The Reincarnated Assassin Is a Genius Swordsman

Chapter 732 "Would you be willing to hear me out?" Raon looked at Derus Robert with feigned expectation in his eyes. 'Of course, you'll have no choice but to agree.' All Six Kings had created an atmosphere of granting wishes, and Derus had also mentioned that he would listen to requests. He had even said they needed to grow stronger, so refusing wasn't even an option for him. "Of course, since I'm no match for you in a formal fight, I hope you could moderate your strength a bit." Raon continued speaking as if he had already received permission. "Please grant me the opportunity to witness the swordsmanship of House Robert, renowned for its mysteriousness." He bowed deeply with his hand on his chest. "Oh!" "To think we'll see a duel between the Kingkiller and the Sky Sword Saint!" "I'm already trembling with excitement..." "Just watching this duel will be learning experience!" The leaders of the neutral factions were already savoring the duel as if it had already taken place. "Ah, Father." Lephon looked at Derus with clasped hands. His expression seemed to hope for the duel as well. "If that's your wish..." Derus smiled faintly as he brushed back his hair. "I should be the one making the request." He nodded, saying he would naturally oblige. "Wow!" Lephon shook his raised fist, seemingly excited. "Well, since it's been brought up, let's start right away!" Ogram stood up from the round table as if he had been waiting for this. "We've just refurbished the dueling grounds for the kids to play, so it wouldn't be bad for the first fight." He said to hurry along and left the conference room first. "I wish I could have a chance too." King Lecross followed behind Ogram, smiling as if to say he was available if a dueling partner was needed. "Light Wind Division Leader. Will you be alright?" Glenn called Raon by his title and cast a somber gaze. "Yes. Even if I get a little hurt, I don't want to miss this opportunity." Raon bowed his head, saying he was asking for permission. "It's your wish, so it's not for me to argue." Glenn nodded as if granting permission and stood up from his chair. "Don't worry. No one will get hurt." Derus waved his hand as he followed Glenn out. "Hey. Aren't you going?" Chamber glanced at the Mage Tower Master. "Go without me..." The Mage Tower Master waved her hand weakly as if already exhausted. "Don't be ridiculous!" Chamber frowned and dragged the Mage Tower Master out of the conference room by the waist. Due to their height difference, it looked like a child dragging their mother out. "We should go too!" "Yeah. We might miss out on good seats at this rate!" “Just participating in this conference is an honor, and now this serendipitous encounter!” (E/N: I just want to say, those words, serendipitous encounter, appear so much in this novel that it makes me crazy, though I give it alternate translation 90% of the time) The leaders of the neutral factions rushed out of the conference room one after another. Raon clenched his fingertips as if sharpening a blade as he left the conference room last. 'The first part of the plan has been accomplished.' Of course, this duel was my plan. Thanks to Glenn and the Six Kings' leaders playing their parts well, it went through without a hitch. 'However...' Derus Robert must have noticed this was a plan. It's impossible for that sharp-eyed snake not to have grasped the situation. He clearly accepted the duel knowing full well what was going on. 'You must think I can't dig into your wounds.' That arrogance. The complacency he doesn't even consider arrogance will become the sword to pierce Derus's heart. Raon left the conference room with his hand on the hilt of the Heavenly Drive. His eyes darkened as if shrouded in night. 'This life will be different from before.' * * * Before starting the duel, Derus stopped by his quarters to remove his robe. "Lord Derus." Kubara bowed her head as she received the robe. "Will you be alright?" "I'm simply delighted." Derus smiled, interlocking his fingers. "I was curious how he would approach, but a duel? Not a bad move." He curled up the corners of his mouth, saying it would be interesting. "Raon Zieghart is a monster who has created countless variables." Kubara lowered her voice without changing her expression. "Our plans have been thwarted more than once due to his words and actions, so you must be cautious." "Of course, I won't be careless. However..." Derus raised the corners of his mouth as he turned his head left and right as if loosening his neck. "They have no way. The death aura is sealed at the bottom of my soul, and it's impossible to open the scar on the back of this hand." He chuckled and lightly tapped the back of his gloved hand. "Since the outcome of the fight is obvious, the tension is lacking. Even the old men's acting is awkward." "But..." "Of course, it's not like there's nothing to acknowledge." Derus raised a finger. "Since it's difficult to openly suspect me, requesting a duel was certainly a good method." Raon and the Six Kings must have planned to use the duel situation to remove the gloves and expose the scar on the back of his hand. Even if they failed, they would have judged there was no loss with the excuse of a duel. 'But that's just your thinking.' Crisis becomes another opportunity. Contrary to what Raon and the Six Kings thought, he had planned to move in the opposite direction to tarnish their reputation and gain compensation. 'I'm looking forward to it.' As he imagined the expressions of Raon and the old men crumbling before the Doppelganger Hide, he could feel the excitement rising already. "Let's go." Derus said he couldn't wait any longer and left the room. "..." Kubara didn't say anything more and quietly followed behind. * * * Raon arrived at the dueling grounds first and warmed up. -You couldn't win even if you died and came back to life. Wrath shook his head, saying it was a fight between an elephant and an ant. -Just leave it to this king! He pounded his chest, saying he would trap him in a glacier and make him suffer for life. 