〈 Episode 627 〉
Authority.
Greed.
A fundamental desire, an emotion that everyone possesses.
Shaolin, one of the Nine Sects and One Union, supposedly pursues freedom from such desires, but.
In my eyes, desire is the meaning of life, more important than anything else.
The reason humans want to move forward.
The reason they strive to seize and obtain something.
Whether it is material greed, the lust for honor, or even sexual desire.
Whatever it may be.
It is ultimately desire.
I thought it was the primal part of what made a human.
So then.
'Would a dragon be any different?'
Whether it is the dragon race or that wench Yuseon.
They held themselves up as great beings, bloated with arrogance.
But from where I stood, they were no different.
Rather, if anything, they were more honest in their desires—certainly not beings free from them.
If they were.
'They wouldn’t possess a power so faithful to instinct.'
That was the thought that came to mind as I watched the scene unfold.
*Grrrrrrind—!!!*
I focused my eyes on the gruesome sound.
Black.
A world that seemed blue yet black was unfolding before my eyes.
'Amazing.'
Since it was my first time seeing it directly, it was a fresh sight.
'So this,'
is Authority.
A variety of emotions came over me.
Not Dragon Speech, nor the outstanding regenerative power that came simply from being a dragon.
Not a body close to perfection for a human, nor a wide and capacious vessel.
'The real deal.'
This was not a realm of martial arts attainable by a martial artist through training.
Power gained purely from existence itself.
That was Authority.
When I opened my eyes.
I could naturally tell that Authority had permeated my body.
Yes, you know it naturally.
That you possess Authority.
What kind of power this Authority holds.
How it can be used.
What the conditions are.
Without even directly wielding or experiencing it, I understood most of it.
Unlike every other time I had obtained a new power,
when I would spend days repeating its use to grasp its nature,
there had never been a power this convenient.
'Truly unfair.'
I felt this situation was somewhat unfair.
The martial arts I had honed over long years, as though dying.
The internal energy I had chewed and swallowed, piled up step by step.
It felt as though all of it was being trampled by merely being a dragon.
It struck me as truly unfair.
Was that why?
This power had been created in the image of the emotion called my greatest desire.
Perhaps that was why my discomfort had been turned inside out and laid upon it.
It was a power made to be used not by martial artists, but exclusively by dragons.
Authority resembles its master. That must be why it was such a power.
That was what I thought.
*Crunch—!*
Starting from my pierced heart, something like a shadow was wrapping around in all directions.
It enveloped the room, which was not all that small, until not a single light remained.
Dark, murky.
Inside, vivid emotions were felt to the brim.
Greed.
That was the name of my Authority.
*Chomp—!*
*Crack—!*
The sound of something biting and chewing.
An extremely unpleasant sound to hear.
*Thud—!*
The heart pierced by Yuseon’s hand throbbed.
*Thump—!*
Though it had been crushed, I could feel it beating perfectly fine.
Were dragon bastards fine even when their vitals were blown away?
'As if.'
I laughed at the thought.
Unfortunately, that didn’t seem to be the case.
For now, it was simply because of a special situation.
*Grind, grind—!!*
The darkness that had been devouring its surroundings for a while.
*Grrrr.*
As if it had finished its meal, it let out a rough draconic roar.
From that point, cracks began to form in the space.
*Crackle—!!*
The surrounding darkness was crushed and crumbled.
*Hssssss—!!*
Gradually, the darkness began to be sucked toward my heart.
It took no more than a few seconds.
The moment the darkness surrounding me subsided in an instant,
I returned to the world as it had been.
However.
It was not exactly as before.
I turned my eyes and looked at my arm.
My shoulder had clearly been blown clean off, yet my arm had returned to its original state.
My pierced chest had also been restored.
It was the same situation as before.
My destroyed body had returned to its original state as the space collapsed.
I dusted off my chest and surveyed my surroundings.
I was not surprised.
I had vaguely suspected it would turn out this way.
"Urk…!"
*Drip, drop—!*
I shifted my gaze toward the sound.
There, Yuseon, who had pierced my heart and been overwhelming me until just moments ago, had collapsed.
She had been close—as close as when she had gripped my throat, and even when shrouded in darkness.
