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Chapter 613: Biwaegun

What’s going on? Why that reaction?

“Fiancée… Do you know who she is?”

“How would I know? I just heard there’s one.”

“Ah…”

She seems to be in a pretty bad state.

Whatever the reason, it was clear I had no idea there was even a fiancée.

Does that guy really have one?

“Well, it’s not too important, so let’s move on.”

“No, I think I still need to…!”

“Is there still no one you suspect?”

I started to speed things up with my questioning.

I could feel Yuri tightening her grip on her collar.

Suspicion, that was the first thing I mentioned when I arrived at the North Sea alongside Yuri.

Given how tangled up everything was, it seemed likely that someone from the bloodline had joined the rebellion. So I asked if there was anyone who seemed dubious.

When I asked, Yuri answered there wasn’t anyone.

“But isn’t it possible things have changed now?”

“…”

At this point, it became increasingly certain that someone among the bloodline was plotting treachery.

So I asked again.

“…that would be.”

Yuri’s reaction was peculiar.

“Looks like someone comes to mind after all?”

It seemed there was indeed something.

“…No, there isn’t.”

“I’m serious about this. If you don’t tell me, I’ll really leave you behind.”

“…”

This time, I meant it.

If she wouldn’t even say this much, it made sense just to drop the issue.

“Hmm.”

Still, there was no response.

Just as I was about to loosen my grip and toss her aside.

“W-well, it’s not a certain thing.”

Finally, Yuri started to speak up.

“I just… doubt it.”

“Why are you beating around the bush? I asked if there’s anyone suspicious.”

Did anyone ask for the answers? I was looking for options from the start.

“…”

Yuri hesitated for a moment before finally revealing her thoughts.

“…the Second Prince.”

“The Second Prince?”

Wasn’t that the child of the Gungju?

“What’s the reason?”

“Because he looks the most likely…”

I nodded slightly after hearing Yuri’s explanation.

That was a convincing enough reason.

Usually, the heir is the first son, and the tale of the second son who draws the sword for the seat is all too common.

The Second Prince, harboring resentment at such matters, could indeed be involved in the rebellion.

In a way, it’s the most plausible story.

“But that alone isn’t enough for suspicion, right?”

“…”

Looking at Yuri’s reaction, it seemed there was more to it.

So, I asked with that intention.

“…the Second Prince has always been quite dissatisfied.”

Well, there it is.

As expected, Yuri added more reasons.

“The First Prince was set to become the Gungju, but… in terms of talent, the Second Prince was superior.”

“So he was dissatisfied about that.”

“Yeah. Ever since birth, he lamented not becoming the Gungju due to how things were already chosen for him.”

Seeing that, she immediately thought of the Second Prince when hearing about the bloodline’s involvement in the rebellion.

‘That’s enough to raise suspicions.’

The talented second son.

The first son, who gained the position simply due to being born first, even if his abilities are lacking.

This led the second son to nurse grievances and instigate rebellion.

‘These are the kinds of things I’ve heard too often.’

I nodded.

This was information worth storing in my mind.

I squeezed my hand tighter.

“Haah…”

Yuri let out a sigh.

It seems she realized she was in danger.

I sensed it last time too; she seems quick-witted.

Time was still short, but the pressure was getting thicker, prompting me to pick up the pace.

“…Can I ask you something too?”

Amidst that, Yuri posed a question.

“What is it?”

Was she about to ask something about that fiancée?

I thought so for a moment, but then…

“How did you come out of your hiding place?”

“What?”

Her unexpected question almost threw me off balance.

“What do you mean? How did I come out?”

I just came out, what else could I say?

Seeing me look puzzled, Yuri had a mysterious aura about her as she continued.

“In the hideout… there are high-level sorceries set up. Unless you’re from the bloodline or know the way, it’s nearly impossible to enter or move around freely…”

“…What?”

I furrowed my brows at her words.

Sorcery? Not a formation but sorcery.

‘Isn’t that what Shin Yi used?’

A technique I’d seen years ago when I was treating Jiegal Hyeok with the White Horse Stone.

I remembered that it wasn’t quite like any other formation employed by others.

It didn’t use the high-level calculations of a formation.

Just a few hand movements, and with it the energy and a mystical scene unfolded.

Right after, the White Horse Stone used as a sacrifice vanished, and Jiegal Hyeok regained his ability to speak.

It was true that Shin Yi had been unconscious for over a fortnight afterward, but it was still a mysterious power.

How could that be? Even when I posed the question, Shin Yi didn’t provide answers.

Such a power.

‘Was it in that cave?’

I hadn’t felt a thing!

If anything, I had moved around splendidly and even found the entrance without trouble.

‘…Wait.’

As I recalled that, the moment when I parted ways with Baek Cheon-gyeom crossed my mind.

On the day I was leaving, Baek Cheon-gyeom, for some reason, hadn’t followed me.

