802 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Translated and Implemented Instructions --- Chapter 802 Thud-!! A face pressed underfoot carved a dent in the ground. Though not deeply embedded, cracks spidered in all directions, attesting to the pressure. "Ughhh!!" A sudden pain made the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword (Ssanguihwangeom / 쌍의환검) stifle a groan. He immediately focused his energy on his dantian. Hwooosh-! Qi surged through his meridians. First and foremost, he had to get rid of this foot somehow. However. Smack-! “Argh!” A searing pain erupted from his dantian, blocking his qi. It felt as if his meridians were being twisted. In reality, they weren't twisting, nor was the qi reversing. If it were, then the phenomenon of energy deviation (juwaipma / 주화입마) would have already taken hold. Even defensive techniques were meaningless. He couldn't even thrash in pain. As a sense of helplessness began to overwhelm the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword, he heard a voice. "Hey." A voice came from the owner of the foot. For some reason, it was full of mirth. "Keep going. Why stop now?" The voice continued. "Keeee-ugh!" "Come on, keep barking, you dog." With curses, the pressure on his face intensified. He could barely exhale now. At this rate, his face felt like it might be crushed. Wasn't there something he could do? While the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword pondered that question, the pressure on his face suddenly decreased significantly. Dual Righteous Illusion Sword didn't miss it. He maximized his strength and swung his arm. Thump-! The foot slightly shifted under the impact, and he took the opportunity to create distance. With great effort, he managed to escape. "Huuu... hooo-!!" Suppressing the pain by enveloping his body with qi, he raised defensive qi techniques and observed the opponent. There wasn't much to see. After all, he had already recognized the voice. "Seong...!" "Urgh-!" Just as he was about to call out in anger, a cough echoed in his ears, causing the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword to frown. The person who had been stepping on his face just a moment ago was now suddenly coughing up blood. Drip-! Blood trickled from the person's mouth, staining the ground. And there was quite a lot of it. "Damn, this is annoying. My clothes are all soaked." The culprit, Star King (Seongwang / 성왕) Gu Yangcheon, was wiping away the blood with a deep frown. Cough. He continued to cough up blood several more times, finally spitting out blood-mingled saliva onto the floor. Witnessing this, the gaze of the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword subtly changed. "What're you looking at? First time seeing someone cough up blood?" With a brazen attitude, he demanded of the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword, who grimaced and opened his mouth. "...What are you doing?" "What am I doing, you ask?" In response, Gu Yangcheon erupted into laughter. "Are you out of your mind? Can't you see I'm beating up a mongrel?" The Dual Righteous Illusion Sword raised a hand to clutch his still-aching forehead. ‘How on earth...?’ When did Star King approach him? Why was the assistant squad leader lying over there? ‘Why was I lying on the ground?’ He couldn't grasp any of the moments of change. By the time he realized, he was already lying on the floor. The Dual Righteous Illusion Sword couldn't believe it. ‘No matter how off guard I was.’ To permit such a surprise attack—it was absurd. This wasn't simply being caught off guard. It was merely a difference in level. An undeniable reality enveloped the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword. Even if he didn't want to admit it, he had no choice but to do so. ‘...What a monstrous guy.’ Not only had he reached the Fusion Realm at such a young age, but he also sat amongst the king level. The Alliance had titled him king with intention; they hadn't thought he'd actually reached such heights. ‘This is...’ It seemed he might be even beyond the king level. ‘They say he punched the Blade King (Do Wang / 도왕) to bits.’ Apparently, it wasn't a lie. Though he'd half believed it, seeing it confirmed left him speechless. The one in front of him was far superior. The Dual Righteous Illusion Sword recognized this. At that moment. "I somewhat understand, you know." Gu Yangcheon, having wiped all the blood away, continued speaking to the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword. "I figured I'd overlook whatever naughty deeds you did?" While speaking, he wore a smile, yet the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword inexplicably felt a chill. He glanced at his arm. Goosebumps had risen. ‘What the...?’ Though he hadn't done a thing, what was this sensation? An overwhelming disparity in strength? Could that have caused his body to stiffen? No, this wasn't simply such a feeling. ‘No way.’ Could it be fear? Was he, himself, feeling fear towards that brat? Crack. The Dual Righteous Illusion Sword gritted his teeth and channeled energy to his meridians. He forcibly roused his stiffened body. There's a level difference. If they fought, he'd lose. That was sure, and even though his pride was trampled, "What naughty things have I supposedly done?" He wouldn't back down so easily. Because this was the Martial Alliance. "Oh, look at him being shameless." "This is the Martial Alliance! How dare you carelessly launch a surprise attack? Aren’t you afraid of the Alliance's rules?" "Rules?" Gu Yangcheon tilted his head, prompting the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword's lips to tremble with a smile. "You just attacked another leader within the Alliance. That's hardly different from rebellion. Even if you're favored by the Alliance right now, do you think this will just pass lightly?" "Heh." Gu Yangcheon let out a hollow laugh at the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword's words. "What a truly insane guy." His expression clearly asking what should be done with him, filled with contemplation. "Don't you remember me saying I heard all of what you said? Do you think I'm deaf?" “…” At Gu Yangcheon’s words, the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword's brow furrowed slightly. Yes, he did hear what I said. But. "What does it matter?" "Huh?" Now it was Gu Yangcheon's eyes that were deeply furrowed. "What does it matter, you ask? Do you really not know?" Swoosh. As he spoke, Gu Yangcheon raised his hand to brush back his bangs. The Dual Righteous Illusion Sword unconsciously flinched at the sight. When the hair was lifted, revealing his eyes. The intense blue eyes beneath began to fill with disdain. His body tensed. Thump-! Translated and Implemented Instructions --- His heart began to pound urgently. “…Who would’ve known that woman used sorcery? Or that you might have made a backdoor deal with the Hidden Wave Sword (Eunlanggeom / 은랑검).” Yet, his mouth wouldn’t cease. Even his instincts couldn’t keep it shut. But then: “This is just a suspicion for a confirmation process—.” “Mister.” “…” Even his continuous stream of words came to an involuntary halt. “There's something I've been curious about since last time.” His racing heart was out of control. His previously steady breathing began to unravel. It was a feeling he had never experienced before. What should he even call it? “Do you have two lives?” Creak. “No matter how much I think about it, I don’t get it.” “…!” The eyes of the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword widened. His rigid body was moving on its own. Especially his knees, he could feel his lower half attempting to bend of its own accord. “Why do you keep pestering? You’ll die quietly without anyone knowing, you bastard.” Smack-! “Ugh!” Gu Yangcheon reached out and clutched the cheek of the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword. His gaze filled with contempt pierced through Dual Righteous Illusion Sword’s eyes. “Go on, keep going.” Crush. “One more word, and…” Crunch-!! With the pressure from his grip, he felt his teeth breaking. “I really might end you for real.” “Ughhhh!” “Or should I just take care of you right now?” “…Ugh!” In agony, a shiver ran down the spine of the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword. The intent in his voice was genuine. This boy intended to kill him right here. In the middle of the Martial Alliance, planning to kill a leader? Surely the guards would be nearby, along with other forces. …Was he not afraid of the consequences? “Seems so. That would be best, right?” Gu Yangcheon’s eyes began to glint as though he’d already made up his mind. “…Wait, wa….” Perhaps driven by a survival instinct, the words flowed out as his blocked mouth suddenly opened. Noticing this, Gu Yangcheon slightly eased his grip. “Why? Is there more you want to say?” “Sto… stop…” Something like a plea to cease. Not even hearing every word, Gu Yangcheon’s eyes twitched. That’s when it happened. Bang!! “Argh!” A blow to his face sent the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword’s head reeling. A result of Gu Yangcheon’s fist smashing into his face. “That’s not it.” Drip. Blood began to trickle down the philtrum of the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword, suggesting his nose had been bust open. “That's not what you should be saying right now.” “Agh….” His consciousness was slipping away. It wasn’t just the impact he felt; it was excruciating. Even holding onto consciousness was taxing. A fist with that level of force... “If you’re wrong…” Bang-!! “Admit you're wrong.” Crash-! “Grovel with all you've got.” Bang-! Bang-!! “You dog.” Gu Yangcheon began to strike the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword repeatedly. Splatter-! Blood splattered. His teeth, already shattered, fell to the ground. Blood from his mouth and nose soaked the clothes of the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword. It hurt, and it hurt again. Even with a lifetime of battles braved, this was the worst pain he had experienced from a fist. And what was more terrifying