The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 656

“Song of the Wind?”

Raon tilted his head as he looked at Rimmer.

‘What’s the Song of the Wind?’

He had heard people talk about the scent of the wind, but this was the first time he’d heard that the wind could sing.

If he had to think about it, Rimmer had once named his newly formed swordplay technique “The Song of Wind and Lightning,” but it didn’t seem directly related.

“I figured you wouldn’t know.”

Rimmer scratched the bridge of his nose, as if expecting Raon’s reaction.

“What do you think is the most basic way for a swordsman to use the wind?”

“Wrapping the wind around their body. It enhances both speed and sharpness.”

Raon answered while drawing the wind from his dantian.

He didn’t use it much due to his proficiency with the Supreme Harmony Steps and the Glacier technique, but swordsmen with an affinity for the wind attribute would often surround their bodies and swords with wind to increase their power and speed.

“Correct.”

Rimmer nodded calmly.

“When you wrap the wind around your body, you feel so light that it seems like you’re weightless, allowing you to deliver quick and sharp strikes. But that’s not all there is to it.”

He wiggled his fingers.

“Now, try generating fire and frost on your hands.”

“Understood.”

Raon nodded, summoning frost to his left hand and flames to his right.

“The wind is quite a unique element.”

A bluish wind formed around Rimmer’s fingers.

“It doesn’t have an opposing element like fire and water do. Instead…”

As the wind around his fingers unraveled like a thread, the flames and frost burning above his hands expanded to twice their size.

“It amplifies other elements.”

“Isn’t it supposed to be opposed to the earth element?”

Raon tilted his head, looking at the intensifying flames and frost.

“No, like fire and frost, the wind can enhance even the sword strikes with the earth attribute.”

Rimmer chuckled, mentioning that this was a belief held by those who liked to create rigid theories.

-That statement is correct.

Wrath nodded.

-The wind can amplify fire, water, and earth. However, it’s true that its harmony with earth is somewhat lacking. It’s best viewed as a complex relationship.

Wrath snorted, amused at how the elf’s words had turned out to be accurate.

“Since the wind can enhance fire, water, and earth, it’s not easy to suppress any of these three elements.”

As the blue light flickered from Rimmer’s fingers, the surrounding wind disappeared completely. In the newly formed windless zone, the flames died down, and the frost began to fade.

“So, this is the Song of the Wind…”

“No, this is just the basic level.”

With a snap of his fingers, the flickering embers soared into the sky, becoming a massive flame.

“This is…”

“You just heard the Song of the Wind.”

Rimmer pointed to his own pointed ear with his finger.

“Each wind has its unique song. Some winds can increase the intensity of flames, others can suppress frost even more, and some winds can make a sword strike sharper than any blade.”

He smiled, noting that each wind had its strengths and weaknesses.

“My swordplay technique, ‘Eye of the Typhoon,’ involves summoning a wind with a keen temperament and wrapping it around my sword.”

Rimmer gestured toward his sword, explaining how he replaced the traditional aura with a sharper wind.

“Ah…”

Raon licked his lips, staring at the mountain of flames in his hand.

‘Now I understand.’

Until now, he had thought of the wind as just wind, but Rimmer’s words made him realize that each wind had its own unique quality. Depending on that quality, a wind could amplify flames or add sharper precision to a sword.

“I understand what you’re saying. However…”

Raon shook his head as he met Rimmer’s calm gaze.

“I can’t sense the differences between the winds.”

He could see the results, but he couldn’t identify which wind possessed which strengths.

“Of course not. You’re human, and your affinity with the wind isn’t particularly high.”

Rimmer shook his head as if it were only natural.

“Then why talk about the Song of the Wind…?”

“Because I can make you hear it.”

He raised a long finger.

“I’ll teach you my aura cultivation method.”

“What?”

Raon’s eyes widened as he stared at Rimmer.

‘What is he talking about?’

Rimmer’s aura cultivation method wasn’t that of Zieghart but of the Sephia Guardians.

