The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 960

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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 960

The moment I awakened from death, I clenched both fists tightly.

‘I finally blocked it.’

Since I died immediately after blocking Wrath’s attack, it was ambiguous to call it a successful defense.

Yet the mere fact that I didn’t die instantly from his all-out assault filled me with satisfaction.

‘Of course, there’s much to reflect upon….’

Had my martial power been slightly higher, the Heavenly Sword might have shattered, but my chest wouldn’t have split open and killed me. I regretted that my strength gave out at the end, forcing me to meet his attack head-on.

‘No, if my swordsmanship mastery had been just a bit higher, I might have been able to withstand it.’

Knowing I was far too inadequate to block Wrath’s single strike, I had attempted to suppress his strength through gentleness.

But the gap in martial enlightenment and raw power was too vast, so my swordsmanship inevitably shattered.

Had my mastery of flowing sword and absolute sword been higher, I might have deflected Wrath’s attack using the subtle principles of seamless flow. My heart ached that I couldn’t achieve it.

‘But that guy….’

I recalled the blue chill that Wrath had unleashed and smacked my lips.

‘Why did he apply swordsmanship?’

Wrath’s attack wasn’t something like frost magic. He had taken the martial power he’d accumulated and applied the subtle principles of swordsmanship I’d observed beside him, creating a new technique.

‘He must have recovered his strength after entering the Chamber of Self.’

With his original power alone, subduing me would be simple like before, so I couldn’t understand why he was employing swordsmanship as well.

‘Could it be….’

Was he influenced by me?

Whenever I trained, Wrath was always by my side. Even without my intention, the subtleties of swordsmanship seemed to have been etched into his mind.

‘Just as I’ve been influenced by Wrath, he too has been influenced by me.’

With that thought, laughter escaped me unbidden. My inner affection for that cotton candy creature had grown stronger.

“Shall we continue?”

The moment I realized Wrath and I had become true friends, I couldn’t bear to remain idle. I wanted to keep challenging him, to finally block his attacks.

Whoooosh!

I stepped onto the Taewhabo and advanced across the Sea to meet Wrath again.

‘At my current level, perfectly blocking Wrath’s attacks is impossible.’

Though we were both transcendents, the gap between us was simply too vast. Defense alone couldn’t stop his assault—the Heavenly Sword would shatter, and my neck would be severed.

‘Deflecting is equally difficult.’

Wrath’s swordsmanship mastery wasn’t exceptional, but his raw power was so absurdly high that even simple applications of technique produced devastating force.

If I forced a deflection, this time it wouldn’t be my neck—my chest would be split open, and I’d perish.

‘And attacking is suicide.’

His attacks were several times faster and more powerful than mine.

My neck would be severed before the Sword Realm even opened—attempting to block with offense was nothing short of suicide.

“Ha….”

I held my temples and let out a hollow laugh.

‘Now that I think about it, this is absurd.’

I can’t defend, can’t deflect, can’t attack.

‘Then how am I supposed to block it?’

As I considered that I couldn’t defend, couldn’t evade, and couldn’t attack, my chest tightened as if I were choking. The frustration seemed to trigger a throbbing pain in my mind.

‘Wait. All three are impossible? Then what if I try all three simultaneously?’

Until now, I had experimented with all three swords and even opened the Divine Demon Harmony Seal to wield dual blades, but against a master of such caliber, my proficiency seemed lacking, so I ultimately wielded only the Heavenly Sword.

‘The answer wasn’t the Heavenly Sword.’

To block even a single one of Wrath’s attacks, I would need to raise my proficiency in wielding the Heavenly Sword, Soul Reaper Sword, and the third sword simultaneously.

‘Right. I’ll try everything I can.’

Now the fear of death had vanished, replaced only by the desire to grow stronger. Even if I died a hundred times instead of fifty, I desperately wanted to block Wrath’s attack.

Whoooosh!

I dashed across the sea without hesitation, contemplating how to block Wrath’s assault.

‘Hmm? An island is already visible?’

Despite running for what seemed like a short distance, a gray island began to appear in the distance.

‘Has Taewhabo grown?’

