The Reincarnated Assassin is a Genius Swordsman - Chapter 346

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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 346

The Banquet Hall of the Babylon Duchy, where elegant illumination cascaded down like starlight.

Derus Robert and Duke Babylon clinked their goblets together cheerfully atop the platform.

“Your son’s shoulder is recovering smoothly.”

Duke Babylon offered Derus Robert a gentle smile.

“At the fastest, three months. At the slowest, four months. He should regain his pre-injury sensation by then.”
“That’s far quicker than anticipated. I’m grateful for your consideration, Your Grace.”

Derus met Duke Babylon’s gaze and nodded.

“Gratitude? In an alliance, such things are merely our duty. You wound me with such formality.”

Duke Babylon waved his hand dismissively. Yet beneath his humble words, his eyes brimmed with undisguised desire.

“I see.”

I sensed the faint stirring of Duke Babylon’s ambition and curved my lips into a smile.

‘A pig of a man.’

Duke Babylon possessed genuine ability, yet his greed far exceeded his talents.
It was this very avarice that had caused him to fall behind the marquises of late, and why he was called rotten and withered among Valcar’s pillars.

‘However…’

This corpulent pig certainly had many cuts worth roasting.

To swallow Valcar whole, I needed not only to treat Cardis’s shoulder, but also this pig’s position and power.
The reason I came here first, rather than to another house specializing in recovery, was precisely for that.

“Still, I cannot let this pass without reciprocation. If there is anything you desire, speak freely without reservation.”

Derus raised his hand slightly, telling me to speak freely.

“It’s truly fine. As I’ve said before, our duchy is already honored simply by Cheongeomseong’s presence.”

Duke Babylon shook his head, his eyes betraying a far deeper greed than his words suggested.

“You remain humble indeed. But the matter of saving my incompetent son… Ugh!”

Derus clutched his head mid-sentence.

‘What is this….’

Two Rage Worms had just died. Not the ones he’d planted in his subordinates, but the ones he’d entrusted to two people he trusted.

‘Matio and Kosini are dead?’

Kosini’s mind-control magic could dominate not just spirits, but even Master-rank warriors and above.
It was inconceivable that they could be killed without even escaping, no matter how powerful the monsters in the Underwater Dungeon were.

‘And on top of that….’

Terror and agony had flooded through them.

Rage Worms could perceive the emotions of their hosts. The final signal sent by Matio and Kosini’s Rage Worms was shock, fear, and excruciating pain.

‘What on earth is happening.’

Matio was an assassin who had purged himself of all ordinary human emotion. The fact that he had died while experiencing such intense feelings left my mind reeling.

“Head of House?”
“I need some air. I’ll return shortly.”

I felt my face grow pale and rigid. My usual composure and emotional control had abandoned me. I had to leave this place before my inner turmoil became apparent.

“Head of House! If you’re unwell, allow me to examine you!”
“I’m fine.”
“It could be a serious illness….”
“I said it’s fine.”
“Ugh!”

Derus’s eyes blazed with such murderous intent that Duke Babylon staggered backward, his flesh trembling. He glared at Duke Babylon before turning away.

‘Damn it….’

I knew I had to restrain myself, yet I couldn’t. The memory of what had transpired in Breeding Ground 9 not long ago resurfaced, and my fingertips trembled.

Whoooosh!

Derus crossed the Banquet Hall, now shrouded in silence, and strode outside. Rezel had already fallen into step behind him.

“Head of House?”
“Matio is dead.”
“What…?”

Rezel was equally stunned and couldn’t find words to respond.

“I don’t know the exact reason, but something must have gone wrong in the dungeon.”

Yet I couldn’t fathom what could have happened in that dungeon to cause such a bitter emotion to linger even in death.

“I-I’ll handle it right away. Let me dispatch the Shadow operatives—”
“No.”

Derus shook his head and donned the coat he had brought with him. His eyes swirled with the aura of death itself.

“I’m going myself.”

*

*

*

Raon clenched and unclenched his fists, assessing his condition.

‘Not bad at all.’