He couldn’t understand why Rimmer was offering to teach a martial art that was never to be passed on to outsiders.

“My cultivation method is not just about accumulating aura; it also increases wind affinity, allowing you to hear the Song of the Wind.”

“That’s not the issue here. Are you even allowed to teach the Sephia’s cultivation method?”

“Hmm, usually no, but there’s no one else around here, is there?”

Rimmer chuckled, mentioning that there were no guardians or observers present. Raon couldn’t fathom his way of thinking.

“My aura cultivation method is called Garunua. It means the Song of the Wind. Let’s begin.”

“Wait, wait a minute!”

“The cry drawn by the wind is…”

Before Raon could stop him, Rimmer closed his eyes and began reciting the mantra of his cultivation technique.

‘What the hell!’

Raon blinked in confusion before hurriedly memorizing the mantra Rimmer was chanting.

* * *

After reciting the entire mantra and explaining the method of Garunua, Rimmer slowly opened his eyes.

Raon was deeply immersed in thought, recalling the mantra of Garunua.

‘He’s in a trance again?’

Rimmer chuckled in disbelief. Most people entered such a state of trance only once in a lifetime, yet this guy went in and out of it as if visiting the restroom. It could no longer be called luck.

Rimmer stood guard, smiling softly as he watched over Raon.

‘It was a good decision to memorize it beforehand.’

Even if he understood it with his mind and body, verbalizing it was another matter. Because he had practiced speaking it in advance, he had been able to maintain Raon’s concentration to the end.

Rimmer signaled the Light Wind Division members who were watching from a distance to retreat. They nodded and quietly left the training ground.

Looking back at Raon, he licked his lips.

‘Is it okay to give Garunua to an outsider?’

If I don’t give it to him, who else would I give it to?

As Raon had pointed out, Garunua was a martial art that should only be passed down within the Sephia clan.

It was a secret martial art meant only for the elves destined to become the guardian of the Sephia, but it wasn’t wasted on Raon. Even his grandfather, the current Guardian, wouldn’t scold him for this.

Huuuuu.

Raon’s breathing alternated between rapid and calm. The wind around him pulsed in sync with his breaths.

As the sun set and the moon rose, the wind surrounding the fifth training ground converged toward Raon as if being sucked into him.

“What?”

Rimmer’s eyes widened as he sensed the whirling wind.

‘No way…’

Raon seemed to be mastering Garunua just by hearing the mantra and the method. He could feel the green wind condensing within Raon’s dantian.

‘This crazy bastard!’

Even in a trance, it was unthinkable to immediately master Garunua.

But Raon’s absurd talent was allowing him to produce Garunua’s lively wind in less than a day.

Boom!

The wind sucked into Raon’s pores penetrated his dantian, causing a massive explosion. Normally, this would have caused severe damage, but the flames and frost already in place seemed to have mitigated the impact of the wind.

“Hoo…”

Raon exhaled a steady breath and opened his eyes. A green wind flickered in his crimson pupils.

“Damn…”

Rimmer let out a sigh as he looked at Raon.

“You’ve mastered it?”

“Yes, somehow.”

Raon nodded calmly.

“This is insane. Really.”

“I didn’t intend to master it from the start. I was just trying to adapt the structure of Garunua to suit a human’s body, but I got so focused that…”

He scratched the back of his head, mentioning that he had unintentionally entered a trance.

“You really are exhausting.”

Despite saying he was exhausted, Rimmer gave a refreshing smile and ran a hand through his hair.

“So, did you get a sense of it?”

“I can’t hear the Song of the Wind yet. However…”

Raon looked up at the sky, lost in thought, and fiddled with his fingertips.

“I can faintly sense that each wind has a different color.”

“That’s good enough.”

Rimmer nodded cheerfully. Being able to sense the color of the wind meant his affinity had increased.

Even though he wasn’t at the first level, it seemed he had properly mastered Garunua.

