The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 705

*Fwoooosh!*

As the swordsman in the blue dragon helm extended his arm, the deathly aura wrapped around his blade shot forward in hundreds of streaks of light.

“How crude.”

Glenn did not retreat in the face of the oncoming death energy. Instead, he advanced, swinging his *Heavenly Tremor*.

*Crackle!*

The lightning surging across the white blade swallowed the death energy completely.

All that remained in the wake of *Heavenly Tremor* was a faint breeze, not strong enough to stir a single hair.

“Did you really think you could take me on with this level of skill?”

Glenn lowered his pristine sword, his gaze narrowing. The death energy crushed beneath his lightning scattered like mist at his feet.

“Isn’t it too early to judge?”

The swordsman in the blue dragon helm smirked, waggling his fingers.

“Let’s save the evaluations for later!”

He flicked his wrist, and a sphere of condensed death energy surged from the void.

*Kwoooom!*

The pitch-black sphere tore through space, hurtling toward Glenn’s heart.

“I told you—it’s crude.”

Glenn extended his left hand, and the onrushing sphere plummeted to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.

*Kuwaaaaaang!*

The ground exploded, flipping the entire riverbank and river itself upside down.

“To borrow your grandson’s words…”

The man in the dragon helm chuckled, shifting his sword onto his shoulder.

Not only his blade but his entire body began to blaze with deathly aura.

“You’re not there yet!”

With a roar, the swordsman in the dragon helm flew forward, his black sword in hand. The pressure he exuded now was more than twice what it had been with his earlier attacks, pressing down heavily on Glenn.

“The weight behind that boy’s words…”

Glenn’s gaze grew even colder, and the fury imbued within the lightning on his *Heavenly Tremor* intensified.

“…is unlike yours.”

The blade, crackling with blood-stained lightning, intercepted the dragon-helmed swordsman’s charge.

*Kuwaaaaang!*

When the two swords clashed, an overwhelming shockwave erupted, tearing space apart. Yet, Glenn did not move a single step.

He stood firm, pressing the swordsman down with just one hand.

*Crrrack!*

A chilling sound, like bones twisting under immense pressure, echoed as the dragon-helmed swordsman’s leg buckled.

“You’re surprisingly strong for an old man. But…”

Despite being crushed under the force of *Heavenly Tremor*, the swordsman smiled calmly.

“This isn’t your full power, is it?”

He gave a small shrug, as if saying that this level of strength was far from enough.

“…”

Glenn furrowed his brows as he looked into the swordsman’s eyes.

‘He’s holding back.’

Even though the man displayed the same strength as when Glenn fought the White Blood Religion’s leader, his composure revealed that he wasn’t using his full power.

‘That fool wasn’t lying about the danger.’

Ogram had warned that even in a one-on-one fight, it would be impossible to predict the outcome against this man in the dragon helm.

Initially, Glenn had thought Ogram’s concern was due to the danger posed by the death aura, but that wasn’t the real issue.

The man was formidable even without relying on death energy, a rare force among the leaders of the Five Demons.

‘It’s better to force him to show his full strength.’

There was no way someone of this caliber would appear without reason. Unveiling his true power was necessary to understand the origin of his martial arts.

*Boom!*

With a twist of Glenn’s wrist, the swordsman in the dragon helm was violently flung backward.

“What…?”

The man’s eyes widened, as if unable to comprehend what had just happened.

“Let me show you the difference between us.”

Glenn raised *Heavenly Tremor*, aiming it at the gleaming eyes within the dragon helm. As if the sword’s mere stance had aligned with the heavens, the entire world trembled.

The aura radiating from Glenn expanded in all directions, as if he himself had become a sword connected to the sky.

“So many unexpected things are happening today.”

The swordsman shivered slightly, overwhelmed by Glenn’s presence.

“But I still have a job to do.”

Shaking off the lingering shock, he darted toward Glenn’s right side, firing his black sword forward like a flash of lightning, brimming with death energy.

*Kyakkyakyakyang!*

As *Heavenly Tremor* and the black sword clashed, their auras intertwined, threatening to consume one another.

*Clang!*

Glenn and the swordsman fought at such a close range that they could feel each other’s breath. It was a pure duel of martial skill, devoid of overwhelming aura—just swordsmanship against swordsmanship.

*Rumble!*

After exchanging dozens of blows, the man in the dragon helm was knocked backward, his feet skidding across the ground.

With each step he took, the earth beneath him cracked and sank deeper. He had failed to absorb all of Glenn’s power.

