Chapter 252
I Became the Successor of the Martial God
Chapter 252.
The trembling earth.
The earthquake that struck the island completely destroyed the hideout.
The seething volcano did not erupt and ended with only destroying the hideout.
‘Should I call this fortunate?’
It was a relief that the volcano didn’t erupt, as it would have caused many more complications.
“Did those two bastards die too?”
“Dante probably escaped before that, and Valmir must have fled with teleportation magic.”
“What a shame.”
Jeon Soo-yeon clicked her tongue, but it wasn’t so bad. They had gained a lot.
Hacking the golems, wrecking key golem facilities to disrupt their production, and countless items.
“Wow, how much is this?”
“Family head! There’s an enormous number of A-rank magic items! And even S-rank items… wow.”
Jeon Soo-yeon marveled.
The variety of items was also impressive. There were plenty of equipment and accessories suitable for hunters, especially the family’s trainees.
“Store these and hand them out to the family’s swordsmen whenever they achieve something.”
“Like performance bonuses? Nice. Huh? Then since I’ve achieved something too, can I get one now…?”
“…….”
“Just kidding….”
Yoo Baek-jun’s gaze at Jeon Soo-yeon was as cold as a blizzard.
“Didn’t you say you’ve roughly located other hideouts with golems?”
“Not all of them. But there were quite a few storing golems….”
“I’ll leave that to you guys.”
Yoo Baek-jun handed both of them the items he received from Jin Seo-yeon.
“…Poor guy.”
“Thanks for acknowledging that.”
Min Yi-jae didn’t resist and looked at Yoo Baek-jun with pity.
He knew well that he was being pushed to his limits without rest.
“Hacking all the golems would be best, but even if we can’t, it’s fine.”
“Half… no, even if we manage less than that, it’ll be enough to disrupt their plans….”
“You know well.”
Yoo Baek-jun patted Min Yi-jae’s shoulder.
‘No matter how much I think about it, recruiting this guy was a stroke of genius.’
Reliable, and no betrayal.
His abilities are outstanding, and he wasn’t hard to recruit either.
It couldn’t be more satisfying.
‘I should send a gift set to Min Yi-jae’s sister later.’
Yoo Baek-jun entrusted the rest to them and returned alone to the floating island.
He considered going straight to the family, but the floating island was the closest from here.
“I’m exhausted….”
He had to go to the volcanic island right after returning from the desert without rest.
Yoo Baek-jun was utterly drained and wanted to sleep without a single thought.
“Instructor Han Seong-ah, Seol-yeong… I won’t forget.”
The two were probably comfortably asleep in the family’s beds by now.
Han Seong-ah had insisted on coming, but Yoo Baek-jun refused.
‘I’m the one suffering here!’
It was clearly misdirected anger.
Yoo Baek-jun headed to his home.
A house on the floating island, made of wood. Crafted by the elves.
“Oh? Human.”
“Huh? Delowin, what are you doing here?”
“Oh, just watering the flowers….”
Delowin was watering the flowerbed in front of the house at that moment.
A fairy lay sprawled on her head, snoring loudly.
“Isn’t it heavy?”
“No, it’s fine. And it’s an honor for me.”
“…….”
Delowin smiled brightly.
‘What? Is being a fairy’s pillow an something a honorable thing?’
Is it honorable?
Hard to understand, but if she says it’s an honor, who’s to argue?
He didn’t have the energy to care anyway.
“Alright, keep at it. I’m going to… go to sleep now. Don’t let anyone in.”
“Understood, Human.”
Delowin waved as she saw him off.
Yoo Baek-jun staggered into his wooden house and collapsed onto the bed as if passing out.
“Ugh…”
His body wasn’t tired.
The traits he possessed kept him perfectly functional even without rest.
‘But even so, people need to rest.’
Mental fatigue doesn’t resolve without sleep.
Yoo Baek-jun closed his eyes.
Just as he was about to fall asleep—
Bzzz!
“…….”
An item in his pocket vibrated. The communication device Jin Seo-yeon had gifted him before.
Yoo Baek-jun’s body flinched.
“Ah, ah….”
He wanted to ignore it.
He just wanted to sleep.
But he couldn’t.
“Damn it.”
Yoo Baek-jun answered the call.
Whoosh!
The glowing device projected Jin Seo-yeon as a hologram before him.
She stared at him expressionlessly.
—Hey, what are you doing?
“Reflecting on my life.”
—…What?
Jin Seo-yeon looked baffled, and Yoo Baek-jun sighed as if telling her to listen.
“Well, what is it? Spit it out.”
—You’re extra prickly today.
Jin Seo-yeon tilted her head before getting straight to the point.
—I was wondering if you’ve found anything. You’re handling the Staggler side, right?
“Oh, spooky.”
—Huh?
Coincidentally, he was just returning after dealing with Staggler when she called.
Yoo Baek-jun waved his hand dismissively.
“Staggler is cooperating with the Black Shadow. Probably backing them from the shadows.”
—Black Shadow… That’s a name I’ve been hearing a lot lately.
“Same here. I heard the Black Shadow were helping during the rebellion in your Magic Tower. But first… wait.”
Yoo Baek-jun rummaged through his subspace and pulled out the device Min Yi-jae had given him.
It contained a recording of Valmir and Dante discussing their plans.
“Hmm….”
The recording detailed how they planned to move within the Magic Tower.
It wasn’t the full scope of their plans, but it was enough.
‘Nothing major has changed.’
The events leading to the Fall of the Magic Tower weren’t much different from what he’d experienced.
Just knowing that was enough.
