The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 584

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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 584

I lifted my head with a smile playing at my lips. The World Tree swayed its branches in greeting, scattering the crystalline essence of nature around us.

‘Thank you for remembering me.’

I had been certain of it ever since I witnessed the Zigheart Ancestor’s memories. As a spiritual entity, the World Tree would surely remember how the Ancestor had saved its life all these years.

At first, it seemed confused and showed no reaction, but the moment the Manhwagong’s energy pierced through its outer shell and entered within, the World Tree recalled the Ancestor and expressed its gratitude and joy through a tremendous surge of mana.
The wave of emotion radiating from the World Tree was so overwhelming that my chest ached.

“H-how is this possible…?”

The Grand Elder’s face had gone pale, his jaw trembling visibly.

“I-impossible!”
“How could it react to a human like that…?”
“I’ve never seen the World Tree so vibrant before…?”
“A-am I dreaming right now?”

The other elders and elves stood frozen, their eyes blinking blankly as if they couldn’t comprehend what was unfolding before them.

“How on earth did you manage this?”

Rimer, equally bewildered, swallowed hard as he watched the World Tree’s swaying branches.

“I told you! That human is the Spirit King’s contractor!”

Erian raised both hands triumphantly, claiming he had believed it all along. He was even more eccentric than Rimer.

“Raon Zigheart.”

Sterin approached from the side, his voice rising in pitch with emotion.

“What exactly have you done?”
“Pardon?”
“Others may not understand, but the World Tree is expressing its gratitude to you right now.”

He gazed up at the World Tree with eyes trembling as if seized by convulsions.

“Why would the World Tree express gratitude to someone it’s meeting for the first time?”

Sterin’s gaze descended once more. He narrowed his eyes as if unable to comprehend.

“I found it strange from the moment you confidently accepted the wager. Have you encountered the World Tree before?”
“No, this is my first time.”

Raon shook his head while caressing the World Tree’s outer bark.

“Then how…?”
“The World Tree isn’t expressing gratitude to me, but to the swordmaster of Zigheart.”
“The swordmaster of… Zigheart?”
“Yes. It’s recorded in the Zigheart martial arts manual I studied.”

I explained to everyone, mentioning that I had seen the ancestor’s memory in the book earlier.

“I-Impossible!”

The Grand Elder shook his head, crying out that it was a lie.

“The World Tree was nurtured by the devotion of the Elves, not by humans…”
“You’ll understand once you see this.”

I swept away the section where the ancestor had filled the hole with my hand, which burned with the heat of the Manhwagong.
Despite being consumed by flames, the World Tree poured forth mana imbued with even more fervent emotions of joy. A sweet, nostalgic fragrance of mana naturally drew a smile to my face.

“Ah…”
“I feel it too. The World Tree is crying out its gratitude right now…”
“Was it… truly Zigheart that helped?”

The Elves trembled at their lips as they felt the World Tree’s intensified emotions.

“Ha…”

Sterin let out a hollow laugh and grasped his own forehead.

“So that’s what happened. That’s what it was….”
“Pardon?”
“When I reviewed the records from that time, there were so many strange inconsistencies that I believed someone other than the Elves must have helped, but now all my questions are finally answered.”

He approached and grasped both my hands firmly. A warm, heartfelt energy seeped through my palms.

“Your ancestor was the one who saved the Elves and the World Tree.”

Sterin nodded, as if everything finally made sense to him now.

Raon watched the trembling Grand Elder and the other elders, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

‘They took the bait.’

If I had revealed this truth from the beginning, I would have been called mad and cast out immediately.

But because the Grand Elder had set the stage and the World Tree had reacted so dramatically, the Elves here could no longer doubt me.

‘I can really squeeze them for everything.’

Even with the wager in place, since this was Sepia, it would be difficult to extract everything I wanted from the Grand Elder, but thanks to the story of my ancestor, it seemed I could receive compensation beyond what was promised.

‘They won’t call me the Spirit King’s Contractor anymore.’

Raon maintained his smile as he looked at Erian. He greeted me with an even broader grin, giving me a thumbs up.

“So becoming the Spirit King’s Contractor wasn’t for nothing! The world truly is fair after all!”

