The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman

‘Wrath.’

Raon called for Wrath, his gaze fixed on the Evil Sword Marquis.

‘You feel it too, don’t you?’

A person’s disposition wasn’t something that could change so easily.

Especially seeing her reveal a completely different color in such a short moment, it seemed clear that another being had entered the Evil Sword Marquis’s body.

– “Of course.”

Wrath nodded immediately, as if the question was pointless.

– “Another soul is dwelling in that wench’s body.”

He tilted his chin slightly, stating it as a fact.

‘Did a demon from the Demon Realm descend, like you?’

Thinking that a Demon King like Wrath, or another demon, might have taken over the Evil Sword Marquis’s body, Raon reignited the dying flames of the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation.

– “No.”

Wrath shook his head firmly, as if to say it was absolutely not the case.

– “The one inside that wench’s body is clearly a human.”

He twisted his lips, saying it wasn’t a being from another dimension, but a human from this world.

‘A human…?’

Raon’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the Evil Sword Marquis, who was tracing a faint smile.

‘Could it be the White Blood Lord?’

The White Blood Lord was currently occupying Martha’s mother’s body.

He thought she might have used a similar spell to seize the Evil Sword Marquis’s body.

‘No, that’s not it.’

‘I don’t feel any negative energy from that woman.’

The Evil Sword Marquis’s eyes were indeed shining bewitchingly, but he couldn’t feel any sinister energy like bloodlust or magical energy. As Wrath said, she seemed to be an ordinary human.

– “That’s right.”

Wrath nodded calmly.

– “The one inside that wench is a human. Though there’s a faint scent of a spell.”

He flicked his hand, saying that while the fragrance of some unknown spell lingered, she was indeed an ordinary human.

– “Before I tell you who I am.”

The Evil Sword Marquis approached him with slow, dragging steps.

“Why don’t you back off for now?”

The voice was identical to the Evil Sword Marquis’s, but the tone was light and hollow.

It was certain now. Another soul was currently dwelling in the body of the Evil Sword Marquis, Bridget.

“You shouldn’t disturb a moment of enlightenment that was so hard-won, should you?”

The Evil Sword Marquis gestured as if calling a child, beckoning him over.

“I only blocked your path because I thought you might interfere with the Thespian Emperor.”

Raon frowned, not lowering the Heavenly Drive.

“Ah, then again, a martial artist like the Sword Emperor wouldn’t be one to give an opportunity and then throw it away. My apologies.”

The Evil Sword Marquis brought her hands together in front of her chest as if she were sorry.

“……”

Raon bit the tip of his tongue as he watched the Evil Sword Marquis apologize so casually.

‘Her whole personality is light.’

It wasn’t just her tone; her personality also seemed incomparably lighter than the original Evil Sword Marquis.

“You asked who I am, right? My name is Briana.”

The Evil Sword Marquis smiled brightly as she offered the name Briana, not Bridget. It was an expression the original her would never have shown.

“Briana…”

Raon muttered the name Briana, his brows furrowing deeply.

“Come this way.”

Briana beckoned to him with a flick of her finger, as if telling him to follow.

“Where are you going?”

Raon asked without moving his feet.

“Didn’t you have business with me?”

Briana tilted her chin, as if asking if he hadn’t wanted a proper duel.

“A duel…”

Raon slowly composed his breathing, feeling Briana’s serene presence.

‘This is strange.’

Briana possessed the Evil Sword Marquis’s body and Aura, yet strangely, she exuded an Energy Wave that suggested she wouldn’t lose to him.

‘Is she bearing the karmic law to draw out her original body’s power, like you?’

Raon turned his eyes to Wrath.

– “That’s not it. The only thing that changed is the soul.”

Wrath shook his head, saying that as a human, she couldn’t use such a method.

‘Then a change of soul alone can make that much of a difference?’

He became curious as to what it was about Briana that made him feel a different dimension of strength.

“Hmm…”

Raon looked back.

“Th-thank you for looking after our lord.”

“Don’t worry about this side.”

“W-we will protect our lord.”

