I Became the Successor of the Martial God Chapter 42

I Became the Successor of the Martial God

Chapter 42.

Inside the limousine speeding along.

Yoo Baek-jun looked at the mirror.

“Who are you?”

A stranger was reflected in the mirror.

The already handsome guy, now touched up by experts, looked like someone not of this world.

“Getting all dressed up like this just for some meeting…”

“Y-young Master… That’s what I was going to say…”

Han Seong-ah, sitting beside him, fidgeted nervously.

She usually wore only the Sword Saint family’s training attire, but this time she was dressed in a party gown.

A black dress, with an overcoat on top.

Both were from extremely famous brands.

“Young Master, you could have just dressed up

yourself… Why did you have to make me wear something like this too…?”

“Can’t die alone, can I?”

“Tch!”

Han Seong-ah was also wearing makeup.

Her face, which already shone even without makeup, now looked absolutely flawless with it.

‘The stylists said to just leave it to them, and they really turned her into a different person.’

Yoo Baek-jun hummed a tune.

Even he was wearing a suit that would cost a fortune just to hear its price.

Over it, he wore the Black Ghost .

—Yah, uuung!

Inside its folds was Seol-yeong.

Yoo Baek-jun pressed down on the squirming creature.

“Shh! You promised to stay still. If it weren’t for that, I would’ve left you with Choi Seung-min.”

—Yawuu…

Seol-yeong grumbled discontentedly before retreating back into the inner pocket of the Black Ghost.

“Young Master, just how big is that inner pocket? The cub isn’t exactly small either.”

“No idea. It’s pretty deep, though.”

Yoo Baek-jun sank deeply into the seatback.

“Anyway, you look good, Instructor Han Seong-ah.”

“Ha… Yes, thank you…”

Han Seong-ah gulped down some water.

It was decided that only Yoo Baek-jun and she would attend the meeting, while Choi Seung-min would wait at the Sword Saint branch.

“Guess we’re almost at Namsan.”

“Young Master, we’re nearly there.”

“Yeah.”

Yoo Baek-jun looked out the window.

Outside the limousine, a luxurious hotel with a modern design came into view.

The venue for today’s meeting.

‘They said security is tight.’

Usually, when such meetings are held, it’s a cliché for some secret organization to attack.

But that won’t happen at this event.

“Um, we’ve arrived. I think it’s time to get out now.”

“Right…”

The limousine pulled up to the hotel entrance.

Though the hotel was on Namsan, reporters were already lined up from the entrance.

Seeing them, he couldn’t help but sigh.

“I just can’t get used to that.”

“You can just ignore the reporters. They wouldn’t dare bother you anyway.”

The reporters’ gazes fixed on the limousine as it made its way up the road.

Screech—

The limousine stopped at the hotel entrance.

Yoo Baek-jun slowly opened the door.

“……”

The scene outside came into view.

Countless reporters and camera crews.

The cameras all turned toward Yoo Baek-jun.

As he stepped out, the area fell silent.

“Who… is that?”

“Is he an instructor from the Sword Saint family? No, his clothes are too high-end for that.”

The reporters seemed unsure of who Yoo Baek-jun was. Because of that, they hesitated to take photos.

The opposite door of the limousine opened, and Han Seong-ah stepped out, walking over to Yoo Baek-jun.

“Let’s go, Young Master.”

“Yeah.”

Yoo Baek-jun offered his arm to Han Seong-ah. Then he wiggled it slightly.

Realizing what the gesture meant, Han Seong-ah sighed and linked her arm with his.

“…Young Master?”

At that title, the reporters’ eyes changed.

“Young Master?”

“Does the Sword Saint family have a successor like that? Wait, then what happened to Yoo Kang-ho?”

Yoo Baek-jun and Han Seong-ah headed toward the hotel, and belatedly, camera flashes went off.

The reporters who took photos clicked their tongues.

“Damn, he’s ridiculously handsome. Even a random shot looks like a photoshoot.”

“What’s this? My body’s weirdly tensing up…”

Leaving such exclamations behind.

