The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 631
Raon frowned, not at the phoenix, but at Wrath.
‘The phoenix is already burning, what’s with the roast?’
– Foolish.
Wrath clicked his tongue in disdain.
– The flesh of a phoenix that dies and comes back to life is as tender as the finest beef. Plus, it’s already burning, so there’s no need to roast it!
He drooled as if he had already tasted roasted phoenix.
‘What on earth do you eat…?’
Raon pushed away Wrath, who had his tongue out like a dog, and looked back at the phoenix.
‘The Grandmaster-level warriors should have passed by here first. If the phoenix is still here…’
Is the space divided?
It seemed that the paths diverged from the second floor onwards.
‘Whatever it is, I can finally break the seal on the ring.’
The reason he had asked the black market for the location of the phoenix was to break the seal on the old ring he bought during his trainee days.
He had waited a long time, and now the opportunity had finally arrived.
‘But that phoenix…’
Why is it so big? Has it lived for more than a thousand years?
The phoenix in front of him was more than three times larger than the one he had encountered in his past life, and the heat emanating from its wings was far beyond normal.
Phoenixes grew stronger the longer they lived, so it seemed this one had lived for an exceptionally long time.
[You worthless humans.]
The phoenix raised its wings roughly, glaring with a sinister light. It felt like invisible flames were choking him.
“It… it can speak?”
Burren’s mouth dropped open. He hadn’t expected the phoenix to speak.
“It’s not speaking.”
Raon shook his head, keeping his gaze fixed on the phoenix.
“It’s using telepathy to communicate.”
The phoenix used telepathy to convey its malice to all the humans present. Judging by its use of telepathy, it seemed to be at least Grandmaster-level.
[I will turn you all to ashes.]
The phoenix opened its beak, engulfed in flames. From its blackened throat, a red flame flickered.
Even from a distance, the heat was so intense that it felt like his skin would melt.
“Ah…”
“How are we supposed to stop that?”
“It’s over. We’re all doomed…”
The warriors were paralyzed with fear, unable to move a finger due to the phoenix’s overwhelming presence.
But the Light Wind Squad was different.
The swordsmen who had experienced fear greater than that of the phoenix gripped their swords to survive.
“Formation!”
Burren commanded the swordsmen, standing at the center of the formation. The fierce wind wrapped around him.
“First squad, to my side!”
Martha, utilizing her berserk mode, drew her sword in front of the first squad. A thick wall of energy rose up to protect the Light Wind Squad.
“Second squad, fall back.”
Runaan, in a calm voice, took the lead of the second squad. An elegant frost flower bloomed on the blade of her beloved sword, Snow Flower.
“I’ll handle the front.”
Mark Gorton, gripping his sword with both hands, stood at the forefront of the formation, emanating energy.
“If a phoenix comes out on the second floor, what will come out next…”
Rimmer sighed and shook his head. Despite his complaints, he placed his hand on his sword, ready to move at any moment.
Raon nodded as he watched the Light Wind Squad from behind.
‘Now they’re worth watching.’
Even though the Masters were flustered, the Light Wind Squad was prepared to overcome this crisis without relying on him or Rimmer.
The intense concentration training over the past three weeks had paid off.
The phoenix’s flames descended upon the Light Wind Squad. It was as if lava from an erupting volcano was falling upon them.
“Give it your all!”
Following Burren’s shout, the Light Wind Squad burned with determination, shaping their blue-shining aura shields even thicker.
Wooong!
The aura of the three squad leaders soaked the end of the formation, creating a more solid wall.
The flames of the phoenix, said to consume even fire itself, collided head-on with the strongest defense of the Light Wind Squad.
Rumble!
The defense of the formation was sturdy enough to ignore the energy, but the phoenix’s flames began to crush the formation, burning even the aura itself.
“Not yet.”
“Hold on until the end!”
“If even one person retreats, we all die!”
Runaan, Martha, and Burren. The three squad leaders boosted the morale of the swordsmen, with Mark Gorton holding off the flames at the forefront with his body.
But the flames of the phoenix, undeterred, dug into the Light Wind Squad’s feet.
‘What a pity.’
