The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 97

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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 97

“Valter Zigheart.”
“Tch….”

At Glen Zigheart’s call, Valter Zigheart rose to his feet, his lips pressed into a thin line. Irritation flickered across his face, but no panic showed.

I nodded inwardly. Of course he knew.

I watched Valter Zigheart exhale a turbid breath and inclined my head. If I had sensed his presence, there was no way Glen Zigheart could have missed it.

“Answer me, Valter Zigheart.”
“Yes….”
“The duel is a tradition and honor of the Zigheart Family passed down for a thousand years. To taint it with your petty tricks—do you mock me?”

Glen Zigheart’s voice grew quieter, yet his aura erupted like a volcano.

Boom, boom, boom!

The entire Training Ground trembled as if an earthquake had struck, and the air pressed down upon my shoulders with crushing weight.

“Ugh….”

Unable to withstand Glen Zigheart’s tremendous aura, Valter Zigheart’s knees buckled. He barely steadied himself, but the trembling in his shoulders could not be hidden.

“I… I apologize.”

Valter Zigheart bowed his head to Glen Zigheart, his lips clenched tight.

“But as a father with a son, I merely offered encouragement. There was nothing in my words that would interfere with victory or defeat….”
“Valter Zigheart.”

Glen Zigheart’s eyes blazed crimson like molten lava erupting.

“Do you wish to die?”

A terrifying killing intent burst forth in an instant.

“Gasp….”

I staggered backward and collapsed. Even though the killing intent wasn’t directed at me, my skin crawled and all strength drained from my body.

“I told you to respond to Rayden with pure force. To abandon technique and prediction, to break through with strength alone. Did you really think I would miss such a crude aura message?”
“Ugh….”

Valter’s body bent lower and lower. Not by his own will. Glen’s intangible pressure was forcibly crushing him down.

Gulp.

I swallowed hard. The pressure Glen was emanating was terrifying, but there was something even more shocking.

‘He read the aura message?’

An aura message was a technique to convey words to another through the aura of the dantian or heart—a skill that guaranteed absolute secrecy.
Yet from what Glen just said, it seemed he had actually read the contents of that message.

‘This is insane.’

He hadn’t merely deduced it from context like I had—he had actually read the aura message itself. It meant this entire space was in the palm of Glen’s hand.

“Hah….”

A hollow laugh escaped me despite the gravity of the situation.

“You thought that even if discovered, you could smooth things over after the duel ended. You’re my son, the master of Jinmu Hall, and the leader of the Yeon Sword Order—you believed I would simply let it slide.”
“Ugh….”

The longer Glen spoke, the more violently Valter trembled. His hands shook like those of a palsy patient.

“But this time, you’ve crossed the line. You’ve defiled the duel itself and lied to me.”
“I’m s-sorry! Father, I….”
“As the patriarch of Zigheart, I command you.”

Glen looked down at Valter, who was bent like a caterpillar, and raised his chin.

Boom!

The Zigheart swordsmen knelt in unison, and the entire Training Ground trembled.

“Valter Zigheart, Master of Jinmu Hall, is hereby confined to Jinmu Hall for one year and forbidden from leaving. The annual budget of Jinmu Hall and the Yeon Sword Order is confiscated, and their operations are suspended for one year.”
“We accept your command!”

All the swordsmen cried out in unison and bowed their heads. It was a sight so solemn that flesh trembled.

“Ah, Father! One year?! That’s far too harsh! And not only me, but Jinmu Hall and the Yeon Sword Order are being punished as well—this is an excessive punishment!”
“Excessive?”

Glen Zigheart’s eyes blazed with crimson lightning.

“You have tarnished my honor and disrespected the history of Zigheart. One year of confinement is a punishment as light as a feather compared to what you have done.”
“I am the Master of Jinmu Hall. I have countless duties and responsibilities! Without me….”
“How amusing. Do you believe you are irreplaceable? Your work can be entrusted to any other hall or order without issue.”
“Ah, Father?”

As if from severe hemorrhaging, all color drained from Valter’s face.

“Then, instead of confinement, should I shatter your core just as your son wagered his in the duel?”
“That, that is….”
“I give you a choice. One year of confinement, or your core destroyed.”

Glen Zigheart displayed a merciless aura, showing no intention of leniency.

“…I will accept confinement.”

Valter bowed deeply, his entire body trembling. It seemed he could barely breathe under the weight of Glen Zigheart’s overwhelming presence.

“Hah….”

I exhaled heavily. Even watching from the side left me drained.

‘He truly is a remarkable man.’

In most families, when a direct descendant errs, their crimes are overlooked. The matter is swept under the rug as if it never happened.

Even the Robert Family, one pillar of the Six Emperors, was no exception. But Zigheart was different.

The head of the Zigheart Family held Valter Zigheart accountable as well—the fourth son and a key administrator of the clan. And it was no trivial matter.

Glen Zigheart proved far colder than I had anticipated.

