The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 528

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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 528

—Hey! Aren’t you listening to the True Demon King?

I blinked blankly, not at Wrath, but at Aris Zigheart.

“That’s… that’s all?”
“What else would there be?”

Aris tilted her head as if she found my reaction absurd.

“Would I ever ask you to give up your life?”

She waved her hand up and down, urging me not to harbor such strange thoughts.

“But no matter what, this is a Dragon Heart.”

A Dragon Heart could only be obtained by slaying a dragon, making it a treasure beyond treasures—something no amount of wealth could purchase.
To offer such an item, something that would spark bloodshed the moment it appeared in the world, without any compensation in return—I couldn’t help but be bewildered.

“I should ask the others for their opinions too.”

While I had indeed played a significant role in defeating Kaibar, it was something I could never have accomplished alone.

The warship’s crew had dealt with the sea monsters, and Aris had blocked Kaibar’s breath attack and even counterattacked, which made our victory possible.
Taking the greatest treasure felt genuinely burdensome.

“The discussion is over.”

Aris pointed behind her with her thumb and smiled.

“Not a single person opposed giving you the Dragon Heart. Of course, if they had, I would have killed them….”

Despite her bright expression, her voice carried a chilling edge.

“Besides, we have Kaibar’s corpse. Even selling it moderately would allow all of us to live comfortably for the rest of our lives.”

Aris said not to worry, as she would take care of all the families of the deceased.

-Hey there? The True Demon King is right here?

Wrath sprang up before my eyes and glared at me.

-Hurry up and flip the meat….
“How fascinating.”

Aris raised her hand and began stroking my head.

“How did someone like you come from our family?”
“Pardon?”
“Everyone in our direct lineage, including my own son, is cold and self-centered. But you’re fundamentally different.”
“Hmm….”

I smacked my lips. Thinking of the direct members of Zigheart, I couldn’t refute Aris’s words.

“Ah, come to think of it, Sylvia was somewhat similar to you.”
“Mother was?”
“Yes. Back then, I was sharper than I am now, so I couldn’t properly look after her. When we’d meet, I’d just give her a snack or two, and watching her forget them like a squirrel was adorable.”

Aris smiled, a expression that seemed tinged with old memories and melancholy.

“Your eyes shine the same way Sylvia’s did back then.”

She lowered her hand from stroking my head and offered the Dragon Heart once more.

“So, what will you do? Decide quickly.”
“Hmm….”

I gazed at the Dragon Heart shimmering with iridescent light and smacked my lips.

‘There’s no reason not to accept it.’

All it takes is calling her aunt once, and the Dragon Heart falls into my hands.
Not only could I create a dantian for Sylvia, but I might even be able to elevate her to Master rank in one go. I had to accept it unconditionally.

‘But….’

The words wouldn’t come easily.

Until now, the only family member I had ever called by such a title was my mother. I had never spoken words like grandfather, uncle, older brother, or older sister, so my lips refused to open.

-Just call her aunt already and flip the meat! You sluggish fool!
“Huh?”

As Wrath snarled, Aris Zigheart narrowed her eyes as if exasperated.

“Do you really hate being my nephew that much?”
“That’s not it at all.”

I shook my head firmly.

“The truth is, this is the first time I’ve ever used such a title with anyone besides my mother, so I’m a bit nervous….”
“Ah….”

Aris Zigheart nodded as if she understood.

“Right. There’s no way you would have used such words in that household.”
“Yes. That’s why it doesn’t come out easily.”
“I should visit the estate soon….”

She wet her crimson lips with a cold glint in her eyes, as if contemplating something.

“Hah….”

I exhaled softly, watching Aris Zigheart lost in thought. After calming my heart, I slowly parted my lips.

“A-Aunt.”
“Gasp!”

The moment Aris Zigheart heard the word, she clutched her chest and arched backward.

“T-This is a bit dangerous, isn’t it?”
“Pardon?”
“Since I’m hearing the word ‘aunt’ for the first time myself, I didn’t realize. This is quite potent.”

