The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 69

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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 69

As we arrived at the entrance to Sebu Village, a head popped up above the wooden palisade. It belonged to an elderly man with gray hair that had settled with the weight of years.

“Goodness! Are you from Zigheart?”

His triangular eyes, which had been filled with caution, widened in recognition as he spotted the flaming sword emblem emblazoned on the chests of the trainees.

“We are.”

Burren Zigheart, who stood at the front, nodded.

“You’ve finally arrived! Please wait just a moment!”

After a clattering sound, a gate opened on the left side of the palisade.

“I am Igaham, the village chief of Sebu Village! Welcome, swordsmen of Zigheart!”

The elderly man with gray hair was indeed the village chief. He came forward first and bowed deeply. Behind him stood the villagers, armed with spears and swords.

“We are still trainees, not yet swordsmen.”
“Even so, you are from Zigheart, are you not? Thank you for coming!”

Igaham and the villagers bowed respectfully even to the young-looking trainees. It was clear that the name of Zigheart carried weight even in this place.

“Hmm.”
“Ah….”

The trainees could not hide their joy at receiving such a welcome for the first time. It was a typical display of inexperience on their first outing.

I stood among the trainees and suppressed my presence. I observed my surroundings carefully. I searched for the gaze I had felt in the forest, but it seemed to have vanished from this place.

-It already fled.
‘That seems to be the case.’

Wrath, unable to contain his impatience, offered the answer once more. Apart from his tendency to charge recklessly, he was quite useful.

“The journey must have been exhausting. Why don’t you rest first?”

Igaham, the village chief, raised his hand and offered to guide the trainees himself.

“That won’t be necessary.”

Burren entered the village and came to a halt.

“First, I’d like to hear the situation. Tell me about the monsters’ movements.”
“Even as a trainee, a Zigheart is still a Zigheart, aren’t they?”

The chief nodded with an impressed expression.

“Hmph!”

Burren straightened his shoulders upon hearing he embodied the Zigheart spirit. He carried himself with dignity for a moment before slipping back into his childlike demeanor.

“Look over there, if you would.”

The chief pointed to the mountain on the right.

“That mountain is Sebu Mountain, which shares its name with our village. Monsters appear there every year, but their numbers have always been small enough for us to handle ourselves. However, this year the monster population has increased more than threefold, and we can no longer manage them.”
“More than threefold?”
“We’ve observed over a hundred. Accounting for the ones we can’t see, there must be around two hundred.”
“Two hundred, I see.”

Burren nodded as he gazed at Sebu Mountain.

“Don’t worry. Rest assured. I’ll exterminate every last monster on that mountain.”
“Ohhh!”
“Th-thank you so much!”
“We’re truly grateful!”

The villagers bowed to Burren and the trainees as though every monster had already been eliminated.

“Rise. Sebu is a village within Zigheart’s domain. This is simply our duty.”

Burren’s face flushed with excitement, but he concealed it and turned away.

“It’s too late today. We’ll head to the Mountain at dawn tomorrow, before the monsters awaken.”
“Then I’ll prepare a place for you to rest….”
“Before that.”

The village chief’s words were cut short by Burren Zigheart once more.

“Please prepare someone agile to guide us up the Mountain tomorrow.”
“Of course. This way, please.”

Overwhelmed by Burren Zigheart’s presence, the village chief immediately nodded and led the trainees to the Village Hall.

‘Not bad, actually.’

I nodded as I observed the exchange between Burren Zigheart and the village chief.

-Right? I thought that short-eyed bastard would demand everyone kneel the moment he arrived.

Wrath muttered his disappointment.

‘Not everyone’s like you.’

To be honest, I’d harbored similar thoughts. I’d expected him to lord his authority over the village chief, but instead he focused solely on the mission and treated them with reasonable courtesy.

‘But that’s not what matters.’

Orcs, goblins, and kobolds—Burren Zigheart and the trainees alone could handle those without my involvement.

What mattered was that watchful gaze I’d felt the moment we entered Sebu Village. It wasn’t entirely clear, but that presence had vanished toward the Mountain.

‘Tomorrow will tell.’

Whether this was a test from the clan or if another faction was preparing something.

I surveyed Sebu Mountain in its entirety before finally entering the Village Hall.

*

*

*

Atop Sebu Mountain, the snow lay like a blanket, marred by the chaotic footprints of monsters both large and small.

