Chapter 626: Power (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 626: Power (3)
In a room where not a single light flickered.
Amidst the oppressive silence, Yuseon sat upon her throne. Her eyes were closed, her chin resting in the palm of her hand. Beyond her closed lids, only darkness existed. The chamber remained shrouded in a heavy, deathly quiet.
But contrary to the stillness of the room, Yuseon’s mind was a storm of turmoil.
[…Kill…]
A voice echoed in the void of her consciousness.
[Kill.]
[Devour.]
[Consume the fragment.]
At the relentless, overlapping voices, Yuseon shifted her hand from her chin to her forehead, rubbing her temples.
“…So noisy.”
How long had it been since she last slept? It had likely been this way ever since she was chosen by the Ice Crystal. Because her physical body had transcended its mortal coil, a lack of sleep posed no threat to her stamina.
Yet, a certain exhaustion seemed inevitable. It wasn't a physical fatigue, but a mental one.
As the thought crossed her mind, a faint, mocking smile graced Yuseon’s lips.
“Weak… Truly weak.”
To think she had grown weary over something so trivial after finally transcending humanity. It was laughable. She had been chosen by the Ice Crystal; she had become a transcendent being. She was not meant to act so pathetically over such minor irritations.
“Hmph…”
With a dismissive thought, Yuseon waved her hand through the air.
Voom—.
Each time her fingertips grazed the empty space, ripples formed in reality itself. Feeling the subtle, rhythmic sensation, Yuseon repeated the motion.
[Chew and swallow.]
[And then…]
“I understand, so please—be quiet.” Yuseon’s brow furrowed at the repetitive chanting. “I will do it even if you don’t nag me.”
She had to. Even without the constant whispering, she had no choice. After all, that was the ‘contract’ she had signed.
In response to Yuseon’s irritation, the Ice Crystal asked, its voice tinged with genuine confusion.
[But.]
[Why do you not eat it?]
Why was she not devouring the fragment? At the question, Yuseon’s thoughts drifted to a certain young man.
[Lady Yuseon.]
The one who still refused to move according to her whims. The young man who displeased her so thoroughly.
And yet… he was the one person she wanted to possess more than any other.
“…I am merely waiting for the right moment,” Yuseon said, her voice laced with exhaustion. “So, please. Be quiet. I wish to be left alone for now.”
She spat the words out with visible irritation.
[…]
At her command, the clamorous voices instantly fell silent. The space grew peaceful once more. Yuseon tilted her head, a strange expression flitting across her face. Could it be that the entity actually understood her?
“No, that’s impossible.”
She knew well enough that such logic didn't apply to the Ice Crystal. Then what was this sudden silence?
The moment Yuseon lost herself in thought—
Woong!
“Oh?”
Yuseon reacted to a sudden shift in the atmosphere.
“…My, my?”
Something had entered the range of her senses. As Yuseon’s eyes widened—
Tap!
“…!”
A sound came from outside the window.
Pitter-patter! Pitter-patter-patter!
Whoosh—!
Rain. It was pouring outside the window—hard, fast, and relentless.
“…What is this…?”
Where had the snow gone? It had been falling just moments ago, only to be replaced by a sudden deluge. Moreover…
‘…Why?’
Yuseon was stunned that she had only just noticed. If something was happening within her ‘domain,’ there was no way she shouldn't have known instantly. How had she only noticed this strange phenomenon now?
“How…”
As Yuseon grappled with the bewildering situation—
Step—.
“…!”
Yuseon’s head snapped toward the door at the distinct sensation. From the window to the hallway.
Step—.
The sound grew louder. The leisurely, rhythmic sound of footsteps echoing through the hall. They were steadily approaching her location.
Step—.
A pause.
The footsteps stopped directly in front of her door.
[Hmm.]
Yuseon scowled at the voice whispering in her ear.
Click.
Someone grabbed the doorknob.
Clack! Clack!
They tried to turn it a few times, but the door remained shut.
[…What the? Why won’t this open? Isn’t this how you do it?]
The person outside seemed to hesitate for a moment.
Crrraaaack!
A violent splintering sound erupted as the door was torn clean from its hinges. One side of the door was completely wrecked. The one responsible for the destruction stood there with a slightly flustered expression, looking down at the mangled wood in his hand.
“…Ah, shit. Why is this thing so flimsy?”
