The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 217

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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Chapter 217

“Phew….”

Raon exhaled a sigh of relief as he watched the remnants of scattered aura dissipate.

‘I barely managed to block it.’

Thanks to wielding the Heavenly Sword with perfect control and the Soul Reaper Sword with extreme precision, I was able to split the wall constructed of pure energy.

I had drawn the twin blades from the start instead of saving them as a surprise attack, and though I sustained internal injuries from the strain, I harbored no regrets.

‘Because we survived.’

Pedrick and the child lived—that alone made sacrificing my surprise advantage and enduring these internal wounds worthwhile.

“What exactly are you….”

Pedrick’s voice remained unchanged from before. The memory of him patting my back and infusing me with his energy brought a faint smile to my face.

“I’ll explain later. Please fall back.”

I gestured behind me and turned my gaze forward. Unfortunately, Pedrick had no strength left to continue fighting. I would have to face this alone.

‘Is it possible.’

This looks dire. The original plan was to face three Masters alongside Pedrick. Truthfully, this was the worst-case scenario.

Whoooosh!

As the explosion of sand and dust settled, two armored demons came into view.

The Red Wolf Demon and the Black Wing Demon, then.

A warrior clad in crimson armor with a wolf-headed helm, and a man in black armor embedded with a pair of wings—both emanated an eerie, piercing gaze.

The sheer power radiating from their scrutinizing eyes alone was overwhelming. Both were Monsters that had ascended to the Master rank.

And then…

I swallowed hard, my gaze shifting to the figure behind them. A man with the lower body of a goat and the upper body clad in knight’s armor, wearing a goat’s helm, leaned against a tree.

The Evil Goat Demon.

Of all things, Baphomet…

Lycanthropes and Gargoyle Lords were formidable boss-class Monsters, but Baphomet existed on an entirely different tier.

Baphomet wielded Sword Master-level greatsword techniques and seventh-circle magic simultaneously, and with its superior intellect, it toyed with humans as the ultimate Monster.

The Evil Goat Demon inherited Baphomet’s power, so this creature would certainly transcend ordinary Master-rank strength.

Frankly, that single Evil Goat Demon appeared far more dangerous than both the Red Wolf Demon and Black Wing Demon combined.

‘At least he’s alone.’

Baphomet typically traveled in pairs and acted on whims. Seeing that this one was still solitary meant it hadn’t reached its complete form yet.

“An expert at severing life force. So you’re Raon Zigheart.”

The Red Wolf Demon looked Raon up and down, then nodded.

“R-Raon? You’re Raon?”

Pedrick, who had been watching over the child from behind, widened his eyes in shock.

“It’s been a long time.”

I offered Pedrick a faint smile and nodded.

“I wondered how you defeated the 7th Apostle, but you can wield both fire and water attributes.”

The Red Wolf Demon narrowed his eyes as he gazed at the Soul Reaper Sword and the Heavenly Sword, as if he already knew of me.

“Can we kill this bastard? Huh? I don’t even like the look of him!”

Crimson aura erupted from the short dagger gripped by the Black Wing Demon. He looked ready to charge at any moment.

‘If all three attack at once, I have no chance of winning….’

I observed the Evil Goat Demon carefully. He remained leaning against the tree, showing no intention to fight.

“My role is to block this passage. If you don’t come this way, I have no reason to intervene.”

The Evil Goat Demon noticed my gaze and smiled faintly. His tone was oddly lighthearted, almost childlike.

“Are you truly certain about that?”

The Red Wolf Demon narrowed his eyes at the Evil Goat Demon.

“You heard him too. Just guard the passage. We each do our part.”

The Evil Goat Demon shrugged as if to say there was nothing he could do about it. Though both belonged to Eden, their intentions seemed far from aligned.

“He’s serious about that. He didn’t even move when his ally was in danger.”

Pedrick nodded, confirming that the Evil Goat Demon hadn’t stirred even when he himself had been fighting.

‘Still, I can’t let my guard down.’

Baphomet was a capricious Monster. There was no telling when he might change his mind, so I couldn’t afford to relax for even a moment.

“I can’t take this anymore! Zigheart or whatever! An Expert acting so arrogant!”

