823 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

**Chapter 823: The Northern Hare - Web Novel Archives** The heat began to spread from the tips of Gu Cheolwoon’s toes. Gradually taking shape, it transformed into flames. The fire that started to burn the ground soon became a mirage, flaring up fiercely, reflecting the turmoil within its master. How could he not be angry? The urge to burn everything down surged within him. Yet, somehow, he held back. If one were to describe Gu Cheolwoon’s life, it would be a constant battle of restraint and internal struggle. This was the fate of every member born into the Gu family, a burden passed down through generations. Yet, among them, Gu Cheolwoon’s life stood out as particularly intense. A family born for the atonement of their ancestors and the inheritance of their burdens. Since the birth of the Gu family, there had never been anyone like Gu Cheolwoon. Everything about him was exceptional. His father would often say to Gu Cheolwoon during his childhood: “There has never been anyone like you in the history of the Gu family.” Indeed, as if to prove those words, Gu Cheolwoon was unique. Despite belonging to a family known for their slight builds, he possessed a significantly larger frame. He quickly grasped the Gu Flame Wheel Technique, reaching the second level almost immediately, a task that usually took an average of five years to reach the fifth level took him just one. Simply breathing and sleeping made him stronger. It was a phrase often heard as a joke. A genius gifted by the heavens. A once-in-a-lifetime monster, comparable perhaps to the legendary Yeon Ilcheol. In the Gu family, Gu Cheolwoon was such a presence. To remain hidden in the mountains and valleys of the Gu family, an existence too precious to become obscure. Therefore, Gu Cheolwoon’s father, the head of the Gu family at the time, made a decision. For the first time in history, a direct descendant of the Gu family was sent out into the world. It was an unprecedented event. Although becoming the family head or deputy head allowed one to venture out, such an outright departure was unheard of. How could such a decision be made? It was difficult to understand, so many questions remained unasked, and now it was too late. The family head of that time no longer existed. Even if he called him father or referred to him as the former head, he wasn't the same as he had been then. He had embraced the burdens meant for the head of the Gu family, a path Gu Cheolwoon was destined to follow. And so, at the behest of the head, nineteen-year-old Gu Cheolwoon was released into the world. He had no purpose to guide him. He was merely following his father's wish to experience the world. Thus, Gu Cheolwoon occasionally wondered. Were the experiences of that time truly beneficial? Seeing things he didn’t need to see, going through ordeals he didn’t need to endure…. Did they indeed result in what his father intended? The answer that emerged was a resounding no. Nothing in the world had changed. If anything, things had worsened rather than improved, with not a single positive change. Only he had changed. Was that an acceptable result? No, he couldn’t even confidently say that. In the first place, it was impossible to discern right from wrong. He himself couldn't determine what was right. All life seemed that way. For what should one live so earnestly? What meaning does a belief without purpose hold? He didn’t know and didn’t particularly want to find out. This way, quietly and steadily, even without something to call a belief, he could just keep on living. The young man who harbored such a thought. "Nice to meet you." Then one day, he met a woman, and a crack formed. Something began to fill the void he hadn't noticed before. It didn’t take long to recognize that what differed was emotion. Simultaneously, a newfound belief emerged. It was nothing significant. Initially, it was simply about listening. "Don’t do that." Before doing anything, he thought more carefully, and if possible, he held back. "Make sure to eat? Be careful, it's cold." "Got it." "And don’t go around hitting people." "Got it." Such small things, strangely, filled him with such completeness. In a bizarre way, it equipped him to endure even a wretched life. Thoughts on what was right or wrong never crossed his mind again. What mattered most to him, once realized, was just one thing. Not something grandiose to call a belief. It was simply a wish. A simple desire to protect someone. Someone he had to protect. No matter the storm that came, he vowed to protect her. To Gu Cheolwoon at that time, that alone was enough. No, it would still be enough now. The only difference being, back then, it was just her, and now it might be more. He endured the cruel storms. Living life focused not on right or wrong but solely on one thing. A life led for someone else wasn’t all bad. If asked, he’d do anything for them. And that's why. "…Please, I’m asking you." At the end of the painstakingly carved-out time, he found himself ultimately sending off the woman more precious than his own life. "Please, take care of the children." He repeated her final words. They were truly cruel words. How could he manage without her? Gu Cheolwoon swallowed the words he couldn’t bring himself to say. As the saying went. Without her, Gu Cheolwoon was nothing. Watching his children fall apart and break while he stood helplessly. It was only then Gu Cheolwoon realized he had never lived as a father. Nothing was impossible. If he willed it, anything could be done. Yet, the role of a father was beyond his grasp. Even his daughters, who began to fear him. And his son, who looked upon him with terror and resentment, left him bewildered. The empty space was ample to destroy something. He turned away. Not because there were no other choices. He simply chose the cowardly path of avoidance. He covered his eyes from seeing. He closed his ears from hearing. Things could be done, but he chose otherwise. Maybe if he just became numb like this. Maybe if he just allowed himself to be swept away and eroded. Such thoughts flitted by. He lost track of how many years had passed. Slowly, he became submerged. Nothing seemed to matter anymore. And so, he continued to live each day, going about his life. "…Can't I not do it?" A soft voice broke through, prompting him to lift his head. "Yes, I guess I must do it. I will." His blurry gaze began to return to focus. Something was different from usual. "But do I really have to…?" "Yes, I'm going out now..." It was his son. As Gu Cheolwoon looked at him, his son flinched and exited, muttering complaints under his breath. Watching him leave, Gu Cheolwoon tilted his head slightly. What could it be? Something seemed different. Yet, he couldn't pinpoint what it was. At first glance, it seemed