The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 951

 Chapter 951

 

Goooooh!

From a darkness that seemed to have melted even the abyss itself, the blue Demon King rose.

He was a being that radiated beauty and terror at once, emitting dazzling light yet cloaked in pitch-black darkness, an utterly foreign presence.

Wrath. Known as the Monarch of Wrath, the absolute ruler of the devildom opened his blue eyes from within the body he had long lost.

“This place is…”

Wrath furrowed his brow as he looked around.

“Is this… inside that mirror?”

He remembered Raon stepping into the strange mirror, but everything after that was a blank.

“This is my body.”

Wrath flexed his long, slender fingers as if playing a piano, then briefly smacked his lips. He couldn't remember how long it had been since he last felt his body move like this.

“Yes! This beautiful form is the true body of the King of Essence! Something like that cotton candy could never… hmm?”

He had been about to shout that the blue cotton candy was definitely not his true appearance, when a faint, unnatural sensation tingled at his fingertips.

Tsk.

Wrath clicked his tongue.

‘Unfortunately, this isn’t reality.’

He had been in a spirit form for a long time.

Even if he had returned to his original body, some adaptation time would normally be required. But the fact that his body responded so naturally meant this was likely a mental world created by someone.

‘How did someone create a place like this?’

He had scoffed upon hearing the grand name Chamber of Self, but now that he had entered, it was far beyond what he'd imagined. He couldn’t understand how such a realistic world had been created inside such a small mirror.

‘That first head fellow doesn't seem to be an ordinary human.’

No matter how transcendent he may have been, an ordinary human couldn't create a mental world capable of containing the soul of a Demon King. Especially not a thousand years ago, when the world was already in chaos because of the demonic dragon.

‘No wonder that brat has that kind of mental strength and willpower.’

He knew there was something strange about Raon from the start. Turns out his whole family’s been abnormal since the ancestors.

‘But… where is he?’

He expanded his aura perception, but Raon’s presence couldn’t be felt anywhere.

In Raon’s place, he sensed a faint but massive presence emanating from a golden mountain in the distance.

It was too far to tell for sure, but whatever it was… it seemed like a monster that wouldn’t lose even to him.

‘Should the King of Essence head there? No…’

That mountain didn’t seem like the path the King of Essence should take.

Even in the devildom, such overwhelming might was rarely encountered, but he could tell, that wasn’t someone he was meant to face.

‘The place my soul is drawn to is…’

Wrath turned his gaze to the black ocean stretching out before him.

‘This ocean.’

The place where he could feel his fate wasn’t the mountain behind him, but the black ocean stretching out before his eyes.

‘That mountain is probably Raon’s path.’

And with that thought, he felt like he now knew the identity of the presence atop that mountain.

‘But…’

Something felt deeply distorted.

To his senses, this world didn’t seem fully or properly constructed.

‘Maybe only one soul is supposed to enter at a time?’

Did things get twisted because the King of Essence entered together with Raon?

“Well, whatever happened…”

Wrath stepped forward without hesitation into the black ocean.

“Moving forward is the right answer for now.”

The moment his foot touched the ocean, the black water began to transform into a frost-like hue, as if being purified.

“Hm.”

Wrath frowned as he looked at his foot changing the color of the black ocean.

‘This pain…’

A stabbing agony rushed up through the foot that touched the ocean, like a blade was being driven into his flesh.

“So this is another test of adaptation? How amusing.”

As if pain meant nothing to him, Wrath took wider strides into the black ocean.

Enduring a pain like his flesh was being sawed off, he pressed forward with a smirk, transforming the black ocean into his own color.

“There’s no need to worry about that brat.”

Standing in the ocean now glowing blue, he glanced back at the golden mountain, which was starting to fade into the distance.

“I’ll be waiting at the end.”

With a faint smile tinged with trust, Wrath stepped forward into the ocean with no end in sight.

*   *   *

Hooooo…

Raon clenched his hand as he felt the surge of heat rising into his energy center.

‘My aura is back.’

It wasn’t much. Just enough to wield basic swordsmanship without any problems.

‘So it really does mean I’m to face him using only swordsmanship, just as I first suspected.’

It was clear that the intent was for him to face the first head of house using only swordsmanship, not the grand aura he possessed in reality, nor his superhuman physical abilities.

‘That’s exactly what I wanted.’

The reason he had entered the Chamber of Self wasn’t to defeat his enemy using the power he already had. He had come here to grow stronger, by any means necessary. And facing the first head of house with only swordsmanship was precisely the kind of challenge he’d wished for.

‘Good…’

Raon clicked his tongue slightly as he watched the heat rising from the tip of the first head's sword.

‘It seems he’s also not using strong aura.’

Judging from the aura surrounding the first head of house, he too had no intention of overpowering with strength or physical ability.

‘What kind of swordsmanship does the first head use?’

