Reincarnation Sword God

858——————==

**True Martial Home**

In front of Musashi, he instantly unleashed the mightiest of strikes.

**Ultimate Technique**

**Supreme Slash**

The secret technique of the absolute realm that once felled thousands of Sea God Clan warriors in one blow!

Remembering that overwhelming presence, I felt a momentary rush of impending death, and at the same time realized Musashi had no intention of prolonging our fight.

This was because, unlike when battling the Sword Demon, he adopted a stance akin to a duel, testing our sword forms instead of leaping straight into the Supreme Slash. The very act of using the Supreme Slash without preamble was a declaration of his desire to end this swiftly.

‘Is he underestimating me?’

No, it couldn’t be that.

If he truly saw me as a mere underling, he would start with basic techniques to gauge my strength before deciding the outcome. The moment he executed the Supreme Slash told me he didn’t underestimate me; it simply meant he wanted to secure a sure victory right away. By using the Supreme Slash, he aimed to expose my weaknesses. In that fleeting instant, I quietly reflected on the momentum of the Supreme Slash, seeing through transparent eyes the terrible scene where it danced across dimensional rifts, slicing through any openings I might have.

My hand drew a Tai Chi movement.

As my dominant hand took the left stance, my foot stepped into the Ground-impact Technique, resonating with a thunderous sound that shook the earth. Drawing on the essence of the unmatched technique, it manifested from my hands.

**Peerless Technique!**

Boom!

The bloodstorm erupted around me, forming a whirlwind. As if a natural disaster struck, the whirlwind began to crumble the walls of Dragon Cloud Palace, lifting chunks of rock into the air, but I frowned in displeasure.

‘I couldn’t fully negate his power…’

If I had completely neutralized the Supreme Slash with the Peerless Technique, such destruction shouldn’t have escaped into the surroundings. I should have rendered Musashi’s sword strike a mere thrust into the void. However, the overwhelming might imbued within the Supreme Slash was far too potent, and even though I defended with the Peerless Technique, the shockwaves still cascaded through the area. Musashi’s eyes widened in surprise as he witnessed my deflection of his strike.

“Impressive! To think you could defend against the Supreme Slash. What kind of martial arts is that?”

“Don’t you recognize it?”

I teased, but Musashi nodded nonetheless.

“I do not! I’ve never seen such martial arts in Dongyoung or Goryeo. Please, enlighten me.”

“……”

Isn’t he being a bit too honest?

Yet, given that Musashi was lost in the ways of the blade, devoid of any sense of good and evil, it was understandable. I had no reason to deceive him, so I replied slowly.

“From the Wudang Sect, the Seven Great Techniques’ pinnacle, the Peerless Technique!”

“Peerless Technique… hm, I see.”

Musashi seemed genuinely satisfied as he flashed a grin. However, that smile sent a chill down my spine.

‘Damn it. That guy… he must have figured out the nature of the Peerless Technique and is still smiling?’

As a master of the absolute realm, Musashi surely understood that the Peerless Technique possesses the power to utterly revert an opponent’s might to null. It was the worst possible matchup for him, yet he remained unshaken. As I felt slightly tense, Musashi remarked.

“You’re the first worthy opponent I’ve met since the days of Yuljoo. Heh…”

Musashi’s confidence was somewhat unsettling, making me feel uneasy as if he was continuously looking down on me. So I huffed in response.

“Don’t get cocky. You were beaten by Ha Eun-cheon.”

That was an undeniable fact and couldn’t be contested!

“…….”

Musashi’s expression shifted, turning rigid.

In order to win, psychological warfare was indeed a solid tactic. I continued, determined to rattle him further.

“You’re searching for the peak master of the Central Plains to learn how to contest Ha Eun-cheon’s Heavenly Unrestrained Technique, but wake up. You’re not the greatest swordsman yet!”

“Not the greatest…?”

“Exactly.”

“Then have you seen a swordsman stronger than me? Truly, is there such a person in the Central Plains?”

His face was deeply set in skepticism. I frowned.

‘What an arrogant fool…’

That question itself was presumptuous. In other words, it expressed his belief that there couldn’t possibly be a swordsman stronger than himself.

But I retorted firmly.

“There is! Your Spirit Sword can’t compare to his Sword Form.”

“Who is this person?”

“If he can land a proper strike on me, at that moment, I will reveal it to you.”

