651 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 651: Return to the Central Plains As soon as I began to speak, the room fell into an abrupt silence. The space, already cold, grew more oppressive with the silence, making me feel uneasy. Fortunately, the silence didn't last long. "Master Gu." "Yes." "Do you understand the gravity of what you just asked?" "I understand partly, and partly I do not." I had requested information on sorcery from the palace lord, who was willing to offer a reward, and I demanded the transfer of a prisoner who was presumably languishing in the underground prison. I was unsure of the significance of the former, but certain about the latter. "You are asking for the mastermind behind the rebellion to be handed over to you." The fool likely starving in the underground prison—his name was Woo Hyuk. Predictably, his impulsive arrival would lead to imprisonment, as he was one of the main architects of the rebellion, no different from the others. 'That fool.' I had told him to come later, but he brazenly showed up. 'Or was it Namgung Myung’s fault for dragging his body here?' For a moment, I considered this possibility, knowing Woo Hyuk might have arrived here of his own volition no matter what. I can't comprehend such individuals. 'He could have fled or come quietly.' Why do they live like such fools? It's vexing. Witnessing such vexation right before me only intensifies my frustration. 'What can I do? It's the price of befriending a fool.' Perhaps I can tolerate it a few more times. After all, I've gained much in my past life. That's about the extent I could excuse. "Sigh." A frustrated sigh broke the silence. It was not from the palace lord, but from someone else at the back of the room. Not the Black Lion either. It was someone unfamiliar. 'Another general.' An elderly man with a bald head and white beard, frowning intensely at me. "Even if you helped save the Northern Sea, how dare you speak like this in front of the palace lord—" His voice grew louder as if dissatisfied. The Black Lion raised a hand to intervene, but— Thud. My hand had moved faster. Boom—!! "Ugh—!?" With my willpower, I struck the air, causing the bald man to crash against the wall. "Oh." I couldn't help but be impressed, despite myself. Even with decent control, the power was this formidable. The experience reaffirmed my increased prowess. 'It seems I'll need more time to adjust.’ Mastering the sudden surge of strength would require more practice than anticipated. "…Argh…!!" The bald general struggled to his feet. Simultaneously, he drew a long spear from his back. Clang—! Others began to draw their weapons, preparing to resist me. "Enough…." The palace lord’s quiet voice mediated the brewing conflict. "We are still in discussion with a guest." "Palace Lord—! But he—!" "White Eagle. Must you defy my command?" “…!” The bald elder’s name appeared to be White Eagle. Thinking of his bald head and an eagle, I almost laughed at the trivial thought. "Master Gu, I ask you to restrain yourself as well." "Yes, my apologies. That was unintentional." Honestly, I could’ve held back, but I wanted to see what happened. 'It seems the situation has unfolded as I wished.' I had hoped the palace lord wouldn't stop what was happening, but perhaps that was too much to expect. “…I apologize for not managing my subordinate during our conversation.” The palace lord began, looking at me with a stern expression. "However, do you realize the significance of the words you've just spoken?" "As I mentioned before, I understand partly." "And which part is that?" "Naturally, the part concerning Woo Hyuk… or rather, the Exiled Army." "..." Shhh. I felt the room temperature drop. 'Hmm.' I had absorbed all the cold energy from the palace lord. Yet, despite likely being unwell, the pressure was palpable. '…This is surprising.' The palace lord's prowess exceeded my expectations. Now that I had regained my former life's abilities, the clarity was undeniable. The palace lord was formidable. Even more so now. 'Has shedding the beast form and breaking the curse revealed this strength?' The curse's removal was advantageous, but the weakening due to losing the beast form seemed troubling. Yet the palace lord's presence was even stronger than when I first encountered them. Of course. 'Nonetheless, they remain weaker than me now.' If it weren't for the weakened state, they might be challenging at full strength, but in their current condition, I can prevail. That's the key point for me. "I'm aware Woo Hyuk is your friend, but he instigated rebellion and is now a detained criminal." "I understand." "And yet, you're asking for his release?" "Yes, that is correct." "…Master Gu." A tingling aura washed over me. Feeling the weight, I narrowed my eyes. "Our gratitude for saving the Northern Sea is immense, and we wish to compensate you fully, but this request crosses a line." "I'm aware of that, but as you offered a reward, I merely stated what I needed most." "Regarding sorcery, though typically exclusive to our bloodline, I can grant you access to information under my authority." This was promising. Obtaining sorcery information was a definite gain. "However, concerning Woo Hyuk, that's beyond any permissible bounds." "I agree, it's understandable." It was to be expected. I had voiced my request, knowing it wouldn't be granted. Only a madman would entertain