Legacy of the Crow — Part 3
“You’re late, brothers.”
Those were Seong Huiyeong’s first words.
Her gaze was cast downward, her lips curled into a twisted smirk.
She was openly mocking them.
Behind her, a group of armed superhumans poured into the room.
A brief glimpse of the interior behind her revealed that it was in ruins.
While I had held the front line, her brothers’ forces had broken through the windows, leading to fierce combat inside.
Apparently, her subordinates had also entered through the windows and clashed with the intruders.
It had truly been a narrow margin.
Whether it was me at the main entrance or her forces at the windows, we had barely held on.
“Damn it.”
“Fucking hell.”
The eldest and second brothers’ faces twisted into grotesque expressions.
Their gazes met, and a silent understanding began to form in their eyes—a shared murderous intent.
Though Seong Huiyeong had yet to fully adapt to her newly achieved level 7, the brothers were clearly contemplating an all-or-nothing approach to end it right here.
Crack!
Seong Huiyeong gracefully spread her arms.
Black feathers sprouted from the back of her neck.
The feathers spread rapidly down her arms, transforming them into crow-like wings.
They were pitch-black, with only the tips gleaming gold.
Then, the gemstone beneath her ear expanded, morphing into armor that clicked into place over her body.
And finally, the transformation completed.
The black crow feathers and the radiant gemstone armor turned golden, creating the appearance of an armored crow-like humanoid.
Magical arrays floated around her like planets orbiting the sun—or like the rings surrounding Jupiter and Saturn.
No mana waves leaked from her.
Every ounce of her mana was perfectly contained within the armor and feathers.
The second brother let out a groan as he muttered a single phrase.
“The Sun Crow…”
A power granted only to the head of the family.
Could they possibly win against it?
Even with the might of their level 6 Black Crow abilities?
The eldest brother’s eyes flared with defiance.
“Did you think I’d be scared?”
It seemed he was truly prepared to fight.
Black mana waves began pouring out of him in thick streams.
But before he could act, a voice interrupted.
“That’s enough, Eldest.”
“What? Father-in-law?”
The voice belonged to a man emerging from behind Seong Huiyeong.
A level 7 Reinforced superhuman, wearing a badge that read Director Jeong Kyungjun.
“It’s over. If the young miss fights seriously, the building will collapse. Surely you don’t want that to happen, do you?”
“But, Father-in-law—!”
“The timing isn’t in your favor. Even if you manage to remove the young miss here, would the board acknowledge it? Follow the established procedures.”
“Grrr…”
It wasn’t just Director Jeong Kyungjun.
Several more directors stepped forward.
Most of them were level 6 superhumans, though a few were level 7.
They were either founding members of the Geumo Group or key enforcers.
With their intervention, the eldest and second brothers had no choice but to relent.
Grinding their teeth, they began to retreat.
“We’ll settle this in the team battle!”
“Don’t think this is over!”
The crowd dispersed like a receding tide.
In front of the training facility, only a few people remained: Seong Huiyeong, myself, and a handful of others.
Looking around, I saw the chaos left behind.
The surrounding area was utterly wrecked—shattered, burned, and devastated.
It was a testament to how fierce the battle had been.
Fortunately, the eldest and second brothers’ forces had held back from unleashing their full firepower. If the fighting had been any more intense, the building might have collapsed.
“Black Tiger Swordmaster, you’ve done well.”
“It’s nothing. I’m just relieved you awakened in time. Honestly, things were a bit dicey.”
“I heard about it. You held off my elder brothers and two master warriors all at once.”
“It was tough.”
“Tough? That’s how you’d describe it?”
Seong Huiyeong shook her head with a laugh.
“This entire success is thanks to you, Black Tiger Swordmaster. Without you, I’d have been eliminated during the consecutive duels, and I wouldn’t have been able to complete the Sun Crow today. I’m truly grateful.”
“Don’t mention it. I was just fulfilling the request.”
“I’ll give you the reward as promised. You’ve already successfully completed my task. And…”
Seong Huiyeong suddenly hesitated.
