The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 616

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Raon wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked at Ogrom. His expression was calm, suggesting that he was serious about what he had just said.

‘Is he really going to teach me the Geokhae technique?’

It was hard to believe that the leader of the Beast Alliance would teach such a supreme martial art to an outsider like him.

‘Even though I helped the Sran Tribe, I am still an outsider.’

In most martial clans, supreme martial arts were taught only to direct descendants or those who had made significant contributions. Outsiders were usually taught lesser techniques.

Zieghart was no exception. While they sometimes bestowed supreme martial arts to outsiders who had proven their worth, they never passed on the exclusive techniques reserved for the head or heirs of the family.

‘Yet he’s willing to teach me such an advanced technique?’

Geokhae must be one of Ogrom’s ultimate skills. It was hard to believe he would share such a critical technique with an outsider.

“Did you mean what you just said?” Raon calmed his rapidly beating heart and looked up.

“Do I seem like someone who would speak nonsense?” Ogrom’s lips curved into a broad smile.

“No, but…”

“I know what you’re thinking.”

Ogrom’s smile widened.

“Martial artists on this continent usually don’t reveal their techniques. If their techniques are known, it could lead to countermeasures and put them in danger.”

Raon had experienced this firsthand.

In the past, few knew about the Frost Blade, and he could easily behead his enemies with it. Now, many knew that the Frost Blade had two edges and took measures to defend against it.

As Ogrom said, the more a martial art was revealed, the more ways there were to counter it.

“But so what?” Ogrom shook his head, raising his chin.

“A martial art that weakens when shown was never strong to begin with. A truly strong martial art is one that maintains its power even when its flow is known.”

“Hmm…”

“In battle, there is no second chance.”

The aura radiating from Ogrom’s eyes was intense enough to suffocate.

“Only one chance. You must sever your opponent’s throat in that one chance to survive on the battlefield. Geokhae is a technique for that. It doesn’t weaken just because it’s shown or taught!”

Ogrom pounded his chest as if making a declaration.

“There are no weak martial artists or martial arts in this Beast Alliance.”

“Ah…”

Raon clenched his trembling fists. Ogrom’s words made his hair stand on end.

“He’s right. Ultimate power doesn’t weaken just because it’s seen.”

Garona nodded, not surprised by Ogrom’s words.

– For a muscle-bound idiot, he speaks well.

Wrath nodded in agreement.

– True strength doesn’t weaken under any circumstances. Whether fighting in fire or lava, I always froze all my enemies.

Wrath’s words were long-winded, but he agreed with Ogrom’s sentiment.

‘Come to think of it…’

The same was true for both Glenn and Wrath.

Glenn’s swordsmanship, my ultimate goal, wouldn’t weaken just because it was seen. It was like the sky. Who could withstand a sky made of swords?

The same applied to Wrath. He didn’t use any tricks, only the power of frost to crush his enemies. No one could withstand that overwhelming force.

Ogrom’s confidence in his own martial art was similar to that of Glenn and Wrath. That’s why he was willing to teach Raon.

‘If that’s the case…’

Understanding Ogrom’s reasoning, Raon steeled his resolve and stood before him.

“Please teach me.”

Raon bowed deeply to Ogrom.

“Good!”

Ogrom nodded broadly, as if he had expected this.

“You hesitated for so long I thought you might refuse, but you accepted in the end.”

“It took time to understand the meaning of your words, sir.”

“Understand?”

“Yes. I realized what you meant by there being no second chance on the battlefield and what I need to do.”

“Hahahahaha!”

Ogrom laughed heartily, holding his head.

“Good. Very good.”

Ogrom lowered his head and touched the edge of Raon’s black dragon cloak.

“I thought I gave you too generous a gift back then, but now it seems the black dragon cloak has met a fitting master.”

“No, sir.”

“Enough talk, let’s start immediately.”

Ogrom waved his hand, indicating there was no time to waste.

“Geokhae means surpassing the ocean.”

“The ocean?”

“Yes. It means piercing through the sea of your opponent’s aura and driving this fist into their head.”

Ogrom clenched his fist, which looked hard enough to knock someone out instantly.

