The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1059

 Chapter 1059

 

Denier showed no reaction even to Raon’s provocation. He knelt and bowed his head as if he were only waiting for the White Blood Religion’s leader to call him.

“So you've become a leashed dog. Did you betray Zighart because you wanted to live like that?”

Raon picked up the Wooden Ring Sword that the White Blood Religion’s leader had tossed aside and sneered.

“……”

Denier still did not open his mouth, only keeping his eyes fixed on the back of the White Blood Religion’s leader.

“Useless provocations or questions won’t mean anything. Because that’s how he was made.”

The White Blood Religion’s leader let out a mocking laugh, saying that provocations would not work on Denier.

“So now you don’t just suck blood, you suck words too? I wasn’t talking to you, so stay out of it.”

Raon waved his hand at the White Blood Religion’s leader as if shooing away a fly.

“You insolent little brat….”

Unlike Denier, the White Blood Religion’s leader seemed highly susceptible to provocation, furrowing her brow as she glared at him.

To be provoking even in the middle of this, you bastard, you're really something….

Wrath also let out a hollow laugh, as though dumbfounded.

“If you won’t speak, then I’ll just have to make you speak.”

Raon bent his upper body forward, sharp like the edge of an axe. Just as he was about to charge in, Denier pulled Martha into his arms.

“If you take even a single step from there, I’ll kill this human.”

As if he meant it, Denier wrapped his left arm around Martha and aimed his sword at her neck.

“F… Father….”

Martha’s lips trembled pale as she saw Denier, whom she had followed almost as much as her mother, now trying to kill her.

“Please….”

She shut her eyes tight, as if unwilling to believe this reality.

W-what is this! What the hell is that act!

Wrath ground his teeth as he saw Denier’s sword touching Martha’s neck.

For a man who calls himself a father to kidnap his daughter and take her hostage, what kind of world does such a thing exist in!

He seemed truly enraged, radiating wrath as fierce as Raon’s.

Let the King of Essence make his advent at once! He will kill both that bastard and that mosquito bitch!

Wrath leapt up, declaring he would save Martha and imprison Denier and the White Blood Religion’s leader in an ice hell.

‘That's a choice I should make only when there's truly no other answer.’

If I use the Demon King's Advent, both Wrath’s and my own martial power will be permanently reduced.

I don’t know how much strength and what realms we would lose, so I have to avoid that path as much as possible.

‘I still have a road I can walk.’

Raon lifted his left foot as he stared into Denier’s eyes, where coldness flowed.

Step.

Ignoring Denier’s warning not to move a single step, he walked forward without hesitation.

Ssshhk!

Denier pressed the blade thinly against Martha’s neck, as if to prove he meant his words. Red blood flowed down her white throat.

Step.

Even as he watched Denier cutting Martha’s neck, Raon did not stop his steps.

“I told you not to come closer, didn’t I?”

For the first time, Denier revealed emotion, frowning.

“You can’t kill Martha.”

Raon jerked his chin toward Denier, whose voice had risen.

“If you still think of this human as my daughter, then you are making a grave mistake.”

Denier lifted his chin as though human relationships meant absolutely nothing to him.

“Ra… Raon….”

Martha slowly opened her eyes and called his name. In her trembling gaze reflected not betrayal, but pain and sadness.

“It’s alright. You won’t die.”

Raon nodded at her, telling her not to worry.

“No, she will die.”

As if he truly meant it, Denier pushed the sword deeper into Martha’s neck. Bright red blood dripped down, staining the white ground.

“Uugh….”

Martha let out a groan from the pain and fear, but as though trusting him, she pressed her lips tightly shut.

Hey, you punk! Stop walking! The beef girl is going to die!

Wrath shook his shoulders, urging him to stop moving.

“Why don’t you drop the bluffing?”

Raon twisted his lips as he looked at Denier and then the White Blood Religion’s leader.

“You two are planning to make Martha the White Blood Religion leader's new body, aren't you?”

“Hmm….”

Denier’s hand holding the sword trembled faintly, as though he had never imagined I would catch on to that part.

