Return of Hades - chapter 05

Return of Hades:

Episode 5

The conclusion came in the blink of an eye.

It did.

Those who couldn’t concentrate properly missed the final blow, as the duel ended swiftly and decisively.

“I’ve won.”

Wi Ji-yeon said this with a nonchalant expression.

There was no need for such a declaration.

The one standing confidently was him, while Wi ji Dae-hyeok was rolling on the ground, clutching his chest.

It was merely a matter of courtesy due to the many witnesses present.

“Wait a minute!”

But at that moment, Wi ji-Dae-hyeok, gasping for breath, raised his hand.

He spat out words as if he were chewing them.

“What did you do? How…?”

“I blocked your attack with the staff and struck your solar plexus.”

“What?”

“And then you collapsed. What more do you need?”

“This is…!”

Wi ji-Dae-hyeok’s eyes turned fierce.

He gritted his teeth, trying to endure the pain, and struggled to rise.

“Is that really what you’re asking?!”

“Then what are you asking about?”

“You hadn’t even properly trained in martial arts until recently! How could someone like you counter my attack?”

“Well, it seems it worked, didn’t it?”

His response was so natural that Wi ji-Dae-hyeok’s mouth fell open.

But Wi Ji-Yeon just looked at him with a shameless expression. What could he do if he succeeded?

“Perhaps I’m just a bit more talented. Thanks to you, I’ve come to realize that.”

“You, you brat.”

Just as Wi ji Dae-hyeok was about to retract, a cold voice echoed.

“By the way, brother. Did you think I hadn’t properly trained in martial arts before challenging me to a duel?”

The voice belonged to Wi ji-yeon.

He scoffed and continued.

“How ridiculous. If I were truly in such a state, wouldn’t I have just gotten beaten by you? In front of so many people?”

“Indeed…”

“If you thought that, then you shouldn’t have agreed to the duel in the first place.”

“Otherwise, it would have just been a beating.”

“Moreover, Dae-hyeok, you didn’t even concede the three counts at the start.”

Murmurs could be heard from the crowd.

Onlookers whispered, agreeing with what Wi ji-yeon said.

Wi ji-Dae-hyeok shouted with a pale face.

“No, no! That’s not it!”

“Then what is it?”

But he didn’t finish his sentence.

“Didn’t you just say that you couldn’t believe it? That means you intended to hit me, right? Under the pretense of teaching me.”

“…!”

Wi ji-Dae-hyeok felt a momentary sensation of breathlessness.

It was as if someone had tightly choked his throat.

He couldn’t understand.

No matter how much he had misspoken, how could a few words turn the situation around like this?

Was this the Wi Ji-yeon he knew?

“Answer me.”

But denying reality wouldn’t change anything.

Wi ji-yeon.

And all the spectators present were waiting only for Wiji Dae-hyeok’s response.

What could he possibly say to justify this?

Cold sweat dripped down Wi ji Dae-hyeok’s face.

* *

In the end, no proper answer came out.

It was a misunderstanding. A slip of the tongue. He ended up fleeing after saying something like that.

However, the repercussions of the incident were anything but small.

It was an incident where the eldest son of the acting head of the family attempted to bully the heir.

But…

“Ugh. This is a tricky one to punish.”

The Inspection Office, which received the report, was in deep thought.

It wasn’t just because the Inspection Office chief was on the side of the acting head, Wi ji-Seon.

In truth, the case was quite ambiguous to punish. The fact was, there was no actual victim.

“The one who fought was the one who won, right?”

“Yeah. And it was in one blow. Everyone who reported it was surprised.”

“But how can the one who lost bully the one who won?”

Wi ji-Dae-hyeok’s original intent aside.

The one who got beaten in the duel was Wi ji Dae-hyeok himself.

Thus, Wi ji-yeon had suffered no harm. But it was difficult to punish Wiji Dae-hyeok just because he had that intention.

