The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1278

 Chapter 1278

 

“Finally…”

Raon let out a ragged breath and slowly lifted his head.

"You're finally willing to listen to me."

With what little strength he had left, he forced his numb fingers around Heavenly Drive and raised his gaze.

“That’s right.”

The Heavenly Demon gave a slow nod and relaxed the stance of the straight punch he had thrown.

“At first glance, this world looks free and fair. But in truth, it’s nothing more than a jungle where the strong devour the weak. Without power, you can accomplish nothing.”

He muttered the words harshly, like someone who had clawed his own way through that jungle.

“When the strong commit wrongs, the powerless can do nothing but endure them. They can’t question them. They can’t fight back. I am strong, and you are weak. Until just now, your words were nothing more than meaningless noise to me.”

The Heavenly Demon slowly raised his right hand. As he extinguished the dark crimson combative energy still burning around his fist, he lifted his chin arrogantly.

“So you’re the strong one, and I’m the weak one…”

Raon curled his lips into a faint smirk.

“You’re not wrong. For now.”

He deliberately emphasized the words for now as he gave a calm nod.

‘He really is stronger than me right now.’

With a single punch, the Heavenly Demon had nearly shattered my sword field, the very embodiment of everything I had lived through.

That punch clearly wasn’t an ordinary form, but what truly shook me was the sight of the golden Genesis twisting as though it were about to shatter. Even now, the memory sent chills crawling down my spine.

‘I thought I’d finally closed the gap…’

But he’s still nowhere near enough.

After cutting down Derus Robert and enduring secluded training with Glenn, he had grown tremendously, both mentally and in terms of his swordsmanship.

He had clearly surpassed Transcendence and stepped into the realm of Absolute. He’d believed he had finally become strong enough to cross blades even with the Heavenly Demon.

But the difference between them was still overwhelming.

That bastard truly is powerful.

Wrath nodded as though reading Raon’s thoughts.

It’s not just might. Even when it comes to the authority of the Demon King, he’s still above you.

He let out a low groan, sounding almost amazed that Pride had managed to raise a human like that.

‘That can’t be helped.’

Raon calmly waved a hand.

‘The Heavenly Demon devoted himself solely to cultivating <Pride>, while I developed the authorities of all six other Demon Kings, including your <Wrath>.’

The Heavenly Demon had focused entirely on the authority of <Pride> given to him by Pride, while Raon had divided his growth among six different authorities.

Of course there would still be a massive difference in level of mastery.

‘But my vessel, and my ceiling, are higher.’

Naturally, concentrating on a single power made someone stronger than spreading themselves across many.

But I wasn’t ordinary.

I had the Ring of Fire, along with the body and mind capable of enduring the Demon Kings’ authorities. Given enough time, I could fully wield the authorities of all six Demon Kings, no, even the entire Seven Deadly Sins, including <Pride>.

‘I need to awaken <Pride> as soon as possible.’

He was certain that once the authority Pride had given him awakened, it would bring about a dramatic change within him.

And that change would undoubtedly be tied to the growth of his might.

Heh. The King of Essence admits, he’s curious too. No one has ever gathered all seven authorities of the Seven Deadly Sins before.

Wrath nodded as though agreeing with him.

Of course, your body might explode before that happens, unable to withstand the explosive power of all seven authorities!

Wrath snickered as though genuinely hoping Raon’s body would burst apart.

‘Sorry, but that’s not happening. The system will balance things out on its own.’

Raon waved a hand casually.

‘Ah, right. In the end, that means it’s all thanks to your authority. So thanks.’

Raon smiled mischievously, throwing the tease right back at Wrath.

You little bastard!

Wrath ground his teeth, clearly irritated after being mocked in return despite starting it first.

Just you wait! The King of Essence’ll smash that pretty face of yours with his icy fist—!

Just as Wrath raised his cold but chubby fist—

“That’s right. You are still weak.”

The Heavenly Demon slowly nodded.

“However, you endured my martial art. That alone changes your worth in my eyes. No longer merely Glenn Zieghart’s grandson… but Raon Zieghart, the Sword Emperor.”

The black-red light leaking from beneath his helmet flickered as he acknowledged Raon as a warrior worthy of standing before him.

“Ha…”

Holding his side, Raon let out a hollow laugh.

‘Damn bastard. But…’

He’s not wrong.

Most people saw this world as beautiful and free, but they only saw the surface.

I had lived not only as Raon Zieghart, but also as the assassin Raon. I knew exactly how unfair and absurd this world truly was.

Just as the Heavenly Demon said, the powerless were always destined to be crushed beneath the strong.

“The form called Heavenly Hegemon is the core of the Crimson Hegemon Fist Art, and the beginning strike of its ultimate techniques. Since you took my earnest punch without taking a single step back, you have earned the right to stand before me.”

The Heavenly Demon briefly explained the form and martial art he had used, openly acknowledging Raon’s swordsmanship.

“I look forward to your future. You may one day surpass even Glenn Zieghart, the Destructive King of the North.”

He stroked his chin heavily, sounding genuinely interested in what Raon might become.

“My future is none of your concern.”

Raon lowered his hand firmly.

“Because you’ll never live to see it.”

A duel to the death between him and Glenn had already been set. Knowing there was absolutely no way this bastard could defeat his grandfather, Raon lifted his chin with unwavering certainty.

"Ah, you mean Glenn Zieghart."

The Heavenly Demon let out a thin laugh, understanding what Raon implied.

