The Return of the Talented Monopolist is Special

At the same time.

Sirius and Clark, who were watching the children participating in the Lion’s Trial through the crystal orb, had different expressions.

“Hah, Yujin… this kid.”

Clark was staring at the crystal orb, amazed by Yujin, while Sirius, arms crossed, remained silent, deep in thought.

Jade, sitting behind them, sipped her warm tea and smiled softly.

“No one has ever made it to the second phase of the Lion’s Spirit Trial. What a remarkable child.”

Clark nodded as he looked at Jade.

“This is the first time since my father. I didn’t expect it at all. I thought he was just sharp, but… his abilities are extraordinary.”

Along with the combat strength that brought out the spirit’s true power, he had endured the mental attacks in the second phase. Moreover, he had detected the swirling magic trap and used it against the spirit to defeat it.

“Finally, a rival for my daughter.”

Until now, there hadn’t been anyone who could shake Eldora emotionally or match her in skill.

But now, Yujin appeared, showing exceptional talent.

“I never thought I’d see my daughter look flustered.”

Clark, having grasped the entire situation through the crystal orb, predicted that Eldora might be inspired to work harder, thanks to Yujin.

On the other hand…

“Haha, just like Father said, he really is an impressive kid. It’s clear now why he was so confident in the lecture hall before.”

Sirius smiled gently, acknowledging Yujin.

Clark understood the true meaning behind that smile.

“My older brother is starting to keep a close eye on Yujin. That’ll surely be a headache for him.”

At first, Sirius had openly dismissed Yujin as a cheeky kid, but now his attitude had changed completely.

Just then, there was a knock, and the door opened.

It was the new chef who had recently joined Pencell.

The chef had notably thick lips, dark skin, and very muscular arms.

“Hello, I’ve brought some snacks.”

“…I didn’t order anything.”

“I thought you might be hungry, so I prepared something for you.”

“Well… fine.”

As they turned their heads, Sirius and Clark’s eyes stopped at the chef’s muscular arms.

“The new chef seems to be quite strong. Almost too much so.”

“Is he really from the kitchen?”

Jade scanned the chef with a peculiar look before quickly turning her gaze away.

The new chef handed over a plate with cookies and madeleines, while subtly glancing at the crystal orb.

“This is the Lion’s Trial, right?”

Clark, cutting through his thoughts, casually asked.

“Are you curious about the results of the Lion’s Trial too? I guess it’s fascinating since you’re new and haven’t seen Pencell’s family trial before.”

“Ah, yes. I’ve heard that this trial clearly reveals the potential of the participants. It reminds me of my own childhood.”

“Haha, many say that. The power children give. It makes you look back on the past.”

The chef, unable to take his eyes off the crystal orb, replied.

“Yes… but that kid clearly has extraordinary talent. His body is full of scars, and his muscles are well-defined. You can tell just by looking that he’s of good character, knows how to care for others, and will surely grow into a great person. I’m certain of it.”

“…?”

He was talking about Yujin.

“You judge someone’s character just by looking at their body…?”

“It’s just a feeling.”

The chef smiled softly and left the room.

Sirius and Clark, tilting their heads in confusion, turned their attention back to the crystal orb.

Something unusual caught their eyes.

Splash!

They had expected Yujin to head straight into the ice cave, but instead, after sending the children ahead, he jumped back into the water.

“…”

Sirius’s expression stiffened.

‘No way…’

Clark and Jade’s expressions also turned serious.

“Father, could it be that Yujin…?”

“It’s possible. Let’s watch for a little longer.”

Meanwhile…

Yujin threw himself back into the cold water, heading toward the starting point.

‘After I finish this task, I’ll probably end up last in the Lion’s Trial. But rankings don’t matter, so it doesn’t concern me.’

No, in fact, it was better this way.

As time passed, the difficulty of the magic traps would increase, and he could push himself even further to his limits.

Yujin was heading back to dismantle the magic traps once again.

