The Reincarnated Assassin Is a Genius Swordsman

Chapter 749 Raon narrowed his eyes as he observed the swordsmen filling the area in front of the main building. It seemed not just the Central Martial Palace, but the entire House Zieghart had gathered here. "Did everyone come to see the Central Martial Palace Master?" "That's right." Dorian swallowed the bread he was chewing and nodded quickly. "If the Central Martial Palace Master achieves Transcendence, House Zieghart will be the only one among the Five Kings to have three Transcendent Warriors. Everyone, from the inner city to the outer city and even the vassal families, is buzzing about Lord Karoon." He clenched his fist tightly, seeming excited as well. "Hmm!" Burren pursed his lips and shook his shoulders, seemingly satisfied with the anticipation surrounding Karoon. -Bra-bread! Wrath swallowed his saliva as he eyed the bread crumbs Dorian had dropped, seemingly indifferent to whatever happened to Karoon. 'Why are you making such a fuss over a piece of bread...' -It's all because of you! The creature lunged at him, yelling loudly. -You've been gobbling up Nadine bread every day, and now my mouth is all sore! Everything I eat tastes like rubber! Wrath tied a white band around his head, demanding human rights. -Rise up! This king demands the right to eat...It's a basic human right! 'A demon king talking about human rights is nonsense.' Raon pushed away Wrath, who was shouting about rising up, and walked towards the Lord's Manor. "At this rate, there won't be any space left to watch, will there?" "Division Leader! Over here, please!" Krein, who had arrived early to secure a good spot, waved his hand. 'He really doesn't miss a thing, does he?' Raon chuckled and approached Krein's side. "The Central Martial Palace Master has been in the audience chamber for over 30 minutes, so he should be coming out soon." Krein licked his lips, saying they would be able to confirm soon if they waited a little longer. "W-What do you think happened?" Dorian swallowed dryly and clasped his hands together. He seemed to be both hoping for and dreading Karoon's ascension to Transcendence. "Who knows." As Raon watched the tense Burren while fiddling with his fingertips, a measured footstep could be heard from inside the Lord's Manor. The sound of footsteps that commanded all senses grew louder, and Karoon Zieghart appeared, dressed in a neatly pressed uniform. "Ah..." The moment Raon saw Karoon's red eyes, he realized. Karoon had now stepped into a different realm from himself. -He's ascended. Wrath nodded as if confirming. -His aura is already stabilized. It seems he's grasped his Willpower and image quite well. Though he didn't like it, Wrath acknowledged Karoon's achievement, admitting he had produced good results. 'It certainly looks that way.' Raon nodded heavily. 'It's not just a change. He seems like a completely different person.' In Karoon's calm, settled eyes, a blade as precise as a clock's pendulum seemed to gleam. Even without displaying the fierce, intense aura of before, he still sent chills down one's spine. 'I couldn't beat him now.' If he had dueled Karoon when he was at the peak of Grandmaster before entering the Room of Self, the outcome would have been fifty-fifty. But now, he couldn't win. It would be certain defeat. "F-Father." Burren's lips trembled as he too sensed the change in Karoon's aura. "It seems you've improved, if only a little." Karoon immediately grasped that Burren's skills had improved and nodded calmly. "N-No, not at all." Burren fidgeted with his bangs, seemingly embarrassed. "It must be thanks to you." Karoon's gaze moved past Burren to Raon standing behind him. "Thank you." "Pardon...?" Raon swallowed dryly and stepped back. 'Did he just say thank you? Someone like him?' Every hair on his body stood on end as if he'd heard a forbidden curse. "Even if that child has talent, it's difficult to grow in such a short time." Karoon closed his eyes and opened them again, highly appreciating Raon's teachings. "It's the path the Third Squad Leader found on his own." Raon shook his head, giving credit to Burren. "Is that so." Unlike before, Karoon seemed to have developed an interest in Burren, turning his gaze and nodding. "Um, Father. About Transcendence..." Burren took a step towards Karoon, asking the question everyone was curious about. "I've reached it." Karoon nodded without hesitation. "Woah!" "P-Palace Master! Congratulations!" "We knew you could do it!" "Finally, the third Transcendent Warrior for Zieghart!" The swordsmen of the Central Martial Palace and the direct lineage members gathered around Karoon, cheering loudly. "As expected!" "Congratulations!" Because they were at war with the Five Demons, and this meant House Zieghart was growing stronger, even swordsmen from other factions offered sincere congratulations and applause. "Thank you." Karoon, as if his personality had truly changed, accepted the well-wishes with a calm voice, neither arrogant nor haughty. "Raon Zieghart." After receiving congratulations from those around him, he approached Raon. "Yes, sir." Raon exhaled deeply as he looked into Karoon's eyes, which were as calm as the sea. "I may be