I Became the Successor of the Martial God
Chapter 38.
As expected.
That night, Yoo Moo-hak gathered the direct descendants. This time, even the Grandmasters were present.
“…….”
A long silence filled the audience hall.
It was the kind of silence that made it hard to breathe and weighed heavily on the body.
Yoo Moo-hak had his eyes closed.
“He failed.”
Finally, the silence in the audience hall was broken.
The words that flowed from Yoo Moo-hak’s mouth were chillingly emotionless and cold.
“…Yes, Young Master Yoo Kang-ho failed to conquer the gate. The gate was liberated, and others are currently handling it.”
“Right, so that’s what happened.”
Yoo Moo-hak’s gaze turned to one side of the audience hall.
There, Yoo Kang-ho, dressed in shabby attire, was kneeling like a criminal.
“Yoo Kang-ho.”
“Y-Yes!”
“Why did you fail?”
“Th-That is, well……”
Yoo Kang-ho stammered, unable to answer.
Yoo Moo-hak looked at the instructor standing beside him.
The one who had accompanied Yoo Kang-ho on the expedition.
“Why did you fail? Speak honestly. If you don’t, you’ll be punished as well.”
“…….”
The instructor’s body trembled violently.
He hesitated for a moment before finally opening his mouth.
“Young Master Yoo Kang-ho insisted that we conquer the gate faster than anyone else. So we rushed the dungeon conquest……”
“And failed?”
“Yes, we were too hasty. If we had taken it a bit slower, Young Master Yoo Kang-ho would have undoubtedly succeeded……”
“I have no interest in your excuses.”
Yoo Moo-hak waved his hand dismissively.
The instructor bowed deeply, trembling uncontrollably.
Yoo Kang-ho’s face had turned deathly pale.
“Do you have anything to say, Yoo Kang-ho?”
“…N-No, I don’t.”
He had things he wanted to say, but he knew voicing them would only provoke more anger.
Yoo Kang-ho remained silent.
“There’s a meeting scheduled soon, isn’t there?”
“Yes, Young Master Yoo Kang-ho was supposed to attend……”
It was a meeting hosted by the Hunter Association, inviting prominent guilds and noble families from the country.
Originally, the Golden Lion Guild had been the first to hold it, but now the Hunter Association had taken over.
Initially, it was convened for special agendas, but in these relatively peaceful times, it had become more of a social gathering.
“Originally, Young Master Yoo Tae-rang was supposed to attend, but due to the gate conquest, he asked Young Master Yoo Kang-ho to go in his place.”
“Send Yoo Baek-jun instead of Yoo Kang-ho.”
“F-Father!”
Yoo Kang-ho exclaimed in shock.
A cold gaze turned toward him, but this was something he couldn’t back down from.
“This is a task entrusted to me by my eldest brother! Handing it over to him without my eldest brother’s consent is—”
“It was also me who told Yoo Tae-rang to attend the meeting. If the person who assigned the task wants to send someone else, what’s your complaint?”
“But!”
Yoo Kang-ho gasped for breath.
Watching this, Yoo Baek-jun clicked his tongue.
‘Yoo Kang-ho gave up the succession fight and submitted to Yoo Tae-rang, joining his faction.’
That’s why Yoo Tae-rang had ordered him to attend in his place.
If he failed to carry it out properly?
‘It would deal a major blow to him.’
Yoo Tae-rang was the leading candidate for the next family head.
If Yoo Kang-ho fell out of favor with both the current family head, Yoo Moo-hak, and Yoo Tae-rang, he would have no place left in the family.
That’s why he was so desperate.
“I won’t repeat myself. Yoo Baek-jun will attend the next meeting.”
“Father…! Ugh!”
“Apologies, Young Master Yoo Kang-ho.”
Grandmaster Jeon Dae-kwon, who had been listening nearby, suddenly moved behind Yoo Kang-ho.
He covered Yoo Kang-ho’s mouth and subdued him.
“As you well know, Young Master… the family head’s orders are absolute.”
“Ugh, hng, huuu……”
With a deft hand movement, he pressed on the back of Yoo Kang-ho’s neck.
Yoo Kang-ho’s eyes lost focus, and his body went limp.
Jeon Dae-kwon handed Yoo Kang-ho over to the attendants.
“Take him back to the estate.”
