The Reincarnated Assassin Is a Genius Swordsman

Chapter 1502 -Spirit Transformation and the Thread of Fate? Wrath frowned, repeating what Raon had said. -Aren't those traits that, conversely, give strength to others! He frowned, asking how they could become strength for Raon instead. 'Because they grew.' Raon gave a short click of his tongue. -The traits? Wrath narrowed his eyes. -No matter how much the traits grew, this is…. 'You'd know better than anyone, but lately I've achieved more growth in spirit than in martial prowess.' Raon shook his head calmly. 'And within that….' He recalled the days before the war, calmly closing his eyes and opening them again. 'The bonds with people are mixed in there too. No, maybe those make up more of it.' His former self had believed that growing stronger would solve every problem, and had been intoxicated only with the growth of martial prowess. But after going through countless events filled with joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, and receiving help from even more people than that, he had realized he couldn't solve everything alone. Even this present war could never have been handled by himself and House Zieghart alone, but the power of bonds accumulated over time was leading this unwinnable war down the path to victory. 'It's not only the traits that grew.' Raon pushed back Derus Robert's Sword of Beloved Death, a smile lingering at the corner of his mouth. 'It's that Raon Zieghart grew as a human being.' He could be certain of that precisely because he now stood before Derus Robert, the man he hated more than anyone else. -A human called Raon Zieghart? Wrath frowned as if asking what that meant. 'Because things more important than my wrath toward Derus Robert have come into my life.' In his past life, Derus Robert had kidnapped and brainwashed him, then discarded him the moment his usefulness ran out. His wrath toward Derus Robert had even summoned Wrath, the Monarch of Devildom, but now that wrath and hatred had sunk to the bottom of his soul. It wasn't that he had forgiven Derus Robert. It was because his will to protect the people of his present life had grown greater than the wrath of his past life. 'I've changed. I'm no longer just Raon — I'm Raon Zieghart now.' Now that he had come to feel there was something more precious than his wrath toward Derus Robert, it felt as though he had finally shed the skin of his past life as the assassin Raon, and could now live on as Raon Zieghart — the proud grandson of Glenn Zieghart and son of Sylvia Zieghart. -Certainly…. Wrath narrowed his eyes as he looked at him. -Before, you weren't even as human as this king. He frowned, saying he couldn't understand how a cold human like Raon could have been born under Sylvia. -But now you've become more human than anyone else. Wrath's furrowed expression relaxed into a faint smile. -This king, Monarch of Devildom, acknowledges it! He nodded broadly and gave Raon's back a hearty slap. -You are undoubtedly human! Raon Zieghart! Wrath raised his thumb, saying he, the Monarch of Devildom, would personally vouch for it. 'Well, thanks for that. Though it's a bit strange.' Raon let out a short laugh. It was funny that a demon king was vouching for his humanity, but Wrath's expression was so serious that he decided to just let it go. 'Anyway, it seems like the traits Spirit Transformation and the Thread of Fate evolved because I grew as a human.' He spoke of how he had grown, pressing Derus Robert back even harder. -Haaah…. Wrath let out a heavy sigh and dropped his head low. -This king's power is going to drain right out of him again. He trembled his shoulders as if vexed. 'He's going to make a fuss again.' Raon was trying to keep only Derus Robert in his sight so as not to lose his focus. -Very well. Wrath nodded calmly, unlike his usual self. -This time, this king will allow it, so defeat Derus Robert for certain! For the sake of the things you wish to protect! He said that just this once he would allow it, patting Raon's back with a warm hand. 'Wrath…?' Raon swallowed hard. Wrath cheering him on, contrary to what he expected, was so bewildering that his focus nearly slipped. If not for his Forever Unrippled Mind trait, he might have been injured. -Hasn't this king watched over your life alongside you as well? Wrath curled his lips as he watched Raon's wavering eyes. -You are qualified to receive this king's power! He clenched his fist tightly and shook it, meaning for Raon to finish off Derus Robert quickly. '….' Raon didn't look at Wrath, biting his lip as he swung his sword at Derus Robert instead. Wrath, who he'd thought could become a friend but never someone who truly understood him, saying such words made tears threaten to well up without him realizing it, so he deliberately avoided looking at him. 'I understand….' Raon nodded, tightening his grip on the Divine Sword and Demonic Sword. 'I'll finish off Derus Robert, and then I'll hold that feast I promised you!' He was about to bring his sword down even harder, declaring he would end it right now. [<Wrath>'s sincerity has been conveyed.] [You have realized a bond as a human being.] [All Ability Scores have risen by 100 points.] [The trait <Spirit Transformation> rises three grades.] [The trait <Thread of Fate> rises four grades.] [The traits 'Spirit Transformation' and 'Thread of Fate' have synergistically evolved, creating the new trait 'Ring of Bonds'.] A translucent message appeared before the eyes of Raon, who was driving Derus Robert back. 