Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Whoosh!

A fist narrowly grazed past my face.

I shifted my gaze to observe my opponent’s movements more closely.

Despite the slightly fatigued expression on her face, her motions showed no signs of faltering.

Which could only mean—"Aside from mental strain, her physical recovery is astonishingly fast.

"I analyzed the spectacle unfolding before me with interest.

Even as I assessed her, her attacks didn’t relent.

A knee strike aimed for my abdomen, and when I twisted my body to evade it, spikes of ice emerged from the anticipated position.

Seeing this, I immediately conjured flames.

"Nine Flames Firewheel"Whoosh!

Flames erupted from my body, fragmenting into bursts aimed at the ice.

Pop-pop-pop!

Hiss—!

As fire and ice clashed, steam exploded into the air, momentarily obscuring our vision.

However, for martial artists of our caliber—both of us beyond the realm of Hwagyeong—such a distraction was hardly an issue.

Hiss—!

Through the dense steam, sharp attacks continued to pierce forward.

I tilted my head to dodge an incoming strike while observing her.

"Oh.

"I glanced at her arm—one I had torn off not long ago.

It had regenerated completely.

"She can even regenerate a severed limb?

"I turned briefly to where her discarded arm had landed.

The torn limb lay there, but it was slowly burning away, disintegrating into nothing.

"When her body regenerates, the detached part vanishes, huh?

"An intriguing phenomenon.

It was becoming clear—This wasn’t just ordinary dragon regeneration.

"This is definitely in the realm of Authority.

"Such an extraordinary level of recovery could only be explained by Authority.

I shifted my gaze back to Yuseon.

She stood at a distance, glaring at me with furious eyes, her teeth audibly grinding together.

"What are you doing right now?

" she spat.

"Hm?

What do you mean?

""Are you toying with me?

"Her voice was laced with fury.

"Why aren’t you retaliating?

"Ever since I tore off her arm, she had been relentlessly attacking, refusing to back down even with just one arm.

I could’ve blocked her completely if I wanted to, but I let her attacks through, choosing not to counter.

The reason was simple.

"I'm not going easy on you.

I'm experimenting.

""…What?

""I haven’t seen everything yet.

"Because I hadn’t.

"What else are you hiding?

"I still hadn’t seen everything she had to offer.

So—"Go on.

Give me your best shot.

I’m fine with it.

""…!

"Grind.

Her teeth ground harder as she seethed in anger.

Suddenly—Whoosh!

"!

"Cold air surged in from the massive hole in the palace, brushing past my back.

Where was it going?

There was no need to wonder.

"Looks like she’s up to something.

"The icy aura was all converging toward Yuseon.

The frigid energy swirled around her, enveloping her body.

"Hmm.

"It felt different.

At first, I thought it might be another form of Authority, but I quickly realized it wasn’t.

Crackle!

The icy aura condensed, forming a distinct shape around her.

Ice began to envelop her body, solidifying into—"Armor?

"It looked like a suit of armor designed to protect her body.

Was this also part of her ice arts?

Its appearance was unusual, but not entirely unexpected.

"Not so different from my own methods.

"I often used the Nine Flames Firewheel to envelop myself in battle.

It wasn’t uncommon to weaponize energy in such a way.

But—"That doesn’t seem to be for offense.

"Her armor looked more defensive, contrasting my own combat-oriented use of energy.

Whoosh—!

"…!

"Sensing a presence, I twisted my body just in time.

Whoosh!

A breeze swept through where I had just been standing.

Boom!

Turning toward the source of the sound, I saw a column behind me collapsing, neatly sliced in two.

"Oh.

"I couldn’t help but admire the precision.

It wasn’t just the armor.

In her hand, she now wielded a sword.

But it wasn’t an ordinary blade.

The sword was entirely made of ice, exuding an aura that felt distinct from any typical steel weapon.

"You’re a swordsman?

" I asked.

Up until now, we’d only been exchanging punches.

Her refined movements made me assume she specialized in hand-to-hand combat.

But—"That sword aura…"It was shockingly sharp and precise, the kind of technique only a seasoned swordsman could wield.

"…"She pointed her blade at me and spoke coldly.

"Even without using my Authority, do you think you can defeat me?

You’re delusional.

The outcome won’t change.

""Is that so?

That’s pretty interes—"Before I could finish, she charged at me.

"Impatient, aren’t you?

"The problem was—Shiiing—!

"Oh?

"Her movements now felt completely different.

Faster.

Stronger.

Shiiing—!

Slash!

With each swing of her blade, parts of the palace were sliced apart, leaving frozen blossoms of ice in their wake.

"She slices and freezes the aftermath, huh?

"A clever approach.

"Her speed… about twice as fast.

