Chapter 282: Sa Wang-ryeon-2
Chapter 282: Sa Wang-ryeon-2
Seonwoo Jin had personally met many who could be called the absolute beings of this era.
Among the One Emperor, Two Kings, Three Sages, Four Demons, and Five Monsters, there was the Cooperative King Mo Yong-geom, who belonged to the Two Kings.
The Sword Saint Hae Un-baek and Saintess Si Seo-u, who belonged to the Three Sages.
The Lust Demon Son Eun-sang, Blood Demon Jeon Mu-gwang, and Demon Sovereign Man Hak-sung, who belonged to the Four Demons.
And the Strange Sword Seo Il, who belonged to the Five Monsters....
Because they were all martial artists far above the heavens, it was impossible for someone of Seonwoo Jin's skill to accurately compare their levels.
However, he had always judged them by one standard.
That was a comparison with his master, the Broad Hero Sword Ghost Jeong Myeong-gang, with whom he had formed the bond of master and disciple within the Light Sword Tomb.
And when viewing them by that standard, lamentably, not a single one of the absolute beings Seonwoo Jin had met in this era possessed a presence more powerful than the Broad Hero Sword Ghost Jeong Myeong-gang.
At most, he only felt a comparable presence from the Lust Demon Son Eun-sang, the Blood Demon Jeon Mu-gwang, and the Sword Saint Hae Un-baek, while the rest of the absolute beings all displayed a presence far inferior to Jeong Myeong-gang.
In contrast, from the Sword God he met in the Dream Soul Great Method, or the Thunder God and Martial Emperor he saw in the visions of the Emperor's Tomb, he had definitely felt a presence that overwhelmed Jeong Myeong-gang.
This was why he had concluded that the absolute beings of the present were a level below those of the past.
But in this very moment, Seonwoo Jin realized that this was not necessarily the case.
Four Kings Goe Gal-hyeon.
It was because from this man, evaluated as the second-strongest master under heaven, he could feel the same colossal presence he had received from his master, the Broad Hero Sword Ghost Jeong Myeong-gang.
Indeed, he was nothing short of an overwhelmingly monstrous being.
And at this very moment.
The burning gaze of that monster, who had looked utterly bored just moments before, was focused solely on Seol Pung alone.
It was a change that occurred the instant Seol Pung revealed the names of his father and mother.
The Four Kings stared intently at Seol Pung for a time with an unreadable expression, then spoke again.
"Did you say you wish to challenge for the position of my successor?"
"That is correct."
At Seol Pung's answer, which held not a shred of hesitation, the corner of the Four Kings' lips curled up bitterly.
"How laughable. Do you think I would permit you, who might seek revenge against me, to be my successor? Rather than killing you on this very spot?"
It was as if he was mocking Seol Pung.
But upon hearing that light tone, Seol Pung's group could not help but feel their hearts sink with dread.
Because if that monster so much as crooked a single finger, their lives would end right here on the spot.
But unlike his companions, Seol Pung did not appear so fearful.
He simply answered calmly.
"I believe you will. Because you would know... that I will not, cannot, seek revenge."
Seol Pung's eyes were filled with deep pain as he answered.
But the Four Kings continued his questioning as if sneering.
"Will not seek revenge? I do not quite understand. Why would you not seek revenge? Will you not avenge your father's mortal enemy? How am I to believe that?"
Seol Pung, hearing that question, clenched his jaw tightly and failed to answer for a moment.
He simply glared at the Four Kings with burning eyes.
At this, the people around them quietly watched their exchange, not even daring to swallow loudly.
Naturally, Seonwoo Jin's group, as well as the figures surrounding the Four Kings, seemed unable to grasp how the situation was unfolding.
In particular, Seonwoo Jin's group failed to hide their anxious eyes and expressions.
For they knew well that their very lives would be decided by the outcome of this conversation.
Seol Pung had certainly come here boldly claiming he could become the successor of the Four Kings, but seeing how things were now playing out, it didn't seem entirely certain.
And if things went wrong, the group would be attacked right here alongside Seol Pung.
By that monster radiating the overwhelming presence known as the Four Kings.
Just imagining it was a dreadful thing.
To be attacked by such a monster meant their lives would surely end instantly.
'Ugh, I had a bad feeling about this. Thanks to having fine younger siblings, I'm going to die on the same day, at the same hour, just like a sworn oath. Damn.'
'Will I die here with Pung? Even if I die, I should have at least slept with Pung once. I should have just forced it.'
It was when Jeung Chil and Yeon Taejin were having such thoughts in their minds.
Seonwoo Jin suddenly found himself thinking that their conversation was strange.