“If that weren’t the case, there’d be no reason to take Martha hostage instead of King Lecross.”

Even though Denier knew full well that taking the gravely injured King Lecross as a hostage would have been the best option, he discarded him and took Martha instead. It was, by all reason, strange.

“Is… is that true?”

Balder's eyes flew wide open, as if he hadn't thought of that at all.

“It’s certain. If Martha truly hadn’t been needed, they could have killed her on the spot while retreating.”

The fact that she wasn’t killed but paralyzed and taken alive proved that Martha had an important role.

“On top of that, the White Blood Religion’s leader’s body has already reached its limit.”

Raon frowned as he pointed to the White Blood Religion’s leader, whose hand and arm were breaking out in white scales.

“In order for the White Blood Religion’s leader to wield the full power of bloody energy, she needs to find a body whose soul’s flow resonates with hers. Right now she’s occupying Martha’s mother’s body, so it’s not strange that she would target the grown Martha.”

Raon clenched his molars until his gums hurt.

“Denier might have adopted Martha into Zieghart in the first place to make her a vessel for the White Blood Religion’s leader.”

I didn’t want to imagine it, but given everything that had happened, that was the most likely possibility.

“……”

Denier said nothing, only glaring at me as though he meant to kill me.

“Hah….”

The White Blood Religion’s leader let out a laugh, as though finding it absurd.

“That clever head of yours spins well enough.”

She wrinkled her nose bridge, as if acknowledging his deduction.

“Now that my prediction has been confirmed….”

Raon bent forward like a drawn bowstring Raon bent his upper body forward like a drawn bowstring and activated the Supreme Harmony Steps. Folding the ground beneath his feet as he dashed forward, he brought the Crimson Slash down toward Denier’s neck.

Claaang!

As if to prove Raon’s words right, Denier pulled Martha back and raised his sword to block the Crimson Slash.

“Just as I expected.”

Raon curved his lips into a cold smile at the veins bulging from Denier’s temple.

“Raon Zieghart….”

Grinding his teeth audibly, Denier pushed back against the flames of Crimson Slash with bloody energy.

“You’d better go all out.”

Raon pressed down on Denier with sheer force, raising his chin.

“Because today, I’m a lot angrier than usual.”

He swung Heavenly Drive, the flames blazing upon it infused with wrath.

Cllaaang!

The golden flames infused with wrath burned away the white bloody energy in an instant and shot straight toward Denier’s heart.

Boom!

Realizing that a frontal clash would not be easy, Denier raised a barrier of bloody energy, then retreated back without hesitation.

“Protect this human.”

Handing the gasping Martha over to the archbishop, Denier once again stood before Raon.

“What part of it was true, and what part was false?”

Raon looked down at Denier, who had lowered his stance tensely, and asked.

“Everything was true, and everything was false.”

Leaving those words behind, Denier vanished with a white current. It wasn’t sorcery. His movements were so fast that it seemed as if he had disappeared before my eyes.

‘As I thought….’

I narrowed my eyes, feeling Denier’s movement already shifted elsewhere before my aura perception could catch him.

‘Was Denier’s forte speed?’

I had sensed it ever since he avoided the Frost Pond in my Divine and Demonic Harmony state, Denier’s ability seemed to be extreme swiftness in swordsmanship and movement, beyond even my perception.

Ssshhhkkk!

As I spread my aura perception wider to find Denier’s position, my shoulder split open and blood sprayed.

Slaaash!

By the time the blood hit the ground, the sound of sword wind came. Denier seemed to be striking faster than the sound itself.

‘He’s certainly not below me.’

Just as I’d felt at first, Denier possessed martial power nearly equal to mine.

‘This time, behind!’

In an instant, Denier shifted behind him, as if to kill him on the spot, and drove his sword down toward Raon’s neck.

Claaanng!

He caught Denier’s thrust with the Blade of Requiem, gripped in reverse, and narrowed his eyes.

“Seems like striking from behind is your specialty. Or maybe that’s all you can do.”

