The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 630
The image of the first head of the Zieghart family emerged above the remnants of the melting golden flames.
Though the surroundings were hazy as if looking into a deep well, the ancestor’s figure was clear, outlined with precision.
I’ve seen him so often that his back feels familiar now.
The ancestor wasn’t fighting anyone. He wasn’t even holding a sword, instead, he was smiling and conversing with people who seemed to be his comrades.
This is different from usual.
Whenever I saw the memories of the first head, he was always fighting someone, with a grave expression on his face.
But now, the ancestor was wearing a slight smile as he examined the hole beneath the zelkova tree, the very place that had summoned me to this world. This memory was quite different from those I’d seen before.
The forest is much brighter too.
The first layer of the forest, during the time of the ancestor, looked different from how it is now. The terrain was the same, but it was bright as midday, and there were no monsters in sight.
After making a rectangular hole, the ancestor stood up. As he walked through the forest, giving instructions, magicians and shamans began drawing geometric magic circles and shamanistic arrays on the yellow earth.
Among the robed magicians, I saw a small-framed female magician who I had previously seen in the cave memory where I obtained the Fire Dragon Flower.
After giving everyone instructions, the ancestor stood at the center of the forest and began drawing something on the ground with his sword.
Is he engraving an array with his sword?
It occurred to me that the Zieghart swordsmen, with their ability to materialize their sword techniques, could perhaps inscribe sword arrays using mana, just like magicians or shamans.
An expectant smile spread across the faces of the people, including the ancestor.
Woooong!
While quietly watching the ancestor’s sword array, my heart suddenly thumped loudly.
The eight rings of fire naturally resonated, engraving the array drawn by the ancestor in my mind.
The flame sword array emanating from the ancestor’s sword transmitted its searing heat not only to the ground but also within the world of my mind.
As soon as the ancestor completed the barrier and lifted his sword from the ground, golden flames flared up again before my eyes. It was a signal that it was time to return.
Frowning as the storm of flames consumed my vision.
The ending is different too.
In the memories I’d seen before, the ancestor always looked at me at the end, but now, he was turning his back and walking towards his comrades.
This confirmed that this memory was indeed different from the previous ones.
I recalled the sword array the ancestor had drawn and closed my eyes.
Raon opened his eyes calmly. No flames rose from the white hole beneath him anymore.
- Where did you wander off to again?
Wrath squinted his eyes as if questioning where Raon had gone.
- I don’t understand where you keep running off to, leaving your body behind!
‘I went to meet the ancestor.’
- Ancestor? Is that ancestor of yours a tourist? Why do you keep meeting him wherever you go?
‘Maybe he’s got a wandering spirit.’
Raon waved his hand lightly and cast his gaze into the white hole.
‘According to the memories of the flames, this place was created by the first head of the Zieghart family and his comrades.’
Though it’s unclear whether the Sword Saint made this place his tomb, it was originally created by the first head of the Zieghart family. [TN: From now on, we are using Sword Saint instead of Sword Demon for consistency]
It seems the revered warrior that Lisrun mentioned, whom the Sword Saint respected, was the ancestor of the Zieghart family. [TN: From now on, we are using Lisrun instead of Risen/Risrun for consistency]
‘However…’
Their timelines shouldn’t have overlapped.
I don’t know exactly how long the first head of the Zieghart family lived, but the Sword Saint was born much later. I wonder how their fates intertwined.
“What are you doing standing there? Come in.”
Burren approached from behind, tilting his head in curiosity.
“We need to go back.”
“Huh? After coming all this way?”
Crain widened his eyes in disbelief.
“There’s something I need to confirm.”
Raon dusted off his dirt-covered hands and followed the ancestor’s memory to the place where he had inscribed the barrier.
The forest was still dark, but the memory was so vivid that finding the place was not difficult.
‘The barrier isn’t visible.’
Even with the torchlight, the barrier the ancestor had engraved with his sword was nowhere to be seen. Of course, it would have been strange if it were still there.
Raon placed his hand on the ground and used the Ring of Fire and mana control.
He drew pure flames, following exactly the form of the sword array the ancestor had inscribed.
Wooong!
His heart pounded. Just as when he saw the ancestor’s barrier, his chest pounded fiercely. The ancestor’s sword array was still alive within this land.
