The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman

ostle.’

Garon’s astral blade was at a similar level to the seventh apostle that he fought before.
However, he was even more dangerous than the seventh apostle, since he was doing his best.
Although they only clashed once so far, his breathing was already affected.

‘However, I can hold out longer than before.’

He would end up being injured internally if he kept clashing against him, but the situation was a lot better than the fight against the seventh apostle.
Both his body and martial art had gotten better.

 “I told you that you would regret not finishing me off in the beginning.”

Garon narrowed his eyes while brandishing his sword, which was imbued with astral energy.

“This is the difference between an astral blade and aura thread.
You can’t win against me.”

He blasted the floor with his explosively bloated thigh to charge at him.

“Because I won’t be careless anymore!”

“Fine with me.”

Raon smiled coldly and used Supreme Harmony Steps.
Garon’s astral energy looked like it could tear through space, but Raon dodged it with a paper-thin difference and smacked the Fangs of Insanity against his face.

“The whole point is defeating you in your current state.”

He wanted clear evidence that he had defeated a Master while being an Expert.
That was the reason he was participating in that duel.

“You bastard!”

Garon pulled back his sword and brought it in front of his face.

Clang!

Likely because his timing was a bit off, the shock was weaker despite colliding with astral energy.

‘Which means…’

If he could lead the fight at his pace, he wouldn’t exactly lose to the astral energy.

“You bastard!”

Garon squeezed into his space in an instant to slash at him.
His sword looked like it had multiplied into six as it rained him with astral energy.

Rumble!

The intense pressure crushed his shoulders and his legs creaked.
The sword pressure was trying to limit his movements.

‘Sword of Halting Rain.’

It must’ve been the effect of the Sword of Halting Rain that he was told Garon could use.

Thud!

Raon used the Supreme Harmony’s first step.
He crossed the space and reached behind Garon.
He spread the Revolving Sky of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation towards his heart.

Flash!

The moment the blades of fire revolving like a cogwheel were discharged, Garon’s sword sparkled.
A barrier of astral energy melted down the Revolving Sky.
Despite his nasty personality, his martial arts were properly trained.

“I admit you are as fast as a mean rat, but your sword doesn’t work against me!”

“And I’m here to break through that.”

The part he had an advantage over Garon was footwork.
He needed to utilize the Supreme Harmony Steps as much as possible to make his sword reach him.

Thud!

Raon used the Supreme Harmony’s second step.
His vision narrowed for an instant, and he could see Garon’s eyes once it expanded back.

“What?”

To Garon's surprise, Raon thrusted the Fangs of Insanity towards his shoulder.
Heavenly Drive pierced through Garon’s defenses, surrounded by a thick layer of energy as it cut through his shoulder.

“Kuh!”

Garon groaned and frowned.
It was just a superficial wound, but he stepped back in panic while pointing his sword forward.

Raon’s eyes sparkled.
If Garon decided to withdraw instead of advance, it was his chance to continue his attacks.
He exploded the Fangs of Insanity consecutively, aiming at Garon’s side where an opening was created.

Slam! Slaam! Slaaam!

Each time the swords clashed with each other, an explosive sound burst out.
The straggling pieces of astral energy from the explosion tore apart Raon’s flesh and uniform, but he didn’t stop.

“Ack!”

“Huff!”

Garon withdrew once again, and Raon advanced once again.

Creak!

Facing Raon’s eyes, which were filled with madness as he refused to fall back while facing astral energy, Garon’s eyes wavered like a boat in a violent ocean.

“H-How can a mere aura thread do this?”

“Astral energy isn’t invincible.”

Raon smiled faintly.
Astral energy was certainly powerful, but it wasn’t invincible.
He used the Star Connecting Sword consecutively to deflect Garon’s attacks, piercing him with the Fangs of Insanity.

‘It’s not like I’m not taking any damage, though.’

He was already feeling nauseous.
Although his body and skills could already be called inhuman, it was still impossible to completely negate astral energy’s power.

“Huff!”

