The Reincarnated Assassin Is a Genius Swordsman

Chapter 701 The magnificent arc created by the Heavenly Drive sword split the cloudy sky and turbulent river. However, the man standing at its center blocked that elegant trajectory with a single reddish axe. Axe King Roman. His evolved Heaven-Shaking Axe Strike did not falter even in the face of Raon's newly created Sword Domain. Of course, Roman wasn't unscathed either. He coughed up black blood, and fine cracks appeared on his once-solid Red Dragon Axe. "Huff..." Raon curled his blood-soaked lips. 'To think he could withstand the Sword Domain.' Roman had evolved his Heaven-Shaking Axe Strike to endure the new Sword Domain. Even though it was an insight Raon hadn't fully internalized yet, he had been confident. As expected, the monsters of the old era seemed to be in a different league. "Kuhehe!" Axe King Roman revealed his blood-reddened teeth as he laughed. "Excellent! I can't remember the last time I've bled this much." Despite his severe internal injuries, he wore a long smile as if he was genuinely enjoying himself. His expression suggested he was too excited to contain himself. "You must feel the same, youngster?" "Of course." Raon nodded as he readjusted his grip on the Heavenly Drive, which still tingled in his hands. 'This is beyond mere enjoyment.' The more I clash with the strengthened Roman, the more my body and mind grow together. Even at this moment, to catch up with Roman, my energy center is expanding, my body is evolving, and the realm of Ten Thousand Swords is expanding. The very time spent facing off against Roman was no different from the ultimate enlightenment for me. "Then let's begin again!" Roman swung the Red Dragon Axe with a refreshing laugh. The fiercely rotating axe blade summoned a crimson dragon's ascent. The entire Lable River was engulfed in an aura storm. "If you want to survive, defeat me!" Roman let out a hoarse roar as he kicked off the waves. He dove in with Nine Palace Steps that were more than twice as fast as before and unleashed a barrage of Radiant Flower Axe Strikes. It was a natural movement, as if it had been a single technique from the start. That monster was still growing even now. Raon twisted his lips as he watched the Red Dragon Axe raining down like meteors. 'No matter how strong you become, it doesn't matter. I'll just keep up.' He thrust the Heavenly Drive in his right hand diagonally and gripped the Blade of Requiem in his left hand in reverse. The two blades rotating with the current raised red and blue waves. Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation: Flame and Ice Unification. The intertwining tsunami of flame and frost collided head-on with Roman's axe. (E/N: I'm confused why Flame and Ice unification is presented as a technique of ten thousand flames cultivation) With a thunderous roar that seemed to collapse the earth's axis, the resulting shockwave created distorted cracks in the air. It was a bizarre sight, as if the sky and earth had been torn to shreds. Though the entire Lable River darkened as if the end had come, Raon and Roman paid no heed as they poured out their supreme martial arts aimed at each other's vitals. Each time the Heavenly Drive and Red Dragon Axe clashed, the river water was carved away, and before long, Raon and Roman were engaged in an extreme battle on the dried-up riverbed. The surging river water rode the aura storm upwards, creating even darker rain clouds in the sky. "It's like a dream!" Roman burst into joyous laughter. "To think I can bring to life in reality the axe techniques I've only engraved in my mind!" As he swung the Red Dragon Axe upwards to the right, a red aurora rose along the horizon of the river. A subtle profundity seeped into the tyrannical force. It felt like watching a swordsman who had honed his swordsmanship for a lifetime, rather than a Water Demon. "Same here." Raon nodded as he watched Roman's oncoming Astral Ring. "It feels like I can do anything." The more Roman grows, the stronger I become as well. It felt like the swordsmanship I couldn't catch up with in the mental world was melting into my fingertips. With a heavy reverberation, he extended the Heavenly Drive. The blue sky embodied at the sword's tip stood against the evolved axe strike. Once again, as sword and axe clashed, crimson lightning burst forth and swept across the surroundings. The river water evaporated, and a thick mist rose into the air. Raon narrowed his eyes as he watched the Red Dragon Axe descend smoothly. 