ahead now, but someday you'll catch up to me." Karoon's gaze softened slightly. "...There's still a long way to go." Before entering the Room of Self, it might have been possible, but to catch up to the current Karoon, he'd have to cross an entire ocean. It was a matter for the distant future. "No, you will surely reach this realm in the not-too-distant future." Karoon shook his head as if certain. Raon couldn't understand why he was suddenly praising and encouraging him. "However, I cannot yield the throne." His calm gaze began to waver, as if hit by waves. "Even if you reach the same level as me, or even surpass me, the throne of Zieghart is mine." "That's..." Raon's eyes widened. Karoon had essentially just declared in front of everyone that he would become the head of House Zieghart. "Yes. It's a declaration." Karoon nodded dryly, as if confident. "Then you've come to the wrong person. I have no desire for the throne of Zieghart." Raon calmly closed his eyes, genuinely having no thoughts about becoming the head of the house. -That's right! Wrath stood up abruptly and perched on his shoulder. -This guy's only interest is swordsmanship! At this point, it's an obsession, a love story! The creature flapped both hands, urging him to pay attention to food as well. "No. You and I will cross swords before the golden throne." Karoon showed a smile full of certainty, as if he had seen the future. "I'll be waiting." He lowered his hand with decorum and headed towards the Central Martial Palace. "P-Palace Master!" "Please wait!" The swordsmen of the Central Martial Palace and the direct lineage members glanced at Raon once before following Karoon. "Raon." Burren clenched his fist tightly as he watched Karoon's back. "My goal of earning Father's recognition hasn't changed." "I know." "A precise and disciplined swordsmanship that doesn't suit the Frost Wind Sword." He smiled with confidence. "I won't give up. I'll definitely harmonize them." Burren, as if having made up his mind, returned not to the Central Martial Palace, but to the Fifth Training Ground. As expected, it seemed the reason he couldn't give up his noble swordsmanship was due to his respect for Karoon. 'Father and son...' Raon licked his lips as he watched Karoon and Burren leave in opposite directions. Having never experienced a father in his second life either, he felt he might never understand it. 'Anyway...' He furrowed his brows, recalling Karoon's red eyes filled with certainty. 'Why did Karoon say he'd fight me for the position of head of house?' What did he see... Raon went to the head of house's training ground before midnight. Unlike usual, Glenn had arrived at the training ground first and was looking up at the night sky. "Greetings, Head of House." Raon bowed towards Glenn's back. "I heard you met with Karoon." Glenn turned around. He wore a faint smile as if he knew about the conversation with Karoon. "Yes. He has ascended to Transcendence." Raon nodded, recalling Karoon's calm yet sharp aura. "What did you think?" "It felt like looking at a night forest, quiet but unpredictable in what might emerge." "You've seen it correctly." Glenn flicked his hand, commending Raon's keen eye. "I expected him to reach Transcendence, but he's achieved even more than anticipated. That child's talent has finally blossomed." He smiled, saying something similar to what Wrath had said. The two seemed to see things similarly, being at the same level. "Raon. Do you think you can reach it?" "Yes." Raon answered without hesitation, bowing his head. "It's certainly a distant and high mountain, but not one I can't climb." Seeing Karoon today, he felt it clearly. Transcendence was certainly far away, but not an unreachable sky. "That's just like you to say that." Glenn clasped his hands together, saying it was the answer he expected. "But I heard Karoon talked about the position of head of house. Do you really have no interest in the throne?" "Yes." Raon gave another short answer, lowering his gaze. "My biggest goal was to elevate my mother to the direct lineage. If the position of head of house was necessary for that, I might have considered it. But now, I'm not thinking about it." "I see. That should be enough." Glenn nodded, agreeing that the position of head of house wasn't something to be forced upon someone. "Then what you're curious about now is probably the Room of Self." He walked forward with his hands behind his back. "Unfortunately, it seems the Room of Self won't be available for a while." Glenn licked his lips, saying that Karoon had taken too much from it. "It would be best to think about using it next year." "I understand." Raon bowed. Though it was disappointing, he accepted it calmly, having expected as much after seeing Karoon. "Then let's begin today's training. The swordsmanship I'll teach you this time is the Mystic Soul Sword." Glenn drew the Heavenly Tremor sword with a solemn attitude. "It's a Transcendent swordsmanship that leaked from the Holy Sword Alliance. Even for you, it will be quite challenging." He pointed his sword at the sky as if telling Raon to prepare himself. With a soft swish, Raon pushed thoughts of Karoon's Transcendence and the throne from