“Very well…”

While I continued to provoke him, Musashi’s gaze deepened, signaling he was entering a realm of extreme focus, surpassing his usual capabilities. My instincts as a martial artist warned me he was stepping into a seventh sense domain, and I felt a tremor of concern.

‘Crap! He’s not getting rattled, he’s sharpening his focus. What the hell is wrong with this guy…’

As expected, Musashi was indeed Musashi.

I felt a bitter taste in my mouth as I concentrated on Musashi’s next move.

*Woom*

Instead of executing a grand technique like the Supreme Slash this time, Musashi relied on his unique footwork while executing Dongyoung Swordplay. He struck from a low angle while holding a distinctly classic form.

However—there was not a hint of wasted motion; it was beautiful.

And as someone who understood Dongyoung Swordplay well, I recognized the technique the instant I saw his posture.

‘Tengu Book, One Strike!’

That technique was undeniably one that the great swordsmen of Kashima Shinto had used! It’s a form of tactical swordsmanship where offense and defense unfold in a single breath, with a significantly long history. Initially, I thought it somewhat trivial for a master as renowned as Musashi, but the struck technique was so refined and restrained that it surpassed any I’ve seen before.

‘… He must have learned the Kashima Shinto technique just by seeing it once. But how can a mere imitation surpass the original?’

What ridiculous talent…

*Thwomp!*

As I thought this with admiration, I refrained from using the Peerless Technique, instead using the Ultimate Technique’s Protective Barrier to envelop my body in a Protection Energy Technique. This time, my goal was to deflect his strike, reading the trajectory of his sword. The reason I chose not to use the Peerless Technique was that I sensed Musashi had understood its essence.

‘He clearly realizes that using the Peerless Technique outside of blocking significant attacks would only heighten my risks.’

I had no firm basis for that suspicion, but my instincts told me it was so. By opting for an alternate strike after not using the Supreme Slash, he likely aimed at exploiting weaknesses presented immediately post-Peerless activation. Naturally, I couldn’t afford to give him that opening, so I had to respond promptly to his attack.

*Woosh*

As the Barrier unfolded, I was able to decipher Musashi’s attack path and sidestepped to let his strike pass by. However, at that moment, Musashi’s intent shifted dramatically, and he abruptly angled the sword in an acute corner that aimed straight for my neck. With a swift, precise strike, I activated the Sword Thunder technique and clashed directly with Musashi’s blade.

*Crash!!*

The Sword Thunder unleashed a flash of light so bright it nearly blinded me, and as Musashi’s killing intent erupted, it burst forth like lightning. Just as thunderous force collided with my firm grip, I braced myself and engaged Musashi in a direct confrontation once more.

*Boom!*

*Boom!*

It felt less like swords clashing and more like two people hammering against each other! Musashi and I had both set aside the finesse of our sword energies, instead, we were brawling with pure strength to ascertain our dominance and timing against each other.

Then a realization hit me.

‘…Deadlock.’

More precisely, we had both nullified each other’s advantages.

Naturally, based on my internal energy and the power of Sword Thunder, I should have had the upper hand. However, Musashi’s intent mastery was such that he instantly compensated for the differences in our might. In the end, the outcome was a standoff, leading to a battle of wits and technical skills to drive the results.

“Heh.”

As I groaned over the daunting prospect, Musashi held his sword horizontally and said,

“This is fun. I’ve never fought like this before.”

“What do you mean?”

“My battle instinct and your technique… is it a question of who will prevail?”

*GooOooo*

Musashi’s eyes began to glow an ominous red, and his focus intensified beyond previous levels. I swallowed hard, realizing what crucial factor dictated this moment.

‘Divine Kill Slash!’

Despite the poor track record of my rebirths with Divine Kill Slash, it remained the pinnacle of swordsmanship that Musashi could wield. Considering the fact that a whirlwind had ensued during the Peerless Technique’s defense, it was possible that the Divine Kill Slash could break through my defenses as well.

Of course, this was only in the worst-case scenario. If I could remain wholly focused on the Peerless Technique, I could surely block the Divine Kill Slash. However, since Musashi wasn’t a wooden puppet, it was obvious he would strategically disrupt my complete focus. As I had just witnessed, he would deploy various high-level Dongyoung sword techniques to weave a tactical display. No doubt about it.

Should the Divine Kill Slash crash in, blocking it means I would emerge victorious. Being exhausted after executing the Divine Kill Slash, Musashi would surely fall to a battle of stamina and will, allowing me to secure victory.

