Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Swish!

A blade wrapped in sword energy sliced through the air.

Shraaak!

There was no respite in the relentless attacks, and the number of blades was overwhelming.

The paths of the swords seemed chaotic at first glance.

But within that apparent disorder lay an undeniable rhythm and purpose.

Refined coordination, honed through years of grueling training.

Movements aimed at cutting off the opponent’s escape and delivering decisive punishment.

Dozens of martial artists from the Martial Alliance moved in perfect unison, all for the sake of capturing one man.

By all accounts, the situation should have been impossible to withstand.

Yet, astonishingly, the lone figure they targeted held his ground with ease.

Watching this unfold, Wi Seok, the branch leader of the Martial Alliance in Guangdong and a master at the Hwa-Kyung level, furrowed his brows in disbelief.

‘What...

is this?

’Boom!

“Gah!

”In the chaotic scene, one martial artist was sent flying into the air.

And then another.

Boom!

Boom, boom!

One after another, members of the Alliance fell.

‘What kind of...?!

’Wi Seok’s eyes widened as he tried to comprehend the spectacle before him.

It was like a typhoon.

A storm of blades raged, yet the lone man at its center remained unnervingly calm.

He was the eye of the storm.

The man’s swordsmanship was dazzlingly precise and efficient.

The martial artists sent against him weren’t amateurs.

Guangdong was a region notorious for its bandits and heretics, and these men were trained to handle both criminals and even monsters.

Their skills were far from lacking.

Based on reports from Seo Dong, Wi Seok had carefully selected warriors, estimating the target to be at least Hwa-Kyung level.

He had brought only peak-level martial artists, leaving out anyone below first-class.

Among them were two squad leaders at the Daeju level and himself, a Hwa-Kyung master.

This lineup could overpower even a seasoned clan leader.

And yet, their target stood unaffected.

Shiiiing!

The swords surged forward.

No—They tried to.

Clang!

One attacker suddenly lost his grip on his blade as a mysterious force struck him.

Thud!

“Urgh!

”He collapsed, eyes rolling back.

Before he hit the ground, two others rushed forward from behind.

They met the same fate.

Bang!

“Hah!

” “Argh!

”Their blades veered off course, their movements disrupted.

They were flung away, landing unconscious in the distance.

Every single person who fell was rendered utterly helpless, incapacitated.

The battle had barely lasted a fraction of a moment.

“Guh…” “Ugh…”The once-wide plain was now filled with the groans of the fallen.

Swords lay embedded in the ground or scattered carelessly across the field.

“...

”Wi Seok stared at the scene in stunned silence, his face a mixture of shock and disbelief.

As his subordinates lay writhing in pain, the young man at the center of it all stood unscathed.

He was holding the collar of one of the attackers, who dangled limply in his grip.

Without so much as a drop of sweat on his brow, the young man casually glanced around.

He smirked, his tone mocking as he spoke.

“Tired already?

You must’ve been exhausted to lie down this quickly.

Isn’t that right?

”“...

”Wi Seok didn’t respond.

He was too busy trying to make sense of the situation.

‘This is bad.

’In such a short span of time, so many skilled warriors had been incapacitated.

What’s more—‘They’re all still breathing.

’Though they were groaning in pain, not a single one of them was dead.

The young man had subdued every single one without taking a life.

Thud.

As the young man let go, the one whose collar he had been holding crumpled to the ground.

Now, on the battlefield, only Wi Seok and the young man remained standing.

Wi Seok couldn’t help but feel a cold dread creeping over him.

‘This is different.

’The young man’s youthful appearance was already striking, but his aura was unnervingly alien.

And then there was his combat style—it spoke volumes.

‘I couldn’t engage.

’In the chaos of the battle, Wi Seok had been unable to step in to assist his subordinates.

It wasn’t because he was merely watching.

‘He didn’t let me.

’The young man had orchestrated the entire flow of the battle, deliberately preventing Wi Seok from interfering.

Because of this, Wi Seok had watched helplessly as his men were defeated one by one.

‘How is that possible?

’To maintain control in such a chaotic scenario required an extraordinary level of experience in handling multiple opponents.

“...

”Wiping the sweat from his brow, Wi Seok finally broke the silence.

“I have a question.

”At this, Gu Yangcheon smirked.

“You want to ask me something in this situation?

Interesting guy.

”“Gu Gwonjeokma Domungang.

” “Hm?

”Hearing the name, Gu Yangcheon tilted his head slightly.

“Did you kill him?

”“Hmm…”Gu Yangcheon mulled it over.

Domungang...

“Oh.

”The memory came back to him.

“That guy.

”The man he had killed a few days ago.

“So that’s what his name was.

”A man who had been lingering near the storage cave Gu Yangcheon had been targeting.

The cave contained the rare Thousand-Year Cold Iron, one of the reasons Gu Yangcheon had come to this region.

He recalled a brief skirmish with Domungang.

‘Turned out he was a heretic.

I think he called himself one of the Five Demonic Kings.

’Gu Yangcheon hadn’t thought much of it.

