The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1154

 Chapter 1154

 

“Sparring…?”

Raon repeated Glenn’s words and swallowed his dry saliva.

“Until death, at that?”

He had expected Glenn might make them spar, but he hadn’t imagined it would come with a condition like until death, so a hollow laugh slipped out.

“Sparring, huh…”

Burren also seemed to have expected sparring and nodded calmly.

“Well, we do need to see everyone’s skills first”

Martha smacked her lips, clenching her fist as if this would be fun.

“Mm… Sparring is the start of training…”

Runaan, who had been nodding off, opened her eyes halfway and slowly rolled her shoulders.

“A-again? Another spar? Everywhere we go, it’s always sparring…”

Dorian was already terrified, his hand trembling on his sword hilt.

“We haven’t even started yet, don’t get scared already!”

Krein slapped Dorian on the back, telling him to get a grip.

“This should be fun.”

Mark Goetten clenched his fist tightly, looking eager to spar with new people.

“Hmm?”

Raon tilted his head, sensing how unexpectedly calm the Light Wind Palace swordsmen were.

“Why are you all so relaxed? Didn’t you hear the part about ‘until death’?”

He looked at the Light Wind swordsmen, telling them that this wasn’t going to be an ordinary spar and they should brace themselves.

“What…?”

“Are you crazy?”

“…Raon?”

Burren, Martha, and Runaan blinked as if they had no idea what he was talking about.

“Y-young master? Are you serious about that?”

“This bastard, seriously…”

“Huh?”

Dorian’s jaw dropped in confusion, Krein grit his teeth like he’d been insulted, and even Mark Goetten tilted his head, baffled.

You are truly stupid….

Wrath let out a dumbfounded laugh.

You’re the one who made them spar until death! Every single day!

He tilted his head, as if asking whether Raon had really forgotten.

You beat them when you were bored, beat them for being weak, beat them because the food didn’t taste good, and now you say this?

Wrath shook his fist, telling him to recall what he’d done.

‘Ah….’

Looking at Wrath’s twisted expression and the faces of the other Light Wind swordsmen, Raon let out a low exhale.
Hearing their reactions, and Wrath’s words,  he finally understood why they were reacting like that.

“Hmm.”

Raon shifted his gaze and scanned the other swordsmen.

“S-sparring?”

“If it’s until death, how much strength are we supposed to use?”

“I think it literally means to fight as if you’ll die. This won’t be easy.”

“He’s going hard from the very first day.”

Unlike the Light Wind division, the other swordsmen looked worried. They were gripping and releasing their swords repeatedly, unable to hide their tension, their eyes shaking violently.

‘Right….’

After checking everyone’s reactions, Raon nodded.

‘Only my subordinates are weird.’

Unlike the others, the Light Wind swordsmen weren’t tense, they were angry at him. Their training had been on a completely different level.

“…….”

“It’s been a while since I’ve fought another Transcender!”

Karoon stood with arms crossed, saying nothing. Aris stretched with a playful smile as though excited.

“Who should I fight? They all look fun!”

“Calm yourself.”

The Sword Sovereign stomped her foot in excitement, and the War King pressed her shoulder down.
The only people not nervous in the training ground were the Light Wind swordsmen and the four Transcenders.

“Hmm.”

Glenn shook his head slightly as he looked over the swordsmen gathered in the training ground.

“In their current state, there's no meaning in making them spar or even in watching.”

He clicked his tongue, saying the swordsmen were far too tense.

“Light Wind Palace master.”

He didn’t call him Raon, but addressed him by title.

“Call out a pair for a demonstration spar.”

He jerked his chin, telling Raon to pick a pair for a light demonstration spar so the swordsmen could relax.

“Yes.”

Raon nodded and immediately turned to the right, where the Light Wind swordsmen were gathered.

“Hmm.”

“Hmph!”

“Haaam….”

Burren looked at him calmly, Martha puffed out her chest as if asking to be chosen, and Runaan yawned disinterestedly.

“Huuu….”

“…….”

Dorian quickly avoided Raon’s eyes, while Krein hid behind Dorian’s back, holding his breath.

“Krein.”

Just like when he trained them in the fifth training ground, Raon called Krein’s name first.

“And Dorian, step forward.”