“The principles are simple. You can memorize them in the time it takes to eat a meal.”

“Really?”

Raon’s eyes widened. It was hard to believe that a supreme martial art like Geokhae had simple principles.

[Whether in the stormy sea or the calm waves of the shore, they are all part of the same ocean.

The ocean, which burns in the sun and fills under the moon, reflects itself like a mirror.

One must clear their soul to open the path within the small ocean inside.]

…

As Ogrom said, the principles were short. But within them lay a profound essence. They were easy to understand but hard to grasp fully.

“Did you memorize it?”

“Yes…”

Raon nodded slightly.

“Now I’ll teach you how to apply it.”

Ogrom clenched his fist again, a colorless light flickering between his thick fingers.

“Why are you clenching your fist if you’re teaching me how to apply it…”

Raon swallowed dryly as he watched Ogrom’s fist.

“I told you, you have to pierce through my sea and yours. Each sea has a different flow and size. You need to pierce through the sea of aura through countless experiences. The fastest way is…”

Even without hearing the rest, Raon could guess what he was going to say.

“Real combat!”

Ogrom thrust his clenched fist forward. The punch was twice as fast as before, rushing toward Raon’s abdomen.

“Ugh!”

Raon created a shield of aura with his Flame Circle to block Ogrom’s punch.

“Wrong!”

Ogrom frowned and thrust his fist through Raon’s flame shield as if it didn’t exist, striking his abdomen.

“Ugh!”

Raon groaned and collapsed to the ground.

‘What the…’

For a moment, he almost lost consciousness. The pain was so intense he couldn’t move a finger.

“I didn’t tell you the principles for nothing. Unless you use Geokhae to block, you’ll feel this pain every time.”

Ogrom motioned for Raon to get up.

“You said you’d teach me the application…”

“Yes, this is it.”

Ogrom charged again, baring his teeth in a grin.

“You’ll learn through experience!”

With that, Ogrom’s punches became faster and stronger.

‘As expected…’

Raon recited the principles of Geokhae, biting his lip until it bled.

‘Nothing in life is easy.’

– You’re just realizing that now! In the Demon Realm, this is nothing. When I became the Demon King, I faced even greater hardships…

‘Shut up!’

* * *

The 5th training ground of Zieghart was heated by the enthusiasm of the swordsmen.

“Runaan!”

Rimmer called out to Runaan, who was nodding in the center of the training ground.

“Don’t close your eyes! You’re trying to sleep again, aren’t you?”

“No.”

Runaan blinked her blank eyes and shook her head.

“What do you mean, ‘no’…”

“I practiced swordsmanship in my dreams.”

“Dreams! Did you just say dreams!”

“It’s true.”

She closed her eyes again, indifferent to Rimmer’s outburst.

“Leave her be. She seems to get stronger after sleeping,” Burren laughed, watching Runaan doze off.

“It’s annoying that she gets stronger just by sleeping,” Martha clicked her tongue, not liking Runaan’s attitude, and started her training.

Rimmer looked at Runaan again after listening to Burren and Martha. She seemed to be dozing, but her internal aura was moving diligently as if in combat.

‘Could it be…’

Is she at the threshold?

Runaan’s power level was at the mid-Master level. Some progressed to grasp the image of their intent slowly, and it seemed she was at that point now.

‘It’s worth teaching her since she was young.’

He had endlessly emphasized the importance of image and imagination since their days as trainees, and it seemed his advice was finally paying off.

‘It’s not just Runaan.’

Burren and Martha had also grown significantly. Not just in power, but mentally too. It seemed it wouldn’t be long before they reached the mid-Master level as well.

‘The others have grown a lot too.’

All members of the Light Wind Division were now at the peak Expert level. Dorian and the sub-leaders were on the verge of breaking through to Master level, just needing a trigger.

Rimmer smiled as he observed each of the Light Wind Division members.

‘At this rate, we might really become the strongest group.’

If the Light Wind Division continued to grow like this, they would surpass any group of similar size in power.

‘They’ve grown so much.’

He recalled when he first saw these children. He had taken on the responsibility to realize their dreams, and now it felt like their dreams had become his own.