The Black Wing Demon spread his wings. He rose gently as if inflated, then descended like a thunderbolt. A dagger brimming with murderous intent hurtled toward my neck.

As the blood-red dagger slashed toward his neck, I twisted my shoulder. Thanks to familiarizing my eyes with the flow of demonic energy while facing the Gwahyeolgwi moments before, my reaction was swift.

I countered by extending the Blade of Heaven toward the Black Wing Demon’s neck. Just as the silver blade infused with Seo-ri Yeon’s speed was about to cleave through the black armor, its wings bent at a different angle.

Kwaaaah!

Violent wind erupted as it soared back into the sky.

Whoooosh!

A crimson streak filled the space where the Black Wing Demon had been. The Red Wolf Demon charged forward like a beast and raked its claws downward.

‘Fast!’

Its speed seemed to surpass even the Black Wing Demon soaring through the air. By the time I realized it, it was already upon me.

Hwaaaah!

Fierce demonic energy forged through its technique swept across my entire body. So this was the master of demonic techniques—a superior martial art that blocked all escape routes themselves.

But I possessed an even more superior footwork. Taking the first step of the Tae Hwa Steps, I evaded every technique the Red Wolf Demon unleashed.

Stepping into the true position, I unfolded the Myriad Flames Wheel toward the Red Wolf Demon. Crimson flames blazed with the saw-like teeth of fire, tearing through the air.

“Hmph!”

The Red Wolf Demon sensed the fluctuation of aura and bounced back before charging forward again.

Kwaaaang!

The flame wheel and fierce energy collided, unleashing a tremendous explosion.

I bit my lip hard.

Despite my swift reaction, a severe impact erupted from within. The Red Wolf Demon’s fierce energy seemed to possess a piercing force that could penetrate through aura itself.

Die!

But there was no time to dwell on it. The Black Wing Demon, who had been waiting for an opening in mid-air, lunged forward with a dagger blazing in demonic energy, aiming for my heart.

I stepped through the red dust using the Taewhoa Second Step, then unleashed the Swift Sword Technique. The blue blade imbued with the mysterious power of Taewhoa deflected the dagger shimmering with demonic energy.

Zzzzzzang!

The impact struck like being lashed by a metal ingot. The Black Wing Demon’s aura was as solid as compressed steel. It would not be easy to break through.

Grrrrr!

The Red Wolf Demon charged in with its body this time. Without a moment to catch my breath, I retreated using the Taewhoa Third Step and infused the Heavenly Sword with the subtlety of flowing water.

Kyakkyakkyakkyakkyakang!

A deafening roar like grinding stone echoed as cyan blood bloomed across my wrist. The blood vessels had ruptured under the sheer force of his charge, a power I couldn’t overcome.

“Damn it….”

I exhaled a ragged breath.

‘This is what it feels like to be weakened.’

The Red Wolf Demon and Black Wing Demon must have been drained as well from their fierce battle with Pedrick, yet I was barely holding on. My stomach churned as if I were seasick. My internal injuries were mounting by the second.

‘But I endure.’

I raised both blades, trusting in the Ring of Fire’s analytical and regenerative power. Just as I had done when killing the Gwahyeolgwi, I needed to grasp their martial techniques and end this in one decisive strike.

“You insolent bastard!”

The Black Wing Demon, fury blazing to the crown of his head, descended with wings fully spread. Maintaining his velocity, he unleashed the qi embedded in his short blade like an arrow.

I clenched my teeth and raised the Soul Reaper Sword. Using the gentleness inherent in the Taewhasa technique, I deflected the short blade, then unfurled the Heavenly Sword technique with my other blade.

Clang!

The Heavenly Sword’s edge drove toward the Black Wing Demon’s opening, but the black armor would not yield, and instead my blade rebounded.

‘Such hardness….’

Despite lacking an aura shroud, the armor’s durability surpassed even that of Gwahyeolgwi, who wielded one. True to his nature as a Gargoyle Lord, his armor and weapons were abnormally resilient.

Screeeech!

The Red Wolf Demon seized the moment I was pushed back, lunging forward with claws infused with a sinister aura aimed straight at my heart.

