Reincarnation of the Sword Master - Chapter 14

Chapter 14 – Assassin (1)
Translated by : betterdays
Proofread by : ch17175

The sun shined brightly outside the window. The bright rays of sun spread their warmth on the face of a grey haired boy.

“…….”

He had a face that could be called a boy, but his indifferent eyes and body said otherwise. His eyes looked like they were war-torn and had seen everything there was to life, and his body was densely packed with muscles under his sleek skin.

“…Have I been in this body for half a year now?”

He had fully adapted himself into this world’s current timeline and his body.

The boy, Asher, rose himself out of the bed with a smile as he snapped the dark wrist brace onto his arm.

***

“You’re here?”

“Yes.”

Reika, who was practicing with her sword at the training area, waved her hands as she saw Asher coming. Asher nodded to answer her and waved his hand back. Before he knew it, a dagger popped out and was in his hand.

“Whoo-wee. It gets more and more amazing every time I see it.”

“So, where are you in your training today?”

“Check this out.”

Reika brought her arms down that were holding the sword with a firm swing. The sword shook, and an afterimage blurred from her movement. In an instant, four or five images of swords were drawn up in the air. Asher nodded.

“Good. You’ve improved a lot.”

This half year was incredible for both Asher and Reika. He was surprised to see just how fast Reika learned and applied information he taught her. He did not expect for her to reach such a stage with Lepenia’s swordsmanship in such little time. Reika tilted her head as she looked at Asher with a somewhat disappointed look.

“Is this really so great?”

“At least in terms of swordsmanship, no one your age could possibly be at your level.”

“I don’t know about that…. Plus all the swordsmen around me are way stronger than I am!”

“It’s just an unusual case.”

Reika knew three other swordsmen in her life. Asher, Van Ester the Swordmaster, and Charon, the knight of the estate.

Charon was a famous Knight from the Empire, and Asher was an exception. In addition, there was also Van Ester, who was a Swordmaster. She only had met ridiculously strong swordsmen in her young life.

“Your eyes are set too high right now.”

“Even if my sight is set too high… It doesn’t change the fact that they’re stronger than me.”

“I understand how you feel, but people out there aren’t as strong as you think. There’s surprisingly a lot of weak people.”

Reika would still be considered a prodigy for her age even in the era of heroes and wars. Now that the times had come to an era of peace and quiet. Someone like Reika, truly outshone even the prodigies beyond her age.

“…….”

Asher suddenly remembered what had happened three months ago.

Van Ester had shown him the secrets that had been hiding in the world. He had been traveling for 20 years and had seen what was being hidden in the darkest corners of the continent. The demons were back and were chasing him down.

‘They’re chasing after me since I caught a glimpse of something they didn’t want me to see. Since they’ve been chasing after me, I didn’t know if one of them was a demon inhibiting your body. Hence why I thought about killing you at first.’

The black aura from Van Ester’s sword had slashed through the Umpert that night and dispelled the spell on him to show Asher what was coming after them.

‘What is this thing we call talent? What is the purpose of human life? The world is being too narrow-minded, Asher. I only decided to believe in what I can see with my own two eyes.’

Would Asher just watch from the sidelines, or would he train and rise up? That was what Van Ester wanted to leave him with.

‘I’m going to go to the Empire and let them know what happened during my travels. I’m going to go search for the missing hero. If you hear anything or any news, just come find me. I’ll always welcome it if you come by to visit.’

After that last bit, Van Ester had left. Thanks to Van Ester’s words, Asher had been stuck in his room contemplating these words. He was in a need of a direction to move. He felt the creeping anxiety about the past war era coming back. So he was out here today just doing what he did best. He was just swinging his sword like usual.

‘Ian the Brave’

When the world had been in strife due to the demons’ invasion, several heroes died, but one of them had come forth and slain the Demon Lord. He was named ‘Ian the Brave’ and went missing shortly after.

Asher knew what the man was like since he was the Captain of the Imperial Guards. Due to this position he was invited to social events and drinking parties to guard the Imperial Family on several occasions and had even seen Ian in person from afar. He was a sociable and overall amazing person, Asher thought. He was like a true hero, right out of a fairy tale.

However, it seemed that that false sense of peace that happened only in fairy tales, was nothing in front of reality. Van Ester’s proof was more than enough to concern Asher.

“Did the hero escape the Empire?’

Asher was not there when Ian the Brave, drove out the Demon Lord. He was busy protecting the Imperial Family like always, so he had no way of knowing what happened to the hero afterwards.

‘I don’t know.’

It was interesting since Ian the Brave had also disappeared 20 years ago. It was a legendary warrior who had driven out the Demon Lord, but the rumors were saying he abandoned his family, his lands, his country and so forth. But if he really did do all that…. Where did he go?

There were many questions Asher had. Did the Hero actually kill the Demon Lord? Was he injured? Did he get taken down together? What happened to him after the fight?

