Duke’s Son: Re

Chapter 26

“Talking about sacrifice, price, failure… There must be a reason for you to spout such nonsense. Unless you’re a natural lunatic, you must have your own story.”

Jaehyuk’s voice trembled slightly.

It wasn’t because he couldn’t control his emotions, but purely because he was being pushed back in a power struggle.

The blade blocked by Silla Kyung’s hand was trembling.

It was as if two magnets were being drawn towards each other.

‘The mana is rotating and pulling it in.’

He had to break free.

Biting down hard enough to shatter a molar, he twisted his wrist slightly to the left.

He intended not to resist the strange rotation created by Silla Kyung’s mana but to rather go along with it.

Clang!

With the sound of metal scraping, Jaehyuk’s blade slipped away from Silla Kyung’s hand.

“But I don’t care about someone else’s story. I have zero interest in what’s inside you. Did you want to talk to me? You should have approached me normally, you immature brat. Why did I rescue them?”

“…”

“And don’t mention my father lightly. Failure? Then what does that make your father, who never once beat my father in his life, you disgraceful brat?”

“You’re diverting from the essence. I didn’t call the force accumulated by the great nation’s duke a failure…”

Silla Kyung trailed off.

There were too many eyes watching them.

Because of Kang Jaehyuk pulling a real sword, things had escalated.

This wasn’t the direction he wanted.

With his energy withdrawn, he raised both hands. Then, speaking loud enough for everyone in the dining room to hear, he infused his voice with mana.

“I apologize for my rudeness. I’m sorry for forcing you to draw your sword.”

“Yeah. Don’t talk to me again.”

Glancing at Jaehyuk who waved his hand dismissively as if to tell him to leave quickly, Silla Kyung exited the cafeteria.

“To dare wield a sword against the successor of the Silla family, how can such a ruthless person exist?”

“We must protest officially and hold him legally accountable.”

“To talk about law over school incidents… It’d be simpler to just retaliate, don’t you think? Young Lord, leave it to me. I’ll cut off his arm.”

Three young followers, who had entered the academy with Silla Kyung to support him, spoke as they followed him.

“Mind your manners towards the descendant of the Duke’s family.”

“Manners towards a fallen Kang family… I’m sorry.”

After casting a cold stare at the chattering boy, Silla Kyung rubbed his tingling hand.

‘That wasn’t all of his ability.’

He had watched Jaehyuk fight the Leech King from afar.

He thought he had fully gauged Jaehyuk’s skills, but he was mistaken.

Jaehyuk’s sword draw technique was more than twice as fast and powerful as it had been during the raid.

Even considering the rewards he must have obtained from killing the Leech King, the gap was too big.

‘He was hiding his skills.’

He was indeed worthy of being the son of the great nation’s duke.

His body and skills, trained to their limit, were admirable.

Just as he had, he assumed Jaehyuk had overcome many limits.

‘Impressive, but… he lacks patience.’

Seeing him swing a real sword in front of a crowd showed he was quite fiery-tempered.

‘The reason he hasn’t bloomed his bloodline skill must be because of his personality.’

His thoroughly trained body and skills weren’t supported by mental strength, remaining incomplete.

If there was someone to guide him by his side, it might have been different.

‘The Kang family…’

Silla Kyung’s steps felt heavy.

***

“Hey, are you crazy?”

Unexpectedly, Yujin made a fuss.

Dahui seemed half out of her mind, and Dojin was just giggling with a thumbs-up, so only she could step forward.

“What on earth made you draw your sword! He’s a National Treasure candidate, a National Treasure candidate! The future of South Korea, who’s going to be one of its greatest assets!”

“Why all the fuss? Even my father doesn’t regard National Treasures so highly.”

“The mighty Duke is a former National Treasure… whoops.”

Realizing her slip, Yujin hastily covered her mouth as she whispered.

“Let’s get out of here. Staying here won’t end well.”

It was too late.

Students were surrounding Jaehyuk, closing in on him.

There were so many, it was practically accurate to say it was every student in the cafeteria.

They all openly displayed hostility.

The funny part was that a few students from the first-year class A were mixed in with the crowd.

They were the ones who had doubted or envied Jaehyuk’s achievements.

While others praised Jaehyuk, they ground their teeth behind closed doors, seizing the chance now to reveal their true colors.

“Kang Jaehyuk, just because you showed off a bit in a mere C-rank raid, you think you’re something big? Attacking the successor of the Shinragyeong family is crossing the line.”

