Chapter 224
I Became the Successor of the Martial God
Chapter 224.
The Blood Demon had fallen.
But the battle was not yet over. There were still many Blood Jiangshi, and the swordsmen were still fighting them.
Yoo Baek-jun summoned the swordsmen he had stationed separately in advance.
“Block the Jiangshi from advancing.”
“Yes!”
Yoo Baek-jun looked at the Blood Demon.
She was in a state no different from being half-dead. It meant she had fought fiercely to that extent.
‘Otherwise, I would’ve died. I had to push her relentlessly in a short time—otherwise, she would’ve regenerated to the point of exhaustion.’
Yoo Baek-jun clicked his tongue and took out the pre-prepared elixirs.
All of them were highly effective in breaking brainwashing.
However, there was one problem.
“Family head, these… they’re extremely poisonous. Pharmacist Joo Jung-won warned that consuming them would surely lead to death.”
“He did.”
The issue was that the medicine was so toxic it was practically poison.
But it didn’t matter.
“She won’t die.”
Yoo Baek-jun removed the Sacred Flame of Decay.
Due to the martial arts she had learned and the mutations her body underwent because of it, the Blood Demon had become a being who wouldn’t die easily under normal circumstances.
She would endure this poison without issue.
Gulp.
Yoo Baek-jun fed her various medicines. At first, she lay limp as if dead, but after a while—
“Kgh, aah, kyaaah!”
She writhed in agony, screaming.
Crack, snap—the sound of bones breaking from her violent thrashing could be heard.
Yoo Baek-jun watched her and, on a sudden impulse, used the Observer’s Eye.
[Blood Rin]
Strength: S (S+)
Agility: S (S+)
Stamina: S (S+)
Magic Power: B (A)
[Unique Ability: Blood Demon Form (S+)]
[Traits: Successor of the Blood Demon (S), Madness (S), Supernatural Regeneration (S+), ……]
Her stats were so impressive it made him whistle involuntarily.
Strength, Agility, and Stamina—all three were S-rank. If she used her unique ability, Blood Demon Form, all her stats would be enhanced further.
‘It’s a good thing I dealt with her before she could use it. Otherwise, it would’ve been a tough fight.’
Yoo Baek-jun tore a scroll.
It contained a regeneration spell. Given her exceptional regenerative abilities, this would help her endure the medicine.
“Ghk, ughhh……”
Indeed, the Blood Demon—no, Blood Rin’s complexion improved slightly.
Yoo Baek-jun waited a while before administering the next set of medicines.
“Is this… alright?”
“Hmm, seems fine. Step back for now and send the signal in advance.”
“Understood.”
Yoo Baek-jun moved the other swordsmen back and stood alone near Blood Rin.
And waited.
For her to awaken.
“Kghhh… Kyaaaah!”
Blood Rin suddenly let out a monstrous scream and snapped her eyes open.
“……!”
Her pupils looked up at the sky, then at Yoo Baek-jun standing beside her.
She sprang up from the ground, putting as much distance between them as possible.
And her wariness was palpable.
“You… who… are you?”
Her speech was awkward.
Stuttering, fragmented words. Mixed with ragged, beast-like breathing—inhuman.
“Krr… wh-where… is this?”
“Not the world you lived in. Another dimension.”
“An… other…?”
Blood Rin tilted her head in confusion. She blankly scanned her surroundings.
Her eyes fell upon the Jiangshi.
“Blood Jiangshi….Blood Cult…!”
Memories of the past began flooding back, and hostility flashed in her eyes.
Yoo Baek-jun took a few steps back.
“Kgh, ugh, aaaah!”
“Han Seong-ah!”
Blood Rin let out a furious roar.
Han Seong-ah, who had been fighting the Blood Jiangshi while maintaining a formation, immediately retreated.
The mist surrounding the Blood Jiangshi dissipated. The creatures appeared bewildered by the sudden change.
And then—
“Kyaaaaah!”
A frenzied Blood Rin lunged at them.
The Blood Demon’s martial arts unfolded from her hands—the Blood Jiangshi bodies withered in an instant.
Yoo Baek-jun, meanwhile, led the swordsmen to the edge of the barrier.
