The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 645

“Though it’s embarrassing to say this myself, is it really okay to just let him go like that?”

Serena bit her lip lightly as she watched the figure of Rektor, the Sword Demon, fading into the distance. She looked displeased, as if she didn’t like the idea of letting a high-ranking member of the Holy Sword Alliance leave unscathed while serving as Zieghart’s overseer.

“As much as I hate to admit it, that old man is stronger than me.”

Aris waved her hand lightly towards Serena, honestly acknowledging her own lack of power.

“Besides, we don’t know if the transcendent who attacked Raon is still around. We’ve got enough injured on our side; there’s no need to risk more casualties.”

“Sigh, I’m sorry. It seems the blood hasn’t quite drained from my head yet.”

Serena sighed deeply, her gaze trembling slightly as she checked her injuries.

“It’s fine. It happens.”

Aris gently stroked Serena’s hair, as if to show understanding.

“Wow, people really do change, huh?”

Rimmer exhaled a long breath, watching Aris.

“The biggest troublemaker in Zieghart is saying something like that….”

“Do you want to die?”

Aris’s expression suddenly turned demonic as she glared at Rimmer, the smile she had a moment ago completely gone.

“Still, I’m glad it ended without any major issues.”

Burren sat down heavily on the ground, catching his breath.

“I didn’t have the strength to keep standing.”

“For someone who’s supposed to be a squad leader in the Light Wind Division, you’re so pathetic”

Martha clicked her tongue as she looked down at Burren.

“Rakshasa, my legs are shaking.”

Runaan poked Martha’s leg with her finger.

“Argh! You crazy brat!”

Martha tried to charge at Runaan but lost strength in her legs and collapsed to the ground.

The members of the Light Wind Division watched Runaan and Martha bicker, smiling for the first time in a long while.

But Raon was not looking at his squad; instead, he was watching the direction Rektor had disappeared, clenching his fist.

‘So, there was a reason after all.’

If Muston was acting for my sake, then Rektor’s actions were also meant to help me in the end.

Moreover, it wasn’t just Muston’s reaction that made Raon inclined to defend Rektor.

When they met at the Rakion household and again today, if Rektor had wanted a full-scale battle, it would have happened. Yet, both times, he had backed down without resistance.

If a battle had ensued, the Holy Sword Alliance would have suffered, but exhausted as we were, we would have been annihilated. And yet, Rektor turned his back without hesitation.

It was strange behavior, especially for a member of the Holy Sword Alliance, who are known for their obsession with swords.

‘Now I finally understand.’

While I don’t know the exact circumstances, it’s clear that Rektor is being forcibly restrained by the leader of the Holy Sword Alliance.

-It’s fascinating to see you relying on emotions for once.

Wrath sighed heavily, holding his chubby hand to his head.

-Relying on emotions can lead to disappointment.

‘I’m not relying on emotions; I’m thinking logically.’

-Whatever. Logically, let’s go eat. Keh-hehk!

Wrath’s voice, tired and weakened, coughed dryly. He looked extremely fatigued, as if his energy had significantly diminished.

‘Yes. Let’s eat first.’

-Oh? What’s gotten into you?

‘Nothing special.’

Raon shook his head, lightly stroking Wrath’s swaying tail. Since Wrath had helped him a lot, he wanted to fulfill his request for once.

‘But let’s save the home-cooked meal for later.’

-Where are you planning to go?

‘Well….’

As Raon was about to respond, Rimmer clapped his hands and stepped forward.

“Kiyan is guarding the tomb, so we’ll clean up here later. For now, let’s head back to Zieghart.”

“There’s somewhere we need to go first.”

Raon shook his head, pulling out the broken sword and staff from his dimensional pocket.

“Somewhere we need to go? Ah….”

As soon as Rimmer saw the broken sword and staff, he nodded heavily.

“You’re right. We should go there.”

***

After sending his subordinates back to the Holy Sword Alliance, Rektor climbed a mountain on the opposite side of the Sword Saint’s tomb alone.

Normally, he would have returned to the Alliance with them, but he couldn’t leave until he figured out who attacked Raon.

Rektor stood halfway up the mountain, where the attacker had been, surveying the area.

‘It must be here.’

There were no footprints, no signs of disturbed foliage, and the flow of mana was undisturbed, yet the attacker had definitely unleashed a dark blade from this spot.

