The Reincarnated Assassin Is a Genius Swordsman

Chapter 1532 As the golden, flickering sun pushed back the black darkness and returned light to the once-pitch-black world, the faces of the people, which had been sunk in gloom, bloomed with smiles as warm as that vivid light. "T-the sun!" "The darkness! The Day of Black Darkness is over!" "The war is over too!" "It's the day of victory! We won!" "Uwaaaaaaaaaa!" The Martial Artists and Magicians of the Continental Alliance shouted that the Day of Black Darkness had ended and the day of victory had come, letting out a roar loud enough to shake the ground. "Long live the Continental Alliance!" "Long live the Five Kings!" "Long live Raon Zieghart!" "Sword Sage! Sword Sage! Sword Sage!" At first, the Martial Artists of the Continental Alliance shouted the names of the Alliance, the Five Kings, and the leaders each of them followed, but in the end, they cried out the name and title of Sword Sage Raon Zieghart until their throats gave out. "E-everyone...." Dorian blinked as he looked around at everyone shouting Raon's name. "They're all calling out Lord Raon's name!" He drew an excited smile, as though pleased to hear Raon's name being called. "Of course they would!" Krein wrinkled his nose and lightly smacked the back of Dorian's head. "Our Head of House is the God of the Sword who single-handedly cut down Derus Robert and the Demonic Dragon of Destruction! Who else would they call out besides him!" He gestured for the Martial Artists to shout even louder, saying the voices calling Raon's name were actually too quiet. "No, you're wrong." Martha smirked and nodded. "It's not that Raon's name is called the most — only Raon's name should be called! Because without Raon, there's no way we could have won this fight!" She raised her hand, saying that no one else's name should be shouted but Raon's alone. "Yeah...." Runaan bobbed her head quickly, as though agreeing with Martha's words. "Raon... Raon... Raon...." In her own way, she did her best to shout Raon's name. However, her timing dragged on too long and her voice was so quiet it was barely audible. "Ugh, that's draining." Martha shook her head at the sight. "How can you be so different when you're holding a sword versus when you're just standing there!" She waved her hand at Runaan, telling her to try again. "And smile a little! You smiled just fine when you were cutting down the Six-Headed Scourge!" Martha frowned, asking why she wouldn't smile when her smile was so pretty. "Raon... Raon... Raon...." Runaan shouted Raon's name, following the rhythm of Martha's hand. Her timing was still slow and her voice still quiet, but she drew a smile so refreshing that it felt, for a moment, as though the surroundings had brightened. "Uwooh!" "Waah...." "S-she's a goddess?" "D-did Lady Runaan always smile like that?" The Swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace, having been busy fighting the Six-Headed Scourge, seemed to be seeing Runaan's bright smile for the first time, and they were so startled that they couldn't close their gaping mouths. "That's annoying." Martha frowned at the swordsmen who were smiling along, as though swept up in Runaan's smile. "Honestly, men are all the same — as long as the face is pretty, that's all it takes!" She gritted her teeth at Runaan, saying she didn't like it one bit. "But...." Martha gazed steadily at Runaan, then let the tension in her eyes ease. "She is pretty, though." She clicked her tongue and shook her head, as though conceding defeat. "Martha...." Runaan stopped shouting Raon's name and turned her head toward Martha. "...is prettier." Her eyes shone with a clear light, as though she had spoken from the heart. "Hgh!" Martha clutched her chest as though struck by a blade at Runaan's sincere expression and voice. "T-thanks...." For the first time, she blushed at Runaan and averted her eyes. "Heh." Burren burst out with the laugh he'd been holding back at the sight. "Seems like it's only now that the war's over that you two have really become comrades." He curled his lips, remarking that Martha and Runaan, who had been a bit awkward with each other, seemed to have finally grown close now. "C-comrades, my foot! I just thanked her for the compliment, that's all!" Martha scoffed, saying they still had a long way to go. "What about me?" A blue dimensional rift opened up between Martha and Runaan, and Evelyn suddenly popped out. "Aren't I pretty too?" Evelyn smacked her lips, as though wanting to turn it into a beauty contest between herself, Martha, and Runaan, and demanded to know if she wasn't pretty too. "More than pretty...." Runaan blinked as she looked at Evelyn's purple hair, her skin as white as a snowfield, and her sultry eyes and lips. "...you're beautiful. Like a splendid goddess...." She bowed her head, saying that "beautiful" seemed to suit her more than "pretty." "Oh my! You know a thing or two!" Evelyn rushed over and hugged Runaan, as though she'd known it all along. "B-beautiful? Hey! What does that even mean! What's the difference between pretty and beautiful!" Martha grabbed Runaan by the scruff of her neck and shook her, demanding a quick explanation. "Why are you asking something so obvious." Evelyn gave a brief wave of her hand. "It's that I'm prettier than you." She lifted her chin, as though to say they were simply on a different level. "Martha is elegantly beautiful.... Like a graceful princess...." Runaan lowered her