Childhood Friend of the Zenith - Chapter 617

A sound reached my ears.
It was right beside me.

By the time I registered that thought—

Whoosh—!

My arm was already moving.

Woom—!

I felt a vibration in my soul.
I was preparing to use the Heart Fist (Sim-gwon, 心拳).

There was no hesitation.

I had used the Heart Fist earlier as well.
I would have to deal with the recoil that would come later,

But for now, that didn’t matter.

Someone had approached me so closely without me noticing.
Whether they bore hostility or not wasn’t the issue.

And so, just as I was about to unleash the Heart Fist—

Crunch—!

A strange sound came from my arm.
When I turned my gaze toward it—

“!”

Splurt—!

The arm I had extended was torn off, leaving only the shoulder.
Thud—!

The arm fell to the ground.
Fwoosh—! Blood gushed from my shoulder.

“Yangcheon!”

Woo Hyuk widened his eyes and shouted as he saw this.
He bit down hard on his lip.

Then he quickly used his footwork to retreat, increasing the distance between us.

Drip.

Blood flowed from the shoulder I was clutching.
Pain surged immediately after.

“Huff… huff….”

Yet instead of groaning, all that escaped me was heavy breathing.

‘What the hell just happened?’

What had just taken place?
Ignoring the pain, I looked straight ahead.

Standing beside where Woo Hyuk and I had been facing each other was someone new.
A young man with white hair.

“Well, well.”

The young man looked at me, a smile on his face.
The moment I saw that smile, I felt chills all over my body.

“What a rough greeting. I’m not a fan of that sort of thing.”

Disgusting.

Just looking at him made me feel disgusted, nauseated.

I felt a deep-seated urge to rip his throat out.
A primal hostility that surged from deep within my core.

—Kill him immediately.

That voice, born of instinct, urged me to act.

I had to suppress it with all my might.

I couldn’t win.
That much was clear from just a single exchange.

As I stared at the young man, my tension skyrocketed.

“I was just planning to observe, you know. But watching you got a little boring.”

The young man continued speaking.
Meanwhile, I frowned as I noticed something in his hand.

‘Why the hell is she there?’

It was Yuri.
She was unconscious, held in his grasp.

“But this is no fun, right? Wouldn’t you agree?”

The young man shifted his gaze.
It landed on Woo Hyuk.

“Vioe-gun.”

“...”

At the young man’s call, Woo Hyuk bit his trembling lips.

“We had an agreement, didn’t we? So why are you acting like this?”

“...”

“Does this mean you don’t care about the collateral anymore?”

“No… that’s not it. It’s just…”

“If it’s not, then is it regret? You still have lingering attachments?”

As I listened to their conversation, my frown deepened.
From their words, I was starting to piece together who this young man was.

‘So… it’s him.’

A blood relative of the Ice Palace involved in the rebellion.
That had to be him.

Judging by his age, he was likely one of the Ice Palace's First or Second Sons.

‘But something feels… off.’

There was something strange about him.
It wasn’t the awe that came from facing a strong opponent.

It was—

‘It feels like the Palace Lord.’

The sensation I had felt when I encountered the Palace Lord at the previous hideout.
It was similar to that.

But it wasn’t simply the resemblance in their bloodlines.

It was an overwhelming unpleasantness.

The discomfort that came from his very existence.

I had felt it with the Palace Lord too, but this was on another level entirely.

‘This… could it be?’

As I sensed his energy, I recalled something.
When I first arrived in the North Sea, I had felt an eerie coldness and an inexplicable unease.

This energy—

‘It’s the same as his.’

If I had felt something similar from the Palace Lord,
Then this energy was exactly what I had sensed before.

This man was the source of the discomfort that permeated the North Sea.

What exactly was he?
What could he possibly be that my entire being rejected him so vehemently?

And also—

‘What do I do now?’

How could I escape this situation?
As my mind raced for answers—

“If Vioe-gun still has lingering attachments, then…”

The young man’s gaze turned to me as he spoke.
At that moment—

“Would it be toward him?”

The young man’s figure vanished.
I lost sight of him.

I couldn’t follow—

Grab—!

“Urgh!”

My neck was seized.
I was lifted into the air.

“This isn’t the kind of greeting I had in mind.”

Forced to meet his gaze, I stared into his eyes.

“Nice to meet you.”

“…!”

His words, paired with a wicked grin, made my heart skip a beat.
His light blue eyes, with slit pupils, and the faint scales on his cheek…

I recognized him immediately.

“I didn’t expect to meet another of my kind here.”

His words made me scowl.

‘A dragon…?’

He was a dragon.

Unlike the Palace Lord, who suffered from his curse,
This man’s form appeared complete.

That meant—

‘Is he like me?’

