Chapter 256

Words : 2360 Updated : Oct 7th, 2025

Chapter 256 Above a barren wasteland, where not a trace of the forest that one bloomed there remained, the sky twisted ominously, churning with swirling miasma. It, along with the source of the columns of steam rising in succession far off into the horizon, created the scene of an apocalypse. Thud, thud, thud. The sources of the steam marched forward—an enormous horde of beast-like monsters, their numbers too vast to even bother counting. Their bodies, dripping a blackish-red liquid, were completely composed of lava, tainted by miasma. “...” All Se-Hoon could do was stare blankly at the sight. The never-ending legion surging toward them from the contaminated ley line was completely overwhelming. Tap. Feeling someone’s arm casually draping over his shoulder, Se-Hoon snapped out of it when they spoke. “Wow, quite the view, isn't it?” As always, that familiar, lazy voice was accompanied by a faint scent of cigarette smoke that tickled his nose. With no need to even check who it was, Se-Hoon curtly replied, “You're making comments like that when the world is on the verge of collapsing?” “It’s not completely ruined yet. Isn’t that good enough?” Hearing not even a shred of seriousness, Se-Hoon couldn’t help but sigh. “Comments like that give blacksmiths a negative reputation, Master.” As it was, blacksmiths were already criticized for staying in the rear, making weapons in safety. So if someone like Se-Hoon’s master—a representative figure—talked like that, what more could be said? But while anyone else would have changed their attitude under Se-Hoon’s criticism, unfortunately, he was talking to his master, of all people. “That’s why I told you not to make me a representative. I’ve repeatedly advised you to avoid such foolishness, yet you never listen. It’s no wonder your weapons are so lousy.” “For crying out loud, why is it always about my weapons...?” Rumble! A massive tremor interrupted their idle chat. Feeling the ground shake as if the very ground beneath them was twisting, the two looked beyond the steam, where a gigantic shadow had begun to emerge from beneath the earth. Watching the rise of the colossal molten lava giant, its sheer size defying any sense of perspective, Se-Hoon’s eyes widen in disbelief. “They’re just using up the entire ley line.... Do they feel too lazy to make something properly? What a bunch of lunatics.” From his master’s tone, she seemed completely fed up with the enemy. However, Se-Hoon didn’t care; his mind was preoccupied with the one thing he knew for certain—that regardless of the monster’s strength, which was impossible to gauge, it wasn’t safe to stay where they were. “Master, we need to—” “Ah, don’t turn around now.” Cutting off Se-Hoon before he could suggest running, his master used her finger to push his cheek, incomprehensibly directing his gaze back toward the monsters. “This isn’t something you see every day. Make sure you get a good look.” “...What?” He couldn’t understand her cryptic words, but he still let her direct his gaze, causing him to look up and notice something that hadn’t been there before. “Is that...” A golden star shone in the dull, churning sky. It was but a mere speck of dust compared to the massive army marching below, and yet it brightly shone in the sky. Its golden glow, unobscured by either the miasma or the steam, drew their attention with its star presence, making them unable to tear their gazes away. Zing! A beam of light shot from the star, cutting through every enemy in its path. Then, moments later, an explosion followed, creating a powerful shockwave. BOOM!! In the blink of an eye, the fiercely charging monsters all completely vanished, leaving behind only the golden slash that had erased them from existence. It, suspended in the air like a massive aurora, seemed to be a scar on the very world itself. It was true, overwhelming power that left Se-Hoon agape. “That one’s the new arrival.” His master sounded rather amused. *** To think I’d end up being asked to marry her. Aria had been humanity’s hope, never backing down in the war against the Harbingers of Destruction. But then she had ultimately become the Destroyer of Light—the one who slaughtered his master, Eun-Ha, and countless others. Setting aside her personality, Aria, the Holy Swordsman, had accomplished countless admirable deeds. However, even together, they couldn’t even begin to excuse her betrayal of humanity and transformation into a Harbinger of Destruction, extinguishing humanity’s last hope with