'Huh?' Raon felt his physical abilities and aura amplify even further, his fingertips trembling around the hilt of his sword. -Whaaat! Wrath's mouth fell open as he looked at the message. -W-what is this…. He couldn't even continue speaking, as if he hadn't expected this at all. -No! I said I'd acknowledge what's already been given! Who told you to hand over even more! Wrath dug furiously at his own ears, demanding of the System whether its ears were blocked. 'Thank you, Wrath. I didn't expect you to look out for me this much.' Raon nodded to Wrath as he carefully felt the newly transmitted wave of power. 'I'll bring this to a definite end right here.' He declared he would sever Derus Robert's desires today and kicked off the ground. -N-no…. Wrath watched Raon's back and weakly stretched out his round hand. -I said noooooo! Give this king's power back! * * * Kuwooooong! Derus Robert blocked Raon's sword and took a step back. 'What is this….' He received Raon's sword as it pressed in with sheer force, one eyebrow lowering heavily. 'He's gotten stronger again.' Derus Robert drew in a sharp breath as he felt Raon charging in faster and stronger than before. 'How can this be happening?' He was well aware that Raon hadn't revealed his full strength yet. He could tell just from crossing swords that the boy still had reserves left. He himself also hadn't yet revealed the power to destroy this world, so it hadn't mattered much whatever Raon was hiding. No matter what the boy did, he had been confident he would win this war in the end. 'But….' This is different. Right now, Raon wasn't drawing out martial prowess he'd been hiding — he was truly growing stronger bit by bit in this very moment and pressing him back. Swordsmanship he'd been able to handle with ease at first was digging in faster and stronger by the moment, until simply blocking it was becoming a struggle. 'Does this even make sense?' If Raon had gained an epiphany from their fight, it would be entirely possible. But right now he had gained no epiphany at all, and yet he was growing stronger rapidly, as if his physical abilities and the very rank of his aura were literally being amplified. 'This is absurd.' Derus Robert bit his lip as he knocked away Raon's sword, which had fiercely closed in aiming for his throat. 'It's not just that the rank of his aura has risen — he's also getting used to my swordsmanship fast.' The speed at which Raon was getting used to his swordsmanship was faster than the speed at which he was getting used to Raon's. He could feel the boy devouring his swordsmanship as he closed in. 'Being pushed back in body and aura both, and now he's digging into my swordsmanship too….' Derus Robert frowned as he watched the trembling blade of his Sword of Beloved Death, as if it were about to snap. 'You've truly become a monster, Raon.' He nodded calmly, as if acknowledging Raon's martial prowess. 'Raon is one thing, but the other side isn't looking good either.' The leaders of the Five Demons he had gone to such lengths to keep alive had all died, and the forces that followed them were being swept away like leaves before the wind. 'Faster than expected….' Derus Robert drew a short breath as his gaze shifted between the Silent Serpent Swordsman held captive by the Bear Fire Demon and the faintly glowing gray light among the Angels. 'I suppose I'll have to play my last card.' * * * Hwaaaaaaang! Raon brought down the Divine Sword and Demonic Sword, imbued with the essence of Fangs of Insanity and Blizzard Sword Art. The two blades became separate bolts of lightning, falling toward Derus Robert's throat. Jjeoooong! Derus Robert raised a thick blade of death over his Sword of Beloved Death to block the Divine Sword and Demonic Sword, but his legs trembled faintly from the impact, and his brow creased. "Looks like it's a bit much for you, huh?" Raon smirked and thrust the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation's Single Point of Crimson toward Derus Robert's heart even faster. The thrust, meaning to carve a crimson hole of the sun, shot toward Derus Robert as if piercing through time itself. Kuwooooong! Derus Robert managed to block it, but his expression creased even deeper, as if his grip ached from the impact. "Why don't you bring out what you're hiding?" Raon crooked a finger in an arrogant pose, as if taunting Derus Robert. "I don't know what trick you've pulled, but…." Derus Robert exhaled a ragged breath, his mouth twisting. "You do seem to be growing stronger, Raon." He nodded slowly, as if finally willing to acknowledge it. "If you know that, you'd better reveal your full strength quickly. Otherwise…." Raon growled fiercely and stepped into Supreme Harmony Steps. "You'll be dead before you get to do anything." He surged forward faster than light and slashed Frost Snap toward Derus Robert's back. "Kuh…." Derus Robert blocked the blades of Frost Snap that had multiplied into ten, but was cut across the waist and shoved backward. "You do talk a lot. I taught you it's not good to speak to your enemies — where on earth did you pick up that bad habit?" He let out a short laugh, his hand trembling around the Sword of Beloved Death. "It's just my nature." Raon tilted his chin, saying that was simply how he was born. "It certainly seems that way." Derus Robert nodded, saying the mockery Raon dished out wasn't something that could be taught. -Taught you...? Wrath tilted his head as he heard those words. -I've felt this for a while now, but did you actually learn something from Derus Robert? No, wait, how could you have learned anything from him? He raised an eyebrow, saying he'd always been puzzled because incomprehensible things kept coming up whenever they talked about Derus Robert. 'I did learn something, actually.' Raon admitted it calmly. -Huh? 'I….' He continued, a gentle smile spreading across his face toward the bewildered Wrath. 'I was reincarnated, you see.'