The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 920

 Chapter 920

 

Raon ascended the stairs leading to the next floor, his gaze falling upon the hand gripping Heavenly Drive.

‘As expected, he’s strong.’

Karoon had grown even more since their last meeting, and was now displaying strength beyond what Raon had initially estimated. Considering that Karoon had even attempted to break his swordsmanship mid-battle, it was clear he hadn't shown his full power yet.

‘Of course, I was holding back too.’

Unlike Karoon, whose strength was being suppressed by the demonic energy of the Black Tower, Raon was actually growing stronger within this environment.

If they had fought at full strength outside, it would have been a difficult battle, but inside the tower, he would have won without question.

‘No, not just against him. I don’t feel like I’d lose to anyone.’

The higher he climbed in the Black Tower, the stronger his authority of wrath became. The power surged uncontrollably, making him feel as if he could destroy any opponent in his path.

You fool!

Wrath suddenly smacked him on the back of the head.

Don’t get drunk on power! This is precisely the time to be even more cautious!

Wrath furrowed his brows, scolding him for losing himself.

‘…My bad.’

Raon rubbed the back of his head where he had been struck and bowed slightly.

‘I think I got too carried away with my strength.’

Just because his strength had increased didn’t mean he could allow arrogance to cloud his judgment.

This power wasn’t originally his, rather than being reckless, he needed to be even more cautious in battle.

‘As expected, wrath is a dangerous power.’

The authorities of the Demon Kings didn’t just grant overwhelming strength, they also came with immense psychological influence. He hadn't expected that he would start believing he could defeat anyone.

‘For once, you’re right.’

What do you mean, for once?! The King of Essence is always right!

Wrath raised a hand as if demanding Raon acknowledge the truth.

‘Yeah… I don’t think so.’

Raon let out a small chuckle as he stepped onto the final stair and ascended to the next floor.

The entrance ahead swayed like a curtain, and as he passed through it, the mixed scent of old books and blood filled the air.

‘A library? No… it’s not just that.’

To the left, countless books and neatly arranged bookshelves formed a grand library. To the right, however, lay a pitch-black space, as dark as a night without stars, where various weapons were scattered in disarray.

‘The contrast is too stark for them to be on the same floor.’

The library was dazzlingly bright, as if directly illuminated by the sun, while the weapon-strewn area was a suffocating darkness where not even the smallest glimmer of light penetrated.

The eerie contrast between the two spaces filled Raon with an inexplicable sense of unease.

‘Who is the floor overseer here…?’

Expanding his aura perception to locate the floor overseer, he suddenly sensed an overwhelming surge of demonic energy from above, an unimaginable presence lurking just beyond the ceiling.

The mere realization of the existence sent a chilling shiver down his spine.

‘It’s above.’

Swallowing dryly, Raon raised his trembling gaze.

‘Right above us.’

The floor above this one was the final floor, and at its center, the Black Tower’s master lay in wait.

Like a serpent coiled in preparation for its ascent, he was still gathering an enormous amount of demonic energy, as if preparing for something decisive.

Hah….

Wrath furrowed his brows, his voice tinged with disbelief.

Even if it’s filthy demonic energy, to amass this much of it… That bastard is certainly not sane.

‘Even you find it surprising?’

Indeed. If that demonic energy were to be unleashed, Montiro itself would be wiped off the map. Of course, that bastard would die as well.

Wrath scoffed, shaking his head at the absurdity of the situation.

‘I doubt that will happen.’

A cowardly mole, too afraid to leave its burrow, wouldn’t simply self-destruct. It was undoubtedly preparing some sort of sorcery or magic.

‘This is infuriating.’

Raon clenched his teeth as he glared at the ceiling.

‘The fact that one of the continent’s strongest figures is someone like that….’

After playing around with so many lives, the fact that this Black Tower’s master was hiding away at the top, stalling for time, stoked Raon’s rage. This time, though, it wasn’t the arrogant swell of confidence he had felt moments earlier, it was pure anger toward an enemy.

“…A monster, through and through.”

Karoon exhaled sharply as he looked up at the ceiling.

“If we don’t get there soon, everything really might come to an end.”

He, too, could sense the ominous demonic energy the Black Tower’s master was gathering, his expression darkening.

“Yes. We have to put an end to this quickly.”

