The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1120

 Chapter 1120

 

Raon stepped onto the arena for the first time and looked at his opponent.

‘That girl….’

The blue-haired girl who had come out when I first arrived at the Martial Blade Pavilion was now standing before me.

“I am Belua, disciple of the Martial Blade Pavilion. It is an honor to duel with you, Sword Emperor.”

The blue-haired girl stated her name and bowed her head respectfully.

“I will fight with the True Harmonized Illusion Sword.”

Her green eyes sparkled as she placed her hand on her sword.

“Raon Zieghart.”

Without looking down on his opponent, Raon announced his own name and performed the courtesy of a duel.

“That kid is my disciple.”

Brigit tilted her chin while crossing her arms.

“She’s still young, so her martial strength isn’t much, but her talent in swordsmanship is exceptional. Make sure to beat her properly.”

She grinned, telling him to thoroughly defeat her disciple.

“The disciple of the Queen of Swords….”

Raon nodded as he looked into Belua’s calm green eyes.

‘I felt it back at the main gate of the pavilion.’

Though still young, Belua’s eyes contained a clear brilliance, and she gave off the scent of lofty talent.

The exact extent of that talent could only be known through crossing blades, but she seemed to possess qualities as outstanding as Burren, Martha, or Runaan.

“Belua. Fight as though he were your mortal enemy!”

Brigit commanded Belua to fight with all her strength.

“Yes!”

Belua nodded vigorously, showing she would obey her master’s words, and drew her sword.

“I will yield three moves.”

As a senior walking the path of the sword, Raon said he would allow her three attacks and unsheathed Heavenly Drive.

“He’s drawing his sword?”

Evelyn widened her eyes, surprised Raon had drawn his sword.

“For a child like her, isn’t it enough to go easy?”

She tilted her head, suggesting that even fighting barehanded should suffice.

“You’re a mage, so you don’t understand a swordsman’s stance.”

Martha snorted as if she were pathetic.

“A swordsman’s stance?”

Evelyn narrowed her eyes, as if wanting to know more since it was about Raon.

“Th-that’s the etiquette of a duel.”

Dorian shook his chin slightly toward Evelyn.

“This isn’t a training ground but an arena. Rather than fighting half-heartedly, it’s proper etiquette for a swordsman to defeat their opponent decisively.”

He nodded, saying Raon drew his sword for Belua’s sake.

“I see.”

Evelyn smiled, as though she now understood.

“Indeed, even a lion gives its all when hunting a rabbit.”

She clasped her hands before her chest and murmured that Raon was admirable.

“Then, here I come!”

Belua let out a sharp cry and charged. Her sword gleamed like blue starlight as it dropped before Raon’s chest.

Kyaaaang!

Raon deflected Belua’s first strike with Heavenly Drive, a faint smile forming on his lips.

“Not bad.”

Belua’s sword was imbued with the principle of illusion sword, which embodied illusions. It looked as though it would fall toward my chest, but in truth, her real blade was aiming for my waist.

“One more time!”

Even though her first attack had been blocked, Belua didn’t give up and rushed in again, aiming for Raon’s neck. Blue flames bloomed from her sword’s arc, spreading grandly like the wings of a phoenix.

Jjeooong!

Raon blocked, not at his neck but at his shoulder, breaking Belua’s illusion sword.

“Were you hiding your skill?”

This time, her sword carried not only illusion but also variable, so that an ordinary swordsman would not even sense it before having their shoulder cut through.

“Pretty good for a kid.”

Martha let out an admiring exclamation at Belua.

“Wow, at that age I was just busy hiding…”

Dorian gaped in astonishment at her talent.

“This will be my last strike!”

Belua stomped down fiercely and thrust her sword. Her blade slashed ferociously, the energy it carried forming shapes of various beasts.

Kugugugugu!

The beasts born of her sword showed different movements, diving toward Raon’s vital points. Though her proficiency was low, her sword was imbued not only with the principles of illusion sword and variable sword, but even with those of severing sword and precise sword.

“Haaaah!”

Though Belua poured out all her strength, and a thin stream of blood flowed from her mouth, the hand grasping her sword did not waver.

‘The combination is good.’

Raon smacked his lips in satisfaction as he saw the illusion sword, variable sword, severing sword, and precise sword harmonizing smoothly, like rivers forming the sea.

‘It’s outstanding swordsmanship.’

Though her current skill was too shallow to fully display the True Harmonized Illusion Sword, if she raised her proficiency properly, this entire arena would have been covered in her illusionary sword strikes.

Hwaaaaaak!

Raon slashed Heavenly Drive diagonally. Vivid red flames surged upward, completely burning away the illusions Belua had created.

It was as if the sacred flame erased every trace of the sinister energy.

“I will show you how that swordsmanship must grow.”

Raon extended Heavenly Drive forward, flames still lingering upon it.

From the reddened blade rose countless butterflies.

The butterflies draped in red light fluttered their wings in countless patterns, swirling around Belua before slowly floating into the air.

Kwaaaaaa!

The butterflies gathered toward one another, becoming a storm of flame, before gradually fading away.

