The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 729

The leaders of the Six Kings concluded their emergency meeting, resolved to reveal Derus Robert’s identity at the upcoming Assembly of the Six Kings in a week.

[A-Are we sure this will work?]

The Tower Master looked around nervously.

[Even if it doesn’t, we’ll make it work! Haven’t you learned any courage as a mage?]

Chamber scowled at the Tower Master, wrinkling her brow.

[Ugh, shouting like that gave me a headache.]

She muttered that she needed more sugar, pulling a fresh lollipop from her pocket and popping it into her mouth.

[With the Assembly at the Beast Alliance’s headquarters, I’ll have a lot to prepare.]

Ogram shrugged, feigning reluctance but clearly ready to contribute his strength.

[I will provide all the support I can as well.]

King Lecross lifted himself slightly from his throne, nodding.

[D-Do I have to attend, too?]

The Tower Master raised his head, looking as reluctant as ever.

[If you don’t show up again, I’ll burn down your laboratory—or maybe even the entire Tower.]

Chamber’s tone made it clear she meant business, twisting her mouth into a smirk.

[Hiiik…]

The Tower Master trembled and muttered under his breath that he would go.

“Then, until the meeting.”

Glenn signaled the end of their discussions with a wave of his hand.

[Right!]

The Tower Master was the first to cut his connection, disappearing almost instantly.

[Look at that shut-in, quick to leave as usual. If he doesn’t show up, I really might have to go break down his Tower.]

Chamber snorted before vanishing from the screen.

[I’ll be waiting.]

[See you soon.]

Ogram and King Lecross gave brief goodbyes and ended the call.

Raon lowered his head respectfully to the departing leaders and then turned around.

“…….”

Glenn remained standing before the throne, his gaze calm and steady even after the meeting’s end.

“My lord.”

Raon approached Glenn and knelt.

“Thank you for your trust in me. However….”

He raised his gaze, his voice trembling with frustration.

“Why did you have to stake your life on this, my lord? Why would you go that far?”

For the first time, Raon raised his voice at Glenn. He had woven in a few lies to capture Derus, and hearing that Glenn had staked his life on his words had left him in a cold sweat.

He couldn’t comprehend the situation and found himself unable to contain his emotions.

“I am like you.”

Glenn’s tone was calm, as if there was no need to elaborate.

“Hmm….”

Raon swallowed, looking into Glenn’s tranquil eyes.

‘What does he mean, like me?’

-*Every time, that old man has a way of speaking in riddles!*

Wrath grumbled, wrinkling his nose in confusion.

-*Let’s just go eat!*

‘Sorry, but today’s a bread day.’

Raon shook his head, not even glancing at Wrath.

-*Bread? Are you insane? With all the delicious food out there, why are you choosing bread?!*

‘The lord staked his life. There’s no time to waste.’

Now that Glenn had placed his trust in him, Raon couldn’t afford to waste time. He couldn’t let himself relax.

-*Curse that old man!*

Wrath shook his fists, filled with frustration.

“Raon.”

As Raon began to stand to leave the audience chamber, Glenn raised his hand.

“It’s late. Have dinner before you go.”

Glenn stepped down from the dais as if inviting Raon to join him for a meal.

“Oh….”

Raon blinked. Though he wanted to get back to training immediately, he couldn’t bring himself to reject Glenn’s offer.

“I’ll prepare it right away.”

Without even waiting for a response, Roenn dashed out of the audience chamber, clearly not taking no for an answer.

-*Yessss!*

Naturally, Wrath was the one most excited by the turn of events.

-*Best. Grandpa. Ever!*

The meal shift from tough bread to a luxurious course had promoted Glenn from “old man” to “grandpa” in Wrath’s eyes. Truly the capricious nature of a demon.

‘This is exhausting….’

* * *

Dinner with Glenn was a silent affair. If not for the occasional clink of silverware, they might as well have been dining in a library.

‘Ugh….’

Raon sighed inwardly as he cut into his main course.

‘This is giving me indigestion.’

The atmosphere was so heavy that he could hardly tell if he was chewing on meat or rubber.

-*It’s melting in my mouth!*

Wrath, however, seemed delighted, pressing his cheeks with a blissful grin.

-*Having a wealthy grandpa is the best!*

He seemed to love it so much that he kept referring to Glenn as “grandpa.”

‘I’m even more tired.’

Raon, feeling weary due to Wrath’s enthusiasm, focused on finishing quickly by swallowing the meat in one go.

-*You tasteless oaf!*

‘Yeah, I’m clueless.’