“But is it really okay for me to learn Garunua?”

“Hmm…”

Rimmer blinked, then gave a sly smile.

“I don’t know either.”

“…”

* * *

Raon squeezed his eyes shut.

‘I shouldn’t have trusted that elf!’

A shiver ran down his spine, and he began to regret his decision.

“I’m just joking. I’m joking. Even if my grandfather finds out, he won’t say much. So don’t worry.”

Rimmer waved his hand dismissively. Though Raon still found it hard to trust him, he felt a slight sense of relief.

“And besides, now’s not the time to worry about that. You got some inspiration, didn’t you?”

Rimmer smiled as if he could read Raon’s thoughts.

“Yes, I did.”

Raon nodded, watching the wind swirl around Rimmer.

‘I definitely feel inspired.’

Having mastered Garunua and glimpsed a new world, Raon felt he had also gained insight into his own growth and how to create a martial art for the Light Wind Division.

“I’m thinking of summoning a fierce yet brilliant wind, fitting for the name ‘Light Wind.'”

“Hmm…”

Rimmer stroked his chin, nodding as if he understood what Raon was saying.

“Sounds good. Go ahead. Even if you fail, you’ll learn something from it.”

“Vice Commander, you’ve been acting strange today. Actually, you’ve been acting a bit off lately.”

Raon narrowed his eyes, observing Rimmer’s unusual behavior.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re being too kind. Normally, you’d be off at the gambling den and not show your face for a while.”

“The gambling den is closed today.”

“There’s a day when gambling dens are closed?”

“They’re doing some internal repairs.”

“Sigh…”

Raon sighed, furrowing his brow. Just as he thought, it was always something like this.

“But you know…”

Rimmer casually rotated his shoulders before lying down on the platform as usual.

“Is there a specific reason you suddenly decided to create a martial art for the Light Wind Division?”

“What? What do you mean…?”

“Is it because of the death of Captain Crassus of the Owen Knights and Thunderstrike Barphil, whom we met in the Sword Saint’s Tomb?”

His green eyes glowed with a serious light.

“…”

Raon’s fingertips trembled without a word. Rimmer wasn’t wrong at all.

The commander of the Owen Knights and Thunderstrike had fought with the same purpose as him and died. They had sacrificed their lives to save him.

This was the first time in his current life that he had seen the death of someone who could have been considered a comrade. It stirred up ominous thoughts.

Had things gone slightly wrong, he could have died, or the entire Light Wind Division could have perished.

He didn’t want to see anyone around him die.

Even if he were to die, he wanted the others to survive, which is why he decided to create a new martial art.

“Yeah. I knew you would say that.”

Rimmer nodded calmly, as if he had read Raon’s mind. The sparkle of mischief in his eyes had been replaced by a profound light.

“Raon, everyone dies eventually.”

A chilling energy flowed along his touch.

“Me, you, the Light Wind Division—none of us are exceptions. It would be great if things stayed this way forever, but eventually, someone will die.”

“I understand.”

Raon lowered his gaze, biting his lip.

“Striving to delay that day is commendable, but you shouldn’t fear the approaching death. You’re the leader of the Light Wind Division.”

Rimmer patted his shoulder, emphasizing that this was something he must accept. His touch was heavy but warmer than ever.

It felt like the heart that had been filled with anxiety and tension was gently loosening.

“Why are you acting like this today? It’s not like you.”

Raon squinted at Rimmer.

“Sometimes, I have to play the role of a teacher.”

Rimmer smiled as he stood up.

“Do you know the saying ‘Don’t step on your teacher’s shadow’?”

“Of course.”

Raon nodded. He had not only stepped on Rimmer’s shadow but had even hit him before. He suddenly felt a pang of guilt hearing this.

“I’ve stepped on it countless times. If that’s what you’re getting at…”

“I don’t really like that saying.”

“Pardon?”

“The saying shows respect for the teacher but also implies a distance from them.”

Rimmer chuckled and shook his head.

