I Became the Successor of the Martial God
Chapter 10.
With the help of Instructor Han Seong-ah, Yoo Baek-jun’s training intensified even further.
“Young master! That’s not how you perform the Footwork Technique. Faster! Stomp your feet harder!”
“Huff, huff!”
Lately, he hadn’t even been sleeping properly.
The frightening thing was that he still didn’t feel tired.
“Aren’t you exhausted?”
“You’re not going to collapse on the day of the duel, are you?”
“Was Instructor Han Seong-ah always the type to push people this hard…?”
Even the onlookers were astonished.
But Yoo Baek-jun was perfectly fine. It was all thanks to the effects of the elixir.
‘The elixir lasts about a week. Today is the sixth day—tomorrow, its effects will wear off.’
Today, he planned to return to his room and rest deeply once he finished his training quota.
He needed to manage his condition.
“Young master, eat this while you train.”
“Oh. Thank you, Master.”
Joo Jung-won also visited daily, bringing him tonics. Made from ingredients beneficial to health, they gave him energy.
Thus, Yoo Baek-jun devoted himself to training even on the sixth day, and as a result:
[Yoo Baek-jun]
Strength: B (1/100)
Agility: B (1/100)
Stamina: B (1/100)
Magic Power: B (25/100)
[Unique Ability: Book of the Martial God(EX, 1★)]
[Trait: Heavenly Martial Body (S)]
Skills:
Herbal Medicine Preparation (B)
Lightness Technique (C, 1★)
Three Disasters Fist Technique (C, 1★)
Three Disasters Mind Technique (C, 1★)
Heavenly Destruction Mind Technique (B,2★)
Heavy Strike (C, 1★)
Elemental Manifestation (A, 1★)
He had succeeded in raising all his stats to B-rank.
His skill proficiencies had also surpassed five stars, each rising by one grade.
This was due to the system in Heroes Road, where once a skill’s proficiency reaches a certain level, its grade increases, and the proficiency resets to 1.
And then there was the Heavenly Destruction Mind Technique and Lightness Technique.
[Heavenly Destruction Mind Technique. (B, 2★)]
—A mind technique adapted from one once used by the Martial God, modified for disciples and instructors. Specialized in accumulating magic power and revitalizing the body.
Further refined by Han Seong-ah, increasing the amount of magic power accumulated. Using this technique dispels fatigue and improves physical condition.
[Lightness Technique (C, 1★)]
—A technique to lighten the body. Uses magic power to move swiftly, maintain balance, or jump higher.
*Swift Steps: Consumes a large amount of magic power to instantly leap a certain distance.
With Han Seong-ah’s help, he had learned the Heavenly Destruction Mind Technique and the Swift Step skill from the Lightness Technique.
Thanks to her refined version of the Heavenly Destruction Mind Technique, his training had become much more manageable.
‘Instructor Han Seong-ah… Even in the game, her training methods were brutally Spartan…’
Yoo Baek-jun let out a sigh.
It was like pushing his body to its absolute limit. Right now, he could endure thanks to the elixir and the Heavenly Destruction Mind Technique, but without them…
‘I would’ve collapsed long ago.’
Han Seong-ah seemed even more impressed that he kept up without faltering despite her Spartan methods.
“Young master, you’re truly remarkable. I never expected you to follow through without complaint.”
“Huff, whew… I can’t complain… when Instructor Han Seong-ah prepared this curriculum… for my sake…”
“Your attitude is also commendable.”
Han Seong-ah’s admiration grew.
Her initially cold demeanor had completely vanished, replaced by an almost overwhelming praise.
‘Well, that’s just how her character is.’
A successor who shared her mindset and overflowed with talent, making teaching him a pleasure—it was only natural for her attitude to change.
‘Hmm, mastering the Heavenly Destruction Mind Technique has made the Three Disasters Mind Technique a bit redundant. It was necessary, though.’
To quickly learn the Heavenly Destruction Mind Technique, he had to first master another mind technique to understand how to circulate magic power.
But now that he’d learned the Heavenly Destruction Mind Technique, the Three Disasters Mind Technique had become obsolete.
‘Once the Book of the Martial God reaches around 4 stars, I might find a use for it.’
The Book of the Martial God unlocks a special function each time its proficiency rises.
He’d soon reach 2 stars, but 4 stars would take more time.
‘For now, I’ll just leave it be. By then, I won’t even need the Three Disasters Mind Technique anyway.’
Yoo Baek-jun stood up. He had things to do back in his room. But then…
BANG!
The training hall’s door burst open noisily.
Everyone inside turned their eyes toward the entrance. The one who barged in violently was—
“Brother Kang-ho.”
Yoo Kang-ho and his attendants.
His face was twisted in anger as he scanned the room before locking onto Yoo Baek-jun.
“Yoo Baek-jun…!”
THUD! THUD!
