The Reincarnated Assassin Is a Genius Swordsman

Chapter 758 "A sparring match?" Karoon frowned deeply as he looked at Raon. "Why are you requesting a sparring match with me?" He asked for the reason first, seemingly not intending to refuse outright. "I want to see how effective my martial prowess is against a Transcendent Warrior." Raon straightened his back as he met Karoon's unwavering gaze, which was as still as a vast lake. "I wasn't able to fully demonstrate my abilities during the mission." He couldn't fully showcase his skills against Marang because of the surprise attack to prevent escape, and he was able to cut down the Greedy Demon and the White Demon Swordsman without much difficulty since their martial prowess hadn't reached the peak of Grandmaster. Through the enemy's swordsmanship, he had broadened his inner realm and gained dueling experience, but he felt like he had undergone incomplete combustion because he hadn't fully unleashed his abilities. To fill that void, he had been thinking about requesting a sparring match with Karoon even before returning to Zieghart. 'Karoon should be more than enough.' His intuition, built up through countless experiences, told him he couldn't win against Karoon, so he wanted to see just how effective his skills would be. 'I'll probably encounter more Transcendent Warriors in the future.' I need to prepare in advance. While it's difficult for the top-tier Five Demons to move, there's a high chance of encountering lower-ranked Transcendent Warriors. If I can gauge my abilities by clashing with them beforehand, it'll be a great help in future battles. "......" "Hmm." Karoon pressed his lips tightly, seemingly considering the sparring match, while Glenn let out a heavy sigh, as if displeased with the situation. "Nephew!" Balder called out to Raon, stomping his foot loudly. "I can fight you all day long. Come at me right now if you want!" He waved his hands enthusiastically, as if suggesting they fight right there in the audience chamber. "...I'll ask you another time." Raon stared at Balder with a blank expression before offering a smile of refusal. 'Balder wouldn't be bad either, but Karoon comes first.' Although Balder was also a supreme expert and fighting him would require full effort, Raon didn't think he would lose. Right now, he wanted to face the Transcendent Warrior Karoon, who could show him defeat and give him a glimpse of even greater heights. "My nephew sure has picky tastes." Balder clicked his tongue briefly before turning his gaze to Karoon. "Just do it for him. It's not that difficult, is it?" He shrugged his shoulders as he suggested Karoon spar with Raon. "Father..." Burren also bowed his head towards Karoon, as if pleading. "Raon Zieghart. I don't know what you're thinking, but..." Karoon slowly began to speak, as if he had finished contemplating. "I believe I owe you a debt." He looked at Burren before turning his gaze to Raon. "A debt? What do you mean...?" Raon narrowed his eyes. He had thought Karoon was harboring thoughts of revenge, so it was bewildering to suddenly hear about owing a debt. "When my planned misdeeds were exposed and I received permanent punishment, I had many thoughts while staring at the infirmary ceiling." Karoon closed his eyes gently as he brought up his shameful past. "I thought the stairs leading to the position of head of house had crumbled. At first, I cursed you, resented my father, and was angry at my subordinates. I tormented myself, screaming that I had done nothing wrong, but as time passed, I finally realized. I was the cause of everything, and I had created all the consequences. Only then could I see it." He lightly tapped his chest with his fist. "What I had lost was merely trivial, and the true treasure still remained within my soul." "If you mean treasure..." "It's Zieghart." Karoon calmly raised his gaze to look at Glenn and his throne. "Once I shed the ugly shell I had built up, I could see the Zieghart I had dreamed of since childhood. Only then did I realize how despicable and ugly a path I had walked. If I had become the head of house as I was, I would have regretted it even after death." He turned his eyes back to Raon. "It's thanks to you for stopping me." A small warmth appeared in Karoon's sharp gaze. "Thank you." "Um..." Raon swallowed dryly as he met Karoon's calm gaze. 