such a notion. Yet. "Palace Lord, if you refuse…” “Go on.” “…then I will have no choice but to become your enemy.” “…!” Directing my words straight to the point without any detours. The impact of my words seemed significant; not only did the palace lord freeze, but even the generals appeared tense. Watching the palace lord, I continued speaking. “I know that fool was in the wrong. He probably had his reasons, but frankly, I don't care. Ultimately, he made a mess, and that’s a fact.” I didn't know Woo Hyuk's intentions or why he allied with Yusun. There hadn’t been time to find out. Even if I had heard his side, it wouldn't erase his mistakes. However. “That isn’t my concern.” "Master Gu…!" At my words, the palace lord’s expression finally twisted. “I tried to approach this amicably since I understand your position, but if you refuse, I’ll have to take him by force.” It was a blatant threat. This also signaled an unwavering stance against negotiations. Hand him over. If not, I’ll take him by force. Such a declaration was possible because of my strength and the weakened state of the entire Ice Palace, including its lord. In reality, even if everyone here opposed me, it wouldn’t be difficult to break through and leave. 'Three experts here, with some peak martial artists outside.' The palace lord’s prowess was harder to gauge, but considering the current state, including them among the experts would make it four? It might be challenging alone, but Sungyul was here too. The only variable would be... 'Unless the Tyrant opposes me, there's nothing else.' Given the unlikely chance of that happening, I chose the most direct route. 'I dislike overthinking.' Even if I strategized endlessly, the solution would likely be the same. 'Besides.' I studied the palace lord’s twisted expression closely. Since the first mention of Woo Hyuk, there was a faint unease in those light blue eyes. Shing. The sound of a sword being drawn caught my ear. I didn't need to look. It was the sound of Sungyul unsheathing his blade. He hadn’t drawn it first, though. Sss—!! Feeling a pricking sensation on my back, a smirk curled my lips. Killing aura. The killing intent seeping from the generals stirred Sungyul’s reaction. Sensing it, I too gathered my energy, focusing it in my chest. At that moment. Boom—!!! “Gah…!!” “Ugh-!” The pressure unleashed from my toes began to fill the room completely. 'It feels quite refreshing doing this after so long, not a bad feeling.' I unleashed a fierce energy, preventing anyone from making rash movements. Meanwhile, I adjusted the energy so that Sungyul and the palace lord could step aside. The palace lord would need room to move. Slide. The palace lord rose from the throne, locking eyes with me. The distance wasn’t far. At most, five steps. Facing them, I spoke first. “I understand. So, I'd prefer not to exert any force.” The daughter who instigated the rebellion had perished. The burden carried by the bloodline, guarding the ice energy for centuries, had now been lifted. This meant the palace lord’s kin no longer needed to sacrifice for the throne. In other words, there was now more reason to continue the war. “For that reason, why not let this pass amicably?” I said, smiling. It was an exceptionally selfish statement. It was a ruthless method of pointing out and exploiting the opponent's situation. Even I thought it was excessive, but it was a role I had to play. “If not, only you, Palace Lord, would suffer. You know you can't stop me now.” "…" I pressed down on the palace lord with my aura. Or rather, pretended to. This way, the palace lord also had a pretext. “Urgh…!” One of the generals grunted under the pressure. They were unable to move rashly. Not only was Sungyul blocking them, but any mistake could lead to the palace lord losing his head. The pressure was intended to make them realize that. For several seconds. Maybe even tens of seconds passed without a response, prompting me to quietly speak to the palace lord. "Shall I deal with the generals behind you first, then?" "…Hoo…." Hearing this, the palace lord sighed quietly. “…I will comply.” As they finally uttered those words, I immediately released the energy. Whoosh—!! “Ugh!” With the pressure gone, the generals staggered, barely maintaining their stance. Their stares were filled with shock, but I pretended not to notice. The palace lord’s expression was full of complexity. A wretched feeling seemed to weigh on them, considering whether to let a criminal go so easily. 'Good acting.' If I hadn't known, I might have been fooled into feeling a fraction of guilt. 'To think they set the stage as soon as I mentioned Woo Hyuk.' I chuckled at the thought. The setup wasn’t just my doing; the palace lord also paved the way. To an outsider, it might have seemed odd, but I knew. It created a situation where handing Woo Hyuk over was inevitable. The key here was the "inevitability." More precisely. ‘To solidify the palace lord's position without political repercussions.’ That was the setup. A formidable individual the weakened lord couldn’t stop. Such a person threatened death if not complied with, though the palace lord stood firm, eventually yielding under hostage pressure. Hence. “…To avoid further losses, there’s no choice but to comply.” “A wise decision.” “Palace Lord…! How could you…!! For our sake—!!” “Urgh…!” I had transitioned from a savior who rescued the Northern Sea to a villain threatening the palace lord. ‘Although it doesn't really matter, it feels unsettling.’ Perhaps due to past experiences, being branded a villain here was particularly irksome. ‘As long as I achieve what I need, it doesn’t matter.’ That should suffice. As I awaited further words, I looked towards the palace lord. “There is… a condition,” said the palace lord, continuing with a condition attached. The palace lord mentioned that there was a condition attached to taking Woo Hyuk away. After discussing the details, I nodded lightly. “I don’t see any issue with it.” Thankfully, the condition wasn’t too difficult to fulfill. ************************** After leaving the meeting chamber, I made my way to the prison. Now that my meeting with the palace lord was over, it was time to handle the most important task of the day. The path to the underground prison was chillingly cold, perhaps because the cold air had not entirely dissipated. Descending what felt like an unending staircase, I eventually reached the iron bars where several guards stood watch. Among the guards, I noticed a familiar figure. “What are you doing here?” My curious call made someone flinch. The princess of the Northern Sea. Or rather, the now First Princess, Yuri, was here. “Ah… Greetings to my savior.” Surprised by my sudden appearance, Yuri widened her eyes and bowed to me. 'Seems like she came to see him.' Through the bars, I saw a young man sitting calmly. Woo Hyuk sat there with a nonchalant expression. Noting this, I asked Yuri. “Should I come back later?” “No, I’ll take my leave first.” She had intended to visit later, it seemed, but Yuri nodded slightly to me and walked away, disappearing from sight. Turning to Woo Hyuk, I asked. “Were you in the middle of something important?” “...It wasn’t particularly important.” “Alright, sorry if I interrupted.” Yeah, right. His expression suggested otherwise. 'Trying to lie to me, are you?' It was obvious upon seeing them that their relationship was more than casual. I can intuit such matters quite well. I wouldn’t let on, though. Hiding a smile, I spoke to Woo Hyuk. “You look ridiculous. Comfortable?” “Haha…” “You’re something else. You should’ve stayed hidden. What possessed you to walk in here and get caught?” “...” Ignoring Woo Hyuk’s silence, I reached for the bars. “Wait…!” A guard hurriedly tried to stop me, but it was too late—sizzle. The iron bars melted from the heat of my touch and came off easily. The guard was left dumbfounded by my casual action. I offered an explanation. “I have the palace lord's permission, so you can carry on.” “Uh…?” Disregarding the bewildered guard, I stepped into the prison, speaking to Woo Hyuk. “We’re heading back to the Central Plains tomorrow. It’s all been settled.” “…You…” Woo Hyuk looked startled, bit his lip, and shook his head. “…I won’t be going.” I remained unfazed at his response, having anticipated it. But I asked out of courtesy. “Why?” “…I’ve committed an unforgivable crime. I have to pay for it.” A typical Woo Hyuk response. “True, you made quite a mess.” I couldn’t deny it. A mistake so severe couldn’t simply be overlooked with consolation or empathy. “…So, I won’t be returning to the Central Plains.” Woo Hyuk spoke with determination, making it clear he wouldn’t change his mind. I nodded in understanding. “That’s your choice.” “You understand…?” “But first, there are two questions I need to ask you.” Setting aside Woo Hyuk’s decision for now, I needed to get to the main reason for my visit. I had managed to hold these questions back for three days. Woo Hyuk tensed, likely anticipating questions about his motives or the reason behind his actions. But. I wasn’t interested in any of that. “Was it you?” “…What?” Woo Hyuk looked confused at the cryptic question. “Was it you?” “What do you mean? What are you suddenly talking about…?” With Woo Hyuk’s puzzled expression, I asked more clearly. “The Red Feather.” “Huh?” “The Red Feather rumors. Was it you who spread them, damn it?” Woo Hyuk hesitated for a fraction of a second, then immediately played it off. “Haha. Red Feather? I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He was too late. “It was you.” “No, it wasn’t.” “It was definitely you.” “I’m hearing about it for the first time, what is that?” “It’s the first time you’re hearing it? Because all you did was talk about it.” Despite his denial, I quietly set to work fitting the melted bars back into place. Then, carefully, I used a finger to re-weld them. Sizzle—!! “…Why are you putting them back…?” Seeing the bars re-sealed, Woo Hyuk spoke with an anxious tone, but I interrupted again. “And you.” Red Feather aside, this was the most crucial thing. “You stabbed Namgung Bia? Is that true?” “...” “Tell me, friend.” “…Sorry—” Bang-! With a swift punch, Woo Hyuk’s head snapped back, his body crashing against the wall. Thud--!! “Ugh!” He vomited blood upon impact, collapsing. As his body trembled, I saw it start to heal instantly. The power of regeneration was evidently working properly. I was relieved to see this. “Well, I should at least ask why you did it. But first.” At least he wouldn’t die from a beating. “We need to settle some scores first, because I’ve had a lot building up. I hope you understand, as my friend.” Crack. With fists clenched, I approached Woo Hyuk. There was a lot for me to “discuss” with him.