620 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 620: Choices and Decisions. The night has given way to day. A day has passed. The return journey to the hideout took hardly any time. Since my body had fully recovered, my speed was noticeably faster. Here's the puzzle. 'This hideout is way too easy to find.' The entrance to the cave was surprisingly easy to spot. Yuri had mentioned that it was cloaked in some kind of magic, making it difficult to locate. The same happened when I escaped last time. And I can sense the effects of the Jinbeop too. It's certain that something has changed for me. "Stop...!!" The guards at the entrance quickly move to stop and alert me. Fortunately, with Yuri by my side, we entered without much trouble. "You...!" Returning to the hideout, Baekryeon Sword hastily appeared to confirm my presence. She seemed like she was about to say something to me, but... She stopped in surprise upon seeing Namgung Bi-ah in my arms. "...Ah...." Her eyes reflected a myriad of emotions. I knew it. Seeing Namgung Bi-ah couldn't be easy on Baekryeon Sword's conscience. Baekryeon wasn't a harsh person, and seeing Bi-ah, who chose to be bait, must have stirred up complex feelings. "Please take her and check her condition. And—" There wasn't time to delve into such emotions. I handed Namgung Bi-ah to Baekryeon Sword and said, sincerely. "I need to see the Gungju first." There were questions I needed answers to. ************** "Go back." The iron door, where I expected the Gungju to be, blocked my way. As I approached, a figure stood guarding, addressing me. The Black Lion, they called him. One of the generals of the Northern Sea. Drawing his massive sword, he addressed me. "You are not allowed to meet with the Gungju." His sword was brimming with caution. I understood why. 'Because I made a mess last time.' I had caused a disturbance by threatening the Gungju. That's why he was wary. Essentially, I made this mess myself. I raised my hands, trying to put on my most amiable face. "I think it was my fault earlier." "From your expression, it seems you're plotting something against the Gungju. You will not pass." That damn bastard...? Apparently, my attempt at politeness failed miserably. "Sigh...." Dropping my hands, I let out a sigh. It was expected. The Gungju's health had deteriorated. That's why they were hiding. It was only natural for them to react this way, given that I posed a threat. Apparently, words weren't going to work, so there was no choice. "Move." I said plainly to the Black Lion, letting my façade drop. "I'll only ask a few questions and leave." "Do you think that will happen?" "I doubt it. Clearly not." I gestured with my fingers, gauging the distance. "But we’re at a point where it can't not happen." The circumstances had changed dramatically. There were things I needed to know. And I judged that the Gungju had those answers. By any means, I had to meet them. Seeing the determination in my eyes, the Black Lion tightened his grip on the sword. "The only reason you've made it here is because we treated you as a valuable guest. But—" Huuk-! Energy enveloped his sword. Ganggi, a powerful martial aura suffused it. The pressure around us intensified. The aura of a master fighter, far beyond average, was enough to distort the air. It meant he was no ordinary man. "Not only can I not let someone who threatened the Gungju in, but right now the Gungju is resting." "Haha." I couldn't help but laugh at his words. "In this mess, that person can sleep soundly?" "Mind your words!" Kuuung-! The vibration from his sword was quite threatening. "If you dare to speak ill of the Gungju once more, I’ll cut you down." "Wow, those are some scary words." Threatening to cut me; how menacing indeed. "Normally, I’d say I would come back later, but I’m in a real hurry now. Perhaps you could wake them, and they can sleep afterward?" "So you really intend to draw blood." "No, why would—" Swiish-! The Black Lion moved his sword aggressively. Seeing this, I clicked my tongue inwardly. "Guijeong." Swish-! Clack-! "...!" With a subtle movement of my left arm, I bound his sword, locking it in place. Creaking-!! The Black Lion tried to reclaim his weapon, initiating a battle of strength against me. Kuwoooong--!! A warrior beyond Huakyung. One who had reached mastery. Considering he wielded a massive sword, his external martial arts were likely formidable. Holding against such might caused my muscles to react furiously, but I wasn’t overwhelmed. The Black Lion's eyes widened seeing this. Kunng-! Ka-boom-! The clash of powers caused vibrations, beginning to damage the surroundings. Dust fell from the ceiling of the trembling space. "You...!" "Do you want everything destroyed before I get in? The outcome wouldn’t be good." "I am the Gungju's guardian. I cannot overlook anyone who threatens him." "Hmm." It was a fitting mindset for a protector. I could feel his unwavering conviction. There was one way to handle this. "Then I'll just have to knock you down." Huuk-! I summoned energy, rotating the rings of Guyeomhwaryeon-gong to increase my body’s temperature. Combining that with my martial aura, I gathered a fiery storm in my grasp. The blazing sphere seemed ready to explode at any moment. The Black Lion, seeing this, cloaked himself in Ganggi with all the power he could muster. At the brink of battle. At that precise moment, ready to clash— [Stop.] "...!" A voice from behind the door halted the Black Lion, prompting him to withdraw his Ganggi at once. It was the voice of the Gungju. [Black Lion. Open the door.] "But... Gungju...!" [That is an order.] "…" For a moment, a flicker of displeasure crossed his face. But the Black Lion said nothing more. He simply sheathed his sword on his back. Clench—! And gripped the doorknob. "...I will obey your orders." Creeeak—! The door swung open. As I watched this, I withdrew my aura as well. A familiar, chilling cold from before crept in. "Enter." No sooner had the Gungju spoken than I stepped forward. "...This time, please show proper respect to the Gungju." The Black Lion’s stern farewell echoed as I entered the space. It was still a frigid, unwelcoming room. Only the Gungju, seated as before, occupied it. The only difference was the way I regarded him now. "It's nice to see you so soon again." "Indeed. I didn't expect to meet you again like this." I spoke as I reached his presence. His appearance remained unchanged. Half of his body was still encased in ice. Frost extending from him enveloped the surroundings. And... 