The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1280

 Chapter 1280

 

“Hmm.”

Raon narrowed his eyes, about to check the newly appeared reward message—

The King of Essence is seriously going to lose his mind!

Wrath exploded before he could.

Steam practically burst from his head, looking even more furious than when he’d encountered Pride.

Why does the reward go up every single time the King of Essence says something?!

He slammed his fist down, convinced the system had been watching everything unfold just to mock him personally.

That damned system!

Wrath ground his white teeth as he glared up at empty space.

If you’re watching me, then get out here right now! If you beg forgiveness immediately, the King of Essence may consider sparing you!

Despite his words, his trembling fists made it obvious he planned to beat the system to death the moment it appeared.

Get out here!

In the end, Wrath completely lost it.

He swung wildly at the air. Maybe it was because he had just witnessed the Heavenly Demon’s overwhelming might, but the Demon King’s punches looked pitifully weak and hollow by comparison.

‘That’s enough.’

Sighing, Raon grabbed hold of the flailing Wrath.

Easy for you to say, you just keep eating up all the benefits! The King of Essence feels like he's dying over here!

Wrath lowered his hands and swallowed dryly.

There’s hardly anything left of the King of Essence’s main body now!

Frowning deeply, he muttered that after giving away so many rewards, his main body had probably been reduced to skin and bones.

‘You don’t need to worry about that.’

Raon shook his head calmly as he looked at the agitated Wrath.

Like hell he—

‘It’ll be fine.’

Raon lightly patted Wrath on the head, quietly reassuring him.

‘Really.’

When the war finally ended in victory for the Five Kings and peace returned to the world, he intended to repay everything Wrath had given him, with interest.

And after everything settled down, he wanted to return the authorities of the other Demon Kings as well, then challenge the peak of the continent with nothing but his own sword.

Umm….

Wrath narrowed his nose awkwardly, apparently thrown off by the sudden seriousness in Raon’s eyes.

Hmph! He doesn’t know what you mean, but the King of Essence is magnanimous enough to tolerate it a little longer!

He still didn’t really understand, but he let out a sigh as if deciding to trust Raon anyway.

‘Is that so?’

Raon chuckled softly and pulled his hand away from Wrath’s head.

“Haaa…”

Burren pushed himself upright with a sigh heavy enough to make the ground sink.

“I really thought I was going to die…”

His hand trembled violently against the ground, still shaken from witnessing the Heavenly Demon’s martial arts up close.

“That guy’s insane.”

Martha let out a hollow laugh as she clenched her fist.

“A complete madman! How can anyone throw punches like that?”

Her face was flushed red, as if she had completely fallen for the Heavenly Demon’s martial arts, and she bit down hard on her lip.

“…”

Raon slowly looked between Burren and Martha, narrowing his eyes.

‘Their walls are shaking.’

The enormous wall standing before them, the realm called Transcendence, was trembling violently. It felt as though the wind stirred up by the Heavenly Demon’s fists had sharpened and thinned the barrier blocking their path.

‘And besides…’

Burren might gain something even greater.

Inside Burren’s chest, a faint cluster of light was beginning to stretch into shape. It meant his mental world, his soul itself, was approaching the point of forming a sword field.

‘Now I’m curious.’

What kind of sword field would he create?

If Burren were to fully awaken Pride’s authority, ascend into Transcendence, and activate his sword field… what would it look like?

The thought alone made Raon smile without realizing it.

“Whew.”

Unlike Burren and Martha, Runaan merely let out a short breath as she brushed the dust off the Snow Flower Sword.

‘Runaan must’ve felt it too.’

Raon met her gaze and gave a small nod.

‘She’ll become even stronger from here on.’

Because Runaan had already reached Transcendence, the wall of her realm hadn’t cracked like it had for Burren and Martha. But the enlightenment she gained seemed even greater than theirs. A faint glow and frost were quietly blooming from the tip of the sword she held.

“Even the Fallen had no choice but to bow before the Heavenly Demon…”

Evelyn curled her lips into a smile as she stepped beside Raon.

