The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 867
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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 867
“Ah, quite the colorful gathering we have here!”
Wrath licked his lips as he observed the man who appeared to be the Gold Dragon.
“There’s a certain flavor to picking and choosing like beads of ice cream.”
He rambled on about wishing there was a cool Blue Dragon as well.
‘This one is different from the other lizards.’
Raon furrowed his brow as he sensed the formidable aura emanating from the Gold Dragon.
‘I’m not certain I can win in this state.’
The golden-haired man before me radiated an aura far superior to the Black Dragon I had fought initially.
Even at full strength, I couldn’t guarantee victory, and my chest tightened with tension.
Goooooh.
As I regulated my breathing and drew up my dulled focus, Sterin, who had crashed into Sepia, approached me.
“I’m sorry….”
Sterin wiped the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth and exhaled heavily.
“It seems the time has truly come. My body no longer obeys my will.”
He could not lift his head, only repeating his apologies.
“You saved Sepia, but I….”
“It’s fine.”
I turned to face him and shook my head calmly.
“I’ll just have to cut him down here.”
I spoke with even greater confidence, deceiving not only Sterin but even my own emotions.
“Right. We’ll stop him here.”
Sterin clenched his fists so tightly that the wrinkles on his fingers turned red, drawing strength from my words.
“That beast’s name is Matirus, the strongest dragon of the Gold Dragon clan aside from the current Lord.”
Sterin spoke of him as a dangerous existence among the ancient dragons, his hand trembling as he gripped his bow.
Seeing his entire body drenched in blood, it was clear he had fought with everything he had.
“From now on, I will fight at the front. Please support me from behind, Guardian.”
“Raon….”
Sterin bit his lip as he watched me advance before Matirus with a smile.
‘You’re something else.’
I hadn’t asked him to fight—I’d asked for his help.
It was a consideration to make this war my own and not burden him with it.
Despite having exhausted so much strength and stamina fighting two ancient-grade dragons and that snake-masked human, his heart burned hot seeing me think of him first.
“Yes! I’ll guard your back with all my might!”
Sterin accepted my consideration and raised his bow with fierce determination.
The pain of torn muscles and shredded flesh no longer registered.
Only the resolve to protect my grandson’s disciple, even at the cost of his own life, surged within him.
“Even after all that, you still don’t know your place.”
Matirus snorted and shook his head.
“No matter what you do, the World Tree and Sepia will disappear today.”
As he flicked his fingers, black flames erupted around the World Tree—the hellfire of high-tier magic.
Whoooooosh!
Matirus didn’t merely erect a wall of flames—he summoned colossal monsters from the dimensional pocket he maintained, pressing the Elves within the World Tree into an ever-tightening vice.
“Aaaahhhhh!”
“M-Monsters here too!”
The Elves, witnessing the abruptly manifested monsters, collapsed in terror.
With scarcely any combatants among them, they could only retreat before the onslaught of flames and beasts.
“Matirus!”
Sterin’s voice erupted in fury as he watched the inferno consuming the World Tree’s roots.
“Why would you go this far!”
“You started this. Extinguishing the seeds of a race destined to become our enemy—surely that’s not unreasonable?”
Matirus tilted his head as if questioning why such an obvious matter needed asking.
“The World Tree doesn’t belong to the Elves alone! You know full well its influence spans the entire Continent!”
“Eliminating vermin that would destroy the world requires sacrifice. Such a price must be paid.”
He shook his head calmly, utterly devoid of shame.
“Matirus….”
Sterin ground his teeth so hard they nearly shattered, rage coursing through him.
-These lizard bastards grow more pathetic with each passing moment!
Wrath furrowed his brow, yearning to burst forth and wrench Matirus’s teeth from his skull.
“So what you’re saying is….”
I looked down at Matirus, tilting my chin slightly.
“You’re burning the World Tree just to grovel beneath Oma? And you call yourselves the world’s arbiters and harmonizers?”
I let out a contemptuous laugh, waving my hand dismissively.
“From now on, any dragon spouting nonsense about being a mediator or harmonizer gets their tongue ripped out. No matter how I look at it, you’re nothing but sordid swindlers.”
Raon raised one eyebrow as he said that I was inferior even to a lizard crawling on the ground.
“I’ll have to shut that mouth of yours first.”
Matirus tensed the veins on his forehead and raised his fingers. Condensed light gathered at his fingertips, transforming into golden arrows that flew at invisible speed.
Clang!
Raon erected a wall of beads with the Heavenly Sword, blocking the arrows of light that Matirus had fired.
