The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 745
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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 745
Crain bit his lip as he watched Raon’s Shadowless Sword—a technique that had become something entirely different from his own.
‘When you meet a true genius, let them go first,’ he recalled.
Those were words his instructor had spoken during his trainee days, when he struggled to keep pace with Raon and Burren.
He had nodded and said he understood at the time, but his heart could never accept it.
‘Because I believed I had talent too.’
Who would accept being told at twelve years old, full of dreams, that you and they are different—that geniuses cannot be caught? No one.
He had worked day and night, refusing to abandon the hope that he possessed some exceptional gift of his own.
‘But instead of catching up, I only fell further behind.’
The gap widened until he couldn’t even see the backs of Burren, Martha, and Lunan, let alone Raon. The greater his efforts, the more devastating the despair became.
‘That’s when I learned that mental anguish cuts deeper than physical pain.’
Only then did his instructor’s words about letting geniuses go first make sense. It was an act of mercy—sparing him from the torment and degradation that would come with each futile attempt to catch up.
Once he accepted that he was not special, he settled for the middle path.
Among the trainees, his talent was unremarkable, and keeping pace with the training proved effortless enough.
And so he became a swordsman of the Gale Wind Squad, while Raon became its Vice Commander.
Raon had begun teaching the swordsmen directly, declaring that he would grow stronger together with everyone in the squad. His training was grueling, but it guaranteed real progress.
‘But that promise to grow stronger together with everyone—it was never sincere.’
I had learned to read the room since childhood.
Raon’s words back then about growing stronger together with all of us were not genuine.
Whether it was consideration for swordsmen without talent, the mercy of one who walks ahead, or using us for his own purposes—it was certainly far from his true intentions.
But as time passed, Raon changed.
Just as I had grown fond of Dorian, whom I once disliked for being slow and frustrating, Raon too began to reveal his true heart to everyone.
His genuine desire to grow stronger together with all of us, to not lose a single person—it came through with overwhelming clarity.
‘That’s why I changed too.’
After feeling Raon’s sincerity, my own thoughts transformed.
I stopped dismissing the title of Organization Master, and when Crain would torment me, I stepped forward without hesitation.
His words about wanting to move forward together with everyone in the Gwangpung Corps were nothing but the purest truth.
‘It should be the same now.’
Raon displaying a more refined Boundless Sword was not to boast of his talent, but certainly to help me grow.
Crain parried Raon’s unfolding Boundless Sword with his own, biting his lip.
‘What’s the difference between the Organization Master’s blade and mine?’
Raon hadn’t even drawn upon his monstrous physical abilities, nor was he wielding his formidable aura.
Yet his Boundless Sword was so intricate and subtle that blocking it seemed impossible.
‘Think. Think harder.’
Quick perception is my only advantage, after all!
Even as I absorbed Raon’s assault with my body, I never took my eyes off his blade.
Determined to devour every sword path he drew, I kept my mind churning relentlessly.
‘If I can’t understand it, I’ll just imitate it.’
Since observation alone wouldn’t yield the answer, I began to replicate the forms of the Boundless Sword that Raon was executing.
‘Huh…?’
It was a sword path I could draw even with my eyes closed, but something was different.
Raon wasn’t satisfied with simply unfolding the forms of the Boundless Sword—he was weaving in far more variations.
‘Now I understand.’
I focused my energy on the transformations of the Shadowless Sword. Rather than using the Transforming Blade, Illusory Blade, and Swift Blade to compensate for weaknesses, I concentrated on a single principle to maximize the sword’s potential.
The blade sang with a crystalline ring.
Crain suppressed the Illusory Blade and Swift Blade, channeling his energy into the transformation as he unleashed the full Shadowless Sword.
A tremendous clash erupted.
For the first time, his sword strikes—which had been relentlessly driven back—met mine in a true exchange, scattering crimson sparks between us.
“You’re not simply displaying the swordsmanship you’ve mastered….”
Crain continued, his eyes locked with mine.
“You’re telling me to show the blade that suits each situation?”
“Now you understand.”
A faint smile crossed my lips.
“That was quick for you.”
