Childhood Friend of the Zenith - Chapter 614

Wobble—!

I staggered as dizziness hit me, barely managing to steady myself to avoid collapsing.

“Hoo…”

My breathing was uneven, and I had to make a conscious effort to steady it.

But that wasn’t the only issue.

Thump!

I felt a heavy pulse from my chest.

Tension built up in me as I braced for the backlash that was sure to come.

Kuuuuung—!

“Urgh…!”

As expected, the reverberation hit me hard, and a groan escaped my lips.

I felt like I might collapse at any moment, but I managed to endure. I couldn’t afford to fall now.

“Huff… Huff…!”

The pain weighed down my already exhausted body, as if something vital had been drained out of me.

I felt lethargic, hollow.

This sensation… I’d felt it before. A truly miserable feeling.

Through it all, I forced myself to assess my condition.

I carefully examined how much pain I was in, whether I could move after using that power, and committed everything to memory, even in my fatigue.

Clenching my fist, I thought to myself,

“The backlash is too much.”

Just like the last time I used it, the recoil was brutal.

Pain, I could endure. But…

“It takes a toll on my body.”

Was it like Paejon had said? Was the strain affecting my soul?

Or was it simply that my physical body couldn’t handle it?

I wasn’t sure, but one thing was certain—it wasn’t something I could use consecutively.

Still, in the end…

“The important thing is that I can use it.”

As I steadied my breath, I lifted my head to look ahead.

The barrier that had previously stood in the way was now shattered, leaving behind a massive opening.

Fwoosh—!

The edges of the opening were lined with flickering blue flames, remnants of the power released by the Heart Fist.

Though it wasn’t as destructive as the time I’d shattered an iceberg, it was still a testament to the power it held.

I forced myself to straighten my upper body and assessed my limits.

“At most, three times.”

If my body and mind were in peak condition, I estimated I could use it three times at this level.

If it was at the level of my first attempt… I’d probably collapse after just one use.

“At least it’s not difficult to use.”

Perhaps because I’d used it before—or maybe because of some other factor—utilizing Heart Fist wasn’t as challenging as I had expected.

I could activate it as long as I was willing to deal with the aftermath.

“What… What is this…?”

Yuri seemed utterly baffled by what had just happened.

She couldn’t comprehend the existence of the barrier, nor the force I used to destroy it. From her perspective, it must have seemed incomprehensible.

“Let’s go.”

I had nothing more to say to her.

Hiding the backlash I was still enduring, I began walking toward the newly opened path.

“Ah…! Wait…!”

As I headed through the opening, Yuri hurriedly followed after me.

The interior wasn’t vastly different from the outside.

Snow still covered the ground, and the blizzard continued to howl in the dark night.

But there was one distinct difference.

“A garden?”

Unlike the outside, this place resembled a deliberately designed garden.

Though it seemed to have been left untended for an incredibly long time.

Wooooong—!

I felt a strong energy nearby and turned my head toward its source.

It wasn’t far.

Much closer than it had been beyond the barrier.

The barrier surrounding this area had dampened the vibrations but hadn’t completely blocked them.

There it is.

You’re there.

I moved to take another step when—

“…Ah…?”

A voice behind me made me stop and glance back.

Yuri, who had followed me in, stood frozen, staring around in shock.

“This place…”

“What? Do you recognize it?”

“Why… How…?”

Yuri’s gaze darted around as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

Her reaction made it clear—this was a place she knew.

“This doesn’t make sense…”

“What doesn’t make sense?”

“This place shouldn’t still exist… I was told it was destroyed long ago.”

Her words caught my attention, and I turned to face her fully.

“…This was Vioe-gun’s residence.”

“What?”

Hearing that, I looked around the area again.

A snow-covered space that could barely be called a garden anymore.

So, this was where Woo Hyuk had lived?

“This was over ten years ago… I heard the Blue Wolves had erased it completely. How could it still…”

“Maybe they didn’t actually clear it out. Just abandoned it.”

