The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 652
Raon watched as Sylvia faced off against the Deputy Head, a calm smile appearing on his lips.
‘She’s in good condition.’
Even though Sylvia had gone all out against Crisson, she had done so with such ease that her aura and stamina were not significantly depleted.
On the other hand, the Deputy Head was highly agitated, having been humiliated in front of so many spectators. This created the perfect conditions for Sylvia to face him.
“It’s impressive that Sylvia defeated Crisson so easily, but this match is practically over before it even starts.”
“Exactly. It’s a fight between a Master and a Grandmaster.”
“To be honest, it’s unlikely that even tiring him out or depleting his aura will be easy.”
“Still, you never know. After seeing how she dominated Crisson, there’s a slim chance!”
“A slim chance? Don’t kid yourself.”
“You’re only saying that because you placed a bet and are hoping for the best, right?”
Most of the spectators were already treating Sylvia’s duel with the Deputy Head as a foregone conclusion, despite the outcome of the previous match.
-Hey.
Wrath glanced at the spectators before turning his attention to Raon.
-Do you really think your mother can win?
‘My answer is the same as before.’
Raon calmly shook his head.
‘If they fought 1,000 times, she’d lose 999 of them. Unless today happens to be that one time she could win, she’s bound to lose.’
Raon had taught Sylvia the Deputy Head’s sword techniques and even passed on some martial arts that could counter them.
But her opponent was a Grandmaster, a level above Sylvia.
Even with the dantian created from Dragon Heart and all the techniques Raon had learned, victory was nearly impossible.
-I believe that if they fought 1,000 times, she’d lose all 1,000.
Wrath clicked his tongue as he looked at Sylvia’s back.
-But it’s important how one loses as well, isn’t it?
‘Indeed.’
-Then I’ll watch silently and see how our mother loses, and what you are hoping for.
With that, Wrath settled on Raon’s shoulder.
‘I get it, but she’s not really your mother.’
Raon chuckled quietly and took a step closer to the training ground.
“Mom.”
He called her “Mom” again, as he had that morning, while waving his hand.
“Raon?”
Sylvia turned to look at him. Her eyes were as rigid as stone. Given her opponent, it was clear she was extremely tense.
“Remember all the training you’ve done up to this point.”
He offered the most important piece of advice to help her relax.
“Yes, you’re right.”
Sylvia bit her lip and nodded.
“I can’t go through that hellish time again.”
The stiffness in Sylvia’s eyes gradually softened, only to be replaced by a gleam of determination.
“Uh….”
Raon shook his head, somewhat taken aback.
‘That’s not what I meant.’
He had hoped she would relax, but not in this way.
“I’ll be back.”
Sylvia nodded as if to thank him and then headed to the center of the training ground.
‘Her eyes don’t show a desire to win or a fear of losing.’
She likely knew better than anyone else that winning would be difficult.
However, she didn’t even consider the possibility of losing. She was focused solely on showing her resolve.
“Are both of you ready?”
The host, who seemed more nervous than anyone else, took a deep breath before approaching Sylvia and the Deputy Head.
“Yes, I’m ready.”
Sylvia responded calmly, gripping the hilt of her sword.
“Ready.”
The Deputy Head, still fuming over the humiliation Sylvia had dealt him earlier, nodded with his face flushed red, grinding his teeth as if ready to start at any moment.
After confirming that both were prepared, the host looked up at the highest platform. Glenn signaled with a nod for them to begin.
“Then….”
The host raised his hand between Sylvia and the Deputy Head.
“Let the second duel begin!”
As soon as the host lowered his hand and stepped back, the Deputy Head moved.
He charged at Sylvia with ferocity, intending to finish her off as quickly as possible.
Shing!
The Deputy Head’s sword technique, imbued with extreme speed, shot toward Sylvia’s collarbone.
Sylvia, as if she had anticipated this, calmly twisted her left ankle.
