The Duke's Son :Re
Chapter 57

Chapter 57

What’s this?

Jae-Hyeok’s weapon was mediocre—it was just one of the dozens of hwandos on display in the Kang estate’s armory.

It had a dark green scabbard, an ink-colored blade, a golden sash, and a red tassel.

Although it was covered with the symbols of the Kang family and had cultural value, it technically wasn’t a precious item.

Jae-Hyeok had never expected the nearly shattered blade to begin floating and releasing a blood-red light. However, that wasn’t the most shocking part.

Iyarugt. That was the name of the sword favored by the Kang family’s founder hundreds of years ago.

“Ah... ”

The glowing cracks in the blade rapidly closed, but the red light wasn’t contained for long. It seeped through every inch of the hwando. The metal slowly turned translucent before the light grew glaring and forced Jae-Hyeok to look away. After some time, the light faded, and a beautiful longsword that seemed to be crafted from red glass hovered in the air.

Jae-Hyeok’s dark eyes shook. The beloved sword of the founder, previously seen only in records, was floating before him. Even the hilt had changed, and only the tassel on the hilt proved that this sword had once been his original hwando.

“It’s a demon sword. Although it’s empty now, it isn’t hard to imagine how powerful the sword’s soul must’ve been,” Theodore said.

Jae-Hyeok came to his senses after hearing the eerie voice. He hurriedly reached for Iyarugt.

The hilt of the sword moved to meet his grip.

He was thrilled. The blade’s gorgeous appearance provided him with a sense of unity. Everything about the blade was perfect, from the weight to the balance to the toughness and its sharp aura. It was an ideal sword.

However... It can’t be wielded by just anyone.

The character of the sword was too noble; as an ideal sword, it demanded an ideal master. In other words, if he made a mistake while wielding the sword, then its sharp aura would instead be directed at its master. That wasn’t a disadvantage; rather, he felt it was only natural. Even for a simple kitchen knife, the sharper it was, the more it required a master’s touch, so Jae-Hyeok was unbothered by the sword’s requirement.

He held the Iyarugt in a two-handed grip. Iyarugt wouldn’t fit in his scabbard, so he couldn’t use the sword-drawing technique.

It’s a double-edged sword.

It was often said that single-edged swords were suitable for slashing and double-edged swords were suitable for stabbing. But that saying arose from one-sided prejudices. A single-edged sword could stab through enemies with enough power to easily kill, and a double-edged sword could slash through enemies in a manner that was superior to a single-edged sword. Ultimately, a weapon’s effectiveness depended on the competence of its user.

“I thought the Troll Lord would eat you. It might’ve been a newborn, but it was still a ruler. It was obviously stronger than you.”

Keeping his two-handed grip, Jae-Hyeok raised the sword until the hilt was in line and just above his right shoulder.

He looked completely different from when he held the single-edged sword, which intrigued Theodore. “I wonder if you still have the ability to defeat a stronger opponent now that you’re wielding a sword instead of your hwando.”

Theodore’s large and rugged sword—different from the delicate Iyarugt despite both being longswords—started to release an aura that burned like flames.

It was a terrifying sword intent.

It feels like my skin is peeling off just facing it.

“Three times. No, if you can hold out against me just one time, I will spare you.”

If it had been the Jae-Hyeok before getting Iyarugt, he wouldn’t have dared to fight back. His hwando would’ve been cut through like paper the moment it collided with Theodore’s sword.

Now things were different.

Killing the Troll Lord had gained him three levels. It had also earned him a Miraculous achievement, increasing his stats by an additional 5 points. But most importantly, he had a new weapon.

“Why are you doing me such a favor?” Jae-Hyeok asked cautiously.

“You aren’t the person I am looking for, so I have no particular business with you,” Theodore said. Then it added lightly, “Still, I am intrigued by your resemblance to the one I’m looking for. In particular, the combination of your emotionless black eyes and your unconventional actions make you look just like that madman.”

That’s right. Theodore already knew the truth.

“You’re the Yaksha’s blood, aren’t you?”

“......”

Jae-Hyeok didn’t answer. Theodore had given him a hundred and twenty-day grace period, only to seek him out in the snowfield impulsively. Its personality was unpredictable, it was best not to respond incase he provoked it accidentally.

The flaming orbs that were Theodore’s eyes turned into crescents as if from a smile. It was unbelievably bizarre.

“Besides, I’m not doing you a favor. I am going to attack with the determination to kill. You are of no value if you can’t even hold out against my current self.”

Theodore raised his sword above his head. It was a stance similar to an executioner beheading a sinner, but it contained the will of both sides—both the executioner’s determination to deliver death and the sinner's readiness to receive it.

Jae-Hyeok got the sensation of facing a monster in the form of a guillotine.

It gave him goosebumps. The murderous intent coming from an overwhelmingly stronger being was so horrible that it could crush even the pride of an aristocrat. However, Jae-Hyeok didn’t flinch. Fear was a luxury he couldn’t have.

His family's enemies had already risen to top positions, to the point where they would even look down on the monster in front of him. He sharpened his blade of vengeance to punish them, so to give up here was impossible. If it weren’t, he would have never dared to pick up his sword in the first place.

