The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 1025:
‘Wrath.’
Raon called to Wrath, who was yawning as if bored.
‘Can you see that?’
He slightly raised a finger, pointing to the faint light blooming near Martha’s and Runaan’s hearts.
-All I see is the Beef Girl and the Ice Cream Girl drooling from exhaustion.
Wrath tilted his head as if to ask what he was supposed to be looking at.
‘Am I the only one who can see it?’
It seemed he was the only one who could see the light rising from Martha’s and Runaan’s chests.
‘In that case, this light is likely related to Soul Transference.’
In the past, even when he’d pushed Martha and Runaan to the brink of death, no such light had appeared. It was clearly an effect of the newly acquired Soul Transference.
-That must be it.
Wrath still couldn’t see it, but he nodded, agreeing that the assumption was probably correct.
‘Then…’
Raon licked his lips and jabbed the scabbard of Heavenly Drive toward the aura blooming from Martha’s and Runaan’s hearts.
“Keuk!”
“Ugh…”
Martha and Runaan, already exhausted, couldn’t react and were struck in the chest by the scabbard, rolling across the training ground floor.
“Aaargh!”
“It hurts…”
The two curled up like pill bugs, letting out deep groans.
“He’s not even going easy on them when they’re that exhausted.”
“He really is a demon…”
“I’m so glad I’m not in there. I really can’t do it anymore.”
The Light Wind Palace Swordsmen let out hollow breaths, saying they never expected him to strike Martha and Runaan when they looked like they would collapse at the slightest touch.
-Even a demon wouldn’t do something like this!
Wrath shook his head violently.
-Hey, you crazy bastard! If a strange phenomenon appears, you should observe it first! Who stabs at it right away!
The guy scrunched up his nose, saying that even a wild boar would sniff a fruit it had never seen before.
‘No…’
Raon scratched the back of his head and averted his gaze.
‘The Thespian Emperor and the Evil Sword Marquis entered a state of enlightenment while sparring with me. I just thought I’d give it a try…’
Since the Evil Sword Marquis and the Thespian Emperor had entered a state of enlightenment by immersing themselves in their spars with him, he thought the same might happen to these two and had only attacked lightly.
-Then you should have done it at a level they could block! That was too strong!
Wrath ground his teeth, asking why he was showing off his strength when they were already weak. It seemed he still had a special fondness for Runaan and Martha.
‘I was trying to go easy on them.’
He had tried to control his strength, thinking the trait wouldn’t activate if it was too strong or too weak, but it seemed to have been too much for Martha and Runaan in their current state.
‘That’s enough for today…’
Just as he was about to lower his scabbard, thinking he should stop…
“Not yet…”
Martha pushed herself up without even brushing off the sand covering her entire body.
“I can still go.”
She raised her sword, telling him to continue.
“If the Rakshasa Woman can do it…”
Runaan exhaled a white breath filled with cold aura and lifted her head.
“I’ll do it too…”
She straightened her back, biting her lip against the pain.
“Hmm…”
Raon narrowed his eyes as he watched Runaan and Martha assume their combat stances.
‘The light blooming from them has gotten stronger.’
As Martha and Runaan steeled their resolve to fight again, the light blooming from their hearts grew more intense than before.
‘That light must be the souls of Runaan and Martha being shown to me through the trait, Soul Transference.’
If not, there was no way he would be the only one seeing that light right now.
‘What should I do?’
It was clear he had to fight them, but simply beating them up like before seemed pointless.
‘Let’s think about the difference between Runaan and Martha, and the Evil Sword Marquis and the Thespian Emperor.’
‘Besides their martial prowess, the difference in the caliber of their souls is extreme.’
Considering the description of Soul Transference, it seemed the awakening wasn’t happening because of the difference in the caliber of their souls, not their martial strength.
‘Does that light need to reach the caliber of my soul?’
The Thespian Emperor and the Evil Sword Marquis were high-ranking Transcenders, so they were martial artists whose souls were of an even higher caliber.
On the other hand, while Runaan and Martha were Grand Masters in terms of martial arts, they were still young, so the caliber of their souls wasn’t that great.
It seemed their souls were too small to reach his.
‘I think I have a rough idea of what to do now.’
If Martha and Runaan couldn’t move their souls, then he just had to go to them first.
“If you have the strength to stand…”
Raon beckoned to Runaan and Martha with his finger.