The arrogance that had been evident on her face was gone, replaced by an uncharacteristic uncertainty.
It was the first time I’d seen her look this way, even though we hadn’t known each other for long.
“There’s something else I’ve been considering, but I’ll tell you later.”
“As you wish. What about the team battle? What’s your plan?”
“I’m planning to forfeit it. Honestly, my forces don’t compare to my elder brothers’.”
It was an unavoidable decision.
The Geumo Group’s foundation was built on Geumo Electronics, and its private military company, Geumo Security, far outclassed her faction, Geumo Financials, in terms of military strength.
The age gap between her and her brothers meant she hadn’t had enough time to recruit subordinates.
“Would you like me to help?”
“You, Black Tiger Swordmaster? I appreciate the thought, but I don’t have much left to offer you.”
Seong Huiyeong gave a troubled smile.
I presented the proposal I’d already prepared.
“How about this?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re planning to reward me similarly to last time, right? Money, Nectar, Diamonds, magical equipment—all of that.”
“Correct.”
“I’d like the reward to include the Geumo Set.”
Seong Huiyeong raised an eyebrow.
“The Geumo Set… Are you serious?”
“I am. What superhuman in the world wouldn’t want the Geumo Set?”
“Well, that’s true. But are you aware? The Geumo Set isn’t distributed to anyone unless they’re a direct descendant of the family or a director of the Geumo Group.”
“That’s exactly why I’m proposing this.”
The Geumo Set, with each individual piece being SR-grade, became SSR-equivalent when all three pieces were combined, granting a new trait.
And I only needed two more pieces to complete the set.
Why wouldn’t I ask for them?
Even if it meant giving up the gold, Nectar, and Diamonds, just acquiring two more pieces of the Geumo Set would be a huge gain.
Seong Huiyeong fell into deep thought.
After a long moment of silence, Seong Huiyeong suddenly broke into a radiant smile.
It was as if a brilliant idea had just come to her.
“Alright. I agree to your proposal. The remaining pieces are the Geumo Helmet and Geumo Belt, correct? I’ll add them to your reward if you win the team battle for me. That, combined with your work on the Crow Chip, will earn you the two remaining pieces of the Geumo Set.”
“Thank you. I’ll do my best.”
“Just don’t get hurt. You’re more important to me than some silly team battle victory. Even if you fail, I’ll try to find another way to get you the Geumo Set.”
“You’re too kind, lady. Thank you.”
The team battle was scheduled shortly after.
It had originally been planned for tomorrow, with a three-day gap from the consecutive duels.
This time, the battlefield was again the rooftop.
The once expansive rooftop now felt cramped as hundreds of people gathered.
Each faction had brought 100 fighters, making a total of 300 combatants, each glaring at the others as they formed ranks.
Seong Huiyeong leaned in nervously and whispered to me.
“My brothers have teamed up.”
The original format had been designed to mimic the consecutive duel system. The eldest and second brothers’ factions were supposed to fight first, rest, and then face her faction in successive rounds. The last fight would have been between Seong Huiyeong and the second brother.
But everything had changed overnight.
The rules had been rewritten so that all three factions would engage in a free-for-all, with the last faction standing declared the winner.
Seong Huiyeong had tried to oppose this, but the board of directors had presented a rationale she couldn’t refute:
[The Chairman must be overwhelmingly strong.]
The Geumo Group didn’t believe in morality or law.
They only believed in one thing: power.
The former chairman had ruled with unmatched charisma, and now that he was gone, his children were locked in a brutal struggle for the position. Meanwhile, the board remained opportunistic, shifting loyalties as the tide of power changed.
“Will this be alright?”
“There’s still hope. My brothers won’t be able to field any level 7 superhumans.”
Seong Huiyeong wasn’t entirely passive.
She had imposed a restriction barring level 7 participants—herself excluded.
This meant only one of the siblings—eldest brother, second brother, or herself—could participate if they were level 7.
Her brothers had agreed to this rule.