“Ah….”

Belua let her sword fall, her eyes reddening as if deeply moved by the sight.

“This is the completed form of the True Harmonized Illusion Sword….”

She murmured that it was so beautiful, grasping her sword again with trembling hands.

“Rather than a completed form, I simply changed it to my own style.”

Raon shook his head with a smile.

“The combination is quite good, you see.”

The True Harmonized Illusion Sword was similar to yet different from the Flame Spirit, the sword technique I often used.

If I applied the what I gained by studying the True Harmonized Illusion Sword to the Flame Spirit, it seemed my swordsmanship could progress further.

“Th-thank you.”

Belua bowed her head, saying that thanks to Raon, her eyes had been opened.

“You’ll be able to go further. Perhaps…”

Raon was about to give further advice but stopped speaking.

‘She may become the next master of the Martial Blade Pavilion.’

Compared to the swordsman I had met at the Festival of the Five Divine Orders, Belua’s talent and eyes seemed far superior.

If she continued to grow like this, she truly could become the strongest in the Martial Blade Pavilion.

“That… that’s the True Harmonized Illusion Sword, isn’t it?”

“Did the Sword Emperor already know the True Harmonized Illusion Sword?”

“N-no, at first he clearly looked like he didn’t know.”

“Then he copied it after seeing it once? And in its completed form at that?”

“C-crazy. Is this why he’s called the Sword Emperor?”

The Martial Blade Pavilion’s swordsmen stared wide-eyed, stunned by Raon’s talent.

Those guys, this time they’ll really forfeit.

Wrath clicked his tongue, saying he could see resignation in their eyes.

You should’ve held back. Why the hell are you showing off all that damned talent of yours?

He waved his hand, calling it a foolish act.

‘Not at all.’

Raon smiled and pointed toward the pavilion’s swordsmen.

“Please copy my sword techniques next!”

“I’d be fine even if I died, show me the future of my swordsmanship!”

“Sword Emperor! No, Sword God! Me first!”

Instead of giving up in discouragement, the Martial Blade Pavilion’s swordsmen grew even more fervent, shouting for him to teach them swordsmanship.

Th-this is….

Wrath shook his head, dumbfounded.

‘I’ve figured out what kind of people they are now.’

The Martial Blade Pavilion’s swordsmen, like those of the Holy Sword Alliance, devote their very lives to the swordsmanship they’ve learned.

Since I had shown them the advanced form of what they practice, they couldn’t help but feel great interest and goodwill.

‘Which means it can’t help but be useful to me, too.’

If the swordsmen forfeited or swung their swords half-heartedly, it would be of no help to me. But if they displayed their swordsmanship with their lives on the line, like Belua, then even with a vast difference in realm, it would still be of definite help.

In fact, after my match with Belua, my proficiency with the variable sword and illusion sword had slightly increased, and I could clearly feel that the flow of the Flame Spirit had grown longer.

“Next!”

Raon, feeling the anticipation swelling in his chest, called for the next opponent, but no one stepped forward.

“Uhm….”

Dorian carefully approached Raon and lowered his voice.

“This isn’t training at the fifth training ground, but a duel with set opponents, so you should step down now.”

He waved his hands, urging him to get down quickly.

Puhehehehehe!

Wrath clutched his belly, laughing as though the sight was amusing.

You put on such airs, and now look at you! Serves you right!

‘…….’

*   *   *

“Huff!”

Dorian, though still with a middle-aged face, breathed heavily as he dodged the sword of the warrior whose beard had turned white.

‘Why is this so complicated!’

The swordsmanship of the man known as an elder of the Martial Blade Pavilion was far more complex than expected. Even when I used the mind’s eye to read his thoughts, it wasn’t easy to dodge or block.

‘Does he really have over a hundred sword forms?’

The swordsmen of the Martial Blade Pavilion spend their whole lives training a single sword technique. He should have been the same, yet strangely, every time he swung his sword, the forms were different.

“You dodge well.”

The elder smiled as though finding Dorian remarkable and pressed him further with yet another new form.

Kyaaaang!

Dorian struck aside the elder’s sword, furrowing his brows.

‘It changed again.’

This time too, the elder used a new form, aiming for my neck. The sword technique was becoming so complicated it made my hands feel dizzy.

“Looks like you’ve reached your limit.”

The elder tilted his chin as he unleashed yet another new form.

“Well, I suppose no one could endure the Evolving Sword, with its forms multiplying every time.”

He nodded, saying it was only natural to grow exhausted.

“Evolving Sword?”

Dorian frowned at the elder.

“The Evolving Sword is a sword technique that completes itself while fighting the enemy. It adds its forms one by one, drawing a map to perfectly subdue the opponent.”

The elder shook his head, saying that was why the sword technique kept becoming more complex, with not a single repeated form.

“This is the end.”

He lowered his brows as though to demand surrender and thrust forward a sword that carried yet another new form.

Jiiiiiing!

Dorian inhaled deeply as he watched the elder’s sword come in at a bizarre angle.

