609 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

**Chapter 609: The Mysterious King** As I continued to move forward, a keen sensation spread through my eyes. I wondered what my pupils looked like at this moment. They were probably similar to those of the lord in front of me. “…Huh?” The lord’s eyes widened as he observed me. Looking into his face, I spoke, “If you so much as lay a finger on me, I don’t care about rebellions or whatever. You’ll have to deal with me first, understood?” [Haha.] Approaching with intensity, the lord chuckled. What could possibly be amusing about this? Seeing him laugh only fueled my anger. [Do you really think you can do that?] Even if my strength had been weakened by a curse, he was still the reigning lord — a ruler of a region, a fact even my instincts couldn’t ignore. He was stronger than me, undeniably so. But still. “So what?” What difference did it make? With a swift motion, energy enveloped my hand, quickly consolidating and spinning until a fiery orb materialized in my palm. “Does this mean I should bow to you?” No way in hell. I’ve tolerated enough as it is. And besides… “I don’t treat those who mess with my people as human.” It didn’t matter how powerful the opponent was. If anyone touched what was mine, I would hunt them down to the end, even if it meant dealing with a so-called ‘god.’ The blue-hued orb spun continuously, growing stronger with each rotation. It was the power of rotation, a skill I had learned from my father. The orb spun, emitting heat and absorbing the surrounding cold. [...] The surprise on the lord’s face did not fade. While controlling the orb, I spread my senses around. I revealed my wariness, not knowing when the cold might strike. Releasing my anger outwardly, I kept my mind cool, contemplating when and how to unleash my attack. Then… [Haha.] The lord watching me suddenly let out a laugh. “You find this amusing?” Does he think this is just a joke? Just as I was about to take another step closer with a frown on my face, he spoke again. [My apologies.] The lord’s unexpected apology took me by surprise. “I beg your pardon?” [I haven’t harmed any of your companions. I swear upon my honor as a lord.] Without missing a beat, I responded, “Honor? From a man hiding in the back due to illness?” I spoke with a smirk. [True enough. Then, ‘Yucheon,’ I swear upon my own name that no harm came to your companions.] The lord acknowledged his fault without hesitation, even staking his name on the promise. Hearing this, I slightly withdrew my energy, surprised at how readily he admitted to it. Of course, I did not retract the orb. Watching him with heated eyes, the lord turned to speak. [You must truly be his son.] Am I really my father's son? To hear such words in this situation felt far from a compliment — as if suggesting a similar situation had happened before. “Tsk.” I clicked my tongue. Then, I flung the fiery orb backward. Instantly, a massive sound erupted from the entrance. Glancing over, I noticed the iron door had crumpled, leaving a slight gap. ‘Even though I held back, it barely crumpled it.’ To have withstood a direct hit from the orb and only get crumpled — it indicated that the iron door was no ordinary object. Honestly, throwing it with the intent of destruction but achieving only this outcome left me feeling somewhat embarrassed. But then... Creeeaak---!! As the crumpled iron door opened, a man stepped in. The man from earlier, the so-called Black Lion who had opened the door, looked our way. “Lord!” As he assessed the situation, the man immediately radiated hostility. Given my proximity to the lord and the heat emanating from me, it was easy to misunderstand… no, actually. ‘It isn’t a misunderstanding.’ Since I did threaten the lord, it wasn’t a misconception. “You…!” The man’s face twisted like that of a demon. It seemed the situation was about to become bothersome. Just then… [General.] The one who restrained the man wasn’t anyone else but the lord himself. Upon the lord’s call, the general froze in his tracks. [Hold your position.] “Yes, my lord?” [The rudeness was mine to begin with.] The lord acknowledged his own rudeness and instructed the man. [Return to your duties swiftly. That is an order.] Despite the lord’s command, the man couldn’t move. The overwhelming pressure emanating from the lord surpassed anything previously felt, requiring a reassessment of him. ‘This person.’ Had he concealed even more of his power? It was a strength I hadn’t fully gauged. [General, are you defying my order?] “No, my lord… I will comply.” The man withdrew his hostility at the lord’s warning but continued to regard me sharply. I observed him quietly and then turned my back on the lord to stride away on my own. “How dare you…!” At this behavior, the man intended to speak again. [General.] The lord stopped him once more. As I passed the man and approached the open door, I turned my head to look at the lord. “You asked me a question earlier, didn’t you?” The question the lord had asked if I still considered myself friends with Wu-hyuk. “Do I have to answer that now?” [Why not?] “I’ll do so later.” The statement was almost like a declaration, as I found it difficult to provide an immediate answer. For one reason— “I’m not one to jump to conclusions based on one side of the story.” If Wu-hyuk truly instigated a rebellion under the guise of being Bi Oe-gun, I first needed to understand why. ‘I can’t believe he would do something like that without reason.’ There had to be a reason. After conveying this intention, the lord queried, [So, you intend to speak with Bi Oe-gun?] “Yes.” I needed to ask. Did he really do it, and if so, why? That seemed the most definitive approach. The lord, with a hint of a smile playing on his lips, inquired further after hearing my words. [So, if you find a reason that justifies Bi Oe-gun's actions, what will you do? Will you join the rebellion yourself?] I frowned deeply at his question. “Am I crazy? Why would I get involved in such a bothersome affair?” Understanding is one thing. Supporting it is another. “Do whatever you like, stir up chaos. I don’t care.” I just wanted to know why he made such a choice. If it turns out he acted for reasons I can’t accept— ‘He’ll need a wake-up call.’ I’d have to knock some sense into him. I could manage that much. After all, in our previous life, when Wu-hyuk stepped out of line, it was often my job to drag him back. With these thoughts settled, I resumed walking. I could still feel the cold presence lingering behind me, but there was no further interference or sound from the lord. This meant he had no intention of stopping my departure. I continued onward. As I walked, I contemplated the tangled mess before me and where to begin untangling it. Despite the urgency to find Wu-hyuk, something else took precedence. ‘Before worrying about such things…’ Before any thoughts of rebellion, I needed to solve the reason I’d come to the North Sea. I recalled the trinket hidden in my possession. Namgoong Bia—whose whereabouts and current situation were unknown—needed to be found first. ‘What on earth are you up to?’ The thought that something might have gone terribly wrong kept creeping into my mind. With no body found where the trinket was left, it could mean she simply dropped it and moved on. ‘With such a trinket, there’s no way to—’ Suddenly, I stopped dead in my tracks. ‘A trinket.’ The ornament Namgoong Bia had left behind. I realized, almost stupidly late— “Why did I forget about this?” A way to pinpoint the elusive whereabouts of Namgoong Bia. Fortunately, I had just the one method at my disposal. ****************** A faint vibration buzzed at her waist. Feeling the slight tremor, the woman opened her previously shut eyes. “…” Awakening abruptly, yet she did not act in haste. Slowly lifting her heavy eyelids, she examined the dim environment before her. What lay in view was a darkened space. Where was she? Her eyes were not yet accustomed to the darkness; nothing was clear. Clink-! “…!” The woman reacted to the cold touch. Something was binding her hands. Upon inspection, she found they were iron shackles. What was going on here? Attempting to move— “Ugh…!!” A shallow groan escaped her lips, a sharp pain shooting through her side. She recalled—the wound she had sustained on her waist. Judging by the bandages wrapped around her, it seemed someone had tended to her injuries. Perhaps she should be thankful for that, though she wasn't sure. While she struggled to endure the pain, a persistent vibration brought her attention downward. Her eyes landed on a gemstone-encrusted rod that continued to vibrate against her waist. It was none other than Thunderchild. A glint of realization flashed in her eyes. ‘…Why…?’ Why was Thunderchild suddenly vibrating? Just as she was about to explore the mystery— “You’re awake, I see.” “…!” A voice rang out from the shadows. Her head snapped toward the sound. There stood— “How is your condition?” The cold gaze of Wu-hyuk. No, the true identity of the Blue Wolf’s leader, Bi Oe-gun, looked down at Namgoong Bia.