When did he first feel the presence of a wall?
He could not remember.
Not because there had been none, but because there had been countless ones.
That was what his life had been like.
A life spent facing one endless wall after another.
They said that was simply the lot of a martial artist, but to Paeng Jeowu, there was nothing more humiliating.
Why were there so many walls standing before him?
If they had been senior figures, he could at least have understood. But the ones lined up before him were his peers.
The first wall he encountered was the Sword Dragon.
He was the grandson of Namgung Jeolcheon, the Azure Heavens, the current head of the Namgung Family—and the most likely candidate to become its heir.
Since they were of a similar age, he was the one most often compared to Paeng Jeowu.
Yet after meeting the Sword Dragon, Paeng Jeowu had never once managed to seize the upper hand against him.
There were also the White Dragon and the Little Dragon.
The Poison Dragon and the Sword Phoenix. And the White Phoenix, among others.
He had entered the ranks of the outstanding younger generation under the name of the Ink Dragon.
But even so, Paeng Jeowu’s treatment remained unchanged.
The lowest of them all.
Despite receiving the patronage and support of countless clans, he was barely capable of holding on to his place.
That was the sort of talent Paeng Jeowu possessed.
An ambiguous talent that was neither one thing nor the other.
Far too lacking to be called a genius, yet somewhat above what one would call dull-witted.
A position precisely equal to that of an ordinary person.
For most people, it might have been enough to satisfy them.
But Paeng Jeowu did not belong among ordinary people.
‘I am… the son of the Blade King.’
The head of the Paeng Family, the current Blade King, was Paeng Jeowu’s father.
He was known as a martial artist of imposing character and outstanding cultivation.
As the head of one of the Four Great Families, he was a man of tremendous standing.
Yet as his son, Paeng Jeowu was always followed by the judgment that he fell short of his father.
A tiger father begets a dog son.
Words spoken of a child who was lacking in comparison to his father.
Paeng Jeowu was a man who suited those words.
And to him, they were a label akin to hell.
Lacking talent despite his bloodline.
A talent that had failed to resemble the family head.
His peers transforming into increasingly remarkable figures day by day, while he fell behind them.
These became the reasons that gradually tightened around Paeng Jeowu’s neck, and the cause of his deepening inferiority complex.
Time passed, and passed again. Then, just as he reached his limit, a certain incident occurred.
The Dragon-Phoenix Assembly, held according to the season.
This year’s martial tournament, which should have been no different from any other, was accompanied by one particular announcement.
The Alliance had proclaimed that the Divine Dragon would be chosen at this year’s tournament.
In the Central Plains of the present day, the Divine Dragon referred to the foremost member of the younger generation.
But he was also a symbol of the person who would lead the Central Plains in the future.
And so, as far more people and attention than usual poured in, many began to wonder.
Who would become the Divine Dragon?
That was the question on everyone’s mind.
Would it be the Namgung Family’s Sword Dragon?
Or perhaps the Murong Family’s White Dragon?
Or would it be the Little Dragon, or the Tang Family’s Poison Dragon?
They repeated countless debates, but there were several things they all had in common.
First, everyone was certain that the Divine Dragon would emerge from among the Dragons and Phoenixes. And the Ink Dragon was never mentioned.
From this alone, one could tell how great a standing the Dragons and Phoenixes of this generation possessed.
And among them, one could also see the position occupied by the Ink Dragon.
When the Ink Dragon first heard this, he could not contain his anger and repeatedly roared in fury.
But not long afterward, something happened that enraged him even further.
That was—
The birth of the Divine Dragon.
Immediately after the martial tournament ended, the Divine Dragon was born as scheduled.
Astonishingly, however, he was not a member of the Dragons or Phoenixes.
The Gu Family of Shanxi.
Though a noble family belonging to the Orthodox Faction, it was a clan that barely stood at the very edge of the great families.
Its name was little known, and it had almost no representative figures of note.
And from such a place—
Astonishingly, the Divine Dragon was born.
A scion of the Gu Family of Shanxi.
The Divine Dragon, Gu Cheol-un.
The young man who had appeared at the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly for the first time defeated both Dragons and Phoenixes alike and took his seat as the Divine Dragon.
And then—
That fact—
—That’s impossible!
Became the cause of the anger Paeng Jeowu had been suppressing exploding.
—How could a bastard like you possibly become the Divine Dragon?!
On the night after the martial tournament, while everyone was preparing to return home, Paeng Jeowu sought out Gu Cheol-un.
His face was flushed red from heavy drinking.