'We're influencing each other.' I learned the tyrannical aura imbued in Roman's axe strikes, and Roman incorporated the profundity dwelling in my sword. Not only were our individual martial arts growing, but we were also acquiring each other's techniques. It was a life-and-death struggle between mortal enemies. Raon and Roman brought down the Heavenly Drive and Red Dragon Axe towards their reflections in each other's eyes. * * * "What is this..." Helgroom, the Vice Leader of the South-North Alliance, stood up with trembling hands. The chair he had been sitting on crumbled like dry kindling. "How can such a being..." It should have been a fight Roman could easily win. If he had just swung his axe with full force, that young monster should have lost his limbs and sunk beneath the river water. But Raon Zieghart seemed to gain enlightenment as he fought, growing steadily until he suddenly stood on the same level as Roman. It was impossible by any common sense he knew. 'This defies logic.' He had seen countless martial artists since before the Six Kings and the Five Demons were established. Glenn Zieghart, the Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance, the Black Tower Master, Derus Robert, even Karuta who had gone into hiding now. He had encountered martial artists said to possess absolute talent, but never had he seen talent like Raon Zieghart's. The expression "young monster" was now laughable. If Roman faltered even slightly, he would be devoured whole. He was truly a growing monster. "Kuh..." Helgroom's lips trembled as he watched Raon fighting while spewing blood. 'That one is dangerous.' It wasn't just about the South-North Alliance's honor crumbling if Roman lost. The chilling fact was that such a being was under the Six Kings, and Glenn Zieghart at that. "What enviable rivals. They're both growing endlessly." Beorn bit his thin lips as he peered into the aura storm. "As expected, just as he said..." He narrowed his eyes, fixing his gaze on Raon. "Beorn." Just as Helgroom gestured for Beorn to come closer, "What did you say earlier?" Rimmer, standing at the edge of the river, called out to Helgroom while lifting his chin. "You asked whether we didn't want to admit defeat? That's nonsense! This is trust." He curled up the corners of his mouth in a long sneer, as if mocking Helgroom. "That's right." Sheryl nodded calmly. "We never even considered the possibility of Raon losing from the start." She looked at the Light Wind division, who were merely watching whether Raon was pushing or being pushed, and gave a faint smile. 'This is real trust.' The Zieghart swordsmen, including herself, had directly witnessed Raon overcoming countless adversities. Because trust had built up over a long time, they could believe in Raon and watch until the end. "In contrast, you seem to lack trust." Sheryl turned her gaze to Helgroom and snorted. "Shut your mouth!" After shouting at Sheryl and Rimmer, Helgroom deployed an aura barrier. After ensuring no sound could escape, he lowered his eyebrows deeply as he looked at Beorn and the other Union members. "Be ready to move at any time." "Pardon?" "W-What do you mean..." "Vice Leader. It's not over yet. The Axe King won't lose..." The South-North Union members' lips trembled, as if wanting to believe in Roman. "That's not important right now." Helgroom ground his teeth as he looked at Raon. "That is a monster. A monster to be feared not now, but in the future. We absolutely cannot let him leave alive." He clenched his fist until it bled, as if he must not let Raon escape. "..." Beorn calmly lowered his red eyes as he listened to Helgroom's words. * * * Raon smiled deeply as he pushed back the Red Dragon Axe with the Heavenly Drive. He was enjoying himself. He wished this moment of growing stronger with each clash of sword and axe would never end. But the dreamlike time was coming to a close. After all, both he and Roman had sustained internal and external injuries that could cause them to collapse at any moment. The sweetness of growth stops, and the bitterness of pain rises. There wasn't much time left to fight at full strength. Raon and Roman each took five steps back after creating a powerful shockwave. With each backward step, the river was deeply carved away. "I wish I could fight you for a lifetime, but it seems we've reached our limit." Roman shook his head with a light smile. He coughed up black blood as he touched the wound on his abdomen. "Let's see this through to the end." Raon spat out blood-tinged saliva as he cauterized the wound on his shoulder with heat. The pain intensified, but being able to fight properly was more important. "You're as battle-crazed as I am." Roman laughed gleefully as he rested the Red Dragon Axe on his shoulder. "I'll dedicate the martial arts I've built up over a lifetime to this one strike. Frenzied Soul Dance. This axe strike will take your head." He twisted his waist backward and raised the Red Dragon Axe above his head, as if he didn't care about his injuries at all. The energy