He couldn’t show his weakness on the outside.
He bit his tongue as he kept pressing Garon back.

“Kuh!”

Garon’s wavering intensified.
It looked like he couldn’t believe he was being pushed back.

“You’ve never fought against someone stronger than you, have you?”

“What?”

“I can smell it.”

Raon’s eyes sparkled in the same color as the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation.

“The scent of a coward who has only fought those weaker than him.”

“Shut up!”

Garon screamed and swung his sword.
His astral energy spread around like rainwater to block Raon’s every single escape route.
The tremendous energy was crushing his body from all directions.

Raon grit his teeth.
Heavenly Drive rotated elegantly to draw a majestic circle.

Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, Ten Flames.

Flame Spirit.

The flower buds appearing from the silver trajectory blossomed to cover the arena with crimson flower petals.

 Whaam!

The clash between the flower petals of flame and the astral energy devouring the space created a huge firestorm.

Creak!

Raon grasped his messed-up stomach and used the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation to the maximum.
The fiercely raging flame engulfed the astral energy and advanced.
Although he was lacking in power, his spirit didn’t lose.

Whir!

He turned his wrist while pushing Garon into a corner.
The Frost Pond’s blade of extreme quickness scratched Garon’s chest.
The injury was light, but it couldn’t be overlooked.
Red blood dripped down from the severed skin.

“Ah…”

Garon grasped the flowing blood and ground his teeth.
His eyes were glowing like a ghost.

“I’ll tear you apart until there’s no trace of you left!”

Garon stomped the ground, intensifying his aura to the point that it became visible to the naked eye.
Garon’s astral energy stormed at him between the pieces of the ground that were scattering from the explosion.

“Die!”

He charged at a tremendous speed, aiming to strike Raon.
The curved blade of astral energy multiplied into ten in an instant, and a powerful load was applied to Raon’s limbs.
The pressure didn’t allow proper movement.
It must’ve been the Sword of Halting Rain’s true power.

‘I can’t face him head on.’

Raon distanced himself from Garon’s space by using the Supreme Harmony’s first step and second step one after the other.
It was impossible for him to deflect the countless strikes aimed at him.
He needed to dodge and look for an opportunity.

“You won’t!”

However, Garon was also at Master level as a warrior.
He followed him with an extremely quick reaction and swung his sword.

Whoosh!

The wavering blade slashed past his chest.
His uniform was cut apart, and blood spurted out.

Swoosh!

The astral blade soaring like lightning was aimed at his neck.

Thud!

Raon used his footwork to push the ground and stepped back.
The moment Garon’s sword hit the ground, Raon dashed ahead to strike with the Fangs of Insanity.

Clang! Claang! Clang!

Raon ceaselessly rotated the Ring of Fire, canceling out Garon’s astral energy with his sword technique, strength and footwork.

‘This is the only way to win.’

It was impossible to injure Garon through his all-out astral energy.
The only way to achieve victory was by piercing into the barrier of astral energy and striking him with either Flame Dragon Art or Frost Pond.

That was why it was necessary to first analyze the Sword of Halting Rain’s flow and breathing, although it was a swordsmanship of the highest grade.

Whoosh!

Raon dodged the barrage of attacks with a paper-thin difference by utilizing the Supreme Harmony Steps to the maximum.

Although a single mistake or a single error in judgment could result in his limbs being severed, he dashed towards him instead.

Blood spurted from the astral energy brushing past his cheek, and his uniform was burned into pieces, but he kept running as if he didn’t care.
The only images reflected in his red eyes were the Sword of Halting Rain’s trajectory and breathing.

‘Right side.’

Garon’s sword, falling on his right side, grazed his shoulder slightly.

‘Underneath.’

The astral energy soaring from below, like raging fire, cut through his thigh.

‘It’s superficial, but I can see it.’

Maybe because the White Fragrance Sword—which could be called the Sword of Halting Rain’s foundation—was engraved in his brain and heart alongside the countless martial arts of the Light Wind members, Raon’s eyes were starting to get used to Garon’s breathing and flow despite him trying his best to defeat him.

