I Became the Namgung Clan’s Omnipotent Item-Powered Martial God - Chapter 108

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 108
Chapter 108 — Back to the Namgung
#1
“The carriage was destroyed……?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm…….”
Namgung Cheon exhaled a deep sigh as he descended Hwangsan.
While he too believed in diligent training, his desire to move quickly was no different from anyone else’s.
Time was of the essence.
Moreover, they didn’t know when or where another attack might come.
That alone was enough.
Though Namgung territory, the sparsely populated regions were still rife with bandits and brigands.
Naturally, using a carriage would have been the sensible choice.
“I can’t abandon these two either…….”
“…….”
“There’s no help for it. We’ll have to stop by a nearby village.”
“As you say.”
What would the state of the family be by now?
Namgung Yeon moved with purpose, turning over various possibilities in his mind.
Money was no obstacle; borrowing a horse or carriage would pose no difficulty.
The problem was that they had to make a detour to reach such a place.
Hwangsan’s terrain was treacherous, but the training of carrying water buckets day after day had not gone to waste.
Namgung Cheon had said as much after observing Ho Ho and Man Ho.
“Your lower body balance is quite well-established. Who taught you?”
“That……was by following the training method of my master.”
“Your master? You mean……this one?”
“Yes.”
Ho Ho answered while looking toward Namgung Yeon, and surprise registered on Namgung Cheon’s face as well.
Tedious, yet steady training.
When the foundation is solid, any martial art executed thereafter becomes stable.
Even the same Sword Strike would differ in its certainty and speed.
“You’re heading in the right direction. There’s no need for concern.”
“Thank you.”
“So then, how are your siblings doing?”
“You’ll see for yourself. How could I presume to judge my own family?”
Namgung Yeon deflected the question.
Of course, they were all talented enough to lead the Namgung forward.
But which role each should fill was something that required further observation.
Namgung Cheon let out a soft chuckle and nodded.
Though they were his grandchildren, he had never shared family affection with them.
So he resolved to leave this as mere personal curiosity.
It was also rare for him to take interest in others at all.
“Then we should hurry all the more.”
In the end, the four of them had no choice but to cover the distance to the nearby city using their Lightness Skill.
And what they found there was.
“We greet you, Master.”
A signboard reading “Eunwol Merchant Group” hung prominently before them.
Who would have thought their influence had expanded to this extent already?
Hwangsan City appeared to already be under the Eunwol’s expanding reach.
They recognized Namgung Yeon’s face and at once treated him with respectful courtesy.
“We need a carriage or horses. Can you provide them?”
“Of course, sir. Just give us a moment.”
“I’m grateful.”
Namgung Cheon, watching this unfold, raised an eyebrow in puzzlement.
“Many things have changed while I was shut away on that mountain.”
“Yes. More has shifted than one might expect.”
He would surely be astonished once he entered the family compound.
Namgung Yeon wore a wry smile.
He could already imagine the expression that would cross his grandfather’s face.
#2
“A report of failure, sir.”
“…….”
Somewhere within the Namgung Estate.
A grim report had arrived.
An ambitious plan had failed.
This was a mission that, if it went wrong, would burden them with catastrophic risk.
And yet…… how could it have failed?
The man cradling his head listened to the report and let out a long sigh.
Then he demanded an explanation.
“How, exactly, did this fail?”
“That is…….”
“If this comes to light, none of us will escape unscathed.”
“It appears their martial strength was greater than anticipated.”
“Ha——.”
They were merely boys, not yet come of age.
And yet they possessed such power?
It had been a battle where nearly all of Salmak’s strength was deployed—with a first-rate assassin leading the charge.
And three of them alone had managed to repel such overwhelming force?
It was a force that would have been nearly impossible for even the martial masters of the Namgung Estate’s regular guard to survive.
Had they known of the assault beforehand?
He opened his mouth again, his expression grave.
“Is there any possibility information leaked from within?”
“None whatsoever, sir.”
“Can you say that with certainty?”
“…….”
He understood.
The chance of a leak from within was slim.
They all lived as though carrying a massive Lightning Pellet in their chests.
Should the secret ever be exposed, none of them would survive the reckoning from within the Namgung.
But.
Even if the chance was one in a thousand, one in ten thousand, such things could still occur.
And what would he do then?
To dismiss the possibility entirely was to stand defenseless against the blade that would come thrusting from behind.
“Investigate thoroughly once more. Word of this must not, under any circumstance, reach the Family Head’s ears.”
“Understood.”
“Now…… the Namgung will be torn asunder and become prey for the Martial Realm.”
He had waited long for this.
In truth…… the grand scheme required even more meticulous preparation before completion.
But everything had gone awry.
Because of a single variable.
Namgung Hyeon-geum had died.
The Grand Elder remained alive.