Though the aura consumption had been considerable, my swordsmanship had advanced significantly thanks to the enlightenment of Flame Purity. Once I finished everything here and focused on cultivation, I could elevate not just my stats, but also my mastery of Manhwagong and Glacia.
Once I finish this matter and focus on cultivating my energy, not only will my stats increase, but I’ll also be able to reach higher levels in Manhwagong and Glacia.

‘I’ve gained far more than I expected.’

I should buy Merlin a meal or something.

Derus came to prevent me from obtaining the dungeon’s treasure, but I managed to take revenge on Matio and learned a new sword technique in the process.
I felt grateful to Merlin, who had informed me of this place’s secrets in the form of a squirrel, and wanted to give her something in return.

‘Now all that remains….’

To deal with the monster beneath the floor, claim the treasure, and then collapse this entire dungeon.

-Would it not be wiser to recover your aura and stamina before facing what lies below? The creature down there possesses power comparable to your own.
“Comparable, you say….

The aura emanating from the spiritual being dwelling in those depths was indeed formidable. Wrath was right—it would be prudent to recover my stamina and aura before descending.

“I know that would be better. But….”

I gazed upward through the ceiling, a cold smile crossing my lips.

“I don’t have time.”
-Time?
“Yes. The dog’s master is coming for me.”

By now, word of Matio and Kosini’s deaths would have reached Derus, and he would be making his way here directly from the Babylon Duchy.

‘His patience must have reached its limit.’

With the collapse of Breeding Ground 9 and the death of Matio, whom he trusted, Derus would surely have lost his composure. I needed to escape this place as quickly as possible to avoid confronting him.

Whoooooosh!

I compressed my aura into the Heavenly Sword, aiming it at the floor below. The condensed power at the blade’s tip exploded in an instant.
The amplified force of the Middle Heaven Strike shattered the ground like a spider’s web, causing it to collapse.

Screeeeeech!

A chilling killing intent surged from directly beneath, making my hair stand on end.

I lowered my gaze to observe the form of the creature that had unleashed its killing intent.

Could it be…?

A jellyfish?

A single jellyfish, luminous as the Snowy Plain, drifted through the empty air. Its body was roughly four meters in diameter, and its tentacles stretched beyond forty meters in length.

-Quite beautiful, isn’t it?

Wrath chuckled softly as he observed the jellyfish’s undulating movements.

-Though capturing it won’t be easy.
Right. It’s a phantom jellyfish.

A marine monster called a phantom jellyfish because its transparent yet smooth body and tentacles drifted through the air like a specter.
However, its size was more than three times larger than an average phantom jellyfish.

I furrowed my brow.

A troublesome creature had been caught.

The phantom jellyfish possessed two distinctive characteristics. The first was an acceleration ability that allowed it to move at tremendous speed, whether in the sea or on land.
Faster than most warriors, once it caught your attention, you had to assume its tentacles were already within arm’s reach.

The truly terrifying aspect was the second characteristic—the phantom jellyfish possessed a deadly venom that rivaled any poison or venomous creature.
Since an ordinary phantom jellyfish’s venom could dissolve a sword’s aura, this evolved creature’s venom would surely penetrate even stronger energy.

Whoooosh!

The phantom jellyfish extended its tentacles with murderous intent. An attack faster than a Master’s swift strike, targeting the moment I couldn’t move through the air.

Whoooosh!

I brought the Heavenly Sword down toward the tentacle approaching like a beam of light.

Clang!

Sword and tentacle collided, producing a thunderous crash as if metal had struck metal.

‘Strong.’

Even with aura blazing across the blade, the tentacles hadn’t been severed completely. Like a true spirit creature, the tentacles had hardened as well.

Kiiiiiii!

The phantom jellyfish sank slowly while spreading its body. Dozens—no, hundreds of tentacles rose up all at once before curving down and piercing through. It felt like watching sunlight streaming down from the heavens.

Kwaaaaa!

Each tentacle carried an immense amount of aura, and their movements were as sharp as those of a master swordsman. It felt like fighting against a supreme expert in variable and illusory sword techniques.

‘The problem is….’

A master’s sword contains some false strikes mixed in, but all of these were genuine.

Thud.

I stepped on Tae Hwa Bo and dashed to the left. The phantom jellyfish’s tentacles changed direction in an instant as if they had eyes, pursuing me relentlessly.

‘Not a bad intellect.’

