The Duke's Son :Re-Chapter 202

The hushed discussions of a hundred-thousand-strong audience were like distant thunder.

“H-he killed him? Why?”

“I-is he really dead? This isn’t some joke, right?”

Buzz buzz.

Some spoke with trembling voices, while many others were at first skeptical. After all, few people expected a murder to take place at a live-broadcast, national event.

“Kyaaaack!”

“Crazy! He’s crazy!”

As the truth settled, the rumbling crowd erupted into shouts, screams, and wretching. This wasn’t some dream; the Master of Death God was really dead—beheaded on stage in broad daylight. And the culprit was a boy who was as beautiful as an angel.

Jae-Hyeok’s angelic looks and his gruesome actions clashed violently in the hearts and minds of the spectators. It seemed surreal.

Meanwhile...

Kim Byeok-Jae lost!

Ji Cheon-Myeong crushed the armrest of his chair into smithereens. The surrounding VIP guests seemed to come awake at the sound. They hurriedly stood and cried out.

“T-the Kang family lineage really is rotten to the core! He dares to kill the examiner!”

“Master Kim Byeok-Jae was serving as examiner out of goodwill. He came to guide the younger generation, but who would have expected Kang Jae-Hyeok to return kindness with violence!”

“He’s no different from Kang Dae-Seong and Kang Hyeon-Ah! The children of the Yaksha are all crazy! Someone worse than a beast should never become a National Treasure!”

None of the VIP guests were fools. Each of them had schemed and climbed over countless heads to win the fame, wealth, and influence that they enjoyed to this day. And so although Kim Byeok-Jae’s death was shocking, the VIP guests moved swiftly to guide the narrative.

The more the VIP guests shouted, the more they relaxed into their roles, and the more assured they became: This situation is workable; it’s regrettable that Kang Jae-Hyeok can’t be silenced directly, but burying him socially should give a similar result.

“The Kang family! It’s always the Kang family taking things too far!”

“I should’ve known. How could a terrorist’s brother be normal? It’s creepy to think that such a psychopath almost became a National Treasure candidate.”

Boo! Booooo!

The spectators agreed with the shouts coming from VIP seats, and they unloaded their own criticisms and insults in kind.

The general audience was soon kicked into a rage. They had come to support Jae-Hyeok and witness the birth of a National Treasure candidate. They had trusted Jae-Hyeok’s character the most, and so felt the most betrayed by his ruthless display.

In the blink of an eye, Jae-Hyeok had made a hundred thousand enemies—no, by now, all the people in the country were surely cursing him and the Kang family.

“Why... Why did he kill him?”

Even the Class B first-year students struggled to understand Jae-Hyeok.

Having trained and studied together for a semester, Jae-Hyeok had become a friend and benefactor to each of the students of Class B. They had been excitedly awaiting Jae-Hyeok’s examination since the day it was announced. In various ways, they’d imagined Jae-Hyeok elegantly defeating the examiner, leaving behind some inspirational one-liner, and coolly leaving the stadium accompanied by flowers and cheers. Just thinking of it had stirred their excitement and robbed them of sleep.

So, what was this situation?

Even in their wildest dreams, they had never dreamed that Jae-Hyeok would end up a criminal instead of the National Treasure candidate.

“W-what will happen now?”

Some of the students started to cry.

In particular, Cheon Hye-Ji cried openly.

“Will the exam results be canceled?”

“... That’s probably the case. He dared to kill the examiner. What’s more, that examiner wasn’t just anyone but the master of one of Korea’s top five guilds. He killed one of the county’s few top S-class players without reason. This matter won’t simply be brushed away, I’m afraid.”

Class A’s homeroom teacher, Park Joo-Bong, seriously expressed his opinion.

This made Class B’s homeroom teacher, Kim Jin-Myeong, cry out in frustration, “Jae-Hyeok isn’t someone who would kill for the pleasure of it. Do you really think he would take a life without reason? There must be a story behind it.”

“I agree. But no matter his reasons, killing someone on national TV isn’t exactly good. At the very least, he won’t be eligible to be a National Treasure candidate.”

