Chapter 28
I Became the Successor of the Martial God
Chapter 28.
"Young master, it's morning. Please wake up."
The next morning, Choi Seung-min woke Yoo Baek-jun.
Yoo Baek-jun rubbed his eyes and sat up. He felt something heavy on his chest.
"Hey, something's... heavy."
"Well, of course. Take a look."
"Huh?"
Yoo Baek-jun lowered his gaze.
There was something on his chest. Small, round, and covered in fluffy fur...
Sigh.
It was Seol-yeong.
No wonder he felt strangely suffocated. Clicking his tongue, Yoo Baek-jun picked the little one up.
— Kya-hoo...
"It hasn’t opened its eyes. Should I take care of it?"
"No, it's fine. I'll handle it."
If he handed Seol-yeong to someone else, the moment the cub opened its eyes and didn’t see him, it would start wailing uncontrollably.
He had no choice but to take her along.
"What’s for breakfast today? I’m kinda looking forward to it."
"Last night, we received some top-grade Hanwoo beef, so I prepared grilled meat over a charcoal grill. The soup is your favorite—spicy soybean paste stew."
"Ah, nice."
Choi Seung-min’s cooking skills were exceptional.
Having been in charge of Yoo Baek-jun’s meals since childhood, his skills had no choice but to improve.
One of the things Yoo Baek-jun loved most after inhabiting this body was Choi Seung-min’s cooking.
"Are you awake, young master?"
"Yeah, Instructor Han Seong-ah."
As they stepped outside, Instructor Han Seong-ah was waiting. The three of them headed down to the living room.
"How’s the magic training going? Making progress?"
"I’ve already memorized everything. It’s a skill book, after all. But there were parts I didn’t understand, so I read it over and over..."
"Do you understand now?"
"Yes, I think I’ll get it once I try it in practice."
Yoo Baek-jun nodded in satisfaction.
"You’ll get a chance to use it soon enough."
"Will... I?"
Even if he didn’t want to, he’d have to.
Yoo Baek-jun savored the meal Choi Seung-min had prepared. As he ate, Seol-yeong, nestled in his arms, woke up.
— Bbaeng, bbaeeaeng...
"It’s crying?"
"Probably hungry. Give it some meat."
"Ah! There’s leftover meat. I’ll bring it."
Choi Seung-min hurriedly brought the meat.
The moment Seol-yeong saw it, her eyes gleamed, and she lunged at the table where the meat was placed.
Crunch, crack.
"Her eating sounds are terrifying. It’s like she’s crushing bones..."
"Well, It’s a tiger cub. And a spirit beast at that."
"True enough."
"Young master."
Han Seong-ah, who had been watching quietly, interjected.
"About defeating the corrupted spirit beast... Are you sure it’s alright not to inform the family head?"
"Why, so I can get praised or something?"
"It’s not exactly that, but... close. The family head might view you more favorably."
"Don’t bother."
Yoo Baek-jun waved his hand dismissively.
There was no need to report it. Sooner or later, it would become known anyway.
"It eats so well. Cute... Whoa!"
— Groowl!
Choi Seung-min, who had reached out to pet Seol-yeong’s head, recoiled in shock.
The cub had tried to bite his hand.
"Damn, She’s vicious."
"She’ll be like that for a while."
Yoo Baek-jun continued eating nonchalantly. As the meal was nearly finished, Choi Seung-min suddenly remembered something.
"Ah, young master. The family head summoned you."
"Oh?"
Yoo Baek-jun wiped his mouth.
It was time to begin the event he’d been waiting for.
* * *
In a room adorned like a throne room, the direct descendants of the Sword Saint family had gathered.
Yoo Moo-hak, Yoo Jung-yeon, Yoo Kang-ho, Yoo Min, and Yoo Baek-jun.
Only Yoo Tae-rang, who had left to conquer a gate, was absent.
"Are we all here?"
"Yes, Father."
Yoo Jung-yeon answered.
Yoo Moo-hak, who had been standing by the window, slowly took his seat on the throne.
"Good. Yoo Kang-ho is here too."
"...Yes, Father."
"I heard you’d healed from your injuries but still refused to leave your room."
Yoo Kang-ho bit his lip.
"Were you ashamed? That the younger brother you looked down on defeated you?"
"N-No."
"Oh?"
Annoyed by the response, Yoo Moo-hak’s gaze grew even colder.
Thud!
His foot stomped the ground.
"You shameless fool! Are you saying you didn’t even feel ashamed after losing like that?"
"N-No, Father! I was just lacking—"
"Exactly, you were lacking. If you knew that, you should’ve been out here honing your skills instead of hiding in your room!"
"Ugh..."
Yoo Kang-ho hung his head low.
These weren’t words of comfort for a child who had failed.
But they were the harsh truth.
Sigh...
Yoo Moo-hak exhaled deeply, leaning back into the throne as he surveyed his children.
"But I’ll give you a chance."
"A... chance?"
"That’s right."
Yoo Moo-hak gestured.
A screen descended, and a projector displayed an image.
It was a massive map—a map of Seoraksan Mountain, marked with four X’s.
"Gates have appeared."
"Four of them."
"Correct. None of them are gates we can ignore. As you know, sealing the gates of Seoraksan is the Sword Saint family’s duty."
Yoo Moo-hak signaled to an attendant nearby.
The attendant stepped forward and began explaining each marked location.
"Allow me to explain. As you can see, all four locations have active gates. This one here is..."
To summarize…
One was the closest but located beneath a cliff, making it highly dangerous and difficult.
Another was quite far but situated on a snowfield, making it easier to assess, and the gate itself wasn’t too large.
The third was at a moderate distance with a moderate difficulty level.
And the last...
"The most troublesome one is here."
"Gate 4?"