Rektor knelt down, scrutinizing the ground with a furrowed brow.

‘Who could it be?’

He had traveled the continent, meeting many renowned warriors, but no one came to mind who could unleash such a powerful attack from this distance.

‘Even someone at the level of the Five Divine Beasts(?) couldn’t do this.’

He knew that the Laughter Empress was hiding her true power, but even if she revealed her full strength, it didn’t seem possible for her to achieve this level of force.

‘There’s no one like this among the Six Kings or the Five Sovereigns.’

Although he belonged to the Sovereigns, he had lived neutrally and met all the leaders of the Six Kings. Their power could allow for such an attack, but they had neither the reason nor the ability to do so.

The same applied to the Five Sovereigns.

Even the most mysterious, the Fallen Heavenly Emperor, the White Blood Lord who had lived for centuries, or the Black Tower Lord, who was said to embody darkness itself, couldn’t have unleashed an aura imbued with the concept of death.

He hadn’t met the Heavenly Demon, but the idea of him coming here to ambush Raon was even more absurd.

‘The bigger issue is….’

The fact that this person held back their power.

Considering the aura in this area hadn’t changed at all, the attacker hadn’t used their full strength when they struck at Raon. A cold sweat trickled down his back.

‘Could it be an entirely new player?’

Rektor ground his teeth. If this individual was a transcendent who should be ranked at the highest levels, the question wasn’t just who they were, but why they targeted Raon. That was the real mystery.

“Master.”

As Rektor was gripped by anxiety and tension, Muston approached from below.

“Did you find any traces of them?”

“None that I can see.”

Rektor sighed deeply, shaking his head.

“They’re not an assassin, yet there’s not a single trace.”

“A dangerous individual.”

“Indeed.”

As Muston pointed out, if the attacker had erased all traces in such a short time, it meant they had done this many times before.

It could even mean that the enemy wasn’t just one person, but an entire group.

“I’ll keep looking.”

Muston bowed his head and began examining the ground and foliage in a posture resembling that of a tortoise.

“Muston.”

Rektor watched his disciple and allowed a faint smile to form.

“You’ve endured well, even though you wanted to see Raon so badly. Thank you.”

“This is the path I must take for Raon’s sake.”

Muston nodded, meeting his master’s gaze. His clear eyes showed not a hint of the jealousy and envy that once clouded them.

“When I saw him last, he had reached an even higher level. Just seeing him was enough.”

He smiled, as if that alone was sufficient.

“You’ve changed as much as that boy. Believe in your own potential.”

Rektor patted Muston’s shoulder gently.

Muston lowered his eyes slightly in gratitude.

“I’ll have to delay returning to the Alliance. I won’t feel at ease until I find even the smallest trace of this person.”

“The Alliance Leader will be waiting; will that be okay?”

“It’s fine. If I explain that I encountered an aura imbued with death, it’ll interest him more than the Sword Saint’s legacy.”

Rektor furrowed his brows, reading the Alliance Leader’s thoughts.

“Are you really alright with this?”

He clicked his tongue, looking at Muston.

“As I’ve said before, the path I’m on has no exit. It’s not too late to….”

“No.”

Muston shook his head firmly.

“You’ve been the pillar that allowed me to endure, Master, and Raon has tied a rope between us, helping me reach that pillar. As long as I can support the two of you, I don’t care what happens to me.”

He smiled, showing that his mind would not change.

“Very well.”

Rektor nodded calmly. His gaze had not changed from before or even now. It always held the warmth of someone supporting his disciple.

“Then let’s go.”

“Yes, Master.”

The master and disciple walked together, shoulder to shoulder.

***

Raon stood in the capital of the Kingdom of Balkar, lifting his gaze.

‘It’s definitely different from Owen.’

Unlike the Owen Kingdom, where the atmosphere was sharp and intense, this city was imbued with an intellectual and mystical aura.

The architecture was different as well. Most buildings were tall, tower-like structures with an antique appearance. The entire capital felt like a vast library.

The people were also unusual. They carried thick books in their hands and wore robes of various kinds. They all looked like magicians.

“Are all these people magicians?”

Burren exhaled sharply as he looked at the people passing by.

“Of course. This is the Kingdom of Magic.”

Martha frowned as she hit Burren on the shoulder.

