The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 795
As soon as Raon left the alley where Rektor’s mansion was located, he encountered a man staggering toward him like a scarecrow.
‘An unusual person.’
The man was incredibly tall, and his long white hair completely covered his face.
Though his presence wasn’t particularly strong, it exuded a solid and stable aura.
Since Raon had resolved to challenge the first swordsman he met, he immediately bowed his head.
“You are a swordsman, correct? Would you accept my challenge?”
“……”
The white-haired man didn’t respond right away but simply gazed at Raon’s face.
‘What is this? Did he see through my identity?’
– That bastard…
As Raon sensed the odd atmosphere, Wrath tapped his head.
– Did you challenge him after assessing his strength?
‘Strength?’
Raon furrowed his brows and looked at the white-haired man again.
‘What strength are you talking about… huh?’
When he activated the Ring of Fire, he felt the energy writhing inside the man’s core.
A tremendous force capable of encompassing the entire Holy Sword Alliance was dormant within that slender body.
‘What is this…?’
Even as someone who had reached the peak of a Grandmaster, he couldn’t even fathom touching this level. It was the energy of a transcendent.
‘Meeting a transcendent right away… should I call this lucky?’
Lost in a food debate with Wrath, Raon had issued the challenge without much thought, only to realize he had unwittingly invited a transcendent to a duel. Even to himself, it felt absurd.
“You’re an outsider.”
For the first time, the white-haired man spoke. His voice was deep and unhurried, as if his very nature was laid-back.
“I recently joined the Holy Sword Alliance.”
“How old are you?”
“I’m in my mid-twenties.”
The gleaming eyes beneath the white hair seemed to have already analyzed him completely.
Knowing that lying wouldn’t work, Raon answered truthfully.
“…That makes no sense.”
The white-haired man exhaled a faint breath and shook his head.
“Why are you here?”
“I came to learn.”
Once again, Raon responded with sincerity.
“I see…”
The white-haired man nodded calmly and raised his right hand.
“It’s about time I accepted a challenge anyway. This isn’t bad.”
He gestured with his fingers, signaling Raon to come at him.
“You don’t have a sword…?”
Even if he was a transcendent, fighting without a sword was discourteous, so Raon let his irritation seep into his voice.
“This is enough.”
The white-haired man nodded indifferently, implying he didn’t need a sword.
“You’ll regret underestimating me.”
“I am not underestimating you.”
With an unwavering gaze, he spread his fingers.
“If you say so…”
Raon placed his hand on the hilt of the Heavenly Drive.
‘I’ll finish this in one move.’
His plan was to subdue the man without a sword and then continue with a second round. He stepped forward with his left foot.
Boom!
Closing the distance in an instant, he drew the Heavenly Drive.
Just as he was about to strike at the man’s chest, a flash of white light burst before his eyes.
Whoosh!
Before he could grasp what had happened, he found himself flipping upside down, suspended in midair.
The white-haired man had somehow approached him and grabbed him by the collar, lifting him effortlessly.
‘What the hell!’
Even though he knew his opponent was a transcendent, he hadn’t let his guard down.
Yet the man’s movement was so natural that it felt as if his grip had been there from the beginning.
‘Damn it.’
Rather than drawing his sword, Raon reached out with both hands and grabbed the man’s wrist.
Fwoosh!
Tensing his core and abdominal muscles, he attempted to lift the white-haired man instead.
“Hmm?”
The man frowned slightly, as if surprised that his own body was being lifted.
Realizing he was at a disadvantage, the man released his grip on Raon’s collar and retreated.
“Huff….”
Raon exhaled a heavy breath as he landed on the ground.
“What was that just now…?”
“You’re not just an ordinary genius.”
The white-haired man lowered his stance slightly and curled his fingers.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Those who rely solely on talent would have drawn their sword even when lifted like that. That’s when I’d have snapped their wrist and ended it.”
Clicking his tongue, he seemed regretful that the duel hadn’t ended as quickly as he wanted.
‘The way he moves is strange.’
His posture and movements flowed like water, completely at odds with his large frame. He didn’t seem like an ordinary swordsman.
‘I need to watch his footwork…’
Just as Raon thought about being cautious of his opponent’s footwork, the white-haired man vanished.
His presence reappeared, not to the side or behind but directly in front of him.
Whoosh!
The man’s broomstick-like hand shot straight for Raon’s throat.