The reason for this was simple.

‘The Lion’s Trial is a meticulously designed test. It’s not just about getting through the obstacles.’

If you only focused on passing the trial, you’d miss important details.

Whoosh!

As he swam, Yujin saw the back of the Lion’s Spirit. It was likely waiting for the children who hadn’t passed the spirit yet.

There was a rule in this trial where, if the spirit declared someone “failed,” they would be summoned back to the starting point.

That’s why, as Yujin made his way back, the other children couldn’t be seen.

Hmm?

The spirit, noticing someone approaching from behind, quickly turned around and frowned.

The spirit had already been subdued by Yujin before, and it didn’t seem too pleased to see him again.

What’s this? Why is he coming back?

Yujin shrugged his shoulders and casually passed the spirit.

What…

Regardless of whether the spirit tilted its head or not, Yujin kept swimming toward the starting point.

He passed by the Lion’s Spirit.

And as he swam, he also passed by the children who hadn’t yet made it past the spirit, heading the opposite way.

Hmm…? What’s going on? Why is he coming this way?

I… I don’t know…!

Since Yujin was moving so quickly, the children could only gape, their mouths open, as they watched his figure fade away.

Soon, Yujin reached the starting point.

Whoosh!

“Mm?”

The first butler, who had been waiting at the starting point, noticed Yujin.

“Starting off with strange behavior, and now you’re giving up? Or maybe that’s the smart move. After all, three out of twelve have already failed.”

“That’s not it. How much time is left?”

“Two hours have passed out of six. Don’t forget that the difficulty increases as time goes on—”

‘That means I can make about four round trips at most.’

Ignoring the butler’s words, Yujin took a deep breath and dove back into the water.

The butler shook his head in disbelief.

“Why go back to the starting point to breathe and then return? What a strange guy…”

Yujin glanced back, then began swimming again toward the ice cave.

The spears flew randomly, and in certain areas, a continuous barrage of spears poured down.

If he passed the Lion’s Spirit, it meant he had passed all the obstacles in the lake beneath.

For some, this process was just “the trial,” but Yujin had a different plan. He was facing the true nature of this test.

The key was the Ghost Step.

This technique, developed by the Pencell family’s vassals after much research, was a movement style that resembled a ghost’s step—unpredictable and difficult to anticipate.

Ghost Step could be linked with all of Pencell’s martial arts, and when used in conjunction, it greatly enhanced the power of their techniques.

However, only high-ranking members of the direct line knew about it.

Yujin decided that he would extract everything he could from the Lion’s Trial, and one of those things was the Ghost Step.

‘The spears are definitely coming at me randomly. But if I follow the most efficient movement route to avoid them, that’s the unique footwork of Pencell’s family—Ghost Step.’

When he first avoided the spears and headed toward the ice cave, it had a somewhat experimental purpose. He needed to analyze where and how the spears were coming from. He completed that task during his first move and was now starting to seriously learn the Ghost Step technique.

Additionally…

‘Time has passed, so new magical traps must have appeared. There will likely be hooks, maces, and chains mixed in.’

Click, click.

This time, he heard mechanical sounds coming from the upper right and directly below. Unlike before, Yujin didn’t immediately twist his body to avoid them.

Thwack!

The spears and hooks, which he had never seen before, shot toward him.

Normally, he would just twist his body to avoid them, but this time, he moved his ‘foot’ instead of his body, as if stepping in a certain pattern, like a form of footwork.

‘Extend my right foot at a 30-degree angle, move, then tumble forward.’

Thanks to his superior sensory abilities, enhanced by his mystical senses at level 2, Yujin’s awareness had become even more acute. In an instant, he identified the trajectory of the traps and moved, evading them like a well-executed sketch.

Then…

Click, click.

Whoosh! Whoooosh!

This time, maces and arrows came at him with a time gap, from the front and slightly below to his left.

‘Bow my head to my chest, move forward, then move back two palm lengths.’

