The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 84

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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 84

“Sword aura….”

Karun swallowed hard as he observed the faint flame dancing across Raon’s blade.

‘He truly has reached the lower Expert realm?’

Strangely, Raon’s level was difficult to gauge. He had assumed he was merely an advanced Aura user, yet here he wielded sword aura—the unmistakable mark of an Expert.

At merely fifteen years old, wielding sword aura? He was undoubtedly among the rarest geniuses—or monsters—in the Continent’s history.

‘But even as an Expert, he cannot stand against Gwahyeolgwi.’

Expert was certainly a realm worthy of being called powerful, yet on a continental scale, it was far from exceptional.

“No matter how far you’ve climbed into the Expert realm, Gwahyeolgwi’s martial skill is Master-level. You cannot possibly endure at your level. Defeating Green Warrior is equally impossible! Tell the truth—”

“Father.”

Burren Zigheart, who had been standing behind Raon, stepped forward.

“I witnessed it myself. Raon cut down Green Warrior, and despite suffering an arm injury, he alone held back Gwahyeolgwi to buy time for us and the villagers to escape.”

“That’s right.”

Lunan Slion followed Burren forward and nodded in agreement, her gaze fixed on the man standing to the right—Rokan Slion.

“I did not give you permission to speak!”

Karun stared at Burren Zigheart with the expression of one observing a beast he had raised, not a son.

“Ha, I don’t understand. If you won’t believe even your own son, what exactly do you expect? Your logic is completely sealed off. I wonder where you eat and where you defecate.”

“Hold your tongue, Rimer.”

Karun glared at Rimer, who shrugged his shoulders, as though ready to kill him.

“Your actions are the greatest problem here. With that broken body of yours, you captured Gwahyeolgwi—there’s no way you did it without deception.”

“Then shall we test it? I’ve been curious to see how formidable the martial prowess of the Central Intelligence Agency’s leader truly is.”

“Very well. I’ll sever that slender neck of yours right now—”

“Enough.”

Between the voices of Rimer and Karun, a weighty tone that overwhelmed all else cut through.

“Hah!”

“Ugh…”

“Kgh…”

That immense presence caused the spines of everyone in the Audience Chamber to stiffen.

“Chief Trainee Raon Zigheart. And all trainees of the 5th Training Ground, listen.”

Glen Zigheart removed his hand from his chin and looked down at everyone as he continued speaking.

“Excellent.”

“Huh?”

“Father?”

“Lord Patriarch….”

At Glen Zigheart’s unexpected praise, the great lords, the patriarchs of the vassal families, and even the trainees all stood slack-jawed.

Everyone in the Audience Chamber stared at Glen Zigheart with vacant eyes.

In a way, it was only natural.

Glen Zigheart was more sparing with praise than anyone else, a cold and merciless figure.

Even when completing the most difficult missions, he would merely say they had done well—hearing him call something “excellent” was the first time in over a decade.

“I received the first report from Rimer, the second from the branch director who investigated the Sebu region, and the third from all of you—they all align perfectly.”

Glen Zigheart raised his right hand, which had been supporting his chin.

“First, you recognized the presence of enemies and did not act rashly.”

He folded down one finger.

“Second, even after returning, you did not rush to engage but attempted to assess the enemies.”

This time, I lowered my hand.

“Waiting for the optimal moment, weakening the enemy with a single ambush, and breaking the Green Warrior’s life force with a hidden strike—that was the third instance.”

As Glen Zigheart’s fingers folded, the eyes of the lords grew wider.

“Finally, when facing an opponent I could not defeat, standing before them to allow my comrades and civilians to escape—that was the fourth.”

He folded the four raised fingers, his crimson eyes gleaming.

“Each decision was appropriate, like that of a seasoned warrior. There were no casualties among the trainees and villagers because of your precise judgment. And….”

Glen Zigheart looked at the trainees standing behind me.

“You too have shown yourselves to be swordsmen worthy of Zigheart. Zigheart can stand as it does now because of those who support it from below.”

“Mm….”

“Patriarch….”

Roen and Rimer nodded vigorously as they listened to Glen Zigheart’s words.