eyes, saying that unlike her personality, Martha had a noble, aristocratic kind of beauty. "A graceful princess? Well, that's not bad!" Martha giggled aloud, seeming even more pleased after hearing Runaan's explanation. "Lady Evelyn is the splendid goddess, and Lady Martha is the graceful princess?" "That fits perfectly! Lady Runaan has a good eye!" "Right. I was thinking the same thing!" The Light Wind Palace Swordsmen let out exclamations, agreeing that Runaan's eye was spot on. "Then what is Lady Runaan?" "If Lady Evelyn is splendor and Lady Martha is elegance, then Lady Runaan is purity!" "That's right! She's like the female lead in a play! The most lovable of all!" "Honestly, I thought Lady Runaan was the prettiest." "I think Lady Runaan is the best too." "No way! Isn't it obviously Lady Evelyn? She's a goddess incarnate!" "I like Lady Martha more than a goddess or a female lead! She's so elegant!" The Light Wind Palace Swordsmen, having started talking about how pure Runaan was, began fiercely arguing over who was the prettiest of all. It was the kind of conversation that made it clear peace had truly arrived. "Raon... Raon... Raon...." Paying no mind to whether the swordsmen argued or not, Runaan began shouting Raon's name again. It was still slow and quiet, but she wore an even brighter smile, as though satisfied. "Hey! If you're gonna do it, shout it faster!" Martha wagged her finger to the rhythm, telling Runaan to shout Raon's name faster. "A queen? It's not exactly a word I like, but...." Evelyn let out an excited breath as she looked into a mirror conjured with magic, seemingly pleased with what she'd heard from Runaan. "Honestly." It was while Burren was wearing a quiet smile, watching the swordsmen argue over the beauty of Runaan, Martha, and Evelyn. "Congratulations." Karoon had come up beside Burren before he noticed, and nodded at him. "F-Father! I mean, Lord of the Central Martial Palace!" Burren, seemingly not having noticed Karoon's presence, startled and stepped back. "It's fine to call me Father." Karoon gave Burren a faint smile. "The war is over now, after all." He waved his hand, saying that now that the war was over, there was no need to keep up formalities. "More importantly, congratulations on crossing the wall of Transcendence and opening your Sword Domain." Karoon curled his lips, saying he had come to congratulate Burren on becoming a Transcendent. "Ah, you noticed." Burren scratched his head, thinking Karoon had only just now sensed his presence. "I was just lucky...." "No, I didn't just notice — I was watching." Karoon shook his head firmly. "Y-you were watching?" Burren's eyes went wide at Karoon's words. "You, Father?" His lips trembled with shock at the fact that Karoon, who distinguished between public and private matters more thoroughly than anyone, had forgone his own battle to watch over him instead. "That's right. In case you were ever in danger, so I could step in. I was waiting." Karoon nodded, saying he had been watching Burren and the Light Wind Palace's fight from the very beginning. "But you and your comrades awakened your own strength, with no need for me to step in, and took down the Six-Headed Scourge yourselves. Watching that was...." He closed his eyes for a long moment before opening them again, as though wanting to express his current feelings exactly as they were. "...more gratifying and made me happier than becoming stronger myself ever did." Karoon flashed a hearty laugh, saying he'd felt happier seeing Burren grow stronger than when he himself had grown, ascended to Transcendence, and opened his own Sword Domain. "F-Father...." Burren's eyes trembled, unable even to answer, seemingly stunned by Karoon's unexpected words. "You always wanted to follow in my footsteps, so your swordsmanship carried the same noble etiquette as mine, but your Sword Domain is different. A sword fragrance that belongs only to you — to Burren Zieghart alone — has bloomed." Karoon nodded, his face flushed as though moved by the way Burren's Sword Domain manifestation had turned out different from his own. "The name Silent Radiance suited it perfectly, too. I'm glad you never gave up." He broke into a proud smile, as though he could feel the will and perseverance imbued in Burren's Sword Domain. "Congratulations again. Burren Zieghart." Karoon gave Burren's shoulder one last light pat, then walked back toward the Central Martial Palace. "....." Burren chewed on his lips as he watched Karoon's retreating back. He raised his reddened eyes to the sky to hold back his tears, but after his gaze met Raon's, he could no longer hold them back and lowered his head once more. At the sight of what looked like rain falling only at Burren's feet, the Light Wind Palace Swordsmen bit their lips, moved as well, while their eyes still curved into long, clown-like grins with the intent to tease him. Comrades. A bond that had begun in the tiny Fifth Training Ground had, through no short span of years and hardships, become a true bond. * * * -Khehehehe! Wrath chuckled at the sight of Burren and the Light Wind Palace Swordsmen waiting to tease him. -That eyeball there can see this king, can't he? Then this king shall tease him too! He flew toward Burren, saying he couldn't let such a good opportunity slip by. 