I had to deflect it.

Meeting the Red Wolf Demon’s aura head-on would be a poor choice.

Clang!

I twisted my ankle and channeled the Sword Doctrine into the Soul Reaper Sword. The spiraling blade, imbued with rotational force, deflected the claws that erupted with killing intent.

“Ugh…”

I furrowed my brow. Despite redirecting most of the force, a tremendous impact struck through me as if a blade were piercing my organs.

“Still far from finished!”

The two demons gave me no respite, weaving between sky and earth while unleashing torrents of aura.

With no choice but to block their power, the battle—though brief—rapidly depleted my aura reserves, and a searing pain ignited in my belly as though a furnace burned within.

“Are you regretting it now?”

“It’s too late to turn back. Your grave is here.”

The Red Wolf Demon flashed a cold smile, and the Black Wing Demon bared his teeth in a grin. Both approached with leisurely steps, convinced the battle was already won.

“Regret?”

I swallowed the blood rising in my throat and smiled.

“I abandoned that long ago.”

Even if I died here, I would have no regrets. A life debt is repaid with life itself. I would save Pedrick by any means necessary.

‘Wrath.’

-Finally you’ve made your decision. Excellent. I shall descend and sweep them all away—.

‘Let’s make a deal.’

-What?

Wrath stopped mid-emergence from the bracelet.

‘I’ll accept your rage. In exchange, restore my internal injuries and aura.’

-It’s meaningless. Even if I restore you, defeating those two is impossible.

‘If it seems like I’m going to die, I’ll surrender my body to you immediately.’

-You crazy bastard—.

‘Unless you’re scared.’

-Fine! As much as you want!

A crystalline energy seeped through the Ice Flower Bracelet. The searing pain in my abdomen—as if pierced by a heated awl—began to subside, and my depleted dantian filled like a spring welling up from the earth.

[According to your contract with Wrath, 20 Wrath points have been generated.]

[A wager with Wrath has been created.]

I nodded without even glancing at the messages.

‘I can win this.’

Ever since I split through the Gwahyeolgwi’s formidable aura, countless indistinct lines had been flickering in my mind’s eye.

Those luminous lines grew sharper in my vision with each intensifying moment of combat, as if my eyes had been forced open after being shut tight.

I felt certain that if I could weave these countless threads together into one, I would transcend to a new realm.

‘Now is the moment to advance.’

This was both a trial standing before death and an opportunity to take one step further.

A sharp metallic ring pierced the air.

I raised the Heavenly Sword and the Light Sword, aiming them at the Red Wolf Demon and the Black Wing Demon.

“Come!”

*

*

*

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!

Dozens of sword strikes and spells collided, scattering brilliant light across the dark night sky.

“Get out of the way!”

Merlin traced a magic circle larger than the moon itself, her brow furrowing with intensity.

“I told you. No one passes through here.”

Sheryl leveled her white sword at Merlin and laughed coldly.

“You fool! There are three Masters in there! Even Raon couldn’t win against them!”

Merlin’s eyes blazed with genuine desire as she spoke of Raon, her gaze burning with fierce intensity.

“I have to stop him before he dies! Move aside, now!”

“And then you’ll try to take Raon to Eden.”

Sheryl smirked knowingly, as if she saw right through the plan.

“It’s better than dying!”

“He won’t die. Raon has never broken a promise he made with his own mouth. Besides….”

She continued with a faint smile.

“That boy creates miracles. He’ll return stronger without falling to death.”

“You speak madness.”

Merlin bit her lip and spread her hand. The bracelet encircling her wrist gleamed black, amplifying the scale and power of the magic circle.

“I’ll kill you and go to meet Raon.”

“By all means, try. If you’re capable.”

Sheryl laughed coldly and raised the White Sword. A torrent of gray energy erupted from the blade, soaring to the edge of the heavens.

Roooaaarrr!

A black tidal wave erupting from the magic circle collided with a single streak of light blooming from the White Sword.

*

*

*

Unlike the grand collision between Sheryl and Merlin, the battle between Raon and the Red Wolf Demon and Black Wing Demon unfolded with breathless urgency.

I wiped the trickle of blood flowing from my lips with my sleeve and stamped the ground.

