The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 690

Raon frowned as he watched the surge of blood energy rise naturally, like a flowing stream.

‘He noticed.’

Even though Raon had attempted a sneak attack from behind the door, the Tenth Apostle reacted immediately, preparing for a counterattack.

Raon could sense the overwhelming blood energy, making it feel as though the one launching the ambush might instead be overpowered.

‘If I stop now, it’ll be even more dangerous.’

He closed the distance between himself and the Tenth Apostle, slashing his Soul Requiem Sword toward the man’s hand.

*Clang!*

The sword clashed with the hand, producing a deafening metallic sound as if two iron blocks had collided. The Tenth Apostle’s blood energy had grown even stronger since the last time Raon encountered him, and not even the Soul Requiem Sword could break through.

‘Then on to the second plan.’

Since the ambush failed, Raon immediately transitioned to his second plan.

*Boom!*

Before the shockwave could erupt, Raon kicked off the ground with his left foot, moving swiftly toward the fallen Ogram.

“Where do you think you’re going… Ugh!”

The Tenth Apostle tried to reach out with a blood-charged hand but stopped midway. His left hand, which had blocked Raon’s Soul Requiem Sword, trembled as he bit down on his lip.

Raon didn’t miss the moment when the Tenth Apostle was immobilized. He positioned himself in front of Ogram, shielding him.

‘Got it.’

The first plan had been to kill the Tenth Apostle with a surprise attack, and if that failed, the second plan was to protect Ogram so he couldn’t be taken as a hostage. Fortunately, the second plan worked.

“Hoo…”

Raon let out a short breath and glanced at Ogram behind him. The man was severely injured, his breathing faint, but he was still alive.

‘This is good enough.’

Raon had been worried that Ogram’s injuries were too severe for him to be moved, but it seemed manageable to carry him out.

“Raon Zieghart. Why are you here? And…”

The Tenth Apostle gripped his trembling left hand tightly, biting down on his lip.

“How did you learn the Fierce Sea Art?”

He had realized that the martial technique that broke his hand was the Fierce Sea Art and furrowed his brow.

“A disciple can’t just ignore when their master is in danger.”

“Disciple?”

“The one who taught me the Fierce Sea Art is right here behind me.”

Raon answered both of the Tenth Apostle’s questions in one go, nodding toward the fallen Ogram.

“Although, I doubt he thinks of me that way.”

“Disciple, you say…”

A white stream of energy flowed from the Tenth Apostle’s injured hand, and his twisted wrist slowly returned to its original position.

It seemed he was using blood energy to heal his bones and muscles.

“Do you know the name of this palace?”

As the blood energy blazed in his hand, it took the shape of a sharp spear.

“This is the Sacrificial Palace.”

“Sacrificial Palace?”

Raon looked again at Ogram. Thin blood was trickling from the hidden part of his neck, and his energy was rapidly draining. It seemed the blood draining process had already been completed.

Suppressing his rising anger, Raon kept his expression calm.

“For the first time since this palace was built, I’ll witness both master and disciple become sacrifices together.”

The Tenth Apostle’s gaze sharpened, as deadly as the tip of his spear.

“No.”

Raon shook his head calmly, drawing his Heavenly Drive.

“For the first time since this palace was built, the blood of an apostle will be spilled.”

“You never stop with that arrogant mouth of yours.”

The Tenth Apostle twisted his lips into a sneer.

“But there’s no point in bluffing here. You must have noticed it yourself.”

As he raised his finger, the flames of blood energy surged even more intensely.

“This land only blesses those who wield blood energy.”

He scoffed, shaking his head mockingly.

“You couldn’t defeat me at full strength, and now you’re going to fight while protecting that old man with your burdened body?”

“You can’t grow without taking risks.”

Raon raised both his Heavenly Drive and Soul Requiem Sword, lifting his chin defiantly.

“I don’t need your concern. Just come at me.”

Though his posture was confident, Raon couldn’t shake his discomfort.

‘He’s not wrong.’

The Bloodless Hell Formation that covered the White Blood Religion’s headquarters made it impossible to fight at full power.

