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Chapter 617: The Dragon

A sound echoed nearby.

Right next to me.

Just as I thought that—

Whoosh—!

My arm was already in motion.

Thud—!

A pulse coursed through my soul.

This was to use my Heart’s Authority.

There was no hesitation.

Even though I had just used it earlier.

The rebound that would come later after using it now.

Such thoughts had to be pushed aside for the moment.

An unseen figure was already approaching.

Caring about the presence of malice was not the time.

Just as I was about to unleash my strength—

Crack—!

A strange sound emanated from my arm.

When I glanced at my arm—

“!”

Shred—!

The arm I was extending was ripped away, leaving only my shoulder behind.

Thud—!

My arm fell to the ground.

Whoosh—! Blood burst forth from my shoulder.

“Yangcheon!”

Woo Hyeok exclaimed with wide eyes at the sight.

I bit my lip tightly.

I quickly took a stance to create some distance.

Drip, drip.

Blood flowed from the shoulder I was clutching.

Immediately, pain washed over me.

Huff… huff….

But all that escaped my lips was rapid breathing, no groans.

‘What just happened?’

What was unfolding just then?

Ignoring the pain, I stared straight ahead.

Next to where I faced Woo Hyeok, someone stood.

A young man with white hair.

“How interesting.”

The young man glanced my way, a smile gracing his face.

The moment I saw that smile, chills ran down my spine.

“Such a cold greeting? I don’t really like that.”

Discomfort washed over me.

Just seeing him made me feel sick.

I wanted to grab his nape and rip it apart right there.

An ominous intent surged from my lower dantian.

—Kill him now.

A voice of instinct urged me on insistently.

I had to suppress that urge with all my might.

I couldn’t win.

I knew that fact too well from just a single exchange.

As I locked my gaze on the young man, tension thickened in the air.

“I was originally just going to watch. But it turned out to be somewhat entertaining.”

The young man began speaking.

All the while, I couldn’t help but recoil at something he was holding.

‘Why is she trapped there?’

It was Yuri.

Yuri was unconscious, held captive by him.

“But this is a bit boring, isn’t it?”

His gaze shifted.

It was directed at Woo Hyeok.

“Biwaegun.”

“…”

Under the young man’s call, Woo Hyeok bit his trembling lips.

“We had a promise, didn’t we? So why are you in this state?”

“…”

“Does it mean that the collateral doesn’t matter?”

“No…. It’s just….”

“Is that so? Then is it hesitation? It seems you still have lingering attachments.”

I frowned upon hearing their exchange.

Through those words, I began to grasp the young man’s identity.

‘That guy… so he is.’

The bloodline of the Ice Palace that conspired with the rebellion.

Was that guy?

Judging by his youth, he was likely either the First Prince or the Second Prince.

‘The feeling…’

Something felt off.

What was this feeling?

It was different from just the awe of facing a strong person.

This was—

‘Similar to the Gungju.’

The sense I felt when I met the Gungju at the previous hideout.

It felt eerily similar.

Not in terms of appearance, but in an unpleasant sensation.

I had felt this with the Gungju, yet it differed on another level.

‘This is… yes, this must be it.’

As I sensed the energy, memories of my first arrival in the North Sea rushed back—coldness and an inexplicable discomfort.

That energy—

‘Matches his.’

If I felt something similar in the Gungju, then the aura from him was identical to that.

It meant this was the source of the discomfort I felt in the North Sea.

But what exactly was it?

What caused my body to reject it so violently?

Also—

‘What should I do?’

How could I escape this crisis?

Amidst the whirlwind of thoughts—

“If Biwaegun has lingering attachments… then what are those attachments?”

The young man’s gaze turned towards me.

At that moment.

“Could it be over there?”

The young man’s figure vanished.

I lost track of him—

Thud—!

“Cough!”

My throat was seized.

I was hoisted up without warning.

“I didn’t mean to greet you this way.”

Our eyes locked as if forced, meeting his gaze.

“Nice to meet you.”

“…!”

His grin sent my heart racing.

Those horizontally slit, sky-blue eyes.

The faint scales visible on his cheek.

Though others didn’t know, I was intimately familiar with that look.

“I never expected to meet my kind here.”

His words made my brows furrow.

‘Dragon…?’

A dragon.

This guy was a dragon.