Crack!

I extended the Celestial Sword toward the Red Wolf Demon that rushed forward with bared teeth and unleashed its aura, while I parried the Black Wing Demon’s attack from behind targeting my neck with the Soul Reaper Sword I had seized.

Boom!

The massive explosion from both sides flipped the earth’s surface, and the forest trembled as if it might collapse.

The moment I stepped on Heavenly Harmony Step to escape the shockwave, the Black Wing Demon’s wings clung to me. It dove straight down as if intending to slice me with those wings.

Huff!

I exhaled roughly and deflected the Light Sword.

Clang!

This creature was a master who could infuse its wings with aura. The impact pierced through bone and muscle, reaching my organs. The internal injuries I had recovered from while bearing Wrath’s fury reopened.

But there was no time to feel the pain. The red wolf that pounced at every opening was already upon me.

I stepped on Heavenly Harmony Step and unfolded the Flame Dragon Technique. Though its power was diminished, its speed was like a beam of light.

Crash!

Even with reduced destructive power, the Flame Dragon Technique remained the Flame Dragon Technique. It held its ground against the Red Wolf Demon’s aura without yielding.

But internally, I twisted. I swallowed back the blood trying to burst through my throat and unfurled the Radiant Sword’s Fan Strike.

Clang!

I twisted aside the pitch-black dagger aimed at my throat. The Black Wing Demon clicked its tongue and rose back into the air.

“Hah.”

Internal injuries spread like wildfire. My entire abdomen burned with a searing heat as if scorched, yet my mind grew increasingly sharp.

Boom!

The Red Wolf Demon and Black Wing Demon rushed forward simultaneously. Their claws and dagger gleamed with technique as they channeled their auras, vibrating the air and shattering the earth.

I drew the Heaven’s Sword to my left shoulder and the Soul Reaper Sword to my right waist, then extended both at once. Where Heavenly Rotation and Frost Chain converged, red and blue radiance exploded.

Boom!

I was driven back five steps, spitting blood I’d been holding back. The burning sensation in my abdomen intensified. The internal injuries were more severe than before.

‘It’s fine.’

I bit my lip and steadied my breathing. They hadn’t pierced my blade strike, and I was beginning to see through their martial techniques.

Whoooosh!

Through the settling dust, the Red Wolf Demon and Black Wing Demon came into view.

“What in the world is this….”

“Is… is this even possible?”

Both demons bit their lips as if witnessing something beyond comprehension. Thin streams of blood trickled from their mouths.

“That bastard… he thrust his blade through the gaps in our bone formation.”

“Same here! The weakness in my wing defense has been exposed!”

A cold glint flashed across the Red Wolf Demon’s eyes, while murderous intent gleamed within the Black Wing Demon’s helmet.

Boom!

Both monsters realized they needed to finish this as quickly as possible and unleashed their full power, their footwork becoming a blur.

‘Right flank!’

The Red Wolf Demon surged from the right angle. I deflected the sharp aura rising from below with flowing swordplay, then drew a flame arc with the Heavenly Sword.

Crash!

A storm of flames erupted from the sword clash, driving the Red Wolf Demon back, while the frigid aura of the Soul Reaper Sword, gripped in reverse, crystallized like icicles and deflected the Black Wing Demon’s wings.

The combined aura of the two demons surged forward like a crimson torrent, but my blade became a towering dike that held back every ounce of their power.

“Ugh….”

Blood sprayed from my lips, yet I smiled. The opening that the Ring of Fire had revealed was striking true.

Clang! Crash!

The Heavenly Sword perfectly deflected the Red Wolf Demon’s twisted aura, while the Soul Reaper Sword drove back the Black Wing Demon’s wings in one swift motion.

‘Just a little more….’

My consciousness sharpened progressively, like a blacksmith honing a blade with his hammer. I could feel the Ring of Fire burning through my heart.

“That damn bastard!”

“Kill him as fast as you can!”

The Black Wing Demon and Red Wolf Demon targeted my upper and lower body simultaneously. The scorching aura embedded in their hands and weapons remained undiminished.

‘Breathe….’

