Childhood Friend of the Zenith

What’s this?

Why is she reacting like that?

“Fiancée…?

Do you know who it is?

”“How would I know?

I only heard that he has one.

”“Ah…”Yuri’s state didn’t look good.

It was clear she hadn’t known Woo Hyuk had a fiancée.

Does he really have one?

That guy…“Anyway, it’s not that important, so let’s move on.

”“No, I think we should—”“Do you still not have any suspects?

”I quickened my pace as I asked.

I could feel the grip of her hand tighten on my clothing.

It was the same question I’d asked Yuri when we first arrived in the North Sea.

Considering how tangled things had become, it was worth assuming that someone from her bloodline might have joined the rebellion.

Back then, Yuri had answered that she had no suspects.

“But it could have changed by now, right?

”“...

”It was now certain that someone from her bloodline had participated in the rebellion.

That was why I asked again.

“…Well…”Yuri’s reaction was peculiar.

“So, you do have someone in mind?

”It seemed like there was something.

“…No.

”“This is serious.

If you don’t tell me, I’ll leave you behind for real.

”“...

”I wasn’t joking this time.

If she wasn’t going to talk even now, then abandoning her would be the right move.

“Hm.

”Still no response.

I was about to release my grip and throw her off when—“It’s not a certainty.

”At last, Yuri spoke up.

“It’s just… suspicion…”“Don’t sugarcoat it.

I’ve been asking if you have any suspects since earlier.

”I wasn’t asking for the right answer, just for her to narrow down the possibilities.

“...

”Hesitating briefly, Yuri finally continued after a moment’s pause.

“…Second Young Master.

”“Second Young Master?

”The second child of the palace lord?

“Why?

”“Because he’s the most likely…”I nodded slightly at her words.

It was a reasonable suspicion.

In lineages like this, the firstborn son usually inherits the position.

Stories of second sons taking up swords in resentment over this are all too common.

The Second Young Master aiding the rebellion out of dissatisfaction seemed plausible enough.

“But that’s not the only reason you suspect him, is it?

”“...

”From Yuri’s reaction, it was clear there was more to it.

When I pressed her further,“…The Second Young Master has always been dissatisfied.

”As expected.

Yuri added more context.

“The First Young Master was designated as the heir to the palace, but… if we’re talking about talent, the Second Young Master surpassed him.

”“So, he was resentful.

”“Yes.

He often lamented how he could never become the palace lord due to something decided at birth.

”Having seen that, it was understandable that she’d immediately think of the Second Young Master when hearing about a blood relative joining the rebellion.

“There’s plenty of reason to suspect him.

”A talented second son, overshadowed by his less capable older brother simply due to birthright.

A familiar story.

The second son harboring resentment and instigating rebellion was the most plausible explanation.

“It’s a tale as old as time.

”I nodded, filing the information away for later.

I tightened my grip slightly, ensuring she wouldn’t fall.

“Haa…”Yuri let out a sigh.

She must have realized how close she’d come to being abandoned.

As I’d noticed before, she’s quick-witted.

Time was running short—at most, half a keun.

As the energy in the surroundings grew thicker, I picked up my pace.

“…May I ask you something as well?

”In that moment, Yuri spoke to me.

“What is it?

”Was she about to ask more about the fiancée?

That was what I thought, but then—“How did you leave the hideout?

”“What?

”The sudden question nearly threw off my focus.

“What do you mean, ‘how’?

I just left.

”I responded, baffled.

But Yuri’s expression was odd as she explained further.

“The hideout… it’s protected by advanced sorcery.

Unless one is of the bloodline or knows the designated paths, it’s nearly impossible to enter or move freely within.

”“…What did you just say?

”I frowned at her words.

Sorcery?

It wasn’t even a formation—it was sorcery.

“That’s something Jegal Eui-cheon used.

”Years ago, when Jegal Eui-cheon was treated with the White Demon Stone, I’d seen something similar.

It wasn’t like the formations others used, which relied on complex calculations.

Jegal Eui-cheon had simply waved his hands, and with a burst of energy, a mystical phenomenon unfolded.

The White Demon Stone, used as an offering, disappeared, and Jegal Eui-cheon regained his speech.

Though he was unconscious for over two weeks afterward, the power was undeniably remarkable.

And that kind of power…“Was in that cave?

”But I hadn’t sensed anything at all.

I’d wandered freely and easily found the entrance.

“…Wait.

”As I thought about it, I recalled something.

The day I left, Moyong Biyeon had stood by, watching me.

For some reason, she hadn’t followed.

At the time, I assumed she had no intention of stopping me.

“But what if she couldn’t?

”What if she couldn’t stop me because of the sorcery?