‘I’ll cut him down.’
Raon stepped back to the left while drawing his sword, but as if anticipating his movement, the white-haired man lunged even faster, striking more forcefully.
‘Again!’
With his collar about to be grabbed once more, Raon lifted his left hand from the scabbard.
Fwoosh!
As if predicting that move, the white-haired man reached from below and seized Raon’s left wrist.
Whoosh!
Raon tried to use his aura to resist being lifted, but suddenly, his legs lost strength, and his body was hoisted into the air again.
‘What the hell now!’
There was no time to be surprised. The white-haired man’s fist came thrusting toward his chest like a dagger.
‘Block? No, counter!’
His battle instincts screamed at him to attack rather than defend.
With the chill of Glacier enveloping his fist, he struck forward.
“You have the instincts of a beast.”
The white-haired man murmured in admiration as their fists collided.
Boom!
Their aura-clad fists clashed, generating a shockwave that rippled through the alley.
Chiiiik!
But the man’s assault wasn’t over. His elongated fingers reached out once more and grasped Raon’s collar.
Whoosh!
This time, before he could react, Raon found his head being driven toward the ground.
Raon attempted to use his aura to protect his neck and the back of his head, but his strength drained from his body.
It felt as if he had been plunged into deep water, where resistance was impossible.
Thud!
In the end, he couldn’t fight back and was slammed headfirst into the ground.
However, just before impact, he forcibly tensed his shoulders, lifting his neck enough to avoid losing consciousness.
“This should be the end…”
“Who said it’s over?!”
The moment the white-haired man assumed he had passed out and let go, Raon sprang up and threw a punch.
Boom!
Despite his surprise, the white-haired man swiftly raised his palm to block the punch. However, he couldn’t completely avoid the fierce wind that followed, causing his long hair to be swept back.
A sharp, blade-like nose and radiant golden eyes were revealed.
Contrary to his odd behavior, his appearance was striking enough to be called otherworldly.
“You endured that?”
The white-haired man seemed so taken aback that he didn’t even realize his face was exposed.
“It hurt, but not enough to knock me down.”
Raon pushed him away with his fist, narrowing his eyes.
“Even your endurance is beastly.”
The white-haired man shook his head as if dumbfounded.
“I suddenly feel tired. Let’s end it here for today.”
He clicked his tongue briefly while gazing at the sky.
“I haven’t even drawn my sword yet.”
Raon lightly tapped the scabbard of his Heavenly Drive, which remained sheathed.
“Then let’s do this.”
Straightening his posture, the white-haired man raised his right hand.
“No matter what sword technique you use, I’ll block it with just one hand. That will be the end. What do you say?”
He gestured with his fingers, indicating that if he had to step back or use both hands, he would fight to the end.
“Fine by me.”
Raon nodded. He hadn’t planned to take things to the limit today anyway—exchanging techniques with this man was enough.
Srrrng.
He drew the Heavenly Drive and lowered his stance. The white-haired man remained still in his original position, signaling him to go ahead.
However, his golden eyes gleamed even brighter than before.
‘Whatever happens, I need to clash with him.’
Raon stepped forward with his right foot and swung the Heavenly Drive upward.
Flames flared along the blade, surging like a river to form a towering wave—this was Flawless Sea of Flames, one of the ultimate techniques of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation.
Fwoosh!
As the crimson flames coiled like a serpent’s tongue and erupted into a storm, the white-haired man stretched out his right hand.
Sizzle!
Like an orchestra conductor controlling the flow of sound, his extended fingers caused the crimson wave to recede, extinguishing the roaring flames.
Even the trajectory of Raon’s sword, which had been tracing the technique’s form, was halted.
‘What in the…?’
Dumbfounded, Raon’s eyes widened—only to realize that the white-haired man’s palm was now right in front of his throat.
“This should do.”
The white-haired man gave a slight nod and dusted off his hands.
“Fine.”
Without hesitation, he turned away and walked into the city.
‘Just now…’
Raon recalled what had happened moments ago.
‘Did he erase Flawless Sea of Flames itself?’
The white-haired man had suppressed not only the aura but also the very path of the sword technique.
It was something impossible unless he had an in-depth understanding of Raon’s swordsmanship, which made the situation even more perplexing.
– You saw it correctly.
Wrath chuckled as he glanced back.
– That bamboo-like guy just drowned your entire sword technique. He’s an interesting one.