was that he hadn’t lost consciousness despite the beating. “Aggh... ughh...” With a heave, the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword's body went slack. “I’ve known for a while,” Watching this, Gu Yangcheon’s eyes began to glow an intense blue. “You’re no better than a beast.” Flop. His lower body having given out, he was kneeling. Or more accurately, he was being held up by the collar, grasped by Gu Yangcheon. “The unorthodox types, they understand they're wicked, but scum like you? You don’t even know. That’s what pisses me off the most.” His hand rose. From his clenched fist, droplets of blood dripped continuously. It was all the blood of the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword. “This is maddening. You rot from within and lament the rot, isn’t it? Or perhaps you’re unaware that you’re rotten?” Words entered his ears, yet it was a struggle to comprehend them. “Must be. If you knew, you wouldn’t have ended up like this. Not knowing brought you this far.” Though spoken to him, it strangely seemed directed at someone else. “Damn bastards.” His voice filled with rage and disdain. Simultaneously, his fist moved. The moment he saw it, Dual Righteous Illusion Sword uttered, “…Wro…wrong….” Halting. Finally, the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword spoke out. Hearing him, Gu Yangcheon paused his fist. “I was… wro…ng...” “…” “I made… a mist…ake…” “Tsk.” Clicking his tongue, he lowered his fist. A short tongue-click resonated with clear irritation. Whump! “Gurk.” With a short swipe, his arm brushed across the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword's chin. His head lulled as if he lost consciousness. Confirmed, Gu Yangcheon released the grip on the collar, unceremoniously tossing him to the ground. Thud. Shaking off his hands, blood dripped, leaving an unsettling feeling. With nothing else to wipe with, he simply continued wiping his hands. As he repeatedly shook his hands, Gu Yangcheon looked down at the fallen Dual Righteous Illusion Sword and whispered, “You fool.” What a laughable sight. “Apologizing for this? You idiot.” Taking just a few hits and immediately apologizing, was this truly the posture of a leader in the Alliance? Given how much he'd flaunted, he expected some tremendous grit, but there was nothing to it. “Bet you would’ve wet yourself at proper torture.” Peeling skin layer by layer and burning from within slowly. Gu Yangcheon thought of the tortures often employed by the Sword Demon (Geomma / 검마), where he would intricately slice while cauterizing. Or the kind the Queen of Swords (Geomhu / 검후) would perform on men, tortures so horrific even to imagine. This man wouldn’t endure even the simplest methods. With such people in the role of a leader, it was no wonder things crumbled so easily. Thud. He nudged the face of the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword with his toe as he pondered. ‘Whether it's the Demonic Cult or the Orthodox Factions. Judging by my lack of memories of this guy, he must've died early in the past life.’ It was a guess, but it seemed accurate. An insignificant individual. Having no more interest in looking at him, he turned around to approach another person. It was the assistant squad leader who had been lying down all along. “I know you’re awake.” “…!” Gu Yangcheon’s words made the feigning unconscious body flinch violently. With a creaking motion, the assistant squad leader turned his head to face Gu Yangcheon. Translated and Implemented Instructions --- “Instead of just lying around, could you deal with that mess?” “Uh… Ah… uh...” “Or do you want to end up like that too?” “L-Leader (Daeju-nim / 대주님)! Are you alright?” “…” With those cautionary words, the assistant squad leader immediately rushed to the Dual Righteous Illusion Sword's side. Honestly, not even a trace of genuine loyalty could be seen. Seeing that, it was easy to think that it wouldn’t be long before the Golden Dragon Squad (Geumryongdae / 금룡대) might collapse. “Phew.” Gu Yangcheon sighed deeply and turned his head. He could start to sense presences slowly approaching through his heightened senses. Though the initial clash had been subdued, the ripples of his energy had spread, making it likely that the guards or martial artists within the Alliance were coming his way. Sensing this, Gu Yangcheon carefully cast a glance elsewhere. Subtly, so as not to let his target notice. The location was the upper part of a barely visible tree. There was someone there who had been observing this scene from beginning to end. They were suppressing their presence to such a degree that even Gu Yangcheon found it hard to detect. Yet, he was confident that the Azure Dragon Leader, One Azure Sword (Ilcheonggeom / 일청검), was stationed there. ‘What do you think?’ Gu Yangcheon pondered in his mind. ‘Are you convinced now?’ Of course, no answer came back. But then. Woong. A little later, even the barely perceptible presence vanished. Only then did Gu Yangcheon allow himself to smile with satisfaction. This bait had surely been sufficient.