Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Dealing with the Younger Brother
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Four days had passed since Shin Yu-hyun obtained the Magic Sword Ignis.
In that time, he had devoted himself to training in the Black Tortoise Hall's private underground training ground, preparing to take down a 2-star boss.
'I've done enough.'
Over the past four nights of meditation and practicing the Chakra Cultivation Method, he had raised his chakra by 2 points.
He had reached 2-star low-grade.
Of course, he hadn't neglected physical conditioning either.
If chakra was water, then the body was the vessel. Just as a larger vessel could hold more water, physical training was necessary to accommodate greater amounts of chakra.
In other words, he needed to forge a body capable of enduring it.
To prepare for the 2-star boss, he had readied his weapon and maxed out his chakra and physical stats as much as possible.
All that remained was heading to the 2-star dungeon tomorrow for the clan's designated request.
But before that, there was something he had to do.
"I need to nip tomorrow's incident in the bud before it happens in the dungeon."
During tomorrow's designated request, an event would unfold that would get him expelled from the clan.
To prevent it, there was someone he needed to meet early the next morning.
The culprit behind tomorrow's incident.
'Shin Cheol-ho.'
The youngest of the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan and Shin Yu-hyun's younger brother.
The next day.
Shin Yu-hyun left the Black Tortoise Hall early in the morning and arrived near the clan's main house, where Shin Cheol-ho was.
'This spot should do for waiting.'
Leaning against a tree, he gazed at the main house.
It was a spacious hanok on a large plot of land, surrounded by a dense forest.
Hidden behind a tree in the woods, no one could see him.
Especially not at this early hour when hardly anyone was around.
Kiiiek.
Soon, the hanok's grand gate creaked open, and someone emerged.
The clan's youngest, Shin Cheol-ho.
'There he is.'
Shin Yu-hyun began tailing Shin Cheol-ho as he left the main house.
About halfway between the main house and the Black Tortoise Hall, Shin Cheol-ho's footsteps halted.
"You can come out now, right?"
Turning around with a smug expression, Shin Cheol-ho let out a snicker.
"What the hell? I thought some loser was tailing me, but it's just you, you retard brother? No wonder your stalking was so damn obvious."
He had sensed someone following him since leaving the main house.
So he'd laughed inwardly. If it had been someone stronger, he wouldn't have even noticed their presence.
"Stalking? I just had business with you, so I followed."
"What? 'You'? Bro, have you lost your mind?"
Shin Cheol-ho smirked, but his eyes were ice-cold.
"Calling me 'you' at your age, when you're just a 1-star piece of trash? Guess getting old has made you blind, huh?"
In superhuman society, age meant nothing.
Only superhuman rank mattered.
Even a single rank difference typically meant three times the strength.
And Shin Cheol-ho was hailed as one of the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan's greatest direct-line talents ever.
At just sixteen, he was already a 2-star upper-grade superhuman.
On top of that, he possessed the S-grade unique trait, Heavenly Martial Body. If things continued this way, he was expected to reach 4-star within two or three years.
A talent gap worlds apart from Shin Yu-hyun, who had stagnated at 1-star until twenty.
"What a mouth on you."
But Shin Yu-hyun just clicked his tongue calmly, staring at Shin Cheol-ho.
That made Shin Cheol-ho's face twist in annoyance.
"Wow, what? 'Mouth'? Are you seriously insane? Just because I call you 'bro' doesn't mean you can act all high and mighty."
Finally, Shin Cheol-ho showed his true colors.
Born as the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan's late baby, he had been pampered from childhood.
Perhaps because of that, he grew up with a bitchy personality.
Even more than his second brother, Shin Cheol-jin.
Still, he showed respect to those stronger than him in the clan.
But to those who weren't, he was arrogant and unruly.
"And why the hell are you still squatting in the Black Tortoise Hall? I called dibs on it, so know your place."
He had long had his eye on the Black Tortoise Hall.
So Shin Yu-hyun living there irked him. Once he took it over, the first thing he'd do was kick Shin Yu-hyun out.
"Trash should stay in the trash heap, seriously."
'This little shit...'
Shin Yu-hyun's eyebrow twitched at Shin Cheol-ho's final words.
He could tolerate the claim on the Black Tortoise Hall.
But not that last line. The "trash heap" referred to the house where Shin Yu-hyun's mother lived.
Thwack!
A dull thud echoed as Shin Cheol-ho's face snapped hard to the right.
"Guh!"
Shin Cheol-ho couldn't even process it.
He never imagined a talentless piece of trash like Shin Yu-hyun would attack him.
Off-guard, he took a clean hit.
"You fucking bastard!"
Wiping the blood trickling from his split lip, Shin Cheol-ho spat curses.
Shin Yu-hyun replied in a cold voice.
"Looks like you need a beating after all."
"You hit me first and now you're talking shit? I'll make you crawl like a dog!"
Face twisted in rage, Shin Cheol-ho charged at Shin Yu-hyun.
He threw a lightning-fast punch.