How to put it, the feeling that the Four Kings was deliberately putting Seol Pung in a difficult spot?
It felt as if he was intentionally teasing Seol Pung, like an immature boy expressing affection by tormenting someone.
But he soon shook his head.
'It must be an illusion. There's no way a monster like him would do something so childish, right?'
It was then.
The Four Kings, who had been watching Seol Pung clench his teeth and fail to answer with a bitter smile, suddenly chuckled and opened his mouth.
"Well, fine. Rebuilding the tradition of the Goe-Seol Lineage, which I shattered with my own hands, with my own hands would not be so bad either. I shall permit it. You are, from this moment, a candidate for the next Four Kings."
"!"
"!"
It was an utterly sudden declaration.
At the Four Kings' abrupt permission, everyone around could only be shocked for a moment.
And just as Seonwoo Jin's group let out deep sighs of relief, the close associates of the Four Kings immediately began raising objections.
"My lord! That is...!"
"My lord! Please reconsider! Once broken, the tradition of the Goe-Seol Lineage is now meaningless! On the contrary, you must eliminate this future trouble now!"
"This cannot be, Father! That scoundrel is to be a successor candidate alongside us?! I absolutely cannot agree!"
Seonwoo Jin observed the aides who were raising objections.
The one now insisting that the future trouble be eliminated was a middle-aged man who resembled Man Ji-seong, the young man who had guided Seonwoo Jin's group earlier.
Seonwoo Jin could immediately guess his identity.
'That man must be Man Seong-guk, the head of the Jin-gang Man family, the current general manager of the Four Kings Alliance.'
He was the figure who, when Goe Gal-hyeon killed Seol Cheon-hu and became the Four Kings, had pushed aside the Yangju Dong Clan—who had been the second-in-command of the Four Kings Alliance for generations—and seized the general manager position.
So it was perfectly understandable why he would show hostility toward Seol Pung, the descendant of the Seol family.
Of course, forming a cooperative relationship with them going forward would be difficult.
Seonwoo Jin turned his gaze again toward the young man who had called the Four Kings "Father."
He was a youth with a striking, robust build resembling the Four Kings and arrogant eyes.
And Seonwoo Jin suddenly had the feeling that he somehow resembled Seol Pung, like a brother.
The aura they gave off was entirely different, but at least in terms of appearance, it was so.
Indeed, it seemed to be because the Goe and Seol families shared the same bloodline.
Furthermore, Seonwoo Jin could spot three other young men who also resembled Seol Pung standing around him, arms crossed, silently staring at Seol Pung.
They were likely the four sons of the Four Kings he had heard of by rumor.
Seonwoo Jin quickly scanned their faces and impression, thinking.
'So, those are hyung-nim's competitors.'
In his past life as well, the candidates for the next Four Kings were originally the Four Kings' four sons plus Seol Pung, making five in total.
Therefore, it meant that Seol Pung must now be recognized as the next Four Kings through competition with them.
While Seonwoo Jin was thinking this, the people's protests continued.
"My lord! The successor of the Seol family must be...!"
"Father! I will never... that bastard...!"
It was when General Manager Man Seong-guk and one of the Four Kings' sons kept insisting on their opposition to the Four Kings' declaration.
The Four Kings quietly opened his mouth.
"Since when...?"
It was at that moment.
An immense momentum burst forth from the Four Kings like a storm.
Hwaaaaak!
"Khukk!"
"Uk!"
That momentum spread outward like a tempest and began to crush the assembly with the weight of a thousand-gun boulder.
Under that tremendous pressure, the two men who had been voicing their opposition could no longer speak and could only groan.
The same was true for everyone else around them.
Every person within this space had to muster all their inner power and do their utmost just to avoid collapsing to the floor.
"Kkhuukk!"
"S-such momentum...!"
The Four Kings now looked around the hall with an easy, sovereign presence and continued speaking.
"Since when did you presume to object to my decisions?"
His overwhelming presence crushed everyone like an elephant stepping on ants.
Within this space, his presence felt like that of a true absolute being, like a god.
As his cold gaze turned toward General Manager Man Seong-guk, Man Seong-guk could endure no longer and had no choice but to drop to his knees with a thud.
He spoke as if begging for forgiveness.
"I-I apologize, Supreme One. This subordinate has dared to disturb the Supreme One's peace of mind."
With his declaration of surrender, the Four Kings' gaze now turned toward his son.
Toward the son who had kept opposing Seol Pung's appointment as a candidate.
The Four Kings spoke.
"Hang-gi, do you dare dispute my decision?"
