The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 556

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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 556

I stared at Sylvia with my mouth agape. She didn’t stop at shouting “liberation”—she threw both arms skyward like a slave tasting freedom for the first time, her voice ringing out in triumphant exultation.

‘What… what on earth is happening?’

I had never imagined Sylvia, whom I thought was contentedly following my training regimen, would cry out like this. It felt like I was trapped in a nightmare.

-A nightmare? Nonsense!

Wrath approached with his blue eyes blazing.

-You were your mother’s nightmare!

I shook my head, muttering that he was utterly tactless. I never thought I’d hear such a thing from that cotton candy fool. The absurdity of it left me speechless.

“Um, Mother.”

I lifted my trembling fingertips to call out to Sylvia.

“Sigh…”

Sylvia exhaled a long breath and turned her gaze toward me.

“It was truly exhausting. You should moderate the training a bit!”

She rolled her eyes, lamenting how agonizing the training had been.

“But you enjoyed it too, Mother. Your strength grew so rapidly that you were laughing…”

In my confusion, I reverted to calling her “Mother” as I had in childhood, speaking casually without honorifics.

“That wasn’t laughter from joy—it was delirious laughter from the pain! You tactless boy!”

Sylvia furrowed her brow and stamped her foot.

“Ah…”

I trembled as I watched Sylvia furrow her brow in displeasure.

“But Mother clearly said she wanted to train hard….”
“I didn’t know it would be like this! I get criticized by you all day here, and then when I return to the Annex Building, I’m subjected to night training again! I want to train diligently, not die!”

She shook her head vigorously, saying she would have quit long ago if I weren’t her son.

“Wait, what? You weren’t just training here?”

Burren Zigheart’s mouth fell open in shock.

“You subjected her to that level of training at the Annex Building too? This guy’s really insane….”

Martha also furrowed her brow, realizing she hadn’t known the extent of it.

“Demonic Raon….”

Lunan Slion trembled, calling me terrifying.

“U-ugh, if you pierced him, poison would probably come out instead of blood.”

Dorian also stepped back as if disgusted.

“Ugh….”

I bit my lips hard, unable to muster a rebuttal against the squad leaders and Dorian.

“But Mother, her skills have definitely improved. There’s probably no one in the Six Emperors who’s advanced this quickly!”
“That’s skill forged by burning away her lifespan! If you’d pushed even a little more, she really would have died!”

When Sylvia mentioned that I’d even shaved years off her life, I truly had nothing to say.

-Puhehehehe!

Wrath began laughing, clutching his belly.

-To think I’d witness the day your mouth stays shut! This is sweeter than eating mint chocolate!

He patted Sylvia’s back and muttered for her to continue.

“Raon. I’ve been confined to the Annex Building for over twenty years. I managed the household chores with the servants and tended the Garden, but I abandoned all my training as a swordmaster.”

Sylvia lifted her vacant gaze upward.

“How could I possibly keep pace with your training now that I’ve gained a dantian? The problem isn’t that my strength increased—it’s that I survived at all!”

She shook her head wildly, her blonde hair—dulled and matted with sand—rippling with the motion.

“Then you should have said something.”
“I did say something, but you never listened!”
“When did I….”
“I suggested taking a break, trying different training methods, but you kept insisting the fundamentals were crucial and made me repeat basic sword techniques endlessly!”

Sylvia’s lips moved rapidly, as though she’d finally caught me in a trap.

“And on top of that, you never offered a single word of praise—just endless criticism. Could you have endured that?”
“I actually prefer that approach….”
“What?”
“Nothing.”

I scratched my cheek and lowered my voice. In my past life, such harshness was the norm, and training under Glen Zigheart and Rimer meant I’d rarely heard praise.
I’d simply done what I always did, so I had no idea how to respond to criticism.

“That’s enough. I’m genuinely exhausted now.”

Sylvia sprawled flat on her back against the ground, closing her eyes as she declared she would rest for a while.

-The True Demon King always said it, didn’t he? There’s no one in the Demon Realm as obsessed with training as you.

Wrath waved his hand with a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.

-Mother! Don’t worry. From now on, the True Demon King will look after you in a more humane manner.
‘Ugh….’

The Demon Lord was patting Sylvia’s shoulder while calling himself humane, and I couldn’t refute it—which infuriated me beyond measure.

“I knew this would happen.”

Rimer approached from the side and let out a quiet laugh.

“I should have given you freedom like this great master does.”

He shrugged, remarking that modern education required a balance between freedom and discipline.

“Sigh….”

