Chapter 78

Chapter 78

Youngho, who had been silently staring at Hanryeong for a moment, soon stepped in front of him and spoke.

“Who said you were allowed to be here?”

“Have I come somewhere I should not?”

Even though Youngho spoke casually to his Senior Brother without hesitation, Hanryeong merely smiled it off as if it were nothing.

“I heard about your performance at the Dragon–Phoenix Gathering.”

“It’s quite a coincidence that we meet now, isn’t it? Of all times, now….”

“You are not listening to what I am saying.”

“The Dragon–Phoenix Gathering wasn’t exactly that remarkable of a story.”

There was not a trace of humility in his words. This time, even Hanryeong slightly furrowed his brow in discomfort.

The reason he felt uneasy was not particularly significant. It was simply that Youngho’s reaction was far too composed.

He spoke as if this level of achievement had been natural from the beginning, which only made it more puzzling.

Although Youngho’s words contained no humility whatsoever, his eyes were different.

‘There is not the slightest hint of arrogance.’

Simply advancing to the main tournament of the Dragon–Phoenix Gathering was enough to prove one’s skill to the public.

Yet despite finishing second in such a place, there was no arrogance in him. It was strange. Youngho behaved as though this result had been completely expected.

Hanryeong soon returned to a gentle smile.

“Even if you did not win, placing second is an extraordinary accomplishment. Moreover, you are called one of the Three Dragons, which makes it all the more remarkable.”

Though he appeared to be offering pure praise, Youngho felt increasingly uncomfortable each time he listened to Hanryeong speak.

‘His eyes are far too insolent.’

Hanryeong’s eyes, as if holding every darkness imaginable, hinted that he was plotting something.

“Thanks for the praise, but why did you come here?”

“I heard you carried out Master’s order.”

Youngho tilted his head.

“So what?”

“May I ask what kind of order you received?”

It was a somewhat troublesome question. That was precisely why Youngho’s smile widened further.

‘Look at this bastard?’

He could not reveal the contents of the mission Cheonung had given him. It had been a highly classified task.

Hanryeong likely knew that, which was why he asked in the first place.

As if he had already finished calculating everything, Hanryeong continued smoothly.

“Is it perhaps a mission you cannot answer?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

For an instant, an intrigued smile flickered across Youngho’s face before it shifted back into the playful grin of a mischievous child.

Hanryeong seemed to ponder something before looking straight into Youngho’s eyes and speaking.

“Is it the Transcendent Peak Master Realm?”

“It isn’t.”

There was not the slightest tremor in Youngho’s gaze. Not a speck of falsehood could be found within it. That only made Hanryeong find it even stranger.

‘There is no sense of incongruity at all.’

Youngho’s eyes were not lying. Yet for some reason, something about it felt unsettling.

‘What on earth is it?’

The missions Cheonung gave were all arduous without exception. To carry out one of his orders, one had to be at least a Transcendent Peak Master.

There was something more. That was the only thought that came to him.

‘I can hear the gears turning in your head from here.’

In that brief moment, Youngho noticed that Hanryeong had run through dozens of thoughts.

‘I did not lie.’

That was right. He had not lied. Youngho was not a Transcendent Peak Master—he was a master of the Transformation Realm.

But who in the world, upon hearing that someone was not a Transcendent Peak Master, would assume they were in the Transformation Realm?

‘Normally, they would assume Peak Master.’

Youngho smiled inwardly.

“So, are you done talking? I’m starting to get hungry. I’d like to eat.”

“Is it already mealtime?”

“No, I’m just hungry.”

“…….”

“Anyway, leave quickly. If you want to talk more, do it through the Asura Squad.”

“……The succession structure is gradually being decided.”

“Oh really? That was quick.”

At Youngho’s overly calm response, Hanryeong instinctively frowned.

“Do you not understand what it means for the Unorthodox Faction to decide a successor?”

“The one who survives becomes the Lord of the Unorthodox Alliance. What else is there to say?”

“……That is accurate. And I have come to make you a proposal.”

At Hanryeong’s inexplicable smile, Youngho grinned.

“I doubt I’ll accept, but since you’re my Senior Brother, I’ll at least hear you out.”

He was a truly exasperating fellow. He did not appear foolish, yet how could he remain so tranquil at the mention of a succession struggle?

Hanryeong spoke in a solemn tone.

“How about joining hands with me? And driving out Jeonghyeon.”

“Jeonghyeon….”

The first disciple of the Lord of the Unorthodox Alliance—and Youngho’s Eldest Senior Brother.

After staring silently at Hanryeong for a moment, Youngho suddenly began to laugh.

“Heh, heh!”

At Youngho’s mocking attitude, Hanryeong’s expression darkened.

“What is so amusing?”

Youngho snickered for a while before bursting into loud laughter.

“What kind of—!”

Just as Hanryeong was about to shout in anger—

Youngho stopped laughing.

His eyes, now chilled and sunken, began to bind Hanryeong’s body and mind.

No words came out. More precisely, he felt a dizzying aura as though a sword had been placed at his throat.

At this moment, Youngho was a sword itself. Cold and finely honed, it radiated its sharp brilliance.

“You came all the way here just to suggest driving out Jeonghyeon?”

Apparently finding it utterly absurd, Youngho let out a scoff.

“It’s such a stupid proposal that I have nothing to say.”

Though Youngho continued to hurl insulting remarks at Hanryeong, the latter could not utter a single word.

Youngho’s aura was so overwhelming it felt as though ten thousand soldiers stood behind him.

“You would drive out Jeonghyeon and then try to kill me anyway.”

“…….”

He could neither affirm nor deny it. Hanryeong merely stared at Youngho, cold sweat trickling down his face.

But as soon as the aura that had restrained him vanished, Hanryeong glared at Youngho as though he wished to kill him.

