The Duke's Son :Re-Chapter 217

Shinra Kyeong had hated the Yaksha since before his awakening—back when his eyes were still blue.

“He was an excellent swordsman,” his father had told him. “His combat strength was several levels above mine.”

Shinra Kyeong had hated the Yaksha for making his respected father utter such soft words. His father had seen the thoughts in his eyes because he said then, “I’m not flattering him, and I’m not being humble. What I say is true, Kyeong. Keep this in mind; it’s only when you acknowledge your opponent’s strength that you’ll begin to see what truly matters.”

At the time, Shinra Kyeong hadn’t understood those words. He’d always thought that no matter how skilled a swordsman was, how could he compare to the head of the Shinra family, who commanded the weather and held divine power?

To understand this, he watched and studied the Yaksha even more intently.

He soon learned:

The Yaksha...

A man facing mountains with only the sword in his hand.

During his time, everything gained and everyone protected in Korea was achieved through his blood, sweat, and sacrifice.

That was especially true of Lion’s Castle and the 67th East Asia Gate—had it not been for him giving it his all, South Korea would’ve never been able to keep them.

However, people had forgotten their gratitude. The moment the Yaksha fell, they disparaged his achievements and took everything from the Kang family.

Shinra Kyeong had realized it then: the weak are cowardly. They have no loyalty and no faith in us. They’ll cling to whoever in order to survive, and can be easily provoked into abandoning ship.

Were they worth protecting?

Even at the expense of an aristocrat?

No, Shinra Kyeong had thought; he’d decided then that he wouldn’t devote himself to the commoners... And yet, here he was, doing just that.

Why?

Shinra Kyeong thought about it.

The answer came easily.

I also wanted to be like you.

Old memories reawakened. Shinra Kyeong remembered how he’d felt before the Yaksha’s fall, remembered his admiration for the Yaksha, and remembered how it felt.

That feeling swelled in his heart once again.

Truth be told, Jae-Hyeok was to blame.

Shinra Kyeong couldn’t help seeing the Yaksha in Jae-Hyeok when he’d jumped into the blazing hallway with regard but for his friends.

Just this once, he thought.

I’ll try it the Yaksha’s way.

His divine power was sparse, the glow around his zweihander flickering. Shinra Kyeong knew he wouldn’t be of much help charging into battle in his current state. Nevertheless, he wanted to protect his retainers. They had been with him since childhood. Despite their complaining, they had always been there for him... with him. He couldn’t bear to see them die.

Even without divine power, I still have my sword.

He might not be able to perform miracles like the Yaksha, but he could at least protect his own people.

“Silver hair and gold eyes—that’s Shinra Kyeong! Take him down!”

Kiyaaaah!

“Kuek!”

Upon entering the battlefield, Shinra Kyeong was surrounded by the undead army, and his advance immediately slowed.

His sword felt dull without divine power lining its edge. After some time, he’d only cut down a few undead before shields and bone swords swarmed him.

The undead were summoned by the Baus family’s most elite mages after all; be it level, stats, or skills—they were easily equal to Loren’s zombie parents, many were several times stronger, and there were hundreds of them.

It might be different if he were in a perfect state, but as he was, he struggled to cut them down. Each one took several moves, wearing him down greatly.

“Hahahah! Cheeky idiot! You dare to attack me in that sorry state?”

Bam! Slash!

The wounds on his body increased rapidly.

I’m going to die.

Shinra Kyeong sighed in his heart.

He was going to die a worthless death, a pitiful end even worse than the Yaksha’s. After all, at least the Yaksha had won Korea a gate with his end. In comparison, he was going to die having won nothing and ultimately having saved no one. His death would only provoke a lifetime of mockery from those commoners.

I was rash. Shinra Kyeong began to regret—had he known things would become like this, he would’ve erased his fanciful appreciation for Yaksha long ago.

He never should’ve rushed into the fray...