“One more thing.”

Glen turned his body, directing his gaze not at Valter alone, but across the entire Training Ground.

“The conditions for today’s duel were twofold. Should anyone act under orders from Valter, Jinmu Hall, or the Yeon Sword Order to harm the Annex Building, I will personally mete out punishment. Only those confident they won’t be discovered should move.”
“Yes!”

The retainers bowed their heads once more, their voices echoing through the Training Ground in unison.

“Though regrettable events have occurred, the duel ends here. Everyone is dismissed.”

Glen spoke those words and departed the Training Ground first.

“Hic….”

Tears finally spilled from Helen’s eyes, which she had held back until the very end.

“Wahhh!”

Helen grasped Sylvia’s hand beside her and began to sob uncontrollably.
As the person at the center of this ordeal, she must have carried countless burdens, and now that they had all lifted, her suppressed emotions erupted like a dam breaking.

“It’s alright.”

Sylvia, too, had tears glistening at the corners of her eyes as she patted Helen’s back.

“Ugh….”
“Hic!”
“My lady! Head maid!”

The other maids followed suit, tears streaming down their faces. With the head of the clan having declared his protection of the Annex Building, their worries vanished and the tension that had gripped them finally released.

“Sigh….”

Now that I could protect these people, the anxiety that had taken root in my heart all this time finally dissipated.

“I told you it would be fine.”

Raon smiled without a trace of tension, his gaze sweeping across the crowd of tears and laughter.

“Let’s go home.”

*

*

*

The Training Ground fell silent as the spectators departed.
Six figures remained before the western corridor, each bearing the Zigheart flame-sword emblem on their left chest, with distinct additional markings beneath it.

They were the Great Lords who had staked their will upon the Zigheart crest.

“It’s been a while since we’ve witnessed something this remarkable.”
“I thought Rimer was exaggerating when he said the boy slew the Green Warrior and survived the Gwahyeolgwi, but the rumors were true.”
“More than true. To manifest the true essence of a lower-tier sword technique—he’s transcended the realm of mere talent.”
“By our generation, he’d be battle-ready immediately.”
“….”

The Great Lords all nodded, sensing the same thing as they observed Raon.

“Beyond the swordsmanship itself, he wove something into the Garam Footwork. I can’t pinpoint it exactly, but his martial understanding isn’t merely expert-level.”
“Such genius would suit our Black Tiger Order best of all….”
“Stop spouting nonsense.”
“…?”

The two female Great Lords standing at opposite ends cut off the male lord in the center.

“Ahem, in any case, it’s certain he’s grown beyond what we once expected.”

The central Great Lord cleared his throat awkwardly at being interrupted, scratching the back of his head.

“Right. I thought he was a fragile prodigy, but he’s a robust monster. If he continues growing like this, he’ll inevitably clash with the other direct lines. That should be quite entertaining.”

The Great Lord with the deep voice licked his lips with his tongue.

“Graduation is coming up soon anyway, so we can nurture him in the Black Tiger Order. His personality suits us well. I’m confident we can raise him properly….”
“Shut your mouth.”
“….”
“Black Tiger. Do you have a death wish?”
“Ugh.”

When three of the four commanders fixed their glares upon him, the central commander’s shoulders shrank slightly.

“What he said isn’t entirely wrong. It’s true that the 5th Training Ground trainees’ graduation is approaching. Once they pass the graduation exam, they’ll become inspectors and choose their order and unit.”

The commander with the deep voice chuckled while gripping the railing.

“The 5th Training Ground doesn’t have only Raon. Burren, Lunan, and Martha—all three of them possess the martial prowess and talent to claim the top position wherever they’re placed. The next selection ceremony will be quite the spectacle.”
“….”

The commanders said nothing, but they all shared the same resolve: they would secure at least one of these four at the next selection ceremony.

“Still, I want Raon!”
“Who’s going to beat up Black Tiger today?”
“Me.”
“I’ll join in too.”
“…!”

*

*

*

I returned to the Annex Building with Sylvia, Helen, and the attendants.

“Sigh….”

Helen exhaled deeply as she surveyed the entire view of the Annex Building.

“What’s wrong?”

Sylvia tilted her head while placing a hand on Helen’s shoulder.

“I thought we might not all return together.”

Helen closed her eyes. She had imagined countless scenarios about what would unfold today.

If Raon lost, she had resolved to beg forgiveness even at the cost of her life. Yet instead, she received an apology, and now they were all returning to the Annex Building together—it still felt like a dream.

“I feel the same way.”
“So do I….”
“Me too.”

The maids nodded one by one. As if sharing the same thought, they met each other’s eyes and smiled softly.

“You can rest easy now. Father is a man of his word. There’s no one who would dare touch us.”

Sylvia turned and met the gaze of each maid in turn. Finally, she looked at Raon and smiled brightly.

“Come now, let’s throw a celebration using every ingredient we have!”
“Yes!”
“We’ll make plenty of the stew the young master loves!”
“Of course!”

