The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 343

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 343

Wrath’s eyes widened as he stared at me with an expression of utter astonishment.

-Gold… light?

My eyes, which had been gleaming with a ruby-red hue, were now suffused with golden light. Wrath rubbed his eyes and looked again. In that brief moment, the brilliant golden radiance vanished, returning to its original crimson color.

“Golden light, you say?”

I tilted my head in confusion as I examined my hands.

-Your eyes flashed with golden brilliance just moments ago.
“Golden light, then.”

The ancestor’s flame was not red like mine, but a resplendent golden hue. It was merely an image in my mind, yet perhaps I had been influenced by that shared bloodline.

“Well, I suppose that’s possible. But…”

I shot Wrath a sidelong glance and clicked my tongue.

“For someone who claims to be a king, your vocabulary is remarkably crude.”
-Your eyes shone with golden radiance, they did.
“Eyes or eyeballs—it’s all the same.”

Whether coveting food or spouting such vulgar words, Wrath hardly resembled a True Demon King. His manner of speech was refined only in pretense; his actual language was riddled with cheapness.

-Enough of your commentary on the True Demon King’s speech!

Wrath waved his hand dismissively, as if my words were meaningless.

-You greedy wretch, hoarding everything for yourself. Did you obtain it?
“No. I didn’t acquire much.”

I exhaled sharply and shook my head.

-Oho!

Wrath’s crumpled face unfurled like stiff paper, stretching wide. He seemed delighted by what I hadn’t obtained.

-See! You torment the True Demon King by eating nothing but stale bread day after day—how could anything go well? It’s not too late even now! If you offer tribute to the True Demon King, I shall grant you a spell to ease your wretched life….
“I wasn’t finished talking yet.”
-Huh…?
“It’s true I didn’t obtain much. But now I know where to find the rest.”

I caressed the sword mark of the Manhwa Palace’s Flawless Blade that my ancestor had left behind, a faint smile crossing my lips.

-What are you talking about.
“This isn’t the end.”

The end of the Flawless Blade my ancestor left behind wasn’t at this point. It had been severed midway by an enemy’s sword strike, which was why such a thick mark remained.

‘That’s what helped me.’

My ancestor’s swordsmanship reached toward the heavens. Had I witnessed it unfolded perfectly, I might have gained nothing at all. But seeing the incomplete technique allowed my martial understanding to advance.

The time I spent in that state of transcendence was too brief to achieve a major breakthrough, but my swordsmanship, Manhwa Palace technique, and Ring of Fire all advanced, reaching the upper end of intermediate mastery.

‘With just a small catalyst….’

I could open the intermediate gate and ascend to advanced mastery.

And I already knew where the key to breaking through that wall lay.

-A key?
“Yes. I know exactly where the sword mark of the Flawless Blade, properly unfolded, is inscribed. And that’s not all….”

I pushed the Manhwa Palace technique into the gap of the sword mark my ancestor had left. The heat that bloomed from the fractured crevice connected with the other sword marks, spreading throughout the entire dungeon.

“Now I can perceive the geography of this dungeon and the positions of everyone inside it.”

This dungeon was created when my ancestor and his enemy fought. In other words, sword marks from both of them were inscribed from beginning to end, so by operating the Manhwa Palace technique and the Ring of Fire, I could now discern where to go and who was where.

“To put it simply, I’ve become a living magical map.”
-Ha!

Wrath’s mouth split open so wide it seemed ready to tear. I could see the back of his throat.

-How could something so insane happen…?
“It’s thanks to having such a great ancestor.”

Thank you, Ancestor!

I bowed my head to the Sword Mark, offering my gratitude to the First Head of House, and accepted the information transmitted through the ring of fire.

‘At the very bottom, there are two massive auras.’

They weren’t human auras. One was a monster that had ascended to the level of a spirit creature, and the other seemed to be an artifact guarded by that monster.

‘Right above that, I can sense the completed Sword Mark of Flawless Saltwater.’

Directly above where I felt the monster and artifact’s auras, I sensed the completed Sword Mark of Flawless Saltwater. This meant that was where I needed to go to obtain the treasure and elevate my martial mastery.

‘And…’

From quite far above the artifact’s location, I sensed the auras of Matio, Kosini, and the Shadow members I had felt on the beach.

‘Their numbers are fewer.’

Seeing that there were fewer Shadow members than what I’d observed on the beach, it seemed they had stationed assassins at intervals like sentries.

‘This arrangement is actually convenient.’

They all needed to be dealt with anyway. If they were spread out like this, it only worked in my favor.

-This, this is absurd! Call your ancestor. The True Demon King will give you a kick in the ribs!

