The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 1021:

—Isn’t this whole thing rigged? How can this be!

Wrath shrieked, wondering why a reward message popped up every time he spoke.

—This damn system is clearly watching this great one’s every move!

He jabbed his finger at the empty air, demanding it show itself.

‘Should I check?’

Ignoring Wrath’s tantrum, Raon checked the message floating before his eyes.

[You have bestowed the mercy of a war god upon those who will walk the same path.]

[The proficiency of has increased.]

[All stats will increase by 30 points.]

[The rank of the trait will increase.]

[The rank of the trait will increase.]

[The rank of the trait will increase.]

[The rank of the trait will increase.]

[The level of your soul has greatly increased.]

[A new trait, , has been created.]

‘The rewards are good, but the description is a little embarrassing.’

The mercy of a war god. It was too grand a title for him, who had only just reached transcendence.

—Exactly!

Wrath slapped him on the shoulder as if to say, ‘Well said.’

—The system is too fond of you! When the real master is right here!

He ground his teeth, muttering that the system must be so smitten with Raon’s face that it had lost its mind.

—I will smash its head in as soon as I return to the Demon Realm!

‘R-Really?’

Ignoring the beast-like growls from Wrath, Raon continued to examine the messages.

[The proficiency of has increased.]

[All stats will increase by 30 points.]

‘As expected, the proficiency of Thousand Swords went up.’

Just as he had predicted when his Mental World expanded, the proficiency of all the sword techniques he had learned had grown.

Since he had even embodied them through his duel with Briana, it was a greater gain than some half-baked epiphany.

‘And all my stats went up by 30 points.’

Although he had faced two Transcenders, the Thespian Emperor’s mind had been shattered, so she had only spewed Aura and sorcery, and the duel with Briana had been helpful to him in many ways. It felt like he had gotten the points for free.

—You barely did anything, yet 30 points is too much! This isn’t some street market, so why is it giving away so much!

Wrath yelled at the system, telling it to get a grip.

‘Next…’

Feeling strength and vitality surge through his entire body, Raon checked the message below.

[The rank of the trait will increase.]

[The rank of the trait will increase.]

[The rank of the trait will increase.]

[The rank of the trait will increase.]

‘Four traits went up, too.’

Perhaps because he had focused his ocular power to overcome Briana’s swordsmanship, the rank of had increased. And because he had endured the Thespian Emperor’s Aura and sorcery with his body, the rank of had also risen.

It seemed that and , traits related to Sword Control, had grown along with the proficiency of Thousand Swords.

—This is driving me crazy! You just ate a meal that was already set for you, so why did it give you four upgrades!

Wrath’s small, bread-like fists trembled as he found it harder and harder to endure.

‘His fits are worse than usual today.’

Raon pushed away Wrath, who was flailing with all his might like a tadpole, and checked the last message.

[The level of your soul has greatly increased.]

[A new trait, , has been created.]

‘Soul Transference?’

It was a trait he couldn’t guess from the name alone, so he immediately checked its description.

Your soul, having grown too large to be contained by the vessel of your body, now has a positive influence on those around you.

‘Does this mean my soul has a good effect on others?’

Reading the description of Soul Transference, it seemed to mean that his soul, which had grown disproportionately large for his current level, created a positive effect on others.

—Tsk…

Unlike when he saw the other reward messages, Wrath didn’t get angry, only clicking his tongue briefly.

‘How come you’re not mad?’

Raon asked if he had finally matured, lightly patting Wrath’s tail.

—Because I already knew.

Wrath licked his lips as if he had expected him to gain the trait.

‘You knew?’

—That’s right.

He nodded calmly.

—Didn’t you find it strange that both of the wenches you fought today fell into a state of enlightenment?

Wrath pointed to Briana, who was still in a state of enlightenment.

‘Hmm…’

Raon followed Wrath’s hand to look at Briana and let out a low groan.

—It’s true that the Celestial Omen wench had been trapped by her inner demon for a long time, and that crazy wench’s soul is special, so they both entered a state of enlightenment easily. But even so…

His eyes narrowed deeply.

—It’s impossible for them to fall into a state of enlightenment the moment they start fighting you.

Wrath shook his head, saying that no matter the circumstances, for two people to enter a state of enlightenment just by sparring with another person was beyond the norm.

‘Then…’

Raon swallowed dryly and looked at his newly acquired trait, .

—That’s right.

Wrath lowered his hand as if to confirm it.

—I wasn’t sure with the Celestial Omen wench, but now I’m certain.

He gestured to Raon with a flick of his chin.

—When you unlocked your Heart Sword, you instinctively learned how to use that massive soul of yours.

‘Use my soul…?’

—Your soul is of such a high level that not only this great one, but also that old man Nadine acknowledged it. Now, it’s not just affecting you, but others as well. The power of that damn ring is probably involved, too.

Wrath’s eyebrows drooped as he explained that the effect had simply been made into a trait.