her own hands. Of course, none of that has happened yet... He knew judging Aria for things that hadn’t yet occurred was wrong, but his emotions weren’t so easily compartmentalized. “My apologies. It seems I spoke out of turn.” Snapping out his thoughts, Se-Hoon looked toward Aaron, who was lowering his head as if he realized he had gotten something wrong. “Huh? No, there’s no need to apologize...” “I only proposed such a thing because I heard you’ve been in frequent contact with my daughter... but I see now that your relationship isn’t very good. I’m truly sorry.” Was it that obvious? Aaron had apologized so politely that it made Se-Hoon feel a bit awkward. It seemed his thoughts had shown on his face while he was reminiscing. In other words, he had unintentionally displayed his contempt for Aria in front of her father. Se-Hoon cleared his throat. “Ahem. It’s not that we have a bad relationship. I was just caught off guard when you suddenly brought up marriage...” “I also apologize for that.” Seeing Aaron bowing his head once again, Se-Hoon felt it was about time for the conversation to come to a close, so he readdressed the initial topic. “Returning to the previous topic, I now understand the matter regarding the Seraphim Guild. I’ll compile a list of new production facilities and send it over.” “Understood. Is there anything else you wish to discuss?” “Nothing further.” Nodding, Aaron ended the conversation. “Then I’ll show you to your room so you can rest.” Standing, Aaron led the way and exited the reception room, and Miles, who had been leaning against the wall, fell in step behind them. “Seems like it’s over. Want me to take him to his room?” “Yes, and be courteous.” “Yeah, yeah... Let’s go.” Shaking his head, Miles took the lead and began walking at a relaxed pace. However, Aaron stopped and bowed slightly. “If there’s anything you need or anything you’d like to discuss during your stay, don’t hesitate to let me know.” Seeing Aaron continue his courteous demeanor, Se-Hoon stopped as well to respond. However, Aaron added to his words before he could. “I will do my best to ensure you can rest comfortably until the day of the engagement ceremony.” “I’m good.” “Let me know if you need anything. I can have it brought up in no time.” Heading over to the sofa, the two sat down across from each other, and Jake, curious, immediately spoke up. “I heard you fought alongside Wurgen against the Dream Demon. What happened there?” “Well, it wasn’t that big of a deal...” Explaining the events, Se-Hoon made sure to stick to the publicly known version of the story with a few embellishments. He didn’t reveal the full truth about the battle with the Dream Demon, not because he didn’t trust Jake, but because he felt a little uneasy about the Myers family. A family that imprisons their own son with mana suppressors can’t exactly be trusted. For the sake of their family’s traditions, they appeared to be more than willing to restrict their own children's freedom. And if that were the case, they might also go to great lengths to dig up information about Se-Hoon if needed. “You went through all that and didn’t even get a scratch? That’s impressive.” “Well, it’s all about being prepared. You never know what’s going to happen, so it’s better to be thorough.” “Thorough, huh...?” Casting a glance at the suppressor bracelets on his wrists, Jake felt a bitter expression cross his face. “Maybe I should’ve been more prepared too...” Seeing the excitement just present in Jake’s eyes quickly fading, replaced by an infectious gloomy mood, Se-Hoon felt that there was a need to steer the conversation back on track. “So what exactly is going on? Why are you so desperate to break off the engagement?” Though it was obvious why someone wouldn’t like being forced into a political marriage, Jake’s passive nature made his desperation odd. There must be something Aaron isn’t telling me. Hesitating, Jake remained quiet before eventually sighing deeply and opening up. “At first, I was just going to go along with it. It’s the family tradition, after all... and I owe everything I’ve gained to that tradition.” “Mhm.” “But then... I found out there were some conditions.” “Conditions?” Jake nodded. “In order to ensure the child’s potential, I have to infuse my mana into them regularly. It can’t be done by anyone else, and if it is, there’s a high risk of complications.” “Hmm... How long do you have to do that?” “From the moment of conception until two years after the child is born. And they also said I can’t engage in any