Chapter 225
I Became the Successor of the Martial God
Chapter 225.
The next day.
A scoop was reported in the media.
[The Ugly Truth of a Prestigious Family.]
[While people praised them, the family’s successor committed unspeakable atrocities.]
[The Reckless Successor Who Habitually Abused Power.]
[The victim of assault received a massive sum in exchange for silence about the incident…….]
At first, it was reported only as a ’prestigious family’ without specifying any names.
But reading between the lines, there was only one family that fit the description.
—Isn’t this the Sword Saint family?
—The details sound exactly like them.
The content was so blatant that people began to piece it together one by one.
By the time the Sword Saint family became widely suspected among the public—
[The successor who repeatedly abused power is Yoo Kang-ho of the Sword Saint family?]
[Revealed to have committed a series of violent crimes, including murder, rape, drugs, and assault. Shockingly, the number of victims reaches hundreds.]
[The Sword Saint family was aware of Yoo Kang-ho’s crimes and silenced the victims through bribery and intimidation.]
Yoo Kang-ho’s name came up.
True to his reputation as the family’s black sheep, his crimes were numerous.
And before the family could properly address it, Yoo Kang-ho’s faction had already suppressed the evidence.
Baek Jang-hyeon used Yoo Kang-ho to fuel public outrage against the Sword Saint family.
—Wow, what the hell? They’re complete trash.
—Lol, where are all those people who kept saying the Sword Saint family was different?
—Is Yoo Kang-ho really this person?
Public opinion was boiling over.
The detailed accounts of Yoo Kang-ho’s crimes left no room for anything but anger.
[The Ugly Face of the Sword Saint Family.]
[Not just them—many successors of noble families and major guilds have also committed crimes…….]
Starting with Yoo Kang-ho’s crimes, Baek Jang-hyeon leaked information about crimes committed by other noble families and large guilds.
‘Public opinion… What matters is public opinion.’
For what the Association planned to do next, they needed the public’s support.
They had to strip away the positive image of the Sword Saint family and others by exposing their crimes.
‘Starting with this, we’ll proceed step by step… We must carry out the plan.’
Baek Jang-hyeon reviewed his plans while thinking about what would follow.
But then.
“This……?”
A strange report came in.
Baek Jang-hyeon frowned as he looked at the screen.
[Breaking News: S-Class Gate Appears on Jeju Island.]
“An S-Class Gate!?”
Baek Jang-hyeon exclaimed.
An S-Class Gate—one capable of devastating an entire region.
With proper response, the damage could be minimized. But,
“Jeju Island…!”
The situation was different for the Jeju branch.
Those incompetent fools would never handle an S-Class Gate properly.
Sure enough.
—Chairman! The Jeju branch failed to even detect the Gate’s presence!
—They’re scrambling to gather Hunters now, but the Gate’s difficulty is too high, and everyone is refusing…….
“What about the Association’s Hunters!?”
Baek Jang-hyeon shouted urgently.
Not all Hunters belonged to families or guilds. Many top-ranked Hunters were affiliated with the Association.
—We’re gathering those who can mobilize immediately, but it’s unlikely we’ll make it in time…….
By the time they reached Jeju, massive damage would have already occurred.
Baek Jang-hyeon slammed his desk.
“Park Jae-mun, that useless bastard……!”
Park Jae-mun, the Leader of the Jeju branch, wasn’t appointed by Baek Jang-hyeon.
He was chosen by the previous Chairman.
After his incompetence in handling Gates and personal corruption were exposed in Seoul, he was exiled to Jeju.
‘I should’ve gotten rid of him sooner.’
As soon as Baek Jang-hyeon became Chairman, he purged the previous Chairman’s faction.
But due to various circumstances, a few remained—Park Jae-mun among them.
‘I need to stay calm and handle this.’
The Chairman’s office was flooded with calls.
Secretaries and subordinates. Baek Jang-hyeon tried to manage the situation while taking the calls.
—Ch-Chairman!
“What is it? Did you find something?”
—N-No, it’s just…….
Then, a call came from Chae Jeong-joon.
His voice was urgent, but unlike usual, he hesitated.
—P-Please turn on the news right now.