Asher shook his wrist with the dagger and it twisted it with a curved trajectory.

“But some things don’t change…”

Asher murmured in a low voice. He only wielded the sword. Whether or not he would find out what the secret was, he would always be with his sword.

“Do you have a lot of worries these days Asher?”

“Eh…. well moderately I guess.”

After a month of keeping his relationship with Reika relatively delicate, it had gone back to what it used to be. He just focused on teaching her as best he could.

“How’s the lord? I think he’s busy these days.”

“They were training the soldiers. The Swordmaster must have told him something. Thanks to him, the soldiers are practically dying from discipline training.”

There were no threats these days coming to Asher. Ever since he was accepted in name, as the Swordmaster’s disciple, nobody dared to anger him. This was because disrespecting Asher, meant disrespecting a swordmaster. Which could easily lead to one’s death. Especially since Lord Halvark was now active in protecting Asher, the soldiers around the estate had picked up hellish training to not fall behind a little kid like him and Reika.

“Then what about the young heir?”

“Luke? He’…s um….”

Reika paused and said with a reluctant look.

“He’s been acting a little weird.”

***

“AHHH!”

Crack!

The glass was breaking. The little girl in the corner and her mother trembled in fright. Luke was screaming and howling violently.

“Drinks! Bring me more…NOW!”

“Yes, yes!”

The middle-aged woman rushed to the kitchen with her daughter’s hand clenched. Luke was shaking with a bright red face.

“Oh, my God…”

He couldn’t get rid of his anger. Whenever he felt miserable or angered, he would always come to the town’s bar and vent his anger. However, he had been coming more recently, and he’d been getting much more violent.

“Yes sir, here it is!”

The middle-aged woman hurriedly put the glass down on the table. In the process, a few drops of alcohol splashed on Luke’s hand. His face was distorted even further in that very instant.

“You bitch!”

“AHHH!

Crunch!

Luke kicked the table and threw the glass bottle of alcohol at the lady. The glass immediately shattered on her head upon contact. Luke got up and shoved her to the ground and started to kick her violently.

“How dare you! A mere commoner! I am a NOBLE, and you DARE to stain my shirt with alcohol!”

“AHHGH! I’m sorry! Please spare me!”

The woman screamed and cried loudly, but Luke did not stop. He kicked her in the stomach with a sadistic look. As he was kicking her and she was coughing for air, her little girl burst through the back door from the bar and yelled.

“Mom!”

The girl hugged the woman who was being beaten while crying in tears at the sight of her mom.

The small body of the girl couldn’t cover even half of the mother’s body, but she tried to block the impact as much as possible.

“Don’t hit my Mom!”

“This….”

Luke’s hand was lifted up for a moment, but it went down soon. He kicked the chair roughly and moved on. There was a sob coming from behind.

“These rotten commoners…”

As Luke went outside, He could feel the eyes around him settle on him in fear. His face crumpled and shouted.

“What are you looking at, you bastards!”

He quickly turned himself away from the stares and walked away angrily. Luke, who briefly turned away, went into the alley. He felt like he was hearing somebody giggle at him in his drunken stupor.

“I’m like a dog.”

Everyone seemed to despise him now.

He was worthless and disgusting in the eyes of his own people.

Those words hit him inside where it hurt. He clenched his fist and his eyes shook violently.

“…….”

Luke knew himself well. He was not talented with swordsmanship like his sister, nor was he as gentle as his father. Had it not been for his title being the only son of the Halvark nobility, he would have been beaten and kicked out long ago.

But it was okay. It was because of the fact that he was the only son of the Lord, that he was the heir and felt he was irreplaceable. No matter how much trouble he made, he would never be kicked out unless he killed someone. Above all, there was a bigger trash than himself in the estate.

Asher.

He was the walking definition of trash in Luke’s eyes. He was stupid, illiterate, caused trouble for everyone, and was like a lecherous dog that left his shit everywhere.

Luke was relieved to think of him.

There was always more hate and talk about Asher. No matter how much he was gossiped about, he was never as trash-like as Asher.

It was an ugly feeling of self-comfort, but Luke was satisfied with it. It was good that there was a bottom lower than himself.

But one day, Asher changed.

He had stopped causing trouble and only practiced with his wooden sword all day. At first, Luke thought it was just Asher acting. So he provoked him into a fight. He didn’t mean to actually kill him. If he threatened him moderately and made him freeze up, he would be exposed as the town trash again. Luke thought so and started the quarrel, but he was beaten up and scolded by his father and mother instead.

He acted as if he had really changed since then. He was recognized by the Swordmaster that had visited and even had excellent swordsmanship. The territory’s most notorious trash came to be widely recognized as someone that was turning a new leaf.

But who was the next to be labeled as the town’s trash if Asher was no longer the bottom feeding trash?

Luke was now at the bottom of the ladder.

“What the….”

His eyes shook violently. It was all because of Asher. If he just stayed as trash, this wouldn’t have happened. Luke would have been satisfied with his life.

