Chapter 254
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 254
Chapter Title: What Are You Doing?
"Rather, it's what I want to ask you, brother!"
Namgung Hwa-woo shouted back at Namgung Hwa-hyeon's furious roar.
At this unexpected sight, everyone's gazes turned toward Namgung Hwa-woo.
"Shut your mouth! What kind of disgrace is this in front of our honored guest?!"
Namgung Hwa-hyeon bellowed at his younger brother.
Yet Namgung Hwa-woo didn't even flinch.
"You're the one making a disgrace of yourself!"
He was the family head's youngest brother, always so unobtrusive in the clan that he seemed to fade into the background.
Not only was there a large age gap between him and the head, but his background played a role as well.
Despite his exceptional talent, he had always remained quiet, making his presence all but invisible.
Now, he was confronting the family head head-on.
All because of Namgung Ji-hu's Emperor's Sword Form.
It was laughable that Namgung Hwa-woo, not the family head, was the one supporting Namgung Ji-hu.
"Y-You dare...!"
Namgung Hwa-hyeon's eyes blazed with rage, as if they might bore straight through Namgung Hwa-woo's face at any moment.
"Why on earth do you refuse to acknowledge Ji-hu's achievements and only try to tear him down? There's no reason our legitimate firstborn, Ji-hu, shouldn't become the young lord!"
The question on everyone's mind burst forth refreshingly from Namgung Hwa-woo's lips.
Those vying for the young lord position might be satisfied with the current competition.
But most clan members thought differently.
With such an outstanding firstborn, why not make him the young lord? It was a mystery.
"The young lord position is none of your business!"
By now, the presence of Gongson Mu-oe, their honored guest, was fading from Namgung Hwa-hyeon's mind.
"Or could it be that Ji-hu isn't the legitimate firstborn?"
Namgung Hwa-woo glared at him and shouted.
Boom!
Crash!
Bang!
The Namgung clansmen gathered there felt as if bombs had exploded in their heads and hearts.
A few had harbored suspicions, but no one had dared voice them.
The rumor that had circulated through the clan twenty years ago.
Namgung Hwa-woo had just brought it up at the banquet.
Namgung Hwa-hyeon's face flushed beet red, as if it might burst.
His entire body trembled with fury.
"What are you all doing? Drag that madman out of here right now!"
His enraged command flew toward the guards stationed around the banquet hall.
As it was the family head's order, the warriors hesitated but began approaching Namgung Hwa-woo.
Yet they couldn't close to within a certain distance.
Of course not.
The sword in Namgung Hwa-woo's hand still radiated its chilling sword aura.
"If you're truly aboveboard, there's no need to drag out your little brother. So that rumor from back then... was it true?"
Namgung Hwa-woo pressed him again.
"That's enough. You're causing too much of a scene in front of Pavilion Lord Gongson."
Then, a stern voice came from another direction.
A white-haired elder who had been silently observing until now.
Namgung Hyeon-cheol.
He was the previous family head's older brother.
He fixed Namgung Hwa-woo with a cold stare.
"Hwa-woo, you should go back to your quarters and cool your head."
A previous-generation elder had stepped in.
With Namgung Hyeon-cheol's support, the anger on Namgung Hwa-hyeon's face eased slightly.
And he wasn't the only one watching Namgung Hwa-woo.
Namgung Jang-cheol, Namgung Ho-cheol, and the others.
All the previous-generation figures regarded him with displeasure.
"Haha. Hahaha! Seeing my uncles step forward like this confirms it. Twenty years ago, you all had a hand in that incident too."
Namgung Hwa-woo's laughter erupted.
Namgung Hyeon-cheol's face twisted viciously.
"No, perhaps even Father gave his silent approval. After all, it was he obsessed with firstborn succession."
With that, Namgung Hwa-woo's eyes turned fierce.
"Thanks to you uncles persecuting Father because he wasn't the firstborn!"
"You bastard!!"
A roar burst from Namgung Hyeon-cheol's mouth.
"That's why Father had to make the firstborn the young lord, and that's why you committed that ugly deed, brother. What does a mere firstborn matter?!"
"Shut up! It's the sacred family law!"