“...”
Their eyes met.
She saw slit pupils—similar to her own, yet fundamentally different. As Yuseon stared silently at the man in this absurd situation, the young man holding the door spoke with an awkward grimace.
“Sorry. I still haven’t gotten the hang of controlling my strength.”
“…You.”
Whoosh.
Crash!
The young man casually tossed the door aside. The sound of it slamming into the hallway floor echoed loudly through the room.
“...”
“...”
They stared at each other in silence for several seconds. Just as the awkward atmosphere began to settle over the chaotic scene, the intruder spoke first.
“Long time no see.”
“...”
“Actually, it’s a bit embarrassing to say it’s been a long time. It’s only been about two days, right?”
At the young man’s words, Yuseon studied him closely. As he said, not much time had passed. His appearance was the same—he didn't look physically different—and yet…
“…Oh my.”
Observing him, Yuseon sensed a profound change. Only his shell remained the same. Everything else about him had shifted.
Thump!
Thump!
Yuseon’s racing heart was proof enough.
“It seems you’ve finally made your decision.”
Before, he had been a man who couldn't find his way, constantly devaluing himself. But the man standing before her now was different. Not only was he centered, but the impatience and hesitation inherent to humans had vanished. He was now filled with the effortless ease that only great beings should possess.
“It was worth showing you mercy.”
“Should I thank you for that?”
“If you do, I will gladly accept it,” Yuseon said with a thin smile.
The young man smiled back and replied instantly.
“Fuck off.”
As he flipped her the middle finger, Yuseon tilted her head, her expression darkening with displeasure.
“My apologies, but I’m afraid that’s impossible. I’m not equipped for it.”
“Whoa, a comeback for that? You’re rougher than I thought.”
“You’re mistaken. I was raised to be a perfect lady.”
“Hmm.”
After the pointless exchange, Yuseon asked him directly.
“How did you get here?”
The question was laden with layers of meaning. It wasn't just about why he had come, but how he had managed to reach this inner sanctum. It made no sense for him to have arrived so peacefully. If there had been even the slightest friction with the warriors guarding the perimeter, Yuseon should have been the first to know. The moment he set foot inside the palace, he should have been within her sight.
Yet, she had only noticed him when he was already standing outside her door.
“Take a guess.”
Gu Yangcheon just smirked. He had no intention of telling her.
Yuseon opened her mouth to press him, but he cut her off.
“Is that your true form right now?”
This time, Gu Yangcheon was the one questioning her, his tone one of genuine curiosity. The Yuseon he had met before had taken a male form. The Yuseon before him now was a woman.
“Who can say?” Yuseon gave a vague answer. “This was my form when I was human, but it’s not particularly important.”
“Hmm.”
“Gender is a trivial matter for us.”
The division of male and female was a concept for beasts and humans.
“The fact that we are Dragons is what matters. Gender is irrelevant.”
“Are you saying you can choose at will?”
At his words, Yuseon let out a sharp smirk.
Swoosh.
She slowly began to shift her body, returning to the form he had first encountered: the body of a white-haired man with a cold, piercing gaze.
“Oh.”
The young man let out a soft gasp of admiration at the seamless transformation. At the same time, he seemed to realize something.
“That’s not a martial art, is it?”
Yuseon’s expression shifted subtly at his confident observation.
“You have a sharp eye.”
She had tried to show him while pretending to be nonchalant, but the young man had seen through the trick at a glance.
This isn’t fun, the thought suddenly crossed Yuseon’s mind.
Swoosh.
Yuseon slowly rose from her throne. Simultaneously, her male form melted back into that of a woman.
Step.
She descended the stairs, slowly closing the distance between them.
“So, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit from our dear pureblood?”
The gap between them narrowed.
“Our last meeting wasn’t exactly pleasant, was it? Or am I wrong?”
“You’re right. You did rip my arm off without warning.”
“Considering you just tore off my palace’s precious door, I’d appreciate it if we could call it even.”
Ha.
Gu Yangcheon laughed out loud.
“You’re comparing a person’s arm to a door? That’s absurd.”
“Besides, I gave you a gift, didn’t I?”
She had healed his body when it was on the verge of collapse. She had even regenerated his lost flesh. Wasn't that enough?
As Yuseon spoke, Gu Yangcheon’s smile vanished.
