At Baek Hasin’s appearance, the crowd’s gaze momentarily focused on him.

He was a student of overwhelming talent whom even a professor had requested a duel with. They couldn’t help but be curious.

Those gathered at the arena were diverse, from professors including Gu Ja-beom and Maeng Dong, to figures from the Martial Alliance and members of the Baek family.

They had all come to be notaries for this event.

Since it was a duel with the fate of a family on the line, the tension was extraordinary.

The announcer from the Martial Alliance raised his voice in the arena.

“Then, before the duel, I will explain the circumstances and content of this bet, and then we will proceed with the oath of the notaries.”

After a complex procedure that went on for a while, it was finally concluded with both parties stamping their thumbprints on the official document.

No take-backs. It couldn’t be undone now.

At both ends of the arena, Baek Hasin and Baek Yu-hwan faced each other. A tense atmosphere hung between them.

“Then, from now on, we will begin the bet duel!”

With the declaration, the two clashed.

Kwaang!

Black powerful qi and white powerful qi collided, creating a shockwave in the area.

Baek Hasin’s heavy sword and Baek Yu-hwan’s swift sword clashed spectacularly, drawing a chaotic sword path.

‘The matchup is in Baek Hasin’s favor.’

The Heavenly Demon Sword Art, which contained the subtlety of a heavy sword, was easier to block and pressure the offensive of the swift Baekryongseongcheon Sword, but on the other hand, for the opponent, it was a burden to block the heavy sword head-on.

Therefore, he had no choice but to deflect or aim for a counter, but in the realm of intuition, he couldn’t keep up with Baek Hasin.

Unless the difference in their levels was overwhelming.

Baek Hasin, through the hellish training, had already stepped into the realm of proficient super-peak level.

Since he had caught up to a level similar to Baek Yu-hwan, he wasn’t pushed back in the battle of wits either.

The black powerful qi deflects the white sword strike that bends like a snake.

Baek Yu-hwan was teasing his vision with his masterful technique and looking for an opening, but on the contrary, he was only pressured by the heavy sword every time.

‘By the way, this is unexpected.’

To think that Baek Hasin would try to become the head of the Baek family.

It was ironic that he, who had entered the Martial Academy as if running away because he hated the stuffiness of his family, was now aiming for the highest position in the family.

‘Revenge? Or…’

I fell into thought, watching a single blow of the black sword strike swallow up several strands of white powerful qi.

Originally, when I played the game, I didn’t even glance at the Baek family-related matters.

Because with Baek Hasin’s talent, there was no reason to be tied down to this small family.

In terms of strategy, it was more comfortable to focus on academy life than to pay attention to the family.

The original family story was to appropriately use his power to teach the family members a lesson, extort some money on the pretext of their past deeds, and then return to the Martial Academy.

And in that process, he would also hear the secret of his birth.

The role of the Baek family ended there.

But that was just the player’s perspective. It must have been a different problem for Baek Hasin.

‘I need to be wary of his growth slowing down by being too buried in the family… but since he trains well on his own, it shouldn’t be a problem.’

If I was really worried, it seemed I could just win like last time and then mess with his personality a bit.

Because there was nothing like that to bring out Baek Hasin’s true feelings.

‘Above all, Baek Hasin’s sword is getting stronger in real time right now.’

As they exchanged more blows, the rough power imbued in his sword strikes increased, but his expression was endlessly calm.

At first, the sword cries that had been ringing loudly were gradually deepening.

From just being loud to the ear, to now a faint trembling in the muscles.

The difference may be subtle, but it is absolute.

The sword of a master contains his will.

The more they clash, the more the opponent’s emotions and character are revealed.

Although he was wielding that ferocious demonic qi, he was refining a righteous heart within it.

On the other hand, the white powerful qi was drawing an unstable and twisted trajectory.

An attack that was just a killing move, thrust out solely to crush the opponent.

Ironically, the sword that flew to cut the enemy in front, the lump of flesh, could not cut anything.

Because killing intent is a very linear and easily buried will, there are countless cases where it cannot contain the subtlety of the sword.

A sword that only aims for life is broken by a sword that pursues something beyond life.

