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Thud.

Broken pieces fell to the floor.

The fragments that landed on the ground quickly disintegrated into dust as if they had never existed.

Whether big or small, the result was the same.

“…What is this…?”

Facing the situation, Gu Bong had a blank expression as he looked at it.

The barrier made of darkness shattered.

It seemed invincible, destined to gradually consume everything, yet the absolute fear Gu Bong felt effortlessly crumbled.

And it did so far too easily.

<Creeeek!>

Gu Yangcheong, looking dissatisfied, brushed aside the rough parts of the barrier with his hand.

His nonchalant demeanor was simply absurd.

“What’s this annoying thing?”

Tsk.

He clicked his tongue and threw something he was holding onto the ground.

It was a figure.

Thump!

The figure with black hair fell to the floor like an object.

Gu Bong swallowed hard at the sight.

Though he hadn’t seen him for dozens of years, Gu Bong recognized that person.

It was his older brother.

Unconscious and visibly battered, his face swollen from the blows, nevertheless, Gu Bong could tell for sure.

“C-cough… huff…”

He let out muffled sounds, clearly in pain. His mouth was bleeding profusely.

What on earth happened?

Gu Bong was curious but couldn’t bring himself to ask.

“What are you doing now?”

A voice broke through. As Gu Bong raised his gaze slightly, he found a glimmering blue gaze staring at him.

“I noticed it the last time. Could it be you have a hobby of kneeling?”

With a smirk, he spoke.

Just like that, Gu Bong was indeed kneeling right now.

“…”

As Gu Bong didn’t respond, Gu Yangcheong extended his hand toward him.

The hand reached the cold handcuffs on Gu Bong’s wrists.

Click.

“…!”

Gu Bong’s eyes widened like saucers as he noticed Gu Yangcheong casually grabbing the handcuffs.

Not just any handcuffs, but ones made of Yosuk.

Though Gu Bong had managed to break them, he hadn’t fully removed them.

Yet Gu Yangcheong held them and—

CRACK!

Smashed them effortlessly.

“What is this, not a decoration but these ridiculous things?”

“…Huh…?”

Gu Bong wore a dazed expression as he stared at the broken handcuffs.

His mind briefly went blank.

He couldn’t comprehend what was happening.

It was that absurd.

“Ah…!”

Then Gu Bong quickly turned his gaze away.

While the barrier had just been shattered by Gu Yangcheong, he recalled the darkness. The memory of his father being slammed against the wall emerged.

As he thought about it and gazed at the wall…

‘Huh?’

There were no traces left. What happened? He had clearly seen it with his own eyes.

In the midst of questioning the oddity, suddenly—

Crackle—!!!

Cracks began to form all over the surrounding barrier.

In an instant, the cracks spread all the way, completely shattering the entire barrier.

Ka-thud!

The night that had been created crumbled.

The pieces disintegrated and scattered across the floor.

As Gu Bong gazed in a daze at the scene.

“How fascinating.”

A voice echoed from the distance.

It was the voice of the darkness, the leader.

Gu Bong frowned as he turned toward the sound.

This time it was different. Compared to earlier when the figure was enveloped in energy and barely identifiable.

Now, clear features came into view.

A middle-aged man with blackened, messy hair and a somewhat stoic expression.

He was the master of this place.

Sitting casually in a chair with his legs crossed, he stared in this direction.

Gu Bong couldn’t bring himself to meet his gaze and had to turn his head away.

“How did you know?”

In response to the man’s question, Gu Yangcheong spoke.

If it wasn’t a delusion, it definitely sounded like mockery.

“How did I know? I saw it.”

“You saw it?”

“Yes.”

What did he mean by that? Gu Bong couldn’t understand.

And perhaps the man couldn’t comprehend either. He spoke again, this time with doubt.

“That shouldn’t be possible.”

He had a firm conviction that it could not have been seen.

Gu Yangcheong smiled again at those words.

This time it was wider than before.

“If you don’t believe it, there’s nothing I can do. Don’t expect me to explain, even if you want me to.”

“…”

While his tone was brazen and somewhat sharp, Gu Bong felt that it was even more different today.

He had realized the distinctness.

‘He treats everyone like this.’

Regardless of who he was facing, his attitude didn’t change.

Be it formal or informal, the meaning behind the words remained the same.

“How amusing.”

The man seemed intrigued by Gu Yangcheong’s nonchalance.

The emotion in the gaze directed at him had already vanished.

“Are you also a person of Hwasan?”

“Can’t you tell just by looking?”

Gu Yangcheong indicated toward his chest.

There, the plum blossom emblem, symbolizing Hwasan, was displayed.

The man inspected that emblem, then looked at Gu Yangcheong’s hair.

“Dark hair, huh.”

Darkened black hair.

And ears and a tail.

Such colors were rare in this place.

As the man examined Gu Yangcheong’s hair, he nodded slightly.

Gu Bong perceived the meaning hidden behind his gaze.

‘Wait, does he suspect Gu Yangcheong is the mastermind behind the ambush?’

‘No way.’

Gu Bong rose to his feet.

He hurriedly tried to place himself in front of Gu Yangcheong.

Thud-!!

“…!”

