The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman
Chapter 880:

Raon bit his lip as he stared at the black, torn rift in space.

‘Just as Wrath said…’

An overwhelming presence that pressed him to his knees and squeezed his chest. The Balrog standing within that dimension possessed an aura on par with the Demon Kings he’d faced before.

[It seems I’m too late. I came because it felt like you’d fallen into a trap set for me.]

A dull, emotionless voice echoed from deep within the swirling black dimension, making Raon’s heart drop. From the words, it seemed the Black Tower’s true target wasn’t the Balrog he’d just killed, but rather the Balrog King—Askarai.

[Were you trying to draw me out?]

Askarai’s crimson gaze flashed and fixed on Raon. It felt like his eyeballs were being scorched atop hot iron.

‘He’s got a different personality from the other Demon Kings.’

Unlike the others, Askarai didn’t bother hiding his aggressive aura. Just standing in front of him was draining Raon’s mental strength at an alarming rate.

Raon stayed silent, keeping a calm face. Thanks to [Mind Like Still Water], he could maintain his composure even within the storm of Askarai’s immense pressure.

– What are you thinking?

Wrath frowned suspiciously.

– Usually you’d be mimicking me and running your mouth by now.

‘This time is dangerous.’

Raon replied, forcing his racing heart to slow.

‘I need to think carefully.’

This guy wasn’t a Demon King.

Askarai was a monster who’d left the Demon King’s throne behind just for the thrill of fighting. If he tried to impersonate Wrath as he had with the other Demon Kings, Askarai might just rip through the dimension and snap his neck on the spot. For now, silence was best.

– You really do think fast.

Wrath clicked his tongue, sounding almost regretful.

– You’re right. If you’d tried acting like me, that fiend would’ve come for you in an instant. He can’t use his full power here, but still.

He snorted, calling himself a slippery eel.

‘Did you fight him before?’

– Of course I did! He attacked me the moment we met.

Wrath narrowed his eyes, recalling old memories.

‘Did you win?’

– Obviously!

Wrath scowled.

– I froze that maniac and threw him into the deepest abyss of Devildom. He’s tough as hell, though. Eventually he crawled back out.

He shook his head at the memory.

‘So you didn’t kill him.’

– I actually liked him a bit. There aren’t many like that, even in Devildom.

Wrath gave a short laugh, admiring Askarai’s audacity to leave the Demon King’s throne.

‘Yeah…’

Raon clicked his tongue softly. Hearing Wrath’s story made it even more certain:

The Balrog King, Askarai, was exactly the battle-crazed monster he’d heard about.

‘Then if I just stay quiet, he’ll probably leave.’

Even as a transcendent, Raon was nowhere near enough to catch this monster’s interest. He didn’t seem to care about revenge for his kin either, so if Raon stayed quiet, Askarai would probably just go.

[You’re not going to answer? Well, fine. I have no interest in battles that are already over—hmm?]

Askarai looked like he’d turn to leave, but then inhaled sharply. His burning red eyes froze upon the silver frost rising from the Balrog’s corpse.

[Silver Aurora… Could it be, Glacier?]

Askarai’s gaze burned even brighter, and the pressure pouring from him instantly intensified.

[Wrath? Is that you!]

For the first time, emotion filled Askarai’s voice—so much so it felt like Raon’s ears might burst.

‘Damn…’

Raon bit the inside of his cheek.

‘He recognized Glacier.’

He must have realized from experience fighting Wrath. It was like a hornet’s nest had come flying at him.

– Hoho?

Wrath’s blue eyes sparkled.

– At last, my chance!

He smacked his lips, excited.

– You can’t talk sense with that guy! If he comes out, I’ll have to handle him myself!

Wrath wiggled his fingers eagerly.

– Give me your body right now!

‘Stay out of it.’

Raon swatted Wrath aside and let out a heavy sigh.

‘The situation just got a lot more dangerous…’

A single misstep could get not just him but everyone else here killed. Cold sweat trickled down the back of his neck.

‘Think, fast.’

He ran through every scenario Wrath had told him about Askarai, replaying all his past experiences, and finally settled on the most promising answer.

[Wrath! Answer me!]

Askarai’s pressure swelled to the point it felt like he would tear the dimension apart if he didn’t get a reply. Raon’s fingers shook and his hair stood on end.

“Sigh, what a pain you are.”

Raon imitated Wrath’s tone, letting out a short sigh.

After listening to Wrath for so long, the voice and mannerisms came out naturally.

[It really is you! Wrath!]

Askarai nodded as if he’d expected it.