“I never thought you’d actually make it this far.”

Just as Raon turned to Karoon, a voice echoed from behind the bookshelves.

A man stepped forward, an elderly gentleman with white hair and a monocle over one eye. If not for the rapier at his waist, he could have been mistaken for a simple librarian, given his gentle demeanor.

“…That’s why I said we should’ve gone down and killed them earlier.”

From the depths of the darkened space, a demonized human emerged, cloaked in a pitch-black robe.

No, rather than a robe, it was as if darkness itself clung to his body, black droplets dripping from him like liquid shadow.

‘He’s strong….’

Because of the Black Tower’s master’s overwhelming presence, Raon hadn’t fully noticed before, but these two individuals possessed an energy wave on an entirely different level from the demonized humans he had faced thus far.

They exuded a noble presence that only Transcenders could possess.

“That shadow-cloaked demonized human is Sigel, the Black Tower’s vice master. Despite his sluggish appearance, he’s a master of all weapon techniques and sorcery. He’s not called the Black King for nothing.”

Karoon narrowed his eyes as he pointed to the man seemingly merged with the darkness.

‘Black King Sigel….’

Raon exhaled slowly as he examined Sigel.

‘So I’m finally meeting the monster from the stories.’

Sigel rarely left the Black Tower, but whenever he did, the aftermath was catastrophic.

During the Six Kings Era, three elite armed organizations were completely annihilated by him alone, and even a Transcender from Owen, sent in later as reinforcement, had fallen to his hands.

His epithet, Black King, came from the aftermath he left, no blood, no bones, just an expanse of blackened ground where nothing remained.

“A monocle and a rapier….”

Jaina’s lips trembled as she paled at the sight of the elderly man wearing a monocle.

“That man is Garet the Demon Holy Lightning. He was the butler who raised the current Black Tower’s master, his only family. I heard he’s in charge of the entire inner workings of the tower… but why is he here…?”

Her voice faltered as she swallowed dryly, explaining that Garet held more influence over the Black Tower than even the Black King.

Raon stepped forward, staring at Garet.

“I’ve heard that name before,” Raon said, nodding as he looked at Garet.

‘He’s the one who manages everything inside the Black Tower.’

Unlike Black King Sigel, who exuded overwhelming might, Garet the Demon Holy Lightning was the grand overseer of the Black Tower’s personnel and resources.

As the butler who raised the Black Tower’s master and a Transcender himself, he was said to wield authority surpassing even that of the vice master.

‘So they’ve all gathered here.’

The two individuals who could be the biggest obstacles in their battle against the Black Tower’s master were here in one place.

In a way, this was actually convenient.

If they killed Garet and Sigel, there would be no one left to stop them.

“This is your final warning, trash.”

Garet the Demon Holy Lightning adjusted his monocle slightly and shook his head.

"If you take another step forward, I'll put a hole in your skull."

He stepped forward in front of the bookshelf, raising his chin arrogantly, exuding the confidence befitting the one who had raised the Black Tower’s master.

“…Annoying, but I suppose there's no other choice.”

Sigel smacked his lips briefly, then dragged his seemingly lifeless body forward, positioning himself alongside Garet to block the path.

“If you don’t cross this line, we’ll allow you to keep your filthy little lives.”

Garet flicked his fingers, and a thin, deep crack split the floor in front of them.

"So, a butler who raised the Black Tower’s master, huh…."

Raon clicked his tongue as he looked at Garet.

“If you die, maybe that mole upstairs will finally crawl out?”

A sharp sneer formed on his lips as he deliberately stepped over the line Garet had drawn.

PAAAAANG!

The moment his foot touched the ground, the rapier at Garet’s waist shot forward, its blade streaking toward his forehead in a flash.

As expected of someone known as the Demon Holy Lightning, his swift sword was terrifyingly fast, so fast it was almost incomprehensible.

However, it wasn’t beyond his reaction speed.

Just before the rapier's blade touched his forehead, Raon bent his waist backward, letting the attack pass over him.

Kuwaaaaaaang!

The wall behind him, struck by Garet’s thrust, exploded as if it had been hammered through, leaving a massive hole.

It wasn’t just speed, the sheer power behind it was terrifying.

"Evading will only prolong your suffering."

Garet furrowed his brow and reached out, his rapier’s blade accelerating even further as it lunged toward Raon’s throat.

