Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Necromancer of the Sword Clan
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A man who was actually in his late forties but appeared to be in his late thirties.
The Clan Leader of the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan and the Iron-Blooded Sword King, Shin Sung-il, gazed steadily down at Shin Yu-hyun.
A tremendous sense of intimidation emanated from that gaze.
But...
"Yes, Clan Leader."
Shin Yu-hyun bowed his head with a composed expression.
At that, several of the clan members and executives watching him showed a glint in their eyes.
The pressure Shin Yu-hyun was feeling right now was beyond what a 2- or 3-star superhuman could endure.
Especially for Shin Yu-hyun, who was known to lack mana talent.
Yet Shin Yu-hyun appeared utterly unfazed.
"Why did you lay hands on Cheol-ho?"
Shin Sung-il ignored that fact and stared straight at Shin Yu-hyun with cold eyes.
A gaze that seemed to pierce through everything.
It felt profound and chilling.
But Shin Yu-hyun did not avoid that gaze; he met it head-on.
'Fooling Father won't be easy.'
Clan Leader Shin Sung-il was one of the rare 7-star Fire Realm swordsmen in Korea.
If he tried to deceive him, it would be noticed immediately.
But he couldn't just tell the truth about why he'd touched Shin Cheol-ho—to prevent an incident from the designated request in advance. Even a direct confession wouldn't be believed.
So, he had no choice but to recount exactly what had happened that day.
"He insulted Mother."
Shin Yu-hyun said it without so much as a flicker in his eyes.
Shin Cheol-ho had compared the house where their mother lived to a landfill and cursed her. That's why he'd struck the guy first, sparking the fight.
There wasn't a shred of falsehood in those words.
Gasps of admiration rose from here and there at Shin Yu-hyun's response.
Insulting one's mother was something you just couldn't let slide.
"So you beat up the youngest for that?"
"Yes."
Shin Yu-hyun replied with an utterly calm expression, his face unchanging.
"Don't you think that's going too far? The youngest suffered internal injuries that require two weeks of treatment. Because of that, he couldn't join today's designated request or attend this meeting."
As Shin Sung-il said, Shin Cheol-ho had missed the clan leader meeting.
He was resting in the clan infirmary.
But at Shin Sung-il's words, Shin Yu-hyun couldn't help but smile inwardly.
The mighty Clan Leader of the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan worrying about the youngest?
It was laughable enough to make a passing dog chuckle.
No matter how much favoritism the youngest received, that only applied when he was a winner.
It wouldn't matter if he'd lost to other direct descendants, at least.
But losing to someone who wasn't even a direct descendant—or worse, to Shin Yu-hyun, who had been dismissed as talentless despite being family—that was a problem.
Just a few days ago, Shin Yu-hyun had been a 1-star superhuman.
That drastically lowered Shin Cheol-ho's value, and the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan wasn't the kind of place to fuss over a loser.
"That's the fault of the guy who skipped out."
"Kuhahaha!"
Shin Sung-il burst into uncontrollable laughter at Shin Yu-hyun's response. His booming voice echoed throughout the entire Clan Leader Hall.
He then looked at Shin Yu-hyun with a satisfied expression.
"Right, you're correct. The loser is at fault."
The superhuman world was one where the strong reigned supreme.
The Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan was no different.
If anything, it was even more so.
Didn't Shin Sung-il's own words make that clear?
Shin Yu-hyun had said the absent one was at fault.
But Shin Sung-il replied that the loser was at fault.
In other words, in the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan, the weak or defeated were always wrong.
'Yes, that's what the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan is.'
Shin Yu-hyun smiled coldly to himself.
A clan driven solely by power, steeped in flawed thinking.
It wasn't just the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan; that was the prevailing attitude throughout superhuman society.
This mindset would later become one of the obstacles in stopping Getia.
After all, there were plenty of late-blooming powerhouses who lacked talent at first but awakened their abilities through persistent effort.
'So much to do.'
He needed to scout those late-blooming talents to counter Getia, and purge those who followed them.
There was much to accomplish, but he'd take it step by step.
"So, how did you beat the youngest?"
"Five days ago, I unlocked my vital energy."
"Oh? You unlocked your vital energy?"
Shin Sung-il's face lit up with interest.
He had a grasp on most events within the clan.
The fact that Shin Yu-hyun had obtained the demon sword Ignis from Shin Ji-ah.
The fact that he was being bullied by Shin Cheol-ho and Shin Cheol-jin.
Even the fact that Shin Yu-hyun had left Black Tortoise Hall early that morning and come to the main house.
'Payback right after he was ready, after enduring it all this time?'
Shin Sung-il curled his lips into a smirk.
Shin Yu-hyun's actions were perfectly in line with the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan's way.
"Shin Yu-hyun."
Shin Sung-il called him in a low voice.
If Shin Yu-hyun had truly unlocked his vital energy, there was something he needed to verify.
"Yes, Clan Leader."
"Draw your sword. Show me the power you possess."
"Yes."
Shin Yu-hyun didn't hesitate.
This was an opportunity. Showing any hesitation here would be unwise.
It was better to demonstrate some of his power and earn the clan's recognition.
Once they knew he had talent, unlike his previous life, he could receive the clan's support.
