Duke’s Son: Re

Chapter 40

“What good is being a master of spear techniques? The Kang family lineage skill enhances the power of sword techniques.”

“If the Kang family lineage skill was that great, Kang Jaehyuk wouldn’t have bothered using a spear. He would have easily won with his sword techniques, regardless of the opponent.”

“True, compared to Silla Kyung and Lauren, Kang Jaehyuk’s performance was just child’s play. No matter how well he uses a sword and spear, he couldn’t even scratch Lauren’s real armor, and he couldn’t even approach the whirlwind created by Silla Kyung. So what’s the point?”

“Exactly! The most important thing for a player is skill, skill! Hahaha!”

Surprisingly, the atmosphere among the association affiliates was not bad.

Although Kang Jaehyuk’s performance had been impressive, it was not to the extent they had feared.

Hadn’t he engaged in a fierce battle with a fool-like opponent who had developed an invisibility skill despite being just a spearman?

He was too often compared with Silla Kyung and Lauren.

Considering he had developed a lineage skill, it was a disappointing level.

As they left laughing, the master of the Sun Guild, Geum Haeshin, looked at them with disdain.

‘Idiots.’

He, too, agreed with their opinion that skills were the most important.

However, mastery that had reached perfection carried a value close to skills, akin to mana control.

‘The president’s words were true.’

About a month ago.

The president had sent a sword ghost to attack the Kang family’s estate.

And he claimed that the sword ghost was killed by Kang Jaehyuk.

At first, he was skeptical.

Even if Kang Jaehyuk had powerful skills and the sword ghost was careless and made a fatal mistake, it was hard to imagine an inexperienced level player killing a B-rank player.

But some time ago.

Watching Kang Jaehyuk’s reevaluation through the news, he became convinced.

The sword ghost was not killed by that guy.

A sword ghost being killed by an unawakened person was in the realm of the ‘impossible’.

Surely an external intervention was involved.

For example, it could have been an operation by the forces that thoroughly concealed the sword ghost’s attack on the Kang family.

However, Geum Haeshin now thought differently.

‘Kang Jaehyuk’s spear techniques are genuine.’

He was more than capable of countering a sword ghost who relied solely on a single sword.

‘His stats must be higher than his level suggests.’

His stats must have steadily increased from honing his sword and spear skills as an unawakened person.

And having gained the lineage skill, he might become an A-rank player by the time he graduated from the Lion’s Castle.

‘The president will be anxious.’

The Lion’s Castle.

Perhaps this place could become a battlefield once again.

As he thought this, showing a cold expression, other guild masters approached him.

“This is your first time attending a freshman duel evaluation, isn’t it, Master Geum? The hype around Silla Kyung and Kang Jaehyuk is extraordinary!”

A gentle smile spread across Geum Haeshin’s face.

“Those children are certainly remarkable, but this year, there are twelve others who are worthy of becoming pillars of the nation. I couldn’t help but head there with excitement.”

“Haha, we’re just rushing to expand our numbers, but you, Master Geum, are gauging the future of our country? I’m embarrassed.”

“Whatever home they choose down the line, as long as they contribute to the country’s development and peace, I’ll be delighted. There are more remarkable kids than the rumors suggested. I hope you form good exchanges with the students. I’ll be on my way.”

Geum Haeshin indeed left promptly.

Had the master of the top five guilds already joined the recruitment battle, it would have put the other guilds in a difficult position.

“As expected of Geum Haeshin, who’s devoted to his country.”

“It’s like continuing the will of the predecessors properly. They founded the Sun Guild, wanting to be a sun that brightly lights up the future of Korea. The people of the Geum family all seem like figures worthy of respect. If Yaksha had a gentle disposition, wouldn’t it feel like that?”

***

〈Post: Yaksha Doesn’t Seem Like Just Hype〉

Seeing Yaksha’s son today, Yaksha must have been truly remarkable.

└Now you realize?

└Only you Koreans underrate Yaksha.

└Every time, I feel it’s a pity there’s Player Protection Law preventing the recording and distribution of combat videos. If that were allowed, the old names wouldn’t be underrated.

└Without the law, players would hide 70% of their power, and Earth would be doomed lol.

〈Post: No Matter How Great Yaksha’s Son Is〉

It’s only for domestic consumption anyway, so the excitement of Koreans is over the top.

└Ahem. Please call them Lion’s Castle students instead of Koreans.

└Specifically, it’s the freshmen getting all excited. Even the second-year students don’t care much about Kang Jaehyuk.

└Haha, as freshmen, even seeing an A-rank player would make them wet their pants.

└The fact is, even current players wet their pants at the sight of an A-rank.

〈Post: So How Great Was Yaksha?〉

Could he compare with the National Treasures of the US or UK?

└Probably? He was the strongest in East Asia.

Smile.

“Jaehyuk, good morning~ You were really cool yesterday!”

Grin.

“Yesterday, the audience kept talking about Yaksha, so I looked it up in the community, and it turns out your father was amazing? Foreigners seem to know, so why didn’t I?”

Bright smile!

After the duel evaluation, Jaehyuk’s face couldn’t stop smiling.

He was delighted as Kang family and his father were mentioned often among the students.