“The news? Why?”
—Y-You’ll understand once you see it.
Baek Jang-hyeon turned on the news channel Chae Jeong-jun mentioned.
What appeared on screen made him shout.
“That bastard!”
Yoo Baek-jun.
He stood before a crowd of reporters.
And at the bottom of the screen were headlines Baek Jang-hyeon had missed.
[Breaking News: S-Class Gate Appears on Jeju Island.]
[Yoo Baek-jun, the family head, and the Sword Saint family are responding…….]
[Urgent: Sword Saint Family Successfully Defeats Jeju S-Class Gate Alone.]
“……!”
Baek Jang-hyeon slammed the desk and stood up.
Something was going wrong.
“This……!”
He could sense it.
* * *
Yoo Baek-jun held a press briefing.
Reporters he had prepared in advance, along with those who heard the news, rushed to the briefing room.
Despite the crowd, the room was eerily quiet.
“An S-Class Gate? That’s insane……”
“Should we even be here? At that level, an entire city could be wiped out.”
“Well, they must’ve gathered us because they handled it, right?”
Reporters whispered nervously among themselves.
Then, moments later.
Creak—
Yoo Baek-jun entered.
All eyes turned to him, and their pupils widened in shock.
“What’s with his condition……?”
“How fierce was the battle……?”
Yoo Baek-jun was covered in wounds.
His usual black attire was torn, slashed, and shredded.
Though his appearance was disheveled—
Gulp!
It only amplified the rawness and brutality of the situation.
The reporters swallowed hard.
Whether it was their imagination or not, an oppressive weight filled the room when Yoo Baek-jun entered.
A pressure bearing down on their shoulders.
“It seems everyone is here.”
Yoo Baek-jun took a seat.
Many reporters had gathered.
And they still didn’t know about the scandalous news circulating about the Sword Saint family.
‘Let’s turn the tide of public opinion.’
The Association had used the media to steer public opinion in their favor.
Now, it was his turn to do the same.
“I’ll keep the briefing short.”
Yoo Baek-jun gestured, and the room darkened as a screen appeared in midair.
It showed the Gate.
“That color—!”
“As you can see, it’s an S-Class Gate. A persistent one that remained unclaimed for a long time.”
Yoo Baek-jun switched the screen.
It showed the moment the swollen S-Class Gate was liberated—vividly.
“The S-Class Gate was liberated this evening. The connected world was Murim. As you can see……”
Monsters poured out of the shrine formed after the Gate’s liberation.
The reporters paled.
“T-The numbers……”
“Why are there so many!?”
“There must be thousands……”
“Yes, you’re right.”
Yoo Baek-jun nodded.
“Three thousand B+-ranked Corpse Jiangshi, reinforced to nearly six thousand. Additionally, three hundred A+-ranked Blood Jiangshi.”
“H-How did you handle all that?”
One reporter managed to ask.
Yoo Baek-jun met his gaze and shrugged as if the answer was obvious.
“How else? Our family happened to be nearby, so we immediately engaged in the Gate’s defense.”
“So you took care of all those……”
“Yes. Our swordsmen eliminated every last one.”
The reporters sighed in relief.
Had they failed, everyone here would have been in danger.
At the same time, they were stunned.
“To wipe out that many……”
“There weren’t that many swordsmen. They blocked all that?”
“I’d only heard rumors, but wow.”
The disparity between the horde of undead and the small number of swordsmen was staggering.
Yoo Baek-jun watched their reactions before displaying the Blood Rin’s image.
“The Gate’s core was this woman—a martial artist with S+-rank strength. I confronted her personally and succeeded in eliminating her.”
“A-Alone?”
“Yes.”
“……!”
Defeating an S+-rank enemy alone.
The implications were enormous.
‘So he wasn’t just a figurehead when he became the family head. He had the power to push out Yoo Tae-rang.’
‘If he can take down an S+-rank, doesn’t that mean he’s at least that strong or stronger?’
‘How did someone like him stay hidden for so long……?’
Yoo Baek-jun had only begun making appearances a few months ago.
Initially, he was considered strong but still around A-rank Hunter level.
Now, he was capable of soloing S+-rank monsters.
