Duke’s Son: Re

Chapter 75

It was an era where one could interact with other worlds through Gates and experience various civilizations and cultures.

People had come to perceive the vastness of the universe, reaching a point where it felt unreasonable to believe there were no gods.

Jaehyuk’s thoughts were not much different.

The ‘gods’ mentioned by the Lion statue and the ‘gods’ described in the information from Iyarugt: though he didn’t know who they were, they seemed plausible to exist.

“The Blacksmith God,”

Jaehyuk mused.

The Song family had historically produced blacksmiths through the generations.

It was comprehensible that the form of the god they revered would be a blacksmith.

But what did it mean that the world was preserved by the Blacksmith God?

Moreover, the notion that he, Jaehyuk, was qualified to ascend there was bewildering.

“Do I possess a qualification that my father did not?”

The most significant difference between his father and himself was…

“First Skill.”

〈Noble Chivalry〉

“If this skill is what proves my worth….”

Jaehyuk recalled the moment he had awakened his First Skill. The very existence known as Princess Iris of Reindhart had reacted to it. This made one thing clear.

“It might be that the world preserved by the Blacksmith God is not entirely unrelated to Reindhart.”

He had gained a valuable clue. It felt as if the perceived size of the world had suddenly expanded.

It was information and sensation that could be worth hundreds of thousands of points in the community.

“I sincerely thank you. As the craftsman strikes iron more and more, I too will train myself to meet the craftsman’s expectations, becoming a greater person,” he pledged, holding the aged hands of Blacksmith Song gently.

Seeing Jaehyuk’s resolute demeanor, Blacksmith Song felt a chill run down his spine.

“So, you weren’t someone who hadn’t glimpsed into the abyss.”

For a moment, observing Jaehyuk’s sparkling eyes, he had forgotten.

The boy before him had lived a harsh life, one that could never be considered pure.

The resolve that Jaehyuk fleetingly displayed was as sharp as the anticipation of the Iyarugt he had just witnessed.

Understanding dawned on him.

“Yes, I comprehend you—the bond between a swordsmith and a sword wielder is comparable to lifelong partners. Lacking mutual understanding is a recipe for disaster. The smith must know the wielder to craft a fitting weapon; likewise, the wielder must discern the smith not to make absurd demands.”

“I entrust the weapon I will use entirely to you, craftsman.”

Jaehyuk was already aware of this fact.

He judged that trust was the best response to Blacksmith Song’s kindness and necessary for the new relationship beginning.

Seeing into Jaehyuk’s profound thoughts, Blacksmith Song received a bolt of inspiration.

“This child is different from the mere genius Daeguk we had before.”

The shortened days left in his life seemed regrettable anew. He felt too limited to satisfy this child fully.

Struggling to shake off the regret, he changed the subject.

“Was the reason you sought to meet me urgently because of Iyarugt’s soul?”

“Yes, I wish to know the whereabouts of the soul.”

Jaehyuk had half given up his expectations.

After all, Iyarugt had been missing for nearly 200 years. Blacksmith Song, too, seemed unlikely to know much about it, so getting the desired answer seemed daunting.

However, surprisingly…

“If you indeed reach the world preserved by the Blacksmith God, you will naturally encounter Iyarugt’s soul.”

Thanks to oral tradition passed down in the family, Blacksmith Song knew the soul’s whereabouts.

“But there’s no guarantee meeting the soul would be favorable for you. I’ve heard that Iyarugt’s soul is a demon.”

“A demon? It must be rather wicked… No, a bit savage, perhaps?”

Jaehyuk’s expression grew slightly uneasy. With his father’s nickname being Yaksha, he couldn’t prematurely hold prejudice against one referred to as a demon.

Seeing the boy show a rare innocent side, Blacksmith Song chuckled lightly.

“Not just a nickname; it seems to actually be a demon. In this vast universe, it wouldn’t be strange if demons or angels existed.”

“…”

“Anyway, I think it’s best not to worry about Iyarugt’s soul for now. Something that might help you currently is to clarify Iyarugt’s ‘image’.”

“Iyarugt’s image…?”

“When the sword changes shape to Iyarugt, the process is somewhat slow. As you know, item form change responds to the user’s will. The more vividly Iyarugt’s image is engraved in your mind, the faster the manifestation and operation of your will become.”

“Ah.”

“Users who handle transformation items typically use specific gestures or commands to enhance image recall efficiency. Since the red aura emitted by Iyarugt resembles a blooming flower, why not try the command ‘Bloom’?”

“Bloom.”

Adopting Blacksmith Song’s advice, Jaehyuk murmured.

Swoosh….

Indeed, it was a great help. The Iyarugt extracted from its scabbard was already red and translucent as if it had always held that form.

“Well done. Your focus is quite remarkable. Moreover, I recommend looking into the whereabouts of 『Peak Sword’s Nobility』.”

“Peak Sword’s… Nobility?”

“Ha ha, Peak Sword’s Nobility: the scabbard. The Nobility (鉅) in the name implies nobleness, I presume.”

Peak Sword indicated the epithet of the founder of the Kang family, signifying transcendental mastery in swordsmanship. The name Peak Sword’s Nobility likely sought to revere the founder and their swordsmanship.

“The Peak Sword’s Nobility is the treasure passed down to the patriarchs of the Kang family. If you acquire it, it will surely become a great strength for you.”

“Hmmm…”

Jaehyuk cast a glance at Steward Hwang. Steward Hwang wore an expression of regret.

