stood in the lobby, their appearances starkly contrasting.
Deningrose wore a dress in an even darker shade than yesterday, as if attending a funeral, while Ensia paid no mind to the conference and had dressed in a vibrant shirt and pants that fell somewhere between work clothes and formal wear.
“Are you both ready?”
“Yes.”
“…It’s ruined.”
Unlike Deningrose, who answered calmly, Ensia’s shoulders sagged.
“What happened?”
“Photographs.”
Ensia lifted her camera and bit her lip.
“While I was sleeping, all the photographs in my spatial pocket pouch disappeared!”
“The quantity was substantial, but they could be somewhere else….”
“That’s impossible! Only the A-grade ones vanished!”
“A-grade?”
“The photographs that turned out the best.”
Deningrose explained what A-grade meant. When I glanced at her, she flushed with embarrassment.
“Whoever took only the best A-grade shots clearly knows you well, Raon!”
As Ensia ground her teeth, the mansion door opened and Rimer entered.
“Huh? Why are you all dressed up and heading out?”
Rimer tilted his head while holding a bottle of alcohol in his hand.
“As Zigheart’s representative, I’ve been invited to a conference of the Divine Continent Five Regions. Will you be attending, Lord Rimer?”
I had no intention of yielding, but I asked Rimer just in case if he planned to go.
“Ugh, why would I bother going there?”
Rimer gave the expected response and shook his bottle.
“You know I trust our vice-commander, right? You handle it!”
He patted my shoulder with a refreshing laugh.
“Wow….”
“So that’s our commander….”
“Isn’t he just a reckless fool?”
“This is driving me insane.”
The swordsmen of the Gwangpung Corps sighed as they watched Rimer, who appeared heavily intoxicated.
“Just letting him be like that….”
Martha trembled with her fist clenched, clearly wanting to rush out and strike him.
However, contrary to their expectations, Rimer didn’t smell of alcohol at all.
“Commander.”
I narrowed my eyes as I watched the swaying Rimer.
“Is something wrong?”
“Something wrong?”
“You seem angry.”
Today, Rimer was different from usual. I couldn’t explain the exact reason, but his emotions felt like churning magma.
“Why would I be angry? I’m in a great mood.”
Rimer shook his head, insisting it wasn’t true. But looking at his expression, I grew even more suspicious.
-You speak the truth, boy.
Wrath nodded, observing Rimer.
-That long-eared fool is seething with rage.
‘Rage?’
-I disliked him from the moment we first met, and it’s because of that.
‘What do you mean?’
-That long-eared wretch harbors a deep fury in the depths of his soul, yet conceals it. How irritating.
He scowled, calling him a fool incapable of being honest with his emotions.
‘So I sensed the difference because of his anger.’
It seemed I had detected Rimer’s strangeness precisely because he was seething beneath the surface.
‘But why is he suddenly angry?’
-Why else? Because he lost all his money!
Wrath tapped my head as if I should have known something so obvious.
‘That doesn’t seem right.’
No matter how much money Rimer lost, he never grew genuinely angry. Sometimes I even suspected he deliberately tried to lose it.
“Yeah, I am angry.”
Rimer approached and grabbed my collar.
“Because you cleaned out all the money in the Gambling House! Now the con artists are frantically scraping together money from the suckers! I lost everything too!”
He recounted how brutal the battle had been at the Gambling House before heading toward his room.
‘It’s not about gambling.’
I narrowed my eyes as I watched Rimer’s hunched back.
‘I’ll have to probe him about this later.’
*
*
*
Following Mekain’s guidance, I made my way toward the Sinjuoryeong Conference Hall, which stood at the heart of Barena, accompanied by Ensia and Deningrose.
Perhaps because the true festival was beginning today, the path to the conference hall overflowed with crowds. Warriors, merchants, travelers, and sightseers pressed together so densely that there was barely room to set foot.
Had the White Whale faction not cleared a path, I would have struggled considerably to bring Deningrose and Ensia through.
“This is Barena’s conference hall.”
Mekain, who had been leading the way at the front, calmly lowered his head and pointed to the building that soared up as if piercing the sky.
Whether to elevate the prestige of the Sinjuoryeong, the conference hall was as vast and magnificent as Owen’s Royal Castle. At first glance, one might mistake it for a royal castle or temple rather than a conference hall.
“Please, enter.”
“Thank you.”
I nodded to Mekain and opened the conference hall’s doors.
The massive iron doors, large enough to admit an ogre, slid inward without a sound. Simultaneously, elegant moonlight poured down from the glass-polished ceiling.
The refined lunar glow illuminating the corridor seemed to manifest Marten’s legendary staircase—the one said to lead mortals closer to divinity.