'The energy is similar to that guy's.' The aura felt eerily similar to that of Yuseon, whom I had just encountered. But the unpleasantness and hostility were not as pronounced. "So, what brings you to disturb my slumber?" "Were you truly asleep?" "Very much so. I was resting quite well." The Gungju said with a smile. Naturally, I didn’t believe it. "What brings you here, young master, to go through such theatrics?" "Well." I couldn't help but chuckle at the Gungju's question. It seemed he had seen through my ploy. The confrontation with the Black Lion had been intentionally aggressive to draw the Gungju out. The Gungju, aware of this, had shown up. It didn’t matter; my objective was accomplished. I spoke directly to the Gungju. "I just encountered your son or daughter moments ago." [...] "They introduced themselves as 'Yuseon.' I believe they are the perpetrator." The name might be an alias. According to Yuri, it was her sister's name, yet I had seen a man. Of course, even their gender could be a disguise. The Gungju glanced at me as I abruptly dropped this news. His slit-like pupils remained unchanged. "Yuseon..." He muttered softly. "I see." The revelation of a renegade child’s identity didn’t seem to affect the Gungju much. "Was it that child." "Is that all the response you have?" "If you came all this way just to inform me, I thank you for the effort." Though the response was oddly indifferent, it was time to get to the main point. "No, I came to ask you something." "Go ahead and ask. I will listen." "Do you know of dragons, Gungju?" "Hmm." Upon hearing my question, the Gungju fell silent for a moment. "I do." Surprisingly, he answered in the affirmative. I had expected him to feign ignorance. "...You know?" "Indeed. Even now...." The Gungju's slit pupils locked onto me. "I see one in front of me." "...!" His words widened my eyes in surprise. This man. 'He knew?' It seemed he had known my true nature all along. How he came to know didn’t concern me. Since the Dark King realized it, and that person Yuseon recognized me too, it made sense the Gungju could as well. But... "And yet you allowed me in?" "What reason would I have not to? You're a valued guest seeking this place." Hearing the Gungju’s response, I pondered. To what extent should I question him? What does he know, and how much can I ask of him? Those thoughts swirled in my mind. My hesitation was brief. "Your child is also a dragon." Even then, he didn’t seem surprised. "I see. It seems Bingjeong chose that child, after all...." Instead, he closed his eyes as if realizing something. I continued, observing the Gungju. "And, they called me a 'pureblood'." With that statement,— "What...?" His response was notably different this time. "That's why I’ve come to ask. About your child, and why I'm being called a pureblood." [...] The Gungju's eyes widened immensely upon hearing this. Unbothered by his child's story, yet shocked by this detail. Why? What difference could it make? "Pureblood? That child called you that?" "Yes." They had even attempted to take my arm. I chose not to mention it. "What exactly does that mean?" "Hah...." The Gungju let out a dry chuckle. "Is that so...." He nodded, as if understanding something for the first time. "So the time has come, finally." After muttering these words,— Crunch—! "...!" The ice encasing the Gungju began to crack. As lines formed and the ice shattered completely,— Suuuh. The Gungju broke free and slowly stood up. I had to hide my shock while observing him. Tall. The Gungju was much larger than I had expected. '...Almost as tall as my father?' I hadn’t noticed while he was seated, but standing revealed his impressive stature. Rustle. Brushing off the ice fragments, the Gungju turned to me and said, "Would you mind following me for a moment?" His voice, which had resonated before, returned to a normal tone. It was a heavy yet pleasing voice. "All of a sudden? Our conversation isn’t finished yet." "I will answer what you seek. I ask that you follow me." "..." "Please." Though I frowned and stared at the Gungju, he only returned my gaze earnestly. Where exactly was he asking me to follow when we hadn’t finished talking? Caught in a pressing situation, irritation bubbled up, but he promised answers, so I sighed and replied. "Where should I go?" "Thank you for understanding." With those words, the Gungju gave a slight smile and turned to lead the way. I followed him closely. The journey wasn't far. We didn't even leave the cavern; we simply walked further in the opposite direction from the entrance. As we reached a wall, I noticed something on the opposite side. A door. There was a door leading somewhere else embedded in the wall. It was a relatively small door. Considering the Gungju's size, it seemed quite tiny. To my eyes, it appeared more suited to someone of my height. "What is this about...?" "Try opening the door." Before I could voice my question about where it led, the Gungju spoke. Why wasn't he opening it himself and telling me to do it? 