Ignoring Wrath’s grumbling, Raon waited for dessert. That’s when Glenn set down his knife and fork, meeting Raon’s gaze.

“Raon.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Raon straightened his back and looked up.

“An unanswered question is like a poison that gnaws away at a warrior’s heart. If anything troubles you in the future, speak to me without hesitation.”

Glenn’s nod suggested he was open to hearing anything Raon had to share. His tone, unlike the formal one in the audience chamber, was unexpectedly soft.

“Ah, understood….”

Raon swallowed, looking into Glenn’s eyes, faded like ancient stone.

‘Could it be that he staked his life because he felt sorry that I couldn’t bring up Derus’s name and carried the burden alone?’

If not for that, there seemed no other reason for Glenn to say such words.

“Our time—yours, mine, and Sylvia’s—though close, has flowed by at a distance from each other.”

Glenn looked at Raon, lightly biting his lip.

“It may be hard to mend the lost years, but I hope from now on we can gradually walk together.”

He didn’t know how much time he had left, but just as Sheryl and Roenn had urged, it was time to muster the courage to reach out.

‘But….’

The thought of expressing such sentiments to his grandson, whom he had never even hugged, made his face flush with embarrassment. He found himself unable to continue.

“Ahem!”

Avoiding Raon’s gaze, Glenn quickly turned his eyes away.

“…….”

Raon’s fingertips trembled as he watched Glenn’s ears flush red like autumn leaves.

Seeing that reaction, Raon could tell Glenn meant every word he’d said.

“…I will remember that.”

Raon could sense that Glenn wanted to grow closer with Sylvia as well. He promised himself to arrange a gathering for them once this matter was resolved.

“Then you should get going.”

Glenn gestured toward the door, indicating that it was time to leave.

“Rest well.”

After bowing once more, Raon left the dining room.

-*Haah, you’re such a fool.*

Wrath clicked his tongue in disapproval.

‘Now what?’

-*On a day like this, you should have called him “grandpa”! How can you just leave without saying it?*

Wrath narrowed his eyes, finding Raon severely lacking in humanity.

‘…Was that the right thing to do?’

Having only ever considered Sylvia and the attendants his family in both his previous life and this one, Raon found it hard to trust Wrath’s advice.

‘Should I go back and say it now…?’

Since he felt grateful for Glenn’s support today, he wanted to do at least one small thing for him.

-*Lost time doesn’t come back!*

Wrath shook his head, saying it was already too late.

‘Hmm….’

-*Hopeless fool! Looks like I’ll have to teach you “Morals and Ethics.”*

Wrath extended a round hand, demanding ten cartons of mint chocolate as tuition.

-*Huh? Mint chocolate… wait!*

Suddenly distracted, Wrath twisted his head around.

-*We didn’t have dessert! Go back immediately!*

Realizing that they’d left before dessert, Wrath grabbed Raon by the collar, shaking him.

‘Sorry, but….’

Raon shrugged Wrath off.

‘Lost time doesn’t come back.’

-*Waaaah!*

* * *

[…And so, the Assembly of the Six Kings will be held in the Beast Alliance headquarters in a week. Can you attend?]

“Of course.”

Derus Robert’s face remained calm as he nodded to Chamber, who appeared on the blue screen.

[Then I’ll see you there.]

Waving her lollipop in the air, Chamber ended the call and vanished.

“…….”

Even after the communication spell was cut, Derus lingered in his office.

He stood by the window, basking in the last rays of sunlight before dissolving into gray smoke.

The place Derus Robert reappeared was the Lucien Mountains rising to the west of the Robert estate.

With familiar steps, he approached a concealed cave entrance behind a large rock.

Descending stairs darker than a moonless night, Derus ignored the assassins who bowed to him along the way.

He reached a spacious underground chamber, tidied his appearance, and made his way to the center.

At the heart of the blood-stained chamber, whose red walls looked as if they had absorbed lifeblood over the years, a man wearing a blue dragon helm sat shirtless atop a rock.

“Greetings, Lord Derus.”

Kneeling cautiously, Derus addressed the helmed man.

“Bardiel, your presence here means….”

The real Derus Robert gestured subtly at Bardiel.

“The Assembly of the Six Kings has been arranged?”

As if he had anticipated everything, Derus gave a faint smile.

“Yes. It’s set to take place at the Beast Alliance headquarters in a week.”

Bardiel lifted his head, recounting all the details Chamber had shared.

“Have you heard from him?”

Derus asked while reaching for his jacket from Kubara.

“Not yet.”

“I see.”

He smiled knowingly, as if he’d expected as much.

“How is your condition?”

“There’s nothing wrong with my body.”