Luke continued to giggle drunkenly as he wandered through the alley into a dark and separate area.

‘Hehe.. Everything that will happen, is all your fault.’

“It’s only been less than three months. You’re quite the hasty young man aren’t you?”

Luke turned around in surprise at the voice he heard behind him. Behind him, stood a man who was draped in an all black robe. Luke felt nervous looking at the being in front of him. It felt as if the man were there right in front of him, but it also felt like the man was perfectly hidden in the darkness and his surroundings.

“If you’ve called us, it means you’d like us to kill someone.”

“…yes.”

Luke nodded. He knew this was a crazy thing to do. But he had already reached his limit with patience. He wanted to regain his former pride, and so he spoke.

“Hm.. Is it Asher?”

Luke smiled contorted.

“Yes.. Asher.”

The robed man smiled lightly. His voice sounded younger than Luke thought it would. He was drunk, but if he had to guess the man’s age, he would think it was a man in his mid-twenties. Luke fiddling with the purple bottle of liquor in his hands.

“Are you talking about the boy that’s been in the rumors?”

“Yes.”

Luke swallowed his saliva and nodded.

“If there’s someone you want to kill, you should remain honest with your feelings. I like that about you.”

The man in front of him came to Luke about 3 months ago, a week after Van Ester had departed for the capital.

As per normal, the awkward silence unused between the man and Luke, as Luke started to drink more of his alcohol to numb himself.

At the time, the man had told Luke that he was part of an assassin’s guild, and that they would be in town for a while. Luke said that he would need the man to avoid him  getting punished by the Lord of the Estate if he did kill Asher successfully, and that Luke could not be traced to the incident.

In common sense, it was natural for the underworld to exist, even in peaceful places like the Halvark territory. The man also hadn’t gone to his father first, since Luke thought for some reason that the guild of assassin’s would need permission to stay in the territory, but they had gone to Luke instead to ask for permission in staying here.

Luke didn’t realize the dangers of having such a mysterious and dangerous group inside the territory, but his ego felt great since the man asked him instead of his father first, making him feel like a true heir to the estate.

In the process, the man thanked Luke for letting them stay, and told him that if Luke wanted anyone to be killed, he should just ask as a favor from their guild.

“The disciple of a Swordmaster. You’re making quite a big request.”

“So it’s impossible to do?”

“Well.”

“…is it because it’s a mediocre guild at best?” You can’t even kill a kid?”

“…….”

The man who was talking calmly up until that point, stopped at Luke’s words. He spoke in a rather interesting and conniving tone.

“I forgot, we didn’t mention our guild’s name to you yet, have we? Haven’t you heard of the Motorola’s Assassin Family?”

“MO…Motorola?”

Luke’s eyes opened wide. He had definitely heard of the name.

A historic guild that appeared in the world about 50 years ago run by one family of Assassins. No one knows where or how it appeared. However, they became the world’s most notorious Assassin’s Guild and the Motorola Family’s name, spread far and wide.

“…why would a guild like that… be here?”

“What an idiot you are. Think about the timing. We came three months ago. What do you think happened then?”

Luke swallowed his saliva at the words. Three months ago. At that moment, Luke exclaimed, “Ah!”

“The Swordmaster….”

“That’s about as good as it gets.”

“How come.”

“Do you want to know why?”

The mouth of the man covered in the darkness, drew a quiet and evil curve. Luke flinched at the smile and shook his head.

“No.”

“Good choice. If you did want to hear, I’d have to make sure you would never be able to hear again.”

The man grinned. Luke’s body trembled.

“Okay.”

“Huh?..What?”

“I’ll accept your request. The disciple of the Swordmaster, I thought I’d kill him anyways.”

“Okay…”

Luke mumbled with joy but fright at the same time. Asher would finally disappear from the world. Nothing fundamental would change with his death, but Luke would be very satisfied once it did happen.

“I’ll be doing the request tomorrow.”

“So soon?”

“The sooner the better, isn’t that right?”

“Okay.”

The sooner the better. Luke agreed with that. He swallowed his saliva. It was time to negotiate now, and he couldn’t afford to offend this assassin.

“Then the price….”

“I don’t need a price for this one.”

“…no need?”

“Yeah. If you know about us, you must have heard the rumors.”

“Yes…. I didn’t think it was real though.”

The Assassin Guild run by the Motorola Family, accepted their first requests of the region they stayed in at any given time, at no cost. It was an unverified rumor, so nobody knew the authenticity of it. But Luke didn’t expect it to be real.

“Then get ready. I’ll be seeing you later tonight.”

“Okay.”

Luke nodded vigorously and ran down the alley. The man murmured lightly at the excited appearance of Luke running.

“I’ve already received the payment…. Something very expensive. huhuhuhu!”

He laughed. At the same time, the darkness around him, enveloped him as the alley became empty and quiet once more.

Chapter 14 – Fin