‘I see.’

Raon said he understood now and looked at the Soul Transference trait again.

‘This is quite… No, this is a huge advantage.’

The ability to use his own soul to help others grow would surely be more helpful to the Light Wind Palace’s growth than any other trait.

‘I’m looking forward to this.’

Raon’s lips curled up as he looked at the Light Wind Palace Swordsmen.

“Lord Raon!”

“You did great!”

“We knew you would win!”

The Light Wind Palace Swordsmen waved their hands and cheered at Raon’s smile.

“Huuup!”

However, Dorian, who could read Raon’s thoughts, clamped a hand over his mouth as if about to retch, his whole body trembling.

“We’re dead…”

===

“Heok!”

As Raon was thinking about how to train the Light Wind Palace Swordsmen, Briana, who had been in a state of enlightenment, took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

‘She woke up sooner than I thought.’

Perhaps because it was a state of enlightenment influenced by him rather than her own ability, the time she had spent in her Mental World wasn’t very long.

“M-Master!”

“Are you all right?”

The swordsmen of the Swordless Pavilion who had been guarding Briana rushed to her side.

“I’m in the best condition I’ve ever been in.”

Briana said her body and mind felt completely clear, then dismissed her subordinates and approached him.

“I should start by thanking you.”

She bowed politely, thanking him for the enlightenment. It seemed she didn’t know about Soul Transference, but was thanking him because she had entered a state of enlightenment during their duel.

“It was just a coincidence.”

Raon waved his hand, looking into Briana’s now-calm eyes.

“Why the sudden formal speech?”

Briana tilted her head as if finding it strange.

“Because the duel is over.”

Raon shrugged, saying that since he had achieved his goal, there was no need to act arrogant anymore.

“I felt it from the moment I first saw you, but you truly are peculiar.”

Briana chuckled as she looked at him.

“Don’t worry about how I speak. Please, tell me now. Who are you?”

Raon said that since the duel was over, she should explain everything.

“I’m the older sister of the woman you call the Evil Sword Marquis.”

Briana pointed a finger at her own chest.

“Sisters born in one body.”

She smiled, explaining that two souls shared a single body.

“Is it something like a split personality?”

“You could think of it that way, but it’s not, really. Our souls are truly different.”

Briana smiled and shook her head.

“Ah, I see.”

Just as he had first felt, it seemed it wasn’t a change in personality, but a change of souls.

“From the moment Bridget and I were born, the master of our body would switch frequently, regardless of our will. We were pointed at for being cursed and were even abandoned by our parents.”

Briana gave a faint smile, explaining that after being abandoned by their parents, they happened to meet their master and entered the Swordless Pavilion.

“Don’t say things like that. I made a promise, so it’s right for me to tell him everything.”

She waved her hand as if telling Bridget to be quiet.

“What do you mean, it kept switching?”

“It wasn’t like now, where we can switch the master of the body at will. Our souls would switch at any given moment. The physical and mental pain was so severe, I thought I was really going crazy.”

Briana let out a ragged breath, explaining that when their souls were forcibly switched, the shock was so intense that they would pass out.

“That’s when our master called for Ariel. Thanks to the sorcery she cast on us, we were able to live like this.”

She swept back her disheveled hair, saying they were able to survive thanks to the Thespian Emperor’s sorcery.

Now he understood why the Evil Sword Marquis had followed the Thespian Emperor.

“Of course, the Ariel of that time probably read the Celestial Omen and saved us because she thought we would be useful. But it’s still a fact that she helped us.”

Briana smiled faintly, as if she had a complete read on the Thespian Emperor’s personality.

“I have one question. You are much stronger, so why was Lady Bridget in control of the body?”

Raon asked the question that had been on his mind to the smiling Briana.

“I said I would go inside.”

Briana placed a hand on her chest, as if holding Bridget’s hand.

“It’s only natural for an older sister to take care of her younger sister, isn’t it?”

She smiled, saying it hadn’t been a difficult choice.

“…I see.”

Raon let out a hollow breath as he looked at Briana, who seemed to have no regrets about her choice.

‘She’s a person of great character.’

Having already had a taste of controlling the body, she must have been reluctant to go inside, but seeing her smile and make the choice for her sister’s sake without regret, he could feel the immense character of the person named Briana.

‘This person will grow even more in the future.’

He was excited to see what kind of different level of martial prowess and growth she would show if she could just overcome the limitations of Bridget’s body and Aura.

“What? Even if you were born one minute earlier, an unni is an unni! And what does it matter if I talk outside or inside!”

Briana frowned, as if arguing with Bridget inside her.

“Could it be that Lady Bridget was so taciturn because…”

Raon narrowed his eyes at Briana.

“That’s right. She was busy chatting with me inside, so she seemed quiet.”

She laughed, saying that the real Bridget was actually quite talkative.

“Can I ask you something, too?”

Briana raised a finger.

“Please do.”

