The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1311

 Chapter 1311

 

The clouds that had blanketed the sky were swept aside, and even the sound of shattering stone faded away. Silence descended upon the world through the mere presence of the archangel Uriel.

The light radiating from Uriel was so brilliant that it eclipsed the noonday sun itself. Yet unlike the gentle warmth of sunlight, this radiance was cold and razor-sharp, like a merciless blade. The frigid brilliance that despised the very existence of mankind poured forth as pure wrath.

Uriel's body was not much different from that of a human, but his presence was vast as a mountain range and grand as a boundless ocean, too immense to be contained within one's sight. The eight pairs of wings that seemed capable of wrapping around the world itself, along with the crimson flames coiling around his shoulders, looked as though they were delivering humanity's final judgment.

Uriel did not move so much as a finger.

Yet crimson flames ignited on their own, and both sky and earth began to boil.

The air grew as heavy as solid iron. Melvin mountain and the space containing the temple itself seemed to melt away.

It was the Flames of Judgment, a fire meant to erase every trace of evil from the world.

'How...'

Raon swallowed dryly as he stared into Uriel's lofty eyes.

'How can a presence like this even exist?'

The sun, which stood highest in the sky and illuminated the world, no longer registered in his vision. Nothing reached his senses except the archangel cloaked in crimson flames, his sixteen wings spread wide.

[Aaaaaah!]

Azazel screamed the moment she saw Uriel.

[I-It’s Uriel! We're doomed!]

She clutched her head, crying out about why Uriel had to appear now of all times.

"..."

Raon bit his lip.

Uriel's arrival alone was shocking enough, but Azazel's panic only made his head ache even more.

Get a hold of yourself!

Wrath rushed down and smacked the back of his head.

Look at your hand before anything else!

He shouted for Raon to check his hand.

'Hm...?'

Raon's eyes widened as he looked at the crimson flames flickering around his right hand.

'This flame...?'

His own flames were red and gold.

Why was a crimson flame suddenly burning from his body?

'Wait. My body's on fire.'

The flames weren't merely touching him.

Crimson fire began rising from his fingertips, his feet, his hair, and his shoulders.

This was no ordinary flame attack. It instantly crushed his Fire Resistance and began burning his flesh.

'Impossible.'

Uriel hadn't even attacked yet.

How could he be setting my body ablaze?

It's one of Uriel's abilities.

Wrath muttered darkly while glaring at the archangel.

He can burn anyone overwhelmed by his presence without lifting a single finger. That is the Flames of Judgment.

He ground his teeth, saying many of his subordinates had died to that very power.

If you're overwhelmed by Uriel, the flame judges you guilty and burns you. It's a ridiculous ability. Don't let his presence consume you!

Wrath clenched his fist.

The more deeply you acknowledge Uriel's greatness, the stronger the Flames of Judgment becomes!

'Got it.'

Raon steadied his breathing and resonated the Ring of Fire.

The ten rings spun violently, forming a blazing sphere like a miniature sun. As they did, Uriel, whose presence had felt large enough to crush his very lungs, began to shrink little by little.

Fwoooosh!

As Uriel's presence diminished, sunlight became clear once more, and the sounds of the world returned.

It had felt as though the entire world had fallen silent, but perhaps it was only his own senses that had been sealed away.

Ssssss!

Because he had escaped Uriel's overwhelming presence, the crimson flames burning Raon’s body also subsided.

"..."

Uriel narrowed his eyes in silence, seemingly surprised that Raon wasn't burning to ashes in the crimson fire.

"Hoo..."

Raon slowly exhaled and tightened his grip on Heavenly Drive.

'He's dangerous.'

An ability that could burn people to death simply because they were overwhelmed by his presence?

It was a completely absurd cheat-like power.

I couldn't even comprehend how such an ability could exist.

If Uriel's might had been at this level when he first descended, most of the people present back then would have burned to death.

Dangerous?

Wrath let out a disbelieving laugh.

Don't be ridiculous. That ability is only a trivial part of the Flames of Judgment.

He wrinkled his nose.

You haven't even seen half of what the Flames of Judgment can do.

'Even so, overcoming even that trivial… Wait... I'm not the only one here.'

Raon's eyes widened.

'Darkan!'

If Darkan fell victim to Uriel's Flames of Judgment, his own chances of survival would plummet. No matter what, he had to keep him alive.

"Huh...?"

Raon blinked.

"Why are you completely fine?"

Unlike Raon, Darkan wasn't burning at all. He stood there exactly as before, still holding Azazel by the tail.

"Fine? What do you mean?"

Darkan tilted his head as though Raon's question made no sense.

"You know that archangel is right above us now, don't you?"

"Of course I know."

Darkan shrugged.

“Of course I know. How could I not when he's unleashing that nasty presence from up there?”

Darkan shrugged as if anyone who failed to notice it would be an idiot.

"Then why are you so calm?"

The presence and pressure Uriel was radiating now surpassed even Glenn and the Heavenly Demon. Raon couldn't understand how Darkan remained so composed.

"Hmph!"

Darkan snorted and waved a hand dismissively.

“I can't even see him, so why should I be afraid before the fight has begun? The only person who matters to me is Glenn Zieghart!”

