The Reincarnated Assassin Is a Genius Swordsman

Chapter 1264 "W-what the hell..." The Bear Fire Demon gaped his mouth open as if he had seen a crazy person. "What the hell is that confidence of yours? You're neither Glenn Zieghart nor the Heavenly Demon..." He trembled his cracked lips, saying he couldn't understand Raon's confidence and boldness at all. "Confidence..." Raon nodded and calmly accepted the Bear Fire Demon's pointed words. "Grgh..." The Bear Fire Demon turned toward Dorian while making a pained sound, as if thinking that words didn't get through to Raon. "I-I'll say it again. The being I'm summoning is not human, but a Spirit Beast that guards Eden's sacred ground. If you anger it, far from opening Eden's gate, it will attack you to death. Being polite, having a dialogue, and then offering a sacrifice is the only way!" He deeply furrowed his brow at Dorian, begging him to listen to what he was saying. "Uh..." Dorian blinked as if it was useless to talk to him. "T-that's what he says?" He raised his hand to Raon, asking if he had heard what the Bear Fire Demon said. "Well, since the sacrifice is decent, there shouldn't be any problem." Dorian puffed out his chest confidently, saying he was confident in the things he had prepared. "What nonsense." The Bear Fire Demon deeply furrowed his brow. "What's laid out on the ground right now aren't sacrifices, they're just materials for the magic to summon the gatekeeper." He shook his head vigorously, saying this alone couldn't satisfy the Spirit Beast. "Uh..." Dorian's expression hardened similarly to the Bear Fire Demon's. "T-then don't tell me that sacrifice is..." "Of course it's a human. And not just any ordinary human, only those with talent in some field can become sacrifices!" The Bear Fire Demon gritted his teeth, saying that's why he was planning to bring the children. "This is driving me crazy. There's no one here who listens to reason!" He shouted that he didn't know Zieghart was such an unreasonable place, then panted for breath. "H-human sacrifice..." Dorian gulped dry saliva and looked back at Raon. "We didn't bring any sacrifices, right?" "......" Raon said nothing and jerked his chin toward Dorian. "What? N-no..." Dorian waved both hands frantically. "I don't carry people around either! They're not essential items! I'm not one of the Five Demons..." He gasped, saying that no matter how much he was the supply officer of the Light Wind Palace, he didn't carry human sacrifices around. "No. You're the sacrifice." Raon tilted his head as if asking what he was talking about and pointed at Dorian with his long finger. "What? Ah..." Dorian's pupils became murky like broken egg yolks. "Huh..." The Bear Fire Demon also trembled his jaw as if flustered. "You guys are really crazy..." "Just summon it quickly." Raon waved his hand dismissively, telling them to stop wasting time. "Mmm, I really don't know anymore..." The Bear Fire Demon glanced at the dazed Dorian, shook his head from side to side, and put on the Bearwolf Shaman's mask that seemed barely held together. He let out a small sigh and began to operate the magic to summon the gatekeeper. "A-are you really going to sacrifice me? I really have no talent!" Dorian grabbed and shook Raon's leg, begging him not to abandon him. "Sorry, but you're all we have." Raon followed the Bear Fire Demon's example and put on an Orc warrior's mask, then shook his head. "Hup!" Dorian trembled his pupils as if he couldn't read Raon's mind and kept hiccupping. "Uuugh..." He clutched his head trying to think of a way out of this situation, but eventually realized there was no way and only let out a tearing groan. "......" Raon turned his gaze away from the sobbing Dorian and looked at the Bear Fire Demon operating the magic. Sweat was flowing down his forehead as if summoning the gatekeeper alone wasn't easy. 'This isn't ordinary magic.' True to the meaning of opening a door that originally wouldn't open, the magic the Bear Fire Demon was casting now seemed to be no ordinary method. -Hey, you bastard... Wrath approached before his eyes and deeply furrowed his brow. -What the hell are you thinking? The guy twisted his jaw as if he couldn't understand. 'What?' Raon tilted his head looking at Wrath. -What are you trusting to act so arrogant! Wrath sighed as if exasperated. -I know better than anyone that you've grown! The guy nodded, acknowledging his current martial prowess. -But you haven't completely transcended the heavens yet. There are still guys stronger than you, and there might be someone inside who matches your old man, so what are you trusting to act so boldly! Wrath bit his lips slightly as if he couldn't hide his worry. 'Are you worrying about me?' Raon looked at Wrath and smiled faintly. -D-don't talk nonsense! Just answer my question! Wrath wrinkled his nose bridge, saying there was no time for jokes. 'Well, you're right.' Raon narrowed his eyes thin as thread, feeling the magical energy rising from the earth. 'I still haven't reached the same realm as grandfather or the Heavenly Demon. As the Bear Fire Demon said, if the Heavenly Demon pops out or guys similar to me attack simultaneously, I might die. But...' He slowly closed his eyes. 'Strangely, I don't feel that way at all.' Raon opened his eyes again and curled up his lips. 'No, I feel like I absolutely must come here and enter Eden.' For someone who became head of house to entrust everything to their intuition was wrong, but strangely, this time his intuition didn't seem like it could be wrong at all. 