Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Jin Family Heir Selection Duel
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Jin Family's Eldest Daughter, Jin Su-jeong, inwardly cheered the moment her younger sister Jin Se-jeong crossed the threshold into the Jin Family estate.
With the family head Jin Yu-ha bedridden, eliminating Jin Se-jeong would allow her to seize complete control of the Jin Family.
The method Jin Su-jeong chose to dispose of Jin Se-jeong was the heir selection duel—the simplest way to prove one's legitimacy as successor in a society of superhumans where strength was everything.
During the three years Jin Se-jeong had fled to the Yang Family for refuge, Jin Su-jeong had put in tremendous effort.
She trained in the Azure Dragon Twelve Swords five days a week under her aunt and acting family head Jin Yu-hee—taking breaks only on holidays or when ill—like a salaryman grinding away at his job.
Moreover, being in her growth phase, her body had grown even tougher, and she had seized every chance to consume the spiritual medicines stored in the Jin Family.
Now, at fifteen years old and facing Jin Se-jeong, Jin Su-jeong was absolutely certain.
'Maybe someday in the future, but right now... I'm definitely stronger...!'
Jin Se-jeong had been hailed as a genius who would bring glory to the family, but Jin Su-jeong was no slouch either—a talented prodigy more than capable of leading the clan.
No matter how much of a genius Jin Se-jeong was, she couldn't possibly beat someone who had spent the last three years in bone-grinding training after wasting that time away.
With that conviction, Jin Su-jeong cut straight to the chase with the Jin Se-jeong before her eyes, without hesitation.
"So, shall we get right to it? We've got things to wrap up quickly, you know. You heard about Mom being really sick, right?"
The pretext that had allowed them to summon Jin Se-jeong back from the Yang Family immediately was the illness of the family head, Jin Yu-ha.
With the head's condition deteriorating, they needed to select a successor swiftly—a justification so reasonable that anyone would nod in agreement—which was why Jin Se-jeong had been shipped back in just one day.
But Jin Se-jeong knew full well that this was merely a pretext, and that despite invoking their mother, there was no filial piety whatsoever behind it.
"Alright then, let's set the date for the heir selection duel as soon as possible?"
Otherwise, she couldn't possibly smile while mentioning her mother's illness.
Jin Se-jeong gnashed her teeth at that loathsome face, but Jin Su-jeong couldn't care less.
Jin Se-jeong was nothing more than an obstacle that would vanish once the duel ended, and becoming the Jin Family successor would paint her future in dazzling rainbow colors.
"Hmm, when should it be..."
From the day Jin Se-jeong awakened, not a shred of sibling affection remained in Jin Su-jeong's heart toward her sister.
She saw Jin Se-jeong as a horrific trial in life—a dire threat trying to steal the successor's seat that rightfully belonged to her as the eldest daughter.
That was why Jin Su-jeong could hum a little tune even while officially setting the date for the 'Jin Family Heir Selection Duel Day.'
Because that 'Heir Selection Duel Day' was the day of liberation from the life trial known as her genius little sister.
"Tomorrow... might be too soon. The day after... nah. Hmm, so maybe around the weekend..."
"Why are you agonizing over it so much?"
But things went according to Jin Su-jeong's plan only up to this point.
"Why not just do it now? Everyone who needs to be here is already here. No reason to drag it out, right?"
"...What?"
The moment Jin Se-jeong, who had been quietly watching Jin Su-jeong, opened her mouth, the situation began to veer strangely off course.
"The heir selection duel is valid under the presence of the family head or acting head. That's all we need, right? Aunt Jin Yu-hee, who's currently the acting head, is right over there, you're here, and so am I. What's stopping us?"
For Jin Su-jeong, the heir selection duel was supposed to be nothing more than a one-sided execution.
She would impale the thieving wretch who dared covet her successor seat with the true Azure Dragon Twelve Swords honed over three years, then proudly proclaim herself the heir before all of the Jin Family.
So, Jin Se-jeong chiming in with her opinion like this was something that absolutely should not happen in Jin Su-jeong's plan.
She had to be the one firmly in control of the situation.
"Ahem, i-is that okay? You must still be tired from the journey."
This gathering included every member of the Jin Family to welcome back the returning second daughter, so Jin Su-jeong composed her writhing emotions and opened her mouth to seize full control.
"Tired from the journey? I came by car. Besides, as a superhuman, I don't get travel fatigue in the first place."
But Jin Su-jeong's response was all too obvious.
Superhumans didn't suffer from travel fatigue to begin with, so Jin Su-jeong gnashed her teeth in surging humiliation.
'Jin Se-jeong... talking back? A mere obstacle daring to open her mouth in front of me?'
As the Jin Family's eldest daughter and de facto successor, Jin Su-jeong—who had enjoyed everything she desired and done everything she wanted—found this situation unbearable.
"Anyway, if you're worried about me, don't be, big sis. Like you said, with Mom sick, it's best to wrap this up as fast as possible."
Seeing Jin Se-jeong act as if she were the one holding the reins made irritation boil up in Jin Su-jeong, followed by rage, and even her concealed killing intent began to rise.
