Chapter 36: The Heir’s Shadow

Kang Juho headed to the bulletin board before approaching the counter.

The stamina training center had four floors.

The 1st floor was where you could receive training quests.

What about the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors?

‘So it really is a training facility.’

There was an explanation posted on the board about each floor.

There were three types of training.

All upper floors (2F, 3F, 4F) were for physical training.

This meant there were three types of quests.

‘Pretty standard.’

The number of available quests varied by city.

Some intermediate centers had five quest types, others only two.

Kang Juho checked the quest types per floor.

‘Running, Endurance, Carrying…’

After confirming, he headed to the counter.

“May I help you?”

The NPC at the counter, Idram, greeted him as soon as he arrived.

“I’m here for stamina training.”

“That’ll be 30 gold.”

Training wasn’t free.

You had to pay a fee every time you accepted a quest.

And you couldn’t cancel quests freely either—cancellation triggered a 24-hour cooldown.

So even if you got a bad quest, it was better to just do it.

“Here.”

Juho handed over the 30 gold.

“Please head to the 2nd floor.”

Idram gave him a wooden token with the number 2 on it.

[Training Quest: Stamina has been created.]

Upon receiving the token, the quest activated.

Kang Juho looked at the message.

‘Second floor… that means Running.’

He frowned slightly as he started up the stairs.

Running wasn’t hard—just time-consuming.

So out of all the training types, he’d hoped not to get this one.

Once he reached the 2nd floor, he handed his token to the man guarding the entrance.

The man stepped aside and let him in.

Juho checked the quest window:

〈Training – Stamina〉

Achieve the following condition:

• [Running: 0 / 4000m]
• Quest Reward: +1 Stamina

4 kilometers.

In VR, full-speed running was possible.

Your fullness gauge dropped quickly, but food could replenish it.

Still, the Blacksmith class wasn’t fast.

Even running full speed, he wasn’t that quick.

Juho began running on the track.

Not long after, he completed the 4km.

[Training Quest: Stamina completed.]

[Stamina increased by 1.]

With the quest done, he returned to the 1st floor and approached the nearest counter.

“May I help—”

“I’m here for training.”

“30 gold—”

Before the NPC could finish, Juho handed over 30 gold again.

“Please head to the 3rd floor.”

The NPC gave him a token with a 3.

[Training Quest: Stamina has been created.]

With the token in hand, Juho smiled as he walked.

The 3rd floor training was Endurance—taking hits and surviving.

Unlike running or carrying, Endurance could result in death, since you actually lost HP.

So it was the hardest of the three.

Even so, Juho smiled for two reasons:

First: It didn’t take long. Just survive for a set number of hits or time.

〈Training – Stamina〉

• [Hits Taken: 0 / 100]
• Reward: ???

Only 100 hits—much faster than running.

Second: It increased resistance.

‘I hope I gain some physical resistance this time.’

In higher-tier training centers, elemental damage (fire, water, etc.) appeared.

But for intermediate centers, it was only physical.

Getting hit here could boost his Physical Resistance.

Since he hadn’t taken much damage while hunting (thanks to Hammer of Fury), this was a good chance.

Juho arrived at the 3rd floor and handed his token to the entrance NPC.

The NPC stepped aside.

“If it feels dangerous, go to the healing magic circle at the entrance to recover your HP.”

“Got it.”

Once inside—

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

He heard heavy thuds.

Balls were shooting from a hole in the left wall and slamming into the right.

Juho grabbed his shield and stood with his back to the right wall.

Ting! Ting! Ting!

He moved along the wall, blocking balls with his shield.

[Training Quest: Stamina completed.]

[Stamina increased by 1.]

Less than a minute later, he was done.

Way faster than running.

His HP barely dropped thanks to high defense and shield mitigation.

‘If I get Endurance repeatedly, I could finish in no time.’

He had planned for 2 days to complete the center.

But if he got mostly Endurance quests, he could finish in 1 day.

“May I help—”

“Training.”

