Reincarnated With The Degenerate System-Chapter 224: Hot Name

On the way back, I watched the news on my phone. It filled me with joy to see my guild had become the most searched name on the internet.

I even received calls from my assistants. They said several companies were lining up to partner with me.

Because greed was clearly not part of my nature, each S-Rank received a humble 1.5 billion price tag for a single year.

Back then, they called it ridiculous. Now, they would be stupid not to take it.

A few seconds later, replies came in. Twenty companies dared to bite. They were likely betting my guild’s popularity would keep climbing as more floors fell.

It was a very smart move. Those who passed would be crying over the lost chance. Soon, only my guild members would matter, both inside and outside the tower.

Inside the meeting room, my staff gathered around as we watched the stock market on the screen. This time, other companies did not matter.

The focus was my guild going public.

Thanks to my sponsorships, which already projected over 100 billion in revenue on their own per year, I was able to set a very high valuation—especially considering the speed at which we cleared dungeons.

On top of that, materials from the 16th floor alone brought in 4 billion, and the boss drops sold for another 2 billion. And that didn’t even include the haul from the 17th floor.

The association took only 15% in taxes thanks to my deal, lower than the usual 20%. Even so, it proved my guild could consistently earn over five billion per raid.

However, running a guild came with the highest risk compared to any other business. I couldn’t just expect a trillion valuation right off the bat.

I set the valuation at 400 billion—and everyone swallowed it without question.

With the cash flow secured, I instructed my legal team to acquire 10,000 acres in the mountain region, about 50 kilometers from the city border.

I did it for several reasons. First, the danger from mutated plants and animals made the land dirt cheap. We’re talking about only 1000 per acre.

Second, out there, I could raise my own army without prying eyes tracking every move.

The plan was to build a self‑sufficient city in that region. The early stage would be rough, with shortages and constant danger. Even so, my confidence remained high.

In the future, the guild would have so many S‑Ranks that any monster daring to approach our territory would be wiped out before it crossed the border.

Third was safety. Although I was strong enough to defend myself, the number of people important to me kept growing.

Weak points were piling up fast. Because of that, I needed a place I could control completely, without outside interference.

Overall, this was shaping up to be a solid long‑term investment.

Or so I thought.

"Guild Master, I know the land is cheap, but no construction firm would take a project there. The place is far too dangerous. There’s a reason our city stopped expanding—the constant monster activity makes it practically uninhabitable." One of my financial advisors spoke.

"Don’t worry. Just offer triple the price, and I’m sure every construction firm in the country city will be lining up for the project. As for the monsters, that issue will be handled first by me personally."

Before they could speak, I told them to just follow my orders.

Night had already fallen when I headed to my bed.

As much as I wanted to relax in my fully climate-controlled room, I still had to check on the progress of the 17th floor.

My eyes slowly closed, but before I could transfer my consciousness, I sensed people. They were already on the same floor.

That was interesting. The CCTV detected nothing, which meant one of two things—they were invisible, or they had abilities tied to stealth.

I counted five of them in total.

Subtly, I let my qi map the entire floor while I pretended to sleep beneath the bedsheets. These people were professionals. Without my unusually sharp senses, I would never have noticed them.

One of them stepped to my bedside, standing close enough that I could feel the shift in air. The others spread out, sealing every angle.

They struck together.

Short daggers drove down, their blades humming with a low vibration.

Clang!

Every strike rebounded after hitting my reinforced skin.

Before they could recover, shadows stirred beneath them. Dark vines surged up and wrapped around five bodies in an instant.

I pulled the bedsheet aside.

"You know, there’s a better way to visit me."

I stood up and casually turned on the lights before sitting in the chair, my gaze settling on the intruders.

Floating vines twisted in the air, crushing five outline I could barely see.

I tightened my grip. Then the figures flickered into view—people clad in flexible black suits, their outlines unstable, like distorted reflections.

