The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 664

Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the head of the troll shaman that had rolled to his feet.

‘This isn’t an ordinary shaman.’

The typical troll has green skin, but this shaman had brown skin. For monsters, different skin colors are a symbol of power. Just as its unique skin suggested, it possessed exceptional strength.

‘Indeed, it did react before dying.’

If the troll shaman had been a bit stronger or more agile, it could have dodged or blocked his aura. Given its level, it was likely a member of the elite guard closest to the king.

“Hmm…”

Raon clicked his tongue, observing the monsters blocking the Light Wind Division’s path.

‘Not just the troll shaman, the monsters here are quite strong overall.’

Just as knights of a worthy king display profound mysticism and those of a tyrant exhibit great might, the stronger the king a monster serves, the greater its ferocity.

The fact that the monsters charged like berserkers, despite the overwhelming power of the Light Wind Division, was proof enough that a strong king had been born.

“Light Wind Division,” Raon said, shaking his wrist and clicking his tongue.

“I believe I instructed you to maintain your speed while climbing to the top of the mountain, yet you’re quite delayed, aren’t you?”

He wore a sly smile as he spoke.

“N-no, sir!”

“We’re just getting started!”

“We’ll break through right away!”

As soon as they heard Raon’s chilling tone, the Light Wind Division shook their heads vigorously.

“Get out of the way, you bastards!”

“Move aside!”

“If you don’t die, we’ll end up dead!”

“Push through! Kill them even if you die!”

The monsters were indeed strong. They stood in the way with their swords, burning their bodies to protect the king.

But the ferocity of the Light Wind Division surpassed that. The swordsmen’s eyes were filled with a sharp, yellow murderous intent as they completely shattered the wall of monsters.

“That’s more like it.”

– Take it easy on them!

Wrath shook his head, looking exasperated.

– Even in the Demon Realm, we don’t raise our children like this anymore!

‘Even in the Demon Realm?’

– If this happened in the land I rule, parents would curse me out!

‘R-right?’

Every time he thought about it, the land ruled by Wrath seemed more humane than the human realm. Actually, he was starting to lose track of what “humane” even meant.

“Um, excuse me…”

While Raon was pondering philosophy, a young holy knight, who had been standing to the right, approached him and bowed his head. He was the one among the holy knights here who had the strongest aura.

“Thank you for saving us.”

Raon narrowed his eyes as he saw the emblem engraved on the holy knight’s armor.

‘The Superior Holy Kingdom.’

It was the same emblem he had seen during a bout with various neutral factions in the city of Varene during the Clown Festival.

Not only the emblem, but the face of the young holy knight who approached him was also familiar.

“We’ve met before, haven’t we?”

“You… you remember me?”

The young holy knight’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“I remember. Sir Hopen, was it…?”

“Y-yes!”

Hopen nodded his head, trembling slightly.

‘He remembers me…’

At that time, he was less than a mere passing knight in Raon’s eyes.

The fact that Raon remembered him was both surprising and an honor.

“Yes, among those present back then, your fundamentals stood out.”

Raon nodded, looking at Hopen.

‘He even defeated four members of the Light Wind Division.’

In the bouts, Hopen had defeated Krein and three more swordsmen before stepping back. His skill and mental strength were impressive, and his chivalry was noteworthy, leaving a lasting impression.

“It’s an honor that the leader of the Light Wind Division remembers me.”

Hopen bowed respectfully.

“You’ve become a Master. Congratulations.”

“It’s thanks to you, Lord Raon.”

“Hmm? How so?”

Raon tilted his head, not understanding the statement.

“I’m not sure if you remember, but when the leader of the White Religion and the Holy Sword Alliance attacked Varene, our captain was killed…”

“Hmm…”

Raon bit his lip. Hopen’s words brought back the memory of when Captain Byton of the Superior Holy Kingdom was killed by the leader of the White Religion.