“When handed over from the government, your father only possessed a single sword. Even when we demanded the return of other belongings, the only response was ‘none’.”

Clench!

Veins bulged on Jaehyuk’s neck as he ground his teeth. How far did these damned people intend to humiliate his father?

Fighting back the curses rising to his lips, he spoke as though vowing to himself.

“Worry not. I will retrieve everything the Kang family has lost.”

* * *

“…….”

On the way back to the Lion’s Castle after parting with Blacksmith Song and Steward Hwang, Jang Yeonju and Noh Junyeob glanced furtively at Jaehyuk, who wore an unusually cold expression.

He appeared deep in thought, and they sensed that interrupting him would likely lead to trouble.

‘For someone so young, he sure knows how to create an atmosphere.’

Just as Noh Junyeob was murmuring softly to himself, Jaehyuk suddenly stopped and turned to face the two.

“Hiccup!”

Startled, Noh Junyeob hiccupped involuntarily.

Despite himself, he felt fear toward this junior whom he had considered a mere child.

That was how intense Jaehyuk’s presence was at the moment.

“Thank you.”

Fortunately, Jaehyuk had managed to reign in his emotions. He offered a small bow to the slightly tense Jang Yeonju and Noh Junyeob.

“You both have been a great help.”

Had it not been for Jang Yeonju and Noh Junyeob, Jaehyuk would not have met the craftsman, Blacksmith Song, so swiftly.

Unable to act directly, it would have taken an immense amount of time to find a suitable club and submit a commission.

“I will be sure to repay this kindness.”

“It was just… fulfilling a commission. We got paid, so that’s enough.”

Surprisingly, Noh Junyeob expressed modesty.

In truth, it was his first time handling a private commission.

As a freshman, he focused solely on training as a sniping ace; upon becoming a second-year, he handled only significant events like guild dispatches.

Thus, being thanked by a client for the first time felt slightly awkward.

As he sheepishly scratched his head, Jang Yeonju removed the lollipop from her mouth and boldly made her request.

“I want to learn archery from you, Jaehyuk.”

“Archery…”

Jaehyuk’s gaze swept over Jang Yeonju’s white wrists and ankles. He had recently learned from Steward Hwang about what they had gone through in Gris City.

“It’s not difficult, but there’s a condition that you must observe my evaluation tomorrow.”

“… Observe a first-year evaluation?”

Jang Yeonju reacted with curiosity. A first-year duel evaluation held no value from a second-year’s perspective.

Even with Jaehyuk participating, the opponents were bound to be inferior, making it a waste of time.

However, guessing he had a purpose, she briefly contemplated before nodding in agreement.

“Alright.”

* * *

“Jaehyuk is up against Class A again.”

“At this point, isn’t the school arranging this just to see Jaehyuk lose once?”

“But isn’t that Jang Yeonju from the second year…?”

“Whoa, you’re right. What is someone so prominent doing here…?”

On the first day of the first-year duel evaluations, numerous outsiders visited the Lion’s Castle.

However, the atmosphere today was different. There were almost no outsiders, and the audience was predominantly first-year students.

This meant that the outsiders had largely gauged the overall level of the newcomers on the first day.

The interest in Jaehyuk would likely peak again when more prominent figures matched up with top-ranking students like Silla Kyung or Lauren.

“Tsk.”

Class A’s Lee Sungjun was displeased with the sparsely filled seats.

“I wanted to declare my overwhelming victory to the world, but the vibe is just not right.”

Lee Sungjun sneered as he faced Jaehyuk on stage.

“You’ve awakened the bloodline skill of a duke’s family, yet there’s so little interest? Oh, right, the Kang family isn’t even a duke family, huh? Matches should be chosen wisely. Oh!”

His eyes widened as he spotted a beauty with sky-blue hair, arms crossed, at the back of the audience.

Second-year Jang Yeonju.

Anyone who was a South Korean citizen knew about her. In particular, Lee Sungjun had always harbored an interest in her.

‘She’s the granddaughter of the Bow Saint but awakened a combat-oriented First Skill. We walk the same path.’

Lee Sungjun’s spirits soared with confidence. For Sungjun, this duel evaluation was a significant opportunity.

Knowing that defeating Jaehyuk, who had beaten Ha Kyungsoo, would restore his tarnished honor.

But now that even Jang Yeonju seemed interested, his motivation surged.

“One minute. I’ll finish you in one minute.”

As Lee Sungjun raised a single finger, the atmosphere in the audience heated up.

Most students anticipated Lee Sungjun’s victory; after all, he was from Class A and a combatant, putting Jaehyuk at a disadvantage both in skill and match-up.

Boom!

Indeed, Lee Sungjun’s movements were extraordinary.

His swift kick was sharp like a bee’s sting, ready to take down Jaehyuk in a single blow and end the match in less than a minute.

However, the outcome was far beyond anyone’s expectations.

‘What?’

A chill ran down Lee Sungjun’s spine.

Just as a heavy impact registered on his ankle, his lower body suddenly lifted against his will.

He had no chance to comprehend the situation before his head met the ground.

“What the…”

KAPOW!!

“….”

Instantly, the entire gymnasium fell silent.

Jaehyuk hadn’t drawn a sword nor a spear.

He simply caught Lee Sungjun’s ankle with his bare hand, swung him over his shoulder, and slammed him into the ground.

Timing, technique, stats—a flawless grappling technique.

With a calm expression, even after folding someone in half, Jaehyuk merely glanced up at Jang Yeonju in the audience.

‘It seems you might have forgotten something vital by fixating on archery.’