The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 522

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 522

I rubbed the back of my neck as I gazed upon the tranquil sea, calm as the eve before a tempest.

‘How quiet it is.’

The journey to hunt Kaibhar proceeded with an eerie serenity.
Despite the threat of sea monsters or Sea Mist Tribe attacks, not even dolphins or fish dared approach us.

‘Leaving us alone means he’s confident he can win.’

Kaibhar knew that humans were moving against him to end his life.
The fact that he had taken no countermeasures thus far made it clear he possessed absolute confidence in overwhelming us head-on.

‘A dragon, then….’

The only dragon I had ever seen with my own eyes was the Gold Dragon that unleashed its breath to kill Wrath.

The thought of having to slay a creature that blotted out the distant sky entirely caused my lips to dry involuntarily.

-There is no need for such anxiety, lad.

Wrath shook his head as he gazed upon the sea.

-To the True Demon King, it is merely delicious meat.

He smacked his lips at the thought of roasted dragon with its chewy texture.

-Roasted dragon! Roasted dragon!

Wrath began singing an impromptu tune about roasted dragon.
Ever since a seagull stole his fish soup, he had been slightly unhinged, but today it was particularly pronounced.

Yet somehow his song dispelled my tension, and a peculiar confidence that I could capture the dragon began to swell within me.

‘In any case….’

I let out a hollow laugh as I watched Wrath, and Aris Zigheart, Kuberard, and Rabawin approached.

“That’s right. Don’t furrow your brow—smile.”

Aris Zigheart flashed a refreshing smile, affirming that I was doing well.

“When you’re tense, you can’t perform at your best.”
“That child is different from you. He’ll manage just fine on his own.”

Kuberard waved his hand as if to say not to meddle.

“The old man only nitpicks what I say.”

Aris Zigheart let out a light snort.

“Have you finished the work?”
“No, it’s still in progress.”

True to his words, sweat dripped from Kuberard’s forehead and shoulders, evidence of the labor he’d been undertaking.

“No matter how many weapons we have, it won’t be enough.”

He wiped away the sweat dampening his forehead, saying he’d stepped out briefly for some air.

“That’s true. All the sea monsters in the vicinity will likely gather here.”

Rabawin sighed, saying that even without sleep, the preparations would be insufficient.

“Right, right. Everyone prepare diligently. Don’t regret it later.”

Aris Zigheart shouted for them to work faster and patted the backs of Rabawin and Kuberard.

“All she does is play around….”
“That’s my preparation. I’m honing my swordsmanship to strike down Kaibhar.”

She shrugged her shoulders, insisting she was preparing harder than anyone else.

“She certainly talks a good game.”

Kuberard frowned and turned his head toward me.

“You’re the same as this one. You shouldn’t participate in the preparations or the battle.”
“What?”
“We’ll handle the Monster and the Sea Mist Tribe. You absolutely must not move until Kaibhar appears.”

He pointed a finger at me, emphasizing that I must keep this promise.

“But I could help a little…”
“Your role isn’t to deal with small fry like that, is it?”
“That’s true.”

Aris Zigheart nodded, her gaze lowered.

“We need to focus all our mind and stamina on facing Kaibhar alone. We should leave the small fry to our comrades.”

She grasped the shoulders of Kuberard and Rabawin as she spoke the word “comrades.”

The other sailors standing behind them smiled faintly at Aris’s words.

“…Understood.”

I nodded heavily.

‘It’s like watching the Gwangpung Corps.’

The bond between Aris and the other sailors was built on trust, just like mine with the Gwangpung Corps.
The faces of those I had deliberately tried not to think about surfaced one by one.

-I’d like to see the True Demon King’s subordinates.

Wrath seemed to share the same thought, smacking his lips as he called out the name of the Gwangpung Corps.

“Still, the Sea Mist Tribe worries me a bit.”

Kuberard clicked his tongue loudly.

