The Reincarnated Assassin Is a Genius Swordsman

Chapter 753 Raon let out a hollow laugh as he looked down at the entrance of the arena. 'It's like a swarm of bees.' Where did all these people come from? As soon as the weekend arrived, an uncountable number of people flooded into the arena. It was unbelievable that they all came to Hollam just to watch his duel with Martha. 'Well, we're both undefeated. I guess they're curious to see who will win.' Since entering the arena, he and Martha had achieved overwhelming victories. News had spread that two fighters so strong that the champion was reluctant to accept their challenge were going to face each other. It wasn't surprising that people were flocking from all over the continent. 'Was the betting odds even?' Martha overwhelmed her opponents with her ferocious personality and raw strength, while he subdued his challengers with mocking psychological warfare and speed. Their contrasting styles garnered even more attention and expectations, resulting in evenly split odds. Raon twisted his lips as he watched a middle-aged man with blue hair swagger into the arena. 'I wonder where that gambling addict placed his bet.' Rimmer, disguised as a middle-aged nouveau riche, had been shuttling between gambling dens and bars all day. Judging by his slick, oily face, he seemed to be having a good time. -That Pointy Ears has improved his skills. Wrath glared at Rimmer, clearly displeased. 'Indeed. It's quite strange.' Despite spending the entire day gambling and drinking, Rimmer's aura and movements remained stable. It was puzzling how he had improved when he couldn't have trained all night. -I've always said this. At some point, mental imagery becomes the most important. Wrath waved his round hands up and down. -By the time you reach Grandmaster level, you can gain as much from mental imagery as from physical training. He snorted, telling Raon not to focus on just one aspect. -However, to improve his skills in such a short time, it seems that Pointy Ears has undergone some kind of mental change. Wrath narrowed his eyes, saying such a change wasn't easy. 'A change in mentality, huh...' After the sparring match at the head of house's training ground, Rimmer's eyes and aura had clearly changed. While he still swaggered and slacked off, he had undoubtedly grown mentally. 'But...' Raon narrowed his eyes as he watched the dwindling line of people. 'When are those guys coming?' While the arena was bursting with spectators and gamblers, not a single hair of the Black Tower's demonized humans or the Holy Sword Alliance's Sword Fanatics could be seen. 'There's no way I could have missed them.' He had been watching all the entrances since the first spectator arrived. Since he couldn't have missed them, they must not have arrived yet. 'They'll definitely come.' The Greedy Demon doesn't lie when it comes to money. Raon activated Wrath's demonic eyes to scrutinize the arena's interior and exterior more closely. As the flood of people began to subside, a group cloaked in black robes entered through the left corridor. Though they suppressed their aura, a sinister stench seemed to seep from their robes. 'They're here.' Raon's fingertips tensed. 'It's the Black Tower.' True to their nature as monsters using demonic energy and death energy, the Black Tower's demonized humans emitted a repulsive odor even while concealing their aura. However, from the man at the forefront, no aura or smell could be detected. 'Is that Marang?' Black eyes gleamed between the robes, chilling enough to raise goosebumps. It felt like looking into darkness itself, not at a human. As Denning Rose had said, he was a top-tier Grandmaster among Grandmasters. Marang, paying no attention to the preliminary open duels, headed straight for the top-floor viewing area where Tugui was. The remaining demonized humans stood still like statues. Raon watched Marang's back as he climbed the stairs, then shifted his gaze to the right. 'Holy Sword Alliance.' With footsteps that seemed to make every hair stand on end, swordsmen clad in gray robes entered. Unlike the Black Tower, they didn't hide their faces, and their sharp aura felt like a blade's edge. 'That must be the White Demon Swordsman.' His gaze naturally fell on the man at the front. His complexion was ghostly pale, and his arms and legs were abnormally long. From his body, unnaturally suited for a swordsman, emanated a well-honed sword aura. That man seemed to be the Holy Sword Alliance's White Demon Swordsman. 'He's strong.' An aura that suggested he could cut down anyone who approached enveloped his entire body. The White Demon Swordsman was also a top-tier expert, not inferior to Marang. -Hmm... Wrath stroked his chin as he observed the White Demon Swordsman ascending to the top-floor viewing area. -They're insignificant like insects to me, but they're not far behind your level. Can you really take down all three of them? He squinted his eyes, looking doubtful. 'Not three, but two. And...' Raon licked his lips as he looked up at the viewing area. 