Shinra Kyeong’s thoughts paused.

He reflected again, Would he? Would he have made a different choice if given the chance?

No. Shinra Kyeong thought. I still would’ve done it. It would’ve become a lifelong regret otherwise.

Shinra Kyeong reached the center of the battlefield, bleeding and tired. The twins, who were back-to-back, saw him and called out.

“Young Master!”

“Young Master—are you crazy? What came over you, rushing in here trying to save us?”

The twins were in rough shape, their arms, legs, and waists a tapestry of punctures, slashes, and bite marks. Even so, they waved Shinra Kyeong over, wanting to protect him.

Shinra Kyeong laughed, but it was empty, resigned. He felt sorry—not because he would die but because he’d failed to save them.

“I’m sorry, Ja-Ha, Ja-Du.”

A pity.

Shinra Kyeong turned and, without hesitation, charged into the throng of monsters. He hoped this way, he could at least cause some chaos and buy time for Ja-Ha and Ja-Du.

“Young Master!”

“N-no! Kyeong!”

The twins screamed, but Shinra Kyeong had already vanished amid the throng of undead and allies. Screaming, they hacked apart several zombies and rushed deeper into the enemy’s ranks.

“Cough!” 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Blood trickled from their lips and wept from their wounds.

Amid shouts and roars, amid raining fireballs and the haze of dust and ash—Ja-Ha and Ja-Du ran on, squinting their blurry eyes and calling out to Shinra Kyeong.

They both prayed with the same heart.

Please, somebody. I’ll trade my life—

I would trade my life...

Just spare young master!

“Space Slash.”

A familiar voice entered their ears as a red thread rippled across the battlefield.

The yellowed skeletons and rotting corpses pursuing the twins suddenly froze. Then they, along with hundreds of other zombies and skeletons, collapsed in two parts.

Neither Ja-Ha nor Ja-Du was of a mind to be awed. They immediately scanned the field of bones and corpses.

“Ah!”

They spotted Shinra Kyeong leaning on his sword. Relief filled their faces. Wounds covered him, but he was alive. Furthermore—

“With this, the debt is paid.”

Jae-Hyeok, with his black hair fluttering in the wind, stood in the epicenter of corpses.

Ja-Ha and Ja-Du relaxed completely.

There had been a time when they’d treated Jae-Hyeok as an arrogant brat, thinking him to be someone with a big mouth and little skill—but those days had long passed. Seeing Jae-Hyeok by their master’s side, Oh Ja-Ha and Oh Ja-Du felt completely assured.

“Aren’t you quite fierce?”

Someone spoke then, and a rising cacophony of groans and clacks filled the twins’ ears as the undead reassembled themselves and rose.

Jae-Hyeok’s expression didn’t change.

His eyes were honed on the crux of the battle.

Not far ahead, the bodies of the two mages fumbled for their heads on the ground. They rose after an awkward moment, each now cradling their head in one arm.

“Combining swordsmanship with Flash Steps? I never dreamed there would be a lunatic so daring,” one head said.

Jae-Hyeok touched his chin. “Undead? I didn’t expect the Baus family to be so ruthless to their own.”

The other head cackled. “It’s nearly impossible to transcend with a human body. You would’ve realized that someday if you weren’t destined to die now—”

Both mages raised one hand and cast Ghost Weapon. A deluge of tiny flames sprayed from their palms. They floated across the battlefield and merged with the undead.

“Say goodbye, kids.”

Blazing swords and armor materialized around the skeletons and zombies. The former clattered and the latter roared.

The ground shook, windows shattered, and trees bent under the soaring aura of the undead.

“W-what should we do?”

Do-Jin’s expression turned pensive. Killing so many undead with ordinary swordsmanship would be very, very difficult. It was for that reason that he and Jae-Hyeok had aimed for the commanders—the mages. They had even used Space Slash, but who would’ve expected that the mages had turned even themselves into undead?

