The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 219

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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 219

I clenched my teeth so hard they threatened to shatter.

‘Such overwhelming power.’

The Evil Goat Demon’s sword strike carried a force as if the very heavens themselves were crashing down upon me. Even as I channeled the Ten Thousand Flower Demon technique to its peak and pushed my body to its absolute limits, my feet began to sink into the earth.

“Grrgh!”

The pressure radiating from the obsidian greatsword tore at my skin and crushed my bones. The searing heat of internal injuries in my abdomen intensified. The pain was so severe that I could no longer distinguish which part of my body was suffering.

Crack, crack, crack, crack!

The Evil Goat Demon’s sword force grew progressively more devastating. Both my wrists and shoulders trembled as though they might dislocate.

The Evil Goat Demon’s sword force pours out with increasing intensity. Both wrists and shoulders trembled as if they were about to shatter.

Damn it…

If only his body hadn’t been injured and he could have perfectly operated the Illusory Palace, he wouldn’t have been pushed back like this—the thought made his insides boil with frustration.

“No. You shouldn’t think like that.”

Raon shook his head.

“If you always want to be in perfect condition, you shouldn’t leave the family.”

I couldn’t afford to fight in perfect condition every time. I had to be grateful simply to be alive after defeating two Masters, and I needed to pour every ounce of strength into this moment.

-You’re doing splendidly! Crush him beneath your weight! Smash him to pieces!

Wrath burst forth from my wrist, waving his hands wildly in encouragement.

-Then this fool will surrender his body to me! I’ll spare you, goat-headed wretch!

I ignored the Demon King of uncertain appetite and refocused my mind.

Crunch!

The crushing pressure drove my legs deeper into the earth—past my ankles, my shins embedding themselves in the ground. At this rate, I would be flattened to death, just as Wrath had warned.

I bit my lip and looked upward. The Evil Goat Demon’s gaze was ice-cold. This wasn’t a casual clash of blades—it was a killing stroke.

‘Focus. Concentrate.’

The only way to survive was to analyze his blade. I resonated the Ring of Fire once more, the one I’d suppressed due to the chest pain.

Whooooom!

Forcing my eyes open, I examined the aura and essence contained within the black blade.

‘A mid-tier blade… and a strong one at that.’

The Evil Goat Demon’s black greatsword carried a peculiar essence: weight and overwhelming strength. Pure, unadulterated power. It was an oppressive slash driven solely by brute force.

That’s what made it so difficult.

If it had been variation or illusion, something soft and deceptive, I could have countered it with a different sword technique. But against raw power pressing down upon me, escape was nearly impossible.

“Ugh….”

It felt like his lower and middle dantians were about to shatter. A severe pain erupted as if his mana circuits were about to burst.

I cannot fall here.

There was still so much left to do. I couldn’t collapse now—not when there were wrongs I had committed that demanded resolution.

Focus harder.

I activated the ring of fire encircling my heart with maximum intensity. Perhaps it was because I had reached Master rank. The world seemed to slow, as if time itself had frozen. In that elevated state of perception, I studied the black greatsword.

How to repel this heavy blade….

Direct confrontation of force was futile. Both the quantity and quality of my aura fell short. I needed another approach.

My mind raced with clarity unlike any moment before. From the swordsmanship of my past to the newly learned techniques, I recalled every blade form, searching desperately for a way to survive.

Wait! The Middle Heaven Sword Technique?

Raon swallowed dryly, watching the trembling Heavenly Sword.

‘If I reverse the pulling force of the Heavenly Attraction….’

The Heavenly Attraction was slow to activate despite its tremendous power.

That weakness was compensated by the pulling force it drew in, but if I reversed that ability and pushed outward instead, I might be able to escape from that devastating blade strike.

‘It’s not impossible.’

Though it would be damned painful.

Since I’d have to alter the flow of my mana circuits from their natural path, it would be agonizing and grueling, but it was certainly possible.

‘I have to do it in one breath.’

If I executed it poorly, my body would collapse and this balance would crumble entirely. I had to trigger it the moment the Evil Goat Demon applied force.

Roooaarrr!

I gathered aura that truly scraped the bottom of my reserves and met the Evil Goat Demon’s gaze. His burning crimson eyes held a strange, searing intensity.