“Come at me.”
He told them to come to him and swing their swords, then released the caliber of his soul.
‘Fwoooosh!’
A Transcendant. As the immense caliber of a soul that could rival even a top-tier Transcendant surged forth, Martha and Runaan broke out in a cold sweat and were pushed back.
“If you can’t reach me, then give up here.”
If Martha and Runaan didn’t move of their own will, they would never be able to achieve awakening. He had to wait for them in this spot with the caliber of his soul released.
“Give up, my ass.”
Martha chewed on her lip and moved forward. She took one step at a time, even though her very spirit was being crushed by the caliber of the soul he had unleashed.
“I won’t give up either…”
Runaan approached with her shoulders hunched and her back bent from the physical pressure. It wasn’t a swordsman’s stance, but her eyes shone more like a swordsman’s than anyone else’s.
“The pressure is so strong, I can’t breathe even from here…”
“I-Is that even okay?”
“He’s especially aggressive today. I think he ate something bad…”
The Light Wind Palace Swordsmen couldn’t even breathe properly under Raon’s ever-intensifying pressure and could only swallow dryly.
‘Thud.’
Martha and Runaan, exhausted and sweating from the immense pressure, finally stood before Raon.
“Damn, that was far!”
Martha exhaled a ragged breath, saying it felt like a year passed with every step.
“Ugh…”
Runaan, seemingly out of aura to even speak, just groaned and bit her lip.
“You can’t stop here.”
Raon said that just walking over was meaningless and beckoned with his finger.
“I-I know!”
“I’m about to do it…”
With trembling hands, Martha and Runaan raised their swords and brought them down on his head.
‘Kaaaaang!’
Raon violently parried their swords with the scabbard of Heavenly Drive.
“Ugh!”
“Ah…”
Martha and Runaan staggered back as if they were about to collapse.
“That’s not swordsmanship, that’s just swinging.”
Raon shook his head firmly, saying that wasn’t the sword he was looking for.
“Infuse the swordsmanship you’ve built up until now with your emotions and soul, and then swing.”
He jutted his chin, telling them to try again.
“Hoo!”
“I get it…”
Martha and Runaan, seeming to have accepted his advice, heightened their focus and swung their swords again.
“Again!”
Raon declared their second attempt was also lacking and pushed Martha and Runaan back even more fiercely.
‘Kaaaaang!’
Like roly-poly toys, Martha and Runaan kept getting up and unleashing the swordsmanship they had practiced their entire lives.
‘Chiiiing!’
Raon licked his lips as he watched Martha’s and Runaan’s swords, which had regained their natural flow.
‘I think they’re almost there.’
Martha and Runaan had shed their excessive force and were now drawing out swordsmanship with its own flow. He could feel that their awakening was just around the corner.
“Follow me!”
Martha charged, blood vessels showing in her dark eyes. Even in that moment, as if being considerate of Runaan beside her, she came forward first and unleashed a heavy Sword Strike.
“I’m not following. I’ll go first…”
Runaan took a deep breath and exploded with silvery cold aura. She too, thinking of Martha, took the lead and thrust her sword, clad in frigid cold.
‘Now.’
Feeling the radiance blooming from Martha’s and Runaan’s hearts grow so intense it blinded him, Raon drew Heavenly Drive.
‘Wooooong!’
Operating the Ring of Fire at its peak, he brought down Heavenly Drive, imbued with his will, toward their swords.
‘Paaaaang!’
A deafening roar, as if souls were colliding rather than swords, erupted, and the light that had been blooming from Martha and Runaan shot up into the dark sky.
‘Wooooong.’
After confirming that the magnificent light that had soared to the sky had subsided, Raon lowered his gaze.
‘Did it work?’
Martha and Runaan were frozen in the same posture they’d been in when they swung their swords, but in contrast, the flow of their Aura was churning violently as if hit by a wave.
-W-What is it!
Wrath gulped, looking at the frozen Runaan and Martha.
-Did you really succeed?
He let out a hollow breath, as if he had expected it to fail.
‘I think so.’
Raon nodded, letting out a breath he had been holding.
-How is this possible.
‘To be honest, I didn’t think I’d succeed either.’
He had only intended to run various experiments today, but thanks to Martha’s and Runaan’s strong will, he was able to awaken them.