‘Heavy.’
Even with the wall of beads deployed, my fingers trembled from the sheer weight. Though the light was thin and small, its power seemed to rival the sword strikes of transcendents.
“That was merely a greeting.”
Matirus said that what he had just fired was merely a greeting, then generated and fired multiple arrows of light in volleys. Despite their increased numbers, their power and speed did not diminish—if anything, they grew stronger.
Despite the increase in numbers, their power and speed seemed undiminished, if not even stronger.
“I have to stop it.”
Raon gritted his teeth as he watched the arrows of light flying toward his vital points. Blocking them would be a loss in itself, but he couldn’t avoid it to protect Sterin, whose mobility had slowed.
Wow, that’s amazing!
Raon unfolded his dual sword technique with the Gwang-a Sword and Seolpung Sword Technique, deflecting the arrows of light that Matirus had unleashed.
Though her tired shoulders and forearms tingled as if they were vibrating, she bit her tongue and cut through all the light.
“What an opportunity.”
The Green Blade Master nodded slightly and disappeared into the dark clouds. He silently appeared on Raon’s left side and thrust the blade, which had condensed wind, forward.
“….”
Even though Raon perceived the Green Blade Master’s movements, I didn’t react and instead focused solely on erasing Matirus’s light.
“It’s over.”
Just as the Green Blade Master’s blade was about to pierce my waist, an arrow glowing with blue light flew from behind.
Craaaaaaash!
Sterin’s arrow not only knocked aside the Green Blade Master’s sword, but pierced through the arrows of light that came rushing from the right.
“How dare you.”
Sterin’s brow furrowed with absolute resolve.
“I look forward to your continued support.”
Raon nodded without even turning to look back.
“Green Blade Master. You capture the old elf. I will kill this human myself.”
Matirus entrusted Sterin to the Green Blade Master and shaped a golden sphere above his right hand. The Orb of Light—a device that dragged mages’ illusions into reality.
“That would be preferable for now.”
The Green Blade Master nodded and quietly retreated backward. He vanished from sight, wrapped in wind.
“Raon. Don’t worry about me—focus on Matirus.”
Sterin drew his bowstring quietly, confident he could defeat a mere youth in a helmet.
“Of course.”
Raon said he trusted him and drew the Frost Chain toward Matirus.
The blade of frost shot forward toward the Heavenly Sword, descending toward Matirus’s neck.
Kyaaaaaaash!
Just as the frost blade and the Heavenly Sword were about to sever Matirus’s neck, a golden flash erupted from the Orb he had created, simultaneously blocking both sword strikes.
“How crude.”
As Matirus let out a scoff, the light that had blocked his strikes split into dozens of fragments and rained down toward my vital points. They were faster and more ferocious than the arrows of light he had fired initially.
“You approached of your own accord, so you have no space to escape.”
As he said, there were too many rays of light and they moved too quickly—it seemed impossible to block them all.
“Then….”
I twisted my lips upward and raised the Heavenly Sword.
“I’ll simply erase them all.”
I erected a barrier of flames along the blade of the Heavenly Sword. A torrent of fire that seemed to cleave through the void itself wrapped around Matirus’s light.
Manhwa Palace Heavenly Flame.
Shadowless Golden Light.
The silk of flames that originally devoured darkness consumed the corrupted Harmonizer’s light and erupted in a violent explosion.
Kuwaaaaang!
I seized the opening created by the explosion of Shadowless Golden Light and charged toward Matirus.
Both physically and mentally exhausted, I had to end this battle as quickly as possible.
Thwoong!
I stepped on the Heavenly Harmony Steps in mid-air and drove Rimer’s blade into Matirus’s blind spot.
“I knew you would come like that.”
Matirus tilted his head without panic, as if he had been waiting.
“Humans always charge in like wild boars.”
As he flicked his fingers, Orb condensed into a small sphere before expanding and unleashing a tidal wave of light.
It was a terrifying wave of light so intense that the sky of Sepia appeared to be a golden sea.
Chiriririing!
I brought down the Heavenly Sword and Rimer’s blade like lightning, held diagonally before me. Manhwa Palace Flame Sea Unbroken—I carved a silver dream through the tidal wave of light with waves of flame and frost.
Hwaaaaaaah!
A crimson sword strike, hazy as a dream, sliced past Matirus’s neck.
But no blood spilled. He had already retreated, leaving behind a clone woven from light in his place.
“Hmph!”
As Matirus raised his right hand overhead, Oma forged a radiant blade of pure light.
“Holy Flame Sword.”