Yoo Baek-jun and Han Seong-ah entered the hotel. The interior was exotic and overwhelmingly luxurious.

“That must be the banquet hall over there.”

“It’s noisy. Places like these… aren’t my thing.”

“Same. Let’s just kill some time here and leave.”

The meeting would start after the banquet ended.

Rather than standing around like idiots, it was better to pass the time by checking out the banquet.

“Let me guide you.”

“Yes, have all the other attendees arrived?”

“Five have arrived so far. They’ll enjoy the banquet briefly before heading to the meeting venue.”

Yoo Baek-jun followed the staff’s guidance.

The banquet hall was on the upper floors of the hotel.

“Haha! Yes, that’s right. We recently cleared an A-rank gate. Inside…”

“I wanted to talk to Dokgo-jun, but with that crowd, I can’t even get close.”

“Is that Peng So-young? Hmm, for a successor of the Peng family, I heard her talent isn’t exceptional.”

The banquet hall, illuminated by a dazzling chandelier, glowed golden.

Many people were inside.

Three, in particular, stood out.

‘Jeong Seung-hoon, Dokgo-jun, and Peng So-young.’

Jeong Seung-hoon was loudly chatting with people while enjoying the food at the banquet.

Dokgo-jun was conversing quietly with his followers in a subdued atmosphere.

And Peng So-young.

‘Cowering in a corner.’

She wasn’t entirely alone, but she mostly stayed with her guards, turning people away.

She didn’t like people approaching her. But more than that, she seemed to lack confidence.

‘Well, can’t blame her.’

Just moments ago, people were gossiping about her lack of talent.

That’s enough to make anyone lose confidence.

“Young Master, shall we go?”

“Yeah.”

Yoo Baek-jun and Han Seong-ah entered the banquet hall.

Creak— The banquet hall doors opened. People’s gazes naturally turned toward the entrance.

The two figures came into view.

“……”

“……”

The hall fell silent for a moment.

At first, it was the man’s striking appearance that overwhelmed them. Then, an inexplicable sense of pressure.

People shook their heads as if snapping out of it, and the banquet hall buzzed with murmurs.

“Incredible.”

“Who is that? I’ve never seen him before.”

“Is he a model? No, if he were a model famous enough to be invited here, I’d know him.”

“Oh my, that coat… I want it.”

Normally, they’d just think, “I don’t know who he is, but he’s handsome,” and leave it at that.

But this time was different.

For some reason, they couldn’t stop looking at him.

‘It’s the effect of the trait.’

Yoo Baek-jun felt their gazes too.

It was the effect of King’s Dignity.

A trait that made it easier to gain people’s favor and earn their admiration.

With this, such reactions became common.

‘It’s a bit annoying, but the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.’

Whether recruiting talent or persuading someone, this trait was incredibly useful.

Han Seong-ah hesitated under the stares. Yoo Baek-jun led her forward.

“Hmm, that man…”

Jeong Seung-hoon, Peng So-young, and Dokgo-jun also noticed him.

The first two seemed not to recognize Yoo Baek-jun, but Dokgo-jun was different.

There was something he seemed to grasp.

“Young Master, everyone’s staring.”

“Act natural, Instructor Han Seong-ah.”

“Ugh, I’m not used to this…”

Yoo Baek-jun ignored the crowd and took two glasses of wine from a passing staff member.

He handed one to Han Seong-ah.

“Mmm! This tastes different from last time, Young Master! The fruit flavor… It’s incredibly rich.”

Han Seong-ah’s eyes widened as she sipped the wine. It was a familiar sight.

Yoo Baek-jun watched her fondly as they moved toward the banquet hall’s terrace.

There were seats there too.

“Whew! No one’s here.”

Yoo Baek-jun sat down on the terrace.

Perhaps because the hotel was high up on Namsan, the views of Namsan and Seoul were clear.

And so were the swimming pool and garden on the first floor.

“It’s dazzling. We don’t see sights like this at the Sword Saint family.”

“Yeah. Over there, it’s just barren.”

Surrounded by snowfields and monsters.

Instead of enjoying cultural life, they close gates or hunt one more monster.