‘Left side.’

A horizontal slash was aimed at the left side of his chest.
There were three blades, but only one of them was real.

Claang!

Raon lowered his posture, holding Heavenly Drive vertically and pushing back the astral energy.

‘Bottom left again.’

An even faster and stronger energy was trying to stab his left thigh.

Thud!

Raon moved his foot and advanced.
The flame on Heavenly Drive rotated violently to push back Garon’s barrier of astral energy.

‘I’m getting used to it.’

With his eyes getting used to Garon’s swordsmanship, he became capable of dodging his attacks at close quarters.

‘It’s throbbing.’

Countless martial arts were released, as if they were reacting to the throbbing of his heart.
The techniques and principles that he’d seen, felt and destroyed so far, were acting of their own accord to thoroughly analyze Garon’s sword.

Whir!

The blade thrusted at his head to change direction to his heart, the astral energy multiplying into ten to stab him, the techniques trying to mutilate his body—he could dodge all of them without a single scratch.

However.

‘Something is lacking.’

Even though he was dodging Garon’s attack with the Supreme Harmony Step’s miraculous movement, he still got the feeling that something was missing.
He felt like his heart was telling him to extend his hand at the same time he was dodging.

‘I shouldn’t, but why?’

Even though he still didn’t manage to grasp the opportunity to pierce through Garon’s astral energy, the Ring of Fire was telling him to advance one step further.
It was shouting at him to thrust his sword.

“Die!”

Garon’s sword fell vertically.
A deadly heavy sword with reduced variety and increased weight was falling upon him.

‘Let’s try it.’

Raon decided to trust the Ring of Fire and used the Supreme Harmony’s sixth step, He used the Star Connecting Sword along with the smoothest step.

Rumble!

The stability coming from his legs and the flexibility from his wrist flowed into the white blade.
Heavenly Drive perfectly deflected the astral energy radiating with a fierce light, landing a counterattack at Garon’s waist like lightning.

Slash!

Garon withdrew while groaning, grasping his waist.
Red blood was pouring out from his hand.

Gulp.

Raon swallowed nervously.

‘Is this the Supreme Harmony Steps?’

The Ring of Fire didn’t lie to him.
Deflecting by mixing the Supreme Harmony Steps with his swordsmanship reduced the shock to an incomparable degree.

“Kuaaah!”

Garon grit his teeth.
He pointed his sword towards the sky, exploding all of his remaining energy.
The astral blade that was reaching the sky multiplied into several dozens to cover the entire arena.

‘This is the Great Heavy Rainfall.’

The ultimate technique of the Sword of Halting Rain.
It was a cruel technique, meant to mutilate the opponent after limiting their movement by enclosing the entire space with astral energy.

Rumble!

A huge wall of astral energy was approaching.
He couldn’t see any way to escape.

Throb!

‘How can I defend?’ 

While he was wondering, his heart—resonating with rings of fire—told him.

‘It’s time to advance.’

Raon trusted in the martial arts that he had been cultivating and fixed his grip on Heavenly Drive.

Whir!

In his extremely focused state, he could see the mana particles fluttering in the air.

They were reflecting Glenn’s image from that night three months ago.

“I’ve created the Supreme Harmony Steps to match me.
You should learn my Supreme Harmony Steps, then turn it into your own to complete it.”

Lighting struck his brain upon remembering that sentence, which he had only slid by in the past.

‘My own Supreme Harmony Steps.’

‘I finally understand.’

He wasn’t telling him to create a new Supreme Harmony Steps.

He was telling him to maximize the swordsmanship’s effect by using the Supreme Harmony Steps that best harmonized with his technique.

Wham!

Raon stomped the ground.
The Supreme Harmony’s fifth step.
With steps as sharp as a spearhead, he pulled back Heavenly Drive.

Rumble!

He exploded all his remaining Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation’s energy in his energy center.
The flame bursting on his silver blade was glowing like the sun.

Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation, Ten Flames.

Flame Dragon Art.

The roar of the flame dragon pierced through the center of the blue tidal wave.