I Became the Successor of the Martial God Chapter 149

I Became the Successor of the Martial God

Chapter 149.  

The scenery whizzes past.  

Yoo Baek-jun dashed through the treetops at an incredible speed, searching for Delowin’s younger brother.  

“Hey, this way?”  

“Ugh! Ugh! Here, here…!”  

“You’re sure it’s this way?”  

“Ugh! Slow down, just a little…!”  

He was running with Delowin tucked under his arm, but her condition seemed to be worsening.  

It looked like she was getting motion sickness.  

‘I really don’t want to deal with this annoying task.’  

But this was a necessary step to complete the quest related to the elves.  

Yoo Baek-jun checked the quest details.  

[The Fall of the Ruwinid Forest]  

Once a peaceful sanctuary, the Ruwinid Forest lost the protection of the World Tree and became exposed to the outside world, leading to attacks by humans.  

You have two choices:  

Help the elves, or aid the Baim Kingdom in capturing them.  

―Difficulty: A+ (or B)  

―Entry Limit: 1 person  

―Objective: Assist the endangered elves in escaping safely, or help the Baim Kingdom capture them.  

―Reward: Varies depending on the objective.  

There were two ways to resolve this quest.  

The first was to help the Baim Kingdom breach the elves’ defenses.  

In this case, the Ruwinid Forest would be destroyed, and the elves would be enslaved by the Baim Kingdom.  

‘The second is to help the elves.’  

Defeat the Baim Kingdom soldiers stationed here.  

Then, another choice arises.  

Leave the elves here as they are, or persuade them to come with you.  

‘The first option would be meaningless. The Baim Kingdom would just invade again.’  

That leaves only the second choice.  

Persuade them to come with you. 

To do that, there’s one prerequisite.  

Save the elf right in front of you—Delowin, who distrusts you.  

‘She’s an elf of noble lineage, highly respected among her kind.’  

Saving Delowin would earn her trust, making things easier.  

But to do that, he had to deal with something annoying—rescuing her younger sibling.  

‘That brat with a damn attitude…’  

Yoo Baek-jun sighed.  

“Ah! Over there! That way!”  

Delowin suddenly raised her hand.  

But to Yoo Baek-jun, the forest ahead looked no different from the one they had just passed.  

“Is this the right place?”  

“Yes, yes! Baimar’s traces…!”  

Delowin closed her eyes and focused. 

Her ears twitched repeatedly.  

“He went this way.”  

“What, do you have some kind of psychic power?”  

“No, the spirits told me.”  

Delowin smiled faintly and waved her arm. 

It seemed spirits, invisible to the eye, were guiding her to her brother’s whereabouts.  

Yoo Baek-jun had traits related to spirits, but without any spirit-based skills, he couldn’t see them.  

“Baimar. Please be alive.”  

Delowin prayed desperately.  

As they ran in the direction she pointed, a sharp scream pierced the air.  

“Get away! Don’t come closer! I’ll kill you!”  

“Hoho, look at this bold little brat.”  

“Try it. Just try it, you bastard!”  

A boy’s low voice.  

And the mocking laughter of burly men.  

Delowin’s eyes widened.  

“Human!”  

“I know.”  

Yoo Baek-jun sprinted toward the source of the voices. A group of humans came into view.  

And a young elf, surrounded by them.  

“Baima…!”  

“Quiet.”  

Yoo Baek-jun stopped Delowin from shouting. 

The enemies didn’t know they were here.  

No need to throw away that advantage.  

“Hehe, a little elf brat. The wealthy noblewomen would go crazy for you.”  

“You filthy humans…!”  

“Enough, kid. You might not know this, but you’re worth a lot. It’d be a shame to damage such fine merchandise, so come here quietly.”  

“Shut up!”  

The young elf brandished a small dagger, threatening the humans, but it was futile.  

Smirks spread across the humans’ faces.  

And they closed in.  

“Ugh, ugh…!”  

The young elf’s body trembled.  

Seeing this, Delowin frantically poked Yoo Baek-jun’s arm.  

He nodded.  

Whirr!  

He threw his spear. The spiraling spear cut through the air.  

Thud!  

“Guhk!”  

The rotating spear pierced the chest of a soldier approaching the young elf.  

The soldier clutched his chest and collapsed.  

Before the others could react, Yoo Baek-jun charged into their midst.  

“You…!”  

The soldiers tried to speak, but Yoo Baek-jun drew his sword first.  

With a wide spin, a circular blade of energy shot from his sword.  

Those caught in it were instantly sliced apart.  

Kaaang!  

“Kuhk!”  

“Huh?”  

But not all fell.  

A knight stood at the back, watching the scene unfold.  

He blocked the incoming sword energy with his own blade.  

“Fall back! I’ll handle this one.”  

“Sir Patrick!”  

“He’s not someone you can deal with.”  

Patrick stepped forward, sword raised. 

The soldiers retreated behind him.  

‘Hmm, by Halpeon’s standards… he’s probably a Sword Expert, maybe?’ 

Definitely not a Sword Master. He didn’t feel that level of power from the knight.  

A Sword Expert would roughly equate to an A-rank Hunter.  

“You’re not a match for me.”

“How arrogantly foolish…!”  