Like the ripple of water in a serene lake, she spun her body, perfectly dodging the Deputy Head’s strike.
“Tch.”
The Deputy Head clicked his tongue in displeasure and abruptly changed the trajectory of his sword, which had been thrusting straight ahead. His sword flashed white as it descended toward Sylvia’s head.
Thud!
Sylvia moved her right foot and slid to the right, as if gliding on ice.
Boom!
The Deputy Head’s sudden strike missed Sylvia and instead smashed into the ground.
“Huff….”
Sylvia exhaled slightly, her breathing a bit heavier, and raised her sword to guard.
“Your movements are impressive.”
The Deputy Head frowned as he pulled his sword from the ground.
His eyes were cold as he lunged at Sylvia again, his steps swift and precise. He moved so quickly that even though he was beside her, there seemed to be afterimages.
“Hmph!”
Sylvia inhaled sharply and retreated to the left, letting the Deputy Head’s sword, which seemed to be moving at the speed of light, slip past her as she moved counterclockwise.
Using the width of the training ground, she created paths to evade his relentless attacks.
“Damn!”
The Deputy Head bared his white teeth, irritated by Sylvia’s evasive tactics.
“Slippery like a fish!”
His sword emitted a brilliant light, conjuring three shining swords that pressed in on Sylvia from both sides. It was the manifestation of the [Ten Forms of Swordsmanship]. The three gleaming swords bore down on Sylvia from her left and right.
Sylvia stepped back, her gaze fixed on the three swords. In a fraction of a second, she gathered the flow of a majestic river into her sword, which she had lowered slightly.
Swoosh!
Her sword, like a surging wave, twisted the Deputy Head’s sword formation and sliced into his shoulder. Though his aura protected him from a deep wound, blood trickled down his shoulder.
“Huff….”
Despite wounding the Deputy Head, Sylvia remained composed, lowering her stance and preparing for her next move.
“What…?”
The Deputy Head’s eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at the blood pooling on his shoulder. His eyes began to redden.
-It’s just beginning now.
‘No.’
Raon bit his lip as he watched the drop of blood fall from Sylvia’s sword.
‘It hasn’t even started yet.’
The Deputy Head, Killuarn, frowned as he executed the [Ten Forms of Swordsmanship].
‘What is this?’
He had intended to deal with Sylvia quickly and then face Raon, but this damn woman was inexplicably skilled at evading his attacks.
Even though she was at the peak of Master level, she had avoided strikes that should have been impossible to dodge, as if she could see right through his intentions.
‘Is she hiding her true strength?’
No, that wasn’t it.
Sylvia’s complexion was pale, and cold sweat was dripping from her forehead. There was no sign of composure in her at all.
The Deputy Head twisted his lips as he looked at the now-healed wound on his shoulder.
‘Right. I was simply careless.’
It was true that he had underestimated Sylvia, focusing his attention on Raon instead. But if he fought seriously from this point on, he could defeat her within ten exchanges.
‘But I shouldn’t use Force Explode.’
[Force Explode] and the later techniques of the [Ten Forms of Swordsmanship] were incredibly powerful but consumed a lot of aura.
Since he had to fight Raon Zieghart right after this, he needed to conserve as much strength as possible.
‘I’ll finish this with the difference in our techniques.’
The [Ten Forms of Swordsmanship] consisted of thirty-six forms. So far, he had only used the first two, but to end this quickly, he decided to use the next two.
Shing!
Killuarn’s eyes grew cold as his sword split into five beams of light.
Shing!
The blades of light shot towards Sylvia’s arms and legs simultaneously, faster than before. If she tried to retreat, the [Ten Forms of Swordsmanship] would only accelerate, making it even harder for her to escape.
Given Sylvia’s movements thus far, she would undoubtedly try to back away, making this form the worst possible one for her.
Thud!
But instead of retreating, Sylvia bit her lip and charged forward.
‘What…?’