Gu Yangcheong’s hand pressed down on Gu Bong’s shoulder, easily subduing him.

He could feel the gaze.

Gu Yangcheong was warning him with his blue eyes.

– Stay still.

“…”

Gu Bong had no choice but to sit back down.

“It’s not completely black hair, but it seems to have some color mixed in?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“I’ve never heard of anyone as strong as you in Hwasan.”

“Thanks for the compliment. That’s usually the case.”

“Ha.”

Gu Yangcheong’s words drew a chuckle from the man.

However.

“How did you escape the underground?”

With those words, the atmosphere shifted drastically.

Swish—!!

An enormous energy surged, causing Gu Bong’s shoulders to shake violently.

The man began to emanate black qi.

It was far denser and more intense than before.

“How did you escape?”

Despite the fierce energy, Gu Yangcheong still kept a smile on his face.

“I broke out because the hospitality was terrible.”

Grrrrrr—!!

A brilliant blue energy burst forth from Gu Yangcheong’s body.

As it brushed against him, Gu Bong grimaced.

The temperature in the room drastically rose as a result.

“I made all that effort to let you meet my son, and you treat people like criminals? That’s not right.”

“…”

“You’re making the atmosphere intolerable.”

As he spoke, Gu Yangcheong wiped the smile from his face.

Crackle, crackle, crackle—!!!

The energies began to clash against one another, creating ripples, causing cracks to form across the room.

If this continued, everything would come crashing down.

“Hmm.”

At that moment.

The man let out a brief sound, and the energy he had released calmed down.

“I am Heuknyeong, the leader. What is your name?”

“Mount Shan… No, I’m Gu Yangcheong from Hwasan.”

“Gu Yangcheong. Come in with the dark hair. I will grant you the next position as leader.”

“…!”

Gu Bong gasped at Heuknyeong’s words.

The next position as leader? His father had two sons already in this place!

Of course, one was knocked out from being beaten, and the other had run away from home, but still.

Giving the position of leader to a stranger was utterly absurd to Gu Bong.

“Leader?”

Gu Yangcheong tilted his head at the remark.

“I’m not related to you, though?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Isn’t it supposed to be reserved for pure blood?”

“Are you not pure blood?”

“…Hmm.”

Gu Yangcheong took a moment to contemplate before responding.

“Not entirely, but it’s somewhat accurate.”

Gu Bong frowned at those words.

He sensed the possibility of deception.

“Then come this way. I will grant you the position as leader.”

It was the same condition as before.

To relinquish the noble position of lord.

It was a proposal that Gu Bong had never heard before.

“Hmm.”

Gu Yangcheong appeared to contemplate the matter.

He’s genuinely thinking about it?

Seeing this, Gu Bong’s eyes widened.

“It doesn’t really entice me.”

Fortunately, Gu Yangcheong rejected the offer.

‘…Thank goodness?’

What exactly was there to be thankful for?

For some reason, Gu Bong swallowed nervously at the thought.

“Why? Is there a deep bond with Hwasan?”

“Not really.”

Gu Yangcheong shook his head without hesitation.

“…”

He was so bold. To say he had no bonds with Hwasan out loud.

Although he had previously stated he wouldn’t care less about Hwasan’s fate.

He had no idea he would say the same thing in front of his father.

There was hardly any bond. Hearing that, Heuknyeong asked Gu Yangcheong again.

“What then?”

“I don’t particularly feel a sense of belonging… You know how it is.”

“Know how it is?”

“I guess I want to be where a stronger leader resides, something like that.”

“…”

Suddenly, Gu Yangcheong’s words made Heuknyeong’s brows furrow sharply.

To want to be where a stronger leader resides.

It implied something.

“Are you saying the owner of Hwasan is stronger than me?”

“Eh… What are you saying?”

Gu Yangcheong waved his hands, dismissing the absurdity of the statement.

Then, he added.

“Of course, they can’t even be compared.”

He spoke earnestly, shaking off any playfulness from his expression.

Grrrrrrrr—!

Apparently highly irritated, Heuknyeong’s energy surged.

It was a tense atmosphere.

Gu Bong quickly assessed the situation.

If Gu Yangcheong exploded now, it would lead to a catastrophic event.

Should he intervene? While he hesitated,

Shhh…

Contrary to expectations, Heuknyeong’s energy gradually calmed down.

It wasn’t a natural decrease in energy, but more akin to restraining it.

“I see.”

Heuknyeong nodded his head.

“I respect the trust in your master.”

“No, I’m not—”

“Then what is it you want? Gu Yangcheong.”

“What do you mean by ‘what do I want?’”

Heuknyeong gazed at Gu Yangcheong with an indifferent expression.

The emotions he had just displayed moments ago had vanished, replaced by a cold, hard stare.

Heuknyeong’s gaze shifted to Gu Bong.

“There must be a reason you came to see me, even after using such means.”

He was convinced Gu Yangcheong used Gu Bong to get to him.

Also,

“Ah, that.”

In fact, he was correct.

“It’s not a big deal.”

Gu Yangcheong looked at Heuknyeong and asked.

“I need to see the general for some circumstances. Do you happen to know a way?”

Gu Bong gasped at those words.

 

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