“It’s because we’re in the capital.”

Kurman, the disciple of Thunder Strike Barfill, shook his head as he approached.

“If there were this many magicians in other cities, we would have already conquered the continent. A shame, really.”

He made a light joke to ease the heavy atmosphere and then led the way toward the inner palace.

“…….”

Knowing what was on Kurman’s mind, Raon said nothing and followed him in silence.

Boom.

The middle-aged guardian knight standing at the entrance to the inner palace stomped his foot as he saw Kurman, raising his gaze.

“Kurman, you’ve returned.”

“It’s been a while, Lucan.”

Kurman smiled lightly and bowed his head.

“You’ve had a rough time. But what about Lord Barfill….”

“…….”

Kurman bit his lip, his expression darkening suddenly.

“Ah….”

The guardian knight let out a short groan as he read the atmosphere around Kurman and the people behind him.

“I apologize.”

“It’s alright. More importantly, I need permission to enter the inner palace.”

Kurman shook his head and gestured to the members of the Light Wind Division behind him.

“These are the Light Wind Division of Zieghart, who saved us at the Sword Saint’s tomb. They have important matters to discuss, so I’ve brought them along. I vouch for their identity with my name.”

He vouched for the Light Wind Division, allowing them to enter the inner palace.

“I am Raon Zieghart, leader of the Light Wind Division.”

Raon stepped forward and bowed his head alongside Kurman.

“It’s been a while.”

The guardian knight swallowed nervously as soon as he met Raon’s gaze.

“You know of me?”

“We met previously in the Owen Kingdom. Though, of course, you’re quite different now.”

He let out a breath, as if in disbelief.

“With Kurman’s endorsement and the fact that I’ve seen you before, there should be no problem. Please, come in.”

As the guardian knight stepped back, the massive gate, towering high into the sky, shimmered with transparent light before disappearing.

Even the castle gate seemed to have been created by magic.

“Thank you.”

Kurman bowed to the guardian knight and resumed leading the way.

There were even more magicians inside the inner palace.

However, they all seemed busy, walking towards their respective destinations without paying any attention to Raon’s group. It was a fitting scene for the Kingdom of Magic.

“Hmm….”

Raon narrowed his eyes as he observed the interior of the palace.

‘The inside is different from Owen as well.’

The inside of the Balkar Palace was filled with artifacts of unknown origin, making it feel like a museum.

Everywhere you looked, from everyday items like clothes, shoes, and bracelets to mysterious objects, filled the space, making the corridors feel narrow.

Soft lighting flowed throughout the palace, seemingly designed to allow magicians to read books anywhere.

“This is the royal palace where His Majesty resides. I’ll request an audience, but I’m not sure if he’s here right now.”

Kurman pointed towards the audience chamber and clicked his tongue.

“If His Majesty is not present, I’d like to meet Lord Chamber instead.”

-Hey! She’s here!

As soon as Raon said this, Wrath pointed a finger at the ceiling.

“Me?”

Right after Wrath’s words, a girl’s voice echoed from above.

Raon looked up to see Chamber, the grand magician of legend, smiling while wearing a witch’s hat.

“Lord, Lord Chamber!”

Kurman was so shocked that he fell backward.

-Did you see that?

Wrath put his hands on his hips, raising his chin proudly.

-This time, I wasn’t late! Keh-hehk! Kehk!

He coughed harshly, his voice still hoarse from the damage caused by the law of causality.

‘…Yes. Good job.’

Though it was meaningless this time, Raon praised him as a way to comfort him since he still seemed in pain.

“Raon, right? I’ve heard the rumors, but you’ve become unbelievably strong.”

Chamber nodded, her eyes full of admiration.

“But what’s with this unusual group? And why is that stinking girl staying so quiet?”

She rolled her eyes as she looked at the Light Wind Division, the magicians, and Aris.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Grand Magician of Balkar.”

Aris, sensing the tense situation, bowed respectfully. She knew how to conduct herself.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Grand Magician.”

Raon also bowed alongside Aris.

“Hmph. If you suddenly act so formally, it’s embarrassing.”

Chamber frowned, putting a lollipop in her mouth.

“Looking around, this isn’t the place for this conversation.”

She sighed briefly and snapped her fingers.

Wooong!

In an instant, the space around them distorted, and the corridor of the palace transformed into a white room.