Sylvia, Helen, and the maids entered the Annex Building with steps so light they seemed almost cheerful.

“Phew.”

I exhaled softly, watching them go. Seeing them laugh and chatter dispelled all the unease in my heart.

It seemed they had come to mean far more to me than I had realized.

As I turned to enter the Annex Building, one of the maids slowed her pace and caught up with me. It was Judith.

“Young master.”

Judith turned to face me.

“Did you plan everything from the beginning?”
“To some extent.”

I nodded. From the moment I threw my sword at Rayden, I knew that a duel was the only way to escape this situation, so I deliberately provoked his pride.

As expected, I won the duel and received an apology. However, I hadn’t anticipated that Jinmu Hall, the Yeon Sword Order, and Valter Zigheart would all face confinement.

“You’re truly a frightening person.”

Judith exhaled a sigh, her complexion drained of color.

“But you’re also remarkably kind.”
“Me? Kind?”

I widened my eyes. Hearing such words for the first time in my life was more bewildering than Rayden’s assault.

“Thank you for saving me back then.”

Judith smiled faintly, her earlobes flushed pink. I had seen her smile countless times before, but every one had been false.

This time was different. Her smile carried genuine warmth and bashfulness.

“Let’s go.”

Watching Judith’s back as she turned and walked toward the Annex Building, I unclenched my fists.

‘I think it’s time to reveal the truth now.’

*

*

*

“Haaah!”

Valter Zigheart exhaled a ragged breath. The pristine and ornate Jinmu Hall lay in complete ruins, its walls fractured into countless pieces.
The swordsmen of Jinmu Hall were scattered across the floor, unconscious.

It wasn’t an enemy invasion.
Valter Zigheart had returned from the Training Ground unable to contain his rage, and had personally destroyed Jinmu Hall. The swordsmen who tried to stop him were beaten down as well.

“Ugh…”
“W-What do we do about this?”

As the remaining people stood frozen in confusion, a crisp gust of wind whistled through the collapsed wall.

“Hello there?”

Long, slender fingers wiggled through the hole where the wind entered, and Rimer’s face popped into view.

“Rimer….”

Valter Zigheart glared at Rimer with bloodshot eyes.

“Wow, it looks so clean this way. You should keep a window open like this all the time.”

Rimer grinned wickedly and climbed through the collapsed wall into the room.

“Why are you here? Do you have a death wish?”
“The Family Head’s confinement order is practically a suspended sentence, and you’re trying to cause trouble again?”
“Tch….”

Valter Zigheart bit his lip hard, barely restraining himself from lunging forward. If he caused a scene now as Rimer said, he would face a punishment beyond his control. And he couldn’t afford to be summoned by Glen Zigheart again.

“Get out! I have nothing to say to you.”
“You may have nothing to say to me, but I need to be here.”

Rimer waved a piece of paper he pulled from his shirt pocket.

“That, that is….”

Valter Zigheart’s eyes widened as he saw the fluttering paper.

“You know what it is, don’t you? The confirmation of the wager between you, the master of Jinmu Hall, and insignificant me.”

Rimer grinned wickedly. His manner of speech, his voice, his actions—everything about him was irritating beyond measure. I couldn’t fathom how such a detestable creature could be an elf.

“Since you’ll be confined and hard to meet, why don’t you give it to me now?”
“Ugh, no, I don’t have it.”

Valter Zigheart shook his head vigorously.

‘I can’t give it to him in a situation like this.’

The items I wagered against Rimer weren’t just one or two. If I handed them over while my activities were suspended, it would create serious problems for the Jinmu Hall’s growth.

“My, my. Why would someone of your standing act this way?”

Rimer clicked his tongue and waggled his fingers mockingly.

“Everyone knows massive quantities of spirit elixirs arrived at the Jinmu Hall. Ah, did the shock bring on dementia already?”
“You. Do you really want to die?”

Valter Zigheart bared his teeth like a beast and growled.

“Whoa, whoa! Don’t be like that!”

Rimer retreated with an exaggerated expression. I wanted to rip off those quivering ears of his.

“Get lost! I have nothing for you!”
“Are you sure about that?”

Rimer, who had been backing away, smirked and brushed off his hands.

“If you, who brought shame to the family head’s face in the duel, don’t keep your promise, what do you think the family head will do?”

He raised his fingers one by one.

“Your confinement and suspension period could extend to two years, or your assets could be confiscated entirely, wouldn’t you say?”
“That’s….”

Valter Zigheart bit his lip.

With Father as he was now, it was entirely possible. I wanted to crush that annoying bastard, but the fact that I had no way to do it was unbearably frustrating.

“Hand it over. I have plenty of other people to collect from besides you.”

Rimer laughed, spreading both hands like a child asking for pocket money.

“Arghhhh!”

Valter Zigheart’s scream echoed through the Jinmu Hall once more.

—————
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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