Chapter 52
I Became the Successor of the Martial God
Chapter 52.
At the center of the city stood a castle.
A place with towering and formidable defenses. The number of soldiers guarding every direction was far from ordinary.
“We’re travelers from another world. One of our companions has been imprisoned, and I heard the trial is being held today. Can we attend as observers?”
“Travelers from another world? Who… Ah.”
“The one from yesterday, right? Wait here.”
Ryu Il-woo spoke to the soldier at the entrance.
The soldier then told them to wait briefly before disappearing into the castle, reappearing after a while.
“You may enter. However… There are too many of you. Only three, including you, may observe. The rest must wait in the castle garden.”
“Hmm.”
Ryu Il-woo inwardly marveled.
‘It’s going exactly as Yoo Baek-jun planned.’
Last night, Yoo Baek-jun had said he would allow himself to be captured as a criminal and that a trial would be held.
Only about three or four people would be allowed to observe the trial, while the rest would be forced to wait in the garden.
—If that happens, Mr. Ryu Il-woo, please bring Yoon Song-ha, and Serberia with you.
—Tell both of them to prepare the largest spells they can. I’ve already made a separate request to Han Seong-ah, so just leave the raid team to her.
Yoo Baek-jun had said that.
There was no reason to refuse.
“Who’s going?”
“Me, Yoon Song-ha, and Serberia. The three of us will enter. And the two of you…”
Ryu Il-woo whispered, instructing them to prepare the largest spells they could muster.
Yoon Song-ha, having heard about it beforehand, nodded in understanding, while Serberia looked puzzled.
“Prepare spells? Why?”
“Yeah, well… that’s what he said. Preferably spells that can restrain enemies.”
“Alright, I get it. I do know a few.”
“And Ms. Han Seong-ah.”
Ryu Il-woo turned to Han Seong-ah.
“Yoo Baek-jun said he had something to ask of you. Do you know what it is?”
“Yes, I do. I’ll handle things here.”
“Good. I’ll trust you with it.”
Her words were brimming with confidence.
With that, the three entered the castle, while the rest of the raid team waited in the garden.
“There are a lot of soldiers inside.”
Yoon Song-ha remarked as she glanced around.
The security was tight. Considering what was about to happen, this level of vigilance was going to be troublesome.
“You already know this, but we can’t kill innocent civilians. Keep that in mind.”
“Innocent civilians? Hah, I’ll try my best.”
“Yoon Song-ha…”
True to her appearance, Yoon Song-ha had a fierce personality. Strangely enough, she toned it down around Yoo Baek-jun.
Ryu Il-woo let out a deep sigh.
Just then, a soldier standing before a large gate addressed the three.
“The trial will be held in the audience chamber. Proceed inside.”
The audience chamber.
Guarded by numerous knights, the three came face-to-face with the lord of the castle.
“Welcome to the Ludberia Continent, travelers from another world.”
“We appreciate your hospitality.”
Ryu Il-woo greeted him according to Halpeon’s etiquette. This wasn’t his first gate raid, so he had learned basic manners.
The lord gave a slight nod.
“Indeed. I heard the one standing trial today is your companion. Is that correct?”
“Yes, it is. We came because we believe there may have been a misunderstanding and hoped to find a way to assist our companion during the trial.”
“Hmm.”
The lord’s expression was clearly displeased.
“Stand back for now. I do have something in mind, but I’ll speak of it during the trial.”
“Understood.”
Ryu Il-woo and his group stepped back.
At the edge of the audience chamber, there were seats for those observing the trial.
They all took their places.
“Bring forth the criminal!”
“Yes, my lord!”
The soldiers hurried off, and before long, they returned with Yoo Baek-jun in tow.
He was being dragged along by the soldiers.
‘Look at his expression. He’s completely at ease.’
Yoon Song-ha observed Yoo Baek-jun’s face. He looked more relaxed than anyone else present.
Well, of course.
‘Everything has gone according to his plan so far.’
Now, what will happen next?
Ryu Il-woo and the others watched Yoo Baek-jun’s movements closely. Just how would he act?