Provocation worked on Denier after all. To provoke him further, I crooked my finger arrogantly.

“Hmph!”

Denier sneered and raised his speed another notch. The afterimages he left mirrored like glass, making it look as if hundreds of Deniers were before Raon’s eyes.

“Die.”

With a chilling shout, the afterimages of Denier in different stances rushed in all at once.

They weren’t clones, yet they felt like clones, and I couldn’t find Denier’s true position. It felt less like martial arts and more like fighting sorcery.

Claaanng!

Focusing my entire mind into aura perception, I barely managed to deflect Denier’s sword strike plunging into my chest.

‘It’s not heavy, but my bones are ringing.’

Denier’s sword contained the principles of extreme swiftness and sharpness at their peak, so even when I blocked, it brought pain as though my skin and muscles were being torn apart.

The sharp energy made my spine go cold, as if even one thrust would blow away my life.

“You’re still far off.”

As if he’d expected it, Denier’s cold voice rang out as he cut across my shoulder once again.

“Ugh….”

Raon furrowed his brows while staunching the blood from the shoulder Denier had cut twice. He clearly thought he had blocked, but because Denier’s sword had no fixed form, blocking was not easy.

“You’ve grown far more than when I last saw you.”

The White Blood Religion’s leader nodded in satisfaction at Denier’s movements.

“Looks like your luck ends here.”

She curled her lips as if certain of Raon’s death.

“Raon!”

“You brat! You said you'd finish it quickly!”

Larian and Chamber shouted. Even with the White Blood Religion’s leader before them, they seemed more worried about him.

“……”

Aris and Lecross, like swordsmen should, simply nodded silently, as if trusting him.

[Don't try to kill the White Blood Religion’s leader, think of it as holding out.]

As he deflected Denier’s sword aimed at his heart, Raon sent an aura message to Larian, Chamber, Lecross, and Aris.

[The White Blood Religion’s leader isn’t in perfect condition. She’s just stalling to recover her wounds and stamina. Start the fight quickly and drain her strength.]

He told them that though she appeared fine, she wasn’t, and that this was the only path to victory in this war.

[Are you alright?]

[Worry about yourself!]

Larian and Chamber shouted back, telling Raon to focus on the fight before him instead of them.

[I’m fine.]

He drew a faint smile as he activated the   Mind’s Eye of the Azure Flower. Entrusting his body to the cold energy blooming over his eyes, he gripped Heavenly Drive and the Blade of Requiem tighter.

[From here on, everything will be visible.]

*   *   *

“Fools only learn when they experience it firsthand.”

The White Blood Religion’s leader raised her red lips as if certain of Denier’s victory.

“The same goes for you all. Since the Goddess of Blood Devouring Anguish has descended, there’s no chance I will fall.”

With a mocking smile, she amplified its bloody energy even further. The bloody energy seemed to dye not only the White Blood Religion but the coast and the ocean as well.

“That’s something we’ll only know once we try.”

Lecross stepped with fierce advance and charged at the White Blood Religion’s leader. Tilting his sword back behind his waist, he thrust it forward with a powerful strike that looked as though it would pierce through the ocean itself.

“Well said.”

Larian channeled lightning into her fingertips and dropped a bright yellow bolt from the dry sky.

“I’ll rip your head off!”

Chamber swung her staff, tearing apart the very space where the White Blood Religion’s leader stood.

“I’ll join in too!”

Aris slashed her sword in tandem with Chamber’s magic spell, and from behind the leader’s back, a sword strike tearing through dimensions burst forth.

Rumbleee!

The four Transcenders, each with different abilities, combined their attacks seamlessly. The heavens and earth shook violently, and the bloody energy the White Blood Religion’s leader had scattered melted away.

“Vermin.”

The White Blood Religion’s leader narrowed her brows and brought her hands together before her chest. As she revealed killing intent along with dense bloody energy, the eyelids of the Goddess of Blood Devouring Anguish opened and blazed with scarlet light.

Rumbleee!

The Goddess of Blood Devouring Anguish swung down all the weapons held in its dozens of hands at once.

