401 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

**Title: The World's Greatest Martial Artist's Childhood Friend - Chapter 402 - Northern Rabbit** A face full of freckles. He was shorter than me, seemingly around thirty years old. At first glance, he appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary attendant, yet I could see beyond that. 'He’s the Dark King.' I recognized the man as the Dark King. My suspicions were confirmed after overhearing his voice, though initially uncertain. Moreover, 'A strange sense of dissonance.' Having identified him, I detected an odd feeling of discord. The vibration I sensed in my arm only validated my thoughts. '...What the hell is going on?' It felt like my heart was pulsating wildly beneath the scales on my arm. Why was this happening? I tried to suppress the vibrations and focused on the Dark King. He seemed flustered under my gaze, breaking out in a cold sweat. Or at least, he was pretending to be. 'Why are these people such good actors?' Both the Unknown Supreme and the Dark King exhibited inexplicable acting prowess. My gaze, directed at the Dark King, shifted involuntarily to the Unknown Supreme, as if to demand explanations for the situation. Was it possible that the Unknown Supreme was unaware of this as well? But then, ‘This old man….’ Seeing the Unknown Supreme grin mischievously at me, I instantly knew. He was undeniably aware of the situation as well. 'Does this mean the Dark King and the Unknown Supreme have a connection?' I wasn’t sure what kind of relationship they shared, but it didn’t seem like it was anything innocent. I didn’t even know why the Dark King was involved there. Avoiding the Dark King’s probing eyes, I questioned the Unknown Supreme. -What is going on…? -What do you mean? -I mean to ask why that person is there. -Don’t concern yourself. Just another attendant. -What kind of nonsense… Do you have a headache? Recognizing the Dark King and being told to ignore him like a mere attendant was infuriating. When I questioned this absurdity, the Unknown Supreme casually responded without any sign of concern. -There’s a task I need some help with, that’s all. -A task…? His words set my thoughts into motion. A favor involving the Dark King? -Who do you intend to kill? That was the only plausible thought. I honestly couldn’t imagine seeking the Dark King’s assistance for anything else. Upon hearing my assumption, the Unknown Supreme narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at me. -What on earth… Hm... While initially dismissive, he momentarily tilted his head in thought. What was he hesitating for? -...It’s approximately correct. -...Pardon? -Yes, in a sense, you could think of it like that. What was that supposed to mean? Was the Dark King indeed going to kill someone? Even though it felt strange for the Unknown Supreme to request such a task from the Dark King, I refrained from probing further. Everyone has their circumstances, and my only concern was to learn martial arts from the Unknown Supreme. That was the extent of our relationship; simply a mutual teaching and learning arrangement. It was an awkward label of a master-disciple relationship, but that’s how I perceived our bond. Thus, the fact that the Dark King was mingling with the Bi family members on this journey to Sichuan was slightly unsettling. However, as long as it didn’t impact me directly, it was manageable. I had to question myself, though— 'Would it truly not affect me?' 'The Dark King's family originated from the Yeon clan.' The revelation that the Dark King was a descendant of Yeon Il-cheon was significant, especially since Sichuan still bore traces of the Yeon family. Knowing he intended to travel there instilled an odd, multifaceted sensation. 'But... Does this make sense?' Contemplating one person after another, it became clear that the group heading to Sichuan was becoming increasingly peculiar. The group included the Poison King, the head of the Tang family—renowned victors of Sichuan—alongside the Dark King, known as the king of assassins. Even the Unknown Supreme, one of the top three martial artists in the central plains, was part of this cohort. Given this assembly of individuals known for their prowess, an attack seemed highly unlikely. The security was assured. Unless the Dark King decided to kill everyone suddenly, nothing much could go wrong. The thought of anyone attacking the Tang family’s convoy was absurd. Even if that were to happen, there wouldn’t be much to worry about. The Poison King had rallied considerable forces to escort the criminals to Sichuan. Had he known the Unknown Supreme and the Dark King were part of this group, would he have brought such forces? Probably not, right? Thinking along these lines, I began to distance myself from the Dark King when, unexpectedly, someone approached and wrapped an arm around my neck. "...?" It felt more like they were strangling me than hugging, which was confusing. Just as I was about to forcefully break free, the familiar scent from behind made me pause. “You’re really leaving, little brother?” Ah, it was Gu Hui-bi’s fragrance. “…What is this, sister?” “Are you really going to that faraway place? You’re not