“Your strength is weaker than I expected.”

I forced my lips open and smiled.

“I thought you’d slice through someone as exhausted as me in a single strike.”

“Your provocation is clumsy.”

The Evil Goat Demon tilted his chin upward with a sneer.

“Ugh….”

I knew it was clumsy, but I had no time. If this continued, I’d exhaust every ounce of strength merely defending.

“However, since I’m curious what you’ve prepared, I’ll indulge your provocation.”

A fierce gleam flashed in Baphomet’s helm as the aura contained within the greatsword surged explosively.

‘Such confidence that he can kill anything. But this will be different.’

Not blocking—pushing back.

Crimson lightning flickered across my pupils. The moment the Evil Goat Demon’s blade unleashed its full power, I channeled the condensed aura in reverse opposition to the Heavenly Center Stroke.

Crack!

My mana circuits swelled as if they would rupture, igniting excruciating agony. Enduring pain that made internal injuries and broken bones feel like nothing, I summoned every remaining shred of power.

Raon Zigheart-style swordmanship.

Second Form: Heavenly Center Stroke Reversed.

The spheres of concentrated energy gathering at the blade’s edge of the Heavenly Sword dispersed outward rather than condensing, unleashing a devastating shockwave.

Kwaaaaaa!

A thunderous explosion erupted as if the world itself were collapsing, and as aura clashed against aura, the Evil Goat Demon and his obsidian greatsword were driven back two steps.

Kwabang!

The sheer force channeled through his feet was so immense that the earth trembled as if it would split asunder.

Kugugugugu!

I was launched backward like a ball, tumbling across the ground. Unable to use my hands or feet against such a brutally overwhelming collision of force, I was driven back dozens of meters before slamming into a massive tree.

Cough!

I clutched my chest and spat blood.

Ugh…

The internal injuries were severe enough that even my blood was black. As I lost my balance and began to fall, I drove my blade into the ground to steady myself.

Raon!

Ah…

I extended a trembling hand toward Pedrick and Sia, who were rushing toward me.

“Oh, don’t come any closer.”

I forced my parched lips apart and shook my head. The battle wasn’t over yet. This was a moment I had to face alone.

“Haah…”

Each breath sent a dizzying wave of pain through my skull. Had I not endured torture in my past life, I would have collapsed and wailed on the spot.

‘The creature remains unscathed.’

The Evil Goat Demon bore not a single scratch. Yet astonishment flickered in those violet eyes—he hadn’t anticipated I could escape in such a manner.

Grind.

I clenched my teeth hard enough to crack them and wrenched the Heavenly Sword from the earth. Forcing strength into my trembling legs, I rose and lifted the blade before me.

“One final clash. I haven’t fallen.”

I spat the stale blood pooling in my mouth and aimed the still-gleaming silver blade at the Evil Goat Demon.

“Do you acknowledge it!”

“Heh…”

The Evil Goat Demon didn’t answer. His mouth hung open in deeper shock as he stared at me. In those eyes swirled conflict, hesitation, and something akin to desire.

“Kuh, krhh!”

After a tediously long exchange, the Evil Goat Demon gripped Baphomet’s helmet, his jaw trembling.

“Krahahahaha!”

He unleashed a roaring laugh so violent that the trees swayed.

“Unable to overcome through pure strength, so you opted to push instead? A clever strategy. Now I understand why you stand where you do.”

The Evil Goat Demon hurled the black greatsword in his grip into the void. It dissolved into darkness like melting shadow.

“I concede.”

He nodded, crossing his arms just as he had when we first met.

“Let’s call today’s clash a draw.”

“Haa….”

I exhaled heavily, my breath ragged. Despite breathing, I felt starved for air. I forced my loosening tension back under control.

“It seems I made the right choice letting you live.”

“What?”

“Hehe.”

The Evil Goat Demon didn’t answer, simply closing his eyes.

“When we meet again, we’ll settle today’s draw.”

He waved his hand and slowly walked toward the passage he’d been blocking.

-Hey! Hey! You goat-headed bastard! Where are you going!

Wrath swung his fist, crackling with frigid power.

-We haven’t finished! Where are you going, you idiot! One flick of my finger and you’d be dead, so what’s this nonsense about a draw!