The martial artists of White Whale stood with their weapons drawn, guarding the Thespian Emperor’s surroundings as if they wouldn’t move until she woke up.

“I’ll trust you.”

He had just put the Thespian Emperor in his debt and didn’t want to ruin this opportunity, but it seemed her subordinates would protect her on their own.

“You all, follow me.”

Raon gestured to the Light Wind Palace Swordsmen and followed Briana.

She looked around the market and shops outside the training ground, exchanging light greetings with people. She was the complete opposite of the fundamentally taciturn Evil Sword Marquis.

“Doesn’t the Evil Sword Marquis seem a little strange?”

“I felt it too. It’s like she went crazy after losing the match…”

Krein and Burren let out a dry laugh, saying she was too different from the Evil Sword Marquis they had heard about in rumors.

“She’s a different person…”

“Right. It’s not the Evil Sword Marquis, but something else.”

Runaan and Martha, perhaps due to their childhood experiences, seemed to have noticed that another being was in the Evil Sword Marquis’s body.

“Hic…”

Dorian, too, sensed through his Mind’s Eye Technique that the Evil Sword Marquis had changed and shivered.

“This should be good, right? There’s no one around.”

Briana looked around the training ground built on the outskirts of Varene and shrugged.

“This time, let’s fight properly—”

“Before that.”

Raon raised a hand to Briana, who was loosening her shoulders.

“Tell me who you are.”

“I told you, I’m Briana.”

Briana smiled as if asking what more he needed.

“You should know that I’m not asking for your name, right?”

Raon’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Briana.

“If you’re curious, try beating me. I’ll tell you everything then.”

Briana smiled and placed her hand on the sword at her waist.

‘Is her fighting style the same?’

The Evil Sword Marquis was a swordswoman who knew how to use a quick draw, and it seemed Briana also intended to use a quick draw technique.

“Fine.”

Raon let out a short breath and nodded.

“That doesn’t sound too difficult.”

In truth, he had suffered some internal injuries from taking the Thespian Emperor’s brutish attacks head-on, but he was confident he wouldn’t lose to Briana.

“I like how refreshing you are. You… Aah!”

Briana, who had been laughing coolly, furrowed her brows.

“Be quiet for a bit!”

She stomped her foot, venting her irritation at the empty air.

“Speak in my head? You do it! Embarrassment, my ass!”

The Evil Sword Marquis clicked her tongue harshly and approached him.

“Sorry! Let’s start now.”

She tilted her chin, signaling to start the duel immediately.

“…Fine.”

Raon was about to question Briana but stopped himself.

‘I’ll find out if I win the fight.’

He had a rough idea, but it was meaningless right now. What was important was winning this duel.

“Here I come?”

Briana leaped lightly in place as if jumping rope, then vanished like smoke.

Whoooosh!

The place she reappeared was to his right.

Chiiiaaaang!

In a fleeting moment, Briana leaped through space and unleashed an extremely fast quick draw.

By the time he noticed, her sword was already at his neck.

Claaaaang!

Raon merely changed the angle of the Heavenly Drive, which he held at mid-level, and blocked Briana’s sword strike as it lunged for his neck.

‘Kuh.’

‘Wasn’t it just fast?’

Although he had defended, the block was late, and a shock that felt like it would shatter the bones in his wrist and arm ran through him.

‘It’s not just about speed.’

Briana used the same swordsmanship and footwork as the Evil Sword Marquis, but the power was worlds apart. It felt as if the martial art itself had changed.

“It’s too early to be surprised by this.”

Briana flicked her hand with a smile, as if to say this was just the beginning.

“I know.”

Raon unleashed Thirty-Six Crimson Slashes toward the stationary Briana.

Chwaaaaaak!

Thirty-six flames shot out as if to tear the earth apart, but Briana had already left that space.

“Good power! Then, here I go again!”

The moment Briana smiled and swung her sword, he felt a chilling sensation from behind.

Claaaaaaang!

Without even time to turn around, Raon moved the Heavenly Drive first and parried the black slash that was digging into his shoulder.