Wrath ground his teeth, displeased with how smoothly everything was unfolding.

“If I finish quickly and get out, you can eat something delicious too. Do you want some Nadin bread?”

I pulled out Nadin bread and waved it in front of Wrath.

-Hiiiek…

Wrath’s eyes trembled like a child who had seen a whip, and his shoulders drooped.

-Ah, I understand now.

The creature stepped aside and straightened its form, having grasped what needed to be done. Whether that was truly its waist, I couldn’t say.

-Well then, is there anything you need help with?

Wrath’s voice brightened considerably.

‘Just stay quiet.’

I chuckled softly and opened my spatial pouch. I retrieved Dorian’s makeup tools and transformed my eyes and hair to black, painted my skin a deathly pale shade, and finally crafted a false wound beneath my eyes.

Zzzzzt.

I formed a sphere of ice using cold energy and examined my reflection. The face staring back was that of a complete stranger—nothing like Raon Zigheart.

‘Perfect.’

Twenty years had passed since then.

The face I wore now was that of the assassin Raon from my past life—the shadow who had served Derus Robert.

‘Killing him ordinarily would be far too wasteful.’

Matio was one of the principal architects behind my abduction, brainwashing, and training.

I had been stabbed in vital points by his blade countless times, had flesh torn from my body by the wild dogs he unleashed, and had spent entire months eating nothing but grass caked with dirt when he withheld food.

‘I cannot simply let him go.’

I had no intention of granting Matio an easy death like Lisbon’s. I would inflict not merely physical agony, but psychological devastation—making him regret his very existence.

I smiled coldly and fastened the Heaven-Splitting Sword and Soul Reaper Sword to my waist.

Goooooh!

Through the cracks in the wall, I pinpointed the nearest Shadow operatives.

‘Twenty minutes away.’

If I used the shortcut, I could arrive within five minutes.

I decided on my direction and ran through the corridor my ancestor had created.

‘Easy.’

Thanks to the sensation transmitted through the ring of fire, I navigated the path as if I’d walked it countless times, arriving at the location where the Shadow sentries stood without a single misstep.

Screeeech!

I operated the Manhwagong and opened the wall behind where the Shadow sentries were positioned.

“Wh—”
“Tch—”

The Shadow sentries tried to retreat in that brief moment, but the Heavenly Sword was faster.

Whoooosh!

A silvery gleaming arc slashed across the sentries’ necks.

“Ugh…”
“Aagh…”

The Shadow sentries let out brief gasps, clutched their necks, and fell backward.

Thud.

I caught the two Shadow corpses and leaned them against the wall, careful not to trigger Kosini’s detection magic.

-Tsk tsk.

Wrath clicked his tongue and raised his chin.

-Foolish wretch. Thou hast been discovered.

He frowned, gesturing toward the corpses.

-In my view, you lack the talent for assassination. Just swing your sword openly.
“Hah!”

At Wrath’s words, genuine laughter burst from me for the first time in ages.

-What?
“Sorry, but I let you hear it on purpose.”
-You let me hear it intentionally?
“Yes.”

I smiled faintly and brushed the blood from the Soul Reaper Sword. After spending years as an assassin, would I make such a careless mistake? Killing the Shadow members before they could react was child’s play.

-Why would you do that?
“To let them know I’m here.”

Deliberately letting them hear my cry and then instantly erasing my presence was merely a signal—a message that a skilled warrior had cut down one of the Shadow.

-…I truly cannot fathom how that mind of yours works.

Wrath shook his head, bewildered.

“The true essence of assassination isn’t merely killing. Real assassination is about creating the outcome I desire.”

I gazed down at the ground where I sensed Matio’s presence and licked my lips.

“Watch carefully.”

Now I’ll show you the real thing.

*

*

*

Matio quietly looked up. His eyes grew as cold and sharp as ice.

“Don’t react. Just listen.”
“What now?”

Kosini turned back, her expression darkening.

“I’m already exhausted, and now this nuisance….”
“There’s an intruder.”
“An intruder?”

She glanced upward, her eyes narrowing.

“Nothing triggered the barrier magic. Like I said before, it doesn’t make sense for anyone to infiltrate this place….”
“The presences of the Shadow units stationed on Level 4 have vanished. I heard faint cries too.”

Matio looked at Kosini and lowered his jaw gravely.

“Those creatures wouldn’t abandon their post even if their limbs were severed without my command. It means the intruder did this to them.”

Despite Kosini’s certainty that no enemies were present, Matio couldn’t ease his vigilance. He concentrated his senses upward, and felt two Shadow presences collapse with faint cries.