I honed my focus further. Perhaps because of their desperation, the distortions in the martial techniques wielded by the charging Red Wolf Demon and Black Wing Demon had become more pronounced.

‘They’re exhausted too.’

After attacking Letran and clashing with Pedrick, the Red Wolf Demon and Black Wing Demon had already expended considerable energy. If I could endure, if I could just hold on, victory would be within reach.

‘I’m confident I can endure it.’

Having lived as an assassin and endured so much, I was more confident in my patience than anyone else.

I pushed Mana Circuit and Glacsia to their limits. Ignoring the searing pain as if my mana pathways would snap, I extended the Gwahyeolgwi Sword.

Claaaaaang!

Red and blue sword strikes swept through space, carving through the gap between the Red Wolf Demon and Black Wing Demon’s clash of auras.

“Keep going!”

“Grrrrgh!”

I stepped back using Tae Hwa Bo to distance myself from the Red Wolf Demon and Black Wing Demon, but they clung to me like leeches, unleashing torrents of power.

“Hngh!”

I adjusted my grip on the Celestial Sword and Soul Reaper Sword, targeting only the gaps in the martial techniques the Red Wolf Demon and Black Wing Demon were unfolding.

Boom! Crack!

Massive shockwaves erupted in succession, and the once-lush Forest crumbled into a barren wasteland.

‘I need to focus more.’

Given the extent of my internal injuries, the only way to endure was to exploit the enemy’s openings. Reaching my limit, I heightened my concentration once more.

‘I’m erasing what’s unnecessary.’

The sky and earth vanished from my vision, the shadowed forest dissolved, and even the Red Wolf Demon and Black Wing Demon scattered away.

What remained were two streams of light.

The flows of aura pouring forth from the Red Wolf Demon and Black Wing Demon.

I pushed back and deflected the aura of the two demons, still laden with tremendous power.

Perhaps because I only perceived the flow itself—blocking attacks and reading their patterns became far easier.

Now, as if time had frozen, the lines of aura-forged energy extended toward me with deliberate slowness.

‘Something is different.’

These lines resembled yet differed from the ones I traced in my mind.

Sensing something akin to desire or obsession, I simply watched as the lines approached before my eyes.

The thin lines spread like flames, filling my entire vision.

‘This is—!’

Now I understand. The crimson line that had formed in my mind and appeared before my eyes was not someone else’s.

It was my life, and it was my sword.

Hundreds of thousands, millions of sword strikes I had unleashed until now flashed through my consciousness all at once, and lightning born from my mind pierced through both spirit and body.

Flash!

The crimson lightning shattered something hard that had been lodged near my solar plexus into fragments.

Crack-crack-crack!

The energies of the cartoon masters that had been clustered in the mana circuit passed through that space and became further strengthened, releasing a more solid energy.

Screeeech!

The essence of the Demon Realm bound to the Soul Reaper Sword twisted, condensed, and blazed with brilliant light.

Roooaarrr!

Perfectly materialized flames. The overwhelming power of this inferno scattered brilliant radiance across heaven and earth, as if it could incinerate all things.

‘Is this… a Sword Force?’

The sensation was entirely different from sword energy and sword techniques. An extreme sharpness that seemed capable of severing everything dwelled within the crimson flames.

“Overwhelming force?”

“Kill him! Kill him now!”

The Red Wolf Demon and Black Wing Demon poured everything into drawing up their aura. Desperate, they unleashed every ounce of reserved power, conjuring an even more ferocious overwhelming force than before.

A deep resonance echoed.

Rather than focus on the Red Wolf Demon and Black Wing Demon charging toward me, I observed myself.

‘This isn’t everything.’

I can take one more step forward.

Others crossed the wall, but I shattered it.

Using all the martial knowledge I’d accumulated thus far as fuel, I took another stride.

A second flash of enlightenment blazed through my mind. In that instant, my soul seemed to ascend to a higher dimension.

The countless techniques I had failed to comprehend until now harmonized into one, tracing a new sword trajectory.

I thrust the Heavenly Sword toward the single line of light before my eyes.

At the tip of the pure white blade, crimson overwhelming force condensed. Lightning radiating from the compressed aura warped the very space around it.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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