‘If he was one of them, he wasn’t impressive.

’In Gu Yangcheon’s assessment, Domungang hadn’t lived up to the title.

Seeing Gu Yangcheon’s nonchalant reaction, Wi Seok swallowed hard.

“…As I suspected.

” “How’d you figure?

”Gu Yangcheon didn’t seem intent on hiding anything.

“Domungang’s sudden death a few days ago, coupled with the appearance of someone as skilled as you in the same region, seemed too coincidental.

” “Ah.

”Gu Yangcheon nodded, finally understanding Wi Seok’s reasoning.

“So that’s why you brought all this firepower?

” “…As I said before, I merely wanted to invite you politely.

” “But if I said no, you were going to force me, weren’t you?

”Wi Seok didn’t answer this time.

Instead—Shing.

He raised his sword, pointing it directly at Gu Yangcheon.

“What is your purpose…?

”Gu Yangcheon chuckled, his tone dripping with mockery.

“You’re funny, old man.

Your side tried to drag me away, and now you’re asking about my purpose?

” “This situation is one you orchestrated yourself.

”At those words, Gu Yangcheon’s smirk disappeared.

"Oh.

"A short exclamation escaped Gu Yangcheon as he narrowed his eyes at Wi Seok.

"What makes you think that?

" "I read the report filed by one of my subordinates.

It mentioned a master capable of taming demonic beasts.

"Wi Seok glanced briefly at Seo Dong, who lay unconscious nearby.

"It also noted that you seemed to be searching for information on a notorious murderer causing a ruckus lately.

" "And?

" "I didn’t think too deeply about it at first, but now I find it puzzling.

" "What’s so puzzling?

"Wi Seok swallowed dryly, locking his gaze on Gu Yangcheon.

"Why did you let my subordinate file that report without killing him?

"Gu Yangcheon said nothing, merely listening as Wi Seok continued.

"That information—about the death of Gu Gwonjeokma and the appearance of a mysterious master like yourself, someone searching for a murderer and carrying a monster capable of devouring Red-Rank demonic beasts—is not something most would leave others alive to report.

You could have easily killed him after extracting what you needed.

"Wi Seok’s eyes narrowed as he voiced his suspicion.

"Did you perhaps intend for that information to reach me?

"It seemed as though this was all orchestrated for Wi Seok to take notice.

Gu Yangcheon’s response was a smirk.

"You’re smarter than you look.

"His lack of denial only made Wi Seok more uneasy.

"What exactly is your purpose?

" "Purpose, huh…"Crack.

Gu Yangcheon casually rolled his shoulders as if loosening up.

"Originally, I planned to visit the Guangdong branch of the Martial Alliance before I left.

" "You intended to visit my branch?

" "That’s right.

I had business there.

" "What kind of business…?

" "But it turned out I didn’t need to.

That business showed up right in front of me.

"As Gu Yangcheon spoke, he raised a hand and pointed at something.

Wi Seok flinched when he realized what it was.

Gu Yangcheon’s finger was directed at him.

"…You’re saying I’m your business?

" "Not quite.

More like a pit stop along the way.

" "Why…?

"Wi Seok asked, confusion etched on his face.

He had no reason to be targeted by someone like Gu Yangcheon.

He couldn’t recall anything that would warrant such attention.

"Do we really need to talk about this any further?

"Gu Yangcheon’s tone grew sharper.

"At this point, there’s only one thing you need to do, isn’t there?

"Wi Seok bit his lip as a chilling thought surfaced in his mind.

"There’s been a story circulating within the Alliance," he began cautiously.

"A rumor from just a week ago.

"Gu Yangcheon raised a brow, curious.

"What story?

" "The news that certain key members of the Martial Alliance across Zhongyuan have been assassinated.

" "Oh?

Now that’s an interesting tale.

"Though Gu Yangcheon appeared entertained, Wi Seok frowned deeply.

"Are you the one responsible?

" "What do you think?

"With a step forward, Gu Yangcheon closed some of the distance between them.

Wi Seok immediately gathered his energy, his mind cooling and focusing.

After witnessing the earlier battle, he knew better than to let his guard down.

‘Whatever his intent, I can’t afford to retreat.

’Shiiing!

A fierce aura engulfed Wi Seok’s blade as he unleashed his energy, the pressure radiating outward.

There was no time to hesitate.

Had he acted earlier alongside his subordinates, things might have been different.

But now, he had to give it his all.

‘Go for his lower body.

’Deciding on his target, Wi Seok moved.

His sword arced through the air—but before it could reach its mark—Crunch!

"…!!

"Wi Seok’s arm twisted unnaturally, his joint shattered before he could even complete the motion.

Gu Yangcheon had closed the gap and destroyed his attack in a single move.

"Urgh…!

"Even as pain coursed through him, Wi Seok adjusted his grip, switching his blade to his other hand and attempting another strike.

Crunch!

Snap!

Before he could follow through, Gu Yangcheon neutralized him again.

A devastating blow to his chest sent Wi Seok collapsing to his knees.

"Gah…!

"Thud.

