Duke’s Son: Re

Chapter 67
〈King’s Roar〉 Lv.1

It emitted the presence of an innate king, momentarily plunging targets into terror.

It applied to up to three individuals, and the lower the sum of the target’s level or stats compared to the caster, the higher the probability of inducing fear.

Cooldown Time: 10 minutes

Mana Consumption: 300

The King’s Roar was a non-targeting area skill.

It was impossible to designate desired targets when facing multiple enemies.

Although it was regrettable, it was difficult to see it solely as a disadvantage.

Due to the non-targeting nature, every target within the skill’s range got to ‘hear’ the roar.

It had the added effect of startling people of weak courage or monsters with low intelligence.

Just like now.

“Keeeeeek!!”

The sea monsters, which were leisurely swimming, were suddenly in an uproar.

The thunderous roar that unexpectedly rang out in the silent depths of the night was understandably startling.

Adding to the surprise, most of the creatures were low-grade monsters.

Jaehyuk’s intention was to hunt the F-rank monster, the Dark Abyss Tuna, and low-ranked monsters typically inhabited relatively shallow waters.

“…….”

Jaehyuk was in the process of adjusting his vision to the darkness of the sea.

Fighting in a submerged state.

He was confident that he had practiced sufficiently in the mansion’s pool, but the ocean environment was entirely different from that of a pool.

Especially now, with the monsters rampaging, the currents were irregular and violent.

‘Found it.’

In a rare state of tension, while scanning his surroundings, he spotted his prey.

A fish covered in black, obsidian-like hard skin.

Its head was larger than its body, and its irregular hundreds of teeth were reminiscent of saw blades.

Jaehyuk, who confirmed the faint radiance from the relatively long tail compared to its body, was certain it was a Dark Abyss Tuna.

‘It seems a bit too large though….’

Steward Hwang said that the larger the fish, the tastier it was.

If he brought that one back, it would surely delight the client.

Boom-!

Jaehyuk’s body propelled forward.

He seemed to encounter almost no resistance from the water.

It was thanks to the explosive release of stored magic power enveloping his whole body as a booster to conserve oxygen.

‘Too slow.’

Jaehyuk was not satisfied.

He felt that more than doubling his current magic power stat would be necessary to achieve the desired speed in the deep sea.

Moreover, there was a separate critical issue.

The fact that he could no longer breathe from the moment the magic power was expelled.

With the space for storing oxygen gone, it was an inevitable result.

Jaehyuk had foreseen this clearly.

However, the unexpectedly slow movement speed made him uneasy.

‘I was aiming for a short decisive battle.’

He now faced the prospect of enduring a prolonged battle without being able to breathe.

‘No, a long battle is not the answer.’

If surrounded by monsters that regain their senses, he would ultimately be buried underwater.

At times like this, one could either give up or…

‘Keep pushing forward.’

Grow further.

In Jaehyuk’s eyes, a fiery determination flickered forth.

Feeling the movements of the currents generating resistance with his entire body, he recalibrated the structure of his magic power.

To run away after merely catching a fish for sashimi?

He would rather drown with his nose in a plate of water.

For the sake of not disappointing himself, who had worked hard over the past eight years.

Boom!!

Jaehyuk’s speed dramatically increased.

It was because the currents that pushed him away had suddenly changed their stance.

The rapid currents created by the monsters in chaos and frenzy began to propel Jaehyuk forward instead.

‘A little bit faster.’

Jaehyuk was executing two mana techniques simultaneously.

He added the Yin-Yang Formula to circulate magic power to the Kang family mana technique, which focused on condensed magic in the dantian to emit through specific mana circuits.

Consequently, a slight rotational force was added to his magic, which surged out like thunder, and the direction of the rotation formed to adapt to the rapid currents.

Splatter!

Jaehyuk sped up even more.

He maneuvered through the sea as if riding a rollercoaster, controlling the magic that had become entirely one with the current.

Kiik!

The Dark Abyss Tuna’s eyes widened in surprise as something approached at tremendous speed.

Realizing a primal sense of danger, it swam more fervently, but it was futile.

Unluckily, around it, were monsters that became the targets of the King’s Roar frenzy.

Surpassing mere surprise, those gripped with terror flailed madly, causing a ripple effect among nearby monsters, temporarily blocking the Dark Abyss Tuna’s retreat.

Puuuuck!

Jaehyuk’s sword repeatedly and accurately skewered the space between the Dark Abyss Tuna’s eyes.

『You have defeated the Queen Dark Abyss Tuna.』
『You have leveled up.』

‘What?’

No wonder it seemed large; it turned out to be a queen?

Though his level had risen, he felt uneasy.

Leaving behind the queen’s corpse for a moment, Jaehyuk surveyed the surroundings again.

He was searching for the ‘ordinary’ Dark Abyss Tuna his client desired.

Fortunately, he found them with ease.

There were always bound to be males congregated around the queen.

‘Since it’s come to this, should I catch a lot?’

Soon, the sea turned red with blood.

***

“Whew…”

An elderly man, his hair white with age, had run a seafood restaurant in the same spot for fifty years.