He even called Dorian, Krein’s rival, and gestured for the two of them.

“Uwaaaaaaahk!”

Krein grabbed his head and screamed.

“You acted all clueless and surprised earlier, when you were just going to do this to me again today anyway!”

He gritted his teeth, resentful toward Raon.

“Wh-why me….”

Too scared to protest, Dorian only chewed his lips as he stepped forward.

“Dammit!”

“Ugh….”

Krein clenched his teeth, and Dorian sighed as if he hated this.

Their anger at Raon was stronger than their fighting spirit for the spar.

“For now, start with a light spar.”

Following Glenn’s instruction, Raon ordered the two to spar lightly to ease the others’ tension, then stepped back.

Boom!

The moment it started, Krein and Dorian both moved with footwork and lunged, driving their blades toward each other’s vital points.

Kya-kyakyakyakyak!

As if they had never hated it or been scared, they swung their swords with burning determination in their eyes.

Jjeojeojeojeojeong!

Their swords, wrapped in astral energy, clashed again and again, carving thin but deep sword marks across the training ground floor.

“Let me win this time!”

“No way! If I lose I’ll get beaten!”

Krein and Dorian completely forgot Raon’s instruction to keep it light. They were striking each other like enemies, waiting for nothing but an opening to kill.

“W-what is this?”

“Weren't they supposed to be sparring lightly…?”

“Besides, aren’t the two of them best friends?”

“They’re fighting like mortal enemies.”

“I didn’t know Krein and Dorian were this strong….”

The swordsmen swallowed nervously as they watched Krein and Dorian trying to kill each other.

“You think we want to be like this?!”

“If we don’t fight like this, the palace master will beat us to death!”

Krein and Dorian shook their heads violently, saying this wasn’t their choice.

Even while complaining, their blades reached sharply for each other’s vitals.

“Kuhahahaha! Yes! That’s how sparring should be!”
Balder, master of the True Palace master, sat on the floor and clapped, saying he was getting a good show.

“So this is why the Light Wind Palace is strong. If they spar like that every day, they can’t help but grow stronger.”

Serena, leader of the Void Sword Division, muttered that it was an attitude to learn from and focused on Krein and Dorian's spar.

“…….”

Even Karoon watched silently with folded arms, impressed.

Chiaaaang!

Dorian read Krein’s flow with his Mind’s Eye, found the moment Krein’s strength faltered, and thrust his sword in.

“Damn it!”

Krein tried to counterattack somehow, but Dorian's sword, unlike his personality, shot out quickly and accurately.

Kuuuuuuung!

In the end, Krein took a chest strike from Dorian’s blade and collapsed onto the training ground floor.

“Damn….”

Krein bit his lip until it bled and lifted his head. Judging by his expression, losing to Dorian bothered him far more than the pain in his chest.

“G-good work.”

Dorian, not acting like a triumphant winner, reached out to Krein, sweating.

“Hah, you won today.”

Krein gave a short laugh and took Dorian’s hand to stand.

“W-was just lucky. I read you well.”

Dorian also smiled faintly, as if relieved the spar was over.

“Hmm!”

Just as Krein and Dorian were smiling and shaking hands, Raon walked up to them.

“P-Palace master!”

“How was it?”

Dorian and Krein looked at Raon with hopeful eyes.

“Still lacking. Neither of you focused entirely on the fight. Krein lacked sharpness, and Dorian’s analysis was slow. Both of you had more than ten chances to finish the other.”

Raon clicked his tongue briefly, not offering a single word of praise.

“Step back.”

“Ugh….”

“Y-yes….”

Krein and Dorian pouted as if they had nothing left to say, then stepped back.

“Oh, you two need to fight properly again, so prepare for a second match.”

Raon tilted his chin as if this wasn’t over at all.

“Damn it! That inhuman bastard!”

“H-hey, hold it in!”

Krein ground his teeth and tried to charge at Raon, but Dorian grabbed his shoulder and dragged him backward.

“…Now I really understand why the Light Wind Palace is so strong.”

Serena swallowed dryly, having just realized once again the reason behind their strength.

“Then let us continue. Light Wind Palace master.”

Glenn nodded his chin, indicating he would start the sparring with the Transcenders as originally planned.

“Yes.”

Raon understood Glenn’s intention, addressed him as head of house, and stepped forward.

