Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Regression and Resolve
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'It was definitely called the Time-Hunting Hound.'
Whatever had happened, it seemed the blue hunting dog had sent him back to the past.
The nostalgic and familiar room, along with the time on his smartphone, made it clear he had returned to the past.
'If I've really gone back in time...'
In that instant, Shin Yu-hyun's eyes calmed with a quiet intensity.
At this point in time, they would still be alive.
The precious people he had wanted to protect but ultimately failed to save.
And...
'Those bastards will show up again too.'
Humanity's enemies, the Demigod Getia.
Grind.
Shin Yu-hyun ground his teeth without realizing it.
Just thinking about the Getia made rage boil up from his chest.
Maria Testarossa, who had taught him precise mana control despite his innate mana deficiency.
His mother and a few people from the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan who had worried about and looked after him despite the clan's disdain.
And the few comrades who had shared hardships with him.
They had all been mocked as slaves by the Getia and slaughtered brutally.
That was why Shin Yu-hyun had wept tears of blood before their corpses and sworn an oath.
He would make the Getia pay the price, no matter what.
'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. If we're doing this, we do it thoroughly.'
Simply driving out the Getia to save humanity wouldn't satisfy him.
He wanted to crush them completely, just as they had done.
So they could never crawl back up again.
That was what revenge meant.
And only then could he protect his precious people.
'I need to deal with the traitors too.'
There were those who, for their own safety, worshipped and followed the Getia, betraying their comrades—bastards who deserved to be torn apart.
The Getia Worshippers.
Because of them, the superhumans of the Hunter Association couldn't even mount a proper resistance against the Getia and ended up fractured.
That was why he needed to cut off the heads of the Getia Worshippers early and rally the world's superhumans.
To do that...
'I need power.'
Superhuman society was a world of the survival of the fittest.
Without power, no one would follow you.
And for revenge, he needed power too.
Overwhelming power to dominate the Getia.
'Come to think of it, I was chosen as the Heir of the Immortal King, right?'
Shin Yu-hyun recalled the golden text message he'd seen before losing consciousness.
If he had been chosen as the Immortal King's heir, there should be changes in his status window.
"Huh."
Shin Yu-hyun, who had checked his status window just in case, wore a surprised expression.
Several new entries had been added that weren't there before.
Starting with the achievement title, unique traits, unique skills, and even new stats he'd never seen.
'I'll have to figure out the details step by step.'
It was staggeringly impressive. There was even an EX-grade unique trait.
Unfortunately, all the unique traits were currently inactive.
They probably needed specific conditions to activate.
'What the hell is it, really?'
As he examined the new entries, Shin Yu-hyun pondered the Immortal King.
What kind of being he was.
Why he had been fighting hundreds of thousands of magic beasts.
He knew nothing about any of it.
He could only speculate that the Immortal King wasn't from Earth but from another dimension.
'If the Phnacoic Bible activates, maybe I'll learn something?'
An EX-grade unique trait, no less.
Something called the Phnacoic Bible might hold information on the Immortal King or Seven Arcs.
'But what's Chakra?'
Shin Yu-hyun tilted his head.
He knew Dominance was a Necromancer-line stat, but Chakra was completely new.
[Chakra Cultivation Method (SSS)]
Classification: Unique Skill
Grade: SSS
Proficiency: Stage 1
Description: With the creation of the hidden stat Chakra, the Heaven-Splitting Heart Method (S) and Immortal King's Mana Cultivation Method (SS) have merged into the evolved Chakra Cultivation Method.
"A hidden stat?"
Shin Yu-hyun's eyes widened as he checked the Chakra-related entries.
He never imagined vitality and mana would fuse to create a hidden stat.
And even the Chakra Cultivation Method on top of that.
But that wasn't all.
Typically, swordsmen built a dantian to accumulate mana, while mages created mana circles in their hearts.
That was why swordsmanship and magic couldn't be used together.
But astonishingly, Chakra possessed the properties of both vitality and mana simultaneously.
Which meant...
'I can use the necromancer's magic and the clan's swordsmanship at the same time?'
It was something that should have been impossible, but Chakra made it feasible.
By cultivating Chakra through the cultivation method, he could grow stronger in both.
As a swordsman of the Heaven-Splitting Clan.
And as the Immortal King's necromancer.
Since the source of power was the same.
But for now, he couldn't really feel the Chakra or the new abilities yet. He'd understand once he grew and unlocked the Immortal King's authorities.
'And the Spirit stat is high.'
All other stats had decreased due to the regression, but the Spirit stat retained its pre-regression value.
Probably because while his body had returned ten years, his mind remained intact.
'If I make use of what I have now...'
The Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan's swordsmanship.
The Immortal King's authorities.
And the memories of his past life, including the clan's advanced sword techniques, training methods, and countless combat experiences.
Not to mention information on dungeon gates and hidden rewards.
With all that, he could exact revenge on the Getia.
'Five years from now.'
About five years later, the Getia would arrive in this world aboard a massive ship called Remegton from beyond the dimension.
He needed to prepare for revenge before then.
Shin Yu-hyun pondered what to do first.
'Should I leave the clan?'
He already knew the clan's swordsmanship well enough, and staying might restrict his use of the Immortal King's abilities.
'No.'
Shin Yu-hyun soon shook his head.
The immediate priority was growing his Chakra. Both the clan's swordsmanship and the Immortal King's skills used it.
'I can't just leave empty-handed.'
The Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan had all sorts of treasures hard to obtain outside—weapons, equipment, elixirs, secret manuals, and more.