Killuarn’s eyes widened in surprise as he watched Sylvia rush toward him.
‘What is this!’
Instead of backing away, she was charging headlong into his sword. Her movement was completely unexpected.
Sylvia neutralized [Threaded Star Strike] with a single motion and unleashed a blue light.
Shing!
The brilliant aura around her sword surged toward Killuarn’s waist.
‘Damn it!’
Killuarn gritted his teeth. He hadn’t planned for defense, so it was too late to block with his sword. He quickly gathered his aura to form a wall around his waist.
Slash!
Sylvia’s sword cut through the aura barrier and sliced into his waist. Blood spurted out from the wound. Though the bleeding quickly stopped, the pain was infuriating.
“Huff!”
Sylvia panted heavily, her entire body drenched in sweat. Seeing her like this only made Killuarn more enraged.
“How dare you!”
Killuarn ground his teeth, stepping forward with blinding speed. He appeared right in front of Sylvia.
Shing!
Five beams of light flashed, giving her no time to evade. It was the [Swift Blade Dance], one of the fastest and most lethal techniques in the [Ten Forms of Swordsmanship].
Sylvia didn’t retreat or charge forward this time. She stepped forward with her left foot and leaned back.
The five blades of light missed Sylvia by a hair’s breadth, merely grazing the tip of her nose. A few strands of her golden hair were severed and fluttered to the ground.
“Good! Let’s see how long you can keep dodging!”
Killuarn, veins bulging on his forehead, unleashed the fifth form of the [Ten Forms of Swordsmanship], [Spinning Blade Gale]. Six blades swirled together like a windmill, descending upon Sylvia.
Shing!
The spinning blades scattered just before reaching Sylvia, aiming for her arms, legs, and neck.
Once again, Sylvia didn’t flinch. She tightly clenched her lips and drew a circle with her sword, the undulating aura wave extinguishing all the blades of [Spinning Blade Gale].
“What…?”
Killuarn swallowed dryly as he watched [Spinning Blade Gale] dissipate.
‘It must be a fluke.’
There’s no way a coward like her could break through the [Ten Forms of Swordsmanship]! It’s impossible!
Grinding his teeth, he unleashed the strongest of the mid-second forms, [Piercing Iron Storm]. The air was filled with the trajectory of his sword, which shot toward both of Sylvia’s shoulders.
Shing!
Sylvia subtly twisted her sword, making it rise like a soaring hawk. Like a lightning rod grounding a thunderbolt, Killuarn’s strike followed the path of her sword and slammed into the ground.
Boom!
The force of [Piercing Iron Storm] was so intense that the center of the training ground was completely destroyed.
“Ugh….”
Sylvia winced and clutched her chest, as if suffering internal injuries. However, she maintained a firm grip on her sword, her eyes focused and determined.
‘She’s been evading by a hair’s breadth each time.’
Killuarn clenched his fist as he observed Sylvia’s unwavering gaze.
‘Each time it’s been by the smallest margin.’
It could be considered a coincidence a few times, but consistently evading by such a small margin, even against the mid-second forms, was no accident.
‘She knows my swordsmanship. She knows the [Ten Forms of Swordsmanship].’
There was no other explanation for how this duel had unfolded so far.
‘Could it be…?’
Killuarn looked over at Raon, who was watching from behind Sylvia, smiling confidently.
‘Did he use his wish to obtain the [Ten Forms of Swordsmanship]?’
It all made sense now. Raon had used his wish, not for another martial art, but for Killuarn’s [Ten Forms of Swordsmanship].
‘He’s insane. Completely insane!’
The [Ten Forms of Swordsmanship] was certainly a formidable martial art, but it wasn’t one of the highest transcendent techniques that could touch upon the limits of power.
There were far superior techniques out there that could have suited Raon better, yet he had chosen the [Ten Forms of Swordsmanship] to stage this trap.
Killuarn gritted his teeth as he met Raon’s gaze, which seemed to say, “Have you figured it out now?”