“Your opponent will be…”

Glenn examined the faces of the Transcenders one by one, as if searching for Raon’s opponent.

“Hmm!”

“Dad! Me! Me! Me!”

Karoon uncrossed his arms and raised his chin, wanting to fight. Aris also raised her hand and shouted “Dad!” asking to be chosen.

“Me too!”

“If I could just get the chance…”

The Sword Sovereign and the War King also placed their hands on their sword and saber, saying they would like to face Raon.

Both of them released a powerful energy  wave, unwilling to miss the chance for an official match.

“Hmm….”

Glenn’s gaze slowly moved before stopping at one spot. He raised a finger and called out Raon’s opponent.

“Sword Sovereign Sieran. Step forward.”

Because Glenn was speaking in the position of giving instruction, he addressed her not as the Sword Sovereign senior, but by her name, Sieran.

“Yes!”

The Sword Sovereign seemed even happier about that and walked toward Raon with a smile.

“I’ve been wondering how much stronger my lord has become, and it seems we finally get to cross swords like this.”

She rotated her wrist and smiled slyly.

“I’m afraid I might disappoint those expectations.”

Raon exhaled briefly and shook his head.

“I doubt that. The energy wave I’m sensing right now…”

The Sword Sovereign smacked her lips, genuinely excited.

“It’s not inferior to mine!”

She drew the Red Wave Sword, revealing her white teeth.

“Then I’ll do my best to meet those expectations.”

Raon wore a similar smile and drew Heavenly Drive.

“Everyone, relax your bodies and focus on the two of them.”

Glenn raised a barrier of aura around Raon and Sieran, gesturing at the others with his chin.

“Watching is also an important form of training.”

He flicked his hand, signaling they could begin, and stepped back.

“I’ll go first!”

The moment Glenn stepped back, the Sword Sovereign launched forward, kicking off the ground like she’d been waiting for it. There was no concession or talk from her as a senior.

“As much as you want.”

Raon didn’t retreat from her fierce charge, instead, he advanced as well.

Kuuaaaaaang!

Heavenly Drive and Red Wave Sword collided, unleashing a shock that seemed to shake the sky.

Jijijijijik!

Neither Raon nor the Sword Sovereign retreated a single step, pushing against each other's swords at a distance where they could hear each other's breath, competing in physical and mental strength.

“As expected of the Destructive King of the North’s sword barrier. Looks like we can use our full strength.”

The Sword Sovereign nodded in satisfaction at Glenn’s sword barrier, which had effortlessly withstood the shockwave from her and Raon's clash.

“Shall we go all-out then?”

She raised her chin, ready to go at full strength.

“As I said earlier, you may do anything you want.”

Raon smiled faintly, saying he’d take everything she threw at him.

“Knew you’d say that!”

The Sword Sovereign’s blade spun wildly, cutting through the flames of Ten Thousand Flame Cultivation and coming in. A ferocious charging power, It was swordsmanship that revealed the martial essence of the Red Wave in its pure form.

Kyaaaaaaang!

Even though Raon knew that the Sword Sovereign’s strengths were destructive power and charging force, he neither dodged nor deflected her blade. He met her head-on with equal strength and speed as he unleashed the Fangs of Insanity.

Jjeooooooong!

Her sword technique, like the Fangs of Insanity, seemed to use intuition, digging into Raon’s distance with even more ferocity and strength.

Fwaaaaaaaaaa!

Swords wreathed in flame clashed countless times, painting the center of the training ground with streaks like a comet’s tail.

Jijijijijik!

Watching the Sword Sovereign’s sword devour the flames of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and push inward, Raon curled his lips.

‘Impressive.’

The Sword Sovereign’s swordsmanship had been modeled after the martial art of the first head of House Zieghart, the Thousand Flames Cultivation. A swordsmanship that had once been a mere imitation had, over a thousand years, developed into its own fully independent domain. It was something worthy of admiration.

“Why does someone so young have no energy!”

The Sword Sovereign urged him to show more strength, flaring up even darker flames that devoured the fire of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation. She sealed off even the space where she herself could retreat. Flames rose from all directions, forming a cage-like shape

“In this kind of fight, you still can't beat me!”