“That intention is also hard to prove.”

“Still, many people said they heard him confess.”

“That alone is not enough. To punish, there has to be some concrete basis.”

“Ugh, I don’t know! This is something we can’t resolve on our own, so let’s pass it to the family meeting!”

In the end.

After being passed to the family meeting, it was decided that Wi ji-Dae-hyeok would enter secluded training for half a year. It was a punishment that was neither too harsh nor too lenient.

On the other hand, what about Wi-Ji-Yeon?

“Wow, the young master is so talented. I see it again.”

“No matter how much Dae-hyeok has slacked off in training, how did Wi Ji-yeon, who was far from martial arts, win?”

“It’s not just that he won! It was one blow! The duel ended with just a single thrust!”

“Senior, wasn’t it just luck?”

“Luck? Hey, you didn’t see it yourself, but at that time.”

Naturally, he faced no punishment.

Instead, he became the subject of various rumors within the Wi ji clan.

From the martial artists who witnessed the duel to the high-ranking officials responsible for the clan’s affairs.

Wi Ji-yeon’s story was a topic ripe for gossip. Ever since that day when he almost ingested poison, he has completely changed.

Of course, the person himself didn’t care much about the rumors circulating about him.

Woooong.

‘The achievement of the Immovable King’s Heart Technique has increased.’

Rather than listening to what others were saying, he chose to focus on training.

His top priority now was to regain the level of skill from his previous life.

That way, he could reclaim the clan from his uncle’s grasp.

‘And prepare for the future.’

Wi Ji-yeon’s enemies were not just his uncle. The true adversary he would eventually face was an organization he would encounter later.

‘Pacheonhoe.’

The sworn enemy that had annihilated the Wi ji clan in his previous life and brought bloodshed to the martial world.

They were powerful enough that all the current forces of the martial world would have to unite to barely stand a chance against them.

To fight such foes, he needed to grow stronger as quickly as possible.

“Huuh.”

Taking a light breath, Wi Ji-Yeon halted his practice of the heart technique.

Normally, he would have recovered his stamina by now and resumed training in spear techniques and the Diamond Yaksha Divine Art.

But he didn’t.

A visitor had arrived.

“Is that you, Jung-hyeok?”

“Yeah.”

The one who revealed himself was Wi ji-Seon’s second son, Wi ji-Jung-hyeok.

He was the same age as Wi Ji-Yeon.

Wi Ji-Yeon greeting him somewhat warmly.

Unlike his brother or father, Wi ji Jung-hyeok was quite a decent fellow.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you like this.”

“Yeah, we haven’t interacted much lately.”

“It feels like it’s been nearly twenty years.”

Wi Ji-Yeon chuckled.

This wasn’t a joke.

‘I’m seeing this guy after twenty years.’

In his previous life, Wi ji-Jung-hyeok fought to the end and died during the clan’s annihilation. So, for Wi Ji-Yeon, it truly felt like a long time.

“Why are you joking around like that?”

“Just because.”

“I heard you’ve changed a lot.”

“It’s not like you were this kind of person.”

“That aside, what brings you here?”

“I came to apologize.”

Wi ji Jung-hyeok said this and lowered his head.

“I heard that my brother acted disgracefully towards you. I’m sorry.”

It was a brief but sincere apology.

Wi Ji-Yeon chuckled and shook his head.

“There’s no need to apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“My brother wouldn’t apologize. I thought someone had to do it.”

“Such a stickler.”

But he didn’t feel bad.

The Wi ji Jung-hyeok in his memories was originally like this.

A straightforward and principled martial artist with deep feelings.

Even after Wi Ji-yeon lost his dantian in his first life, he looked after him, helping him avoid discomfort within the clan and raising his standing.

‘Even though that was out of guilt for taking away the right to lead the clan.’

In any case, Wi ji Jung-hyeok was a decent guy. Wi Ji-Yeon didn’t dislike him.