That would make his plans for revenge against Getia much smoother.
Shring.
Shin Yu-hyun drew the longsword handed to him by one of the warriors guarding the Clan Leader Hall.
Weapons had to be surrendered upon entry, so he couldn't bring Ignis.
Thus, he channeled chakra into the longsword from the guard, infusing it with mana.
And ignited Dark Soul Blaze, the black flames.
"Black flames?"
The clan members and executives who saw Shin Yu-hyun's black flames wore shocked expressions. Even Clan Leader Shin Sung-il's eyes gleamed.
Shin Yu-hyun had displayed an aura attribute, the mark of a 3-star swordsman.
"How is he using an aura attribute...?"
"Wasn't he only 2-star?"
"How can he wield an attribute already?"
"Hah..."
Murmurs erupted here and there among the clan members and executives who saw Shin Yu-hyun's aura.
They marveled at the black flames rippling around his aura.
He should have been mid-2-star, yet he was already using an attribute that only manifested at 3-star.
This implied that Shin Yu-hyun could possess multiple aura attributes.
Some superhumans manifested not just one aura attribute, but two.
Auras with multiple attributes were rare and usually came with immense power.
That's why Shin Yu-hyun didn't hide the black flames, one of the Immortal King's powers.
'I'll shut their mouths right here.'
This was the perfect moment to prove his talent.
Showing an attribute that required 3-star level would force even the clan to acknowledge him.
And he still had plenty of hidden aces up his sleeve.
From chakra to the other Immortal King powers he'd yet to reveal to anyone.
"A black flame aura... Excellent attribute."
"Thank you, Clan Leader."
"Don't call me Clan Leader anymore. From now on, call me Father wherever we are."
"...!"
Caught off guard by the unexpected words, Shin Yu-hyun flinched in surprise before dispelling the black flames and responding.
"Yes, Father."
The clan members and executives in the meeting hall looked stunned at that.
Though Shin Yu-hyun resided in Black Tortoise Hall, he had never truly been recognized as a clan member, let alone part of that hall.
Yet Shin Sung-il's words just now clearly meant he was accepting Shin Yu-hyun as a clan member.
And more than that.
Telling him to call him Father anywhere meant Shin Sung-il quite liked Shin Yu-hyun. The fact that he hadn't uttered a word about his previously favored Shin Cheol-ho was proof.
Normally, he should have punished him for touching a talented youngest son.
But instead of punishment, he was showing intent to accept him into the family.
'So that's how it is.'
But Shin Yu-hyun merely smiled coldly inside.
He had seen through Shin Sung-il's hidden intentions.
'As expected of the Iron-Blooded Sword King.'
They say lions push their cubs off cliffs to raise them strong.
Shin Sung-il had just done the same to Shin Yu-hyun.
He had thrust him into the succession struggle.
'Then I can't just sit idly by.'
He had planned to enter the succession battle anyway.
It was just happening a bit sooner. He could accelerate his schedule accordingly.
For Shin Yu-hyun, it was actually welcome. No more need to watch his step.
"Come to think of it, I haven't heard the report on the designated request yet. How did it go?"
'Perfect timing.'
Shin Yu-hyun smiled inwardly in satisfaction.
"It was completed without issue."
In response to Shin Sung-il's question, Shin Yu-hyun briefly reported conquering the 2-star dungeon, Fallen Goblin Forest, to fulfill the designated request.
A faint smile tugged at Shin Sung-il's lips upon hearing the report. Shin Yu-hyun had not only completed the request but taken down a 2-star boss alone.
It exceeded expectations.
"Well done."
"Thank you."
Shin Yu-hyun bowed his head.
"Since you successfully completed the designated request, there should be a reward. Is there anything you want?"
At those words, Shin Yu-hyun had a gut feeling.
Now was the time he could ask for what he wanted.
"Yes. I'd like to use the dungeon we conquered this time by myself."
Silence fell at Shin Yu-hyun's answer.
Using a 2-star dungeon.
That in itself was no issue. Completed dungeons were mainly used by the clan's disciples and swordsmen.
The problem was Shin Yu-hyun wanting to use it alone.
Dungeons generated enormous profits.
Claiming one all for himself?
The clan members frowned and looked at Shin Yu-hyun.
But Shin Sung-il asked with an intrigued expression.
"Why?"
"To get stronger."
"You're asking me to just hand over a dungeon to get stronger?"
"No."
Shin Yu-hyun shook his head.
"Three days. Just let me use the dungeon alone for three days."
"Three days..."
Shin Sung-il stroked his chin, deep in thought.
The clan members in the meeting hall also relaxed their expressions somewhat.
He wasn't asking to keep the dungeon, just to borrow it for three days.
"Very well. I'll grant you the right to use the dungeon for three days."
"Thank you, Father."
Shin Yu-hyun bowed his head with a smile at Shin Sung-il's words.
"Is there anything else you want?"
"No. Nothing else."
Shin Yu-hyun stepped back.
He had already received everything he needed.
"Then, Shin Cheol-jin."
"Yes?"
Suddenly called by Shin Sung-il, Shin Cheol-jin flinched and responded in surprise.
To him, Shin Sung-il spoke with an amused expression.
"You made a bet with Shin Yu-hyun?"