“My apologies. It seems our soldiers were a bit rough with you due to your criminal status. I explicitly told them not to use violence.”
“An excess of loyalty from the soldiers? It’s a bit hard to overlook when you’re the one getting beaten.”
“How dare you, a criminal, speak like—!”
“Calm down, Loraena.”
Yoo Baek-jun smirked. The lord’s brow twitched ever so slightly at the sight of that smile.
“The situation was highly suspicious. We had no choice. Not all travelers from another world are benevolent, after all. The soldiers were bound to overreact.”
“I understand. Aside from the part where I got beaten.”
Yoo Baek-jun exaggerated his discomfort. The lord ignored him and cleared his throat loudly.
“Traveler from another world! Last night, you assaulted the guards patrolling the city! Explain yourself!”
“Is that little bit of violence really such a big deal?”
“What?”
An entirely unexpected answer echoed through the chamber.
The audience hall buzzed with murmurs.
“There’s someone right in front of me who’s committed far greater crimes than I have. Why fuss over a little violence?”
“……”
Yoo Baek-jun’s gaze was fixed directly on the lord. His expression had turned icy.
“Are you… referring to me?”
“Who else would I mean? Your wife beside you? The soldiers next to her? No.”
A sneer played on Yoo Baek-jun’s lips.
“I’m talking about you. Lord Lactus.”
“You bastard! How dare you address His Lordship so disrespectfully! Do you value your life so little—!”
“No.”
Yoo Baek-jun cut off the soldier’s words.
“Dream Demon Barwe.”
“……!”
The lord’s face momentarily twisted in shock. But it lasted only an instant—no one else noticed.
Except for Yoo Baek-jun, who was staring right at him.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. A Dream Demon? What is that? Some new kind of monster?”
“Oh, playing dumb? Fine by me.”
KAAANG!
Yoo Baek-jun unleashed a surge of energy from both hands.
The shackles he had loosened beforehand shattered noisily, freeing his restrained body.
“W-what the…!”
The nearby soldiers rushed at him in panic, but Yoo Baek-jun was faster.
A lightning-fast Gale kick struck their chins with precision, knocking them out instantly.
“GAAAH!”
“T-the criminal broke his shackles!”
“My lord! Quickly, this way!”
The surrounding soldiers scrambled into action. Yoo Baek-jun watched them with indifferent eyes before—
WHOOSH!
—unleashing a wave of Cold aura.
A bitter cold froze time itself around him.
Within that frozen moment, Yoo Baek-jun pulled out something.
“Can you still pretend not to know what this is?”
“That’s…!”
The skull from the garden’s underground.
The lord gasped upon seeing it. Why was an artifact kept in the deepest part of the underground here?!
“Y-you… where did you— No, guh—!”
“You seem quite flustered…”
“Darling, what’s wrong? What is that?”
Barwe—lord and dream demon—felt his mind spiral into chaos.
For some reason, the skull had fallen into human hands. He had to retrieve it at all costs.
To do that, he needed to negotiate…
“H-human! Calm down. Yes, let’s talk! What do you want?”
“Talk?”
Yoo Baek-jun chuckled.
He raised the skull in his hand.
“Why would I?”
CRACK!
His grip crushed the skull in an instant.
Shards of bone scattered in all directions, and the power contained within was unleashed.
WHOOSH!
A torrent of black energy erupted into the sky.
No trace of power remained in the shattered fragments.
“Ah… Ahh…”
“D-darling?”
Barwe stared blankly at the scene.
At first, his expression was blank, as if unable to comprehend what had happened—then it slowly twisted in horror.
And then—
“AAAAAAAAAAAH!”
Barwe let out a bloodcurdling scream.
The audience chamber fell silent.
Barwe trembled violently, his body shaking as soldiers stared at him in shock.
“D-darling?”
Loraena was no different.
She had never seen her husband like this—the man who was always calm and composed.
Barwe slowly raised his head.
“You human… So you planned all of this… even getting captured and brought here…”
Barwe’s eyes glowed.
They turned blood-red, and dark smoke seeped from the edges.
Loraena stifled a scream at the sight.
“Do you even know what you just destroyed? That contained the power needed to free my kin…!”
