Yeon Clan Direct Line Training Ground 『Progress Pavilion』
The owner of the training ground, Yeon Je-seong, had no idea, but this place was the finest training facility in the empire, infused with the very essence of the Yeon Clan.
The seismic design, passed down through generations using secret construction techniques, could withstand even the most intense shocks. The barrier, combining magic and shamanism, possessed overwhelming regenerative power that instantly repaired not only external attacks but even internal ones.
In short, it was a training ground that wouldn't budge no matter how wildly you rampaged!
Considering Yeon Je-seong's exceptional talent, the clan had poured everything into durability. The architects who built it boasted that it was a structure fit for a thousand years of use, brimming with pride in its perfection.
Ku-gu-gu-gung—!
"Excellent."
The Clan Head, testing the training ground's durability with a casual sword swing, nodded in satisfaction as it began regenerating in an instant.
"Whoa! The ground split open!"
Meanwhile, Yeon Je-seong, who had witnessed the strike, couldn't hide his excitement and began asking about the subtleties of the sword.
"Enough. That's not something you can handle yet."
"But—!"
"Let's get started."
Dismissing his son's chatter, he pulled something from his robes and tossed it straight to him.
"Ugh…!"
Thanks to his sharp reflexes, Yeon Je-seong caught the thrown object and let out a bewildered voice upon seeing what it was.
The texture was hard and of unknown material, shaped eerily like a face.
"Th-this is…!"
"Yes, a family heirloom…"
"Stone Mask!"
"No."
"Does wearing it let you surpass humans?!"
What a game world!
There was even a collab!
"Yeah, with this, I became a full-on creature…!"
"I told you, that's not it."
"Ah!"
Letting out a deep sigh at his son's foolishness, the Clan Head snatched the mask back with a casual gesture and began explaining slowly.
"This is the Mask of Restraint. A treasure worn by the direct descendants of the Yeon Clan for generations."
"A treasure?"
It just looked like a plain mask?
"Yes, a treasure. After all, it was given to us by the God of War himself."
With a displeased frown,
Yeon Je-seong shouted in shock at the Clan Head's words.
"The God of War? He actually exists?!"
God of War
The strongest entity in the lore of Failure Hero.
Depicted as even stronger than the Demon King, he sat at the top of the Powerhouse Monument, the stone left by the protagonist of Failure Hero 1 for future heroes.
The Powerhouse Monument represented the mightiest non-demon warriors of the era, officially cementing the God of War as number one.
While the lower ranks shifted with changing times, the top spots—excluding Failure Hero 2's protagonist—had never changed once.
Even the protagonist of 2 only barely claimed second place right before the Demon King raid.
Considering how the fully geared hero still ranked below the God of War heading into the final battle, imagining his strength was impossible.
One player's question—"How strong is the God of War?"—got the response, "Strong enough to match the Demon King's army alone," sparking a frenzy of players hunting for him.
But every NPC scowled, shook their heads, or even chased players away with irritation—virtually all reacted the same.
Frustrated, players gave up and just waited for him to appear in the story.
Yet he never showed in Failure Hero 1 or even 2, despite his lofty fame.
I'd scoured the continent myself while building a time-attack party, so he stuck in players' minds for sure.
'I searched the whole continent and thought he didn't exist…'
He didn't appear even in the bad endings, so I'd assumed he was an unimplemented character.
Now that the game was real, did that mean even unfinished characters existed properly?
"You're talking strangely. The God of War is the guardian deity of our Imperial Empire, isn't he? No one doesn't know the Blue Star of the Empire."
Eh?
Guardian deity?
Implemented like that?
"Long ago, our ancestors met the God of War and received this. We Yeons, whose emotions show too plainly on our faces, learned to suppress them with this mask."
"Oh ho."
"Before the mask, our expressive faces caused us great losses—in politics and business alike. But after obtaining the Mask of Restraint, the Yeon Clan never suffered a defeat. A blank expression compensates for poor rhetoric; it's one of the best hidden cards in negotiations."
"No wonder people around me read my mood so well…!"
"No, that's just because you're that simple."
Has little to do with expressions.
"Wha…!"
Am I really that straightforward?!
"Anyway, it's a bit early, but since you're starting training, wear the mask during sessions."
Apparently, it limits emotional expression, and with practice, you can maintain a blank face even without it.
"Hmm... So it's like a magic tool that seals emotions?"
If that's all, no real reason to use it.
At my mutter, the Clan Head smirked faintly and held up the mask.
"If that was all, I wouldn't tell you to wear it in training. It's a family heirloom, after all—not something so trivial."
Ooh! There's more, as expected!
"Wearing it restricts your internal energy flow, making it perfect for training. The bigger your energy grows, the slower your progress, but with this, you can push to greater heights."
...!!
"Give it here. I'll use it."
If it's a training item, of course!
'Mainly for internal energy training, emotion seal as a debuff.'
Having grasped the mask's purpose, I took it without hesitation and slipped it on.