Even with all his strength, defeating the Tenth Apostle would be difficult, and under these circumstances, the pressure in his chest was overwhelming.

‘Calling for the patriarch isn’t a good option either.’

The sound of Glenn’s lightning strikes wasn’t as clear as before. His senses had dulled, but Raon could tell Glenn was likely facing the White Blood Leader or someone of comparable strength.

If Raon called for Glenn now, the White Blood Leader and all the apostles would gather, making it even harder to escape.

‘The signal should only be sent after securing Ogram.’

In order for everyone to escape safely, Raon needed to carry Ogram out of the palace before sending the signal.

“I’ll pierce through your thin neck right here.”

The Tenth Apostle spun his blood spear, and as it rotated violently, a massive amount of blood energy began to concentrate within it.

“Hoo…”

Raon took a low breath, gripping his Heavenly Drive and Soul Requiem Sword tightly.

‘My heart is racing.’

Despite the danger, Raon couldn’t help but smile. The thrill of testing the understanding he had gained in the mental world against the Tenth Apostle sent a faint tremor through his fingertips.

‘It’s a shame I can’t use my full power… Hmm?’

Just as Raon was adjusting his stance, the Soul Requiem Sword let out a fierce hum, stirring up a dark wind around him.

*Wooooooong!*

The dark energy from the sword enveloped Raon, dispelling the pressure from the blood energy that had been weighing down his body and soul.

‘What is this…?’

Raon’s body, which had been burdened by the Bloodless Hell Formation, returned to its original state.

No, he even felt stronger than before.

Raon looked down at the Soul Requiem Sword, letting out a breath of disbelief.

‘Did you do this?’

It seemed the Soul Requiem Sword had used its dark energy to neutralize the effects of the formation around him.

*Wooooooong!*

The sword hummed again, as if confirming it.

However, its hum grew fainter, as if it wouldn’t last long.

‘Alright. I’ll finish this in one minute.’

Determined to pour all his strength into ending the fight quickly, Raon decided to defeat the Tenth Apostle and escape within that minute.

“How… how are you…?”

The Tenth Apostle trembled as he sensed the sudden change in Raon, disbelief clear on his face.

*Boom!*

Without answering, Raon launched himself forward, stepping with precision. He swung the Heavenly Drive upward and the Soul Requiem Sword downward, using the **Perfect Sea and Sky** technique.

Waves of flame and frost surged from the two blades, crashing toward the Tenth Apostle with immense force.

*Boom!*

The Tenth Apostle frowned as the red and blue waves of energy approached. The blood vessels on his hands bulged as he summoned a massive sphere of blood energy to crush the incoming attack.

*Screeeeech!*

Just before the Perfect Sea and Sky could dissipate, Raon moved forward again, thrusting the **Silver Lotus Dream** directly at the Tenth Apostle’s throat.

*Clang!*

The Tenth Apostle twisted his spear to block the incoming strike, revealing cold eyes brimming with killing intent.

Raon met the Tenth Apostle’s gaze, licking his dry lips.

‘Fifty-five seconds left.’

* * *

*Tsk.*

The White Blood Leader furrowed her brow and opened her eyes.

‘What now…?’

Even though she was in a secluded cultivation chamber, insulated from external noise and energy, she could still feel the disturbance outside.

For such a presence to be noticeable in this place meant it had to be at least at the transcendent level.

‘The First Apostle? The Second Apostle? No, this is…’

It wasn’t the apostles. It was an outsider. And it was someone she knew all too well.

‘Glenn Zieghart?’

She couldn’t forget him after how much trouble it had been to erase his lightning aura. The powerful energy erupting outside unmistakably belonged to Glenn Zieghart.

‘Why is he here? How did he even get here?’

This current headquarters was only accessible to select members of the White Blood Religion. She couldn’t fathom how Glenn had managed to infiltrate it.

“Damn it!”

The White Blood Leader bit down hard on her lip as she exited the cultivation chamber.

“L-Lady Leader!”

The officials waiting outside hurriedly bowed their heads.

“What the hell is going on?”

“G-Glenn Zieghart has launched an attack!”