Raon clicked his tongue briefly. If the Light Wind Squad had been a bit stronger, they might have truly overcome those flames.
It was regrettable that they were pushed back by such a small margin.
‘But they did well.’
The determination of the Light Wind Squad had clearly changed from before, bringing a natural smile to his face.
Raon drew a satisfied smile and reached out towards the phoenix’s flames.
He did not summon mana from his dantian nor use Glacier. Instead, he summoned the beautifully blazing red flame he had received from Ifrit.
As he manipulated the red flame, which had dominion over fire, the flames of the phoenix, which were about to engulf the Light Wind Squad, lost their power and flowed sideways.
Boom!
As the flames and lava collided, a massive explosion occurred. The sky was filled with black clouds laden with ash.
[You… what did you just do?]
The phoenix trembled, its beak quivering as it looked at Raon.
[Why do you have such power…]
Raon, without answering, observed the phoenix’s feathers.
‘Where is its weakness?’
The beginning and end of a phoenix lay in its golden feathers. Just as dragons had a reverse scale, phoenixes had feathers that hid their weaknesses.
Using the red flame, Wrath’s eyes, and Glacier’s senses simultaneously, he enhanced the characteristics of the resonating flame. He could vividly feel the energy of the phoenix, as if he could reach out and touch it.
‘Is it under the right wing?’
Though slight, the flames under the wing were more subdued than elsewhere. It seemed to be the weak spot.
[Speak! Why does a mere human possess such power…]
“I got it from my younger sibling.”
[A s-sibling?]
Ignoring the bewildered phoenix, Raon stepped on the Supreme Harmony Steps. He leapt up as if soaring, but the phoenix was too high up to reach.
[How dare you!]
The phoenix smirked, realizing Raon couldn’t reach it, and flapped its wings. Countless feathers rained down in flames.
‘Got you.’
Biting his lips, Raon stomped deeply in the air. It was the sky stepping technique he had seen the Sword Demon use before entering this place.
[Ugh!]
The phoenix, flustered, raised its wings to ascend even higher.
Despite jumping again in the air, there was still a significant distance between Raon and the phoenix.
[Foolish human!]
The phoenix, embarrassed by its earlier surprise, narrowed its eyes and gathered flames at the tip of its beak.
[I’ll burn you to ashes!]
It intended to exploit the fact that Raon couldn’t move in the air, forming a massive fireball. The heat was so intense that the space seemed to warp.
Raon smirked at the fireball rushing towards him.
‘You think it’s over. But…’
Now it’s just the beginning.
Gripping the hilt of the Heavenly Sword at his waist, he summoned mana. Focusing inward instead of outward, he awakened the mana circuits throughout his body.
Sssss.
Feeling his body and mind fill with the flames of mana, he simultaneously wielded the space-cutting technique of Aris and the wave-splitting technique of Oguram.
Crackle!
Using two unfamiliar techniques simultaneously brought excruciating pain, as if his mind was being torn apart.
But now was the time to endure the pain and move forward. Resonating with the flame, he drew the Heavenly Sword.
Shiiing!
The red blade that soared from the scabbard ignored the fireball and cut under the phoenix’s left wing.
[Screech!]
The phoenix let out a scream so painful it was hard to believe its wing had merely been cut. It seemed to lose its mind from the excruciating pain and plummeted towards the ground.
‘It’s not dead yet.’
Lacking proficiency and distracted by avoiding the fireball, he hadn’t been able to execute the perfect swordsmanship. The phoenix was still alive.
Raon quickly made his body heavier and descended rapidly before charging at the falling phoenix.
[Get lost!]
The phoenix, true to its nature, regained its senses and erected a wall of flames.
‘I expected this.’
Tilting back the Heavenly Sword, he drew the Soul Requiem Sword. He stabbed the blue shimmering sword into the thick flames.
Slice!
The Soul Requiem Sword pierced through the dense flames and once again dug roughly into the phoenix’s weak spot.
[Kyaaa!]
Unable to withstand the pain, the phoenix’s eyes rolled back, and it seemed to lose its sanity.
Raon seized the opportunity and thrust the Heavenly Sword he had drawn back. The crimson blade, with a subtle glow, severed the phoenix’s neck.
Rumble!