She murmured something strange and spread her fingers.

“Would you do it just one more time?”
“…Aunt.”
“Ahhhhh!”

Aris Zigheart let out an exclamation as if she’d just downed a bowl of beer, then pulled me into her embrace.

“That’s right! My precious nephew!”
“Wait, just a moment….”
“Trust only your aunt!”

She held me close, swaying as if intoxicated, and giggled for a long while.

“Your face, your abilities, your personality too! So this is what having a perfect nephew feels like!”
“Ugh….”

I groaned and looked at Aris’s face. Seeing her gently closed eyelids, I was reminded of Sylvia, who used to sing lullabies to me when I was young.
For the first time besides my mother, I had someone to call by a family title, and the feeling was peculiar.
A delicate sea-flower fragrance, different from Sylvia’s, gently soothed my troubled heart and eased away my lingering worries.

-It’s really burning! Truly burning now! Push that thieving woman away, I say!

Wrath barked at the meat. Just as he said, Aris’s fragrance was being overpowered by the smell of charring meat.

“Aunt, the meat is….”
“Oh!”

Aris Zigheart opened her eyes as if coming to her senses and stepped back.

“Sorry. Your scent reminded me of someone I miss, and I nearly fell asleep without realizing it.”

She bowed her head apologetically, her hands clasped together.

-Kekekek!

White foam began to form at the corners of Wrath’s mouth.

-Before that thieving woman’s neck gets any closer, quickly cook it again!

His body began spinning violently like a whirlwind.

“Would you like me to grill it for you?”
“No, thank you.”

I shook my head. It was clear that Wrath would throw a fit, so it seemed better to cook alone for now.

“The first attempt was a failure anyway, so I can just grill another one.”

I smiled as I showed Aris Zigheart a fresh piece of meat.

“I was planning to learn multiple methods from the start. Please don’t worry.”
“Hmm, but….”
“I’m really fine.”

I handed the charred pan and meat to the apologetic Aris Zigheart and ushered her out.
She had insisted on helping until the end, but I quickly shut the door.

-The True Demon King shall never forget today’s humiliation….
‘I’ll grill you another one. Just be patient.’

I pushed back the growling Wrath and gazed at the Dragon Heart that Aris Zigheart had given me.
Its luminous radiance and the deep, expansive fragrance of dense mana made my dantian quiver as if responding to its presence.

‘She actually gave me this….’

It was a situation I had never anticipated, so I couldn’t hide my joy despite my bewilderment.

‘I can create an even better dantian with this.’

Ensia had said that a Dragon Heart was the finest material for creating an artificial dantian.
Since it was difficult to obtain, she had mentioned combining a Sea Serpent Heart and a Drake Heart instead, but now that I had acquired the very item I desired from the beginning, I would be able to create the finest dantian possible.

With trembling hands, I placed the Dragon Heart into my spatial pouch.

-If you’re done admiring it, hurry up and grill the meat! My belly feels like it’s about to split!
‘That’s just his way of saying he’s full….’
-Shut up and grill!
‘Alright….’

I retrieved a new frying pan and placed the dragon meat on it.
This time, I adjusted the heat to prevent burning, and the meat cooked faster than before—perhaps because I had gained a small insight into the nature of flames.

-How long will it take at this rate! The True Demon King wishes to eat now!

Wrath bellowed and thrust his aura forward. His energy naturally bloomed from my fingertips, seeping into the meat and intensifying the flames’ heat.

‘If you keep doing this, causality or something will….’
-The True Demon King shall bear the consequences! Simply cook the meat properly!

He cried out not to worry while drooling profusely at the sight of the meat.

‘Understood.’

Once the meat began cooking through, I added butter and poured the melted butter over it with care.
The meat slowly cooked from the pan’s heat and the butter, releasing an even richer, more savory aroma than before.

‘The smell is certainly appetizing, but why am I doing this….’

Since I had never been particularly greedy about food, I questioned why I was going to such lengths to cook dragon meat.

