The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1020

 Chapter 1020

 

Goooooh!

Raon calmly suppressed the heat of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation blazing atop Heavenly Drive.

‘It’s just as she said. I’ve been too obsessed with only the power of my swordsmanship.’

During training, he practiced everything from basic to advanced forms, but in real combat, he mostly used sword techniques that were powerful and fast.

‘Because I had to end things quickly.’

If a fight dragged on, his comrades and subordinates could die. So he always chose the fastest route, which naturally meant using sword techniques with overwhelming power and wide range.

‘Of course, that wasn’t always the fastest way.’

It was true that higher-level sword techniques had greater power, but if he had used his head and chosen the right technique for the right moment, he could’ve ended battles more quickly and effectively.

But instead, he had given up on thinking deeply and just tried to finish fights using powerful and fast techniques.

The shame of knowing it and still not doing it brought heat to his face.

‘Come to think of it, the techniques I’ve used recently were all pretty much the same.’

Techniques with high destructive power like Flame Dragon Art, the offense-and-defense-in-one Flawless Sea of Fire, Azure Sky Sword, Heavenly Lightning Cultivation, and even the techniques he created himself, he often used the Void Severance and the Chilling Breeze.

‘If I used all those techniques right now, I probably could beat Briana.’

No matter how strong her soul was, Briana’s body and aura couldn’t surpass the level of the Queen of Swords.

If he went all out, even using the Sword Field Creation, he would eventually win.

‘But winning like that would be meaningless.’

He provoked the Queen of Swords and the Thespian Emperor because he wanted to fight Briana, the one Glenn had warned him about.

He needed to defeat Briana form against form, swordsmanship against swordsmanship, to find the reason he came here and to grow further himself.

“You say you’ve realized something?”

Briana twisted her lips, as if it was ridiculous.

“Sorry, but that’s not something you can realize just now.”

She shook her head firmly, as if it were absolutely impossible.

“Understanding forms isn’t about talent, it comes from repeating them hundreds of thousands of times.”

Briana raised her softly glowing sword and narrowed her eyes.

“Even for a genius like you, it still takes many long years.”

She smiled thinly as if to say she would make him feel it himself and kicked off the ground.

‘She’s fast.’

Though using the Queen of Swords’ body and aura, Briana’s footwork had reached the extreme, and she had already dashed forward like a flash of light, right before his eyes.

‘Her swordsmanship is also near perfection.’

The Sword of Majestic Will is a swordsmanship focused on thrusts, but the moment Briana thrusted, she would twist the blade to also use slashes or rips.

That strange technique was what had cut his waist and thigh.

There was a stark difference between the Queen of Swords and Briana.

“Hundreds of thousands of repetitions, huh…”

Raon engraved Briana’s sword, which pierced like an awl, into his eyes, then stepped back with his left foot.

“At that level… I think I’ve done about that much.”

He stepped forward with the Supreme Harmony Steps Third Step, imbued with the principle of the flexible sword, letting Briana’s sword slip past like an autumn leaf falling to the ground, avoiding all contact.

“Nonsense. Even if you’d been swinging a sword since the day you were born, that would be impossible.”

Briana shouted for him to stop spouting nonsense and twisted her wrist. The sword she gripped sharply bent at an odd angle and lunged toward his chest.

‘Fast and powerful alone doesn’t make a sword perfect. When blocking Briana’s sword…’

Raising his toes like a bird’s leg, Raon drew a semicircle with Heavenly Drive.

Claaaang!

Heavenly Drive flowed like a wave and blocked Briana’s sword, unleashing a deafening crash like thousands of plates shattering.

Yet despite the deafening sound, no impact remained in his hand.

‘I should have blocked like this from the beginning.’

So that the impact would be directed outward, not into my body.

Because Briana had added the principle of penetration to the Sword of Majestic Will, which was a supreme swordsmanship, even when using powerful techniques, the shock had remained in my body and mind.

But now, by harmonizing footwork and swordsmanship to fit the situation, even the shock he used to feel with techniques like Flame Dragon Art or the Flawless Sea of Fire had completely disappeared.

‘Footwork is just as important as swinging the sword itself.’

In most battles, he had used the Supreme Harmony Steps First Step for its speed, but now, using the soft Third Steps or the heavy Five Steps was far more effective.

