627 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

**Chapter 627: Authority** **Desire.** The fundamental longing that everyone possesses. The Shaolin, one of the sects of the Nine Great Schools, claims to pursue freedom from these desires. Yet, in my view, desire is perhaps the most essential meaning of life. It is what drives humans to strive forward. What compels one to attain and acquire things. Whether it be material lust, the craving for honor, or even sexual desire. No matter what it is. In the end, it is desire. I considered it the primal aspect when thinking of humankind. Now, with that in mind, ‘Would dragons be any different?’ Whether it was the vigor or Pride, that woman Yuseon liked to exalt herself as a greater being, dwelling in arrogance. But in my eyes, dragons were no different. If anything, they were more honest about their desires than humans but not removed from desire. Otherwise, ‘They wouldn’t be granted such instinctive power.’ This thought occurred to me as I witnessed the scene before me. Crunch---!!! The sinister sound drew my focus. Darkness. A vision of a world, both blue and black, unfurled before my eyes. ‘Fascinating.’ It was a novel spectacle since it was my first time witnessing it in person. ‘This is...’ Authority. There was a profound sense of realization. It wasn’t the remarkable regenerative abilities, the close-to-perfect physique, or the vast capacities I acquired from the dragon's tongue or for merely being a dragon. ‘The real deal.’ This was not the level of martial arts a warrior could achieve through training. A power gained purely from existence itself. That was what authority was. Upon waking, I naturally realized that authority was imbued in my body. Yes, it became naturally apparent. That I was wielding authority. What kind of power this authority held. How I might employ it. What the conditions were. I could grasp most of it without having to use or experience it firsthand. Unlike when I had to repeatedly use a newly acquired power for days to fully understand it. There was no power more convenient than this. ‘How absurd.’ I felt this situation was somewhat absurd. The martial arts polished for seemingly endless years, as if dying for it. The energy I meticulously built, layer upon layer. It all felt trampled, seemingly from being a dragon. I found that truly absurd. Perhaps that's why? My discomfort awkwardly mirrored and molded into this power, which seemed to replicate the overwhelming drive of my strongest desire. This power was not for use against mere martial artists. It seemed specifically crafted to be used against dragons alone. Authority mirrors its master. Perhaps that’s why this power exists. At least, that’s what I thought. Crunch-! Something like a shadow began to envelop everything, starting from my pierced heart. The room, once not so cramped, was now fully shrouded, not allowing a single ray of light to penetrate. Dark and murky. Within it, a vivid emotion was distinct. **Greed.** That was the name of my authority. Crunch-! Crunch-! I could hear the sound of something being bitten and swallowed. It was a rather unpleasant sound. Thump-! The heart pierced by Yuseon’s hand pulsed again. Thump-! Even though it should have been shattered, I could feel my heart beating intact. Are dragons even fine with vital points being destroyed like this? ‘Of course not.’ The thought made me chuckle. Unfortunately, it seems that isn’t the case. It’s merely due to special circumstances right now. Crunch-!! For a while, the darkness continued devouring everything. Groooooan. Then, as if finishing a meal, it let out a rough belch. With that as a cue, cracks began to form on the surroundings. Crunch--!! The crushing and breaking darkness surrounding me. Ssssss---!! Gradually began being absorbed back towards my heart. It took only a few seconds. Once the darkness that encased the surroundings dissipated. I finally returned to the world as I had known it. But, It wasn’t precisely the same as before. I turned my gaze to examine my arm. Even though the shoulder had clearly burst apart, My arm had returned to its original form. The chest that had been impaled was restored as