At this, the body of his son, who had been barely holding on, wavered.
It seemed the pressure had intensified as the momentum was concentrated upon him.
But he demonstrated that he was indeed a son of the Four Kings.
Unlike General Manager Man Seong-guk, he did not easily submit and kept asserting his opinion.
"I... will never... acknowledge a wretch like him...!"
At this, the Four Kings asked with a bitter smile.
"Do you lack confidence?"
At that question, the son called Hang-gi snapped his eyes wide open and retorted.
"Excuse me?!"
"I am asking if you have no confidence to compete with that brat."
Then the son of the Four Kings clenched his teeth and shouted.
"What are you saying?! Who lacks confidence...!"
It was then.
The moment the Four Kings' eyes flashed with light, the momentum pressing down on his son redoubled in an instant.
At this, he could no longer withstand the pressure and had no choice but to collapse, crumpling like a puppet with its strings cut.
"Kkheuukk!"
Thud!
The Four Kings looked down at his son, pinned to the floor, with cold eyes and spoke.
"Listen well. I have no need for a successor who fears competition. If you are afraid of a competitor who rolled in from outside without any base whatsoever, then give up and quit right now."
As he spoke, his gaze swept coldly not only over his kneeling son but also over the other three sons.
At this, the other three sons silently bowed their heads, signaling their obedience.
The Four Kings had enforced his will with overwhelming martial prowess.
Now that no one dared express any further dissent, the Four Kings withdrew his momentum and declared.
"I shall say it again. Seol Pung, the descendant of the Seol family, has from this moment become one of the candidates for the next Four Kings."
At his declaration, everyone now bowed their heads.
There could be no one left who would oppose him.
Then the Four Kings looked back at Seol Pung and spoke.
"You must now prove, by any means and methods necessary, that you are the one fit to be the next Four Kings. Martial prowess befitting the next Four Kings, achievements befitting the next Four Kings. If you can demonstrate those, you will be able to sit in the position of the next Four Kings regardless of what your surname is."
Seol Pung stared at the Four Kings without any answer.
At that moment, their gazes intertwined in the air for a brief moment.
After a short time passed, the Four Kings turned his head back toward his other sons and spoke.
"From now on, these are your competitors whom you must overwhelm. Defeat your opponents without limiting means or methods, but I will not permit killing or injuring one another within Jiangsu Province itself. Do you understand?"
Seol Pung nodded silently.
'Engage in unlimited competition, but do not kill or injure one another within Jiangsu Province.'
Because Seol Pung already knew the rules for becoming the next Four Kings.
When Seol Pung asked no questions, the Four Kings left his final words with a bitter smile.
"Then I wish you the fortune of battle."
With the Four Kings' last words, Seol Pung and Seonwoo Jin's group were able to exit the grand hall.
The party had no choice but to let out deep sighs of relief, feeling as though they had come back from the dead.
"Phaaaa! I thought I was going to die!"
"Me too. I had no idea a person could die from being crushed by sheer momentum."
"Me too. I nearly died without ever getting to sleep with Pung. Pung, as soon as we leave here, quickly come with me and..."
It was then.
The other successor candidates, the Four Kings' sons, followed them right out.
The situation was not yet over.
While all of them stared at Seol Pung with cold eyes, the one called Goe Hang-gi, who had been stepping forward and opposing him earlier, was the first to speak with an arrogant expression.
"You lowly wretch. No matter what Father has commanded, I cannot acknowledge a thing like you as a successor candidate on our level. If you wish to keep your life, renounce your candidacy right now and kneel before us."
He did not hide his hostility and contempt for Seol Pung in the slightest.
At this, Seol Pung slowly scanned him and the other three brothers silently watching the situation behind him.
They hadn't stepped forward to speak like Goe Hang-gi, but he could not find a favorable expression on any of their faces.
Seol Pung could feel his blood boiling furiously within his chest.
His mood was already foul, and now these bastards were coming to pick a fight with him first.
But he barely suppressed the rage that was about to erupt like a volcano.
If this were not the Four Kings Alliance, their headquarters, he would have wanted to crush the bastard right here on the spot, but he was worried that doing such a thing might bring harm upon his companions as well.
It was then.
Seonwoo Jin's telepathic voice entered Seol Pung's ear.
- [You may do as you please, hyung-nim. For the sake of the future, it is better to reveal your presence here and now. If you hold back at this moment, the people here will look down on you. Do not forget that this is the Four Kings Alliance, and that the only iron rule here is 'power.']
Hearing that telepathic message, the corner of Seol Pung's lips curled upward.
It was a fierce smile, like that of a predator about to begin its hunt.