Namgung Hyeon-cheol roared again.
The root of Namgung Hwa-hyeon's vile act.
It traced back two generations.
Namgung Hwa-hyeon's grandfather—the great-grandfather and previous-previous head, Namgung Ga-hyeong—had ignored the principle of firstborn succession and passed the seat to his second son, Namgung Jin-cheol, the most talented.
There were no complaints while Namgung Ga-hyeong lived, but after his death, murmurs arose everywhere.
His brothers constantly obstructed him, citing the family law's firstborn rule and questioning his legitimacy.
It had been Namgung Ga-hyeong's desperate measure to counter the Yeon Clan's challenge threatening the Namgung Clan's supremacy as the world's top clan.
But it had only weakened the clan's power.
Faced with constant interference over his legitimacy, Namgung Jin-cheol had to ensure his firstborn became the next head, no matter what.
That firstborn was Namgung Hwa-hyeon.
"You who prioritize that sacred family law—why say nothing about the firstborn son of the head, Ji-hu, not becoming young lord? By that sacred law, your only legitimate son, Ji-hu, should naturally be the young lord!"
Namgung Hwa-woo's retort.
Using their most cherished family law against them left Namgung Hyeon-cheol momentarily speechless.
"That's the reason. Ji-hu isn't the legitimate firstborn! To uphold the sacred law, you're blocking him from young lord—and hiding that ugly truth from that day with ridiculous excuses. In the end, you uncles knew everything!"
Doubt clouded the faces of the branch family members watching.
What was this chaos about?
Ji-hu not the legitimate firstborn?
What did that mean?
Could a firstborn not be legitimate?
"Could it be...?"
The rumor from twenty years ago resurfaced in some elder's mind.
Hadn't Namgung Hwa-woo just mentioned twenty years ago?
Namgung Hyeon-cheol recalled his deal with his younger brother, Namgung Jin-cheol.
Back then, Namgung Jin-cheol had pushed the suspicious Namgung Hwa-hyeon as young lord.
And offered an enticing reward for support.
The latter half of the Emperor's Sword Form, which only the head could learn.
Something even more coveted than the headship itself.
And the headship after Namgung Hwa-hyeon.
His own grandsons would gain the right to compete for it.
Namgung Hwa-hyeon had used his Emperor's Sword Form mastery to allow direct-line juniors to vie for young lord too.
That was another concession he'd won.
From the start, the board was rigged so Namgung Ji-hu could never become young lord.
If Namgung Hwa-woo exposed it now, the whole setup would collapse.
"What are you doing? Drag that madman out now!"
Namgung Hyeon-cheol bellowed at those around him.
"What are you trying to hide?!"
Namgung Hwa-woo cried out.
"Go!"
Namgung Hyeon-cheol launched himself at Namgung Hwa-woo.
His sword gleamed with clear sword aura.
Clang!
The two sword auras clashed, ringing a clear sword cry through the banquet hall.
The reason Namgung Hwa-hyeon had only spewed anger without laying a hand on Namgung Hwa-woo.
The reason Namgung Hyeon-cheol now acted in his place.
They knew.
Namgung Hwa-hyeon was weaker and of lower realm than Namgung Hwa-woo.
In front of all these clansmen, the head couldn't show shame by failing to handle his youngest brother's sword.
That was why the previous-generation elders stepped in personally.
Namgung Hwa-woo gritted his teeth as he blocked Namgung Hyeon-cheol's sword.
He hadn't become head due to lacking talent compared to his younger brother.
Yet Namgung Hyeon-cheol was a prodigy said to appear once every decade.
Naturally, too much for Namgung Hwa-woo to handle.
He poured his internal energy to its limit to block the sword aura.
But gradually, Namgung Hwa-woo's sword aura was losing its brilliance.
Namgung Ji-hu and Namgung Ji-yu watched tensely.
Namgung Hwi wanted to grab his sword and charge in right then.
But he couldn't.
Not just Namgung Hyeon-cheol—elders like Namgung Jang-cheol and Namgung Ho-cheol from the council had hands on their sword hilts.
He could gauge their realms.
Outmatched.
