Chapter 99
I Became the Successor of the Martial God
Chapter 99.
Before heading to the Magic Tower, Yoo Baek-jun decided to stop by his family estate for a brief visit.
There were things to pack and favors to ask.
“I have my father’s permission, so step aside.”
“Yes, Young master.”
Yoo Baek-jun entered the family warehouse and took exactly two items from it.
One was an incense burner, and the other was a magic circle.
With these, he could safely clear the World Tree event.
After gathering the items, Yoo Baek-jun went to meet some people.
“Sister, I have a favor to ask.”
“A favor? From you? Now this is rare.”
The first person he met was Yoo Jung-yeon.
Lately, she seemed to have been struggling with sleep, as her face clearly showed signs of fatigue.
“While I’m away, could you keep an eye on the people around me? Better yet, protect them if you can.”
“The people around you? There aren’t that many, are there? At most, it’s just Choi Seung-min, right?”
“That’s right. But he’s been with me since we were kids, so I’ve grown fond of him.”
“Hmm… Seems you’re not just saying that.”
Yoo Jung-yeon let out a small scoff.
“Are you sure you want to entrust that to me?”
“I don’t really have anyone else to ask.”
“You do realize we’re both in the same position—vying for the family head’s seat—right?”
“I know. But since we share a common enemy, isn’t cooperation possible?”
As Yoo Baek-jun smoothly continued his persuasion, Yoo Jung-yeon sighed.
“You’re quite the talker. Why were you so different back then?”
“It was a survival strategy, I suppose.”
“A survival strategy… What about entrusting this to Yoo Min?”
“I can’t leave it to Yoo Min. The moment she helps anyone, her position becomes complicated.”
Helping to prevent Seoul’s Great Invasion and protecting Yoo Baek-jun’s close associates were two different matters.
Yoo Tae-rang wouldn’t stay idle either.
“Is there no way to bring her to our side?”
“Unless the situation tilts heavily in our favor, she won’t cooperate. In other words, she’ll only join us if we’re in an advantageous position.”
“The word ‘our’ sounds quite amusing.”
For Yoo Jung-yeon, the family head’s seat wasn’t the priority. What mattered most to her was finding the person who killed her younger sibling.
The family head’s seat was merely a means to that end.
Yoo Baek-jun might be someone who could greatly assist her in achieving her goal.
‘I need Yoo Jung-yeon too.’
No matter how much Yoo Tae-rang’s influence reaches, her faction within the family is substantial.
Even a Grandmaster supports her.
‘If I can get Grandmaster Ja-yeon to support me as well, combining both factions would give me enough power to oppose Yoo Tae-rang.’
And above all, considering the final event of the Sword Saint family, it’s non-negotiable.
Yoo Jung-yeon must be brought to his side.
“…Fine. Actually, I’ve been following the Intelligence Department lately, just as you said, and I’ve learned something.”
“What is it?”
“People who shouldn’t be trusted.”
Yoo Jung-yeon’s expression turned cold.
“I still don’t know exactly who can be trusted, but I’m starting to figure out who shouldn’t be.”
“Hmm…”
Yoo Baek-jun glanced around the room.
Yoon Ye-bin, who usually accompanied her as her close aide, was nowhere to be seen.
“By the way, where’s Yoon Ye-bin?”
“She went to work.”
“Must’ve been important, then.”
Both knew the truth but played along with the obvious probing.
“It was so important that she had no choice but to go on a long business trip.”
“That’s unfortunate. It’ll take a while for her to return—you must be lonely.”
“It’s not so bad.”
Yoo Jung-yeon smiled bitterly.
“I’ll have to adapt.”
“You’ll adjust quickly.”
“I wonder if I can.”
Yoo Baek-jun stood up.
“I’ll have Choi Seung-min assist Grandmaster Ja-yeon . Please keep an eye on him.”
“Sure, I’ll try.”