“Indeed. If only they weren’t here, the battle would be much easier.”

Rabawin nodded in agreement.

‘The Sea Mist Tribe….’

I recalled the Sea Mist Tribe Member I had killed before and scratched my cheek.

‘He said something strange.’

When he died, he had spoken with bitter contempt, declaring that humans were unnecessary beings on this Continent.

I had never heard of the Sea Mist Tribe harboring such hatred toward humans, so it had remained a mystery until now.

“Did the Sea Mist Tribe perhaps dislike humans?”
“Hm? The Sea Mist Tribe?”

Aris tilted her head as if questioning what I meant.

“When I killed that Sea Mist Tribe Member, he said humans were unnecessary beings on this Continent.”

I recounted to everyone what I had heard from the Sea Mist Tribe Member.

“That’s something Kaibhar is always saying. He probably brainwashed that Sea Mist Tribe Member.”

Aris waved her hand dismissively.

“Why does Kaibhar dislike humans?”
“I don’t know either. But the records indicate it wasn’t always this way, so something must have happened in between.”

She frowned, saying the reason no longer mattered at this point.

“No matter how I think about it, our military strength seems uncertain. It would be helpful if Seif were here….”

Rabawin stroked his bald head, which gleamed in the sunlight, with a regretful expression.

“Seif?”
“You don’t know?”

Kuberard opened his mouth in astonishment.

“He’s my son.”

Aris Zigheart answered matter-of-factly.

“Pardon? You never married, yet you have a son?”
“I told you. I continued dating.”

She opened her hand and let out a soft laugh.

“I don’t care much about the family either, but you’re quite something. That guy’s pretty famous. Haven’t you heard? They say a talent like his appears in Zigheart once every hundred years, if that.”
“Ah!”

Raon nodded blankly. Now that she mentioned it, I recalled hearing about such a prodigy among Glen Zigheart’s grandchildren.

“Where is he now?”
“I don’t know.”

Aris Zigheart shook her head firmly.

“What?”
“How old is he? Why would I keep tabs on him? I raised him well enough that he won’t get beaten up by anyone, so he’ll figure it out on his own.”

She yawned widely, claiming she didn’t care.

“Ha….”

Raon let out a hollow laugh. I found her quite an unusual person in many ways.

“Alright then, let’s get back to work!”

Aris Zigheart clapped her hands and sent the gathered sailors back to the workshop.

Raon leaned his back against the deck railing and looked around.
Not only the sailors of Cheongpung, but also the crew members of the warships following behind were moving busily.

‘There are both old men and young people.’

Those who had been slaughtered by Kaibhar had volunteered for menial work and become sailors on the warships. They sought vengeance for their families and villages, even if it cost them their lives.

People of different genders, ages, and backgrounds steeled their resolve to kill Kaibhar, focusing intently on their respective roles.

“Sigh…”

As I exhaled in frustration, I heard small footsteps approaching from beside me.

“H-hang in there.”

I turned my gaze toward the voice. A boy and girl, still bearing the marks of youth, bowed their heads.

“You two are…”

I remembered seeing both children taking the lead in the city’s reconstruction efforts.

“I’m Morin. This is Nuan.”

The boy named Morin introduced himself and the girl.

“Why are you two here?”

Though I could sense faint auras from both, they were still quite young.
They appeared as young as Yua or Julius, so I couldn’t fathom why they’d boarded the ship.

“Our village was destroyed by that dog Kaibhar. I wanted to take revenge with my own hands, so I asked to come aboard.”

Morin bit his trembling lip.

“Nuan suffered the same fate. The trauma from that day still prevents her from speaking, but…”

He squeezed her hand firmly, acknowledging that she had endured even greater pain.

Both children breathed heavily, desperate to witness Kaibhar’s death with their own eyes.

I met their gaze—eyes burning with rage—and felt a bitter ache settle in my chest.

‘So that’s why.’