Had he also shed his skin and fully become a dragon?

As I grappled with this unexpected situation—

“But…”

His gaze swept over my body.

“You’re much more disappointing than I expected. To think you’re one of my kind.”

His voice dripped with contempt.

“Whether it’s from an internal injury or something else, I don’t know, but… I must’ve gotten my hopes up for nothing. When you first arrived in the North Sea, you didn’t seem this pathetic.”

Hearing this, my eyes widened.
He had known I was here from the beginning.

The hand gripping my neck tightened.

The pressure was immense. I could barely breathe.

Being lifted by the neck was far more infuriating than I had expected.
If I survived this, I’d definitely use this move more often.

That stray thought crossed my mind before—

“What could it be?”

The man began observing me more closely.

Specifically—

“Why are you so unimpressive? You’re definitely one of us, but…”

It seemed like he was analyzing every flaw in me.

‘Is this guy insane?’

I couldn’t remember the last time anyone had insulted me like this.
Except for my appearance, of course.

“Hm….”

After a long examination, the man finally let out a faint chuckle.

“So that’s it.”

His smile widened as if he’d figured something out.

“You’re still undecided, aren’t you?”

“…What…?”

“Whether you’re human or a great dragon. Don’t tell me you’re struggling with that choice?”

“…!”

His words made me swallow hard.
I felt as if he’d hit a nerve.

But—

Was my hesitation really such a critical flaw?
I didn’t understand.

“So that’s why. That’s why.”

While I remained confused, he seemed to grow more certain.

Crunch—!

“Urgh…!”

The pressure on my neck intensified.

“To think you’re this pathetic.”

The light in his slit pupils grew fiercer.

“Even after evolving, you wish to remain human?”

I grabbed his wrist with my remaining hand, trying to pry it off.
But it wouldn’t budge.

Whether it was due to a difference in strength or my own weakened state, I couldn’t muster any force.

“How could you? Wanting to stand on the same level as those insignificant creatures? We shouldn’t lower ourselves like that. We are great beings.”

“Damn it… what are you… talking about…?”

“I can’t understand it. To fail to make such an obvious choice and remain a halfwit.”

His gaze shifted.
The smile faded from his face, replaced by something cold and sharp.

“This was a meeting I’d long anticipated.”

It was killing intent.

It seemed shallow, but it was unmistakably killing intent.

‘I’m going to die.’

At this rate, I was going to die.

Even without my instincts screaming at me, it was clear.

“I’ve lost interest.”

If this continued, my neck would snap, and I’d die here.
I gripped his wrist desperately, trying to free myself, but it was no use.

What should I do? What could I do?

“A creature that can’t even grasp its position. You’re hardly worth calling kin. Just die.”

And so—

Crunch—!

Just as he was about to snap my neck,
While still gripping his wrist,

I spoke to him.

[Let go…!]

“…!!”

Whoosh—!

Suddenly, a vibration emanated from my chest, and a burst of wind erupted from my body.
It was an unintentional Dragon Speech (Yong-eon, 龍言).

I doubted such a command would be of any use.
But surprisingly, the moment he heard my Dragon Speech,

Thud—!

“Cough…!”

He actually released his grip.

My body, now freed, fell limply to the ground.

“Huff… cough….”

Without one of my arms, I lost my balance.
As the blocked airways opened, I barely managed to catch my breath.

“…Impossible.”

The man who had just been holding me spoke in a disbelieving tone.

“You.”

I looked up at him.

“Are you… pureblood?”

His voice was filled with astonishment and shock.

“That’s impossible, though. There shouldn’t be any purebloods left in this land….”

“…What… nonsense are you talking about…?”

Pureblood? I couldn’t understand a word of what he was saying.

If there was anyone in this world more of a mutt than me, I’d like to meet them.
My body was a chaotic mixture of various things—how could there be anything pure in me?

And yet—

“Ah…”

Contrary to my thoughts, his eyes lit up again as though he had realized something.

“Yes, of course. I didn’t think everything would come so easily just because you’ve shed your inferior form.”

Then, with an expression I couldn’t decipher, he continued speaking.

“In fact, it’s fortunate. I was able to meet you here.”

As he rambled on, I didn’t respond, instead glancing around.

Woo Hyuk was about ten paces behind me,
And the location where I suspected Namgung Bi-ah to be was even farther.

‘I don’t know what this guy senses in me.’

But right now, I needed to think about how to escape.

Could I save everyone? Objectively, it was impossible.
Even defeating him in my current state was out of the question.

“I’ve always wondered.”

What should I do, then?
Should I try to tap into my Innate Energy (Seoncheonjigi, 先天之氣)?

If I used it recklessly, I’d die for sure—but it was worth trying, even if it killed me.

