Chapter 319: Ironclad (3)
Beneath the moon, a slender young man stood alone in the field, eyes shut.
Even as the fierce winter wind whipped around him, he remained still, calm in the face of the cold.
He was thinking about the past.
Cheol Jiseon.
No, Zhuge Jiseon—he was only ten when he first realized he wasn’t like the others.
One day, his fingertips began to tremble, and with each movement of his arms, a strange sensation rippled through his body.
He wasn’t able to sleep well because of how uncomfortable it was, and it even led to him skipping his meals which made him weaker as time passed by.
Just what happened?
Zhuge Jiseon searched for answers but found none.
Then, about half a year later, something happened.
Unable to endure the unbearable sensation any longer, Zhuge Jiseon tore through it.
He knew he could touch it, but he also sensed that danger lurked behind that action.
That’s why Zhuge Jiseon had held back, but now he’d reached his breaking point.
Zhuge Jiseon’s hands were sensitive.
Just a simple wave in the air sent mysterious tingles to his fingertips.
It was there.
Zhuge Jiseon was able to rip the strange sensation apart.
It didn’t make sense for a human to be capable of such a thing, but it was possible for Zhuge Jiseon.
He simply grasped it and tore it apart.
He didn’t understand how or why, but he could.
If only that had been the extent of his abilities.
If so,
-N-No!
Zhuge Jiseon wouldn’t have witnessed the calamity that followed.
-Father!
Blazing flames and buildings that were engulfed by a mysterious power.
Zhuge Jiseon cried out, cradled in his sister’s arms, as chaos unfolded around them.
Among the buildings slowly swallowed by the flames was his home, with his father inside.
He didn’t want to remember this part of his past.
Even so, he had to.
Only then, he would be reminded of his sins.
When he tore apart that strange sensation, a crack in the air appeared—and it began to grow.
The small crack expanded, morphing into a monster that consumed everything nearby.
It was the Gate of Demons, the one his clan had whispered about.
The space he ripped apart evolved into the Gate of Demons.
That wasn’t all.
Because it was the Gate of Demons, it was capable of pouring out Demons from it.
Much like when it devoured Zhuge Jiseon’s father, sometimes the Gate of Demons turned into a monster itself and engulfed everything around it.
How had he, with his own hands, summoned this world-shattering calamity—the Gate of Demons?
He couldn’t understand.
All Zhuge Jiseon wanted was to escape from reality.
Ever since Zhuge Jiseon killed his father with his own hands, his mother distanced herself, and his sister, who had witnessed the death while cradling their younger brother, said to him:
-Jiseon, no matter what, you must never use your power.
He had tearfully nodded to his sister, but there were days when he simply couldn’t obey.
He did his utmost to resist the strange sensations, but there were times he couldn’t.
About once a year, the urge became unbearable, and he had no choice but to release his power.
Zhuge Jiseon looked for places or mountains without any people in it to use his power.
Summoning the Gate of Demons and fleeing always filled him with guilt, even when no one was near, but he could never risk doing it close to his sister.
He wanted to keep his sister safe even if it meant his death.
His power was dangerous.
Even though the world had grown accustomed to the Gate of Demons, and people learned to prepare, it didn’t change the fact that he remained a danger.
Moreover, the special Gate of Demons that didn’t pour out any demons, but instead sucked in everything around it, was so powerful that even Peak Realm martial artists couldn’t do anything against it.
As a result, he lived in constant hiding from others.
He also used a fake name.
If anyone discovered that a Zhuge Clan descendant possessed such a power, his sister would inevitably suffer as well.
Despite all of this, he needed his power.
With the help of Cheol Hwanho, he entered the Heavenly Dragon Academy, even though he had to conceal his identity and bear the weight of his pain.
He needed strength if he wanted to protect.
However, I have no talent.
Zhuge Jiseon knew that he lacked talent as a martial artist for him to use Qi.
That’s why he sought a different path.
His mother had tried to make him stop, and his sister warned him of the danger, but Zhuge Jiseon had taken the name Cheol Jiseon for a purpose.
This year’s Heavenly Dragon Academy is said to be the greatest in history,
The Meteor Generation, known for producing an endless stream of geniuses.
This year, all of these geniuses were converging in one place.
The pillars of the Orthodox Sect, Four Noble Clans.
Blood relatives of these clans would gather, along with those from lesser noble families.
Moreover, Zhuge Jiseon heard that most of the Six Dragons and the Three Phoenixes were gathering.
The future of the Central Plains, were all gathering into one spot.
I have to go.
To protect his sister, and to fulfill his father’s dream of restoring their clan’s honor.
That was his goal.
It was right for him to go instead of his sister who was sick.
