1325 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

"......Buseon." The Sword Queen called out to him, assessing the state of Cheolhyun Buseon. 'He's got injuries all over.' His condition wasn't great. Although he seemed to be healing, the process was slow. 'What about the Dark King?' She glanced toward where the Dark King had been. At her reaction, Cheolhyun Buseon clicked his tongue. "Don't worry about him. He's not dead." "......What?" "You know that, don't you? He's not someone who dies easily. Besides." He unfurled his fan and continued speaking. "Killing someone in a fight where their cunning is blocked isn't something this old man desires." "......" In a land where one cannot use their powers, where the Dark King can't exert his full potential, Cheolhyun Buseon seemed to imply. "So leave him be. We ought to resolve this matter first." "......" "I'll ask again. Where is that person?" "What's the point if finding him doesn't change anything?" "What?" "No matter what you do, the outcome won't change. I don't get why you're so obsessed." "Haha. That's something you can't say until you've tried." "Do you really need to taste it to tell if it's poop or miso?" I ran my fingers through my hair. While saying that, I looked towards where Tolly was. "He'll be lying there comfortably. Let it be." "What do you mean?" "It's just one of those things." I took a deep breath to steady myself. 'Two of them.' The thought of confronting both the Sword Queen and Cheolhyun Buseon. It won't be easy. 'Then.' Is there no choice? I glanced in the direction where Tolly was. As I looked over there. "......" A single tree stood at the center of Taesan. Of all things, it was that one. 'Paejon.' The cursed old man tied to that tree. I frowned at the sight of it. "Let me ask you one thing." "Hmm?" I addressed Cheolhyun Buseon. "Why did you do that to him?" At my question, Cheolhyun Buseon looked towards Paejon and gave a brief chuckle. "Why, does it bother you because he resembles a mentor?" "He's not a resemblance." A comparable mentor? How absurd. "He's just a mentor." I had never called him teacher. I never referred to him as master. Yet, he was a mentor. 'Disciple.' He called this inept brat a disciple with that indifferent expression. "Hmm." At my words, Cheolhyun Buseon's eyes narrowed slightly. "It's necessary." "......Why did you cast Bi Gab to the earth?" "Oh, that." Cheolhyun Buseon's gaze turned towards me. "That was for......" His eyes showed hesitation, as if debating to reveal it. "It was something personal. Though it turned out a bit strange." "......" "So, you're not going to tell me about that person? In that case." Whooosh-!! The wind began to swirl intensely. "Show me the image you displayed then." "......" He seemed to be referring to my Master Transformation. Hearing this, I laughed. "If you want to see it, match your level." Sssshhh. Energy flowed out, wrapping my body. Bi Gab left by Paejon enveloped me completely. I donned the armor, which shimmered with a blue hue. Instantly, my body felt lighter. 'I'll borrow this.' Not that I'd ask for permission anyway, but I conveyed it all the same. "Hmm." Cheolhyun Buseon’s face hardened as he observed me wearing Bi Gab. "Match my level, he said......" Repeating my words, he then declared, "Not bad at all." Whoooshhhhh-!!!! He stirred a fierce wind. "Sword Queen." "What is it?" Cheolhyun Buseon spoke to the rising Sword Queen. "Do not interfere." "......" That was all he said. Don't interfere? Fine by me. I moved. Bi Gab's effect sped up my pace. I appeared right before Buseon. I clenched my fist. Flare-! Flames surged forth. They felt more intense, palpable. I sent them lashing towards Buseon. Banggg-!!! The wind swirled to shield him. The edges of Bi Gab, wrapped around me, collided with the wind and were shredded like blades. "Let's see." In that state, Cheolhyun Buseon addressed me. "Shall I witness your little show?" "A show?" It's a good term. It seems I'll have to put on a rough display. * * * Banggggg-!!!! Roarr-!!! Screeech-!!! Apostles and demonic creatures shrieked. The massive black-blue creature, Tolly by name, swept all around, devouring everything with its large maw. "Roaaar-!" Swallowing Apostles and tearing apart creatures. Twisting its body as if fulfilling the command to fill its belly. Again and again. Eating and eating. "Rrkk......" Eventually, Tolly twisted its fearsome face. It's reaching its limit. There's no more room, and its energy was running low. Time is needed for digestion, it seems. But. "I must protect." Tolly coiled and expelled a shockwave. Bang-! The demonic creatures flew back. Watching them diminish, Tolly moved. The location it headed to was where Gu Cheolun lay. There's a connection with his father's emotions. Tolly could read Gu Yangcheon’s sentiments. 