The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 586

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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 586

I gazed down at the baby fox and blinked slowly.

“Leave Sepia right now?”
“Yes! Immediately!”

The baby fox scratched at the ground with its front paws, crying out urgently.

‘This is Merlin, isn’t it…?’

Normally, the moment our eyes met, Merlin would say she’d missed me. Yet she was spouting this strange demand to leave Sepia immediately. I swallowed hard, an inexplicable tension gripping me.

“Explain what you mean more clearly….”

As I was about to question Merlin further, I sensed the presence of Elves approaching from behind. Their voices grew louder, drawing closer.

“Let’s go inside for now… huh?”

I stopped as I reached for the baby fox to carry it into the Dormitory. The baby fox possessed by Merlin slipped through my hands like a phantom.

‘Now that I think about it….’

I had been too startled by Merlin’s arrival to notice properly, but now I realized the baby fox lacked the presence of a living being. It felt as though I were gazing upon a spirit.

“At a time like this… regardless, leave! Return to Zigheart….”

Merlin’s words trailed off as she dissolved into pale mist.

“What was that?”

I narrowed my eyes, watching the dispersing mist.

‘Did she take that form to breach the Barrier?’

I turned my head to ask Wrath.

—Grrrrrrgh….

It seemed the creature was startled by Merlin’s arrival, foam frothing at its mouth. Utterly useless.

‘It must be because of the Barrier.’

Rimer, Erian, and Sepia—only those who received an invitation from the Elves could enter those places.

Unless one completely shattered the Barrier, there was no way to breach it quietly. Even for Merlin, it wasn’t something that could be accomplished in a short time.

Judging by how the Thicket moved on its own, it seemed she had employed a method of spiritualizing an animal.

‘It must have vanished because it ran out of power.’

Remarkable.

In just one day, Merlin had devised a new method to circumvent Sepia’s Barrier—her magical prowess and obsession were both terrifying and impressive.

‘But….’

Why did she tell me to leave?

‘Is Oma attacking?’

No other possibility came to mind. Among Oma, Eden seemed the most likely culprit.

‘Even if it’s Eden, attacking Sepia would be… ah!’

I bit my lip hard and clenched my fists.

‘Could they have timed it with the purification ceremony?’

No. They were definitely aiming for it.

The fact that they attacked just one day after Sterin entered the purification ceremony meant they knew the timing.

It meant they were confident they could win without him.

I quickly organized my thoughts and headed toward the Guardians’ Dormitory where Leiran was. As I opened the door and entered, the Guardians who were about to eat stared blankly in my direction.

Whether their meal had been interrupted or they had devoted their full attention to vigilance, the Guardians’ gazes were sharp and piercing.

-Snort!

Wrath, who had been unconscious, sniffed and slowly lifted his head.

-Food?

I ignored the creature and the Elves’ stares, approaching Leiran and Erian’s table.

“Raon. Would you like to eat as well? As the contractor of the Spirit King, I could prepare something for you.”

Erian now called me by name and offered me a seat.

“That’s not it. Has there been anything unusual outside Sepia?”
“Outside? Are you referring to the Grand Forest?”
“Yes.”
“I went on a reconnaissance mission just before, but there was nothing particularly noteworthy.”

He shook his head, saying he had gone before eating.

“Could you check once more?”
“Raon.”

Leiran shook her head and stood up. Her eyes were sharp as they fixed on me.

“Erian and I maintained our vigil until the Guardian settled into the ritual, completed our reconnaissance of the Grand Forest, and returned. After two days without food or rest, we’re finally taking a moment to breathe, and you’re asking us to—”
“Raon. Is that a premonition from your bond as the Spirit King’s contractor?”

Erian set down the fork he was holding, cutting off Leiran’s words.

“Erian!”
“Enough. That creature hasn’t eaten or slept either.”

Leiran glanced at him as if to ask why he was being like this, but Erian muttered that I was in the same state.

“Spirit King….”

I looked at Erian’s darkened eyes and bit my lip thinly.

‘What a stubborn bastard.’

Erian was relentlessly single-minded to the point of exhaustion. But right now, I had to make use of even that.

“Yes. It’s my intuition.”
“Good.”

Erian nodded and rose from his seat.

“If you say so, I should go see for myself.”
“Lord Erian!”
“Everyone, follow me.”

He told Leiran and his other subordinates to have their meal when they returned, then snapped his fingers.

The Elves stared at Erian for a moment before rising from their seats. The fact that not a trace of discontent crossed their faces revealed how Erian typically treated his subordinates.

