793 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

803rd Chapter of 'The World's Best Martial Artist's Childhood Friend' > Northern Rabbit - Web Novel Resource Room The Sanseogu family is a powerful clan of flame arts. Since the time the family emerged in the Central Plains, they have been using fire arts consistently. The head of the Gu family and those of direct bloodline have all wielded flame techniques. The Sammaejin flames, lit through wagers, are deceptively complex. Though it might seem that the martial arts of the Gu family bear resemblance to these techniques, their foundations are distinct. A family renowned for using fire throughout generations, staking their presence in the Central Plains. That is the Sanseogu family. However... 'Not every member of the Gu clan can wield fire arts.' Despite being a clan whose core is flame arts, not every member can utilize them. Only those of direct lineage, born of the house head, can place the Gu Flame Wheel Technique in their dantian. Those who are not direct descendants, however, learn different mind arts instead of the Gu Flame Wheel Technique. While these mind arts are divided into various categories, they share a common attribute of controlling heat. They could increase their bodily abilities by imbuing heat into their flesh. Or they could use it in techniques like swordsmanship. Even without using flame arts, some could adapt other mind arts. And there were even those who trained to such an extreme that they attained a power comparable to the direct bloodline's primary arts. Formerly, Elder Il Jang, Gu Changjun, was such an individual. Furthermore, there was the elderly man, now in a state of fury. "Inhale!" The current Elder, Yeom Ah Kwon Gu Ryeon. He was the same as them. Thud---!! The ground is overturned with the elder's strike. The sound and impact reflect the intensity of the blow. To add to that... Bang-! Bang bang-! Boom-!! The destruction was immense, and the speed was quick as well. 'Wow.' Dodging the punches, I expressed my admiration inwardly. 'The old man is still quite strong, isn't he?' I know well that the elder has reached a state of harmony. How could I not? He must have been in this state even before I was born. Moreover, in the Gu family, a position as an elder can only be passed to direct descendants. Only the sect leader of Gu Seon Mun could become an elder without being of the direct bloodline. Yet this old man broke such conventions to attain the elder's position. This means... He possessed significant influence within the Gu family. Implying he was strong enough to amass such influence. Sizzle-!! Steam emanates from the elder's body. The rapidly released steam reddens his skin and changes the weighty atmosphere around us. I frowned at the stifling sensation. Whew-!! Suddenly, a fist appeared right before my face. I turned my head to dodge the attack. Then twisted my waist. My body spun rapidly, and I used that momentum to strengthen my legs. Thwack-! My leg struck the elder's abdomen directly. The elder staggered slightly at the impact. At that moment... Creak-! "What?" The elder grabbed a tree beside him and yanked it out of the ground. 'Crazy.' How could he pull out a tree as if it were just a radish from the field? Moreover... Whoosh-! The elder swung the tree at me with full force. The old tree was huge, but the strength made it hurtle towards me at an unbelievable speed. It was clear it was imbued with internal force. Avoiding it seemed difficult, and so... 'Breaking it seems wiser.' Deciding immediately, I channeled energy into my hand and swung. The intention was to shatter the tree with my fist. Crunch-!! 'What?' As expected, the tree shattered with my strike. The problem was... 'There’s no internal force?' The tree had no internal force at all. I finally realized... 'Damn.' That it was a ploy by the elder. The tree, too easily shattered, disrupted my stance. Wooden fragments flew through the air. Amidst them... Sizzle-! With a familiar sound of steam, a large figure lunged at me. The elder, muscles bulging, had swung his massive fist towards me. With my stance already compromised, I couldn’t dodge. In that moment, I had no choice but to raise my arms for defense. Crack-! Boom!! "...!" The impact was greater than anticipated, pushing my body backward. Thrummm-! I tried to control the rebound using the ground. When I finally managed to stop myself. "...Ha." The pain in my hands made me chuckle in disbelief. "Isn't this a bit too much?" Feigning impotence, I questioned as the elder nodded his head. "What do you mean?" What do I mean, indeed? "I thought you'd hold back a bit. But you're going all out, aren't you?" My arms were not just numb but tingling. Such a situation couldn’t happen without him putting his all into it. 