I Became the Namgung Clan’s Omnipotent Item-Powered Martial God - Chapter 15

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 15
Chapter 15 – The Successor Competition Begins
#1
A festival that happens once in a blue moon holds far more magic than one that returns every year.
When such an occasion arrives, throngs of visitors descend, and word spreads across the realm.
The Namgung Clan now found itself in precisely such circumstances.
The Successor Competition.
A contest to determine who would lead the next generation of the Namgung—who would become the Household Master.
It was no exaggeration to say that the clan’s entire future hung upon the outcome of this very competition.
Why so?
Because the fortune of the clan itself was decided by the caliber of its Household Master.
The direction in which the clan would advance.
Since each contestant pursued different ideals, the influence generated would reshape everything.
“Master, the preparations are complete.”
“I shall be out shortly.”
Namgung Mu had risen before dawn, performed his ritual ablutions, and dressed in his formal robes.
So Yeon had done the same.
Her beauty lived up to her reputation as the Solitary Peak—a face that commanded attention.
Dressed now in garments of unparalleled splendor, her presence blazed all the brighter.
The two of them, their preparations complete, made their way to the place where all had gathered.
A vast plaza lined with hundreds of people.
It was the largest square within the Namgung compound, and it overflowed with assembled bodies.
Contestants stood at the front, spectators at the back.
The patrons sat in their reserved seats, waiting for the two of them to appear.
Boom-boom-boom-boom—!
A drum thundered to life.
Given the magnitude of the event, the most resplendent figures from the clan’s highest echelons had come to grace the proceedings.
[The Household Master of the Great Namgung Clan makes his entrance—!]
When someone, channeling Internal Energy into their voice, bellowed the announcement with crystalline clarity, the drums fell silent.
In that same moment, Namgung Mu and So Yeon stepped forward.
Their bearing was that of a matured Azure Dragon—imposing, terrible in its majesty.
Everyone present was naturally overwhelmed.
[Greetings to you all.]
Roooooaaaar—!
Not an echo, but thunder rolling across the sky—such was the resonance of his voice.
What depths of Internal Energy could permit someone to speak with such effortless power?
People trembled beneath the weight of it, yet marveled at the same time.
With a single phrase, Namgung Mu had captured the attention of all present. Now he opened his mouth to speak.
The bearing of the current master of all martial arts under heaven.
The brief address of the one known as the Martial God was about to begin.
“I am honored to witness firsthand the vigor and flowering of your talents as you, the promising successors of our Great Namgung Clan, contend for supremacy.”
The future rests in your hands.
Show me the full measure of your overwhelming gifts.
Namgung Mu swept his gaze across the assembled competitors as he continued.
“For an extended time, I shall evaluate your capabilities and discern which among you possesses the qualities to lead this house. Do not despair if you fail to become Successor. In the Namgung Clan, strength and position are one and the same.”
“……”
“Display your abilities fiercely. The Namgung Clan has but one law: the strong ascend; the weak descend.”
True.
The eternal principle of the Namgung Clan.
Only the strong rise.
So harsh and merciless was this law that one might mistake it for the doctrine of the Heavenly Demon Divine Church itself.
Yet it was precisely this unforgiving principle that had made the Namgung what it was today.
Pure, untainted martial strength alone would serve as the great pillar upon which the Namgung’s future rested.
Namgung Mu’s eyes fell upon several whose auras burned particularly bright.
His own sons.
From eldest to youngest, each had inherited exceptional talent.
‘And the children of various masters……’
The offspring of each elder seemed to have arrived at this competition after rigorous training of their own.
Given the considerable influence wielded by the elders, their children would surely have honed their blades with the same fervor.
The disciples and heirs of each division leader and group commander had entered the fray as well.
Those who had solidified their positions through martial prowess, the masters who held key posts within the Namgung Clan.
How systematic could the education be for those raised and trained beneath them?
They must have poured their hearts into reaching higher ground.
For Namgung Mu’s children to carry on this legacy, they would need to possess overwhelming martial strength and magnanimity.
The others had little to worry about, but one stood apart.
‘My son, what depth of time have you spent?’
An expressionless face.
A frame that had shot up considerably.
And…… an Internal Energy so visibly expanded it demanded attention.
A son with deep, somber eyes—Namgung Yeon.
He who had drawn the gaze of no one before now appeared as the most striking presence.
What in the world had transpired over these past three months?
Time would reveal it.
My son, have you kept your promise?
‘To take what I hold from me would not have been easy.’
Show me, then.
How strong your will truly is.
Prove once more that your resolve ran deep enough to mend Severed Meridians and rise again.
Namgung Mu swallowed such thoughts and made his declaration.
[From this moment, we shall select the Group Leaders.]
#2
The Successor Competition divides into five major stages.
First comes the selection of Group Leaders.
Second, two years of cultivation.
Third, the group examinations.
Fourth and most crucial, the King-of-Kings Tournament.
Finally, the interview with the elders and the Household Master.
The reason for selecting Group Leaders was straightforward.
The Namgung Clan was woven together from various organizations.
Each organization had a leader, and a leader’s role was to command their members.
How much more so for a Successor?
“Those who received each tablet, gather by your groups!”
At the Chief Instructor’s word, people moved in a rush.
Namgung Yeon belonged to the Third Group.
This sort of thing changed with each round, it seemed.
Looking at those assembled, the faces were quite familiar.
The position of Successor required one to command those who bore the Namgung name.
That alone was not all.
One had to manage even those living beneath the Namgung name.
So naturally, developing ability as a leader was only fitting.
The martial strength Namgung spoke of included such ability as well.
“Are we all assembled?”
“Yes!”
“Each group has twelve members, and there are twelve groups of twelve.”