“He is undeniably strong. The only swordsman alive who can stand before me as an equal. But I will not lose to him.”

He nodded with absolute certainty.

There was no hesitation in his voice. This wasn’t empty confidence.

‘That’s dangerous.’

Something about the conviction in the Heavenly Demon’s tone left Raon with a deep sense of foreboding.

“You will not lose? Not even ‘I’ll win’? Sounds like you’re not very confident.”

Raon narrowed his eyes deliberately, provoking him.

“Because that is the truth. Even Glenn Zieghart’s Heart Sword will not work on me.”

The Heavenly Demon closed and reopened his eyes slowly, refusing to say anything more.

That guy isn't an idiot like Pride.

Wrath nodded as he noticed the Heavenly Demon shutting his mouth instead of taking the bait.

‘No. This conversation alone was enough.’

The Heavenly Demon had said two things in succession, that he would not lose to grandfather, and that his Heart Sword would not work on him.

That could only mean one thing, he possessed a technique or martial art capable of countering the Heart Sword.

The moment Raon realized he had obtained valuable information for Glenn, strength unconsciously returned to his grip.

“Deal with that however you want.”

Raon waved a hand as though completely uninterested.

“But let me repeat myself. I came here to collect the blood price for Birdnew village from the man who failed to control his own subordinates and brought disaster upon Zieghart.”

As he explained why he had led the Light Wind Palace into Eden, he straightened the slight bend in his back.

Right now, he represented Zieghart itself. He could not bow his head before anyone.

"I admit it."

The Heavenly Demon calmly nodded, admitting fault.

“What is it that you want? If blood must be repaid with blood, then your side has already tasted enough of it.”

His eyes narrowed, as though the Light Wind Palace swordsmen had killed while storming Eden more than repaid any blood debt. A savage wave of energy burst from him, as if he would bare his fangs and pounce the moment Raon said the wrong thing.

“I merely killed those who stood in my way. I never committed indiscriminate slaughter like you did.”

As if refusing to accept the Heavenly Demon’s reasoning, Raon raised the Heavenly Drive before him.

His energy was drained. His mental strength was nearly exhausted as well.

But the unwavering conviction that he was walking the right path still held him upright.

“Syria Sullion targeting Zieghart, the Bear Alteration Demon spreading sorcery, and even Eden’s demons following them running rampant… all of it happened because you failed to keep them under control.”

He pointed Heavenly Drive straight at the Heavenly Demon’s throat.

Cold frost spread slowly across the blade.

“You bear the responsibility for it, Heavenly Demon.”

“Responsibility…”

The Heavenly Demon let Raon’s killing intent drift past him like a passing breeze as he stroked the chin beneath his helmet.

“You’re not wrong.”

Perhaps because he had acknowledged Raon’s might, he responded with a level of goodwill he would never normally show.

“Very well. Then I shall take responsibility like this.”

The Heavenly Demon drew a heavy breath and stomped his foot.

The earth writhed like a living creature. Violent tremors erupted as black-red combative energy burst forth like molten lava.

Everything touched by that combative energy crumbled instantly into dust.

Even the surrounding space itself was being purified by the sheer existence of the Heavenly Demon.

RUMBLEEEEE!

Standing within the raging vortex of dark crimson combative energy, the Heavenly Demon slowly raised his fist.

The sky cracked apart, unable to withstand his existence, while the earth split open, incapable of bearing his weight.

BOOOOOOM!

The Heavenly Demon advanced toward Raon with fists overflowing with such dense combative energy that even space itself twisted around them.

With every step he took, the world expanded and contracted repeatedly, black fractures of combative energy ripping through space itself.

It felt as though every law governing the continent was being rewritten before the Heavenly Demon.

“Ugh…”

Raon swallowed dryly as he raised Heavenly Drive and Wooden Ring Sword.

After using the sword field twice, both his stamina and mental strength had nearly run dry, but somehow, he still had to endure.

If that fist struck him now, not only his body but even his soul would be annihilated.

‘No… I couldn’t stop even a single punch from that.’

As the Heavenly Demon drew closer, frantic warning bells rang through his mind.

Even if he had been in perfect condition, the power behind that punch was monstrous enough that he still wouldn’t have been able to block it.

Right now, no matter what method he used, he couldn’t imagine dodging or stopping the Heavenly Demon’s fist.

‘There’s only one way left…’

Another sword field.

His final sword field.

The only way to save himself and the swordsmen from the Heavenly Demon was Demon King's Advent, summoning Wrath directly into his body.

It would cost him a massive portion of the martial realm he had painstakingly built up until now, but that was still better than dying.

‘Damn it!’

Raon bit down hard on his lip as he started to reverse his grip on Heavenly Drive—

Step.

The Heavenly Demon suddenly stopped five paces away from him and slowly raised both fists.

“Watch carefully.”

But instead of advancing any further, he turned the fist he had raised toward the sky, and drove it into his own body.

“I will give you the price you seek.”

The Heavenly Demon’s right fist exploded with violent combative energy as it smashed apart the left side of his own waist, and his left fist slammed deep into his right chest hard enough to nearly cave it in.

“Wh…?”

Raon’s lips trembled at the completely unexpected sight before him.

But the Heavenly Demon acted as though even that was not enough. Raising fists engulfed in even denser combative energy, he began destroying his own body even further.

Black blood poured from his mouth, and white bones became exposed, yet his fists never stopped moving.

KABOOOOOM!

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