Unlike the curse the Gungju faced, his appearance seemed complete.

Which meant—

‘Is he like me?’

Could it be that he also completed his shedding and became a dragon?

As I was overwhelmed by this unexpected twist—

“But….”

His gaze roamed my body.

“Much worse than I expected. To think a kind could be like this.”

Disappointment dripped from his voice.

“I don’t know if you’ve taken any internal injuries…. But it seems I had too high expectations. When you came to the North Sea, I didn’t think you’d look this pathetic.”

His words widened my eyes.

He had known I came to the North Sea all along.

Pressure built in the hand gripping my throat.

The immense force was suffocating.

It seemed holding me up was more infuriating than I’d imagined.

I began to reconsider.

If I returned alive, I might have to use this more often.

As I thought about it unconsciously,

“What is it?”

He scrutinized me even more closely.

More precisely—

“Why are you so pathetic? You’re clearly one of my kind….”

It was as if he was inspecting each flaw I had.

‘Is he insane?’

I couldn’t remember the last time I had been called pathetic.

Except for my appearance, of course.

“Hmm….”

Wasn’t being unable to grasp this just something trivial?

I couldn’t tell.

“So that’s why. So…”

I couldn’t know, but it seemed he had realized something.

Huff—!

“The sense of your existence is indeed trivial.”

His slit pupils brightened with light.

“Do you want to remain a lowly human even after evolving?”

I tightened my grip on his wrist, but it barely budged.

There was a difference in strength, but it was also right to say my body was too drained to function.

“How can you do that? Wanting to remain on the same level as those insignificant creatures. We shouldn’t be like that. We are great beings.”

“Damn… what are you talking about…?”

“I can’t understand it. To think you can’t even make such an obvious choice and remain a halfwit.”

His gaze changed.

The smile that had been on his face vanished, replaced by something chilling in his eyes.

“Our long-awaited encounter, and yet…”

It was killing intent.

Though it seemed shallow, that was absolutely killing intent.

‘I might die.’

If this continued, it was clear I would be in danger.

My survival instincts screamed it at me.

Even if he hadn’t spoken, the impending crisis was evident.

“I’ve lost interest.”

It was clear I was about to get my neck snapped and die.

Crack—!

As I struggled to break free, trying desperately to loosen his grip, nothing changed.

What should I do? How could I overcome this?

“You’re so weak that you can’t even grasp your position, it’s a shame to call you a kind. Just die.”

And just then—

Crack—!

He made to snap my neck.

With his grip still on my wrist—

I spoke.

[Let go…!]

“…!!”

Huff—!

In that instant, I felt a vibration from my heart, and a wind surged forth from my body.

An unintended Dragon Word.

I thought this would be useless—

But upon hearing my Dragon Word, he froze for a moment.

Thud—!

“Cough…!”

Surprisingly, he truly released his grip.

As my bound body was freed, I collapsed.

Gag….

With one arm gone, my balance faltered.

As my breath returned, I could barely catch it.

“…Unbelievable.”

The one who had just restrained me spoke incredulously.

“You.”

I lifted my head to look at him.

“Are you pureblooded?”

His voice was filled with astonishment and dread.

“Impossible. There shouldn’t be any pureblood left in this land….”

“…What are you even saying…?”

Pureblood? It was an incomprehensible term to me.

Where could there be a pureblood like me? My essence was a mish-mash of everything.

There was no purity left in my body.

One more thing—

“Ah….”

Contrary to my thoughts, he lit up with realization.

“Alright then. I didn’t believe it would be that easy just because I escaped from a meager form.”

Then, sporting an indecipherable expression, he continued speaking to me.

“Instead, I’m fortunate. I got to see you here.”

While he rattled on, I avoided responding, my gaze drifting.

Woo Hyeok was about ten paces behind me.

I assumed Nangong Bi-ah was far behind that.

‘Whatever he felt from me, it doesn’t matter.’

For now, I had to find a way to escape.

Could I save everyone? Objectively speaking, that was impossible.

In my current state, winning was also off the table.

“I had always wondered.”

So what should I do?

Should I try to touch the innate energy?

If misused, the consequence would likely be death, but still, it was time to make a move.

Even if I were to die.

As I resolved to draw my energy upward—

“How did three fragments of the Dragon Emperor gather in one place? So it was you.”

I froze at his words.

“…What did you just say?”

