1162 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

If asked what dignity is, it would be incredibly challenging to explain. Perhaps it’s simply the presence someone exudes, or possibly the value of what they hold within. Or maybe it’s the enlightenment they’ve accumulated over the years. To describe it as a martial artist, it could be likened to layers built up like a towering structure. ‘…This is different.’ The dignity and aura of beings called Masters were distinctly different—immeasurably so. They could hardly be seen as mere humans. They embodied something sublime and grand. Just perceiving them filled you with overwhelming awe and despair simultaneously. An entity that could never be surpassed. It was as if another sky lay above the heavens. They made it impossible to approach or even stare at them due to their overwhelming power. That was how I perceived the aura of Masters. Yes. ‘Just like mother and that one called Taecheon.’ Divine beings, connected to life itself, who managed a world. That was the energy felt when looking at them. ‘How can this be?’ Yet, why am I sensing it from Grandfather? Fwoosh. Flames began to ignite, his skin turning whiter than before. His appearance was human, yet inexplicably alien, and beyond that… ‘…It’s unfathomable.’ While his dignity felt incredibly high, paradoxically, it felt as if I couldn’t sense anything at all. Swoosh. “……!” For a brief instant, Grandfather’s gaze turned to me. The moment our eyes met, my heart skipped a beat. Buzzing—!! ‘Damn. Please, just stay still.’ Instinctively sensing something, my body moved on its own. The Guyeomhwarin Technique locked inside me threatened to run wild, while the restrained Tuapachunmu tingled with alertness. ‘Calm down, you cursed things.’ Though it was my energy, it was difficult to control. All the more because I’d suppressed my own power. “Hooo—…” Just as I was trying to catch my breath and assess the situation… “Hahahahahahahaha—!!!” Boom—!!! With an explosive pressure, Pezon’s laughter echoed across the ground. “Good. Very good.” Wearing a crazed smile, Pezon faced Grandfather. “Yes, you have to bring that out. Only then will I show my true self.” Crack—!! Rumble—!! The Paecheonho Un moved again, the energy surrounding his body becoming even more solid. Pezon grasped the cloud around him. “Let’s do this properly.” He began unleashing a pressure on an entirely different level than before. Rumble—!!! The ground shook, the vibrations felt now were twice as strong as before. Thud—! Rumble—!! ‘…This is insane.’ Grandfather’s state was one thing, but Pezon’s state was equally peculiar. ‘Didn’t he say he hadn’t perfected it?’ To my knowledge, Pezon hadn’t completed the Tuapachunmu. This meant he hadn’t achieved mastery in that martial art. ‘…Yet, he’s at that level?’ A Master’s dignity. The aura of Grandfather, beyond human limits, was being matched by Pezon’s Tuapachunmu. As if refusing to yield. Not just that, it was like he intended to tear it apart entirely. “I’m coming.” Thud—! Pezon soared into the air. The Paecheonho Un followed him, carving a path. The cloud Pezon harvested grew enormous. The enlarged cloud swallowed the sky. “Break.” Haunyun Young Sae. Rooooar—!!! The sky-spanning Paecheon Gong descended as clouds. “…” Grandfather watched this, extending his hand to the sky. Then— Boom—! Kwoooosh—!!! Not the tip of his fingers, but from the sky, cracks appeared, and a pillar of fire erupted. The flames pierced holes through the descending Paecheon Gong. Crash—!!! “Damn it—!” Such was the volume of fire that flames spewed everywhere from the pillar. Hastily, I leaped into the air. The ground crackled in flames, as if an ocean of fire had formed. ‘Oh damn—.’ Had I been just a bit slower, my clothes and everything else would have burned. ‘How far are they planning to take this?’ This had surpassed the level of mere martial sparring. Those insane humans seemed intent on erasing everything around this area. That must be it. Woosh—!!! An all-encompassing fiery clash where the skies are wielded and the ground disappears. This was almost— ‘…Like that battle between the Triumvirate and Cheonma.’ The time when Cheonma took on the entire Triumvirate. Though I didn’t witness it myself, from what I’d heard, it wouldn’t be different from that moment. This means… ‘Is this battle on that level?’ Even if not exactly, it wasn’t far off. If so… ‘…Could Father be that strong too?’ If Grandfather’s presence felt like a Master’s dignity… Does that mean my father, whom I know, could really do something like this? The thought crossed my mind as I glanced at my father now. Fwoosh. He stood there, shrouded in flames, observing the battle from the air. His eyes, enlarged by astonishment. ‘He seems surprised.’ How could he not be? Should that be considered a martial art? ‘…At least Grandfather's side isn’t.’ What was certain was that one side wasn’t. The Guyeomhwarin Technique. Though it was a martial art… ‘The feeling is entirely different.’ This wasn’t simply from the Guyeomhwarin Technique. This bizarre state. enN1WnIzcFhHMVJuR0JvdkNPc013OVkrTkRaWHF1YWQrbFR1c1ZnL2MvTTZMUjlYT2wrOUVUWGxSSGtyYjlFSA The force emanated from that source. The power was so overwhelming it drew my gaze naturally. ‘…Considering that, Pezon is even stranger.’ An elderly man opposing such force with martial art he created himself. To me, Pezon seemed even stranger. Is that old man truly human? Grandfather doesn’t seem to be, so what is Pezon? ‘…This is outrageous.’ This was something far beyond the realm of martial artists. While that fierce battle continued. Whump—!!! A change occurred in Pezon. He began concentrating the Paecheonho Un surrounding him into one spot. ‘…Huh?’ I watched, eyes wide open. Though different in form, the way this energy moved according to my mystical eye was familiar. ‘That’s….’ It was the Paecheon. Pezon was executing the Paecheon. ‘…That man.’ The current Master Pezon hadn't created the Paecheon technique. This meant he was attempting to imitate what he had seen me do. ‘Ha.’ Able to replicate it after a single viewing? Even if it was originally his technique, it was a remarkable feat. “……” The energy gathering in Pezon's hands was evident, prompting Grandfather to casually extend his hand in response. Fwoosh. A concentration of flames began to form gradually. ‘…Yeomok.’ If Pezon was attempting the Paecheon, then Grandfather, Guseongyeol, was creating Yeomok. Something much denser, carrying an astounding amount of power. ‘…These guys are genuinely insane.’ I found myself swallowing hard at the sight. ‘If both of those things go off, we’re in big trouble.’ The sheer volume of energy was visibly abnormal. If these collided, it wouldn’t be surprising if the whole area was obliterated. ‘Should I run?’ It seemed wiser to flee from this battle of egos rather than risk injury. Just as I was seriously contemplating this… “Here I come.” Pezon declared, eyes burning with intensity. “……” Guseongyeol seemed ready as well, preparing to unleash the Yeomok at any moment. “Huff…!” “Ah, let’s stop this.” “…Huh?” In a sudden twist, Guseongyeol withdrew the Yeomok. Then, he instantly returned to his normal state. “What? What do you mean, what are you doing?” With the battle ceased, Pezon shouted in frustration, demanding to know why everything had halted abruptly. “I didn’t get permission.” “…What?” “I didn’t get permission from the wife to go this far.” “What kind of lunatic…” “Let’s head back.” Bringing up the topic of Jin Yeonyeong, Guseongyeol abruptly turned his back and enveloped himself in flames. Woosh—!! Suddenly, sparks flew, and he streaked across the sky, drawing a line through the air. “Huh…?” Watching Guseongyeol disappear of his own accord, Pezon let out a bewildered breath. “……” “…What just happened?” My father and I were left standing there, speechless and dumbfounded. Absurd as it may seem, the fight had truly ended just like that. * * * “You damn guy…! Always doing whatever he wants!” After Guseongyeol vanished, Pezon stomped off in a huff, clearly fuming. He seemed genuinely upset. The problem was, without him, that left just my father and me. “……” “……” Awkwardly, we had no choice but to head back to Guga. We couldn’t remain there indefinitely, so there was little choice in the matter. “Uh… I guess I’ll head off first?” Returning was a silent affair. The discomfort and thick tension in the air were palpable. I considered initiating conversation by reflecting on the fight between Grandfather and Pezon, but… ‘…He’s intimidating.’ My father’s expression clearly discouraged attempts at conversation and kept moving ahead. Even upon our return to Guga, he disappeared without a word of farewell. “Hmm…” What should I do now? Sitting alone, I could only scratch my head. Still. ‘I can't say there were no gains.’ From both Pezon's martial arts and Guseongyeol's demonstrations. I had gained various insights. ‘It feels like something is just within reach.’ A faint enlightenment. It was an opportunity arising from acquiring something previously unknown. ‘…If I can just seize it.’ If I could grasp this opportunity, it felt like I could accomplish something more. So, I was briefly pondering when— “How was it?” “Gah! What the hell!” A voice behind me startled me into a panic. “Gasp… Haah…” “……” The figure behind me was Guseongyeol. “…What is it? When did you get here?” This man isn’t a ghost, so where had he popped up from? I had to force my pounding heart to calm down. As I quelled my startled breaths. “I asked, how was it?” “…What are you talking about?” Guseongyeol inquired about something profoundly curious. What did he mean by how it was? “You saw it, didn’t you?” “Saw it… Oh.” Could it be… “…Are you referring to what the head did?” The form that exuded a Master's dignity. Was he referring to that? “Yes, that's right.” Guseongyeol nodded in acknowledgment. “What did I think… Well… How should I put it? It was fascinating.” “…” It was a sight I had never seen before. It differed from the secret techniques used at mastery levels, perhaps? But my answer seemed unsatisfactory as Guseongyeol’s brow furrowed slightly. “Head? What else…?” “Do it.” “Pardon?” “Try doing it now, before your eyes.” “…” Upon his request, I must have looked as though I’d swallowed something foul. “…I don’t know how to do it.” How could I do something I didn’t know how to do? Though flustered, I voiced my response, only to hear— “You can.” “…What?” “You can already do it. Haven’t you realized it? You’ve achieved dignity long ago. You are already…” His words abruptly halted my movements. I had already achieved dignity? “You’ve already achieved the dignity of a Master.” The words were unexpected.