“Ugh…”

The man spat blood onto the ground, breathing heavily.

“It seems I can’t win this fight.”

Acknowledging that Glenn surpassed him in swordsmanship, aura, and endurance, he bit his lip.

“Are you satisfied now?”

The North-South Union leader approached with a smirk.

“Not quite.”

The swordsman dusted off his hands, signaling that he was done for now.

“At least I got a taste.”

“Then let’s begin the real fight.”

The North-South Union leader extended his hand, and the river surged upward like a waterspout, gathering into his palm to form a blue spear.

It was the Haeryong Spear, one of the ancient artifacts said to choose its master.

*Boooooom!*

The swordsman in the dragon helm erased the last trace of leisure from his face. He raised his black sword high, and the death energy enveloping the blade thickened, transforming into black lightning, mimicking Glenn’s own power.

“You’ve been crude from beginning to end.”

Glenn’s killing intent surged as he raised *Heavenly Tremor* to mid-level. The blade crackled with energy, red light radiating across the heavens and the earth.

“Sword Field Manifestation.”

His deep voice twisted the world itself.

“Flawless Execution.”

—

“Ugh…”

Dorian let out a sigh of relief as he gripped the controls.

“Somehow, we survived.”

Though he tried to sound cheerful, the tension had not fully left him, and he dry-heaved slightly.

“It’s thanks to our leader. That guy never even considered the possibility of losing.”

Krein exhaled as he looked at Raon, who lay unconscious with his eyes closed.

“There’s no way he would.”

Burren shook his head, muttering that Raon was terrifying.

“That guy has never broken a promise. You just need to trust him.”

Martha applied medicine to Raon’s abdomen, a faint smile spreading across her face.

“That doesn’t sound like something you’d say, Lady Rakshasa.”

Runaan shook her head, looking at Martha with disbelief.

“This is real…”

“Today, Raon looks amazing.”

Ignoring Martha’s attempt to lunge at her, Runaan gently brushed Raon’s hair aside.

“Everyone, stay alert.”

Rimmer clapped his hands loudly beside Raon.

“It’s not over yet.”

His usual carefree demeanor was replaced by a serious expression as he scanned his surroundings.

“Be especially cautious of anything that deviates from Raon’s predictions.”

“Deviations like…?”

“Eden.”

Rimmer’s gaze darkened as he looked at Dorian.

“Raon predicted the Black Tower would move, not Eden. That’s a major shift.”

He tapped his fingers, feeling uneasy.

“Hmm…”

Mark Gorton nodded and moved to the bow of the ship, spreading his senses outward.

“But who is this agent of Eden that Lord Raon supposedly recruited?”

Burren narrowed his eyes as he glanced at Rimmer.

“From what The Fallen One said, it sounds like someone high-ranking…”

“Merlin, most likely.”

Rimmer stroked his chin, his gaze lowering.

“M-Merlin?”

“That lunatic?”

“Yes. Merlin’s actions have been strange. She’s pretended to hunt Raon, but she’s also continuously prevented other forces from interfering. At the time, we overlooked it due to the urgency, but thinking back, it’s very suspicious.”

Whenever Raon was in danger, Merlin had appeared and fought off other members of the Five Demons.

They had assumed her actions were merely out of madness, but after hearing The Fallen One’s words, it was clear she had been secretly aligned with Raon.

“I-I remember!”

Dorian raised his hand, his eyes wide.

“Back when we nearly died—Merlin suddenly showed up, asking for Lord Raon!”

He swallowed nervously, recalling the time the entire Light Wind Division had almost perished at the hands of the Flame Demon.

“So, Merlin’s on Raon’s side. But…”

Martha bit her lip, glancing back.

“If Merlin is an agent, why didn’t she know about Eden hiding among us…?”

“It means her cover was blown.”

Burren nodded, looking toward Raon.

“Then… is Merlin—?”

“She’s either been taken down or is in serious danger.”

Rimmer rubbed the back of his neck, suggesting Merlin had been in too much of a rush to get a message to Raon.

“Oh no…”

“That’s… bad.”

“For now, let’s focus on getting out of here. We’ll sort the rest out later—”

Rimmer cut himself off abruptly and turned his head. There were numerous presences moving behind them.

“Prepare for battle.”

Rimmer placed his hand on his sword hilt and turned around.

“Prepare for battle!”

Following Rimmer’s command, Burren echoed the order, and the entire Light Wind Division spread out, drawing their swords. They summoned winds with the Light Wind Style to maintain the Grand Light Wind Formation on the unsteady deck.

