The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman

sense, at least.”

Sheryl looked at Raon and Syria one after the other before she nodded.
She should've sent Syria back in that situation, but she was incapable of reading the atmosphere.

“If you are both unwilling to withdraw, then you should have a sword duel.”

She nodded, then raised a finger.

“Sword duel?”

Both Raon and Syria's eyes widened in surprise.

“Since we are at someone else's house, let's make it a small sword duel that ends in a single strike.”

“Single strike means…”

“The winner will be decided in a single strike.”

Sheryl tapped her scabbard while smiling faintly.

“If you win, you will get some time to talk with Runaan, and you will withdraw if Raon wins.
How about it?”

“That sounds good.”

“However, since you are on different levels, you are forbidden from using astral energy.”

“I accept.”

Syria nodded in satisfaction.

“Heavenly Blade leader, I…”

[Do it.]

As Raon was about to tell her he didn't want to make a bet with the frightened Runaan on the line, Sheryl's aura message could be heard.

[Syria is one of the most talented swordsmen in the entire continent.
Even though the match will end in a single strike, it will be extremely helpful for your growth.
Show me what you can do with all the lessons I gave you so far, and all the training you did every night.]

Raon's lips parted upon hearing that.

'Did she do all that for me in this situation?'

When his mouth was opening in surprise, she continued.

[Don't worry about Runaan.
I'll never give her to him, even if you lose.]

Sheryl's eyes sparkled as she took a glance at her.
She wasn't actually unable to read the atmosphere, she just created that situation while having noticed everything.

“I'll do it.”

Raon nodded, then turned to look back at Runaan.

“Runaan.”

“Mhm…”

Runaan raised her head for the first time.

“Watch what I do.”

Raon spoke, before stepping forward.

What a showoff…

'Shut up.'

Because he said all that, he couldn't lose anymore.
He needed to show Runaan that Syria wasn't an unbreakable wall.

“A single strike match.
How interesting.”

Syria unsheathed the greatsword from his back with a smile.
The energy emanating from the jet-black blade was so powerful that it felt suffocating.

“Haa…”

Raon caught his breath and raised Heavenly Drive.
Pure energy was storming above the white blade, contrasting with the greatsword's color.

“Ready.”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

At Sheryl's signal, Raon lowered his posture and pulled his sword back.
He took the Flame Dragon Art's posture, and a small light sparkled from Syria's eyes.

'I knew he would know this technique.'

Considering Syria's personality, he must've investigated Raon while he was checking on Runaan.
It was plain obvious that he would know about the Flame Dragon Art he had used to defeat Garon.

Shiish.

Syria very slightly turned his ankle and pulled his greatsword a bit more to the side.

'Quick sword.'

He must've been planning to deflect the Flame Dragon Art before it could gain momentum by adding speed into the greatsword's power.

“Begin.”

As soon as Sheryl finished speaking, Syria's greatsword pounced at him.
The jet-black blade pierced into the space and a tremendous amount of energy exploded.

'Just as I expected.'

He could ascertain that Syria was trying to interrupt the Flame Dragon Art with power and speed before it could show its true abilities.

However, Syria's strike was overflowing with wisdom, despite being a simple slash.
It almost looked like it was an extremely polished strike.
Taking it on with a sloppy strike would break Heavenly Drive and give him a fatal injury.

'There's no reason to use a weapon he has already analyzed.'

Raon poured all his energy into Heavenly Drive as he thrusted it.
A powerful flame was engulfing the blade, but the shape wasn't that of fierce dragon—it was a heavy mountain instead.

'Heavy sword.'

It was the heavy sword he got the hint of from Garon, then later understood through Sheryl's lessons.

Rumble!

Heavenly Drive was imbued with the principles that he'd mixed on his own and created a thick line.

The glimmering crimson light on the blade turned into a heavy tidal wave and flooded the atmosphere.

Whir!

Raon's heavy blade advanced while dominating the sky, clashing against Syria's greatsword.

Baam!

With an earth-shattering sound, a tremendous shockwave stormed through the surrounding area.

Cring!

Syria's greatsword was still emanating a huge amount of power without being pushed back by the shockwave, but its sword resonance sounded like it was screaming once it was blocked by Heavenly Drive, which was advancing while burning up the aura.

“H-How is this…?!”

Astonishment was reflected in Syria's dim pupils.
His reaction revealed that he never thought his sword would be stopped.

“Haa…”

Raon narrowed his eyes while maintaining the heaviness in Heavenly Drive's blade.

'This was the correct answer.'