I watched Erian leave the Dormitory ahead of us, my eyes narrowing slightly.

‘Is he better than I thought?’

When I first saw him and he attacked, I’d taken him for a madman. But now he seemed like someone with his own merits.

-That one!

Wrath reached out his plump hand toward the fruit pie Erian had left on his plate.

-If you’re not going to eat it, give it to the True Demon King! I’ve been starving for two days and my belly’s clinging to my spine!
‘…Absolutely not.’

If I stopped the Elves’ meal and then grabbed food myself, it wouldn’t end with just being called mad. Even if I were starving to death, I couldn’t lay a hand on it.

-The True Demon King will take responsibility! Just a taste….
‘Come on.’

I grabbed Wrath’s struggling head and followed after Erian.

*

*

*

“Siyan!”

Rimer pounded on Siyan’s door, demanding she open it.

“I’m… I’m fine! Brother, just go!”

Siyan pressed her back against the door, blocking Rimer from entering, and shouted through it.

“R-Raon, sir. You must be hungry! Let me hurry and prepare a meal for you.”
“She’s not a child anymore, and if she’s hungry, she’ll eat on her own. Just open the door!”

Rimer raised his voice, threatening to force his way in if she wouldn’t open it.

“I’m… I’m getting undressed to wash!”

Siyan shook her head firmly, insisting he absolutely could not come in.

“Ugh…”

Rimer stopped and stepped back from the door, his hand falling. When she was younger, perhaps it wouldn’t have mattered, but she had long since become an adult—he couldn’t simply force the door open for something like that.

“Siyan.”
“What…”
“Don’t mind them.”

Rimer spoke to the door, behind which his sister leaned, though it seemed so fragile and light.

“Those fools have a talent for spouting whatever nonsense comes to mind. I don’t understand why you’d pick up that habit when you claim to hate humans so much.”

He trembled with frustration that he couldn’t fight Raon because he was absorbed in his cultivation.

“I know.”

Siyan pulled her back from the door and bit her lip hard.

“But that doesn’t make it wrong.”

I muttered the rest under my breath, too quietly for Rimer to hear.

A High Elf inferior even to ordinary Elves, incompetent from birth with an inherent flaw.

The words stung terribly, yet what frustrated me more was my inability to refute them.

‘I didn’t choose to be born this way.’

If I had simply been lazy or failed to put in effort and thus lost the World Tree’s favor, I could accept it. But I was born without talent. It was neither my fault nor anyone else’s—I was being treated this way because of my innate limitations, and that realization was both absurd and utterly despairing.

“Siyan….”
“Brother, go.”
“But….”
“I’m really fine. Go prepare a meal for Raon.”
“Come eat with me.”
“I have this.”

Siyan cracked open the door and showed me a chunk of hardtack.

“Sigh.”

Rimer exhaled heavily at the sight of the hardtack.

“Right. You made that so you wouldn’t have to leave your room.”

He gave a brief nod and turned away.

“I’ll come back with Raon tomorrow.”

Once Rimer’s footsteps faded into the distance, I unwrapped the blanket that had been cocooning me. The area where my face had rested was slightly damp.

“Sigh….”

I wiped away the tears gathering at my eyes with the back of my hand and shook my head.

‘It didn’t work again.’

Watching Raon attain enlightenment motivated me to attempt resonance training, yet the world still refused to open its path to me. However, I harbored no disappointment.

‘Reality differs from heroic tales.’

I had loved heroic tales since childhood.

Whether reading books of heroes or listening to tales of adventure, the protagonists always overcame crises with ease, achieved victory, and accumulated great deeds. They never surrendered, and legend tells that they seized triumph.

‘But….’

The tales never reveal how grueling those hardships were, or how much effort was expended.

The world illuminates only success, ignoring the effort and suffering that precede it. I came to understand this through the Raon I read about in books and the Raon I witnessed in reality.

His biography claimed he defeated every foe with ease, yet the Raon I saw in person bore scars across his hands and forearms. I cannot even fathom the suffering he endured or the effort required to reach his current station and become a Grand Master.

‘I don’t wish to mouth hollow words about never surrendering. But….’

I want to do everything within my reach.

If only to witness those who once condemned me fall to their knees as Raon said they would, I wanted to exhaust every effort available to me.

Siyan sat on the floor with her eyes closed, her breath flowing like wind spreading through the depths of the underground—carrying both warmth and coolness simultaneously.