Now she was sprawled near the throne,
spilling a handful of blood.
"Kerk… keollock."
*Plop—!* The blood bursting from her mouth dampened the floor.
Raising her body with trembling arms, Yuseon looked at me.
Her gaze was full of shock.
"…What…? What did you just—!"
I did not wait for her to finish.
I approached directly and kicked her in the face as she lay sprawled out.
*Crack—!*
"Kuk!"
Yuseon’s head snapped up from the blow to her jaw.
Blood splattered from the impact. Her long white hair whipped up into the air.
I grabbed it without hesitation.
I swung her by the hair and hurled her backward.
*Whoosh—!*
*Boom—!!*
Yuseon’s flying body smashed through a massive pillar.
*Rumble—!!*
Debris collapsed directly on top of her, burying her body.
I lightly flicked my left hand. *Fwoosh—!* Flames immediately wrapped around it.
I could feel it.
A heat much fiercer than before.
Roughly speaking, in terms of firepower alone, it felt like it had increased by nearly twofold.
*Hummm—!*
Flames gathered in my palm as I attempted to compress them.
This was no different. The flames gathered heavier and deeper than before.
I imbued them with the will of the Wheel and rotated the flames.
*Screeeee—!!!*
Responding to the rotation, the rings of the Nine Flames Wheel Art began to turn.
'Flame Jade.'
I hurled the compressed Flame Jade with all my might.
The Flame Jade flying quickly toward Yuseon struck the piled debris.
*Hum—!*
Along with a small vibration.
*Kwaaaah—!!!*
It triggered an enormous explosion.
*Boom—!!!*
Sweeping the wall, it blew apart part of the palace.
*Hwooooo—!!*
Cold wind rushed in through the gaping hole in the palace wall.
She was barely pushing herself up, clearing away the debris piled on her body.
"Keollock…"
Her appearance, rising while bleeding, was truly a mess.
I looked at her left hand.
A hand with skin burned and charred black.
'Did she block it with that?'
It seemed she had sacrificed one hand to stop the Flame Jade.
Yuseon, with a wretched appearance, looked at me with frosty eyes.
Then she extended her relatively intact right hand toward me.
And.
"Visi…!"
As the word left her mouth, light erupted from her fingertips.
She seemed to be attempting something.
But.
*Snap—!*
"…!"
Black energy extending from my shadow once again devoured her light.
Yuseon’s eyes widened in shock at the sight, and she quickly contorted her face, glaring at me.
"What…! What did you just do…!"
It was an expression of utter incomprehension.
Seeing that, a faint smile formed on my lips.
"Amazing?"
"…What on earth did you…!"
"Are you asking why your Authority isn’t working?"
"…!"
At my words, Yuseon’s eyes widened, and she soon bit her lip.
It seemed I had hit the mark.
Rather than looking at her, I surveyed my surroundings.
I was examining the interior of the palace.
Slowly shifting my gaze, it wasn’t long before I saw it.
The corridor.
To be exact, the boundary of the space that had been stained by the black energy earlier.
Beyond it, a strange ripple was hanging down.
'To be precise…'
I suppose it would be right to say that as much as the energy devoured, the area returned to its original state.
With that thought, I looked at Yuseon again.
"There were more than one or two strange things."
"…"
The first thing that raised doubt.
Naturally, it was the situation when I had first met Yuseon.
Breaking through an unknown barrier, I entered, and out of nowhere it was said to be the garden where Uhyeok had spent his childhood.
Up to that point, it didn’t matter.
Whether it was sorcery or a formation, it could have been something an ignorant person like me couldn’t comprehend.
The important thing was,
'what I felt.'
When my arm was torn off.
When I survived by Yuseon’s mercy-that-wasn’t-mercy after facing death.
It was like the domain the Dark King had used.
Like his Authority.
And that wasn’t all.
"The people here couldn’t navigate the palace’s geography very well."
I had barged straight into the Ice Palace just moments ago.
Naturally, battles should have broken out.
I was aware. I hadn’t planned to destroy everything in my path, but I had come expecting battle.
'Up until the garden and the entrance, it was fine.'