his mind, and calmly raised his Heavenly Drive sword. His red eyes burned quietly like embers. "I'm ready." * * * A tall woman advances through a vast forest that seems to have risen chaotically, as if filling a sea. Her face was hidden by a black orc helmet, but her skin was white and supple, suggesting she was young, perhaps even childlike. As the woman wearing the orc helmet walked, the underbrush parted and tree branches opened a path for her. It was as if the forest itself welcomed her, as though she were an elf. But even more astonishing were the beings following the woman. Monsters that had grown in the fertile forest and land began to slowly form a force as they followed her. From goblins, kobolds, orcs, and trolls to large monsters like ogres. Creatures that should be fighting each other to the death were marching together as if possessed. The man in the green snake helmet, who had been watching this strange sight, whistled in appreciation. "As expected, an awakened king is different." He let out an exclamation, genuinely amazed. "The effect is much better than using mask magic. Is this why you brought her? Did you expect such a result?" "No. Didn't you know?" The Twin-Headed Demon standing next to him shook his head as if to say "What are you talking about?". "I thought she might be useful as a Red Demon or Green Demon since her mother's blood was good. I didn't know she could control not just green-skinned creatures, but monsters themselves." He chuckled, saying it was an unexpected bonus. "Lucky indeed. Including that one." The man in the green snake helmet pointed at the Severing Sword watching from behind. "Ah, that one I brought intentionally." The Twin-Headed Demon turned around, curling up the corners of his mouth. "Despite having a weak aura, the swordsmanship was at an insane level." He licked his lips, saying he wanted to fight again. "You guys are still perverts." The man in the green snake helmet snorted and unfolded his arms. "We'll need to adjust the timing a bit. If they gather too quickly, those guys might come." "I know." The Twin-Headed Demon waved his hand, telling him not to worry. "I'm curious to see how much of a force will gather, but I should go. There's a ton of work to do." The man in the green snake helmet frowned, complaining that he was the only one busy in Eden, then disappeared. As he left, the Severing Sword trembled at the fingertips before following the woman in the orc helmet. The Twin-Headed Demon watched the Severing Sword's back, smiling as if amused. "Is it instinct? Or..." * * * Late at night, close to midnight. Raon smiled faintly as he watched dozens of sword lights illuminating the darkness of the Fifth Training Ground. 'They've all improved a lot.' -To be honest, it's completely different from three months ago. Wrath nodded, saying that the Light Wind division's martial prowess and spirit had changed dramatically. 'I didn't expect them to change this much either.' As if keeping their promise to no longer be mere supporting players, everyone in the Light Wind division except Yua and Julius had surpassed the wall of Master. (E/N: Rambling a bit, but it is a bit ridiculous imo. They are 22/23 years old. Wasn't the original record of youngest master around that age before Raon came around? Oh, well...) It was no exaggeration to say that all the swordsmen who trained in the Fifth Training Ground had made great strides, as Burren, Martha, Runaan, and Mark Goetun had also reached the threshold of top-tier Master. 'Am I the only one whose level hasn't changed?' Still, there's no need to rush. Even if his martial prowess level remained the same, his mastery of the Ten Thousand Swords had greatly improved as he learned various sword techniques from Glenn. He had gained new insights, and some techniques had become familiar enough to use in actual combat. 'Especially the Mystic Soul Sword.' The Mystic Soul Sword, said to be a technique of the Holy Sword Alliance, suited him surprisingly well. True to its name, it contained a solemn grandeur within its sharpness, feeling as if it tied together his past and present lives. Raon headed towards the head of house's training ground, carrying the swordsmen's fervor in his heart. (E/N: I spent some time on this term but did not really find a translation that really match that description. However, this technique only appear for 40 chapters or so...No need to think about it too much. The raw term is "마정검" (majeonggeom) which would literally translate to something like Demonic Spirit Sword) As he was performing the Mystic Soul Sword a few times and steadying his breath in the soft lighting, the door opened and Glenn entered. "Greetings, Head of House." Raon bowed his head carefully. "I saw the Fifth Training Ground on my way here." Glenn approached, acknowledging Raon's greeting with a hand gesture. "Everyone has improved. Except for the two who joined later, everyone's level is quite impressive." He showed a faint smile, expressing pride in the Light Wind division who had trained day and night for three months. "We still have a long way to go." "Now..." As Raon shook his head, Glenn raised his hand. "I think you're ready to take on a new mission."