'The defensive aura was shattered.' I had layered aura for protection, yet it shattered from a single strike from the elder. This is just... "You call this etiquette training? I might die if we continue like this." "Hmph." Thump-! Thump-! Even with a short foot stomp, the elder's vibrations could be felt. Though I was the one taking hits repeatedly, the elder seemed discontent. What could be the issue? As I watched the elder in confusion... "You dare belittle an old man like this." The elder spoke with a frown. "What did I do?" "This elder is trying his best here. Why aren't you taking this seriously?" "..." Oh dear. I chuckled awkwardly at his words. '…It was no good after all?' I had been trying to get by without attacking. It seemed the elder had long since realized that. And it seemed that displeased him. But honestly... 'I have no choice.' I genuinely couldn't do much about this situation. 'If I misjudge and attack, who knows what might happen to the elder?' I'm still unable to fully control my power. Attempting a counterattack in this state carries unpredictable consequences, even for myself. That's why I avoided retaliating and merely deflected or diverted attacks. "Cluck, tsk, tsk." The elder clicked his tongue, clearly unsatisfied with my attitude. "You don't seem to have matured much. You’ve become like a dried squid since I last saw you." "A dried… what?" "What do you worry about that makes you hesitate?" "..." "Or could it be that this old man can't even withstand a playful hit from his grandson?" I couldn't answer that. "If that's the case, it's an unnecessary worry." Sizzle---!!! The steam emanating from Elder Il Jang's body became even thicker. "I am Yeom Ah Kwon Gu Ryeon." The heat exuded cloaked the surroundings. "I hear a lot of talk about you becoming a king and being celebrated as a hero. It seems like their words have clouded your vision." Boom--!!! Soon, steam began to blend with his inner energy, and Elder Il Jang's presence started to grow. "This elder is not so weak that I can't handle my grandson's antics or discipline him." "That's not it... Ugh." I found myself in a predicament. For some reason, Elder Il Jang seemed unwilling to back down. 'When words fail like this, maybe running away is the best option.' If communication breaks down, should I just sprint away? I've often run when Elder Il Jang came for a sparring match before, so perhaps I should do the same now. But the feeling was different. Before, it was because I didn't want to fight when I couldn't win. Now, it's the opposite situation. I didn't want to engage in a battle I couldn't effectively control. Nor did I wish to cause any injury. As I was contemplating escape once more... "Judging by your expression, you're thinking of fleeing again if things go south." "…" He had seen right through me. "…That's not it." "Yangcheon." "Yes…." "Since when have you matured enough to fear a fight with this old man?" "Isn't it generally not right for people to just go around fighting like that?" "Haha." At my words, the elder burst into laughter. "Just yesterday, I saw a yellow dog on the road." "Why a dog suddenly?" "If it saw you now, what do you think it would bark at you?" "…How would I know that?" "It would probably tell you to stop talking nonsense." "..." "Even the village dogs would say that if they heard what you're saying." "What in the world…." "However, even if you're lacking a bit, you are still my grandson. So, why wouldn't I help you out?" With that, Elder Il Jang moved his jaw. The cracking sound reverberated through his neck each time. "I'll give you a motive." "…A motive, you say?" "Indeed. If you defeat me... perhaps a gift would suffice?" A gift? I squinted at the unexpected turn of events. "What gift are you suddenly talking about?" "You remember that sly old man who was looking for you earlier, don't you?" It seemed he was talking about the First Pillar. "You asked about him, didn’t you? Who is that guy, you asked." "…" "I'll tell you." "…!" I widened my eyes at Elder Il Jang’s words. "And I'll share one of that old man's secrets with you." "…You're not going to tell me he's the founder of the Baekhwa Merchant Guild or something, are you?" "What a ludicrous statement. Do you really view this elder as such a trivial person?" "..." "Answer." "…Of course not." I had assumed correctly, and it was a relief to know it wasn’t the case. Anyway. "Yangcheon," he called me again. I looked back at Elder Il Jang. "I've given you this much reason. Do you still intend to underestimate this elder?" With his question, I took a slow, deep breath. "It seems there is a misunderstanding." Thump-thump-thump-! Gradually, strength gathered in my heart. My body was immediately filled with vitality. Heat surged, and my body began to activate. I continued speaking to Elder Il Jang, feeling this change. "I have never once underestimated you." Yes, not even once. In my entire life, I've never underestimated Elder Il Jang. There were times I internally swore at him, but even then... I never underestimated him. And this time, too, it's no different. 'It's not underestimation... if anything.' Concern. Though it was embarrassingly honest, that's the truth. I was purely worried for Elder Il Jang. "For an elder, I don't understand why you keep seeking trouble." "Huh? This guy’s way of speaking is still..." At that moment, Elder Il Jang's eyes widened. Shhhhhh--!!! I unlocked the power within my body. As my restrained physical form opened, the blocked energy surged free. Swoosh--!!! It elegantly coursed over my shoulders. As expected. 