1311 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Crackle. Crackle. The scorched embers around floated in the air like flower petals. The oppressive heat was so overwhelming it felt suffocating. An unexpected surge of energy activated on its own, lowering the temperature of the air around me. The overwhelming aura was enough to crush the very space itself. Creaaak. Creak, creak— 'The sky is...' Tearing and crushing. The protective barrier cast by the spell was breaking under the pressure of the aura. I widened my eyes as I observed the spectacle. 'Is that even possible?' Spells belong to a different realm than energy. To break a spell, you would need an appropriate counter. But here... 'They're oppressing it with sheer power.' It was not just any power, but an aura so intense it was breaking the very fabric of space. There was no other example to give; it was an utterly inexplicable phenomenon. Craack. Watching the slowly crumbling pieces fall to the ground, my gaze dropped downward. 'Father.' Where my father stood. '...Is this even possible?' The falling debris and the air crushed by the aura were hardly the point. '...They're at a transcendent level.' Two transcendent fighters. As if reaching the peak of martial prowess wasn't enough, one of them had even surpassed the level of the transcendent. 'He became an apostle and reached the stature of a master.' Unseen powers. If what Cheolhyun Buseon wielded was powers, then it was utterly unfathomable. '...Even my father used it.' I knew that his younger self, Gu Cheolun, could manifest as a master, but I never imagined Cheolhyun Buseon could do the same. I was alarmed. I had witnessed the energy amplifying the moment he manifested. It seemed like a threat would rise, but... '...It's meaningless.' Now, Cheolhyun Buseon found himself face to face with my father. The Sword Sovereign was also in the same predicament, his neck caught. Crackle. "Urgh..." "Argh..." What was there to say about the state those two transcendent fighters were in? I was at a loss for words. "...Father." When I called out to my father, he turned his gaze back to me. Thud. He released his hold on... No, he set down Cheolhyun Buseon and the Sword Sovereign and approached me. "...." "..." Our eyes met. My father's hair, usually well-kept, was a wild mess. "Why do you look like that?" How did he even end up in that state? And what's with his clothes? It was a stark contrast to the father I knew. He didn't answer my question. Instead, like before, he placed his large hand atop my head. Whiff, whiff. With awkward strokes, he patted my hair. "It seems real." "..." "It truly seems real." What does? I silently observed my father's actions. After a while... "It would have been good if this had happened sooner." In a voice full of regret, he spoke to me. ‘What...’ I was still bewildered, trying to grasp the situation. Sizzle. "...!" I felt a surge of electrical energy. This energy... "Wait...!" I shouted urgently, but Namgung Bi-ah appeared and swung her sword at my father. As the blade seemed ready to sever his neck. Snap. With a pinch of his thumb and forefinger, my father halted Namgung Bi-ah's attack. He then turned to look at her. "...Oh?" "..." Namgung Bi-ah, too, recognized him and instantly withdrew her lightning state. "...Father-in-law?" She uttered, eyes wide with astonishment. Father-in-law? It was a surprising way to address him. "..." My father simply stared at Namgung Bi-ah after hearing that title. Then he released her, letting her energy dissipate into the air. A spark of realization passed through his eyes. "This is..." Had he realized something odd? With eyes slightly widened, he gazed at me. "Could it be..." A peculiar vitality flickered in the previously lifeless eyes. "Is this not a dream?" With that realization, a change overcame my father. Whoosh—! "What?" His arm began to turn to ash. 'The time has run out.' The duration of the orb seemed to have expired, causing my father's presence to gradually fade. At that moment. "...My son." He called out to me. A title I still wasn't used to hearing. "Yes...?" "...Wait for me." "For what...?" "No matter where this place is, if this is not a dream." Tap. He touched my forehead. A warm energy seeped into my body. "I will come find you." "Father?" With those final words, my father completely turned to ash and vanished. The flames that were once palpable disappeared entirely. It signified my father's complete absence. "…What…" Dazed, I remained still. "Ah...!" I immediately stood up. Turning my head to the side, I confirmed the Sword Sovereign and Cheolhyun Buseon were down. At that moment, Cheolhyun Buseon began to stir. "Cough." Spitting out a mouthful of blood, he slowly rose. ‘It’s too late.’ I frowned. Had he remained unconscious, I intended to finish him off. But for him to rise to that extent... ‘He'll start regenerating soon.’ He likely would recover quickly, especially since my father hadn't killed him in the first place. Understanding this, I quickly moved. "…!" I lifted Namgung Bi-ah and waved my hand at Namgung Jin. Whirr—! He began to float in the air. Taking him with me, I ran. ‘For now.’ I just needed to escape. That was the only thing to do for now. * * * Fwoosh---!!!! With flames erupting into existence, someone appeared in the space. A man with eyes of crimson flame, Gu Cheolun. As he landed on the ground, he glanced around. It was a space that seemed devoid of anything, its ominous appearance veiled by darkness. In this place, Gu Cheolun brought forth a flame with his hand. Soon after, it solidified into a sphere and soared into the sky. A Flame Wheel. When he executed one of Gu's secret techniques, the Flame Wheel blazed brightly. Whoosh. The darkened space was illuminated entirely. With the unveiled view, one could see how tragic the place truly was. Corpses everywhere. A spectacle of bodies torn and shredded. Burnt bodies beyond count and colder ones emitting a foul stench. Even ancient ones putrid with rot lingered. "...." In such a place, Gu Cheolun extended his hand toward the adjacent wall with a vacant gaze. Sizzle. The intense heat emanating from his hand melted the rock. It was palpably hot. "..." Gu Cheolun scratched the wall with his hand and whispered. "Am I alive?" He activated his senses as if trying to recall something. "I see." A flicker of life briefly danced in his eyes. "I was alive." His murmured words seemed as if he was affirming to himself. "I will find you." He said resolutely, as if gathering his determination. "Focus." "Don't lose your mind. Focus. From here on..." From afar, the voices of martial artists could be heard. Hearing them, Gu Cheolun took a step forward. In that moment. Fwoooosh—!!! Flames erupted all around, consuming the corpses strewn across the ground. They vanished as if they had never existed, leaving a pristine path in their wake. Gu Cheolun walked along the newly cleared path. Sizzle. With each step, ash marked the ground beneath his feet. As he walked, Gu Cheolun assessed the heat within. Whirring. "......" It was distant. Not just far; it was beyond his reach. But it didn't matter. Whoosh. Gu Cheolun clenched his fist. His fiery hand punched through the air. Boom—!!!! The very atmosphere warped from the heat and tore open. It didn't matter if it was another world. "I will find you." Even if it meant burning everything to find them. * * * "The heat has subsided." In the sudden chill, the Sword Queen spoke, beads of cold sweat trickling down her face. "The presence is gone too." The enormous sensation felt from afar, powerful enough to make one's heart tremble, disappeared in an instant. What was that... just now? 'Even compared to Him...' Compared to that bizarre being who fed her information, it was something unmatched. Even when compared to the woman who was the source of her powers. What on earth was it? The Sword Queen wiped the cold sweat gathered on her forehead. "I'm going." The Divine Dragon, Gu Cheolun, declared, urgency reflected in his eyes. "Do you know something?" He seemed to have some idea of what that energy was. Perhaps not certain, but at least he had a notion. "I need to check it out." Even in response to the Sword Queen's questions, he insisted on leaving. The Sword Queen sighed as she watched the Divine Dragon. "Where do you intend to go?" "To finish the task you set for me." "I told you to wait." "..." "Hmm." The Sword Queen, observing the state of the Divine Dragon, tilted her head. "Alright." Something felt off too, given the energy. 'The essence connecting to Cheolhyun Buseon weakened.' The connection to Cheolhyun Buseon's energy momentarily almost snapped. It signaled something unusual had occurred. "Go. And—" The Sword Queen spoke to the Divine Dragon. "Kill Baek Yangcheon." "..." Gu Cheolun halted at her words. "And bring back the Poison Phoenix. That is your mission now." Gu Cheolun silently gazed at the Sword Queen. As she returned his gaze, she smiled. "If you do, I'll spare that creature you cherish so dearly." With those words, Gu Cheolun's reactions froze. "Will you do it?" "I will." There wasn't a hint of hesitation. With that, flames engulfed Gu Cheolun's form as he vanished without a trace. "Hmm..." The Sword Queen erased her expression as she stared at the spot where Gu Cheolun stood. The plans were hastily adjusted. The unexpected presence had disrupted her strategy. "It seems..." The anomaly was larger than she had anticipated.