After about a minute—

With a sound like a sword slicing through water, small, swift boats emerged from the river.

There were also two warships, their decks brimming with powerful energy as if high-ranking officials were onboard.

“There they are! Over here!”

“I see Raon Zieghart and the Light Wind Division! Increase speed!”

On land, figures resembling White Blood cultists and assassins pursued them. The presence of archbishop-level enemies indicated that they couldn’t be taken lightly.

Rimmer frowned, glancing between the North-South Union forces chasing them on the river and the assassins on land.

‘At this rate, we’ll get caught.’

Although Dorian’s ship was fast, it wasn’t navigating the river efficiently. They wouldn’t outrun their pursuers for long.

They needed to shift the battlefield—from the river to the enemy’s ships.

*Swoosh!*

Rimmer drew his sword, infused with the Wind of Garunua.

“Protect Raon here. I’ll be right back.”

After giving instructions to three squad leaders, he leapt into the river.

*Splash!*

Riding the wind and the currents, Rimmer landed on the nearest swift boat.

“Agh, it’s the Wind Sword!”

“Attack!”

Pirates and bandits rushed at him, weapons in hand, their faces filled with panic.

“I don’t have time to play with you.”

Rimmer ignored them, directing his energy toward the deck of the swift boat instead.

*Crack!*

The center of the deck exploded, sending the pirates and bandits plunging into the river.

*Boom!*

Rimmer kicked off the sinking boat and leapt onto another nearby vessel, drawing his sword once more.

“Stop him!”

“He’s trying to sink our ships!”

Without paying attention to the frantic pirates, Rimmer focused solely on destroying the vessels.

*Kuwaaang!*

After sinking all the swift boats pursuing Dorian’s ship, he turned toward the warships.

‘If I take down these warships, we’ll be able to escape without much trouble.’

With the distance between them and the White Blood cultists growing, eliminating the warships would allow them to return to Zieghart safely.

“Whew.”

Rimmer took a deep breath and boarded one of the warships.

“Kill him!”

“Stop him from sinking the ship!”

As if waiting for him, pirates rushed from all sides.

“Sorry, I’m in a bit of a hurry today.”

Clenching his teeth, Rimmer unleashed a gust of wind. The green aura on his blade slashed through the pirates’ chests.

*Slash!*

The pirates fell in two, flailing helplessly as they collapsed, seemingly unaware of what had hit them.

“Are you the captain?”

Just as Rimmer approached the man who appeared to be the ship’s commander—

*Kiiiiaaaaaa!*

A monstrous roar echoed from high above.

“W-What is that…?”

Rimmer’s lips quivered as he looked up.

A massive creature, its white bones burning with dark mana, moved through the sky. It was a Bone Dragon—an undead dragon brought back to life.

*Rumble!*

Behind the Bone Dragon, a horde of undead creatures—gargoyles, wraiths, and specters—advanced in formation.

*Fwoosh!*

The robe of the figure riding on the Bone Dragon’s back fluttered, revealing a skeletal mask radiating golden light.

“Ghost of Despair?”

Rimmer bit his lip as he recognized the mask. There was only one person who wore it—the Ghost of Despair, thought to have been killed by Raon in the Arian family conflict.

‘Has he been resurrected?’

As befitting an undead sorcerer who wore the mask of an Archlich, the Ghost of Despair had the ability to resurrect himself. It seemed he had returned, using that sinister power.

‘Why did it have to be him…?’

The Ghost of Despair was at his strongest not in one-on-one combat, but in chaotic battles involving multiple opponents. He was the worst possible enemy for their current situation.

‘And…’

He’s stronger now.

The dark mana emanating from both the Ghost of Despair and his undead minions had grown even more potent. He hadn’t just returned—he had become more powerful.

“Let’s start with a greeting.”

The Ghost of Despair’s skeletal mask gleamed ominously as he raised his hand. The Bone Dragon opened its maw wide.

From its gaping mouth, a breath of darkness surged toward Dorian’s ship.

*Kuwaaaaaang!*

The Light Wind Division maintained the Grand Light Wind Formation in a defensive stance, blocking the dragon’s breath.

However, the impact was so intense that the ship’s speed drastically decreased.

“Kill them all!”

At the Ghost of Despair’s command, the undead horde guarding the Bone Dragon swooped down toward Dorian’s ship.

“Dorian! Increase speed!”

Rimmer leapt from the warship into the river, sending blades of wind flying toward the undead.

But there were too many to fend off entirely.

“We just need to hold out—wait, what?”