'I'm going too hard.' The flow exceeded what I intended. While it spread quickly through my body, the efficiency was lacking. "…Hahaha…." Elder Il Jang let out a hollow laugh upon seeing this. If I was surprised, imagine how Elder Il Jang felt. His eyes spoke of disbelief. I watched him and asked. "Elder, is there still any thought of stopping?" "What?" At my last inquiry, Elder Il Jang’s laughter deepened. "Stop talking nonsense and come at me. As I said before." His massive fist pointed in my direction. "I am Yeom Ah Kwon Gu Ryeon." "…Yes, you did say that." Such stubbornness. Watching Elder Il Jang, I sighed and continued. "Elder, as I mentioned before, I really have trouble controlling my-" As I was saying this, something appeared before my eyes. It was similar to before. Elder Il Jang’s fist. But. 'Goodness.' There was a distinct difference from before; Elder Il Jang’s fist appeared much slower. The speed at which I cognitively recognized it changed. Consequently, my body's response speed also altered. Whoosh-! Boom--!! The fist I dodged created a shockwave in the air. I then maneuvered into Elder Il Jang's space. "…Hup!" Elder Il Jang quickly changed his move. His fist already extended, making it too late to pull back. Though he tried to counter using his lower body. By then, my punch had already connected with Elder Il Jang. Thunk. A brief touch. Seemingly insignificant upon first glance. However. Buzz---!! "Ugh…!?" Elder Il Jang's body trembled from the ensuing impact. He was swept away, flung to a considerable distance by the air pressure. Watching the elder soar, I took a single step forward. Thunk. As my foot left the ground, I found myself behind Elder Il Jang. "Ha!!" With astonishment written across his face, Elder Il Jang gasped. Simultaneously, I twisted my upper body to continue the offensive. Just like before, Elder Il Jang’s punches were powerful, and despite the bulk of his muscles, his speed was impressive. However, I was just a bit faster. Flick-! Flick-flick-! I flicked my hands like whips to deflect his attacks. My insight revealed every move of Elder Il Jang’s assault to me. His speed might have been considerable, but parrying and redirecting his moves wasn’t too challenging. "Hahahaha---!" Elder Il Jang's roaring laughter reverberated in my ears. What could possibly be so exhilarating for him in this moment? Sizzle---!!! Steam burst forth, obscuring my vision. It was a deliberate act. The steam, infused with inner energy, momentarily veiled my insight. Hiss-! At that precise moment when my vision was clouded, Elder Il Jang punched through the steam. His sudden strike aimed to catch me off guard, stopping just short of my face. Clench-! “…!!” Unfortunately for him, Elder Il Jang’s punch did not achieve its intended impact. My hand caught his wrist in mid-air, halting his strike. Feeling the heat emanating from his wrist told me all I needed to know. His body was fiery, and he was genuinely challenging me with all his might. "..." With that realization, I clenched my fist. Thump-! The fiery ring entwined with my heart pulsed fiercely. A surge of substantial energy flooded into my fist, proportional to the strength I infused into it. Flick. Flames ignited at the tips of my skin. There was no need for prolonged contemplation. With the energy amassed, all that remained was to unleash it. Buzz--. My fist thrust forward in a smooth, seamless motion, as if guided by an unseen hand. What was this? An unfamiliar sensation brushed my mind. This feeling... Somehow, it was subtly different from usual. It felt like I was buoyant, as if my movements—though not different in nature—had a unique quality today. Both the movement and the contained energy bore a distinct difference. It felt like I was momentarily entranced by the energy. Could this be a moment of enlightenment? A sudden revelation while engaged in combat with Elder Il Jang, could that really be it? Though I wasn't sure what epiphany I’d stumbled upon. One thing was clear—it felt different. Instinct told me. Remember this feeling. Feeling naturally buoyant, a sense of being capable of anything. To capture this feeling, I had to secure it firmly. I needed to complete the action while retaining this sensation perfectly. I understood that better than anyone. "..." I shifted my hand's angle, redirecting it at the last second. My punch veered past Elder Il Jang’s chest, finding an opening at his side. Boom---!!! Immediately, flames erupted forth. A cerulean blaze burst forth, sweeping through the surroundings. The flames were much more substantial than usual, yet surprisingly, they didn’t impact the landscape. They simply burned. I took a steady breath, watching the dancing cerulean flames. "..." I wasn’t short of breath. Although my inner energy was expended almost instantly, it wasn't overly burdensome. The reason for my heavy breathing was different. 