'Plus, I feel like I know what to do and how to do it.' Everything felt natural, as if he had already experienced this exact situation before. -Hup... Wrath looked into his eyes and exhaled sharply. -Did that feeling come to you naturally like a sense? 'Right. To be honest, it's more like certainty than a feeling.' Raon nodded, feeling the sensation of the Ring of Fire swirling around his heart. -Future sight? No, since you didn't see it, maybe future sense or future awareness. Wrath let out a hollow breath, saying it seemed like he was sensing the future right now. 'Sensing the future and realizing the future?' Raon placed his hand on his chest where the ring was swirling and smacked his lips. 'Did the Ring of Fire also awaken as I surpassed Transcendence and reached the Absolute realm?' Even when the Ring of Fire reached ten stars, there had never been a case where he could sense the future like this. He wasn't sure yet whether the Ring of Fire's power had awakened as his realm increased, or if this situation was special. -Really, just how far does that damn ring... Wrath was grinding his teeth while looking at his own chest in disbelief. Woooooooooong! The Bear Fire Demon's magic was completed, and golden light bloomed from the Magic Circle laid on the ground as a massive Dimensional Gate opened. Whether the magic itself had concealment abilities, no light or sound leaked out to the surroundings at all. "I-it's done." The Bear Fire Demon wiped away the sweat flowing from his chin while looking at the Magic Circle that was becoming increasingly bright golden. "Now do as you please! Whether you sacrifice that guy or just die!" He stepped back, saying to handle it himself now. Kuuuuuung! The golden light that bloomed above the Magic Circle shot up as if it would pierce through the dim night sky, revealing a massive gate embedded with iron chains thicker than a human torso. However, something even more massive began walking from in front of that gate. A face of beautiful, peerless beauty that seemed to squeeze the heart just by looking at it was revealed. The sight of her wearing a crown over her silky, shimmering black hair gave off both elegance and seductiveness simultaneously. But 'that thing' was not human, just as the Bear Fire Demon had said. While the face was human, the body was that of a lion as massive as castle walls, the tail was a snake with five horns, and on its back where the mane bloomed like flowers, it had pure white wings. "These are offerings made with sincerity." Something more bizarre and massive than a chimera with a woman's head, lion's body, snake's tail, and bird's wings extended a foot larger than a building. "My name is Sphinx. I am the one who guards this gate until the day that person returns." The monster with a woman's head revealed her name and arrogantly raised her chin. "Kyaaaaaaaah!" Dorian tore at his hair and screamed at the appearance of the gatekeeper that surpassed imagination. "N-no! Don't abandon me!" He shook his head frantically, begging not to be sacrificed. It seemed like he had given up on confronting the Sphinx after feeling her overwhelming presence, having trusted in his own martial prowess only to realize he was no match at all. "Uugh..." The Bear Fire Demon knelt as if crushed by the mighty realm of the soul that the Sphinx was emanating, trembling both hands. -Huh... Wrath also let out a hollow laugh as if the Sphinx's appearance was surprising. -Her appearance is fascinating, but that's not what's important. Not only the gate behind her, but that thing's very existence is extraordinary. The guy lowered his eyebrows, saying he could feel why the Bear Fire Demon was nervous. "......" Raon showed no reaction and stared intently at the Sphinx and the gate behind her. "Noisy humans. If these offerings hadn't pleased me, I would have devoured them immediately." The Sphinx snorted and took the magical offerings placed on the ground. The woman's face seemed to covet jewels, the lion's body meat, the snake's tail fruits, and the bird's wings grains. "If you wish to open the gate to Paradise, offer a talented human and answer my question." (E/N: Didn't we just do a paradise arc...) The Sphinx lowered her coolly sunken blue eyes, saying she would open the gate behind her if they offered a talented human and answered her question. "The sacrifice is here." Raon raised his finger and pointed at Dorian without the slightest hesitation. "Kyeoooook!" Dorian gaped his mouth wide, as if he hadn't thought he would really be sacrificed. "Crazy..." The Bear Fire Demon's wide-open eyes also trembled, as if he was shocked. "Hmm..." The Sphinx slowly lowered her head and met eyes with Dorian. Claws larger than a great axe protruded from her toes, and the snake of her tail flicked its red tongue, brushing across Dorian's cheek. She seemed to be checking the condition of the sacrifice. "Oho!" The Sphinx observed Dorian for a long time then pounded the ground vigorously. "Excellent! With a sacrifice of this caliber, I can better pave the way for that person's return!" She nodded vigorously, saying she would acknowledge Dorian's talent. "Good! I shall accept this sacrifice!" The Sphinx declared she would accept Dorian as a sacrifice and drew him under her feet. "Uaaaaaah! Please!" Dorian screamed in fear and struggled desperately, but the Sphinx's power was so overwhelming that his resistance had no effect whatsoever. "So what's the question?" Raon looked at the wailing Dorian then jerked his chin toward the Sphinx. He operated Askara's Fighting Spirit while acting arrogant, erasing the Sphinx's suspicion itself. "An insolent fellow." The Sphinx slightly furrowed her brow as if displeased. "Fine. Rules are rules. I shall give you a riddle." She lowered her finely groomed eyebrows, saying she would give a riddle, not a question. "A riddle?" Raon widened his eyes. 