“Yes, understood.”
Yoo Kang-ho was led away.
Yoo Moo-hak, who had been waiting with his eyes closed for the room to quiet down, opened his eyes again.
“Yoo Baek-jun, you will attend the meeting.”
“When is the date?”
“One week from today.”
Yoo Baek-jun nodded.
The meeting—a gathering of major guilds and influential family members from across South Korea.
Put simply, it was something like a social club, but this time, things were a little different.
“Will you attend?”
Yoo Moo-hak looked down at Yoo Baek-jun.
His expression showed no hint of expecting a refusal.
Yoo Baek-jun knelt on one knee before him.
“If that is what you desire, Father.”
For now, he would comply obediently. But……
Yoo Baek-jun and Yoo Moo-hak’s eyes met. There was no trace of familial warmth in either gaze.
Watching this, Yoo Min sighed inwardly.
‘When did he change? Not long ago, he was so eager to support Yoo Tae-rang… and now it’s Yoo Baek-jun he’s favoring?’
She recalled Yoo Kang-ho, kneeling in defeat.
That man was now completely finished. His failure in the gate conquest had resulted in the deaths of many disciples and severe injuries to instructors.
All of them had been his supporters.
‘He lost a significant portion of his faction and made a grave mistake. Even Yoo Tae-rang will abandon him now.’
Then, Yoo Kang-ho would have nowhere left to go.
Originally, the succession battle had been between Yoo Tae-rang and Yoo Jung-yeon alone, but now Yoo Baek-jun had entered the fray.
Yoo Min glanced at Yoo Jung-yeon.
“…….”
She was biting her lip, lost in thought. What could she be thinking?
‘I have no idea.’
Yoo Min had no interest in the succession battle and had long since given up her claim.
Whoever ended up on top didn’t matter to her.
* * *
“Congratulations, Young Master!”
“Attending the meeting… Sniff, I never thought this day would come.”
As soon as they returned to the estate, Han Seong-ah congratulated him, while Choi Seung-min burst into tears.
“Why are they acting like this?”
—Huh?
Yoo Baek-jun asked Seol-yeong, who was clinging tightly to his arm. The little one tilted its head in confusion.
“It’s your social debut, Young Master!”
“This is the first time you’ll be appearing publicly. Of course, Choi Seung-min would react like this.”
“Really? Is it the first time?”
Yoo Baek-jun searched the original work’s memories.
Come to think of it, it was true.
This body had been out of the family head’s favor since childhood, so he had never participated in any public events.
‘Even when I wandered around Seoul not long ago, no one recognized me.’
No wonder Choi Seung-min was so emotional.
“Clothes! I’ll prepare the most splendid outfit! And the best makeup artist in the industry…!”
“No, there’s no need to go that far…”
“Young Master, just stay still!”
“Uh, okay.”
Choi Seung-min’s enthusiasm was overwhelming.
Yoo Baek-jun sighed inwardly and let him do as he pleased.
But there was something he had to do first.
“Han Seong-ah, how about coming on a nice, cozy date with me?”
“A date……. Young master, someone might misunderstand if they hear such remarks. Please refrain.”
“Why so stiff?”
Yoo Baek-jun chuckled lightly.
“Let’s go sightseeing by helicopter instead.”
It was time to retrieve the artifact.
* * *
There was an island called Baeksando.
An uninhabited island near Busan.
Historical records say that during the Joseon period, when monsters appeared en masse in Busan, people fled to this island.
“Hmm, the air and water are nice.”
Yoo Baek-jun had arrived at Baeksando.
Stepping off the helicopter onto the ground, the sight of an island long disconnected from civilization came into view.
“There’s no one here. It really is uninhabited.”
Han Seong-ah, who had disembarked first, scanned the surroundings warily.
After circling the island once, she confirmed that no one lived there.
Only animals inhabited the place.
—Purr, grrr…….
“Hey, don’t wander too far.”
When he let Seol-yeong loose, it happily scampered around. Watching it made him smile.
“What’s the reason for coming here, young master?”
“This uninhabited island—records say that during a large-scale Gate incident in Busan long ago, people took refuge here.”
“Yes, I’m aware.”
Yoo Baek-jun walked slowly. Seol-yeong, biting its own tail, followed behind him.