“But you didn’t back down against him at all! That’s our Raon! You were so cool!”

Her cheeks reddened as she touched them shyly, subtly pressing closer against Raon’s shoulder as if she had been watching only him the entire time.

“Right now, I’m the head of house Zieghart.”

Raon shook his head as he sheathed Heavenly Drive with trembling hands.

“When you carry the name of the house on your back, you can’t afford to lose to anyone.”

Growing up in Zieghart had taught him just how immense that name truly was. No matter if his opponent was the Heavenly Demon himself, he could never bow his head.

The head of house he had witnessed all his life was someone who would rather break than bend.

“That’s exactly why I like you even more!”

Unable to hold herself back anymore, Evelyn practically leapt into the air and lunged at Raon.

“Not happening!”

“Raon. Tired.”

As if they had expected this all along, Martha and Runaan immediately stepped in and grabbed Evelyn by the arms and legs.

“Let go! You damn cockblocks!”

Evelyn struggled wildly, insisting she only wanted one hug, but Martha and Runaan refused to release her.

“Hoo…”

Raon exchanged grateful glances with Martha and Runaan before turning around.

“Raon.”

Burren stepped forward as though he had been waiting.

“Thank you for letting me witness the Heavenly Demon’s martial arts.”

Placing a trembling hand over his chest, he said he had gained more from today than words could describe.

“I’ll remember the world you showed me today for the rest of my life, and I’ll strive to become a swordsman worthy of it.”

Burren drew his sword and offered Raon a formal salute filled with sincerity. This was not Burren the friend, nor Burren the subordinate, but simply Burren as a man.

“I’ll be looking forward to it.”

Rather than telling him to stop thanking him, Raon answered with expectation, strengthening Burren’s resolve even further.

Those brats…

Wrath smacked his lips while looking at Burren, Martha, and Runaan.

It seems they are going to change a lot again because of what happened today.

‘Probably.’

Raon nodded in agreement before turning his gaze behind him.

‘But…’

He frowned as he looked at the place where the Black Form Snake had been kneeling moments ago, only to disappear without leaving a trace.

‘Where did that bastard go?’

*   *   *

“That was unexpected.”

The Black Form Snake interlocked his fingers behind his head and curled his lips upward.

“I honestly thought you were going to crush Raon Zieghart’s skull.”

He chuckled as he looked at the man whose back was as broad as the great ocean.

“Raon Zieghart… He was a man worthy of wielding the sword.”

The Heavenly Demon, the man who had revealed the true nature of the demonic martial path, slowly turned around and nodded.

“Not as Glenn Zieghart’s grandson, nor as Sword Emperor Raon Zieghart… but as a warrior himself, he is someone worth looking forward to.”

The corners of the Heavenly Demon’s lips rose faintly, as though he had genuinely taken a liking to Raon.

“So you really did like him that much.”

The Black Form Snake slowly stroked his chin.

“Well, I suppose it makes sense. There’s never been a human like him before. A soul so immense that it surpasses even the might he possesses… and he’s neither celestial nor demon.”

He lowered his brows, sounding genuinely fascinated by Raon’s existence itself.

“Still, there’s one thing I don’t understand.”

The Black Form Snake frowned at the Heavenly Demon’s shattered right arm, which still trembled from the damage.

“Even if you were repaying a blood debt, you didn’t have to go that far.”

No matter how much he thought about it, he simply couldn’t understand.

“I didn’t act for your understanding.”

The Heavenly Demon closed and opened his eyes, completely unbothered by how he appeared to others.

“I merely walk the path I chose for myself.”

Despite injuries severe enough to make controlling his own body difficult, he continued walking calmly into the darkness as though nothing was wrong.

“So warriors really do understand one another, huh.”

The Black Form Snake narrowed his eyes slightly as he recalled how similar Raon and the Heavenly Demon’s martial arts had felt.

“Maybe I’ll never understand.”

With a small sigh, he lowered the hands that had been clasped behind his head, as though giving up on ever comprehending the Heavenly Demon.

“Why were you standing beside Raon Zieghart?”