That’s life at the Sword Saint family.

“Young Master, are you sure you don’t want to talk to people from other guilds or families? It’s your first time attending a meeting like this…”

“They’ll come to us anyway.”

“They will?”

Rustle.

The curtains at the terrace entrance swayed. Dokgo-jun slowly stepped through.

“Here you are.”

Dokgo-jun spotted Yoo Baek-jun and strode over to him.

“Last time I saw you, you were a kid… How many years has it been? Do you remember me?”

“Aren’t you Brother Dokgo-jun? You visited the Sword Saint family once when I was young.”

“That’s right. You remember well.”

A faint smile appeared on Dokgo-jun’s sharp-featured face. His cold demeanor made it feel icy.

Like a snake, perhaps.

“I remember you being quite skinny back then. You’ve grown healthier. Built some muscle.”

“Well, yeah.”

A brief silence fell between them.

Dokgo-jun, heir to the Myeongseong Group.

The Myeongseong Group started as a guild long ago and expanded into various businesses, growing its influence.

As the heir to such a group, he was practically a prince. Usually, such cases lead to arrogance or some form of corruption, but…

‘Dokgo-jun is a decent guy.’

Though somewhat cold and aloof, he knew how to care for and help people.

He’d be a great ally during major events.

“Why didn’t Yoo Kang-ho come? Is he sick?”

“Not sick, but… Well, let’s just say there are circumstances. It’s not something to announce publicly.”

“Is that so? Hmm.”

Dokgo-jun smiled quietly and pondered.

‘Yoo Tae-rang went to a gate, so Yoo Kang-ho was supposed to come instead. But if he didn’t…

Does that mean he’s completely lost his standing in the family?’

Since he wasn’t sick, that was the only plausible reason.

The current head of the family was Yoo Moo-hak.

‘Yoo Baek-jun was secluded in the family until recently. For someone like him to suddenly appear at an official event like this…’

It meant the Sword Saint family’s succession dynamics had shifted. In Yoo Baek-jun’s favor.

Dokgo-jun quickly finished his calculations.

“Do we have each other’s numbers?”

“No.”

“We’ll likely see each other often from now on. No harm in exchanging contacts. Here.”

Dokgo-jun handed over a black business card.

“Only a few people have this number. Text me if you need anything.”

“Thank you, Brother.”

“Oh, hey. You’re all here already?”

Just then, Jeong Seung-hoon entered the terrace.

His muscular, tanned body. A handsome face with a boyishly bright smile.

He gave off the vibe of a sociable, popular guy.

“Hmm…”

But Dokgo-jun’s expression upon seeing him wasn’t exactly welcoming. He clearly wasn’t pleased.

And Yoo Baek-jun felt the same.

‘That guy…’

The heir to Korea’s top blacksmith guild, Vulcanus. The problem was his obsession with money.

Blacksmith guilds require a lot of material costs, so their profit margins aren’t as high as one might think.

His greed was understandable, but…

‘Jeong Seung-hoon crosses the line. He sells artifacts to all sorts of criminal organizations.’

No need to get close. In fact, cutting him off would be more beneficial in the long run.

He was not someone to be trusted.

“Hey, Baek-jun. Long time no see. You’ve bulked up, huh? Been hitting the protein hard?”

“You look well too, Brother.”

“Ah, me? Heh, I’m always by the forge, so no need for tanning.”

Jeong Seung-hoon subtly flexed his tanned muscles.

His gaze flicked toward Han Seong-ah.

“By the way, I told Kang-ho this too—if you come across any rare materials, let us know.”

“Sure, I will.”

“I’ll pay top dollar, top dollar.”

Top dollar, only to resell it at an even higher price on the black market. No point dealing with him.

If Yoo Tae-rang becomes the family head, that might change, but Yoo Baek-jun had no such intentions.

“Oops, been here too long.”

“…Let’s go. People will start looking for us.”

They parted ways, agreeing to meet at the meeting.

Just as Yoo Baek-jun thought he could finally relax, someone else entered.

“……”

“Uh, hello.”

It was Peng So-young.