Jin Ga’s eldest daughter, Jin Soojeong, silently cheered inside when her younger sister, Jin Sejeong, stepped over the threshold of the Jin family’s front door and entered.
With the current head of the family, Jin Yooha, bedridden, Jin Soojeong knew that if she could just get rid of Jin Sejeong, she could completely take control of the Jin family.
The method Jin Soojeong chose to eliminate Jin Sejeong was a succession duel, the simplest way to prove the legitimacy of the heir in a society of superhumans where strength is the ultimate value.
For the three years that Jin Sejeong had been hiding from the Jin family and staying with another family, Jin Soojeong had worked hard.
As the current acting head and her aunt, Jin Yuhui, had instructed her, Jin Soojeong trained in the Changryong 12 Swords five times a week, though she would rest on holidays or when sick.
Still, she trained like an office worker would.
Additionally, since she was in her growing years, her physical strength had become even stronger, and during this period, she even took the Jin family’s elixirs whenever possible.
Now, at the age of 15, facing Jin Sejeong, Jin Soojeong was confident.
‘Maybe later, but right now I’m definitely stronger…!’
Jin Sejeong had been called a genius who would light up the family, but Jin Soojeong was also seen as a prodigy with no lack of talent to lead the family.
No matter how much of a genius Jin Sejeong was, after wasting the last three years, there was no way she could defeat Jin Soojeong, who had spent the same time working hard.
Confident in this, Jin Soojeong immediately launched into the main point without hesitation as she faced Jin Sejeong.
“Well then, shall we get straight to the point? We need to finish this quickly, you know?
You know how sick our mother is.”
The reason why Jin Sejeong was sent back to the Jin family so suddenly was the illness of the family head, Jin Yooha.
The argument was that, because the head of the family was gravely ill, they needed to choose a successor quickly—something everyone listening would agree with.
And so, Jin Sejeong had to be sent back to the Jin family within a day.
But Jin Sejeong knew very well that this justification was just a formality, and though they mentioned their mother, there was no filial piety behind it.
“So, shall we quickly set the date for the succession duel?”
If she were to keep mentioning their mother’s illness and smile, it couldn’t just be a coincidence.
Jin Sejeong gritted her teeth at the smug expression on Jin Soojeong’s face, but Jin Soojeong didn’t care at all.
To her, Jin Sejeong was just an obstacle that would disappear once the duel was over.
Once she became the rightful successor to the Jin family, her future would shine brightly in full color.
“Heh, when would be good…?”
Since the day Jin Sejeong awakened, Jin Soojeong no longer had any feelings of kinship toward her younger sister.
To her, Jin Sejeong was nothing more than a terrible trial of life, trying to take the position of heir that should have been rightfully hers.
That was why Jin Soojeong could smile while officially setting the date for the “Succession Duel.”
To her, it was the day she would be freed from the trial of her genius younger sister.
“Tomorrow… might be a bit much. The day after tomorrow…?
That doesn’t feel right either. Hmm, maybe the weekend…”
“What’s there to think about?”
However, things didn’t go exactly as Jin Soojeong had planned.
“Why not just do it now? Everyone who needs to be here is already here.
Do we really need to delay any further?”
“What…?”
As Jin Sejeong, who had been quietly watching, opened her mouth, things began to take an unexpected turn.
“The succession duel can only be conducted under the observation of the family head or the acting family head. That’s all, right?
And since the current acting head, Aunt Jin Yuhui, is right there, and you’re here, and I’m here too, there’s no reason we can’t do it, right?”
To Jin Soojeong, the succession duel was supposed to be a one-sided execution.
She had trained for three years with the true Changryong 12 Swords, and she planned to stab and kill this thief of a sister who dared to covet her rightful place as heir.
Then, in front of the entire Jin family, she would prove herself as the true successor.
So, for Jin Sejeong to suddenly insert herself and offer an opinion was something that shouldn’t have happened in Jin Soojeong’s plan.
Jin Soojeong had to take control of the situation.
“Ahem, well, are you sure you’re okay? You just came back from your trip, you must be exhausted.”
Since all of the Jin family had gathered to welcome the returning second daughter, Jin Soojeong suppressed her swirling emotions and tried to take full control of the situation.
“What exhaustion? I took a car here. I’m a superhuman, so exhaustion doesn’t even happen to me.”
Of course, Jin Sejeong’s answer was perfectly logical.
Since exhaustion doesn’t happen to superhumans, Jin Soojeong could only grit her teeth in frustration.
‘Jin Sejeong… talking back? This obstacle is daring to speak in front of me?’
As the eldest daughter of the Jin family and the de facto heir, Jin Soojeong had always lived the life she wanted, enjoying everything she desired.
She could hardly bear this situation.
“Well, if you’re worried about me, don’t be. It’s just as you said, our mother is sick, so it’s best to finish this as soon as possible.”