Erian still seemed to believe I was the Spirit King’s Contractor. He was truly an incorrigible blockhead.

“No one could doubt me after seeing the World Tree rejoice like this.”

Sterin gazed up at the World Tree for a long while, then nodded calmly. He bowed at the waist with his hands clasped together and resting against his chest.

“Sepia’s guardian pays respects to the descendant of our benefactor.”
“We pay respects to the descendant of our benefactor.”

Not only Sterin, but all the Elves surrounding the World Tree bowed in the exact same posture, as if they had rehearsed it.

“Please, don’t do this.”

I shook my head, waving Sterin down. I hadn’t recounted the Zigheart Ancestor’s deeds to receive such formalities, so I immediately helped him to his feet.

“It wasn’t something I did—it was the Ancestor’s accomplishment.”
“But that Ancestor is no longer here, is he? You should accept the gratitude in his stead.”

Sterin shook his head, saying that even Elves understood the meaning of debt.

“Truly, I don’t need thanks. What I want is….”

I clicked my tongue and turned my gaze toward the Grand Elder—the only one who hadn’t bowed.

“An apology from that man.”
“Kugh!”

At my words, the Grand Elder’s shoulders trembled violently, as though they might tear from his body.

“Not only did he disrespect the descendant of his benefactor, but he even tried to drive him away….”

Rimer shook his head at the Grand Elder, his expression one of disapproval.

“You should have kept your temper in check.”

He clicked his tongue, lamenting that the Grand Elder had single-handedly brought shame upon the Elves.

I stepped closer to the Grand Elder and tilted my jaw to the side.

“Are your ears broken? I told you to kneel. Why are you still standing?”
“I… I cannot believe it!”

The Grand Elder shook his head, his lips trembling.

“That a human saved the World Tree… I cannot believe it….”
“Yes. Don’t believe it.”

I cut off the Grand Elder’s words and nodded calmly.

“Huh…?”

The Grand Elder’s eyes widened in disbelief that I would accept so readily.

“Whether you believe me or not doesn’t matter. Kneel.”

I pointed at the floor with my finger, curling up the corners of my mouth into a smirk.

“Your kneeling has nothing to do with me being the descendant of your benefactor. Surely the Grand Elder of those proud Elves isn’t going to break a promise now, are you?”
“B-but why are you suddenly dropping the formal speech?”
“Because you started it first.”

It was amusing that an Elf would care about formality, but I answered kindly anyway.

-This bastard’s a formal speech fetishist!

Wrath shook his head in exasperation.

“Ugh….”

The Grand Elder’s face flushed as if he couldn’t catch his breath, and he glanced around.
But the elders and Elves no longer stood behind him.

“Where did that person go who said they’d do anything I wanted?”

I raised the end of my sentence and let out a mocking laugh.

“I will. I will do it!”

The Grand Elder muttered that the Elves, unlike humans, do not lie, and then knelt on trembling knees.

“Is this sufficient now….”
“No.”

I shook my head and called Sterin and Siyan to my side.

“The bet’s condition was that you kneel and apologize for your rudeness to all three of us. You need to ask for forgiveness from each of us with genuine sincerity.”

I looked down at the Grand Elder with my arms crossed.

“Grrr….”

The Grand Elder kept his head bowed for a long while before turning his body toward Sterin, who stood to his right.

“G-Guardian. I apologize for my rudeness.”

His voice trembled as he spoke, and he lowered his head further.

“You need to temper your personality a bit.”
“Y-yes…”
“I’ll accept your apology.”

Sterin furrowed his brow as he accepted the Grand Elder’s apology—a response befitting his dignified nature.

“Sigh…”

The Grand Elder exhaled deeply and turned his gaze toward Siyan, who stood to his left.

“S-Siyan. I apologize for showing you such an unseemly sight.”

He bowed his head to Siyan as well, seeking her forgiveness.

“I-it’s fine.”

Siyan nodded her head while still wrapped in the blanket. Given her personality, I thought this situation would be uncomfortable for her, yet strangely, her voice carried a note of liveliness.

“Then it’s my turn now.”

