The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1009

 Chapter 1009

 

Fwoooosh!

As if the duel between the Heavenly Demon and Glenn had concluded, the crimson-black energy that had surged up, shattering the sky, slowly subsided like a stage curtain being drawn.

‘Grandfather!’

Raon swallowed dryly as he looked at Glenn standing beneath the black fissure.

‘Is… is he unharmed?’

Glenn stood in the exact same spot as before, holding Heavenly Tremor upright.

There wasn’t a single visible injury, but his body was enveloped in a soft, mysterious light, like silk from the heavens, and he appeared faint, like a being standing on the boundary between reality and illusion.

‘Then the Heavenly Demon…’

Once he confirmed that Glenn was safe, Raon turned his gaze toward the Heavenly Demon.

‘Blood?’

The Heavenly Demon bent over, vomiting a red lump of blood out from his red dragon mask.

“This…”

He seemed to have taken a heavy blow, grasping his knee with one hand and raising his head with difficulty.

“So that was the Heart Sword. Truly sharp, befitting a sword that cuts the soul.”

The Heavenly Demon smacked his lips in a long, satisfied gesture.

“Having been cut by such a sword, even the Fallen would have to accept that the vow has been broken.”

He let out a faint smile, saying it was a sword that could even split the curses the Fallen left behind.

“Huh?”

Raon let out a hollow breath as he saw the Heavenly Demon straighten his back.

‘He didn’t die, and he didn’t run away?’

Unlike the other Four Demons’ leaders, the Heavenly Demon had not fled but withstood the Heart Sword on the spot. Even if Glenn hadn’t gone all-out, it was an astonishing feat.

“That was an incredible sword. If you’d been serious, I might have been in real danger.”

The Heavenly Demon nodded, saying it gave him a chilling feeling.

“But it seems it’s not an unbreakable martial art.”

He raised his bloodstained fist.

“Because it is a matter of forging a soul thicker than your sword.”

The Heavenly Demon said it was fortunate to have been cut now and let out a bold laugh.

‘So that’s why…’

Raon bit his lip as he looked at the Heavenly Demon standing tall with confidence.

‘Is that how he gained the authority of Pride?’

Even with his soul twisted from a direct hit by the Heart Sword, he was still talking about winning. Raon now understood why Pride had granted that man his authority.

“I’ll return those words to you exactly.”

Glenn gracefully lowered Heavenly Tremor, not stained with even a drop of blood.

“I, too, only need to forge a sword strong enough to cut your soul.”

He shook his head, saying that no matter when they fought, he would be the one to win.

“When that time comes, you won’t be here.”

The Heavenly Demon shrugged, as if questioning whether Glenn could really do it.

“……”

Glenn simply stared quietly at the Heavenly Demon without a word.

“Of course, I don’t wish for such a futile thing.”

The Heavenly Demon slightly tilted his chin upward, exuding an overwhelming presence.

“Before you’re gone, I want to settle this properly. With both of our lives on the line.”

He spat out the blood pooled in his mouth, forming a deep hollow at the corner of his lips.

‘Before he’s gone…’

Raon listened to the Heavenly Demon’s words and looked at Glenn.

‘Grandfather…’

The light that had made Glenn appear faint was gone, but he still looked as if he were standing in a mist.

“Your goal isn't me, is it?”

Glenn furrowed his brows as he looked at the Heavenly Demon.

“My true wish lies elsewhere, of course. But…”

The Heavenly Demon met Glenn’s cold gaze.

“I can’t move forward while leaving someone like you behind.”

He shook his head, as if defeating Glenn had to come first.

“Soon, there will be a place where you and I can fight. Let’s meet again then.”

The Heavenly Demon lowered his hand, suggesting they would meet on another battlefield.

“Soon?”

Glenn narrowed his eyes at the Heavenly Demon.

“When the time comes, you’ll know naturally. If you don’t want to be caught up in it, be thoroughly prepared. Especially…”

The Heavenly Demon turned his gaze past Glenn, looking behind him.

“You’d better raise that child well. He’s a warrior whose future is more promising than his present.”

He nodded not toward Larian, but toward Raon, showing him his attention.

“He truly was your grandson. His face, and that sword, both were just like yours.”

The Heavenly Demon laughed, saying Raon resembled Glenn even more than they realized.

“Hmm…”

Glenn relaxed his furrowed brows slightly at the Heavenly Demon’s words.

“Well then.”

As if bidding farewell, the Heavenly Demon raised his hand. He and the demons of Eden who followed him vanished, as if they had never existed.

If not for the cracked sky and the deeply split ground, one might have thought it was all an illusion.

Srrrng.

Glenn flicked Heavenly Tremor clean and sheathed it. Perhaps because the Heavenly Demon had disappeared, the phenomenon that had made him appear faint was no longer visible.

“Haa…”

Raon let out a breath mixed with blood and lowered his head.

‘I’m dizzy.’

Now that the battle was over, the tension released, and his vision began to fade into whiteness.

‘I have so many things to ask…’

Just go to sleep already.

Wrath snorted and gently placed a cool hand on his forehead.

You really went through a lot this time.

Hearing Wrath’s voice filled with pride, Raon could no longer resist the weight of his eyelids.

Under Wrath’s warm gaze, Raon sank into a deep sleep.

*   *   *

“Ra-Raon!”

Evelyn reached out toward the collapsing Raon, but the distance was too far for her to reach him.

“Raon!”

Glenn, having been about to sheathe his sword, stepped forward and rushed to Raon with his footwork.

“He’s okay.”

Larian shook her head as she infused Raon’s body with pure mana.

“He just fainted after pushing himself to the limit.”

She explained that while his injuries were serious, his condition wasn’t life-threatening.

“Haa…”

Evelyn let out a sigh of relief and, still lying down, lowered her forehead to the ground.

“The Heavenly Demon… he’s really gone, right?”

Larian lifted her gaze toward Glenn.

“Yes. His presence has vanished.”

Glenn nodded, saying he had likely left the area.

“Then what about the Fallen?”

Larian narrowed her eyes, as if that was the more important question.

“……”

Glenn turned his gaze to the shattered fragments of the Fallen’s mask, which had been reduced to powder.

“He’s dead. No—he is dead. The sword technique Raon used at the end…”

He looked at the unconscious Raon and smiled faintly.

“…was the Heart Sword.”

With a proud look, Glenn gently brushed Raon’s hair aside.

“That’s what it looked like. But…”

Larian tilted her chin slightly as she looked at Raon.

“It didn’t look like just a simple Heart Sword. It looked similar to yours.”

She licked her lips, saying that Glenn's sword and Raon's sword were similar.

“I felt so as well.”

Glenn gave a warm smile as he wiped the blood off Raon’s hair.

“Looks like this kid copied my Heart Sword after seeing it.”

It was weak, to the point it would be difficult to cut a single ordinary person, and although it borrowed the power of the vengeful spirits, Raon’s Heart Sword was moving in the same rhythm as his own.

“Even saying I’m proud doesn’t do it justice.”

Seeing his grandson copy the Heart Sword, which was no exaggeration to call his life's work, moved him so much his heart trembled.

“It seems the Heavenly Demon felt the same thing.”

Larian nodded, saying she understood what the Heavenly Demon had said.

“Even saying he’s incredible isn’t enough. I’ve never seen anyone like him before.”

She wiped the sweat, tinged red, from Raon’s forehead with a proud smile.

“He broke through the Sky and Earth Net formation created by Eden’s demons, killed the Demon Slaying Spear, and even took down the Fallen here. I’m far stronger than Raon, but I might not have been able to do it.”

Larian gave a faint laugh, saying it might’ve been impossible even if she’d been told to do it herself.

“Hmph…”

Even in this situation, Glenn trembled at the corners of his mouth, as if pleased to hear praise for Raon.

“Well, that’s true. It’s not something just anyone could do.”

He didn’t feign modesty and gave a firm nod, openly acknowledging it.

“Just like the Heavenly Demon said, Raon’s growth might determine the course of this war.”

Larian gently tapped Raon’s nose, as if she truly believed it.

“Ahem!”

Glenn’s face turned red, and he let out a series of coughs when Larian, a fellow head of the Five Kings, sincerely praised Raon.

“But…”

Larian raised her head upon hearing Glenn’s coughs.

“Are you alright?”

She bit her lip slightly, as if Glenn, who didn’t have a single injury, was the one she was most worried about.

“I’m fine. Both he and I held back.”

Glenn tapped the scabbard of Heavenly Tremor, implying he could still fight if needed.

“I-I’m sorry. It’s all my fault…”

Evelyn pushed herself up from the ground with trembling hands.

“If I hadn’t been captured, neither Raon nor Sir Glenn would’ve ended up like this…”

She bowed her head to the ground, saying how truly sorry she was.

“……”

Without a word, Glenn walked up to Evelyn and met her gaze.

“Thank you for always stepping up for Raon.”

He expressed his gratitude as he placed a hand on Evelyn’s shoulder.

“And congratulations.”

He had realized Evelyn had reached Transcendence and offered her heartfelt congratulations.

“Ah…”

Evelyn’s purple eyes widened, as if she had never imagined receiving thanks and congratulations from Glenn.

“You’ve broken through your wall as well. Congratulations.”

Glenn took Mark Goetten’s hand, who was standing protectively by Evelyn’s side, and gave him a nod.

“It’s all thanks to the palace master. I merely followed the path he made for me.”

Mark Goetten shook his head and said that he had only reached Grandmaster thanks to Raon

“Is that so? Seems Raon has a lot of people who care for him.”

Glenn turned back to Evelyn with a gentle smile.

“Hmm…”

Evelyn looked away slightly, unable to meet Glenn’s eyes.

“Let's have you return with us as well.”

Glenn placed a hand on her shoulder and told her to return together.

“M-me too?”

“Yes. From the beginning, this war was a fight to bring you back.”

He helped her up, saying she’d been through a lot.

“G-Grandfather!”

Evelyn, who had held back calling him that, lifted her head and cried out.

“Now that I’ve remembered my name, I’ll properly call you grandfather.”

“Ah, no, that’s enough….”

Glenn waved his head with a flustered look. He had said he wanted to be called grandfather, but hearing it face to face made him feel awkward.

“Grandfather! What’s wrong!”

Evelyn repeatedly shouted grandfather as if she had finally received his acknowledgment.

“M-Master of the Magic Tower. Please send us back to Zieghart!”

Glenn, trying to stop Evelyn’s rampage, called out to Larian with an urgent look.

“M-my mana…”

Larian, now seemingly back to her usual self, pulled her robe all the way over her head and lowered her gaze.

“T-The mana for the teleportation device is completely depleted, so we’ll need to wait a little.”

Her voice sank to the ground as she bowed her head, showing none of the confidence she had earlier.

“Uh…”

Glenn glanced around, flustered.

“Grandfather. While we wait for the mana to recover, shall I tell you everything that’s happened so far?”

As if she had never been in pain, Evelyn smiled chillingly and pushed her face towards Glenn.

“First of all, my name isn’t Merlin — it’s Evelyn. And with Raon, we…”

She moved her tongue rapidly, spitting up blood even as she spoke, as if she truly intended to tell him everything.

“I want to see it. I want to see inside…”

Larian, with her hood pulled up, spun her finger in the air and muttered in an eerie voice that she wanted to open up Raon’s insides.

“U-um…”

Glenn glanced at Mark Goetten as if asking for help, but he was quietly watching over Raon with a faint smile, completely uninterested in anything else.

“Ah, should I start from when I first met Raon? First…”

‘Is this…’

Glenn shut his eyes tightly, hearing Evelyn's words that felt like they were beating on his eardrums.

‘Loneliness?’

*   *   *

“Ugh…”

When Raon opened his eyes, he saw a ceiling he knew all too well.

‘My room.’

It was the ceiling of the annex building. It seemed they had moved him here while he was unconscious.

‘Thank goodness. It wasn’t a dream—urk!”

Raon tried to sit up but froze in place.

‘D-damn, it hurts like hell.’

Thanks to the Demon Kings’ authorities and traits, his recovery rate increased significantly while he slept, but even now, intense pain remained in both his head and body.

“Hoo.”

It was hard even to move, so he let the strength drain from his arms and lay back down on the bed.

‘That just means it was that brutal of a fight. Well, I did take down the Fallen.’

He had been confident he could defeat the Demon Slaying Spear, but honestly, he’d never imagined he’d be able to take down the Fallen.

‘Though it wasn’t really me, Evelyn did everything.’

If Evelyn hadn’t blocked the Fallen’s magic, he would’ve been the one turned to dust on the spot. She was the true hero of this victory.

‘Still, what's important is that I erased one Transcender.’ (Demon Slaying Spear)

As Raon smiled in satisfaction, a floating ball of blue cotton candy appeared before his eyes.

You crazy bastard!

Wrath scowled down at him, wrinkling the bridge of his nose.

You’re seriously insane!

‘Why are you suddenly like this again?’

Raon tilted his head, looking up at Wrath.

Just this once, the King of Essence will admit it. That was incredible!

Wrath nodded in approval, saying he was praising Raon for fulfilling Evelyn’s revenge.

‘You’re actually giving praise?’

Raon gave a small laugh as he looked at Wrath arrogantly jutting his chin.

Do not laugh! Even in devildom, there are hardly any who receive the recognition of the King of Essence!

Wrath snorted, saying he should consider it an honor.

‘Yeah, yeah. Thank you.’

Just as Raon tilted his chin mockingly at Wrath—

[You have defeated an opponent of an extremely high level.]

[You have been recognized by <Wrath>.]

[You have witnessed a battle between absolutes.]

[You have achieved a great feat!]

[All stats….]

[A new trait….]

[The rank of the trait….]

As if responding to Wrath’s words, system messages surged up all at once.

W-What the…

Wrath trembled as he looked at the messages filling his vision.

Why are there so many of them!

‘Because you acknowledged me?’

Raon raised his finger and pointed at the message saying he had been recognized by <Wrath>.

Ah….

Wrath clenched his fist so tightly it made a cracking sound as he looked at the message.

Why does it ignore everything else the King of Essence’s said and only listen to crap like that!

He screamed, saying he really wanted to smash it all to pieces.

You damn crazy system!

‘That’s it.’

Raon calmly nodded as he listened to Wrath’s piercing scream.

‘Now it really feels like I’m back home.’

 

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