Consuming the clan's elixirs would accelerate his Chakra growth.
So it was better to squeeze every last drop from the clan before leaving, rather than going out with nothing.
'Or I could just take over the clan myself.'
To oppose the Getia, he needed a force.
Seizing the clan as a foundation was a good option.
'Mother's here too.'
His mother was currently in the clan.
In his previous life, she and some clan members had looked after him.
But when they were dying to the Getia, he couldn't do a thing.
This life would be different.
He intended to repay the favors they had given him.
'I'll stay for a while and see how things go.'
With that, Shin Yu-hyun decided to milk the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan for all it was worth, at least for now.
Vrrr!
At that moment, his smartphone on the bed vibrated, and the ringtone—Charlie Puth's "Attention"—blared out.
Shin Yu-hyun picked up the phone and checked the caller ID.
[Hot-Blooded Bozo]
Seeing the name, Shin Yu-hyun grinned with delight.
"It's my second brother. Shall I start wringing him dry first?"
Shin Yu-hyun was born the third son of the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan, renowned for its swordsmanship.
His mother was the second wife of the clan leader, Shin Sung-il.
The problem was that his mother wasn't a superhuman but one of the less than 10% of ordinary people in the world.
Because of that, he and his mother had been constantly ignored and mistreated in the clan.
In contrast, his half-siblings had received the clan's recognition and risen steadily.
And as direct descendants of a prestigious sword family, they all overflowed with talent.
But...
'Not me.'
Shin Yu-hyun alone lacked talent.
No, he wasn't without talent.
He had mastered the clan's swordsmanship faster than anyone.
His comprehension was exceptionally high.
That was why he'd often been called a prodigy as a child.
But in superhuman society, the measure of power was mana.
Before overwhelming techniques powered by mana and superior physical abilities, sword skill meant little.
And to become a 2-star superhuman, there was a requirement.
Opening one's vitality to use mana.
But Shin Yu-hyun hadn't achieved vitality opening even at age twenty.
Normally, one should reach at least 2-star by twenty, and the talented even hit 3-star.
Yet Shin Yu-hyun remained a 1-star swordsman even at twenty.
Because of that, he was unrecognized by his siblings, ignored, and insulted.
Just like right now.
"How long has it been since I called you? You come crawling now? When your brother calls, you should come running like a dog. Useless trash who can't even use mana."
It was the verbal abuse he heard the moment he entered the office at the end of the hallway on the fifth floor of the Vermilion Bird Hall, where the Vermilion Bird Division—one of the Four Directions Guardian Sword Halls protecting the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan—resided.
'Ha.'
He had come prepared, but hearing the insults still left him so exasperated he could only laugh.
Shin Yu-hyun looked up at the man lounging in the office chair.
Shin Cheol-jin, the second son of the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan, the Explosive Sword.
He led the Vermilion Bird Hall and was one of those who couldn't stand Shin Yu-hyun.
At 23, Shin Cheol-jin was only three years older, but as a direct descendant, he possessed tremendous talent and skill.
He had already reached 4-star, first-rate swordsman level, at twenty, and now eyed 5-star.
His other siblings were the same.
And not just them?
The absolute ruler of the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan, Clan Leader Shin Sung-il.
A 7-star swordsman, he had attained the realm called Master in the West and Flower Realm in the East.
The Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan truly was a gathering of geniuses.
"Get to the point."
"What? The point? You little shit, watch your tone."
Shin Cheol-jin glared at Shin Yu-hyun with sharp eyes.
Along with it came intense pressure, and a sneer curled his lips.
He assumed Shin Yu-hyun would grovel on the floor like a dog, as usual.
But Shin Yu-hyun met Shin Cheol-jin's pressure head-on and smiled.
"This family really only knows how to bite like dogs."
"What did you say, you bastard?"
Shin Cheol-jin's face twisted viciously. Not only had Shin Yu-hyun withstood his pressure, but he'd spouted impudence too.
Shin Cheol-jin ramped up his pressure even more.
But even amid the crushing oppression squeezing his body, Shin Yu-hyun calmly smiled and endured it.
'Compared to the Getia, this is cute.'
Though his physical abilities and Chakra were only 1-star level, his past life's experience and maxed Spirit stat of 100 let him hold out.
"Cut the nonsense and tell me why you called."
In his previous life, Shin Yu-hyun had feared Shin Cheol-jin. His innate domineering nature and constant provocations made it so.
But now, he felt no fear at all.
"Don't get cocky, you worthless clan trash."
Shin Cheol-jin said coldly.
Even as he did, he withdrew his pressure.
Not for Shin Yu-hyun's sake, but his own.
His irritable personality already got him in constant trouble, earning warnings from the clan leader and father, Shin Sung-il.
If something happened in the office?
Shin Sung-il wouldn't let it slide.
Knowing that, Shin Yu-hyun held his head high without backing down.
Of course, without crossing the line.
He could clash head-on after getting stronger.
"So why did you call me?"
"You've been assigned a clan nomination quest."
'As expected.'
Shin Yu-hyun nodded.
In his previous life, he'd received a clan nomination quest upon turning twenty.
Clan nomination quests came directly from Clan Leader Shin Sung-il and couldn't be refused.
"A 2-star dungeon gate appeared in the area our clan manages. I'll assign a few clan members to you—go clear it."
"Preparation time?"
"Go today."
Shin Yu-hyun smirked at Shin Cheol-jin's words and threw in a retort.
"What if I say no?"