coming home with me?” “I am.” “To home?” “No, to Sichuan.” With my response, Gu Hui-bi tightened her grip. “What on earth are you doing?” “You’ve become such a wanderer, constantly out of the house. You’re like a misplaced adolescent. You were so cute back then.” Listening to Gu Hui-bi, I couldn’t help but feel it was absurd. “There’s nothing misplaced about it.” I was past the age for puberty. Besides, I couldn't understand how she found my past cuter than the present; if anything, the past was weirder. As I freed myself from her grasp and looked at her, Gu Hui-bi pouted, displeasure clear on her face. The way she acted as if trying to be cute made me feel nauseous. Had she forgotten her age? Why was a grown woman acting like that? “Just don’t like it…” “Sister.” “Hmm?” “Are you not getting married? Haven't you passed the age?” “...” It was an unintentional question, asked simply out of curiosity about Gu Hui-bi's age. Her expression changed dramatically. Her expression was like that of a vengeful ghost. Seeing that look, I stepped back slightly and said, “…No, I was just… curious….” “Little brother, did you want all your hair burned off or something? You should’ve said; I’m good at things like that.” “Sorry.” Her eyes were sharp, far from forgiving. I really had only asked out of curiosity, but it seemed to have struck a nerve. ‘Then again, it’s not just her age but also that crazy personality—who would marry her?’ Her eligible age had long passed, yet it overflowed beyond that point. Gu Hui-bi neither pursued nor was able to marry anyone. Even in her past life, she never bothered with marriage, leading me to wonder if she intended to grow old unmarried. Among martial artists, this wasn’t uncommon, so it wasn’t a major issue. Still, judging by her reaction, it seemed she cared somewhat. “If you say you’re going home, I’ll let it go.” “That’s impossible.” “So firm. How annoying.” Gu Hui-bi clicked her tongue and whipped her head away, seemingly out of words. She walked off toward where the Gu family members were gathered. “Do whatever you want.” Her voice snapped back impulsively as she left. When would her temperament ever soften? Probably never. ‘It’s likely impossible.’ If she inherited this bloodline, expecting otherwise was unrealistic. Shortly after Gu Hui-bi left, Iljangro appeared, as if on cue. Why do people keep coming one by one? It’d be easier if they just came all at once. Seeing Iljangro approach, I couldn’t help but frown. Upon seeing my expression, Iljangro scowled back. “…To greet an elder with such a face—what rudeness is this?” “What are you trying to hand me this time? I’m not taking anything.” “Hmph, what makes you think I’d want to give you a gift?” “Giving is one thing, but the problem is what you consider a gift.” Every item I’d received from him had invariably led to trouble. By now, I expected no less. Determined not to accept anything, I glared at Iljangro. True to form, he discreetly pulled something from his pocket. “Ah, I’m not taking it! Look at you, trying to give me something again!” “You brat! Do you think I want to bother giving you anything?!” “Well then, don’t give it to me!” Thus began another ridiculous argument with Iljangro. Whatever he had, I was intent on rejecting it. Why did he always try to pass trouble onto me? Just as I was about to flee without accepting anything, Iljangro spoke again. “This is from your father, not from me.” “…What?” “Like father, like son. Tasking an old man like me with delivery.” Iljangro grumbled, although my mind was fixated on the item in his hand. ‘From Father?’ Why would my father, of all people, give something to me? Turning my gaze toward my father, our eyes met. In that fleeting moment, Father looked away first. This confirmed Iljangro's words. ‘What is this, exactly?’ Having confirmed this, I took the item. As it wasn’t from Iljangro directly, I figured it’d be fine. …At a glance, it appeared to be an ordinary metal token. “What is this?” “How should I know? The family head only asked me to pass it on.” “If that's the case, why didn’t he give it to me himself…?” “That’s what I said. If you’re so curious, go ask him yourself.” “No, I’d rather not…” “Heh heh… Like father, like son—so troublesome.” Iljangro shook his head as if tired of us. Though relations had improved, it still felt uneasy asking Father about such things. ‘I suppose it’s useful for something.’ With that thought, I tucked the token into my pocket, confident it wouldn’t be anything too strange. “What will you do once you return, Iljangro?” “What would I do? Probably just lay around and rest.” “…Ah, I see.” Despite his words, Iljangro was always kept busy, with Father being the busiest, followed closely by Iljangro. Despite his age, Iljangro remained rather active, frequently traveling outside the clan. Glancing at Iljangro, I pointed someone out with my fingertip—a personal inquiry. “So… are you really taking him along?” Iljangro’s gaze followed my finger, landing on Gu Jeol-yeop, who stood with a brooding expression. Momentarily, a subtle grin flickered on Iljangro’s lips. I only inquired about Gu Jeol-yeop for one reason. Gu Jeol-yeop had said he wouldn’t be part of the journey to Sichuan.