His footsteps were so heavy it almost sounded like an illusion.
Yoo Baek-jun waited calmly.
“Did I look like a joke to you?!”
“Long time no see, Brother. But ‘a joke’? What do you mean…?”
“Why haven’t you told Father to cancel the duel yet?!”
“Cancel the duel?”
Yoo Baek-jun’s eyes widened as if he’d never heard such a thing—as if he couldn’t fathom why he should.
Yoo Kang-ho gritted his teeth.
“Go to Father and beg him to forget about the duel! Say you were wrong!”
“Why should I?”
“Because you stand no chance of beating me!”
It was a perfectly logical answer.
Yoo Baek-jun couldn’t help but clap in admiration.
The gesture made Yoo Kang-ho’s face contort further, and curses spilled from his lips.
“Do I look like I’m joking?!”
“No, you seem dead serious. Concerned for your younger brother, perhaps…?”
Yoo Baek-jun smirked.
“But that’s impossible. You and I aren’t exactly close, are we?”
“You insolent brat!”
Yoo Kang-ho grabbed Yoo Baek-jun by the collar.
WHOOSH!
Yoo Baek-jun’s body was lifted violently.
“The mere fact that I have to duel a runt like you is humiliating…!”
Yoo Kang-ho growled.
“Did you think you could win? Did you pick me because I seemed like the easiest target?!”
“Who knows?”
“You damn weakling! A talentless bastard who couldn’t even learn martial arts—how dare you look down on me?!”
His gaze was sharp, as if he’d tear Yoo Baek-jun apart right then.
The watching disciples murmured. Han Seong-ah, who had been silent, looked ready to intervene.
‘Don’t interfere.’
The family’s direct lineage wasn’t a position an instructor could openly challenge.
Yoo Baek-jun sighed.
“Brother….”
Yoo Kang-ho snarled.
Yoo Baek-jun gripped the hand clutching his collar and twisted it with all his strength.
CRACK!
The pain of his wrist being wrenched forced Yoo Kang-ho to let go.
“Guh!”
Yoo Kang-ho staggered back, clutching his right hand. Yoo Baek-jun glanced at his elbow—
Where a large scar remained.
“…Why are you acting like a dog with an upset stomach?”
“What?!”
Yoo Baek-jun clicked his tongue as he stepped onto the ground.
“This duel has been permitted by Father. You know very well that this is no longer a matter that can be resolved just between the two of us, don’t you?”
That was true.
This was a duel authorized by the family head.
If one side were to back out unilaterally, the family head would not let that person off lightly.
“We’ve already burned our bridges. Unless either you or I admit defeat…”
Yoo Baek-jun adjusted his disheveled clothes and let out a dry laugh.
“It won’t end. Do you understand?”
“You bastard, why would you do something like this…?!”
“Or perhaps…”
Yoo Baek-jun cut off Yoo Kang-ho’s words.
His emotionless gaze fixed on Yoo Kang-ho.
Yoo Kang-ho involuntarily swallowed hard.
“Are you afraid you might lose to me?”
Silence filled the training hall.
The watching disciples were stunned by the audacity of the words, unable to believe this was the same Yoo Baek-jun they knew.
The instructors were horrified by the sheer insolence.
And Yoo Kang-ho…
“……”
His face had turned cold, as if all the anger from moments ago had vanished.
It was as if excessive rage had instead chilled his mind.
“Fine.”
Yoo Kang-ho spoke slowly.
“See you soon, little brother. Tomorrow, in front of Father… I’ll crush you.”
“I sincerely hope you do, Brother.”
Yoo Kang-ho glared at Yoo Baek-jun until the very end before leaving the training hall with his attendants.
The training hall fell silent, as if a typhoon had swept through.
Yoo Baek-jun walked out, feeling the weight of the stares directed at him.
‘I’ve provoked him to the limit.’
Right now, Yoo Kang-ho must be seething with rage, desperate to trample him at all costs.
Yoo Baek-jun returned to his residence.
“Hmm, our elder brother must already know that I’ve been practicing the Three Disasters Fist.”
“Yes, since you trained in such a public place… I assume the news has already reached him.”
That was exactly what he had intended—to be ignored and underestimated.
In his current state, his chances of winning were slim.
‘Not that I ever planned to fight in this condition in the first place.’
Yoo Baek-jun told Han Seong-ah to end today’s training and returned to his room first.
“Now then.”
Back in his room, Yoo Baek-jun opened the Book of the Martial God.
The points he had accumulated over the past few days from completing quests amounted to 400P.
It wasn’t enough to learn an exceptionally powerful skill, but it was sufficient for something useful.
‘What should I learn?’
There was no need to deliberate.
There was one skill he had relied on throughout his time playing the game.
A skill that every opponent cursed as cowardly—but what did that matter?