There was still some time before he would need to release his power, and he had calculated that he could do it during the Academy’s break, when students returned to their clans.
It seemed like the perfect opportunity to carry out his plan.
At least, that’s what his calculations suggested.
But not every plan goes as predicted.
Zhuge Jiseon knew this, but there was one crucial detail he hadn’t considered.
It was the fact that he overlooked how hard it was to build connections in the Heavenly Dragon Academy.
Most students already knew each other before entering the Academy, and Zhuge Jiseon’s lack of notable talent made things even more challenging.
He was pretty clever, but there weren’t enough situations where he was able to show it.
Here, everyone was a martial artist, and in this world, only martial strength mattered.
The ability to open the Gate of Demons?
An incredible power, but one that Zhuge Jiseon couldn’t control—one that was far too dangerous.
He would be lucky if the Orthodox Faction didn’t consider him an enemy.
Moreover, if his Zhuge surname was found out…
It wouldn’t have been strange for them to go after his neck.
…Perhaps I’m in a way more dangerous situation than I thought?
He realized this truth during the first entrance exam, when his spirit was crushed.
When Zhuge Jiseon realized he lacked the martial strength to join the groups formed by noble clans, it became clear his situation was far worse than he had imagined.
He had no answer.
He entered an enemy base with everyone pointing their blades at him, so none of his plans worked.
He fought with all his might, gritting his teeth, and barely scraped through the second entrance exam, but the real challenge lay in the third.
An absurd test that demanded students steal bands from each other—or from Demons.
Zhuge Jiseon became certain that he wasn’t going to pass this exam.
‘…’
He fell in despair.
He realized how weak he was only now because he never got to meet another Young Prodigy before.
…I’m screwed.
His sister had been his only friend, so socializing with others was a challenge.
His lack of martial strength only made matters worse.
Building connections my ass…’
The brutal truth repeatedly struck Zhuge Jiseon’s heart,
…I can’t give up.
Giving up wasn’t an option for him.
He grinded his teeth.
Zhuge Jiseon worked his brain.
He needed to pass this third entrance exam.
Should I make a trap since I don’t have any strength myself?
Fighting another Young Prodigy was out of the question, so he considered setting a trap to capture a Demon instead.
Judging by this exam, it seemed like it was also a test of how one hunted Demons.
Zhuge Jiseon was somewhat confident in this type of thing.
…Nice.
Just as he was scouting for the ideal spot to lay his trap,
“Hmm?”
A figure appeared in his line of sight as he pushed through the tall grass.
A person…?
A chill ran down Zhuge Jiseon’s spine.
Of all the bad luck, running into someone right away!
He wondered if he needed to get into his battle stance. Could he win?
It was most likely that he couldn’t.
However, one good thing about this was…
…He’s lying down?
That person was lying down on the ground during the test.
His slow, steady breathing and closed eyes made it seem like he was asleep.
Sleeping in a situation like this?
What kind of person is he?
This person was definitely not normal.
…Then is this my chance?
Upon this sudden discovery, Zhuge Jiseon felt as if fate had granted him an opportunity, abandoning his plan to trap a Demon.
He approached his opponent, as he also happened to have the band that he needed.
Sneaking up with his presence concealed, Zhuge Jiseon reached out his hand.
But in his excitement, Zhuge Jiseon overlooked a critical detail.
No one would lie down and sleep during such a test unless they were incredibly strong.
Crack!
Just as his hand neared his opponent, Zhuge Jiseon’s vision suddenly spun.
Before he could even react, his opponent’s hand was already wrapped around his neck.
-What are you?
It seemed like he had just hit puberty judging by his voice.
Zhuge Jiseon trembled upon seeing the boy’s icy expression.
His eyes,
D-Demon…
They resembled the Demons from his past so closely that it was unnerving.
-I asked what you are.
-I-I’m sor-
Zhuge Jiseon wasn’t even able to speak properly due to the fear he felt.
He had definitely chosen the wrong person to mess with.
It was possible that he was going to die here.
How could a human’s gaze be this terrifying…?
Could he be a Demon, hiding behind a human mask?
The thought seemed absurd, but the fear was that real for Zhuge Jiseon.
This was Zhuge Jiseon’s first impression of Gu Yangcheon.
After bombarding Zhuge Jiseon with questions as though interrogating him, Gu Yangcheon finally seemed satisfied, having gathered all the information he needed.
He asked him to be his friend.
Zhuge Jiseon couldn’t even react in this sudden situation he was faced with.
A person who was scaring him to death with a death gaze, was now suddenly asking him to be his friend.
The ironic part was that this boy was the youngest martial artist to reach the Peak Realm, the one who stood above all others as the True Dragon among the Six Dragons and the Three Phoenixes.
He even helped Zhuge Jiseon pass the third exam.