“That’s impossible. I’ve been here several times before…”

“Hm.”

Yuri’s claim that she’d been here before only added to the mystery.

If she had been here several times and failed to find it, why was it visible now?

And…

“Uncomfortable yet familiar.”

The barrier I had broken through—there was something unsettling yet oddly familiar about it.

Meanwhile, Yuri continued to examine the surroundings as if trying to confirm what she was seeing.

“…So, does this mean this is the Blue Wolves’ main base? No… the location doesn’t match…”

The Blue Wolves, who had rebelled against the Ice Palace and started a war.

If this had been Woo Hyuk’s residence, that would suggest the Blue Wolves’ main base was nearby.

But Yuri seemed to think otherwise.

“I might’ve failed to grasp the geography, moving solely based on the energy I sensed.”

Still, I didn’t think that was the only reason.

Whatever the case, the important fact remained.

This was Woo Hyuk’s residence.

The question of how it had remained hidden all this time was secondary.

The fact that this place was connected to Woo Hyuk was undeniable.

And the presence of Thunder Fang vibrating from within this place suggested—

“Namgung Bi-ah’s disappearance is linked to Woo Hyuk.”

That was the only conclusion that made sense.

Hoo!

I spread my energy outward, broadening my perception.

Pain surged through my pressure points as the backlash hit me again, making me wince.

“Damn it, my body never gets a break.”

Every time I started to recover, something else would go wrong.

Every time I barely got back on my feet, more trouble would find me.

Wooooong---!!

The energy spread out, wrapping around the area.

Although it didn’t reach as far as usual due to my current state, it was enough to scan the immediate surroundings.

But then—

“What…?”

As my perception expanded, a troubling realization struck me.

“There’s nothing here.”

I couldn’t sense a single presence.

“How can there be this much nothing?”

I hadn’t exactly been subtle.

I’d blown through the barrier and entered boldly.

If anyone had been here, they should have reacted.

But I couldn’t detect any signs of life.

No people, no movement—just the snow-covered remnants of what had once been a garden.

I began to wonder if there were any traces of Namgung Bi-ah here at all.

And then—

Thud!

“...!”

Something stirred at the very edge of my expanding perception.

Crunch.

From the distance, something finally registered.

Crunch.

The first thing my senses picked up was the sound of footsteps.

Calm, deliberate steps approaching from the previously empty void.

“…Well.”

The energy was unmistakably familiar—one of the most familiar presences I’d ever known.

And, unfortunately, it was also one I didn’t particularly want to feel right now.

Crunch.

I watched silently as the footsteps grew louder and closer, coming from beyond the void.

How long did I wait?

It couldn’t have been that long, but it felt like an eternity.

And so,

Crunch.

The sound of steps crunching on the snow drew closer, until finally—

Stop.

The figure halted a few steps away.

I stared at the person with a blank expression, my face betraying no emotion.

“Well, this is awkward.”

The man looked at me with a faintly troubled smile.

“…This is a rather bothersome situation.”

He unfolded his arms from behind his back and scratched the nape of his neck, looking sheepish.

It had been years since I’d last seen him, and his face was as annoyingly perfect as ever.

“I thought it was odd that things had gone so quiet.”

Despite his unchanged appearance,

“So why are you here?”

His demeanor was different—no longer relaxed or easygoing. Now, a chill surrounded him, sharp and frigid like the weather.

“Am I dreaming?”

Woo Hyuk smiled as he spoke, his tone laced with a cold edge.

“Vioe-gun…!”

Yuri gasped, visibly startled, her body trembling at the sight of him.

She took a tentative step forward, trying to speak.

“You…!”

“It's been a while.”

“…!”

But Woo Hyuk didn’t even spare her a glance.

His lack of acknowledgment was unsettling.

“I see.”

His reaction struck me as out of character.

“I heard there’d been some kind of disturbance. So, it was you.”

Crunch.

He stepped onto the snow, his steps deliberate and measured.

“When did you arrive?”

“Roughly two or three days ago, give or take.”