Yet not a single monster was visible. Instead, a Young Man sat perched upon a boulder.

A soft scraping sound.

As the Young Man twirled an orc-head-shaped helmet between his fingers, a grotesque figure wearing a green mask erupted from the ground.

“Who’s arrived?”
“Zigheart.”

The Green-masked Figure bowed his head as he answered.

“Zigheart? I didn’t sense that level of power.”
“They weren’t formal swordsmen—merely trainees.”
“The instructor?”
“Not present.”
“Ah, so this is the second task.”

The Young Man tapped the helmet lightly and let out a soft chuckle.

“Were you discovered?”
“Of course not. They wouldn’t have even known I was nearby.”
“True enough. Trainees couldn’t possibly detect your concealment.”

He nodded and smacked his lips thoughtfully.

“I controlled the monsters carefully, so why did they come?”
“The villagers are sensitive to change. The increased monster numbers likely prompted them to request reinforcements from Zigheart. It seems you grew careless, expecting to find the item quickly.”

The Young Man tilted his head back and clicked his tongue.

“I’ve searched the entire mountain and found nothing. The Mana Stone must be in that village after all.”
“Likely.”
“Should we attack immediately?”

The Young Man caught the helmet he’d been spinning and shook his head.

“No.”
“What? It’s a perfect opportunity to kill Zigheart’s saplings….”
“Killing them would be simple enough, but if we carelessly touch them, Zigheart might learn of the Magic Stone’s existence. We’d be throwing away something great just to gain something small—a poor trade.”
“Then….”
“Release monsters in moderation. Let Zigheart’s young ones complete their mission successfully and return home.”

The man placed the green helmet he held onto his head. The helmet was carved to resemble an orc’s visage, complete with protruding tusks and a savage expression, and from those eyes emanated a sinister killing intent.

“Once they’ve left, we strike Sebu Village. Raze it completely.”

*

*

*

The next morning at dawn.
I waited near the entrance of Sebu Mountain with the trainees.

‘It’s appeared.’

The moment I approached the mountain, that gaze I’d felt yesterday returned.

‘From the west, perhaps.’

Having felt it once before, I could now pinpoint the presence slightly. It seemed to be coming from the west.

‘It doesn’t seem intent on approaching now.’

I closed my eyes and extended my perception. I swept my senses across the mountain’s surroundings. Large and small presences—orcs, goblins, and kobolds, just as the village chief had described.

The instincts honed from my years as an assassin weren’t rising, suggesting no immediate danger, but I kept my senses sharp just in case.

“Observation complete. Orcs, goblins, and kobolds all confirmed.”

Burren turned and made eye contact with every trainee.

“Orcs possess superior combat strength, but as you’ve learned, goblins and kobolds employ dirty tactics like poison stings and toxic smoke. Never let your guard down.”
“Understood.”

Since monsters could emerge at any moment, the trainees answered in hushed voices.

“Moving in groups would be ideal, but we lack practical experience. We’ll move together so we can support one another.”

With that, Burren Zigheart turned his gaze toward me, his eyes seeking permission.

“….”

I nodded silently in acknowledgment. Burren Zigheart offered a respectful nod in return before turning back to face the trainees.

“Show these monsters threatening our land the might of Zigheart!”

Burren Zigheart drew his sword and charged up the Mountain.

“Let’s go!”
“Kyaaaaaah!”

The trainees roared with fierce determination and followed in Burren Zigheart’s wake.

Lunan Slion and Martha confirmed my signal before entering the Mountain with the others.

-Idiots.

Wrath scoffed as he watched the trainees disappear.

-They prepared an ambush all this time, yet they announce themselves with such a roar. Pathetic.
‘They’re shaking off the tension of their first real combat with that cry. Not being tense matters more than an ambush.’

For these trainees, this is essentially their first real engagement. That level of mistake falls within acceptable bounds.

-You’ve never hunted monsters before either, yet your heartbeat… what’s that about.

Irritation tinged Wrath’s voice.

-It sounds like the heartbeat of a seasoned veteran. You’re seeing far more than just this place. Your pulse is heavy enough to be annoying.
‘I’m just special, that’s all.’

I chuckled softly and drew my sword.

“Then let’s go.”
“Ah, yes!”

The brown-haired young man beside me nodded, his jaw trembling. He was the villager tasked with guiding us. His role wasn’t combat—it was to protect the guide.

“Grooooar!”
“Screeeech!”