“So? Expecting an apology?”
“No!”
Barwe snarled.
“You’ll pay for this crime with your life!”
Darkness erupted.
A surge of black energy exploded from Barwe, spreading outward and engulfing the castle.
The expanding darkness swallowed the entire city, forming a massive black shroud.
“W-what is this?!”
“W-what’s happening?!”
The sky turned pitch black.
No—everything did. The shroud draped over the city, plunging it into abyssal darkness.
The castle was no exception.
“It’s dark. I can’t see anything.”
“What’s going on? The lights…”
The darkness was so thick that not even a step ahead was visible.
Even the castle’s lights were devoured, turning the interior into a literal abyss.
It was impossible to tell if someone was standing right beside you or what lay ahead.
“Guh—!”
Ryu Il-woo recalled Yoo Baek-jun’s earlier warning and tried to pull out an artifact.
But—
“Hurk!”
His strength suddenly drained away.
The surrounding darkness seemed to sap his energy, leaving him weak.
Then, voices echoed.
—My name is Barwe, master of nightmares…
—A dark dream approaches…
—The nightmare awaits you…
Countless voices whispered from all directions.
—This is your nightmare…
—Within it, you are weak and powerless…
—You will never wake…
—The nightmare will erase you…
Hallucinations flickered before his eyes, and phantom voices filled his ears.
Ryu Il-woo felt unbearable terror and helplessness.
His knees hit the ground.
‘Damn it, I need to snap out of this!’
He knew this was a mental attack.
But there was no way to resist. He couldn’t escape the emotions overwhelming his mind.
And then, as if to drive the final nail—
—Your soul belongs to me…
The nightmare declared.
THUD.
A heavy weight dropped in his mind, and his consciousness dimmed.
Ryu Il-woo shook his head and forced himself to look up.
‘I can’t see anything.’
Only hallucinations.
The suffocating darkness threatened to swallow his very existence.
He bowed his head.
“Mr. Ryu Il-woo!”
“……!”
“Light it up!”
A familiar voice called out.
Hearing it, Ryu Il-woo took a sharp breath. His blurred mind cleared slightly.
He raised his hammer high.
“…Light!”
BURST!
A radiant explosion of light dispelled the darkness.
The shadows recoiled, revealing the surroundings.
—W-what… How…?!
Among them was the master of nightmares.
His pitch-black body wavered like mist, clad in a massive robe. Blade-like protrusions extended from the sleeves.
A crown rested on his head, and his formless face flickered with crimson eyes.
—You resisted me? How… How can a mere human dare to defy me…?!
“Why not?”
A voice came from behind.
Ryu Il-woo acted on instinct—charging forward, raising his massive hammer, and bringing it down with all his might.
“You filthy demon!”
BOOOOM!
—Guh—! Such petty tricks—!
The blinding light obscured vision.
Barwe, the nightmare, shielded his eyes in agony. When his sight returned—
“Hurk!”
—…!
Yoo Baek-jun stood before him.
His arm was pulled back—
CRACK!
A fist shot forward.
The punch struck Barwe’s defenseless abdomen. Ice gathered at the point of impact, instantly forming the shape of a frozen dragon.
An icy vortex engulfed him.
Ice crystals erupted from his body, sharpening into blades that tore into Barwe.
—GAAAAAAAAH!
Barwe’s body was shredded in an instant.
He staggered back in pain. Yoo Baek-jun moved to pursue, but—
—My legion! Protect me!
SWOOSH!
Black figures emerged from all directions.
Monsters resembling Barwe—his nightmare legion.
As they clashed, Barwe retreated.
—Hah… Hah…
Now wasn’t the time for this. He scanned the humans nearby.
“Ah… Ahh, darling…”
The original owner’s wife came into view. Barwe seized her.
—This isn’t over yet…!
Black energy flowed from his hand into Loraena’s body.
Her form instantly withered—all life force drained away.
Yoo Baek-jun clicked his tongue.
“Tch. Didn’t finish him in one hit.”
Then he’d have to resort to the next step.
He glanced back.
“Time to wake up and get to work.”
Ryu Il-woo stared at him, dazed.