I answered his question, and he let out a quiet laugh.

“Not long, then.”

“It was a bit of a rushed trip.”

“I see.”

“…”

“…”

Silence hung between us as we stared at each other without speaking.

“Hmm.”

I had a lot to say before we met, but now that we were face to face, I found myself at a loss for words.

So, I decided to get straight to the point.

“Why’d you do it?”

“…Haha?”

Woo Hyuk laughed softly, as though he understood exactly what I was asking.

“You’ve never been the ambitious type. Why cause such a commotion?”

Woo Hyuk was the kind of person who might have a gluttonous appetite but lacked any material greed.

He was someone who seemed to live simply because he had been born, at least in my eyes.

“So, what’s this? Did you eat some bad meat or something?”

“…”

A monk obsessed with eating meat every day—was this the result?

It wouldn’t have surprised me if he’d gone half-mad.

He finally responded,

“Maybe I’ve developed a taste for power after all. People change.”

“What nonsense are you spouting? Don’t mess around. Answer properly.”

I had told the palace lord the same thing.

I would hear Woo Hyuk’s explanation before making any judgments.

It seemed only right to start by asking.

But Woo Hyuk didn’t answer.

I sighed.

“Haa.”

So, he didn’t want to explain himself.

Fair enough.

If he had reasons, maybe he didn’t want to share them.

“Guess I’ll have to beat it out of him.”

If he refused to speak, I had no problem helping him loosen his tongue.

But that wasn’t my priority right now.

“Fine, I get it.”

There was something more urgent than dealing with Woo Hyuk.

“That aside, where is she?”

“Who?”

“You know who. She’s here, isn’t she? Where is she?”

Namgung Bi-ah was somewhere in this place.

I was certain of it now.

“Hand her over.”

Woo Hyuk had taken Namgung Bi-ah, which is why things had escalated to this point.

It was time to retrieve her.

That was all I wanted when I said those words.

But Woo Hyuk didn’t answer.

He just stood there, staring at me in silence.

I added,

“Let me make this clear.”

Suppressing the frustration bubbling inside, I spoke evenly.

“I don’t care what you’re planning to do.”

“…”

“I don’t care if you’re from the North Sea. It’s surprising, sure, but not important.”

It wasn’t particularly shocking, at least not to me.

“This rebellion nonsense? It’s annoying, but I’ll deal with it later.”

I didn’t bother adding that I’d beat the reason out of him when the time came.

None of that mattered to me.

Not the North Sea’s turmoil, nor Woo Hyuk’s motives.

The only thing that mattered was—

“Tell me where she is.”

Namgung Bi-ah, somewhere in this place.

As long as I could find her, I had no further business here.

The palace lord had refused treatment, and whether that was possible or not didn’t concern me.

If they didn’t want help, that was their choice.

My priority was retrieving Namgung Bi-ah and leaving this place.

That was all I cared about.

But Woo Hyuk’s response shattered that simplicity.

“Sorry.”

Woo Hyuk didn’t give me the answer I wanted.

“I can’t do that.”

“What?”

Shiiing.

He drew his sword from his waist.

“I can’t return her to you. There’s still something she needs to do.”

“…”

“So leave. This isn’t your place.”

Shhhhhhh.

Energy began to seep out of Woo Hyuk, his sword emitting a murderous aura.

It was clear—he was serious.

The pressure was considerable.

He hadn’t wasted his years, it seemed.

“Has that bastard reached Hwagyeong?”

Had he broken past the wall, or was he still on the brink?

I couldn’t tell for certain due to my internal injuries.

“Haa.”

I sighed again, running a hand over my face.

What a mess.

Why had things escalated to this point?

I didn’t know.

But as I stared at the tip of Woo Hyuk’s drawn sword, thoughts began to swirl.

“I was willing to give you three chances, but I’ve had enough.”

I stopped counting down in my head and spoke to Woo Hyuk.

“For now…”

It seemed inevitable.

“Let’s talk this out with our fists.”