'Protect.' Carrying out that duty was what it seemed to be. "Rrrr......" Why do the number of creatures continue to rise? With so many struck down, you'd think they'd decrease, yet they didn't. It was peculiar. Why do they keep appearing? While harbored in this mystery. Roaar-!!! A larger demon appeared relentlessly. "Rrr." Just as Tolly was about to move with hostility burning through. Flare-!!!! "Huh?" A scarlet blaze shot forward, grazing the demon. Screech-! With a shrill cry, the smell of burning permeated. The demon turned to ashes and crumbled. It's a familiar scent. Tolly instantly looked in the direction from whence the flame had come. "Dad...?" The same thing had happened before. Despite the different appearance, he was repeatedly called dad. "……Phew." The person who had been collapsed rose to his feet. His gray eyes reverted to their original crimson blaze, and his weary expression brimmed with a distinct masculinity unlike Gu Yangcheon. "……" The youth, Gu Cheolun, locked eyes with Tolly. Unwittingly, Tolly morphed back into his human guise under that gaze. "O…… Oh." What should he say? While briefly contemplating. "Thank you." Gu Cheolun gently patted Tolly's head as he spoke. "You've worked hard." A soft relief seemed to wash over his weary eyes. "Thanks to you, I've woken up well from the slumber." "Oh, oh..." "Rest for now. I will bring your father here." With those words, Gu Cheolun turned his gaze. He was looking toward the distant Taesan and the flames that could be felt from within. * * * Crash-!!! The walls were slashed here and there, sending shockwaves all around. Blade-like winds kept cutting in. What had poured down like a storm was now reaching my body. Clang-!!! With a harsh sound, it rebounded away. '......It's sturdy.' Bi Gab was much tougher than I thought. 'I still feel some impact though.' While the internal shock was still present, it was better than being sliced. 'My left arm is healed.' The arm that was nearly severed by the Sword Queen has regenerated. I used it to continue the fight repeatedly. The problem was. '......He's resilient.' This man. Strong and unyielding. "Hahahahaha--!!!" He charged in with ferocious vigor. While enduring and fighting him. 'This is draining my energy.' It wasn't a battle where I should expend all my energy. 'What to do.' I glanced behind. The Sword Queen stood there, expressionless, just watching. 'What is this.' Was it simply a command to observe and do nothing else? I couldn't wrap my head around it. 'What could she be thinking?' The notion that there is hope for saving my son. Something that this current matter suggests. That it was offered, no doubt. 'By the Blood Demon.' The power I accepted because of that. 'If it belonged to my mother.' The conclusion is that my mother's condition was the doing of the Blood Demon as well. "Tsk." I unfurled the Flame Jade. Within it, I held the White Flame. The white sphere headed toward Buseon. "Haha!" Seeing the incoming sphere, Buseon calculated its speed to evade. Then. Thunk-! "Huh!?" Something struck into the Flare Jade. It was a sacred spear. The spear embedded into the flying Flare Jade increased its speed. I mixed in a feint to alter his perception. The resulting recoil burst forth. Boommmmm--!!!! Cheolhyun Buseon emerged from the explosion. "You...!" His face was one of satisfaction. He had obviously taken a hit; part of his face was slightly melted. His regeneration was slow. The White Flame seemed to be affecting him. Tap. Embers fell. "......Indeed, this is fun. The people from the Gu family have always been entertaining. The only issue is they never come out of the mountains." "Who are you calling a recluse? It's not that I won't come out, I can't come out." "So you admit you're of the Gu family." "Ah, was that a provocation?" "Provocation? There's no need for that." Sssshhh-. The blades intensified. "I gathered you never intended to hide, to begin with." "......" I had nothing to say about that. 'I'm running out of energy.' The power I possessed was depleting. I hadn't intended to use it here. 'I didn't expect the Dark King to win, but...' Tsk. 'This isn't good.' If that's the case. I suppose I'll have to. 'Using the remaining energy.' Perhaps using my Master Transformation to deal with him is the best course. I'll recover my energy from elsewhere. Just as I was about to gather strength in my heart. "There's no need for that." "What?" A familiar voice interrupted. Crackle. "......Father?" It was my father. He appeared suddenly here, though I thought he had already lost consciousness. His face wore an expression of exhaustion and fatigue. How? How did Father get here? I stared at him in disbelief. "Do your part." "Huh? Out of the blue, you're saying..." At the unexpected words, I was momentarily dumbfounded. Whoosh--!!! "Huh?" Father's body was engulfed in crimson flames. The familiar energy was here. This... "I, too." Covered in flames, Father said, "Have come to do my part." "......" He enveloped himself in the Gu family's purifying blaze, much like my grandfather used to.