Whoooom!

Briana furrowed her brow, seemingly surprised by his unshaken defense, yet extended her sword once more. The aura of black light blooming from her thrusting sword strike rose sharply like icicles beneath the eaves.

‘This isn’t a simple form either.’

Briana attacked like a surprise assault, but she moved the sword's tip, making it impossible to pinpoint the exact location she was aiming for.

‘Even if I can’t tell the exact location, the place it’ll reach is ultimately fixed.’

Raon bent his knees and lowered his stance, raising the energy of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation along the blade of Heavenly Drive, waiting for the moment Briana’s sword approached.

“Hmph!”

Briana, as if she had read his movement, rotated her shoulder and thrust her sword one breath faster. It was a move that twisted the flow of battle so he couldn’t properly defend.

‘I expected as much.’

At the moment Briana’s sword lunged in even faster, Raon bent his waist backward. Her sword slash cut deeply through the front of his bangs and passed by.

“Hmph!”

As if she’d anticipated even that evasion, Briana reversed her grip on the sword and brought it down toward his chest.

Chiiiing!

The moment Briana’s sword fell toward his chest, Raon unleashed the Fangs of Insanity, invoking the sword principles of ghastly sword and flexible sword, both of which contained wavering.

‘The opposite of precision is wavering.’

Precise sword is a sword principle of thrusting accurately at a specific point, while ghastly sword is a sword principle of shaking the sword’s trajectory to create confusion.

Since it was nearly impossible to block Briana’s precise sword in a collapsed stance, he simultaneously invoked the flexible sword and ghastly sword, breaking through her swordsmanship.

Thwack!

Briana's sword strike shook violently like a sailing ship caught in ocean waves, and instead of striking his chest, it slammed into the training ground floor.

Srrrrng.

Without missing that gap, Raon straightened his waist and stood up, aiming Heavenly Drive at Briana's neck.

“You said a sword fight was like chess or a siege, right?”

He smiled as he raised Briana’s chin with Heavenly Drive.

“I agree. There’s definitely a thrill in breaking down the gate and taking the king’s head.”

Raon nodded, saying he had learned something good.

“Hmm…”

Briana frowned as she looked at Heavenly Drive touching her neck, as if she hadn't expected to be countered at such a perfect timing.

“H-He won!”

Krein let out a sigh of relief and clapped his hands.

“Palace master! I always believed in you!”

“What a joke!”

Martha scoffed, smacking the back of Krein's head.

“You were shaking your legs like a puppy needing to pee, saying the palace master was going to lose!”

“I heard it too. You were mumbling how it’d be embarrassing if he lost.”

Burren crossed his arms and chuckled, saying he’d tell Raon later.

“Raon doesn’t lose…”

Runaan gave a firm nod, as if she had absolute faith in Raon.

“It seems like he realized something again!”

Dorian clasped his hands together, saying Raon was always like this.

The Light Wind swordsmen looked at Raon with relieved eyes, clearly thinking the same as the executives.

Ssshhh.

Hearing their cheers, Raon pulled back Heavenly Drive from Briana’s neck.

“What’s this?”

Briana furrowed her brows, as if to ask what he meant.

“You seem to have let your guard down, so I'll give you another chance.”

Raon beckoned with a flick of his finger, telling her to stand.

“You’ll regret this.”

Briana clenched her sword tightly, veins appearing on her forehead.

“An opportunity like that won't come again.”

She bit her lip, saying that she had only lost because she had been caught off guard by an unexpected move.

“No, you’ll once again find yourself looking up at me from that spot again.”

Raon twirled Heavenly Drive, saying they should begin again immediately.

“Fine. From now on, I’ll acknowledge you and defeat you properly.”

Holding her sword deeply behind her as if gripping a spear, Briana thrust forward in one swift motion.

Goooooh!

Like constellations in a cloudless night sky, countless lights connected and surged before his eyes.

It was the ultimate technique of the Sword of Majestic Will that the Queen of Swords had shown before, but now it contained entirely different levels of power, speed, and principles within the sword.

Goooooooh!

Raon let out a soft breath as he watched Briana’s swordsmanship, which seemed as if it was causing the universe itself to fall.

‘Beautiful.’

