The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 919

 Chapter 919

 

"……."

Raon narrowed his eyes as he watched Karoon enter through the entrance.

'The Central Martial Palace swordsmen aren’t here.'

Just like himself, Karoon seemed to have gone through a similar ordeal, as there was no sign of the Central Martial Palace swordsmen. It appeared that he, too, had climbed the tower alone.

“So, the Light Wind Palace master has also left the others behind.”

Karoon glanced back at Jaina and the mages behind him, nodding briefly.

“What happened?”

He tilted his chin slightly, as if asking Raon to explain what had transpired so far. With Burren nowhere in sight, he seemed curious about what had happened.

“There was a floor that replicated Montiro’s situation exactly. There, we….”

Raon gave Karoon a brief rundown of everything that had happened.

“So you left it to them….”

Karoon looked into Raon’s eyes, his lips parting slightly.

"Similar, huh? We also had a floor where we had to enter different rooms and eliminate demonic creatures. I left that task to my subordinates and climbed up alone."

He lowered his chin slightly, his voice heavy as he confirmed that he had entrusted his subordinates with the task before proceeding upward.

“What about Sir Morell?”

Jaina clasped her hands together as she spoke Morell Kazan’s name.

“He took charge of the next floor. He was more reliable than he appeared.”

Karoon placed his hand on his sword, stating that thanks to Morell, they had been able to save time.

“There’s no need to worry. He’ll lead them up here.”

His tone was filled with confidence, and he gave Jaina a reassuring nod.

“Ah, I see.”

Jaina let out a breath of relief, reassured by Karoon’s confidence.

“But this place….”

Karoon narrowed his eyes as he examined the two entrances, the training ground in the center, and the exit attached to the opposite wall.

“Hm. Now I understand what you mean by a nasty personality.”

Seeing the structure of this floor, he seemed to grasp its intended purpose and furrowed his brows.

“Yes. It seems that only one group among those who emerge from the two entrances will be allowed to proceed.”

Raon clicked his tongue in disdain, finding the setup distasteful.

“As expected.”

Just as Karoon was glaring at the training ground in irritation, a bizarre, grating voice rang out.

[Only one entrance is connected to the exit.]

It was a message sent by the floor overseer, confirming what they had suspected, this floor was not designed to let everyone pass.

“Did you try breaking the walls or the door?”

Karoon showed no interest in the floor overseer’s message and immediately directed his question at Raon.

“Yes. I struck them with full force, but they didn’t break.”

Raon let out a short sigh and shook his head.

“They seem to be reinforced with condensed demonic energy and artifacts, much like the Black Tower’s outer walls.”

Even with his current strength, the greatest he had ever reached, there wasn’t even a trace of damage. That meant an exceptionally powerful artifact was involved.

“I see.”

Karoon slowly raised his sword and brought it down on the exit leading to the next floor.

Kuwaaaaaang!

A shockwave of incredible force exploded outward, yet the door and walls remained completely unscathed.

“You were right.”

Karoon calmly lowered his hand, seemingly unsurprised by the result.

“The floor overseer wasn’t here from the start?”

He now shifted his gaze around the room, looking for the floor overseer.

“Yes. He seems to be hiding.”

Raon shook his head, stating that he couldn’t detect any presence at all.

The demonic energy is swirling around wildly, making it hard even for the King of Essence to find him.

Wrath furrowed his brows in displeasure, finding this place extremely unpleasant.

However, it’s certain that someone is watching you.

Wrath’s gaze darted around, sensing the presence of an observer.

‘That’s obvious.’

So far, every demonized human they had encountered had been intent on stalling for time, yet their eyes were always fixated on any opportunity to kill.

“The floor overseers have been willing to destroy their own domains just to block our way. It seems the Black Tower’s master is preparing some kind of trump card to turn the tide.”

Karoon looked up at the ceiling, suggesting that they needed to ascend as quickly as possible.

"……."

Raon pressed his lips together as he examined Karoon, who was wrapped in a quiet yet formidable energy wave.

‘Is this man really Karoon Zieghart?’

From the moment Karoon stepped onto this floor, doubt had lingered in Raon’s mind. The person before him could be the real Karoon, but there was also a chance that he was a demon who had disguised himself as Karoon.

“Central Martial Palace master.”

Raon placed his hand on his sword hilt as he looked at Karoon.

“May I ask you one thing?”

“…Are you doubting me?”

Karoon turned his gaze toward him, showing no change in expression despite reading Raon’s intent.

“That’s not a bad judgment. Very well.”

Rather than taking offense, he nodded in approval.

‘It has to be a question that will catch him off guard—one that’s difficult to answer, but one I can verify the truth of.’

Raon carefully selected a question that would fluster Karoon and slowly parted his lips.

"Do you love Burren, Sir Karoon?"

He deliberately addressed him as Karoon, not Central Martial Palace master, to make the question more provocative. In the past, he never would have asked such a thing, but today’s Karoon made him think it was worth asking.

“Hmm….”

Karoon’s eyes widened slightly, as if he hadn’t expected a question about Burren.

“Answer me.”

Raon drew Heavenly Drive, his stance suggesting that he would strike if Karoon hesitated.

“That question… my answer would have changed depending on the time. However, if you ask me now…”

Karoon, having made up his mind, met Raon’s gaze with sharp eyes.

“I love him. As much as I love Zieghart itself.”

He nodded, placing Burren on the same level of importance as Zieghart.

H-Huh?!

Wrath gawked at Karoon, his jaw dropping.

That bastard is fake! There’s no way the big shitty eyes would say that!

‘No, he’s real.’

Raon clicked his tongue lightly.

‘Like he said, he’s changed a lot.’

Karoon had reached Transcendence after genuinely reflecting on his past, where he had once been blinded by jealousy and greed.

Now, he was someone who would train with Burren through the night, and earlier, he had openly congratulated Burren for reaching Grandmaster in front of everyone. Given the current Karoon’s transformation, his affectionate response wasn’t out of place.

“May I ask a question in return?”

Karoon tilted his chin slightly, his gaze turning cold.

“Go ahead.”

Raon nodded without hesitation. Since Karoon was likely suspecting him as well, it was only natural that he would want to ask something in return.

“If you were to become the head of House Zieghart, what would you do?”

“The head of House Zieghart….”

Raon’s brows furrowed deeply. He hadn’t expected the topic of becoming the head of house to come up, and for a moment, his mind went blank.

However, recalling his previous conversations with Glenn and Rimmer, he already knew what he truly desired.

“Rather than raising Zieghart to the highest peak, I want to make it a place where the people within can live happily.”

Instead of prioritizing being the strongest among the Five Kings and Five Demons, he wished for the people of Zieghart to live comfortably and happily. As he said this, he raised his gaze.

“That answer suits you.”

Karoon nodded in understanding. His cold gaze softened, and a faint smile formed on his lips, indicating that he found Raon’s response satisfactory.

“Well then, shall we begin?”

He pointed his sword at Raon, implying that there was no more time for discussion.

"Yes. I will go all out."

Raon emphasized the words all out as he raised Heavenly Drive toward Karoon’s neck.

“A-Are you really going to fight…?”

Jaina’s voice trembled with disbelief.

“There’s no other way.”

“Step back.”

With their swords pointed at each other, both Raon and Karoon told Jaina to move away.

“Ah….”

As soon as Jaina stepped off the arena ground, overwhelmed by the intense energy waves of the Transcenders, Raon and Karoon kicked off the ground at the same time.

Chiiiiiing!

Though their red eyes looked alike, they radiated contrasting auras—one burning red and the other deep blue—as they slashed at each other’s throats.

Zzeooong!

The full-power strikes of the Transcenders clashed, carving away at the arena as tremors rippled through the entire Black Tower.

Jjijijijik!

Raon curled his lips as he watched Karoon push forward, slicing through the flames of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation.

‘He’s serious.’

Karoon's sword strikes were filled with an undeniable killing intent, as if he truly meant to kill him. Had Raon let his guard down for even a moment, his neck would have been torn off in the very first exchange.

‘Yeah. That’s the best way to do this.’