‘Ostentatiously sacred, isn’t it?’
It was a natural law that the weaker the creature, the more it hid itself within splendor. I could sense that despite the Sinjuoryeong’s military might, they lacked true authority.
I exhaled lightly and stepped onto the crimson carpet. With measured steps infused with quiet power, I moved toward the center of the conference hall where a rectangular table had been arranged.
Despite arriving on time, there were few empty seats. From the atmosphere, it appeared others had arrived well before me.
I turned my gaze elsewhere. I could only see Dumtkan from the Trevan Family, with whom I’d sparred yesterday, and Baiton, the Paladin Commander of the Shuper Holy Kingdom. Not just them—numerous heads and lords from neutral factions whose names I’d heard before occupied seats as well. It was true that many people had been summoned.
Heekyuk Je, seated at the head of the table, sent me a nod of acknowledgment. Beside her sat a man and woman I’d never seen before, and my fingertips trembled slightly from the natural aura of power that emanated from them both.
‘Are they the remaining leaders of the Divine Continent Five Regions?’
The blonde woman seated on the left held a sword while crossing her arms, her gaze so piercing it was difficult to look directly at her. An atmosphere as cool as a freshly honed blade. This woman appeared to be Bridget, who bore the epithet of the Wicked Sword Master.
To Heekyuk Je’s right sat an elderly man with white hair streaked through it, his eyes so narrow they seemed to be smiling. Unlike Bridget, he radiated a gentle aura, yet this man—who was clearly Dreck, the Sword Demon—made my chest feel even more uneasy.
Because three of the Divine Continent Five Regions’ leaders were gathered together, this massive conference hall seemed to shrink into a corner of a room.
“Please, be seated.”
I finished my assessment and offered seats to Deningrose and Ensia first. Just as I was about to sit down, the conference hall doors opened again.
“You came after all!”
Guisalchang, scratching his head vigorously, waved his hand as he entered.
“So what kind of entertainment will you provide for me today?”
He grinned, asking for something amusing to be created for him once more.
“You didn’t come here for your entertainment.”
I shook my head as I watched Guisalchang heading toward the head of the table.
“Gasp!”
“Uh… uh…”
“D-Did the White Sword Dragon just speak informally to Lord Guisalchang?”
“Is he insane?”
“W-What on earth is he thinking…?”
The leaders of the neutral factions seated at the table gasped, their eyes trembling in shock.
“Well, that aside, just seeing you is entertaining enough.”
Guisalchang, who had actually heard the informal speech, only deepened his smile and didn’t even get angry.
“R-Raon.”
Heekyuk Je called out to me, biting his lip tightly. His expression pleaded for restraint, but it was obvious to anyone watching that it was merely an act.
“Hehehehe.”
As I turned from Heekyuk Je to take my seat, a low chuckle echoed from the head of the table. It resembled Roen’s laugh, but carried an undertone of contempt.
“It seems the representative of Zigheart lacks manners, having gained fame at such a young age.”
It was the Sword Demon. His narrow eyes opened slightly, revealing serpentine pupils.
“….”
I looked down at the Sword Demon with my spine straight.
“Your gaze is fierce. Did I misspeak?”
Sharp words and a biting aura crashed down upon me. The pressure was so intense it was difficult to even part my lips. Threads of the Sword Demon’s will coiled around my body.
“From now on, speak respectfully to everyone.”
I closed my eyes as the Sword Demon continued muttering nonsense.
‘Will against will.’
I drew upon both my aura and resolve simultaneously, just as I had when blocking Guisalchang’s assault.
My mental image, strengthened through enlightenment, bloomed forth, and a blade-like, noble energy surged upward.
Zzzzzzzt!
I severed the rope of will the Sword Demon had created and advanced toward the head of the table.
“Who did you call?”
“What….”
The Sword Demon’s lips trembled, apparently not expecting his will to shatter.
“Did you call Raon Zigheart, the White Sword Dragon?”
I gazed down at the leaders of the Divine Continent Five Regions, including Swordsaint, with dry eyes.
“The invitation wasn’t extended to Raon Zigheart, the White Sword Dragon, but to an executive of Zigheart. My presence here means I represent Zigheart.”
Crimson flames blazed forth alongside my resolute will. The scales of the Black Dragon Robe bristled as dark waves undulated across my form.
The divine sword emblem worn on my left chest radiated an auspicious light, bathed in the heat of Manhwagong.
“It’s you all who’ve developed bad habits.”
A crimson flash gleamed in my eyes as I alone pressed down upon the Conference Hall.
“From now on, speak with proper respect.”
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————