“Hmm…”

Martha frowned, looking at Rimmer’s warm smile.

“Why is the commander smiling like that? It’s unsettling.”

“I don’t know.”

Burren scratched his cheek and shook his head.

“He looks like he’s about to ask for money.”

“That must be it! He probably lost money gambling again!”

Martha clicked her tongue, deciding to warn the other swordsmen not to lend Rimmer any money.

“Commander Rimmer!”

Contrary to what Burren and Martha thought, Rimmer was looking at the Light Wind Division with pure eyes when the training ground door opened, and Encia entered.

“It’s finished!”

She ran over to Rimmer, holding a gray prosthetic arm that looked like it was made of iron.

“What’s that…”

“What do you think? It’s Commander Rimmer’s right arm, of course.”

“It’s already finished?”

“I had prepared it since before you left for Sephia.”

Encia smiled, explaining that she had completed the measurements and designs beforehand and used the branches and leaves of the World Tree to finish the prosthetic.

“I thought you were just joking about making it…”

“That was a joke.”

Encia patted his shoulder and shook her head.

“I am an artisan. I don’t do things half-heartedly or as a joke.”

With confidence shining in her eyes, she handed over the prosthetic.

“Take off your clothes. I’ll fit it for you.”

“Hmm…”

Rimmer looked around. All the Light Wind Division members had stopped training and surrounded him.

“I guess there’s no choice.”

He sighed and took off his shirt, revealing his still-scarred shoulder.

Encia examined his shoulder without a hint of concern for the scars.

“This prosthetic will connect to your nerves with your aura. It will feel like a real hand.”

She brought the prosthetic to his shoulder. The thin fabric attached to it clung to his shoulder like rubber, matching his skin tone.

Vwoom!

A faint light emanated from the prosthetic, changing the gray arm to match Rimmer’s skin tone. It was a considerate feature.

Rimmer watched as his shoulder tingled, narrowing his eyes.

‘This is…’

As the fabric touched his skin, he felt a slight pain, like needles stitching his flesh, and it felt like his arm was growing. It was a strange sensation as if the nerves inside his shoulder were connecting with the prosthetic’s.

‘Let’s see…’

Thinking about moving his fingers, the prosthetic fingers moved. Though the movement was a bit strong, it clearly followed his thoughts.

“Haha…”

Rimmer laughed in disbelief as he watched the hand move as he wanted.

‘She actually made this?’

It felt so real it was almost absurd. With this, he could recover most of his power from before losing his arm, if not reaching his peak.

“Wow…”

“It looks like a real arm.”

“The prosthetic even changed color to match the commander’s skin.”

“The fingers are moving!”

The Light Wind Division members widened their eyes in surprise as they watched Rimmer’s arm.

“But it’s still a prosthetic, so be careful. You need to practice controlling your aura with it too.”

Encia advised as she adjusted the prosthetic.

“It can withstand aura but not advanced techniques.”

“That’s better than my real arm. I couldn’t even withstand aura without it.”

Rimmer laughed, waving his hand.

“That’s true.”

Encia chuckled, realizing the truth in his words.

“It’s all done. Do you feel any discomfort?”

“It’s perfect. It feels like I got my arm back.”

Rimmer smiled in satisfaction, without a hint of his usual playful demeanor.

“Thank you so much.”

“Thank Raon. Thanks to the World Tree branches and leaves he brought, the side effects were reduced, and the stability increased significantly.”

She smiled, saying it was all thanks to Raon.

“I will.”

“So, please take good care of Raon from now on.”

Encia waved her hand, indicating that was enough.

“Of course.”

Rimmer clenched his prosthetic fist and nodded.

“I was planning to.”

He felt a warmth from his chest instead of his arm as he nodded.

“I’ve made my decision.”

“Decision?”

Encia widened her eyes.

“What decision?”

Runaan blinked at Rimmer.

“He probably decided to gamble with a new mindset.”

Burren joked, mimicking rolling dice.

“It would be funny if he went to the gambling house and lost his new arm.”

Martha giggled, agreeing with Burren.

