Chapter 476
Chapter 476
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 476
Chapter Title: Sungcheon Yun Clan (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Lusette and Hoon stepped into the Yun Clan's main estate.
"Big sis! You're safe!"
As if he'd been waiting impatiently for them, Yun Sohoe came dashing out the front gate the moment they entered.
The boy, who seemed to have rushed over after hearing the news, was panting heavily as he immediately pulled Lusette into a tight hug.
"...You were really worried, huh? Sorry for making you fret. And thank you, Sohoe. Thanks to you, I made it back in one piece."
She knelt down and hugged him back.
They'd talked about various things on the way, so she already knew that Hoon had come to rescue her at Yun Sohoe's request.
Of course, she still had no idea what the reward for that had been.
'That's our little secret.'
Hoon shrugged his shoulders.
If she knew what Yun Sohoe had offered as compensation, she probably wouldn't be thanking him so purely.
"Thank you for bringing my sister back safely. I heard you got caught up in quite a major incident..."
After catching up with her, Yun Sohoe bowed deeply to Hoon.
Lusette's preliminary report, sent before they arrived, had already reached the upper echelons of the Yun Clan.
He was still just a promising young talent, so he didn't know the full details, but the chaotic atmosphere permeating the entire family was enough to tell him something seriously off had happened.
"Eh, I was just doing what I was asked. I even got to enjoy a nice outing after a while."
In truth, unlike the instant arrival at their destination, the return trip had been full of twists and turns.
Given the location, the Yun Clan's infrastructure for support was inevitably limited, and there had been plenty of tasks like collecting evidence, including General Buryeong and his subordinates.
Of course, they hadn't handled every minor detail themselves.
As if preparations were already in place, secret agents had swarmed in the moment Lusette made contact and swiftly took care of everything.
All while avoiding the gazes of the Hong Mountain Kingdom soldiers swarming the area.
'They secured the most discreet and safe route back for us too. That's the power of a prestigious clan for you.'
To reiterate, maintaining balance at the heart of two great powers was no easy feat.
When a massive search for Lusette's unknown whereabouts was needed, they had to watch the Hong Mountain Kingdom's reactions, but once her safety was secured, handling cleanup with spies was a piece of cake.
"...I'll go ahead for the detailed report. Given the scale, there'll be a lot to do from here."
Lusette bowed lightly in farewell and hurried inside.
She hadn't rested properly yet and still looked haggard, but she clearly had no intention of taking a break.
'Well, can't be helped at a time like this.'
The fragile peace they'd maintained until now was shaking.
Even a rough glance showed the situation was far from normal.
'For a general of one nation to get personally involved.'
If it had just been General Buryeong's rogue actions, it might've been manageable.
The problem was if the threads led higher up.
That would make things far more serious.
...And if they even assumed the worst—royal sanction from the Hong Mountain King—they needed countermeasures established as quickly as possible.
"Anyway, things okay here while I was gone? How's Lamyu?"
For now, there wasn't much he could do himself.
Hoon shook his head, glancing at the spot where Lusette had disappeared, then turned to Yun Sohoe beside him.
"Ahem, no need to worry! I couldn't stay by the sleeping lady's side all the time myself, but I entrusted her care to close maids who kept a close watch."
Yun Sohoe cleared his throat and nodded solemnly.
"...Truth be told, there wasn't much special care needed. Protected by that strange power, she maintains her original state at all times, they say. No need to wash or feed her—just watching over was all."
"Well, it's only been a few days, so that's expected."
He'd only asked to check if anything had changed in his absence, but it was fully within expectations.
"Alright then... all that's left is settling up, right? You haven't forgotten?"
"No way it'd slip my mind after just a few days. I'll keep my promise, no worries."
Yun Sohoe replied to Hoon's words with a firm expression.
He glanced around stealthily, clearly anxious about the deal getting out.
Naturally, having to pass the clan's secret art to an outsider due to his own decision warranted that worry.
'Of course, no backing out now.'
Still, his anxious look tugged at the heartstrings, so Hoon tossed in a light comment to ease the tension.
"I've been wondering before, but why the mismatched speech? It's kinda cute, though."
"...C-cute? What are you saying! I am a scion of the great Sungcheon Yun Clan, upholding dignity...!"
As if it was a sore spot for him too, Yun Sohoe forgot his anxiety and protested vehemently, face flushing red.
Seemed he had his reasons.
Hoon soothed the sulking boy as they headed deeper into the Yun Clan grounds.
All that remained was receiving the secret art until Lamyu awoke and mastering chakra.
Gazing at the unusually clear sky, he stretched refreshingly.
"...Are you even listening? So, what I'm saying is..."
Ignoring the grumbling boy's voice with one ear.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "I see."
The presence in the darkness nodded.
"An otherworlder, huh?"
He tapped the armrest, replaying the report he'd just heard.
Though the news of his carefully prepared plan's failure had just come in, he didn't mind at all.
His main goal had been to uncover the source of the ominous feeling from before.
That's why he'd targeted Lusette, who was close to Yun Sohoe, on purpose.
'Losing a 'general' in the process hurts, but...'
Who could've predicted that a deep-layer practitioner optimized for trap setups would fail to escape and collapse so pathetically?
Still, it let him grasp just how dangerous the opponent's abilities were.
"Hoon... Never heard the name."
He already knew everything about the Yun Clan, down to the names of maids' pet dogs.
A sudden major variable wrinkled his brow inevitably.
'But we can't delay the plan any longer.'
That left only one option.
Eliminate the variable, no matter the cost.
Even if it meant investing excessive resources.
Rustle—
He picked up a document and skimmed it lightly.