It was a high-level swordsmanship created only after polishing sword forms to their extremes and fully understanding and embodying the principles within. His heart trembled in admiration at Briana’s talent and effort.

Is this really the time to think it’s beautiful!?

Wrath struck him on the back as if telling him to snap out of it.

If you don’t block it properly, you’ll die!

Wrath shouted that Briana’s attack was unleashed in complete seriousness, and warned that even blocking it would cause significant impact.

Stop fooling around and bring out a powerful technique!

‘I don’t need a powerful technique. I'll use only the exact amount of aura suitable for that level.’

Huh?

‘It's proper to meet sincerity with sincerity.’

Raon resonated the Ring of Fire to its extreme. Within his Transcendence domain, where everything slowed as if the hands of a clock were forcibly stopped, he meticulously analyzed Briana’s swordsmanship.

‘The sword principles haven’t changed much—except for just one.’

The Sword of Majestic Will still contained the same principles, powerful sword, swift sword, precise sword, and light sword.

However, among them, the principle of explosive sword, which gathered and then detonated aura, was now infused as well.

‘I have to break that sword technique before the aura gathers. To do that…’

Raon raised Heavenly Drive, smiling with excitement.

‘I just need to create more swords than the stars.’

Upon the glowing red-hot blade bloomed the World Tree of Flame. Brilliant and magnificent flower petals rose, riding the wind to meet the black, descending ultimate technique of the Sword of Majestic Will.

Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation – Thousand Flames, Flame Spirit.

But it wasn't the usual Flame Spirit. Because within the countless fragments of flame, different principles were harmonized.

Light, fast, heavy, slow, powerful, cloaked in wind, wrapped in lightning, irregular, and sharp.

Countless fragments of flame bloomed as if in full blossom and clashed with the sword strike that seemed to contain the entire universe.

Wuuuuuuung!

The ultimate technique of the Sword of Majestic Will pressed forward, seemingly intent on devouring the Flame Spirit, but the fragments of flame spread gently like fireflies illuminating darkness, gradually burning away the cosmic sword strike.

Fwaaaaaaah!

Just as a tiny ember could ignite a great mountain, the slender flame fragments, each moving differently, burning away the ultimate technique of the Sword of Majestic Will that Briana had unleashed with all her power, down to the last drop of aura.

Whooooosh…

Having finished their task, the flame fragments faded away like dried petals.

“Hah?”

Briana’s chin trembled as she stared at the dying embers on the ground, clearly not expecting her Sword of Majestic Will’s ultimate technique, filled with all her strength, to be blocked.

“This… this can’t be. How…”

She looked to Raon with eyes searching for an explanation, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

“If you want an answer, get up and come at me again.”

Raon pointed the still-hot blade of Heavenly Drive at Briana.

“If you defeat me, I'll give you the answer.”

He smiled, repeating the same words she had said earlier.

*   *   *

Kuuuuuuung!

Unable to deflect Raon’s sword, Briana was pushed back, carving a deep crack into the training ground floor.

“Kh…”

When she lifted her stiff neck, she saw Raon standing exactly where he had been, completely unmoved.

‘Does this even make sense?’

Raon was clearly a swordsman who focused on the amount of aura and the power of his swordsmanship rather than detailed understanding of forms.

But as if awakening during their fight, he had perfectly executed forms fully embodying only the sword principles precisely needed for each situation.

She couldn't understand how such growth was possible in this short amount of time.

What are you doing?! Why are you just getting hit?!

Brigit’s voice screamed in her mind, telling her to fight properly.

You’re not gonna lose to a little brat, are you?!

‘Shut up.’

Erasing that voice, she gripped her trembling sword.

‘I’m not going to lose. Just watch.’

She didn't know how many times she had 'died' to Raon so far. Her strength was drained and her head was dizzy, but she couldn't collapse in defeat like this.

“Hngh!”

Briana took a deep breath and thrust the form of the Sword of Majestic Will toward Raon.

Kyaaaang!

But Raon, seemingly having fully grasped the Sword of Majestic Will, blocked her sword without the slightest tremble and immediately counterattacked.

Whoooom!

Briana narrowly avoided Raon’s strike and bit her lip.

‘Damn it…’

Unlike Raon, who had understood the Sword of Majestic Will, she still couldn’t grasp his sword.