Just like now.

Kaaaaaaang!

Baek Hasin’s sword pushes Baek Yu-hwan back.

A duel that has already gone on for more than 50 forms. Baek Yu-hwan’s side was slowly starting to be pushed back.

He himself must know this situation better than anyone.

That’s why Baek Yu-hwan gathered all his internal energy and made a final gamble.

A thrust that rushed straight at Baek Hasin’s sword. A mutual destruction.

It was too late to retrieve the sword. Since the opponent had also risked his life on the blow, he couldn’t easily deflect it, nor could he dodge it.

The optimal move was to cut Baek Yu-hwan, whose upper body was open, in two, while twisting his body to avoid only the vitals.

But Baek Hasin did not do that.

Baek Hasin’s Black Moon Sword bends at a strange angle in the air.

At that moment, the blade, which had been drawing a black trajectory, met Baek Yu-hwan’s sword face and created a loud noise.

Kiiiiing!

The white sword body that rotates and soars into the air.

Baek Hasin did not deflect the opponent’s sword. Instead, he sent it flying.

“How can this be!”

“What is that…!”

The audience let out cries of astonishment at the sight that was close to a feat.

Anyone could see that it was a straight upward cut, so admiration burst out from here and there at Baek Hasin’s flexible response.

However, I could know the secret.

‘He had no intention of fully thrusting the sword in the first place.’

I had noticed that during the clash of their swords, Baek Hasin’s stride and center of gravity were somewhat different from the original form.

He had extended his sword with his center of gravity left behind so that he could stop at any time.

‘There’s a limit to being a protagonist.’

Baek Hasin had been fighting from the beginning, thinking of this as a duel.

Even while the opponent was indiscriminately flying killing moves and trying to kill him, even at the moment he attempted a mutual destruction, he was still thrusting his sword with consideration for the opponent’s life.

If it were me, I would never have held back in that situation. But Baek Hasin did.

Whether it was a sweet potato or whatever, he had kept to the right path.

Soon, Baek Yu-hwan, who had lost his sword, couldn’t overcome his inertia and fell to the ground as if collapsing.

He, who had fallen forward, tried to get up immediately but flinched in a half-kneeling position.

Because before he knew it, Baek Hasin’s sword was touching the end of his neck.

The match was decided.

“…You are stronger. With your talent and power, no one can object. But, the position of family head is not all about being strong.”

Baek Yu-hwan raised his voice as if to let Baek Hasin hear in front of the audience.

“Besides individual qualities, it is a position that also requires lineage, the recognition of those around you, responsibility, leadership, and other qualities. For this, you must be able to be cunning and heartless at any time. Can you do that?”

He then looks up at Baek Hasin. A gaze that was somewhat sharp but had a deep corner 담았다 the winner’s appearance.

“First, I will cooperate with you, but after that, you must eliminate the opposing factions like me. Division is the factor to be most wary of. When you become the family head, you must eliminate the seeds of discord without leaving any behind. You must never lose power. Can you do that?”

Although he had even shown killing intent, his method was just extreme, and Baek Yu-hwan’s will to think of the family was also great.

Even now, he was worried about the family’s well-being rather than his own position.

Baek Hasin, who had been looking down at Baek Yu-hwan quietly, finally withdrew his sword.

“I will not do that. I will continue to protect everyone I can, just as I am now. That is why I have become strong.”

At those words, Baek Yu-hwan looked at Baek Hasin with a face as if he had been hit.

He knew that at the last moment, even though he knew he would be in danger, he had not cut but had taken the thrust head-on and deflected it.

He could feel it to his bones in the exhilarating blow that had made him let go of the sword full of his own stubbornness.

A miraculous move that saves everyone. And the years he had run straight until now for this.

That boldness, integrity, and ability.

It was as if he was seeing a fragment of his mother, Baek Yeon-seo, whom he had admired in his youth.

“Perhaps… with you, it might be possible.”

Baek Yu-hwan, who had been keeping his mouth shut for a moment, finally got up from his seat, grabbed Baek Hasin’s wrist, and raised it.