‘I fell into their trap from the start.’
Making him agitated, forcing him to conserve his strength for the battle that would follow, everything had been part of Raon Zieghart and Sylvia’s plan.
‘I’ve been humiliated, but it’s not too late.’
He took a deep breath, calming his agitated mind.
‘I’ll end this for sure.’
If he tried to hold back any further, he might end up exerting even more effort. He decided to unleash not only the final two forms but also his sword’s full power to bring Sylvia down as quickly as possible.
“You’ve been clever, but….”
Killuarn’s eyes gleamed with a chilling light as he focused on Sylvia.
“Your opportunity ends here.”
His sword emitted a spiral of condensed aura before exploding into a massive burst of light.
***
‘Force Explosion….’
Sylvia bit her lip as she watched the immense aura burning on Killuarn’s sword.
‘This is where it truly begins.’
The Deputy Head had been holding back to conserve his strength for his next battle with Raon.
But now that he had realized she had grasped the [Ten Forms of Swordsmanship], he was determined to finish the fight quickly.
Rumble.
The light that had originally been concentrated in his aura now burned brightly on his sword.
Just looking at it made her heart feel as if it were being squeezed, her breathing shallow.
Honestly, just fighting up until now had made her body feel as heavy as soaked cotton. The internal injuries caused severe pain in her abdomen and chest.
But it wasn’t time to collapse yet. She wouldn’t rest until she saw this fight through to the end.
Shing!
Killuarn charged at her without any hesitation. His sword, now blazing with aura, struck down twice as fast as before.
‘Forceful Cleaving Strike!’
The [Ten Forms of Swordsmanship]’s [Forceful Cleaving Strike] was a technique that targeted the opponent’s waist and lower body simultaneously, with immense speed and deceptive movements that made it hard to discern its true target.
Sylvia’s hands trembled as she watched Killuarn’s ferocious sword coming at her.
‘Focus.’
One wrong move, and the battle would be over. She had to stay focused and find the point he was aiming for.
Shing!
Killuarn’s sword, now mere inches from her, slashed downward like a thundercloud. He was aiming for her right waist.
Thud!
Sylvia stepped forward with her left foot, using it as a pivot to twist her upper body back to the right.
Shing!
Killuarn’s strike narrowly grazed her waist. The pain was excruciating, as if a chunk of flesh had been torn away, but she ignored it.
Pushing forward with her right foot, which had been trailing behind, she thrust her sword toward Killuarn’s thigh.
Shing!
Killuarn had been concentrating on his aura, so his aura barrier was weaker than before. The sword penetrated deeper than the wounds on his shoulder or waist.
But Sylvia’s injuries were far worse. Her internal injuries had worsened, and it felt like her entire body was on fire.
However, there was no time to recover. Killuarn, intent on finishing this, charged again, ignoring his wounds.
His sword, formed from the powerful aura, multiplied into eight blades. He was now using the final two forms.
Whoosh!
The white-tinged aura swept down with the grace of a dancer’s hand. Blocking it directly would crush her body.
She utilized the wandering footwork Raon had taught her. Five of the eight aura blades were dodged by twisting her body, and the remaining blades aimed at her head and chest were deflected with concentrated aura.
Boom!
Even though she didn’t confront the aura head-on but only deflected it, her wrist twisted, and she felt like throwing up. The internal injuries she had been suppressing worsened.
‘Not yet….’
Despite the pain overwhelming her mind, Sylvia didn’t retreat.
‘Not yet.’
She pushed forward through the storm of murderous intent and malice, counterattacking with a slash. Her blade found a small opening and sliced Killuarn’s forearm.
“Huff….”
Although it was Sylvia who struck, she was the one coughing up blood. Black blood stained her lips.
“Let’s see how long you can keep this up!”
Killuarn’s sword flashed brilliantly as it whirled. Eight blades imbued with his will engulfed Sylvia from all sides.