[There’s no other demon who could wield this kind of frost!]

His eyes glittered with the joy as if he is meeting a long-lost friend.

– Uhehehehe!

Wrath burst into laughter at the sight of Askarai trembling.

– You made a rookie mistake trying to act like me! Now you can’t stop him!

He gleefully rubbed his chubby hands.

‘It’s not a mistake—I want him to come out, just like you said.’

– Huh? What are you talking about…?

Wrath stared at him with wide eyes.

‘Not for free, of course.’

Raon shook his head, then looked down into the dimension where Askarai stood.

[Yes. That aura, that power—only the Lord of Wrath could have it! But…]

Askarai’s red eyes narrowed.

[Why are you so weak? You even used your trump card on someone like this!]

He stamped his foot in disappointment, and the shockwaves rolled through the underground, even from outside the dimension. Such was the force of his power.

“You’re still as dumb as ever.”

Raon snorted and shook his head.

“Does this pathetic body look like mine to you?”

[Then…?]

“I’m only here because my subordinates were in danger. I just sent a spirit form with a bit of my strength.”

He flicked his hand, claiming he’d only sent a small fragment of power.

“If I lost a little strength ripping open the dimension on short notice, so what? Crushing a dumb Balrog like that was nothing.”

Raon said it was easy and stomped the frozen Balrog’s corpse, shattering it.

[You broke through the dimension with a spirit form and did that much?]

Askarai laughed in disbelief.

“There’s nothing I can’t do.”

He looked up arrogantly, as if to ask if Askarai could do the same.

[Interesting!]

Askarai shouted with glee, clapping his fists together. The shockwaves made the black dimension churn like a raging sea.

[Fighting like that should be fun.]

Without hesitation, he grabbed the space itself and tore it open with both hands.

‘CRACK!’

A flawless white arm shot out of the fractured space.

With thin fingers that didn’t match his overwhelming power, Askarai conjured black flames and dropped them onto the Balrog’s corpse.

‘BOOM!’

Wrapped in black fire, the Balrog’s body floated up, rapidly regrowing flesh and bone—regeneration beyond even a troll’s. It was like watching a phoenix rise from the ashes.

‘THUD!’

Revived by black flames, the Balrog stood and clenched his fists.

Inside his new eyes burned the same overwhelming force as Askarai’s.

“How’s this?”

The Balrog’s voice carried immense weight. It was Askarai’s voice from within the black dimension.

“This should make things even, right?”

He called forth blackened demonic energy, looking like a wave of black lava behind him.

– You idiot! That guy can’t be reasoned with!

Wrath screamed.

– Even if you beat Askarai like this, he’ll force his way through with his real body next!

He insisted that Raon let him take over.

‘Just watch.’

Raon gestured for Wrath to step back, clicking his tongue.

‘At least things are going according to plan…’

Askarai wasn’t here in person; he was just using the dead Balrog’s body, and he’d burned up a lot of energy crossing over.

With so much of his power diminished, Raon could at least hang on for now.

‘Though I do have to use a sword…’

He’d already thought about that, and threw out the last bait.

“Even your puppet is weak.”

Raon clicked his tongue as if disappointed.

“I don’t even need to use my full power.”

He turned his chin, declaring he’d fight only with his subordinate’s strength.

“Yes. That’s the arrogance I expect from you, Wrath. But…”

Askarai grinned wide, black flames burning.

“This time will be different!”

He vanished, leaving only a trace of black fire, then reappeared above Raon’s right side.

‘Fast.’

As expected of the Balrog King—his use of power was far more precise and skilled than the one Raon had just fought.

He was faster and more refined, even while using less energy.

‘Then…’

Raon planted the Heavenly Drive and Soul Requiem Sword into the ground.

[Sword Field Creation – Divine-Demonic Harmony].

Drawing both the divine and demonic swords, he struck at Askarai’s fist as it came barreling in through the black flames.

‘CLANG!’

Sword and fist collided with a sound like crashing steel, and a tremendous shockwave rattled the entire underground.

“A sword?”

Askarai frowned in disbelief.

“You’re actually going to fight me with a sword?”

“A sword’s just a sword. You just have to swing it.”

Raon mocked, making a remark no swordsman would ever utter.

“Even from you, I can’t accept that insult.”

Askarai creased his brow and reached into the air.

“Come forth, Bastar!”

His cry split the dimension, opening a space dyed in black.

From a hell of crimson magma emerged a massive black greatsword, forged from darkness itself.

The black sword radiated intense heat, making the air in the underground shimmer.

– He’s serious now.