He lifted his chin, saying there was no reason to fear Uriel's overwhelming presence when he couldn't even see the archangel in the first place.

"Ha..."

Raon let out a hollow laugh.

"I can't tell whether you're an idiot or a genius."

No need to fear before the battle begins.

That was a mindset every true warrior needed.

I had always known that, but Uriel's overwhelming presence had made me forget it.

"No. The idiot is me."

Drawing both Heavenly Drive and Wooden Ring Sword, Raon nodded.

“You’re right. There's no reason to be afraid before the fight even starts.”

A faint smile touched his lips as he resolved not to let Uriel's presence overwhelm him.

[Y-You overcame the Flames of Judgment? Just what are you two...?]

Azazel stared wide-eyed at Raon, who had overcome Uriel's presence, and Darkan, who had ignored it from the beginning.

"Azazel."

Raon grabbed her arm and frowned.

"Tell me Uriel's weakness. Or anything that might help us fight him."

Wrath could explain some things, but there were bound to be details only another celestial could know.

[U-Uriel's weakness?]

Azazel groaned.

[As much as it pains me to admit it, there isn't really one. He's practically a living furnace of divine fire!]

She ground her teeth, saying everything burst into flames simply from Uriel moving around.

[A-Ah, but if there's one thing...]

Azazel smacked her lips.

[Uriel has been active on this continent for a long time without taking in a fragment of my soul. That means he can't wield the full power of his main body!]

She rubbed her hands together, insisting that Uriel was far from being in peak condition.

"That does make sense."

Raon nodded slowly.

'Putting together everything I've heard so far, Uriel definitely isn't at full strength right now.'

The fact that he could display such overwhelming presence despite not being at full strength was astonishing in itself, but now wasn't the time to marvel at that monster's power and abilities. 

"Let's fight."

Raon released a slow breath and loosened his shoulders.

"Right now, we might actually be able to cut him down."

Uriel was an existence on the same level as Wrath and Pride. Under normal circumstances, Raon wouldn't even dare consider challenging him.

But if Uriel couldn't use the full power of his main body, there was a chance.

"No thanks."

Darkan lazily stuck a finger into his ear.

"I'm not interested in him."

He even snorted, apparently dismissing Uriel as nothing more than some fire-wielding mage.

"N-Not interested?"

Raon's jaw dropped.

“He isn't a swordsman, is he?”

Darkan waved his hand dismissively.

"No matter how strong he is, if he's not a swordsman, it's no fun!"

Turning away, he declared that only swordsmen could ever pique his interest.

Uh...

"[Er...]"

Wrath and Azazel tried to say something, but Raon cut them off and spoke again.

"W-Wait a second!"

He shook his head vigorously.

“Opportunities to fight a monster that powerful don't come around often!”

“That's true. But besides the fact that he isn't a swordsman, I don't particularly like fighting two against one.”

Darkan clicked his tongue, saying he wasn't interested in ganging up on a single opponent.

"Seriously..."

Raon buried his face in his hands.

'He's completely useless.'

If I had more time, I might have been able to persuade Darkan.

Unfortunately, Uriel didn't look inclined to wait. Even now, he was glaring at me as though he intended to kill me immediately.

"Haa..."

Taking a short breath, Raon reversed his grip on Heavenly Drive and Wooden Ring Sword.

'No choice. I'll have to do it alone.'

Uriel was clearly stronger than me.

Even when he wasn't at full strength, he wasn't an opponent I could defeat while holding anything back. 

I would have to stake everything from the very beginning.

Ruuumble!

With unwavering eyes, Raon drove Heavenly Drive and Wooden Ring Sword into the ground.

Sword Field Creation. Divine and Demonic Harmony

A sun and moon even grander than Uriel's radiance rose into the sky, imbuing Raon's conviction and courage with dazzling flames and frost.

Chiiiiiing!

Holding aloft the Divine Sword wreathed in blazing fire and the Demonic Sword exhaling icy frost, Raon met the gaze of Uriel, who stood loftily in the sky.

"Raon Zieghart."

Uriel looked down at Raon with chillingly cold eyes.

"You killed Sariel. Because of you, countless threads of causality have been thrown into disarray."

Though he spoke of ruined plans, his expression remained calm. It was as if he had already transcended emotion itself.

“Derus Robert lost his head to your blade. The foolish Raphael had his wings torn away. And now you've gone so far as to interfere with a fallen angel who was meant to receive judgment.”

Uriel frowned slightly as he glanced at Azazel, who was hiding behind a pillar.

“I will make you pay for every one of those sins.”

He growled the words and stretched out his right hand into empty space.

Fwoooosh!

The void split open in a long tear, revealing a dimension engulfed in crimson flames.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Uriel reached into the rift and drew forth a longsword burning with crimson fire.

The moment he raised the blade toward the sky, the world lost its light once more, and the universe itself seemed to hold its breath.

'And that's not even his full strength?'

Raon let out a hollow laugh as he tightened his grip on the divine sword and the demonic sword.

'It's ridiculous, but I have no choice except to try.'

Just as Raon steeled himself not to fear before the battle had even begun, just as Darkan had said, and prepared to charge toward Uriel—

"Uwahahahahaha!"

Darkan burst into wild laughter and drew the sword he had been using as a walking stick.

“A swordsman!”