'Has he changed this much?' Raon had thought Karoon had reached transcendence because he had originally reached the peak of Grandmaster, but that was a big misunderstanding. Karoon had achieved great growth not in martial prowess, but mentally. It seemed his limits were not just simple transcendence. "Pa-Palace Master of the Central Martial Palace?" "For the Palace Master to say such things..." "Is that really you, brother? Not a doppelganger?" The direct lineage members and Balder widened their eyes in shock at Karoon's words. "Father!" Burren's eyes blazed with shining enthusiasm. It was as if he had returned to his trainee days when he respected Karoon. "I'll repay that debt now." Karoon nodded calmly and looked up at Glenn. "I will accept the Light Wind Division Leader's request for a sparring match." He bowed his head, asking for permission. "......" Glenn silently looked at his son and grandson in turn. He slowly nodded, unaware of what expression he was making. "Permission granted." "Thank you." Karoon bowed to Glenn again and turned his back. "Shall we go right away?" He nodded slightly and left the audience chamber first. "Of course." Raon nodded heavily and left the audience chamber. It seemed like the sparring match would be tougher than he had anticipated. "Pa-Palace Master of the Central Martial Palace!" "Division Leader!" "Raon!" "Can we watch too?" The executives and the Light Wind division also left the audience chamber, following behind them. "Will it be alright?" Rimmer frowned, seemingly concerned about Karoon's change. "......" Glenn lowered his eyelids as he stepped down from the platform. He slowly opened his eyes, recalling Karoon's gaze that seemed to have returned to his childhood. "There's no need to worry." *** Raon exhaled softly as he stood facing Karoon in the head of house's great training ground. 'I didn't think this would actually happen.' He hadn't thought they would actually fight, since Karoon had no reason to spar with him. It was rather burdensome that Karoon had honestly expressed his feelings and offered to repay a debt. "Nephew, don't be too nervous!" Balder waved his hand broadly. "He's not going to kill you, you know!" He nodded as if to say 'trust your family'. "Raon." Burren also nodded, as if telling Raon to trust Karoon. -From what this king can see, those eyes look like this rascal is trying to kill you. On the other hand, Wrath chuckled, saying Karoon was trying to kill him legally. 'I'm not sure.' Raon let out a short sigh. Unlike before, he couldn't read Karoon's mind at all. "Begin." Glenn announced the start of the sparring match, crossing his arms. It seemed he wouldn't intervene no matter how the match progressed. "Raon Zieghart." Karoon revealed his sharp eyes as he drew his sword. "What you want isn't just a simple sparring match, but a clue to reach transcendence, right?" "That's correct." There was no reason to lie, so he nodded. "Then one exchange should be enough for this match." Karoon took a step forward, tilting his sword downward. "One exchange?" Raon's eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean by that...?" "The difference between your swordsmanship level and mine isn't that great." Karoon nodded, acknowledging Raon's swordsmanship. "But right now, if I fight you, I will never lose." "I'm sure that's true." Despite acknowledging defeat, Raon's eyes didn't lose their spirit at all. "I'll show you why." Karoon raised his sword to the upper position, as if one strike would be enough. It was a basic downward slash stance, but a magnificent aura that seemed capable of splitting the world began to flow from him. "Ugh..." "W-What is this...?" "It's hard to breathe..." The executives stepped back from Karoon, swallowing hard. "I-It's hard to keep my eyes open." "I can't straighten my back..." "Watch even if you have to force yourself! You'll regret it for life if you miss this!" The Light Wind division struggled even more than the executives, but they supported each other and refused to close their eyes until the end. "Raon Zieghart. Show me everything you've got." Karoon nodded, telling Raon to pour all his martial prowess into one strike. It seemed he was willing to take it all. "Understood." Raon calmly exhaled as he drew the Heavenly Drive. Pointing the sword tip towards the sky, he opened his mental world. Sword Domain: Heaven's Rift. The swords filling his mental image descended upon the blade of the Heavenly Drive, releasing a grand willpower. The swordsmanship techniques that had sprouted in his mind bloomed like various flowers on the thin blade. The myriad sword techniques merged into one, igniting a golden flame. Karoon slowly lowered his sword as he watched Raon's sword strike approach. "Sword Domain: Emperor." The tyrannical energy imbued in his sword began to crumble heaven and earth. A thrilling spirit and overwhelming self-confidence. It felt like the dignified and elegant presence of a ruler who had truly ascended to the throne of an emperor. 'This is...' Raon's jaw trembled. 'Is this transcendence?' He felt a willpower that was on a completely different level from a Grandmaster. There was a stark difference in the completeness of their martial artistry. 