The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman

udent must have the qualities of a king.”

“He was my grandson before becoming your student.”

“He was my student first, though?”

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

Wrinkles appeared on the faces of the two people that were smiling while talking about Raon’s greatness until a moment ago.

“You can’t say that when you usually don’t even treat him as your grandson! You are only allowed to say that after you stop being embarrassed in front of Raon and tell him, ‘My lovely grandson, let this grandpa hug you!’, and only after tha…ah!”

Rimmer quickly started shaking his head after noticing the black cloud expanding above his head.

“I-I correct myself! He is your grandson! Of course he is!”

He could really die if he got hit once again.
He needed to avoid it at all costs.

Whooo!

The cloud disappeared the moment Rimmer apologized, even though it used to look like lightning would strike from it at any moment.

“So, there’s no problem.”

“No, there’s one problem.”

Even though it was a problem, it was really easy for Rimmer to say it.

“What can that possibly be?”

“It’s obviously the swordsmen.
Their stress has been accumulating for over a month, and it’s pretty much reached the maximum right now.
It’s likely that they are soon going to say, ‘screw it, kill me if you want.’”

Since the Light Wind kept training overnight and got beaten up during the day, their minds had almost reached their limits.
It wasn’t going to take long until they completely lost it.

“And how is Raon preparing against it?”

“He isn’t doing anything, though there’s no way he isn’t aware of the problem.
In fact, he’s increasing the training intensity instead.”

Rimmer narrowed his eyes.

“It’s as if he is asking them to rebel.”

 

* * *

 

Before Sunrise

The Light Wind swordsmen, who used to be filled with vitality, were now wobbling like zombies with unfocused eyes.
Their stamina and willpower had both reached their limits.

“I’m dying.”

“Mhm…”

“Damn it…”

Burren, Runaan, and Martha were the same, even though they had the strongest willpower among them.
They held out a bit longer than the others, but they wobbled the same way soon enough.

“E-Erm, Sir Burren…”

Krein came up to Burren and collapsed.

“We are really going to die at this rate.”

“So what?”

“Let’s go on strike.”

“Strike?”

“Yes, let’s just lie down and ignore the vice-squad leader’s orders.”

He raised his voice slightly so that everyone could hear him.
The swordsmen that were interested in his plan slowly turned their heads.

“Wouldn’t he beat us up even more?”

“Beat us even more? We are getting beaten up every day, and every moment.
How can we possibly get beaten up even more? Moreover, we aren’t doing this in order to rest, but in order to survive!”

Krein raised his finger and pointed at the swordsmen.

“Look at them.
Do they really look like teenagers who are supposed to be energetic? They are all dying because they lost all their energy! Let’s ask him to give us a few days' rest so that we can survive.
We are seriously going to either die or be severely wounded at this rate.”

“Hmm…”

Burren bit his lips.
Krein didn’t really sound trustworthy because of the previous incident, but what he said was true.

Since even himself, Runaan, and Martha had reached their limits, the other swordsmen must’ve been struggling even more.
They could really end up with an injury that couldn’t be healed at that rate.

“The vice-squad leader is strong, but I’m sure that he’s still a novice when it comes down to training others.
Look at how he keeps giving us the stick, when he should also be giving us a carrot after the stick!”

“That’s true.”

Just as Krein said, Raon kept giving them the stick for two months straight.
It was enough time for even excellent horses to die.

“If everyone just lies down and protests, says that they are out of stamina and can’t move anymore, even the vice-squad leader is going to have no choice but to surrender.”

“Yes.
Let’s try that.”

“I-I also agree.”

“I really can’t continue anymore.”

“I don’t want to listen to Krein, but he is right this time.”

“Even the vice-squad leader won’t be able to do anything about it if we all refuse to listen.”

The swordsmen gathered around Burren and Krein.
And Runaan, Martha, and Dorian were among them.

Even those three people would do anything for some rest because they couldn’t sleep for the past two months.

“Then we’ve decided on lying down once Raon arrives, and we aren’t going to move.
Traitors will be executed!”

“Yes!”

“Mhm.”

“Got it.”

The thirty-three members of Light Wind, except for Raon and Rimmer, became united for the first time.

Soon enough, when it was time for the morning training, Raon entered while carrying a large bag on his back.
He frowned upon seeing the swordsmen lying down on the training ground.

“What are you doing right now?”

“I really can’t continue anymore.”

“I can’t move a single finger.”

“I’ve reached my limits.”

“I’m dying…”

The swordsmen stayed on the ground, complaining they couldn’t get up.

“I really want to keep training hard, but I’m completely out of energy and stamina.
I’m just out of strength.”

Burren continued, pointing at his half-focused eye with his finger.

“Please give us some rest, or you can kill us if you don’t want to.”

Every swordsman lying in the training ground followed his example and spread their limbs into a big X-shape.

“Does that mean that you can keep training as long as you have the stamina and energy?”

“Of course.
That’s why we need at least three days of rest.”

“We will never accept less than three days.
It has to be at least three days!”

“That’s right!”