“She’s… a terrifying monster.”
“Hmm.”
Blood Rin attacked the Jiangshi with unmistakable hatred toward the Blood Cult.
Her might was overwhelming.
‘The Blood Demon’s martial arts were always more effective against multiple enemies.’
Absorbing the blood of foes while unleashing indiscriminate wide-range attacks—
That was the Blood Demon’s fighting style.
“Are you really planning to recruit her?”
“Why? Feeling reluctant?”
“Well…”
Han Seong-ah looked uneasy.
It was only natural to be wary of bringing an uncontrollable monster like that into their ranks.
But there was a reason it had to be done.
“We have to recruit her. That madness—we can teach her how to control it somehow.”
“Is it really necessary?”
“It is.”
The final boss of Yoo Baek-jun’s route was Yoo Tae-rang.
Likewise, the common route that followed immediately after also had a final boss.
‘We need to prepare for that boss too.’
To do so, they had to strengthen their current allies and recruit more talent.
Individuals with formidable power.
Blood Rin was perfect for that.
Boom!
Explosions erupted incessantly.
Blood Rin rampaged like a fish returned to water, and the Jiangshi were swept away in her wake.
Their numbers dwindled rapidly. And before long—
“Huff, huuu!”
The Jiangshi had been cleared.
Though Yoo Baek-jun and the swordsmen had reduced their numbers by more than half, the Jiangshi had still been overwhelming in quantity.
Yet she had wiped them out alone.
“Family head… she’s looking this way.”
“She seems wary.”
“Stay here.”
“Family head!”
Yoo Baek-jun left the swordsmen behind and walked forward alone.
Blood Rin stood atop the corpses of countless Jiagshis, breathing heavily.
Her entire body was crimson—an ominous sight.
“Grrrr……!”
Blood Rin noticed Yoo Baek-jun.
Her eyes brimmed with the same hostility she had shown toward the Jiangshi.
She looked ready to attack at any moment.
Swoosh…
Yoo Baek-jun activated Blood Mist Absorption.
Blood Rin, sensing his intent, halted her advance.
“You…….”
The technique Yoo Baek-jun was using was identical to hers.
Her eyes widened in shock.
“How did you do that…?”
Blood Mist Absorption was a technique of the Blood Demon.
No one in the Blood Cult had mastered it—only Blood Rin had learned it.
For a complete stranger like Yoo Baek-jun to use it was nothing short of astonishing.
“I have no intention of being your enemy. So, I’d appreciate it if you lowered your weapon.”
“…….”
Yoo Baek-jun maximized the effect of his trait, King’s Dignity.
The hostility in Blood Rin’s eyes gradually faded as she watched him.
“You must already know, but you were captured by the Blood Cult and brainwashed. They planned to use you and the Jiangshi to open their world.”
“Blood… Cult.”
Blood Rin growled.
“If you want revenge against them, I can help.”
“…….”
She stared at Yoo Baek-jun.
Though the hostility was gone, suspicion remained.
“I… don’t… trust you.”
“Well, that’s understandable. You’re too disoriented right now to process anything.”
Yoo Baek-jun raised both hands and stepped back.
“How about you roam freely for now and sort out your thoughts? If you decide you want to hear me out later, you can come find me.”
“…….”
Free.
To do as she pleased.
Blood Rin’s tense expression softened slightly at those words.
Yoo Baek-jun tossed something to her.
“A compass. Follow it, and you’ll find me.”
“…….”
“You must also be curious about how I know the Blood Demon’s martial arts. Right?”
Blood Rin nodded slowly and began stepping backward. The distance between them grew.
“Release the barrier.”
At his command, the surrounding barrier melted away like snow.
Blood Rin, still wary like a cornered beast, scanned her surroundings before stomping the ground.
Whoosh!
She vanished.
“Family head, is it really okay to let her go like that? Something terrible could happen…”
Han Seong-ah asked worriedly.
“I’ve already stationed the intelligence division. If anything happens, they’ll handle it. But I doubt there’ll be any issues.”
“You think so?”
She’ll likely wander the forests or mountains for a while before returning.
She’ll probably hunt and eat the beasts there. As long as she doesn’t succumb to madness, Blood Rin isn’t much of a threat.