like his son was the same as always. Broken in some way since that day, much like himself. Understanding this, he found himself unable to do anything. Fear held him in chains, grasping him by the ankles. By the time he realized that this fear was what shackled him, it was already too late. Yes, that's what he had thought. That it was too late to change anything, that everything had reached its conclusion. But contrary to those thoughts, there had been a change. "First Young Master engaged in a bout with the Thunder Dragon." "A Thunder Dragon?" "Yes. And he emerged victorious…." His child was changing. Fortunately, it didn’t take long for him to realize this. "First Young Master achieved this in Shaanxi—." "First Young Master took part in the Yongbong Gathering this time…." "First Young Master participated in the New Dragon Hall…." Before he knew it, the change unfolded swiftly. The moment he noticed his son was different, from then until now. While he remained in place, his son prepared to stand on his own. Though there surely remained scars and resentment, whether enduring them or overcoming them, his son was trying to change. Was it due to accepting the Swordmaster and his granddaughter? Gu Cheolwoon didn’t know. It was a matter he wasn’t privy to, and he focused on only one thing. His child, who might have suffered more than himself, was struggling to rise. Meanwhile, what was he doing? "Please, take care of the children." The voice he wanted to forget echoed again. He assumed there would be nothing left once he let go of what he was supposed to protect, but that proved false. There was so much he should have held on to and protected from the start. And yet, he did nothing. Those were ten years where he did nothing, ten years where he accomplished nothing while his child transformed. "Father." One day, his son addressed him as father. Words he thought he’d never hear, never wished to hear. He didn’t feel worthy of being called a father. Yet, those words resonated deeply within him. It was a moment of realizing what he needed to protect. "I'm asking you." The words that surfaced repeatedly were always the same yet constantly changing, and this time was no exception. What does it mean to be a father? He did not know. He never truly experienced it himself. Could he discover it now, this late, and that be alright? Doubts crossed his mind, but this wasn’t the time for hesitation. To hesitate any longer would make it irreparably late. What was there to hesitate about that couldn’t wait any longer? "Speak." Thus, he had to do what he could. Having failed to do so before, he needed to move forward. He gripped the old man's neck, which he could break at any moment. "If you're making up excuses, forget it. Do you think I wouldn’t recognize your intentions?" Though he wanted to incinerate everything at once, Gu Cheolwoon restrained himself. The habit of holding back before taking action was one he had developed over several decades. He relaxed his grip slightly. "Ahem… ahem." He did so to listen to the response. "Speak." Depending on the answer, Gu Cheolwoon would decide. Whether to erase the Martial Alliance from existence or to hold back. As he pondered this and looked at Mok Yeon, he heard: "...Gu Family Head." Mok Yeon addressed him, prompting Gu Cheolwoon's brow to twitch as he responded. "Use proper titles. Do I still seem like the family head to you?" "I'm sorry…." "If an apology was what I wanted, I would have said so. Didn’t I ask for an explanation?" Faced with Gu Cheolwoon's stern demeanor, Mok Yeon fell silent for a moment. After struggling to decide how to begin, a moment passed before he spoke. "...Because Gu Gongja was needed by the alliance. It was a part he knowingly chose." "So you're offering the excuse that it was the child's choice?" "Gu Gongja desired something from the alliance as well. The alliance also had expectations of him. It was simply a matter of negotiation—" “I see.” Even as Mok Yeon labored over his explanation, Gu Cheolwoon listened and nodded. "Still the same, deflecting responsibility elsewhere." Seeing that, Mok Yeon’s eyes widened. He understood what decision Gu Cheolwoon had made. “You are unnecessary. Just as you were then, you are now.” Fire erupted. Gu Cheolwoon’s body was engulfed in flames. He had made his choice. Today, the Martial Alliance would be obliterated from the world. The consequences of this decision were for him to bear. As a failed father, he could at least manage that. Furthermore, ‘As well as the family's burdens.’ The chains and obligations of the Gu family, too, he intended to sever completely. He would not pass on this unnecessary atonement to his son. With that resolve, Gu Cheolwoon unleashed his energy. The Sword King moved. His damaged sword emitted fierce energy. Seeing this, Gu Cheolwoon moved first. The fiery energy followed his motion. Before the Sword King could fully act, Gu Cheolwoon’s hand had already reached toward his face. That instant, Whoosh— A sudden whirlwind intervened, separating Gu Cheolwoon from the Sword King. “…!” Witnessing this, Gu Cheolwoon withdrew his hand and stepped back with a frown. There was no necessity for retreat. Ordinarily, he would have disregarded the whirlwind and removed the Sword King's head. However, he stepped back. The reason lay in the identity of the one who formed the wind. The whirlwind that divided Gu Cheolwoon and the Sword King was a dazzling golden hue. As if infused with moonlight. **** Swish swish. He wiped his hands with a cloth as he emerged outside. Having gotten them thoroughly stained with blood, he wiped them down as best as he could. "Tch." He clicked his tongue briefly. He wasn't in a particularly good mood. It wasn’t that he had qualms about killing people at this point. "The information is unsatisfactory." The information he acquired was sparse. And that was disappointing. Despite the number of people he claimed, none had uttered a word as they met their end. Rather, it wasn’t that they hadn’t spoken…. 'Maybe they didn’t know anything.' These men seemed to know nothing. For what purpose they acted this way, or why they were entangled with the Cheon An Sect. No matter how many times I asked what kind of people they were, the only answer they gave was that they didn’t know. Could it be because they were low-ranking? With such a lack of information? Just to be sure, I used every means possible to interrogate them, but the answer remained the same. Oh, there was at least one thing I could figure out. It was that they were part of a faction. Not that it was something impressive, just the name of the faction at most. I'd have to dig deeper to find out more, but for now, that was the only clue. The name was supposedly... "Ilcheongyo." Ilcheongyo (一天敎). It was an organization I had never heard of in my previous life.