The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 955

 Chapter 955

 

Raon walked down the sand mountain and opened his right hand.

Fwoooosh!

As he activated the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, a slightly deeper golden flame flared up above his palm.

‘So as the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation grows, the flame turns more golden?’

He recalled the memory he had glimpsed during the selection ceremony, the flame of the first head of house had burned with a rich, deep golden light.

‘That must be what it means to be the completed form of a swordsman.’

The first head of house had clearly perfected both the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and the Ring of Fire, surpassing even the realm of Transcendence.

‘I wonder when I’ll be able to reach that realm… no, could I even get close to it?’

From what he felt, neither Wrath nor Glenn had reached the realm of the first head. It wasn’t a matter of martial skill or knowledge, there was a fundamental difference in their very existence.

He hadn’t even reached the level of the Transcenders among the Five Kings and Five Demons. Thinking about rising to the first head’s realm felt like chasing the impossible.

‘Come to think of it…’

Raon clicked his tongue softly as he extinguished the flame burning above his palm.

‘The balance between the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier has collapsed.’

Except for the very first time he received Glacier from Wrath, he had always maintained equal proficiency between the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier.

Because the heat of then Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and the cold energy of Glacier were natural opposites, he had always been cautious to keep them in balance. But now, for the first time in a long while, that balance had tilted.

‘I might have a hard time controlling the flames for a while.’

The Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation had reached ten stars, while Glacier hadn't even touched the peak of nine stars. It seemed like he would have quite a hard time controlling the intense heat.

‘Hm?’

Raon's eyes widened as he thought about his future combat style.

‘The sand doesn’t hurt anymore.’

Unlike when he climbed up this mountain, the golden sand caused no discomfort on the way down. His feet simply sank deeply into it, and that was all.

‘Then it’s best to move quickly.’

With the trials of stamina and willpower over, there was no need to stay on this sand mountain any longer. He used footwork techniques to swiftly descend.

‘Because I have to catch up to Wrath.’

Even though he had been on top of the high mountain, he couldn’t see the end of the ocean Wrath had passed through.

It would take quite some time to catch up, so hurrying was the right choice.

Swoosh!

Raon slid down the sand mountain and headed toward the dim, shadowed ground where he had first found himself upon entering the Chamber of Self.

Wooooong!

As soon as his foot touched the black earth, the pitch-dark ground, as if covered in shadow, began to glow with a golden hue.

‘Is something happening again?’

But no matter how long he waited, nothing else occurred aside from the change in the ground's color.

‘This must be because of Wrath too.’

From what Raon could tell, this place was meant to be both the entrance and exit of the Chamber of Self, but with Wrath’s soul having been pulled in along with his, the exit now seemed sealed.

‘I’m not sure whether this situation will end up helping or hurting.’

Raon let out a dry chuckle as he turned his gaze toward the ocean.

‘Even if it doesn’t help me, I hope it helps Wrath.’

Wrath always complained, saying things like “You’re sucking me dry,” “My spine’s about to snap and break,” or “There’s nothing left but bones.” But whenever Raon or the Light Wind was in danger, he never hesitated to use his authority.

Among everyone Raon had met, Wrath was one of the kindest and most warmhearted. That’s why he hoped Wrath could gain even a little strength in this place.

‘Of course, if he gains a lot, I’ll get a good share too.’

Raon stepped onto the blue ocean with a smirk, already picturing Wrath yelling, “Why the hell are you the one scarfing it all down!”

‘Refreshing.’

Maybe it was because he had just endured the scorching-hot sand and the suffocating heat that made it nearly impossible to breathe, the icy cold rising from the ocean felt like a welcome relief.

‘Wait. This isn’t just refreshing… don’t tell me—’

He sensed a very familiar feeling from the surface of the blue ocean, the cold energy of Glacier. The energy spreading across the ocean was Wrath’s frost.

‘That cotton candy idiot... What kind of nonsense did he pull while flying over the ocean?’