‘It seems that for Soul Transference to activate, one must have the will to fight even when the body and mind are exhausted.’
It was certain, seeing how the light blooming from their hearts grew stronger as Martha and Runaan became more exhausted.
“N-No way…”
“Did they really enter a state of enlightenment? Both of them?”
“That’s impossible…”
“So it was true that he could awaken others…”
The Light Wind Palace Swordsmen’s jaws dropped, as if they had never imagined he could actually awaken Martha and Runaan.
‘This trait. It’s good, but…’
Raon frowned, looking at his slightly trembling hand.
‘It’s quite tiring.’
It wasn’t just about beating them; he had to release the full caliber of his soul and match his opponent’s breathing, so it wasn’t an easy task for him either.
‘I won’t be able to do this for many people in one day. And it’s not like it’s a guaranteed success.’
-Of course it isn’t!
Wrath bared his teeth as if to ask what he was talking about.
-If you could awaken everyone as you pleased, you could create a legion of Transcenders!
He shook his head, saying that he probably wouldn’t be able to use Soul Transference on someone he had just awakened for a while.
‘Well, still…’
Raon let out a soft smile as he looked at Martha and Runaan, who had entered a state of enlightenment.
‘It’s rewarding.’
Seeing Martha and Runaan rely on each other and enter a state of enlightenment together filled his chest with a sense of pride.
‘Shall we wait now?’
Raon stood in front of Martha and Runaan as if to protect them, a faint smile on his face.
‘To see how much stronger they’ll be when they come out.’
===
“Haa…”
Martha let out a low breath and slowly opened her eyes.
“What was I doing?”
She swallowed dryly, looking at the sword in her hand.
“You’re up now?”
Raon waved at Martha as she lifted her head.
“Raon…?”
Martha looked up at Raon and blinked blankly.
“Ah! Right, I was sparring with you and…”
“You entered a state of enlightenment.”
“Right. As I was swinging my sword while listening to you, I entered that world without realizing it…”
She nodded as if she remembered everything now.
“What did you see when you entered the state of enlightenment?”
Raon asked, looking into Martha’s calm eyes.
“…I saw my mother. I relived the days when I lived with her.”
Martha bit her lip deeply, saying she was so happy she smiled for the first time in a long while.
“I see…”
Raon let out a short sigh.
‘So it was for her mother, after all.’
Martha had picked up her sword and tried to fight to the end, even when the other swordsmen were too exhausted to get up.
He had wondered where she got such strength, and as expected, it was her will to save her mother.
“Thank you…”
Martha lowered her sword and bowed to him.
“Thanks to you, I was able to recall some good memories after a long time. And I was able to overcome a wall.”
Her shoulders trembled slightly, as if she was genuinely grateful.
“Even if I helped, you’re the one who did it in the end.”
Raon smiled and shook his head.
“Congratulations. On reaching the intermediate level of Grand Master.”
Through this awakening, Martha had broken through the wall of the low level and immediately ascended to the intermediate level of Grand Master.
Though she still had a long way to go, he felt that she was now much closer to her goal.
“Mmm…”
Runaan rubbed her eyes like a child who had just woken up and lifted her head.
“I’m back…”
She bowed her head slightly, as if aware that she had entered and returned from a state of enlightenment.
“How was it for you?”
Raon turned his gaze to Runaan and asked.
“I fought…”
Runaan lifted her eyes, which were not their usual dazed ones, but intelligent.
“Fought? Don’t tell me, with him?”
“Yes. With Syria.”
She shook her fists, saying she had fought and won against Syria, who had traumatized her in her childhood.
“I beat him up with the swordsmanship I’ve learned so far…”
Runaan even let out a small burp, as if she was genuinely refreshed.
“Well done.”
Raon chuckled and nodded.
“And congratulations on reaching the intermediate level Grand Master.”
Runaan, like Martha, had also reached the intermediate level of Grand Master, so he clapped to congratulate her.
“I leveled up…?”
Runaan blinked, as if she didn’t know she had reached the intermediate level of Grand Master.
“You’ll feel it on your own when you wake up. You’ll be different in every way from before.”
Raon nodded, telling her to test it out tomorrow.
“Okay…”
“Got it.”
Runaan and Martha rolled their eyes and nodded. However, judging by their cat-like gazes, it seemed they wanted to test it out right away, not tomorrow.
“Do as you please.”