“You can enter your Mental World at will, can’t you?”

She smiled faintly, as if she had sensed it.

“Not entirely as I please, but I can time it to some extent.”

Raon shook his head, saying that entering the Mental World wasn’t that difficult.

“I knew it! I felt the same kind of breath from you!”

Briana grinned, saying she had felt a similar quality while fighting him.

“The same breath?”

“I can sever the connection with my body and enter the Mental World. I’ve been training alone in there until now.”

She nodded, explaining that she had been honing her footwork and swordsmanship in that solitary space.

“…I see.”

Raon swallowed dryly as he looked at Briana.

‘So that’s how she was able to execute techniques and footwork of such absurd perfection.’

While Bridget was living in the outside world, Briana must have trained her sword and footwork in the Mental World, where time flows slowly, creating swordsmanship and footwork so perfected that they posed a threat to him.

All the questions he had about her were finally answered.

“It was really fun fighting you.”

Briana said they should spar again sometime and held out her fist.

“Anytime.”

Raon smiled faintly and raised his hand to bump Briana’s fist.

“I wholeheartedly welcome walking alongside Zieghart.”

Briana said she would approve of following the Five Kings, then closed her eyes.

‘Fwoosh.’

When she opened her eyes again, the soul of the original owner, Bridget, shone within them.

“Umm…”

The Evil Sword Marquis Bridget looked at him and bit her lip slightly. She seemed embarrassed that the secret she had been hiding had been completely revealed.

“I’ll start by saying thank you. It wasn’t just Briana; I was affected by it, too.”

She nodded, as if she had also entered the state of enlightenment when Briana did.

“And…”

Bridget took a short breath and nodded.

“I share my sister’s sentiment.”

She, like Briana, had decided to join the Five Kings and extended her fist forward.

“I was very rude in many ways today.”

Raon bowed his head, apologizing for his impertinence.

“I look forward to working with you as well.”

He said he would make sure she wouldn’t regret it, and extended his own hand toward the same, yet different, fist.

‘Thump.’

===

Raon returned to the Thespian Emperor’s training ground with Bridget.

“You’ve returned.”

The Thespian Emperor seemed to have woken up in the meantime. She placed a hand on her chest and bowed respectfully.

“You seem to be in a good mood.”

Raon drew a faint smile as he looked into the eyes of the Thespian Emperor, who was slowly raising her head.

‘She’s back.’

An intellectual light he hadn’t seen today was blooming in the Thespian Emperor’s eyes.

Her very existence seemed to sparkle with a clearer and more elegant color than when he had first seen her in Zieghart.

Not only had she escaped her inner demon, but the level of her soul seemed to have grown significantly.

“I’ve escaped the small room that was imprisoning me, so of course I’m in a good mood.”

The Thespian Emperor clasped her hands in front of her waist, thanking him for pulling her out of the dark, narrow room.

“Bridget. You seem to have changed somewhat as well.”

She smiled gently at the Evil Sword Marquis behind Raon.

“Yes. I’m indebted to this man. Both me and Briana.”

The Evil Sword Marquis clicked her tongue briefly, saying it was a debt that would be hard to repay.

“So we’ve decided to join the Five Kings.”

She nodded, saying the choice had already been made.

“I see. Then we should settle the accounts first.”

“Settle the accounts…”

Raon chuckled as he watched the Thespian Emperor walk toward him.

‘It’s amazing how quickly she changes.’

Just a moment ago, she had said she would follow the Five Kings without question, but it was surprising that as soon as she came to her senses, she wanted to settle the accounts first.

However, that was more like the Thespian Emperor, so he decided to accept it. He hadn’t actually thought he would get the Five Divine Orders for free.

“Of course, I don’t intend to just use the Five Divine Orders. First…”

“That’s not what I mean.”

As he was about to state what he had already thought of, the Thespian Emperor took another step forward.

“You have provided a new light for me, who was slowly being buried in the ground. So, I and the White Whale will follow Zieghart until the war with the Four Demons is over.”

The Thespian Emperor stated her exact intentions and nodded, as if she had already made up her mind.

“As for what I am owed, I will receive it after the war, based on a review of meritorious deeds.”

She smiled faintly, saying she would receive the money or promises for the contract later.

“Are you serious about that?”

Raon narrowed his eyes at the Thespian Emperor’s smile.

“You know we could just cast the Five Divine Orders aside after the war, right?”

“They say the hand that gives roses retains the scent of roses. Perhaps because I gained enlightenment thanks to you, I’ve come to understand a little of what kind of person you are.”

The Thespian Emperor nodded, saying she had felt his soul when she fell into a state of enlightenment.

“I am certain that with you, even if I die in the war, you will give the White Whale their due compensation. From now on, the Five Divine Orders will stand with Zieghart.”

She bowed her head, speaking Zieghart’s name instead of the Five Kings, as if to show she trusted him.

“I look forward to working with you, Sword Emperor Raon Zieghart.”