Chapter 1131: Scorched World.

Charyureureureureuk—!!!

I heard something spinning inside my body. More accurately, it wasn’t my body, but Father’s.

The noise of a ring spinning rapidly. As the rotational force increased, my internal energy repelled it in kind.

The friction erupting from there became flames, wrapping around my body.

Hwareureureuk-!!!

Crimson-red flames (赤炎) blazed all over Father’s body. Watching this, I swallowed dryly.

It was different. The quality was entirely different from the flames I saw earlier.

‘This is ridiculous.’

As if he too had been holding back his strength. Father was showing me flames completely different from before.

The dark training ground ceased to exist. It was as if a small sun had appeared before my eyes, an immense light repelling everything.

“……Are you asking to fight again, all of a sudden?”

I asked, not hiding my bewilderment. Fight again, right here? After we were just beating each other up?

I frowned, wondering if it was really necessary.

“It’s not ‘again’.”

Father spoke to me in his characteristic heavy, calm tone.

“Back then, you and I both had a purpose, didn’t we?”

“……”

Hearing that, I knitted one eyebrow. Because upon reflection, something felt strange.

‘Purpose.’

Father’s objective at the time was to stop Namgung Hyung’s escape. He had fought the battle for that very reason. It should have been the same in the fight with me.

And yet.

‘For him to mention purpose here…’

Furthermore, what would it mean that he didn’t show his true strength? If he had to stop Namgung Hyung, Father should have revealed his true intentions as well.

Of course, even though his opponent was me, it shouldn’t have been any different.

It definitely should have been, yet for him to mention having a purpose and not showing his full strength back then.

‘No way.’

I widened my eyes and asked Father.

“……Commander-nim. Don’t tell me… you helped Young Master Namgung escape?”

What if Father’s objective wasn’t to capture Namgung Hyung in the first place, but something else?

And what if he hadn’t shown his true strength and even helped me afterward?

‘……That can’t be right?’

There’s something strange here.

“Then what about Young Lady Hyun?”

What does that make Hyun Soyeon, who asked Father to capture Namgung Hyung? I don’t understand how this happened.

“Well.”

Father brushed off my words. And simply dusted himself off.

“Isn’t it polite to keep your word to the client?”

“……”

Hearing that, I let out a hollow laugh. It wasn’t a complete answer, but those words ultimately meant…

‘Father really did help Namgung Hyung escape.’

It meant their objectives were the same.

“……Wow.”

This really stings my pride. I racked my brain and tried my best, only to find Father was one step ahead.

“……And after all that, you want to fight now?”

“Is there a problem?”

“……I’m the one who was deceived, so why wouldn’t there be a problem?”

“There isn’t. Because the fact that I helped you doesn’t change.”

“……”

‘He helped me, so let’s fight properly.’ It was a blunt yet transparent statement, and it was also true. After all, because Father had kept quiet, I hadn’t been bothered. But why should we fight over that?

‘I’m completely overwhelmed.’

That’s how this situation felt to me.

“……Why do you want to fight.”

“Because I’m curious about you.”

“About what?”

“How far can you go?”

“……Pardon?”

“The Alliance Leader told me to watch you. I assume you know that.”

“……”

When Sword Saint’s name came up, I fell silent again. That’s right. This was also something I knew.

“However, the more I watch you, the more questions I have. How far can you go?”

“……Go how far, you mean?”

“How far can you see, And how far can you act?”

Hwareureureureuk—!!!

My fighting spirit intensified immensely. The size of the crimson flames was the same, but I could clearly feel the density of the pressure gathering within them.

“It’s fine if you don’t say anything. You just need to show me.”

“……”

“Consider it repayment for saving you.”

Kkuuk.

Father tensed his body.

Kwaaah-!!!

Stable flames enveloped Father like a shield.

‘……Has he surpassed the Eighth Star?’

Father’s current level. Judging by the flames of the Nine Flame Wheel Technique, he seemed to have reached the Eighth Star. The Eighth Star at that age. It was a realm I, who had expanded my energy with the Heavenly Demon’s power in my past life, could barely reach. Father had reached that point before even reaching the age of twenty.

“……”

The intensely burning heat pierced my body.

Giiing-!

The ring of the same form contained within my body kept getting stimulated and trying to peek out. I was busy grabbing it and pressing it down.

‘Stay put properly.’

‘Don’t act up and just stay still.’

I clenched my teeth and held my breath. It kept trying to poke its head out, so I couldn’t help but pay attention.

“Hoo.”

I took a breath. Using my internal energy, I grabbed and crushed the ring within my heart. A stuffiness welled up, but I could endure this much. As I regulated my breathing and gathered my energy.

“I’m coming.”

“……”

Father moved. As sparks flew, a flash occurred.

Tung-

Before I knew it, he had approached and was throwing a punch at me.

‘Hmm.’

I pondered. Should I go all out?

‘……But against Father, isn’t that a bit much?’

It was a moment’s deliberation. At that moment, Father’s words about repayment weighed on my mind. I nodded briefly. My deliberation ended. Actually, there was nothing to deliberate. In the first place.

‘Parricide is my specialty.’

Isn’t parricide the most outstanding of my specialties?

Kwak-

“……!”

Piercing through the flames, I grabbed Father’s wrist. It was the same as before. But the speed was different. Ignoring the enveloping flames, I yanked his wrist. Father’s body was pulled along with it. I threw a clenched fist.

