616 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Title: The Dragon (Chapter 616) [The youngest of the Blue Clan was cursed.] This was the tale that spread across the Northern Seas. A cursed child. Everyone who saw the child, who had just turned ten, uttered the same words. - He looks at you as if he knows everything, it's chilling. - I cannot tell what he's thinking. - There must be a reason the Blue Wolf treats his own bloodline so indifferently. - Indeed... A child outside his father's favor. The youngest was in such a position. Where had it all gone wrong? Sometimes, the boy would ponder. When exactly did it all start to go so awry? Was it when he overheard his mother’s affair? Or perhaps, when he uncovered his brother's secret? Or could it have been when he realized his father's ambitions? None of it mattered anymore. For the boy, such things had already lost significance. “...” He looked at the sky, his eyes empty. Snow was falling. The boy’s cheeks, having caught a glimpse of the snowfall, were flushed a deep red. It was because his father had slapped him just moments ago. [Do not look at me with those disgusting eyes!] It was merely because he had been looking. Swish. The boy gently rubbed his cheek. Despite the cold weather, his cheek remained hot. Contrary to the warmth of his cheek, the boy’s eyes gradually grew colder. He heard what others couldn't. Just that one thing twisted the trajectory of his life. When he spoke of his mother's infidelity, his father's rage exploded, leading to chaos. When he discovered his elder brother's secret, his brother was cast away to a remote area. Having these two experiences, the boy eventually chose to silence himself before the whispers he heard. But his father, looking at the silent boy, likely thought— —Perhaps. Perhaps he may uncover his father’s secret as well. Was that fear? The boy became a discomfort for his father. And that discomfort turned into a thorn, wrecking the boy's life. A cursed child. The boy didn't deny the words that reached him. How could he? [That...yeah...that...] [Whispering... ] [Grr…grrrrk.] Even to him, it seemed he was indeed cursed. The boy covered his ears. He tried hard to block it out, yet the clamorous sounds continued to ring out around him. Crying sounds. Sounds of anger. Sounds of despair. A storm of violent, tearing emotions. Even when he closed his eyes and covered his ears, he could not block out the sounds. Emotions produced sounds. A cacophony that built up noisily became noise. His life became a living hell. Able to perceive the emotions others wished to hide, his family relations crumbled. His mother resented him. His siblings feared him. His father despised him. There was no one to comfort him when he cried. No shelter to shield him from the falling snow. He who heard the emotions of all things found his own emotions growing cold and detached. Such was his life. And this was how he was to live henceforth. If this wasn’t hell, what was? Gazing at the falling snow, the boy thought as much. Didn’t they say the world had four seasons? Among them, spring. A season where the snow melts, flowers bloom, and the world brightens. He had heard that such a thing existed in the Central Plains. But here, where it snowed endlessly, spring never visited the Northern Seas. This was much like his own life. A life being gradually crushed under the weight of snow. His life was no different from the Northern Seas. Which meant— 'If I die, will it become easier?' Rather than waiting for the spring of life— Ending it before the winters grew colder— Perhaps that would be a slightly better choice. At this thought, the boy looked directly ahead. There lay a partially frozen lake. What must he have been thinking looking at it back then? The memory was already hazy and dim. If he barely tried to recall— The young boy was fatigued and weary. So weary, he could no longer discern right from wrong amidst the overwhelming noise. Thus— His steps held no hesitation. It was an age where it was permissible to lack wisdom, allowing himself to be entranced by his own choice. Certainly, that must have been the reason. Splash-! With the sound of falling, his breath stopped. Cold enough to be painful, the water enveloped his entire body. Even with open eyes, nothing was visible. So, he closed them. Do you know what’s amusing amidst all this? Between the suffocating tightness from holding his breath— The first thing that came to mind was not pain or fear but serenity. ‘…It’s quiet.’ The cacophony that had been maddeningly loud vanished in an instant. How long had it been since such silence? For the boy, in that moment, came a sense of liberation. However— Such a sense of liberation did not last long. “Gurgh…!" Breathless. Just at the moment all his breath escaped, leaving only pain— His entire body began to freeze within the icy water. He flailed, as if struggling. Even though it was a choice he had made himself— In the end, the boy's actions were pitiful. Did he long for life? That was doubtful. He didn't know. That memory didn't linger. What did remain was— “Gurgh…” Just as he struggled and began to lose consciousness— Splash-! A sound came from afar, followed by— Splash-! Something grasped him and pulled him in. Slim, slender arms wrapped around his body, moving him. A short while passed. “Pwah!” The boy emerged from the water. “Cough… cough…” Cold, shivering uncontrollably, he lay on the ground, vomiting water. As he coughed for quite a while— Something wrapped around his trembling, freezing form. It was a dry, fur garment. He looked up to see who had covered him— “Phew! It's cold…!” The first thing that caught his eye was snow-white hair, reminiscent of falling snow. Drenched and soaked like him. The person didn’t seem to be much older. She was a girl about his age. While the boy gave her an uncomprehending look— The girl smiled brightly and said to him, “It feels like the weather’s gotten a lot colder lately, doesn’t it?” “...” “The water’s really cold. Feels a bit too early for a swim.” Indeed, it was a pure smile. Amidst the falling snow, the boy glanced at the garment wrapped around him. “So, if you’re going to swim, let’s do it together when it’s a bit warmer next time.” “I…” “It’s just too cold right now!” The boy tried to say something, but the girl cut him off. He would later come to know that the girl already understood what the boy intended to do. At the time, with her young mind, she couldn’t think of any words to turn his heart. So she simply said what came to her mind. In retrospect, it was almost laughable. Caught in a situation he couldn’t comprehend, the boy couldn’t bring himself to speak. This place was off-limits—no one was allowed to enter, as his father had made sure of that. How did this girl manage to find her way in here? As this question consumed his mind— “Nice to meet you.” The girl extended her hand to the boy. “Are you the youngest son of the Blue Wolf?” “...” How many people in the Northern Seas dared to speak of his father so freely? Though young, the boy was astute enough to know that there weren’t many. Only a handful, and among them, if it was such a young girl, the answer was obvious. Yet even knowing this, the boy remained silent, simply staring at the girl. Then— With a gentle sweep, the girl extended her hand towards him. “My name is Yuri.” Looking into her bright blue eyes, he thought they were radiantly beautiful. “What’s your name?” Certainly, the boy did not know then. That this girl would become his conviction and his spring. ****************** Drip. Drip. Blood trickled down the blade of the sword. The droplets stained the snow red where they fell. How deep had the sword pierced? Pain surged through him. Though he had tried to control his strength, he seemed to have made a slight mistake. “Damn... this hurts more than I thought.” Even though he avoided a critical spot, pain was pain. ‘How long has it been?’ How long had it been since he had been stabbed? He had been cut many times, but it had been a while since he experienced it directly. Perhaps it was the first time since his regression. Drip. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. He didn’t bother wiping it away. Thunk. The sensation from the sword embedded in his abdomen lingered. The moment he felt it, he gripped the blade tightly. “Don’t move. If you move too much, my hand might get hurt.” “…You…!” At his warning, Woo Hyuk widened his eyes and spoke. “What the hell do you think you’re doing…!” “Is it not obvious?” Every time he spoke, blood bubbled up in his mouth. It tasted disgustingly metallic. Ignoring it, he continued to speak. “I’m just trying to knock some sense into you.” “Take the sword out immediately…! We need to stop the bleeding…!” At Woo Hyuk’s words, he couldn’t help but laugh softly. “Earlier, you said I couldn’t pass unless you killed me yourself. What’s the rush now?” “…!” Upon revisiting their previous conversation, Woo Hyuk grimaced. Then he saw him biting his lip hard. It was a sight he found oddly amusing. Despite acting calm, Woo Hyuk’s distorted expression was quite satisfying. It was enough to make getting stabbed worthwhile. Holding the blood in his mouth, he addressed Woo Hyuk. “I’ve