But, if the Divine Kill Slash pierced through the openings in my Peerless Technique, I would face defeat.

“…….”

I sensed, through the instinct of a reborn individual, that the odds were against me. Why? Because as Musashi stated, the variable determining this confrontation lay in his innate battle instinct—his inherent talent. If his talent surpassed the limits of my accumulated experience and martial skills, then the Divine Kill Slash could exploit the frailties of the Peerless Technique and slice through me.

And despite my frustration, instinctively, I recognized Musashi’s talent was entirely capable of just that. That guy was, without a doubt, an unprecedented genius in the history of Dongyoung martial arts.

I felt a shiver run down my spine, and my backside turned cold. In this ongoing battle of attrition, if I engaged in tactical exchanges, I could foresee my imminent demise!

This wasn’t mere instinct, but it was a revelation drawn from the thorough battle experiences I gained against the Sword Demon twice, where even he struggled against Musashi’s battle instincts. No matter how diverse my martial prowess was, exposing vulnerabilities was inevitable. Just like Jin So-cheong exemplified, geniuses could indeed override the chronicles of martial histories.

‘Damn it! If that’s the case, I’ll have to create variables upon variables. What should I do?’

What to do indeed!

I have to apply what I learned!

Muttering to myself, I slowly raised my hand. Musashi seemed to think my gesture signified the execution of the Peerless Technique and snorted a laugh.

“That powerful ultimate skill requires unwavering concentration and harmonious balance of Yin and Yang to unleash its full might. I will capitalize on your opening.”

“I know. But catch techniques aren’t exclusive to you.”

“What?”

“Heh. Just watch.”

With a sly grin, I gradually donned a mask in the air. As the first level of the Technique of All Things activated, the essence of a certain individual began to envelop my body.

*Shimmer*

Moments later, once I transformed into the figure I took on, Musashi’s eyes widened.

“Who did you transform into?”

I flashed a spark in my eyes and whispered with the aura of the Six Harmonies Assembly.

[The Very Best of the Central Plains!]

*BooOoom*

Creating fifty glimmering projectiles in the air, I summoned a swirling dark storm toward Musashi, who began swiftly batting the powerful projectiles headed towards him. Each one was a manifestation of strong qi, capable of ripping through peak masters with a single strike, yet he casually deflected them as if swatting stones away.

Seizing upon Musashi’s distraction, I concentrated all my internal energy into my palm, unleashing a formidable Lion’s Roar alongside an incantation.

[Sah Bah Hah!]

*Grroooouuuu*

‘Urrrgh….’

As the massive Mandala I conjured exuded glorious light, I could feel the tremendous drain of internal energy leave my hands and feet trembling. It was akin to a spirit summon gone awry.

‘C-Crap… Even with my internal strength…? There’s definitely still a gap compared to the true Primordial Spirit…’

However, to waver here would mean conceding defeat, so I pushed through with mental strength, forcing the Mandala to spin and, propelled by the incantation, unleashed colossal beams toward Musashi.

*Boom Boom Boom!*

“Ughh!!”

Musashi, taken aback, finally let out a cry, retreating significantly. Caught off guard by the unexpected assault, it seemed he couldn’t respond in time. Moreover, infused with chaos, it was impossible for him to evade or block it effectively. It appeared he sustained no significant injury, merely retreating once to conserve energy.

Musashi spun in the air before landing effortlessly atop the remaining ruins of the Dragon Cloud Palace. He gazed sharply at my transformed appearance and spoke.

“I won’t let that happen next time.”

[You would do just that. No matter how skilled a master of the White Lotus Sect, your methods won’t work on me again.]

“Master of the White Lotus Sect?”

Musashi tilted his head in confusion.

*Shhht*

Once more, I raised my hand to change the mask I wore.

In no time, I had adopted the visage of the Thunder God Lineage’s Grandmaster, Lee Cheong-un.

“So, I’ll have to make attempts based on what I know.”

*Zap!*

Simultaneously, thunder flowed through my body.

The first stage of the Technique of All Things lacks the ability to absorb an opponent’s capabilities as the second stage does.

However—if one possesses adequate familiarity and experience with their persona, a mask wielder can impersonate and mimic the abilities of that character!

Although my skills and techniques were significantly inferior to the original’s, this was still merely a disguise.

‘I will win.’

After 27 lifetimes, there’s no mask I cannot wear!