The demon king cackled as if thoroughly enjoying what had just happened.
‘Is it even possible to dismantle a sword technique just by looking at it once?’
– Do you have no conscience? That’s exactly what you’ve been doing all this time!
Wrath waved his hand up and down, urging him to think from the opponent’s perspective.
‘Now that I think about it… Wait, does that mean…?’
That white-haired man could observe and break down sword techniques just as he used the Ring of Fire?
Raon licked his lips as he looked back.
– Most likely. For a swordsman, he’s the worst kind of opponent…
‘That sounds fun.’
A smile naturally formed on Raon’s lips at the thought that sparring with him could eliminate his own weaknesses and make him stronger.
– From what I see…
Wrath shook his head in disbelief.
– You’re an even bigger lunatic than that crazy woman!
—
Boom!
The doors to the Holy Sword Alliance Leader’s mansion swung open, and the white-haired man strode in without hesitation.
“Alliance Leader…”
He entered Rektor’s office and sat on the sofa.
“What on earth did you bring in?”
His eyes narrowed, filled with confusion.
“What are you talking about?”
Rektor set down his documents and tilted his chin.
“You felt it, didn’t you?”
The white-haired man sighed and locked eyes with Rektor’s calm gaze.
“That monster I just fought—who is he?”
“What do you think of him?”
“Him? Calling someone on the path to perfection a mere ‘child’ seems absurd….”
He shook his head, unable to comprehend the situation.
“He’s far from complete.”
Rektor waved his hand dismissively, as if that much was obvious.
“I’ve never seen you like this before. Are you considering taking him as a disciple?”
“One disciple, Muston, is enough for me. That beastly kid…”
A deep smile formed on Rektor’s lips as he nodded.
“He’s my grandson.”
Contrary to what had been said about keeping Raon’s identity hidden, Rektor revealed the truth immediately—showing his trust in the white-haired man.
“…What?”
The man’s lips trembled.
“Then he’s Edgar’s…?”
“Yes. He is Edgar’s son.”
“No, what is this all of a sudden…?”
Still struggling to process the revelation, he grabbed his forehead.
“I’ll explain everything soon enough.”
Rektor reassured him, lowering his hand.
“The Alliance Leader’s grandson, Edgar’s son… Now, his talent finally makes sense.”
The white-haired man nodded heavily as if he had finally understood.
“Your grandson is special.”
Rektor smirked, clearly pleased with the praise for Raon.
“But I didn’t expect you to pull out Inverse Sea of Flames right away.”
“That was just because I was lazy… huh? You pretended not to know, but you were aware all along!”
The white-haired man furrowed his brows at Rektor.
“Ahem! So, what’s your impression after clashing with my grandson?”
Rektor smoothly changed the topic, shifting the conversation to their duel.
“His swordsmanship is highly refined. But the way he was trying to create new variations within Inverse Sea of Flames was absurd.”
He bit his lip, finding that aspect the most shocking.
“Anyway, he’s a beastly guy.”
He shook his head, indicating that Raon was not the type of opponent he preferred to face.
“But I doubt we’ll be meeting again.”
The white-haired man waved dismissively, showing no interest, and headed toward the mansion’s kitchen.
He returned shortly after, carrying a bundle filled with food ingredients.
“Since I entertained your grandson, I figure I can take this much, right?”
With a flick of his fingers, he turned away as if bidding farewell.
“Lawrence.”
At the sound of Rektor calling his name, the white-haired man stopped in his tracks.
“My grandson’s true talent isn’t martial arts or swordsmanship.”
Rektor smiled gently and shook his head.
“You’d best prepare yourself.”
Having said all he needed, Rektor turned back to his documents.
“Hmph…”
Lawrence snorted, eyeing Rektor for a moment before stepping outside.
“I didn’t expect for him to meet that man this soon, but….”
As soon as the mansion doors closed behind him, a smirk curled on Rektor’s lips.
“This is going to be interesting.”
—
“Wow, you fought well! I’ve never seen anyone last that long against Lawrence on their first meeting!”
An elderly man with black hair clapped in admiration, clearly impressed.
“To not fall into that sneaky bastard’s trap… Your battle instincts are remarkable.”
An elderly man with red hair chuckled heartily and nodded.
“Who are you two…?”
Raon blinked as he looked at the two old men standing in his path.