“Dammit!”

Kim Jin-Myeong wanted to argue, but he knew Park Joo-Bong was right.

He fell silent. Dozens of students were staring at him with eyes full of anxiety and desperation. They seemed to be asking if Jae-Hyeok was really going to be eliminated like this.

Kim Jin-Myeong thought about his position as a teacher and hesitated. What should he say to soothe the children’s hearts?

Just then, an old man in a modified hanbok burst out laughing.

“How funny.”

It was Pharmacist Gam Woo-Seon, the owner of Longevity Dream Health Store.

“Old man, aren’t you supposed to be on Jae-Hyeok’s side? How can you find this situation funny!”

“How is it not?”

Gam Woo-Seon asked the arrogant blonde-haired girl.

“That kid killed Kim Byeok-Jae. But everyone, including you, is only paying attention to why Kim Byeok-Jae was killed.”

“......?”

What was he saying?

The children tilted their heads in confusion, so Park Chang-Cheon explained it to them.

“There are only around ten people in South Korea who can win a one-on-one fight with Kim Byeok-Jae.”

Park Chang-Cheon thought, Of course, there are many hidden masters in this world. There could be more than I know who are stronger than Kim Byeok-Jae. Yet even with that in mind...

Park Chang-Cheon felt the warmth of the tea through the paper cup in his hand. Gam Woo-Seon had brewed a pot while waiting for the examination to start. Now, the exam was over, and the tea was still warm.

... There can’t be more than ten S-class players who can defeat Kim Byeok-Jae in a single second.

“Huh?”

After Park Chang-Cheon spoke, the children started to understand his meaning. Indeed, the most surprising part was that Jae-Hyeok had squashed an S-class player. He’d made it look so simple that no one had noticed, but Jae-Hyeok had done something rarely seen in history.

“Just what is the reason...”

Park Chang-Cheon sipped his tea and noticed his own trembling hand. It wasn’t fear; it was excitement he felt. It was the first time he’d ever felt like this.

“With his talent, so long as there’s justification for Kim Byeok-Jae’s death, the entire nation can probably definitely ignore everything else to nominate Young Master Kang as a future National Treasure.”

Jae-Hyeok’s skills were undeniable. Not even the Association could deny it easily after today’s performance.

If things continue like this...

Park Chang-Cheon’s skin turned to a particularly spacious open booth of the VIP seats, and the fine hairs on his neck prickled. As an S-class tank wth a high Insight stat, Park Chang-Cheon could sense the killing intent rising from the VIP seats. It was subtle, but not subtle enough to get past him.

Ji Cheon-Myeong... of course it’s you.

It had been eight years. Ji Cheon-Myeong had spent nearly half of Jae-Hyeok’s life trying to destroy the Kang family. So, guessing whom Jae-Hyeok’s sword would eventually point to was as easy as reading his own palm for Park Chang-Cheon.

Just then, Ji Cheon-Myeong could no longer control himself. Hi’s expression distorted as he shouted.

“Right now...! The examination ends here!”

A powerful wave of energy spread over the stadium.

To say nothing of the other VIP guests, the general audience, from the ones closest to the ones seated hundreds to thousands of meters away, were all overwhelmed by Ji Cheon-Myeong’s impressive energy.

This was the power of Ji Cheon-Myeong, president of the Korean Players Association and one of the faces of the nation. He was a monster at the peak of S-class, needing only one more level to challenge the thunder tribulation.

At this moment, a small crack appeared in the dome isolating the stadium’s platform. It was the result of Ji Cheon-Myeong’s focused killing intent converging toward Jae-Hyeok. The nearby staff members scrambled in shock at the unbelievable scene.

“In this sacred National Treasure candidate examination, watched by the entire nation, you raised your hands to the great senior who came to help, the leader of one of the five major guilds! You dared to kill him mercilessly? Your sense of ingratitude reminds me of the treasonous Yaksha and Kang Dae-Seong!” Ji Cheon-Myeong shouted.

His mana-amplified voice was as loud as thunder, causing the eardrums of the hundred thousand spectators to ache.