The attack was so fast it was almost imperceptible, but Raon read its trajectory and deflected it diagonally.

Jjeoeeeeoong!

The clash between Heavenly Drive and the rapier sent shockwaves through the room, toppling bookshelves and scattering books all over the floor.

Garet’s strikes weren’t just fast, the sheer force behind his strikes was so immense that Raon’s grip on his sword trembled from the impact.

"You… there's something strange about you."

Garet’s brow furrowed as if sensing something was off. He thrust his rapier again, this time in a relentless flurry, attempting to end the fight quickly.

His attacks were so astonishingly fast and powerful that, even without making direct contact, they sent sharp pain rippling through Raon's body as if he were being pricked by countless thorns.

Kyaaaaaang!

Raon used the Supreme Harmony Steps, effortlessly deflecting Garet’s storm of attacks.

With his original level of strength, it wouldn’t have been so easy, but his strength and perception had grown dramatically in the Black Tower, allowing him to keep up.

"Are you really the one who raised the Black Tower’s master? You're way too weak. Did you just read paperwork and reports all day or something?"

He taunted Garet with a sneer and took a step forward. Spinning Heavenly Drive’s blade faster than Garet’s rapier, he began applying immense pressure on him.

"W-What is this…?"

Garet’s eyes widened in disbelief as he struggled to keep up with Raon’s speed, only to realize he was the one being overwhelmed.

"You insolent bastard."

As Raon moved to his right, aiming to cut Garet’s waist, the Black King Sigel released a surge of demonic energy.

The dark energy, writhing like an octopus’ tentacles, twisted toward Raon’s ankles to restrain him.

"Hm…."

Raon furrowed his brows and drew the Blade of Requiem, preparing to defend.

However, before he could react, a blue blade shot forward from behind him, slicing through Sigel’s demonic energy.

"I’ll handle this one."

Karoon stepped into the darkness, thrusting his sword toward Sigel’s throat.

Jjeoeeooong!

Sigel raised a hand wreathed in dark energy to block Karoon’s strike, his eyes narrowing in displeasure at the interruption.

"Reliable."

Knowing firsthand how strong Karoon was after their fight earlier, Raon didn’t even glance back as he turned his focus back to Garet, the Demon Holy Lightning.

"Looks like you don’t have anyone left to help you."

Raon tilted his chin and smirked.

"Ah, wait, there is one left. Why don’t you beg that little mole you raised to save you? Not that he’d dare show his face."

He waved his hand mockingly.

"Shut your mouth!"

Enraged by the insult to the Black Tower’s master, Garet stomped the ground violently.

A black horn sprouted from his pale forehead, and a surge of demonic energy, infused with lightning, engulfed his entire body. He was drawing power from the Black Tower, unleashing his full strength.

"They say if you hit the ground hard enough, even moles come out…"

Raon smirked at the now demonized Garet, then stabbed Heavenly Drive and Blade of Requiem into the ground.

Kugugugugu!

A blue moon rose over the collapsed library, and in the pitch-black darkness, a red sun began to burn.

"Once you die, the Black Tower’s master will have no choice but to show himself."

Raon pulled his divine sword and demonic sword from the black-stained ground, then crooked a finger at Garet.

"You’re the one who’s going to die!"

Wrapped in jet-black lightning, Garet became a black flash, charging forward at a speed that surpassed even sound. In an instant, his rapier was already at Raon’s left chest, moving faster than the eye could follow.

‘I see it.’

Raon had already observed his swordsmanship. Rather than reacting to speed, he read the flow of Garet’s attack.

Claang!

He lowered the Blade of Requiem, deflecting the rapier just as it aimed for his heart.

Kuuuuuung!

The force of the impact sent Garet’s rapier crashing into the ground, shattering the library’s floor completely.

Books that had been sent flying were ripped apart midair, obscuring vision.

"They say moles have bad eyesight but good hearing. Looks like yours is deaf, too, it’s still not showing up."

Raon swept away the books blocking his view and grinned.

‘The taunt is working.’

Garet had pride in raising the Black Tower’s master and had never been mocked like this before. The insults were getting under his skin.

"Don’t tell me… he already ran away and left you behind…—"

"Shut your mouth!"

Garet roared, raising his rapier and stabbing forward.