At the time, Zhuge Jiseon believed that Gu Yangcheon was going to use him as a slave.
No one was allowed to enter the Academy with a servant, so Zhuge Jiseon believed that Gu Yangcheon was as bad as the rumors said about him, as he was going to use him like a servant.
But over time, Zhuge Jiseon’s opinions about Gu Yangcheon began to shift.
His words and gaze were brutal as ever, but he didn’t pick on anyone without a reas- …No, he did do it from time to time, but he always took care of people on his side.
He often checked in with his friends, casually asking what they were up to.
Also, unlike how he only let out a single curse word with a frown whenever he heard someone talking badly about him, he turned into a Demon and crushed his opponent when they talked badly about people on his side.
He was far kinder than the rumors claimed—well, perhaps not kind—but Zhuge Jiseon believed he was, at the very least, a decent person.
However, there was another thing he learned about Gu Yangcheon.
Zhuge Jiseon despite being called his friend,
I’m not in his circle.
He wasn’t one of Gu Yangcheon’s real friends.
He could sense it from the way Gu Yangcheon looked at him.
When did he find out?
Was it when the Meteor Sword approached him?
Or after that?
No.
It was ever since the beginning.
Gu Yangcheon’s gaze had always been cold from the start.
That’s why Zhuge Jiseon said that his gaze seemed similar to a Demon’s eyes.
The eyes of a Demon, staring down its prey.
Calculating the perfect moment to devour and kill.
That’s what Zhuge Jiseon felt from Gu Yangcheon’s gaze on him.
It was the same gaze he’d seen from the Demons that emerged from the Abyss he had once opened.
That’s why he said it.
You plan to kill me.
He became certain about his assumptions and said it to him.
Zhuge Jiseon’s certainty deepened after seeing Gu Yangcheon’s reaction to his confession.
Amusement.
Gu Yangcheon was feeling amused.
…I’m certain.
It was at that moment, where Zhuge Jiseon realized that Gu Yangcheon was really going to kill him.
Why, though?
Why was he going to kill me?
What did I do?
Could Gu Yangcheon know about his Zhuge lineage?
If he really was planning to kill, then how?
There was no way he could do such a thing in the Academy.
Is he really going to kill me?
Zhuge Jiseon began to wonder if he had made a mistake.
Maybe he should’ve went to the Meteor Sword over him.
Despite tons of thoughts filling Zhuge Jiseon’s mind, he responded to Gu Yangcheon’s question.
-…I’m able to open the gate to Abyss.
It was basically a confession.
He had no idea what Gu Yangcheon intended to do in this oppressive atmosphere, so he confessed, hoping to survive.
Zhuge Jiseon knew that killing him here wouldn’t be easy for Gu Yangcheon, even if he wanted to. Yet, he felt that if faced with this situation again, he would make the same choice.
Gu Yangcheon was different.
Something about him made him feel different compared to other Young Prodigies.
Is that why the Water Dragon, Sword Dragon, Snow Phoenix, and the Poison Phoenix are all by Gu Yangcheon’s side?
“It’s too hard…”
His head echoed in pain.
Did he make the right choice?
He wasn’t certain.
It filled Zhuge Jiseon’s mind with chaos not because he didn’t know how Gu Yangcheon reacted to his answer, but instead what he said with a smile after hearing him.
-So… instead of the Meteor Sword, I-
-No, you don’t need to.
Though Zhuge Jiseon had been ready to reject the Meteor Sword’s offer to side with Gu Yangcheon, Gu Yangcheon dismissed him with a smile.
-…Huh?
Even after learning of Zhuge Jiseon’s power, Gu Yangcheon didn’t ask a single question about it. He didn’t even seem to doubt it, as if he had known all along.
Gu Yangcheon spoke to Zhug- no, Cheol Jiseon.
-Do what you’ve been doing.
-…What?
-Do everything that Taeryung bastard tells you to.
-What do you… but I…
-Yes, I know that you want to stand by my side, so I’ll let you liv- …No, I’ll let you go.
Gu Yangcheon’s smile was terrifying.
Zhuge Jiseon had a feeling he knew exactly what that smile meant.
-Do everything that bastard tells you to do. That is your task.
Gu Yangcheon said this to Cheol Jiseon who was confused.
Why?
Gu Yangcheon’s words left Cheol Jiseon utterly confused.
Do everything he wants me to do?
To help the Meteor Sword in his mission to get rid of Gu Yangcheon.
That was my task?’
What nonsense is this?
Cheol Jiseon clenched his fist without being able to understand anything.
He still questioned whether confessing everything to Gu Yangcheon had been the right choice.
However, it was too late for him to take back his words.
Then,
Rustle.
A presence stirred on the other side of the tall grass.