Again, he moved toward the most efficient line of movement, as if throwing himself into the action. This time, his movements were like acrobatics, and he avoided everything. His calculations were correct.

However…

Splat!

Ugh…

In the end, a spear grazed his right arm.

Normally, he would have avoided it easily, but since he had to go through the process of ‘calculation’ to awaken the hidden footwork, his movements were a bit unnatural.

To make it natural, he would need to repeat this process two, three, or even four times.

‘Should I just use aura?’

Using aura would allow him to move much faster.

But Yujin shook his head.

‘If I use aura, I won’t be able to fully internalize the movement. I must do it purely with my own movements. Even if I get injured, I must endure it.’

Repetition was the answer.

Just as he thought that, a variety of obstacles—spiked swords and others—rushed toward him.

And slowly, he began to realize.

‘I see it now. The line of movement for Ghost Step, and the number of steps I need to take.’

Moreover…

‘It’s possible to mix Ghost Step with acrobatics. The techniques are different, yet strangely similar. I can develop it further.’

Yujin’s eyes became more serious.

***

Hoo…

In the freezing water, Yujin continued to battle the traps alone.

Through the process, he sustained injuries to his arms and legs. But by the time he passed through the area with consecutive spears, he had already gained a certain understanding of the Ghost Step.

And then…

What are you doing back here again?

Yujin arrived in front of the lion spirit, who took the form of a seal.

The lion spirit scowled at Yujin, but Yujin wanted to face it again.

We need to settle this properly, don’t we?
…You’ve already pushed me into that vortex and nearly killed me, causing damage to my real body. And now, creating a new copy… do you know how troublesome that process is?
That was the vortex’s win, not mine. We need a definite decision.
Why are you causing such a ruckus again, just to pass?
I’m going in.

Yujin swiftly spun his atom blade and charged at the spirit.

The spirit, with a face full of irritation, transformed into a bloodthirsty demon and scattered blood in the air.

Having already realized that Yujin’s strength had exceeded level 3, the spirit raised its power to match Yujin’s level of 3.

Since Yujin insisted on fighting again, the spirit had no choice but to accept.

However…

What the…!

Yujin’s level had increased even further.

‘His movements…! Just 20 minutes ago, they were predictable!’

Now, Yujin’s movements were ghostly, like those of a phantom.

Though the lion spirit had been active as a spirit for over a century in Pencell’s family, and had not been completely humiliated by Yujin, it still felt a sense of frustration.

‘Has he revealed all his power? I thought…?’

Yujin’s movements, even in the water, were as fast and skilled as if he were running on land.

The spirit, slightly wounded in pride, raised its strength to the fullest, but there was a restriction: it could only show up to level 4 power.

‘There’s no way this kid’s level is at 4. He’s only 12 after all…’

At that point, Yujin thought,

‘If that’s the case, it means I’ve surpassed the head of the Jade family at the age of 12.’

When the spirit’s expression became serious…

You’re thinking of something else.

Before the spirit knew it, Yujin was right in front of it, gritting his teeth.

I’ll make you drink it all.
I don’t know why you hold such a grudge against me, but…

The lion spirit, with an expression of frustration, gathered its energy and raised it.

I want to see how far your potential can go too!

Boom-!

The water vibrated violently, as though a bomb had gone off. The second phase began in an instant.

Immediately, five black threads shot out from the spirit’s five fingers, heading straight for Yujin’s head.

Hallucinations, auditory illusions, pain, trauma, and even mental confusion—five curse spells aimed at him.

There was no way Yujin could block them at such speed.

Despite being defeated by Yujin, the lion spirit had a century of experience and was well-recognized in the spirit world.

However…

What the…?

Yujin stared blankly at the five threads embedded in his forehead and then used his aura to rip them off with his hand.

No, how…!

Thanks to the basic effect of the mystical senses, his mental barrier was greatly enhanced.

Come here.

Yujin casually flicked his finger.

The return of the talent-devouring’s unique ability.