Regressing as the Reincarnated Bastard of the Sword Clan

Chapter 215

Kincarnon exploded with power, channeling all his aura into his sword.

CRACK-

Thunder rumbled as hundreds of shards flew through the air.

CLASH, CLASH, CLASH!

Kincarnon swung his blade relentlessly, cutting through the storm of fragments.

Swing after swing, he hacked and parried, the weight of the battle pushing his arms to the brink of exhaustion.

Finally, after an intense struggle, he stood amidst the wreckage.

However, his appearance was far from dignified.

His once-pristine attire was scorched, his blade was chipped, and it looked as if it could break at any moment.

The stage was nearly destroyed, no longer recognizable. The surrounding flames swirled suspiciously.

“You’ve retreated too far, haven’t you?”

Theo’s mocking voice froze Kincarnon’s expression.

Kincarnon had been the one to boldly declare that he would teach Theo a few lessons, but the situation had taken a sharp turn.

‘I will never submit...!’

The flames swirling around Theo only intensified his resolve. Kincarnon realized that, despite all his strength, Theo’s presence was not inferior to his own.

Even Amore and Lezé, formidable fighters in their own right, would find it difficult to best Theo.

Given that strength, why hadn’t Theo participated in the Dragon Ascension Tournament?

Was he trying to avoid drawing attention while knowing that his skill had been doubted for so long?

If he had entered the tournament, he could have easily dispelled any doubts...

‘Could it be because of me?’

For a moment, a chill ran down Kincarnon’s spine.

The reason he, along with Lezé and Ansio, had clung to the Dragon Ascension Tournament was simple.

They wanted to prove to their subordinates, and especially to the Young Lord, that they were just as deserving of the throne.

They had yet to let go of their desire for power.

For Theo, this made them "potential sources of discontent."

In other words, the Dragon Ascension Tournament had been used to weed out those who would challenge him.

And once the right moment came, he could bring the challengers down in the final.

‘...Once the tournament ends, all eyes will be on Theo.’

It was as if others had prepared the feast, and Theo was simply swooping in to take it all for himself.

This was the kind of trickery Kincarnon was accustomed to, but now it was clear that Theo had played him better.

Kincarnon paused, taking a deep breath.

‘Well, maybe this is for the best.’

If he could defeat Theo here, and seize the Emperor’s Scepter, everything could begin anew for him.

“I admit my earlier mistake. You are no mere underling. You are stronger than anyone I’ve ever met on the battlefield, stronger than any of the brothers I’ve faced.”

Theo merely observed him, waiting.

“Many of my brothers have tried to strike me down, but it is you who have pushed me into a corner for the first time.”

“You’re taking your compliments a bit far.”

“Would I praise someone trying to take my life? I’m just speaking the truth.”

Kincarnon smiled—something he hadn’t done until now.

“But I thought about it. Even if I die here, I wouldn’t regret it. At least I would die by the hand of someone stronger than me.”

A gust of wind whipped around Kincarnon.

A fiery wind wrapped around him, rising into the sky like a spiral.

<Vision - Flame Whirlwind>

It was a technique Kincarnon had developed through countless battles, his unique move.

The firestorm soared upward, in direct opposition to the spreading hellfire, evoking images of the dragons of Ragnar.

“Of course, I think you would be the same.”

CRASH!

Kincarnon slammed his sword into the ground with a force that shook the earth. His energy was different now, far stronger than before.

CRACK—

Flames swirled around him, creating a vortex of fire that shot into the sky, clashing with the hellfire below, forming a wall of flames that reached toward the heavens.

SHHSHHSHHH—

Four swords flew in unison, like arrows aimed directly at Kincarnon, dazzling in their complexity and speed.

Each strike was as unpredictable as it was brilliant.

However, Kincarnon showed why he was known as the “Sword Emperor.”

He deflected the incoming sword from the front, narrowly dodged another attack aimed at his blind spot, and expertly kicked another sword away. His movements were fluid, effortlessly managing each incoming strike.

“You see, even now, my skills are far above yours.”

Theo, watching closely, realized that Kincarnon’s swordsmanship was superior in experience. He could feel the gap in skill.

‘I can’t defeat him with conventional methods.’

The difference in their fighting styles was clear: while their raw strength was equal, Kincarnon’s understanding of the sword was far superior.

‘But how do I close that gap?’

Theo’s lips twisted in frustration. But then an idea struck him.

‘I may not like it, but...’

Theo activated Nirvana, his mind racing as his thoughts sped up.

[Activating Nirvana to expand the perceptual capacity of the outside world.]

[Triggering a portion of <Clockwork Arrangement> to accelerate perception time.]

Theo’s awareness of his surroundings heightened, the tick-tock of an invisible clock echoing in his mind.

This was the result of his adaptation of the divine technique from the Great Dragon Emperor and the Empress of Magic, mixing their powers into his own unique form.

The heat was almost unbearable as his mind opened, but the overwhelming flood of inspiration granted him multiple possibilities.