The phantom jellyfish kept its main body positioned to move at any moment while attacking only with its tentacles, maintaining caution.

Kwadddcrunch!

The ground where the phantom jellyfish’s tentacles struck melted away in a pale white hue. Seawater surged up from the punctured floor.

‘That’s what’s truly terrifying.’

The potency of the deadly poison far exceeded normal parameters. As expected, the venom of the phantom jellyfish that had become a spirit creature could likely erase aura itself.

‘This will be quite exhausting.’

Kosini could have easily subdued this phantom jellyfish with mental manipulation magic, but I would need to pierce through the poison and capture it, which would prove considerably draining.

Hwaaaaa!

Realizing it couldn’t be caught by attacking from only one side, the phantom jellyfish spread its tentacles to both flanks, compressing the space around me. Not only were its movements and reactions swift—its intellect was equally sharp.

‘But…’

That was exactly what I was counting on.

I surged forward with a deep smile, waiting for this precise moment when the phantom jellyfish’s tentacles had split apart to strike at its main body.

Whoooosh!

I drew the chill up to its maximum along the Heavenly Sword and unleashed a torrent of frost.

In the instant the blade of sword and cold aura extended forth almost simultaneously, a brilliant white venom erupted from the phantom jellyfish’s bell-shaped crown.

Boom!

The blade of cold shattered pathetically as it collided with the venom. As expected, this phantom jellyfish’s poison possessed power rivaling that of strong aura.

“Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue and retreated backward.

‘I’ve never seen anything like this.’

This was my first encounter with a creature that spewed deadly venom not just from its tentacles, but from its bell as well. It appeared to be a new ability that had manifested as it evolved into a spirit creature.

Whooooom!

The phantom jellyfish, sensing the threat, compressed its main body to reduce its size, then set all its tentacles in motion.

Crash!

A chill ran down my spine as if hundreds of swordsmen wielding blades were charging at me simultaneously.

‘It’s being cautious.’

Unlike before, it wasn’t committing all its tentacles to the attack—some remained around its body for defense. This creature possessed intelligence.

Screeeech!

I scraped the Heavenly Sword upward from below, conjuring crimson flames. The blood-red petals danced through the air and collided with the venomous tentacles.

Boom, boom, boom, boom!

Toxic miasma and scorching heat collided in mid-air, unleashing countless explosions throughout the space. The dungeon walls fractured, and gray dust billowed outward.

Thud!

I planted my foot firmly on the ground and surged forward like lightning, striking at the spectral jellyfish’s flank. Leveraging the momentum, I drew my blade backward and unleashed it with devastating force.

Manhwagong Hundred Flowers.
Flame Dragon Breath.

The breath of the flame dragon, nurtured through the sword marks of the first Head of House, surged forth without restraint.

Screeeech!

The spectral jellyfish released an eerie cry and twisted its body to the left. Silver energy erupted from its hat-like crown. The venom was far more virulent than before.

Boom, boom, boom, boom!

The heat of the Flame Dragon Breath and the jellyfish’s lethal toxin collided head-on, detonating a terrifying shockwave.

“Hmm….”

I retreated swiftly to prevent the poison from spreading.

-For a mere creature, it fights rather well.

Wrath also found it intriguing, chuckling as he observed the spectral jellyfish.

‘Indeed. It’s like fighting a master swordsman.’

Most monsters moved with simplistic patterns, but this creature had reached the tier of a spirit beast, allowing it to predict my actions and respond accordingly. It was a formidable opponent.

Whoooosh!

The spectral jellyfish anticipated my direction of movement and brought its tentacles crashing down. This time, it attacked not just from above, but from all four directions—left, right, and below—cutting off any escape route.
This time, they attacked from all four directions—not just from above, but from the left, right, and below as well.

“They’re blocking off any space to escape through.”

What a stubborn creature.

I narrowed my eyes and drew the Heavenly Sword in a semicircular arc.

Clang!

Even with the Heavenly Sword wrapped in aura, the phantom jellyfish’s tentacles did not cut easily. With a rebound like striking steel, the blade was instead pushed back.

“It’s certainly strong, but I’ve gathered enough information.”

I smiled as I watched the phantom jellyfish’s tentacles extending toward me for the second time.