Jae-Hyeok replied simply, “Again.”

“S-Space Slash?”

Jae-Hyeok nodded.

He wasn’t blind to Do-Jin’s state.

Do-Jin was clearly on the verge of exhaustion. Using Flash Steps to transport others consumed dozens of times more stamina and mental energy than using it alone. Furthermore, they were in the midst of the battlefield. Were Do-Jin to make a mistake, Jae-Hyeok could easily end up appearing inside the pavement or the zombie mages, killing him there and then.

But that wouldn’t happen.

He believed in his friend.

Pale and shaking, Do-Jin almost groaned before he caught himself. He hid his exhaustion and said, “Then, let’s do it.”

The Baus family is here thanks to me. No matter what happens, I have to help Jae-Hyeok see this through to the end.

Do-Jin’s eyes burned brighter than the flaming armaments of the undead.

Jae-Hyeok’s life is in my hands.

Do-Jin gritted his teeth and narrowed his focus. Unknowingly, a portion of his circulating mana was drawn from his channels to his mind. Blood trickled from his nose, while the world gained new clarity, his focus sword-sharp. Unknown to Do-Jin, he’d instinctively employed a technique typically used by S-class magicians.

Meanwhile, while Do-Jin was preparing Flash Steps, Jae-Hyeok guarded him. Jae-Hyeok’s sword pulsed with thunder energy, and tens of undead came apart with every flash of his blade.

Nothing could approach.

The twins, not far behind, would have plenty of time to escape.

Jae-Hyeok shifted his focus to what came next.

Given Do-Jin’s current state, I have one chance left. There’s no guarantee that Traces of Tribulation will trigger... I can use Two Scythes Block a Cart to multiply my chances, but I’ll have to time the Skill perfectly with Flash Steps...

As if reading Jae-Hyeok’s mind, the mages snorted.

“Don’t waste your effort.”

At the back of their enhanced undead army, the mages finished casting. A thick wall of water surged from the ground before them, so high that it nearly touched the sky. Do-Jin’s eyes widened. The water entirely obscured the mages—it was the perfect counter to his Flash Steps, which could only move him to a place in sight.

Adding to their troubles, the mages issued a silent command. Undead within a large radius abruptly disengaged with the people of the Shinra family and started madly converging toward Jae-Hyeok.

“Don’t worry.” Jae-Hyeok’s muscles coiled tight. The pavement cracked under his back foot as he leveled his sword at the water. “I’ll split it open,” he said. But inwardly, Jae-Hyeok’s mood darkened. Looks like I’ll have to waste Two Scythes Block a Cart on the water barrier.

Just then, the twins arrived, joined by Shinra Kyeong.

“Bastard mages! Who says we can’t do it?”

“That’s right! Wait until you taste our teamwork!”

Jae-Hyeok looked back and a smile unknowingly touched his lips. He really hadn’t expected those annoying twins to stay and fight.

“We’ll open the way.”

Shinra Kyeong, Ja-Ha, and Ja-Du swept past Jae-Hyeok—as they did, the smell of blood and rotten corpses faded to be replaced with a hint of something refreshing, reminiscent of a forest after fresh rain. The smell emanated from Shinra Kyeong; more specifically, from his divine power.

The divine glow around Shinra Kyeong was faint, but for a single brilliant thread that projected from Shinra Kyeong to the tip of Ja-Ha’s sword.

A Shinra Kyeong–Oh Ja-Ha Original Skill—

“Linked Kill Wind.”

Oh Ja-Ha unleashed a flurry of sword strikes, each summoning a divine wind. The combination of divine wind and Linked Kill produced a devastating AOE that minced undead through.

Several columns of wind punched through the water barrier, revealing one of the mages behind. Then, Shinra Kyeong blinked and saw Jae-Hyeok looming over the now-flailing mage.

From here on, Shinra Kyeong had a good feeling that the undead wouldn’t be coming back a third time.