-Excellent! You’re doing splendidly! Move your hands a bit faster!

Wrath offered his first praise and even patted my back.

“Mm….”

Enduring his chatter, I continued cooking, and the dragon meat’s color deepened to a golden hue, like perfectly seared beef.

-Well done!

Wrath clapped his hands and nodded vigorously.

-Now place the meat on the cutting board and cover it with a plate to retain the heat!
‘Not eating it right away?’
-Such an ignorant fool!

He bared his teeth like a beast.

-You don’t even know what resting is?!
‘Resting?’
-After you roast meat, the juices flow out, so you need to let it rest for a bit!

Wrath shook his head in exasperation.

“Sigh….”

I placed the meat on the cutting board, my lips trembling. I wanted to flip the table over, but I’d promised to go through with this, so I forced myself to endure.

About ten minutes passed before Wrath tapped my back again.

-Now’s the time!

Wrath gestured frantically, urging me to taste the meat already.

I cut into the dragon meat with knife and fork. Perhaps because Wrath’s fury had melted the mana, it sliced far more easily than I’d expected.

-Huff, huff! Hurry!

Wrath began drooling like a hungry puppy.

‘Let me breathe.’

I exhaled and speared a piece of meat with my fork, bringing it to my lips.

Whoosh!

The moment I bit into the dragon meat, concentrated juices spread across my palate like waves across a vast ocean. My entire mouth flooded with the succulent essence flowing from the meat.

“Ah….”

As the intense meaty flavor overwhelmed my senses, the meat’s own firm, springy texture delivered an additional layer of satisfaction. As Wrath had said, roasted dragon was a delicacy among delicacies.
According to Wrath’s words, roasted dragon was truly a delicacy among delicacies.

Ugh!

Wrath held his mouth shut as tears welled up in his eyes.

-This is it! This is why the True Demon King lives!

He smacked his lips endlessly, claiming he had lived all this time for this very taste.

-Keep eating! Hurry!
‘Understood… huh?’

Just as Wrath shouted for me to eat faster, a message suddenly flashed before my eyes.

[You have consumed food infused with the essence of Wrath.]
[All stats increase.]

-What?

Wrath dropped to the ground the moment he saw the message, abandoning his enjoyment of the meat. His belly fat folded thickly.

-This is insane! I ate meat, so why are my stats rising?!

Wrath’s eyes widened in disbelief.

-This is a scam!
‘It’s not a scam.’

I shook my head while examining the message.

‘You poured your wrath into the meat and flames earlier, remember? That essence seeped into the meat, which is why the stats increased.’

There was no reason my stats would increase from eating dragon meat without the Gluttony ability.
This was all because of the essence Wrath had transferred when he desperately wanted me to eat the meat quickly.

-Damn it! The True Demon King did not desire such a situation!

Wrath glared at the message while grinding his teeth.

“Eating meat and gaining stats—that’s pretty nice.”

I chuckled and pierced a slice of meat with my fork.

-Wait! Stop!

As I reached for the meat, Wrath’s hand shot out to stop me.

-If you eat that, your stats will increase!
‘That’s true.’
-Then you absolutely cannot eat it!
‘But if this cools down, it won’t taste good. The juices will dry out.’
-Ugh….

Wrath’s jaw trembled as he watched the meat juices dripping away.

-Then, w-well, eating it….
‘If I eat it, my stats go up?’
-AAAAAGH! What am I supposed to do?!

He couldn’t bring himself to say either “eat it” or “don’t eat it,” and instead tore at his hair in frustration.

As I leisurely twirled my fork, a new message appeared.

[You have successfully hunted the Blue Dragon.]
[All stats increase by 20 points.]
[Title 【Dragon Slayer】 has been created.]
[The rank of trait 【Seolhwa’s Demonic Armor】 has increased.]

The system had finally delivered the rewards for defeating Kaibar all at once.

-Ah….

Wrath’s face turned as pale as a blank sheet of paper.

-I might as well just die….