“I’m rather busy, so I can’t play around any longer.”

Under normal circumstances, I would have conducted martial research while observing the phantom jellyfish’s assault, but with Derus Robert arriving through the dimensional gate at an unknown time, I had no luxury for leisure.

Boom!

I stepped into the true angle and unleashed the Manhwa Palace at its peak. I ignited the rotating blade of flame and struck the phantom jellyfish’s tentacles.

Whoosh!

The phantom jellyfish’s tentacles, which had been like lumps of metal until now, were severed like cloth scraps.

Shriek!

The phantom jellyfish wailed and wildly thrashed its severed tentacles. It appeared to be rampaging, but it was not.
It was spraying the deadly venom contained within its tentacles.

“That won’t work either.”

I wrapped the essence of the Light Sword around the blade of the Heavenly Sword. The burning claws of a fierce beast incinerated the venom and mercilessly tore through the tentacles.

Whoosh!

Each time the enraged flames danced, dozens of the jellyfish’s tentacles were shredded away.

Shriek!

The phantom jellyfish did not retreat despite losing more than half of its tentacles. It continued its frenzied assault, determined to kill me by any means necessary.

‘That means….’

I narrowed my eyes as I observed the phantom jellyfish’s body floating in the pool of water.

‘The dungeon’s treasure must be beneath that creature.’

Monsters that became spirits through relics or spirit potions never abandon their positions. The fact that it refused to retreat even under attack made it clear that a spirit potion lay where the creature dwelled.

Boom!

I surged forward, pushing the ground with Taehwa Bow.

Whoooosh!

The phantom jellyfish gathered all its remaining tentacles and brought them crashing down. Hundreds of tentacles merged into a colossal club that plummeted toward me.

‘It realized individual strikes won’t work.’

A wise decision. Though it came a bit late.

I smirked and brought Jecheon Sword down like a thunderbolt.

Manhwa Palace Crimson Blade. The brilliant scarlet radiance split the massive tentacle in two with a single stroke.

Kiiieeeee!

The phantom jellyfish shrieked and lunged forward, its body wrapped in the virulent poison that filled the air and the toxin spewed from its umbrella-like crown.

It had not abandoned the will to live. It was simply executing the most efficient attack in this moment.

‘This is dangerous.’

My fingertips trembled before the overwhelming wave of venom. Even with poison resistance, my head spun dizzily.

Ching!

I fluidly drew Jecheon Sword. The black shadow settled upon the blade flickered between brilliant white light, casting forth a magnificent radiance.

Raon Zigheart’s Sword Technique
Fifth Form: White Shadow Blade.

As the white blade swept across, the virulent toxins drawn together by the phantom jellyfish melted away like spring snow.

Screeeech!

The phantom jellyfish unleashed a final burst of venom from its umbrella-like crown, but before the pristine white shadow, it withered like a flower that never had the chance to bloom.

Whoooosh!

The White Shadow Blade, having consumed the toxins, detonated the gathered energy. A frigid bolt of lightning crashed down, cleaving the phantom jellyfish’s body in two.

Screee…

The phantom jellyfish sprayed venom in one last desperate struggle, but it too fell short of the White Shadow Blade, dissipating like dust.

‘Terrifying indeed.’

I had wielded it myself, and the ability to erase all of an enemy’s energy was undeniably overpowered. With this power, I would never lose to anyone weaker than myself.

-Damn it!

Wrath let out a frustrated cry.

-It should have lasted longer! After draining the energy from this place all this time, how could it fall so pathetically?

He slapped the phantom jellyfish’s tentacles with his palm, clearly displeased with how easily it had been defeated.

“Time to collect the spoils.”

I searched through the phantom jellyfish’s body with both hands brimming with Manhwagong energy.

‘Found it.’

From the left side of its body, I grasped a sphere gleaming with silver light—the inner core of the phantom jellyfish, brimming with lethal toxins.

‘I can’t simply consume this as is.’

The toxicity was far too severe; consuming it in this state seemed impossible.

“I’ll set it aside for now.”

I pushed the phantom jellyfish’s corpse to the side. The puddle of water that had refused to move even in death now lay exposed.

I gazed at the center of the puddle, where emerald-hued seawater had pooled, and swallowed hard.

“This is….”

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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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