Because their own village had been destroyed, the two children had worked harder than anyone else to help Aikar, which had been attacked by Kaibhar.

“I lack the strength to do it, but you and Aris are capable, aren’t you? I’m begging you. Please kill that Kaibhar.”
“….”

Morin and Nuan bowed repeatedly before descending into the small workshop beneath the deck.

-Sniff….

Wrath sniffled as he watched the children leave.

-How admirable! The True Demon King wishes to protect them!

He waved his hands eagerly, already imagining seizing Kaibhar and stripping away his scales.

‘Sadly, they are admirable.’

I watched the children’s retreating figures until the door closed.

‘They’re all sincere.’

Every one of them was giving their all to capture the dragon, and they were willing to sacrifice their lives for that outcome.

‘I can’t simply rely on meditation alone.’
-There’s no helping it!

As I was about to begin practicing dragon capture in my mind, Wrath suddenly bounded over to my side.

-The True Demon King shall deliver a special lecture on capturing the lizard!

*

*

*

After two days of sailing.

Cheongpung reached its destination—Kaibhar’s Lair. The warships following behind halted as if on cue.

“There are many of them.”

Rabawin gazed ahead and swallowed hard, his throat dry.

“This is beyond imagination….”

Kuberard’s wrinkled hands trembled visibly.

“Insane.”
“So that’s why we never touched it.”
“Damn that Kaibhar….”

It wasn’t just the two of them. The disturbance rippled through the air from the sailors of Cheongpung and the warriors aboard the other warships.

Raon nodded slowly as he observed the murmuring crowd.

‘There’s no helping it.’

No one could have anticipated there would be this many.

An island rose up along the horizon before the ships.

Naturally, this wasn’t a naturally formed island. There had never been an island here to begin with.

This was an island of monsters assembled by Kaibhar’s Guardians.

Not only mid-sized monsters like Sharkmol, Siren, Rain Lizard, Balax, and Blowfish, but colossal creatures like Sea Serpent, Luna Whale, and Mantakun filled every space.

Just as fishermen describe a bountiful catch as half sea and half fish, now it was an eerie sight of half sea and half monster.

‘There are Sea Mist Tribe members too.’

The Sea Mist Tribe members interspersed among the monsters amplified the overwhelming pressure.

Especially from the elderly Sea Mist Tribe member at the center emanated an aura of a different dimension from the others. He appeared to be the Sea Tribe Elder.

‘This won’t be easy.’

As Raon steadied his breathing, Aris climbed onto the upper deck.

“Why are you all so startled?”

Aris laughed with ease and spread both her hands wide.

“Everyone expected this much, didn’t they? You’re not getting cold feet now, are you? Afraid of Kaibhar?”

Despite her cheerful tone, a heavy aura rose ominously from beneath her feet.

Roooooar!

Aris’s overwhelming presence erased the existence of countless monsters, and the sailors’ eyes—which had been clouded with fear—burned with fierce determination.

“Our target isn’t that rabble of monsters. It’s Kaibhar. We can’t accomplish anything if we’re intimidated by these creatures.”

At Aris’s final cry, the morale that had sunk began to blaze fiercely once more.

“Fight. Even if you die, thrust your blades and spears forward to clear a path before me.”

She drew her sword with a confident smile.

“I will sever Kaibhar’s neck and grant you all victory.”
“Uuuuaaaaaaah!”

The moment her words ended, the sailors erupted in a roar that shook the very sea.
Fear no longer touched them. All they saw was the burning desire to slay Kaibhar.

“Forward.”

At Aris’s command, Cheongpung sounded its noble horn and surged ahead.
The warships followed in its wake, spreading like a crescent moon as they faced the mountain of monsters.

A strange sight—warships and monsters facing each other. At a distance where an arrow could find its mark, Rabawin climbed onto the upper deck.

“I shall take the front from here.”
“I’m counting on you.”

