Chapter 79
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: Inheritance Ceremony
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The artificial island where Babel had taken root was massive in scale, featuring a variety of buildings across its districts.
Resorts for relaxation, research labs from companies and guilds in partnership with Babel, and the 'villas' of influential families were among them.
"This way."
"Hmm……."
Lee Se-hun, who had ridden with Jake to the seaside edge of the island, gazed at the Myers family villa.
'More modest than I expected.'
It was a large, luxurious building that could comfortably house ten people, but compared to the other villas he'd seen on the way, it fell short of even average size.
Surprised by the unexpected sight, Lee Se-hun followed Jake through the entrance.
"Hm?"
A presence from the living room. The other person noticed it too, and someone suddenly popped out from the end of the hallway.
Long blonde hair tied back in a sloppy ponytail. A rumpled white dress shirt and wrinkled suit pants. The man's fatigue-ridden face lit up at the sight of Jake.
"Jake!!!"
"U-Uncle?!"
"You little punk!!"
In the blink of an eye, he crossed the hallway and hoisted Jake up by the armpits.
Due to his height easily exceeding 190cm, the early-170cm Jake dangled like a child, and Lee Se-hun couldn't help but grin at the sight.
"U-Uncle. There's a friend next to me……."
"What's wrong with a friend? It's been half a year—shouldn't greeting your uncle come first?!"
"Urk!"
As the man shook Jake around like a toy and flashed a cheerful grin, Lee Se-hun eyed Miles Myers with curiosity.
'Who knew the Mad Sword had this side to him…… Unexpected.'
An A-rank hero nicknamed 'Mad Sword' for swinging his blade relentlessly from the first sight of blood until the battle's end.
Unlike his reckless style, he'd survived a long time and was recognized as near S-rank in his later years, an exceptional swordsman.
'The issue was ignoring anyone not from his own family…….'
His eccentric personality had sparked a few clashes before the regression, but they'd noticeably decreased after starting deals with Aria.
'Come to think of it, this time around…….'
As Lee Se-hun watched quietly to see his reaction, Miles finally set Jake down after a good play and turned.
"Having too much fun in front of a guest. Sorry if that bothered you."
"It's been half a year—you're entitled. Don't mind me; keep enjoying."
Miles looked at him curiously at the calm response, then grinned and extended a hand.
"Jake's made a good friend. I'm Miles Myers, his uncle. Call me Miles casually."
"I'm Lee Se-hun. Nice to meet you."
As the two shook hands amicably, Jake—now a total mess—swept back his disheveled hair.
"Anyway, Uncle, what brings you here suddenly? I heard you've been super busy……."
"Why else? When I heard my nephew's finally doing the inheritance ceremony, I volunteered and rushed over."
"……So you're officiating?"
"Yep. Disappointed it's not your big brother?"
Jake flinched at Miles's question but quickly composed himself.
"Dad's even busier than you. I didn't expect it."
"Acting tough after being disappointed…… Let's talk inside. Friend, come along."
Miles sat Lee Se-hun and Jake side by side on the living room sofa, then headed to the kitchen.
"Drink for you two? I've got pretty much everything."
"I'm good."
"Me too."
"Alright? Guess I'll drink alone then."
He snatched a bottle of fine liquor from the display cabinet and plopped onto the opposite sofa, popping the cork with his thumb.
Pop!
The cork came out smoothly, and he began chugging straight from the bottle as if it were water.
Lee Se-hun watched the natural display with an odd expression.
'Was the alcoholism this bad from the start?'
He knew the guy carried booze like water, akin to Ma Gwang-su, but he hadn't realized it was like this even back then.
As Lee Se-hun marveled anew at the iron livers of top heroes, Jake beside him squeezed his eyes shut in embarrassment.
"Uncle…… Can't you drink that later?"
"Hoo…… No, no. These days, my head doesn't work without it."
Miles, having downed half the bottle in one go, chuckled and eyed Jake.
"So, that sword you got this time?"
"Haa…… Here."
With a sigh, Jake pulled the Whirling Light Sword from his subspace pocket, and Miles took it in his free hand.
"Looks pretty unique. Let me see……."
Miles lightly examined it with one hand, a question forming on his face—then his movements froze.
"……."
He set the liquor on the table and inspected the Whirling Light Sword with a serious expression.
After a long moment, he glanced at Lee Se-hun beside Jake.
"Heard from Aria you made this sword. True?"
"Yes. I forged it."
"Did you use Jake's blood in it by any chance?"
Miles had discerned the materials from a brief look. Impressed by his deep knowledge of armaments, Lee Se-hun nodded readily.
"Correct. I thought it would prevent the armament from breaking if infused with his blood."
"I see. Definitely something I never considered…… Or even if I had, impossible to attempt."
The idea was feasible in theory, but realizing it required far too much. Yet he'd perfected it shortly after meeting Jake.
'Aria said he was interesting—what a freak. Unreal.'
Miles examined the Whirling Light Sword again, then set it on the table.
"No issues for the inheritance ceremony…… But you know this was a highly dangerous method, right?"
"I'm aware, regarding the bio-armament aspects. Aria warned me too."
Miles nodded at the reply.