At that time, I thought maybe she just didn’t want to be held back.

‘What if she simply lost track of me?’

If she had missed me due to that, it made perfect sense.

But more importantly…

‘No wonder there seemed to be so few guards around.’

I had felt there were remarkably few sentinels stationed inside and outside the hideout.

Initially, I thought it might have been because they had to hurriedly escape with a smaller force.

If that’s due to sorcery, that would fit right in.

The problem was.

‘Why didn’t I notice it?’

If Yuri’s statement was true, I should have felt something.

How had I failed to notice anything?

As that doubt swirled in my mind.

Tap.

I had to halt my hurried steps.

“Gu Gong–?”

“…Shh.”

Yuri interrupted my question.

“Looks like we’ve arrived at our destination.”

“Really?”

Upon hearing that, Yuri widened her eyes.

“…Here?”

“Yeah.”

“There’s… nothing here, though?”

Underneath the still black sky, snow was still swirling around.

The view was completely obscured, preventing me from seeing even an inch ahead.

In this context, it was natural for Yuri to be confused as all that surrounded us was a vast snowfield.

“No, this is right.”

I knew this place.

Swish.

I reached out my hand.

As I swayed it slightly forward—

Boom-!

I felt something at my fingertips. Initially thought to be a barrier, it felt different, like a wave.

Is this a formation?

Or something else entirely?

That part I still didn’t know, but one thing was certain.

‘Am I really feeling this?’

This faint sensation, which I was originally unable to sense, was now coursing through my entire body.

I couldn’t help but look at Yuri in awe.

How could she not perceive such intense and vivid sensations?

No, if we think about it, I too would have originally missed these feelings.

Even when Nangong Bi-ah tore through the formation of the Black Night Palace.

Even when Woo Hyeok found the entrance to Biwaegun in Shinryong Temple.

I had been unable to feel anything compared to them.

So now, why was I able to sense this?

‘Well, I guess…’

As I awakened my Heart’s Authority, it seemed something had changed within me.

How fascinating.

‘So this is what it feels like.’

To detect sound from a formation, to sense smells.

Before now, I couldn’t grasp what such nonsense meant, but now I had at least a vague understanding.

I immediately turned to Yuri and asked.

“Do you know where this is?”

“…I don’t.”

Yuri shook her head at my question.

With nothing but a snowy landscape surrounding us, it was unreasonable to expect her to know where we were.

Especially since we relied solely on our energy to walk here; it made sense she wouldn’t know.

“Are you sure this is where we’re supposed to come?”

“Yeah.”

On the other side.

Boom-! Boom-!

Vibrations without a doubt came from beyond there.

Huff-!

I released my energy to spread around us.

I was cautious, thinking there might be enemies nearby. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel any.

I swirled my hand over the rippling waves a few more times.

Then I was about to probe deeper.

Crack crackle-!

My hand was pushed back by an unknown pressure.

“Hmmm.”

What should I do?

It didn’t seem like I could just walk in.

‘Can I carve a path like those guys did?’

Like Nangong Bi-ah or Woo Hyeok, could I slice through with my sword?

With that thought in mind, I stared down at the waves in front of me.

‘No matter how I look at it, I can’t see a way…’

That was disappointing; I couldn’t see any possible openings.

So what now?

I couldn’t just pass by, could I?

There were no gaps I could slip through.

Should I even try to dismantle this?

I was sure that attempting such a feat would leave me overwhelmed well before succeeding tonight.

So what now?

Should I just turn back?

‘No way.’

Now that I’ve come this far, I wouldn’t turn back.

Especially when I could feel those vibrations on the other side; how could I simply return?

Thunder Fang was resonating from just beyond this barrier.

Knowing that, how could I turn back?

“Gu Gongja…?”

I leaned slightly to the side.

I clenched my fist.

‘Will it work?’

I wasn’t sure.

Even as I took action, doubts swirled in my mind.

How to use it again? Could I even replicate it? I’ve never fully grasped it while in my right mind.

All I could do was believe.

That I could do this.

That was all I had to go on.

“When there’s no method…”

You just choose the simplest option.

If the mind is clouded, just break something.

That was the method that suited me best.

Boom-!

Something erupting from my heart coiled around my fist.

In an instant, an overwhelming void rushed over me.

Feeling that, I said,

“Just go primal.”

With that, I thrust my fist toward the waves.

Heart’s Fist.

Whoosh-!

From the tip of my fist, calamity erupted.

Boom—!!

In an instant, a tremendous vibration resonated around us.

Because of that.

“…!”

Nangong Bi-ah, who had been barely asleep, opened her eyes.

She quickly shot up and looked around.

“Ah…?”

Nangong Bi-ah’s eyes widened in disbelief.

It was inevitable.

The foul smell that began to arise when she lost her ‘mask’ was no longer detectable.

 

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