Aris smiled and descended below.

“Open the gun ports!”

At Rabawin’s command, the bows of the warships opened wide, and thick iron cannons emerged—magical cannons crafted by Kuberard and the mages.

“Fire!”

Five colors of light converged at the muzzle of the cannon, unleashing a brilliant flash.

Boom!

Shells of pure light erupted simultaneously from twelve warships, sweeping across the monsters’ island.

Crash!

A tremendous explosion tore through the air as the monsters’ island crumbled as if split in two. Red and blue blood flowed endlessly from the creatures into the sea.

“Fire!”

As Rabawin commanded the second volley, the magical cannons blazed with brilliant fire once more.

Kaboom!

The impact surpassed the first barrage, and the monsters melted away as if they had never existed in the first place.

Mantakun’s body collapsed, and dozens of sirens burst apart without even a chance to scream.

Yet the monsters’ island still stood, not completely destroyed.

“Fire!”

As Rabawin commanded the third volley, the Sea Mist Tribe members who had regained their senses moved into action.

Whoooosh!

Gray mist swirled around the monsters, forming a thick barrier before the incoming shells.

Kaboom!

An even more massive explosion erupted, but the number of dead monsters had decreased significantly. The mist would prevent the shockwave from transmitting properly.

Howl!

A sound like a wolf’s cry echoed as the gray mist grew denser, beginning to obscure the view.

“Hmm….”

I narrowed my eyes as I observed the mist.

‘It’s moving.’

As the Sea Mist Tribe’s gray fog spread across the sea, monsters began stirring in the water and encircling the ship.

Rabawin, sensing the presence as well, hardened his expression and raised his sword.

“Formation circle!”
“Circle formation, now!”

The crews of the twelve warships responded to his command and maneuvered their vessels.

Cheongpung took position at the center, while the other warships arranged themselves in a circle like a peacock spreading its wings, forming their battle line.
It was a defensive formation created by ships upon the sea.

“Fire!”

At Rabawin’s shout, a tremendous roar erupted across the ship and sea as the fourth magical cannon unleashed lightning.

Boom!

The mist enveloping the ship was pierced, and the monsters hiding behind it were crushed like dough.

“Fire again!”

The fifth flash exploded, slaughtering the monsters once more, but the magical cannon couldn’t withstand the recoil and its muzzle was crushed.

“Tch….”

Kuberard examined the cannon and clenched his teeth.

“Already dented!”

He struck his own cheek as if disgusted with himself.

“That’s enough. We’ve exhausted all the mana we had stored anyway.”

Aris patted Kuberard’s shoulder, assuring him it was fine.

“Abandon the cannons!”

At Rabawin’s command, the warriors and mages guarding the magical cannons climbed onto the deck.
Warriors from the other warships took their positions on deck, exhaling tense breaths.

Gray mist descended like a curtain, and the sea grew calm once more.

It seemed to possess the same ability to suppress presence as the mist that had shrouded Aikar.

Silence. Not the silence of war, but an eerie hush that settled like a peaceful night sea.

Splash!

Before that tranquility could continue, monsters burst through the mist.

Screech!

Rabawin, as if he had already anticipated this, extended his blade along the horizon. The blue aura etched into the steel drew a full moon’s arc, cleaving the monsters charging toward the twelve warships in half.

It was a terrifying sword strike that felled over a hundred monsters in a single blow.

Yet the monsters, undeterred by death, leaped onto the ships again.

“Not on my watch!”

Rabawin unleashed his aura without restraint, perhaps to minimize casualties.
Monsters climbing onto the warships fell, spraying blood, under the tidal wave of sword strikes.

Rumble!

The colossal monsters—Mantakun, Luna Whale, and Sea Serpent—began to move, as if to protect the monsters ascending the ships.

Mantakun charged forward, obscuring vision; Luna Whale unleashed an ice wave; Sea Serpent spewed poison.

Screech!