Thanks to crossing this vast sea dozens of times, Taewhabo’s growth seemed to have increased significantly.

‘No, it’s not just Taewhabo.’

Glacsia, who had been absorbing the cold from the sea and cave, also began to stir as if she would soon break free from her egg.
Though still distant, obtaining just one small clue would allow me to break through the wall of the tenth star.

‘So Wrath really is a blessing in disguise?’

This time Wrath himself hadn’t provided a substantial reward, but thanks to facing him at full strength, I seemed to be gaining far more.

‘He seems to be enjoying it too.’

At first, he had been reluctant to kill me, but now he wore quite a refreshed expression.

‘Of course, it wasn’t the last time.’

In the battle just before, Wrath’s lips trembled as he was flustered by his attack being blocked.

I savored my old friend’s shocked expression as I stepped into the black mirror.

“Phew….”

The moment I descended onto the Snowy Plain, Wrath rose to his feet with a displeased expression.

“You’re relentless—not even a five-year-old brat has this much stamina.”

He scrunched his nose in exasperation. Though his form was sculpted like the very embodiment of beauty, his behavior hadn’t changed one bit from when he was cotton candy.

“We’re just getting started.”

I planted the Heavenly Sword and Soul Reaper Sword into the ground, then opened the Mythic Harmony Formation. I raised the divine and demonic blades in both hands, while the Neck Wheel Sword floated above my head.

“Didn’t you say you were using only one sword because you couldn’t concentrate?”

Wrath furrowed his brow as if questioning my judgment.

“That’s right. It was so complicated that my hands actually got dizzy. But I think it’s worth challenging myself.”

I bit my lip as I crossed the divine blade wreathed in flames with the demonic blade emanating cold.

“Growth comes from overcoming difficulty.”

If I only displayed my strength against the weak and mediocre, I’d eventually fall behind. I wanted to prove before Wrath, a supreme master, that I could wield three swords.

“Hmph. Do as you wish.”

Wrath narrowed his eyes slightly and raised his hand. It seemed he’d grown more serious because of the battle just before.

Whoooooosh!

Without even announcing his attack, Wrath conjured a shimmer of frost light from his fingertips.

‘Here it comes!’

It was startling, certainly, but attackers don’t always send warnings. Defending on my own was the right call.

‘Just as I prepared.’

I recalled the three sword techniques I had conceived while crossing the sea. Attack, defense, and deflection—each blade carried a distinct flow.

A resonant hum filled the air.

I erected a wall of flame using the Divine Sword’s fire, traced a pattern with the Demonic Sword’s frost, and finally imbued the Wooden Wheel Sword lifted by the Transcendent Sword with Void Slash.

But before the three blades could merge into one, Wrath’s slash came crashing down first.

A deafening crash erupted.

The flame wall shattered, the frost pattern fractured, and the Wooden Wheel Sword was sent flying. And then.

A sharp, cutting sound pierced the air.

My neck was severed once more, as if returning to the beginning.

“Sloppy.”

Wrath shook his head firmly, as though deeply disappointed.

“If the flow of three blades cannot connect, you are worse than wielding a single sword.”

He clicked his tongue sharply, as if urging me to regain my senses.

“Don’t worry….”

A faint smile crossed my lips.

“I’ll be back soon.”

With those final words, I dissolved into sand and vanished.

“He’s always had an intense hunger for strength….”

Wrath furrowed his brow, watching me overcome even death itself.

“This is excessive, even for me. It’s almost surprising that you’re not demanding I surrender my power to the True Demon King.”

I knew Raon was obsessed with swordsmanship, but here that obsession poured out to an overwhelming degree.

‘Excessive desire? Could it be… greed?’

Wrath’s eyes narrowed to slits as he gazed upon the place where Raon had fallen.

‘That bastard Grid. Was this his plan all along?’

I’d been suspicious of why Grid had granted such an excessive amount of 【Greed】 from the start, but now it seemed he was trying to reshape Raon to suit his own tastes.

‘What a fool.’

Wrath let out a soft chuckle and shook his head.

‘That weasel would have become the King of Greed without your meddling!’

