1237 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

"Ughk!!" Spouting blood, the Flying Dragon Deputy Leader soared into the sky, twirling in vibrant circles. As if suspended in time, he remained airborne for what felt like an eternity. Thud-!! His body, bereft of strength, crashed onto the floor. Shiver shiver. Still reeling from the impact, he trembled. And then... “Huh?” “...What?” The crowd gaped at the Flying Dragon Deputy Leader in bewildered. "What in the world... what... huh? What on earth." "Just now, what was...?" "Why did the Flying Dragon Deputy Leader...?" A torrent of blood gushed from his mouth and nose, spilling over the martial stage. It was a considerable amount. Although his consciousness slipped away, his body clung desperately to the edge of awareness, barely hanging on. But not for much longer. "……." Everyone stared at the Flying Dragon Deputy Leader in shock. "What the hell." I was no exception. "…How could this be." I glanced at my fist. It was unmistakable—I had definitely channeled energy just now. The sudden surge of uncontrolled power had erupted, enveloping him. And the Flying Dragon Deputy Leader ended up in this state because of it. "…How?" How had it happened? Where had the energy that was absent before suddenly come from? ‘And where did it disappear to now.’ The energy that had flowed just moments prior was gone without a trace. It was baffling. The power that had burst forth vanished entirely. What was happening here? I was still confused when— “That wretched scoundrel...” “To think he’d lure us into oncomplacency and unleash his strength at the most critical moment—!" A barrage of noise erupted around me, but I paid it no mind. It wasn't the time to be distracted by such drivel. As my eyes darted around... ‘Yap!’ “...!” I recalled the sound. My head turned like a whip towards the direction it came from. Where the martial alliance's warriors were gathered. I spotted someone amidst them. ‘Is it possible?’ Narrowing my eyes, I saw Mi Hyoran, staring at me. Next to her, I noticed another woman wearing a mask, my mother, who was waving at me. ‘...That energy just now.’ Was it my mother's doing? Frightened, my gaze locked onto hers. But she only continued to wave cheerfully, paying no heed to the bewilderment in my eyes. *** The martial arts competition among the sword unit members was in full swing, but a brief interlude was underway. There was a need to cool off the boiling atmosphere. It was essential to take some rest before continuing. In the midst of this pause— “...Gah!” The unconscious Flying Dragon Deputy Leader regained his senses. “Hah... hah...” He clutched his chest, gasping for air, the pain etched into his expression. "What on earth...?" “Deputy Commander...! Are you alright!?” The Flying Dragon unit members approached him. His eyes widened as he registered their presence. “Did I...” Lose? Realizing his defeat, the Flying Dragon Deputy Leader's face transformed. “Damn it!” Suddenly flushed with fury, the Flying Dragon Deputy Leader glared in my direction. I could feel his gaze even as I was resting, prompting me to look his way. “Daring to launch a surprise attack!?” “...Huh?” What nonsense was he spouting? I stared at him in confusion as the Flying Dragon Deputy Leader gritted his teeth, approaching me. What was this? Was he looking to start a fight? In that moment— “Heey...” Someone placed themselves in front of me. “What's all this commotion now.” “…….” It was Tae Hoan, clad in his fluttering white robes with golden patterns—the insignia of the Divine Dragon unit—who stood between me and the Flying Dragon Deputy Leader. "Even though the outcome is decided, acting this disgracefully is quite unsightly, don’t you think?" "…Divine Dragon Deputy Lord…" Glaring at Tae Hoan with anger, the Flying Dragon Deputy Leader responded. "This punk ambushed me in a cowardly fashion..." "Cowardly?” "……!" The Flying Dragon Deputy Leader couldn’t finish his sentence, already silenced by the blade pointed at his neck. “What exactly is cowardly about it? You know perfectly well. It's just your pride being too lofty for you to swallow down. Get a hold of yourself.” A serene smile adorned his face, but behind it, an intimidating aura simmered. “You lost. It's over for you.” “…….” “Did you see my sword? I doubt it. Could that be considered an ambush too? I don’t think so.” The gentle sway of his sword caught the Flying Dragon Deputy Leader’s eye, as it seemed he bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. “The way to preserve a warrior's pride, as far as I know, isn’t quite like this… How about you take a moment to gather your wits?” "…Grind." “Leave.” Upon that order, the Flying Dragon Deputy Leader glared at me with a look that could kill, before turning to leave. As I watched the scene unfold— “I hope my meddling was unnecessary.” Tae Hoan spoke to me. Shaking my head, I replied, “Not at all. It was