The catch? Seong Huiyeong was still inexperienced as a level 7, making her combat power not much different from a strong level 6. Her brothers likely intended to overwhelm her with numbers.
“I’m counting on you, Black Tiger Swordmaster.”
Her eyes were filled with heavy expectations.
As I inspected my equipment, I nodded.
“You can trust me.”
I carried the Black Tiger Sword, Mjolnir, and Aegis.
Four guns from the Dasan Gun Set.
On my hands, I wore Iron Fist, and on my feet, the Geumo Shoes.
It would’ve felt incomplete without the Jo Chul’s Armor.
Additionally, I had the Detection Helmet and Mana Concentration Belt, which I would soon replace.
Around my neck hung the Heart of Abundance, and on my fingers, the Mana Storage Ring and Danger Sense Ring, both of which I checked one last time.
I had opted not to bring a grenade launcher or rocket launcher. With my lighter loadout, I could move more freely, and those kinds of weapons were ineffective against high-level superhumans anyway.
They might work against level 3s, but anything higher? Not worth the effort.
“I’m going to dive straight into the enemy lines.”
“What? Isn’t that too dangerous? You’d be better off staying as my guardian. I’m not sure if you know, but the Sun Crow Mana Circuit has firepower comparable to mages.”
“I’m sure your brothers know that too.”
“They do.”
“I’ll disrupt their formation while you attack from within our own ranks. Let the others guard you. I think this is the best strategy.”
Her eyes questioned me, silently asking if I was sure.
I nodded firmly.
“I can handle it.”
The formations were finalized.
The eldest and second brothers’ factions had aligned into a nearly unified force.
Their ranks were tight and orderly, resembling an impenetrable wall of stone.
In contrast, Seong Huiyeong’s faction was a mess.
While the other side boasted a significant number of level 6 superhumans, her faction consisted mostly of level 5s, haphazardly arranged like scattered grains of sand.
The referee raised a mana-powered pistol high into the air.
Bang!
“The team battle begins now!”
I bolted forward instantly, faster than anyone else.
My reaction time was exactly 0.1 seconds quicker than even Reinforced superhumans with jet-engine prosthetics or cheetah legs.
[Grand Assault]
[Swift]
[Sprint]
[Charge]
[Leap]
[Mobility]
On top of that, the Geumo Shoes’ [Geumo Leap] further amplified my speed.
The gap of dozens of meters disappeared in an instant.
Naturally, standing at the forefront was an SR-grade level 6 superhuman—Cyborg I had fought before.
“You bastard!”
His eyes blazed with fury, clearly eager to avenge the humiliation I had dealt him last time.
But the one delivering retribution today wouldn’t be him.
I jumped with all my might before reaching him, rocketing several meters into the air.
From my vantage point above, the top of his head was completely exposed.
“Take this!”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
I fired my guns.
Dual-wielding handguns in akimbo style, each one imbued with a different trait.
[Explosive Round] on one, [Stun] on the other.
It was impossible to imbue two traits into a single gun, but I had equipped each one with a separate effect.
Every time I pulled the triggers, bullets enhanced with alternating traits slammed into Cyborg.
“Gah!”
Defense was useless.
The first bullet pierced through his raised arm, the physical barrier shattering as the impact struck his mind directly.
The second bullet, imbued with [Stun], froze him in place, leaving him completely immobilized.
I could’ve dashed forward and cleaved him in two with the Black Tiger Sword, but I chose not to.
Instead, I spun midair, using the recoil to propel myself downward. My feet landed squarely on Cyborg’s head, and I launched myself upward again, as if bouncing off a game character.
“You bastard!”
Cyborg roared in frustration, but it was too late.
I had already vaulted past the heads of the other superhumans, rocketing toward the eldest brother.
“Where do you think you’re going?!”
A fiery figure closed in behind me.
Flame Horse.
Flame Horse fired dozens of fireballs at me, but he didn’t dare engage directly.
That wouldn’t work—not a chance.