*

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*

A dark night with the moon hidden behind clouds.

The Third Prince of the Owen Kingdom stopped before the Rehabilitation Training Ground attached to the Royal Medical Facility.

“Are they still at it?”

He gazed up at the brilliant lights illuminating the interior and exhaled a long breath.

“It’s not still—it’s just beginning.”

A royal knight approached the Third Prince and bowed his head.

“Not a single member of the Gwangpung Corps has left the training ground until dawn, I’m told.”
“Is that truly so?”
“Yes. According to the Royal Physician, they’re not rehabilitating—they’re training with their lives on the line.”
“Is that wise? They haven’t fully recovered yet, have they?”

The Third Prince’s voice rose with concern for the Gwangpung Corps’s condition.

“Their physical wounds have all healed, so there should be no problem. Will you enter?”

The royal knight grasped the door handle of the Rehabilitation Training Ground and turned his gaze toward the Third Prince.

“Hmm….”

The Third Prince seemed to deliberate, staring at the door of the training ground before shaking his head.

“No, it’s better not to disturb them. Martha and all of them—they need time, it seems.”

He smacked his lips with slight regret and departed from the training ground.

The Gwangpung Corps inside the Rehabilitation Training Ground continued to strike their blades, unaware that the Third Prince had even reached the entrance.

With madness burning in their eyes, they trained their swordsmanship endlessly, as if purging the frustration of having accomplished nothing in this war.
Though not much time had passed since they began training after their recovery, their sword techniques had transformed beyond recognition.

Whoooosh!

When the moon, hidden within the clouds, began to tilt from the center of the sky, Burren Zigheart stamped his foot heavily.

“Haah….”

The thunderous boom that shook the battlefield caused the Gwangpung Corps swordsmen to straighten their backs and lift their gazes.
Everyone’s faces were flushed red from training with all their might.

“That’s enough for today.”

At Burren’s call, the Gwangpung Corps swordsmen lowered their blades for the first time.

“If you push yourselves too hard, it will affect tomorrow’s training as well. Everyone return and get some rest.”

He waved his hand, urging them to go back and recover quickly.

“Thank you for your hard work!”

The Gwangpung Corps swordsmen did not protest as they had before, nor did they cry out that they wanted to train more.
Knowing that Burren’s words were right, they bowed their heads and left the Training Ground immediately. They had all grown mentally.

“You cut it off at the right time. But….”

Martha approached Burren as he was tidying up the Training Ground and gave him a light chin gesture.

“Where are you going after sending the kids off?”
“What?”
“Crain said you’ve been coming back to the Dormitory late every day?”

She furrowed her brows, asking what scheme he was hiding.

“…I go to the Library.”
“The Library? Why there?”
“I’m studying strategy and tactics.”

Burren looked up at the sky and exhaled a low breath.

“Strategy and tactics?”
“Since I’ve taken command of the Gwangpung Corps in Raon’s stead, I’ve come to understand my own shortcomings.”

Burren said that strength alone was not enough and bit his lips thinly.

“And you come back late too, so what are you doing at the Healing Center?”

He narrowed his eyes, clearly aware of Martha’s intentions as well.

“You’re not actually learning medicine, are you…?”

Burren’s mouth fell open as he looked at Martha, whose face had flushed crimson.

“Wait, you’re really learning medicine?”
“I just thought it would be good to have many skills at my disposal!”

Martha glared at Burren and let out a sound like a shriek.

“Huh…”
“Huh? You make that sound because I’m learning medicine? A rakshasa woman isn’t allowed to learn medicine?”
“No, that’s not what I meant…”

Burren shook his head quickly. He wasn’t mocking her—he was simply astonished. He had never imagined Martha would learn medicine for the sake of the Gwangpung Corps.

“Hey!”

Martha called out to Lunan, who was quietly tamping down the floor, seemingly wanting to change the subject.

“You’ve been coming home late too. What have you been up to lately?”

With Burren learning strategy and tactics, and herself learning medicine, there was no way Lunan was sitting idle. She had to be doing something else.