With that, he left Yoo Jung-yeon’s residence.
* * *
Yoo Baek-jun sought out Ja-yeon’s training grounds.
As always, she was teaching martial arts to the disciples she had personally gathered.
“My, it’s been a while, youngest young master.”
“Yes, this place never changes, no matter when I visit.”
“There’s no reason for it to change.”
Ja-yeon ordered her students to take a break and led Yoo Baek-jun to a pavilion in the backyard.
She leisurely began brewing tea.
“You’ve been quite busy lately.”
“If I want to survive, I have no choice but to stay busy. Whether I like it or not…”
“As the family’s successor, it’s about time you made your stance clear.”
The others had already solidified their positions. Yoo Kang-ho, who gave up everything to join Yoo Tae-rang’s faction, or Yoo Min, who remained neutral.
Yoo Baek-jun’s position was still ambiguous.
“Do you desire the family head’s seat?”
“Yes.”
Yoo Baek-jun took a sip of the tea Ja-yeon offered and answered firmly.
“I believe that’s the only way for me to survive.”
“You speak as if you’ll be killed by someone if you don’t become the family head.”
“That’s a possibility.”
Ja-yeon took a sip of tea, closed her eyes, and sank into thought.
“Why have you come to me?”
“You already know.”
“To ask for my support?”
Yoo Baek-jun nodded.
Grandmaster Ja-yeon held his talent in higher regard than any other successor in the family.
In crude terms, one could say she was smitten.
However,
“That would be difficult.”
That and this were separate matters.
“I’ve chosen to remain neutral. Others have done the same, though some have since changed their minds.”
“Grandmaster Ja-yeon, you might also change your mind like them.”
“Only if there’s a reason to.”
At first glance, it sounded like a refusal.
But the mere fact that she said such a thing hinted that her heart was already leaning somewhat.
“Grandmaster Ja-yeon, what do you think of the current Sword Saint family?”
“What do I think…?”
“It’s heading in the wrong direction.”
Yoo Baek-jun set down his teacup.
“Don’t you agree?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know it, don’t you? How the current Sword Saint family obsessively focuses only on swordsmanship.”
It was one of the family’s biggest issues.
“If the family had always been like this, it wouldn’t matter. But the Sword Saint family was founded by our ancestor, the Martial God. And he created and mastered all kinds of martial arts.”
“Yes, I know. The reason I joined the Sword Saint family was because of his stories.”
“But now…”
All those martial arts had vanished, and only those related to swordsmanship were passed down.
In a way, the very title of ‘Sword Saint’ family was laughable.
“That’s not quite true.”
Ja-yeon smiled bitterly.
As a Grandmaster, she practiced martial arts beyond swordsmanship for that very reason.
Her regret for the current state of the family.
The answer lay there.
“I will complete the Heavenly Destruction Fist Technique.”
“What?”
Ja-yeon’s eyes widened at the unexpected words.
“The Martial God left behind his knowledge. I’ve been searching for it since two months ago. The spear technique I use is a variation of his.”
“…I see.”
After a moment of thought, Ja-yeon nodded.
“When you narrowly escaped death in the snowfields two months ago, you must’ve found the legacy the Martial God left behind.”
“Yes.”
Yoo Baek-jun admitted without denial.
“Thanks to that opportunity, I gained the ability to find the knowledge the Martial God left behind.”
“Are you saying no one but you can restore the Martial God’s techniques?”
“Does it sound that way?”
Yoo Baek-jun chuckled.
“You heard correctly.”
Because that was the intention.
Ja-yeon stroked her teacup. She stared at the water inside, lost in thought for a long while.
“What do you plan to do with the knowledge you’ve gained?”
“I’ll teach it according to the disciples’ talents, just as the Martial God did.”
“The family will change significantly from how it is now.”
“Yes, it’ll be very different from the current family, which only accepts those with talent in swordsmanship.”
Ja-yeon lightly flicked her teacup with a finger.