“I was the vice-captain at the time, and in my desperate attempt to save the knights, I gained enlightenment. Of course, it would have meant nothing if we hadn’t escaped that hell…”

Hopen clenched his fists and lifted his gaze. His eyes were filled with intense passion.

“It was thanks to you breaking the fortress wall that we managed to escape.”

He bowed his head, expressing gratitude for being saved from a deadly situation.

“Th-thank you!”

The knights behind Hopen also bowed, recalling the events of that time. Now that he looked, the faces of those knights were also familiar. It seemed they were the ones who had survived back then.

“I’m sorry our thanks are so late. We sent a letter to Zieghart, but at the time, Lord Raon…”

“Yes, there were rumors I was dead. It’s fine.”

Raon smiled faintly and nodded. Considering he was ambushed by the Flame Demon King, Wrath descended, and then was kidnapped by Aris, it made sense that no news had reached them.

“So, what brings you here?”

“We heard rumors of a monster king appearing on Mount Dibarun and came for a subjugation. This mountain overlaps a bit with our territory, after all. Although, embarrassingly, we ended up like this…”

Hopen rubbed the back of his right hand, appearing embarrassed.

“Hmm…”

Given the vastness of Mount Dibarun, it wasn’t surprising that it overlapped with the Superior Holy Kingdom.

However, it was almost at the far end, quite distant from where the problem had occurred. To come all this way to subjugate monsters—it showed the name of a holy kingdom wasn’t given lightly.

“It was our task, and I’m sorry you had to step in. We appreciate the goodwill of the Holy Kingdom.”

“N-no, I was just carrying out the orders given from above.”

Hopen awkwardly smiled, saying he had only been following orders to quickly deal with the monsters.

“That’s admirable.”

Raon smiled faintly and nodded. He had had a favorable impression when he first met them because of Byton, and now they were living up to their name.

“We should have handled it cleanly, but it turned out like this. I’m ashamed.”

Hopen lowered his head, embarrassed to be praised after fleeing.

“On the other hand, the Light Wind Division is remarkable. You’ve reached a level that we can no longer hope to catch up with.”

Before Hopen’s words of admiration even settled, the Light Wind Division turned around. There was not a single monster left standing in front of them.

“We, we’ve finished.”

“We’ve taken care of… all of them!”

“So many. There were just… too many…”

Burren, Martha, and Runaan shook their heads, panting heavily.

“Sir! We’ve cleared them all out!”

“This shows our Light Wind Style isn’t so bad, right?”

“And we didn’t take that much time!”

The Light Wind Division smiled with expectant eyes.

“Hmm…”

Raon scratched his head as he looked at them.

“I didn’t see anything since I was talking.”

“Ah…”

“Uh…”

Hearing that, the faces of the Light Wind Division turned pale.

“I’ll watch closely next time. Hurry and move up.”

Raon waved his hand dismissively, telling them to prepare for the next battle.

“Would you like to come with us, knights?”

He turned to Hopen and his knights, raising his hand gently with a warm smile.

“You received the mission, so you should verify it, right?”

“Thank you for your consideration!”

“Thank you, Lord Raon!”

The holy knights clasped their hands together and nodded, as if receiving a divine blessing.

“Um, um…”

“The holy knights should see that demon’s true face…”

“He’s only polite to others! Only to others!”

“He’s not a demon; he’s a demon king. No human could act like this…”

“Come to think of it, didn’t he call us mad dogs earlier?”

“Again? I’m so used to it, I didn’t even notice!”

The Light Wind Division, shoulders slumped, stepped over the monsters’ corpses and headed towards the mountain peak.

“He used to be kind. Why did he turn out like this?”

Rimmer shook his head, puzzled.

– You! It’s because of you, idiot!

Wrath shouted at Rimmer.

– After seeing you, how could they grow up to be proper humans!

* * *

“Left side is open! Unit 3, fill the gap!”