The archbishop at the front stammered, trembling as he glanced at the streaks of lightning.

“How is that even possible?”

“We’re not sure. He appeared suddenly, along with the Light Wind Master, the Slaughter King, and the Grandmaster Swordsman. They’re massacring our forces.”

“Massacring, you say…”

The White Blood Leader clenched her teeth, blood energy rising within her. Just as the archbishop had said, the number of her forces was rapidly decreasing.

“The First Apostle, Second Apostle, and even the Eighth Apostle have gone to confront them, but I don’t think they’ll last long.”

“They won’t, indeed.”

Even though the First and Second Apostles were transcendent beings, and they had the Bloodless Hell Formation to assist them, it was unrealistic to think they could completely block Glenn.

‘If only they’d come a bit later…’

It was frustrating. She hadn’t yet fully absorbed Ogram’s energy, and it was a shame she wouldn’t be able to capitalize on Glenn walking into the tiger’s den.

‘I have no choice.’

She couldn’t afford to lose the First and Second Apostles. Just as she was about to move out, a faint sound of blood energy disturbance reached her from the direction of the Sacrificial Palace.

‘Is the Tenth Apostle fighting as well? His opponent is… What?’

Raon Zieghart.

Just like Glenn, Raon’s energy was unforgettable.

‘I see now.’

She finally understood why Glenn was rampaging, and why Raon was fighting in the Sacrificial Palace.

They hadn’t come for her. They had come to rescue Ogram.

“In that case…”

The corners of the White Blood Leader’s lips slowly curved into a smile.

“I might get to feast on one more.”

* * *

The Tenth Apostle gritted his teeth as he blocked Raon’s relentless barrage of sword strikes.

‘I just need to buy more time.’

He had already sent a wave of blood energy toward the Sacred Palace where the White Blood Leader resided.

She would instantly grasp the situation, and instead of dealing with Glenn’s chaos, she would come here to capture Raon and Ogram. Raon was far too valuable an asset to leave unattended.

The Tenth Apostle had no intention of engaging Raon head-on. If Glenn’s attention shifted toward them, it would spell disaster, so his strategy was to conserve energy and hold out as long as possible.

‘But this kid…’

Raon had become far stronger.

When they had first met, Raon hadn’t even been a Master, but now he had reached the Grandmaster level, and his swordsmanship was dangerously precise.

*Screeeeech!*

Raon’s sword curved at an odd angle and struck down fiercely.

*Clang!*

The Tenth Apostle barely deflected the blow, biting down hard on his lip.

‘It’s not just his aura that’s stronger.’

His swordsmanship was on an entirely different level.

Raon’s technique was as meticulous as the ticking of a clock, yet as unpredictable as a wild beast. His growth was astonishingly rapid.

Moreover, he was wielding the Fierce Sea Art, which made it increasingly difficult for the Tenth Apostle to defend.

It was hard to believe that Raon, who had once struggled against the Seventh Apostle, had come this far in such a short time.

*Huff.*

The Tenth Apostle exhaled a murky breath, adjusting his grip on his spear.

‘Even so, I won’t fall for his tricks.’

Raon was fighting with flashy and powerful swordsmanship, trying to draw Glenn’s attention. But the Tenth Apostle wouldn’t be fooled. He focused only on defense, using the minimum amount of energy needed to hold Raon at bay.

*Tsk.*

Raon clicked his tongue softly, lowering his sword.

“You really are tough to break through. And you won’t fight me head-on either.”

“There’s no reason for me to.”

The Tenth Apostle shook his head calmly.

“Only five seconds left.”

“What?”

“I have five seconds left.”

Raon’s reaction indicated he knew that the Tenth Apostle had been stalling for time.

“Doesn’t matter. You won’t leave here alive either way.”

“Five seconds is perfect.”

Raon exhaled a rough breath, gripping the Heavenly Drive with both hands.

“You won’t be able to dodge this.”

Golden flames ignited on the blade, tracing ten arcs in the air.

As the chaotic lines converged into a single motion, the resulting brilliance became so intense it was blinding. The strike moved at an impossible speed, yet it was deliberate and precise. The sheer contradiction of its speed and force pierced through the very fabric of space.