"So, let's do it right now. The heir selection duel."
In that situation, with Jin Se-jeong demanding to duel immediately without delay, it became incredibly hard for Jin Su-jeong to refuse—rationally or emotionally.
But accepting the duel on the spot, with everyone watching, would feel like handing control to Jin Se-jeong, wounding her pride and dignity.
"Jin Se-jeong, sorry, but the heir selection duel is a major family affair, so we need to put careful thought into even setting the date..."
Jin Su-jeong, who prized pride and face above all as the (self-proclaimed) Jin Family heir, gritted her teeth, suppressing her rising fury, irritation, and killing intent as she replied to Jin Se-jeong.
But before she could even finish speaking, Jin Se-jeong smirked, lifting one corner of her mouth in an expression designed to maximally annoy her opponent, and spat out a single-syllable word.
"Scared?"
It was the finishing move she had learned from Yang Woo-bin on the first day they met.
"You bitch!"
Naturally, for Jin Su-jeong—who had nothing left without her pride—it hit right where it hurt.
Ching-!
"Wh-what?!"
"Th-that's!"
"Miss Su-jeong is drawing her sword and charging at Miss Jin Se-jeong!?!?"
Perfectly provoked by that single word "Scared?", Jin Su-jeong completely snapped the thread of reason she had barely held onto and charged at Jin Se-jeong standing at the entrance, sword drawn.
Tat-tat-tat-tat!!!
Her speed was unimaginable for a fifteen-year-old superhuman awakened only four years ago—the distance between them closed in an instant.
It looked as if Jin Su-jeong's sword tip would pierce Jin Se-jeong any second.
Seeing the incoming sword tip aimed at her, Jin Se-jeong let out a soft scoff and shifted her gaze behind Jin Su-jeong.
Then, with her mouth barely moving, she leisurely drew her sword just before Jin Su-jeong's blade reached her.
Swoosh.
Stepping back one foot with her right, twisting her body slightly, and drawing the sword from her left waist, slashing downward.
The entire sequence was so slow that even the servants could see every detail.
Kaang...
"Huh...?"
Yet that alone was enough to block Jin Su-jeong's charge.
Jin Su-jeong stared as her sword tip—which should have pierced some part of Jin Se-jeong's body—was pressed down by her opponent's blade and embedded in the ground.
She then looked up to see Jin Se-jeong pressing down on her sword with one hand gripping her own.
"Pfft, pfhehe. Pfahahahaha!"
The situation looked exactly like her first spar with Yang Woo-bin three years ago, and Jin Se-jeong couldn't hold back her laughter.
"Y-you dare laugh at me...?"
"Khkhkh... No, no, sis. It's not because of you. I'm laughing because an old memory just came back."
"What?"
"I've never had reason to laugh because of you before, and I won't in the future either. Don't flatter yourself."
"You little shit...!"
Without giving Jin Su-jeong time to vent her rage verbally, Jin Se-jeong swept her leg low, striking Jin Su-jeong's ankle as if scrubbing the ground.
Kudangtang!!
The perfectly landed leg sweep sent Jin Su-jeong tumbling across the dirt.
Looking down at her, Jin Se-jeong spoke.
"If I stab now, the duel ends?"
Despite her words, her sword tip was lowered to the ground. Seeing Jin Se-jeong gazing down at her with an air of ease, Jin Su-jeong couldn't comprehend the situation.
She was the one who had trained her bones to dust for three years—why was she the one sprawled in the dirt?
She simply couldn't accept it.
So, Jin Su-jeong gave up trying to understand, gripped her sword so tightly it strained her wrist, kicked off the ground, and sprang up.
"Die, you fucking bitch!!!"
Azure Dragon Twelve Swords, Second Sword – Azure Dragon Heavenly Thrust
A merciless barrage of thrusts possible only for a superhuman, with countless sword tips filling the vision—enough power to turn the opponent into a beehive in an instant.
Faced with the perfected Azure Dragon Heavenly Thrust from a seasoned superhuman at close range, Jin Se-jeong stared blankly at the flurry of tips before letting out a small sigh.
"What the hell did this person even learn in three years?"
There were many thrusting tips, but only one sword actually wielding the technique. Jin Se-jeong had known for years that an incomplete Azure Dragon Heavenly Thrust from someone without a perfected physique was inferior even to a single thrust.
Chaeng-!
Thus, a simple horizontal sweep of her blade rendered Jin Su-jeong's ultimate killer move completely null and void.
"I was gonna try fighting ten more times like Yang Woo-bin did. But your level's too low for that. I'll just end it here, big sis."
"Wh-what?"
Jin Se-jeong stepped forward and, raising her sword overhead, smashed the hilt straight into Jin Su-jeong's face with full force.
Kwak!
The pommel was capped in steel, so Jin Su-jeong's nose caved in. She collapsed to the ground without even a dying scream.
"Done. Easy peasy."
With the line she'd always wanted to say someday, Jin Se-jeong's human heir selection duel concluded in her victory.