While running, Rimmer glanced at the water’s surface and let out a hollow breath.

‘There are enemies below, too?’

Beneath the surface, he could feel the intense movements of more undead. The Ghost of Despair’s forces weren’t just attacking from the sky—they were also targeting Dorian’s ship from the depths of the river.

‘Damn it.’

At this rate, no matter what he did, it seemed impossible to prevent Dorian’s ship from sinking.

“Come out! Come out right now!”

The Ghost of Despair attacked Dorian’s ship relentlessly, as if trying to force Raon to appear.

With the Light Wind Formation shaken by the Bone Dragon’s breath, the undead horde swooped in, throwing the swordsmen into disarray.

*Kwooooom!*

In the end, the Light Wind Division scattered in an attempt to protect the ship and Raon, causing the Light Wind Formation to collapse.

“If he doesn’t come out….”

Grinding his teeth, the Ghost of Despair raised his hand. Dark mana gathered above him, forming a massive sphere.

“I’ll just destroy everything!”

The pitch-black sphere, made of concentrated dark mana, plummeted toward Dorian’s ship.

The Light Wind Division hurried to reform the Light Wind Formation, but it was too late.

‘We’re too slow!’

Rimmer bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. The sphere was descending too fast, and neither he nor the brigade could stop it in time.

*Ziiing!*

Just as Rimmer prepared to fire off an energy wave in a desperate attempt to reduce the damage, a translucent light flashed in front of Dorian’s ship, and Merlin, wearing the mask of an old woman, appeared.

*Crackle!*

White flames erupted from the magic circle Merlin had conjured, blocking the black sphere the Ghost of Despair had unleashed.

*Kuwaaaaaang!*

A massive explosion rocked Dorian’s ship, making it lurch violently, as if it would capsize.

“Thank you! You saved—huh?”

Rimmer’s voice faltered as he noticed Merlin’s state. Her mask was half-crushed, her robe soaked in blood and torn in several places.

“So, you’ve finally shown yourself!”

The Ghost of Despair burst into a chilling laugh, nodding.

“I knew you’d show up the moment I targeted Raon Zieghart.”

He clenched his fists, as if savoring the thought of revenge.

“Men who obsess too much are so unattractive.”

Merlin’s voice came out in a cold, mocking tone, her words cutting off intermittently.

“I spent all my time trapped in that golden cage, thinking of nothing but ways to kill you. How I’d kill you. How I’d make you suffer. Over and over and over again!”

A maddened light flared in the Ghost of Despair’s eyes.

“If The Fallen One hadn’t rescued me, I would’ve gone completely insane.”

“You already seem insane.”

Merlin gave a dismissive wave, as if it was too late to matter.

“Let’s see how long you can keep that composure.”

With a snap of his fingers, the Ghost of Despair summoned an uncountable horde of undead from his pocket dimension.

“Whew.”

While the two exchanged words, Rimmer returned to Dorian’s ship, taking a moment to catch his breath.

“Merlin, if we fight together, we can hold them off…”

“No.”

Merlin shook her head and turned her gaze toward Raon, still unconscious in Frederick arms. A soft smile spread across her face.

“What? What are you saying?”

“I’ll hold them off here. You focus on saving Raon.”

With a light gesture from Merlin, Dorian’s ship lifted off the water and surged forward at an incredible speed, as if caught in a storm.

“Merlin!”

Rimmer shouted toward Merlin, who had become a mere dot in the distance. But she didn’t move from her spot.

“……”

Even as the ship sped away like a beam of light, Merlin’s gaze remained fixed solely on Raon.

‘It’s enough now.’

Raon would ascend to even greater heights through today’s battle.

Unlike her, who had walked in darkness, Raon would tread a path filled with light. Having witnessed that, Merlin had no more regrets.

“You hide like a coward after getting beaten to near death, only to rush out when I target Raon? Truly pathetic.”

The Ghost of Despair sneered, his voice dripping with mockery.

“You think Raon Zieghart will accept you? You’re nothing but a disposable tool—used and discarded.”

He shook his head in disdain.

“Yeah, Raon won’t look my way. We’ll never walk the same path.”

Merlin nodded calmly, acknowledging the truth.

“Then why would you do something so foolish…?”

“Because it doesn’t matter.”

Behind Merlin, vast wings made of magical runes unfurled. Blood dripped from her mouth onto her mask, but she smiled bitterly.

“My love was always one-sided, after all.”

(TL Note: NOOOOOOOOOO! My Ra-Lin ship!)