He brought the luminous blade down with both hands. It was no sword technique, yet its power rivaled the absolute strike of a transcendent being.
Ching!
I drew the Red Sword upward to meet the cascading torrent of light strikes.
Crack!
The flame sword and light sword collided, sending sparks erupting skyward in rapid succession.
‘He’s condensing mana endlessly.’
I narrowed my eyes, observing how the light sword endured the Red Sword through sheer volume of mana.
‘This could be an opening.’
I infused the Red Sword with the essence of prediction and speed, then twisted my left wrist—the one gripping Rimer’s blade.
A white wave that erased golden radiance. The White Shadow Sword—a counter that nullified the opponent’s martial technique.
Whoooosh!
The moment the White Shadow Sword obliterated Matirus’s light blade, I added explosive force to the Red Sword, aiming for his heart.
Boom!
Just as the Red Sword’s flames were about to cut through the golden-haired man’s chest, the scattered light reformed into a shield, blocking the strike.
Matirus poured forth a massive torrent of aura once more, intercepting the blade.
Regardless of anything else, he overwhelmingly surpassed me in the sheer volume of mana he could deploy.
‘No, that’s not the only problem.’
It wasn’t a matter of mana quantity or magical skill—it was experience. He had far more of it.
Matirus possessed overwhelmingly greater combat experience than the Black Dragon or Red Dragon I had faced moments ago.
I understood now why Sterin had been pushed back despite his exhaustion.
“You certainly seem capable of killing those two.”
Matirus nodded as if in acknowledgment.
“But there’s nothing particularly different about it.”
He declared the games were over and conjured a new orb of light in his left hand.
“Let’s see how long you can endure.”
“Endure?”
I twisted my lips upward as I gazed at the gleaming orb.
“It would be faster to calculate how long your head stays attached to your neck.”
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“B-Black flames! The fires of Hell!”
“There are monsters too!”
“W-We have nowhere to escape….”
The Elves who had entered the Holy Ground could only retreat helplessly before the slowly advancing hellfire and monsters, gripped by terror.
“We’re doomed.”
“Someone will protect the World Tree.”
Some of the Elves had already surrendered to their fate, sinking to the ground and awaiting the death that crept toward them.
Boom!
As everyone else hesitated and began to surrender, Siyan threw off her blanket and stepped forward.
Whoooosh!
From her fingertips emerged a supreme-tier water spirit in the form of a unicorn and a supreme-tier wind spirit in the form of a butterfly.
Crash!
The spirits read her intent, slashing through the monsters with blades of wind and pushing back the encroaching black flames with torrents of azure rain.
“Siyan?”
“What are you all doing!”
Siyan turned around without even accepting their gratitude. For the first time, she gazed upon her own kin with eyes burning with fury.
“This is Sepia! This is the Holy Ground!”
Siyan clenched her teeth and pointed toward the sky.
“Outsiders are risking their lives out there, yet you search for the Guardians and surrender to death? Do you think the World Tree will be pleased if we simply wait here to perish?”
She stamped her foot forcefully, demanding they regain their senses.
“Only we can protect our own land!”
Siyan cried out for them to move of their own accord, her eyes blazing with unwavering resolve.
“B-but we can only summon lower-tier spirits…”
“I can only shoot ordinary archery…”
“Even if we wanted to fight, we cannot…”
“That is no excuse.”
Siyan shook her head with absolute conviction.
“Since we’ve been driven to this point, it doesn’t matter if it’s lower-tier spirits or throwing stones—we must fight regardless!”
She cried out for them to fight with their lives on the line and charged into the swarm of approaching monsters.
Crunch, crunch, crunch!
The third Earth Spirit that Siyan summoned split the ground and swallowed the monsters whole.
“Huff… huff…”
Siyan gasped heavily and clutched her head. Continuously blocking the poison gas that permeated all of Sepia while commanding the spirits had pushed her mental fortitude to its absolute limit.
Her vision blurred as though she might collapse at any moment.
“To the very end!”
Just as she bit her lip and tried to rise, the younger Elves stepped forward and summoned small Water Spirits.
Splash!
The young spirits, barely older than children themselves, sprayed water like tiny fountains.
A single stream meant little, but when many gathered together, their combined currents pushed back the flames even slightly.
“Mmm…”
Witnessing this, the other Elves also bit their lips and stepped forward, summoning spirits one by one to join the battle against the monsters.
Fear gripped them, yet none retreated or surrendered.
“Don’t worry. I won’t let anyone die before me!”
Siyan raised her head, urging everyone to fight together.