‘This is dangerous!’

The Tenth Apostle’s instincts screamed at him.

The attack was still unrefined and chaotic, but its raw power surpassed comprehension.

‘If I dodge, I’ll die!’

He clenched his teeth, drawing every ounce of blood energy he had. He couldn’t summon his full strength in time, but he knew he had to withstand it.

*Kugugugugu!*

His spear trembled as though it would shatter, but he held on.

Yet Raon’s attack wasn’t just brute force.

*Crack!*

The hidden energy of the Fierce Sea Art pierced through the blood energy, twisting the Tenth Apostle’s bones and muscles.

“Aaaargh!”

The Tenth Apostle let out a scream of agony as the golden strike sent him crashing through the walls and out of the palace.

*KABOOM!*

* * *

“Guh…”

Raon clutched his chest, coughing up black blood.

‘It was too much for me after all.’

He had tried to unleash the sword technique he had grasped in the mental world, but it had proven too much for his current state.

Though the Tenth Apostle had been sent flying, Raon’s internal injuries were even more severe.

However, the technique’s power was undeniable. The Tenth Apostle was temporarily incapacitated, unable to move.

‘This will definitely be a weapon.’

Using the incomplete sword technique against an opponent as powerful as the Tenth Apostle had given him valuable experience that would be crucial in his eventual confrontation with the king.

‘But that can wait. Right now…’

He needed to move.

Raon stifled the pain in his chest and abdomen as he hoisted Ogram onto his back.

Ogram was large, but his energy was so depleted that carrying him was easier than expected.

“You… damn…”

The Tenth Apostle’s face twisted in agony. Raon left the Sacrificial Palace before the man could rise again.

*Beep!*

Raon immediately sent the signal to the Light Wind Division, indicating that he had successfully rescued Ogram. Rimmer would understand the message, and the others, including Glenn, would regroup at the Blood Spirit Path for their escape.

‘Now I just need to run…’

Raon allowed himself a brief smile as he turned to leave.

*Kugugugugu!*

Suddenly, an overwhelming presence surged from his right. It felt like a celestial dragon was bearing down on him from the sky.

‘The White Blood Leader!’

He recognized the vast and endless blood energy. After encountering her twice, there was no mistaking it. The White Blood Leader was coming for him.

‘I miscalculated.’

Raon had assumed she would be preoccupied with Glenn. The realization that she had moved toward him instead showed just how sharp her instincts were. The joy of defeating the Tenth Apostle disappeared in an instant.

‘I can’t hide.’

She had already locked onto him. There was no point in trying to evade her.

*Boom!*

Raon shattered the ground beneath him as he employed the Supreme Harmony Step at full speed. Even though he was using his fastest movement technique, the distance between him and the White Blood Leader was shrinking rapidly. He had mere seconds before she caught him.

*Whooosh!*

The wind roared behind him as the White Blood Leader closed in, fast enough for him to see her out of the corner of his eye. His heart pounded as if it would explode.

“It’s been a while, Raon Zieghart!”

Her voice dripped with glee. It was clear she intended to capture not just Ogram but Raon as well. Her eyes glowed with greed.

“I’ve wanted to make you mine ever since the moment I first saw you.”

The White Blood Leader reached out toward Raon’s back.

“You will be mine now.”

“No.”

Raon didn’t look back at her. Instead, he smiled, looking ahead as he shook his head.

“I belong to Zieghart.”

“Whatever you do, it’s too late now…”

Just as she grinned and reached for his cloak, intending to seize him—

*KABOOM!*

A massive bolt of lightning struck, blasting her hand away.

“Kuh!”

The White Blood Leader stumbled back, her hand repelled by the wall of lightning that stood between her and Raon.

*Crackle!*

Through the crackling red lightning, a golden-haired, red-eyed swordsman stepped forward.

Glenn Zieghart. The continent’s strongest swordsman walked as though the blood-soaked battlefield was his own domain, exuding calm authority.

“Who are you to call him yours?”

His blazing red eyes bore into the White Blood Leader’s twisted gaze.

“Do you want to die?”