Rabawin thrust his blade into empty air. Powerful energy rippled outward like waves, tearing apart the mist that had been protecting Mantakun and the others mercilessly.

Whoooosh!

Mantakun’s corpse tumbled over the ship’s side, blocking the Ice Wave that Luna Whale unleashed.

I’d deflected two attacks, but the Sea Serpent’s toxic cloud was crashing down on the opposite side of Cheongpung.

“Block it!”
“Stop it by any means necessary!”

The captains stationed on the other fronts gathered. They erected barriers with aura and magic, cutting off the Sea Serpent’s poisonous miasma.

‘Thank goodness.’

I exhaled in relief. So far, thanks to Rabawin, the magical cannons, and the captains of each warship, we’d suffered no casualties, but the real battle was only just beginning.

Whoooooosh!

The gray mist surged violently, then began raining down a torrent of razor-sharp blade fragments. The Sea Mist Tribe Elder was moving directly.

Clang!

Rabawin raised his sword. A brilliant blue radiance erupted from the blade—thick beyond measure—conjuring a magnificent sword aura.

Crash!

The rain of misty blades poured toward twelve warships, only to be deflected entirely and plunged into the sea. It was the bearing of a Grand Master and supreme commander.

Whoooooosh!

The mist surged once more.

This time, instead of targeting the entire ship, it unleashed a wave of mist directly at Rabawin alone. The movement itself was colossal—the aura of the Sea Tribe Elder.

Boom!

Rabawin’s Kangwhan collided with the condensed mist, erupting in a tremendous explosion.

“Tsk.”

Rabawin pushed forward, dispersing the relentless shockwaves. He seemed intent on directly confronting the Sea Tribe Elder to minimize casualties.

“Prepare for close combat!”

The moment his cry rang out, monsters surged from the sea.

“Hold the line!”

Not only the Cheongpung, but all the warriors aboard the other warships drew their blades and struck down the monsters that descended upon the decks.

Yet the marine monsters were seemingly endless. The greater threat, however, was the arrival of creatures capable of obliterating warships with a single gesture—the Luna Whales, the Mantas, and the Sea Serpents.

Shrieeeek!

When a Manta lunged forward with its massive body, Kuberard and the craftsmen sprang into action.

“Fire!”

At his command, the harpoons and hooks fixed to the warship shot forth like a gale.

Thunk-thunk-thunk!

The razor-sharp massive weapons pierced through the monsters’ hides and embedded themselves deep into their flesh.

Shrieeeek!

Though the monsters thrashed to free themselves from the harpoons, the weapons forged by the Continental Master Craftsmen bore not even the slightest scratch.

“Now!”

As the massive monsters writhed in agony, the warriors and mages aboard the warships unleashed blade strikes and spells, piercing the vital points of the colossal beasts.

Shrieeeek!

The Manta plummeted, and the Luna Whale sank, tilted and listing.

Yet the Sea Serpent, still impaled by hooks and spears, retreated and bared its fangs. A cloud of venom, darkened with poison, billowed forth once more.

“That is….”

I bit my lip and stepped forward, but Aris grabbed my arm.

“Not yet.”

Aris shook her head, indicating that now was not the time.

“Deploy the barrier!”

At Kuberard’s command, a yellow metal plate unfurled at the front of the line, blocking the surging cloud of poison.

The iron turned pitch black as though corroded by rust, but no damage reached the interior of the ship.

“Fire again!”

He commanded the weapons to discharge once more, and the spear and hook pierced through the Sea Serpent’s eyes and throat.

Shrieeeek!

The Sea Serpent thrashed in agony, dissolved the ropes with its poison, and fled into the sea.

“Phew….”

Kuberard wiped the sweat from his brow and exhaled deeply. He looked toward me with a smile, as if asking how that was.

I was returning his smile when enormous bubbles began churning violently in the seabed where the mountain of monsters had first been erected.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————