The Wizard Who Endured the World of Murim - Chapter 80

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

Surviving in the Martial Realm as a Mage: Episode 80
Throughout Kangho, there existed numerous assassin organizations.
Most of them were selective about the contracts they accepted, but this particular request seemed to require no such discretion.
“They want the Black Dragon Master dead.”
The Dark Moon Society.
Among all the assassin groups operating in Kangho, they ranked comfortably within the top three.
Assassin organizations typically categorized their members into ranks: Special Grade, First Grade, Second Grade, and Third Grade.
This hierarchical system allowed them to manage their operatives efficiently.
The Dark Moon Society boasted the largest contingent of Special Grade assassins—a full ten of them.
Furthermore, they had boldly proclaimed that any three Special Grade assassins working in concert could eliminate even a master of the Transformation Realm.
This spoke volumes about the confidence they held in their own capabilities.
“We’ve accepted the contract and decided to dispatch three First Grade assassins.”
Very little was known about the Black Dragon Faction.
A newly emerged sect that had suddenly appeared on the Yangtze River one day.
They had swiftly dismantled the pirate bands and consolidated them under their control, completely dominating the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River through sheer martial prowess.
The Yangtze River Bandits, once the undisputed lords of that territory, had now become mere subordinates nervously watching the Black Dragon Faction’s every move.
It remained unclear whether the Black Dragon Faction aligned with the Orthodox Sects or the Unorthodox Faction.
Yet one thing was certain.
The Master’s martial arts were far more formidable than anyone imagined.
“Just because someone possesses extraordinary martial prowess doesn’t make them immortal.”
No matter how skilled a master might be, a blade through the heart brings death.
This new Black Dragon Master might indeed be a formidable expert.
But a dagger in the back cares not whether its wielder is master or novice.
Moreover, from what they heard, the Black Dragon Master had emerged so recently that he’d had precious little time to understand the treacherous nature of Kangho.
Countless have risen to brief fame upon entering Kangho, only to perish just as quickly.
The Black Dragon Master would be no exception.
Regardless of skill, inexperience in Kangho’s ways could prove fatal even to a master.
“Go and handle it. You have six months.”
“As you command.”
The three First Grade assassins of the Dark Moon Society immediately set their course toward Sungwha Island in the middle reaches of the Liu Chang River.
They were seasoned professionals.
Rather than rushing directly to Sungwha Island, they methodically circulated through nearby villages, naturally gathering intelligence as they went.
After a month of reconnaissance, the three reached their conclusion.
“This is difficult.”
“This isn’t something we can handle alone.”
“The Hoe-ju made a grave miscalculation.”
Though they had gathered information through different channels, all three had arrived at the same conclusion.
Their reasons, however, differed.
One had identified the difficulty in infiltrating Sungwha Island itself.
Another worried that the Black Dragon Master’s reported martial prowess had been severely underestimated.
The last one cited the number of Murim experts on Sungwha Island, arguing that there were far too many variables in this operation.
Thus, they all presented their objections.
This was the first time such a thing had occurred.
“Then I shall contact headquarters.”
The first-grade assassins immediately dispatched a carrier pigeon to the Dark Moon Society’s main branch.
And they had to wait another half month for a response to arrive.
Of course, they did not idle during that period.
They gathered detailed information about the target once more.
By the time the orders from the leadership arrived, they had accumulated enough information about the Black Dragon Master on Sungwha Island to visualize his face even with their eyes closed.
“They’re sending the Nameless Guest and the Silent Soul Guest, it seems.”
“…The Hoe-ju has made quite the decision. To dispatch two special-grade assassins.”
“Then is there nothing more for us to do? Should we return?”
“No. We are to secure the escape route and support the special-grade assassins to the very end.”
“How absurd. Just who is the client that warrants such effort?”
Small complaints and grievances arose, but they ultimately accepted the orders.
They dispersed quietly into different inns until the special-grade assassins arrived, working to secure escape routes.
Before the special-grade assassins arrived, they managed to purchase two small boats.
They bought drinks and meals for the nearby boatmen, endeavoring to befriend them.
Thus, the first-grade assassins became reasonably familiar with the surrounding waterways for their escape.
And around that time, the two special-grade assassins arrived.
“We depart at dawn today.”
All information about the target had already been gathered by the first-grade assassins, and the escape route was flawless.
All that remained was to execute the plan.
Thus, in the pitch-black dawn.
Two special-grade assassins.
Three first-grade assassins set out toward Sungwha Island in small boats.
But they were captured within merely half an hour of arriving at Sungwha Island.
The reason was simple.
“What? Jiangshi? How did that monster end up here!”
They could not have known that subtle alarm magic circles were laid across the entire island.
The moment the alarm magic activated, Jiangshi immediately mobilized, and the assassins were driven to the brink of capture without mounting any real resistance.