“The former is correct, but the latter is not.”
Flinch.
“...”
Yuseon’s steps faltered for a fraction of a second.
“I still don’t know how you healed my internal injuries, but the latter isn't true, is it?”
As he continued, Yuseon’s expression crumpled. It seemed he had noticed. She had suspected it wouldn't take long for him to realize the truth once he overcame his hesitation and established his identity.
‘To think he figured it out so quickly.’
His arrival was unexpected, but his perception was even more surprising.
“You seem to be quite perceptive.”
“That’s a compliment I don’t hear often. Not bad.”
Even as they spoke, Yuseon wondered just how much he had truly figured out. But even as her curiosity piqued—
‘Even if he has noticed.’
She was certain that nothing would change. Even if this man was a pureblood who could aim for the Dragon Emperor’s throne, he would not be able to escape her ‘Power.’
That was her absolute conviction.
“So, what is the reason you’ve come to see me?”
Because she was certain of her victory, Yuseon could afford to smile.
“I bestowed a precious mercy upon you… Did you perhaps come back to die again?”
“That’s a scary thing to say. Who’s dying?”
“It’s just that I don’t understand otherwise.”
Yuseon continued, her gestures becoming more dramatic. Then, she erased the smile from her face entirely.
“If I gave you time, you should have run away like a pathetic dog. What are you doing here?”
I will come for you again.
Yuseon had told Gu Yangcheon that. And she had intended to follow through. It was just that the time wasn't right yet, so she was savoring the wait. But for Gu Yangcheon to come to her?
“Did you think you could beat me just because you barely managed to grasp a bit of power? If so, I’m a little disappointed.”
As Yuseon spoke, she lightly flicked her fingertips.
And then—
Crunch!
“…?”
A sickening sound echoed. Gu Yangcheon looked toward the source of the noise.
Poof!
The sound of an explosion erupted from his left shoulder, and his arm was instantly blown away.
Drip, drip!
Blood from the stump stained the floor. A sudden, violent turn of events. Watching this, Yuseon spoke with cold arrogance.
“Know your place. Just because we are both Dragons doesn't mean we are of the same status.”
Gu Yangcheon looked at Yuseon. It must have been agonizing, but his face remained blank. He stared at her as if he didn't even care about his missing limb.
Drip.
There was some recoil; blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Yet, he didn't bother to wipe it away.
“This feels real. The pain, too. No wonder I couldn't tell before.”
“…What did you say?” Yuseon’s eyebrows twitched.
“Back then, and now. It’s an incredible power. Is this what they call a Power?”
“...”
Yuseon inwardly gritted her teeth. Her guess was correct. This man—he had definitely realized what she had done.
“This very space… is it your Power?”
“...”
Yuseon did not answer. Even if Gu Yangcheon had figured it out, it didn't matter. That much was still true. After all—
‘He has entered my domain.’
As long as Gu Yangcheon had set foot in her ‘nest,’ his chances of winning were non-existent.
“Why don’t you try and guess?” Yuseon said, throwing his own words back at him.
At that, Gu Yangcheon chuckled. The sight of him laughing with a missing arm and blood dripping from his mouth was chilling.
“It’s fine. I’m not that curious.”
“…You.”
“Did you ask why I came here?”
Glow.
Gu Yangcheon’s eyes began to shine. Was it a trick of the light? Yuseon felt a strange sense of dissonance, as if the very air around them had shifted.
“First, there’s something I’ve been wanting to try out, and you’re the only one I can use it on.”
“What is that…”
“Second, I remembered something you said.”
“Something I said?”
“You said it yourself,” Gu Yangcheon said, locking eyes with her. “That Dragons do not tolerate having what is theirs taken.”
“And?”
“What do you mean, ‘and’?”
Gu Yangcheon swept his hair back with his one remaining arm. The slit pupils that had been hidden by his bangs became terrifyingly distinct.
“I came to take back what was stolen.”
“...”
“Give it back.”
What was he asking for? Yuseon pondered for a moment. But it didn't take long for her to remember. There was only one thing he could be asking for.
“…Biwegun?”
“That’s right.”
Gu Yangcheon smiled as if she had given the correct answer. In contrast, Yuseon’s face twisted into a hideous scowl. Seeing this, Gu Yangcheon clapped his hands in mock surprise—though with only one hand, it looked more like he was swatting at the air.