While I was thinking that Grid would come to regret this someday, a dimensional gate opened and Raon entered.

Having crossed that vast sea dozens of times over, his mastery of movement techniques had grown incomparably beyond what it once was.

“Let’s begin again.”

Raon nodded as if signaling me to prepare for the next battle.

“No…”

Wrath shook his head in dismay as he watched Raon smile with evident delight at this moment.

‘Perhaps I’m the one who will regret this first…’

I should have simply fled from the beginning!

*

*

*

Screech.

I advanced across the Sea, smacking my lips thoughtfully.

‘This is far from easy.’

I’d thought myself quite accustomed to wielding three swords, yet when facing a master of Wrath’s caliber, I proved riddled with gaps—worse than someone wielding a single blade.

Heat bloomed across my face, burning with embarrassment.

‘But that’s what makes it thrilling.’

Having so many shortcomings meant the path ahead remained vast, and I could continue growing. That thought filled me with joy.

‘Faintly, I can see the road I must walk.’

Since wielding three swords, I’d experienced over forty deaths. Each time I died and returned, I reflected and challenged myself anew—and I could feel my swordsmanship had grown to a level incomparable to before.

‘My footwork was solid in that last fight, but my defense crumbled. Because of that, I couldn’t even mount a proper offense.’

Since I assigned different domains to each of the three swords, controlling their power and flow proved difficult.

Especially since Glacsia was being pushed back by Manhwagong, balancing the cold and heat was arduous.

‘Still, if I keep colliding with it, I’ll eventually achieve it.’

I vowed to block Wrath’s attacks even if I died a thousand times, and entered the Blue Cave.

But something felt different from before.

Whooooom!

The ceiling and walls of the cave rippled as if transformed into mud, while the frost fragments that had emitted pale blue light swelled as though about to burst.

‘What is this….’

It felt wrong. I tensed my legs and moved swiftly through the cave using rapid footwork.

Upon reaching the cave’s end, a mirror with a dark gleam came into view. Cracks spiderwebbed across its surface—cracks I’d never seen before.

‘Is it finally over?’

I furrowed my brow and reached toward the Mirror. As a weightless sensation overtook my legs, my body was drawn into the Mirror. Fortunately, the path leading to the Snowy Plain still remained.

But the Snowy Plain’s state was far from normal. The sky was collapsing, and the ground was splitting apart, creating voids of nothingness.

“Exactly 99 times, I say.”

Wrath shook his head, observing the crumbling earth.

“99 times? What do you mean by that?”

I narrowed my eyes at Wrath.

“You’ve died exactly 99 times, that’s what.”
“Ah…”
“It seems this space only allows for 100 deaths, it appears.”

Wrath smacked his lips, remarking that even here, death had its limits.

“So if I die this time, do I die in reality too?”
“That’s possible, but it’s more likely you’ll simply be expelled from this space, I’d wager.”

He lowered his hand, saying I’d be forced out of the Chamber of Self.

“Then that’s fortunate.”

I exhaled in relief.

“Fortunate, you say?”

Wrath let out a hollow laugh, as if bewildered.

“Yes. It means I can fight you one more time.”

I smiled and drew the Heavenly Sword and Soul Reaper Sword.

“Did you not hear the True Demon King’s words? I said you could die in reality as well!”
“It’s more likely you won’t. I believe in you.”

I didn’t want to squander this final opportunity, not when I trusted Wrath so completely.

“Grid would weep at how mad this one is. And yet…”

Wrath furrowed his brow before a thin smile crossed his face.

‘Admirable, even.’

No matter how much Greed was at work, I’d never encountered a being so purely driven to grow stronger.

And the fact that his desire for strength wasn’t for himself alone, but for others—that kindled an even deeper affection for him.

“Very well. I shall face you one last time.”

Wrath nodded and stepped forward.

“Could you not hold back just because it’s the last time?”

I cried out, demanding he show no mercy, and opened the Divine Demon Harmony Seal.

“Of course. The True Demon King shall strike with all his might to end you.”

Wrath nodded and straightened his posture. His gaze gleamed with cold sincerity.

“Haaa…”

I closed my eyes, feeling the ground tremble as though it might collapse beneath us.