With internal energy, he should not have been able to become drunk easily.
Yet he had drunk enough to become completely intoxicated.
Because he felt that he would not be able to endure otherwise.
At the sight of Paeng Jeowu’s arrival, Gu Cheol-un stared at him.
—So that’s what it was.
Then he continued, as though he had just realized something.
—You’re that bastard from back then.
—What…?
—It took me a moment to remember.
At those words, Paeng Jeowu let out a hollow laugh.
The incident at the inn some time ago.
Even after that, did this mean Gu Cheol-un had forgotten him?
—Ha-ha… ha…?
The corners of Paeng Jeowu’s mouth rose.
Why did it have to be that bastard?
Why had that bastard risen to a place Paeng Jeowu could not even dare to look up toward?
He was neither from one of the Four Great Families nor one of the Nine Sects and One Union.
A nobody from an unknown clan had suddenly appeared and stolen everything away.
Paeng Jeowu had wanted to kill him somehow.
If it was impossible here, then even after returning to his family, he wanted to deal with that bastard by any means necessary.
—You became the Divine Dragon…?
It had happened in an instant.
It had taken that bastard only a few days to soar and reach a place far higher than Paeng Jeowu’s own.
It was the position Paeng Jeowu had yearned for all his life.
Yet it had taken that bastard only that much time to snatch it away.
—It’s impossible.
Paeng Jeowu knew that he was strong.
He knew that bastard was strong enough to reduce Paeng Jeowu to that state at the inn.
But he could not believe it.
The man who had ignored him and trampled him had become the Divine Dragon?
That was something that simply could not happen.
—So that’s what it was. That’s why.
And so he said something he should never have said.
—You said you were from the Gu Family of Shanxi? What sort of trick did you pull?
—Hm?
At the mention of his family, Gu Cheol-un tilted his head.
—There’s no way you rose through such innocent means. You must have pulled some strings behind the scenes—there’s no other explanation.
His intoxication had risen so high that his vision was blurred.
Even as he could barely see, Paeng Jeowu continued speaking while staring at Gu Cheol-un’s vivid red eyes.
—What kind of sorcery did you use?! How could something like this happen in that pathetic clan no one had ever even heard of?
That was right. He had used sorcery.
There was no other way it made sense.
—You said you were the head’s son. What sort of scheme did your father use? Or was it you? If so, tell me. What exactly did you do to—
In that instant,
Paeng Jeowu’s mouth, which had been spitting out his taunts, snapped shut.
—Urk.
A single strangled sound.
Along with it, Paeng Jeowu felt his body tilt.
Whoosh—! Thud.
His vision dropped sharply, and one knee was forced to the ground.
What had happened? Before he could even properly comprehend it—
Smack!
His head whipped to the side.
What? After the impact, pain came rushing in. His cheek hurt as though it had been torn open.
Only then did he realize.
He had been slapped.
—You son of a—!
Paeng Ujin tried to hurl himself forward in fury, but—
Smack!
His head was turned the other way.
—Kuh…!
Smack! Smack! Smack!
The blows rang out one after another. Each time, Paeng Jeowu’s head snapped violently to the side.
—Kheuk.
Blood trickled down.
Blood flowed from his nose and mouth onto the floor.
As his cheeks burned, Paeng Jeowu swallowed the blood and raised his head.
—Have you finished barking?
There, Gu Cheol-un was looking down at him with red eyes.
They were the same eyes he had seen at the inn, yet perhaps because they were now in the darkness, they seemed even more vivid.
Blood spilling from Paeng Jeowu’s mouth ran down his neck and soaked his upper body.
At that moment, Paeng Jeowu felt all the alcohol leave his system.
—You…!
But his anger did not subside.
To be humiliated like this—
Unable to accept what had been done to him, Paeng Jeowu tried to rise again.
But—
Crack!
—Ghk!?
Even that failed beneath Gu Cheol-un’s large hand.
Whoosh!
—Grrrr…
Paeng Jeowu’s massive body was seized by Gu Cheol-un’s hand and lifted straight up.
He struggled, but the situation was the same as at the inn. He was subdued as though his efforts were utterly meaningless.
Then—
—It is fortunate for you.
Gu Cheol-un spoke to Paeng Jeowu.
—I was told not to kill anyone in Henan, so I cannot kill you. That is fortunate for you.
A chill ran through Paeng Jeowu’s body the instant he heard those words.
The killing intent contained in every syllable began forcing its way into his eyes, nose, and mouth.