―Ground Kick (C, 1★)
―Joint Strike (C, 1★)
―Gale Kick (C, 1★)
In this damned game, you had to use every underhanded trick to win.
Victory was all that mattered.
Yoo Baek-jun checked the skill descriptions.
[Ground Kick (C, 1★)]
—Instantly kick the ground to fling dirt or sand at the enemy.
[Joint Strike (C, 1★)]
—(Passive) All actions targeting an opponent’s joints become significantly stronger. With sufficient force, it is possible to shatter joints.
[Gale Kick (C, 1★)]
—Attack the opponent with dazzling footwork.
A sinister smile crept onto his lips.
Ground Kick.
If he mixed it with Elemental Manifestation, he could create an amusing—and deadly—attack.
Combine that with Heavy strike and Joint Strike…
‘This is another thrill of Heroes Road.’
Skills could be combined to produce entirely unexpected effects.
“I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
Yoo Baek-jun stepped into the shower.
A bath would help him prepare for what was to come.
* * *
Yoo Jung-yeon’s POV
The day of the duel arrived.
Exactly seven days later. The location chosen by the family head, Yoo Moo-hak, was an outdoor training ground.
Yoo Jung-yeon and Yoo Min were already there.
“Ugh, the dust is unbearable. Yoo Min, who suggested holding the duel here?”
“…No idea. Wasn’t it Yoo Baek-jun?”
“Really? It’s freezing.”
The two climbed onto the stage set up in the outdoor training ground and took their seats on the prepared chairs.
Yoo Jung-yeon smiled as she looked up at the sky.
Today was a snowy day. Strangely, however, no snow accumulated within the family’s grounds.
“I should be grateful for the barrier today.”
“…I wish it got rid of the cold too. It’s unnecessarily freezing here.”
“Want a heat pack?”
“No need.”
It was all thanks to the magic surrounding the family.
The barrier served the dual purpose of repelling intruders and blocking snow or rain.
“Hmm, the Grand masters”
Yoo Jung-yeon glanced behind her.
A short distance away, a group of people was seated—a middle-aged woman and man, along with two elderly figures.
“They’re here.”
“…The old folks.”
The Grand masters of the Sword Saint Family.
The middle-aged woman, Ja-yeon. The middle-aged man, Cheon Jong-won.
The two elderly figures, Jeon Dae-kwon and Lee Gun-mo.
‘Jeon Dae-kwon, Lee Gun-mo.’
The two old men were chatting amicably.
In contrast, Ja-yeon and Cheon Jong-won sat in silence, staring ahead.
‘Tch, just a bunch of old men supporting Yoo Tae-rang…’
The Sword Saint Family was structured into the Family Head, Grand masters, Instructors, and disciples.
The Instructors and disciples were further divided based on skill level and years of training—upper, middle, and lower ranks.
―The Grandmasters are the pillars of the Sword Saint Family.
The Grandmasters were the four most exceptional among the Instructors.
Their prowess was unmatched, and they bestowed their teachings only upon those with outstanding talent.
And just like the Instructors and disciples, they supported their preferred successors.
‘Ja-yeon… I need to win her over.’
Yoo Jung-yeon sighed.
Jeon Dae-kwon and Lee Gun-mo supported Yoo Tae-rang, while Cheon Jong-won supported her.
Ja-yeon, however, remained neutral.
‘The most exceptional of the Grandmasters, a long-serving confidant of the Family Head.’
She was a relentless hard worker who had mastered countless martial arts to refine her swordsmanship.
If she could secure Ja-yeon’s support, she could stand on equal footing with Yoo Tae-rang in the succession battle.
“Sis, look over there.”
“Hmm?”
Yoo Min tugged at Yoo Jung-yeon’s arm.
Following her gaze, Yoo Jung-yeon spotted Yoo Kang-ho warming up in a corner of the stage.
His expression was relaxed, as if the thought of losing had never crossed his mind. Seeing that, she grew curious.
“Yoo Min, who do you think will win today?”
“…Barring any surprises, Yoo Kang-ho.”
“Hasn’t he been slacking off lately? Running around with women and all.”
“Even so, his training is different.”
That was true.
As far as she knew, Yoo Baek-jun had only been training for about a week.
Even if Yoo Kang-ho had been acting like a delinquent lately, he had trained for years.
There was no way Yoo Kang-ho would lose.
‘But if he does… That would mean Yoo Baek-jun defeated him after just a week of training.’
If he had that kind of talent, Father would have noticed him long ago.
Yoo Baek-jun wouldn’t have lived ignored by the entire family like this.
But still…
‘The fact that Father permitted this duel in the first place bothers me.’
He wasn’t the type to give even the slightest chance to someone he had already discarded.
So why?
Yoo Jung-yeon leaned back deeply into her chair. Before long…
“The Family Head has arrived!”
Yoo Moo-hak ascended the stage.
The duel was about to begin.