been thinking.” Though he started speaking, Woo Hyuk continued to stare at the sword embedded in his abdomen. “You were planning to die just now, weren’t you?” “…!” Hearing his words, Woo Hyuk flinched. “You intended to die at my hands.” No response came, but he already knew the answer. Woo Hyuk had been ready to die just moments ago. He planned to die by his hand. That’s why he had let up on the sword's force at the very last moment. “What are you talking about?” Woo Hyuk seemed to feign ignorance, but— “You can’t fool me. You’re too smart for that.” Such words couldn’t affect him. “When did you start? When did you plan on doing this?” “...” “Speak, damn it.” With a curse, he tightened his grip on the sword blade. Intending to drive it deeper. “Are you seriously trying to get yourself killed? Are you insane?” “Of course, I’m insane. Why, can you do it and I can’t?” When Woo Hyuk shouted, he scowled and answered. “Do you have any idea how messed up that is?” Surely, he didn’t understand. The choice he tried to make—how much of a curse it could be for someone else. Unlike him, he knew it all too well. “You were trying to do the same to me?” Did he intend for him to go through that again? Grabbing Woo Hyuk’s collar with his free hand, he pulled him closer. “If it’s been so long, shouldn’t you greet me first? Why create such a messed-up situation?” Meanwhile, he felt Woo Hyuk exerting strength to prevent the sword from shifting. He kept thinking. What was Woo Hyuk’s intention in doing this to him? Knowing he couldn’t win, why behave so irrationally? Moreover, why— ‘Did he look like he was relieved to see me?’ He seemed relieved. Almost grateful. Smirking bitterly in relief, pleased at how things turned out. Why was that? Why did it have to be that way? The question found its answer when he looked into Woo Hyuk’s eyes. Eyes that mirrored his own, behaving in such a manner. What lay at their end was a reason he knew all too well. It’s just that— ‘I’m just a little upset that you wanted me to do it.’ He felt resentment towards Woo Hyuk. It was probably the first time he felt such an emotion. And from this, he realized. Seeing Woo Hyuk tremble wildly, he spoke. “Fool. Do you know how cheap that is? It's just running away.” Only now did he finally understand why his father had acted that way back then. But it was a realization that had come far too late. With those feelings, he uttered his words. “You think you know something…!!” The sword embedded in his stomach was pulled out and fell to the ground. Drip. He felt the blood begin to flow from his side. Ah… it was extracted too abruptly. Ignoring the pain, he moved toward Woo Hyuk. “Ugh…” “I don’t know a damn thing, idiot. You never told me anything, so how would I know?” He knew nothing. Regarding Woo Hyuk, there wasn't much I knew, whether from my past life or this one. Partially because I was never particularly curious, and partly because Woo Hyuk never shared anything with me. But that didn’t mean he could behave like this. “Then, you should have said something.” Approaching Woo Hyuk, who was now collapsed, I grabbed him by the collar again. “You should have asked for help instead of acting like this.” “...” “Why throw a fit when you haven’t said a word?” The one who picked a fight right off the bat was Woo Hyuk. “What’s going on? Why are you doing this?” “...” “Say something, so I know whether to help you or smack some sense into you.” Frustration mixed in my words, and doubt appeared in Woo Hyuk's eyes. “...Why…?” “What.” “Why are you doing so much for me…?” His voice was filled with not just doubt, but genuine confusion as well. Why am I doing this? “…At best, it’s been a few years. You have no reason to do this for me.” At most, we had known each other for four years. I call Woo Hyuk a friend because I remember him from my past life. Because he died for me. He was there supporting me when I was falling apart—memories that justified calling him a friend. But. “Why are you going so far for me?” The current Woo Hyuk wouldn’t know this. And this— “I don’t know either, idiot. Ask yourself, because I have no idea.” —was just like what Woo Hyuk had done for me in my past life. “What…?” “We weren’t particularly close, and there wasn’t much to get close over. Yet, you approached me first.” He was at the center of his generation, a child prodigy destined to be the face of the younger generation in Wudang. He extended his hand to a pariah like me, full of dissatisfaction with the world. Why was that? When I asked him why, Woo Hyuk said— “Because we're similar? I think that was his reason.” We were