Crain had been wielding the Shadowless Sword far too rigidly. He needed to adjust the intensity of the Illusory Blade, Transforming Blade, and Swift Blade according to circumstances, yet he always fought the same way, making him easy to counter and predict.
Depending on the situation, the intensity of eye examination, change examination, and quick examination must be adjusted, but since he always unfolded his swordsmanship in the same way, it was easy to break through his technique and counter it.
I only told him through the sword because directly teaching him might block his path to thinking and growing on his own, and seeing Crain’s expression, it seems to have worked well.
“Now I understand everything! Let’s continue!”
Crain adjusted his grip on the sword as if ready to try again.
“No, time’s up.”
Raon raised his finger and pointed at the sun floating in the middle of the sky.
“Huh, when…?”
Crain’s mouth fell open as if he hadn’t even realized it was noon.
“If you’ve realized what you’re lacking, you need time alone to yourself. I look forward to our next match.”
Raon patted Crain on the shoulder and left the Training Ground.
“Thank you.”
Crain bowed his head toward Raon’s back, his hands clasped together.
“Organization Master!”
The voice with which he called me Organization Master was clearer than ever before.
*
*
*
After finishing lunch, I returned to the Training Ground.
I thought I’d arrived first, but there were already two visitors waiting.
One was Crain, who hadn’t even eaten and continued his sword training, and the other was Dorian, who was scheduled to spar with me this afternoon.
“You’re here!”
Dorian, who had hastily filled his stomach with bread, approached with a nervous laugh.
“L-let’s start right away!”
Despite his trembling hands gripping the sword, Dorian took his stance, eager to begin the match.
-Tsk!
Wrath snorted as he observed Dorian’s wavering eyes.
-How the little purse grows! Most admirable!
‘Then stop calling Dorian a purse. It’s pitiful.’
-Nay, ’twas thou who first gave him that name! Thou even treated him as one!
I frowned, noting that this creature embodied double standards itself.
“Your swordsmanship was the Silent Abyss Blade, wasn’t it?”
I pushed back the struggling Wrath and stepped in front of Dorian.
“Show me everything from beginning to end.”
“Well, about that….”
Dorian lowered his sword and shook his head.
“For the past few months, I’ve been learning a new swordsmanship technique. Would it be possible for you to evaluate that instead?”
He steadied his breathing, mentioning that he had a swordsmanship style he’d been practicing alone.
“A new swordsmanship?”
“It’s the opposite of the Silent Abyss Blade.”
“Show me.”
When I nodded, Dorian unleashed a tremendously aggressive sword strike.
‘Strong strikes, swift strikes, wind strikes, severing strikes—even killing strikes mixed in.
Each one carried aggressive techniques and trajectories. It was the complete opposite of Dorian’s usual temperament.
“What’s the name of this swordsmanship?”
“The Howling Wolf Blade.”
Dorian lowered his gaze, explaining that it was a technique he’d learned to overcome his fear.
“Now show me the Silent Abyss Blade.”
“Yes, understood!”
Dorian nodded and demonstrated the Silent Abyss Blade, which he’d consistently practiced. Unlike the Howling Wolf Blade, it was a heavy, defense-oriented swordsmanship.
“Unfortunately, your Howling Wolf Blade hasn’t reached the proficiency level needed for a proper sparring match.”
I calmly shook my head.
‘Even if it’s admirable, I can’t waste time on it.’
Dorian’s determination to train with the Gale Wind Sword to transform himself was admirable, but I rejected it because the benefits he could gain from it were insufficient.
“I-I’m sorry.”
Dorian scratched his head awkwardly.
“Sparring doesn’t happen just today. So….”
I pointed at the sword marks Dorian had carved into the ground with my finger.
“Raise your proficiency before the next match. If you reach a usable level, I’ll teach you the Gale Wind Sword.”
“Understood!”
Dorian bowed his head, saying he would practice even if it meant sacrificing sleep.
“Then let’s begin.”
The moment Dorian lifted his head, I unfolded the fourth form of the Silent Abyss Sword.
Whoooosh!
I raised the Heavenly Sword like a shield and struck at Dorian’s chest.
“Ugh!”
Even as the Heavenly Sword came crashing down, Dorian didn’t retreat. He realized he needed to block rather than evade, raising his sword diagonally to assume a thick defensive stance.