I exhaled deeply. Being mocked even by this laissez-faire master was suffocating.

“You’re too rigid. People need to be flexible sometimes….”
“Please tell me the mission first.”
“Always so impatient. It’s not a major one.”

Rimer smacked his lips and unfolded the mission document.

“Word came from the Shinigan Branch—there’s what appears to be a Nambuk Alliance hideout in the south, and people have been disappearing frequently. They’re asking us to investigate.”
“The Nambuk Alliance….”

Despite the name, I hadn’t heard much about the Nambuk Alliance itself in a long time. They’d been quiet, so it wasn’t strange for them to be expanding their hideouts.

“The Branch Chief always brings missions that seem simple but turn out difficult….”
“Right. They somehow become harder.”
“Terrible judgment.”

Burren, Martha, and Lunan frowned, doubting Rimer’s ability to select missions.

“I can’t help it! All the easy and good ones get taken by the higher-ups!”

Rimer waved his hand, saying that if he wanted better missions, they’d have to promote him to Branch Chief.

“Anyway, we depart in three days. It’s not an urgent mission, but prepare thoroughly. And you—learn some restraint.”

He patted my shoulder and left with leisurely steps.

“Phew….”

I sighed, watching Sylvia, who hadn’t even gotten up since Rimer left. She truly seemed intent on resting.

“Now our demon unit commander will finally be quiet too.”

Crain grinned at the Gwangpung Corps swordsmen, his expression dripping with malice.

“Just thinking about that monster being gloomy for a while already puts me in a good mood, doesn’t it?”

He shook his head, remarking that not only had Sylvia’s training been grueling, but theirs had been equally brutal.

“Where’s Ensia? I wanted to capture her shocked expression on film… huh?”

Crain trailed off, tilting his head in confusion. The swordsmen stood motionless and silent, their eyes vacant.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? When else would we get a chance to tease her!”
“B-Behind…”
“Behind? What’s behind… Gasp!”

He spun around and froze. I stood there, my eyes blazing with a crimson light deeper than the sun itself, exhaling a savage breath.

“R-Raon! I was just… I didn’t mean…”

I seized Crain’s head in my grip before he could flee, forcefully wrenching it to face me.

“I have no intention of staying quiet, but I do intend to silence all of you. How does that sound?”

A sinister smile spread across my face as I surveyed the Gwangpung Corps swordsmen one by one.

“I’ll simply teach you the way your mother would.”
“Ah, that’s… that’s physically impossible, sir…”

Crain laughed awkwardly, shaking his head.

“We don’t have talent like Sylvia, and we need to prepare for the mission now…”
“An hour is all you need for preparations.”
“Pardon?”
“From now until you depart for the mission, we’ll conduct live combat training. Of course, I’ll be your opponent, and it begins with…”

My eyes swept across them as I selected my first target.

“Ugh!”
“Eek!”

The Gwangpung Corps swordsmen naturally stepped back, creating a sparring arena for me and Crain.

“Crain. You’re it.”

I beckoned him forward with a subtle gesture of my hand.

“Why me again!”

*

*

*

“Haaaah.”

A woman with narrow, sharp eyes yawned so widely her mouth nearly split at the seams as she gazed out the window where the dawn breeze drifted through.

“Lisia. Is it really that boring?”

The Branch Chief, a man with a benevolent face seated at the inner desk, chuckled softly.

“Night watch duty is always tedious, but Shinigan as a region itself is utterly dull. The mountain stronghold that appeared in the south is small in scale, and the Lakion Family is stationed to the east, so everything runs itself without interference.”

Lisia, as she was called, yawned again and rested her chin on the desk.

“So that’s why you submitted a transfer request at year’s end.”

The Branch Chief set down the book he’d been reading and shook his head.

“The main house is nothing like this branch. They won’t even look at you if you fall behind even slightly. Spend just one month there, and you’ll be yearning for this boring town.”
“But I came from the main house, and you’re being so dismissive!”

Lisia pouted at the Branch Chief.

“And my transfer request wasn’t solely because this place is boring.”
“Then?”
“The life-or-death duel between the Gwangpung Corps Commander and the Demon King is happening on January 1st next year. I absolutely must witness that battle!”

She cast her gaze out the window and clasped her hands tightly together.

“I’ve seen many handsome men throughout my life, but never one with beauty like yours, Raon. When I think of that gorgeous face bringing down the Demon King, it’s just….”

Lisia stared at the moon with dreamy eyes, as if she were witnessing Raon sever the Demon King’s neck with her own eyes.