He shrieked, unable to comprehend the situation.

-Why does this kind of infuriating thing always happen to me!

“Gasp…”

I collapsed to the ground, listening to Wrath’s anguished cry. I truly had no strength left.

‘At this rate… I might actually die.’

Unbearable pain coursed through my entire body. My lungs felt damaged—I couldn’t breathe properly. Fighting through the agony to survive, I rotated the Ring of Fire.

“Raon!”

Pedrick rushed forward as if stumbling and dropped to his knees before me.

“Are you… alright?”

“The Saint is safe, isn’t she…?”

Pedrick’s hands trembled at Raon’s concern for his own wellbeing instead of his own.

“You… you bastard…!”

Pedrick bit his lip forcefully. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to comprehend the situation, and tears would surely spill forth.

“You haven’t changed at all since we last met.”

“Don’t speak. Just lie down!”

Pedrick grasped Raon’s wrist and poured what little strength he’d barely recovered into him.

“Ugh!”

Pedrick covered his mouth to stifle the cry threatening to burst forth.

‘He… he fought through to the end in this condition?’

Raon’s body was in a state where death would have been unsurprising. Bones were shattered throughout, muscles and mana circuits were ruptured, and vital organs barely maintained function.

It was no exaggeration to say his entire body had been shattered.

‘How is this even…?’

If he were in Raon’s condition, he would have collapsed immediately, screaming in agony, unable to move a single finger.

“Ugh….”

Watching him endure so calmly, tears began to flow unbidden from his own eyes.

“I-I’ll treat you right now. I’m sorry I didn’t step in sooner! Truly….”

“It’s fine. And now isn’t the time for treatment.”

Raon shook his head with a weary smile, glancing toward the edge of the Forest as he wiped the blood trickling from his lips.

“It’s not over yet.”

*

*

*

“Tch.”

Sheryl scoffed, cleaving through the pillars of frigid and scorching energy pouring down from both sides.

Boom!

Following that, she split even the tan-colored wave cascading from the sky with her white blade.

Zzzt—zzzt—zzzt!

Through the tearing waves of mana, Merlin’s face emerged, etched with irritation.

“Damn it! Why do you always have to interfere!”

“You’re the one interfering with my task.”

“You don’t even know what’s happening in there right now! Get out of the way!”

“I’m the type who keeps my word once I’ve given it.”

Sheryl laughed coldly and swept her white blade in an arc. Her left hand’s black sword remained poised to strike the monsters at any moment.

Her expression remained serene, as if welcoming any challenge, but her heart was rotting from within.

‘Raon. You’re still alive, right?’

The barrier spread across the Forest itself and Merlin’s endlessly detonating and flowing mana made it impossible to discern what was happening inside.

Massive collisions erupted without end, but I couldn’t tell who was winning or who was being pushed back.

‘Damn it.’

I had acknowledged Raon and let him go, but I’ve regretted it countless times since. I agonized endlessly over whether this was right, whether there was another way. Yet no matter how much I thought about it, the only path was to trust Raon.

‘It’s already set in stone.’

All I could do was hold back Merlin and the monsters while waiting for the one who emerged from that Forest to be Raon.

“Move! You traitorous bitch!”

“Yes. That’s right—you should look this ugly. It suits the name ‘Betrayal’s Witch,’ Merlin.”

Sheryl stood alone against the combined assault of Merlin and Eden, as though she had become a divine giant descending from the heavens. Not a single insect dared pass behind her.

“Hiss! I’ll crush you flat!”

Merlin pressed her palms together in prayer and began chanting an incantation for the first time.

A deep, resonant hum filled the air.

Nature’s mana condensed in an instant, and blue and crimson spheres poured down from sky and earth alike. The sheer force of it was so overwhelming that all sensation seemed to vanish.

“Hmph.”

Sheryl drew up her aura, positioning her white blade downward and her black blade upward. Just as she was about to sever the mana itself, a tremor erupted from the Forest’s entrance.

“Huh?”

“What?”

Both Merlin’s gaze—poised to unleash her spell—and Sheryl’s gaze—ready to strike—snapped toward the Forest’s entrance.

A sound like dried leaves crumbling.