Now it was certain. Another presence had entered this Wizard Dungeon besides themselves.

“And a powerful one at that.”

The Shadow units must have appeared from behind, yet they fell without even reacting. The alarm magic didn’t trigger either—this was no ordinary intruder. Had he not been concentrating, he wouldn’t have sensed it himself.

“You’re certain?”
“I am.”
“Hmm, you’re better at detecting human presence than I am.”

Kosini bit her lip and nodded. Matio was far superior when it came to sensing human presence and sound. If he was speaking with such conviction, someone was definitely here.

“So what do we do? Stop and wait?”
“No.”

Matio shook his head and pointed to the ground.

“Keep digging as if you know nothing. Maintain the pace but reduce the noise.”
“Understood.”

Kosini nodded and rotated her fingers. The earth continued to be excavated and compacted at the same speed, but the sound emanating from it dropped to less than half.

“Hmm….”

Matio followed Kosini downward, his brow furrowing.

“Two more fell. The sound is even quieter than before. A master skilled in assassination.”
“The fact that nothing triggered the warning magic confirms it.”

Kosini glanced back, twisting her lips.

“So we’re just going to keep going like this? The damage will only grow.”
“They’re expendable anyway. It’s better to draw him in this way.”
“Draw him in?”
“The intruder knows our numbers. If we descend while throwing out bait in pairs, he’ll follow, thinking it’s to his advantage.”

Matio nodded slowly.

“The moment he strikes at you and me will be just before we obtain the treasure. As long as we’re human, that’s the moment we can’t help but let our guard down.”
“Hmm….”
“Until then, we’ll pretend to know nothing and keep digging. The moment he attacks, we counterattack.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to chase after him now and deal with him?”
“The distance is too great. If he flees, we’ll have difficulty catching him. We cannot afford to let this one escape.”

Matio clenched his fists so hard they creaked.

‘I must capture him no matter what.’

This was the one who tried to ruin Derus Robert’s cause. I had to extract everything through torture—who he was, who was behind him, which faction he belonged to.

‘Two more are dead.’

His movement speed was extraordinary. He was audacious yet cold-blooded. Drawing him in rather than pursuing had been the right call.

‘But….’

Such an opponent would be easier to capture.

Whether assassin or warrior, the more they overestimated their own strength, the easier they were to kill. The one behind them was precisely at that level.

Matio visualized the unfolding scenario in his mind, his eyes turning cold.

‘You will spill secrets even you don’t know.’

Come as much as you like.

*

*

*

That’s what I would be thinking if I were in your position.

Raon felt the auras of Matio and Kosini gradually drawing closer and let out a cold laugh.

‘Movements exactly as predicted.’

Matio was pretending not to notice that I was following behind, advancing forward while wagging his tail as if to say ‘try to catch me.’ It was clear he didn’t simply want to kill me—he wanted to capture me and extract information.

‘A sound strategy.’

If only it weren’t against me.

I knew exactly what kind of person Matio was, what he was thinking, how he would move. I had already mapped the structure of this dungeon.

Matio would believe himself advantaged, but this was a battle where I held overwhelmingly superior ground.

Raon’s lips curved into a faint smile as I flexed my fingers lightly.

‘What I need to do now…’

Erase my presence.

I had to suppress my existence far more than when I spent four days behind Shadow’s ranks.

Gooooo.

I resonated all my rings of fire at once. Rather than elevating my presence as usual, I crushed it to its absolute limit and concealed myself.

Like a small pebble on the ground, like a water droplet falling from the ceiling. I transformed myself into a fragment of mana dwelling within this dungeon.

Whoooosh!

I felt the vibration of Kosini digging into the ground. Her mana seemed to brush against my shoulder.

I clenched my lips tightly.

‘Not yet.’

She was undoubtedly close, but at this moment, even an injured Matio could evade. I needed to wait a bit longer.

‘Exhale.’

I submerged even my emotions beyond my flesh. I erased the resentment and rage from my past life, even my killing intent. Like a newborn child, I painted my body and spirit in white.

Whoooosh.

Beyond Kosini’s magic, the vibrations from Matio’s and the Shadow members’ footsteps tickled the soles of my feet. Through that flow, their movements painted themselves in my mind. All of their senses were directed backward and upward.

‘Now!’

I ground my molars and kicked off the earth. I burst through not from the front or back, but from the left wall. My Taehwa Spear, grown even stronger, pushed through the wall surface and reached behind Matio in a single instant.

Screeeech!

In that blind spot where neither the Shadow members, nor Kosini, nor Matio could react, my blade erupted with an eerie light.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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