'Just leave him be.' Raon sighed and grabbed the tail of Wrath as he tried to fly off. He told him to act a bit more like a demon king, then slowly descended to the ground. "Lord Raon!" "Raon!" "My Lord!" "Sword Sage!" No sooner had Raon landed than the people scattered across the sacred ground came rushing toward him. "Head of House! You are truly amazing! I never imagined you would cut down the Demonic Dragon of Destruction like that!" Hoppen of the Holy Kingdom of Suphren let out an exclamation, calling it astonishing Martial Prowess. "That was a sword unlike anything human. Shouldn't you be the god now?" Saintess Olga tilted her head, saying she didn't see the point of serving a god anymore. "I still have a long way to go." Raon, recalling the four swords that existed within the mental world, said he was still far from becoming a god. "S-Saintess, there are so many eyes watching...." Hoppen shook his head frantically at Olga, begging her to just stay still, the same way Raon dealt with Wrath. "She's right, though. It's no longer Sword Sage now, but...." Rector approached with a smile and gave a weighty nod of his chin. "You could well be called Sword God now! This is only the second time I've been truly astonished by someone else's swordsmanship." He clenched his fist, saying this was the second time he'd been genuinely moved by someone else's swordsmanship. "The first must have been that guy, right?" Darkan approached, wearing a white eyepatch made from a torn-off Angel's wing. "Glenn Zieghart." He scoffed, as though he didn't even need to ask to know. "That's right." Rector smiled as though it were only natural and nodded to Darkan. "Glenn Zieghart...." The Heavenly Demon let out a heavy sigh as he spoke Glenn's name. "Even in death, I will follow after him. I have to finish the fight we left unsettled!" He looked at Raon, saying that through this war, he seemed to have found a path forward to the next step. "I'm going too!" Darkan raised his hand, gritting his teeth as though he too had not given up on his fight with Glenn. "I believe both of you will be able to." Raon smiled as he spoke formally to the Heavenly Demon and Darkan for the first time. Even if he himself had reached the same level as Glenn, it seemed that for these two, Glenn would always remain the ultimate opponent. "Is it all over now?" Milland, the Lord of Habun Castle, approached leading a horse that let out rough breaths. "What a shame! My body was only just starting to warm up!" He smacked his lips, saying it was a pity the war had ended just as things were getting fun. "If you go back to the north, won't you be able to fight again?" Raon smiled faintly and pointed north, toward where Habun Castle lay. "It's not fun there anymore." Milland scoffed. "You've only ever called us to places with way too much excitement!" He clicked his tongue, saying that after fighting in the places Raon had called him to for help, defending the north now felt dull by comparison. "If only there were somewhere to go on an adventure...." "Oh, old man. Then how about the sea?" Alice smacked her lips, as though she'd caught just the right target. "There's still plenty of adventure left there!" She grabbed Milland's shoulder, suggesting they go out to sea together. "N-no, that's a bit...." Milland's eyes darted away, as though he disliked the sea, where there was no ground for his feet, having spent his whole life walking on snow. "Come on, you said you liked adventure! Let's go!" Evelyn let out a chilling laugh, as though she had no intention of letting prey that had walked right into her trap go free. (E/N: Dunno what Evelyn has to do with it) "Um, Aunt...." "Raon!" Just as Raon was about to stop Evelyn, a voice more familiar than any other came from behind. "Are you okay?" It was Sylvia. She approached together with Sia and looked him over from head to toe. "Are you hurt anywhere?" Even though Raon had risen beyond the absolute into a realm close to godhood, to Sylvia he was still her young son, and she was the only one on this battlefield who worried over his condition. "Raon! You were amazing!" Sia raised her sword with an exclamation. "That's my little brother for you!" She swung her sword excitedly, saying she'd known better than to doubt Raon and hadn't held back. "Son!" Edgar stepped out from behind Sylvia and ran his large hands over Raon's entire body, checking him over. "You're unharmed, right? When you collapsed, I really thought you were going to die!" His eyes welled up with tears as his hands moved quickly, worrying over Raon's condition no less than Sylvia had. "I'm fine." Raon nodded, feeling the warmth of family from Sylvia, Sia, and Edgar. "I'm not entirely unhurt, but I'll be able to recover soon." He raised both arms to reassure his family that he was fine. "Yay!" Sia, seemingly misreading the gesture, rushed straight over and threw herself into Raon's arms. "Well, that's a relief." Edgar let out a sigh of relief and stepped back, having reassured himself by checking Raon over with his own hands. "Raon." Unlike Edgar, Sylvia took one more step closer and looked into Raon's eyes. "Now we can all go home, right?" She nodded, saying they should go home. But it seemed she wanted to ask less about truly wanting to go home, and more about whether the war had truly, definitively ended. "Of course we should." Raon gave a gentle nod toward Sylvia, who still seemed to have some worry left in her. "But before that...." He let out a soft, quiet laugh as he watched the sun rise to the center of the sky, pushing back the darkness of the Black Darkness. "There's one last thing I have to do."