Her attacks…"Crack!

I glanced at another pillar being cleaved apart and nodded.

"Also twice as strong.

"I continued evading her strikes, analyzing her closely.

This was fun.

Learning what she could do, discovering her limits.

That process itself was exhilarating.

"Her speed and power have doubled.

"An impressive technique.

Earlier, I had assumed she was giving her all.

Was it a ruse?

No, it didn’t seem like it.

There were too many tells indicating she had been holding something back.

Rustle.

Moving to avoid another strike, I noticed a strand of my hair being cut.

That confirmed my suspicion.

"She can’t wield a sword properly.

"Yuseon was clearly more suited to hand-to-hand combat.

Her swordplay was clumsy at best.

And yet—Swoosh!

"Her sword aura is unusually precise.

"The energy emanating from her blade was ferociously potent.

This meant—"She doesn’t know how to use a sword, but her attacks are strong.

"Instead of discarding the sword and fighting with her fists, she insisted on wielding it.

Which could only mean—"There’s a reason she has to use it.

"Her reliance on the blade hinted at some necessity beyond combat efficiency.

Watching her, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

Not because of her skill, but because—"It’s not an Authority.

"I couldn’t consume it.

And that realization left a bitter taste.

"All you do is dodge like a rat…!

"Frustrated, Yuseon growled and screamed at me.

Her shriek was grating.

"What the hell is that?

" I thought, staring at her in disbelief.

Then—"Huh?

"Her voice froze me in place for a moment.

How interesting.

"She can do that?

"In that brief hesitation, her blade closed in on my neck.

If I didn’t act now, I’d be skewered.

The solution was simple.

I looked at her and spoke.

"Stop.

""…!!

"Just as she had attempted to halt me with her voice earlier, I returned the favor.

Thud.

Her body froze mid-motion, held in place by my dragon speech.

It only lasted a second, but that was enough.

Hum!

I braced myself, activating my most devastating technique.

"Tua Pacheonmu.

"My energy surged, and my heart pounded violently.

I twisted my waist sharply.

Thud!

I planted my lead foot with force, anchoring myself.

Then—Whirl!

I wrapped shadows around my left fist, layering it multiple times until it resembled a gauntlet.

It wouldn’t tear or break, not with the properties of Gui-jeong.

"Tua Pacheonmu.

""First Stance: Tua Mu Fist.

"With perfect form, I unleashed my fist directly into Yuseon’s chest.

Boom!

The strike shattered her icy armor and drove into her solar plexus.

Crack!

"Keuhuk…!

"It landed perfectly.

The sensation told me as much.

BOOM!

The impact sent shockwaves through her body, and she was hurled into the air by the force.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Several remaining pillars shattered in succession as Yuseon's body was hurled through them.

Watching her collapse amidst the debris, I casually dusted off my hands and clenched my fists experimentally.

"The recoil has lessened.

"This was immediately evident.

The destructive power of Tua Pacheonmu—a technique that used to leave my body screaming in agony—now had noticeably reduced backlash.

Previously, using it consecutively was unthinkable due to the compounded pain.

But now, even after unleashing it, I felt I could go again without significant strain.

"Not that it’s completely harmless, though.

"The recoil might have decreased, but it hadn’t disappeared entirely.

The technique remained as ruthless as ever.

It was, after all, a method designed for someone like Paezon, a lunatic who thrived on relentless violence.

Still, the improvement meant I could now incorporate Tua Pacheonmu seamlessly into combat, without the hesitation that used to hold me back.

"Hey, you alright?

" I called out, stepping closer to the wreckage.

Amidst the crumbled remnants, Yuseon lay buried, coughing weakly.

"…Cough…"Her condition looked far worse than before, likely due to my direct strike.

I knelt before her, aligning my gaze with hers.

"Hmm.

"Grabbing her chin, I lifted her face to meet my eyes.

"How’re you feeling?

""…Hah… Hah…"Her eyes flickered downward, toward her chest—or rather, her solar plexus.

"Your insides are a mess, huh?

Looks like your organs exploded," I commented, pressing a finger into her ribs.

"…Aaargh!

"Yuseon let out a scream, her body convulsing in pain.

"Ribs are shattered too.

Badly.

"Her armor, her aura—it had all failed to stop my attack, leaving her body in utter ruin.

Even for someone at Hwagyeong, she wouldn’t last more than ten seconds in this state.

This amused me, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

"So, how’s it going?

""…Hah… Hah…""Can you regenerate from this?

"Her trembling eyes widened in shock and fear at my words.

"I hope so.

Otherwise…"I smiled, leaning closer.

"It wouldn’t be as fun as you promised.

