The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman 1335

 Chapter 1335

 

“……”

Karoon narrowed his eyes to razor-thin slits, as though he had seen through Raon's intentions.

“You mean it.”

Looking into Raon's eyes, he realized there wasn't a trace of bluff behind them.

“And you're not looking down on me either. It's simply…”

Karoon swallowed hard as he felt the overwhelming presence rising from Raon's body. No, from his very soul.

“You're confident.”

He lowered his chin heavily, realizing that Raon wasn't being arrogant. He simply possessed absolute confidence in himself.

“I'm not sure I'd call it confidence.”

Raon lowered his gaze as he wrapped his right hand around the hilt of Heavenly Drive.

“I'm only trying to do what I know I'm capable of.”

Even without crossing swords with Karoon, I can already sense the staggering amount of blood and sweat he's poured into his training. Despite holding the position of master of the Central Martial Palace and bearing the name of the Destructive King of the North's son, he chose to remain alone in an underground training ground where not a single ray of sunlight reached, devoting himself solely to honing his sword. Just imagining the determination it took to do that sends a chill down my spine.

If a man like that is challenging me, then as both a swordsman and a rival competing for the position of head of house, accepting it is only proper.

“I see.”

The stiffness left Karoon's lips, and a faint smile appeared.

“The title Sword Immortal suits you better than anything else now.”

He nodded, congratulating Raon on earning his new title.

“Thank you.”

Raon lowered his eyes slightly and bowed to Karoon.

...Huh?

Wrath stared at him with wide eyes.

What's gotten into you? The old you would've said something like, 'It's nothing more than an undeserved title,' and put on that humble act of yours.

He let out a disbelieving chuckle, clearly surprised by the unexpected response.

'I almost did say that.'

Raon smiled faintly and nodded.

'But I don't think I should anymore.'

The enlightenment I gained in the mental world, along with my conversation with grandfather, made me realize that I, too, need to change. Humility has its place, but acting in a manner befitting the position I now hold is even more important.

“You too….”

Karoon's smile faded, and his chin trembled slightly.

“Have changed a lot.”

Sensing the change in Raon as well, he lowered his brows deeply.

“You seem full of openings, yet none can be found. Looking at you now reminds me of my father in his younger days.”

As he said that he could see the Glenn of old in the current Raon, Karoon unconsciously tightened his fingertips. Thick veins bulged across the back of his hand.

“Let me change my words.”

Letting out a short sigh, Karoon lowered the hand gripping his sword.

“As planned, I'll challenge you to a spar one week from now. However…”

He slowly closed his eyes before opening them again.

“It isn't you who needs time. It's me.”

Unlike before, Karoon admitted that he was the one who needed time to prepare for the spar and nodded to himself.

Hah! The King of Essence already knew he had changed...

Wrath blinked at Karoon.

But he never imagined he'd even swallow his pride as a swordsman! He's become a completely different person!

'Neither did I.'

Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at Karoon.

'This is different from before.'

Karoon had already undergone dramatic changes in the past, but when it came to the sword, he'd never once lowered his pride. I never would have imagined he'd openly admit his own shortcomings and ask for more time.

'He might truly become dangerous.'

Sensing just how sharp the sword Karoon carried within him had become, Raon lightly bit his lip.

“Understood. I'll see you at the head of house's training ground in one week.”

Raon’s expression softened as he nodded, accepting Karoon's challenge.

“Thank you for accepting.”

As though he had finished everything he came to say, Karoon gave Raon a slight nod before turning away.

“And thank you for always looking after my son.”

He gave a light wave and walked toward the Central Martial Palace.

“Hmm…”

Watching Karoon's retreating back, which somehow looked even smaller than before, Raon narrowed his eyes.

What are you so tense about?

Wrath tilted his head.

He has definitely changed, but the gap between you is still enormous!

He flicked his chin as if asking what Raon had to worry about.

‘I've reached this point by defeating monsters whose realms and levels were far beyond my own.’

Raon lightly tapped Heavenly Drive, a sword that had witnessed the blood of countless people, and shook his head.

'There's no rule saying the same can't happen to me. No matter how weak an opponent may seem, you can never let your guard down. And...'

He slowly steadied his breathing as he watched Karoon grow more distant.

'The current Karoon Zieghart is stronger than his realm suggests.'

*   *   *

“Hooo…”

Burren lowered his trembling sword and exhaled a heavy breath.

“This is frustrating.”

Although my realm continues to rise steadily, the wall of Transcendence only trembles before me, never opening a path. Runaan, whom I've always considered my rival, has long since pulled far ahead, while I remain stuck in the same place. The growing impatience in my heart is becoming impossible to ignore.

'No. The only thing I can do right now is train.'

No matter how much I vent my frustration, nothing will change. The only thing left for me to do is keep swinging my sword.

'I'll devote this entire leave to training.'

As a reward for training the Light Wind Palace swordsmen for a month, Raon had given himself, Martha, and Runaan a month-long leave. At first, Burren had planned to rest, but he decided it would be better to immerse himself in training and drive away the anxiety gnawing at him.

“Again!”

Just as Burren shouted and swung his sword once more—

“Even if you're exhausted, your stance must never fall apart.”

Karoon had approached without him noticing and was now standing behind him.

“F-Father?”

Burren stared at Karoon with his mouth hanging open.

“H-How long have you been watching?”

He swallowed nervously, having been completely unaware of his presence.

“Who knows.”

Karoon slowly closed and opened his eyes again, showing no intention of answering.