A compilation of info from spies inside the Yun Clan.
The amount was small due to tight internal security, but it contained one useful tidbit for the current situation.
"The sleeping girl."
The girl who'd never once awakened since appearing.
And the weakness that the mysterious otherworlder Hoon fussed over excessively.
'Perfect timing. We can handle it in one go.'
Once the target was pinned down clearly, solutions could always be devised.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "The Turning Wheel Path is the secret art our Yun Clan's founder created."
The inner mental image forming chakra's foundation, the microcosm intervening directly in phenomena based on it.
The Turning Wheel Path assisted and amplified all those processes as a chakra circulation method, a training technique strengthening body and mind simultaneously, and a safety device mitigating energy overload.
"Hong Mountain Kingdom, Blue Sea Kingdom—everywhere has its arts, but I can confidently say our Yun Clan's Turning Wheel Path is the best."
Near-universal performance aside, it barely showed when activated—a huge advantage.
No need to explain how vital that was in real combat.
'Hmm, I see.'
Hoon recalled General Buryeong's eerie eyes from recently.
The massive energy ripples across the entire valley with each spin of the concentric circles in his pupils.
He fully understood the point.
'...Still, that was pretty cool.'
Of course, he swallowed those words.
Even with his recent optimism, he didn't want pitying looks from a kid barely elementary age.
"Lucky for you, right? Otherwise, I couldn't have taught you secretly like this. Still kinda worried, though..."
Water under the bridge now.
Thus, Hoon trained with Yun Sohoe, learning the Turning Wheel Path.
No one batted an eye at him cultivating alongside the young master.
To outsiders, it just looked like friendly practitioners training together.
Hoon was a super rookie surging through the lower tiers, and Yun Sohoe was right on the cusp of mid-tiers—well-matched levels.
Fulfilling days began and ended with training.
"By the way, I've been meaning to ask."
One day, Yun Sohoe eyed Hoon with a reluctant expression.
"What chakra did you even open to...?"
"Hm?"
"I heard it was non-combat type? Did you open multiple chakras or something?"
Among practitioners, it was taboo to ask what chakra one wielded until they volunteered.
But after days training with Hoon.
Watching him manifest different abilities daily, he couldn't hold back anymore.
"Ah, this?"
"How to put it."
"If I had to explain."
At the question, Hoon's three selves shrugged nonchalantly.
Then they exchanged grins.
"One of my personal secret techniques... using chakra."
"Ugh."
Yun Sohoe sighed at the answer, peering at Hoon again.
Still, no telling which was the real body.
At mere lower tier, producing such flawless clones!
The other abilities were impressive, but this took it to another level.
'Must be because it's imagery sourced from the main body. Way easier than pulling from other avatars.'
Clone arts enabled by borrowing the 'clone' image from his main body.
Obviously a minor knockoff compared to actual Avatar use.
Unlike Avatar's perfect 'other self,' chakra clones were closer to standard clone jutsu.
'Though higher mastery might change that... Still, perfectly replicating the unique skill's impossible.'
Even this level's utility was ample.
It had briefly fooled a deep-layer practitioner far above his realm, after all.
With polish, he might even pull off massive multi-clone jutsu like in comics.
As the day's session wound down.
"Oh my! Training with Sohoe again today, I see."
A familiar voice approached, a woman drawing near.
"...Already that time? I'll head out then!"
Yun Sohoe paled and tried to bolt, but she'd already fluidly scooped him up into her embrace.
"Aww~ Sohoe, running from your big sis again and making her sad?"
"Eek! Let—let go!"
Yun Soso buried the boy's head delightfully between her ample bosom, while he flailed in horror.
It had happened so often by now, it was hardly noteworthy.
'Here she comes again today.'
Hoon sighed softly.
Even after rescuing Lusette and returning, her advances continued.
As a man, he didn't hate a beauty's pursuit.
But succumbing wholesale to such blatant seduction was another matter.
'Not that I haven't considered just going with it...'
The real issue came after.
'Guessed it somewhat, but didn't expect her to be that popular.'
Earth awakener Anton from the earlier clash was just the start.
The longer she chased Hoon, the more enemies he accrued rapidly.
Those who knew her temperament shifted from dismissing it to grasping the severity.
'Getting tangled seems like it'd just make things more exhausting.'
If not for his communication chakra sharpening emotional sensitivity, no such worries.
Hostile intent stabbed relentlessly wherever he went, fraying nerves pointlessly.
'Can't pick fights just for glares. But ignoring nags subtly. Tricky.'
Hoon brushed off Yun Soso appropriately and headed to his quarters.
Pondering how to handle the subtle antagonism prickling him today too.
"Hm?"
Then, abruptly.
Hoon's steps halted as his head snapped sideways.
'What was that?'
Too fleeting to be sure.
But too阴郁 to ignore.
'...Different from prior hostility. This is...'
He focused again, but it was gone.
Impressive for lower tier to sense it at all—normally impossible.
Thanks to Mind Sense.
"Mr. Hoon? Not coming in? What's up?"
"Ah! Nothing. Just spacing out."
While distracted, he'd reached the quarters. Myanmar native Miyat at the entrance spoke up.
Hoon masked his expression casually and entered.
'This feels off. Something's about to pop.'
A vague intuition stirred unease.
But instinct alone—no cause or evidence—left him powerless.
What could he say to whom?
"Feeling iffy, so be careful today"?
Even with recent merits, that'd earn scolding at best.
'Or maybe overthinking. Hope it's just nerves.'
But it wasn't mere nerves.
KABOOOM—!
RUMBLE—!
That night, he knew immediately.