Wrath twisted his lips at the sight of the sword called Bastar.

– His body may be fake, but that sword is the real deal.

That was Askarai’s real weapon.

“I’ll cut you down with a single blow for that disrespect!”

Askarai swung Bastar downward.

Black flames surged, sweeping over the entire cavern as if burying the world in ashes.

“……”

Raon watched the raging storm of black fire, biting his lip.

‘This is my only chance to defeat the Balrog King.’

Even with Askarai’s power reduced, the gap between them was massive. If Raon was going to win, it had to be while Askarai was still off-guard.

‘THUD!’

Raon drew Rimmer’s sword behind him and advanced straight into Askarai’s black flames.

‘WOOOOOO!’

There was only one way to block that overwhelming attack—he summoned his full might, pushing both Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation and Glacier to the limit.

[Sword Field Creation – Divine-Demonic Harmony—Azure Crimson Invincible Sword.] (T/N: That was a mouthful lol.)

Askarai’s black flames and Raon’s azure and crimson aura clashed in a thunderous shockwave.

The cavern filled with mist as the molten earth evaporated, and the sturdy walls and ceiling crumbled like clay.

If it weren’t for the cracks left by Askarai tearing through the dimension, the entire underground would have collapsed.

“You call that swordsmanship? Pathetic!”

Askarai scoffed and poured even more power into the black greatsword.

‘CRACK!’

Black waves washed over and erased the azure and crimson light. The force was so overwhelming that both the divine and demonic swords seemed about to snap.

“You’re still all brute force. Then let me show you what comes next.”

Raon forced a smile and used Rimmer’s sword to form a spatial sword.

He shifted his attack to right in front of Askarai’s face, then unleashed his final technique.

[Sword Field Creation – Divine-Demonic Harmony—Genesis.] (T/N: At this point, it seems like Raon is fusing techniques/Sword Field Creation)

From the blade that pierced through space, a golden brilliance signaled a new beginning.

It was the harmony of Azure Crimson Invincible Sword and Genesis, something he’d only ever pictured in his mind. Crimson and blue paint merged with golden radiance, creating a new path of swordsmanship.

‘CRAAAACK!’

Askarai’s black flames split, and the greatsword was knocked aside. In the gap, three swords struck his chest at once.

‘BOOOOM!’

Even Askarai, though only a puppet, couldn’t withstand Raon’s transcendent sword strike and crashed into the lava-baked ground.

“Guh!”

He seemed to have spent all his energy and couldn’t even lift a finger, breathing raggedly.

“When did you learn the sword…?”

“When did I, you ask?”

Raon, suppressing the dizziness threatening to make him collapse, shook his head calmly.

“I never did.”

“Don’t be ridiculous! Your sword was clearly imbued with intent!”

“It’s just…”

He smiled faintly, lowering his fingers.

“I just copied what my subordinates experienced.”

Wrath once said he created [Demon Manifestation] after seeing the path Raon had walked.

It was perfectly possible. Raon played the part, lifting his chin arrogantly.

“Khahahaha!”

Askarai grabbed his head and burst out laughing.

“As expected of the Lord of Wrath! Only you and those three can satisfy me in Devildom!”

He rose again, his aura even fiercer.

“Let’s go again! This time, both of us at full strength!”

Askarai’s spirit left the Balrog’s body, and the dimension began to warp again. He was preparing to come through in person.

“No thanks.”

Raon snorted and shook his head.

“I don’t fight the weak.”

He sheathed his sword, saying it wasn’t worth his time.

“Don’t talk nonsense! Even you can’t call my true self weak!”

Askarai stamped his foot, demanding another fight.

“Show yourself, or I’ll kill you right now!”

He raised his flaming hand, signaling he was dead serious.

“Go ahead.”

Raon spread his arms and nodded.

“The Lord of Wrath never goes back on his word.”

He closed his eyes, signaling he was done.

“Ugh…”

Askarai, sensing the sincerity in Raon’s words, froze in place, unable to raise his hand any higher.

– What… what’s going on?

Wrath blinked in confusion.

– This can’t be happening! Askarai! You idiot! Get in there and fight!

He shook his oversized head, unable to process what just happened.

‘You know why.’

Raon smiled faintly at both Askarai and Wrath’s bewilderment.

‘Just as I planned.’

He wiggled his finger.

‘Go ahead and say hello.’

– Hello? What for?!

‘To welcome our new pawn.’

As Raon grinned, Wrath’s face crumpled like a withered leaf.

(T/N: HAHAHAHA, a new slave is coming! Next time on The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Scammer)