Derus shook his head calmly.

“What Glenn Zieghart cut wasn’t my flesh but my soul.”

“Then….”

“No need to worry. I’ve mostly recovered. In fact, I’ve gained something from it.”

He placed a hand over his chest, a subtle gleam in his eyes.

“Then you’ll attend the meeting in person.”

Unable to meet Derus’s eyes, Bardiel lowered his gaze as he spoke.

“As I said, even if you take my form, the old men of the Six Kings won’t be fooled.”

Derus stroked Bardiel’s cheek, his reflection cast on Bardiel’s face.

“It’s not an issue of appearance or temperament; it’s simply that your power is too weak to avoid detection.”

He shrugged dismissively, as if it were a matter of fact.

“Lord Derus, this could very well be a trap.”

Bardiel clasped his hands, urging caution.

“I know. The timing, the location at the Beast Alliance headquarters—it’s all too convenient. It’s suspicious.”

Derus nodded, already aware.

“It’s obvious what they intend to do.”

He took off his black gloves, revealing a scar on his hand, no longer just a straight line but now a cross.

“They’ll do whatever they can to expose this scar.”

Even though he’d used ultra-regeneration during the war, the scar on his hand hadn’t disappeared. Their plan would likely center on revealing this mark.

‘But one thing baffles me.’

Raon Zieghart. What exactly is he?

To withstand his surprise attack, leaving a scar even his regeneration couldn’t heal… it left Derus curious about Raon’s true identity beyond the young man from his past life.

‘Did heaven—or hell—send him to stop me?’

Derus murmured, chuckling at the absurdity of the thought.

“I’ll take my leave now.”

Bardiel braced himself and placed his hand on the back of his head.

As gray sludge-like substance oozed down from his body, Bardiel’s elegant features transformed into the cold face of a young man.

*Rumble.*

The gray substance pulsed like living flesh before Bardiel handed it over to Derus. This substance was an ancient artifact known as the *Doppelgänger’s Skin*.

“Thank you for your service.”

Derus took the skin and pressed it against the scar on his hand.

*Hiss.*

As the Doppelgänger’s Skin vaporized, his scar vanished, leaving no trace of the two crossed lines.

It was as if the wounded flesh itself had been reborn.

“Even Glenn Zieghart won’t be able to detect this.”

Derus ran his fingers over his flawless skin, a faint smirk on his face.

The Doppelgänger’s Skin was a unique artifact that ignored aura, magic, and curses alike.

Since he only needed to cover his hand, even the leaders of the Six Kings wouldn’t be able to find it.

Though the spell might reveal him if it unleashed the force of death itself, he had no plans to use it, sealing away that possibility altogether.

“In fact, I hope they do suspect me.”

If they were to accuse him and find nothing, it would only strengthen his position. Derus secretly wished for a trap as he savored the thought.

“Even so, please remain cautious.”

Kubara, dressed in a maid’s uniform, bowed her head.

“Of course.”

Derus nodded slightly.

“That’s why I’ll be bringing Refon along again.”

He spoke Refon’s name in a chilling tone devoid of warmth.

“Prepare yourselves for what’s to come.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Understood.”

Bardiel and Kubara bowed and disappeared from the chamber.

“Beorn.”

Derus, taking off his blue dragon helm, glanced to his right.

“There’s someone you might want to see. Will you come with me?”

“No, I have no interest.”

Beorn, his hands clasped behind his back, shook his head and faded into the shadows.

“What a bore.”

Derus chuckled, tossing the blue dragon helm into the air.

*Thunk!*

The helm hit the ground with a metallic crunch that echoed from the depths of the underground.

“The Assembly of the Six Kings….”

Derus leaned back against the bloodstained walls of the chamber, his mouth curling into a smile.

“Waiting for the next week will be tedious.”

* * *

Raon awoke to the early morning song of birds.

In his hand, an ethereal blade glowed.

-*So, you’ve finally completed it….*

Wrath grimaced in disbelief.

-*It’s not bad, but it’s not all that powerful. It won’t work on many people.*

He waved dismissively, predicting that Raon’s new creation might be in vain.

‘I don’t need it to work on everyone.’

Raon nodded, his expression calm.

‘I just need it to work on one person.’

Taking a deep breath, Raon lowered the refined *Blade That Cuts Through Death* back into his core.

The blade strained both his body and spirit, but he could endure anything to expose Derus’s true identity.

‘Derus Robert.’

Watching the warm sunrise, signaling the start of the Assembly, Raon clenched his fists until they turned red.

‘Today, I’ll tear off your mask in front of everyone.’