‘Now that I know what kind of sword it is, I see a way to break it. But….’

With my strength right now, I don’t think I can break through.

Dodging the elder’s sword had already consumed much of my stamina and energy. Even though I now saw the path to counter it, I didn’t think he could take it.

‘I’ve held out enough. Time to give up….’

He thought he had done well enough against the elder and was about to surrender when he locked eyes with Raon. Raon nodded with a solemn gaze, urging him to see it through to the end.

‘That’s right.’

I’m the man who received power from a Demon King because of that damned human!

Kuung!

Biting his lip, Dorian stomped the ground with all his might. In that moment, his body and sword shot forward much faster than he had anticipated.

‘Why, why am I so fast!’

No, it wasn’t just speed. His sword was forcing back the elder’s blade, which had grown strong through countless forms.

Kyaaaang!

The elder, startled by the sudden counter, was driven back roughly, dropping his sword.

“Th-this….”

He tried to pick up the sword that had fallen below the arena, but Dorian’s was faster.

“T-this is as far as it goes.”

Dorian leveled his sword at the elder’s neck, drawing in breath.

“You were hiding your strength. I’ve lost.”

The elder raised his hands, saying it was truly remarkable patience.

“Waaaaah!”

“As expected of the Sword Emperor’s subordinate!”

“To think he’d defeat an elder!”

“I thought he was just a stammerer, but with the sword he’s the real deal!”

The swordsmen of the Martial Blade Pavilion applauded Dorian, praising him.

But Dorian had no time to pay attention to them.

“Really….”

He exhaled as he looked at Gluttony’s bracelet on his wrist.

‘Was it because of this bracelet that I became stronger?’

A moment ago, he had been exhausted, lacking strength and speed.

But when he resolved to overcome his limits and charged in, a power stronger than when he was at his peak had surged forth, enabling him to defeat the elder. That power clearly came from the Demon King’s bracelet.

‘He said if I focus on supply as I usually do, I can grow stronger even outside training, right?’

If what Gluttony and Raon said was true, then it meant I could become far stronger than I was now.

“Alright! Just like this.”

Dorian clenched his fist, determined to keep winning.

Ssshh.

Raon stood across from Dorian and nodded.

“Did you come to praise me? I knew it, there’s no one like you, Sir Raon….”

“No.”

Raon shook his head.

“Eh? Then why….”

Dorian tilted his head, puzzled.

“Your next opponent is me.”

Raon smiled faintly, saying he had been waiting a long time.

“While you were fighting for thirty minutes, I had finished long ago.”

“Ah….”

Dorian’s jaw trembled as he faced Raon’s chilling gaze.

“I’ll give you ten minutes of rest.”

“W-wait! I surre—”

Just as he was about to say he surrendered, Raon vanished like a phantom and reappeared, covering his mouth.

“There’s no surrender for a swordsman of the Light Wind Palace.”

Raon pressed the cold blade of Heavenly Drive against his neck.

“Hnnngh….”

Dorian, who hadn’t shed tears even while being chased by the elder, now teared up as he nodded.

“You embarrassed me earlier, didn’t you?”

Raon clicked his tongue, saying he remembered everything.

“N-no, that was because it wasn’t Sir Raon’s turn….”

Dorian shook his head, protesting his innocence.

“Got it. Let’s do this properly.”

Raon gave a chilly smile with a face that showed no sign of having understood at all.

Haa, he’s a true madman.

Wrath shook his head in disbelief.

“Uuuuuh….”

Dorian cried out for mercy, but his words were trapped inside his soul and never came out.

“Ten minutes are up.”

As soon as the ten minutes ended, Raon slashed down Heavenly Drive savagely, and Dorian screamed as he bolted out of the arena.

“I don’t want to get stronger! I’ll just live as I am!”

*   *   *

Step.

After consecutively tapping the unconscious Dorian’s forehead with his sword like giving a flick, Raon stepped onto the central arena.

“So there wasn’t any tampering with the matchups, I see.”

He curled his lips as he looked at the person stepping up from the opposite side.

“Since we’re meeting in the quarterfinals.”

Raon rotated his wrist as he looked at Brigit, the Queen of Swords, standing proudly before her disciples.

“The Divine Sword Gathering is a tournament, but also a festival. An event like this shouldn’t be tampered with.”

Brigit shrugged her shoulders as if it were only natural.

“A duel between our pavilion master and the Sword Emperor in the quarterfinals….”

“It’s too soon. But I want to see it now!”

“Who will win?”

“Of course, our pavilion master!”

“No, even if I’m biased, this one’s clearly the Sword Emperor.”

The swordsmen of the Martial Blade Pavilion gazed at Raon and Brigit with eyes full of anticipation.

“Then, let’s begin.”

Raon drew Heavenly Drive, leaning his upper body forward like a wolf.

“There’s no need to go easy on me as a senior.”

He called for a fair fight without concessions as crimson flames of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation rose along his silver blade.

“Of course.”

Brigit unsheathed her sword, raising her chin. Her eyes sank into an icy calm.

“I’ll show you what my sister and I have done all this time.”

 

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