A crimson lightning bolt flickered as an overwhelming number of sword thrusts rained down upon Raon in an instant.

Paaaaang!

Garet unleashed his attacks without even pausing for breath. His strikes were not only powerful but also unbelievably fast, and despite Raon’s best efforts, his waist and thigh were cut, blood bursting from the wounds.

Had Raon reacted even a fraction of a second later, his heart would have been pierced.

Truly, this was not an opponent he could afford to underestimate.

"You are not worthy to insult him!"

Garet’s bloodshot eyes blazed with fury as he relentlessly thrust his rapier, determined not to let his advantage slip away.

It was as if the sky itself was collapsing under an endless downpour of lightning.

Kyaaaang!

Raon narrowed his eyes, raising Firewall to block Garet’s assault.

‘I can see it now.’

Garet’s swordplay had indeed become faster and stronger, but its fundamental flow remained unchanged.

Opening his mental world, where countless swords resided, he stepped into the storm of strikes that Garet was unleashing.

Kugugugugu!

His divine sword, wrapped in crimson flames, pierced through the crimson lightning storm.

It wasn’t fast or powerful, but Garet’s demonic energy recoiled as if facing its natural predator.

Chiiiiing!

Following right behind, the demonic sword, cloaked in a silver frost, dug into Garet’s chest, carving through his flesh in a deep, merciless slash.

Pukaaaaak!

A long, gaping wound split open across Garet’s chest, black blood gushing out violently.

"H-How is this… possible…?"

Garet’s lips trembled, unable to believe what had happened.

"Your sword no longer works on me."

"Bullshit!"

As Garet let out a furious roar, the horn protruding from his forehead thickened, growing larger.

His entire body became engulfed in demonic energy, as if he had completely abandoned his humanity. Then, he lunged forward, thrusting his rapier.

Kugugugugu!

The demonic energy concentrated within the rapier’s blade exploded, sending out a colossal black spear of energy that seemed powerful enough to bring down the entire Black Tower as it hurtled toward Raon.

Kuuuuuung!

Rather than retreating, Raon threw himself into the expanding explosion of demonic energy, crossing the divine sword raised high and the demonic sword lowered, he swept them in one motion, creating a river of red and blue.

No matter how massive the explosion, its power would diminish within water. The demonic energy strike that Garet had unleashed at the cost of his life was buried within the red and blue aura, slowly sinking.

"T-This… can’t be…."

As Garet stood there, paralyzed with shock, Raon closed the distance, extending his divine sword toward him.

The flaming blade was just about to sever his neck when—

Kuwaaaaaaaaang!

A black torrent burst forth, and the ceiling collapsed with an ear-splitting roar.

A wave of darkness, deeper than the void itself, rushed down like an apocalyptic flood, and within it, a pair of crimson eyes ignited.

It was no longer something that could be described as human.

Nor was it merely demonic anymore.

It had transcended both, becoming an entity beyond comprehension, an abomination that defied explanation.

"Ah…."

Karoon held his breath as he gazed at the being before him, a figure that had become darkness itself.

‘The Black Tower’s master.’

Having only ascended one floor, yet the sheer pressure radiating from this entity was so immense that even moving a single finger felt impossible.

It was as if time itself had frozen beneath the overwhelming weight of his presence.

Hoooooo…!

As if enraged by Garet’s critical condition, the Black Tower’s master raised a hand formed of pure darkness, reaching forward to tear Raon’s neck from his body.

Compared to this god of darkness, Raon’s existence was as insignificant as a firefly before the sun.

He could already envision his neck being torn apart, yet, he could do nothing.

Thuuuuung!

At the very moment the hand of despair, forged from darkness, was about to deliver death to the fragile human, Raon reacted.

Fwaaaaang!

The demonic sword, wreathed in wrath, struck down the hand of darkness, while the divine sword, blazing like the sun, traced a golden arc through the air, slicing past Garet’s neck.

Chwaaaaaak!

Garet’s severed head flew into the air, and darkened blood rained down over the pitch-black abyss like a storm.

"Only after the rain falls do you finally show yourself…."

Raon planted his foot on Garet’s lifeless corpse, his gaze locking onto the King of Darkness.

A red lightning bolt flashed across his pupils, a reflection of Glenn’s power.

"It turns out you weren’t a mole after all… but a mere worm."

 

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