Sylvia bit her tongue, her calmness intact even in this extreme situation, as she distinguished between the aura blades she could dodge and those she had to deflect.
Thud!
In the blink of an eye, she calculated and executed the wandering footwork, forming a barrier of sword light to her right and in front.
Whoosh!
But the timing was too tight, and she lacked the strength. The blades sliced into her collarbone and thigh.
Even with her aura barrier, the force of the aura blades tore chunks of flesh from her, and blood splattered across her hair and clothes.
“This is the end.”
Killuarn twisted his lips into a sneer as he slashed diagonally.
The [Ten Forms of Swordsmanship]’s decisive technique, [Shattering Crescent], created a fan-shaped wave of aura that filled the entire training ground.
“Huff….”
Sylvia abandoned her attempt to stop the bleeding. She gathered the remaining aura and focused it on her sword.
‘[Shattering Crescent] has a wide range but also leaves openings.’
Perhaps because of her extreme focus, time seemed to slow down. Her heightened senses detected a flaw in the [Shattering Crescent].
“Aaaaaah!”
Sylvia let out a ferocious cry as she aimed her aura blade at the weak point she had detected. Her blue aura surged forward like a waterfall.
Crack!
The right wing of the [Shattering Crescent] shattered like thin glass.
Thud!
Sylvia used this opening to slip through and thrust her sword into Killuarn’s right side.
The brilliant blue light from her sword pierced through Killuarn’s aura barrier and slashed his abdomen. A small hole opened, and blood began to pour from his belly.
“Graaaah!”
Killuarn screamed in agony as he swung his sword wildly. The aura blades fell like a barrage of strikes, crashing down upon Sylvia.
“Huff….”
Sylvia attempted to dodge, but she couldn’t completely evade the onslaught. The aura blades tore into her waist and calves, ripping her flesh apart.
“You wretched woman, how far will you go?”
Killuarn stared at Sylvia with a mixture of disbelief and frustration.
“Haa….”
Sylvia, seeing Killuarn’s twisted expression, smiled faintly. Despite her blurry vision, she could clearly see the look on his face.
‘Finally, some satisfaction.’
Ever since he started tormenting the maids in the annex, she had wanted to see that expression on his face. It was satisfying to know that she, not Raon, had caused it.
If it weren’t for Raon’s teachings and the dantian formed from Dragon Heart, she wouldn’t have been able to achieve this. At this moment, she was deeply grateful to her son.
“Thank you for underestimating me.”
Sylvia smiled as she forced herself to swallow the blood that had risen to her throat due to her severe internal injuries.
Her hair had come undone, and her entire body was drenched in blood, as if it had been soaked in red dye.
Yet, even as blood dripped from her, the hand holding her sword didn’t falter. She kept her sword raised, even if her grip was weakening, determined not to lower it until the very end.
“Shut up. Just shut up!”
Killuarn roared as he charged at her, resembling an enraged bull. His sword was no longer wielded with the usual grace or calculation, but with pure intent to overwhelm and destroy.
Shing!
Even though Sylvia defended herself, blood splattered from her shoulder. Killuarn’s sword had grazed her deeply.
‘It’s different….’
As Killuarn poured all his strength into the fight, his [Ten Forms of Swordsmanship] became almost impossible to predict. Even though she knew his techniques, they had become too fast and complex to follow.
Sylvia narrowly dodged a strike aimed at her head, biting her lip in frustration. She was being pushed to her limit, where even the smallest mistake could mean death, not just defeat.
Shing!
Her abdomen was slashed. The pain was so intense she almost wanted to collapse, but she gritted her teeth and retaliated, slashing at Killuarn’s waist.
Blood gushed from her thigh as a chunk of flesh was torn away, and she nearly lost consciousness from the blood loss. But she steeled herself and struck at Killuarn’s ankle.