"Hm. No special feeling… Huh?"
Was it the mask's effect?
My voice came out calmer than usual.
Like it was forcing a serene tone.
'Suppressing emotions means this.'
"Aura feels sluggish too…"
A sudden wave of weakness made my body sway.
I barely steadied myself before collapsing—any later and I'd have hit the floor.
"Ho…"
As I fiddled with the mask in fascination, the Clan Head walked to a corner of the training ground.
"Wear it during training for now. Your energy contemplation is already masterful, so try maintaining it with the mask on."
"Got it."
"It seals emotions by limiting outward expressions, so mind your posture to avoid scrutiny."
Once you master emotional control to the point you don't need it, then remove the mask.
He pulled a wooden sword from the corner and tossed it to his son.
"Now, let's begin properly. Come at me."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Enough. That's it for today."
Thud—
"Huff…!"
Gazing at his son collapsing to the floor as training ended, the Clan Head's eyes held complex thoughts.
'Moving aura already… utterly ridiculous.'
The Mask of Restraint.
This item, which greatly suppressed expressions, imposed such a massive demerit that even seasoned martial artists couldn't move when first wearing it.
'With the mask on for the first time, his energy should feel like molten lead.'
If his usual aura was like clear water, now it was like heated iron slag.
Speed, output, control—all sharply reduced; even standing should be a struggle…
"I-I thought I was gonna die!"
'Not just standing—he even crossed swords with me.'
Of course, I'd held back considerably, so "crossing swords" was debatable, but we had clashed blades nonetheless.
The Clan Head let out a hollow chuckle.
'And he was contemplating energy the whole time.'
Having amplified his senses with aura, he could feel the pulsing energy within his son.
Evidently, he'd kept at the contemplation even with the mask.
Thus, the Clan Head was convinced.
'He'll be the next Clan Head.'
The Yeon Clan Head was chosen through competition among direct descendants.
Eldest children had an edge with earlier training, so they usually became Young Clan Head, but if siblings below shone brighter, that changed.
Transcendent talent ignored age gaps, making competition viable.
Historically, past Heads selected the strongest among them, whether in martial or intellectual prowess, elevating the Yeon Clan to imperial prominence.
Clan Head Yeon Chang-hyeok had planned to compare son Yeon Je-seong and daughter Yeon Ji-eun to judge their potential.
But after seeing his son's aura control, he abandoned that thought.
'A genius that appears once in a hundred—no, a thousand years.'
How could he pass the seat to another child with such peerless talent before him?
'His speech is a bit frivolous, but the mask will temper that over time.'
His son, focused on training, saw the mask as a mere tool, but it was truly a mold for forging Clan Heads.
Wearing it naturally instilled an authoritative tone and the dignity befitting a leader.
Hence its nickname: the Yeon Clan's Mask.
While only direct descendants could use it, precisely, it was a symbol bestowed solely on the designated next Clan Head.
'If it were just a training aid, the warehouse would be full of them. That wouldn't even qualify as a treasure.'
It was a heirloom because it produced perfected Clan Heads.
'The Mask of Restraint's true value lies in concealing expressions. Once he maintains a blank face without it, even without political savvy, he can handle dealings adequately.'
The aura suppression was merely a bonus.
The Clan Head himself had compensated for his lacking eloquence with the mask, so he knew its worth intimately.
'The only downside is the stiff expression causing misunderstandings… Well, he'll handle that himself.'
"Then, today's training ends here."
"Yes, thank you for your efforts."
"I'm done, but other fine instructors will teach you, so give it your all."
"Yep!"
"And one more thing—wear the mask without fail during training."
"That's fine. I'll even wear it daily."
What?
"...You can live with that on?"
"Well… The heavy aura's a bit uncomfortable, but I can manage."
"...."
Already moving freely?
What kind of body is that?
Suddenly, a realization struck the Clan Head.
'Could it be the Heavenly Martial Body…!'
The legendary physique that grew stronger just by breathing.
A cheat-like constitution said to be bestowed by the heavens themselves.
Recalling its traits, which matched his son's perfectly, the Clan Head's face twisted in confusion.
"It really exists?!"
"Father?"
"Ah, no. Nothing. I'll head out then. Keep training until your next instructor arrives."
"Yes! Thank you for your hard work!"
Glancing at his son, already swinging the wooden sword, he exited the training ground.
'I need to consult the physician first.'
If his son truly had the Heavenly Martial Body, the training plan needed a major overhaul.
"Hm?"
On his hurried way out,
he spotted a girl waiting outside.
"Greetings, Clan Head."
"Ah, my son's attendant?"
"Yes, Yu Seon-hwa."
Her demure demeanor and crisp speech.
A sharp kid, despite her youth.
Mentally noting her favorably, he eyed her fidgeting legs and spoke.
"I heard about you. Take good care of my son."
"Leave it to me."
"Hm."
Her discomfort was obvious, so he quickly left. Once out of sight, he sensed her squat down immediately and chuckled softly.
"Still just a kid."