“You looked like you were going to kill him! Do you have some kind of inferiority complex toward the young lord? You’re disgraceful, just like a child of the fallen Kang family.”

With harsh language pouring in, they couldn’t hold back.

Han Kyungsoo’s group, who had received a demerit because of Jaehyuk, played the role of instigators well.

They had no reason to hold any goodwill towards Jaehyuk.

Kang Jaehyuk saved Class A? Ridiculous.

If they had been at the scene from the beginning, class A wouldn’t have been in danger.

They only missed their chance because they were chosen as messengers.

‘I can show my skills right now.’

With a sneaky smile, Han Kyungsoo threw out increasingly harsh insults.

Utter vulgarity targeted at his family.

He subtly cursed, mentioning Kang Daesung and Kang Hyun-a.

If Kang Jaehyuk couldn’t bear it and attacked, they planned to suppress him and justify trampling over him.

‘Unlike Silla Kyung, I’m not forgiving.’

“These bastards keep spewing nonsense. Are you blind and deaf? Seeing Silla Kyung apologize, it’s clear he was in the wrong. Why are you all being irrational?”

The insults finally came out… Wait, it’s not Kang Jaehyuk?

When Han Kyungsoo looked down, he saw a small boy with red hair meeting his eyes.

“You… who are you…”

“Wow? This guy can see just fine, right? Doesn’t it mean he saw Silla Kyung apologizing? Then why is he talking crap? Is he a dog? Bark, woof! Growl, woof woof! You mutt! Are you a dog?”

“…”

Han Kyungsoo, taken aback by the crude insults and dog-like barking, sensed it instantly.

Associating with this crazy kid would make his school life difficult.

“Attention.”

Thanks to Dojin’s unexpected outburst, the commotion subsided, and Jaehyuk raised his hand to draw their attention. He leaned leisurely on a chair, appearing indifferent and arrogant.

Even while his family was insulted, his expression didn’t change.

It was remarkable how cold-hearted he seemed.

“You saw and heard it yourselves. The heir of the Silla family wronged me, got stabbed, and begged.”

“…?”

“…?”

“So what should you do? Instead of gossiping here, you should dash out and spread the word of what you just saw. Then the whole school will know the Kang family ranks above the Silla family, right? Don’t you agree?”

“…”

With just a few words from Jaehyuk, the enormous cafeteria fell silent.

Over 100 students, filled with disbelief and astonishment, could only look at him, not daring to open their mouths.

***

“Amazing. They won’t dare blab about today, fearing Silla Kyung’s eyes.”

Silla family’s power was unparalleled.

Not only because of their strength but also due to the immense societal contributions from their bloodline skill, which enabled them to handle healing and nature.

There’s no way anyone would boldly spread stories that harm the Silla family by saying Silla Kyung apologized to Jaehyuk after their clash.

Surely not.

Since Jaehyuk reminded them that the rumors would damage the Silla family, the students couldn’t help but keep their mouths shut.

Even the incident of Jaehyuk wielding a real sword would be covered up.

“So, Jaehyuk, you’re a strategist type, too?”

Yujin looked at Jaehyuk with newfound admiration.

Her first impression of him was terrible, but it turned out he was a sword master with deep wisdom, which was quite surprising.

“Even when you’re insulted, the way you smile is cool.”

With her fist clenched, Dahui’s eyes sparkled. Seeing her, fired up and eager to learn strong mental fortitude, helped ease the unpleasant feeling from Silla Kyung’s words.

“To make Silla Kyung kneel! Kang Jaehyuk is really freaking cool! Come to think of it, lunch was incredibly tasty today. It’s rare for me to have five bowls! Do you think I’ll be taller by tomorrow?”

Dojin had been ecstatic since the first moment. His constant repetitions about how good the meal was and how he had five bowls made him seem like a wild character.

“Lim Yujin, please join our team.”

Jaehyuk cast a longing gaze at Yujin.

She was the only one who understood his intentions, giving him pause for concern.

If the last spot was filled by someone as naive… no, innocent as Dahui or Dojin, it seemed like it might prove to be exhausting in several ways.

Yujin politely declined.

“If I were a supporter, I’d join you immediately. I’m the one who’s disappointed.”

“Well.”

After exchanging greetings, the group soon parted ways.

Exhausted from the raid, Dahui and Yujin headed straight to the dormitory, and Dojin ran off to the training grounds for digestion.