“And you believe you will remain safe after speaking to me in such a manner?”

“So if I licked your feet, would I be safe?”

“What!”

“You already killed Baekcheong, didn’t you?”

“……!”

Hanryeong might have thought he had hidden it well, but Youngho saw it. The instant Hanryeong’s pupils trembled.

Not missing that fleeting moment, Youngho grinned.

“So you really did kill Baekcheong. You didn’t even try to use him—you just killed him.”

“…….”

Hanryeong could not say a word. He merely glared at Youngho in silence.

Letting out a deep sigh as if finding him pathetic, Youngho sat down and spoke.

“To you, Baekcheong must have been an annoying variable. An empty-headed variable who might do something unpredictable.”

It was true. Hanryeong had genuinely worried that Baekcheong might become a variable.

‘That’s why I killed him.’

But it seemed the true variable was someone else. A variable capable of toppling every plan he had constructed until now.

Watching Hanryeong sink into such obvious thoughts, Youngho let out a faint chuckle without realizing it.

To Hanryeong, every one of his actions was likely a variable.

‘Still, that’s not my concern.’

“You’ve already laid out all your plans, haven’t you? How you’ll deal with Jeonghyeon. And how you’ll rise to the position of successor afterward.”

Hanryeong could not respond. He could not understand how his thoughts were being read so easily.

‘Did he already know?’

No, that was impossible. Youngho had only just returned to the Unorthodox Alliance today. And more than anything, his own plans had been in the making for years.

He had begun planning even before Youngho became Cheonung’s disciple.

‘A traitor?’

No, that possibility was extremely low. The people on his side were already too deeply entangled with him to turn back.

Under such circumstances, betrayal was nearly impossible.

If so, then only one other thought remained. And in Hanryeong’s mind, it was the worst possible assumption.

“……Since when did you know?”

“Today.”

‘A monster.’

It seemed Hanryeong’s worst assumption had been correct. A hollow laugh escaped him.

Thud—!

Stomping the ground hard, Hanryeong’s sharp gaze gleamed as he spoke.

“Is there any reason I should not kill you right now?”

Instead, Youngho laughed. As if telling him to try. Or rather, as if saying he could never accomplish it.

“If you can, then try. Whether you attempt to kill me here or later, I will always be your variable. A variable capable of overturning every board you’ve set up.”

Neither of them released any aura. Yet from their words—though not a trace of Killing Intent was contained within them—an indescribable Martial Presence radiated.

But the others watching them were different.

KWA-AAAAAA—!

The Asura Squad and Hanryeong’s hidden guards nearby simultaneously began releasing Killing Intent.

At that moment, Youngho and Hanryeong both raised a hand, stopping those who were unleashing their Killing Intent.

Seeing their signals, the others hurriedly withdrew their Martial Presence.

Youngho sent a voice transmission to Elder Hyeok.

—Sopyung will be startled. Keep it reasonable.

Elder Hyeok quietly nodded.

Youngho and Hanryeong stared at each other in silence for a moment. Soon, Hanryeong nodded and spoke.

“You certainly seem to be a greater variable than Baekcheong.”

“Enough. If you’re done, why don’t you leave?”

A vein bulged on Hanryeong’s forehead. Youngho smirked.

“Please hurry along, Second Senior Brother.”

Though anger would have been justified at Youngho’s insolent behavior, Hanryeong maintained his composure to the very end and left Youngho’s residence.

As their master exited, Hanryeong’s hidden guards also began disappearing one by one from Youngho’s Qi Sense.

Once he felt there was no longer anyone watching him, Youngho turned to Horyeung and asked,

“When did that bastard arrive?”

“Not long after we returned.”

“Really? Slower than I expected.”

‘If I know that Jeonghyeon is coming out of Closed-Door Training, there’s no way that bastard Hanryeong doesn’t know….’

After pondering something for a moment, Youngho looked at Horyeung.

“Where’s Sopyung?”

“She’s in the kitchen. When she heard you were coming, she said she would prepare a meal immediately.”

“I’m looking forward to eating Sopyung’s cooking after so long.”

“Yes. She said she would prepare a lavish feast, so you should anticipate it greatly.”

“Oh really?”

Just as Youngho was about to brush it off—

“……Wait a moment, Horyeung.”

“Yes, Young Master?”

“Come to think of it, didn’t you arrive here one Shijin ago?”

“That is correct. Is there a problem?”

“No, but doesn’t that mean Sopyung has been cooking for one Shijin now?”

“……Ah?”

Come to think of it, that was true.

A faintly uneasy expression appeared on Youngho’s face.

“She hasn’t been cooking continuously since one Shijin ago… has she?”

“…….”

Horyeung said nothing. Seeing his silence, Youngho grew even more uneasy.

“Why aren’t you answering?”

“My apologies, Young Master. I have nothing to say regarding that matter.”

Just as Horyeung silently offered his condolences, Sopyung emerged from the kitchen.

“Young Master!”

“Ah—Sopyung!”

“You’re hungry, right? The preparations just finished! Please come quickly!”

“Ah? All right.”

Tap. Tap.

“Hm?”

Someone poked his back with a finger. Youngho turned around.

“What? Chowon, is that you?”

“Young Master.”

“What is it?”

“……Stay strong.”

“Huh? What do you mean by that?”

Kang Chowon merely looked at Youngho with a sorrowful expression.

Soon, Youngho found himself seated at the dining table, staring at Sopyung with a pale face.

“Um… Sopyung.”

“Yes, Young Master!”

“Did you make all of this?”

“Yes! I thought you might be hungry!”

“……I see.”

Youngho let out a hollow laugh.

‘Horyeung, now I understand why you were laughing like that.’

So this was how it felt. Heh.