similar, he said. That was why he found comfort. Woo Hyuk had definitely told me that. “You know what? At the time, that really pissed me off.” The genius among geniuses, destined to be the representative martial artist of the future Wudang Clan, telling me, an embarrassment, that we were alike. Was he mocking me? At first, that's what it felt like, and it grated on me. “Looking back now, it makes a bit of sense.” Only now could I see that Woo Hyuk’s words were sincere. You and I were alike. That’s why you came up to me. Finally, I could understand a bit of what the latent dragon was telling me back then. Neither of us had an attachment to life. Even though we sought something, the realization that we could not have it left us feeling empty. That was us. “You told me to live.” Live, please live. Life is precious. Words Woo Hyuk often threw my way, habitually. “I wonder, was that really directed at me? No, it wasn’t.” This, too, was a belated realization. “You were talking to yourself, weren’t you?” A question I’ll never get a response to. It meant hearing it from the current Woo Hyuk was pointless. “I’m sure of it. You saw yourself in me.” “…What are you talking about?” “Shut up and listen. This time, it’s my turn.” Supporting my collapsing self was about not letting himself fall apart. Trying to fix me was because he was also broken. Perhaps it was empathy or maybe sympathy. But, at this point, it didn’t matter. What I needed to think about now wasn’t that. I didn't need to focus on such things. “Live. Just live, you idiot.” I had to tell present-day Woo Hyuk what past Woo Hyuk had told me. The words might've come out differently, but that was the essence. “If you have a problem, I’ll help out where I can. So just live. Stop with this nonsense… ah, my stomach hurts, damn it.” The searing pain made me clutch my abdomen, cutting my words short. Though I’d tried to stop the bleeding, the condition wasn’t great. Given my extraordinary regenerative abilities, I’d probably be healed in about three days. “…Ha….” Woo Hyuk exhaled heavily as he watched me. “This is ridiculous….” “I should be the one saying that. It’s been a while since we last saw each other, and the first thing you do is stab me. Pleasant, isn’t it?” “That’s because you…!” “Enough, just tell me. Why are you doing this?” I’d already gotten a hole in my stomach just to hear that. He owed me an explanation. And I needed to hear it now. “If you don’t talk, I’ll pierce through again.” I picked up Woo Hyuk’s fallen sword and said. If he didn’t speak, I’d make another hole in my stomach. That was the threat. The problem was— “…What kind of nonsense threat is that with your own body? Do you really think that’ll work?” “It won’t work? Shall I? I’ll do it now. Watch closely.” I raised the sword to stab myself again. “Stop…! Stop it!” Woo Hyuk raised his hand to halt me. Though he claimed it wouldn’t work, the threat had been effective. “Madman…! You’re an utter lunatic.” “I hear that a lot.” Hearing it from someone who uttered it more frequently had a strange feel. Calmly putting down the sword, I looked at Woo Hyuk. I crossed my arms, waiting expectantly. Then. “Haha….” Woo Hyuk burst out with a low chuckle. “…How did I end up friends with someone like you?” Seemingly regretting it slightly, perhaps. But it was too late now. ‘You can blame your past self for that.’ Nothing would change by berating the Woo Hyuk of my previous life. “Alright, first, let's get the bleeding under control….” “Talk first, I’ll take care of that myself.” Already, energy inside my body was rapidly moving. It was a technique that enhanced regenerative power and stopped bleeding. In fact, the bleeding had already stopped. There was some dizziness due to excessive blood loss, but…. Woo Hyuk was lifting his upper body, his previous hostility seemingly diminished. Looking at him, I asked. “Will you talk?” “Don’t rush me….” “If you won’t, I’ll—.” “I will, I will! I will, but first, shouldn’t you check on something else?” I turned my attention at Woo Hyuk’s words. He had a point. Things had indeed gotten complicated, but coming here, Woo Hyuk wasn’t my main concern. Recalling my real purpose, I reached out towards Woo Hyuk. It was a gesture for him to grab on and stand up. “If you don’t talk later, you’re dead meat.” “…Me? Or you?” “That depends on the situation.” I'd decide on that conveniently when the time came. “Hahaha…” Hearing this, Woo Hyuk chuckled the same hollow laugh as before. As he reached out to grab my hand— “Is that it?” An unfamiliar voice interrupted. “Well, that’s no fun.” And it came from right beside us.