“I’ll accept your apology. So there’s no need for more of that.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

“But your face doesn’t seem like that’s all you wanted to say. Is there something else?”

“…”

Wi ji Jung-hyeok hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Ji-yeon. I have a favor to ask.”

“A favor?”

“Yeah.”

He lowered his head with a serious expression.

“Please stop our father.”

* *

Wi ji-Jung-hyeok’s story was simple.

His father, Wi ji-Seon, was coveting the position of the clan head.

He was not only drawing in people from within the clan but also reaching out to external sects.

One of those sects was the massive underworld sect, the Black Dragon Society.

‘I already know all this.’

Of course, Wi Ji-Yeon was already aware of this.

But he listened to Wi ji Jung-hyeok’s words as if it were the first time.

Sometimes, he would ask questions as if he were puzzled.

“Why is your uncle reaching out to the Black Dragon Society? He is a disciple of the Inner Sect of the Jongnam Sect, isn’t he?”

“No matter how much he’s a disciple of the Inner Sect, the relationship between my father and the Jongnam Sect isn’t very good. His rank is quite low. So, he likely chose to ally with the underworld, which he can handle more comfortably.”

“Why are you telling me this? You’re your uncle’s son.”

“I don’t want to see the clan torn apart.”

Wi ji Jung-hyeok was serious.

“If you hadn’t cared about martial arts or the succession structure until now, it would be different. But Ji-yeon, you’re planning to inherit this clan, aren’t you?”

“Yeah. That’s why I’m training in martial arts.”

“Then you will inevitably clash with our father. It could lead to the clan being split or even bloodshed. No, it almost happened already.”

Wi ji Jung-hyeok said this and stared at Wi Ji-yeon.

He seemed to have a rough idea of the events surrounding the recent poisoning incident.

“It’s not right for family to do this. It’s not right. There shouldn’t be any more incidents like this.”

“So you want me to help? But even if I help you, a clash is unavoidable, isn’t it?”

Wi Ji-Yeon replied in a cold voice.

It was the truth.

Now that Wi ji-Seon had allied with the Black Dragon Society, he wouldn’t give up.

That meant that no matter what, bloodshed was inevitable.

To this, Wi ji-Jung-hyeok responded in a flustered voice.

“Then, I’ll have to report my father somehow.”

“Are you willing to become a parricide?”

“If necessary, I would.”

“Sorry, but that won’t work.”

Wi Ji-yeon’s firm reply made Wi ji-Jung-hyeok flinch.

“Why?”

“Look at the current situation of the clan. Many people, starting with the chief of the inspection office, are on your uncle’s side, right? Do you think a report would have any effect?”

It was impossible.

Wi Ji-yeon shook his head firmly.

“They would naturally retaliate, claiming I’m using you to frame them. If that happens, it’ll be over. Just as you said, the clan will be torn apart.”

And it would likely happen much sooner than expected.

And if that happened, a bloody civil war would break out.

“Then what do you plan to do?”

“I need to build up merit.”

“What?”

“I need to achieve enough merit that no one can deny I’m the heir. All the people in the clan, even those belonging to your uncle’s faction, will have no choice but to acknowledge it. Then your uncle won’t be able to do anything.”

Of course, the possibility was slim.

Wi ji-Seon would probably fight back to the very end.

But Wi Ji-yeon didn’t need to tell Wi ji Jung-hyeok that. It was too heavy a burden for someone who hadn’t yet experienced the harshness of the world.

“Ji-yeon…”

Wi ji Jung-hyeok looked at Wi Ji-yeon in surprise.

He seemed to not have expected him to think this far.

Wi Ji-Yeon smiled and spoke.

“Of course, it won’t be easy. But we have to do it. This is something that must be done for the Wi ji clan. In that sense, Jung-hyeok.”

Wi Ji-yeon placed a hand on Wi ji-Jung-hyeok’s shoulder and continued.

“Let’s work together on one task.”