He had no idea how the entire ocean had ended up dyed with Wrath’s cold energy.

‘He’s as careless as ever.’

Raon let out a chuckle as he walked across the ocean, then suddenly came to a stop.

‘Cold energy, huh…’

If the entire ocean was infused with Glacier’s cold energy, then it might be possible to absorb it while moving through it.

‘It’s more than possible. I have to do it.’

The cold energy itself wasn’t that strong.

But because it was spread across such an immense area, if he could absorb it as he moved, it would greatly boost Glacier’s proficiency.

Wooooong.

Raon calmed the intense heat of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation that had surged through his entire body and drew forth the frost of Glacier, hidden deep within his energy center.

Fwoooooosh!

As he activated Glacier, the cold energy flowing through the ocean seeped into his feet and began to circulate through his entire mana circuit.

‘Yeah. I can move like this.’

Since the cold energy within him and the cold energy spread throughout this ocean both belonged to Wrath, it wasn’t difficult to control.

‘As expected…’

Looking down at the ocean that was dyed the same color as Wrath, he licked his lips.

‘Wrath really is a lucky charm.’

Thinking about how to tease him later, Raon calmly started moving forward across the ocean.

*   *   *

Rumbleeee!

A man with black hair and black eyes descended from atop the World Tree, stepping through the air as if climbing down stairs.

His movements were as elegant as a seasoned dancer’s, yet also savage, like a starving beast that hadn’t eaten in days.

“So this frozen tree is the manifestation of your soul?”

With his hands behind his back, the black-haired, black-eyed man walked around the blue World Tree.

“It’s beautiful… and dignified. It suits you well. Of course…”

He gave a calm nod and placed his hand on the base of the World Tree.

Crackkk.

The base of the tree, where his hand touched, crumbled into black dust, as though a thousand years had passed in an instant.

"I bet its insides are pitch-black, just like you. The King of Trash who abandoned the ones who stood beside him since childhood and clawed his way to the top."

He stared into the gray, decaying core of the World Tree and let out a chilling laugh.

"Shut that filthy mouth of yours."

Wrath clenched his fist so tightly that the veins in his arm bulged. He knew this man was merely an illusion created by the Chamber of Self, but it was hard to hold back.

“Rage.”

The black-haired, black-eyed man’s name was Rage. He was an ancient demon who had sat on a monarch’s throne before him.

“For the Demon King of this era to speak the name of this lowly one, what an honor.”

Rage bowed, murmuring his gratitude as if he truly meant it.

"You’re looking well. What is it now—did you offer up more of your subordinates as sacrifices for your growth?"

A mocking sneer twisted his lips.

"He told you to shut your damn mouth!"

Wrath let out a furious roar and lunged at Rage. A chilling blue frost burst from his glowing hand like a blade.

"Your quick temper hasn't changed."

Rage smiled as if he had expected it, raising his hand. A gray energy flared from his palm and clashed head-on with Wrath’s frost.

Kuwaaaang!

Blue and gray light collided violently. The snowflakes that blanketed the frozen field were torn apart, and branches of the World Tree snapped off and fell.

"Well, I suppose it makes sense. The kind of personality you'd expect from a king who threw away his loyal followers and climbed onto the throne alone."

Rage nodded, saying that Wrath truly lived up to the name of wrath itself.

"It was all... all because of you, damn it!"

Wrath ground his teeth as he flung his hand out, striking Rage across the face.

Kuwaaaang!

The frost that clung to his fingertips surged outward, freezing Rage’s entire body in an instant.

The man was trapped inside a towering ice pillar, unable to move even a single finger.

“Hmph…”

Even sealed within the ice, Rage let out a faint chuckle.

“You’ve definitely gotten stronger compared to when we fought before. But… not as much as I expected. Did you play the doormat again somewhere?”

He narrowed his eyes with a look of disappointment as gray energy welled up around him and shattered the ice pillar into fragments.