Jaehyuk walked down a secluded path where no one passed by.

The wrecked stage.

When he reached the gate adorned with the majestic lion’s head, he finally let out the pent-up, ragged breath he had been holding.

Silla Kyung.

Remembering the young one who dared to assess his father’s life and casually mentioned failure made his heart throb. He was so furious that his head felt like it was on fire.

But above all, what made him angry…

‘That I am weak.’

He had prided himself on becoming quite strong, but the gap between a National Treasure candidate and a non-awakened being was as vast as heaven and earth.

He had intended to leave at least a scar on that infuriating mouth, but the guy blocked the sword sword draw technique with his bare hand.

It wasn’t just a matter of his stats being several times higher. There were clear indications that he, like a high noble, had mastered transcendent martial arts.

‘The Silla family… A high noble…’

You not only deny the duties of a noble but also dare to insult my father?

At least you should’ve respected him, unlike the others.

Red droplets of blood dripped from Jaehyuk’s lips.

‘If they had respected my father, they wouldn’t have stood idly by while the Kang family crumbled.’

While his beast-like sunken black eyes glared at the night sky for quite some time.

“Sigh…”

He adjusted his breathing, and Jaehyuk’s gaze returned to usual.

To him, anger was a fuel that would never be exhausted.

Yes, it was just fuel.

He used it and consumed it but was never consumed by it.

‘That guy… He only reacted after observing the trajectory of my sword till the end.’

Jaehyuk recalled Silla Kyung’s movements.

From the beginning to the end, he retraced how the opponent had neutralized his sword draw technique.

Swish.

It moves.

Stepping back silently and bending his knees slightly.

Utilizing his back muscles like a whip with a straight posture.

A unique usage of mana that vibrates joints and muscles to enhance elasticity.

‘And the gripping technique that drew my sword, absorption technique.’

With Silla Kyung’s fleeting movement imprinted in his memory, he began to emulate it.

Although the scenery was a forest enveloped in the deep dark night, the reflection in his eyes was of none other than himself.

At this moment, Jaehyuk was Silla Kyung.

He observed himself from the enemy’s perspective and analyzed what was lacking.

“Ha…”

His breathing quickly became labored. It felt as if his core and head were burning.

While replicating the physical movements was relatively easy, maneuvering the mana was a different challenge altogether.

Silla family’s mana technique, revolving and affecting joints and muscles, was different from Kang family’s mana technique.

‘Without knowing the martial art techniques, there’s no solution. Stealing the mana technique of another family by mere observation isn’t easy.’

He hadn’t expected it from the start.

What he needed now was imagination.

He completed Silla Kyung in his mind by adding the imagined manipulation of Silla family’s mana to the physical movements he mimicked.

Having become that guy, he could clearly see his shortfalls.

‘The sword path is too honest. No matter how fast it is, if it’s visible, it’s easy to block. Due to the fixation of the wrist during the act of drawing, it’s inevitable. Is there a way to shake the tip of the sword while drawing? Human physique can’t do it. It’s an area post-awakening. The sword draw technique is a decisive cut interrupting the opponent’s flow. Against someone stronger, it’s better utilized as a counterattack or defensive move…’

His stamina and mental strength were quickly draining.

However, Jaehyuk maintained his focus until the dark sky turned indigo.

He continued the cycle of embodying the movements in the body and imagining with the mind.

Maintaining concentration without even realizing how many times he had fainted in the middle of it all.

『The player candidate breaks through the limits of the body.』
『The player candidate breaks through the limits of the mind.』
『The player candidate’s skills deepen further.』
『The player candidate has broken the limits for 2,961 consecutive days.』
『You gain stat bonus points.』
『Miraculous Achievement!』
『The player candidate enters the 10th state of Transcendental Focus.』
『All stats are increased by 5.』
『Warning! The player’s stats are approaching the limit value.』
『Awaken as a player to increase your limits.』

Transcendental Focus.

A phenomenon born of transcendent concentration. It was a fortuitous event that even prestigious players rarely experienced in their lifetime.

Yet, for a mere 16-year-old boy to enter this state for the 10th time was nothing short of miraculous.

『The spirit of “Lion’s Castle” quivers as it watches you.』

Simultaneously, in the director’s office.

“Is this true…?”

Upon reading the report of the Leech King raid, Seol Soo-ah’s eyes trembled violently.

Since she was the only one aware that Jaehyuk was an unawakened being.

“We must reward him. A very substantial one.”