Terrifying bloody energy exploded, and the aura and magic spell unleashed by Larian, Chamber, Aris, and Lecross were destroyed in an instant.

Kwaaaang!

The Goddess of Blood Devouring Anguish then raised the weapons in its right hands and brought forth a mighty wave of bloody energy, turning defense directly into offense.

Kwaaaang!

Larian drew a hexagram with her dagger to form a defensive spell, but the bloody energy was so vicious that she was shoved back ten full steps.

“Khuhh….”

Just from blocking the bloody energy, Larian seemed strained, her fingers that had woven the spell trembling uncontrollably.

“You okay?”

Chamber let out a low groan as he looked at Larian’s shaking hands.

“Old folks should just focus on attacking.”

Larian let out a turbid breath, saying she would handle blocking the bloody energy herself.

“Larian….”

Normally, Chamber would have shouted not to bring up age, but the seriousness of the situation left no room for jokes.

“Cough…”

Lecross let out repeated coughs mixed with blood and raised his sword.

“Forgive me. I’ll be sure to cut her down in return.”

As if ready to fight with his life on the line, the dimmed pupils of his eyes carried the lofty will of a knight.

“I will defend as well.”

Aris stepped closer to Larian and bowed her head.

“No, you focus on attacking.”

Larian shook her head firmly.

“Because your sword that cuts through dimensions works even on the White Blood Religion’s leader.”

She nodded, saying that in this moment the sharpest blade was her sword.

“That’s right. If linked with my magic, that sword will become even sharper.”

Chamber patted Aris’s shoulder, saying they would fight together.

“I’ll open the path….”

Though his condition was poor, King Lecross once again stood at the front and charged toward the White Blood Religion’s leader.

Kuwaaang!

He burned away the bloody energy and parried the weapons of the Goddess of Blood Devouring Anguish that were falling down, then dug straight toward the White Blood Religion’s leader’s chest.

“So you've come to find your place to die!”

The White Blood Religion’s leader reached out with a hand rippling with bloody energy, as though declaring she would face him personally.

“A knight of Owen never breaks!”

Lecross clashed head-on with the White Blood Religion’s leader, as if to give courage to the knights fighting behind him.

Rumbleee!

Dusky-colored aura and transparent bloody energy collided, and gray sparks burst forth across heaven and earth.

“Khuhh….”

Even as he vomited blood, King Lecross did not retreat, enduring the overwhelming martial power of the White Blood Religion’s leader.

“It's useless even if you block me!”

With her fishy smile, the Goddess of Blood Devouring Anguish moved again.

The gigantic blood god brought down dozens of hands holding weapons all at once, as though to swallow Lecross and the other Transcenders whole.

Wooooong!

Larian raised a shield of mana with eleven daggers and blocked the onslaught of bloody energy the Goddess of Blood Devouring Anguish poured out.

“Ghhhk!”

Red veins bulged in Larian’s pupils, and her breath cut off in jagged gasps as though about to break at any moment.

“Let’s go!”

Chamber and Aris dashed through the path opened by Larian and Lecross, unleashing Transcendence magic spells that ripped apart space and sword strikes that cleaved through dimensions.

“Not so fast!”

As if she had predicted everything, the White Blood Religion’s leader tried to shield her back with the shield held by the Goddess of Blood Devouring Anguish.

Fwoooosh!

But Chamber’s magic spell that carved away space and Aris’ sword that slashed dimensions pierced through the thick shield of bloody energy and carved a new wound into the White Blood Religion’s leader’s back.

Splaatt!

Her back split wide open, and transparent blood spurted like a fountain.

“You flies!”

As she ground her teeth and brought her Grinding her teeth, the White Blood Religion’s leader brought her hands together, and the weapons held by the Goddess of Blood Devouring Anguish displayed mysterious movements as they fell toward the Five Kings’ Transcenders.

This was not merely an attack with powerful bloody energy as before. It was an attack following the flow of martial arts itself, as though wielded by a master.

“Don't face it! Dodge at all costs!”