*

*

*

“Then I’ll scout the West Side and return.”

Upon exiting Sepia’s barrier, Raon turned to his right.

“The paths through the Grand Forest are labyrinthine. You may not return.”

Erian’s eyes narrowed with concern.

“It’s fine. I remember the path I’ve walked before.”
“As expected of the Spirit King’s contractor!”
“….”

No matter how hard I racked my brain, I couldn’t fathom why that had anything to do with the Spirit King.

“In any case, I have a bad feeling about this. If anything goes wrong, don’t fight—send a signal immediately.”
“Understood. I’ll watch the east. Leiran, you head south.”
“Yes, understood.”

Leiran nodded briefly and immediately headed south. Though she appeared dissatisfied, once we set out, she seemed focused on the task at hand.

“Then I’ll be going too.”

I exchanged a glance with Erian and stepped westward using Tae Hwa Bo. I stopped walking only after Erian and Leiran’s presences had completely vanished.

“Merlin. Merlin.”

Merlin should certainly be nearby, so I called her name softly. Yet she, who seemed as though she would appear immediately, did not show herself for quite some time.

‘What’s going on?’

I furrowed my brow as I walked westward.

‘Did she really overexert herself?’

Considering her usual behavior, it seemed highly likely that she had pushed too hard and was now unconscious.

‘So in the end, I have to find her myself.’

I exhaled briefly and simultaneously activated the Ring of Fire and Glacial.

Roooooooar!

The aura sense that had grown stronger upon reaching Grand Master spread outward on the waves of Seolhwa’s power.

A sensitivity so refined that I could perceive the movements of plants beyond animals and insects enveloped the Grand Forest, yet I detected neither any ominous aura nor any human presence.

‘Wrath.’
-There is nothing!

Wrath shook his head.

-There’s absolutely nothing, yet my meal was interrupted!

He ground his teeth, complaining that trouble always erupted right at mealtime.

‘Really?’
-Have you ever seen the True Demon King lie? There’s nothing here, so go eat your meal!

If Wrath—who was essentially an automatic detection device—said such a thing, it truly meant there was no threat worth worrying about.

“Still, let me check a bit more….”

It seemed I had accumulated considerable trust in Merlin.

Though I believed Wrath’s words, given the possibility of enemies appearing through spatial displacement, I scanned the Northern Region before returning to the entrance of Sepia.

Erian, Leiran, and the Guardians were already back and waiting.

“You’re back quickly.”
“Elves are connected to the Forest, so we don’t need to check everything—the Forest itself tells us of any problems.”

Leiran shook her head, as if it were as simple as humans drawing breath.

I nodded at her.

‘That’s true….’

When I first came here, Leiran and the Guardians were already waiting for us, so her words rang true.

“So? Did you find anything?”
“Nothing at all.”
“Your expression doesn’t look good.”

Erian nodded slightly as he looked at me.

“Does it really feel that uncomfortable to you?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”

He turned his gaze toward Leiran and flicked his fingers.

“Reinforce the outer perimeter as well.”
“Pardon? We’ve already reinforced it sufficiently. Besides, many of our personnel are being pulled away to guard near the World Tree….”
“If this place falls, that one won’t last long either. Follow my orders.”
“Erian. No, wait—brother!”

Leiran couldn’t hold back and grabbed Erian’s sleeve.

‘Brother?’

I blinked as I watched the two of them.

‘Now that I think about it….’

Leiran and Erian had similar-sounding names, and there had been subtle nuances in their conversations—they must be siblings.

“I told you not to call me that while we’re on duty.”
“This is too much. Why would you listen to that human’s—”
“Aside from him being human, is there any actual harm in reinforcing the perimeter? It’s just a bit more work. Accept it.”

He waved his hand, saying he would take full responsibility and stand guard at the perimeter first.

“Tch.”

Leiran clicked her tongue as she looked back at me. The expressions of the other Guardians who had followed her weren’t pleasant either.

I watched Erian’s back as he returned to Sepia, smacking my lips slightly.

‘His first impression was terrible, but his character is solid.’

He’s genuinely impressive.

Seeing him like this, I found myself unable to leave this place. If there was a serious problem, I truly wanted to help.

-My belly isn’t satisfied yet! Let’s go eat right now!
‘Hmm….’

I gazed up at the darkening sky and clicked my tongue softly.

‘I should contact Aris.’

Even if Merlin was lying, Aris would come just to see what was happening. I decided to contact her through Dorian as soon as we returned.