Twelve groups divided according to the Twelve Branches.
These would one day compete with their group’s honor at stake.
Thus the presence of a Group Leader to command each group was all the more vital.
Namgung Yeon swept his gaze across his surroundings.
‘Nothing special.’
For some reason, the Third Group to which he belonged held not a single outstanding prospect.
Himself, direct descendant of the Namgung Household Master.
Namgung Geon Ho, known as the most frail among the elder’s sons.
Namgung Se Un, the eldest son of the Weapons Division Master.
Beyond that, cherished branches of the clan or those participating merely for participation’s sake.
To others’ eyes, a motley assembly.
And the greatest problem was surely those nearby who exerted a corrosive influence.
Two from Namgung Jin’s faction were here, and he spotted the lackey of Ma In, the worst of the lot.
A sigh.
In the same group as these?
‘Perhaps it worked out for the best.’
This would be a chance to put down those who looked down on him.
His gaze had turned sharp and piercing.
Or else coldly dismissive.
As the two of them locked gazes, the instructor opened his mouth.
“Those who wish to become Group Leader, step forward.”
Four people came forward in response.
Namgung Geon Ho.
And two of Namgung Jin’s followers.
And finally, Namgung Yeon.
At Namgung Yeon’s appearance, murmurs rippled through the crowd.
Most of those murmurs carried ridicule and contempt.
They made no effort to hide it—spoke loud enough for him to hear.
“Namgung Yeon? Isn’t that the fourth son?”
“What? I thought he was sickly.”
“Right, so how does he have the audacity?”
Most were those who remembered the past, those who had known Namgung Yeon in his childhood.
Their words carried concern, but he understood what lay beneath them.
When else would they have the chance to throw insults so openly if not here?
“Really, doesn’t he know his place…….”
“Come now, mind your tongue. He’s still a direct descendant of the Household Master.”
“But this is the Successor Competition. No matter if he’s the Household Master’s own blood, he should know better.”
“What of all the effort the rest have put in? They’ve all clawed their way here through anguish.”
They had a point.
They’d all gnawed their teeth and clawed through to reach this place.
Each had thrown himself into this dangerous fight for the ideals, goals, and dreams he carried.
But they were ignorant fools, knowing one thing while missing two.
Why would he not have struggled?
Why did they measure his strength against their arbitrary standards of station?
Simply because his time training in martial arts appeared short?
‘I’ve poured far more time into this than every last one of them.’
It was absurd.
Namgung Yeon let out a quiet laugh at those words.
Those who saw it stirred once more.
Even the instructor looked taken aback, but rules were rules.
If someone volunteered, it was regulation and custom to accept them.
He wondered if it might be dangerous, but what could he do?
The boy had stepped forward of his own accord.
‘The Namgung Clan is a place where one must answer for his own words and deeds.’
According to the clan’s code, even if an unforeseen accident occurred, one must not stop.
Inflexible, was it?
That very inflexibility had made the Namgung Clan the greatest martial family.
“Ha, well, this works out perfectly.”
“Right? Last time he disrespected that brother so much…….”
Namgung Jin’s followers exchanged snickers.
Now they’d have legal justification to beat the arrogant young master into submission.
“If there are no further contestants, we’ll proceed with the Martial Match.”
“Understood.”
“Four of you means we’ll pair them off two by two.”
The instructor randomly assigned the matches.
He didn’t bother assessing their relative strength.
Fair balance?
There was none.
He simply drew them as they came.
Namgung Yeon’s first opponent was one of Namgung Jin’s followers.
Namgung Jin Jin.
He was the eldest son of the commander of the White Dragon Division, one of the Namgung Clan’s martial units.
“How convenient, you insolent young master.”
…….
“You two, to the arena!”
Namgung Yeon and Namgung Jin Jin.
The two of them picked up their wooden swords and climbed onto the martial platform.
Before that, Namgung Yeon rolled up his sleeves.
“Hmm?”
Clang!
The Chained Dragon Shackles that had bound his wrists and ankles fell away with a dull metallic sound.
A sense of liberation flooded through his entire body.
…….
Those who witnessed it fell slack-jawed.
Was there truly still someone who trained in such a brutal manner?
Who on earth—?
“Wait, wasn’t it said that he suffered from Severed Meridians?”
“That’s what I understood as well…….”
“But then how—”
If it had been a genuine case, the flesh would have already begun to rot away.
The fallen iron shackles showed rust in places, after all.
Which meant he had wrapped that area in Internal Energy to protect it…….
‘What in the world? How is this even possible?’
It was the shared thought of those watching Namgung Yeon.
Some of them hardened their expressions and regarded him with new gravity.
Others detected the change in him with an air of intrigue.
A sense of danger.
Keen interest.
Various emotions converged upon Namgung Yeon, standing atop the martial platform.
‘Tch, this is displeasing.’
Meanwhile, Namgung Jin Jin was deeply irritated that the attention meant for him had been drawn entirely toward Namgung Yeon.
But there was only one answer.
Crush that man’s spirit and stamp him into the ground so thoroughly he would never even dream of picking up a sword again.
That alone was the way to seize everyone’s attention in this Successor Competition.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
…….
At the examiner’s words, both of them finished their preparations.
Namgung Yeon turned his head briefly to look at his father.
Until the Group Leader selection round, it was tradition for the Household Master to observe the Successor Competition.
‘I shall show you.’
Namgung Yeon smiled faintly and turned to face his opponent.
I’m sorry, but you’ll be my first casualty today.
Namgung Jin Jin.
For now your martial strength is poor, but one day you’ll develop into something quite useful.
‘All of you will kneel and swear loyalty beneath my feet.’
Shrieeeeee—!
A piercing whistle blast rang out.
At last, the Successor Competition had begun.

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