“The right side is too fast! Match speed with the center!”

“Wrap the wind of the Light Wind Style around the formation, not the sword.”

Moving as directed by Martha, Burren, and Runaan, the Light Wind Division was unstoppable, even with the wind of the Light Wind Style swirling around them.

Monsters sacrificing their lives for the king were split apart like dry firewood.

*Growl…*

*Hiss…*

The frenzy in the monsters’ eyes faded, and they began to retreat.

“Incredible…”

Hopen swallowed nervously as he watched the Light Wind Division tear through the monsters.

“I knew the Light Wind Division had outstanding talents, but this is beyond expectation…”

“They still have a long way to go.”

Raon smiled faintly and shook his head. Hearing that, the Light Wind Division’s shoulders trembled.

“Did you hear that? We’re still lacking…”

“Does that mean we need more training?”

“Y-yeah. That guy doesn’t say meaningless things.”

“Damn it! Increase the speed!”

“Let’s break through everything and move up!”

“Graaaah!”

The Light Wind Division screamed, charging towards the still-numerous monsters.

*Boom!*

A blue wind permeated through the spear formation, instantly shattering the wall of monsters.

“Keep moving!”

With Martha’s shout at the forefront, the wind spear formed by the Light Wind Division shot towards the peak.

“Hmm…”

Raon clicked his tongue as he watched.

‘That wasn’t what I meant…’

He wasn’t dissatisfied with their current strength; he had meant it as a form of humility toward his opponent.

There was no reason to misunderstand, yet their reaction was baffling.

– Baffling, you say!

Wrath waved his hand dismissively.

– Given how much you’ve tormented them, how else would they react?

Wrath sniffled, feeling sorry for the Light Wind Division.

‘Well, as long as they move faster, it’s fine.’

As long as they could exert more strength, it was good, no matter what happened. Raon shrugged his shoulders.

*Boom!*

As Raon, along with Hopen, climbed the hill to the peak following the path cleared by the Light Wind Division, they heard the sound of their charge being halted.

Looking ahead, he saw a path blocked by large monsters like ettins, ogres, and trolls, with three troll shamans behind them.

Raon clicked his tongue, observing the distinct aura of these monsters, different from those below.

‘Elite guards.’

The ogre was over seven meters tall, and the trolls and troll shamans had brown skin like those he had seen below.

Both possessed power that would not be strange for a mutation, and the ettin alone had the might to take on multiple ogres, making its presence threatening.

*Boom!*

The ettin charged with a club thicker than a log in both hands, and the ogre leaped into the air, throwing a punch.

The troll shamans cast blessings on the two monsters while cursing the Light Wind Division and dropping boulders on them. All were top-tier monsters wielding their aura.

“Now we have worthy opponents.”

“Form the Great Wind Formation!”

“Unleash the Light Wind Style.”

Burren, Martha, and Runaan stepped forward, and the sword formation that had resembled a spear reverted to its original circular formation.

“There’s no need to drag this out! Take them down in one go!”

At Martha’s shout, the Light Wind Division advanced, unleashing the Light Wind Style to its full potential.

*Boom!*

Blue wind emanated from the swordsmen’s blades, circulating within the Great Wind Formation and elevating their sharp swordsmanship.

The combined will of the swordsmen, honed over years of practice, extended into a single sword aura.

*Slash!*

The ettin’s club and the ogre’s fist split apart in an instant, and the staff of the troll shaman behind them shattered.

*Whack!*

Before the Light Wind Division could even fully exhale, they unleashed a second strike. The aura surged as if becoming the wind itself, splitting the giant bodies of the ettin and the ogre in half.

“Growl…”

“Ahhh…”

The monsters fell, trembling, unable to believe their own deaths.

The ettins, ogres, and troll shamans were certainly powerful. The fact that the Holy Knights of the Superior Holy Kingdom couldn’t even make it halfway up the mountain before fleeing spoke volumes about their might.