'That wouldn't be bad, but this is my war. I can't yield it to anyone.' Raon shook his head heavily. 'And what's important in this fight isn't martial arts.' The duel with Derus isn't a contest of swordsmanship, but a psychological battle. Who prepared more and who knows the opponent better will determine today's victory. "Raon." Glenn approached as he was raising his concentration by resonating the Ring of Fire. "I still don't like this plan." He shook his head, creating an aura barrier so others couldn't hear. "Even now, if we change it and I finish it..." "Then Derus will never reveal his true nature until he dies." Raon lowered his eyes as he turned his back. "Only I, who pose no threat to him, can do this." He bowed, asking Glenn to trust him. "Alright. I understand. However..." Glenn revealed eyes filled with heat as he returned to his original position. "If you seem to be in danger, I will intervene no matter what happens." "Yes. I'll be counting on you." He relaxed his tense expression only after hearing the request. Raon smiled as he looked around the dueling grounds again. 'Not bad.' Thinking that the continent's strongest swordsman was backing him up, his fear disappeared. It felt like he could do anything. -Th-This king is here too! Wrath suddenly shouted and leaped into the air. -If it's dangerous, summon this king! He waved his arms and perked up his ears as if not wanting to lose. 'Yes, yes.' As Raon chuckled and patted Wrath's head, Derus entered the training ground. He stepped onto the dueling grounds as if he didn't need any warm-up. "Are you ready?" "Yes. I'm finished." Raon nodded and drew the Heavenly Drive. "Then let's begin." As Derus reached behind him, Varian, the Young Sword Division Leader, handed him a blue-tinted sword. "Are both of you prepared?" The Vice Union Leader of the Beast Union had somehow climbed onto the dueling grounds and was officiating. "Yes." "Yes." Raon and Derus answered simultaneously, holding their swords at mid-level. "Then I declare the duel to begin!" The Vice Union Leader lowered his hand roughly and descended from the dueling grounds. "I'll give you three moves." Derus stepped back, saying as a senior martial artist, he would allow the first three attacks. "I won't hold back!" Raon kicked off the dueling grounds without hesitation. Advancing as if piercing through space, he swung the Heavenly Drive. The reddened blade tip wavered hazily, then bloomed into hundreds of flower petals. Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation. Fire Spirit. Even more fragments of flame advanced at twice the speed of before, enveloping Derus's entire body. "Swordsmanship with sharpness hidden in its beauty. The speed of execution is fast too, so not many could handle it easily. However..." Derus exhaled in admiration as he swung his sword down. His single, quiet strike completely quelled the Fire Spirit petals surrounding him. "It's still lacking. To take down a master in one breath, you need to raise your speed and variability even more." He gave sincere advice as if this were an instructional duel. Raon had anticipated the Fire Spirit would be cut down and used the Supreme Harmony Steps to dive behind Derus's back. Crimson Slash Thirty-Six Strikes. The finishing move of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, striking thirty-six points in an instant, shot out like lightning. "Your swordsmanship is so well-honed it's beautiful. Of course..." Derus rotated his wrist. As his sword traced a semicircle, the Crimson Slash Thirty-Six Strikes' sword energy helplessly subsided as if iron filings were drawn to a magnet. "The power and speed are still lacking." This time too, he smiled while pointing out the shortcomings. "Huff." Raon caught his breath while secretly observing Derus's hand. Despite unleashing the Fire Spirit and Crimson Slash Thirty-Six Strikes, not even the slightest mark had been left on his gloves. 'A new sword technique? He seems to have gotten stronger.' True to his reputation of not being inferior even to Glenn, Derus didn't waver at all in the face of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation swordsmanship. It felt like facing an unbreakable wall. 'But it doesn't matter.' Not a single part of his plan had been thwarted. The one who laughs last is the true victor. Raon charged at Derus, thrusting forward the Heavenly Drive he had drawn back. A whirlwind of flames erupted from the sword, forming the shape of a massive fire dragon. Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation Heavenly Drive. Flame Dragon Strike. The roar of the fire dragon, second to none in power, caused a tremendous explosion right before Derus's eyes. A crimson flame like a serpent's tongue and acrid smoke rose endlessly from the center of the dueling grounds. Derus used his sword to create a wind that pushed away the smoke, seemingly unaffected by the impact. However, his leather gloves were slightly torn. "Hmm." Raon swallowed dryly as he observed Derus's slightly torn gloves. Yet his chest beat very slowly, as if not excited at all. "A sword strike focused on power. It's good that you deliberately approached to detonate it. If you fix the parts lacking in precision, it will become excellent swordsmanship." Derus relaxed his defensive stance and stepped forward with his left foot. "The concession is over, shall we start properly now?" "By all means." Raon thrust the Heavenly Drive and Blade of Requiem into the ground of the dueling arena. "Sword Domain - Divine-Demonic Harmony." His low voice twists the world. Another sun rises in the sky, and a silver moon waxes on the opposite side. "Sword Domain, is it..." Derus licked his lips as if in anticipation. His eyes gleamed ominously. "You're making this more and more enjoyable." "Yes. It will be very enjoyable." Raon charged towards Derus Robert, grasping the Divine Sword and Demonic Sword. * * * Derus twisted his lips into a smile as he blocked Raon's sword strike. 