Jin Soojeong’s anger boiled over as she saw Jin Sejeong act as though she was in control of the situation, and her feelings of rage and murderous intent grew stronger.
“Exactly. So let’s do it now. The succession duel.”
When Jin Sejeong insisted on doing it immediately, Jin Soojeong found it hard to refuse, whether logically or emotionally.
But with everyone watching, if she accepted the duel right away, it would seem like control had shifted to Jin Sejeong, and her pride and dignity would be severely hurt.
“Sejeong, I’m sorry, but the succession duel is a major matter for the family, so we must first put in a lot of effort to choose a proper date…”
Knowing how important her dignity and pride were as the heir to the Jin family, Jin Soojeong gritted her teeth and tried to suppress her rising anger, irritation, and murderous feelings before answering Jin Sejeong.
But before she could even finish her sentence, Jin Sejeong let out a small smirk and raised one side of her mouth, putting on a look that would make anyone feel a strong sense of disdain, before speaking a single word.
“Scared?”
It was the deadly move Jin Sejeong had learned from meeting Yang Woobin on their first day.
“You bitch!”
Naturally, it struck at the heart of Jin Soojeong, who had nothing left but her pride.
It worked perfectly.
Ching!
“Uh, uh?!”
“That, that’s…”
“Miss Soojeong is drawing her sword and charging at Miss Sejeong?!”
With the single word “scared” perfectly scratching her nerves, Jin Soojeong, who had barely held onto her reason, completely lost control and drew her sword, charging at Jin Sejeong, who was standing in front of the entrance.
Tadadadadadak!!!
At 15 years old, and only four years since awakening, her speed was unimaginable for someone so young.
The distance between the two closed in an instant.
It looked like Jin Soojeong’s sword would pierce Jin Sejeong at any moment.
Seeing the sword coming at her, Jin Sejeong let out a small chuckle and shifted her gaze to behind Jin Soojeong.
Then, she opened her mouth slightly, and just before Jin Soojeong’s sword reached her, she leisurely drew her own sword.
Swoosh.
With a slight step back with her right foot and a small twist of her body, she drew the sword at her left waist and slashed downward.
This series of movements was slow enough for even the servants to see the whole process.
However…
Kaaang…
“Wha…?”
That alone was enough to stop Jin Soojeong’s charge.
Jin Soojeong saw that her sword, which should have pierced some part of Jin Sejeong’s body, was instead pressed into the ground by Jin Sejeong’s sword.
She lifted her gaze and saw Jin Sejeong calmly holding her sword with one hand, pressing down on Jin Soojeong’s.
“Puhuh… pheeew… hahahaha!”
The situation reminded Jin Sejeong of her first sparring match with Yang Woobin three years ago, and she couldn’t hold back her laughter.
“You… you dare to laugh at me…?”
“Hehe… No, no, I’m not laughing at you, I’m just reminiscing about old memories.”
“What?”
“There’s never been anything worth laughing about because of you before, and there won’t be in the future either. Don’t get cocky.”
“You little…”
Before Jin Soojeong could express her anger in words, Jin Sejeong swiftly swung her leg, sweeping it at Jin Soojeong’s ankle.
Crash!
With a perfectly executed Wasa-vari (leg sweep), Jin Soojeong rolled on the dirt ground, and looking down at her, Jin Sejeong said:
“If I pierce you now, the duel ends, right?”
Jin Soojeong couldn’t comprehend the situation at all.
She had spent three years honing her skills, so why was she the one lying on the ground, covered in dirt?
She couldn’t accept this reality.
Thus, Jin Soojeong gave up on understanding it, gripping her sword so tightly that it strained her wrist and kicked off the ground to stand up.
“Die, you bitch!!!”
Changryong 12 Swords, 2nd Sword – Changryong Cheonchung (Dragon’s Spear)
As a superhuman, she unleashed an unrelenting series of thrusts, each sword tip capable of turning her opponent into a sieve in an instant.
Having faced this technique before, Jin Sejeong calmly stared at the numerous sword tips filling her vision before letting out a small sigh.
“This person, what exactly did she learn over the last three years?”
Though many sword tips came at her, the actual weapon was only one.
Jin Sejeong knew very well that the Changryong Cheonchung, unleashed by someone without a fully developed body, was nothing more than a weak thrust, far below her expectations.
Cling!
With a simple horizontal slash, Jin Soojeong’s most powerful technique, Changryong Cheonchung, was completely neutralized.
“Like Woobin said, I could fight you ten more times, but your level is too low.
I’ll just end it here, Soojeong unni.”
“Wh-what?!”
Jin Sejeong took one step forward, raised her sword, and powerfully struck Jin Soojeong’s face with the sword’s hilt.
Thud!
The handle, which was capped with steel, hit Jin Soojeong’s nose, and without even a scream, she collapsed to the ground.
“Done. That was easy, really easy.”
With the words she had always wanted to say, Jin Sejeong’s victory in the succession duel was sealed.