“As long as your resolve doesn’t waver.”
She offered a faint smile.
“I will follow your lead.”
It was her way of accepting his proposal.
* * *
With his final conversation with Ja-yeon concluded, Yoo Baek-jun left her training grounds and stepped outside.
‘An ability to find the knowledge the Martial God left behind…’
Lying left a sting in his conscience.
It wasn’t a special ability—he was simply using his experience from the game to find it.
“But if that counts as an ability, then so be it. Right?”
—Krrrang?
Seol-yeong poked its head out from Yoo Baek-jun’s embrace. When he stroked it head with his fingers, it let out a purring sound.
“Shall we head to the Magic Tower soon?”
Han Seong-ah must be wondering when he’ll arrive.
As Yoo Baek-jun was about to head to where the magic circle was, he ran into Yoo Tae-rang.
Coincidentally, he was near Ja-yeon’s training grounds.
“…….”
“…….”
Silence hung between them.
Without a word, the two simply stared at each other for a long time.
“Where are you going?”
“I have business at the Magic Tower.”
“The Magic Tower…”
Yoo Tae-rang’s expression turned ambiguous.
“What business do you have there?”
“Ah, they asked for my help with something.”
“Your fiancée, I presume?”
“That’s right.”
Pretending not to know when he already did.
Everyone in the family knew Yoo Baek-jun and Jin Seo-yeon had been close since childhood.
And the fact that Jin Seo-yeon had been spending a lot of time with Yoo Baek-jun lately.
“The Magic Tower… It’s a good guild. Their efforts to build friendly relations are commendable.”
“Thank you, Elder brother.”
It was hard to tell if he was being sarcastic or genuinely complimentary.
Yoo Baek-jun bowed his head.
“By the way, how’s Kim Mok-jun doing? I feel a bit guilty for fighting so roughly last time.”
“He wasn’t badly hurt, so don’t worry about it. It was just a spar.”
“A spar… Yes, but still.”
Yoo Baek-jun straightened his back and smiled.
“It feels like the opponent was going easy on me, which bothers me. I thought you might’ve asked them to go easy to save your younger brother’s face.”
“…….”
Yoo Tae-rang’s face stiffened for a moment before relaxing.
He let out a light scoff.
“What a strange thing to say…”
“Is it?”
“There’s no reason for me to do that. Asking someone to go easy would be an insult to you.”
How eloquent.
Yoo Baek-jun smiled and prepared to leave.
“Yoo Baek-jun.”
Yoo Tae-rang stopped him.
“What were you doing at Ja-yeon’s training grounds?”
“What was I doing…? Just talking.”
“Just talking, you say.”
Yoo Tae-rang exhaled deeply.
“I heard Ja-yeon taught you. Is that true?”
“…….”
Yoo Baek-jun recalled the established relationship between Yoo Tae-rang and Ja-yeon in the game.
This could be useful.
“Yes.”
“How did that happen?”
“After my spar with Brother Yoo Kang-ho, I told Father I wanted to learn from Grandmaster Ja-yeon.”
“Even if you wanted to, she could’ve refused.”
“Yes, but she agreed.”
Whoosh— The sound of wind howled outside.
A fierce blizzard was raging.
“I must’ve been lucky. I’m afraid I’ll have to excuse myself now—I’m short on time.”
Yoo Baek-jun bowed lightly and walked past Yoo Tae-rang.
This time, Yoo Tae-rang didn’t stop him.
As the distance between them grew, Yoo Baek-jun glanced back.
‘Did I push the right buttons?’
Yoo Tae-rang stood motionless.
Provoking him like this made his next moves easier to predict.
If this pattern holds…
‘He’ll probably gather some villains and send them my way soon.’
To test Yoo Baek-jun’s strength.
He’d likely arrange it so the Sword Saint family wouldn’t be implicated.
If it’s predictable, countering it becomes easier.
“Time to prepare.”