Using a new heavy sword against Syria, who knew about the Flame Dragon Art, was a game-changer.
Not losing the bet was a great achievement, but his understanding of the heavy sword became incomparable to before thanks to that single clash.

'Hmm…'

Sheryl silently groaned while watching the greatsword and Heavenly Drive's competition.

'A draw?'

She was planning to make Syria withdraw by mentioning their ages and experience after Raon showed some skill.
She didn't even imagine he would manage to end the match in a draw.

'Even though Syria didn't use astral energy, he's still one of the Twelve Stars of the Continent…'

Although he fought with a disadvantage, it was ridiculous that he managed to achieve equality in a single strike match.
Sheryl couldn't even keep her face straight.

Creak!

She came back to her senses upon hearing the sword resonance coming from the clash and snapped her fingers.

“The match is over.”

She shot her aura to separate them.

“Since your attack was stopped midway, it's a draw.”

“N-No! This is…”

“There is no reason to say ‘no’.
This match was about a single strike.
Since you've been stopped, it is a draw.”

“Kuh…”

Syria looked completely irritated for the first time as he bit his lip.

“No one came out victorious, but it's obvious that Raon lacks experience and ability.
This match is Raon's victory.”

Sheryl shook her hand while stating the line she had prepared.

“……”

Syria glared at Raon fiercely without responding.
The emotion in his gaze was crystal clear.

“Syria, step back.
You lost.”

“Heavenly Division leader…”

“If you have complaints, I'll be your opponent.”

Sheryl crossed her arms and blocked Syria's path.
She was small, but the energy wave emanating from her overwhelmed Syria and soared to reach the end of the sky.

“…Alright.
I have no choice since I cannot 'currently' win against you, Raon.
I lost.
Your sword was amazing.”

Syria really was an outstanding guy.
He managed to regain his composure and smiled despite what happened.

“Runaan, I'll return later since it looks like you aren't doing too well today.
You should share this with your companions.”

He smiled gently and extended the hand holding the ice cream box.
It could be called amazing that he was still pretending to be a kind older brother.

“She doesn't need th…”

“I'll tell him.”

As Raon was about to refuse, Runaan stepped forward.

“Runaan?”

 

* * *

 

Runaan watched the entire situation from behind Raon's back.

She wanted to tell Syria to leave herself, but she couldn't move her body because she remembered Syria's voice telling her that he would kill everyone.

Even though it was her business, she entrusted everything to Raon and hoped that Syria would disappear while covering her ears.

When all sound became an unrecognizable ringing in her ears, Raon turned around and opened his mouth.

“Watch me properly.”

Although she had covered her ears, she could hear him perfectly.
She raised her head for the first time.

Rumble!

The tremendous energy exploding from Syria's greatsword looked like the sky itself.
Runaan screamed upon seeing the strike that could split apart everything in the world.

“Dodge!”

However, Raon didn't withdraw and slowly thrust his sword.
The flame on his blade was extended like a wall, encroaching on the space.

Clank!

Although Syria's greatsword looked like it could even split the ocean apart, it couldn't overcome Heavenly Blade's thin blade and let out a strange groan once it was stopped in the middle.

“Ah…”

Runaan exclaimed with trembling lips.

'He blocked it…'

Syria was a matchless existence in her head, someone that no one was able to stop.

Once his sword was stopped by Raon, the jet-black rain clouds filling her head fell with red rain.

'He wasn't unstoppable.'

Syria wasn't invincible.
His voice, which used to resound in her head, and his presence that used to cover the entire sky, started to decrease little by little.

Shatter!

She felt refreshed, as if she had been freed from the shackles binding her hands and feet.

'Raon.'

Released from her shackles, Runaan turned around and smiled faintly while looking at Raon's eyes, which widened in surprise.

If Syria taught her death for the first time, Raon taught her about unbreakable will for the first time.
He taught her that Syria could be overcome.

He would be more than a lifelong benefactor.

“Thank you.”

She expressed her gratitude, then took a step towards Syria, looking straight at him.

'I'm scared.'

She was still scared.
She wanted to avert her eyes.
However, she was able to face him because of Raon's warm energy behind her.

“I-I don't have anything to talk about with you, big brother.”

Runaan raised her head while biting her lip.
A small amount of confidence was sprouting in her purple eyes, surrounded by sunlight.

“Don't come to me until I visit you.”

Her voice was trembling, but she told Syria what she wanted to say for the first time.

“R-Runaan…”

The mask covering Syria's face shattered into pieces for the first time.