The Light Wind Division laughed loudly, watching Rimmer and the sub-leaders.

“…”

Rimmer smiled softly, a mix of joy, sadness, and anticipation, as he watched them.

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

* * *

Boom!

Raon collapsed to the ground.

“Ugh…”

It hurt like hell.

The pain from falling wasn’t much, but his hands felt like they were being torn apart from Ogrom’s punch. If Ogrom had used a little more force, his hands would have exploded.

“Kueeek!”

He turned his head at the scream beside him. Garona had also been hit by Ogrom’s punch and was face down on the ground.

“Hoo…”

Raon exhaled deeply and stood up.

‘This isn’t easy.’

The flow of Geokhae that Ogrom demonstrated was different from any martial art he had learned so far. Even with the Flame Circle, it was hard to follow.

It had been a week since he started training, and he felt like even a hundred days wouldn’t be enough to grasp it.

“You have strong willpower.”

Ogrom smiled, clearly pleased with how quickly Raon got up.

“I can see why you reached such heights at your age.”

He turned to Garona, frowning.

“Get up!”

“Ugh…”

Garona clutched his chest and slowly stood.

“I’ve taught you all I can.”

Ogrom picked up a glass of liquor hanging from a tree branch.

“Geokhae is less a martial art and more a momentary flash of insight. If it fits, even a three-year-old can use it, but if it doesn’t, even thirty years of training won’t yield results.”

He emptied the glass and twisted his lips.

“But those results shouldn’t happen to those I’ve taught.”

Ogrom extended his left fist, the colorless light flickering between his fingers.

With a punch stronger than the one he used on Karoon, he struck Garona.

Boom!

Garona couldn’t defend in time and was smashed to the ground. His eyes rolled back, his breathing stopped intermittently. It seemed he would have died from the blow if his body weren’t shaking.

“Your turn.”

Ogrom clenched his right fist and approached Raon.

Gulp.

Raon swallowed dryly as he watched Ogrom’s fist glow with intense light.

‘Should I stop now?’

Being hit by that fist wouldn’t just break bones; it felt like his flesh would burst. As he pondered an excuse to stop, he saw Ogrom’s eyes.

Eyes filled with trust. Seeing that trust, Raon swallowed his words and steadied his stance.

‘The leader is giving me his precious time for my sake.’

Ogrom was sincerely teaching him. It would be unforgivable to slack off or just waste time here.

Boom!

Raon took a stance, clenching his fists. He activated the Flame Circle to its maximum and awakened the sense of Snow Flower.

“Come at me!”

“You’re really a likable guy!”

Ogrom nodded approvingly and thrust his fist.

Boom!

The pressure from Ogrom’s punch made it hard to breathe. Even without using Geokhae, the powerful force seemed to fill Raon’s vision.

‘Don’t back down. Watch until the end.’

Concentrating so intensely that he could see the veins in Ogrom’s fist, time seemed to slow. The flow of Geokhae became almost tangible.

[Whether in the stormy sea or the calm waves of the shore, they are all part of the same ocean.]

Reciting the principles, Raon clenched his right fist. He imbued his punch with the flow of Geokhae and struck towards Ogrom’s fist.

Boom!

Fist clashed with fist. But Ogrom’s Geokhae broke through Raon’s defense and reached his skin.

[The ocean, which burns in the sun and fills under the moon, reflects itself like a mirror.]

‘I have to sever it!’

He couldn’t win, but he had to break Ogrom’s flow to survive.

Raon gritted his teeth, pulling back the dissipating aura. The Flame Circle in his heart spun faster, turning the world red. He forced himself to focus and recited the final principle.

[One must clear their soul to open the path within the small ocean inside.]

Feeling like he and Ogrom were the only ones in the world, Raon began to see the flow of energy in Ogrom’s punch.

‘I understand now.’

The small ocean inside was his mental image.

Geokhae was a martial art that required knowing oneself to pierce through the opponent.

Raon planted a new sword named Geokhae in his mental image and steadied his trembling grip.

“Huh?”

Ogrom widened his eyes as Raon’s fist, small but solid, flew towards him.

Boom!