“Wow, look at that face. So scary…”
“How dare you…”
Kuuuung!
As if reacting to Yuseon’s rage, the surrounding space began to vibrate violently.
“Hm?”
Float!
Gu Yangcheon’s body rose into the air, pulled directly toward Yuseon’s outstretched hand.
Grab!
Yuseon seized Gu Yangcheon by the throat as he flew toward her.
Crrrack!
She tightened her grip. With her face still contorted in fury, she hissed at him.
“There’s a limit to delusion…! How dare you covet what is mine?”
Yuseon, who had been maintaining her composure, was now reacting with raw intensity.
“Caught again. This feels pretty shitty.”
Even in this situation, Gu Yangcheon remained eerily calm.
“…Don’t be mistaken. I didn't come to take what was yours.”
Wooooong! Wooooong!!
The vibrations intensified.
“He was mine to begin with. I was only taking back what was mine.”
“Hmm.”
“He is not yours.”
Creeeeak!
The sound of something being crushed echoed. Where was it this time? Gu Yangcheon focused his senses and realized the pressure was on his heart. Was she trying to crush his heart? He simply nodded.
“Fine, then. He’s yours.”
“…What?”
Yuseon was momentarily stunned by his nonchalant pivot.
“I said he’s yours. That guy.”
He spoke as if such things didn't matter. And in reality, they didn't.
“It doesn't matter if he’s yours.”
Whether it was Woo Hyuk or Biwegun, even if he truly belonged to Yuseon, Gu Yangcheon didn't care.
“What does that matter?”
If he belonged to Yuseon, so what?
“Then I didn't come to get my thing back. I came to take your thing.”
“What…?”
The moment Yuseon questioned his ridiculous wordplay—
Grip!
Gu Yangcheon grabbed Yuseon’s wrist—the one holding his neck—with his remaining arm. It was the same situation as before. The problem was that Yuseon still didn't budge.
Squeeze.
He applied pressure, but it was impossible to break free from her grasp. His energy had increased, and his level had risen, but the physical result was the same. However, Gu Yangcheon didn't care about that either.
He looked at Yuseon and said, “You know what? I realized I’m a greedy person.”
It was something he had come to realize recently. He didn't want to lose anything. He had to achieve everything he desired. If that wasn't possible, he would crush and break things until he got it.
“So, even if he is yours, I don’t care. I’ll just take him.”
If it belonged to someone else, he just had to take it. He would obtain what he wanted. He would follow his primal emotions. Once his hesitation was gone, it seemed this was the kind of person he had always been.
“I don’t know if I became arrogant and selfish because I’m a Dragon, or if I was always this kind of bastard.”
Perhaps that was why he had gained this ‘power.’ Having realized his own Power, Gu Yangcheon had to entertain such a ridiculous thought.
“I have to have what I want. Especially if it’s yours.”
“...”
Hearing his words, Yuseon fell silent. Then, she gradually wiped the expression from her face. She grew cold and calm. She felt foolish for having lost her temper just moments ago.
“You’re right.”
Yuseon nodded in agreement. What did words matter? This man had come to take what was hers. What was there to argue about in that simple truth?
She just had to make sure it wasn't taken.
Stab!
Yuseon’s remaining hand plunged into Gu Yangcheon’s chest. Right where his heart was. It pierced straight through, impaling the organ.
And so—
Slump—.
Gu Yangcheon’s head drooped, and his body went limp.
This was a predetermined conclusion. It was decided the moment he stepped into her domain. And it had simply come to pass. It was a somewhat anticlimactic end, but it was the truth.
‘…It’s laughable that I got so worked up.’
An ending so ridiculous it was embarrassing to have reacted so strongly. Feeling this, Yuseon sighed and tried to withdraw her hand.
Squeeze.
“…?”
For some reason, her hand wouldn't come out. The hand that had pierced Gu Yangcheon’s heart was stuck as if bound by iron.
Grip!
“…!”
The same went for the hand holding his neck.
“What is this…!”
The moment Yuseon uttered those words in alarm—
“Got you.”
A voice came from the limp form of Gu Yangcheon. Startled, Yuseon tried to exert her strength, but—
“Devour.”
Gu Yangcheon was faster.
“Avarice (貪).”
A blue darkness swallowed the space.