Yoo Baek-jun explained Staggler and the Black Shadows’ plans to Jin Seo-yeon.
—When did you even prepare all this?
Jin Seo-yeon frowned after hearing the overall plan.
—Monsters tamed by the Black Shadow will invade from outside, traitors will rise within the tower… and even the golems.
“I’ve installed the devices you mentioned in the golems. That part shouldn’t be a problem, but the real issue is….”
Jin Seo-yeon nodded.
—The traitors, right? Sorry, but I don't even know the full extent of Harun’s influence.
Harun was a popular professor.
He had lectured for a long time and was highly regarded for his teaching skills.
Many of his former students now worked as members of the Magic Tower.
—First, I’ve singled out those taught by Harun. Among them… some work in the tower’s magic stone facilities.
“How convenient.”
The Magic Tower had various functions.
Maintaining them required magic power, so magic stone facilities were installed throughout the tower.
“What if someone shuts down those facilities on the day of the rebellion?”
—The tower’s internal systems would be paralyzed. Defenses against intruders would be disabled. But more importantly…
Jin Seo-yeon sighed.
—The barrier protecting the entire island where the tower stands would deactivate.
“Oh, the Black Shadow would love that.”
—Is that something to be happy about?
“Well, not happy, but….”
Yoo Baek-jun scratched the back of his head.
“Now that we know, we just need to prepare countermeasures.”
—That’s a positive way to think.
“Don’t you have people you can trust? Someone useful in times like this.”
—…….
Jin Seo-yeon fell silent.
A silence filled with denial.
“Not even one?”
—…I don’t know.
“Wait, are you being bullied in the Magic Tower or something? I’m worried about you.”
—What nonsense are you spouting? No.
Yoo Baek-jun clicked his tongue.
Due to her upbringing, Jin Seo-yeon struggled to connect with others.
Because of that, she hadn’t built her own faction, which was now proving fatal.
‘I had many allies, so dealing with the rebellion was easier for me.’
Jin Seo-yeon had few people to rely on, making it much harder for her.
And this was why, without player intervention, the Fall of the Magic Tower event usually succeeded.
—That’s why I contacted you.
Jin Seo-yeon stared straight at Yoo Baek-jun.
—I need your help. There are things only the Sword Saint Family can do.
“Do you trust me?”
—…….
Jin Seo-yeon nodded immediately.
—Out of everyone I know, there’s no one I trust more than you.
“Oh… What about Jin Baek-cheon?”
—He’s leading an expedition. Even if he were here… it’s not the same.
Hearing her say it so bluntly left him speechless. Yoo Baek-jun sighed.
“…You owe me big for this.”
—I’ll repay you later.
He had no choice but to help.
He had planned to step in anyway, so this worked out well.
Yoo Baek-jun rubbed his temples.
‘So much for resting easy.’
He sat up on the bed.
* * *
Yoo Baek-jun and Jin Seo-yeon’s conversation continued until dawn.
It only ended when Yoo Baek-jun, unable to bear his exhaustion, fell asleep.
“…….”
But Jin Seo-yeon, lost in thought, didn’t even notice.
‘Father’s expedition will return within this week.’
Like the Sword Saint Family, the Magic Tower also took on high-difficulty gates commissioned by other nations.
Naturally, their skills were exceptional.
‘None of them were taught by Harun. They’re only those who’ve followed Father for a long time.’
In this situation, they were the only ones she could somewhat trust.
But there was one problem.
‘Harun must know that too.’
Moreover, something was off about the teleportation magic circle for the expedition’s return.
She hadn’t checked in detail, but Jin Seo-yeon found traces suggesting someone had tampered with it.
‘What if, instead of the expedition, another force—Staggler—appears through the magic circle?’
The expedition would announce their return in advance.
And mages would gather around the magic circle to welcome them back.
‘A massive disaster would unfold.’
Worse, since the magic circle was inside the tower, enemies would instantly infiltrate it.
Jin Seo-yeon opened her eyes.
“Yoo Baek-jun, what I need you to do is….”
—…….
Only then did she notice Yoo Baek-jun snoring soundly.
She pursed her lips.
“Are you asleep?”
—…….
“Hey, are you asleep?”
—…….
No answer came.
Jin Seo-yeon silently stared at Yoo Baek-jun, who had fallen asleep mid-conversation.
As she watched him, thoughts of Harun suddenly surfaced in her mind.
‘Harun.’
She bit her lip.
Who would’ve thought he’d conspire with Staggler and even the external Black Shadow to seize the Magic Tower?
‘To follow a man like that….’
Many supported Harun, the beloved professor, and joined his plans.
That shocked Jin Seo-yeon.
“On the other hand….”
Her expression darkened.
“Does this mean I failed to earn the trust of the Magic Tower’s people?”
What if she had acted as proactively as Yoo Baek-jun?
‘Maybe I wouldn’t have to rely on the Sword Saint Family like this, with no one to trust.’
Jin Seo-yeon sighed.
It was too late for regrets now. Nothing would change.
She rested her chin on her hand.
“…….”
Yoo Baek-jun, deep in sleep, tossed uncomfortably.
‘What if Yoo Baek-jun hadn’t been here?’
What would have happened?
Even if she had known about Harun’s plans, she might not have been able to counter them.
Or perhaps she wouldn’t have even known about them.
The only reason she did was because of Yoo Baek-jun.
‘Yoo Baek-jun.’
Jin Seo-yeon recalled everything that had happened with him so far.
“The one I can trust….”
As she reminisced, a faint smile appeared on her lips.
“The only one.”
For some reason, the echo of those words pleased her immensely.