706.5 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

*Saaaah-* The match had ended, leaving nothing but a tranquil silence and the sound of the wind on the stage. In a situation where even breathing couldn't be heard, I slowly lifted my head. Ahead lay the fallen Pung Rim Wi Tan Kwon. I took a deep breath, calming my heart as I looked at him. "Ah, I do feel a bit sorry about this." At the same time, a bashful smile crept onto my face. I had long realized that he had reached the Hua realm. I also knew it hadn't been long since he reached it. Although he tried to conceal it, his aura would occasionally, uncontrollably, slip out. Furthermore, I understood why he had been hiding his level despite it all. So, I felt a twinge of guilt. Had things gone as originally intended, the star of the stage would have been him. "Thanks to him, it turned out this way, so I'm grateful as well." I lifted my body, which had been bent over. Then. "...What the...?" "Th-that can't be..." The once silent arena broke into a murmur. "Pung Rim Wi Tan Kwon has fallen?" "But he's a warrior of the Hua realm, isn't he?" "Could it have been a lie all along?" Pung Rim Wi Tan Kwon had indeed reached the Hua realm. This was the information shouted by the martial artists in the audience. Had that been false? Such doubt flashed across their minds, but those who had been watching perceived it differently. "...No, Wi Tan Kwon certainly reached the Hua realm. I can attest to it with my name, Ryeo Ryeok Chang." "Gasp, Ryeo Ryeok Chang...!?" "He said Ryeo Ryeok Chang...?" "Y-yes, the giant with the long scar on his cheek. That's Ryeo Ryeok Chang." Everyone's gaze was drawn to the man speaking from the audience. That was Ryeo Ryeok Chang, a martial artist ranked among the Hundred Masters of Zhongyuan. So he had been observing the martial arts event from the audience. Moreover... "Ryeo Ryeok Chang has confirmed Pung Rim Wi Tan Kwon's realm." "…It is certain then, Pung Rim Wi Tan Kwon is indeed of the Hua realm." Perhaps because someone of equal rank had declared it, his words carried weight. Pung Rim Wi Tan Kwon's Hua realm status was confirmed. As this truth unraveled, another question arose. "Then... then, what do you make of what just happened?" It was someone's comment that set things in motion. "So, So Yeom Ra defeated Pung Rim Wi Tan Kwon, is that it?" "Could it be some kind of trickery?" "Trickery? Nonsense. Have you forgotten where you are? Who would dare use trickery within the Martial Alliance?" "Besides, even if someone uses trickery, can they defeat a Hua realm warrior...?" "Then... are you saying that young man is also of the Hua realm?" The eyes of the people nearby turned towards Ryeo Ryeok Chang with this question. Faced with their sudden scrutiny, Ryeo Ryeok Chang found himself momentarily taken aback. Everyone seemed to expect a definitive answer from him. "Hmm..." Ryeo Ryeok Chang couldn't easily answer. He himself wasn't entirely certain. The reason being: 'He didn't see it.' Despite his reputation for spear techniques as swift as lightning, even Ryeo Ryeok Chang had failed to discern So Yeom Ra's movements. Perhaps Pung Rim Wi Tan Kwon had obstructed his view, but how could So Yeom Ra have defeated him in such a brief moment? 'Could it really have been some trickery?' Ryeo Ryeok Chang had pondered such thoughts out of sheer bewilderment. And if it wasn't trickery... '...Could that young man have reached the Hua realm?' Which meant that So Yeom Ra might be a Hua realm martial artist. Moreover, not all Hua realm warriors are equal. Pung Rim Wi Tan Kwon had only recently reached his level. Ryeo Ryeok Chang would also not take long to defeat someone like Wi Tan Kwon. However... 'He couldn't defeat him that swiftly.' He would not have restrained Go Yang Cheon as quickly. At the very least, he would have needed a few exchanges. Yet, that young man had taken Pung Rim Wi Tan Kwon down in an instant without anyone noticing, causing Ryeo Ryeok Chang to furrow his brow at So Yeom Ra. It wasn't just Ryeo Ryeok Chang. Everyone began to recognize it. "So Yeom Ra... what on earth is his true identity? Is he really a Hua realm warrior, this young man?" "Come to think of it... I've heard before. There was a rumor a few years back that So Yeom Ra touched the Hua realm. Is that perhaps..." "What are you saying? So Yeom Ra is in his early twenties, they say. A few years back would mean..." "Are you saying he reached it faster than the Divine Dragon? That would mean it's no different from what the Alliance has officially confirmed." The questions grew. They would gather and