'I missed it.' I had lost something that seemed about to arrive. That breath, that sensation. The fleeting moment slipped away, leaving an emptiness in its wake. '...Should I have held onto it?' It could have been a moment I might never experience again. Missing it felt like a huge loss. Those thoughts lingered, but. 'It couldn't be helped.' There was nothing I could do. After all, I couldn’t truly deliver a direct hit to Elder Il Jang. "A…" Realizing that pushed some sense into me. In retrospect, this wasn’t the right time for such thoughts. "Elder-" Turning quickly to check on Elder Il Jang, I found him staring at me with a stunned expression. 'Damn it.' He wore a deeply shocked look. Did I go too far despite telling myself to do it right? Did I ultimately cross the line? I gauged Elder Il Jang's reaction with trepidation. "Sigh." "Huh?" "Hahahahaha--!!" “…?” Suddenly, Elder Il Jang began to laugh heartily. "This kid! This kid!" And, as ever, he started to ruffle my hair wildly. "Impressive! Truly impressive--!!" "…Wait, just…just hold on…." "Ha ha ha-!!" Instead of being in shock, he was bursting with excitement. Why on earth was he reacting this way? Did I accidentally hit his head? No, I was sure I missed it…. Regardless, the hair-ruffling was starting to tire me out, so I needed to stop Elder Il Jang. "…Hey, enough already." "You did well." "..." "You’ve done so well." His words froze me in place. "Boy, how hard must you have worked to reach this point." The words I was about to utter were swallowed, and the hand set to push away remained in place. Crackle. Crackle. The sound of burning continued within the yet unretracted cerulean flames. In this familiar-but-forgotten gap, I remembered once again. No matter how much my skill improved or how my level rose, the reason I could never be inconsiderate of Elder Il Jang. "You did so well. I'm proud of you, my grandson." "..." He was the sole person in my life who praised me. It was a simple truth, but one that came flooding back to me now. ****************** Soon after relinquishing a good chunk of my hair, the situation didn't take long to settle down. "Hahahaha, this kid-!!" Naturally, Elder Il Jang didn't stop laughing even after. Apparently, he wasn’t upset that I had bested him. No, if anything, he seemed to like it. Why he was so smug was beyond me, but Elder Il Jang incessantly patted my back, and I was reaching my limit. "…Keep this up, and my back might burst." "Ah, indeed. This elder seemed to get carried away with his joy." "What has gotten you so elated, exactly?" "Hmm?" After all the lecturing on control and stepping over the line, I even ended up defeating him, which I thought would surely vex him. "How could my mood not be cheerful." Elder Il Jang seemed to be on a different wavelength than I was. "Seeing my grandson grow up so splendidly. How could I not be pleased?" Strictly speaking, I wasn’t his grandson. I thought to retort but closed my mouth. It wasn’t the time for such comments. "Yangcheon, how do you feel about this?" "What do you mean…?" "After moving your body, doesn't your mind feel a bit clearer?" "…" Clear head, he says. 'I'm not sure.' The tangled thoughts in my head hadn't disappeared, and moving a bit doesn't solve everything. "It did help, though." At least it felt better than it did a moment ago. It felt like that much at least. It wasn't all bad. Nodding as I conceded that point. 'Oh, wait a minute… hold on.' A sudden thought struck me. "Elder." "Yes?" "Just out of curiosity, I'm asking…" "Go ahead, ask." "Did you perhaps do this on purpose?" I looked into Elder Il Jang's eyes as I asked. He started this sparring session under the guise of discipline, but he just seemed happy that I had grown stronger. And now, he was only asking if I felt better. Which meant... "…Did you do all this just to cheer me up…?" "I have no idea what you mean." "..." Elder Il Jang smiled wryly, but that only confirmed it for me. So that’s why he initiated the fight out of the blue. ‘This old man?’ How ridiculous. He’s not young anymore, so why resort to such brute methods? Letting out a sigh, I was about to remark on it when— "Elder Il Jang…." "Oh, come to think of it, we made a wager, didn't we?" Elder Il Jang cut off my words as if he were reading my mind. "I lost. So, as promised, I'll reveal it to you." "..." A bet. It was the condition he set during our sparring session. If I beat him in this duel… ‘He said he’d reveal the identity and a secret of the First Pillar.’ I was curious about that. What exactly was that old man, the first patriarch, that he seemed to speak like he knew so much about the Gu family? And what secret does he hold? I was curious, but... '…Since it’s coming from Elder Il Jang, it probably isn't anything too good.' We were in the middle of a conversation. I wanted to wrap up that discussion first. "What's important isn't that, it's—" "That old man used to be part of the Gu family. Just like you, he was of the direct bloodline." "For an elder, how could you just—what?" I had to freeze in place mid-sentence, flabbergasted by the words I heard. "…What?" This was an utterly insane statement I hadn’t heard before.