Through the crack in the dome, it even faintly reached Jae-Hyeok from where he stood on the stage.

“Since when was the noble bloodline of the Kang family tainted with such demonic filth? What a shame! I fear that the first president of the Association, the founder Peak Sword, would be shedding tears in his grave!”

Ji Cheon-Myeong had made a decision after witnessing Kim Byeok-Jae’s death: no matter what, he was determined to kill Jae-Hyeok as soon as possible.

He had first sensed it when Kwae Myeong-Su had lost the duel against Jae-Hyeok, describing Jae-Hyeok as the second coming of the Yaksha in his report. After what Ji Cheon-Myeong had seen today, he became certain: Jae-Hyeok was a monster without compare, his growth so fast that Ji Cheon-Myeong couldn’t sit idly by.

He’s even more talented than Kang Dae-Seong. If it’s not solved now, I’ll be devoured later; He absolutely can’t live.

The good news was that Jae-Hyeok had given him justification.

“No respect for the people! You betrayed the kindness of your senior and killed him without mercy! Damaging national morale. That’s high treason! Take him away immediately! Kang Jae-Hyeok doesn’t deserve to stand there!”

Ji Cheon-Myeong was truly a person who controlled the media and manipulated the people. Rather than reason, his every word was crafted to appeal to emotions, inciting anger toward Jae-Hyeok and not giving the crowd time to wonder about the reason behind Jae-Hyeok’s actions.

The effect was great.

“Take away Kang Jae-Hyeok!”

“Hurry up and get that psychopath out of the country!”

Boo! Booooo!

People who agreed with Ji Cheon-Myeong threw snacks and drinks at random as they shouted and criticized Jae-Hyeok.

The Association’s Enforcement Department had already started taking action.

Dozens of sword demons were rushing toward the stage just as a staff member deactivated the force dome around the stage.

“It was self-defense.” Jae-Hyeok’s calm voice echoed through the stadium, somehow filling the entire stadium.

“You are speaking nonsense.”

Ji Cheon-Myeong scoffed.

Battles between players were rarely recorded. In addition to the spatial features of the dome, it could also interfere with recordings to protect players’ privacy. In other words, even if Jae-Hyeok’s claims were true, the evidence was gone.

“I won’t waste words with a murderous demon who doesn’t know anything about the world. Take him away.”

Ji Cheon-Myeong had no intention of giving Jae-Hyeok a chance to speak and make a clear case for himself. He waved his hand, and dozens of sword demons surrounded him. Behind them was Jin Seo-Yeon, the head of the enforcement department.

“I know you’re incredibly skilled. However, as long as you are using a sword, you can’t win against me. Give up obediently.”

What would follow seemed inevitable: Jae-Hyeok would be overpowered and taken to the Association. Then, he would never appear in the outside world again. All the sword demons had bored expressions, as if they were watching a movie with a known ending.

“So that was your plan all along. Then I’ll match you according to your level.” Jae-Hyeok smiled as if he were having a lot of fun.

“This kid... You think you’re good just because you killed the head of the Gyeongnam branch and Kim Byeok-Jae?”

Jin Seo-Yeon clicked her tongue and rested her hand on the hilt of her sword. She was perfectly relaxed.

A stranger’s voice echoed through the stadium, making it shake.

“No, that kid is right. It was self-defense.”

“!”

Accompanying the man’s voice was palpable pressure that caused Jin Seo-Yeon’s knees to bend. Surprisingly, the voice came from the spectator stands a few thousand meters away.

“I saw it.”

In the midst of the tens of thousands of people, a massive man stood up, looking every bit like a bear rearing up. His body was easily three or four times the size of those around him.

“...What? The Thunder Emperor?”

He, one of the United States’ National Treasures and a contender for the world’s strongest player, had actually appeared in a small country like South Korea?

“Did you hear me? That kid killed that dreadlock guy in self-defense.”

The Thunder Emperor’s words carried the weight of mountains. Already, hundreds of cameras were on him, and the hundred thousand spectators were dead quiet.

Ji Cheon-Myeong, mind-blank, was also frozen like a statue.