Raon gestured with a slight nod of his chin, telling him to go ahead.

“Ugh…”

The Grand Elder let out a strained groan and looked up at Raon, who stood in the center.

“I… I was rude to you as well. I’m sorry.”

Unlike when he apologized to Sterin and Siyan, he only gave a slight nod rather than a full bow, and his words were mumbled so they could barely be heard.

“Sigh…”
“You’re not even apologizing properly. How dare you try to stand up.”

As the Grand Elder sighed and began to rise, Raon pressed down on his shoulder.

“What nonsense! Didn’t you apologize properly?”

He unleashed a fierce aura, as if unwilling to accept it.

“You didn’t bow your head properly like you did to the Guardian, and you lowered your voice.”
“That, well….”
“I told you to ask for forgiveness with sincerity. I didn’t feel your sincerity.

Raon effortlessly deflected the Grand Elder’s formidable aura and flicked his fingers.

“You said you’d do everything asked, yet you can’t even apologize properly.”
“Raon is right about this.”

Sterin nodded, looking at the Grand Elder.

“You certainly said you’d do everything you could. Since you’ve sworn an oath never to break it, you have no choice but to keep it.”

He raised his hand, pointing to the Elves watching this place. It was a reminder to maintain dignity before his family.

“Sigh….”

The Grand Elder met the downcast eyes of the other Elves before kneeling again.

“I, I apologize. I was disrespectful to you.”

He bowed his head solemnly as he had to Sterin, and this time he didn’t mumble his words.

“Hmm….”
“That’s acceptable.”

Sterin and Rimer both nodded calmly, indicating they accepted it.

“Then….”

As the Grand Elder tried to rise, Raon grabbed his shoulder again.

“I’m not satisfied. Do it again.”

Raon shook his head, indicating that wasn’t sufficient.

“Tch! You lowered your voice as I said, and you bowed your head properly, didn’t you?”
“You never explained what disrespect you actually committed. Have you never written a reflection statement?”

He had only claimed he’d been disrespectful without specifying what he’d done.
Without that crucial detail, there was no reason to grant forgiveness.

“A reflection statement….”

The Grand Elder’s hands trembled as if he’d taken narcotics before he knelt once more.

“I was disrespectful by looking down on you as merely human and treating you like a criminal. I apologize.”

He ended up apologizing three times in total.

“Is this enough now?”
“Your head angle was slightly off when you bowed this time.”

Raon waved his hand, indicating there was still much to go.

“Ugh….”
“Argh….”
“He’s insane.”

Despair filled the Grand Elder’s eyes, and the other Elves’ faces turned ashen. They all realized they were dealing with a madman.

Only after extracting six apologies from the Grand Elder did Raon finally help him to his feet.

“Is… is it finally over?”

The Grand Elder gasped for breath, his face looking a hundred years older.

“You haven’t given me the Mountain fruit yet.”

He shook his head and extended his hand.

“Don’t worry. I’ll have it sent to your Dormitory.”

The Grand Elder shook his head, saying that wouldn’t work.

“Then I’ll need 100. Please and thank you.”

Raon nodded lightly.

“A hundred?! What are you talking about!”

The Grand Elder, who had turned to leave, let out a sharp cry.

“What?”
“Why did the fruits suddenly become a hundred!”
“I thought it was a hundred from the beginning?”
“You didn’t mention that until now….”
“You said you’d grant me anything I wanted, so I simply didn’t say it.”

I pointed at the Grand Elder with my finger and shrugged.

“Ugh….”

The Grand Elder couldn’t counter and merely gnawed at his lips. He was completely caught by his own words.

“It’s a hundred. Not a single one less.”

Raon waved cheerfully at the Grand Elder, whose face had turned crimson. It would be difficult to actually obtain all hundred, but I resolved to at least secure enough to give two to each member of the Gwangpung Corps with plenty left over.

“Didn’t I tell you? I’d show you what a real rascal looks like.”

Rimer burst forward and pointed at Raon.

“This guy is a real rascal. The greatest rascal in the Human Realm!”

He called out to the Elves to be careful, giggling.

-Not just the Human Realm, but across all dimensions.