That would make sense.

Come to think of it…“I did think the number of guards seemed unusually low.

”There had been very few guards both inside and outside the hideout.

Initially, I thought they were shorthanded because they’d evacuated in a hurry.

But if sorcery was involved, it all lined up.

The problem was…“Why didn’t I sense it?

”If Yuri’s claim was true, I should have felt something.

How could I have not noticed anything at all?

As the question crossed my mind—Tap.

I abruptly stopped running.

"Young Master Gu—?

""…Be quiet for a moment.

"I cut off Yuri’s question mid-sentence.

"It seems we’ve arrived at our destination.

""Excuse me?

"Yuri widened her eyes in disbelief.

"…Here?

""Yeah.

""But there’s nothing here…"Under the pitch-black sky, a snowstorm raged, blocking visibility entirely.

The vast plain around us was blanketed in snow, making it perfectly reasonable for Yuri to find my statement odd.

"No, this is definitely the place.

"I reached out my hand, waving it through the space ahead.

Wooong!

Something brushed against my fingertips—a ripple, not the solid barrier I initially expected.

A formation?

Or perhaps something else.

I couldn’t be certain yet, but one thing was clear.

“I can sense this?

”The subtle sensation I’d never noticed before was now unmistakably clear throughout my body.

I found myself more curious about Yuri.

How could she not feel something this tangible and vivid?

Then again, I might not have noticed it either under normal circumstances.

When Namgung Bi-ah sliced through the formation at Heukya Palace or when Woo Hyuk found the hidden entrance to the Divine Dragon Pavilion, I hadn’t been able to sense a thing, unlike them.

So now, being able to feel something like this…It must mean something had changed.

“Tsk…”Ever since awakening Heart Fist, something in me had shifted.

How strange.

“Is this what they mean?

”Hearing things from a formation, smelling something unusual—I’d always thought such statements were absurd.

But now…“Well, I still don’t get the ‘smell’ part.

”Hearing and smelling formations still didn’t make sense to me, but at least I could vaguely understand now.

I turned to Yuri and asked,"Do you know where we are?

""…I don’t.

"Yuri shook her head.

Considering all we could see was an endless expanse of snow, it wasn’t surprising.

Especially since she’d been relying entirely on her senses to guide us, it made sense she’d have no idea where we were.

"Are you really sure this is the place?

""Yeah.

"It was beyond this point.

Wooong!

Wooong!

I could feel vibrations coming from beyond this barrier.

Hooo!

I released my energy, spreading it out to scan the surroundings for any potential threats.

Unfortunately, I didn’t detect anything.

I waved my hand through the rippling barrier again and tried to push deeper this time.

Crackle!

An unknown pressure forced my hand back.

"Hmm.

"What should I do?

It didn’t seem like I could just walk through it.

“Can I exploit a gap like they did?

”Like Namgung Bi-ah or Woo Hyuk, who had cut through similar barriers with their swords.

I stared at the ripple in front of me, trying to discern if there were any weak points.

“Doesn’t seem like it…”No such gaps were visible.

What should I do, then?

I couldn’t just leave it as it was, and breaking through didn’t seem feasible.

Should I attempt to dismantle it?

I was certain that even attempting to unravel it would take all night, and that’s if it was even possible.

What else could I do?

Return now?

“Not a chance.

”I wasn’t going to turn back after coming this far.

Especially not when the vibrations from beyond the barrier were so palpable.

I could sense Noe-a (Thunder Fang) beyond this barrier.

Knowing that, how could I possibly leave?

Returning now was out of the question.

"Young Master Gu…?

"I twisted my waist slightly, clenching my fist.

“Will it work?

”I didn’t know.

Even as I prepared myself, I was filled with doubt.

I hadn’t yet fully understood this power or tested it since awakening.

But I had faith.

Faith that I could do it.

"When you’re out of options," I muttered.

"Choose the simplest one.

"If I couldn’t figure it out with my head, I’d just break it.

That was the method that suited me best.

Wooong!

Something from my heart coiled around my fist.

A vast emptiness surged through me in an instant.

Feeling it, I whispered,"Just go back to the basics.

"I swung my fist toward the ripple in front of me.

(Heart Fist).

Hwaaaaa!

A devastating explosion erupted from my fist.

******************Kooooom---!!

For a moment, a tremendous vibration spread throughout the surroundings.

And because of it—"…!

"Namgung Bi-ah, who had been sleeping fitfully, opened her eyes.

She immediately sat up, staring into the distance.

"Ah…?

"Her eyes widened in shock.

It was only natural.

The foul stench she had been struggling to suppress, the one that had been growing since losing her mask, was now entirely gone.