‘A sword strike like an awl.’

Even when properly blocked, Briana’s sword strike pierced through flesh and muscle to shake the bones. It was a swordsmanship with terrifying penetration.

“You’ll be bruised all over if you don’t block properly.”

Briana lightly shook her sword, telling him to focus on defense.

“You’ve become talkative.”

Raon narrowed his eyes and drew the form of a red dragon over the sword energy of the Heavenly Drive.

Kwaaaaaaang!

Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation – Heavenly Flame: Flame Dragon Break.

The red dragon, wreathed in fire, incinerated everything in its path.

Whoooosh.

Briana broke through the gray smoke and heat, popping out from the left. It seemed she had used her extremely fast footwork to escape the range of the Flame Dragon Break.

Chiiik!

She stomped on the flames burning on the ground and thrust her sword toward his heart.

“The power alone is insane.”

Briana exclaimed in admiration, but her eyes held no fear of his sword.

Kyaaaang!

Raon parried Briana’s sword strike, which dug in like a thorn from under his feet, and let out a low groan.

‘It’s clearly the same swordsmanship, but for there to be this much of a difference.’

Briana was using the Evil Sword Marquis’s body, her swordsmanship, and her footwork, yet she was creating an absurd gap. It felt like he was dreaming.

‘From now on, I’ll have to treat her as a completely different being.’

Raon consecutively unleashed Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation – Heavenly Flame: Perfect Sea of Flames and Sky Piercing Thunder: Great Blaze of the Midheaven to block Briana’s attacks and cut off the spaces she could move through.

“This is fun.”

But Briana deflected his offensive without difficulty and launched a sharp counterattack in return. It was like a cornered rat biting a cat.

“Hmm…”

Raon let Briana’s thrust pass by a paper-thin margin and lowered his brows.

“I’m not done.”

Briana launched a series of extremely fast thrusts at him as he frowned.

Cl-cl-cl-cl-clang!

Raon used the Flame Wall to block the Evil Sword Marquis’s thrusts, but the shield of fire didn’t last long before it cracked like a spiderweb and shattered.

His Aura couldn’t withstand the sharpness of Briana’s Aura.

“I get it now.”

Briana tilted her chin as if she could see it.

“Ever since you reached transcendence, you’ve only been using powerful sword techniques, haven’t you?”

She licked her lips and thrust her sword, faster and sharper.

“That…”

Raon bit his lip as he parried Briana’s thrust.

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve only fought opponents who are either vastly stronger or weaker than you, so you can’t read the flow of battle, can you?”

Briana twisted her lips, saying the fight was too easy.

Claaaaang!

Raon gritted his teeth, struggling to block Briana’s sword energy that dug into his skin.

‘Come to think of it…’

‘She’s not entirely wrong.’

Most of his recent battles were either ones where he crushed opponents with overwhelming power, like when breaking through an encirclement, or ones where he gambled on big techniques to take down excessively strong opponents like the Black Tower Lord or The Fallen One.

The Demon Slayer Spear. Except for the last fight when he had come to his senses, almost all the battles had been one-sided.

“Looks like I was right?”

Briana nodded as if she knew it.

“How did you know that?”

“There’s something on your sword. The conviction that ‘I am strong.’”

She grinned with the Evil Sword Marquis’s serious face, as if finding it amusing.

“I’ll shatter that conviction for you today.”

Before she finished speaking, Briana vanished and reappeared right in front of his eyes.

Claaaaaaang!

Her target was his abdomen. He hastily lowered the Heavenly Drive to defend, but the timing was late, and a sharp pain shot through his hand and shoulder.

“Kuh…”

Raon took a short breath.

‘She has polished the straight sword, fast sword, sharp sword, and piercing sword to their limits.’

‘Not to mention her footwork.’

The four principles of swordsmanship that Briana had mastered were superior to his own, and her footwork was also better.

However, that alone couldn’t explain her current martial prowess.

‘What am I missing?’

Raon frowned, clashing his Crimson Single Flash against Briana’s chillingly sharp thrust.