Patrick scowled at the remark. 

Yoo Baek-jun shrugged.  

“I am Patrick! Patrick Lowell! Nameless traveler, state your name!”  

“Oh, proud enough of your deeds to announce your name?”  

“What?”  

A smirk played on Yoo Baek-jun’s lips.  

“Kidnapping elves… If I were a knight, I’d be too ashamed to give my name.”  

“You…!”  

That was the limit of Patrick’s patience.  

The knight lunged, his long sword flashing. 

His speed was impressive for a Sword Expert.  

But in his anger, he rushed recklessly.  

‘Full of openings.’  

Yoo Baek-jun waited for the right moment.  

As Patrick closed in. 

He could see the knight wary of his sword. 

In an instant, Patrick raised his blade.  

“Haaah!”  

A sword strike brimming with energy aimed to cleave Yoo Baek-jun. 

He watched calmly—then—  

Bang!  

“Guhk!”  

He drew the Soul Eater Gun from subspace.  

The barrel spat fire.  

Soul bullets struck Patrick’s body before his blade could land.  

“Ugh, hng! What… what is that?!”  

Patrick clutched where the bullets hit.  

His magical shield prevented penetration, but his entire body shuddered from the impact.  

Yoo Baek-jun spun the gun.  

“No need to stick to swords, right?”  

“Coward…! Fight honorably!”  

“Am I a knight?”  

Yoo Baek-jun grinned and raised the gun.  

No need to reload—just infuse magic and pull the trigger.  

“Ugh! Aaah!”  

“Waaah!”  

Patrick desperately blocked or dodged the bullets, but his soldiers behind him weren’t as lucky.  

The Soul Eater’s ability—Scatter Shot.  

The bullets spread, hitting the soldiers in the back.  

“If you dodge, your men die!”  

“Eek…!”  

Patrick froze in panic.  

Standing still wasn’t an option, but moving would doom his men.  

His decision?  

“Grrr!”  

Sacrifice the soldiers and strike Yoo Baek-jun.  

Patrick charged, magic flaring around him.  

But his movements were sluggish.  

“Hah!”  

Yoo Baek-jun fired as he rushed forward. 

The moment Patrick reacted—  

He caught the returning Thunder spear and unleashed Dragon Fang Strike right in Patrick’s face.  

Slaaash!  

A relentless barrage of slashes.  

No technique—just raw power crushing down.  

Patrick, having dodged the bullets, scoffed inwardly as he prepared to block.  

‘Strong, but clearly untrained in spearmanship.’  

He raised his sword to meet the crude strike.  

But—  

“Wha—?!”  

The force was overwhelming.  

Patrick’s arms trembled. 

The impact numbed his hands.  

And the attacks kept coming.  

“Ugh, aaah!”  

A storm of relentless strikes.  

Patrick blocked desperately, but the soldiers watching were horrified.  

“Th-that’s…!”  

He was being crushed.  

Patrick’s body faltered under the assault. His arms groaned, shoulders slumped. His legs buckled.  

“Gaaaah!”  

The merciless slashes tore into Patrick’s body as he reached his limit.  

Yoo Baek-jun pulled back his spear for the final thrust of Dragon Fang Strike—  

But.  

“……”  

It wasn’t necessary.  

Patrick was already dead.  

His body was shredded, bones shattered—a gruesome sight as he collapsed.  

‘Stronger than I thought.’  

Makes sense.  

With the spear, Yoo Baek-jun’s strength and stamina rose to A+. 

His stats were currently 88 and 91, respectively.  

Even within the same rank, stats determine a Hunter’s true power.  

‘Taking that into account… with a spear, I’m pretty close to an S-rank hunter.’ 

Given that, Patrick, a Sword Expert equivalent to an A-rank Hunter, stood no chance.  

Yoo Baek-jun looked up.  

“Any of you want to go next?”

“Eeek…!”  

The soldiers, seeing him drenched in blood, lost their will and retreated.  

Only a handful remained—fewer than ten, thanks to the Soul Eater’s bullets.  

“Waaah!”  

“S-spare us!”  

Terrified, they fled.  

Yoo Baek-jun efficiently threw his spear to finish them off, then turned to the young elf.  

“D-don’t come closer! Human!”  

“That’s a pretty rude way to talk to someone who just saved your life.”  

“I never asked for help…!”  

“Baimar!”  

Before the young elf could shout further, Delowin rushed out from hiding and hugged him.  

“Thank goodness, you’re safe…!”  

“S-sister? Why are you here? I told you to run far away!”  

Baimar glared at Yoo Baek-jun.  

“Human, you—!”  

“Baimar! He saved you. Is that any way to speak to your savior? Who taught you such manners?”  

“……”  

A sibling squabble erupted.  

Yoo Baek-jun watched with amusement.  

“I told you! When someone helps you, say thank you. Why can’t you ever be honest? I know you’re grateful.”  

“N-no, I’m not…!”  

“Tsk! No excuses! What should you say right now?”  

Delowin’s ears twitched in anger. 

Baimar’s ears drooped under the scolding.  

Sullen, he looked at Yoo Baek-jun.  

“S-sorry… and thank you…”  

Baimar muttered, his expression sulky.  

Tears glistened faintly in his eyes.