of heaven and earth gathered above the blade of the Red Dragon Axe that Roman had raised. Within the tyrannical aura that could overturn the river dwelled the profound energy of an enlightened seeker. It was a perfect martial art that harmonized strength, technique, and mental imagery. As he brought down the Red Dragon Axe, crimson flames blazed above the axe blade. As if time had stopped, only the red flames rose endlessly. It seemed as if everything visible was being erased in the flames of the Red Dragon Axe. The dark clouds that had filled the sky parted, revealing the setting sun. Golden twilight shone upon Roman's aged eyes. Raon raised the Heavenly Drive, gripped in both hands. He closed his eyes and called forth the newly refined Sword Domain. 'I need to go further.' The insight gained from bringing mental imagery into reality had deepened further through the fierce battle with Roman. Now, he could embody even more. "Sword Domain." He imbued the blue sky into the sword principles that his current self had sprouted. The light embodied in the Heavenly Drive grew even more intense. That light was not the setting glow, but the majestic golden light of the rising dawn. The moment the Frenzied Soul Dance and the new Sword Domain collided, light faded and sound vanished. All that existed was the clash of nothingness. The ultimate of martial arts that each had built up was drawn through the brushes of sword and axe. A magnificent explosion belatedly erupted, engulfing heaven and earth. Mysterious light poured down as if the setting sun was rising again. The aura storm that had surrounded Raon and Roman subsided, revealing the two figures. Raon fell to his knees, coughing up black blood that seemed to contain fragments of his internal organs. His waist was split open so severely it seemed it might tear off. In contrast, Roman stood firmly on both legs without wavering, as if he hadn't sustained any injury. "Wooooah!" "Lord Roman!" "We believed in you!" The South-North Alliance members raised both hands and shouted Roman's name. "Raon!" "What are you doing! Get up right now!" "I'll kill you if you die there!" The Light Wind division swordsmen yelled at Raon to get up. "The last." Roman looked down at Raon with shallow breaths. "What is the name of your final sword?" "...It has none." Raon shook his head as he coughed up blood once more. "I haven't named it yet." Since it was a Sword Domain created just today, it had no name. "I've seen countless sunsets during my year on the Lable River. I imbued the Red Dragon Axe with that golden light, like a final struggle against death. That's why it was the Frenzied Soul Dance." Roman smiled faintly as he looked at the cracked Red Dragon Axe. "I saw a similar color in your sword. The deep golden hue was the same, but the texture was different." He turned his gaze to meet Raon's red eyes. "Your light wasn't the sunset fearing the night, but the light of dawn raising the sun. Though the same golden color, unlike mine, it was a light full of vitality." Raon nodded, as he had indeed imbued the dawn he saw today. "It was as brilliant as that moment when this world opened, they say." Roman's black robe began to soak with red blood. "How about naming your Sword Domain 'Heaven's Rift'?" "Heaven's Rift..." Raon looked up at the sky. The dark clouds had all subsided, and only the golden twilight filled the firmament. Seeing that serene color, he nodded. "Let's go with that." He nodded, saying thank you. "That... Kuhak!" Roman coughed up black blood mid-sentence. His complexion turned as pale as a sheet of paper. "Ro-Roman, sir!" "Damn it all!" "Go out now!" Following the Vice Leader's gesture, the South-North Union members leapt into the river. Just as the tense Zieghart swordsmen tried to follow, Roman struck the river water with the Red Dragon Axe. A massive shockwave and blue waves rose to block the path. "Stop." Roman twisted his lips into a smile as he looked at the Vice Leader and Union members behind the subsiding waves. "I was born a man and lived as a martial artist. I fought the opponent I wanted on the battlefield I desired, so I have no regrets in this life!" He revealed a fierce gaze, as if he would bring down the Red Dragon Axe at any moment. "Do not... Insult me... I am Axe King Roman!" Roman let out a blood-curdling roar, saying he would not tolerate anyone interfering in the fight. Even the Vice Leader could not move in the face of that chilling aura. "The impudent youngster from three years ago is gone now." Roman smiled without reserve as he looked at Raon again. "This is your victory, Raon Zieghart." As he proudly declared his defeat, the Red Dragon Axe shattered into dozens of pieces and sank into the river water. With the fading twilight, Axe King Roman collapsed.