The Duke's Son :Re-Chapter 231

Cha Seung-Min’s severed arm spun through the air in a rain of blood.

Nevertheless, Cha Seung-Min didn’t shout or groan, nor did he even raise an eyebrow. As a military general and an S-class player, he had trudged through more wind and rain than others would in several lifetimes.

Despite only being in his forties, Cha Seung-Min was counted among the elders when it came to combat experience—the battlefield as his second home.

For someone like him, losing a limb wasn’t anything unusual, nor was the situation critical, so long as he kept calm.

A simple misstep. I will need to adjust accordingly.

Cha Seung-Min calmly acknowledged his misjudgement. Having been countered so cleanly, it was clear to him that he’d overlooked two important variables: the first being that Jae-Hyeok was, after all, a Kang and may have remembered his sister’s techniques from childhood; the second being that Jae-Hyeok was a student of Lion’s Castle and may have seen through his techniques from having sparred with his daughter Cha Jo-Ah. If it were the latter, then that would explain why Jae-Hyeok had been prepared for his Neck Drop, as if knowing ahead of time that Cha Seung-Min could and would use it.

Either way, now that he’d used Neck Drop and failed to capitalize, Cha Seung-Min knew Jae-Hyeok would be on guard against any Kang martial techniques he might use.

Cha Seung-Min reached an easy decision.

Since he’s already alerted, I’ll simply stop using Kang Hyeon-Ah’s techniques. In any case, I have an advantage even without them.

Although Jae-Hyeok might surpass him in raw talent, that was it; be it level, stats, or experience—Cha Seung-Min knew himself to be superior in all other aspects. After all, he had been leading the battle smoothly until just a moment ago.

Once I recover and change tack, this fight will be over in moments.

With that, Cha Seung-Min reached for a potion pouch at his waist with his right hand. But in that instant, a flicker of red swept by, and his remaining hand flew away.

...What?

Cha Seung-Min was unable to hide his bewilderment and stumbled backward.

Jae-Hyeok’s strike had been so quick and precise that it seemed as if he’d been waiting for him to reach for his pouch.

Has he been leading me by the nose?

At that thought, Jae-Hyeok’s glossy black eyes took on an eerie glint in Cha Seung-Min's view. He felt as if those eyes could peer through his mind.

Jae-Hyeok spoke then. “You’re a hypocrite in many ways, but there are some rules even you abide by.”

“What nonsense...”

Seeing Cha Seung-Min pale, bleeding, and confused, Jae-Hyeok thought to relieve him of at least one of his conditions. He gestured to the belt pouches clipped to Cha Seung-Min’s uniform.

“Your uniform and belts are standard issue. Indeed, if generals were to customize their uniforms, then wouldn’t that set a bad example for the soldiers?”

Cha Seung-Min was struck with realization. His uniform was the standard attire for a Korean general, and this was often how he dressed for media appearances. “Don’t tell me...”

A smirk appeared on Jae-Hyeok’s face, and Cha Seung-Min became convinced. “You actually went so far as to study a general’s dress code and memorize where I keep my potions? And then, what? You waited like a viper in the thicket for me to reach for a potion?” Cha Seung-Min laughed in anger. “Kang Jae-Hyeok, are you a boy or an old demon?”

“Don’t blame me. You should reflect on your own arrogance.”

Cha Seung-Min bared his teeth—ink-black mana coarse toward his stumps and spun into prosthetic arms, which he raised in a cross before his chest, just in time to block the red blurr that was Jae-Hyeok’s blade.

“Isn’t it rather careless to challenge me without bothering to wear your combat uniform? Ah, I guess you, a mighty general, were too proud to take a kid like me seriously,” Jae-Hyeok taunted.

“You overestimate yourself. Do you really think that someone in my position came here for you?”

“Don’t make me laugh. Look at what state you’re in. I’ll make you let go of that pathetic pride of yours and crawl. You will regret every second of the last eight years.”

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Jae-Hyeok’s breathing became ragged as he unleashed attack after attack. He’d spent so much time criticising Cha Seung-Mi that he’d interrupted his own breathing.

It was rare for Jae-Hyeok to be so angered that he lost control, but Cha Seung-Min had struck a nerve.

Cha Seung-Min schemed and stole from the Kang family, yet he dared to call him a demon? Anger burned in Jae-Hyeok’s heart.

It was good luck for Cha Seung-Min.

I’m glad he doesn’t have enough experience. I’ll keep him riled and wait for him to make a mistake. With that thought, Cha Seung-Min slapped aside Jae-Hyeok’s blade and chuckled.

“Your sister has been beneath my boot for years, and that’s all you have to say? As expected of an orphan, you must’ve never learned how to express yourself.”

Jae-Hyeok’s face twisted in even greater anger, but only for an instant. Almost immediately, the fury vanished to be replaced with a blooming smile. “I thought the same about Cha Jo-Ah. Anyone who didn’t know better would think she was without parents. One time she refused to listen, so I had to beat the lunch out of her.”

“You...”

With gritted teeth and a twitching eye, Cha Seung-Min reigned in his anger. Then he blocked Jae-Hyeok’s next strike and went with the force to dance back several steps.

The black mana constituting his arms started to blaze like black fire.

I can’t let this battle drag out.

The arms Cha Seung-Min had shaped from mana were also stemming the bleeding of his wounds and infusing mana there as well, hastening the natural healing processes of his body. These were unintended consequences—and it was by no means a good thing.

If his stumps were to scar over before he could use a potion, he would be stuck with prosthetic arms for life.

I‘ll finish it in one move.

