Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 599



599

**Chapter 600: North Sea**

“What do you mean…?”

Yuri looks at me with a face that says she can’t believe my words.

It seems she finds it hard to accept.

As I speak I kick the dead body over with my foot.

The back immediately comes into view.

“…Huh?”

Seeing this Yuri reacts in surprise.

There was blood on the fur tied to its back.

“I killed the one who was wearing it and took it.”

It could be the blood of the surrounding beasts.

But.

“The clothes felt a bit awkward as if they weren’t fully adjusted.”

That wasn’t the only strange thing.

There was a slight twist in their movements unable to overcome the sense of alienation.

As soon as they saw us they tried to act naturally.

‘The tension that was inside them.’

The emotions that were unusually vivid were unsettling.

Tension?

Of course they could be tense.

If outsiders approached their hideout it would be natural to feel tense.

But their tension was different.

It was mixed with a nervousness that they had to act well.

Moreover the most important part was.

‘They didn’t show any signs of vigilance.’

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They didn’t show any caution when we appeared.

That was the part I was sure of.

After that they tried to take us somewhere without properly assessing the situation.

There were more than a few things that felt awkward.

As I briefly explained this I could see Yuri’s expression crumbling.

“That’s impossible… It can’t be…”

“There’s nothing in this world that’s impossible.”

I could tell just by looking at my own life.

There was nothing that couldn’t happen in this world.

“But… this place…! It’s a place that only the bloodline of the Ice Palace can enter freely!”

It’s a place only the bloodline of the Ice Palace can access. I nodded at Yuri’s words.

‘Was that why they touched the wall earlier?’

It seemed they had some method that gave them confidence.

But….

“Anyway it was breached.”

“That’s….”

“Do you think it’s not?”

Whatever it was it was breached.

Even if it’s a place only the bloodline can come and go what does that matter?

The situation had already occurred.

I thought while examining the dead body.

‘It doesn’t seem like they were planning a surprise attack.’

They didn’t seem to be trying to kill us.

Moreover they weren’t skilled in deception at all. Their level was quite crude.

‘Did they not know how strong the princess’s guards are?’

Was it Woobum and Wooseok?

One was at the peak of mastery and the other was injured but still a master.

It was obvious that such weaklings couldn’t capture us.

There was a chance the opponent didn’t know this but the probability was significantly low.

‘Then what are their intentions….’

Perhaps as I mentioned earlier.

Their goal was to take us somewhere.

Maybe that was why they deliberately placed those with lower levels.

“…Such… such a thing….”

Yuri still seemed unable to recover from the shock her condition was not good.

I approached the one captured by the faction leader and asked Yuri.

“Hey.”

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“Yes…?”

“How many children are there of the Ice Palace Head including you?”

“Why do you ask…?”

“Be clear separate by gender.”

She hesitated for a moment at my question but Yuri quickly answered.

“…There are four in total.”

“What’s the ratio?”

“Starting with the first Mister the first princess the second Mister and finally there’s me.”

“Among them who showed some ambition?”

“Ambition you say…?”

Yuri froze as if she realized my intent behind the question.

“Are you suggesting… that there’s a traitor among the bloodline?”

Her tone clearly showed her discomfort.

It seems the family gets along well given that expression.

“I’m just asking.”

If they’re not of the bloodline they wouldn’t know or be able to open it.

That was something Yuri herself had said.

However the fact that such beings existed inside.

‘One of the bloodline could have betrayed us.’

That was the most plausible suspicion.

A child aiming for the position of Clan Head.

Such things happen often in the Central Plains.

Isn’t it common for bloodbaths to occur over the coveted Clan Head position?

Yuri upon hearing my suspicion spoke with a serious expression.

“…That’s absolutely impossible. The bloodline cannot betray each other.”

“Is there a specific reason you’re so sure?”

“…”

The bloodline cannot betray each other.

The nuance of that statement felt subtle.

‘Did they impose some kind of taboo on each other?’

If that’s the case it’s a convenient and cruel method.

Since Yuri spoke with such conviction I would think differently for now.

But aside from that.

“It doesn’t matter anyway.”

I tossed aside the dead body as if discarding it.

I grabbed the neck of the unconscious one.

“If you don’t know just ask.”

Whoosh-!

I sent energy into the unconscious one.

At that moment.

“–Cough!?”

The consciousness of the one who had fainted returned.

Seeing that I tightened my grip.

Crack-!

“Gah…!”

I restricted his movements so he couldn’t act recklessly.

Seeing this the faction leader asked me.

“Shall I take over?”

Hearing that I chuckled.

He must have realized I was planning to torture him.

The faction leader probably didn’t know what I did in my past life when I regressed.

He might have been trying to prevent a mere young man from torturing someone.

But I was confident.

“I’m fine.”

In this area at least I would do better than the faction leader.

I turned my head to Seongyul.

“Come here.”

“Yes.”

The intent behind calling Seongyul was singular.

‘I said I can detect lies.’

I think I said something like that.

It was a power that would be useful in situations like this.

I called Seongyul over and slightly loosened my grip.

“Cough….”

The blocked breath burst forth and he gasped for air.

“Ha… ha….”

His eyes rolled as if he was trying to assess the situation.

“Why… why are you doing this?”

Did he grasp everything? He was quick to enter the act.

As I silently stared at him he urgently spoke to Yuri behind me.

“Princess…! What is this…!”

Hearing the man’s voice Yuri tried to move.

As soon as I sensed that I tightened my grip.

Squeeze-!

“Crack-!?”

I forced his mouth open.

And then.

Crack-!

“Gahh.”

I pulled out his molar and threw it outside.

As expected poison was hidden there.