Realizing that it wasn’t about avoiding but blocking, he raised his sword diagonally and took up a thick defensive stance.
Wow!
Dorian staggered under the tremendous power contained in the Heavenly Sword, but he held his ground and didn’t get pushed back.
“Just defending won’t cut it. Think about where the weight of the Mukhyeon Sword can deliver its greatest power.”
Raon unfolded the techniques of the Muk Hyeon Sword in succession, striking down at Dorian’s shoulders, waist, and thighs.
“Ugh…”
A powerful impact caused Dorian’s eyelids to tremble. True to his cowardly nature, he instinctively tried to close his eyes in fear.
Yet he never closed his eyes or retreated. Even as flesh was torn from his wounds, he unleashed sword strikes as heavy and immovable as stone.
“Watch both your blade and mine simultaneously. If you fail to grasp the difference, you’ll be nothing but a punching bag.”
Raon smiled faintly as he observed Dorian, who refused to abandon his pursuit of growth even amidst fear.
‘He’s changing. No, he is in the process of change.
-Transformation doesn’t arrive suddenly, you know.
Wrath nodded broadly as he watched Dorian.
-Only those who are prepared can break free from their shell. That one has always watched your back, so he had no choice but to transform.
‘That’s right.’
Some might say change is sudden, but from what I’ve witnessed, it isn’t.
True transformation only comes when one harbors the desire to change oneself and builds the staircase of effort from the ground up.
Ching!
Raon struck at Dorian’s waist with the sixth form of the Soul Reaper Sword.
Clang!
Dorian stepped forward to meet the incoming blade and executed a defense that bordered on flawless. His sword strikes now carried unmistakable weight.
“I… I think I’m beginning to understand.”
Dorian’s hand still trembled around his sword hilt, but his eyes were as clear as a lake.
“Defense changes completely depending on the angle of the blade.”
He bit his lip as he grasped Raon’s teachings through his own realization.
“And offense!”
Dorian kicked off the ground with force and charged forward. Following his defense, he brought down a sword strike laden with crushing weight.
He understood what Raon sought to teach him and pursued the heaviness that matched that understanding.
Boom!
I watched Dorian advance step by step through his fear, while the swordsmen quietly guarded his back, and I curled my lips.
‘It seems….’
These ones would be the fastest.
*
*
*
The Gray Castle, its light faded as if it had endured centuries of time.
Derus Robert sat upon the highest Jade Throne in that castle, gazing at the wound on his hand from which blood continued to drip.
‘It won’t heal at all.’
The spiritual wound inflicted by Glen and the hole pierced through my chest were both slowly recovering, but the wound on my hand remained unhealed.
‘Especially the first one….’
The second wound I received from Raon Zigheart during this war was healing very slowly, flesh gradually filling in.
But the first sword mark left by the assassin Raon showed no change even with Uriel’s help. It seemed recovery itself was impossible.
‘I don’t understand the reason.’
Wounds from the Demon Lords’ power faded, and even my soul cut by Glen’s heart sword recovered, yet why wouldn’t this wound disappear?
‘That Uriel….’
He was hiding something.
Uriel seemed to know more about Raon, but he refused to tell me directly.
“Tsk.”
As Derus clicked his tongue and wiped away the blood flowing from the wound, the doors to the Audience Chamber opened, and Kubara and Bardiel entered.
“Derus Robert. We have finished accounting for all personnel.”
Bardiel knelt and lowered his head.
“The Jaun Corps, the Baeksang Corps, and the Jeon Ghost Corps have all returned, and both the Hyunggyeol Corps and the Mookroe Unit that were deployed outside have come back without any losses.”
“Ten Shadow squads have returned, and the Water Merchant Corps also arrived last night.”
Kubara, unlike Bardiel, reported on the Shadow personnel while bowing at the waist.
“You’ve done well.”
Derus Robert looked down at Kubara and Bardiel and nodded.
‘This exceeds my expectations.’
Thanks to our advance preparations, we minimized losses in our forces. Of course, it stung that the Robert Family’s strength had been cut in half.
“Did Uriel go elsewhere?”