I stared at him.

Dragon Emperor. He had definitely spoken that name.

Seeing my reaction, he wore a curious look before grinning broadly.

“It seems our pureblood is quite ignorant. Unlike your precious blood, you’re quite unknowledgeable.”

“What do you mean? Speak clearly.”

“I can’t do that. There’s nothing more delightful than a foolish rival.”

Rival?

“To say the least, if it’s the most precious blood, it’s even more so.”

“That bastard….”

I struggled to rise, but—

“If I had my way, I’d swallow you whole right now….”

He was suddenly before me, having moved to Woo Hyeok.

“Right now, I’ll refrain. I want to confirm something.”

Then he grasped Woo Hyeok by the collar.

Woo Hyeok said nothing, showing no signs of resistance.

“I want to trample you, the pureblood, and devour you to declare myself chosen. To do that, I’ll need—”

Whooosh—!!

I lifted my head skyward, feeling something.

“…What?”

It twisted.

The space above warped grotesquely.

“With a weakling like you, it won’t suffice. At the very least, we need to meet under proper conditions, don’t you agree?”

Crackle—!

The sky cracked open, gradually shattering.

The space was collapsing in real-time.

What on earth was happening here?

“So, for now, I’ll just take my leave.”

Amidst the peculiar situation, he smiled his signature grin as he spoke.

He’s leaving?

He’s just going to walk away like this?

It felt fortunate at first, but—

I had to ask him with a face full of skepticism.

“…Are you planning to take him with you?”

Referring to the one he had on a leash.

“Of course. Biwaegun is someone I can’t do without.”

He replied with a look that clearly conveyed the obvious.

“You know, don’t you? We never let go of what’s ours.”

Crack.

I bit my lip.

Even if he said he’d take Woo Hyeok, there was nothing I could do.

I had to let him go.

Knowing that made my heart ache.

“Although it may not be a fair exchange.”

He continued.

“I didn’t kill your cute little sister who brought you to me. So today I’ll take my leave without touching any other fragments.”

“Other fragments…?”

I wanted to ask, but I couldn’t follow through.

Whoosh—!!

The fragments of the shattered world began to surround him.

The shards swirled like a hurricane.

Within that scene—

“Oh, by the way, my name is Yu Seon.”

His voice echoed.

“When we meet next, I hope you’ll have made your determination. Otherwise, it won’t be any fun.”

Crack—!

The storm grew stronger and rapidly expanded.

There was no way to escape.

The winds carrying the shards rushed towards me.

“Oh, and here’s a little gift for that.”

With that continued voice—

“I hope you like it.”

It swallowed me violently.

After some time.

I opened my eyes, which had been closed.

The first thing I saw was the now familiar snowy sky.

“…!”

Seeing that made me spring up.

Am I alive?

Wasn’t the world just crumbling?

‘Where’s Woo Hyeok? And that guy?’

What in the world had happened?

As I tried to grasp the situation—

“Uh…?”

Suddenly, a strange feeling tugged at my side.

‘…My left hand?’

My left hand, which had been ripped away, had returned. The shackles on my wrist were also gone.

It looked as if it had never been severed, pristine and whole.

And that wasn’t all.

I tuned in to the energy in my body.

‘What is this?’

As I assessed my state, I swallowed hard.

I could instantly tell that all of my internal injuries had healed.

What on earth had just happened?

Not only had my arm returned, but it seemed my previously grave internal injuries had been treated.

It was baffling.

As I continued to stare at my left arm—

“…Ah….”

Stiffening up at the voice.

I turned to where the sound came from.

It was the position I had just been lying in.

A voice so utterly drained.

Naturally so, since it was a voice I had longed for.

I turned my head.

There, standing was—

“…Hello….”

A woman with white hair, gazing at me, shackles around her wrist.

A tired yet still cream-colored face with deep fatigue.

Had she been resting her head on my lap this whole time?

Her body was partly sunk in the snow around her, in contrast to the thick flakes surrounding us.

“You….”

“You’re… awake…?”

She spoke to me.

“It’s been so long….”

I couldn’t wait for her to finish.

My body naturally wrapped around her.

As if I wouldn’t let go.

And then—

“Ah… yes.”

Nangong Bi-ah whispered softly.

“I missed you too.”

Her response was an answer to words I hadn’t said.

 

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