"Good. Fine as is, but best not to use it. Especially shunned because of that puppeteer bastard."
The puppeteer who used hero corpses to recreate their abilities in tools.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that one madman had turned the once-tolerated bio-armament field into something strictly regulated.
"Can't undo what's made…… But unless you want sponsorship from villains, don't spill the production process."
Sponsorship meaning possible kidnapping, binding with curses, and forced use as a toolmaker.
Lee Se-hun nodded at Miles's sincere advice.
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Alright. Time to get up."
Miles drained the rest of the liquor and stood, nodding at them.
"Follow me."
Descending the basement stairs after Miles, ceiling lights flicked on, revealing a neatly equipped training hall.
Modern training gear and a sparring arena with safety barriers. Miles hopped straight onto the arena and beckoned Lee Se-hun.
"Friend, stay back just in case. Barriers are there, but not as sturdy as Babel's."
"Got it."
"Jake, grab your sword and come up."
"……Yes."
Jake ascended gripping the Whirling Light Sword, and Miles across from him tapped the subspace pocket at his waist.
Whooo!
A golden sword emerged lightly from his waist.
The blade's edge was chipped like a saw from neglect, but despite its shabby look, the aura emanating from it was no joke.
Drip, drip.
Golden energy dripped down like blood, embedding into the arena floor. Lee Se-hun's eyes narrowed at the eerie sight.
'Not mana…… Sword aura?'
Sword aura accumulated in the blade leaking out. Notably, Miles wasn't using any mana.
'Means someone else infused it beforehand…… Who?'
As Lee Se-hun watched the unfamiliar armament with interest, Aria appeared silently beside him.
"Passed down from great-grandpa. Our family's ideal."
"……Give some presence next time."
Lee Se-hun steadied his breath after nearly reflex-attacking, and Aria smiled amusedly.
"Reacted instantly yet complaining? Weakling?"
She hadn't missed even the killing intent he'd suppressed upon hearing her voice.
Amazed inwardly at her superhuman senses, Lee Se-hun replied calmly.
"What if I actually attacked?"
"No need to worry. I'd feel bad if you developed a habit of hesitating because of me."
Just attack; she could handle it easily. Lee Se-hun stared at her absurd response.
"Can't you just announce your presence properly?"
"Nah. Might give me bad habits."
"……."
Still as incomprehensible as ever—before or after regression—Lee Se-hun sighed and changed the subject.
"So, how does the inheritance ceremony work?"
"Simple. Jake presses his sword to that one, 'Origin,' and receives the leaking sword aura."
"Receives sword aura?"
At the odd method, Lee Se-hun frowned questioningly, and Aria nodded.
"Feel and pursue the sword aura of great-grandpa, who neared Summit Climber. Also tests mastery of family swordsmanship."
Lee Se-hun glanced back at Origin in Miles's hand.
'Receiving sword aura…… Solid approach.'
The family's swordsmanship had evolved over generations, but its roots remained.
A genius like Jake could gain insights from directly feeling the hero's higher realm aura sharing those roots.
"Normally, results guide forging a custom sword, but Jake's order got reversed."
Lee Se-hun looked at Jake.
'Custom sword…….'
Was the Whirling Light Sword truly 'perfect' for Jake's body?
As Lee Se-hun pondered, the ceremony began in earnest on the arena.
"Alright. Draw it then."
"Yes!"
At Miles's cue, Jake infused mana into the Whirling Light Sword and gripped the hilt tight.
Kiririk.
Crystallized liquid compressed into a bluish blade, mysterious like starlight. Miles looked intrigued.
'Called a sword, but basically sword aura itself.'
Mana compressed and shining within the blade. Poor emission meant low cutting power, but its intensity could withstand clashing with sword aura.
'Thought it got hero-grade for uniqueness…… Masterfully done.'
Revising his assessment, Miles extended Origin.
"You know how?"
"Yes."
"Relax and accept it naturally."
Jake nodded and slowly brought the Whirling Light Sword's blade to Origin.
Vmmm─
The dripping golden sword aura flowed naturally onto the blade, settling along the edge.
'This is…… sword aura…….'
A fulfilling sense of the blade filling up, confidence to slice anything.
Drawn to the ancestors' aura, Jake chased the sensation, while Miles watched warmly from opposite.
'Never properly swung a sword, yet holding it this steadily…….'
Talent doesn't lie. Hoping his late-blooming nephew gained much, Miles continued transferring aura.
As the two focused on the ceremony,
"Hmm."
Aria, watching, smiled softly.
"Not bad. Better made than I thought."
"……Is it?"
"Of course. Jake, who barely trained swordsmanship, is stably accepting this much aura. Excellent sword."
Beaming, she turned to Lee Se-hun.
"As expected of the top student."
Praise from Aria Myers, hailed strongest among cadets past and present. Enough to puff anyone's chest—but Lee Se-hun felt unease.
'Something off about her words…….'
Despite the bright facade, an empty vibe inside. Looking back at the Whirling Light Sword in Jake's hand,
The blue blade naturally accepting and holding golden aura. And the boundary between colors slightly blurred, catching Lee Se-hun's eye.
"Next time……."
"Hold on."
Interrupting Aria, he headed toward the arena.