Raon emerged from the Forest, his steps steady. Though weariness marked his features, his eyes burned with crystalline clarity. Behind him walked Pedrick, the tattered Saint, and a child.

“Raon? Raon!”

Sheryl cried out Raon’s name like a scream.

‘Not only alive, but he brought everyone back!’

It would have been a miracle if he’d survived alone or brought back just the child, yet Raon returned with everyone intact and unharmed. Her heart surged with emotion so intense it trembled. She had spent decades on battlefields, but never had she felt such overwhelming joy.

‘He’s reached Master rank. And immediately at the lower tier, no less! That man is truly something!’

She had wondered how he could survive in that Forest, yet Raon had shattered the Master’s barrier and walked beyond it. Just as Glen had said, he showed no stagnation period upon reaching Master rank.

“Raon….”

Merlin’s eyes widened with clarity.

“You’re alive! You made it out!”

She gazed at Raon with eyes burning even more intensely than before.

Her expression showed no concern that her plan had crumbled.

“As I thought, you must be with me. Your place isn’t at Zigheart—it’s by my side!”

Merlin’s smile deepened, so genuine it pierced through any mask she wore.

“What could you do for me there? Do I really have a helmet waiting for me?”

I looked up at Merlin, as if agreeing with her words.

“What? What are you saying right now…?”

“When I wear the helmet, I become noticeably stronger. Can I use it too?”

“Of course! Absolutely!”

Merlin nodded frantically.

“If you wear the helmet I’ve prepared, you’ll reach Grand Master in no time. That woman won’t even be your match!”

She pointed at Sheryl and laughed, baring her teeth.

“In no time…?”

“Raon! You, why you!”

Sheryl glared at me, her eyes widening with fury.

“I failed to capture one of them properly. That one was incredibly strong. If I could defeat him, I could do anything.”

I flexed my fingers holding the sword as if lost in thought. My right pinky finger was pointing upward.

‘That is…’

Sheryl narrowed her eyes.

‘A signal.’

It was clear that Raon was giving her an opening to deal with Merlin.

“Then I’ll go right now. I’m about to collapse from exhaustion anyway.”

“Understood! Anytime!”

Merlin extended her left hand with a grotesque smile. The moment a blue magic circle appeared on the ground, the sphere of mana she maintained began to waver.

‘Now!’

Sheryl stepped into her true stance. Drawing her aura to its peak, she carved through Merlin’s opening. From the two blades of different colors erupted a shimmering gray light that split heaven and earth.

Kwaaaaaaah!

The gray trajectory unleashed a terrifying force that threatened to obliterate not just the massive magic, but Merlin herself.

“Ugh! Raon! Raon!”

Even as blood poured from her like she was dying, Merlin maintained the magic circle on the ground. It was an obsessive, maniacal determination to take Raon with her at any cost.

Raon approached the magic circle and lifted his foot.

“Raon?”

As Sheryl trembled in shock, her lips quivering, I brought my blade down not on the magic circle itself, but directly in front of it.

Crash!

The ground shattered, and the magic circle that Merlin had been forcibly maintaining tore apart.

“I’d rather die than live wearing such a helmet.”

“Raoooooon!”

As the final spell crumbled, Merlin let out a bone-chilling scream and dissolved into the gray light.

“Hck…”

I collapsed where I stood and coughed up blood.

“Raon!”

“Raon!”

Sheryl and Pedrick rushed over in alarm and caught me.

“Ah, you really lack awareness. You should have finished it faster.”

I glanced at Sheryl and shook my head.

“No, I was….”

Sheryl’s eyes widened in astonishment. Who could have imagined that Raon would create an opening in Merlin’s defense like this?

“I think I need to rest now. I really feel like I’m going to die at this rate.”

Raon let out a faint laugh and tilted his head back. He lacked even the strength to remain standing, let alone maintain consciousness.

[Reaching the Master’s realm….]

[The curse of bitter cold….]

[The Continent’s first….]

[The Ten Thousand Flower Demon….]

[Glaceia….]

Achievement messages from all my accumulated feats began flooding my mind at once.

-What, what is there so much of?!

I closed my eyes as I watched Wrath burst forth.

Hearing that furious voice, I felt I could finally rest peacefully.

—————
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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