The Sword Sovereign jutted her chin, claiming she was the strongest when it came to charging swordsmanship focused on power and speed.

Holding her sword with both hands, she swung it down like an axe. It was the Red Flame Spear Form, one of her ultimate techniques with power dramatically strengthened.

“Before, that might have been true. But…”

Raon twisted Heavenly Drive, and the flame blooming from its blade flickered gold, splitting the Sword Sovereign’s blaze.

Kugugugugugugugu!

The Sword Sovereign’s martial art, renowned as being unmatched in destructive power and charging force failed to break through the flames of Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and instead began to be pushed back.

“It’s different now.”

Raon lifted his left knee and stepped forward, unleashing the Azure Sky Sword.

If this were back when we first met, I would’ve had to dodge the Red Flame Spear Form. But now, I’m confident I can break through it head-on.

Kugugugugugugugu!

The Azure Sky Sword’s ultimate technique, carrying the golden sky, split the Sword Sovereign’s magnificent strike clean in half.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!”

The Sword Sovereign let out a disbelieving laugh, then unleashed her second ultimate technique, the Shattering Spirit Flame Sky. Ten pillars of flame shot up around her and came crashing down toward Raon.

Jjeoooooook!

Raon shot forward without hesitation, as if propelled, and thrust his sword.

The sword strike of Heavenly Lightning Cultivation, carrying explosive power through acceleration, erased the Sword Sovereign’s Shattering Spirit Flame Sky, wrapped in crimson lightning.

“Yes! This is what a fight should be!”

The Sword Sovereign's brow twitched as if briefly flustered, but she showed no sign of retreating. Rather, as if to see this to the end, she exploded her aura and will, thrusting her sword forward.

Kugugugugugu!

Her final ultimate technique, Red Wave Annihilation. She unleashed it with the desperation of someone fighting a life and death enemy.

Kugugugugugugugu!

Terrifying flames surged up along the sword path the Sword Sovereign drove out. Sky and earth, no, everything within sight, seemed wrapped in her flames. Red wave in the literal sense. A red wave rose like a mountain of fire and came sweeping in.

“That's right. A fight is only fun when it's like this.”

Raon, unable to hide his excitement as well, raised Heavenly Drive and drew Wooden Ring Sword. Before the wave of fire that engulfed sky and earth, the two swords radiated entirely different lights and wills.

Gooooooooong!

The flames of the sky settled on Heavenly Drive, and a frost lightning shot up from Wooden Ring Sword. The sword that opens the sky and calls the lightning. The Heavenly Lightning of the Azure Sky’s ultimate technique surged forward like the prow of a ship breaking through the waves.

Kuwaaaaaaaaaah!

Raon and the Sword Sovereign, feeling the overwhelming power gathered in each other’s swords, did not yield a single step as they drove their blades to the very end. Heavenly Lightning of the Azure Sky and Red Wave Annihilation collided head-on, shaking not only the training ground but the entire lord’s manor.

“Uwaaaaaaah!”

“Wh-what is this!”

“Is this even sparring? It’s just a war!”

“Th-they’re both insane….”

The swordsmen trembled at the jaw, staring at the center of the training ground where terrifying energy waves rippled. A spar of this scale was something none of them had even imagined.

“Looks like it’s over.”

When Glenn opened his hand, the sword barrier he created vanished, and the smoke and sparks rising from the clash of Transcendence sword strikes began to settle.

Whoooooosh—

Raon and the Sword Sovereign stood frozen like statues, their swords aimed at each other’s throat and chest.

“Impressive. If you had shown what you were hiding earlier, I would have just lost.”

The Sword Sovereign let out a hollow laugh, saying she was genuinely surprised by Raon's growth.

“You were hiding one move as well, senior.”

Raon lowered Heavenly Drive and Wooden Ring Sword and nodded. The two, apparently satisfied with having fought to their hearts’ content, let out refreshing smiles.

“Did you see.”

Glenn’s lips curled in clear satisfaction as he addressed the swordsmen.

“This is all you have to do.”

He gestured calmly with his chin, telling them to fight like Raon and the Sword Sovereign.

“…….”

At the end of Glenn’s words, the swordsmen’s expressions changed in perfect synchronization.

‘Uh…’

‘How?’

‘That?’

‘Please just kill us instead….’

 

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