“You certainly know how to inspire! Princess!”
Martha burst from the flames and slashed the throat of an ogre approaching the World Tree.
“Even if others help, we must defend our own home!”
She nodded, approving of the sentiment.
“Not princess—the next Guardian. This isn’t a kingdom!”
Burren cleaved through the horde of orcs pressing in from the right in a single sweep, shaking his head.
“Yes. Siyan. Well done.”
Lunan swept away the black flames that burned even while soaked in water with frost, gently patting Siyan’s head.
“H-hey, the next Guardian, no less! Don’t be so presumptuous!”
Burren trembled at Lunan’s action, his lips quivering.
“Ugh, this place is even harsher….”
Dorian muttered that Sepia was more hellish and shook his head.
“No. The safest place is where the Organization Master is.”
Crain watched Raon fighting in the sky and licked his lips.
“Everyone, stop the chatter and focus.”
Burren gazed briefly at the Soul Reaper Sword placed beneath the World Tree, then shook his head.
“I cannot let my master’s homeland disappear!”
“Let’s goooooo!”
With Martha’s cry, the Gwangpung Corps’ counterattack began.
*
*
*
Zzzzzzzt!
Raon bit his lip as he blocked the relentless barrage of light explosions.
‘There’s no opening.’
The fact that Matirus gave no opportunity for a swordsman to approach showed that, as I had initially anticipated, he possessed exceptional practical experience and combat instincts.
‘No, that isn’t it. He does have extensive experience, but….’
My movements are off.
My body feels heavier than mere mental or physical exhaustion should cause. Even though I can see the light magic, it’s not easy to cut through or block it.
Kyaaaang!
I narrowed my eyes as I cleaved through the surging waves of light that pressed down like clouds.
‘Wait, now that I think about it….’
Sterin also mentioned that his body condition was far worse than usual, making it difficult to face Matirus.
It was strange for a Transcendent to say such a thing, no matter how exhausted he might be from sparring with me.
‘Should I check?’
Having trained my entire life, I know my own body better than anyone. I decided to determine whether I was truly exhausted or if this was an external problem.
Fuuuuung!
Dozens of strands of light erupted from the orb Matirus had created, targeting every vital point across my entire body.
Teuk!
I stepped to the left with Taewhabo. As I tried to slip through the net of light, my body suddenly felt heavy and sluggish.
Kwaaaang!
Though I thought I could escape easily enough, the heaviness in my body prevented me from dodging, forcing me to block the net of light instead.
“Hagh….”
I wiped the blood trickling from the corner of my mouth and shook my head.
“What did you do to me?”
Just moments ago, the movement of my body and aura had slowed down ever so slightly.
It was clear that this was an external force, not something originating from within me.
“So you felt it.”
Matirus exhaled in apparent surprise.
“You’re certainly different from that old Elf.”
He nodded his head as if in admiration.
“Stop your muttering and answer my questions, lizard.”
“I have no reason to tell you.”
Matirus wrinkled his nose in irritation, then flicked his finger.
Oma, suspended in mid-air, spun violently and unleashed fragments of light in all directions. It was as if all the stars in the night sky were pouring down at once.
Kwaaaaaaa!
I swung the swords in both my hands with staggered timing, attempting to deflect all the incoming light using the dual-sword technique I had learned from Sheryl.
‘Again.’
The light magic I thought I could certainly intercept passed faster than the Heavenly Sword and pierced through my side. The pain was secondary to understanding the mechanism at work.
Ching!
I activated Manhwagong and Glaceia with maximum intensity, erasing all the surrounding light with an explosion of heat and cold before lifting my head.
“Now I understand.”
I narrowed my eyes as I looked up at Matirus, who stood at the edge of the sky.
“It’s gravity.”
At first, I thought he had cast a curse upon my body, but that wasn’t it.
Matirus had manipulated the gravity of the space where I stood, slowing the movement of my body and aura.
Strangely enough, since he wasn’t controlling gravity through mana, it was inevitable that I would be slow to perceive it.
“You have keen senses.”
Matirus nodded readily, acknowledging the observation.
“Your ability to manipulate gravity with such precision is indeed impressive, but now that I’ve revealed it, its effectiveness is diminished.”
Raon twisted his lips as he regarded Matirus.
“Is that so?”
As Matirus let out a scornful laugh, his body became enveloped in a magnificent radiance.
Cuckoo cuckoo cuckoo!
A colossal form that cast shadows across the heavens. The ancient dragon I had first glimpsed upon entering the Grand Forest now loomed above me in the sky.