The moment I set foot in the main palace,
they couldn’t even recognize my presence properly.
It was a strange situation.
Had they all taken something collectively? Or.
"Is something cast over the entire palace?"
"…"
Yuseon did not answer.
Only the strength in her glaring eyes intensified.
Seeing this, something felt familiar. That sense of foreignness within the palace.
It was like,
that thing that had been set up in the hideout.
"It feels similar to sorcery."
A power different from formations.
That thing called sorcery that had made the hideout so complex.
It resembled that.
When I mentioned this.
"Ha."
Yuseon burst out laughing as if it were absurd.
"Similar? You’re wrong."
Subtle anger was mixed into that voice.
"From the very beginning, sorcery itself is a power brought by dragons."
"Hm?"
"It is not something for humans to use or discard."
That was another interesting claim.
I tilted my head and looked at Yuseon.
"Sorcery is a power brought by dragons?"
"…You really don’t know anything, do you?"
"You’re the strange one for knowing. Anyone would think you’ve lived hundreds of years."
I had thought that becoming a dragon would let you know many things,
but it wasn’t necessarily so.
'It doesn’t really matter.'
I no longer felt frustrated by not knowing such things.
How should I put it.
'I feel like I’ll find out anyway.'
Even without nitpicking and getting annoyed, I would know before long.
That was the thought that occurred to me.
Also.
'There’s someone who knows right in front of me, isn’t there?'
Someone who could tell me a lot was standing right before my eyes.
For that.
"I’d like you to keep me company a little longer."
As I spat out the words, I launched myself at Yuseon.
"…!"
As I rapidly closed the distance, Yuseon reacted.
Then.
*Crack—!*
"Hm?"
Yuseon’s charred arm suddenly regenerated.
Seeing that, I let out a slight exclamation.
'Wow.'
What was that? Such regenerative power.
'Could that be an Authority too?'
Did she heal my internal injuries with that?
I was curious. Was it possible to regenerate another person’s body as well?
Also.
'Just how far can she regenerate?'
I was intrigued.
It was strange to find this intriguing in such a situation, but emotions were truly honest.
*Crackle—!*
The moment I reached right in front of her, cold air erupted from Yuseon’s toes.
I slightly twisted my footwork.
Sharp ice shot out.
Had I not dodged, my body would have been pierced.
At the same time, I turned my head.
*Swoosh—!*
Something brushed past my cheek.
It was Yuseon’s fist.
*Boom—!!*
A sonic burst exploded in the air. Considerable force.
Yuseon, who had looked exhausted until just now, quickly moved to take a stance.
Her advancing footwork was firm. The waist anchoring her center, and the arms moving in turn, were accurate and fierce.
'High. And middle.'
*Tuk—! Tuk, tuk—!*
Matching her movements, I deflected the attacks.
When Yuseon advanced half a step, I retreated half a step.
Each time she extended a fist, I blocked it before the movement could flow into its next form.
The Mind’s Eye showed all of Yuseon’s movements, so it was simple.
*Thud—! Thud, thud—!! Boom—!*
Even the light friction of clashing hands sent vibrations ringing out.
*Kuuuung—!!*
The building shook as though an earthquake had struck inside the palace.
*Tung—!* I knocked aside her wrist and met her extending fist with my own.
*Crackle—!*
Energy erupted, and a crushing sound rang in my ears.
I rolled my eyes and looked toward the center of the noise.
Frost clung to the ends of our clashing fists.
'So this is Ice Arts.'
I had heard of it in passing, but this was my first time clashing with it directly.
*Tuk—!* I wrapped heat around my hand and brushed it, and the frost vanished instantly.
Since I had wrapped heat anyway, I imbued a bit more energy.
*Hum—!* Energy wrapped around my entire right hand, riding up from my shoulder.
At the same time, Yuseon urgently burrowed into my body.
Fast.
The distance closed rapidly. She seemed to be aiming for the moment I was gathering energy.
Quick judgment.
But.
*Heh.*
I smiled as I saw this.
"…!"
Yuseon widened her eyes as if sensing something, but.
"Ghost Blade."
*Shriiiiik—!*
At my words, Ghost Blade immediately emerged from my left arm and bound Yuseon’s body.