At Larian’s shout, Chamber, Lecross, and Aris abandoned their attacks and stomped the ground as if to break it, retreating backward.

Kuwaaaang!

The ground that took the Goddess of Blood Devouring Anguish’s strike instead of the four Transcenders collapsed so thoroughly that no trace remained, leaving behind a massive pit without end.

“Running won’t do you any good!”

The White Blood Religion’s leader advanced with the Goddess of Blood Devouring Anguish, intent on catching Larian and Lecross, but with the support of Chamber and Aris, the two were able to escape without grave injury.

“Go back in again!”

The moment the fierce onslaught of the Goddess of Blood Devouring Anguish ended, Chamber once more opened space and shot Transcendence magic spell that would erase the White Blood Religion’s leader’s head.

“I know!”

Aris didn’t miss the opening either and unleashed a slash that cut through dimensions.

Wooooong!

After evading the bloody energy and returning, Larian and King Lecross joined the attack again without a moment to catch their breath.

Kuwaaaang!

The White Blood Religion’s leader blocked the four Transcenders assault with a shield of bloody energy wielded by the Goddess of Blood Devouring Anguish, but she furrowed her brows as though displeased with the situation.

“Resorting to filthy tricks, are you!”

The White Blood Religion’s leader gnashed her teeth and again spewed bloody energy, but the Five Kings’ Transcenders seemed to have abandoned all pride, whenever the situation grew dangerous, they turned their backs without hesitation and retreated.

“Kraaaaaah!”

The White Blood Religion’s leader burst out in frustration, spewing bloody energy like madness, but she could not catch the Transcenders, who supported one another as they fled.

‘This will do.’

Chamber nodded as she watched the agitated White Blood Religion’s leader.

‘Right now, no matter what we do, we can’t win.’

Even though four Transcenders had gathered, none of them were in perfect  condition, so capturing the White Blood Religion’s leader was impossible.

The best course was to keep evading like now and drain her strength.

‘The turning point is….’

Chamber bit her lip as she saw Raon, unlike before, not only easily blocking Denier’s attacks but even countering.

‘When Raon defeats Denier and joins us here.’

*   *   *

Claaanng!

Raon deflected Denier’s lightning-like sword strike and narrowed his eyes.

‘I can see it. No, I can even feel it.’

With the Mind’s Eye of the Azure Flower activated, Denier’s movements, once beyond my perception, now entered my sight clearly.

I was no longer defending only through experience and instinct as before, I could now make certain defense.

‘Now I can strike back.’

The moment Denier approached to stab his neck, he turned his body to dodge and then swung Heavenly Drivedown.

Peoeoeoeok!

Unable to withstand the momentum of his own charge, Denier’s shoulder was slashed deeply by Heavenly Drive.

“Ugh….”

Though his brow furrowed in pain, he launched another attack. His speed grew even faster.

‘He’s definitely fast. But….’

Now I see it all.

Because I could sense what Denier was aiming for and where he would strike, I was able to prepare not just to block, but to counter.

Shiiing!

He deflected Denier’s sword aside with the Blade of Requiem and slashed his thigh long with Heavenly Drive.

Ssshhhkk!

Bleeding from both his shoulder and thigh, Denier staggered back. His face had grown deathly pale.

“Too late for regrets.”

Raon shook his head, flicking white blood from Heavenly Drive.

“You are an enemy of Zieghart.”

“Haaaah….”

Denier let out a long breath and pulled from his chest a glass bottle filled with red liquid.

“I have yet to show everything.”

Just as he let out a ragged breath and moved to open the bottle’s lid—

Fwoooosh!

A brilliant blue light flashed, and the bottle Denier had been holding vanished from his hand.

“What is this…?”

“Huh?”

Both Raon and Denier raised their heads to the air where the light had burst.

Fwoooosh!

It was Evelyn. Standing above in the sky, she waved the bottle that Denier had held in her right hand.

“Looking for this? Or…”

With a crimson smile, Evelyn pushed forward with her left arm the Martha she was holding.

“Are you looking for this child?”

 

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