The two special-grade assassins committed suicide the moment they were caught in combat with the Jiangshi.
But two of the three first-grade assassins were subdued before they could even attempt suicide, captured alive and bound, then dragged before the Black Dragon Master—their intended target.
Thus, Ilhyang was able to confront the assassins who had come to kill him in the Magic Tower.
* * *
“The Dark Moon Society….”
“A rather renowned assassin organization in Kangho, Master.”
Ilhyang’s face contorted.
Getting entangled in unnecessary affairs in the Lower Realm was hardly a pleasant feeling.
This place had to remain perfectly safe.
Naturally, it had to be a space completely free of any trouble.
“Honestly, these nuisances keep bothering me.”
Assassins.
So the behavior of assassins was similar whether here or across the Seven Continents.
The fundamental method of approaching covertly and eliminating targets remained structurally identical.
Back when I had established the Magic Tower on the Seven Continents, I had received countless visits from assassins.
Catching these types was far easier than falling asleep and eating rice cakes.
“With magic circles covering the entire island, how could an unknown intruder even enter in the first place?”
Before the Magic Tower was established, maintaining magic circles of this scale would have been impossible.
But now that the Magic Tower stood, sustaining such vast magic circles was effortless.
Roughly speaking, the tower was accumulating mana approaching the level of a Third Realm Spirit Vein.
Even at the tower’s highest level, one hundred lower-grade spirit stones accumulated daily.
Along with five mid-grade spirit stones stacked neatly.
“Where is their headquarters located?”
“That is…”
“Ah! You still won’t open your mouth?”
The assassins refused to divulge any information, whether from professional ethics or otherwise.
But such things were useless before magic.
“Turn your head this way for a moment.”
With gags stuffed in their mouths.
The assassins wore expressions of absolute refusal to reveal anything.
I regarded them indifferently and placed my hand on the crown of an assassin who had drawn near.
‘Memory reading.’
A mental magic usable from the Fifth Circle onward.
The range of memories I could perceive varied depending on proficiency.
The spell manifested instantaneously.
The assassin trembled violently for a moment before going limp.
“Rest for a bit and you’ll be fine. No need to be so frightened.”
I spoke to another assassin who was visibly terrified, then turned to Gong Jeol-gang and opened my mouth.
“I need to make a trip to Shaanxi Province for a while.”
At my casual words, spoken as if I were merely taking a stroll, the expression of the first-class assassin who remained conscious twisted slightly.
“I’ll go kill your so-called elite assassin and that Hoe-ju bastard, so wait here.”
My body vanished from that spot like smoke.
I had used teleportation.
Of course, even having reached the Sixth Circle, I could not reach my destination in a single jump.
The distance was simply too great.
Moreover.
“The mana in the atmosphere is far too depleted.”
I had no choice but to retrieve the mid-grade spirit stones I had accumulated from my inventory.
Crackle—
Then, in one swift motion, I shattered the spirit stones and began absorbing the mana dispersing into the air.
Using intermediate spirit stones as disposable items was certainly expensive.
But I had long since passed the stage of worrying about such trivial expenses.
With my mana quickly restored, I repeated this method and arrived at my destination in an instant.
And then.
That day, a massive pillar of flame erupted from a grand brothel in Xi’an, the Holy Capital of Shaanxi Province.
Having effortlessly destroyed an assassin organization, I examined Hoe-ju’s memories and finally came face to face with the one who had hired me to be killed.
I examined Hoe-ju’s memories and was able to confront the client who had sent someone to kill me.
“I heard you’re the client who hired someone to kill me.”
“Y-you fool! Do you have any idea where you are!”
“The Imperial Palace, obviously.”
The Imperial Palace.
More precisely, the Emperor’s office.
The Taihe Hall.
Seated in the upper seat and surveying my surroundings, I smiled coldly.
“So this creature is the Emperor?”
“Ugh!”
“Your Majesty!”
“You, you wretch! Release him at once!”
Clang, clang, clang—!
The Imperial Palace guards surrounded the entire Taihe Hall and raised their weapons.
But it was a meaningless gesture.
The one they were supposed to protect was already in the hands of an intruder.
“Are you afraid of death, Emperor?”
The young man in ornate robes now held by my throat—
Prince O, who had recently undergone his formal coronation ceremony.
Or rather, Yu Woo-jae, now Emperor.
He struggled desperately with the noose around his neck.
But the man holding that noose remained motionless, regarding the Emperor with an oddly lukewarm expression.
“Since you hired someone to kill me, it’s time you paid the price, Emperor.”
“Gah…”
As the Emperor felt the crushing pressure through the hand gripping him, his eyes began to roll back.
The position he had spent his entire life barely seizing.
A position he had gladly obtained by murdering his brothers.
And by poisoning his own father, the previous Emperor.
All the absolute power he had gained—
In this place, it proved utterly powerless before simple brute force.
“You’re simply dying for the price of misjudging a person.”
As I declared the Emperor’s death and tightened my grip further, something suddenly shot toward me from the edge of my vision.
Something shot toward me from the corner of my vision at tremendous speed.

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