As I walked toward the source of the screams, the battle was already in full swing.

“Hold back the orcs! Deal with the goblins and kobolds first!”

At Burren’s command, the trainees in the vanguard clashed blades with the orcs, while those behind charged forward, slashing down goblins and kobolds.

The green wall of monsters crumbled in an instant.

Among the trainees slaughtering monsters like a tempest, three stood out in particular.

Burren, wreathing his blade in wind energy, cleaved straight through an orc’s axe. Lunan Slion surrounded the area with frigid air to control the approaching monsters before slitting their throats.

And finally, Martha.

Boom!

She imbued her sword with a terrifying aura and shattered everything before her completely.

At this rate, I wouldn’t need to step in—they could handle all the monsters across the entire mountain without difficulty.

“Grrraaaagh!”

As I spread my aura, two orcs that had broken through the trainees’ encirclement charged at us, axes raised.

“Hyeeeeek!”

The stench of blood radiating from the orcs made the guide’s trembling legs give way, and he collapsed.

Whoooosh!

I stepped in front of him, drew my blade, and slashed.

“Gack….”

As the crimson-infused blade tore through the air, the orc’s head tumbled away like a ripe fruit falling from a tree.

“Hmm.”
“….”

Burren Zigheart swallowed hard at the sight, while Martha’s dark eyes gleamed with intensity.

“Don’t worry.”

Raon grasped the guide’s trembling hand and helped him to his feet.

“I’ll make sure you return without a single hair out of place.”

*

*

*

Kanbar, now twenty-five years old, faced the worst morning of his life. Yesterday’s village meeting had designated him as the guide for the subjugation party.

‘Will it be alright?’

Anxiety consumed him.

He was grateful that Zigheart’s subjugation party had come to save the village, but they looked far younger than he’d expected.

And the swordsman assigned to protect him this morning was the youngest-looking of them all.

Strikingly handsome, yes—but his small frame inspired little confidence.

Yet what choice did he have?
The decision had already been made, and he could only comply.

Kanbar climbed the mountain, acutely aware of the awkwardness of having someone smaller than himself take the lead.

The moment they entered the mountain’s lower reaches, he witnessed blades cutting through monsters with devastating grace.

Contrary to my expectations of a grueling battle, the orcs, goblins, and kobolds were swept away without putting up any resistance.

‘Insane!’

A gasp escaped my lips involuntarily.

An orc that would normally require five grown men to barely handle had its neck snapped like a twig. Each trainee was a monster unto themselves.

‘So that’s why.’

Now I understood why the village chief had shown such deference to these children. They were fundamentally different from ordinary people like myself.

Just as I was beginning to relax my guard, two orcs came charging from the left. The stench radiating from their breath paralyzed my legs.

“Graaahhh!”

As my mind went blank and I sank to my knees, the quiet child stepped forward.

He drew his blade and swept it across.

With a motion as clean as cutting through already-dead meat, the two orcs’ heads fell from their bodies.

“Hah….”

Kanbar’s eyes widened, and he clicked his teeth together.

‘What is this?’

The simple and light swordplay made him completely forget the overwhelming power of the children he had just witnessed. It didn’t feel like watching a child, but rather like watching a veteran who had experienced hundreds of real battles.

I may not know much about swordsmanship, but I could clearly sense that this child was different from the rest.

Even as he climbed the Mountain afterward, the blonde-haired, red-eyed child beside him stood as if present yet absent, observing their surroundings.

He didn’t show any outstanding performance, but he was vigilant in all situations and prevented dangerous circumstances before they could occur.

“This kid is something else…”

You can only tell this up close. Among over 40 children, the best one was this child who looked the youngest.

“Did you say Kanbar?”

While I was observing with a sharp intake of breath, the blonde child spoke to me.

“Ah, yes! That’s correct, sir!”

Without realizing it, I responded with the utmost deference.

“Are there no legends passed down about this mountain?”
“L-legends, sir?”
“Yes. Perhaps a great treasure, or a particularly formidable monster.”
“Ah, w-well, there is something. It was several hundred years ago, but they say a Goblin King and his knights from the west fought a battle on this mountain….”
“I see. There’s no treasure of any kind?”
“There’s a story that the Goblin King’s ring was never found….”
“I understand.”

The child’s eyes gleamed red for the briefest moment.

That was it.

The instant I heard the quiet murmur slip from his lips, a chill ran down my spine.

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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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