628 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

### Chapter 628: Nine Huff-! A fist brushed past, narrowly missing his face. She adjusted his gaze, closely observing his opponent's movements. The weariness was somewhat visible, but there were no significant issues in her actions. That meant... ‘Aside from mental fatigue, she physically recovers quickly as well?’ He observed the fascinating sight intently. Meanwhile, the attacks kept coming. A knee aimed at her abdomen approached. As she twisted her body to dodge, a rain of ice shards, resembling awls, descended on her position. Seeing this, he immediately conjured flames. “Guyeom Taeryunhwa.” Whoosh-! Flames erupted from her body, shattering into pieces as they collided with the ice. Pop-pop-pop--!! Sizzle--!!! As the flames and ice clashed and exploded, steam filled the air. The dense vapor briefly obscured their vision. However, for warriors of their caliber, such a situation didn't pose a problem. Sizzle-! Cutting through the steam, sharp attacks resumed. Dodging with swift movements, her eyes darted around. ‘Oh.’ He glanced at the arm that had aimed for her head moments ago. Despite having ripped it apart earlier, he confirmed it had regenerated—Yuseon's arm had returned. ‘Does it regenerate even after being torn off?’ Understanding this, she glanced behind him. Where he had discarded her arm earlier. Unexpectedly, Yuseon's severed arm lay there, sizzling as it began to disintegrate. ‘When the body regenerates, what’s severed disappears, huh?’ It was a curious phenomenon. Even upon observing this much, one could tell. This transcended the mere regenerative power expected of dragons. ‘That’s definitely in the realm of authority.’ Without labeling it as an authority, it didn’t make sense. She turned her gaze back to Yuseon. Keeping a distance momentarily, she looked at Yuseon, who stared fiercely back at her, gritting her teeth so hard the sound was audible. “What are you doing right now?” “Hmm? What do you mean?” “Are you playing with me?” Her voice brimmed with anger. “Why aren’t you countering?” Right after ripping off the arm. She had been relentlessly attacking for a while. Yuseon, looking determined not to lose, charged at him with one arm. She could have blocked it if she wanted to, but she didn’t bother to stop her rebellion. Her reasoning was simple. “It’s not that I’m going easy on you. I’m conducting an experiment.” “…What did you say?” “I haven’t seen everything yet.” Yes, she hadn't seen it all. ‘What else do you have?’ She hadn't seen it all yet. So. “Go on. I’m fine with it.” “…!” Grit. Yuseon’s teeth ground harshly. And then. Whoosh-! “!” A massive hole opened in the palace, spewing out cold air. The chill brushed past her back. Where was this cold aimed at? There was no need to ponder. ‘Looks like she’s up to something.’ The cold air was all being drawn towards Yuseon. The intense, frigid aura circled around her, embedding within her body. ‘Hmm.’ It was a peculiar feeling. She wondered if this was also an authority, but quickly realized it wasn’t. Creak-! The cold gradually gathered, beginning to take shape within Yuseon’s figure. Ice enveloped her body. It resembled... ‘Armor?’ A means of protecting the body, akin to armor. Could that also be a part of her ice arts? Its appearance was peculiar, but it wasn’t strange. ‘It’s no different on my side, after all.’ She wields the flames of Guyeomhwaryun Art for battle. There are moments in martial arts where energy is used in such a way. ‘But it doesn’t seem like it’s for that purpose.’ This was certainly meant for attack, but such a form... No matter how much she looked... Swoosh-! “…!” Sensing something, she swiftly turned her body. Fwoosh-! The position where her body had been was grazed by wind. Thunk-!! She turned her head at the noise from behind, seeing the fallen column split cleanly in half. “Oh.” Astonished, she turned her gaze to Yuseon. Not only the armor, but a sword was now in her hand. And it wasn’t an ordinary sword. A sword made entirely of ice. It felt different from standard steel swords. Looking at it, she spoke to Yuseon. “You’re a swordsman?” They had been exchanging fists, and his movements were refined and practiced, leading her to assume Yuseon belonged to a martial combat line. ‘But that sword slash...’ It was remarkably sharp and precise. To use such a refined slash, she must have trained with a sword. “...” Clutch. With the sword's tip pointed at her, Yuseon opened his mouth. “…Just because I can't use my authority, do you think I’ll lose to you? Not a chance. The result won’t change.” “Really? That’s a bit… intrigui-.” Before finishing his sentence, Yuseon charged at him. ‘Her temper is sure fiery.’ The issue was. Swoosh-! ‘…Oh?’ The feeling was entirely different from her earlier movements. Much faster. Much stronger. Swoosh-! Slash-! Each time she lightly swung her sword, a part of the palace was cut away. Where it was cut, ice flowers sprung up. ‘Slice and freeze, huh.’ A commendable strategy. She thought it wasn’t a bad thing. ‘Her speed seems about twice as fast now. And her attacks…’ Creak-! Watching other pillars slice away, she nodded. ‘Those attacks are twice as strong too.’ Dodging the incoming attacks, she continued to observe Yuseon. It was fascinating. What she could do. How far she could go. Finding that out piece by piece. ‘Her speed and her attacks have doubled.’ An extraordinary martial art. She had thought Yuseon was unleashing her full strength earlier. Could it have been an act? Probably not. There were nuances that made it unlikely she was hiding her true power. Rustle-! As she moved, dodging here and there, strands of her hair were sliced off. Seeing it, she was convinced. ‘She can't wield a sword.’ Yuseon was indeed of the martial combat line. Her swordsmanship was clumsy beyond belief. And yet... Whoosh-! ‘The precision of the sword energy is impeccable, though?’ ### The Intensity from the Sword's Tip The aura emanating from the sword's tip was exceptionally intense. In other words... ‘She can’t wield a sword properly, yet her attacks are powerful.’ As a martial artist, it would make more sense for her to discard the sword and fight unarmed. The fact that she insists on using the sword means... ‘There must be a specific reason for using it this way.’ It implies there’s another reason she can't discard the sword in battle. Watching her, he felt a sense of regret. Not for any other reason. ‘That’s not really an authority.’ He regretted not being able to consume it fully for himself. “Why do you keep dodging like a rat!!” Yuseon's expression twisted in frustration as her attacks failed to land. Screeeeech-! She let out a piercing scream towards me. What now? Watching her with a puzzled look. Freeze. “What?” Her scream momentarily immobilized her body. Fascinating, is even this possible? In that brief moment of hesitation, Yuseon’s sword was close to reaching her throat. If this continued, she’d be stabbed, right? What was she to do? The solution was simple. She looked at the advancing Yuseon and spoke. [Stop.] “…!!” Just as she had halted her with a shout. Yuseon’s body froze through her own command. Though it lasted barely a second. That brief interval was enough for him. When using her divine authority's power, she took a significant stance. Thud-! As her heart pounded vigorously. Grrring-! It felt as if her insides were being torn apart. It was the result of using Thua Pa Cheon Mu. He twisted her waist forcefully. Crack-! He stomped down hard with her front foot to brace herself. After which... Swish-! The command wrapped around her left fist in several layers, thickening it. Similar to forming a gauntlet, it would never tear or break. The command’s properties shone in moments like this. ‘Thua Pa Cheon Mu.’ First Strike. Thua Mu Kwon. With flawless execution, his energy-coated fist pierced into Yuseon’s torso. Thud-! The punch shattered Yuseon’s icy armor and drove deep into her solar plexus. Crack--!! “Gah...!” It was a perfect hit. Her senses confirmed it. Whoosh--! As wind whipped around, Yuseon's body exploded with energy, lifting her off the ground. Crash! Crash! Crash! She flew, demolishing the few remaining pillars that were left. Watching that, she dusted her hands off. Then, she clenched her fists a few times, reflecting. ‘The recoil has decreased.’ Specifically, the recoil when using Thua Pa Cheon Mu had significantly lessened. Previously, using it a few times would have doubled her pain, making consecutive uses difficult. But now, it seemed she could use it continuously without much trouble. ‘Though, overuse would still be unwise.’ The recoil had diminished, not disappeared. This insane martial art was still excruciating. Observing this, it was apparent that it suited someone as reckless as the martial overlord. However, it did mean she could now integrate Thua Pa Cheon Mu into his combat. At least, she had surpassed the point of hesitating due to recoil. “Hey, you alright?” She took a step forward and spoke. Yuseon was visible, buried among debris. “Cough….” Things looked worse for her than before. Probably because of the direct hit she took. She kneeled down, bleeding, leveling her gaze with Yuseon. “Hmm.” He raised a hand and lifted Yuseon’s chin. “How do you feel?” “…Gah…huu...” Her eyes directed downward, towards her chest. More precisely, at her solar plexus. The very part of her body she had struck. “Your insides are gone. Looks like they burst?” He pressed gently on her ribcage with his other hand. “Graaah…!!” Yuseon let out a scream filled with pain. “Your bones are shattered too. Significantly.” Not only had his punch broken through her armor, but it also bypassed her internal energy defenses. Yuseon's body was a wreck. Left like this, even as one considered a great martial artist, she would die in less than ten seconds. Reflecting on that, he smirked. “How about it?” “…Hah…huh...” “Can you regenerate from this too?” “…!” “It would be nice if you could. Because then…” His eyes met hers. “It’d be as ‘interesting’ as you mentioned.” “…Cough…” Emotions surfaced in Yuseon’s eyes as she vomited blood. Fear? Or perhaps displeasure? Something along those lines. It didn’t really matter to him. Whatever she was contemplating was irrelevant to her. “Is that ice art from the Ice Palace? Intriguing. It doesn’t seem to just encase you in ice. Does it enhance you physically?” “...” “Your speed and strength weren’t bad.” Even though her actions had seemed clumsy, It looked more like she was unable to control her normalized body. “What’s the principle at work? Could it relate to your regenerative powers?” Intrigued, he kept asking. Watching him closely with bloodied lips, Yuseon finally spoke. “…You, monster of a human.” She threw out a harsh insult. Hearing that, he chuckled. “You’re wrong.” Clench. “Urgh!” He grasped her throat. “We’re not human.” “…Graaah…” It was too late to call himself human. What had she done to discard that--. Suddenly, a thought struck her as she inclined her head. ‘What did I do?’ There was a part her memory didn’t recall. Thinking about it, she realized she might have done little. ‘I actually did a lot to try and hold on.’ By now, it didn't seem all that crucial anymore. “Do you have anything else? Something more to show?” “Huff…gasp…” Try harder. She was willing to wait and see. To see what more she could do. Because. ‘It’ll taste much better when consumed.’ With such thoughts, she continued to grin. “I’ve learned a lot from you.” And it was sincere. Even from their previous fight. Knowing she could witness authority in action had been notably beneficial. Additionally. “I've realized, fighting like a warrior isn’t the way.” She realized her battle method was distinctly his own. “Huff...huff...” “Anyway. Is that all?” As he spoke, her gaze was fixed on Yuseon’s abdomen. Hisss…. He could see it. Yuseon's body regenerating in real-time. ‘So even her organs regenerate.’ Her arm regenerated when torn off, and now her ruptured organs were healing as well. Truly, what is the limit of that regenerative power? Given the process seemed slower than with her arm, it might vary based on the injury. Even so... ‘That means giving up an arm isn’t an issue.’ I am envious. This isn’t aligned with the teachings of the martial overlord, but I still believe it suits my style of combat best. While there might be some unfathomable domain Yuseon is displaying, it’s not that which intrigues me—I covet her regenerative power. “Is there nothing more to show me?” “Ugh…” Yuseon responded with a pained groan. The regeneration process didn’t seem completely peaceful. Watching this, the smile fell from my face, and I felt a twinge of disappointment. ‘Is this as far as it goes?’ She had appeared quite impressive, but the reality felt underwhelming. “If there isn’t, fine.” My interest evaporated instantly, and a chill crept into my voice. “Now, tell me where that person is hiding.” “…Do you really…think I’ll…tell you…?” Heh. Now it was Yuseon’s turn to laugh. It wasn't a mocking laugh, but it was one filled with disbelief. “To devour an authority... Where in the world does such an absurdity exist?” To this, I could only nod. She had a point. Her power seemed critical, yet here was a force that could nullify it. It must be utterly baffling for her. But. “That’s life for you.” Life is inherently the pinnacle of absurdity. “It’s not like I particularly desired this.” As if someone set out to gain such power. I had simply awakened to this kind of strength. ‘A power meant for a dragon.’ My greed craved such strength. It’s amusing. As if there were so many dragons to justify this authority functioning this way. As if. ‘It’s like I was given this to fight dragons.’ As if to say my adversaries aren’t human. It certainly seemed that way. While considering this unsatisfying scenario, I clicked my tongue silently. “…In the end...will light never come to me?” Yuseon spoke. “I’ve lived my life losing much.” Her grated voice sounded mournful. “A place I couldn’t claim because I was born a woman. Even the love I struggled for... I…” Yuseon cried desperately. Such was her life. Pushed back in the line of succession due to being a woman, outshone by other less talented bloodlines. And then, losing the one she desired— “I’m sorry.” Clench. I interrupted, grasping her throat. “Gah!” “I don’t care. Why you ended up like this. I don’t care at all.” I clamped her mouth shut. “Why bother spitting worthless words. We aren’t that close.” People might think we’re friends. Why try to share her personal story unbidden? I considered listening briefly, but found it didn’t interest me at all. “So what? Am I supposed to say ‘So that’s how it was? What a pitiful life you had. Clearly, that’s why you ended up like this’? Nonsense.” There’s no need for reasons where actions are concerned. Knowing them wouldn’t change a thing. “If you did it, then it’s of your own doing, you foolish woman.” Why attempt to slip in an excuse? “I don’t care about your reasons or circumstances. Neither do I, nor the world.” No villain is without reason. This is a phrase from a certain moralist, but it’s something I despise the most. “Don’t even think about trying to justify yourself. Get ready to answer the questions. Don’t irritate me.” “Ugh…grunt... heh…” Yuseon laughed at my words. Each time she laughed, blood trickled from her mouth, soaking my hand. “Do you think... I'll tell you... anything?” It seemed Yuseon was declaring she wouldn’t play along with my words. “That’s fine.” I answered her words nonchalantly. “I’m still going to ask. The answers won’t come from you anyway.” “What…?” Hearing this, Yuseon appeared bewildered. “What do you mean…?” Boom-! “…Grrk..!!” I raised my fist and struck Yuseon’s heart. Thud. Yuseon coughed black blood, her eyes rolling back. I didn’t rupture it. I made sure to control it. Just enough that she could withstand one more hit. I spoke directly to Yuseon. “I’ll hit you once more. I’ll truly burst it next time. Think carefully.” Even though Yuseon was unconscious from the latest impact. I continued speaking to her. Or rather, to the one ‘within’ her. “...” Thunk. The unconscious Yuseon’s head sagged forward. It seemed like they planned to let it slide. “Not going to answer?” Then just die, if that’s how it is. Thud. Just as I was about to strike her heart again... […Such boldness.] I hesitated. [Truly aggressive.] A voice emanated from Yuseon, pausing my raised fist. Slightly. Yuseon lifted her head and looked at me. Though her eyes were still rolled back, I knew. She was indeed gazing at me. [Ninth Pureblood.] At those words, I couldn’t help but smile. I was right. As expected. He, that is... [How did you know?] The will of ‘Bingjeong’ had acknowledged me.