A moment later, they vanished again. Invisibility.

Their equipment caught my interest. Someone actually sent assassins armed with technology that wasn’t openly available to the public.

Mythical? Dark Rock? Or worse... Darkness itself?

Damn. I knew I would become a target once my name grew hot, but they moved way too fast. And here I thought my clone’s constant pressure was keeping them busy.

After a while, the suits failed completely, leaving five restrained bodies suspended in the air. Four men. One woman.

I snatched their helms away with my shadows, stripping them bare and revealing their faces.

The men struggled first. Muscles strained. Breathing grew uneven. One of them cursed under his breath. Another kept his jaw clenched, eyes darting toward exits.

The woman stayed quiet.

Her short black hair barely shifted despite the struggle, resting neatly against her face. She was beautiful in a simple way, with refined features that didn’t need effort to stand out.

"Names," I said.

No answer.

The pressure increased. One man gasped, teeth clenched, eyes burning with defiance. He refused to say a word.

A stupid choice.

Being the first meant becoming the example.

My shadow swallowed his entire face, tightening. He wanted air, but every breath was denied. Agony carved itself into my shadow, and I let it linger for his companions to witness.

I waited for someone to use an ability. One finally tried.

He barely started activating it when I snapped his neck. His body went limp on the floor.

That made the message clear. Resistance was not an option.

I could kill them faster than they could even think about using their abilities.

"Fuck. No one told us we were dealing with an S-Rank," one of them grumbled.

"So, they sent you here to die," I said calmly. "That’s rough."

I leaned forward, shadows tightening just enough to remind them where they stood.

"How about you do one smart thing before the end," I continued. "Tell me who sent you, and I’ll return the favor. Consider it revenge on your behalf."

"In your dreams, bastard," he spat.

I tilted my head aside, dodging it.

"You’re not in the mood for talking, so I’ll ask her instead." I turned my attention to the pretty woman and lifted her chin with a single finger.

She looked away, a flicker of fear in her eyes as if I were the villain, and not them.

"Relax. I won’t hurt a pretty girl like you."

"What?" she looked confused. I couldn’t blame her. Who in their right mind flirts in a situation like this? Worse, who flirts with a woman who was literally hired to kill them?

Unfortunately, my brain was built differently, so my actions stayed well within my own set of rules.

I returned to my chair and drew her with me, letting the vines guide her onto my lap.

"You tried to kill me. Let’s not pretend that didn’t happen." I leaned really close to her ear. "But instead of dying here with them, you can switch sides"

"Being an assassin might have its thrills, but I’m offering you an upgrade. Imagine having a boyfriend who can buy you anything you desire, no questions asked. All you have to do is walk away from this life and be with me."

My offer was so good that the two men cursed themselves for being born male. Who would have thought the opposite sex held such an advantage?

She didn’t respond to my question. It seems she needed more convincing.

CRACK!

One of her companion’s heads was shattered by my shadow.

Before she could steady herself, another crack echoed.

Now, she was the only one left.

"Let me ask you again. Do you want to die here like them... or do you want to live?" I whispered, shadows curling lazily around her neck.

"This is your last chance."

Her eyes glowed as my influence seeped in, pressing against a will already worn thin from fear.

"I... want to live."

"Good choice.

Why bother interrogating sweaty men when I could get a pretty woman to spill everything I needed? This was the best way to conduct an investigation—clean, efficient, and enjoyable.

The shadows loosened just enough for me to lift her towards another bedroom.

I tossed her onto the bed and began kissing her neck.

"Questions can wait. For now, we’re going to get better acquainted—through a more direct approach."

She inhaled to say something, and I stopped her with deep kiss.

"No."

She pushed back, and I answered by pinning her in place, fingers tracing the seams of her suit as I searched for a release mechanism.

"Stop resisting. Did you forget our deal, or do you want me to remind you how you tried to kill me—and that I still spared you?"