[I’ve had my amusement. Now let us end this.]
The moment I heard Matirus’s calm voice, my body slipped beyond my control and plummeted toward the earth.
Crackle, crackle, crackle!
This was no subtle manipulation of gravity—this was transcendent-class gravitational force. I couldn’t move my body at all.
Boom!
I crashed into Sepia’s earth just as Sterin had initially fallen, spewing blood from my lips.
“Cough!”
Sterin, who had been fighting the Green Blade Master, also succumbed to the gravitational force and tumbled across the ground beside me.
[You harbor a grave misconception.]
Matirus let out a prolonged, mocking laugh.
[Gravity manipulation is an ability I obtained upon becoming an ancient dragon. That’s why I don’t channel it through mana. If I can achieve such delicate control, unleashing overwhelming force is actually far simpler.]
He shook his head, saying he had merely wanted to witness humanity’s futile struggle.
[Light has no mass, but it is affected by gravity. I will kill you without you being able to lift a single finger.]
Matirus pressed down with gravity around the World Tree and lifted his head.
“Gaaahhh….”
“I-I can’t get up!”
“M-my hands and feet won’t move….”
The Gwangpung Corps swordsmen and Elves who had been gaining the upper hand were equally immobilized, unable to move from their positions.
“Cough….”
Sterin too coughed up black blood as his strength waned. His deteriorating body bore the brunt of the overexertion far more severely than the others.
“So this is how it ends.”
The Green Blade Master, blood streaming from his shoulder where Sterin had wounded him, licked his lips with satisfaction.
Roooooar!
Matirus held everyone pinned beneath his gravity as his massive maw yawned open.
Golden radiance erupted from his pitch-black throat. A breath attack—and it seemed he had gathered every breath he could unleash in a single day.
Rumble rumble rumble!
Raon bit his lip as he watched the golden breath converging from the sky above.
‘What can I do?’
The intensified gravity made it difficult even to raise the hand gripping his sword, and summoning aura was far from easy.
I had no idea how to withstand that breath, which was even more powerful than the Black Dragon’s and Red Dragon’s combined.
‘Is there anyone who can help….’
I turned my gaze toward Wrath.
-Hmm, I suppose there’s no choice. I shall step forward.
Wrath nodded without hesitation, offering his aid despite his spiritual form not yet fully recovered.
‘Wrath. You….’
I bit my lip as I gazed at Wrath.
Whoooosh!
The leaves of the World Tree, which had been snapping under the weight of gravity, bloomed with vibrant emerald light as if reborn.
From the Soul Reaper Sword bathed in that radiance, wind stirred and brushed against my shoulders and back.
“Ah….”
I bit my lip as I caught the scent of that nostalgic wind. It felt as though Rimer were grasping my shoulders, just as he always could.
-Descent is impossible at present. The True Demon King will lend his strength….
‘It’s fine.’
I shook my head at Wrath.
-What? What do you mean….
‘I’ll do it.’
I lifted my knees, heavy as lead, and straightened my spine.
‘Now is the time for me to act.’
I had always received help.
Survived because of Rimer.
Rescued by Glen Zigheart.
Wrath descended and carried me through the crisis.
Through the aid of countless others, I had become who I am today.
Even after reaching transcendence, failing to protect people and waiting for others’ help was surrendering my own worth and future to the earth.
Today, and now, was the time to walk forward with my own feet and hands.
Kuwaaaaaaaah!
Matirus unleashed the breath of holy light toward the World Tree, saturated with killing intent.
The sky tore asunder from the tremendous shockwave of the breath, and the ground crumbled and lifted as if it had never been touched.
I gazed upon the breath that seemed to fill not just my vision but the entire world, and tightened my grip on the Heavenly Sword and Rimer’s blade.
Uuuuuuung!
I spun the rings of fire with utmost intensity and opened the realm of transcendence.
‘What I learned upon reaching transcendence was not merely the aura of nature.’
The reason I had touched transcendence in that final moment was human emotion.
Having awakened all of joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure, I poured that sensation from when I became a being that transcended humanity itself into both blades.
Kuuuung!
I stamped my foot as if triggering an earthquake. I infused the flames of Manhwagong upon Rimer’s blade and wrapped Glaceia’s chill around the Heavenly Sword.
The aura rising along the graceful sword tips ignited a golden dawn as if heralding a new era.
Sword Realm Incarnate.
Genesis Slash.
The golden aura surging like wildfire collided with the holy light’s breath that poured down carrying the weight of gravity.
Kuwaaaaaaaang!
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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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