'I'll definitely be overwhelmed, but...' Still, he had to go for it! Even under Karoon's overwhelming pressure that seemed to not let go of his hands and feet, Raon didn't give up and struck down with Heaven's Rift until the end. But Karoon's sword didn't waver. As if a massive pillar had been erected behind it, it crushed Heaven's Rift without the slightest tremor. A tremendous explosion erupted, causing the entire training ground to collapse. The collision of such immense forces caused brown tornadoes to rise from all directions. As Glenn waved his hand, the aura tornadoes that were about to engulf the executives and the Light Wind division subsided as if nothing had happened, revealing the state of the training ground. Raon was kneeling on one knee with the Heavenly Drive thrust into the ground, while Karoon stood still with his sword pointed at Raon's forehead. A single drop of blood trickled from Raon's forehead and fell onto the chaotic ground of the training field. "Did you see it?" Karoon withdrew his sword while looking down at Raon. "I saw it." Raon exhaled heavily as he met Karoon's calm gaze. "Then that's enough." Karoon nodded and turned around. It seemed he was leaving, having finished what he came to do. 'What was that...?' It was just a feeling, but Karoon seemed stronger than the Black Tower's Transcendent Warrior, the Flame Demon General, whom he had met before. He didn't need to use his Sword Domain, but he had done so to show his realization. Honestly, Raon couldn't understand it. "Palace Master of the Central Martial Palace." Raon forced strength into his legs and stood up. "What is it?" "Why did you go this far for me?" "Didn't I say I owed you a debt?" "Didn't you once believe that we would fight for the position of head of house? Why are you doing this for someone who could become your enemy?" Although he had no interest in the position of head of house now, his mind could change. He couldn't understand why Karoon would show everything to someone who could become his competitor. "Isn't it because we're Zieghart?" Karoon nodded slightly as if that was reason enough, and left the training ground. "......" Raon stared wide-eyed at Karoon's back. He couldn't react at all, not expecting such words from that person. -Well, well... Wrath also let out a surprised breath. -I've often seen young ones like you change, but even this king has never seen an older human change like that before. He stroked his chin, marveling at how truly fascinating humans were. 'Same here.' It was also his first time seeing someone of that age, power, and status show such a drastic change. The surprise still hadn't worn off. "Father!" Burren followed after Karoon with eyes burning more intensely than ever before. The direct lineage executives also rushed out of the training ground, seemingly moved. "I didn't expect Karoon to change like that." Rimmer laughed, holding his head with interlocked fingers. "Though it seems you've lost your training time with your grandson because of it." "Nonsense." Glenn snorted and turned his head. Despite losing his time with Raon, a gentle smile played on his lips. "It feels like a prodigal son has returned home, all grown up." *** As Raon returned to the annex building, he reflected on Karoon's sword. 'It was strong yet noble.' Karoon's sword held the aristocratic elegance that Burren couldn't discard. Seeing elements he thought unnecessary in practical combat transform into absolute power in the realm of transcendence left him dumbfounded. It seemed that transcendence contained something unimaginable from the lower realms. 'It must be related to his change as well.' Karoon's sword that he had seen before was merely strong, but now it seemed clear that as he realized his own mistakes, his original elegance and nobility had been imbued into his sword. 'Do I need to find such a clue too?' Although he had witnessed Karoon's realization, he still didn't know what he himself should be looking for. Finding that was the priority. -For now, it's not transcendence, but food! Wrath waved his hands, urging Raon to eat quickly. 'Right. That's true.' He nodded with a slight smile. There was no point in rushing things. Having completed his mission, it was time to rest for now. "Hm...?" Raon stopped abruptly as he was about to enter the annex building through the garden. He saw something large behind the lake that hadn't been there before. "There was a rock there... Gasp!" The object he thought was a rock suddenly stood up and stretched out long. A bear. A huge fire bear at that. With mountains behind, he had thought there might be animals like bears, but this was the first time he'd actually seen one. -Bear! Delicious bear it is! Wrath wagged his tail, excited about the new menu item. The bear, seemingly noticing the light from the annex building, started running quickly across the lake. "Oh no." He used his footwork to block the bear. But the bear, as if it had never been aiming for the annex building in the first place, changed direction and lunged at him. "Huh...?" "Raon!" As he blinked in surprise, the bear's mouth opened and human speech burst out. "Gasp!" -Ugh! As soon as they saw the talking bear, Raon and Wrath started running in the opposite direction.