‘Which one will I choose?’

Each choice carried its own risks, but each would also lead to different outcomes, some of which might bring him closer to victory.

Then, another thought crossed his mind.

‘If I take the risky path, I could defeat Kincarnon and claim his head...’

Another option was more defensive...

As the potential outcomes flashed before him, Theo felt the sharp clarity that came with his enhanced foresight.

The choices were clear now, and it was time to act.

Could this also be considered a form of future vision, something that the Magic Empress boasted about?

The problem is that too many choices can sometimes cause hesitation in the one making the decision.

Theo listened carefully to his inner voice and, following his impulse, reached out.

Fwaat-

Theo's choice was simple.

A direct clash.

Cha-aaaang!

The Drake blade and Kincarnon's prized sword, ‘Period,’ clashed with a powerful strike.

“You want to fight me head-on? I’ve heard you can use magic to some extent, and you have several innate abilities. But I don’t think this is a particularly good choice.”

Kincarnon tilted his head, as if not understanding.

“A swordsman uses a sword, doesn’t he? Is there a problem with that?”

Theo simply responded with a question.

“A swordsman uses a sword... Well, that’s not exactly wrong.”

Kwa-kwang!

In an instant, several strikes collided.

Every time the Drake blade and Period collided, flames erupted, shaking the blades.

Che-chooo!

The first crack appeared on the surface of the great sword.

That meant Kincarnon's strikes were that powerful.

“But the result, in the end, is something you’ll have to bear, right?”

And then came the flurry of attacks.

Shi-shi-shi-shake!

Taa-daa-daa-dang!

It could be considered more of a bombardment than a series of sword strikes.

The attacks relentlessly targeted the cracks.

Whoooom!

A broken sword blade flew into the air.

It was the trademark weapon that Theo had treasured and had been referred to as the "Yaksha Blade."

But Theo, without showing any sign of panic, moved closer and narrowed the distance with Kincarnon.

Then, he reached out, targeting Kincarnon’s neck.

It was like a hawk aiming for its prey.

Kincarnon tried to engage in a contest of strength, but instinctively, he pulled back, raising his sword to defend.

As a result, Theo barely managed to grab the inside of Kincarnon’s blade.

Crack-

Boom!

The moment Theo tightened his grip, Period shattered completely.

“...!”

The grip was so powerful it could not be attributed to mere human strength.

In fact, Period had already lost its durability after colliding with the Drake blade, and with Theo’s [Superhuman Strength] added, it could no longer withstand the force.

But even just that was far beyond human-level power.

How could Kincarnon know that Theo had amplified his strength through the awakening of the Dragonborn?

However, the danger was clear.

Kincarnon realized that closing the distance with Theo would cause great problems, so he continued to retreat, knowing that he needed a new weapon to continue fighting.

But the distance was exactly what Theo wanted.

Shiii!

The Moon White Sword and Dragon Slayer Sword, which had been stuck in the ground, were now firmly in Theo’s hands.

‘Uh-oh!’

Kincarnon realized his mistake too late.

[Powerful inspiration is suggesting a new maneuver.]

Theo once again became immersed in the infinite world as he followed the guidance of the inspiration, wielding the Moon White Sword and Dragon Slayer Sword in quick succession.

Left to right. Up and down. Several diagonal strikes overlapped, gathering, bursting, and spreading the flames of Hell.

Kwaaaang!

In an instant, Kincarnon was covered in blood, forced to retreat.

The loss of his weapon had created a massive gap in his power.

The flames of Hellstorm were consuming him as well.

“My sword... Ha... breaking it... Ha... I knew... Ha... my power... Ha... would weaken... Ha... I didn’t know...!”

Kincarnon gasped heavily, lamenting his mistake.

The destruction of the Drake blade was not something he had achieved on his own—it was closer to something Theo had deliberately planned.

For just a moment, he had planted the seed of overconfidence in Kincarnon, while narrowing the distance to make him lose his weapon.

“You are nearly invincible when you hold your sword. That’s why you earned the title of Sword Emperor.”

Theo, still with the Hellfire-flared swords in hand, drove them back into the ground.

Instead of drawing another weapon, he took out a white orb from his pocket.

The same artifact that had restrained Selphard and his men.

“But once you lose your sword, you don’t know what to do. Your reliance on it is too great. I, on the other hand, am not like that.”

Who could defeat Theo, who had awakened the abilities of the Dragonborn?

There were almost no opponents.

That’s why Theo had drawn Kincarnon into the only battle he could win and had successfully taken control of the fight.

Fwaa!

At that moment, the white orb gleamed.

[You have hacked the "Chains of the Prison Orb" and temporarily gained ownership.]

Chrrrrrr!

Chains burst from the ground and the air, tightly binding Kincarnon.

Despite this, Kincarnon stood upright, struggling to hold his ground, but Theo closed in, delivering a heavy kick to his shin.

Thud!

Crash!

Kincarnon’s knees hit the ground.

The battle was over.