‘To break the unbreakable ice… That damned power of his is still as insane as ever.’

Wrath narrowed his eyes, watching the gray energy blooming around Rage.

‘Authority of ruin.’

Just as Wrath wielded cold energy that could freeze all things, Rage wielded destructive power that brought everything to ruin.

If he were to come into contact with that gray energy, even he would be shattered.

“I was actually looking forward to fighting not some trash king, but the monarch of Wrath you've become. What a disappointment.”

Rage smacked his lips with a tone of regret as he glanced up into the air, then suddenly vanished.

Kuwaaaang!

He dove in from behind in a flash, as if to end it while Wrath was off guard, unleashing the energy of ruin.

“Knew you’d try something like that.”

Wrath furrowed his brow and twisted his body, scattering Glacier’s frost toward the onrushing energy of ruin.

Kuwaaaaaaaaaaang!

The frost spread wide like an umbrella, and the ruin pierced forward like a spear—the two powers clashed in a cataclysmic collision.

The ground cracked like a spiderweb, and jagged black fissures tore through the silver sky.

“That’s the cold that killed me!”

Rage twisted his mouth into a warped grin as he drew forth a massive wave of ruin behind his back.

"This time, I will kill you and take that body."

“You talk like you’re going somewhere when you’re already dead! He doesn’t know who filled your head with nonsense…”

Wrath unleashed a blade-like burst of chilling cold and pushed back the ruin Rage had spread.

“But he’ll kill you again. No, someone like you deserves to die dozens, no, hundreds of times!”

He unleashed the power he always kept sealed. The wrath of the Blue Demon King. The authority that condensed all the wrath in this world surged into both of his hands.

"With your current power, you’re not even close."

Rage let out a thin chuckle as he gathered his power. The gray energy swirled into a circular shape, forming an orb.

Paaaaaang!

From the orb, streaks of gray light erupted outward, destroying everything they touched.

Kugugugugu!

The frozen World Tree cracked and broke, black holes forming in its trunk, and the land holding the tree trembled violently.

Rage’s authority of ruin held the power to tear down this entire space itself.

"You're right. The King of Essence has grown weaker, but he has gained something in return."

Wrath drew a silver demonic sword from the blackened air around him, its edge honed like moonlight.

“You asked if the King of Essence played the doormat? No. He simply invested in the future.”

He recalled Raon, who was probably suffering even more than him right now, and brought the sword down.

Chiaaaaang!

The silver frost unleashed from the demonic sword froze even the authority of ruin that sought to destroy everything, turning it pure white.

“The King of Essence shall return… because there’s still much he must repay that damned brat for!”

“Return? You’re not going anywhere! This garbage heap will be your grave!”

Wrath and Rage simultaneously slammed the ground and unleashed their respective authorities.

The wrath built up by the previous Demon King and the current one collided, dyeing the pure white world in a deep, shadowy blue.

Kuwaaaaaaaaaaang!

*   *   *

Raon walked across the endless ocean, curling the corners of his lips.

‘Is this really okay?’

It felt way too easy.

When he climbed the sand mountain, he felt both his body and mind pushed to their absolute limits. When he sparred with the first head of house, he’d been hit with so many questions that it made his head spin. And when he faced that half Anima Parel in a fight to the death, the sheer eeriness of it made his heart feel like it had dropped. And finally, when he endured the heat of the sun, he couldn’t even breathe. The pain, like his skin and bones were melting away, was so intense that he truly prepared himself to die.

‘Compared to all that…’

Right now, he was advancing Glacier’s proficiency just by walking across the ocean. It felt almost too easy, and he couldn't help but wonder if it was really okay to be gaining power like this.

‘I probably won’t reach Ten-Star with this… but I might get close.’

Since simply walking over the ocean raised Glacier’s proficiency, staying like this until he left the Chamber of Self didn’t seem like a bad idea.

‘Hm?’

As Raon moved forward with a satisfied smile on his lips, he caught sight of a patch of gray land ahead on the horizon, as though everything there had been scorched to ash.