From what Raon knew, both the Ring of Fire and the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation were martial arts created by the first head himself. A swordsman who developed martial arts that went far beyond even what supreme-level could describe, Raon couldn’t help but wonder what kind of swordsmanship he would show.

Ssshhhhk.

The first head raised his sword high above his head, then swung it down. Flames spinning above his blade traced a graceful arc in the air.

‘Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation’s Revolving Sky?’

The first sword technique unleashed by the first head was none other than the Revolving Sky, a technique Raon frequently used himself.

‘But…’

Raon narrowed his eyes as he watched the Revolving Sky.

‘It’s… not particularly special.’

He had expected much, seeing as it was performed by the creator of the technique, but he couldn’t feel anything uniquely powerful from it.

‘Should I try blocking it with the same technique?’

Normally, he would’ve countered with a different sword technique, but the first head’s Revolving Sky didn’t seem all that threatening. He wanted to test it using the same technique.

Vwooooom.

Raon slashed down with the Revolving Sky, fully imbued with the principles of the versatile sword that he had trained and honed up until now.

‘Am I going to win right from the start?’

Unlike the first head’s Revolving Sky, which felt like it had come straight out of the martial arts manual, his Revolving Sky burned so fiercely that heat shimmered like a mirage in the air. A small smile crept onto his lips, thinking he might seize victory from the very beginning.

Craaaaash!

Their Revolving Sky clashed head-on, unleashing a scorching heat that spread in all directions.

‘I’m pushing him back!’

Their swords carried the same amount of aura, but in terms of how they manipulated the heat, Raon had far more refinement.

Determined to break through the first head’s technique, Raon brought his Revolving Sky down even harder.

‘If I just keep pushing like this… huh?’

What the—? Why am I the one getting pushed back?

Even though his Revolving Sky held more sword principles, the first head’s strike came crashing in with even greater force, overwhelming him completely.

Kyaaaaang!

Unable to withstand the ferocity of the first head’s assault, Raon was pushed backward.

Fwoooosh!

As if declaring that the real fight was just beginning, the first head of house lightly rolled his shoulder and shifted his Revolving Sky into a strike laced with extreme swiftness.

‘Crimson Slash…

Crimson Slash was a technique that cut swiftly and sharply, aiming with precision to cut the enemy. It was the sword technique Raon had used most often from the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, so this time, he felt confident.

Boom!

He stepped in with his left foot, planting firmly, and leaned his upper body forward as he brought his own Crimson Slash down to meet the first head’s.
Fwaaaaaash!

Raon infused the basic principle of Crimson Slash with the heavy sword, which crushes the enemy, and the wind sword, which intensifies heat.

Fwoooosh!

His Crimson Slash, wrapped in weighty wind, collided with the first head’s Crimson Slash, which surged like molten lava.

KRRRAAAANG!

A powerful wave of mana burst between their swords, and crimson flames exploded into the sky and earth.

‘What the hell is this…’

Raon grit his teeth as he watched the first head’s Crimson Slash surge upward, completely erasing his own.

‘Why is it so strong?’

He had added the principles of heavy sword and wind sword, yet his Crimson Slash was crushed without resistance. It was so ridiculous that he couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh.

Kyaaaaang!

In the end, he was blown back by the first head’s Crimson Slash, dragging his Heavenly Drive across the ground to steady himself.
Sssshhiiiik!

The first head of house extended his sword toward Raon without the slightest reaction, as if this result had been expected from the start.

Hwaaaaaaaah!

From the tip of the first head’s blade, a small branch rose up, blooming with golden petals. It was the Flame Spirit of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation.

‘I have to stop him here.’

Revolving Sky, Crimson Slash, and Flame Spirit, these were the fundamental techniques of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation that he used most often.

He had already lost in Revolving Sky and Crimson Slash. He couldn’t afford to lose in Flame Spirit as well.

‘With a solid Flame Spirit this time.’

Raon thrust Heavenly Drive toward the incoming Flame Spirit unleashed by the first head.

Fwoooooosh!

From the blade, a small tree bloomed, releasing a storm of flaming petals.

He added the principles of illusion sword, variable sword, and flexible sword into his Flame Spirit, and infused it further with the sharp sword and explosive sword, creating a technique that was both precise and powerful.

Fwoooooosh…

Raon’s Flame Spirit collided with the first head’s.

He had summoned nearly twice as many flame petals this time, and because of that, he truly believed he could win.

But once again, his expectations were shattered.

Kugugugugu…

The first head’s Flame Spirit tore forward, devouring Raon’s as it surged.

‘How…’

There were twice as many flame petals, he had even added sharp and explosive swords, and yet he was still being pushed back. He couldn’t understand it at all.

Chwaaaaah!

The first head’s fire consumed all of Raon’s flame petals, then transformed into a storm of flames and crashed down on him.

Chiiiiiiik!

He wanted to dodge, but his body's reaction was too slow, and he couldn't evade it completely. His arm was scorched black, and he felt a pain like his skin was being torn.