gather, transforming into daggers. These sharpened daggers would be aimed at the barely standing walls. Creating cracks in those very walls. They become daggers themselves. Go Yang Cheon perceived this reaction and looked towards the referee. "Aren't you supposed to announce the result?" "...!" The referee, startled, reacted to the comment. Even he seemed unaware of the current situation. "A-ah, um-uh..." He stammered, seeming dazed for a moment, before continuing his words hurriedly after regaining his composure. "Th-the match is over. C-contestant number eighteen wins-." "I'm number seventeen, actually." "Ah." The referee still seemed out of sorts. "Number seventeen... w-wins." Even with the referee's announcement, the crowd continued murmuring. Yes, that's right, let the questions flow. I had endured all this time for these very reactions. *swoosh.* Go Yang Cheon turned and walked off the stage without a hint of hesitation. As he descended and eventually vanished, all the conversations in the audience were solely centered around Go Yang Cheon. This was precisely the situation Go Yang Cheon had been longing for. ****************** I walked. I continued walking. Slowly, to avoid seeming rushed. As I moved steadily, all eyes fell on me. They were all the gazes of martial artists. Those who had watched the recent duel. All of them were staring at my face. Gone were the surreptitious glances—they now openly stared. In the multitude of eyes fixated on me, I felt a spectrum of emotions. Awe. Suspicion. Caution. Fear. It was a maelstrom of various emotions. But it didn't feel entirely negative. "He took down Wi Tan Kwon in one strike...?" "He moved so fast, no one could see..." "What on earth happened..." All the whispers were giving me a slight headache. Watching these insignificant fools yap was pathetically amusing. Unconsciously, that thought crept in, and I had to suppress it. 'Damn it.' I had been doing better lately, but it seemed every time I tried to get a little ahead, this happened. You could say my blood felt hot? Occasionally, I felt that way. Holding back a sigh, I walked to where Tang Soyeol and Bongsoon were waiting. Upon noticing me, Tang Soyeol waved with a bright smile. Oddly enough, seeing her calmed the storm inside me a bit. "You've worked hard." "Hard work? I didn’t do anything." I don't know why, but I felt a little embarrassed. Though my words were gruff, not matching my true feelings, Tang Soyeol just continued to smile at me. "You did. You don't like being stared at by others." "…" I couldn’t deny it. Her words brought about an awkward smile. "You did well, Young Master... It must have been tough." "That's right! You were amazing! As expected from someone I'm matched wi...!" Taking advantage of the moment, I smacked Bongsoon hard on the forehead. "Kyaaa!" Holding her crown, Bongsoon yelped in pain. "Please... Be quiet." "Haaa... It feels good...!" "..." It's dizzying. Looking at Tang Soyeol initially settled my tumultuous thoughts, but then Bongsoon made them whirl again. "Puhuh...!" Finding the situation amusing, Tang Soyeol struggled to hold back her laughter. This is a complete mess, an absolute mess. All eyes are on us, yet the atmosphere around us feels completely different. Strangely, I didn’t dislike the feeling. I shook my head and looked at Tang Soyeol. "Aren’t you nervous?" "Pardon?" With numbers not yet reaching fifty, Tang Soyeol's turn was next. Yet somehow, she didn’t seem nervous at all. Bongsoon might be less than human, so it makes sense for her, but why does Tang Soyeol look so composed? Looking at her with curiosity, she responded. "There's no one to be nervous about." "Ah..." Her response made sense, and I nodded. Come to think of it, with that man, there really isn’t much to be nervous about. "Why? Do you think I might lose?" "Oh, please." Nothing is absolute, but there are probabilities, aren’t there? And judging by it, the odds of her losing to that man were nearly nonexistent—unless Tang Soyeol intended to lose on purpose. To my answer, Tang Soyeol responded with a smile in her eyes. "Then, you have nothing to worry about." Upon hearing this, I looked slightly away. "Who said I was worried?" I was caught. I tried not to show it. How did she know? "I won’t lose. Unless it’s to you, Young Master…" Tang Soyeol wiped away her smile as she spoke. "I have no intention of losing to anyone." To no one. The meaning held within her words felt peculiar yet confident, instilling a fierce sense of competitiveness. Had Tang Soyeol always been like this? Or did the Dark King have something to do with her changes? It