Each exchange cost her more and more. While Killuarn’s aura protected him from serious injury, Sylvia felt like she was losing pieces of her life with each blow she endured.
The pain was relentless. It was a deep, all-consuming agony.
But she could bear it. Physical pain couldn’t compare to the emotional torment of failing to protect her family, of being unable to save the maids she thought of as her own children. Compared to that, these wounds were nothing.
Covered in blood, Sylvia laughed. It was a gentle smile that shone through her bloodied and battered appearance, making her seem both beautiful and terrifying.
“This… this crazy woman!”
Killuarn’s voice trembled as he stepped back, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief.
“What are you doing, Raon? Are you just going to stand there and let this happen?”
He shouted at Raon, demanding that he stop Sylvia.
But Raon remained still, his arms crossed. His gaze didn’t waver as he watched Sylvia in the arena, his expression showing nothing but trust in her.
“Fine! I’ll end this once and for all!”
Killuarn gritted his teeth, sweat pouring down his face as he unleashed the final form of the [Ten Forms of Swordsmanship], [Raging Storm Slash]. Ten blades of light spiraled into a massive storm, filling the entire arena with a blinding tempest of deadly aura.
The storm expanded, its force threatening to engulf Sylvia completely, as the shards of light spread across the arena like a devastating cyclone.
Sylvia faced the approaching storm of light, biting her lip in determination.
‘Raging Storm Slash.’
[Raon had emphasized this final form of the [Ten Forms of Swordsmanship] during their training. It was a killing technique, designed to overwhelm the opponent and finish the fight in an instant. The key to defending against it was to pinpoint the moment when the aura coalesced into its most lethal state.]
Sylvia closed her eyes, as if accepting her fate, and heightened her senses to their limit. Despite the overwhelming pain, she focused her perception to read the flow of the [Raging Storm Slash].
Boom!
The ten blades of light, which had been sweeping through the sky and earth, suddenly converged above Sylvia’s head.
At that critical moment, Sylvia raised her sword. Her eyes, which had been clouded by pain, flashed with a sharp crimson light.
A blue aura surged up her sword, swirling elegantly as it sliced through the air. Her blade cut through the storm of light, piercing the very core of the [Raging Storm Slash].
Boom!
The storm exploded before it could fully form, releasing a massive shockwave that rippled through the entire arena.
“Ah….”
Killuarn was paralyzed, unable to move as the shock disrupted the completion of his technique.
“Huff….”
Sylvia, her steps unsteady, moved forward. Blood dripped from her with every step she took.
With trembling arms, she raised her sword and swung it down toward Killuarn’s head.
But her strength had finally run out. The blade barely tapped Killuarn’s head before falling from her hand.
Clang!
Sylvia’s sword fell to the ground, the sound echoing through the silent arena. She smiled at Killuarn, her body at its limit.
“I… I may have lost this fight, but I didn’t lose my light.”
With those words, Sylvia collapsed backward. However, she didn’t hit the ground.
Raon was suddenly there, catching her before she fell.
“You… who are you…?”
Killuarn, still in shock, could barely form the words as he looked at Raon.
But Raon didn’t even glance at him. He carefully wiped the blood from Sylvia’s face with his hand and began to carry her out of the arena.
His touch was so gentle and noble that no one in the crowd dared to speak or move. It was as if time had stopped.
“You’ve done well.”
Raon smiled softly as he looked down at Sylvia, who had not walked out of the arena on her own two feet, just as he had said.
The victor and the defeated had been decided, yet it was the victor whose face was twisted in frustration, while the defeated wore a serene smile. It was as if the roles had been reversed.
“What… What was that technique?”
Killuarn, wiping away the blood trickling down his forehead, gritted his teeth as he demanded answers.
“The Light of the Annex….”
Raon softly brushed back Sylvia’s hair as he spoke. When he turned to face Killuarn, his eyes glowed with a red lightning-like intensity.
“…It’s the technique that will bring about your downfall.”
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