The swordsmen, including Burren, protested that they needed some rest.
They were simply out of stamina and strength, despite their willingness to train.

“Stamina, I see.
That’s perfect.”

Raon put down the bag he was carrying and opened it, and over thirty wooden boxes came out from it.

“Because the second reward we requested at the Porvan city, the Elixirs of Blessings, have arrived.”

He smiled, showing them a wooden box containing an Elixir of Blessings.
Although it was a cheerful and refreshing smile, it felt as terrifying as a devil’s smile for them.

“E-Elixir?”

“Why did that arrive at this time…?”

“Uah, how did this happen…”

The swordsmen couldn’t rejoice nor cry at the sight of the wooden boxes.

That was because, while they were happy about getting an elixir, they realized the elixir would heal their stamina and energy and they would have to get beaten up once again.

“Since your stamina and energy will return once you take the elixir, you should be able to keep training, right?”

Raon chuckled, watching the trainees making strange expressions with trembling hands.

‘I already know what you are thinking.’

Of course, the elixir didn’t just happen to arrive at the right time.
It had arrived at the same time as the soft soil, but he kept that hidden from everyone because he had predicted that such an incident would happen.

“Kuh! Damn it! Daamn it!”

Burren screamed before standing up and taking an elixir.
He blamed the gods for sending the elixir at that exact moment, when any time earlier or later would’ve been fine.

They mentioned that Raon didn’t give them any carrots, but he was damn well giving them carrots now.
And they were poisoned carrots!

“Sniff…”

“It’s all over.
I have to get beaten up again.”

“I can’t run away.
I can’t see any way of running away!”

“God is dead.”

The swordsmen bit their lips, elixir boxes in their hands.
They were happy about getting elixirs, but the fact that they had to get beaten up again made tears well up in their eyes.

“I-It can’t be helped.
Let’s take the elixir for now, and gather here late…”

“Wait.”

As Burren was telling them to return after taking the elixir, Raon raised his hand.

“You shouldn’t take that right now.”

“What? What are you talking about…?”

“You realize the elixir of blessing is more efficient if you take it after exhausting your stamina and aura, right? Let’s spar with me for now and take it tonight after it’s over.”

Raon tapped the floor to urge them to come at him with a smile.

“I’m gonna need to use some strength today in order to maximize the elixir’s efficiency.”

His training sword started spinning violently like a windmill.
The wind pressure emerging from the blade made people’s teeth clatter.

“What are you doing? Come at me already.”

“Ah…”

Burren could ascertain it as he saw Raon gently bobbing his hand at him.

‘That bastard is a devil.’

‘He’s not just any devil.
He must be the demon king!’

 

* * *

 

Three months, with many complaints and problems, passed.
The morning of the duel between Light Wind and Golden Crest arrived.

The great training ground, where the duel was supposed to take place, was already completely packed with people.

“I wonder who’s going to win today?”

“It’s completely obvious that the Golden Crest will be the winner.
Although the Light Wind are rising stars, you can already tell from the names of the members that they are on different levels.”

“No one even knows what missions the Golden Crest have done.
We are living in the Light Wind’s era right now.”

“But they will compete with their skills today, not with their reputations.
The Golden Crest is clearly at an advantage because they are stronger overall.”

“Since there are duels between thirty-five people, I’m guessing that the Golden Crest is going to win at around a 30:5 score.”

“But the Light Wind has Raon Zieghart, who has defeated an apostle!”

“There’s only one Raon.
Even if he wins his match, it’s not really going to change the outcome.”

Although the people in the spectator seats didn’t really know each other, they kept chattering about the outcome, filled with anticipation for the upcoming match.

Most of them expected the Golden Crest to win, even though they did acknowledge Light Wind’s potential.

While everyone was anticipating the duels, the great training ground’s main door opened up and the Golden Crest entered.

Spreading around their sharp pressures, they went towards the arena at the center of the training ground.

“Can’t you feel that pressure? Do you seriously think they are going to lose to the Light Wind members, who are still in their teens?”

“I’m sure they would’ve gained more fame than the Light Wind if it weren’t for the activity suspension.”

“I know, right? Look at those eyes.
They look like hungry beasts!”

Feeling their powerful pressure from the Golden Crest confirmed their estimations.

Rumble!

Soon after Golden Crest made their appearance, the main door opened for the second time, and the Light Wind entered.

They didn’t have any of the confidence or spirit that the Golden Crest had shown.
In fact, the way they silently walked towards the arena made people worry for them instead.

“Wh-What’s wrong with them?”

“They look too depressed.”

“Maybe they became afraid after feeling the Golden Crest’s pressure.”

“I guess that would be the case, since they must’ve realized they are a few levels stronger than them.”

“It’s over for me! I bet my entire fortune on Light Wind because I trusted Raon!”

“It looks like the match’s not going to be fun at all.”

People blabbered that the duel was going to end in a one-sided victory after witnessing the Light Wind’s low spirit.

Raon smiled while looking around the training ground, as if he was enjoying their reactions.

“They are right.
This match isn’t going to be fun.”

Since it would end in a one-sided victory for them.