It was an incredibly spacious area, filled with dolls and sweets stacked everywhere, like a little girl’s room.

However, the walls were lined with countless books, making it clear that this was Chamber’s personal space. It seemed that no one else was around. It appeared that only Raon had been transported to this space.

“This is about the Sword Saint’s tomb, isn’t it?”

Chamber’s voice had suddenly dropped in pitch. It was clear that she already knew what Raon was about to say.

“Go ahead.”

“This matter also involves the Owen Kingdom. However, we came to Balkar first because it was closer….”

“So, you need to go to Owen as well?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s deal with it all at once.”

She twirled the lollipop in her mouth and snapped her fingers again.

Crack!

With a sharp sound like a walnut being cracked, a blue rift in space opened up.

Inside the shimmering dimensional rift was a middle-aged man with a handsome, almost painterly appearance, reclining as he grinned at a pink book.

“Uh…?”

Raon’s mouth fell open as he looked at the man.

‘Lord Lekros?’

The person was none other than the King of Owen, known by the moniker Black Sword Saint.

“Chamber! How many times have I told you not to suddenly open a dimension… huh! Raon?”

Lekros flinched when he noticed Raon’s gaze, shivering as his shoulders twitched.

“Ahem!”

He cleared his throat and stood up straight.

“Ra, Raon Zieghart. Or rather, should I call you the leader of the Light Wind Division now? It’s been a while.”

Though Lekros quickly assumed a dignified posture, the impact of his first impression was too strong for it to carry much weight.

-Did you see the title of that book he was reading? I feel like I just saw something I shouldn’t have!

Wrath trembled in astonishment.

“…It’s an honor to meet you, Black Sword Saint.”

Raon decided to ignore Wrath and bowed his head to Lekros.

“Y-Yes. What brings you here?”

“It seems he has something to say to both you and me.”

Chamber chewed on her lollipop as she nodded. The atmosphere was completely different from when they met at the Council of Six Kings. Now it seemed that the two were closer than their public personas suggested.

“Something to say?”

“Yes, I have something important to discuss with both of you. I entered the Sword Saint’s tomb recently….”

After regaining his composure, Raon recounted everything that had happened in the Sword Saint’s tomb to Chamber and Lekros.

“…And so, I was able to survive thanks to Commander Crassel and Lord Barfill.”

As he spoke, he presented the broken sword and staff in front of them. His hands trembled unconsciously.

“I see.”

Even though the news was sudden, Lekros nodded calmly.

“As that man said, a knight is the face of his lord. But it seems he didn’t realize that it’s better to tarnish that face than to lose it entirely.”

He bit his lip, lowering his head.

“The name Thunder Strike means a solid bolt of lightning. I came up with that name.”

Chamber removed the lollipop from her mouth, her eyes narrowing.

“He was more like a knight than a magician, so I gave him that name, hoping it would soften him a bit. But even in death, he remained the same. A frustrating fellow.”

She clicked her tongue as she took Barfill’s staff.

“But he won’t regret it. Thank you for bringing me his keepsake.”

Chamber smiled faintly, nodding. For the first time, she looked her actual age.

“I feel the same way.”

Lekros smiled faintly as he inspected the sword Chamber had transported.

“Kuzan would be proud to have fought alongside you. I thank you.”

Both of them conveyed their gratitude with different but sincere smiles.

“No, I should be the one thanking you.”

Raon deeply felt the emotions of Lekros and Chamber as he bowed once more.

“By the way, it’s surprising that the area originally belonged to Zieghart.”

Lekros stroked his chin, narrowing his eyes.

“I acknowledge Zieghart’s ownership of that land.”

“And who are you to acknowledge it?”

Chamber frowned as she put the lollipop back in her mouth.

“Owen has nothing to do with that place!”

“Ahem, I was just trying to set the mood….”

Lekros shook his head awkwardly.

“But even if we acknowledge it, it will be a long time before the people do. It will take time.”

He continued in a deep voice, not giving up on trying to regain his dignity.

“No, it won’t.”

Chamber shook her head firmly, looking at Lekros.

“What do you mean?”

“Rumors are spreading like wildfire.”

She pointed to her ear as if she was listening to the voices of others.

“They’re calling that forest Zieghart’s holy land, where anyone who enters must lay down their sword. It’s being named the Sacred Sword Ground.”