“It’s okay if you and everyone else step on my shadow as much as you like, just don’t stay away.”

With a gentle smile, he stood up.

“Oh, and one more thing.”

Rimmer turned back as he descended from the platform.

“If anyone shows up and lingers without saying anything, just make up some useful information or a good deed you haven’t mentioned yet.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Raon blinked, puzzled.

“Just do it! That’s all!”

Rimmer waved his hands wildly and left the dimly lit training ground.

“What’s gotten into him?”

Raon blinked as he watched Rimmer leave.

-I understand now!

Wrath snapped his round fingers in realization.

-That elf must have lost all his money and is seeing things!

‘…That might actually be the case.’ (TL Note : I’m also hoping that that’s the case and its not a death flag)

* * *

Raon left the training ground and headed towards the annex.

‘This is fascinating.’

After mastering Garunua, he could feel the texture of the wind. He hadn’t realized that the winds he once thought were just winds could have so many different faces.

‘Wrapping the wind around me has also become much easier.’

Until now, there hadn’t been enough wind energy, so he had only used it to enhance frost and flames.

But if he continued to master Garunua, he felt he could eventually fight using only the wind.

‘Combining the Sword Demon’s martial arts with Garunua could create a pretty decent martial art.’

He smiled with satisfaction as he looked at the garden of the annex.

It was late, so the maids and Kiluan were nowhere to be seen, but the garden’s soil seemed well-packed.

‘It should be in good condition in about a month.’

After confirming the garden’s state, he was about to head to Sylvia’s hospital room when he noticed someone standing by the garden’s pond.

‘Is that… Ah!’

As he focused his gaze, he saw golden hair fluttering in the wind and a black cloak. It was Glenn.

‘Why is he here?’

Raon gulped nervously and approached Glenn.

“Greetings, Patriarch.”

“Hmm…”

Glenn nodded slightly without turning around.

“What brings you to the annex?”

“I heard it was badly damaged, so I stopped by while I was out for a walk.”

“I see.”

Raon nodded and looked at Glenn’s back.

‘Huh? What’s going on?’

Why wasn’t he saying anything?

Glenn said nothing more and continued to stare at the pond. Raon didn’t understand why someone who had come to check on the annex was focusing only on the pond.

-What is that old man doing?

Wrath frowned.

‘I don’t know either.’

-Then just leave him be! Let’s go see your mother and then eat! I’m so hungry I could eat my shoulder!

‘You mean your back…’

Raon pushed away Wrath’s nonsense and looked at Glenn again.

‘What is he thinking… Ah!’

As he squinted at Glenn, who seemed off, Rimmer’s words came to mind.

*[If someone shows up and lingers without saying anything, just make up some useful information or a good deed you haven’t mentioned yet.]*

Even without that advice, there was actually something he needed to tell Glenn.

“Patriarch, there’s something I need to tell you.”

“Hmm.”

Glenn nodded, indicating for him to speak.

“Currently, Eden is gathering forces in seclusion. Obviously, it’s not for a good purpose.”

He slightly altered the information he had heard from Merlin to relay it to Glenn.

“Where did you get that information?”

“I have an informant outside.”

Raon lowered his gaze, thinking of the cat Merlin had possessed.

“Considering that Eden and the South-North Union didn’t appear at the Sword Saint’s Tomb, and that no additional threats have been posed by the other three factions, I believe the credibility of this information is quite high. It might be a good idea to strengthen the defenses throughout the Zieghart territory…”

“It aligns with the opinion of the Shadow Agents meeting.”

Glenn nodded, mentioning that Shadow Agents Leader Chad had said the same.

“I came here without much thought, but I’ve gained valuable information.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Information deserves a proper reward.”

“Pardon?”

Without answering Raon’s question, Glenn snapped his fingers. A long rift opened in the air, and several martial arts books fell out.

“They’re yours.”

“Oh…”

Raon blinked, staring blankly at the stack of martial arts books in front of him.

‘What is going on today?’