The giant body of the phoenix fell, separated from its head.
Thud!
The phoenix’s head fell into the lava, and its body lay partially on the ground, twitching.
“Wow…”
“How many times did he swing his sword? Three times?”
“That’s right. He caught a phoenix with just three swings of his sword…”
“We can’t even call him a monster anymore.”
The members of the Light Wind Squad shook their heads in disbelief.
“Is that really Raon Zieghart?”
“There’s a reason he’s called the Dragon Slayer.”
“Won’t he get a new title now? Phoenix Slayer?”
“Do we really have to compete with someone like that?”
“I suddenly feel like going home…”
Other warriors, sitting on the ground, shook their heads in despair.
[It’s not over yet!]
Just as everyone was drained and sighing in relief, the phoenix’s voice echoed again.
[You will never leave this place!]
“It will take over ten years for you to revive, though?”
Raon shook his head, looking at the lava where the phoenix’s consciousness lingered.
Phoenixes did revive, but not immediately. They were reborn from one of their fallen feathers after about ten years.
[This place is special. I can revive whenever I wish!]
The phoenix growled, determined not to fall for the same trick again.
“Hmm…”
Raon looked at the lava, biting his lip.
‘So it will revive in the lava, huh.’
When a phoenix revived, it couldn’t exert its full strength. It would surely revive in the lava, where humans couldn’t reach, and regain its strength before emerging.
‘If I could only identify the feather it will revive from… Hm?’
Raon blinked as he observed the scattered feathers of the phoenix.
‘What’s this?’
Maybe because he was still using the red flame, he could feel a tiny spark in each feather, not just an ordinary spark but the life force of the phoenix he had just fought.
‘Could it be…?’
Is it going to use the life force in these feathers to revive?
[Wait! I will burn you all to ashes!]
The phoenix’s spirit continued to rant, expressing its fury.
‘Or maybe…’
Ignoring the phoenix’s threats, Raon picked up one of the fallen feathers.
Wooong!
Mixing his mana and the red flame, he sent heat into the spark within the feather.
Flare!
The feather began to tremble violently before erupting into a massive sphere of fire reaching the sky.
Crack!
The egg-shaped fireball split in half, and from within, a phoenix half the size of the original one appeared and fell to the ground.
[You will never escape… Cheep?]
The phoenix started to curse but ended up making a chick-like sound. Its beak trembled in confusion.
[What, what is this! Why am I here…]
“So, it works.”
Raon smiled as he looked at the quivering eyes of the phoenix.
“What were you saying earlier? Care to repeat that?”
[Aaah…]
* * *
The phoenix, named Kayaan, stared at Raon’s grinning face with its beak wide open.
‘What is going on…’
It had been preparing to revive in the lava when suddenly its consciousness was pulled out, forcing it to revive. It tried to resist, but it was like being swept up in a storm.
[W-What is happening? I wasn’t ready to revive yet!]
“Oh, I did that.”
The human waved his hand mockingly.
[What nonsense! How could a human make me revive!]
“I tried, and it worked?”
[That’s ridiculous! Don’t lie!]
“Want to see it again?”
The human smiled and waved his hand. The world split apart, and a sharp pain hit his neck.
[Screech!]
The excruciating pain made him black out.
How much time had passed? He became aware of his existence again.
‘Ha, it was a dream.’
It had been a brief but terrible nightmare.
A human forcing him to revive? Even as a dream, it was absurd. Thank goodness it wasn’t real.
‘I must have been too tense.’
Having been unexpectedly attacked, he must have had a nightmare. Determined to fight properly next time, he tried to feel the energy of the feather he had placed in the lava.
Suddenly, he felt his soul being pulled again, as if being yanked out.
‘No way?’
He tried to resist, but it was futile. He was drawn out, just like before.
[Cheep?]
When he opened his eyes, that annoying human was waving at him again.
“See?”
[Aaah…]
Kayaan gaped at Raon.
“You still don’t believe it? Want to go again?”
[No, wait! I believe… just…]
Crack!
His vision went dark once more.
* * *
A calm land, covered in grey mist like a tent.
Delphros sat in an antique chair that didn’t match the place, his eyes closed. He wasn’t resting, though, as intense aura roiled around him.