Raon waved his hand, telling them to do what they wanted.
“Hey. Let’s go, right now.”
“Okay…”
Martha and Runaan nodded to each other and walked to the edge of the training ground.
‘This Soul Transference thing…’
Raon’s eyes narrowed deeply as he watched Martha’s and Runaan’s backs.
‘It doesn’t just awaken people, it seems to have a positive effect on the trauma they carry as well.’
‘This is a much more useful trait than I thought.’
Just as Raon was smiling while rereading the description of Soul Transference…
“Lord!”
“Lord!”
“Please!”
Burren, Trevin, and Mark Gorton ran up to him, saying they also wanted to be awakened.
“Me too!”
“I want to become stronger too!”
“I don’t care how hard it is!”
The other swordsmen also bowed their heads and bent their waists, saying they wanted to enter a state of enlightenment.
“E-hem…”
“…”
Of course, there were also those like Dorian and Krein who subtly stepped back.
-A thorny path has opened up wide before you!
Wrath snickered, saying he would have a hard time for a while.
“Wait a minute…”
Just as Raon was waving his hand, saying he was tired and they should do it later…
[The caliber of your soul has increased.]
[The rank of the trait has increased.]
[The rank of the trait has increased.]
Perhaps because he had awakened Martha and Runaan, the rewards came immediately.
-Ugh…
Even Wrath’s eyes widened, as if he hadn’t expected the rewards to come so quickly.
‘Soul Transference is one thing. But it’s raising the rank of Heart Sword too?’
Perhaps because he had used his soul, not only Soul Transference but also the rank of Heart Sword had increased.
‘If it’s like this…’
‘Not only the Light Wind Palace Swordsmen, but I can also grow stronger with them.’
“Heh-hem!”
Feeling vitality fill his exhausted body and mind, Raon beckoned to Burren with his finger.
“Alright. Let’s start right away.”
-Only the kids should be getting stronger! How is it that this guy gets stronger too!
Wrath waved his hands, saying it was absurd.
-This is cheating!
===
“Haaa…”
Raon returned to the annex after helping the Light Wind Palace Swordsmen train until morning.
‘I’m tired…’
His whole body felt as heavy as if it were soaked in water from pushing the swordsmen while the caliber of his soul was released.
As he had thought, this training was grueling not only for the swordsmen but for himself as well.
‘However…’
‘The sense of accomplishment is on a different level from other training.’
Watching the swordsmen enter a state of awakening through his power was so rewarding that he felt full even without eating.
Of course, the only ones who had succeeded so far were Martha, Runaan, and Burren.
‘It seems that the will to fight isn’t the only thing needed.’
It seemed that a will to overcome the past, like Martha and Runaan had, was necessary for the light to bloom from the heart.
-Stop muttering and go inside!
Wrath waved his hand toward the annex door.
-The dining hall is full of delicious smells, how long are you going to stand there just sniffing!
The guy opened his mouth wide, saying he was hungry.
‘Alright, alright.’
Raon smiled and opened the annex door.
He was about to turn to go to his room to wash up first when he heard what sounded like someone fighting upstairs.
“Dad! I told you not to come into my room without permission!”
Sia was scowling at Edgar, who had opened her door without knocking.
“S-Sia. I just came to tell you to eat breakfast…”
Edgar’s hands trembled at his daughter’s chilly voice.
“You still have to knock first!”
“I-I’m sorry. From now on…”
“No, don’t just come in from now on! I’m not eating breakfast!”
Sia shouted not to open the door under any circumstances, then closed it and went into her room.
“Sob! Sia! I’m sorry!”
Edgar apologized and knocked cautiously, but Sia’s room did not open again.
-What, what is this? Why is that pushover…
Wrath blinked, seemingly surprised by the unexpected sight.
“I, I don’t know either…”
Raon let out a dry breath, his eyes shaking like Wrath’s.
“Noona is the most affectionate one towards Dad…”
He didn’t know why the two people who had been so close before he left had become like that.
“The time has come…”
Helen approached him and let out a heavy sigh.
-Oh, the time has come?
“What do you mean? Does Noona have some kind of bad disease?”
Raon and Wrath turned to look at Helen at the same time, swallowing hard.
“If it’s a disease, then it is. That’s a very serious…”
Helen clenched her fist tightly and a drop of sweat ran down her forehead.
“Puberty.”
“……”
