The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 743

“You too…”

The man called the Heavenly Demon answered without even looking back at the Fallen One.

“Are you calling me by that name?”

His tone was peculiar—it sounded as if he both accepted and despised the title of Heavenly Demon.

“Doesn’t it suit you?”

The Fallen One shrugged while looking at the broad back of the Heavenly Demon.

“I am the Fallen One, and you are the Heavenly Demon. For beings like us, I think these are fitting names.”

The corners of his mouth, hidden behind the mask of a handsome youth, curved upward.

The Heavenly Demon neither responded nor turned around. He remained seated as if the Fallen One wasn’t even there.

“This place is always warm and harmonious. The breath of nature is alive here.”

The Fallen One glanced over the vibrant flowers and trees, smiling faintly.

“It doesn’t suit someone like you.”

For once, his words sounded almost provocative.

“Get to the point.”

The Heavenly Demon ignored the provocation and slightly tilted his chin.

“Is that the Green King?”

The Fallen One didn’t answer the question but turned his gaze to the Heavenly Demon’s right.

Under an apple tree bearing ripe fruit despite the season, a woman stood. She was as tall as a grown man and stood upright, as if trained in martial arts.

She wore a black orc helmet, oddly lacking tusks, with twin flames rising from her forehead.

Her bright brown hair cascaded over her shoulders, contrasting sharply with the ominous crimson glow from the helmet’s center, which burned like blood-soaked embers.

“I heard she awakened to the Green Wolf Spirit, but this exceeds expectations.”

The Fallen One clicked his tongue while looking at the woman in the black orc helmet.

“With growth like that, she rivals Raon Zieghart. Tempting.”

He smacked his lips as if he meant it, but the woman in the orc helmet didn’t spare him a glance.

Instead, the shoulders of the Soul-Severing Blade standing behind her trembled slightly.

“The Green King is mine…”

“You’ve started spouting a lot of nonsense.”

A short man emerged from the bushes, shaking his head.

He wore a helmet that resembled a savage ettin, though it had only one head instead of two.

“Answer what our master asked, will you?”

The voice of the man in the ettin helmet was as clear and pure as if he hadn’t yet reached puberty, utterly mismatched with his fierce helmet.

“Still as insolent as ever, Two-Headed Demon.”

The Fallen One laughed, letting the Two-Headed Demon’s aura slide off him effortlessly.

“You. You’re not normal.”

The Heavenly Demon instantly discerned the Fallen One’s condition and lowered his hand.

“Your body remains intact, but your soul is torn. What happened to you?”

Turning his head slightly, the Heavenly Demon examined him with curiosity.

“Another monster is here, it seems.”

The Fallen One nodded as if expecting such an observation.

“It’s obvious who could push me to this state, isn’t it?”

He wiggled his finger toward the red scales on the Heavenly Demon’s helmet.

“Glenn Zieghart. He has finally reached the realm of severing souls with his sword.”

“Glenn Zieghart…”

The Heavenly Demon slightly raised his gaze to the sky.

“He was unlike any other. I had anticipated he would reach that realm as a human.”

He nodded slightly, as if it was a given.

“But he is different from you. He is bound by causality.”

“Indeed.”

The Heavenly Demon sighed quietly, as if regretful.

“So, you’ve come to ask me to deal with this Glenn Zieghart?”

“Could you do it?”

The Fallen One smirked, pointing to himself with his finger.

“Given my current state.”

“I refuse.”

The Heavenly Demon shook his head firmly.

“Glenn Zieghart is undoubtedly an appealing prey, but now is not the time. Besides…”

His aura, the smallest in the gathering, suddenly erupted like an explosion.

“Your goal and mine are different. Do not think of using me.”

With a light wave of his hand, the Heavenly Demon twisted the serene peach grove.

The lush green trees emitted murderous intent like evil spirits, and the multicolored flowers unleashed an oppressive force.

“Our goals align for now, don’t they?”

Even within the bizarre illusion created by the Heavenly Demon, the Fallen One maintained his smile.

“If you’re going to spout useless nonsense, then stop…”

“Of course, I didn’t come here to stab you in the back.”