‘However…’
It has changed.
The flow of the ancestor’s sword array had altered from when he first inscribed it.
It could have faded over time or the mana flow could have become twisted, but this was different.
An entirely different aura had permeated the ancestor’s barrier.
‘Could it be the Sword Saint…?’
No.
This aura couldn’t belong to the Sword Saint.
Only someone who lived in the shadows would recognize this malevolent aura. It was a sinister mana I knew all too well.
Raon withdrew his hand from the blackened ground, biting his lip.
‘Is it you again?’
Derus Robert.
A space shrouded in gray mist.
A middle-aged man holding a gold-leafed teacup lifted a book with his left hand. As he carefully opened the book, a martial artist clad in black nightwear emerged from the shadows.
“Delpros-nim.”
The martial artist in nightwear bowed hastily.
“There’s a problem.”
“Calm down.”
The man called Delpros lightly waved his hand.
“Speak calmly, Sabi-daeju.” [1]
“Ah, yes.”
Sabi-daeju nodded and straightened his posture.
“What’s the problem?”
“Most of the key figures have reached the second floor as planned. However, there is one group whose movements are a bit unusual.”
“One group?”
Delpros lowered the book slightly, glancing at Sabi-daeju over the print.
“The, the Light Wind Division of the Zieghart family.”
Sabi-daeju couldn’t meet Delpros’s eyes, swallowing dryly.
“The Silver Blade Division also descended to the second floor, but they remain on the first floor.” [TN: I have no clue if this Silver Blade Division is Serena’s division because on earlier chapters, their division name is called Holy Sword Division. For now we will stick with Silver Blade Division until its cleared.]
“Why?”
“I don’t know. And…”
He bit his lip before continuing.
“None of them are injured.”
“Not just Raon Zieghart, but all of them?”
“Yes….”
“How is that possible?”
Delpros raised his gaze, setting the book aside.
The first floor of the tomb was designed to drain stamina and aura, inflicting minor injuries. With countless monsters and traps embedded, it was unbelievable that none were injured.
“It’s true.”
Sabi-daeju shook his head with trembling eyes.
“To be precise, they were injured but treated immediately, rendering it meaningless.”
“There should have been Bella flowers or Remphan’s poison among the toxins. How did they…?”
“They had antidotes for those poisons.”
“Are you saying they had leaves from Pellen and Roseren in large quantities?”
“Yes, enough to share with other injured individuals….”
“Nonsense!”
“I wish it wasn’t true, but it is.”
He bent his waist, biting his lips.
“Phew…”
Delpros reached out to grip the teacup, which trembled as if it might shatter.
“Even so, they must have expended significant stamina and aura fighting monsters in the dark and avoiding traps. Their mental fatigue must be deepened, so if we push them a bit more on the second floor….”
“That’s…”
Sabi-daeju smacked his lips and lifted his gaze.
“They don’t seem very tired. In fact, the Light Wind Division has not only been fighting approaching monsters but actively seeking them out and engaging them. Some were even smiling as they fought….”
He exhaled heavily, as if witnessing battle-crazed madmen.
“There are many forces stronger than them, but I’ve never seen such madness….”
“Actively seeking out fights? Are they truly insane?”
Delpros ruffled his hair and furrowed his brow.
Darkness, enhanced monsters, traps, and poisons—these were all designed to wear down the human psyche and physical endurance.
Even the top masters who shook the continent would feel stressed, but to enjoy the fight seemed absurd.
Moreover, with the intention to seize the Sword Saint’s legacy, it made no sense to actively hunt monsters. It seemed as if they were rabid dogs.
“What should we do?”
Sabi-daeju smacked his lips, unable to handle it himself.
“Send them to the ‘Red Place’ on the second floor.”
“The Red Place? Raon Zieghart has strong resistance to flames….”
“It’s fine.”
Delpros resumed holding the teacup, smiling grimly.
“No matter how resistant he is, those flames will be of no use.”
Glenn stood in the clearing at the foot of Buksangman Mountain, where he had once sparred with Raon, quietly gazing at the slowly passing sky.
“Head of the family.”
Chad approached Glenn from behind, bowing low.
“We’ve tracked the movements of the Light Wind Division.”