But the Light Wind Division had five Masters, and the rest were top-level Experts.

With the best formation and the miraculous Light Wind Style, such an outcome was inevitable.

“Wow…”

“Is this the true strength of the Light Wind Division…?”

Hopen and the holy knights were speechless, witnessing the true power of the Great Wind Formation.

Raon smiled faintly, watching the Light Wind Division drive the remaining elite guards and monsters into a corner.

‘Now it’s more like it.’

At first, the aura and wind were out of sync or scattered, but after a long battle, it was clear they had grown accustomed to enveloping their bodies in wind.

Indeed, there was no better education than real combat. He felt almost grateful to Balder for giving them this mission.

‘Now it’s my turn.’

Raon smiled faintly and followed the path the Light Wind Division had cleared up to the mountain peak.

“That must be the king.”

What he had thought was a peak reaching towards the sky began to rise.

Its tough, gray skin, its arms and chest muscles as solid as giant rocks, and its two heads, each with a different expression. It was a king unlike any he had anticipated.

“A Double-Headed Ogre, huh…”

And not just any double-headed ogre. It was a Gray Ogre, a special breed known for its incredible strength and tough skin.

Born as a double-headed member of an already strong species like the Gray Ogre, it was no wonder so many monsters had gathered here.

*Roar!*

The Double-Headed Ogre looked up at the sky and let out a great roar. It wasn’t directed at Raon but felt like a declaration to the world.

*Whoosh!*

Around the ogre, a crimson aura surged like waves. It was an immense energy that could rival the ghosts of Eden.

Raon clicked his tongue as he observed the intimidating energy.

‘If I had come a little later, it could have been dangerous…’

Despite being born not long ago, it already possessed such an aura and killing intent. If it had been discovered any later, the surrounding towns and cities would have been devastated.

*Growl.*

The Double-Headed Ogre clenched its massive fists, larger than boulders, and approached Raon. It didn’t charge in immediately but calmly took a battle stance, displaying the dignity of a king.

“So it has some kingly qualities after all.”

Raon smiled faintly and drew his sword.

*Growl.*

The Double-Headed Ogre slowly extended its fist. It wasn’t an attack but a gesture of greeting. Instinctively, it possessed the soul of a warrior. It had a presence superior to most knights or swordsmen.

Raon raised his sword and performed a sword salute.

*Roar!*

As soon as the warrior’s greeting ended, the Double-Headed Ogre stepped forward, thrusting its fist forward. The crimson aura descended like lightning. It instinctively understood martial arts—a terrifying talent.

‘It’s only right to give my all.’

A one-on-one battle. It didn’t feel like a fight with a monster. It was more like a duel with a warrior.

Raon fully unleashed his Ten Thousand Flames Technique and Light Wind Style. His right hand, holding the Heavenly Sword, shone with a blue light, slashing through the crimson aura faster than the eye could follow.

*Slash!*

Even after being overwhelmed by Ten Thousand Flames Technique, the Double-Headed Ogre didn’t lower its fist. However, its fist stopped short, not reaching Raon’s body.

*Growl.*

The Double-Headed Ogre let out a mournful cry and crumbled as if regretting its fate.

“Not what you’d expect from a monster.”

Raon lowered his gaze to the collapsing head of the Double-Headed Ogre.

*Whoosh!*

Something shot out from the right, speeding toward him.

*Screech!*

As if anticipating the attack, Raon moved his left hand. He drew the Soul Requiem Sword, its blade shimmering with demonic energy.

*Clang!*

The figure reaching for the Double-Headed Ogre’s head was repelled by the blade of the Soul Requiem Sword, twisting its body in midair.

“Ah, you’ve grown stronger, huh?”

The figure, hanging upside down in the air, grinned. It wore a helmet shaped like a blue serpent with three horns.

“You…”

Raon furrowed his brow at the familiar voice.

“What the hell are you?”