“Back then, the refugees supposedly explored the island, wondering what was here. And they discovered ruins underground.”
“Ruins… you say?”
Pushing through the dense undergrowth, they headed toward the island’s center.
There, they found a valley—one with a massive waterfall cascading down.
“Yeah, I heard there were golem-like guardians inside those ruins. The refugees, with no way to escape, fought them desperately.”
“Did they win?”
“They suffered heavy losses, but they won in the end.”
Yoo Baek-jun abruptly stepped into the waterfall. His body was instantly drenched, and his vision blurred momentarily.
Then, moments later—
“A cave in a place like this…….”
A cave, previously hidden by the waterfall, appeared.
Han Seong-ah, scanning the area, noticed something odd. There were traces of something.
“Signs that people lived here.”
“Hmm, I guess they made this place their hideout since it was better than staying outside.”
“I see. Not a bad decision.”
Yoo Baek-jun and Han Seong-ah proceeded into the cave. The passage bore traces of human habitation and remnants of golems.
“There’s bloodstains on the golem.”
—Screech!
Thud!
Seol-yeong, fascinated by the golem debris, suddenly punched it.
The wreckage caved in deeply.
“…….”
“…….”
Even as a cub, its strength was terrifying.
“Sometimes I forget it’s a spirit beast, and it’s a problem.”
“I also sometimes think of it as just an ordinary cat. But it truly is a spirit beast.”
—Purr, meow!
Listening to Seol-yeong’s grumbling as it smacked the debris, the two ventured deeper.
The cave soon ended, revealing ruins.
“Hmm……”
“This isn’t an Earthly ruin. It seems like another world’s ruin was transferred here intact.”
“The Gate must have been left unattended for a long time.”
When an Entry-type Gate remains neglected for too long, the space within can overlay onto the Earth.
This phenomenon is called ‘Erosion’, though honestly, it’s a term with little real meaning in the current context.
‘It’s just a narrative device to explain dungeons and ruins scattered around the world.’
In the past, neglected Gates led to erosion, resulting in dungeons and ruins everywhere…
A game-like setting to justify their existence.
“Hmm, is this the deepest part?”
Inside the ruins were houses and beds woven from branches and grass, along with old-fashioned tools.
“This is a door. It won’t open.”
On one side stood an oddly shaped door.
No matter how much force they applied, it wouldn’t budge. Even striking it with a sword only made the blade rebound.
“…There’s some kind of mysterious mechanism here.”
Han Seong-ah surveyed the surroundings.
In the deepest part of the ruins stood six massive pillars. At the top of each pillar was a mirror-like glass panel.
The ceiling also had something resembling a reflector.
“Young master, what is that?”
“You’ll find out soon. Step back.”
Yoo Baek-jun summoned his Thunder spear.
An immense amount of magical power, visible to the naked eye, surged from his body.
And that magical power—
Crackle!
“Hmm…!”
—transformed into lightning enveloping the spear.
Rumble!
The spear emitted a sound like thunderclouds vibrating with lightning.
Yoo Baek-jun pulled the spear back with full force, looking as though he held lightning itself in his hand.
Boom!
The lightning shot toward the ceiling.
The spear struck the circular reflector-like object dead center.
The lightning pooled on the reflector, then—
Kwa-kwang!
—Screeeech?!
—scattered toward the nearby pillars.
The mirror-like glass atop the pillars absorbed the lightning, which remained without fading.
“Ugh, this is exhausting. Han Seong-ah, help me adjust the angles of the pillars.”
“Adjust the angles?”
“Yeah.”
Yoo Baek-jun left the first pillar untouched but slightly turned the others.
The last pillar was angled toward the tightly sealed door on one side of the ruins.
“What happens if we….”
Kwaaa-boom!
Before Han Seong-ah could finish, the lightning pooled in the first pillar’s glass shot out.
The bolt passed sequentially through the other pillars’ glass, growing increasingly powerful.
“What is that?”
“Something like an amplification device. Passing through the glass increases the lightning’s power. So…”
The lightning, after traversing the final glass, struck the door.
Rumble!
The door collapsed in a single blow.
“That’s how you break a sealed door.”
“Is it some kind of puzzle?”
“Something like that.”
Yoo Baek-jun stepped through the now-open door.
“Now, let’s go retrieve the artifact.”