He had been going over his duel with the white-haired man in his mind when, at some point, these two had appeared before him.
“Ah, I’m the Sword Master of Demonic Blade. And this guy here—”
“I’ll introduce myself. I’m the Sword Master of Melodic Blade.”
The black-haired and red-haired elders proudly stated their titles.
‘Aren’t they from the Elders’ Council?’
Judging by their powerful presence and age, Raon had assumed they were from the Elders’ Council, but they turned out to be active Sword Masters.
Yet, he had never heard of either of them before.
“You came with the Alliance Leader, didn’t you?”
“That’s right.”
Raon sheathed his Heavenly Drive and nodded.
“Have you officially joined the Holy Sword Alliance? Who else came with you? How much swordsmanship have you mastered?”
The red-haired elder bombarded him with questions before he could even answer the first one.
“Why are you covering your face and hair? Are you famous? Can’t you tell us your name?”
Not wanting to lose, the black-haired elder fired off his own barrage of questions.
“Well, I haven’t actually joined—”
Just as Raon was about to answer the first question, he heard the soft sound of footsteps behind him.
It was the white-haired man he had just dueled. Carrying a large pack on his back, he approached with his face once again obscured by his long hair.
“Hmm…”
“Ahem…”
The Sword Master of Demonic Blade and the Sword Master of Melodic Blade quickly shut their mouths, looking away while whistling and clearing their throats.
“…Stop spouting nonsense.”
The white-haired man frowned at the two elders in warning before briefly glancing at Raon and then heading up the mountain.
Watching him leave, a competitive desire flared within Raon. He wanted to fight that man again.
“Who is that?”
“That guy? He’s a damn bastard!”
The red-haired elder scowled at the white-haired man’s retreating back.
“That ungrateful Lawrence! We practically raised him, but now that he’s gotten strong, he’s become a tyrant, rampaging around!”
The black-haired elder gritted his teeth in agreement.
“So his name is Lawrence.”
Raon smirked. The name didn’t suit him at all, yet somehow it also did.
“He’s nothing like his name—he’s a menace!”
“Exactly! If we make too much noise, he goes berserk and throws us around! Not even in a duel—he flips out over just an argument!”
The red-haired elder shook his head, calling him a lunatic.
– Even the Demon King isn’t disturbed while eating! That guy’s trash!
‘The Demon King kills people if disturbed….’
Raon shook his head but suddenly halted.
‘Throws people when they’re too loud…?’
An idea popped into his mind, and he looked up.
“Where do you two usually spar?”
“Midway up the back mountain. Unfortunately, it’s close to that bastard’s cave, but there’s no better place for it.”
The black-haired elder smacked his lips, saying it was the ideal training ground.
“Enough about him. Want to have a match with me?”
The red-haired elder rubbed his hands together eagerly.
“No! I go first!”
The black-haired elder bared his teeth, refusing to let the red-haired elder cut in line.
“……”
Raon raised his hand, silencing the two growling elders.
“I’ll spar with both of you. But in exchange…”
He looked toward the back mountain, a smirk forming on his lips.
“Would you do me a favor?”
—
Thud.
Lawrence set down the bundle of food inside his cave and stretched his back.
‘Edgar’s son, huh….’
He narrowed his eyes as he stared at the hand that had clashed with Raon’s sword earlier.
‘He really is different.’
For someone to resist his Inverse Sea of Flames even in that brief moment—it was an ability that went beyond simple talent.
‘But his true talent isn’t martial arts?’
Rektor had claimed his grandson’s true ability wasn’t in martial arts. That statement suddenly piqued Lawrence’s curiosity.
‘No…’
It wasn’t his concern.
He had no intention of leaving this place, so whatever that kid’s talent was, it had nothing to do with him.
Feeling exhausted from moving after so long, he lay down on his makeshift bed of branches, ready to sleep.
However, just as he was about to drift off, the ground rumbled violently, and bursts of aura erupted from all directions.
“Ugh…”
Lawrence frowned as he pushed himself up.
“Those old geezers… I told them not to fight here.”
No matter how many times he told them, they never listened—perhaps their old age had made them deaf.
Annoyed, he stormed out of the cave, only to find not just the two old men but another person joining the battle.
“…Why are you here?”
Raon was clashing swords with the Sword Master of Melodic Blade.
“What a coincidence.”
Raon smirked, tilting his head.
“Since we’re here, why don’t we have another round?”