“You’re exaggerating, but the Demon King is formidable. He earned his reputation as an axe master long before the Gwangpung Corps Commander was even born. To be honest, I think victory would be difficult. A draw would be the best outcome.”
“But you defeated Kaibhar, didn’t you? Humans never lose.”
“The Demon King is also a warrior capable of slaying dragons if the opportunity arose.”
“Whose side are you on, Branch Chief!”
“Of course I hope the Gwangpung Corps Commander wins. I’m simply saying we shouldn’t underestimate our enemies.”

As the Branch Chief waved his hand, a warrior who had been standing guard outside the branch office entered.

“Branch Chief? I believe you should come outside.”

The warrior bowed carefully.

“What’s the matter?”

The Branch Chief and Lisia rose from their seats and headed outside.

“A child?”

Behind the warrior stood a young girl with striking crimson hair, her shoulders hunched.
She was in such a hurry that one of her shoes was missing, and her once-elegant clothes were now reduced to rags.

“Wait, you’re….”

The Branch Chief examined the girl’s face and his eyes widened in recognition.

“Sieulren!”

The girl was Sieulren, the youngest daughter of Lakion, a vassal house of Zigheart. Since he had greeted her at the Lakion Head of House’s birthday celebration last year, there was no way he could have mistaken her.

“What happened! Were you attacked?”

The Branch Chief was bewildered by the sight of Sieulren, who was as precious as a jewel to Lakion, appearing in such a wretched state.

“Let’s calm down first and then ask questions.”

Lisia headed toward the pantry, saying she would bring warm water.

“That’s true enough.”
“Please, please relay my words to Zigheart!”

The Branch Chief nodded and sighed just as Sieulren grabbed his sleeve.

“Come, sit over here.”

The Branch Chief guided the trembling Sieulren to the sofa in the center of the Branch office.

“I’ll listen to everything, so speak slowly.”
“Haaa….”

Sieulren clutched her chest and took a deep breath. As if having made a decision, she lifted her gaze and met the Branch Chief’s eyes.

“Recently, many people have been disappearing from our Family Estate. Even those I was close to left overnight without even saying goodbye.”
“Hmm….”

The Branch Chief let out a low groan. The sudden and significant disappearance of Family Estate members was not a good sign.

“Meanwhile, unfamiliar guests keep entering the Family Estate and filling the positions of those who left. The feeling was off, so I secretly investigated, and those people….”

Sieulren was about to continue in a trembling voice.

Boom!

The main gate of the Branch office burst open roughly, and a red-haired middle-aged man strode in as if it were his own home.
A golden eye patch covered his left eye, while his remaining right eye blazed with tremendous presence.

“B-Belus Lakion?”

The man who had entered through the Branch office door was Belus Lakion, the eldest son of the Head of House Lakion and already listed as his successor.

“My younger brother has caused you trouble.”

Belus bowed respectfully to the Branch Chief.

“I’ve been struggling with my training lately, so I’m acting out. Please forgive me if I said something strange.”

Despite the fierce intensity burning in his eyes, he wore a gentle smile.

“Uh….”

Even though Sieulren was looking at her own brother, she trembled like an aspen leaf, fear gripping her.

“Hmm….”

The Branch Chief took hold of Sieulren’s trembling hands and concealed her behind his back.

“Of course I understand. However, I’m currently having a private conversation with Miss Sieulren, so could you wait a moment?”
“….”

Belus Lakion didn’t respond, and the cheerful smile that had adorned his face darkened.

“I see you heard me.
“Belus Lakion?”
“Then there’s no helping it.”

He curled his lips upward and drew the longsword strapped across his back.

“W-What are you doing! This is a branch of Zigheart….”
“So what.”

Belus Lakion ignored the Branch Chief’s words and brought the raised longsword down like a thunderbolt.

“Ugh!”

The Branch Chief pushed Sieulren backward to shield her from the blade strike, then raised his hand in a defensive stance. Even in his shock, his aura remained unwavering.

Screeeech!

But Belus’s greatsword cut through the Branch Chief’s aura like paper and slashed his neck open.

“B-Branch Chief!”
“S-Sir, Branch Chief!”

The warriors trembled as they gazed upon the Branch Chief’s severed head rolling across the ground, their expressions betraying utter disbelief at the unfolding horror.

“Kyaaaaaaah!”

Lisia, who had been emerging from her carriage, shrieked as the tray slipped from her grasp.

“The Branch Chief… Ugh!”

Lisia quickly regained her composure and rushed inward to send an emergency signal to the main house.

Belus Lakion, as if reading Lisia’s intentions, raised his longsword and hurled it like a spear.

Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch!

The longsword obliterated the wall and cleaved Lisia’s torso in two. Blood-soaked stone fragments scattered pitifully through the air.

“Sister.”

Belus Lakion gazed down at Sieulren, whose lips trembled with a pallid hue, his eyes utterly devoid of emotion.

“The people dying in this place—it is because of you.”

With those words, human voices ceased to echo through the Shinigan Branch. All that remained were screams and wails.

*

*

*

I departed my chamber in the pre-dawn darkness, before the sun could break the horizon.

As always on mission days, Sylvia and the attendants stood waiting at the Entrance Hall.

“Young Master. Please return safely.”
“You mustn’t overexert yourself like you did on the last mission.”
“I’ve prepared dried meat. Do eat some if you grow hungry.”

Helen and the attendants bowed their heads respectfully as they handed me the prepared jerky and provisions, bidding me a safe journey.

This had been a consistent occurrence whenever I went on missions. However, one thing was different this time.

“Raon. Take care while you’re out.”

Sylvia’s lips trembled faintly—a stark contrast to the dark expression she usually wore whenever I departed on assignments.

“Mother….”

I furrowed my brow, studying the subtle curve of her mouth.

“Are you really that pleased about me going on missions?”
“P-pleased? What are you talking about!”

Sylvia shook her head vigorously.

“I just woke up not long ago, so my face is still stiff, that’s all.”

She awkwardly pulled at the corners of her mouth with her fingers, forcing an unnatural smile.

“I heard everything you were excited about in your room.”

I narrowed my eyes as I regarded her.

‘I heard it all quite clearly.’

This morning at dawn, cheers had erupted from Sylvia’s chamber. Had I been cultivating my aura at that moment, the twisted mana circuits would have caused internal injuries.

“Ah….”

Sylvia smoothed the back of her head, at a loss for words.

“I had the room expanded, but it seems the soundproofing isn’t adequate. Should I call the workers back?”

She rolled her eyes awkwardly.

“Sigh….”

I exhaled softly, watching her avert her gaze. Though I’d once found her constant nagging tiresome, seeing her so openly delighted by my departure left me feeling oddly melancholic.
I used to find it annoying when she nagged me about so many things, but seeing how eagerly she welcomed my departure today, I felt a bit hurt.

-How delightful.

Wrath approached and tapped my shoulder.

-I never knew watching your pathetic state could be this entertaining!
‘Shut up.’

I pushed Wrath away and clicked my tongue sharply.

“Raon.”

Sylvia stepped forward and took my hand, a gentle smile blooming at the corners of her lips.

“Training with you has been truly difficult at times, but there were good things too.”
“That’s natural, since your progress has been so rapid….”
“That’s not what I mean.”

She shook her head firmly.

“I could see how hard you’ve worked. I could see how much stronger you’ve become. That’s why I can let you go with peace of mind.”

Sylvia ruffled my hair, insisting it had all been in jest.

“Travel safely.”
“I will.”

I accepted her farewell with a faint smile.

“I’ll see how much stronger you’ve become when you return.”
“I will.”

Sylvia clenched her fist with confidence.

My heart now at ease, I met the eyes of Sylvia and her attendants in turn.

“I’ll be back.”

With those final words, I left the Annex Building.

As spring arrived and I passed through the Garden, now tinged with a delicate verdant hue, I caught sight of my fingertips still warm from Sylvia’s touch.

‘Forget everything else—I’m just grateful Mother has recovered.’

When her dantian and mana circuits were shattered, Sylvia’s complexion had always been pallid, and she would collapse from exhaustion at the slightest exertion.
Knowing she had regained her health made every effort to restore her dantian worthwhile.

‘That alone is enough….’
“Now we’re truly free! Everyone, shout with joy!”
“Waaaaaaah!”

Just as I finished exiting the Garden, Sylvia’s triumphant cry echoed from within the Annex Building.
Her voice was thunderous and brimming with unbridled joy—a stark contrast to the tender words she’d spoken moments before.

“Uh, Mother….”

I turned back, my lips trembling slightly.

-Are you truly satisfied?

Wrath chuckled wickedly, tapping my shoulder. He wore a smug grin, clearly relishing this opportunity to repay me for all the times I’d gotten the better of him.

-As expected, Mother favors the True Demon King over you!
“Ugh….”

I didn’t respond and instead headed toward the 5th Training Ground. My stride was fierce and tempestuous.

‘I’ll destroy whoever the opponent is.’
-But this is a reconnaissance mission—who are you planning to destroy?
‘Shut your mouth!’

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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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