I twisted my body slightly and unleashed a rapid barrage from my pistols.
This time, I used the [Destruction] attribute.
[Firearm Mastery], [Rapid Fire], [Aim],
[Spray], [Focus], [Rapid Reload]
I packed in all the best traits.
Thanks to that, even though my shots seemed wild, every single bullet hit its mark with pinpoint accuracy.
The erratic, zigzagging fireballs detonated one by one.
The only human part of Flame Horse—his face—visibly stiffened in shock.
“You insane—!”
“Shoot! Shoot him now!”
As my time in the air lengthened, the superhumans below weren’t idle.
Most of them were Reinforced, modifying their arms or deploying shoulder-mounted guns. Some even extended lenses from their eyes before unleashing a hail of bullets.
Tat-tat-tat-tat! Pew-pew-pew! Boom-boom-boom!
The torrent of bullets, lasers, and missiles came at me like a storm.
But I remained calm.
I flipped my body mid-air, swapped traits, and activated a new one.
[Evasion]
My movements became fluid and precise, performing effortless aerial somersaults as I slipped out of their attack range with room to spare.
“Kill him! Kill him now!”
The barrage didn’t let up?
I activated [Grand Assault] to execute another aerial leap, dodging cleanly.
Still not enough?
I used Geumo Leap, the unique ability of the Geumo Shoes, to jump once more mid-air.
By now, I was practically floating.
This triple jump, almost like something out of a video game, brought me closer to the realm of aerial dominance.
I dived toward the eldest brother, targeting him directly.
“Damn you!”
He barely managed to block by deploying his Black Crow ability.
His face turned beet red, veins bulging from his neck to his forehead.
The impact must have been enormous.
And of course, it would be.
[Giant’s Strength], [Tiger King Sword Technique], [Severing Moon],
[Sigurd Cultivation Technique], [Mana Soul], [Grand Assault]
All of my high-tier traits were in play.
The force was so intense that it caused a small fracture in my own arm.
“No!”
“Protect the young master!”
“Stop him! Stop him now!”
The superhumans rushed at me in a panic.
But I was already pulling away.
As I sheathed the Black Tiger Sword into my belt, I aimed my shotgun at them.
[Firearm Mastery], [Spray], [Destruction],
[Undying], [Grand Assault], [Black Flame]
Boom-boom-boom-boom!
I emptied the entire magazine.
The wide-gauge shotgun pellets slammed into the superhumans.
Each shot carried the combined power of Destruction, Impact, and Black Flame.
Black streaks, like torrential rain, tore through the air.
“Gah!”
“Urgh!”
“What the hell kind of bullets are these?!”
The shotgun shells didn’t outright kill them.
But they shattered, tore, and burned through their bodies, leaving them incapacitated.
More importantly, they ensured none of them could pursue me as I darted away with the agility of a bird.
“Damn it!”
“What kind of monster is that?!”
“Hey, fight fair, you coward!”
“You sneaky bastard!”
Oh, thanks for the compliments.
This is exactly why I chose Grand Assault.
It lets me hammer down on enemies like a strategic bomber, raining destruction at will.
And more than that, I’m not just some bomber—I’m the kind of weapon that can adapt to any situation.
A fighter jet, a bomber, a tank, or even a fortress—I can transform into whatever the battlefield demands.
I continued wreaking havoc, scattering their ranks until their formation was completely broken.
All their attention was focused on me.
Stupid.
This is exactly why they’ll lose.
Unable to hold back my amusement, I taunted the eldest and second brothers as I stood before them.
“Aren’t you afraid of your youngest sibling?”
“What are you—what?!”
“Wait, no!”
The two brothers snapped their heads around in unison.
But it was too late.
Seong Huiyeong had spread her arms wide.
Within them, the Sun Crow was being born.
The overwhelming mana waves radiating from her were reminiscent of the grand magic of the Sun Mage Tower.
A golden crow manifested, descending upon the rooftop of the headquarters in all its glory.
And with that, the team battle was over.
–TL Notes–
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Nice
Nice win