I would rather die than give up now. The appearance of Theodore, reflected in Jae-Hyeok’s black eyes, changed. The faces of those who had stabbed his father in the back and trampled on the Kang family were overlaid over the skeleton of the Death Knight.

Jae-Hyeok’s breath was stuck in his throat.

The monster, who had seemed like a guillotine, suddenly seemed like a great mountain. It was the same mountain he had been struggling against for the last eight years, a mountain he was unsure he could surmount even if he struggled all his life.

Overwhelming despair and frustration turned into shackles and chains wrapping around his body. It was a familiar sensation. He felt it every time he wielded a sword alone.

[You have fallen into a trance.]

Jae-Hyeok reached his peak under the threat of looming death. His daily life was always a crisis, so he wouldn’t crumble now. It was no different from unusual.

“Crazy. You really are his son.”

Theodore chuckled seeing Jae-Hyeok fall into a trance when on the verge of being killed. Then, Theodore appeared in front of Jae-Hyeok and brought its sword down.

The pressure reached Jae-Hyeok first. The air seemed to distort, and his knees and shoulders were weighed down. Then, Iyarugt and Theodore’s sword collided, causing an ear-splitting explosion.

Jae-Hyeok’s knees buckled, and Theodore’s sword pushed down Iyarugt and dug it into his shoulder. For a moment, it seemed he would be cut apart by the founder’s sword he’d just obtained.

Just then, Jae-Hyeok changed his grip and aligned the thumb of his right hand along the back of his sword’s hilt. He used the added leverage to drive Theodore’s sword back before deflecting it to the side. His wrists snapped audibly from the force, but he still brought Iyarugt around in a circle cleaving into Theodore’s neck.

Of course, he failed to cut Theodore.

Although he carried out a counterattack, he’d sacrificed his wrists to do so. Moreover, the difference in strength between he and Theodore was enormous. Jae-Hyeok had reached level 29 after killing the Troll Lord, but his strength was still far lacking compared to Theodore. If it hadn’t been for the added leverage he’d gained by supporting his sword with his thumb, it would’ve been impossible for him to deflect that attack.

“...Huhu.”

Theodore burst out laughing as he glanced at Jae-Hyeok’s thumb, which was bent enough to touch the back of his hand.

“Physical pain isn’t easily borne, right?” Theodore had been a human long ago and remembered the concept of pain.

Jae-Hyeok came to his senses and replied, “It is better to feel physical pain than mental pain.”

Iyarugt’s power far exceeded his expectations. It was much harder and sharper than the epic weapon Grand Justice Alus's Dagger. Without Iyarugt, he couldn’t have stopped Theodore's attack.

Yes, as per the promise, Jae-Hyeok had already survived one of Theodore’s attacks. Although he was severely injured, he didn’t have to fight back, provided that Theodore kept its word.

However, Jae-Hyeok’s purpose wasn’t just to save his life. As impossible as it was, what he wanted was to win.

Like a knight’s pride, one who bore the pride of an aristocrat aimed at things greater than self-preservation.

[A third code of chivalry has been established.]

[Chivalry of Piety, Indomitable Pride]

You believed in yourself and didn’t succumb to death.

* The Unbroken One Skill is unlocked.

[The Unbroken One Level 1]

[Type: Passive

Every time you fight an enemy with a higher level than you, all your stats are increased by 10%.]

He had killed a Troll Lord, obtained Iyarugt, and just created a new code of chivalry—Jae-Hyeok had gained much, but he couldn’t be happy yet. He didn’t trust Theodore at all. It was a Named monster; there was no reason it would keep its word. Although he’d survived one of its attacks, it could easily go back on its promise and kill him.

He needed to be prepared to fight.

Theodore was silently watching Jae-Hyeok struggle to raise his sword when it suddenly turned its head toward the entrance of the cave. “Hmm?”

At that moment, Jae-Hyeok felt several signs of life.

“Mr. Jae-Hyeok! Where is Mr. Jae-Hyeok?”

“Kang Jae-Hyeok!”

“Jae-Hyeok!”

They were the voices of Teacher Park Joo-Bong of Class A, Da-Hee, and Yoo-Jin. There were also a few other footsteps following them. Apparently, Park Joo-Bong had safely reunited with his students and then brought the security forces to look for him.

It seemed he had created an unexpected lifeline for himself by saving Park Joo-Bong, but Jae-Hyeok couldn’t relax. Theodore was still right in front of him.

Theodore said, “What is it, around a hundred and nine more days? I look forward to that promised day. By then, I’ll have recovered to some extent and you’ll have grown. Our reunion will be an even greater pleasure than today.”

Bang!

Theodore leaped off the ground.

In just a few steps, it climbed all the way up the same crater wall that Jae-Hyeok hadn’t managed to climb halfway despite running for a long time. Then Theodore escaped through the top.

"Damn! Chase him!”

The security forces saw the Troll Lord’s corpse and chased after Theodore in a rage.

“Jae-Hyeok-ssi!”

“Jae-Hyeok!”

Da-Hee, Yoo-Jin, and Park Joo-Bong were frightened to see Jae-Hyeok covered in blood and rushed in.

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