external activities until I’ve had at least three children.” With those words, Se-Hoon felt everything clicking into place. “So, in the best-case scenario, you’d be stuck here for at least four years. Realistically, it could be closer to ten.” “Exactly.” Having just obtained a sword that truly suited him and made actual progress, sudden confinement to his home for the sake of producing an heir for their family wasn’t something Jake could accept, no matter how important the tradition was. “When I said I’d follow through after I graduated, they told me there was no guarantee I’d survive until then. What do you think that sounds like?” “...” “The elders say they’re worried about me... but to me, it just sounds like they’re telling me to give up and come home because I’m not talented enough to survive.” In short, they were saying to Jake’s face that, with his current abilities, he had no chance of surviving the turbulent times ahead. Thus, rather than risk losing him, they wanted to bring him back to ensure the continuation of the family line. It was an overly harsh judgment, given Jake’s accomplishments, but the issue was that he was being compared to Aria, an unheard-of talent. Not to mention, his personality is part of the problem. If Jake had been someone who prioritized his own safety, the family might have given him more leeway. However, he was the same guy who had risked his life to fight the Divine Tree in the Black Lotus Seas. In other words, when factoring in his middling talent, reckless nature, and the chaotic times ahead, the Myers family ultimately decided to force him back home to secure an heir. I guess this is another one of those butterfly effects. If not for the Luminescent Sword, Jake likely wouldn’t have been seen as an important asset, and his reckless fight against the Divine Tree wouldn’t have alarmed the family. And if the world wasn’t in such disarray, he would have likely been able to graduate without issues as well. Of course, he probably would’ve died not long after graduation. Se-Hoon didn’t know exactly when or how Jake had died before the regression, but regardless, the family’s assessment that he wouldn’t survive for long was accurate. Hmm, then what’s the best way to handle this...? Purely in terms of benefits, breaking off Jake’s engagement was in his best interests. If Jake were confined by his family for a prolonged period, he would lose the chance to obtain Jake’s Fatestones, not to mention a potential ally in Jake, whose abilities were worth cultivating. He is a bit lacking now, but he’s got plenty of room to grow. Though it would be difficult to derail the engagement completely, perhaps he could buy some time. Meanwhile, as he mulled over various strategies, Jake continued to vent his frustrations. “No matter what I say, they just bring up my uncle, whom I’ve never even met, and tell me I’m not capable. But when I try to prove myself, they tell me I have to defeat my sister. It’s driving me crazy!” “Hmm...” “And on top of that, my fiancée...” Knock, knock. Interrupted by the soft knock on the door, Jake trailed off and soon, a gentle voice followed. “Jake, may I come in?” “Uh, just a moment...” Hearing a woman’s voice that he didn’t recognize, Se-Hoon looked at Jake, who was clearly flustered. And upon seeing his reaction, Se-Hoon immediately figured out who it was. “Is that your fiancée?” “Yeah, but... why is she here all of a sudden...?” Unprepared for the unexpected visit, Jake watched as the door opened and a woman stepped inside. With striking red hair like a gem and a confident expression, the woman, who seemed to be in her early twenties, was undoubtedly beautiful, but... ...What is this? Se-Hoon couldn’t shake the sense that something was fundamentally wrong about her. Suspicious, Se-Hoon narrowed his eyes, and the woman, noticing his gaze, smiled warmly in return. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lee Se-Hoon.” Her greeting was polite and flawless, but in that instant, Se-Hoon figured out what had triggered his unease. Her gaze, her speech, and even the smallest of her movements—all of them betrayed the experience of someone far older than she appeared. By his senses, she was at least fifty years old, yet on paper, her age was listed as just twenty-three. ...So, she’s one of them. Recognizing the familiar signs, Se-Hoon scrutinized her more closely. “My name is Raphael Oppenheimer.” Jake’s fiancée was a member of Succession, a subgroup of Watchers.

Chapter 256

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