But that was something she couldn’t help.

‘No matter how good I am, it’s impossible to grasp every swordsmanship in existence.’

Raon kept changing the principles he used.

He kept mixing in new principles into previously seen techniques, so even with her confidence in analyzing swordsmanship, it meant nothing.

The countless hours she had poured into swordsmanship now felt almost meaningless.

“So this… is what a real monster is like…”

Unable to hold back her frustration, Briana unconsciously opened her mouth.

“A talent that even ignores time.”

“I told you.”

Raon shook his head as he looked at Briana’s trembling eyes.

“I put in millions of hours into the sword too. If you look properly, you should be able to feel it.”

As if to prove it, he thrust his sword forward in front of her eyes.

‘Properly…?’

Briana swallowed dryly as she watched Raon's sword stretching straight ahead like a horizon line.

‘Wait a second. That sword…’

It wasn't created by mere talent.

She could sense countless threads intertwined within that single strike of the sword.

It wasn't just a sword stroke executed in a single moment. It was the product of countless hours of effort poured in, just like her own.

‘He’s the same as me.’

That child was also a swordsman who had trained in a mental world, like me.

Realizing that someone similar to her has lived a similar life, the powerlessness weighing on her shoulders turned into joy that filled her chest.

Kyaaaaang!

Briana struck back at Raon’s incoming sword and curled her lips in a smile.

‘This is fun.’

I want to keep fighting!

Unlike when swinging her sword alone in her mental world, vitality and joy surged through her entire body and mind.

Upon meeting a comrade, even the simple process of blocking and swinging the sword felt exceedingly enjoyable.

Hwooooong!

With Raon in front of her, Briana delved deeper into the endless world of swordsmanship.

*   *   *

“Huh?”

Raon blinked as he looked at Briana, who had frozen in place holding her sword, having entered a trance.

‘Again?’

Just like the Thespian Emperor, Briana and Brigit had now fallen into a trance as well.

‘This is absurd.’

He had come here to form an alliance with the Five Divine Orders, never expecting to put their leaders into a trance. The unexpectedness of the situation made him laugh in disbelief.

Puhehehehehe!

Wrath suddenly pointed at him and burst into laughter.

So even you can do good things for others sometimes!

Wrath grabbed his stomach, chuckling and saying, now you understand how the King of Essence feels!

‘I didn't only benefit someone else, I also benefited myself.’

Raon lowered Heavenly Drive and shook his head.

‘Because I realized something I had forgotten.’

Through his spar with Briana, he’d felt the joy of swordsmanship again and regained the desire to create better sword techniques.

Thanks to reawakening this sense he already knew but had forgotten, fresh vitality filled his mind.

‘This will help me more than a shallow enlightenment.’

He had realized that he shouldn't recklessly add sword principles into techniques, and that he must only incorporate what was absolutely necessary. Yet in actual combat, instead of applying that insight, he had simply used powerful techniques.

It wasn't necessarily wrong, but one day it would've become a huge wall blocking his path.

However, because he realized this before hitting that wall, he would surely be able to reach higher levels more quickly.

‘Even my versatile sword has grown further.’

There was no visible change to his body or aura, but having used all the sword techniques and principles he learned during the spar with Briana, he could feel that his proficiency of the versatile sword had significantly increased.

Puheng!

Wrath twisted the corners of his lips, waving his hand dismissively.

Growth of versatile sword, my ass! In the end, you're just a doormat who helped someone else enter a state of trance!

‘I told you, I’m not a doormat.’

Doormat! Doooormaaaat! You pushoooooover!

Wrath stuck out his tongue and wagged it mockingly. It was clear he had been dying to call him that.

‘Think whatever you want…’

As Raon was chuckling quietly at Wrath’s teasing, messages appeared before Wrath, who still had his tongue stuck out.

[You have shown the Martial God’s mercy to those who walk the same path.]

[The proficiency of versatile sword has increased.]

[All stats…]

[Traits…]

[…]

Just then, messages appeared in front of Wrath, who still had his tongue stuck out.

Uhhh…

Wrath froze in place, his eyes trembling, still sticking out his tongue.

‘Well now…’

Raon smirked at Wrath, who was breathing heavily.

‘It looks like the real doormaaaat…is you, isn’t it?’

 

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