-First, I need to fill my belly!
‘….’
-Stop ignoring me!

*

*

*

The Training Ground of Hyeonmu Hall, bathed in golden twilight.

Denier stood with his hands clasped behind his back, observing Martha, Burren, and Lunan Slion as they trained.

“Martha. Your courage in always taking the initiative is admirable, but it means nothing if you don’t consider what comes after. Your enemy isn’t a straw dummy.”
“Yes!”

Martha accepted Denier’s teaching without hesitation and positioned her sword to defend against the counterattack her opponent could launch.

“Burren. Your balance between offense and defense is excellent. You’re a versatile type, leaning toward neither extreme. However, that doesn’t always translate into an advantage. It would be wise to forge a weapon capable of decisively ending your enemy’s life.”
“Understood.”

Burren Zigheart’s ears perked up, determined not to miss a single word of Denier’s counsel.

“Lunan. You’re the opposite of Martha. You focus too much on defense, leaving your offense weak. Combat isn’t always about protecting someone, so try adopting a sword stance that emphasizes attack more.”
“Understood.”

Lunan Slion spoke with a subdued tone yet delivered his words brightly, adding sharpness to his extended sword strikes.

“Martha. When you unfold that swordplay, it would be better to lower your upper body a bit more. You’ll be vulnerable to a counterattack from your enemy….”

Denier was in the midst of returning to Martha to correct her posture.

Crash!

The Training Ground door swung open with such force it seemed ready to shatter, and Aris Zigheart strode in.

“I hear you’re all training? Count me in.”

Aris Zigheart wedged herself between the four of them as brazenly as someone crashing a gambling table.

“Aris! Welcome!”

Martha approached Aris Zigheart, her dark pearl-like eyes sparkling with delight.

“Is it really true that you’ll be instructing us?”

Burren Zigheart’s mouth fell open in surprise as well.

“Aunt.”

Aris Zigheart wrinkled her nose as she looked at the two of them.

“Call me aunt….”
“Aunt.”

It wasn’t Martha or Burren Zigheart who obeyed her instruction first—it was Lunan Slion. She nestled into Aris Zigheart’s embrace and called out “aunt” once more.

“Well, yes….”

Aris Zigheart swallowed hard as she looked at Lunan Slion.

“You just call me aunt too.”

She smiled awkwardly and stroked Lunan Slion’s hair.

“Anyway, it looks fun. I’ll give you all some decent instruction.”

Aris Zigheart positioned herself beside Denier without concern for anyone’s opinion and snapped her fingers.

“Hmm….”

Burren Zigheart, Martha, and Lunan Slion turned their heads toward Denier, who had been instructing them until now.

“Give it a try.”

Denier blinked, as if to say it was fine.

Burren Zigheart, Martha, and Lunan Slion each displayed the swordsmanship they had been cultivating, while Aris Zigheart observed the three of them with composure—a stark contrast to her rough entrance earlier.

“Martha. Your temperament is similar to mine. You’re the type who can’t hold back and draws your blade first, aren’t you?”
“That’s right.”

Martha nodded her head with delight.

“That fierce nature of yours can sometimes lead to losses, but once you overcome it, that’s all there is to it. Don’t worry.”
“How do I overcome it?”
“Spar with me.”
“Huh….”

She widened her eyes, clearly having never considered the prospect of suddenly sparring with Aris Zigheart.

“Next.”

Aris Zigheart offered her counsel to Martha and then turned her gaze toward Burren Zigheart.

“You think too much—that’s your problem. To change that, you’ll need considerable experience. Sparring with me is confirmed!”
“Ah….”

Burren Zigheart’s mouth fell open as well.

“Lunan, you’re too kind. Your swordsmanship prioritizes others before yourself. You need to become more selfish. Therefore, you’ll spar with me!”

Aris Zigheart smiled brightly at all three, proposing the sparring matches.

“We’ll begin the sparring right away. Come prepared as if you’re engaging in actual combat.”
“Yes!”
“Understood.”
“Roger that.”

At her gesture, Burren Zigheart, Martha, and Lunan Slion rushed toward the Change Room to don their equipment.

“Sister.”

Denier approached Aris Zigheart and narrowed his eyes.

“What are you planning?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve never been one to look after children. You even neglect your own son….”
“I neglect him because he’s my son. My nephews and nieces are adorable, though.”
“That makes no sense….”
“Never mind that. What are you thinking?”

A sinister glint flickered within Aris Zigheart’s smiling eyes.

“You’re not the type to look after children either.”

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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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