"Yes. Not only is the gate large, but its location is particularly problematic. It appeared inside a dungeon. And the gate’s liberation timer is almost up."
"If we delay even a little, the gate will open, and monsters will pour out."
The last one was undoubtedly the most challenging. Yoo Min shook his head.
"So we have to clear the dungeon and the gate at the same time? That’s bound to be tricky."
"Correct. Moreover, the location is too remote and the terrain too treacherous."
"We can’t even bring a large team."
Neither dungeon conquests nor gate sealing are tasks that can be finished in a day or two.
And with both overlapping? It was bound to be a long battle.
“Considering the supplies to bring and the process of moving, it’s better to go with a small number of people.”
“If we move in a large group, the chances of being attacked by monsters along the way will increase.”
“Hmm.”
Yoo Jung-yeon fell into thought.
‘To win Father’s favor, is it right to target Gate 4? But…’
The risk is too great.
Since it appeared in the dungeon, there’s no way to assess the situation until we go inside.
If things get too difficult, the distance is too far to turn back—it’s a point of no return.
‘If I lead a team there and end up losing valuable talents of the Sword Saint family, that could actually damage my reputation.’
Yoo Jung-yeon quickly made her decision and raised her hand. But before she could….
“I will take Gate 4.”
Yoo Baek-jun quietly raised his hand.
Everyone’s surprised gazes turned toward him.
To voluntarily choose the gate everyone was avoiding…
“Hooh.”
Yoo Moo-hak’s eyes narrowed.
“It’s the least understood and likely the most difficult one. And you still want to go?”
“Yes, that’s precisely why it appeals to me.”
“It appeals to you?”
Yoo Moo-hak gestured for him to continue.
Yoo Baek-jun answered immediately.
“When the time comes for me to lead the Sword Saint family, I’ll face situations even worse than this. Rather than avoiding or retreating from difficulty, I want to confront it head-on and break through.”
“Hmm……”
Yoo Moo-hak nodded in satisfaction.
The expressions of the family’s direct descendants changed.
“Good, proceed as you wish. How many people do you plan to take?”
“Me, Instructor Han Seong-ah, and two disciples.”
“Just four of you?!”
Yoo Kang-ho exclaimed in shock, stepping forward.
But Yoo Baek-jun’s expression remained utterly composed.
Yoo Moo-hak was the same.
“Good, do as you please.”
“Father! This is madness! You’re sending the family’s talents to their deaths—!”
“I did not ask for your opinion.”
“Ghk!”
A cold glare pressed down on Yoo Kang-ho.
It was a gaze he had never felt before.
For the first time, he realized how his father’s perception of him had changed.
‘Damn it, I have to make up for this somehow…!’ Yoo Kang-ho bit his lip anxiously.
The other direct descendants also chose their gates to attack, and Yoo Moo-hak, who had been waiting, spoke.
“Dismissed. Make sure to secure the gates before they are open.”
“Yes.”
The meeting ended like that.
* * *
“Young Master, how did it go?”
Han Seong-ah was waiting outside.
Yoo Baek-jun shrugged.
“We got the hardest one.”
“Huh? The hardest one… Did the family head order you to take it?”
“No, I chose it.”
“Wha—?”
Han Seong-ah’s eyes widened in surprise. Yoo Baek-jun was about to walk away.
But then he felt a gaze on him.
“Yoo Baek-jun…”
It was Yoo Kang-ho.
Despite his crushing defeat last time, his pride wasn’t completely broken yet.
He growled as if he was about to pounce any second.
“…He’s glaring fiercely.”
“Let’s ignore him and go.”
Yoo Baek-jun chuckled and left.
There was no need to pay him any mind.
After all, Yoo Kang-ho would fail in this gate attack anyway.
“This is Grandmaster Ja-yeon’s training grounds. What brings you here…?”
Yoo Baek-jun arrived at the training grounds.
Han Seong-ah tilted her head in confusion.
“I have some business here.”
He strode inside.
“Oh, Youngest Master. It’s been a while.”
“Yes, Grandmaster Ja-yeon.”
Inside, Ja-yeon was in the middle of training with other disciples.
“As you may know, Grandmaster, I’ve been assigned to attack one of the gates.”
“Yes, the family head mentioned it. He said he’d entrust the gate attacks to the direct descendants.”
“That’s right. I’d like to take some personnel with me.”
Yoo Baek-jun glanced at the disciples.
“May I take some of the disciples under your guidance, Grandmaster Ja-yeon?”
“The disciples?”
Ja-yeon looked slightly surprised.
“I have no objections—it’s a good opportunity for them to gain real combat experience. But are you sure? Since it’s your first gate attack, wouldn’t it be better to take instructors…?”
“I plan to take Instructor Han Seong-ah. The distance is long, so I’d prefer a small team.”
“Hmm.”
Ja-yeon studied Yoo Baek-jun with an observant gaze.
“If the disciples themselves are fine with it, then so be it. Do you have any particular trainees in mind?”
“Yes.”
Yoo Baek-jun pointed at two trainees.
One was a muscular man with a buzz cut.
The other was a relatively petite woman with long hair.
The two looked at Yoo Baek-jun in surprise.
“Park Chan-kyung and Cheon Min-ju. I’ll take those two.”
“Hooh…”
Ja-yeon let out a small exclamation.
None of her disciples lacked talent, but those two were among the most exceptional.
‘I don’t know how he knew, but…’
Ja-yeon signaled the two disciples.
“What do you say? Will you go? Gate attacks aren’t easy. With such a small team, your lives could be in danger.”
“Yes.”
“But it’ll be a valuable experience.”
The two disciples fell into thought.
But only briefly.
“…I’ll go.”
“I-I’ll go too.”
Both accepted.
Yoo Baek-jun nodded in satisfaction.