“Hm, what are the children doing?”
Glenn turned calmly, trying to maintain a composed expression, but his eyes wavered slightly.
“They saved a village under attack by tomb seekers before heading to the Sword Saint’s tomb.”
Chad lowered his chin slightly, meeting Glenn’s eyes.
“They saved a village?”
“Yes. I thought they would head straight for the tomb, but they prioritized saving people first. They even helped a village outside the Zieghart territory.”
He smiled softly, as if pleased, lowering his head.
“Thanks to that, the name of the Light Wind Division is being praised in the surrounding villages of Zieghart.”
“I was wrong. When Raon took on that mission, I assumed he was solely targeting the Sword Saint’s tomb.”
Cheryl’s eyes widened as she looked at Chad.
“I’m sure Raon is aiming for the Sword Saint’s tomb. However…”
Roenn shook his head gently.
“The mission he took on is to scout the Zieghart territory. He’s simply fulfilling his duty by saving people first.”
He laughed heartily, seeming proud of Raon.
“Even I’d be tempted by the Sword Saint’s tomb, yet he’s distinguishing priorities. What an interesting fellow.”
Cheryl remarked with admiration, curling her lips. While they conversed, their eyes occasionally shifted to Glenn.
“Ahem!”
Glenn cleared his throat, half-turning his upper body. He stretched his lips into a smile, shaking his head.
“He took on a mission, so he should do at least that much. It’s nothing special.”
Despite his words, Glenn’s face had already turned red with excitement and satisfaction.
“Huhu.”
Cheryl and Roenn couldn’t hide their smiles, amused by Glenn’s reaction.
“However….”
Chad raised his hand slowly.
“The combat strength of those entering the tomb exceeds normal levels. Even after Raon entered, not only the Six Emperors and Five Demons but also former masters have joined in significant numbers. I’m worried.”
He furrowed his brow, concerned not just for Raon and the Light Wind Division, but also for the Silver Blade Division.
“I recognized a few names among them.”
Cheryl nodded, agreeing with Chad’s assessment.
“Should I go and check on them?”
“There’s no need.”
Glenn shook his head firmly.
“But….”
“It will be dangerous. Whether it’s the traps or the Sword Saint’s tomb, it would be more surprising if it wasn’t. Raon knows the risks and went anyway.”
Raon had faced many dangers before, but most were sudden and unexpected. This time, he knew it was a perilous place, so it was right for him to face the challenge on his own.
“We can’t always intervene. This time, we’ll watch over him.”
Glenn crossed his arms, showing no intention of sending anyone. However, his shoulders trembled slightly with worry.
“Understood.”
Roenn and Cheryl nodded quietly, observing Glenn.
Chad, on the other hand, clenched his fist inside his sleeve.
‘This is my chance.’
It’s an opportunity to earn points with my future lord!
Raon placed his hand on his left chest where the Ring of Fire revolved. Within his heart, where flames pulsed, a mix of anticipation and anger flared up.
‘It was a trap after all.’
Now it’s clear. This is not the Sword Saint’s tomb.
Initially, this space might have been created by the first head of Zieghart, but it had been altered by Derus Robert for an unknown purpose.
‘Purpose….’
I can’t fathom what Derus is aiming for.
He was so deranged that I could make a few guesses, but I couldn’t be certain about any of them.
‘Whatever happens….’
Things won’t go your way.
If I were clueless, it might be different. Since this tomb itself is part of Derus’s plan, I can’t just leave it alone.
Whether the Sword Saint’s relics are here or not, no matter what, I will thwart your plans.
“Let’s go back.”
Raon gestured to the Light Wind Division behind him.
“Something seems different.”
Rimmer approached with a faint smile.
“Your face is more excited than when we first arrived.”
“Yes, I’m a bit excited. But…”
Raon nodded, looking at Rimmer.
“Why have you been so quiet lately?”
“Quiet?”
“You haven’t intervened at all, just observing from the back.”
“You’re the captain.”
Rimmer shrugged his shoulders.
“I’m just following the captain’s orders as the vice-captain.”
He laughed, saying he’s only doing what he should.
“Liar!”
Martha shook her head.
“You’re just staying back because it’s a hassle!”
“Ah, caught me?”