With a snap of his fingers, a faint light and shadow unfolded, dispelling the Heavenly Demon’s pressure.

“So! Just state your… Urk!”

“Would you shut up?”

The Two-Headed Demon, rising with irritation, froze abruptly. He swallowed hard upon seeing the ominous light in the Fallen One’s eyes.

“A Archangel has descended.”

The Fallen One smiled faintly as he uttered the word “Archangel.”

Boom.

At that moment, the Heavenly Demon, who seemed immovable, turned around.

From his helmet adorned with ten horns, unquenchable flames began to burn.

—

At dawn, Raon entered Training Ground 5.

He cleared the frozen ground in the frigid morning air and completed his basic swordsmanship exercises.

Just as he prepared to practice with the Heavenly Drive, the door to the training ground opened, and the swordsmen of the Light Wind Division began to enter one by one.

“As expected, the division leader is first.”

“There’s still over an hour until the meeting…”

“Just from the state of the training ground, he must’ve arrived at least an hour ago.”

“Does that guy even sleep?”

The Light Wind swordsmen clicked their tongues as they observed the neatly arranged training ground.

“Damn it! I thought I’d be the first today!”

Krein ruffled his hair in frustration.

“When does that guy even get here?”

“Two hours ago, I’d guess…”

Dorian sighed, observing the tidied training ground.

“Judging by the fact he’s already training, it might’ve been even earlier.”

Burren shook his head as he looked at the Heavenly Drive in Raon’s hands.

“I came at 4 AM once, and he was already there.”

He sighed deeply, exasperated.

“I was here at 3 AM, and he still beat me.”

Martha scrunched her nose, agreeing with Burren.

“He probably finds this training ground more comfortable than his house.”

She clicked her tongue, saying the only reason Raon went to the annex was for food.

“I gave up on beating him long ago.”

Runaan admitted she had stopped trying to arrive earlier than Raon. She blinked sleepily, still drowsy.

“Where’s the deputy division leader?”

Mark Gorton squinted as he looked around for Rimmer, the only absentee.

“Why would that slacker be here at this hour?”

The Gambling Monster snorted, dismissing the idea.

“This is everyone. Let’s begin.”

He gestured for Raon to start.

“Understood.”

Raon nodded and stepped onto the podium.

Considering Rimmer’s likely tardiness, it seemed better to proceed without him.

Standing at the edge of the podium, Raon scanned the faces of the Light Wind Division. They didn’t look particularly spirited.

Having spent so much time together, he could now guess their thoughts just by observing their expressions.

“Thank you for responding to the call during your leave.”

Raon clasped his hands behind his back and lifted his chin.

“Though I said this was voluntary, seeing you all gathered here makes me think you share my thoughts.”

“Not really.”

Krein raised his hand while Raon was sweeping his gaze over them.

“I just thought you’d retaliate if I didn’t show up…”

“Silence.”

“Yes, sir!”

At Raon’s gesture, Dorian pulled a gag from his pouch and secured it over Krein’s mouth.

“With that disturbance dealt with, let me restart. Though I said this was voluntary, I believe you’ve all come here because this last war left a mark on you.”

The Light Wind Division bowed their heads silently, as if Raon’s words resonated with them.

“Mm…”

Even Krein, realizing this wasn’t the time for jokes, bit down quietly on the gag.

“Let me make one thing clear. You are strong.”

Raon’s calm crimson eyes met the wavering gazes of the Light Wind swordsmen.

“Thanks to real battles fought with your lives on the line and grueling training, there is no force of swordsmen in their twenties across the continent stronger than the Light Wind Division.”

It wasn’t a lie. Even with the secrets the Five Demons might be hiding, he was confident there wasn’t a stronger group of young swordsmen than the Light Wind Division.

“Uh, well…”

“N-not quite…”

“Yeah, we’re still lacking a lot…”

Krein, Dorian, and the other swordsmen scratched their heads sheepishly.

“Yet, despite that, you weren’t the protagonists of the last war.”

Raon’s voice turned cold, contradicting his earlier praise.

“Um…”

“That’s…”

The members of the Light Wind Division chewed their lips in silence, knowing better than anyone else that Raon’s words were accurate.