‘This is the end.’

Even as I felt death’s agony, I rejoiced in my continued growth. I’d savored this unrepeatable time, but now that finale seemed to be approaching.

‘Give everything in this moment.’

This was an opportunity that would never return, a destiny I could never grasp again. I honed my focus to its sharpest edge, refusing to waste this final instant, then opened my eyes.

“Come.”

I raised the Divine Sword and Demonic Sword, hovering the Soul Reaper Sword above my head as I gave a slight nod.

“Fine.”

Wrath twisted his lips upward and extended his hand.

“I’ll make your final moment more spectacular than anyone else’s!”

The instant blue light rippled from the tips of his long, elegant fingers, I stepped on Taewhabo and retreated backward.

Whoooosh!

Taewhabo, grown through walking across a hundred seas, transported my body as if transcending space itself.

I bought time before Wrath’s attack reached me with Taewhabo, then erected the Flame Barrier Wall with the Divine Sword’s flames.

Whoooosh!

The shield of flames, originally square in form, now possessed the elegant curve of a castle wall as it blocked the space before me.

Whoooosh!

As I unfurled the Flame Barrier Wall, I drew White Shadow Island with the Demonic Sword in my left hand.

The light of the Demonic Sword spreading across the black sky became white waves that surged upward.

The moment the crimson shield and white canvas bloomed, Wrath’s slash came crashing down.

Craaaaaash!

The shield of flames barely withstood the onslaught of frost, but the canvas of White Shadow Island, lacking sufficient power, trembled as if it would tear apart at any moment.

‘I have to endure.’

I’d known from the start that White Shadow Island unfolded through 9-Star Glacsia would be insufficient. Pain as if my left hand were being torn apart surged through me, but I forced myself to bear it.

‘After consuming so much, now it’s time to expel it all!’

I released all the cold energy I’d accumulated by crossing a hundred seas and walking through a hundred caves.

Uuuuung!

The half-severed silver moon cast its crystalline light upon me, drawing forth a biting chill.

Uuuuuuung!

Glacsia’s frost circulated rapidly along the ring of fire, summoning a tremendous cold that would not yield to Manhwagong.

Thuuuung!

In that instant, a blade of cold surged from within my heart, piercing through my three dantians with devastating force.

My dantians pulsed wildly, and an immense torrent of frost rose through every mana circuit in my body.

At 10 stars, Glacsia raised frost darker than moonlight upon the blade of the demonic sword.

Uuuuuuung!

The canvas of White Shadow Island, which had seemed on the verge of tearing, was dyed in silver frost, raising a silken wall that would never fracture.

‘Now!’

I blocked Wrath’s assault with the Divine Sword’s flames and the Demon Sword’s frost, unleashing a crisp wind where wind and lightning harmonized.

Kuwaaaaang!

Three lights collided with Wrath’s slash, and a colossal shockwave erupted as if to erase the Snowy Plain itself.

The collapse of the Snowy Plain, which would crumble even in stillness, accelerated, and hazy snow flowers rose toward the sky.

“Cough….”

Beneath those azure eyes, I knelt, blood spilling from my lips.

The Soul Reaper Sword and the Wood Wheel Sword had shattered, and an elongated wound, as if carved by a blade, marked my abdomen.

Yet I had not died, nor had I sustained a mortal wound.

Zzzzzt.

I rose to my feet, leaning upon the Heavenly Sword—the only blade that remained unbroken.

“A hundred times I’ve died, yet….”

An overwhelming sense of accomplishment surged through me unbidden, and I straightened my spine as I gazed at Wrath.

“In the end, I stopped you.”

I wiped the blood trickling from my lips and struck my chest with that same fist.

“Ha….”

Wrath let out an incredulous laugh and nodded his head.

“I acknowledge it. Among all beings the True Demon King has ever witnessed, you are the most insane!”

With his ultimate praise, the world faded to black. This felt like the end.

In the darkness, I glimpsed a golden-haired man smiling with satisfaction. Whether it was my reflection or the visage of the First Patriarch, I could not discern.

Whoooosh.