Kuung-!!

“……Kkuhk.”

My protective energy shook with a single blow. The flames contained within my body surged. Father’s leg buckled. That was my intention. I aimed for his pressure points. His stance easily crumbled. Seeing that, I threw another punch.

Kwaak-!!

It dug precisely into his side. Using the momentum, I pushed force into my fist. And struck straight.

Pang-!

With a sound like bursting air, Father’s body was flung away.

Kkigigig-!!

He braced himself with his feet. He slowed down with a broken stance. The pain must have been immense. Since I hit him where his energy wasn’t circulating, his body’s balance must have been thrown off. Yet, Father endured. His mental fortitude was astounding. If it were me, I would have already been rolling on the floor. While I respected that aspect.

‘Not yet.’

Kkuuk.

Before I knew it, I had approached Father and lightly pressed his joint with my foot.

Tung-

“……!”

His leg gave way completely, buckling at the knee without strength. His upper body bending forward was a bonus. His head dropped with the recoil. My fist flew towards that spot.

Ppak-!!

Father’s face shot upwards.

I activated my Twin Pupils and contained the Azure Sky within my body at that moment. Heat circulated, stimulating my pressure points. A seemingly casual punch tore through the air.

Pangpangpapapapang-!!

The speed followed the sound. Like a whip, I swung my arms, striking Father’s entire body. In terms of count, it was truly instantaneous. I intended to finish him like this. Completely immobilizing him, blocking all actions. My Twin Pupils made that possible. As I thought that and tried to move even faster.

Kwak-

‘Huh?’

In an instant, my left arm was caught.

What the?

‘He reacted to this-‘

Kung-!!

“……Kkuhk!”

A fist struck my abdomen. Father not only grabbed my hand but also landed a counterattack. Even with my energy circulating, I felt dizzy. I couldn’t suppress my groan. Stumbling, I twisted my body. I narrowly managed to deflect the impact. I created distance. We moved to opposite ends of the training ground and sized each other up. Father had clearly taken hits, but his face didn’t show much damage. Conversely, I had only been hit once, but I was busy staring at Father with eyes wide as saucers.

‘How did he react?’

How on earth did Father react? I couldn’t comprehend it.

‘Clearly.’

I had predicted his movements and blocked all his paths. I had even prevented him from counterattacking. What did he see in that opening? It was a path I hadn’t even grasped.

My expression turned grim. Father was too terrifying.

Tuk-tuk.

Father, who had just done something incredible, simply brushed himself off.

Odeudeuk.

Still, it seemed the blows weren’t without effect, as rough sounds were heard while he stretched.

“Baek Yangcheon.”

Father called me.

“……Yes.”

“Is this proper?”

“……”

Father’s eyes sharpened. Seeing that, I sighed.

“If we fight properly here… the house and everything else will blow away.”

After blowing everything up just moments ago, I didn’t know what more he wanted.

‘In the first place, fighting properly itself is the problem.’

From the moment I sealed the Nine Flame Wheel Technique, fighting properly was impossible. And there wasn’t much justification to fight properly either. As I hesitated briefly because of that.

Hwaaaaaaah-!

‘Huh?’

Suddenly, immense internal energy emanated from Father’s hand. Flames gathered, forming a Flame Prison. And a very proper Flame Prison at that.

“……Commander-nim?”

“If you won’t fight properly… then I’ll have to make you.”

“……Wait…… no, calm down for a second. If we cause another incident, it’ll be really troublesome.”

As if he couldn’t hear my words, Father completed the Flame Prison and…

Guaaah-!!

He gradually increased its size. In an instant, the Great Flame Prison was complete.

“Fight properly.”

“……”

Has this guy lost his mind?

‘Hah. Is he blackmailing me with this?’

Is he threatening to detonate the Flame Prison if I don’t fight properly? What kind of blackmail is this? The problem was, from my perspective, Father wasn’t just blackmailing; he was the type to actually go through with it.

‘Tsk….’

I clicked my tongue briefly.

I don’t know anymore. I unleashed the power bound within my body. I pushed my speed to the maximum.

“If you won’t fight properly-“

Kuk.

Before he could finish speaking, my fist landed on Father’s cheek. Putting all my strength into it, I slammed him into the ground.

Kuaaaaaaah–!!!

The training ground floor shattered like a spiderweb. Father’s body floated up. He seemed to have lost consciousness from the impact. The Great Flame Prison held in his hand reacted.

Jiiiiing-!!

It seemed poised to explode now that its caster had lost consciousness. Seeing that, I quickly grabbed the Flame Prison.

Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaah—!!!

I reversed the direction of the spinning Flame Prison. My flames and Father’s Flame Prison repelled each other, but.

‘Don’t resist. I’m busy.’

Pushed by the released energy, the Flame Prison simply subsided. The Flame Prison, which had been about to explode, vanished.

“Hoo……”

Only then did I dust off my hands and run a hand through my hair. Next, I checked on Father. He was lying there as still as a dead mouse.

“……”

Seeing that, I bent down slightly and nudged Father.

“Hey… Father… no, Commander-nim…? Are you alright?”

Fortunately, I could hear him breathing. But his state, half-buried in the floor, was rather ambiguous.

“Hmm……”

Did I hit him too hard…? The thought suddenly crossed my mind.