After dozens of clashes, Cha Seung-Min had become accustomed to Kang Jae-Hyeok’s swordsmanship. Initially, the speed was difficult to adapt to, but he gradually figured out the timing. And after repeated tests, he confirmed that he had the advantage in attack power.

All he needed to do was wait for the opportune timing before striking hard and true, killing Jae-Hyeok in one blow.

As for when the opportune moment was?

Cha Seung-Min had already figured it out; he’d seen the way in which the pavement would occasionally crack when Jae-Hyeok performed his sword-draw.

Whether he’s leaning back or forward—none of that matters. The speed of his sword-draw is born of that step he takes—it’s both the source and crux of his technique.

Just as then, Jae-Hyeok’s knuckles tightened around the sword handle at his waist, and he lifted his foot.

Cha Seung-Min’s eye flashed.

Now.

Bloodline Skill: Black Dragon’s Ascension.

Thump!

Instead of striking Jae-Hyeok directly, Seung-Min’s fist struck the ground.

Boom!

A spectacular scene unfolded.

Black mana drilled into the ground and opened up a massive sinkhole directly before Cha Seung-Min, devouring Jae-Hyeok alongside much of the surrounding rubble.

It is a pity that I couldn’t capture him alive, but... this is for the best. That kid is too dangerous to take risks with.

“Die.”

A series of deafening roars echoed from the black depths of the sinkhole.

After the commotion died down, a long dragon formed of Cha Seung-Min’s roiling black mana shot from the sinkhole, circled once in the sky, and landed before Cha Seung-Min.

Black Dragon Ascension—it was the trump card that had allowed Cha Seung-Min to accomplish legendary merits, defeating higher-level foes and securing his promotion to general.

“Oh... Ohhhh!”

The soldiers popped their heads from cover and cheered, awed to have seen General Cha Seung-in’s legendary Skill in person.

“Sigh.”

Cha Seung-Min was drenched in sweat as he sat down where he was. He reached for a potion, only to realize he no longer had arms.

Even the arms he’d constituted from his mana had vanished, having been converted into fuel for his Dragon Ascension Skill.

Cha Seung-Min couldn't believe that a kid who’d become a National Treasure candidate only days earlier had driven him to this state. Annoyed, he clicked his tongue and controlled his mana to condense another arm.

His magic core activated, and his mana began to cycle according to the Cha family’s secret technique, uniquely designed for moving and manipulating the Cha family’s heavy mana.

In fact, the complex principles underlying the Cha family’s mana control technique shared similarities to the Demonic Hands Technique of Lion’s Castle’s Great Master, and, indeed, the Cha family’s technique had seen great improvement in recent years thanks to her inspiration.

The Cha family’s complex mana control technique is a testament to our greatness. Cha Seung-Min smiled. From this day forward, the Cha family will rise as a ducal family, taking the place of the Kangs so that soon, everyone will know of our greatness.

“Kuaaack!”

A crippling pain pulled Cha Seung-Min from his thoughts.

With wide eyes, he stared down at the red blade jutting from the face of his black dragon, the tip of which had disappeared into his belly.

The pain was blinding, but worse still, Cha Seung-Min immediately sensed the long cracks in his mana core.

He could only watch as the black dragon, along with the arm he’d condensed from mana, both began to rapidly dissipate.

“C-cough! How... ou should be dead, crushed...”

Rather than answer, Jae-Hyeok asked, “Tell me. Just how have you been abusing my Elder Sister?” Jae-Hyeok returned Heavy Moon to his inventory and continued, “How did you make her leak the Kang family’s martial arts?”

Kang Hyeon-Ah was as stubborn as a mountain. It was to the point where their strict father would sooner throw up his hands in defeat than sway her mind. So whatever Cha Seung-Min was doing to steal Kang Hyeon-Ah’s martial arts, Jae-Hyeok knew it couldn’t be as simple as torture.

Jae-Hyeok bitterly thought, They must have forced her into a condition where she’s confused or doesn’t know she’s being used.

Cha Seong-Min coughed up blood and sneered.

“You want to know? First, I—Black Wind!”

A torrent of black, mist-like mana rushed from Cha Seung-Min and knocked Jae-Hyeok back before gathering into a ball with Jae-Hyeok in the center.

Jae-Hyeok easily broke free, but it delayed him by several breaths. In that time, Cha Seung-Min disappeared through a side doorway feeding directly into the blue, metallic section of the prison building.

That’s probably the prison wing where Elder Sister is being held.

“What a mess...”

Jae-Hyeok chased after Cha Seung-Min and kicked open the door before glancing left and right.

The interior of the structure was more than ten times larger than it seemed from the outside, and it branched into a maze of corridors.

An expansion spell?

Not only that... Jae-Hyeok ceased attempting to enhance his senses; apparently, some device had been installed to interfere with mana flow.

Tracking him would’ve been difficult ordinarily, but thankfully... Jae-Hyeok bent down to examine the dribbles of blood on the floor. He stood and continued forward after a moment, repeating this process as he went.

His footsteps echoed slowly in the huge corridor.

After all, the more nervous Cha Seung-Mi was, the more prone he would be to making mistakes. It was a standard hunting technique.

But after a while, Jae-Hyeok regretted not rushing. “Stop. If you take one more step, your sister will die.”

A woman’s head was poking through the small iron bars behind Cha Seung-Min, her hair gripped tightly in his hand. The woman’s face was obscured by her unkempt hair, but Jae-Hyeok recognized her immediately.

It was Kang Hyeon-Ah.

This once-vibrant woman, who had shone brighter than the sun, now appeared frail and diminished.

“... Sister.”