And countless junior family members and the direct line of the Namgung were growing up safely.
‘This cannot continue as it is. Even if it brings greater risk…… I must sow division within the Namgung.’
Only then could they preserve their own lives a little longer.
Moreover.
They could seize a position in the new halls that would be built within the Namgung.
“What of Baekryong Daejoo?”
“He appears to have gained complete control of his group.”
“Good. That front should pose no problem.”
“However, his independent actions seem to be increasing somewhat…….”
The time would come when this, too, would need investigation.
How many appetites for power were raging through this Namgung?
The man—Third Elder—gripped his aching head and sighed.
The Grand Elder had not yet moved.
He maintained silence on the matter, and seemed instead to be favoring Namgung Mu’s children.
Or more precisely, he was advocating for fair competition.
“Tch. Not a single thing is proceeding as it should.”
“…….”
“Enough. You may withdraw.”
“Yes.”
The Third Elder waved everyone away with a heavy sigh.
Watching everything go awry, he found himself itching to step forward personally and kill Namgung Yeon.
Come to think of it…….
“Hmm. Perhaps I must take matters into my own hands at the Sword Discussion Tournament.”
The Sword Discussion Tournament was upon them.
Conveniently, all the key members of the Namgung Family had gathered in one place.
If that was the case, the timing would be perfect for decisive action.
The Third Elder rose from his seat.
Troublesome as it might be, it was better to move directly on this matter himself.
With the family in such upheaval, no one would have the leisure to scrutinize his movements.
‘My preparations may be incomplete, but I must shake things loose as much as possible.’
The Third Elder made his way toward where the official dispatches were kept, his pace unhurried.
Though there were many moving about busily, none paid attention to his movements.
He was, after all, the Third Elder of the Namgung Family.
“Elder, are you sending an official dispatch personally?”
“Indeed. It’s a matter of great importance.”
“Understood, Elder. Here are your brush and paper.”
There was no shortage of matters important enough to warrant the Third Elder’s personal attention.
Trade agreements, commission requests……communications of all kinds.
No one suspected anything.
And they would suspect nothing on the other end either.
All those in league with the Third Elder had already completed their groundwork.
Rise up, those of you who would usher in a new age.
The Third Elder wrote his letter in passionate, fervent script.
‘No matter how skilled a swordmaster he may be, one old man cannot hold back an entire force.’
He knew this as well.
Who was scheduled to arrive at the Namgung Estate.
But ten hands would inevitably slip past a defense of one.
Inevitably.
At least one life would have to be claimed.
Only then would the Namgung Family slowly crumble.
And at the end of that collapse stood the Family Head.
The destruction of Namgung Mu, called the Godlike Warrior.
#3
Dawn broke.
The day began at the Namgung Estate in a manner both ordinary and extraordinary.
What else would warriors do upon waking?
Training, of course.
The issue was that people from different groups, who had previously stayed apart, were now gathered in one place.
The Namgung Estate was vast, but only so vast.
There were only so many training grounds for its multitude of warriors.
“That bastard Namgung Yeon must have collapsed or something, eh?”
“More likely he’s too terrified of his brother to show his face.”
……
“Jinjin, are you just going to let those bastards mock you like that? They were friendly enough before—now they treat you like a traitor?”
Those who sneered at them.
They were the Group Members of Namgung Jin’s faction.
Namgung Jinjin deliberately refrained from responding to their jeers.
But Yi Hyeon seemed to think differently.
Since Jinjin was being tacitly acknowledged as deputy Group Leader, Yi Hyeon vented his frustrations to him.
Namgung Se-un too made no effort to hide his discomfort.
“I mean, what are we lacking compared to those bastards? We could beat them half to death right now.”
“……What did you just say?”
Yi Hyeon’s words were loud enough, and Namgung Jin’s faction heard them perfectly well.
Namgung Jinjin exhaled softly as he watched them approach.
Fighting them was not the issue.
What tormented him most right now was shame.
Because looking at them, he could immediately see how contemptible and foolish his former self had been.
Had he not once been just like them?
“Listen. What exactly did you just say?”
“You lot aren’t skilled enough to be running your mouths. Keep it up and you’ll lose some teeth.”
“Ha, and here the dogs bark while their Group Leader tucked tail and fled. Rich.”
A murderous tension began to settle between Yi Hyeon’s faction and Namgung Jin’s.
Namgung Jinjin could no longer bear to watch from the sidelines and was about to step forward.
“Has the pecking order already begun to sort itself out?”
…….
A gruff voice cut through—heard by no one until now.
Every head snapped toward the source of that unexpected sound.
A figure in worn clothes stood with hands clasped behind his back.
He gazed quietly around the room, his eyes sweeping across them all.
“You’re all worthless.”
…….
“Who are you to intrude upon this place without permission?”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————