Resolving myself, I began drawing energy into my body.

“How could three fragments of the Dragon Emperor gather on this land? It’s because of you, isn’t it?”

I froze.

His words stopped me in my tracks.

“…What did you just say? What was that?”

I looked at him.

Dragon Emperor (Yongje, 龍帝).

He had just uttered that term aloud.

Seeing my reaction, the man tilted his head briefly, then smiled deeply.

“Our pureblood is ignorant, it seems. Such precious blood, yet so clueless.”

“What are you talking about? If you’re going to say something, make it clear.”

“I can’t do that. A foolish competitor is the most delightful thing, after all.”

Competitor?

“And especially if that competitor is someone with the most precious bloodline of all.”

“You bastard… keep talking.”

I tried to force myself to stand.

“I’d love to devour you right here and now, but…”

He was no longer in front of me.

Before I realized it, he had moved, standing before Woo Hyuk.

“For now, I’ll hold back. There’s something I want to confirm.”

He grabbed Woo Hyuk by the collar and lifted him.

Woo Hyuk didn’t say a word or even resist.

“To crush you, to tear you apart, and prove that I’m truly the chosen one. For that—”

Woom—!!

I felt something and looked up at the sky.

“…What?”

It was distorting.

The space above was twisting.

“You, in your current weak state, won’t do. We’ll need to meet again when you’re at your best. Only then will it be meaningful.”

Crack—!

The sky fractured, slowly breaking apart.
Space itself was collapsing in real-time.

What kind of situation was this?

“And so, I’ll leave for now.”

In this bizarre moment, he spoke to me with his characteristic grin.

Leave?
He was just going to leave like this?

It seemed like a relief, but I couldn’t help glaring at him as I responded.

“…Are you planning to take him?”

I was referring to Woo Hyuk, whom he was holding.

“Of course.”

The man answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“You know how we are, don’t you? We never let go of what’s ours.”

Grit.

I clenched my teeth.

Even if he was taking Woo Hyuk, there was nothing I could do to stop him.

I had no choice but to let him go.
Knowing that made it all the more excruciating.

“As a sort of compensation, if you will.”

He continued.

“I didn’t kill your adorable little sibling who brought you here, nor did I touch the other fragments. I’ll leave for today.”

“Other fragments…?”

I tried to ask, but I couldn’t finish.

Whoosh—!!

The shattered fragments of the collapsing space began swirling around him.

Like a whirlwind, the debris spun faster and faster, creating the illusion of a raging storm.

Within that storm—

—Ah, by the way, my name is Yuseon.

His voice reached me.

—Next time we meet, I hope you’ve made up your mind. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be any fun.

Crash—!

The storm expanded rapidly, consuming everything.

There was no way to escape.
The debris-filled winds reached me before I could react.

—This is a little gift to help with that.

His voice echoed once more.

—I hope you’ll like it.

And then the storm engulfed me.

   ******************
   

Some time later.

I opened my eyes.
The first thing I saw was the now-familiar snow-filled sky.

“…!”

Seeing it, I immediately jolted upright.

Was I alive?
I could have sworn the world was collapsing around me.

‘What about Woo Hyuk? What about that guy?’

What exactly had happened?
As I tried to grasp the situation—

“Huh…?”

I suddenly felt something strange and looked to my side.

‘…My left hand?’

The left hand that had been torn off was back, along with the Binding Seal (Gui-jeong).
It was as if it had never been severed, perfectly intact.

That wasn’t all.

I circulated my energy through my body.

‘What is this?’

As I assessed my condition, I swallowed hard.

The moment I began circulating my energy, I realized—

All the internal injuries I had sustained were completely healed.

What on earth was going on?

Not only had my arm returned, but the injuries I expected would take ages to heal were already mended.

It made no sense.
Still reeling from this mystery, I lowered my gaze to examine my left arm.

“…Ah…”

Stop!

I froze at the sound of a voice.

It came from behind me, from the spot where I had been lying just moments ago.

The voice was weak and drained of strength.

Of course it was—it was a voice I knew all too well, one I had been searching for.

My head turned.
There—

“…Hello…”

A woman with shackles around her wrists was looking at me.

White hair and distinctive blue eyes.
She appeared exhausted, yet her face still radiated beauty.

Had my head been resting on her lap this whole time?
She was partially buried in the surrounding snow.

“You…”

“You’ve… woken up…?”

She spoke to me.

“It’s been… a long…”

I didn’t let her finish.
My body moved on its own, pulling her into an embrace.

I held her tightly, as if refusing to ever let go, and stayed still like that.

At that—

“…Ah… yeah.”

Namgung Bi-ah whispered softly.

“I missed you, too.”

Her response was to the words I hadn’t spoken aloud.