“You lacked the ability to escape danger on your own, so you couldn’t capture the attention of the strong. Even during war, you were in a position of being protected—no different from children playing near the water.”

Raon sharply pointed out the circumstances and emotions the Light Wind Division had felt, his gaze locking onto Burren.

“When you tried to cut down an enemy commander, astral energy flew toward you. When you aimed for the neck of a mountain bandit, astral energy surged. And with magic bursting forth, it was impossible for the Light Wind Division to act independently.”

His words sliced through them as he observed Martha, whose lips were trembling from how hard she was biting them.

“The same was true with the Robert family incident. All you could do was stand behind the advance of the Six Kings’ key figures, playing the role of spectators.”

Raon extended a finger as he addressed Runaan, whose purple eyes, usually dull, now held hidden resolve.

“The wars ahead will be even rougher and more dangerous. If you remain as you are, you’ll be nothing more than bystanders—or obstacles.”

His gaze bore into them, heavy and sharp, cutting to the heart of their insecurities.

-You bastard.-

Wrath frowned, his displeasure palpable.

-Why are you being so harsh on them all of a sudden?-

Before Wrath could protest further, a fierce storm-like energy surged from the center of the Light Wind Division.

“I know. Better than anyone…”

Martha growled, her black eyes bloodshot as she recalled the helplessness she’d felt during the war when she hadn’t even been able to exchange words with the White Blood Cult’s leader.

“So, what do we do?”

Burren clenched his fists tightly, seeming to understand Raon’s intent, as his goal to gain Karoon’s recognition burned within him.

“…I’ll do it. Whatever it takes.”

Runaan, who had met Syria and felt the need to grow stronger, nodded her head resolutely.

The entire Light Wind Division straightened their backs, their eyes ablaze with the same determination as their leaders.

“Until the next war begins, we will grow stronger.”

Raon smiled, satisfied, as he placed his hand on the hilt of the Heavenly Drive.

“Every member will train relentlessly, cycling between missions and practice until they reach the level of Master. The squad leaders and Mark Gorton will push themselves to the highest stage of mastery.”

He pulled his chin in tightly, emphasizing the gravity of his plan to hone their power to crush any enemy that dared approach.

“It wouldn’t be fair if only you had goals. I’ll set one for myself as well. My goal is…”

Raon raised a finger, as if swearing an oath.

“To transcend.”

It wasn’t just a vow to himself but also a promise to the Light Wind Division, cementing his resolve even further.

“A small goal? That’s the hardest one yet!”

Dorian trembled at the absurdity of Raon’s words.

“Tr-transcendence?”

“That guy’s potential is insane…”

“Damn it, Handsome Raon.”

Burren, Martha, and Runaan chuckled helplessly at Raon’s bold proclamation.

“Well, if it’s our division leader, transcendence should be expected.”

Rimmer leaped lightly over the wall, nodding as if it was only natural.

“I’ll aim for transcendence as well as the deputy leader.”

He smiled slyly, stating his intent to follow Raon’s lead.

“Deputy leader?”

Krein narrowed his eyes as he removed his gag.

“No way that’s happening.”

“Absolutely not.”

Martha shook her head firmly while standing next to Krein.

“That lazy bum aiming for transcendence? Not even a passing dog would believe it.”

She snorted dismissively.

“I need to transcend to achieve my goals.”

Rimmer waved his hand nonchalantly, stating that he would pursue it regardless of their disbelief.

“The general members aiming for mastery, squad leaders for the peak of mastery, and the division leader and deputy leader for transcendence?”

The Gambling Monster chuckled incredulously.

“This will make for one hell of a force.”

His laugh wasn’t mocking but filled with expectation.

“That means there’s a lot the chief director will have to do.”

Raon bowed to The Gambling Monster.

“Ugh, why did my twilight years have to end up like this, saddled with a lunatic…”

The Gambling Monster sighed deeply, lamenting his situation as if he were worse off than a gambler’s pawn.

“But…”

Raon approached The Gambling Monster, pulling out five black bottles of premium liquor he had procured from the South.

“Ahem! What’s all this!”