“We are not a kingdom, but we reign over the Northern Region all the more. Therefore, we must protect and safeguard those who dwell in this land. If we do not, no one will follow us. All of you have done well.”

“Th-thank you!”

“Thank you!”

Burren Zigheart, Lunan Slion, Martha, and the trainees cried out loudly, their heads bowed to the ground.

“Ugh!”

“Patriarch!”

The trainees trembled at the Patriarch’s praise. Burren especially had tears glistening in his eyes.

“I shall bestow upon all of you a bronze medallion.”

“Thank you!”

The trainees bowed so deeply that blood trickled from their foreheads.

“And to Raon Zigheart, who orchestrated and resolved this entire situation—I grant you a silver medallion.”

“Thank you.”

I knelt alongside the other trainees and bowed my head.

“Tsk.”

“Tch.”

Some of the branch leaders were displeased that I received the silver medallion, but none dared speak up since Glen had acted directly.

“Roen.”

“Yes.”

Roen retrieved a broad wooden plaque from the right table and carried it up to the platform where Glen sat.

Glen withdrew the cloth covering the board, revealing forty-two bronze tokens and a single silver token arranged upon it.

“Burren Zigheart, come forward.”

“Ah, yes! Understood!”

Burren Zigheart bit his tongue as he responded, but concealed his frustration and ascended the platform.

“Stepping forward to protect those under our care is a righteous act. However.”

At the word “however,” Burren Zigheart’s jaw tightened.

“Charging recklessly without assessing your enemy’s strength is no different from a beast. Cultivate a broader perspective and learn to view situations with strategic vision.”

Glen Zigheart looked past Burren Zigheart at all the trainees standing behind him as he continued.

“This applies to all of you.”

“Yes!”

He distributed bronze tokens to Lunan Slion, Martha, and all the trainees, then finally turned his gaze to Raon Zigheart.

“Raon Zigheart. Come forward.”

“Yes.”

Raon Zigheart bowed deeply, then rose and ascended the platform.

‘I can feel their gazes.’

From behind me, irritation-laden stares pierced through my heart like daggers. They came from Karun and the other Branch Family masters.

However, Burren Zigheart, Karun’s son, and the Branch Family trainees watched with pride rather than jealousy or hostility. That was enough.

“Raon Zigheart.”

Glen Zigheart’s gaze remained cold and austere, like a frozen field in the depths of winter.

Yet there was something distinctly different from before.

Within those eyes, a faint light bloomed like a solitary flower emerging upon that snow-covered plain.

Whether it was good or bad, I couldn’t yet discern.

“Many lives were saved because of you. In recognition of this merit, I bestow upon you a silver badge. Continue to dedicate yourself to both physical and mental cultivation henceforth.”

“If I may, Patriarch, I have something to say first.”

I halted before accepting the silver badge Glen Zigheart held.

“What is it?”

“There is a matter I must discuss with you.”

“A matter?”

“Yes. It concerns the purpose of Eden.”

“Hmm?”

Glen Zigheart’s eyebrow arched slightly.

“I know why those creatures came to Sebu Village. And I know what they’re after now.”

“How dare you spout such lies in a place like this!”

A voice laced with fury erupted from behind. It was Karun’s.

“Eden’s phantoms are vicious creatures who won’t open their mouths even under torture that tears limbs apart. How could someone like you possibly know that!”

“Well….”

“It’s certain….”

“That torture doesn’t work on them.”

The other clan leaders nodded in agreement with Karun’s words.

“Can you be certain of this?”

“I can. However….”

I turned slightly to meet the eyes of Karun, whose face had flushed crimson with rage.

“I would prefer not to reveal that truth before those who doubt me.”

“What, what did you—”

“How insolent!”

“How dare you speak such words without even earning the title of Swordmaster!”

The clan lords following Karun unleashed an intense pressure, but I remained unflinching.

In my past life, I was weaker than them, yet I had accomplished far greater deeds.

“Have I spoken falsely?”

This moment was a stage set by Rimer and Glen Zigheart. A stage where I could amplify the rewards for my accomplishments. I could not allow any interference.

