771 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 771 of "The World's Greatest Martial Artist's Childhood Friend" - Northern Rabbit - Web Novel Archive It seemed I had made up my mind to kill Mook Yeon. As soon as that resolve took hold, I immediately sprang into action. It wasn't long after that I began to notice. As soon as I stepped outside, I felt eyes on me from everywhere. I was currently standing in the heart of the Martial Arts Alliance. Even amidst ongoing restoration efforts, the attention was already noticeable, so I wondered how it would be in this much more crowded place. Piercing gazes from all directions. I could feel even ordinary citizens, not just martial artists, staring at me. Were they just watching? I could hear them whispering through my heightened senses. [The Sage King...?] [What? The Sage King? Where?] [Look over there. That young man.] [Who are you asking me to look at? Gasp!] One man flinched as he looked at me. [With a fierce face that looks like he'll kill just by being looked at and a black martial attire... It's exactly as I've heard.] "..." Though the way they recognized me was somewhat odd, it seems they did recognize me nonetheless. 'This is troublesome.' Not just that man, but everyone else was also looking my way. 'How did it come to this?' I expected my reputation to rise, but I didn't foresee it reaching this extent. That they would recognize me merely by my appearance. 'Tch.' With this realization, I gathered strength in my toes. Whoosh—!! Flames erupted, lifting my body into the air. Before anyone could approach me like before, I leapt and left the place. "Oh!" "Ah!" They uttered sighs of disappointment, perhaps thinking they could approach me as I leapt away. Hearing this, a foreboding feeling washed over me. "...This is going to be..." For some reason, I had a sense that things were going to become bothersome moving forward. In more ways than one. **************** Buzz. I briefly checked my physical state. My energy coursed through all my acupoints, quickly returning to the heart. As I processed the information carried by the energy, I frowned. 'Damn, what a mess.' My body's condition was a total wreck. Whoosh—!! First, I burned away any residual energy at my fingertips. It wasn't completely cleansed but it was like applying a simple remedy. Throb—! The pain that followed made me crease my brows in discomfort. "Sigh." My body screamed from even this minimal circulation of energy. It seemed I'd have to pause practicing the Tua-Pa-Cheon-Mu for a while. Apart from sleeping, I had been constantly using it, but in this state, it seemed impossible. 'Judging by the speed of recovery... maybe two months at the earliest.' Though it hurt now, from an objective standpoint, I should be fully healed in two months. In the past, such injuries would've required more than half a year of rest, but this body didn't demand that anymore. Of course. 'That's if I don't engage in any combat or training for two months.' Two months would be with complete rest; otherwise, it might take around four months. Still, it was manageable. 'I can reduce it to one month.' I had a method that could quickly heal this body, so it was just a matter of enduring for the time being. The pain was severe, but it was bearable if ignored. Thud—! I landed softly on the ground with energy, and as if waiting for me, someone approached. "Greetings to the Sage King." It was a man clad in yellow martial attire. He was from the Hwangbo family. Recognizing him, I nodded. "I've come to see Lord Hwangbo." "I've been informed. The lord is expecting you." I followed the guide and soon stood before the bedroom where Meng-Ho-Gu-Kwon, no, now Tiger King, resided. Inside, a burly man lay on a bed. He was a middle-aged man with bandages wrapped around him—the head of the Hwangbo family, Hwangbo Yulwi. "Lord, the Sage King has arrived." "Is that so? Let him in." Having received permission, I stepped inside the bedroom. Upon seeing me, Tiger King raised his hand and spoke to the martial artist. "You may leave now." "But sir..." "It's alright." The martial artist seemed concerned for the injured Hwangbo Yulwi's safety but could not defy the lord’s orders. In the end, the martial artist departed. Whoosh—!! Immediately, inner energy surged from Hwangbo Yulwi's body. The dense energy spread through the room, forming a soundproof barrier. A completely formed barrier. After confirming it was secure, Hwangbo Yulwi suddenly sprang up from his lying position. His large frame moved quickly, changing his stance. He knelt before me. "Greetings to my lord." Tiger King paid his respects, and I slightly inclined my head in acknowledgement. This man never ceased to intrigue me. 