Chapter 204
I Became the Successor of the Martial God
Chapter 204.
A battle broke out inside the room.
A fight between Min Yi-jae and Ryu Si-young.
But the outcome was obvious from the start.
“Hahk, keuhak!”
Ryu Si-young, covered in large and small wounds, fell to her knees.
Already at a disadvantage after losing her right hand.
Moreover, the enemy wasn’t just one.
“Y-you trash…!”
“Is that something you should be saying?”
Yoo Jung-yeon, who had already undone her magical restraints, sneered while gripping her sword.
It only appeared as if she was restrained—the bindings had already been released.
Ryu Si-young hadn’t realized that.
“Keuh—euk!”
Now, she was paying the price.
Under normal circumstances, someone would have come to help upon hearing the commotion, but this room was soundproofed with magic.
No sound could escape.
“It feels like just yesterday you were severely punished by Father, and yet you’re doing this again…”
Thus, it was a safe situation.
Yoo Jung-yeon mocked Ryu Si-young.
“If only you’d fixed that filthy habit of yours, this wouldn’t have happened. Right?”
“In this suffocating hunter life… you need some kind of reward to keep going.”
“Well, even a dog can’t change its nature.”
Hunters possessed great power.
And given the dangerous lives they lead, constantly facing monsters, some relieve their stress in brutal ways.
If it were only directed at monsters, that would be one thing—but if it’s directed at people…
They eventually fall into villainy.
“Just because I’m a ranker, don’t think you can—”
“…We don’t have time.”
Yoo Jung-yeon seemed eager to taunt Ryu Si-young further, but now wasn’t the time.
Min Yi-jae, who had been watching from the side, stopped her, and Yoo Jung-yeon clicked her tongue in disappointment.
She tilted her head slightly.
At that moment, Min Yi-jae threw his dagger.
Thud! Thunk!
“Ugh…!”
The daggers Min Yi-jae threw embedded themselves precisely into Ryu Si-young’s limbs.
Her body was pinned to the ground like a taxidermied insect.
Then, Ryu Si-young’s expression changed.
“W-wait. You’re not seriously planning to kill me, are you? A ranker… someone who’s worked for the Sword Saint family for so long!”
She had realized her life was truly hanging by a thread—that they were serious about killing her.
Yoo Jung-yeon raised her sword.
“The famous ranker Ryu Si-young, meeting such a miserable end.”
“Wait! Fine, okay. I’ll follow you. I know things about Yoo Tae-rang…!”
Ryu Si-young desperately shouted, but no one was listening.
Not inside, nor outside.
“I wonder if the people outside will ever know.”
Splat!
Blood splattered.
Then followed by the sound of something rolling.
Yoo Jung-yeon wiped the blood from her face.
Min Yi-jae approached her.
“Phew! I really thought I was going to die.”
“Are you alright…?”
“Y-yes, Thanks to you. Your way of speaking is a bit unique, just like I’d heard. Is this… some kind of character thing?”
“…….”
Min Yi-jae was momentarily at a loss for words.
He hadn’t expected someone other than Yoo Baek-jun to speak so bluntly to his face.
“I thought you’d come sooner, but you took so long I was sure I’d die.”
“…The timing had to be effective.”
“Right, of course. Let’s go. We don’t have time to waste here.”
Min Yi-jae used his unique ability to conceal Yoo Jung-yeon.
The two quickly escaped outside.
“What about the swordsmen outside?”
“…We’re leaving them. Yoo Baek-jun said they wouldn’t come in for a few hours. No need to interfere with that.”
“Makes sense. By then, the situation will have already exploded.”
The two moved swiftly through the family compound, now filled with rebels, and arrived at the mansion where Cheon Jong-won and the trainees were imprisoned.
Thud!
“Keuh…!”
The detention chamber was heavily guarded.
Min Yi-jae and Yoo Jung-yeon, still concealed, swiftly subdued the guards.
Cheon Jong-won, imprisoned inside, heard the commotion and lifted his head as if he’d been waiting.
“You’re late, young lady.”
“It’s his fault.”
“I figured as much.”
“…Huh?”
Min Yi-jae tilted his head, utterly lost at the turn of the conversation.
They’re blaming me now?
“What’s the situation outside?”
“He’d know better than me. How’s it looking out there?”
“…Not good. The northern resistance is holding out, but it won’t be long.”
“Then we’ll have to clear a path.”
Yoo Jung-yeon and Cheon Jong-won rescued the other instructors and trainees.
“Now, we wait for the signal.”
***
The situation in the north had reached its limit.
If reinforcements arrived from the rear, they could push through without much trouble.
The success of the rebellion was within reach.
“Haha! You idiots, how does it feel to be trapped and helpless?”
“…….”
The barriers still enclosed the family mansions, and the swordsmen inside couldn’t break out.
To be more precise—
“You cowards! Have you given up on coming out entirely?”
The swordsmen who had realized the situation outside had resigned themselves to staying put.
The family was already under rebel control. They knew stepping out now would only mean certain death.
“Hey, isn’t it suffocating being locked up? I’d have surrendered by now.”
“The family will soon belong to Yoo Tae-rang. Do you really think you’ll be spared then?”
“Just surrender now. Think about your future. Don’t you agree?”
The rebels were using every trick to sway those trapped inside, and some had already succumbed.
—The rebellion has succeeded.
It was only natural for the rebels to let their guard down upon realizing this.