The Heavenly Demon turned his head slightly, seeming genuinely curious for once.

“Were you trying to extract information from him?”

“Of course not.”

The Black Form Snake shrugged dismissively.

“He just seemed too interesting to ignore. Seriously, who in the world invades Eden by first killing the Sphinx guarding it, and after solving every single one of its riddles, no less?”

A crooked grin spread across his face as he admitted his curiosity toward Raon Zieghart had simply grown too large to ignore.

“But you’re not even asking about the Death Sword Spirit.”

The Black Form Snake smacked his lips while staring at the Heavenly Demon’s back as he resumed walking.

“As long as Pride exists, she will not die.”

Though he hadn’t witnessed the events inside Eden himself, the Heavenly Demon spoke as if he already knew everything that had happened there.

“You really are cold-hearted.”

The Black Form Snake let out a long sigh, complaining that the Heavenly Demon was no fun at all.

“You remember, don’t you?”

The Heavenly Demon suddenly stopped walking.

Slowly turning back toward the Black Form Snake, the crimson glow inside his helmet flared ominously.

“The freedom granted to you ends with this life.”

His voice turned chillingly cold, as though he could already see the man’s future.

“You would do well to finish what you must before you become something else.”

The Heavenly Demon’s words sounded almost like advice.

Or perhaps a threat.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Though…”

The Black Form Snake confidently pointed a thumb at himself.

“That won’t happen.”

He let out a quiet chuckle, saying that he intended to survive until the very end and witness how the war would end.

“After all, I don’t plan on dying.”

*   *   *

Exhausted to the point where he wanted to collapse and sleep on the spot, Raon dragged his heavy body back to the walls of Cameloon, where the gates of Eden had opened.

“Y-you’re back!”

Dorian shot to his feet and ran toward him.

“I-I was terrified! I should’ve gone with you guys!”

Sniffling as he clung to Raon’s sleeve, he explained that all the Light Wind Palace swordsmen had passed out, and he’d been panicking the entire time, afraid enemies might appear at any moment.

“You really are unbelievable.”

Martha let out a hollow laugh and dropped heavily onto the ground.

“This idiot doesn’t change at all, even after receiving a Demon King’s authority and nearing Transcendence.”

Shaking her head, she looked as though she had finally given up trying to understand Dorian.

“But thanks to Dorian finding his courage, you got to witness the Heavenly Demon’s martial arts.”

Burren narrowed his eyes slightly, silently telling Martha she should be thanking Dorian instead.

“Mmh.”

Runaan also looked at Martha with a faint curve to her lips, apparently agreeing with Burren.

“Well… that’s true. We did witness something we’ll probably never see again.”

Martha sighed and walked over to Dorian.

“Thanks. Because of you, I experienced something beyond anything else in this world. No… maybe I stole that experience from you instead. Sorry.”

She bowed her head while thanking him and apologizing at the same time.

“N-no, it’s okay!”

Dorian waved his hands frantically.

“I probably would’ve passed out even if I’d gone!”

Swallowing nervously, he muttered that only people with monstrously strong mental strength like Burren, Martha, and Runaan could’ve endured that scene.

No matter how strong he became, he still never wanted to meet the Heavenly Demon.

“Dorian. Wake the unconscious swordsmen.”

Forcing strength into his ragged voice, Raon called out to him.

“You’re right that this place could still be dangerous, so we should return as quickly as—”

Just as he was about to tell them to wake everyone and head back to Zieghart—

“Raon Zieghart, no, Sir Raon Zieghart!”

The Bear Alteration Demon suddenly came running forward and dropped to his knees before Raon.

“Please, help me!”

He slammed his forehead against the ground, desperately begging for help.

“No, please save my son!”

“What?”

Raon frowned, unable to understand the sudden outburst.

“There’s no reason for me to help you. Whoever your son is—”

“The Black Form Snake! He’s my son!”

The Bear Alteration Demon jerked his head upward, his distorted pupils trembling violently.

“And if that boy dies…”

His voice shook with terror.

“The world will come to an end!” 

 

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