He might handle one like Namgung Hyeon-cheol.
But all of them?
Certain defeat.
A dog's death.
And what of Ji-yu and Ji-hu afterward?
'This is why...'
This was exactly why.
Why he'd come to confront Namgung Hwa-hyeon alone.
He might not even see his face before dying a dog's death.
But dying alone was a hundred, a thousand times better than dragging the children in.
As the chaos intensified, only one—no, two—remained utterly composed.
Gongson Mu-oe and Ma Jin-gi.
Gongson Mu-oe could afford to because he knew Ha Mu-baek's skills and trusted him.
Ma Jin-gi simply lounged as if it had nothing to do with him.
At his side, Chu-dong.
He kept secretly drawing divinations.
In this chaotic mess, could he survive?
That was his sole concern.
But every divination was inauspicious.
'D-Damn it...'
It made sense, thinking about it.
He hadn't spoken a single word in front of the Namgung clansmen today.
He hadn't acted on the divination's guidance, so it kept repeating.
The time wasn't right yet.
Clang! Clang!
Meanwhile, Namgung Hyeon-cheol and Namgung Hwa-woo's swords kept clashing.
Anyone could see Namgung Hwa-woo was being pushed back.
Namgung Hwa-woo clenched his teeth.
'F-Fuck. When the hell are you helping?!'
His inner scream.
The reason Namgung Hwa-woo had acted so boldly today.
Ha Mu-baek.
He'd clearly promised to help.
Yet he still hadn't appeared.
He couldn't hold out even half an incense stick's time now, let alone a full one.
When plotting with Namgung Ji-yu.
Ha Mu-baek was supposed to step in during the crisis.
He hadn't known the elders were involved in the twenty-year-old affair too.
But now.
If Ha Mu-baek didn't appear and help, it would truly be a lone dog's death.
The Namgung Clan hadn't even noticed Chu-dong or Namgung Hwi's presence yet.
"Raaagh!"
A strike drawing every last ounce of strength from his nursing days.
Namgung Hyeon-cheol couldn't ignore it and retreated slightly.
"Hah, hah... huff."
Namgung Hwa-woo finally caught his breath.
"You caused all this racket with such meager skill?"
Namgung Hyeon-cheol sneered at him.
But he didn't seem entirely at ease either.
Sweat beaded on his forehead.
"Then, let's end this. Time to leave."
Namgung Hyeon-cheol raised his sword again.
And thrust straight at Namgung Hwa-woo.
"No. I want to hear more of his story."
Suddenly, a voice rang out.
A figure dropped in front of Namgung Hwa-woo, blocking the way.
Ha Mu-baek.
Startled by the sudden intruder, Namgung Hyeon-cheol didn't alter his sword path.
Just pierce whoever's in the way.
His sword shot forward.
Clang!
A deafening clash as it was blocked.
By a sword with deep ink-black sword aura.
"What...?"
In his moment of shock.
Thud.
A fist sank into his abdomen.
"Guh."
As he groaned.
A kick struck his temple.
Bam!
Namgung Hyeon-cheol flew back, tumbling to the ground.
Everyone stared in stunned silence at the abrupt turn.
Who was this mysterious man who'd appeared, and how had Namgung Hyeon-cheol fallen so helplessly?
"Urgh..."
Namgung Hyeon-cheol groaned and staggered to his feet.
"Wh-Who the hell are you?"
"Doesn't matter."
Ignoring him, Ha Mu-baek turned to Namgung Hwa-woo.
"Go on with your story."
Namgung Hwa-woo was just as dumbfounded.
He'd been cursing inwardly moments ago for not showing up.
Yet here he was, instantly crippling Namgung Hyeon-cheol.
He could see it plainly but could scarcely believe it.
It didn't feel real.
"What are you doing?"
Ha Mu-baek prompted.
"Huh? Oh, right!"
Namgung Hwa-woo finally snapped to.
As he opened his mouth again.
"What are you waiting for? Kill that villain now!"
Namgung Hyeon-cheol pointed at Ha Mu-baek and commanded.
In an instant, Namgung warriors leaped forward.
The previous-generation elders from the council ignited their sword auras as well.