“… This is scary.”

“It’s honestly crazy.”

Class B students looked at him with a mixture of dread and shock as he cut down a massive sandworm with a smile on his face.

“But why does it feel like the gap in skill keeps widening?”

“I was just thinking the same.”

In three days, Class B had finished adapting to desert training.

The desert terrain being easier compared to the swamp helped, and the lectures on mana studies also greatly benefited them.

Above all, their desperate attempts to avoid getting hit by Kang Jaehyuk helped them quickly adapt to the desert.

According to Kim Jinmyung, they set the best record among the past Class Bs.

They were still lacking compared to Class A, but he planted hope that they could gradually close the gap.

Yes, Class B students were at the peak of their confidence.

But seeing Jaehyuk smiling while annihilating the desert monsters; sandworms, obsidian scorpions, Face-Backed Mcqueen’s, Giant Cooltars and spiders, mirage thieves, and cactuses controlled by the oasis parasites, their confidence plummeted.

However, they hadn’t lost their motivation.

Their determination burned fiercely.

Crawling out of the wormhole, Lee Jinsung, Baesoo, and Chun Hyeji, with bloodshot eyes, shouted with determination.

“Dammit, Kang Jaehyuk, you crazy fool! How can you push someone into a monster? I almost got eaten by a sandworm because of you!!”

“Do you think you’ll be the only one getting stronger? Our growth rate is faster since our levels are lower than yours? Watch out for us soon… huh?”

“There, there are no monsters?”

The trio, who hunted sandworms to level up and gain momentum, were dumbfounded.

After narrowly escaping the fierce battle in the wormhole, they found the area empty.

All Class B students, with fierce focus, had run far apresident, massacring monsters.

“They all went through something similar because of him….”

“….”

Kim Jinmyung’s explanation clarified the situation instantly.

Kang Jaehyuk, that crazy guy.

Despite his unusually good mood today, his behavior remained unchanged.

While bepresidenting more monsters than anyone else, he continued to push others relentlessly.

“All I can say is he’s amazing.”

“Why is he helping us?”

No one in this world.

Would carelessly take care of others.

Yet Kang Jaehyuk was leading Class B in every training session.

His methods were too rough, angering many, but Class B students clearly understood that Jaehyuk was helping them.

Just yesterday, Class B students achieved good results in the duel evaluation. Thanks to the weekly bashing from Jaehyuk, class C students’ skills felt weak, which seemed miraculous.

“Nobles are supposed to help people, they say.”

As Kim Jinmyung spoke, with a warm smile.

“Ahhhh!”

Lee Jinsung’s group suddenly screamed as a cactus flew in and hit their faces.

Covered in needles, they rolled on the sand while Kim Jinmyung started sweating coldly.

“… He is helping us, right, Jaehyuk?”

***

『Level up!』

Name: Kang Jaehyuk

Job: Knight (Growth type)

Level: 20

Mana: 1,020/1,020

Strength: 102 Stamina: 102 Agility: 83 Mana: 102 Insight: 83

Skills: 『Noble Chivalry』, 『Empty』, 『Empty』

Finally, level 20.

In less than ten days after awakening, he had become a D-rank player.

Could this be a world record?

It was something he could take pride in, but Jaehyuk felt significant regret.

‘If an assassin had come just once more, I would’ve reached level 20 much earlier.’

Since Yun Sangho’s incident, no assassins had come after him.

They seemed to have become cautious after the sudden disappearance of a fellow from their industry.

And they would slowly restart their activities, being prudent as they were.

‘I’ve laid the groundwork well during the duel evaluation.’

Jaehyuk’s good mood was particularly due to the fact that his Thunder Blade skill hadn’t activated even once during the duel evaluation.

Partially thanks to him taking it easy and attacking leisurely, given the description that said it triggers at a low probability, but honestly, he was lucky.

He managed to hide most of his power.

The assassins must have been convinced.

That Yun Sangho’s disappearance had another reason entirely, and there was no way Jaehyuk took him down.

‘Also, Ha Kyungsoo’s body was unexpectedly durable, which helped.’

No matter how gently he struck, the guy kept getting back up like a punchbag.

Thus, his stats probably appeared lower than intended.

‘Is the Ha family one of our family’s enemies too?’

Remembering Ha Kyungsoo, Jaehyuk’s eyes glistened with suspicion.

‘Suspicious.’

Ha Kyungsoo was needlessly hostile to him.

All he had done to that guy was make him get penalty points and beat him up badly during a duel evaluation. Even then, he didn’t mean to.

The penalty points were given by Kim Jinmyung when Ha Kyungsoo acted out.

Beating him up publicly happened because the duel evaluation forced his hand.

‘But showing such excessive hostility means….’

Could it be an issue of upbringing?

Perhaps the Ha family looked down on the Kang family, which naturally led Ha Kyungsoo to resent him.

He would need to keep an eye on him.

‘I’m truly grateful to Seol Soo-ah.’

Now even the Lion’s Castle provided information on an enemy. As Jaehyuk thought this, grateful for having joined the academy, Kim Jinmyung returned and made a suggestion.

“Jaehyuk, would you consider taking on a request this weekend?”