Wi Seok’s body hit the ground.

Blood trickled from his lips as he gasped for air.

In just one exchange, he was left utterly broken.

"Guh…ah….

"Wi Seok stared up at Gu Yangcheon with disbelief.

Gu Yangcheon, standing tall, gazed down at him with a cold indifference.

"Earlier, you asked why you were my target.

"Wi Seok coughed, struggling to respond.

"I don’t hold any particular grudge against you as you are now," Gu Yangcheon said, his tone almost casual.

He crouched slightly, locking eyes with Wi Seok.

"It’s your past self I’m interested in.

"Wi Seok’s voice came out in broken gasps.

"Wha…what are…you talking about…?

"Gu Yangcheon’s golden eyes gleamed.

"Did you know?

About three years from now, there’ll be a war.

And in that war, you’ll command a fairly competent unit.

"He smiled faintly.

"I think it was called the Seolhwa Unit.

They did pretty well, thanks to a decent squad leader.

"Gu Yangcheon’s voice was light, almost playful, but the weight of his words left Wi Seok suffocating.

"But then they betrayed us.

And in the process, a woman leading the front lines was stabbed and left to die.

"Wi Seok’s breathing grew ragged.

"I carried her on my back as she bled out.

Ran like a madman through pouring rain.

"Gu Yangcheon’s voice dropped, his expression darkening.

"Even now, just thinking about it makes my blood boil.

"The memory was burned into him, an indelible scar.

"That’s why I wanted to see you.

"Wi Seok’s lips trembled as he tried to speak.

"That’s…impossible….

"Crack!

Before he could finish, Gu Yangcheon’s fist smashed into Wi Seok’s head, silencing him.

Thud.

Wi Seok’s lifeless body crumpled to the ground.

Gu Yangcheon wiped the blood from his knuckles onto his clothes and stood.

Then, he turned and walked toward the fallen figures, stopping in front of one.

Tap, tap.

He nudged someone with his foot.

"I know you’re awake.

"The figure he nudged flinched—it was Seo Dong, who had only just regained consciousness.

Looking down at him, Gu Yangcheon spoke.

"Don’t try to get up.

Just listen.

" "P-please…spare me….

" "I’m not going to kill you, so stop whining.

I’m still talking, so don’t interrupt, or I’ll have to silence you permanently.

"Seo Dong clamped his mouth shut in terror.

"I just killed your branch leader," Gu Yangcheon said matter-of-factly.

Seo Dong froze.

"So, what do you think you should do now?

"When Seo Dong didn’t answer, Gu Yangcheon encouraged him.

"You can answer that one.

" "I…I’ll never tell anyone…!

I’ll stay silent forever…!

"Gu Yangcheon frowned.

"That’s not right.

"He sounded genuinely annoyed.

"You’re supposed to be part of the noble Martial Alliance, aren’t you?

Follow protocol.

File a proper report.

" "What…what do you mean…?

" "You’re good at reports, aren’t you?

Write everything down.

Detail what you saw today and file it.

"Gu Yangcheon leaned closer, his voice low and deliberate.

"And under ‘perpetrator’s name,’ write this: Cheonma.

"Seo Dong shuddered violently.

"That’s the reason I’m letting you live.

Don’t forget it.

"Thwack!

Without waiting for a response, Gu Yangcheon struck the back of Seo Dong’s neck, knocking him out cold.

Now, there was no one left conscious in the field except for Gu Yangcheon and Seong Yul, who had been silently observing.

"Looks like we’re done here," Gu Yangcheon muttered, brushing himself off as he turned toward Seong Yul.

Leaning against a tree, Seong Yul’s eyes were wide with disbelief, unable to process what he had just witnessed.

The field was littered with groaning or unconscious bodies, with Gu Yangcheon standing amidst the carnage as if it were nothing.

As Gu Yangcheon’s gaze landed on him, Seong Yul instinctively flinched, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away.

"Hey," Gu Yangcheon called out casually, his voice cutting through the heavy silence.

Seong Yul jumped slightly, startled by the sudden address.

"What’s your name?

" Gu Yangcheon asked, his tone disinterested, almost lazy.

Seong Yul hesitated, his mind racing, unsure of why this terrifying man wanted to know.

After a moment, he managed to stammer out a response.

"…Yul… Seong Yul.

"Gu Yangcheon tilted his head, his lips curling into a faint smirk.

"Seong Yul, huh?

" He chuckled, shaking his head.

"What an innocent-sounding name.

Doesn’t suit you at all.

"With that, Gu Yangcheon turned and began walking away.

After taking a few steps, he suddenly stopped and glanced over his shoulder at Seong Yul.

"What are you doing?

Get up and follow me.

""…!

"Seong Yul froze, unsure if he had heard correctly.

Follow him?

Seeing his hesitation, Gu Yangcheon raised an eyebrow and added,"Unless you’d rather I break your legs and carry you?

Your choice.

"The threat sent a chill down Seong Yul’s spine.

Swallowing hard, he slowly pushed himself to his feet, his body trembling as he complied.