‘Her Aura and body are the same, but can a change of soul alone produce such a result?’

Because he couldn’t understand, he was flustered, and his sword seemed to waver even more.

“What do you think swordsmanship is?”

Briana asked while their swords were locked.

“Swordsmanship is just a way of using a sword.”

“An answer befitting a Transcendent who has realized the sword.”

Briana nodded as if he were correct.

“Even with the same swordsmanship, depending on the person, one might not be able to cut a single branch, while another might split the sky. However…”

She pointed to herself and lifted her chin.

“I think swordsmanship is like chess.”

“Chess?”

Raon lowered his brows, parrying Briana’s straight downward strike.

“Right. A swordsman’s duel is like a siege. The opponent’s swordsmanship is the castle wall and gate. You have to think about how to break down and breach that wall.”

Briana twisted her lips and shook her head.

“But it seems your castle wall has already been breached.”

With that chilling voice, Briana’s sword energy sliced past Raon’s right waist.

===

“Haa.”

Briana licked her lips as she looked at Raon, who paid no mind to the wound on his waist.

‘A swordsman approaching perfection.’

Body, spirit, swordsmanship, and mindset. Raon was a swordsman walking toward perfection more than anyone she had ever seen.

He was a vessel so great that if he continued to grow like this, he would become the pinnacle of the continent.

‘But I won’t lose when it comes to a duel of swordsmanship.’

In the Mental World, where a single faint light was everything, she had trained the Wizegre Sword and Hundred Line Steps millions—no, tens of millions of times.

The martial principles contained within the Wizegre Sword and Hundred Line Steps had gone beyond embodiment and become one with her soul.

Especially since she had engaged in endless duels with Bridget, who had brought in external swordsmanship, in the timeless Mental World, she was confident she would never lose in a battle of wits in swordsmanship.

Piiik!

Briana broke through Raon’s defense, wounded his thigh, and licked her lips.

‘A shame.’

Various principles of swordsmanship, a body that had reached perfection, and an Aura with no visible end. The finest ingredients were gathered, but Raon had yet to create a proper dish.

‘I know the reason why.’

Raon probably hadn’t intended to just overwhelm his opponents with power and strong martial arts from the beginning.

He had changed after experiencing various battles, so it wouldn’t be easy to fix now.

‘Shall I end it?’

Bridget had asked her not to kill him, just to break him, so it seemed best to end it before she was hit by a surprise attack.

Whoooosh!

Briana licked her lips as she watched Raon bring down a heavy slash.

‘A siege begins with withstanding the enemy’s attack.’

She angled her sword diagonally and smoothly received Raon’s sword strike, which carried immense power.

‘Now, it’s time to break the enemy’s gate.’

She caught up to Raon, who was taking a step back after his failed attack, and thrust her sword.

Paaaaang!

Raon erected a shield and spear of flame, but her sword pierced through a fleeting opening and broke through his Aura.

Woooong!

Like a Transcendent, Raon fiercely raised the Heavenly Drive, which blazed with golden flames, to block her assault.

‘I read this too.’

Briana used Raon’s fiercely soaring sword strike against him and then thrust her sword toward his neck.

‘Now, it’s time to take the king’s head.’

Just as she thought it was all over and was about to stop her sword in front of Raon’s neck.

Woooooong!

Raon’s sword, which had been unable to catch her swordsmanship until now, bent along an unfamiliar trajectory.

Claaaaaaang!

A perfect defensive swordsmanship, without a single hair’s breadth of error, blocked the ultimate technique of the Wizegre Sword and struck her sword away.

Chiiiiiik!

For the first time, Briana was pushed back not by her own will, but by Raon’s sword.

On the floor of the training ground, a deep footprint was carved, unable to dissipate all the force—just as the Evil Sword Marquis’s had been.

“Ha?”

Briana swallowed dryly as she looked at the steaming footprint on the floor.

“Swordsmanship is a battle of wits? Right. It was.”

Raon’s eyes flashed with the flame of interest.

“Thank you for reminding me.”