“The winner of the bet duel is Baek Hasin! I, Baek Yu-hwan, swear here and now that I will recognize him as the next successor of the Baek family!”

With his shout, cheers erupted from the audience.

A clean victory after a duel, and the counterattack of an unfortunate genius, had something that attracted people’s hearts in any era.

‘To think he would move Baek Yu-hwan.’

I had never seen such a case in the original story. Not even in the strategy guide.

Everyone tried to grow quickly and escape, but they did not take the risk and trouble for the harmony of the Baek family.

Even if they aimed for the position of the head of the Baek family, it was certain to deal with Baek Yu-hwan, or it was more convenient to use him and then discard him.

However, Baek Hasin did not do that.

Once, during training, Baek Hasin had expressed his amazement at my psychokinesis, saying it was like a sorcery used by a divine immortal.

But I was the one who came to think that way.

That the power to change people is even more amazing.

While experiencing the war with the Blood Cult this time, I had often felt that a person’s thoughts were the most unchanging thing.

Because although you could cut a person’s neck with a sword, you could not cut the ‘thought’ (念) embedded in that person’s soul.

If there was a person who could do that, it would not be just because they were strong in martial arts.

In fact, after winning the duel, I had thought that I could replace Baek Hasin at any time.

Because I was stronger than him now and could grow just as fast.

But watching this duel, I also had a thought that perhaps the qualification of a protagonist was not something like that.

Baek Hasin had steadfastly followed his own will even in difficulties.

To the point of changing the thoughts of others who faced it.

Perhaps the true power of a protagonist is something like that. A power that goes beyond simple strength and changes others.

In a sense, that might be the most magical psychokinesis.

“Waaaaaah!”

As if the formal part was over, Baek Hasin was about to leave the arena, receiving everyone’s cheers.

I watched Baek Hasin’s movements and approached Gu Ja-beom, who was in the front row of the audience, and spoke to him.

“What is it?”

“Do you remember before the vacation? During the attack of the Heaven-Shattering Sect, you threatened me, saying I was from the Blood Cult. I have come to ask for the help you promised me at that time.”

“Ahem!”

Gu Ja-beom coughed, as if remembering that time.

It was only natural, as the student he had threatened, saying he was from the Blood Cult, had returned as a war hero.

“What is it?”

“Ah, it’s nothing much. I’m going to attack the headquarters of the Heretic Alliance.”

“…What?”

I was thinking of going to get the blood dantian that the Divine Doctor had hidden.

Although there were several problematic points, it was a decision I had made based on the judgment that I could handle it enough.

However, Gu Ja-beom just asked back with a face as if he had heard something wrong. But a promise is a promise.

“You have to keep the promise you made to help me someday. Don’t you?”

“After the Blood Cult, it’s the Unorthodox Faction Alliance…”

Gu Ja-beom stared at me as if looking at a crazy person.

Without minding, I managed to get a promise from him and then headed for Baek Hasin, who had left the arena.

“Congratulations on winning the bet duel.”

“Thank you. You listened to my previous request and even provided an opportunity for training… I was able to win the duel thanks to you.”

As if the lump in his heart had been removed, Baek Hasin looked at me and showed a rare bright smile.

“Don’t mention it. But since I also listened to your request, you have to repay the favor, right?”

“Yes!”

Now that I had given him a heads-up, it was time to get to the main point.

“Then let’s go and attack the headquarters of the Heretic Alliance together.”

“…What?”

“Let’s go and rough up the Unorthodox Faction Alliance a bit.”

At the tone, as if asking to go for a walk, Baek Hasin’s two eyes blink quietly for a moment.

Soon, Baek Hasin’s face, which had belatedly understood the meaning of the words, gradually loses its smile, and only a pale complexion remains.

“Ha, ha. You’re kidding. Cheonwu has no talent for joking. …Right?”

“Yes, I’m not.”

“Phew, that’s a relief…”

“I’m not kidding.”

A moment of silence fell. And then, a loud voice was heard.

“What did you say?!!”

“Thank you. For expressing your intention to participate so vehemently.”

What else could it be?

It’s time to pay for your meal.

(End of Chapter)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep