Until halfway through, it was a one-sided match with Yoo Kangho relentlessly pushing Yoo Baekjun back.
So everyone thought the duel would end like that.
That the youngest young master, who had been ignored all his life, had a brief moment of rebellion and would now pay the price for it.
"Aura!"
But that wasn't the case.
Ja Yeon, who had been watching the duel, suddenly stood up from her seat. Her face was filled with shock.
It was only natural.
"He learned aura after just a week of training? And without anyone's guidance?"
"No, I heard Master Han Seonga helped him. But she didn't teach him any martial arts. She only taught him the cultivating method and mobility technique."
In fact, Yoo Baekjun had used the Tri-Fist Technique. He had simply added a few Skills to it.
"Then there was no one who taught him the martial arts. He learned it alone and still had that much power."
"Is that even possible...?"
Jeon Daekwon and Lee Kunmo let out sighs.
All the grandmasters present here had taught Yoo Baekjun when he was young.
So they knew well. That he had absolutely no talent in martial arts and had never undergone proper training before.
"One week…"
Even considering the training he received from Master Han Seonga, it was nowhere near enough time to defeat Yoo Kangho.
"Miss Yoo Jungyeon, has Yoo Baekjun been training separately or anything like that?"
"If he had, he wouldn't be so pathetic normally. I even assigned someone to watch him, but there was nothing."
Yoo Jungyeon bit her finger anxiously.
She couldn't make sense of what had just happened, but if what she saw was real—
Yoo Baekjun might possess a talent entirely different from what everyone had believed until now.
'A genius? No, is that even possible at a genius level? That's nonsense. He had zero talent. We tried everything when he was young…'
Besides, if that were true, there's no way their father wouldn't have noticed.
Yoo Jungyeon glanced at Yoo Moohak. He was smiling as if amused.
"The duel is over."
He stood from his seat.
"Tell Yoo Baekjun to come to my room."
"Y-Yes. Understood."
Yoo Moohak left the training grounds.
The others watched his back and then looked back at the training ground.
At the spot where Yoo Baekjun stood, and Yoo Kangho lay collapsed.
***
The duel was over.
The servants immediately took Yoo Kangho to where Pharmacist Joo Joongwon was.
"Well done, young master."
Han Seonga greeted Yoo Baekjun and handed him the black demon robe. Wearing it, he felt a warm energy spread over him.
"I thought you'd get hurt, but you won without a single injury. Truly… amazing."
Yoo Baekjun looked at Han Seonga. She seemed genuinely impressed.
'At this rate, I could ask her to be my personal master and she might actually agree.'
If there was a likability meter, it was probably pretty high. That's the feeling he got.
"…The clan head has summoned you."
An servant stepped in between them and said.
Yoo Baekjun recalled the event that was to come.
'He's going to ask me to choose one of the grandmasters. But that won't be the end of it.'
He looked at the injured Yoo Kangho being carried away.
To be crushed like this by the youngest, who only trained for a week—his position within the family was sure to suffer.
There would be more to take away.
'Should I try what I did before?'
As he followed the servants, Yoo Baekjun looked at the message that popped up in front of his eyes.
–You've completed the quest: Becoming the Family's Disgrace. You've earned 300P and your proficiency in Martial God's Book has increased!
He couldn't help but smile with satisfaction.
[Martial God's Book (EX, 2★)]
–A book left behind at the end of his life by one who ascended to the level of god in the realm of martial arts.
–Contains all martial arts that exist in this world, and any new martial arts are automatically recorded by an unknown power.
* Points are awarded based on quests or the owner's actions.
* Points can be used to learn Skills recorded in the Martial God's Book.
* Points can be used to obtain Traits.
Traits.
In short, they are like a person's innate talents.
Once the proficiency of the Martial God's Book reaches 2 stars, you can use the book to obtain such Traits.
'I don't know how exactly to obtain them, though.'
Considering the book gave him the Heavenly Martial Physique when he first acquired it—
It's likely that the Traits of the person who originally used a martial art get recorded along with it.
That was his rough assumption.
'There's still a lot that's unknown about the Martial God's Book.'
The same goes for the Martial God who originally owned it. Even in the game, most of it remained a mystery.
No one knew how it worked.
Even Yoo Baekjun, who had played Hero's Road through countless times, didn't know.
'The problem is, these Traits are pretty expensive.'
Yoo Baekjun fell into brief thought.
In Hero's Road, there were often event conditions like Must possess a specific Trait.
'When such events happened, it usually meant the Trait would be enhanced, or you'd get some other reward.'
So learning Traits that could trigger events was important.
And as someone who was a veteran of the game—
"There's no way I wouldn't know that. Of course I know."
Yoo Baekjun smirked and made his way to the clan head's room—where his father, Yoo Moohak, would be.
***
Yoo Moohak's room was styled like a royal audience hall.
A wide room, luxurious decorations reminiscent of a royal court from ancient times, and even a jade throne in the center.
On both sides stood the grandmasters, Yoo Moohak, and the servants of Yoo Kangho.
'So unnecessarily extravagant.'
It wasn't Yoo Moohak who decorated it like this. It had always been this way and simply remained that way.
Since it was also used to meet outsiders, it needed to have some degree of grandeur.
"......"
Yoo Moohak sat on the jade throne.
Yoo Baekjun sat before him. The two silently looked at each other.
"You said you wanted to learn martial arts."
After some time had passed,
It was Yoo Moohak who broke the silence.
"Yes, I would like to learn from the grandmasters."
"Only those with the greatest talent in the family are allowed to learn martial arts from the grandmasters."
Yoo Moohak said bluntly and looked down at Yoo Baekjun with an expressionless face.
"Are you saying you have that level of talent?"
"Do you think I don't?"
"L-Lord Yoo Baekjun…!"
One of the servants watching couldn't hide his shock.
It was far too arrogant a statement to make toward the absolute authority of the family, Yoo Moohak.
But Yoo Moohak didn't seem particularly offended.
"Hm."
In fact, he looked rather pleased.
"You cannot receive training from all the grandmasters. But if it's just one, I'll allow it."
"You're saying I should choose one."
Yoo Baekjun looked over at the grandmasters beside him.
Ja Yeon, Chon Jongwon, Jeon Daekwon, and Lee Kunmo. Of them, three already supported other successors.
'And to trigger that event...'
There was only one real option from the start, and he had planned to choose that person from the beginning.
"I choose Grandmaster Ja Yeon."
"Ja Yeon, what do you think?"
"...…"
Ja Yeon had her eyes closed.
Even the clan head couldn't force a grandmaster to take on a student.
The grandmaster's own will was what mattered. If Ja Yeon refused, that would be the end of it.
'Ja Yeon… never taught any of the successors. The closest was Yoo Taerang.'
Even then, she only taught a bit of swordsmanship.
Rather than successors, she preferred teaching masters or disciples with potential.
That was probably because she didn't want to get involved in the successor disputes.
"Before that, one thing."
Ja Yeon stood from her seat. She silently walked behind Yoo Baekjun.
"There is something I'd like to confirm. Young Master Yoo Baekjun, may I?"
"Yes."
Ja Yeon extended her hand.
Her hand touched Yoo Baekjun's shoulder, and her mana flowed into his body.
Her mana circulated through his entire body. As if analyzing his physical structure.
"Hmmm…"
Ja Yeon let out a breath of admiration.
It was understandable.
"…It's perfect."
"Grandmaster Ja Yeon, what do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said. A perfect body."
Everyone watching let out astonished gasps.
Of all the grandmasters, Ja Yeon was the most selective when it came to talent.
And for her to say someone was perfect?
"So, Ja Yeon. What will you do?"
"......"
Yoo Moohak asked again.
Ja Yeon closed her eyes and fell into deep thought for a long moment.
"I've always refused because I didn't want the hassle that came with teaching a successor."
"I know. And I've respected your wishes."
"Yes. But… just this once, I won't be able to stick to those wishes."
Ja Yeon slowly nodded her head.
"I'll give it a try."
"Do as you wish."
Yoo Moohak closed his eyes.
"Everyone may leave now."
"...One more thing."
Just as the conversation seemed to be ending, Yoo Baekjun, who had been quietly listening, spoke up.
"There's something I'd like to ask."
"What is it? Speak."
"I'd like to use the family's assets."
The surrounding servants were visibly flustered.
Yoo Taerang, Yoo Jungyeon, Yoo Kangho, even Yoo Min—they were all free to use the family's assets.
But Yoo Baekjun was not.
He had already given up in the past and was half-abandoned, so he was never granted the right to use them.
'They only gave me enough to get by.'
The old Yoo Baekjun would have been content living with just that. But the new Yoo Baekjun wasn't.
'I have too many things I need money for.'
Soon, he'd have to go out into the world to retrieve certain things. He needed money for that, and thinking ahead, the more funds he had, the better.
"Money, huh."
Yoo Moohak nodded without much thought.
"Take all the assets that Yoo Kangho currently has and give them to Yoo Baekjun. And prohibit Yoo Kangho from using the family's assets until he comes to his senses."
"C-Clan Head! That's far too severe."
"What part of that is severe?"
Yoo Moohak turned to the flustered servant. It was the same one who had laughed at Yoo Baekjun together with Yoo Kangho.
"Behaving like a disgrace in personal matters, I don't mind. But neglecting training because of it is something I cannot tolerate."
"Y-Yes…"
"You were a servant close to Yoo Kangho, weren't you? Tell me. Did he train diligently?"
The servant hesitated, unable to give a proper answer. Yoo Moohak's expression grew colder.
"H-He didn't."
"I let him act like a fool. Do you know why?"
"I… don't know."
"Because he had talent."
Boom! Yoo Moohak stomped his foot hard.
"But if he doesn't put in the effort to match that talent, if he doesn't possess the skill to show for it—then he is nothing in this family."
"T-Then what will become of Lord Yoo Kangho…?"
"If he wakes up and puts in the effort, I'll give him another chance."
Yoo Moohak shook his head.
"If he doesn't, he'll be cast aside. There is no place for the weak in this family!"
"I-I understand…"
The servant retreated with a gloomy expression.
Yoo Moohak stood from his seat.
"Everyone leave, except for Ja Yeon."
That was the end of the discussion.
***
With everyone gone, the room was silent. Yoo Moohak stood by the window, looking out at the snow-covered landscape.
Behind him, Ja Yeon sat alone, eyes closed as she sipped her tea.
A quiet moment passed.
"What did you think?"
It was Yoo Moohak who broke the silence.
Ja Yeon opened one eye and looked at his back.
"You mean the young master?"
"Yes. Among the grandmasters, you were always the strictest in selecting talent. What did you think when you saw Yoo Baekjun?"
"Well."
Ja Yeon recalled Yoo Baekjun's body.
Even now, thinking about it again, it was enough to make her marvel. How should she put it…
"It was a body blessed by the heavens."
"Oh? Blessed by the heavens?"
"Yes. A physique and talent that seem as though the heavens gave it to him to practice martial arts. I can't think of a better way to describe the young master's abilities."
His bones, his muscles, his physical structure, the flow of mana, even the size of his lower dantian—It was impossibly perfect.
She had seen countless talents in her time, but she could say with certainty that none compared to Yoo Baekjun.
Yes, perhaps…
'Comparable to that person…'
Ja Yeon swallowed the words that almost slipped out.
"Interesting. I've been watching Yoo Baekjun since he was a child. I watched him for years, and he had no talent at all."
"That's true. I assessed him the same way."
"And now you're saying he possesses a talent so great, even you are impressed?"
That was the strange part.
The conclusion that Yoo Baekjun had no talent had been reached after years of observation. The family had gone to great lengths trying to teach him martial arts.
"…I don't know. But Clan Head, when was the last time you saw Yoo Baekjun?"
"Months ago… no, it's been over a year."
"Then maybe something happened during that time. Also, recently, he went outside and didn't return for several days."
Yoo Moohak slowly nodded.
"Something must've happened during that time."
"That's all we can speculate."
Yoo Moohak closed his eyes.
From the child he had once given up on, he had now found unexpected talent. And it might even be the greatest talent among all his children.
The successor situation was already more or less settled.
"How should I deal with a new variable that's suddenly appeared in all this…"
Yoo Moohak let out a long sigh.
"Interesting. When did Yoo Taerang say he'd be back?"
"Two months. As of now, there's about one month and a half left. He's currently clearing a gate."
"I see."
Ja Yeon finished her tea. She waited for Yoo Moohak to speak again.
"The Sword Saint Clan is ruled by survival of the fittest, the law of the strong. The fight for the successor hasn't ended yet."
"Are you saying… you'll give Young Master Yoo Baekjun a chance?"
"If he can prove his worth himself."
Yoo Moohak laughed out loud.
"This is going to be fun."
Whooooosh! A strong wind blew outside.
As if foreshadowing the future of the Sword Saint Clan.