Bardiel opened his mouth as he looked around the Audience Chamber where Derus stood alone.
“He said he had something to do and disappeared.”
Derus shook his head, saying not to worry since Uriel would handle things on his own.
“How is the situation developing?”
He gestured with his finger toward Kubara.
“Through the Six Emperors Council—or rather, the Five Emperors Council—both you and we have become public enemies of the Continent. The Five Emperors, the Black Market, and the Neutral Factions have united firmly and are suppressing the families that followed us.”
Kubara lowered her head, saying the situation was not favorable.
“As expected.”
Derus laughed calmly, as if he had anticipated this.
“If they move as predicted, then it’s only right that we deviate from expectations.
He flicked four gray letters that had been placed beside the Jade Throne toward Kubara’s feet.
“What is this….”
“Send it to Oma.”
Derus Robert’s lips twisted upward in a long, sinister smile.
“If they’ve opened the Five Emperors Council, then we shall open the Five Demons Council.”
*
*
*
“Not bad at all.”
Glen nodded calmly as he observed me.
“In just two weeks, you’ve grasped the flow of the Heavenly Sword and Earthly Sword. There shouldn’t be any major issues using them in actual combat. Starting tomorrow, I’ll teach you a different swordsmanship technique, so prepare yourself thoroughly and return.”
He thanked me for my effort and sheathed the Heavenly Sword.
“Thank you for your instruction.”
I exhaled deeply and collapsed onto the spot.
‘I finally succeeded.’
Glen’s expectations regarding my talent had grown stronger, and with each demonstration of swordsmanship, he offered criticism that was almost terrifying in its volume.
The fact that not a single critique emerged today suggested I had passed his test in my own way.
‘This is actually fun.’
-Fun? Fun?!
Wrath’s mouth fell open as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
-You practice swordsmanship from dawn until night with those brats, and at night you get beaten by that old geezer, and you call that fun? Are you truly a pervert?! What could possibly be enjoyable about this?!
‘It’s just… all of this.’
Following Wrath’s advice, I spent about two weeks training with the Gwangpung Corps and learning swordplay from Glen.
Though exhaustion and strain were undeniable, the tangible sensation of growing stronger—both myself and the Gwangpung Corps—made it impossible not to feel joy.
‘Distant, yet drawing near.’
Transcendence still lay impossibly far away, yet it no longer seemed unreachable.
Not a mystery shrouded in mist, but a mountain peak I could see with absolute clarity.
—Hmph!
Wrath snorted derisively and shook his head.
—That old geezer’s right! You haven’t even reached the pinnacle of Grand Master yet, you fool! What can you see?
Just as he was waving his hand dismissively with a mocking grin—
[The Soul Reaper Sword has accepted the Ghost King’s essence.]
[The Soul Reaper Sword offers purified energy.]
[All stats have increased…]
[New trait acquired…]
The Soul Reaper Sword had absorbed all the crimson orbs obtained from suppressing the Ghost King, and a cascade of stat increase messages flooded my vision.
—Uh… uh…
Wrath’s jaw trembled as he stared at the messages that seemed to silence even him.
‘Maybe it won’t take as long as I thought?’
I smiled slightly as I watched the messages scroll upward.
—Shut your mouth!
Wrath let out a cry of anguish, his voice trembling with what sounded like sorrow.
‘When we get back, I’ll treat you to a late-night snack. Don’t be so angry.’
—Really? What are we eating?
‘Nadine bread.’
—Let’s just die. Let the True Demon King die too! You die! Everyone dies!
Just as he was about to charge forward with clenched fists, Rimer vaulted over the Stone Wall and entered the Training Ground.
“Why do you always climb over the Stone Wall instead of using the door?”
Glen’s eyes narrowed in incomprehension.
“Because the Stone Wall is there?”
Rimer tilted his head as if the answer were obvious.
“Sigh…”
Glen exhaled a weary breath, as though the conversation wasn’t worth pursuing.
“Is training finished for today?”
Rimer grinned and gestured toward me with his chin.
“Yes. We just finished.”
I brushed the dust from my lower garments and rose to my feet.
“Then let’s spar.”
A crimson lightning flickered within Rimer’s verdant eyes.
“Seriously.”
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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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