'He's absurdly strong.' He had felt it when Raon blocked his surprise attack, but Raon Zieghart's Martial Prowess was real. An absolute talent that even he couldn't match. In the entire history of the continent, there might not be another person who reached this level at such a young age. 'Of course, talent means nothing.' No matter how strong Raon is, no matter how exceptional his talent, it doesn't matter. In the end, he will sink to the ground without blooming. Raon's sword traced an elegant change, like sunlight shimmering on water. The flaming sword that had been aiming for vital points all over his body now fell sharply, targeting his hand. 'As expected, he's aiming for my hand.' Derus twisted his lips as he deflected Raon's sword strike. From earlier, while pretending to aim for vital points, Raon had been subtly thrusting his sword towards his hand. The successive displays of flashy swordsmanship also seemed to be part of a plan to hide his intention of targeting the hand. 'Your acting wasn't bad.' But this was a fight you could never win from the start. As if hearing his mockery, a tremendous weight settled into Raon's sword. A sword strike that seemed to contain the sky. It appeared to be the Azure Sky Sword that Glenn had personally taught him. 'This much should be fine to take.' Although he could have blocked the Azure Sky Sword, Derus naturally allowed his leather gloves to be cut to see the despair on the faces of Raon and the old men of the Six Kings. Raon's sword strike tore through the thick leather gloves, revealing the back of his hand. He could almost hear the eyes of Glenn, Ogram, Chamber, Lecross, and the Mage Tower Master, who were watching the duel, rolling rapidly. "Those were gloves I was fond of." Derus held back his laughter and instead extended the back of his hand. Of course, not even the slightest wound was visible on his hand. "Hmm..." "As expected." "Haa..." The leaders of the Six Kings let out inaudible sighs, unable to sense the Doppelganger Hide. 'Of course, you wouldn't be able to tell.' The Doppelganger Hide doesn't move with mana. Even for a Transcendent Warrior, it's impossible to detect its existence. However, unlike the Six Kings leaders who showed slight disappointment, Raon's eyes remained unchanged. His face seemed to have expected this much. 'Right. You must have known.' Derus nodded, chuckling inwardly. Since he knows him well, he must have sufficiently predicted this situation. 'However...' You can't detect this hide either. The more Raon focused on the back of his hand, the more he was sinking into an endless swamp. 'I can even see how you'll move.' Just as Derus was about to move again, inwardly sneering, Raon's red Divine Sword shot towards him like a javelin, obscuring his vision. "Hmm!" Derus swung his sword down to deflect the incoming Divine Sword. He widened his eyes as if startled. "What's this?" "You were too fast, so this was the only way." Raon lunged forward, grabbing Derus's wrist as if proposing close-quarters combat. "You're quite impulsive, must be your youth." Derus opened his mouth as if surprised, but a rhythm of mockery was blooming in his chest. 'As expected, you came on your own.' No matter how strong Raon is, no matter how exceptional his talent, it doesn't matter. In the end, this was the only method left for him to try and reopen the wound on his hand. 'Your eyes are trembling.' Perhaps due to impatience, Raon's eyes wavered like waves hitting the shore. It seemed he still hadn't corrected that habit. Raon began to push his fiery aura into the back of Derus's hand, trying to reopen the scar. 'It's futile with your power.' Derus had concentrated his aura between the Doppelganger Hide and his real skin, blocking any space for Raon's energy to penetrate. "It doesn't seem to be working." Derus curled up the corners of his mouth while maintaining an extremely subtle aura barrier. "It's absolutely impossible with your level." "There's nothing absolutely impossible." Raon pushed more energy into Derus's hand as if struggling desperately. "I told you it won't work." Derus sneered as he reinforced his defenses even more. His gaze, which had been guarding his entire body, now flowed only to the back of his hand. While Glenn, the other Transcendent Warriors, and even Derus himself focused solely on the back of his hand, Raon saw beyond that. The Blade of Death, hidden in the depths of his heart, emerged. The faintly glowing blade ignored the solid defense protecting Derus's hand and pierced into his deepest core. The Ring of Fire illuminated the darkness, the emotion of wrath opened the path, and Alice's dimensional sword and Ogram's Fierce Wave Arts lent their power to pierce Derus's soul. "Wait..." By the time Derus realized he had been tricked and tried to pull his wrist away, it was already too late. The blade that cleaves death did not miss the fleeting opportunity and split open the seal of death sunken at the bottom of Derus's soul. A sound like the sky splitting rang out, and Derus's clear eyes turned pitch black. Death Aura danced like flames above his shoulders. "...You vicious bastard! It was all a deception!" Derus's jaw trembled as he looked at the death aura that had escaped his control. "It's not viciousness..." Raon twisted his lips into a smile as he faced the death aura writhing all over Derus's body. "It's thoroughness, Derus Robert."