The Gambling Monster instantly brightened, his earlier complaints vanishing as the bottles disappeared up his sleeves with impressive speed.

“Brace yourselves! This isn’t going to be easy!”

He roared at the Light Wind Division, determination replacing his weariness.

“Don’t worry!”

“We won’t give up!”

“We’ll follow you to the end!”

The Light Wind swordsmen gritted their teeth, rejecting the idea of being mere spectators in the coming battles.

‘The training and missions will be grueling, but if you overcome them…’

Raon looked at the roaring Light Wind Division, his lips curling into a faint smile.

‘You will reach a new realm.’

After completing the training that lasted from dawn until evening, Raon entered the main training ground before midnight.

Glenn had not yet arrived, but the brightly lit space suggested the preparations had been completed.

‘Let’s loosen up a bit.’

Rotating his shoulders lightly, Raon unsheathed the Heavenly Drive.

—

-How can you train all day long?-

Wrath protested, flailing as if he were a freshly caught fish.

-I didn’t even get a proper meal because of you!-

‘You ate in the training ground.’

-That doesn’t count as a proper meal!-

Wrath flailed his arms, demanding a full meal at the annex.

-You could grow stronger just by eating, sleeping, or resting, yet you can’t seem to sit still!-

‘That’s not enough.’

Raon shook his head, gazing at the moonless sky.

‘If I want to cut down Derus, every second counts.’

The powers of the Demon King were indeed helpful for growth, but relying solely on those abilities had its limits.

To surpass those limits, he needed to refine his martial skills and tirelessly hone his swordsmanship.

-Damn it. I thought you’d spend your leave resting and eating, but…-

Wrath muttered his complaints but eventually fell silent, seemingly relenting out of consideration.

As Raon chuckled softly at Wrath’s quietude, the door to the training ground opened, and Glenn entered.

“Patriarch…”

“No need for formalities. We’ll be seeing each other often.”

Glenn waved off the greeting, as always showing his disdain for excessive decorum.

“I heard you spent the entire day training the division members. Won’t that affect your training with me? Why overdo it?”

His lowered voice carried an undertone of many unspoken questions.

“Didn’t you say we must grow stronger together?”

Raon answered without hesitation, his resolve unwavering.

“As you instructed, I intend to walk this path with my comrades. Rest assured, I won’t let this affect our training.”

“Is that so.”

Glenn nodded, his lips twitching slightly as if suppressing a smile. His dry eyes hinted at satisfaction with the response.

“Then let’s not waste time and begin.”

He stepped into the center of the training ground, beckoning Raon with a flick of his finger.

“How far have you mastered the Azure Sky Sword?”

“I’ve mastered all of it, but I can only use up to the eleventh technique in real combat.”

Raon adjusted his grip on the Heavenly Drive as he answered.

“You’ve also been training with the Radiant Light Style, Snow Flower Swordsmanship, Ten Thousand Flame’s Cultivation, your own techniques, and the Azure Sky Sword, among others, haven’t you?”

Glenn listed Raon’s practiced techniques one by one, clicking his tongue in faint disapproval.

“Yes.”

Raon bowed slightly as he responded.

‘Hearing it listed out like that, it does sound like too much.’

Hearing Glenn enumerate his techniques made Raon realize just how many he had taken on.

Considering the importance of focus for transcendence, this might be an opportunity to narrow down his focus.

“I’m sorry. I’ll concentrate on fewer techniques in the future…”

“If it were anyone else, I’d agree.”

“No, even a year ago, I would’ve told you to focus on just a few techniques to reach transcendence faster.”

Glenn raised a finger, pointing at Raon.

“But after watching you fight, I’ve changed my mind.”

“What do you mean…?”

Raon blinked, struggling to understand Glenn’s words.

“Even I, who pursued the myriad blades, and the Sword Demon had to abandon certain paths to reach transcendence. But you’re different. You don’t need to focus on one thing to reach transcendence. Instead, learn more. Pursue a broader world.”

As Glenn smiled faintly, moonlight spilled through the parting clouds, illuminating his Heavenly Tremor Sword.

“Your vessel can hold anything.”