'If I can't handle that much, I might as well give up on revenge altogether.' Derus Robert is a monster who has reached the pinnacle among Transcendent Warriors. To defeat him, one must constantly challenge difficult missions. After imprinting the martial prowess and movements of Marang, the White Demon Swordsman, and the Greedy Demon in his mind, Raon returned to the waiting room. "You're here!" Dorian, who had been waiting in the room, bowed his head. "They say the duel will start soon, so please get ready." He relayed the manager's message as he stepped closer. "And Rose said that all the beasts have entered." Rose meant Denning Rose, and beasts referred to the Light Wind division. It meant that all personnel were in their designated positions. "Did you distribute all the antidotes?" Raon tilted his chin as he looked at Dorian. "Yes." Dorian nodded quickly. "Then tell them to drink it just before my duel with Martha starts, as planned." "Phew, understood..." He sighed, clutching his heaving chest. "I-I'm a bit nervous. I'm not sure if I can do well..." Dorian licked his lips as he grasped his left wrist with his right hand. "It's okay." Raon shook his head calmly. "Think about the training you've done." "Hmmph!" Dorian wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and nodded vigorously. "I'm suddenly feeling very confident." He bowed his head, saying he was fine now, and left the waiting room. -The wallet doubts himself, but he doesn't doubt you. Wrath snorted as he watched Dorian leave without a word, seemingly trusting Raon. "Then I'll have to live up to that trust." Raon flexed his fingers and curled his lips. "And I told you, he's not a wallet." -You're the one treating him like a wallet! "It's been a while for both of you." Tugui greeted Marang and the White Demon Swordsman with open arms. "Welcome to Hollam." He spoke like a king, as if the Lawless Zone Hollam was his own land. Marang briefly scanned the Greedy Demon before sitting down on the right side without a word. Even with his hands folded, he showed no openings. "Your jewels have increased." The White Demon Swordsman sat on the left side, his voice tinged with a metallic sound. He rested his hand on the sword hilt, ready to draw at any moment, and tilted his chin. "I like money, but I hate just hoarding it." Tugui smiled as he fingered the rings on all ten of his fingers. He personally poured drinks for Marang and the White Demon Swordsman before sitting down in his own seat. Hey. "I'll decline as I'm on duty." Marang didn't even look at the drink, and the White Demon Swordsman pushed his glass forward, seemingly uninterested. "How narrow-minded." Tugui muttered that there was no poison and emptied his glass first. "Why did you call us today? You must have had time last week too." The White Demon Swordsman frowned, watching the slightly shaking liquid in his glass. "Today is the day our arena's best fighters clash. An enormous amount of money is at stake." The Greedy Demon set down his glass and turned his eyes towards the arena below. "It's nice when a lot of money comes in at once, isn't it?" He chuckled, saying that ordinary income no longer satisfied him. "What a pathetic reason." The White Demon Swordsman clicked his tongue but followed the Greedy Demon's gaze to observe Raon and Martha standing in the arena. "Are they naturals?" He immediately grasped Raon and Martha's physical talents and licked his lips. Marang, seemingly uninterested in anything but the deal, kept his gaze fixed straight ahead without turning. "Yes. They're both born naturals." Tugui nodded, rubbing his palms together. "How much can you offer for those two corpses?" He wiggled his finger at Marang. "Two?" The White Demon Swordsman furrowed his brows. "Isn't one supposed to come out alive?" "Ah, sometimes they fight too fiercely and both end up dead." Tugui laughed, saying it might happen by chance. "You've used trickery." The White Demon Swordsman snorted and pushed his glass further away. "Don't worry. I don't mess with regular customers who bring in money on their own." Tugui waved his hand dismissively and looked at Marang. "Since I've sealed their aura with poison, we can extract an enormous amount of life force. How about it?" Only then did Marang's gaze lower to the arena below. His eyes, filled with darkness, glimmered faintly. "A thousand." Marang called out the number of gold coins without a moment's hesitation. "Call. As expected, you're refreshingly direct." Tugui clapped his hands, pleased with the response. "Then let's proceed with the deal after watching the duel. Today, we'll be able to see a spectacular sight..." "Not interested." Marang shook his head, indicating he didn't care about the duel. He pulled out an old book and a longsword from his spatial storage. "The Holy Martial Sword Manual, Changra Sword." He glared at the White Demon Swordsman, as if urging to proceed with the transaction. "You're still as impatient as ever." The White Demon Swordsman, without taking his eyes off the sword manual, pulled out a necklace with a bead the size of a thumb. Inside the bead, white and black mist-like substances seemed to be fighting, as if trying to devour each other. "This is the Black and White Spirit Bead you wanted." He carefully placed the necklace on the table. Suddenly, Marang's eyes, which had seemed devoid of emotion, began to glitter with dark desire. "I suppose if you have money, that's the real spectacle." The Greedy Demon smirked and reached out with both hands to pick up the sword manual, sword, and necklace. "They're all genuine. I stake my eyes on it as a guarantee." He