“Hmm, now that I think about it… Jin Seo-yeon won’t like this.”
“What? Why would she be involved?”
“Well…”
Han Seong-ah was about to explain when Yoo Baek-jun shot her a sharp look.
She coughed awkwardly.
“Whether she’s a woman or not…”
Yoo Baek-jun sighed.
“She’s just a beast. A wild animal.”
“Huh? Isn’t she human?”
“No.”
The Blood Demon only realized the sins she had committed late in life.
Saving a child who would’ve otherwise died was also to alleviate their guilt.
But—
‘How could someone who spent their whole life fighting know how to raise a child properly?’
Because of that, the Blood Demon failed to teach Blood Rin proper common sense.
Being illiterate themselve, they couldn’t teach her to read.
Strict and distant, they rarely spoke to her, so Blood Rin never learned to communicate well.
‘And then they suddenly died.’
Thus, the Blood Demon passed away after raising Blood Rin harshly.
Left alone, Blood Rin wandered the world for a long time.
She made forests and mountains her home, hunting and eating beasts in a cycle.
Like a wild animal.
‘Having grown up isolated from society and raised in nature, she lived like a feral child until the Blood Cult captured her.’
Despite her immense power, her lack of knowledge about human methods left her helpless against the Blood Cult.
Yoo Baek-jun clicked his tongue.
‘Her head must be a mess.’
Of course, those from Murim struggle to adapt to modern society.
Blood Rin, being both a Murim inhabitant and a feral child, would have an even harder time.
‘Then again, since she knows nothing about Murim, maybe she’ll adapt better.’
He could only hope.
Yoo Baek-jun stared for a long time in the direction Blood Rin had disappeared, his expression complicated.
“Family head.”
Choi Gun-woo approached him.
“Congratulations on your victory. As you instructed, we’ve prepared the journalists. Shall we head there now?”
“Let’s go.”
Yoo Baek-jun turned away.
“Time to give Baek Jang-hyeon a taste of his own medicine.”
* * *
Shortly before Yoo Baek-jun left for Jeju Island, at the Hunter Association in Seoul.
In the chairman’s office on the top floor, Baek Jang-hyeon was reviewing documents.
“Enter.”
An employee opened the door and stepped in.
One of Baek Jang-hyeon’s loyalists, recently promoted due to this opportunity.
“Chairman, the investigation you requested is complete.”
“That was quick.”
“We’ve been preparing for a long time. We compiled pre-existing data with new information and organized it.”
Baek Jang-hyeon accepted the documents.
Top-secret materials. Thanks to years of investigation, the contents were thorough.
And the name written at the very top—
“Yoo Kang-ho.”
“It’s a shame he’s already dead. Given the scale of his crimes, the impact would’ve been greater if he were alive.”
Baek Jang-hyeon read through the documents.
Countless acts of misconduct and crimes committed by Yoo Kang-ho. The latter pages also listed the sins of the Sword Saint’s family.
“Can we use this to attack the Sword Saint’s family?”
“There have been numerous illegal actions overlooked due to their status. We plan to manipulate public opinion with the Yoo Kang-ho case before filing charges.”
“Hmm.”
Baek Jang-hyeon nodded, looking satisfied.
“Not bad. Proceed as planned.”
“Yes. As for the Yoo Tae-rang matter…”
The woman pulled out another document.
“The Sword Saint’s family submitted evidence. Solid proof that Yoo Tae-rang colluded with villains.”
Baek Jang-hyeon skimmed the document and clicked his tongue in disgust.
“He allied with villains out of greed to take over the family? These people’s greed knows no bounds.”
“Exactly.”
“What about other families or guilds?”
“Under investigation. Some are even worse—the Sword Saint’s family seems tame in comparison.”
Baek Jang-hyeon closed the file.
“Disgusting bastards. Noble families, major guilds—peel back just one layer of their pretentious facades, and this ugliness is what you find.”
He stood up.
“Begin as scheduled. We must push forward without giving them time to react.”
“Understood.”
And the very next day—
Breaking news flooded the media.
Coincidentally, at the exact same time Yoo Baek-jun had summoned the journalists.