a timely help.” “Was it? That's reassuring then…” Tae Hoan’s gaze seemed to settle elsewhere as he continued to speak. "It feels like I’ve stolen a fine moment to shine from someone else.” Following his line of sight, I saw my father watching. His intense red eyes were fixed on this direction, as if poised to act should the situation call for it. Could he have been preparing to intercept the Flying Dragon Deputy Leader? That certainly seemed the case. “Well, the quickest one always wins, don't they?” “Hmm.” I shifted my gaze back to Tae Hoan. “Do you have business with me?” “A little, yes.” “What is it?” “Heh heh heh.” Tae Hoan chuckled at my straightforwardness. "You're still intriguing… I wondered if perhaps, you’d grant me an opportunity to apologize?” “An opportunity?” “I misjudged you.” "…Pardon?" “I didn’t expect you to be hiding something like that.” Ah, that must be what he meant. ‘Maybe it's because of the way he initially dismissed me.’ At the beginning, Tae Hoan had dismissed me without a second thought. Is he trying to apologize for that? ‘It seems more like…’ There was another emotion underlying his words. And he wasn’t even attempting to conceal it, which amused me. “Haha.” “Hmm?” Tae Hoan looked puzzled as I suddenly laughed. “What’s so funny?” I looked at him squarely. “Oh, nothing. I just didn’t expect you to be so transparent about your admiration. Do you covet me?” “…….” Tae Hoan paused, the atmosphere growing somewhat frosty around us. "I’m not particularly interested in men." "That's a relief. Neither am I." "Really? That's surprising." "...What?" What was so surprising about that? “From what I hear, there are plenty of rumors surrounding you and women… yet I didn’t quite get that vibe from you, so I wondered.” "I do like women." "Oh, I see. Then what exactly do you mean by 'interested'?" "Exactly as it sounds. Isn’t that what you meant?" "..." Tae Hoan looked at me intently. Then, slowly, the corners of his mouth turned up. "Are you perceptive?" "I hear that sometimes." "Ah, dear. To think I'd be found out." Total nonsense. His eyes betrayed no intention of hiding it. With such blatant ambition plastered all over him, what was he saying? "It's actually a relief that you noticed." With a bright smile, Tae Hoan asked me, "Let me ask you something." "Sure." "Are you interested in joining the Divine Dragon Unit?" Whoosh!! The surroundings stirred. "Did he say the Divine Dragon Unit?" "…Did Tae Hoan just make an offer to that kid?" Everyone was taken aback by the prospect of joining the Divine Dragon Unit. Evaluating the situation, I asked, "If I want to join, can I just do it?" "As much as you like." "No tests or anything?" “What would be the point of tests? You've already shown enough just now.” Defeating the Flying Dragon Deputy Leader, that alone was the qualifying factor. "Hmm." The Divine Dragon Unit. It did pique my curiosity. They were the elite, an inner circle of the martial alliance. Joining would bring immense renown and honor, but... 'Would I belong there?' Could I gain anything of value by joining now? "Well..." Just as I was about to express my thoughts, something appeared before me—a flickering flame. "You overstep your bounds." It was my father. He stood before Tae Hoan, exuding a searing heat. "Are you trying to poach someone right under my nose?" The clear hostility was palpably sharp, emanating from my father as he blocked Tae Hoan. "Hey, now. What do you mean by that?" Tae Hoan, effortlessly sidestepping the hostility, addressed my father with a mischievous grin. “This is exactly what the Blue Dragon Unit did, and to you, no less.” "..." "Don’t you remember? The Blue Dragon leader made their move right in front of you." My ears perked up at this unfamiliar claim. “Originally, the Divine Dragon should be part of the Divine Dragon Unit. That’s history and protocol... this time, it didn't happen that way.” Was that how it went? It was news to me. It seemed that my father was supposed to have joined the Divine Dragon Unit but had ended up with the Blue Dragon Unit instead for some reason. However. “So what.” My father’s response was simple. His tone was calm yet firm. "Not so much, just that our side also holds its reasons." "So, are you saying you'll take him away?" "Hey now, not take away." Tae Hoan glanced over my father's shoulder at me. “We’re merely offering options, just as the Blue Dragon leader did for you. We want to give this young man plenty of good choices.” Hearing this, my father looked back at me as well. Their gazes were quite overwhelming. “Baek Yangcheon.” “Yes?” He called my name, continuing, "If you wish, not only can you join the Divine Dragon Unit..." His eyes curved like a crescent moon, although his expression seemed slightly uncomfortable. In addition, “I could even consider you as my successor one day. What do you say?” Despite the casual delivery, the proposition was remarkably bold.