'Wasn't it supposed to be a question about Eden?' He had naturally thought it would be a question about Eden, but the word 'riddle' came out and he was flustered. "I-I didn't know that far either!" The Bear Fire Demon also broke into a cold sweat, saying he didn't know since this was his first time actually doing it. -Hmph! What good intuition! It's all false intuition! Wrath snorted as if his intuition had been wrong. "...Fine." Raon calmly regulated his breathing and nodded. "Go ahead and tell me." Since things had progressed this far, there was no choice but to continue. He lowered his hand, telling her to give the riddle. "I cannot speak, but I hold all stories." "I have no eyes, but I can see everything as if it were drawn." "I show my true form only to those who open me." "What am I?" The Sphinx twisted up the corners of her mouth lengthily, as if confident in her riddle. She seemed certain that her problem could never be solved. "Uh, uh...? Stories? True form? W-what is that!" Even while terrified, Dorian rolled his eyes as if thinking of the riddle's answer, but shook his head vigorously as no correct answer came to mind. "Can't speak but holds stories? What bullshit..." The Bear Fire Demon also rolled his eyes quickly as if no thoughts came to mind. -Uheheheheheh! Wrath burst into mocking laughter, continuing from before. -It's a riddle full of nonsense! That's the kind of problem given specifically to be unsolvable! Your intuition is shit! Go throw it away right now and just drink water! The guy grinned as if he had found something to tease him with after a long time. -If you solve that problem, I'll do anything you ask! "Stories, see as if drawn, those who open..." Raon ignored Wrath's words and slightly tilted his head, connecting the words the Sphinx had spoken. "Hmph! Did you think I wouldn't know your true identity?" The Sphinx's smile turned wicked. "Even if there are rules, I can never let someone who intends to harm Paradise enter!" She bared her white teeth, saying she knew he intended to harm Eden and had given an unsolvable problem from the start. "There's no point in giving you time, so you'll be my prey..." "Correct answer." Just as the Sphinx was revealing her claws, saying she would kill them all, Raon raised his hand. "Book." Raon nodded after interpreting the Sphinx's riddle in less than 10 seconds. "Uh...?" The Sphinx's mocking expression froze as she gaped her mouth wide open. "You, you. How..." She trembled her wide-open jaw as if it might tear apart, as if she couldn't understand. "Something that can't speak but holds stories, that can be understood like pictures through imagination, and shows its form only to those who open it—that can only be a book." Raon said it wasn't that difficult and nodded calmly. "R-right! It's a book!" Dorian clapped his hands loudly, saying Raon's answer was correct. "That's right. It can only be a book." The Bear Fire Demon also swallowed his saliva, saying Raon's answer was correct. -Huh...? Wrath also trembled both hands as if feeling that book was the correct answer. -H-how did you solve that... (E/N: ...Even I who is awful at riddle immediately knew the answer) The guy let out a murky groan as if wondering how he knew when it was difficult even knowing the answer. "That's the correct answer, right?" Raon looked at the Sphinx and jerked his chin. "Uugh..." The Sphinx had kept talking about rules, so if it really was the correct answer, she absolutely couldn't lie. "Y-yes. The correct answer is book..." The Sphinx couldn't lie as expected and nodded heavily. "Then open the gate as promised, Sphinx." Raon didn't even celebrate his victory and calmly waved his hand. "Damn it..." The Sphinx glared at Raon and gritted her teeth, then struck the ground forcefully. Violent vibrations shook heaven and earth as the iron chains hanging on the gate she guarded began to come loose. Kuuuuuung! After all the iron chains fell away, the massive gate glittering with golden light slowly began to open. "I've opened the gate. But..." The Sphinx ground her white teeth and pressed down more forcefully on Dorian who was bound at her feet. "This human cannot enter! He's my sacrifice!" She emanated fierce aura as if that was also a rule. "That's right. However..." Raon confirmed that the gate leading to Eden was completely open and grasped the Heavenly Drive with the hand that had been clasped behind his back. "Are you trying to ambush me now! A human's sword won't work on me..." The Sphinx was snorting confidently in her own power. Zzzeeeeeeeee! The moment Raon drew the Heavenly Drive, the Sphinx's massive body was split in half. "N-no..." Unlike her confidence, the Sphinx trembled all over as if experiencing an unimaginable situation, and thick blood vessels appeared in her eyes. "I know. That you're a special Spirit Beast that ignores physical force. That's why I cut your soul." He sheathed the Heavenly Drive without a single drop of blood on it and approached the Sphinx. Kuuuuuuuung! The Sphinx, split in half, began to scatter into the air as golden mana. Step. Raon passed between the Sphinx's spirit form that could no longer answer or give riddles, brushing off the golden mana particles that had gotten on his sleeve. "You have no complaints, right?"