'Is there some kind of trap?' Such suspicion crossed my mind. "If you're doubtful, I'll bind myself with a protective seal." "…" Sensing my hesitation, the Gungju offered a concession. Normally, I might have insisted on the seal, but my hand instinctively reached out. It was a gut feeling. From the moment I saw the door, my instincts urged me forward. I placed my hand on the frozen doorknob. In that instant— Crackling---!! A massive crack spread across the door. Just from the slight touch of my fingertips, the door began to fracture. As I stood bewildered by the unexpected development— A frosty chill that had enveloped the door dissipated— Creeeak…. The door began to open on its own. 'What's going on?' I stared in disbelief beyond the threshold. "Indeed, it is true." The Gungju remarked. "It seems your words were genuine." "What do you mean by that?" "This door can only be opened by purebloods." "Excuse me?" "It was decreed a long time ago. I simply didn’t realize it was true until now." I looked at the door after hearing his explanation. Since the Gungju hadn’t attempted to open it, I couldn’t verify the truth of his words, but— So only purebloods, or whatever they are, could open it? 'Who on earth set this up?' Curiosity brewed within me. Who could have established such a thing in the Northern Sea? But just as I was about to ask the Gungju— Step. He bowed his head and moved towards the entrance. Was he signaling for me to follow? I resumed walking behind the Gungju. The aura was entirely different here. The passage wasn’t long. Just about ten steps, and we were through. Once we emerged from the passage— "...What?" I gasped at the scene laid out before me. A space blanketed in icy frost. Occupying the air was a massive, perfectly spherical object. It looked like ice at a glance, but no natural formation could produce such an impeccably round shape. Given its size, it seemed unlikely it was crafted by human hands. What is that? 'What in the world could that be?' Thump-! Thump-! Thump-! Why was my heart racing as if it were about to burst? Hoo. Hoo. I tried to calm my increasingly uneven breaths, but my gaze was already captured, fixed. What could it be? Why was I reacting so strongly? Step. Without realizing it, my legs moved on their own. Compelled by something unseen, they carried me closer. At that moment— "This is what we call a Bingjeong." The Gungju’s voice reined my movements to a halt. "Bingjeong? That is a Bingjeong, you say?" "Half lies beneath the Ice Palace, but this too is a Bingjeong." "...There's another one of these?" The Gungju’s gaze shifted to the Bingjeong. "It’s something the bloodline has preserved through generations. Only—" Though I had never seen it before, the Gungju continued, "I believe this particular Bingjeong is the original." The mention of an "original" piqued my curiosity. Was the one before me the genuine Bingjeong? Then— "...Why show this to me?" Why reveal such an item to me, seemingly out of the blue? One glance and it was clear it was something no outsider should see. Unless— Were they planning to kill me here? That thought briefly made me uneasy. "As I mentioned, this place is only accessible to purebloods. It is a set rule." The Gungju stated. Which meant— "You brought me here because I am a pureblood?" "Indeed." "For that simple reason...?" "Do you truly see it as a simple matter, young master? It is far from it." With a thoughtful look directed at the Bingjeong, the Gungju continued. "For centuries, the bloodline of the Ice Palace has endured its burden, rooted in the Northern Sea. Today, that burden confronts us fully." As the Gungju spoke, his eyes shifted from the Bingjeong back to me. "Throughout the ages, if a pureblood were to appear in the Northern Sea, they were to be brought here." Hum. A gentle vibration emanated from the Bingjeong. "Maintaining and protecting the Bingjeong until such a person arrived was the fate of the bloodline." To safeguard the palace and this place for centuries, hoping for the foretold one to appear. That was the bloodline’s curse. The Gungju’s words made me frown. "...What, like some prophecy? To live waiting endlessly without knowledge of when they might come? Does that even make sense?" "That’s precisely why it’s called a curse. Isn’t it utterly cruel?" The Gungju spoke with a smile, yet his laughter was tinged with something profoundly bitter. "But to think such a one as you would appear, young master." "How can you be so sure it’s me? It might not be—" "That is irrelevant." The Gungju cut off my argument. "If it weren't you, the door would not have opened." "…" His earlier suggestion to open the door made sense now. It was a test. "For what purpose? What do you wish from me?" Why did they await the presence of a pureblood? Why did they long for someone to come to this Bingjeong? I couldn't comprehend. With these swirling thoughts, I asked the Gungju. "History referred to this as 'the egg'." I cast my gaze upon the Bingjeong. An egg? 'That huge thing is an egg?' It was far too large and cold to be considered an egg. If that thing is truly an egg, what on earth is contained within it to make it so immense? The thought of something being born from such a structure was unsettling, to say the least. "They described it that way," the Gungju said, approaching me. "But there are other names recorded for it." Standing beside me, the Gungju spoke in a calm voice. "The Heart of the Dragon Emperor." "...!" As those words reached my ears, I swiftly turned to face the Gungju. "The Bingjeong is the Heart of the Dragon Emperor."