I brushed my hands off and spoke to him.

“From now on your answers must be the truth. You must not spit out lies.”

As I spoke my insides gradually turned cold.

Anxiety began to rise.

I suppressed it with heat.

At the same time I had to cool my head even more.

In such situations one must judge rationally.

‘That would be the most correct method.’

I repeated it countless times.

But it wasn’t as easy as it sounded.

‘This is frustrating.’

The process Yuri mentioned had been tangled from the start.

The prepared hideout.

The path leading to the stable Ice Palace.

That was the beginning yet it had turned out like this from the start.

‘To put it differently.’

It meant the situation had worsened far beyond my expectations.

If so.

‘What about Namgungbia?’

What state is she in?

Is something happening to her?

As such thoughts crossed my mind I wanted to break something immediately.

But I had to endure.

Humans are too fragile to break.

I had to hold back for now.

“What the hell… what do you mean…!”

The man shouted. His acting wasn’t bad.

His trembling voice truly sounded sincere.

“What happened to those who were originally here?”

“Those who were here…! I don’t know what you’re talking about…!”

I looked at Seongyul at the man’s words.

Seongyul shook his head slightly at my gaze.

Does that mean it’s a lie?

Seeing that I reached out my hand toward the man’s face.

Without hesitation I plucked out his left eye.

Whoosh-!

“Gahhh–!!”

Blood burst forth and the man screamed.

Blood splattered on my cheek.

The expressions of those around us were filled with shock.

If it were any other time I might have cared but right now I was only focused on my urgency.

“Gahhh….”

In an instant he let out a pained groan now a one-eyed man.

Seeing that I said.

“One eye is enough to see ahead.”

There were thorns in my voice.

Even if I tried to control it it seemed impossible.

“If you lie again next time.”

I had to use all my nerves.

I had to prevent my hands from tearing him apart at any moment.

“I’ll rip out your liver and show it to you right in front of your eyes.”

It’s very easy to control it so that he doesn’t die.

Removing a few organs won’t kill a person.

It will just be excruciatingly painful.

“Now I’ll ask.”

About ten times.

The body can endure about ten times.

That was my experience from the past.

“What were you doing here?”

At the sound of the question the man’s remaining pupil trembled.

His body might be like that.

But how long could his mind hold out?

That curiosity was resolved not long after.

Four times.

The man spat out lies four times.

By the time he spoke the truth on the fifth question he took his last breath.

In the answers I obtained like that.

There was also talk of a betrayal involving the bloodline of the Ice Palace.

******************

A vast expanse of ground.

Snow piled high on top.

Under the somewhat harsh blizzard the white snow was stained red.

All of it was blood.

Among the many lying on the ground not a single one was alive.

The blood that flowed from them soaked the white snow.

In such a brutal scene.

Cough-!

A woman knelt down.

Blood flowed beneath the white fox mask she wore.

There was a deep bruise on her abdomen and blood flowed from there as well.

“Haah… haah….”

The sound of her rough breathing indicated her condition was not good.

It wouldn’t be strange if she collapsed at any moment.

Even in such a situation the woman endured using her sword as a cane.

“What a sight.”

At the sound of the voice the woman raised her head.

Before her stood the person who had created this devastation.

The woman looked at the young man and asked.

“…Why….”

In a situation where she could barely speak.

But her meaning was conveyed clearly.

“Why did you do this?”

Hearing the question a bitter expression appeared on the young man’s face.

“Well I don’t know.”

His voice was dry and thin.

“I’ll ask the opposite. Why are you doing this?”

“…”

“The Palace Head has nothing to do with you. He’s just a stranger. You have no reason to protect him. Why are you stepping forward like this?”

“…”

The woman did not respond to the young man’s words.

She remained silent.

Though I somewhat appreciated such silence.

At this moment it only left me feeling frustrated.

“…The one you should protect isn’t the Palace Head.”

“…”

Again there was no answer.

But if there was something different from before.

Swoosh.

“…!”

The woman was slowly rising to her feet.

Though she had narrowly avoided a fatal blow it was still a situation where she shouldn’t be able to rise easily.

The woman adjusted her posture without letting out a single groan.

Then she aimed her sword at the young man.

“…Ha.”

So that was her answer.

Realizing this the young man sighed.

She was still strong.

They say you resemble those you love; perhaps she inherited that stubbornness from her friend.

Is there truly no way?

The young man repeatedly bit his bitter lips.

As he continued to ponder he finally said.

“I’m sorry.”

In the end he raised his sword.

He thought to himself that there was no place left to retreat.

“This is the only way I have.”

“…”

The tip of the sword aimed at her. There would be no further conversation.

A brief silence. After a short mental duel the woman moved first.

Swoosh-!

Though her body was injured her sword extended without wavering.

The young man swung his sword in response.

The energy of a shaman unfolded from his fingertips.

In an instant the swords clashed.

At that moment.

Boom–!!!

The energies collided and exploded light flashing.

A loud sound echoed like thunder.

It was a fleeting moment.

Before long the light faded again.

And only one person remained standing.

The young man stood with his sword raised.

Thud-!

The woman collapsed weakly to the ground.

“…”

The young man’s eyes darkened as he looked at her.

There was no emotion.

Only a sense of desolation remained. This situation and himself.

The young man approached the fallen woman and lifted her onto his shoulder.

The woman was not dead.

She had merely lost consciousness.

Sensing this the young man quietly whispered.

“…I’m sorry sister-in-law.”

Having said that he took a step and disappeared into the blizzard.

Now what remained there were.

The thick blood spilled by others and the numerous corpses.

And.

The crescent-shaped hair ornament that the woman had received as a gift from someone.