‘Is that the end of the ocean?’

He could feel Wrath’s energy surging from that island. It looked like the guy was there.

Tap.

With a bittersweet smile, Raon stepped out of the ocean and set foot on the gray land.

‘Wrath’s energy… it’s coming from that mountain.’

He could sense Wrath’s presence from the gray mountain rising at the center of the island. Judging by the lingering traces, it didn’t seem like Wrath had arrived all that long ago.

‘At this rate, I might meet him sooner than I thought.’

Clicking his tongue slightly, Raon walked toward the mountain where Wrath’s presence lingered.

‘It’s huge. But looks like it’s completely burned out.’

The massive mountain looked like it had long since died and crumbled to ashes, the entire thing sunken into a dull gray.

Fortunately, Wrath’s presence wasn’t coming from the mountain itself, but from a pitch-black cave beneath it.

‘Now then…’

Brushing the ash from his hands, Raon stood at the mouth of the cave. It was so dark that he couldn’t see a thing inside, it was a strange place.

‘Walking in with your vision cut off is always a bad start, but—huh?’

But after just a few steps inside, a soft light began to rise around him, glowing faintly like an amethyst cave.

‘This light…’

It felt like Wrath’s cold energy.

The specks of light floating inside the cave shimmered with an even deeper cold energy than the ocean, casting a deep blue glow. ‘Don't tell me... even here?’

Just like he had absorbed cold energy from the ocean, it felt like he could raise Glacier’s proficiency in this place as well.

‘This bastard really leaks energy everywhere. No, wait, maybe it’s not leaking. Maybe it’s just how this place is.’

No matter how much of a fool Wrath was, there was no way he would go around leaking his energy like this. Since this was the Chamber of Self, there was a high possibility that this place had been like this from the beginning.

‘That demon king really had it easy.’

With his brows slightly furrowed, Raon stepped deeper into the glowing blue cave.

*   *   *

Raon, sensing the cave narrowing, slowly opened his eyes.

Goooooo…

He had been walking while focusing on Glacier for so long that he’d lost track of time. All he had done was walk, absorb cold energy, walk, absorb, it was a repetitive cycle.

‘It’s a bit boring, but thanks to it, Glacier’s proficiency has skyrocketed.’

Not just from the ocean, he had continued absorbing cold energy even within this cave, and as a result, Glacier’s proficiency had risen significantly.

It hadn’t reached ten-star yet, but it would greatly help restore the balance with the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation.

‘Just like I thought, stick with a tree that gives without holding back, and you’re bound to catch a fruit or two sooner or later.’

Raon smiled as he continued deeper into the cave, when something appeared before his eyes.

‘A mirror?’

A full-length mirror, just like the one he’d seen when first entering the Chamber of Self, was standing before him.

‘Why is this here? Don’t tell me… is it the exit?’

He was about to reach out toward the mirror when he sensed something to his right and turned.

Above a patch of sunken ground, as if a child had collapsed there, floated a blue orb.

‘What is that?’

Sensing no hostility from it, he reached out his hand toward the orb. The moment his fingers touched the blue orb, a massive wave of cold energy surged into him through his fingertips.

Rumble...

The suddenly absorbed cold moved naturally along Glacier’s flow and settled into his energy center as if it had been his own from the beginning.

“…Haa.”

Raon let out a hollow laugh as he felt Glacier’s cold energy circulate through his body like a lightning strike.

‘What the hell is this? Why is everything on his side so damn easy!’

While he had suffered through trials that nearly killed him, the one Wrath had faced was so dull that even a child could’ve passed it. It was so ridiculous, his brow lifted on its own.

“He really got to enjoy all the sweet stuff, huh? Well… guess I don’t have much of a choice now.”

Raon smacked his lips as he looked at the mirror, where Wrath’s cotton candy-like reflection flickered.

“Alright then. I’ll be generous about it. I’ll only take eighty percent.”

 

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