Raon nodded and intensified the flames of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, causing the flames to surge violently, aiming to consume Karoon’s aura entirely.

“Hmph.”

As if he had anticipated that much, Karoon condensed his blue aura, forging a blade so sharp that it cleaved through the flames themselves. Watching his Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation's aura get severed sent a chilling sensation down Raon’s spine.

‘His target… is my heart.’

Raon bit his lip as he deflected Karoon’s thrust aimed precisely at his heart.

‘His strikes are both precise and powerful. But what’s even more dangerous is his graceful swordplay.’

Karoon had honed the balance between the precise sword, swift sword, and destructive sword to their utmost limit, refining them into a graceful form. Normally, elegance was a quality valued in sword dance rather than real combat, but upon reaching Transcendence, it had transformed into something entirely unique.

Clang! Clang! Claaang!

Despite being physically overpowered, Karoon compensated with exquisite swordplay, using its flow to overcome his body’s limitations. What once might have been an unnecessary attachment to aesthetics had now become a strength upon reaching transcendence. The mysteries of martial arts truly had no end.

‘But I can’t afford to lose here.’

Raon unleashed the Crimson Slash, Thirty-Six Crimson Slash toward Karoon, whose sword deflected every attack like an impenetrable wall.

“So, that’s the sword technique.”

Karoon, recognizing the technique immediately, drew a wide arc with his glowing blue sword, tracing a sword path designed to block the simultaneous thrusts from thirty-six directions.

Clang! Claaang! Clang!

The red and blue sword lights clashed countless times, sending hundreds of sparks bursting across the training ground.

Chiiiiiiing!

Determined to end the fight, Raon unleashed a colossal sword strike, the crimson sky itself seeming to descend with his blade. At the same time, Karoon’s sword radiated the presence of a supreme conqueror, its force obliterating everything in its path.

Kuwaaaaaaaang!

A collision of pure might. The immense surge of aura forced Jaina and the Balkar mages to their knees, unable to even open their eyes.

Tuuuuung!

Raon and Karoon plunged into the storm of exploding sparks, slashing at each other without hesitation.

Piiiiiik!

Raon’s strike split Karoon shoulder open, sending a spray of crimson blood into the air.

Pwoooock!

In return, Karoon’s sword slashed across Raon’s waist, ripping through flesh as blood poured from the wound.

No longer allies, the two fought with the intent to kill, their bloodlust growing denser as they relentlessly thrust toward each other’s hearts.

Kyaaaaaang!

*   *   *

As Raon and Karoon fiercely crossed blades, their breaths intertwining in battle, a transparent eye emerged above them.

It belonged to Treve, the floor overseer of the upper floors, using detection magic to observe from above.

‘They’re fighting more seriously than I expected.’

Treve smirked as he watched Raon and Karoon target each other’s vital points with pinpoint precision.

‘They’re expending a lot of energy, and their injuries are worsening.’

Ordinarily, Transcenders could draw mana from the air and fight for days, but the upper floors of the Black Tower were thick with demonic energy rather than mana. That meant the strength they were expending wouldn’t be replenished quickly.

Moreover, the excessive bleeding from their numerous wounds was draining their stamina, their complexions growing paler with each passing moment. Compared to when they had first arrived, their combat power had likely been halved.

‘This is my chance.’

Originally, this floor had been Treve’s personal domain, but the Black Tower’s master had provided him with an artifact that altered the space into its current form.

Even if one of them won, it wouldn’t matter, the only way to move forward was with Treve’s approval or Treve’s death.

Initially, he had planned to let the victor advance and ambush them afterward. However, seeing the state they were in, he realized he could kill them both right here.

‘If I take down two Transcenders in this place….’

I might surpass the vice tower’s master.

The Black Tower was in a special state right now. If he managed to kill two Transcenders in this space overflowing with demonic energy, he wouldn’t just ascend to Transcendence, he would rise above even the current vice tower master.

‘No, no!’

Treve shook his head slowly.

‘If I make a move here and fail, I’ll be in danger.’