“Silence! Do you know where you are—”

“Karun Zigheart.”

At the weighty voice from the platform, Karun’s mouth snapped shut.

“I told you to hold your tongue.”

“Hah!”

A chill ran through me.

Though the pressure was not directed at me, my entire body felt frozen solid.

“F-Father?”

“Leave. All of you who were making noise just now.”

Glen Zigheart did not even look at Karun. He was merciless and cold even toward his son, who bore the weight of the family’s responsibilities.

“Ugh….”

The five branch leaders and vice-leaders who had been clamoring alongside Karun bit their lips hard. They glared at me as though they wished to kill me, then slipped out of the Audience Chamber.

“Now speak. What did you see in that place?”

The minions of Eden were stubborn as weeds—no torture could pry open their mouths. Since I had claimed to understand Eden’s purpose, not only the branch leaders but Glen Zigheart himself fixed his gaze upon me.

“Gwahyeolgwi believed he could kill me and slaughter the other trainees, so he revealed their objective.”

“Their objective?”

“Eden was after the mana stones of monsters.”

I withdrew the Goblin King’s mana stone from my possession. Its crimson, scorching radiance illuminated the darkened Audience Chamber.

“Not ordinary mana stones, but those from creatures worthy of being called Named Monsters. This is the mana stone of the Goblin King that fell on Sebu Mountain hundreds of years ago.”

As I spoke, I extended the mana stone forward.

A low hum resonated.

The Goblin King’s mana stone rose of its own accord and flowed into Glen Zigheart’s hand.

“Hmm.”

Glen Zigheart narrowed his eyes as he examined the mana stone from every angle.

“….”

The Patriarch and the branch heads watched Glen and me without even swallowing.

“Certainly.”

Glen lifted his head after finishing his examination of the mana stone.

“This is no ordinary object.”

He gazed at me with an inscrutable expression—one that seemed to blend approval with mockery, as if to say I was beneath someone capable of recognizing such a thing.

“You’ve achieved an accomplishment no one else has managed.”

Glen’s lips curved slightly upward as he received the silver badge from Roen and extended it toward me.

“…Thank you.”

I reached out slowly and accepted the silver badge Glen offered. Yet my lowered face twisted slightly.

‘Did I misjudge him?’

I had believed that even if Glen despised Sylvia and me, he would at least properly acknowledge merit.

I had expected him to award an additional silver badge, or if fortune favored me, perhaps a gold one. Yet reality diverged from my expectations. He gave me nothing else.

‘I should have just asked outright instead of doing this.’

It was regrettable, but I couldn’t ask for more now. I descended from the platform with my lips pressed tightly together.

“Everyone, return to your duties. Tomorrow morning, I will convene a grand council. All of you must attend.”

“Yes!”

The patriarch and branch heads bowed their heads after answering as they left the Audience Chamber.

‘Tsk.’

-To provide such information and yet gain nothing in return—truly pathetic.

I clicked my tongue silently, while Wrath let out a scoff.

*

*

*

‘I trusted him far too much.’

I shook my head in disappointment. After the Manhwa Hall, I had placed some faith in Glen Zigheart, but it had been for nothing.

This Zigheart was a jungle. I had to fend for myself.

“Raon.”

I was exiting the Patriarch’s Hall with irritation in every step when Roen’s voice reached me from the right corridor.

‘What?’

Roen had been inside the Audience Chamber just moments ago—I had no idea when he’d appeared here.

And more than that.

‘I didn’t sense him.’

Even with my heightened senses, I hadn’t detected his presence. As I’d suspected, he was a martial master—and it seemed he’d been an assassin in his previous life, just like I had been.

“I have something I’d like to discuss with you.”

He approached with a benevolent smile.

“Would it be acceptable for me to visit the Annex Building at midnight tonight?”

“Pardon? Why would you suddenly—”

“The Patriarch has instructed me to bring you, Raon.”

Roen pointed toward the massive doors of the Audience Chamber we’d just exited, his smile widening.

“It seems he intends to bestow a second gift upon you.”

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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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