examined the Black and White Spirit Bead, the Holy Martial Sword Manual, and the Changra Sword in turn, then nodded emphatically. "Then, let's start the transaction..." Just as Tugui was about to motion for the money, an enormous roar erupted from the arena. "You know that even a Transcendent Warrior would have a hard time coming here with the three of us present." Tugui smiled, gesturing downwards with his fingertip. "Let's watch for a bit first." The three of them simultaneously looked down. With a thunderous sound, Raon deflected Martha's fist filled with killing intent and lowered his stance. "Keep going. They're watching us now." His voice remained calm, in contrast to the intense battle. "How do you know that?" Martha frowned, aiming a left hook at his chin. "Because I've recovered my aura." "You've recovered? Already?" She let out a gasp of disbelief. "I guess my body adapted after being constantly exposed to the poison." Thanks to the 'Poison Resistance' trait and the 'Ring of Fire', his body had eliminated the poison on its own, even though he hadn't actively sought to detoxify. As a result, he was now in peak condition. "There's probably about 50 seconds left." Martha bit her lip, acknowledging that both she and the Light Wind division needed more time. "Then keep coming at me. With all you've got." Raon taunted Martha by wiggling his finger. "We can't lose their attention now." He could sense it through his aura perception. Tugui, Marang, and the White Demon Swordsman were watching the arena from the top-floor viewing area. They needed to hold their attention until all members of the Light Wind division had recovered. "Alright. Let me show you what I've gained here!" Martha gritted her teeth and charged forward, throwing a punch. Even without her aura, the wind whistled past her ears. Her movements were as vicious as if she were targeting a mortal enemy. With a light step, Raon dodged Martha's attack and struck her abdomen. Martha, who had been charging like a mad dog, staggered back two steps. "Uaaagh!" Even though he had controlled his strength, the pain must have been intense. Yet she charged at him with even more frenzy, her eyes seeming to have forgotten their mission. -Urgh! Wrath hid behind his own back as he saw Martha's flashing eyes. -The, the beef girl has gone mad! He trembled, seemingly terrified of Martha. 'She's doing very well.' Raon curled his lips as he deflected Martha's fist and struck her chin with the back of his hand. Despite her brain likely being rattled, Martha didn't back down and continued her assault. She seemed like a person who had erased the concepts of pain and fear. "Kyaaaah!" Martha unleashed a barrage of explosive punches, drawing on her accumulated duel experience. It was an impressive development, even if not swordsmanship. The once-noisy arena fell silent in the face of Raon and Martha's fierce confrontation. Everyone present held their breath, focusing intently on the duel. However, the fighters themselves were more focused on something other than the battle. "It's here." Martha said her aura had recovered as she jabbed her fist at Raon's shoulder. The moment Raon confirmed Martha's aura had returned, he stamped his foot, signaling the Light Wind division. With a thunderous roar, the Light Wind division swordsmen set off explosions throughout the arena. "Uwaagh!" "Wh-What's going on!" "Why are there sudden explosions!" As the spectators who had been focused on the duel began to scream and move, the entire arena started to shake. However, the Black Tower's demonized humans and the Holy Sword Alliance's Sword Fanatics waiting on the second floor maintained their positions despite the chaos. Of course, this too was as expected. "Martha." Sensing that the Demon, Marang, and the White Demon Swordsman's attention was scattering, Raon nodded to Martha. "Got it!" Martha stomped the ground with all her might. Instead of charging at Raon, she leaped towards the top-floor viewing area. With a thunderous crash, Martha's fist shattered all the glass in the top-floor viewing area, but the Black Tower's demonized humans and the Holy Sword Alliance's Sword Fanatics from the lower floors blocked her path. "Who are you!" "How dare you!" The moment the demonized humans and Sword Fanatics struck Martha, causing her to fall, crimson flames erupted from beneath the arena. The swirling flames targeted the Greedy Demon, Marang, and the White Demon Swordsman simultaneously, emitting tremendous heat. "A pointless ambush." Tugui sneered as he suppressed the powerful but obvious flame attack. "Greedy Demon! You bastard!" The White Demon Swordsman gritted his teeth as he cut through the raging flames. "Do you think I'd do something so obvious?" Tugui shrugged, implying it wasn't his plan. "Bullshit! If not you, then that gloomy bas... Huh?" It was the moment the White Demon Swordsman turned to look for Marang. With a piercing sound, a frost-imbued demonic sword plunged into Marang's chest, while a divine sword wreathed in flames sliced through his neck. In the brief instant when the two were suppressing the surging flames, Marang's body was split into three pieces and burst into flames. As shock registered in the eyes of the Greedy Demon and the White Demon Swordsman, Raon turned his back. A golden light flashed in his red eyes. "Next."