Rimmer laughed, scratching the back of his head.
Raon narrowed his eyes at Rimmer.
‘This is different from usual.’
Rimmer wasn’t displaying his usual playful look but a serious one. Contrary to Martha’s words, it seemed he was genuinely trusting me as the captain.
‘It’s a bit burdensome.’
With the unwavering trust not only from the Light Wind Division but also from Rimmer, the vengeful fire in Raon’s heart began to feel warm.
His trust felt less like a burden and more like a belief.
‘Right. Now is not the time to get excited.’
Raon calmed his mind and turned around, pointing at the sparkling entrance to the second floor under the zelkova tree.
“We don’t know what’s down there.”
As he spoke, he created a thick sound barrier to prevent their conversation from leaking.
“From now on, think of this place not as the Sword Saint’s tomb but as enemy territory. Be wary of everything that approaches, even if it’s another member of the Light Wind Division.”
With Rimmer’s encouragement, he felt the courage to lead everyone properly. He conveyed what he had been thinking.
“What are you talking about…?”
Burren furrowed his brow in confusion.
“Understood.”
“Yes.”
Martha and Runaan didn’t ask questions. They simply nodded, indicating they would follow whatever he said.
“It’s too complicated to explain. Let’s just say this place isn’t a tomb but a contaminated area influenced by external forces. Think of it as a dungeon filled with hostility.”
Raon gave a brief explanation and turned around again.
“Remember my words and follow me.”
Taking a deep breath, he plunged into the white hole.
Wooong!
Just like when they first entered the tomb, his body felt weightless, falling into an endless space. The difference this time was that it wasn’t dark but bright.
How much time had passed? He felt his feet touch solid ground. Unlike the first layer, it felt hard, like stepping on a large rock or metal.
The first sight that greeted him was a surging wave of lava.
The air was filled with the crimson wind of fiery embers and the stifling heat that created a haze.
A lava field. A land of scorching heat so intense it took one’s breath away.
“What, what is this!”
Burren looked around, frowning.
“First, we went through a dark forest, and now it’s lava?”
He shook his head in disbelief.
“Haa, at least it’s bright.”
Despite her words, Martha gritted her teeth, wiping the sweat from her forehead.
“Ugh….”
Runaan’s face grew tired, sticking her tongue out.
“I hate the heat….”
She created a ball of ice with her cold air and pressed it to her cheek, but it melted quickly, turning into lukewarm water.
“L-Lava?”
“Why is there a volcano underground?”
“I have no idea.”
“This is exhausting already. What’s up with the Sword Saint?”
The warriors who had entered before the Light Wind Division, and those who followed, were equally shocked by the sight of the lava field.
“First, let’s assess the terrain and find a safe route rather than looking for a way down….”
Just as Raon was about to instruct the Light Wind Division.
Kugugugu!
The vast lava pit shook as if an earthquake struck, then exploded massively.
Boom!
A majestic wing, as if a part of the World Tree had been ripped off, surged from the wave of lava. In the center of the endless wing, a blue light flickered, and a golden beak, burning with flames, let out a thunderous roar that constricted his chest.
A phoenix. The mythical creature said to live eternally in flames emerged, sweeping away the waves of lava, revealing its enormous presence.
“Ah….”
The eyes of everyone present widened in shock at the sight of the phoenix’s flame that melted even the lava.
“It’s a phoenix!”
“And it’s not just any phoenix….”
“That’s on the level of a dragon!”
“R-Run away!”
Both the warriors who arrived earlier and those who followed after recoiled in fear.
“W-What…?”
“That’s a phoenix? Not a red dragon?”
“This is insane….”
“How can we possibly defeat that…?”
Even the Light Wind Division’s lips trembled with shock.
Only one person.
Raon curled his lips, watching the furious phoenix spitting blood-red flames.
‘So this is where you were.’
My hot prey.
As he licked his lips, Wrath jumped up.
- Grilled phoenix! You’ve finally recognized its taste!
‘….’
Footnotes: [1] The term “Sabi-daeju” (사비대주) is a title within the context of the story. “Daeju” (대주) typically refers to a high-ranking leader or head of a division, while “Sabi” (사비) could be a specific designation or name associated with this character’s rank or role
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