"Yuseon's bloodied gaze filled with conflicting emotions—fear, disgust, something primal.

Not that it mattered to me.

"What’s the deal with that technique anyway?

Is it a specialty of the Ice Palace?

It’s fascinating," I said, my tone light, conversational.

"…""Does it just enhance speed and strength?

Or does it tie into that insane regeneration of yours?

"The curiosity was genuine, but instead of answering, Yuseon glared at me with bloodshot eyes and spat, "You monster.

"At her insult, I chuckled softly.

"You’re wrong.

"I tightened my grip on her throat.

"Argh…!

""We’re not humans anymore, remember?

"She gurgled weakly as her airway constricted, her defiance dwindling.

I tilted my head, a fleeting thought crossing my mind.

"What did I give up to stop being human?

"The memories were faint, blurry.

"Actually, did I even give up anything?

"If anything, I had fought tooth and nail not to lose myself.

But that hardly mattered anymore.

"So, is that it?

Is there nothing else you’ve got?

""…Hah… Hah…""Show me everything you’ve got left.

I’ll wait.

"Because the more I saw, the sweeter it would be when I devoured her.

"I’ll admit, I’ve learned a lot from you.

"This wasn’t a lie.

The fight had been enlightening.

Witnessing her Authority firsthand had been invaluable.

It also taught me something critical—"You can’t fight like a martial artist anymore.

"Her regeneration, her strange abilities—they demanded a different approach.

"You’ve got nothing left, huh?

"I shifted my gaze to her abdomen, where her body was visibly repairing itself.

"Even your internal organs are regenerating…"Her resilience was remarkable.

"Limbs, guts, whatever—I guess nothing’s off the table.

"A rare flicker of envy stirred within me.

Despite my Master's philosophy, I couldn’t deny it—her regeneration was something I wanted.

"Got nothing more to show me, then?

""…Hah…"Yuseon’s answer came as a strained groan.

The regeneration process wasn’t peaceful—it looked agonizing.

I sighed.

"Is this all?

"She’d been impressive, sure.

But ultimately, she had failed to surprise me further.

"Fine.

Then tell me where he is.

""…You think I’ll… tell you?

"A feeble laugh escaped her lips, dripping with scorn.

"Absorbing an Authority… Such nonsense… How could such a thing… exist…?

"I nodded slightly, acknowledging her disbelief.

"It’s absurd, I know.

"Her frustration was justified.

For someone who’d spent so much of her life mastering her power, encountering something like mine must’ve been maddening.

"But life’s always absurd, isn’t it?

"I shrugged.

"I didn’t exactly ask for this either.

"My Authority wasn’t something I desired; it simply came with the territory of being a dragon.

A predator designed to devour other dragons.

But Yuseon didn’t need to know that.

"…In the end… Will I never see the light?

"Her voice cracked, laden with sorrow.

"I’ve lost so much… Born a woman, denied my rightful place… Even the love I longed for…"Her words spilled out in a torrent of bitterness and grief.

I cut her off, gripping her throat tighter.

"Cough—!

""I don’t care.

"Her protests meant nothing to me.

"Why are you telling me your sob story?

Do I look like I care?

"She blinked, stunned.

"Do you want me to pity you?

To say, ‘Oh, poor thing, no wonder you ended up like this’?

Don’t make me laugh.

"Justifications, reasons—none of it mattered.

"Whatever you’ve done, it’s all on you, you stupid bitch.

"Her circumstances didn’t interest me, nor did her excuses.

"No one cares about your reasons, least of all me.

"The world was cruel, indifferent.

That was the truth.

"So stop trying to win sympathy and just answer my question.

Where is he?

""…You think… I’ll ever tell…?

"She laughed weakly, blood dripping from her lips.

"That’s fine.

"I smiled faintly, tightening my grip.

"I wasn’t expecting you to.

""What…?

"Her eyes widened in confusion.

I raised my fist.

"What are you—"Boom!

My punch slammed into her chest, and she convulsed violently.

Her eyes rolled back as black blood spilled from her lips.

I held back, ensuring she’d survive one more strike.

Looking down at her limp form, I spoke.

"I’ll ask again.

Next time, I won’t stop.

"Though unconscious, I wasn’t addressing her.

I was speaking to him.

"...

"Her head lolled forward, unresponsive.

"You really not going to answer?

"I raised my fist again, ready to finish it.

[…Such brutality.

]The voice made me pause.

[Savage as ever.

]Yuseon’s head tilted back, her vacant eyes locking onto mine.

Her lips moved, but the voice wasn’t hers.

[Ah, the Ninth Pureblood.

]A grin spread across my face.

"Gotcha.

"Just as I’d suspected, the will of the Ice Crystal had finally decided to greet me.