Wrath ground his teeth watching this unfold.

-Even the Demon Realm has no rascal like this!

*

*

*

The Grand Elder collapsed with a face as pale as a corpse, and was eventually carried away with the support of the other Elves.

I watched the Grand Elder disappear into the distance and smacked my lips.

‘What should I use the last remaining favor for?’
-You’ve stripped the scales, spread the flesh, and now you’re even boiling the bones.

Wrath shook his head, saying I was relentless.

‘That’s how you enjoy a fish properly.’

I nudged Wrath with my elbow as if to say he should already know this.

-But how did you know that your ancestor saved the World Tree?
‘I told you already. I went and saw the ancestor.’
-Huh…?

Wrath blinked his eyes and leaned his face closer.

-Was that… actually real?
‘Who knows…’

I shrugged and examined the World Tree.

‘There it is.’

Right above where the Zigheart Ancestor had filled the hole, there was a mark where his sword had been embedded.

‘It was a demonic sword.’

His demonic sword was different from the Holy Sword Master’s and Sterin’s martial techniques. I couldn’t explain it in detail, but it seemed to carry a special power.

‘If that’s also a sword technique of Manhwagong, then someday I’ll be able to use it too.’

Raon placed his hand on the spot where he had filled the hole, anticipating what lay ahead.

Uuuuuuung!

The World Tree resonated with a sound like a sword’s cry, as if delighted.

“Oh!”
“The World Tree is rejoicing just from that human’s touch!”
“He truly must be the descendant of our benefactor.”
“A human who can make the World Tree sing. This will cause quite a stir.”

By now, most of the Elves in this place regarded me as their benefactor. I felt somewhat embarrassed, as this wasn’t the reaction I had sought.

‘I intended to crush the Grand Elder and shed the title of Spirit King’s contractor, but instead I’ve only added strange rumors to my name.’

Still, I was grateful to be able to touch the World Tree freely now.

Thanks to the title of benefactor’s descendant, no one interfered as I touched the World Tree as I pleased.

Raon used this opportunity to push the Manhwagong’s energy into the World Tree through the opening he had made.

‘It should be in here.’

The location where the Ancestor had placed the orb was definitely in this vicinity. If I searched carefully, I would find it.

However, even after searching extensively with the heat of Manhwagong and the coldness of Glacia, I could not sense any special energy from within the World Tree.

I detected only faint remnants of fire and water, but the immense energy I had felt in my memories had vanished without a trace.

Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked up at the World Tree.

‘Has it all become nourishment for the World Tree?’

Hundreds of years—perhaps even a thousand—had passed, so it was not strange that the energy of the orb left by the Ancestor had been completely absorbed.

‘That’s unfortunate.’

Raon clicked his tongue briefly and withdrew his hand from the World Tree.

“Hm?”

As I turned around, Siyan was already there, gazing up at the base of the World Tree.

“This… here….”

Siyan pointed at the World Tree’s bark she’d been holding moments before, her eye half-lidded.

“Ah, shall I move aside?”
“No, that’s not it. Here….”

As I began to step back, Siyan shook her head.

“I used to come here often with my mother.”

A bittersweet undertone colored her quiet voice.

‘Mother….’

Rimer had found no family beyond Sterin and Siyan. I’d sensed something amiss and refrained from asking, but it seemed my suspicions were correct—their parents and other relatives no longer existed in this world.

“My mother said she often came here when she was carrying me, enjoying the breeze the World Tree would send.”

Siyan leaned her back against the spot where the Zigheart Ancestor had sealed the wound.

“Whenever I come here, my heart finds peace.”

She murmured that she couldn’t visit often due to the awkwardness of the situation.

“I see.”

I nodded in acknowledgment, then paused.

‘Wait….’

Her words stirred something in my memory.

‘Wrath.’
-Why do you call upon me.

Wrath yawned and rose sluggishly.

‘You said Siyan has been blocked by something deep and dense since birth, didn’t you?’
-Yes, I did.

He furrowed his brow, wondering why I was asking again.

‘Then there’s a possibility.’

I approached Siyan and extended my hand.

“Forgive me, but would it be alright if I examined Siyan for a moment?”

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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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