“Killing Yoo Baek-jun won’t be hard. The guy’s completely worn out—it’ll be easier than butchering livestock.”
“What’s more important is…”
“Right, the real problem is what to do when the family head returns.”
Many of the rebels were already thinking about what would happen once the family head came back after everything was over.
“Whew, with so many higher-ups gone, there’ll be plenty of vacancies.”
“Yoo Tae-rang promised rewards…”
So the rebels were all imagining what they’d receive.
Promotions, rewards—anything.
But those thoughts—
“Hey, what about Yoo Baek-jun’s floating island? I hear it’s a goldmine.”
“That’s not happening.”
—were far too premature.
A voice spoke up from behind the chatting swordsmen.
“That’s the foundation of my business, after all.”
The moment they turned their heads—
Crunch!
“Aaaargh—!”
Their limbs twisted.
Tendons snapped, bones shattered.
The swordsman let out a horrific scream and collapsed, revealing the man behind him.
“Yoo Baek—!”
The words didn’t make it out.
Yoo Baek-jun took a deep breath and stomped the ground with all his might.
The earth cratered. Lightning scattered in all directions, paralyzing the enemies.
“Uuuugh!”
In that moment of immobilization—
Yoo Baek-jun activated his skill.
“How about a blood donation?”
Blood Mist Absorption.
The blood in Yoo Baek-jun’s body boiled and seeped out through his skin.
A crimson aura flowed from him.
Like a mist of blood.
“W-what the—?”
“Attack now!”
This was bad.
The enemies sensed it, but attacking took priority.
They tried to unleash their skills—
But before they could, Yoo Baek-jun dispersed the crimson aura in all directions.
“Ugh, heuk…!”
“My body—ugh!”
The thick scent of blood assaulted their noses.
The red mist engulfed the nearby enemies, draining their magic power.
Ravenously, as if possessed.
All the stolen magic flowed into Yoo Baek-jun.
“Haaah…!”
He intensified Blood Mist Absorption.
As the absorption increased, the swordsmen began collapsing, unable to endure.
“W-what the hell is this?!”
“Where did he learn such a sinister technique?!”
The watching swordsmen were horrified.
Yoo Baek-jun felt the absorbed magic filling his body.
Considering the drawback of Blood Mist Absorption, he had to expend it quickly.
Fortunately, there were plenty of ways to do so.
Shing!
He drew his sword.
Was he going to use the Heavenly Destruction Sword Technique?
The surrounding swordsmen braced themselves.
But Yoo Baek-jun wasn’t using that. As he charged, he unleashed his swordsmanship upon the enemies blocking his path.
“Eeek—!”
Yoo Baek-jun moved according to the sword techniques imprinted in his mind through the Book of the Martial God.
Fluidly, brilliantly, beautifully—his swordplay unfolded.
‘W-what is this movement? And…’
The thick scent of plum blossoms filled the air.
With every swing of his sword, plum blossoms bloomed extravagantly and scattered.
Even the enemy rebels couldn’t help but stare, mesmerized by the beautiful sight.
Plum Blossoms Across Ten Thousand Miles.
The razor-sharp petals attacked the surrounding enemies.
There was no dodging.
How could one evade such a flurry of blossoms?
“Guh, aaaah—!”
The rebels screamed in agony.
The plum blossoms sliced through legs, arms—and the crimson mist added to the carnage.
The nearby rebels fell in droves, unable to withstand the assault.
“Scatter, plum blossoms… hmm.”
For some reason, it felt right to say that.
Yoo Baek-jun scratched the back of his head and surveyed the area. Dozens of enemies had fallen to just two skills.
“Young Master!”
“Ah, right. Don’t come this way.”
As if switching places, Yoo Baek-jun’s swordsmen began appearing from all directions.
They had used the underground passages.
‘A forgotten passageway, unused for so long—now it’s coming in handy.’
Only a handful in the family had known of its existence, and by now, it was practically forgotten.
Perfect for a surprise attack.
Yoo Baek-jun stopped the approaching swordsmen and issued orders.
“Move to the predetermined positions. Wait for the signal. Stay as hidden as possible.”
“Yes, sir!”
The swordsmen headed to their assigned locations as instructed.
Toward the mansions trapped behind the barriers.
While they moved in secret, Yoo Baek-jun had his own task.
“T-there! The noise is coming from…!”
“Yoo Baek-jun?!”
Drawing attention.
In the distance, rebels who had heard the commotion were rushing over.
Crack, pop. Yoo Baek-jun stretched his neck and loosened up.
“I didn’t want to, but I guess I’ll have to make a scene.”
He gripped his sword.
Then charged at the enemies, who were already terrified by the sight of their fallen comrades.
***
While Yoo Baek-jun drew attention in the heart of enemy territory, others moved in secret.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes!”
Jeon Soo-yeon and the intelligence operatives.
They infiltrated the family’s main building and headed deep inside.
Though they weren’t sneaking—just moving openly—strangely, no one questioned them.
“It’s a huge help that Lee Ja-yae’s death hasn’t been revealed yet.”
“Yes… They’ll assume we’re her subordinates, so no one will stop us.”
Lee Ja-yae was dead, but the news of her death had yet to spread.
Thanks to Jeon Soo-yeon and the others swiftly covering it up.
Thus, certain things were possible.
“…The Young Master will be waiting. Let’s cut off the magic quickly.”
The tide was turning—
Against Yoo Tae-rang.
And it was happening silently, in the shadows.