The fierce aura calmed over time, becoming sharp and precise, returning to Delphros.
“This should do.”
As he nodded with satisfaction, a dark shadow emerged behind him.
“Delphros, sir.”
The shadow, the commander of the spies, bowed deeply.
“All the key figures have moved to the third floor. Their injuries have worsened, and they seem mentally exhausted.”
“Casualties?”
“There are many injured but few deaths.”
Nodding, Delphros acknowledged that things were going according to plan.
“What about him?”
“Pardon…?”
The commander trembled, knowing exactly who he meant but pretending not to understand.
“I mean Raon Zieghart.”
“He’s still in battle.”
“He’s still fighting? It seems he’s having a hard time.”
Delphros smiled thinly, nodding.
“Didn’t I say? The phoenix’s flames aren’t affected by fire resistance.”
“That’s not the issue.”
“What?”
“It’s…”
The commander bit his lip, reluctant to speak.
“Speak up.”
“He’s training using the phoenix.”
The commander clutched his head, unable to believe his own words.
“What nonsense is that?”
The golden cup in Delphros’ hand shattered.
“It’s true. After killing the phoenix, he revives it to train with it again.”
“Do you think that makes sense?”
“I don’t know how, but Raon Zieghart seems to be able to control where the phoenix revives.”
“…Show me.”
As Delphros extended his hand, the commander handed him a round crystal orb. Pouring his aura into it, the interior became visible.
Wooong!
The lava field, where flames covered both sky and ground.
A small feather gave birth to a phoenix. The phoenix, spreading its large wings, exuded overwhelming presence.
[Screech!]
Swordsmen in black uniforms rushed at the phoenix, waiting for it, and began attacking.
[Screech!]
The phoenix screamed and struggled, but, having just revived, it couldn’t exert its full power and fell.
A golden-haired youth with red eyes picked up a feather and infused it with power, causing the feather to ignite and revive the phoenix again.
This time, swordsmen from the other side charged at the phoenix and fought it.
Roar!
Delphros dropped the orb, his head bowed.
“What are these people…”
* * *
“Next, team two.”
Raon nodded at Runaan with his hands behind his back.
“Yes.”
Runaan stepped forward with her second team of swordsmen.
Raon infused mana into the phoenix feather and threw it. Flames burst from the feather, and a phoenix was born.
[Stop it, you wretches!]
“Let’s go.”
Runaan advanced, scattering silver frost.
Slice!
The phoenix’s feathers froze as it couldn’t regain its strength.
The second team of swordsmen took advantage of the immobilized phoenix, charging from all sides and striking it down.
Crack!
Though the phoenix flared its wings and raised flames, the Light Wind Squad easily penetrated the fiery space in its weakened state.
[Screech!]
The phoenix rolled on the ground, feathers plucked by the second team.
[Stop! Please, stop…]
The phoenix shook its head, begging for mercy.
[I’ve already died nearly twenty times! I can’t take it anymore!]
It cried out desperately.
“Hm…”
Raon smacked his lips as he looked at the phoenix, almost begging.
“We still haven’t had our turn!”
Burren raised his hand.
“Commander! I want to fight it one-on-one!”
Mark Gorton raised his hand, expressing his desire to battle the phoenix alone.
“Indeed.”
Raon shook his head at the phoenix, wiggling his fingers.
“Let’s finish this first.”
[Wait!]
Ignoring its plea, Raon beheaded the phoenix and grabbed another feather. Infusing it with flames, the phoenix was reborn once again.
[Screech!]
This time, it screamed in fear rather than roaring.
“Take care of it.”
“Let’s go!”
[Please stop!]
Burren charged at the newly revived phoenix, which flapped its wings with teary eyes.
[I’ll kill myself! Seriously, I will!]
The phoenix threatened to end its life, flapping its wings frantically.
– Using a phoenix as a training tool…
Wrath sighed, watching the crying phoenix.
– The word “demon” doesn’t even suit you! You’re a madman!
‘It’s better than eating it.’
Raon muttered, ignoring Wrath’s protests, when he heard the phoenix’s pitiful cry.
[Just eat me instead, you devils!]
“…”
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