well. It was just like before. The damaged body restored once the space itself collapsed. I dusted my chest and surveyed my surroundings. I wasn’t surprised. I had somewhat anticipated this might happen. “Ugh…!” Crunch-! The sound drew my attention. There was Yuseon, who had pierced my heart and had been overwhelming me until now, collapsed. She was close, close enough to grab my throat, and was near as the darkness enveloped us. But now, she was sprawled near the throne. Even spilling a handful of blood while doing so. “Cough… cough.” Splutter-! Blood dripped from her mouth, staining the floor. Yuseon propped herself up with trembling arms and looked at me. Her gaze was filled with shock. “…What was that…? What did you just do—!” I didn’t wait for her to finish. I swiftly approached and kicked her face as she lay on the floor. Thwack-! “Ugh!” Her chin took the blow, causing her head to snap upwards. Blood splattered from the recoil. Her long white hair followed, soaring upwards. I grabbed it without hesitation. Swung the seized hair and flung her backward. Whizz-! Boom--!! Yuseon’s body collided with a massive pillar, shattering it. Crumble--!! The debris rained down, covering her body entirely. I dusted off my left hand slightly. Fwoosh-! Flames immediately engulfed it. I felt it. Greater heat than before. About almost twice as much in mere power alone, I could sense. Buzz-! The flames gathered in my palm, attempting to compress. This, too, was much deeper and more substantial than before. I infused the will of ‘wheel’ to spin the flames. Whirrr---!!! Responding to the rotation, the rings of Guyeomhwarin started to revolve. ‘Flame Orb.’ I hurled the swiftly compacted flame orb with all my might. The flame orb flew towards Yuseon, striking the amassed debris. Boom-! With a minor tremor. Boomboom--!!! It unleashed an immense explosion. Thud---!!! It swept across the wall, ripping a part of the palace apart. Whooooosh-!! A cold wind swept in through the gaping hole in the palace wall. She was struggling to get up, brushing off the debris accumulated on her body. “Cough…” Rising painfully while bleeding, she looked an utter wreck. I glanced at her left hand. The skin was charred, blackened as if burned. ‘Did she block it with that?’ It seemed she sacrificed a hand to shield against the flame orb. Yuseon, battered and bruised, looked at me with a gaze filled with frost. With her one relatively unharmed right hand, she reached out to me. And then, “Hope…!” She muttered as light emanated from her fingertips. She seemed to be attempting something. But, Crack-! “…!” Dark energy, extending from my shadow, swallowed up her light once again. Yuseon’s eyes widened in shock as she witnessed the scene, only to quickly change into a scowl while glaring at me. “What…! What did you just do…!” She looked genuinely perplexed, unable to comprehend the situation. Observing her, I couldn’t help but chuckle slightly. “Fascinating, isn't it?” “…What did you do…!” “Wondering why your authority doesn’t work?” “…!” Upon hearing my words, Yuseon’s eyes widened further, and she bit her lip. It seemed I had hit the mark. With that, I surveyed the surroundings. I was inspecting the state of the palace interior. As I moved my gaze slowly, it wasn’t long before I saw it. A corridor. More precisely, the outline of the area that had been tainted with black energy earlier. There was a strange ripple beyond it. ‘Specifically….’ It seems correct to say that the space consumed by the energy returned to its original state. Reflecting on this, I looked back at Yuseon. “There were quite a few oddities.” “...” The first doubt arose, naturally, from our initial encounter. When I pierced some unknown barrier and entered. Out of nowhere, it was stated to be the garden where Wu Hyuk spent his childhood. That in itself wasn’t problematic. Be it sorcery or enchantment, with my ignorance, it could have been beyond my understanding. What mattered was, ‘What did I sense?’ When my arm was torn apart. Facing near death, spared only by an undeserved mercy from Yuseon. That state was reminiscent of the domain used by the Dark King. Resembling his authority. And that wasn’t all. “The people here, they seemed a bit lost within the palace.” I had barged into the Ice Palace moments ago. Naturally, that should have triggered a battle. I was aware. Though I didn’t intend to destroy everything in my path, I anticipated combat. ‘The garden and entrance were fine.’ Yet once I stepped slightly into the main palace, They hardly recognized even my presence. It was a bizarre situation. Had the whole group been hexed? Or perhaps… “Was the entire palace cloaked in something?” “...” Yuseon didn’t respond. She merely strengthened the gaze of her fierce stare. Observing this, a sense of familiarity washed over me. This sense of alienation within the palace. This was akin to, The enchantment laid around a hideout. “It feels strangely like sorcery.” A power distinct from enchantments. Referred to as sorcery, complicating the use of hideouts. It was reminiscent of that. Upon mentioning this, “Ha.” Yuseon chuckled incredulously, as if finding it absurd. “You say it resembles sorcery? You’re wrong.” There was a subtle rage in her voice. “From the very outset, sorcery is. A power brought by dragons.” “Hm?” “It’s not something humans should meddle with, that’s what I mean.” Well, isn’t that intriguing. Tilting my head, I gazed at Yuseon. “Sorcery is a power brought by dragons?” “…You truly know nothing, do you?” “The strange one is you, knowing something like this. One might think you’ve lived for centuries.” Even becoming a dragon doesn’t guarantee such knowledge. ‘Not that it matters.’ I no longer felt the irritation of not knowing. It was as if, ‘I have a feeling I’ll learn it soon enough.’ Without having to fuss about it, I’d come to know before long, anyway. That thought kept coming back. Moreover, ‘Isn’t there someone here who knows?’ Standing before me was someone who could share much information. For that purpose, “It’d be great if you could spend a bit more time with me.” I said as I propelled myself towards Yuseon. “…!” She reacted swiftly as I closed the distance quickly. At that moment. Crack-! “Huh?” The charred arm of Yuseon suddenly began to regenerate. Observing it, a hint of admiration escaped my lips. ‘Wow.’ What was that? Such a level of regenerative ability? ‘Is that also authority?’ Could she have healed my internal wounds with that? I was curious. Was it possible to regenerate someone else’s body too? Additionally, ‘I wonder just how far this regeneration goes.’ An unusual fascination arose. Though it seemed odd to feel such intrigue in this situation, my emotions were brutally honest. Crunch-! The instant I drew near, Yuseon unleashed ice from her toes. I twisted my stance slightly. Sharp ice shards thrust upward. Had I not dodged, they would have impaled me. Simultaneously, I turned my head. Whoosh-! Something grazed past my cheek. It was Yuseon’s fist. Boom-!! A sonic boom erupted in the air. It was substantial power. Despite appearing exhausted moments ago, Yuseon moved with remarkable speed and precision. Her advancing feet were solid. Her waist, serving as the core, was steady and sharp, moving her arms with precision. ‘High-level and mid-level techniques.’ Tap-! Tap-tap-! I parried her movements, redirecting the flow of her attacks. Every time Yuseon advanced half a step, I retreated half a step in response. Every time she extended her fists, I intercepted them before her movement carried forward. Through my insight, every move Yuseon made was clearly visible. It was simple work. Boom-! Boom-boom--!! Boom-! Even the light friction from our clashing hands sent vibrations echoing. Crack--! The palace shook as if an earthquake trembled its heart. Thump-! As I deflected her wrist, I countered her incoming punch with mine. Crunch-! Energy burst forth, and there was a sound like something shattering in my ears. I rolled my eyes, pinpointing the source of the noise. Frost formed at the tips of our clashing fists. ‘This is Ice Art, huh.’ I had only briefly heard of it, never faced it directly before. Tap-! I enveloped my hand in heat, swiftly dissipating the frost. Having wrapped my hand in heat, I decided to infuse a bit more energy into it. Vooom-! Energy flowed through my shoulder, enveloping my entire right hand. At the same moment, Yuseon lunged toward me with great speed. She was fast. The distance between us closed rapidly, targeting the moment I gathered energy. Quick thinking. But. I smirked. “…!” Noticing something amiss, Yuseon’s eyes widened. “Guijeong.” Shhhhhk-! At my command, Guijeong emerged from my left arm, binding Yuseon’s body. “This…!” It couldn’t completely halt her movements. Even in surprise, Yuseon didn’t stop her attack. Simultaneously, a flash of light erupted from her hand once more. She, too, had something in mind. Yet. Crunch-! Once again, shadows surged forth, consuming the light from Yuseon’s hand. “Damn it…!” Bound by Guijeong, a moment of vulnerability opened up. I seized the opportunity. My fist, infused with energy, carried a surge of will. Gathering it, I lightly punched toward Yuseon’s chest. Heart Fist (Sim-gwon) My spirit flowed to the tip of my fist. Despite an immense amount of energy, the motion was straightforward. Thump. A faint sound echoed, belying the power behind it. Vrrrrr-! Just because the motion was light, didn’t mean the result was. “Ugh…!?” Yuseon let out a brief groan. Immediately afterward. Rrrrrrrrh---!!!! A tremendous vibration emanated from her body. “Arghhhh!!” An immense surge of energy erupted from her back. Boommmmmm-!! The charge exploded with vibrating force. The tremor began collapsing the corridor. Crash-! Yuseon’s body didn’t fly away. Because I had grabbed her hair, preventing it. Thud-! Slowly, one of Yuseon’s knees buckled. She tried to hold on, but her body was giving way against her will. “Cough… cough…” Far more blood than before spilled onto the floor. Seeing this, I was certain. I addressed her in a blunt tone. “You’re not all that strong, are you?” “...” At my words, Yuseon flinched. I didn’t mean she was weak. Yuseon was strong. She was far beyond the Flower Stage, perhaps even stronger than I was a few days ago. However. She wasn’t at the level to rip off my arm or seize my throat as she had initially. This meant, “If this isn’t a place you’ve created, you can’t truly rampage, can you?” “…Huff… huff…” Yuseon didn’t reply. But the answer was clear by this point. Most likely, her strength was tied to an area shaped by her authority. Absent that, she couldn’t manifest the same kind of power. With a pained expression, she looked at me and spoke. “…What did you do…? Why….” “Oh.” She seemed curious about why her authority kept failing. So I decided to tell her. “My authority, you see.” Talking about authority. “It’s so greedy, it can't allow others to use theirs.” I quipped with a smile. “It devours authority. That’s my authority.” “…!” It consumes the authority of dragons. And ultimately, it can steal it. Though I hadn’t attempted it yet because of some pesky conditions. Nevertheless, it was possible to do so. Such was the nature of the Greed (Tam) ability. Hearing this, Yuseon spoke with a trembling gaze. “That...! That’s nonsense! It can’t be true…!” To consume another dragon’s authority? It was an incredulous claim. Her expression said it all. However. “So what if you don’t believe it?” I didn’t intend to convince her. I had other priorities. Ah, yes. ‘I had a task to do.’ Momentarily forgotten in the midst of our fight. First, Tighten. I grabbed Yuseon’s shoulder and wrenched it off. Tear. “Ahhhhhh!?” I did it without hesitation. Smack-! “Ahhhhh!” Yuseon screamed in agony as her arm was ripped from her. Whack-! Her scream was getting annoying, so I slapped her hard across the face. “Gurgk!” Watching her head snap to the side, my eyes filled with a curiosity that surpassed any annoyance at the noise. I couldn’t help it. Whizz-! I casually tossed the torn arm aside. Then I asked Yuseon. “I saw you regenerating your body earlier.” I recalled the seemingly impossible level of regeneration. Thinking of it, I asked her, “Can you regenerate this? Something that’s been ripped off.” “…!” “How far can it go? Can you regenerate if I pull out an organ? What about vital points? Is that impossible?” Somewhere along the line, I had forgotten my original intentions. I questioned her with genuine curiosity. Meanwhile, in Yuseon’s eyes, a growing horror seemed to emerge.