Above this floor was the domain of the vice tower master, and above it was the highest floor, where the Black Tower’s master resided. If his recklessness caused this place to be breached, he wouldn’t just die, his suffering would continue even after death. He had to hold back.

‘But an opportunity like this won’t come again….’

The thick demonic energy gnawed at his mind, fueling his greed.

‘Then… I’ll wait for the perfect moment…’

He resolved to strike only when the two of them were truly fighting to the death, when their battle was no longer an act but an earnest attempt to kill each other. He subtly began gathering demonic energy.

Pwoooock!

As the battle reached its climax, blood burst from Raon’s collarbone, while black blood dripped from Karoon’s mouth.

“Sword Field Creation.”

“Sword Field Creation!”

Raon and Karoon, as if truly intending to end it all, both activated their sword fields, raising their swords, their power surging high enough to push back the surrounding demonic energy.

‘Now!’

Treve unleashed his condensed demonic energy, emerging from the darkness where he had been hiding.

It was the perfect opportunity, so perfect that even the Black Tower’s master’s orders had completely faded from his mind.

‘This is my only chance!’

At the moment they faced each other and activated the sword field creation, their backs were naturally exposed, making them vulnerable to an attack from behind.

If he struck at this instant, not only would he kill them, but he would also gain immense rewards.

Wuuuuuung!

Treve unleashed the compressed demonic energy, detonating it behind Raon and Karoon just as their swords began to shine.

No matter how powerful they were as Transcenders, enduring an attack in that instant should have been impossible.

Believing he had secured his victory, Treve widened his mouth in a twisted grin, only for Raon and Karoon to suddenly turn their gazes toward him.

Their eyes, far too calm, locked onto him.

‘Wh-What…?’

The moment Treve met their eyes, his body froze.

The explosion of the demonic energy he had unleashed shattered into fragments, dispersing into nothingness. Even the world he saw before him felt as if it had been sliced in two.

"Wh-what… is… happening…?"

Treve felt the strength leave his hands, his thoughts dissolving into emptiness, and his body collapsing backward.

"Aaaaaaaargh!"

A wave of excruciating pain followed. When he looked down, he realized his arms and legs had all been severed.

“H-How….”

"You got greedy."

Raon wiped the blood from his lips and shook his head.

"Of course, no fool would pass up the chance to take down two Transcenders."

His eyes gleamed and let out a mocking chuckle, as if he had foreseen everything from the very start.

"Y-you… You knew I would come out?"

Treve’s chin trembled as he shook his head in disbelief.

“I’ve seen enough of you all by now. You demonized humans love stalling for time, but you can never abandon your desire to grow stronger.”

Raon smirked and shook his head.

"And that greed… was your downfall."

Karoon, his expression calm, gave a small nod of agreement.

"You… damn… bastards!"

Treve cursed as he tried to sink into the floor, attempting to escape.

But before he could move—

A spray of blood erupted from his throat.

His head fell cleanly from his shoulders.

"Ah…."

The demonized human, who had dreamed of becoming a Transcender, buried by the very greed that had driven him forward.

As his breath ceased, the door to the next floor finally opened.

"Are you all right?"

Raon approached Karoon and handed him a healing potion and holy water. Though his wounds were deep, they hadn’t struck any vital points, so he would recover quickly.

"We worked well together."

Karoon narrowed his eyes, acknowledging that their thoughts had aligned.

"The hint was all out."

Raon chuckled softly and nodded.

"But… you went in a little too hard."

He clicked his tongue as he pointed at the wound on his chest.

"…I figured you’d be able to endure it."

Karoon lowered his hand as if he had simply placed his trust in Raon.

"…Is that so?"

Raon let out a faint smile before gesturing toward the staircase leading to the next floor.

"Not much left now. After the next floor, we should reach the top."

He stepped onto the stairs, urging Karoon to join him so they could fight together.

"Yeah. Let’s go."

After pouring the holy water over his wounds, Karoon looked at Raon’s back as he climbed.

His gaze deepened.

‘One day, we’ll have to fight for real. But….’

He furrowed his brows as he stared at his own hand.

‘Why did I go overboard just now?’

 

 

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