'He seems to have a talent for acting.' He had seemed to whine and moan earlier, but now there wasn't a hint of that demeanor. It was no wonder, considering it was a lie that he was laying low for treatment. "So, how have you been getting along?" "These days couldn't be better, all thanks to you, my lord." "You don't have to sugarcoat it that much." "No, how could I..." "Enough. There's something I want to ask." "I'll listen with keen interest." "That thing from last time. How did you pull it off?" That time when he vomited blood and flew away without being hit. And afterward, he trembled before passing out. How did he do it? In response to my curiosity, Tiger King answered. "I stimulated my acupoints to induce coughing blood artificially... and used some inner energy to propel my body." "I get that part. But what about the trembling or the aftereffects?" "Pardon?" Startled by my question, Tiger King paused for a moment before speaking in a peculiar expression. "I thought it might look more natural that way." "..." His answer made a surprising kind of sense. Hearing this, I subtly frowned. '...It's a talent.' This man had a knack for artifice. How could such a feat come so easily? It was, indeed, a talent. Who would've thought the head of the Hwangbo family was a hidden master of acting? I awkwardly scratched my cheek. "Well, alright... You did well." "Thank you." "Anyway, that's enough of that." Seeing as it was water under the bridge, it was time to proceed to the main topic. "Have you received the letter?" "If you mean the one from the Martial Arts Alliance... Yes, I have." As expected, it seemed Tiger King, like myself, had also received a summons from the Alliance. However, due to Tiger King's current state of health, it seemed he was unable to attend the Alliance's summons personally. 'Hmm.' Having Tiger King go there wouldn't be a problem. Any necessary alignments or communications could be set in advance. What piqued my curiosity was: 'Would they mention the position of Great Ruler to Tiger King as well?' Would the Martial Arts Alliance offer the same conditions to another as they did to me? I doubted it. 'Probably not.' Though it was just a guess, I was quite certain. What they needed was the Sage King. Such an offer wouldn’t appeal to Hwangbo Family's head. Moreover, he was the head of his family, and the Hwangbo family was in a crucial period. 'I heard discussions have started over whether they should ascend to the Four Great Families.' With the Tang family out of the picture, they were now being referred to as the Three Great Families. Amidst this turmoil, the incident involving the Tiger King had significant implications. Observing their conduct, there were whispers suggesting that they were more than worthy of ascending to the Four Great Families. 'Not bad.' This was the exact scenario I had been hoping for. Given the circumstances, there was no need for the Hwangbo family to align with the Alliance. Knowing this, the Alliance likely wouldn't make unsolicited demands. "Tiger King." "Yes, my lord." "There are a few tasks I need you to handle after attending." "I will comply." Even before asking, Tiger King eagerly agreed, bringing a smile to my face. Could he be agreeing because he knew the nature of my requests already? Perhaps it was because he had ascended to a rank where becoming one of the Four Great Families was attainable. His gaze upon me had become even more intense than before. "It's nothing major. I’ll send a detailed list later." My requests were rather straightforward. "You know those trading groups that withdrew their support for the Martial Arts Alliance?" "Yes." "I'll send you their list. I'd like you to approach them." Tiger King's eyes widened slightly upon hearing this. Approaching those trading groups that distanced themselves from the Alliance—he seemed to have an inkling of what that implied. "When you say approach...?" "Exactly as it sounds." With the quality of prey decreasing, the big fish scattered. Normally, these groups, once gathered, might disperse to find new places. But I had no intention of simply watching that unfold. "Tell them there's something enticing on the horizon. Suggest they consider it before joining hands with anyone else." Before they scattered in search of new prey. By presenting something even more alluring nearby, the big fish would naturally gather. Securing the big fish was essential. This would buy time to set the groundwork for the trap. Yes, the trap. An inevitable snare ensuring the gathered big fish could never escape again. I intended to use the Hwangbo family to create this trap. After some further discussion with the head of the Hwangbo family, I stepped outside. Though more detailed discussions were needed later, I planned to bring Cheoljisun along in the future. As I was about to move to the next location… "Huh!" I turned my gaze at the sound of someone’s surprise. An all-too-familiar face appeared. "Oh, it's been a while?" "..." A large figure froze upon seeing me. A young man with harsh features, much like his father. It was Hwangbo Cheolwi, a direct descendant of the Hwangbo family. "I just said hello, didn't I? Aren't you going to greet me?" "Ah, ah, ah… It's been a while." His stiff and awkward demeanor was quite amusing. I chuckled as I watched him. "I was going to ask if you've been well, but judging by how you're doing, it seems you have been. Have you been working hard?" He seemed to have made significant progress since the last time I saw him. He appeared to have surpassed the peak barrier. The last time I saw him, he was first-class. Considering the years that had passed since then, reaching the peak already was impressive. 'It's a crazy world around here, but this is how it should be.' Achieving transcendence before reaching thirty, or arriving at such stages in youth—it was usually unheard of. Reaching peak maturity even warranted being called crazy. Given this, it was clear that reaching the peak at his age wasn't lacking in talent. "...Thank you." Hwangbo Cheolwi awkwardly smiled, evidently a little taken aback to receive such praise from me. I suppose it might seem strange coming from me. After all, being praised for reaching a high level by someone younger than oneself, who was recently dubbed a king, would indeed sting. 