Before the NPC could even finish, Juho handed over gold again.

“Please head to the 2nd floor.”

Juho’s face twitched slightly.

‘Another running quest.’

[Training Quest: Stamina has been created.]

He opened the quest window.

‘Well, at least it’s 3km this time.’

It wasn’t always 4km. The distance varied randomly.

‘I’ll just do it tomorrow.’

He’d planned to do more, but running again made him change his mind.

Juho logged out at the stairs, exited the capsule, and walked to his computer.

“……?”

He paused.

A memo was sitting on his desk.

He picked it up.

“The eldest young master wishes to have lunch with you tomorrow.”

‘Didn’t I say I’d be busy for a while…?’

He muttered with a frown.

He had told his older brother Kang Seoho that he wouldn’t have time recently.

‘No… actually, it’s better to meet now.’

If Juho finished his stamina training early, he’d have to wait for Seokju, who was doing wisdom training—which took longer.

It was best to meet now while time was free.

‘What’s this about…?’

He moved the memo aside and opened the guild chat.

“…!”

He froze.

Something had happened.

Until now, everything had gone smoothly.

But today…

– Jang Sungjoon: I got PK’d. Sigh…

‘PK’d? Sungjoon did?’

It wasn’t just the fact he got PK’d.

Sungjoon was a calm, quiet guy—non-confrontational.

He wasn’t the type to cause trouble.

‘Why him?’

Juho scrolled further.

– Jang Sungjoon: We were fighting an elite. Got ambushed from behind.

– Jang Sungjoon: It was Kim Jun, Jang Junhyuk, Seo Jinyong, Choi Yoonseul, and Jung Hayeon.

– Jang Sungjoon: Cheonseok didn’t die, thankfully. But I did, so I’ll be a bit late rejoining.

– Kim Cheonseok: Sorry, man…

– Jang Sungjoon: No worries. I’m just glad you made it. Go do your training in the meantime.

– Kim Cheonseok: Okay.

Juho scowled.

‘Kim Jun, Jang Junhyuk, Seo Jinyong, Choi Yoonseul, Jung Hayeon…’

He memorized the names of the ambushers who killed Sungjoon and stole the elite monster.

***

Meanwhile…

At Jaeyeol Bio, the holding company of Jaeyeol Group, Executive Director Kang Seoho checked the time.

‘Time to go.’

It was almost noon.

He stood, and his secretaries stood with him.

“Go ahead and call it a day. See you all tomorrow.”

Seoho got into the car waiting outside.

The driver, already briefed on his schedule, took off.

Looking out the window, Seoho thought:

‘What is Father thinking?’

The succession process, once progressing slowly, had recently stalled.

‘Did Juho change his mind…?’

Their father, Chairman Kang Junseok, had gathered all three siblings—Juho, Seoho, and Seoyul—and asked plainly:

‘Does anyone want to inherit the group?’

Juho and Seoyul had refused—they had other aspirations.

Thus, Seoho became heir without resistance.

‘But Father did say we could change our minds.’

The succession wasn’t finalized.

Chairman Kang had left the door open.

‘Did Juho decide to come back into the fold?’

Maybe this sudden lunch was to talk about that.

“We’ve arrived, Director.”

Seoho snapped out of his thoughts at the driver’s voice.

He stepped out and saw a familiar face.

“Mr. Yang! Long time no see.”

“Good to see you again.”

After exchanging greetings with Butler Yang, Seoho asked:

“Where’s Juho?”

“He’s in the study.”

“I’ll head there then.”

Seoho made his way to the study.

Knock knock. Click.

He opened the door and smiled.

Juho was staring at his computer screen.

“Been well?”

“Hey. You’re here?”

Juho stood and sat down on the sofa.

“So, what’s this about? Thought you were busy.”

Both of them were swamped with work.

So Seoho showing up out of nowhere raised questions.

Without mincing words, Seoho went straight to the point:

“The succession process has been suspended.”

Juho looked up in shock.

“Huh? Why?”