361 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

The King of Assassins - Best Friend of the World's Greatest - Chapter 362: Northern Hare - Web Novel Archive "What is your connection to Yeon-ga?" The voice of the King of Assassins was notably soft. So quiet that if one did not listen intently, they'd miss it entirely. Yet, unlike its volume, the clarity of his words reverberated sharply in my ears. ‘Yeon-ga?’ I tried to comprehend the words he had just uttered. Yeon-ga. The King of Assassins specifically mentioned Yeon-ga to me. In this vast land, there are a few renowned households with the Yeon surname, but if the King of Assassins talks about Yeon-ga to such an extent, then it must be only one place. "Are you perhaps referring to the Geumcheon Yeon-ga?" The most prestigious family that was annihilated in the past following the Blood Calamity caused by the Blood Demon. It was precisely the place where Yeon Il-cheon, recognized as the world's greatest and a regressor, was the family head. If the Yeon-ga he refers to is indeed that one... ‘What connection could I possibly have with Yeon-ga?’ No matter how much I pondered, I could not fathom why this man would inquire about something like that with me. Meanwhile, the King of Assassins, having heard my question, remained silent, merely watching me. “Are you…?” “Are you planning to feign ignorance?” “…!” A crushing pressure emanated from the hand of the King of Assassins as he gripped my arm. Attempting to break free was futile; his strength was overwhelming even to a combatant like me. Why is this assassin so strong? “What do you mean, feign ignorance…?” “To stand before me and speak falsely of the ‘curse.’” “Curse...?” The pressure on my arm was one thing, but what truly bothered me was the word the King of Assassins had just spoken. Just as I grimaced, he moved his grip from my arm. The part of the skin affected became distinctly visible as my arm extended. “You dare to lie about this?” From his words, I gathered that the stories about Yeon-ga had something to do with this skin. I have no clue how he knows about this skin, but the implication was clear. ‘Is there a connection between this skin and Yeon-ga?’ Although it only covered an area proportional to a thumb, it resembled reptilian skin upon closer inspection. Was the King of Assassins aware of the reason behind this transformation? ‘Even so….’ Explaining the whole situation to the King of Assassins wasn't an easy task. “I honestly don’t know. This just started happening suddenly…” Tighten. “Ugh…!” Before I could form an excuse, the world flipped around me. The pressing force on my arm subsided only for the King of Assassins to grip my neck and slam me against the wall. ‘Crazy…!’ The pain from my neck was unsettling. What was even more shocking, however, was the sheer incredulity of it all. I knew not how powerful the King of Assassins was, but it was unforeseen that he could effortlessly overpower someone like me who had reached a near-complete state of prowess. “Uh…” “Young one, while you might deceive other eyes, you cannot deceive mine. Do you wish to die?” A chilling aura emanated from the King of Assassins' feet, prompting a physical response. Sweat began pouring from me uncontrollably due to the oppressive, and undoubtedly intense, murderous energy. To be able to control such a murderous aura—it was a startling realization even amidst this ordeal. ‘…Is this really the time for realizations?’ My skills were honed to the point even my brain was immersed in martial arts. Even now, I could feel this. The intention to twist my neck seemed clear if I didn’t speak the truth. Damn it, my head's already a mess, and yet, why is another human being adding to the chaos? As the pressure on my neck intensified further. ‘Using demonization might do the trick.’ Fighting back would be out of the question, but removing his grip could be possible. Yet, witnessing the dire aftermath deterred me from acting rashly. More pressing was the concern. ‘…Why is this crazy person doing this?’ His temper seemed fueled by certainty, given his talk of deception and sincerity. Could I really be connected to Yeon-ga? ‘…Ah?’ Skin resembling that of a serpent or a lizard…in connection with Yeon-ga. ‘Ah, could it be?’ How ironic that my brain works best in moments like this. The World Tree had mentioned it. The reason the monstrous beast awakened was due to the orb of the great serpent I received from Yeon-ga's secret vault. That would indicate… “…Secret…vault.” I barely managed to utter the word, and the pressure on my neck eased. My body, which had been hovering in mid-air, soon landed on the ground. Thankfully, I managed to regain my posture without ending up disgracefully sprawled out. “Cough…cough….” As I caught my breath, I felt an intense gaze on me. When I lifted my head slightly— ‘His eyes…’ The King of Assassins’ eyes had changed. Previously black, likely due to the mask, they now shone brightly, almost as they had at our first meeting. Though he hadn’t removed the mask, it appeared he could control the change at will. “What did you just say?” “…Phew….” “Young one, I asked what you just said.” Annoyed by the repetition, my response was filled with menace despite having caught my breath. This man truly lived up to his infamous moniker. Though his eyes gleamed brightly, the energy they emanated was menacingly unpleasant. Whether he had ties with my grandfather or not was clearly not what mattered to him. ‘Chilly.’ He was the coldest and most distant person I had ever encountered. Why must such a person exist? ‘Should I tell him?’ I didn’t even know if this thing on my arm had any relation to Yeon-ga. But that was the only link to Yeon-ga I could think of. ‘…And even if that were the reason, it’s strange.’ It had been years since I visited the secret vault. Many events had transpired during that time. If changes were to occur, they should have much earlier. Why only now does this manifest? Moreover. ‘He referred to it as a curse.’ The King of Assassins spoke as if he knew all about this transformation. What could this possibly be? While pondering the reason and the nature of this occurrence. “Young one.” The King of Assassins called out to me again. “This is the third time I’ve asked.” As he spoke, I felt something touch the base of my neck. It was the fingertip of the King of Assassins. I didn't waste time pondering unnecessary thoughts. Clearly, this was a hazardous situation. "Typically, I don't ask anyone the same question twice. Nor do I enjoy torture." "..." "What I mean is, I dislike bothersome matters. After all, killing would easily resolve it." His expressionless face made his words all the more terrifying. I might not be unfamiliar with having killed before, but this person in front of me is on a different level altogether. Death. He seemed like death personified, taking on a human form. "So, the fact that I've asked you thrice is truly an unusual allowance." A pointless boast. That was my immediate thought. Thankfully, I managed to keep it to myself. Were it not for that restraint, my nature is such that I would have let it slip. "Speak now." Whether aware of my internal turmoil or not, the King of Assassins continued. "I must not remain ignorant of matters concerning that place." "..." The grip on my neck tightened slightly. This implied that patience wasn't a luxury he'd afford me. Should I just rush him? I deliberated on that at least four times in the span of a second. Given that deliberation outweighed it threefold, the temptation to just charge on seemed reasonable. But... ‘Useless pride must die.’ Realistically, I couldn't win against such an opponent. So, restraint was necessary. I've always been stubborn about preserving my pride, but I couldn’t throw my life away in vain. After all, I had too much to protect now. Ultimately, I had no choice but to disclose my experience at the secret vault of the Geumcheon Yeon-ga. "..." After listening to the whole story, the King of Assassins rubbed his lips thoughtfully. “…The secret vault, huh.” Regarding how I discovered it, I'd explained by recounting my attendance at the Tang Clan's conference. Claiming that I had ‘accidentally’ wandered up the mountain and stumbled upon it. Like most serendipitous encounters, it usually comes down to a series of coincidences. What mattered was the state of the place, what I saw there, and what I obtained. Once his contemplation concluded, the King of Assassins glanced at my arm and then at my dantian. "To claim it untrue would be wrong, for the aura emanating from your body is undeniably genuine." His assertion gave me slight relief. It seemed I wouldn’t be killed immediately. Though the notion seemed absurd, the King of Assassins was certainly capable of getting away with such an act without consequences. “Aura, you say?” The mention of aura perplexed me. Was he referring to the aura I supposedly obtained from the secret vault? Yet... ‘Isn't whatever I gained from there already gone?’ I received a fortuitous opportunity there, and while my internal energy had increased, it wasn't anything extraordinary. The increase in my energy hadn't been that significant. What aura did the King of Assassins sense emanating from me? Moreover... ‘He knows about the changes in my skin.’ Hence his reactions. “Senior.” Hearing my call, he shifted his gaze to me. “…Is my transformation related to Yeon-ga in any way?” The question widened his eyes in surprise. I didn't think it was that outlandish a question, so why the reaction? "Didn't expect you'd question me in this circumstance." Ah, that was the part that surprised him. “…I was just curious. This unexpected change piques my interest, and seeing you pursue traces of a long-destroyed and annihilated family…” “That is incorrect.” “Pardon?” Right as I began rambling my justifications, the King of Assassins sharply interrupted. What was I wrong about? He ominously clarified. “Yeon-ga was indeed annihilated, that’s a well-known fact from many centuries ago.” It had been several centuries. This was a mystery to all. Presently, the four great families are renowned, but then the Geumcheon Yeon-ga was considered the foremost among the powerful families. A singular entity. The family had the greatest warrior and was connected to most of the prominent trading guilds in the Central Plains, yet the Geumcheon Yeon-ga vanished almost overnight for unknown reasons. A collapse of such a mighty family at such a pace was beyond most peoples' comprehension. Since historical records stated thus, it was generally accepted as truth. Detailed records were scarce, and my lack of interest in historical affairs left me with this little knowledge. “So then…” As I was about to reiterate my confusion... “They did face annihilation, but were not completely erased.” I had to ponder the hidden meaning in his proclamation. His words seemed to imply that while the Geumcheon Yeon-ga was annihilated, their lineage continued on. Thinking of the Zuo family, this possibility seemed plausible. “What?” The thought struck me, and I looked at the King of Assassins with eyes wide open. His earlier words suddenly resonated clearly with me. —I must not remain ignorant of matters concerning that place. That was what he declared while threatening me. Plus... —They were not completely erased. Such resolute conviction in those words... “Perhaps…?” With my voice barely steady, I asked the King of Assassins: “…Are you a descendant of Yeon-ga, Senior?” Rather than answering, the King of Assassins maintained silence. His lips remained tightly sealed as he scrutinized me. Yet, for some reason, it felt as though his silence was an answer in itself. Suddenly, an alarming thought crossed my mind. ‘Ah, this… I might actually die if I'm not careful…’ It was clear this situation was exceedingly dangerous. ****************** A courtyard overlooking the vast sea near Yoryeong... A bird with beautiful feathers softly landed by a window. A thin letter was tied to the bird's leg. A hand gently untied the letter from the bird's leg and took it away. The owner of the hand was the master of this grand estate, and known as the dominator of Yoryeong. Rustle. He unfurled the letter slowly. On its first part was an emblem – the direct insignia of the Moyong family. A special emblem created solely for sending letters to the family head. He meticulously read each character of the brief message, down to the very last line. "Hmm." As he finished reading the final sentence, a flicker crossed the man's eyes. He furrowed his brows, clearly displeased with the contents. Screeech. Whoosh... As the man rose from his chair, a light gust swirled through the room. "I entrusted someone else's precious daughter to them… only to have the matter handled so carelessly." His deep, resonant voice carried a trace of anger, mixed with the acute sharpness common to swordsmen of high caliber. As the man stepped out of the room, those who awaited him outside approached and bowed their heads. "Manager." "…Yes, Master." "We're heading to Hanam immediately." At the house master's command, the Manager visibly trembled. "But… we have a scheduled meeting with the Baekhwa Trading Group in a few days…." "Cancel it." "Ma-Master…!" "If they demand compensation out of this, offer them whatever they wish." "But that's…!" The Manager tried to interject, but the head of the Moyong family ignored him and continued walking. Then, the Moyong family head abruptly halted. "Ah, it might not matter after all." "Yes...?" The following Manager replied with puzzled urgency. "They're probably in the same situation anyway." "Master, what do you mean by that…?" "No need for a carriage. On my feet, I will be faster." "Wait…!" "If anyone asks about this, tell them this." Just as the Manager, taken aback, tried to reach for the master. "Say that I’m going to fetch my daughter. And I plan to see the face of the one trying to take her away." With those words, the Master of the Moyong family leaped out over the window frame. The elderly Manager, shocked, rushed to the window in disbelief. By that time, the Moyong family head had already become a distant speck, disappearing far into the horizon.