'But I am sincere.' Being sincere by oneself didn't hold much weight. Knowing this, I simply patted his shoulders. "Keep working hard." I drew closer, whispering into his ear. "That's the only way you'll surpass your brother and become the head, right?" "...!" Hwangbo Cheolwi shuddered at my words, and I gave him another couple of pats on the shoulder. At that moment— "I'm sorry, but you're standing too close to the young master." A hand blocked my way. Surprised, I looked at the owner of the hand. "Oh." I let out a low sigh upon seeing who it was. To my surprise, it was Hwangbo Seon blocking me. In my previous life, he was known as Mookkwon, the Black Fist. "What, what are you doing?!" Even though it was Hwangbo Seon who blocked me, it was Hwangbo Cheolwi who appeared startled and tried to pull him away. However, Hwangbo Seon didn't budge. I looked at him curiously and asked. "You... Are you acting as his bodyguard?" "Yes, that's correct. I'm Hwangbo Seon, the bodyguard of Young Master Hwangbo Cheolwi." I had been curious about his whereabouts, and it turns out he was acting as Hwangbo Cheolwi's bodyguard. 'Surely, he's doing better than before.' He was one of the exceptional talents in my past life. His abilities far exceeded those of Hwangbo Cheolwi. As proof, unlike earlier times, Hwangbo Seon had already surpassed Hwangbo Cheolwi in level. I directed my question to Hwangbo Cheolwi. "Didn't you agree to give even the collateral houses the same opportunities as the main family? Or not?" "...That's true." "Then what’s this about?" Why was someone like Hwangbo Seon acting as his bodyguard? I wanted to know, and to my surprise, Hwangbo Seon answered. "I requested it myself." "You did?" "Yes." "Why?" "Is there any reason I must disclose that?" "Huh..." Hwangbo Cheolwi's complexion turned gray at Hwangbo Seon's demeanor. He seemed worried about how I might react. However... “...” I showed no visible reaction to Hwangbo Seon's defiance. Should I have been angry? Perhaps, but not quite. Instead... -You shall not approach the Grandmaster. A fleeting memory stiffened my resolve. -As long as I am here, you shall not take a single step closer. -Come forth. -I am Hwangbo Seon of the Black Flame Division, known as Mookkwon. A face from the past, marred by countless scars from countless battles. That damned fool who refused to stand aside despite my repeated commands. “...” Caught in that recollection, I found myself briefly lost in thought before a smile crept to my lips. "Do you know who I am?" "I do." I narrowed my eyes at his response. "In recent times, in Hanam, it would be strange not to know who you are." An expected reply, yet not the one I desired. "And yet you stand against me like this? Knowing how I could respond… Do you think you can beat me?" "No, I cannot." He stated it with bold certainty. "But, as long as someone I must protect exists, that doesn’t matter." His conviction was evident, making my lips curve downward. A few years ago, he seemed too fragile; it made me question whether he really was Mookkwon, but witnessing this told me it was indeed true. "Right. But you know…" I spoke while subtly moving my hand. “…Ugh!?” Hwangbo Seon reacted as my hand moved, but he was too late. My swiftly moving hand did not target Hwangbo Seon but instead reached the edge of Hwangbo Cheolwi’s neck. Had I not stopped, Hwangbo Cheolwi would have died instantly. Hwangbo Seon’s eyes widened in shock as I met his gaze and spoke. "You must know your place. Otherwise, you can’t protect anything." His intention was commendable, but he needed to recognize who his opponents were. Only then could he ensure his own survival. I swallowed the final words deeply within. Hwangbo Seon’s expression darkened rapidly with a sense of powerlessness. I withdrew my hand, confirming his understanding. "I'm leaving." “…Ha... ha... Alright.” Ignoring Hwangbo Cheolwi's startled state, I took my leave with no lingering regrets, swiftly moving forward. As I moved, I clicked my tongue, trying to ease the heaviness in my chest. Did Hwangbo Seon standing against me to protect another bother me? 'Disgusting.' Feeling such emotions was revolting. Perhaps it was for the best. Undoubtedly it was. -Grandmaster. -I apologize. -If we meet again someday… I will… a little more…. The thoughts that lingered compelled me to unclench my stiff neck. Next time—what a joke. There won't be a next time. 'Just live as you are.' Don’t get consumed by pointless vengeance; live on and protect what you can in the future. I’ll handle my part; you just stay where you are. I reminded myself several times, erasing those memories. “…Hmm.” After years, I'm feeling a slight craving for alcohol. How long has it been since I felt this way? How long since I last thirsted for a drink? Normally, I wasn’t fond of alcohol, yet now I found myself wanting a sip. But, I likely wouldn’t drink. Wasting both time and emotion on such things was foolish. Taking slower steps, I called out. “…Nahi.” [Yes, master.] A prompt response followed my quiet words. “Pass the word to them.” Instead of choosing liquor, I opted for my one constant. “Tell them all to gather; I have something to say.” Without resting for a moment, I continued moving forward. That was always the way.