looked admirable, yet felt ominous. "...Alright." I felt something strange but chose not to probe further. Tang Soyeol too turned away and started observing her surroundings. The air was still dense with people looking in our direction. Partially my fault, but also half was because of Tang Soyeol. "The daughter of the Tang family." "They call her the Poison Phoenix, right? Word is she hasn’t surpassed her peak. How did she even make it here?" Perceived whispers about Tang Soyeol ensued among the martial artists. "It’s obvious. Must be up to some ploy again." "Indeed..." The words weren’t kind. The reputation of the Tang family was currently at its lowest in Zhongyuan. Reports about conducting human experiments by kidnapping orphans had emerged. This known history caused discussions about whether they should even remain in the orthodox alliance or have a seat among the Four Great Families. With a family member of such a banned clan appearing, naturally, the gossip and suspicion were aimed at Tang Soyeol. "No matter the history of her family, she is indeed beautiful." "Are you going to trust just by her face? In this day and age... all the same kind." "Tsk tsk. Even Master Yu Tan Geom was momentarily enchanted, but it all went to ruin because of that thing’s doing — " Sss. Unable to bear listening any further, I let my aura spill out. Guooooo-! “Eek!?” “Hup...” They trembled at the killing intent. I found it hard to restrain myself. Should I just kill them? Or maybe I should start burning them from the toes? Unable to hold back my fury, I began walking towards them. Thump. Tang Soyeol grabbed my hand just like last time, stopping me. Unlike before, something was different. "Young Master." "..." Her firm voice made me look at Tang Soyeol. Her gaze was unwavering. "Please, don’t." Her plea was the same this time too. However. "If I remain sheltered within your arms, Young Master, I won't be able to achieve anything on my own." “…!” Her words made me stand rigid. "I don’t want to live that way." "You..." "Honestly, I’m really happy. Just knowing you’re there to protect me sometimes feels like I have the world. But that can’t be all there is." "What does that mean?" Catching my slight panic, she responded with a gentle smile. "Walking together... it means more than that, doesn’t it?" "..." "I want to walk alongside you, Young Master." Such meaningful words left me breathless. Feeling her sincerity stirred something deep within me. “That’s why I came. To show you.” “Show me? Show me what.” “That I can stand firm without your help, Young Master. That I can not only walk but also run and fly.” “…" "So... just watch over me for a while. Please." She held my hand tighter. The warmth felt both cool and comforting, and I reeled in my aura. *Saaah...* The warriors, previously pressured by my energy, collapsed at its withdrawal. “Haah... Huff...” “Urgh...!” Those of lower level even retched. Observing this, I stepped back and folded my arms. "Thank you, Young Master." "..." I didn’t respond, merely furrowing my brows. It wasn’t because I disliked Tang Soyeol’s attitude. Rather, I was displeased with myself for almost intervening despite knowing her intentions. And I was curious, too. 'What exactly is she planning to show me...?' What is Tang Soyeol trying to display by doing all this? What mindset is driving her actions? As questions began to sprout, they didn't remain unanswered for long. ****************** The martial stage where I had been standing just moments before. On the cold marble floor, someone lay bleeding. "Kugh... ugh." The groaning voice of pain belonged to Yu Tan Geom, one of the renowned Hundred Masters of Zhongyuan. He was a famous martial artist known for reaching the Hua realm. Yet there he was, bleeding and struggling, and the audience, who had been loud moments before, now stood silent, unable to utter a word. At that moment. Thud-! Someone elegantly pressed their foot onto Yu Tan Geom's face. "Kuhhgh!" Yu Tan Geom couldn't even let out a proper scream. Watching him was Tang Soyeol, the owner of the leg, who smiled alluringly and spoke. "Senior, you should get up." Her voice sent shivers through the onlookers. It was cold, yet seductive. "Or are you going to just lie there like a dog? Truly... how disgraceful..." Her gaze was cast down, dripping with disdain. Through the slight gap in her clothing, a glimpse of her pale calf could be seen. Below it, Yu Tan Geom writhed in suppressed humiliation. In this bizarre scene, I stared blankly at Tang Soyeol. ...Was this what she meant by showing me...? If so, it was strange—very strange indeed.