"This…!"
I couldn’t stop all of her movements. Yuseon did not halt her attack even while surprised.
Along with this, *flash—!* Light once again burst from Yuseon’s hand.
She had aimed for something too.
However.
*Click—!*
Once again, as expected, shadows jumped out and devoured Yuseon’s light.
"You…!"
A brief gap was created as she was bound by Ghost Blade.
And I aimed for that.
Fighting spirit permeated my fist, wrapped in energy.
Gathering this, I lightly extended my fist toward Yuseon’s chest.
Heart Fist.
The soul flowed through the tip of my fist.
Unlike the tremendous energy, the movement was simple.
*Tung.*
As if to prove this, an infinitely light sound burst forth, but.
*Uuuung—!*
A light movement did not mean a light result.
"Urk…!?"
Yuseon let out a short groan.
Immediately.
*Gugugugugugugu—!!!!*
An enormous vibration erupted from her body.
"Hrrrrrk!!"
Tremendous fighting spirit burst up her back.
*Kwaaaah—!!*
The fighting spirit erupted with vibrations.
Swept along by it, the corridor began to collapse.
*Kwagagagang—!*
Yuseon’s body did not fly away.
Because I grabbed her hair so that it wouldn’t.
*Thud—!*
Slowly, one of Yuseon’s knees gave out.
Though she showed signs of barely holding on, her collapsing flesh refused to obey.
"Keollock… keok…"
Much more blood than before spilled onto the floor.
Seeing this, I was certain.
I spoke to her in a blunt tone.
"You’re not that strong, are you?"
"…"
Yuseon’s body flinched at my words.
I didn’t mean she was weak.
Yuseon was strong.
She had far surpassed the Hwa Realm, and might have been stronger than me from a few days ago.
However.
Unlike just before, she was not at the level to tear off my arm or grab my throat to subdue me.
Meaning.
"If it’s not the space you created, you can’t go on a proper rampage?"
"…Huu… huk…"
Though Yuseon did not answer.
The answer had already been decided.
Apparently, without the domain created by her Authority,
she could not demonstrate the combat prowess of a true powerhouse.
At this, she looked at me with an expression engulfed in pain and spoke.
"…What… did you do…? Why…"
"Ah."
She seemed curious as to why her Authority kept failing.
So I decided to tell her.
"My Authority, you see."
About Authority.
"It seems to be so greedy that it can’t tolerate others using their Authorities."
I told her with a smile.
"An Authority that catches and devours other Authorities. That’s my Authority."
"…!"
It devours dragon Authorities. And ultimately steals them.
The conditions for stealing were a bit bothersome, so I hadn’t tried, but.
In any case, it meant it was possible.
Greed was that kind of fellow.
Hearing this, Yuseon spoke with trembling eyes.
"How can… such an absurd thing exist…! That can’t be…!"
Devouring another dragon’s Authority?
There was no way such nonsense existed.
Yuseon’s face said exactly that.
But.
"What are you going to do if you can’t believe it?"
I had no intention of obliging her that belief.
Because I had too much business left with her.
Ah, right.
'I had business.'
A fact I had forgotten while fighting to my heart’s content.
First.
*Grab.*
I seized Yuseon’s shoulder and tore it straight off.
*Rip, tear.*
"Krrrrk!?"
I did not hesitate in the least.
*Snap—!*
"Kyaaaah!"
As her arm was torn off alive, Yuseon screamed in pain.
*Smack—!*
It was a bit noisy, so I slapped her cheek.
"Kek!"
My eyes, watching Yuseon’s head snap to the side, were filled with interest despite the noise.
It couldn’t be helped.
*Swish—!*
I roughly tossed the torn-off arm aside.
And asked Yuseon.
"You were regenerating your body earlier."
That absurd regenerative power came to mind.
Thinking of it, I asked her.
"Can you regenerate this too? The torn-off part, I mean."
"…!"
"How far is it possible? Can you regenerate even if I pull out your kidneys? Or what about your vitals? Is that impossible?"
Before I knew it, I had forgotten the original point.
My questions, asked as if purely curious.
For some reason, horror began to creep into Yuseon’s eyes as she looked at me.