“Cooking.”

Lunan answered bluntly, as if to say why would you even ask.

“C-cooking?”
“What kind of cooking?”
“Ice cream and cookies.”

She nodded, explaining that she was learning to cook from the servants of the Royal Kitchen, who began their work early in the morning.

“Why are you learning that?”
“I want to make them for Raon and everyone.”

Lunan blinked her eyes, saying that when she was sick and lying in bed, she had wanted to eat ice cream with everyone.

“Good grief….”

Martha let out a hollow laugh as she looked at Lunan Slion.

“He really is a fascinating one.”
“That he is.”

Burren Zigheart nodded in agreement, his expression softening into a gentle smile.

“We should be going as well.”

He maintained his subtle smile as he led Martha and Lunan Slion out of the Training Ground.

“Then….”
“Yes.”
“Mm.”

Burren Zigheart, Martha, and Lunan Slion exchanged farewells at the entrance of the Training Ground before departing to their respective destinations.

As darkness and silence settled over the Training Ground, Rimer and Sheryl emerged from the shadows.

“What fortune.”

Sheryl glared at Rimer, her brow furrowing.

“Why would those kids attach themselves to someone like you!”
“Indeed.”

Rimer nodded awkwardly, his laugh strained.

“They should have gone to someone worthier.”

He exhaled softly, his gaze drifting toward where the squad leaders had stood.

“Tsk.”

Sheryl clicked her tongue and struck the back of Rimer’s head.

“Stop spouting nonsense!”
“You asked first….”

Rimer descended toward the Training Ground, rubbing the back of his head as if bewildered by the blow he’d received.

“Are you doing it again today?”

Sheryl stepped in front of Rimer, narrowing her eyes.

“Of course.”

Rimer nodded and drew his sword silently. Above his eyes, which always held composure, a fierce tempest raged.

“I cannot entrust my vengeance to those children.”
“If that’s your resolve, come at me prepared to die.”

Sheryl raised her aura, sealing off sound to prevent it from escaping, and drew her twin blades. The two swords of different colors gleamed with an eerie light.

“I’ll think of this as my training, not yours. I hate feeling powerless too.”

*

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*

-Screeeech!

Wrath ultimately chose to eat the dragon meat. His appetite had overcome the jealousy of not wanting to grant stat increases. Of course, he ate while crying.

I left Cheongpung with Wrath draped over my shoulder, his energy completely drained.
Despite it being well past midnight, the city blazed with light. The entire city bustled with noise, as if people from other villages had come to join the festivities.

‘A festival should be like this.’

A festival that shared both joy and solace—it was only fitting that it remain loud and chaotic deep into the night.

“Raon!”

As I greeted the townspeople and admired the festival, Rabawin approached me with a beer mug in hand.

“I was already heading to Cheongpung, so this works out perfectly.”
“Is something the matter?”
“You have a visitor looking for you.”

Rabawin directed me to a tavern on the outskirts of the village and told me to go there.

I nodded and made my way to the tavern. Upon opening the door and stepping inside, I saw Kuberard’s back, and across from him sat two figures whose faces were concealed by robes.

“You arrived faster than I expected.”

Kuberard chuckled and waved his hand.

“I encountered Rabawin in the city center.”

I bowed to Kuberard and stepped further inside, whereupon the figures behind him rose and removed their hoods.

‘As expected, Deningrose. And the other one is…?’

The figure on the left was Deningrose, her violet hair crowned with an eye patch.
I had known her identity from the start by sensing her presence, but I had not anticipated the identity of the person beside her at all.

An old woman draped in an elegant aura as graceful as moonlight filtering through the windows—the Black Market Master, Roselin.

“Black Market Master?”
“It has been a long time.”

Roselin greeted me with refined courtesy.

“How did you find this place?”
“You saved my disciple, so naturally I had to come pay my respects and offer my gratitude. And besides…”

She twisted the smile playing at her lips as she continued.

“There is information I must absolutely share with you.”

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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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