This workplace was where he poured his entire life alongside his wife.

There were more tough days than good ones, but after parting with his wife, all those past days had become cherished memories.

It was a place that could not be replaced by anything else.

He wanted to lay his bones here.

He wished to enter eternal rest while serving the dishes he developed with his wife, up until his last breath.

However, for months, business had completely dried up.

It was because of a mega seafood restaurant that had opened right in front of his place.

It was a chain operated by a subsidiary of the Ocean Guild.

They offered Dark Abyss Tuna, known for its taste and nutritional value far surpassing that of ordinary fish, at an affordable price as a menu item, making competition impossible.

Even his decades-long regulars had long been swept away.

“Wife, I’m sorry. I’m reaching my limit.”

The old man had also tried to find a way to procure Dark Abyss Tuna.

However, over ninety percent of the Dark Abyss Tuna distributed in the domestic market were channeled through the Ocean Guild.

Moreover, the Ocean Guild’s subsidiary had blacklisted him.

Due to being a competitor to their chain, they refused to supply him with Dark Abyss Tuna.

The corporation, which managed thousands of chain stores, was eerily wary of a small neighborhood seafood restaurant. Their determination to completely dominate the local market was palpable.

“Sigh…”

It was also impossible to purchase Dark Abyss Tuna from other general suppliers.

The price competitiveness was significantly lower, and the old man’s financial capability could not cope with it.

“They said poverty is a sin.”

The realization of the harshness of the world in the twilight of his life was cruel.

Experiencing poverty as a result of having given freely to the less fortunate all his life was inexplicable.

He had no regrets whatsoever about his past life, but seeing society become increasingly unforgiving pained his heart.

“Is the store open?”

When the old man sighed repeatedly, the front door, used solely by him for months, swung open, and with the warm sunlight, a girl with blue hair entered the shop.

“Ah…! I’m sorry. We don’t have any ingredients right now…”

The joy that made him jump to his feet quickly faded from the old man’s face.

He remembered that he couldn’t stock up on ingredients because he had run out of money recently.

The girl spoke as he lowered his head, staring at the bone-dry cutting board.

“We brought our own ingredients.”

“What…?”

The old man’s eyes widened in astonishment.

Several men dressed similarly to the girl carried in ten coolers larger than themselves.

The girl, who noticed his dumbfounded state, introduced herself.

“I’m Jang Yeonju, a second-year member of Lion’s Castle. I was asked by the student in charge of your request to deliver the goods.”

Typically, small-scale personal requests do not directly point to a specific club.

The public doesn’t even know about such a system.

The reason the shooting club took on the old man’s request was that its value was deemed low.

It had been refused or ignored by major clubs, leaving it to be handled as spare work, and the whole process took months—a timescale Jang Yeonju could only speculate on.

He must have waited for a very long time.

She adjusted her seating after glancing at the well-honed kitchen knife atop the table and the table lacking even a speck of dust, confirming its readiness.

“Mr? Since we’ve come a long way, would it be possible to prepare us a sashimi dish?”

“Y- yes! Of course… Huh?”

The old man opened a cooler and was astonished.

Every box was filled with plump, fresh Dark Abyss Tuna.

Remarkably, the largest box held a Dark Abyss Tuna that was over three times the size of a regular one.

“Is this the so-called queen?”

“Yes. I found out that it trades for over twenty times the price of ordinary Dark Abyss Tuna.”

“I only requested one Dark Abyss Tuna…”

“Well, one turned into ten, so consider it your good fortune.”

Jang Yeonju became respectful and composed as she noticed the faded plaques stacked in a corner of the establishment.

These tokens of the old man’s incredible kindness, providing free meals to struggling children, weary students, homeless people, and lonely seniors over many decades, quietly filled one side.

Now Jang Yeonju understood why Jaehyuk had taken this request.

He must have been deeply moved by the information about the client laid out in the documents, something she only now realized.

Previously, she had only ever paid attention to the content of requests.

Unless a client was of significant stature, she never really paid much heed to them.

“… I sincerely apologize for the delay in fulfilling your request.”

“How could you say such a thing? I’m just… I’m just grateful… hack.”

A request made in a desperate plea for help.

Would such a distinguished place like Lion’s Castle really tend to a mere small-business owner?

But the world was still bearable.

Poverty was not a sin.

The old man, overwhelmed with emotion, eventually wept.

Handing a handkerchief to his spotty, wrinkled hands, Jang Yeonju spoke.

“Kang Jaehyuk… the son of the Duke Kang watches over people like you, even from afar. So, stay strong.”

Afterward, the old man’s restaurant began to thrive with endless guests.

Gourmets from all over the nation flocked to taste the queen, and the old man, with his still-sharp skills, satisfied every guest, gradually gaining fame.

He actively used this fame.

Just as during the times with his wife, he called upon the less fortunate and generously filled their stomachs.

The consistent supply of Dark Abyss Tuna from Lion’s Castle supported him.

Thanks to Kang Jaehyuk, the patrons sang praises.

TL’s Corner:
It’s almost like a filler chapter, but it will probably help Jaehyuk in the future. Like some awakener helped by the old man, or something similar.