Hooooook.

As if to say things had only just begun, the first head immediately shifted into the stance for the Wind of Flame, another technique of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation.

“…Ha.”

Raon let out a dry chuckle and shook his head.

‘So it’s going to keep going like this?’

It was becoming clear that this fight wouldn’t end until the first head’s swordsmanship had been broken.

‘That works for me.’

After all, the reason he came here was to become stronger. And if that meant going through endless repeated training like this, he had no reason to refuse.

“If you ever feel like giving up, feel free to say so first.”

Raon stepped forward toward the first head of house, lips curling into a faint smile.

“Because I have no intention of stopping, even in death.”

*   *   *

Trddddk!

Raon was pushed back across the arena, leaving deep footprints in the ground.

‘I can’t win even once.’

He had clashed swords with the first head countless times, far too many to count, yet he hadn’t managed a single victory.

‘It’s not because of his level of martial proficiency or how much aura he has.’

The first head wasn’t overwhelming him with superior strength or a higher realm. He was using swordsmanship matched exactly to Raon’s current level. Which only made his repeated defeats all the more frustrating.

‘Why am I losing?’

He had used the exact same sword technique and developed it into something even stronger—so the fact that he still couldn’t break through the first head’s sword left him completely thrown off.

‘What exactly is the difference?’

He was frustrated, but the first head of house offered no advice. With calm eyes, he simply prepared his next technique.

‘Falling Sun, huh.’

This time, the technique the first head was performing was the Falling Sun, a slash that dropped like the evening sun slipping below the horizon.

He performed the same Falling Sun as the first head, infusing it with the principles of heavy sword and swift sword.

Claaaaaaaang!

The moment their blades clashed, Raon was thrown violently backward.

‘That’s the twentieth… No, maybe even more.’

He’d been pushed back by the Falling Sun more than twenty times now. If the first head had actually intended to kill him, he would’ve been dead already.

‘Now it’s the Crimson Slash…’

Raon bit his lip as he saw the first head readying another Crimson Slash.

‘No combination has managed to stop it.’

He’d exchanged the Crimson Slash with the first head far more times than the Falling Sun, trying every combination of principles he could think of. By now, he’d used nearly every variation he knew.

‘If nothing works…’

Maybe… I should just copy him?

Since nothing could stop the first head's attacks, maybe the best approach was to mimic him, observe his movements from within and figure them out.

Wuuuuuuuum!

He resonated the Ring of Fire to its peak, and amplified only the original principles of the Crimson Slash.

Chiiiiiiiing!

Their Crimson Slashes clashed at the center of the arena, shaking it so violently it felt like a mountain of sand had just collapsed.

“…Huh?”

Raon’s eyes widened as he watched his Heavenly Drive holding its ground evenly against the first head’s Crimson Slash.

‘What…?’

Why am I not being pushed back?

Unlike before, when he overloaded the technique with multiple sword principles, this time his Crimson Slash wasn’t falling behind at all against the first head’s Crimson Slash.

‘Stuffing it full doesn’t work, but using it simply does… Ah!’

Raon trembled as he looked at the flames burning along their swords.

‘Stuffing it full doesn’t automatically make it better.’

Just because he was learning the versatile sword didn’t mean he could cram every technique with every principle he knew.

Every sword technique must have its own limit to how many principles it can hold, and looking back, he had been pushing past that limit every time.

‘The vessel overflowed.’

It was like trying to fit an entire pizza onto a plate the size of a palm, of course it would spill out over the sides.

‘Thinking back, even grandfather avoided blindly adding too much to a technique.’

Glenn had the ability to fuse the Heavenly Lightning Cultivation into the Azure Sky Sword, but instead, he created a new one, the Heavenly Lightning of the Azure Sky.
It was clear that he did so because each sword technique has its own distinct color, and cramming in too many principles at once would only damage the technique.

Fwoooosh.

The first head unleashed the Revolving Sky. Flames whirled atop his sword blade like a spinning wheel as the strike came crashing down toward Raon's neck.

‘Let’s try again.’

Raon responded in kind, drawing his own Revolving Sky, this time imbuing it only with rotation, speed, and power.

Kuwaaaaaah!

The fiercely rotating flames between the swords clashed violently, searing the sand of the arena beneath them.

‘Just as I thought…’

Raon nodded as he saw his sword strike not being pushed back by the first head’s Revolving Sky.

‘This is the answer.’

He had been stuffing too much into sword techniques that were already nearly complete, and in doing so, he had only diminished their perfection.

An intuition-based sword technique like the Fangs of Insanity or Blizzard Sword Art, which still has many empty spaces, can handle a mix of principles just fine. But forcing too much into a completed sword technique only ends up breaking it.

“……”

For the first time, a faint smile appeared on the first head of house’s lips. As if to say that Raon had finally found the right answer, he nodded, and the golden sand mountain behind him began to darken.

 

Advance Chapters