I fell into the darkness, slowly closing my eyes.

*

*

*

“Mm….”

I stirred with a low groan, pushing myself upright.

‘Where am I….’

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, I saw not a white sky but a dark ceiling and dimly lit lanterns. I had returned to the entrance of the Chamber of Self, which adjoined the Audience Chamber.

‘Is it finally over?’

The sensations within the Chamber of Self had been identical to reality, so I still couldn’t quite believe I had returned.

Just to be sure, I glanced at the mirror in the Chamber of Self, and it now appeared to be an ordinary mirror, reflecting only my own image.

-Sigh….

As I examined the mirror from different angles, Wrath burst out from within the ice flower bracelet.

-My head aches terribly. I feel as though I could collapse from exhaustion.

He rubbed his eyes as if he hadn’t slept in days, his drowsiness evident.

“Do you remember everything?”

I gestured toward Wrath with my chin.

-Of course I remember, you leeching fool!

He furrowed his brow, insisting he would never forget even in death. Everything that had transpired in the Chamber of Self appeared to have been entirely real.

“Remarkable.”

I let out a faint laugh as I sensed the tenth-star Manhwagong and Glacsia flowing within my dantian.

“Both cultivation methods have truly reached the tenth star.”

I had worried about what to do if the growth achieved only in the Chamber of Self wouldn’t apply to reality, but all the progress made there was manifesting in the physical world.

“What about you? Did you bring everything you obtained from that place?”
-The True Demon King has done the same.

Wrath nodded, calling it a remarkable place.

-I’ve recovered a fair amount of power. However….
“However?”
-It’s nothing!

Wrath turned his head sharply, glancing back at me with a hint of reluctance.

‘Why is that reckless fool being so quiet?’

I expected him to throw a fit, ranting about how he’d killed himself without hesitation, but his composure was oddly unsettling. The Raon I’d seen in the Chamber of Self felt like a completely different person from the one standing here.

“Setting aside the martial techniques, it’s fascinating that growth in aura and body actually translates to reality. What kind of place is this?”

As I muttered about wanting to test my newfound power, a message window materialized before my eyes.

[You have passed the First Patriarch’s trial.]
[You have experienced 101 deaths.]
[All stats….]
[New trait….]

Beyond the rewards I’d directly obtained in the Chamber of Self, the System was sending additional compensation.

-You were quiet, but I knew it! You bastard….

Just as Wrath was about to let out a furious roar, I dismissed the message window.

-Wh…?

Wrath’s anger froze mid-expression.

“Should we go get some food?”

I shrugged my shoulders, suggesting we fill our stomachs first.

-F-food? Not the Nadine Bread?
“Why would you want Nadine Bread?”
-That’s not the point! You promised to force-feed the True Demon King Nadine Bread no matter what!
“You’ve suffered, and so have I.”

I shook my head with a gentle smile.

“Let’s go.”

I rose leisurely to my feet and gestured for Wrath to follow.

‘There’s no reason to rush anymore.’

I had achieved impossible growth in a short span of time. There was no reason to torment Wrath, who had helped me accomplish it.

Beyond that, if I grew greedy for further strength, I risked sustaining injuries instead. Now was the time to rest.

“Well, suit yourself.”
-No, I’ll go, but you’ve changed so much it’s unsettling.

Wrath swallowed dryly from atop my shoulder.

-Did your mind break from dying a hundred times?
‘Perhaps it did.’

I chuckled softly and opened the door, stepping outside.

-If you’re ever in danger, tap the sword three times! The True Demon King shall come to your aid!
‘That’s not happening!’

I finally lost patience and flicked Wrath on the head.

-Then why have you changed so much! You didn’t rampage like a mad beast in the Chamber of Self!
‘Because there was something I had to obtain there. Now that it’s finished, I need to return to my usual righteous self.’
-What nonsense! You were always mad even normally! You simply went more insane there!
‘Think whatever you like.’

As Wrath and I bickered our way out, the Chamber of Self was painted in tranquil darkness.

Yet from somewhere, a breeze drifted in, igniting a faint golden flame upon the extinguished lantern—as if waiting for the two of us to return once more.

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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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