—So it is unfortunate for me. If not for that, I would not have had to listen to this useless barking in the middle of the night.
—L-Let… let me go… I… I am a member of the Paeng Family…
Paeng Jeowu tried to force the words out somehow, but—
—As I said last time, I have no interest.
Gu Cheol-un had no intention of listening.
Squeeze.
—Gurgle…
His mouth was forced open.
Could it be?
A sinister premonition flashed through Paeng Jeowu’s mind.
—Having only one molar left would be unfortunate, so I shall even things out for you.
That premonition became reality in an instant.
Crack!
—Gaaah!
The remaining molar was torn out as well.
Ssssss—!!!
It was just like last time. The hole was sealed shut once more.
He screamed from the searing pain.
Immediately afterward, Paeng Jeowu’s body collapsed onto the floor.
Gu Cheol-un had relaxed his grip.
Just as Paeng Jeowu was about to writhe in unbearable agony—
Bang!
—Aaaaagh!
Gu Cheol-un kicked the leg he had broken, crushing it once more beneath his foot.
—Do not move. If I apply any more force, you will never be able to use it again.
—…Guh… uugh… hhk… ngh…
—The son of the Blade King, Paeng Jeowu.
—…!
At those words, Paeng Jeowu’s eyes widened.
Gu Cheol-un had spoken his name.
He had clearly seemed not to know it.
—You…? How do you know my name…? Don’t tell me—you knew, and still did this to me?
Even knowing that Paeng Jeowu was a member of the Paeng Family, had he done this to him?
—A-Aren’t you afraid of the Paeng Family?!
Despite Paeng Jeowu’s shout, Gu Cheol-un’s expression did not change.
—Do you think that name will protect you?
He sounded merely indifferent.
—If you do, then go ahead and try.
He lowered his tall frame to meet Paeng Jeowu’s eye level.
—I fear nothing. If you can, then do whatever you like.
—…
Tremble… tremble-tremble.
Paeng Jeowu immediately seized his own arm.
He wanted to hide the limb that was trembling uncontrollably.
Gu Cheol-un stared intently at that arm, then straightened and turned his back.
He spoke to Paeng Jeowu.
—I am going to walk away now. During that time, I shall give you a chance to attack me by surprise.
—What…? What did you say?
—If you truly want to, then do it. But after that, there will be no next time.
Paeng Jeowu asked again as though he did not understand.
But Gu Cheol-un said nothing more.
Step.
Then, as though intending to keep his word, he began walking away slowly.
Watching Gu Cheol-un’s back, Paeng Jeowu’s heart began to pound violently.
Attack him by surprise?
Now, in this situation?
His mind said so, but Paeng Jeowu’s hand had already closed around his beloved weapon.
The back of the man who walked away as though he did not care in the slightest.
And the mouth that throbbed with pain so intense it felt ready to split apart.
The man who had pulled out both of his molars and humiliated him was right there.
Could he cut him now?
Could he kill that bastard now?
Clack.
Strength gathered in his grip.
After suffering such humiliation, was he supposed to simply remain still?
He could not.
With that resolve, he began to draw his sword.
But—
Stop!
—Grrk…
Paeng Jeowu could not move.
The red eyes that had faced him rose in his mind.
The way those hands had seized his throat. The strength that had crushed him into the ground. He could still feel all of it throughout his body.
He clenched his teeth until they felt ready to shatter.
He had to draw it.
He had to draw his sword and swing it at that bastard.
But—
—Ghk… uh… grrrgh…! Fuck…
In the end, Paeng Jeowu could not move and released the strength in his hand.
Overcome by fear, he had abandoned the attempt.
Then—
—What a shame. I could have secured justification. Your pathetic nature has saved your life.
Gu Cheol-un’s voice came from where he had walked some distance away.
Whoosh!
At the same time, something rolled to a stop in front of Paeng Jeowu.
It was the last molar Gu Cheol-un had just pulled out.
—Take it with you. It is disgusting to carry, but I hope that if we meet again, you will not bark carelessly.
Trembling.
Even as he listened, Paeng Jeowu could not say a word.
Until Gu Cheol-un disappeared from sight,
Paeng Jeowu remained there, doing nothing but endure the pain.
That was the memory.
A vicious nightmare that he could never forget for the rest of his life.
The eyes that had looked down at him then.
The pride that had been trampled.
He could never forget either of them.
So why—
“Aaaaagh!”
Why was he being reduced to this state by that man’s son, and not the man himself?
That was the thought that flashed through Paeng Jeowu’s mind as he floated in midair.