‘His growth rate is insane.’
The reporters buzzed with excitement.
They pondered how to frame their articles about the Sword Saint family, which had just averted another disaster.
“And……”
Yoo Baek-jun spoke again.
All eyes locked onto him.
“We discovered evidence that this S-Class Gate was deliberately concealed.”
“Concealed!?”
The reporters gasped.
Yoo Baek-jun nodded.
“Yes.”
Documents began appearing on the screen—evidence collected before the Gate’s liberation.
Proof that the Jeju branch had neglected the S-Class Gate.
“These are the evidence.”
“T-This is……”
“How did they even get these……”
The reporters began rapidly drafting their articles.
Yoo Baek-jun continued.
“Jeju Island was a place where the Hunter Association blocked entry from other families and guilds for unknown reasons.”
“…….”
“They must’ve been confident in handling it themselves. But reality proved otherwise. They hid the Gate instead of resolving it.”
Yoo Baek-jun gritted his teeth.
Genuine fury in his voice.
“What would’ve happened if we weren’t here? Jeju Island would’ve suffered catastrophic damage—all because of the Association’s negligence!”
Boom!
Yoo Baek-jun slammed the podium.
“If they had detected it earlier, the Gate could’ve been cleared with zero casualties. Especially if our Sword Saint family had handled it.”
“T-That might’ve been possible.”
“They did stop it after it opened.”
Given that the Sword Saint family had single-handedly resolved the crisis, his words carried weight.
Yoo Baek-jun scanned the reporters—more precisely, the cameras.
“The people of Jeju can no longer trust the Association. That’s why we’re considering establishing a Sword Saint family branch on Jeju Island.”
A soft murmur rippled through the room.
The screen shifted, showing the devastation around the liberated S-Class Gate.
Entire areas reduced to ruins.
“While there were miraculously no casualties, the property damage is severe.”
Buildings had collapsed.
Even if no lives were lost, their livelihoods were destroyed.
“We’ll provide relief funds for the victims and support reconstruction efforts as a family.”
The sound of typing and camera shutters grew louder.
“And……”
Yoo Baek-jun paused.
He wore a conflicted expression before finally speaking.
“I’ve heard that my family member’s crimes were reported in the media. Though these occurred before I became head, I bear responsibility as part of the family.”
Yoo Baek-jun bowed deeply.
The sudden shift left the reporters stunned.
“I apologize to the victims and pledge to seek ways to compensate them to the fullest extent.”
“W-Wait a moment!”
One reporter raised a hand.
He had just realized the media had exposed Yoo Kang-ho’s crimes.
“Shouldn’t Yoo Kang-ho himself apologize, not you, Family Head?”
“You’re right. However.”
Yoo Baek-jun sighed.
“Yoo Kang-ho is dead. He was caught in the previous Busan incident……”
“……!”
The reporters were shocked.
Yoo Kang-ho’s death hadn’t been widely publicized—intentionally kept under wraps.
“Those who collaborated with Yoo Kang-ho to cover up his crimes have been removed from their positions and will face justice.”
Yoo Baek-jun bowed again.
“I promise complete transparency in the investigation and, as the new family head, to lead the family with integrity.”
He raised his head.
“Moving forward, I will dedicate myself to protecting this nation—just as I did in Seoul, Busan, and now Jeju.”
His words brimmed with resolve.
The full force of his King’s Dignity trait was at work.
The reporters held their breath.
“Thank you.”
Yoo Baek-jun stood and left.
No one dared to stop him.
Boom!
The door closed.
Escorted by his swordsmen, Yoo Baek-jun exhaled deeply upon returning to his room.
“Family Head, you didn’t need to bow your head for those fools’ crimes……”
“No.”
Yoo Baek-jun firmly shook his head at his subordinate’s discontent.
“Sometimes, a head-on approach is the answer.”
“Huh?”
Yoo Baek-jun smiled faintly.
His actions so far, combined with this public apology, would create an overwhelming synergy.
“Things will be noisy for a while.”
Public opinion was about to shift.
And it would turn against the Association.
“Let’s throw more fuel on the fire.”
If he exposed the Vulcanus Guild—closely tied to the Association—the flames would grow even higher.