“More importantly, you seem to have a great deal on your mind.”

He nodded while meeting Burren's trembling gaze.

“Ugh…”

Embarrassed that Karoon had seen through his state of mind, Burren bit his lip lightly.

“The gate to Transcendence is a heavy one. Even now, after crossing it myself, I still wonder how I managed to overcome it.”

Karoon waved his hand, saying that even now, as a Transcender, opening the gate of Transcendence was no easy feat.

“R-Really?”

Burren's eyes widened, clearly never expecting to hear those words from Karoon.

“Yes. That wall will never open simply because you keep striking at it with your sword. Only when you stake your very self on every single swing will you leave even the smallest mark upon it.”

He lowered his chin heavily, saying that instead of training merely to pass the time, as Burren was doing now, he had to swing his sword with his soul on the line.

“…”

Burren's hand trembled around the hilt of his sword as though Karoon's solemn gaze was suffocating him.

“One week from now, I'll be sparring with Raon Zieghart at the head of house's training ground.”

Looking up at the dark night sky, Karoon told Burren about what had just happened with Raon.

“You'll be there as well.”

He placed a hand on Burren's shoulder, telling him to observe the spar no matter what.

“It will be a spar that brings great change, to both you and me.”

*   *   *

One week later.

The head of house's training ground.

The training ground, which was usually packed with countless people, held only two figures.

Raon Zieghart and Karoon Zieghart. The two candidates vying for the position of head of house stood facing each other, releasing nothing but calm waves of energy.

“What the...”

Aries, who had returned to Zieghart after a long time, let out a hollow laugh.

“A war is right around the corner, so why are they trying to fight each other?”

She shook her head, unable to understand it.

“Besides, everyone already knows how this is going to end without them fighting.”

She lowered her hand, saying that even in her own eyes, despite being weaker than Karoon, it was obvious he was no match for Raon.

“You never know.”

The Sword Sovereign shook her head firmly.

“Just because a wolf is weaker than a tiger doesn't mean its fangs aren't sharp.”

She ran her fingers over the wound Karoon had once inflicted on her and slowly smacked her lips.

“Those fangs…”

The War King let out a heavy breath as he looked into Karoon's eyes.

“They seem even sharper now.”

He lowered his brows, saying it looked as though Karoon had spent the past week honing his sword even further.

“Urgh…”

Burren looked back and forth between Raon and Karoon, breathing heavily.

'Who am I supposed to root for?'

He couldn't wholeheartedly celebrate either Raon's victory or Karoon's. Still, he couldn't help but lean a little more toward his father, who was the weaker of the two.

“…”

Glenn stood atop the platform, gazing up at the sky before slowly descending into the training ground.

“Are you ready?”

He turned his gaze to Raon first.

“Yes.”

Raon gave a solemn nod, indicating that he was in perfect condition.

“I am.”

Even as Karoon answered that he was ready, his attention remained fixed on Raon rather than Glenn.

“It is now noon.”

Standing before Raon and Karoon after receiving their confirmation, Glenn announced that the appointed time had arrived.

“Begin.”

Without a single unnecessary word, Glenn lowered his wrinkled hand, signaling them to start the spar at once.

Shiiing!

Two swords were drawn, yet only a single sound rang out.

Before Raon had even fully drawn Heavenly Drive, Karoon's sword was already hurtling toward his chest.

The draw sword technique.

The swordsman's ultimate weapon, a thrust delivered at the very instant the sword left its scabbard, shot forward with terrifying speed.

It was a sword technique Raon knew well. He had even seen Darkan use it not long ago, so it shouldn't have seemed so frightening.

But Karoon's was no ordinary draw sword technique.

Ssssh!

The blade in Karoon's hand vanished like a phantom.

A sword that drove back the light itself, piercing through time and cleaving space. The invincible technique that began by carving through its target the very instant it was unleashed burrowed toward Raon's chest.

'Beautiful.'

A quiet sigh of admiration escaped Raon as he watched Karoon's absolute draw sword technique.

Its speed, its distance control, its trajectory, even its power, every aspect surpassed his imagination. Even Darkan's draw sword technique, which had reached the realm of the absolute, seemed to pale in comparison.

'It's enough to bring tears to my eyes.'

Karoon is a swordsman who wields refined yet magnificent noble swordsmanship. As a fellow swordsman, I can almost feel the unimaginable amount of time and effort it took to refine that draw sword technique to perfection, enough to make my nose sting with emotion.

A sword technique forged through such relentless dedication is one I can accept being defeated by.

No, in truth, even at my current realm, blocking that draw sword technique won't be easy. As if driving back light to distort space and time weren't enough, it also crushes my body beneath an overwhelming energy wave. That draw sword technique is the strongest and finest sword Karoon is capable of wielding.

Had I relaxed even slightly... had I failed to attain enlightenment in the mental world... and had I never received grandfather’s guidance...

That sword might well have defeated me.

At the very least, I would have suffered grievous injuries.

'But.'

Pushing back against Karoon's overwhelming pressure, Raon finally drew Heavenly Drive.

Ssssh!

Heavenly Drive, shimmering with a faint golden radiance, swept downward toward Karoon's blade, which had already cut into the flesh of his chest.

'I can't lose anymore.'

The man I regard as the Sword God entrusted me with becoming the true Sword God.

From this moment onward, I can't lose to anyone.

No.

I will never lose.

Raon Zieghart Style Swordplay.

Tenth Form.

True Sword.

Raon Zieghart's sword shattered Karoon Zieghart's sword.

 

Advance Chapters