But Shin Yu-hyun fluidly twisted his body, deflecting it.
"Huh?"
Shin Cheol-ho stared in disbelief.
A mere 1-star trash dodging his 2-star upper-grade attack?
Frowning at the impossible sight, he yelled.
"Don't get cocky just because you dodged once by luck!"
"Luck? Then how about this?"
A smile tugged at Shin Yu-hyun's lips as he drew mana from his chakra.
Body Strengthening Technique
Mana surges through the body, enhancing strength and durability.
The mana he had been concealing poured out from his first gate chakra.
"Gasp!"
Shin Cheol-ho's blank expression turned to shock, eyes widening.
In that instant, Shin Yu-hyun's activated Body Strengthening Technique propelled his fist straight into Shin Cheol-ho's gut.
Thud!
The punch sank deep into Shin Cheol-ho's abdomen.
"Gaaargh!"
His body bent like a bow.
'H-how...?'
Amid the gut-wrenching agony, Shin Cheol-ho couldn't comprehend the situation.
How could a 1-star trash hurt him?
"Hurts, doesn't it?"
"You son of a...!"
Snapping out of it, Shin Cheol-ho grimaced and activated his own Body Strengthening Technique before swinging at Shin Yu-hyun.
But.
Smack.
Shin Yu-hyun easily caught the punch in his palm.
Only then did realization dawn on Shin Cheol-ho.
"You opened your energy gates? When?!"
He scowled.
No doubt about it. Otherwise, he couldn't have blocked a Body Strengthening Technique-enhanced punch.
"A few days ago."
Shin Yu-hyun replied calmly, gripping and yanking the fist.
Shin Cheol-ho was pulled forward helplessly.
Lacking experience, he couldn't react properly.
As a result.
"Huh?"
Stunned, he spun through the air and slammed into the ground.
Boom! Crack!
"Arrrgh!"
Shin Cheol-ho screamed.
Spiderweb cracks radiated from where he landed.
If not for his instinctive fall technique at the last second, he'd have blacked out on impact.
"Ugh... I-it can't be."
Sprawled on the ground, he looked up at Shin Yu-hyun in disbelief.
Who was he? A 2-star upper-grade swordsman.
Even if Shin Yu-hyun had opened his gates, he should only be 2-star lowest-grade. How was he getting dominated?
He couldn't believe Shin Yu-hyun dodging or blocking his attacks.
"Sleep."
Shin Yu-hyun placed a fingertip on the sprawled Shin Cheol-ho's chest.
"W-wait..."
Shin Cheol-ho tried to say something, but Shin Yu-hyun didn't hesitate.
Thump! Burst!
His fist connected with Shin Cheol-ho's chest, mana exploding inside.
A massive impact from just a finger's width.
The One Inch Punch.
A precise strike to the solar plexus.
"Gaaack!"
Shin Cheol-ho vomited blood, eyes rolling back as he passed out.
"Fucking trash."
Shin Yu-hyun gave the unconscious Shin Cheol-ho a cold glance and stood.
He was certain.
'I've definitely gotten stronger.'
Freshly gate-opened superhumans typically started at 2-star lowest-grade.
Shin Yu-hyun was now 2-star low-grade. Shin Cheol-ho was 2-star upper-grade.
On rank alone, Shin Yu-hyun was weaker.
Yet he dominated because he used chakra, not plain energy, and his pre-regression combat experience.
'Same as before, huh.'
He looked down coldly at Shin Cheol-ho.
He wouldn't wake for half a day. Internal injuries would prevent proper mana use for a while too.
In his previous life, Shin Cheol-ho, like Shin Cheol-jin, was one of those who tormented him.
Public humiliation was standard; he'd even beaten him under the guise of sparring.
And sneaky harassment out of sight.
'Good thing I handled him early.'
This life's Shin Cheol-ho was identical to the past.
He'd surely drive the wedge for Shin Yu-hyun's expulsion again. Shin Cheol-ho was among tomorrow's designated request participants.
'That incident won't happen now.'
What's the best solution when trouble arises?
Avoid it?
Block it?
No.
Eliminate the root cause.
And the root of today's incident? Shin Cheol-ho.
That's why Shin Yu-hyun came to meet him. To keep him from joining the request.
'Wanted to give him a proper lesson, but no time.'
Shin Yu-hyun looked regretful.
The request was soon; he had to go.
If he picked a fight next time, he'd educate him slowly then.
He dragged Shin Cheol-ho to a secluded tree off the path, hidden until he woke.
Then, he headed to the meeting spot for the designated request group.
The meeting spot was just a short distance from the Black Tortoise Hall, at the entrance to the dormitory where the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan's disciples lived.
Most disciples were 1- or 2-star superhumans, trainee swordsmen not yet full-fledged clan swordsmen.
Thus, they wore standard white coats with basic barrier functions, not custom ones.
Upon reaching 3-star and official swordsman status with an assigned sword division, they received custom coats.
Upon arriving at the dormitory entrance, four people were already gathered.