Chapter 1200: Scorched World

Kwadadaduk–!!

Boom–!!

The ceiling completely collapsed and the walls crumbled from the impact.

Chiiiiik.

The heat was intense enough to melt the fallen debris. Gu Cheolun moved, sensing the smell of burning and melting.

Hududuk.

Ignoring the debris clinging to his body, he took a step forward.

Chiiiiiiik.

The stairs sizzled against the heat clinging to the floor. His burning red eyes scanned the area ahead.

‘The stairs.’

There was something there. The vibe felt off, so he broke in. It seemed his hunch was correct.

‘……Baek Yangcheon.’

Baek Yangcheon’s face surfaced in Gu Cheolun’s mind.

‘Just asking me to come pick him up?’

‘Just come to Dogga and pick me up.’ He’d asked him to do it because it was a simple matter.

‘This is absurd.’

Gu Cheolun’s brow furrowed deeply. He’d called it a simple matter, but how could anyone possibly see this as simple?

‘He must have asked knowing everything.’

Baek Yangcheon surely knew. That there was something in Dogga. He must have headed to Dogga knowing that. And he would have been aware that problems would arise during the process.

And yet.

‘He summoned me.’

He asked me to come pick him up.

‘……What an unbelievable guy.’

The more he thought about it, the more ridiculous it became.

‘What the hell is he?’

‘That guy.’

What exactly is this Baek Yangcheon guy? He must have realized Gu Cheolun was wary of him.

He would have known that too.

Furthermore.

‘That I was paying attention to Do Yun as well.’

Gu Cheolun wasn’t just paying attention to Baek Yangcheon, but also to Do Yun. He might not have known that.

No, if it was him, he would have known. If it was the Baek Yangcheon he’d seen, it was certain.

‘……What kind of person is he?’

He couldn’t understand. Not even the part about him being of Gu family lineage.

About his identity. And.

‘The reason why he bothers me this much.’

Why he was paying so much attention to him.

It had been like that from the first moment he saw him.

His fierce-looking eyes. They strangely drew his gaze, even though he shouldn’t have been interested in others.

And the worry inexplicably contained within eyes that revealed nothing of his thoughts.

Was he hiding his level? Was he surprisingly strong?

Those things weren’t important.

At the same time.

‘That she was paying attention too.’

That strange woman he’d picked up, the one who was also paying attention to Baek Yangcheon.

At first, that part bothered him.

But not anymore. Perhaps because he’d accepted it.

‘I…’

Setting aside those things, he was paying attention to Baek Yangcheon himself.

Kwaduduk–!!

“You bastard–!!”

A shout came from behind. It was Do Cheol, the Family Head of Dogga.

“……”

Gu Cheolun glanced at him.

He recognized the secret within Dogga. He knew they were plotting something, and figured out it was connected to Baek Yangcheon.

“How dare you-! Deceive me.”

At Do Cheol’s words, Gu Cheolun tensed his body.

Hwarureureuk.

Red flames enveloped his body.

Kwaduk-!

His fingers dug into the wall. Flames erupted from where they dug in. Using that as a catalyst, he swung his arm.

Kwagagagagak–!!!

The wall crumbled along with the flames, and the space collapsed.

“You-!”

Before Do Cheol could say anything, his path was blocked. Seeing that, Gu Cheolun immediately turned around.

Kwang-!

He descended at high speed. Simultaneously, he broke through the wall just like before as he went down.

Kugugugugung–!!

A sound came from behind. It was Do Cheol breaking through the blocked wall.

It was merely buying time. Gu Cheolun continued descending, radiating his energy.

The stairs ended quickly. He then broke through the path ahead.

He reached the very end in an instant like that.

“……”

Seeing the iron gate ahead, Gu Cheolun stopped.

It was solid iron. There wasn’t just one or two locking mechanisms visible. Judging by the number, it wasn’t something easily overcome.

Just then.

Kwagagak–!!

Do Cheol appeared as the collapsed wall behind him burst open.

“This guy…”

His face was contorted like an evil spirit’s.

Then, seeing the iron gate in front of Gu Cheolun, Do Cheol’s lips curled upwards.

“I wondered what you were trying to do. You’ve finally reached a dead end. What do you plan to do now?”

“……”

Looking at Do Cheol, Gu Cheolun examined the iron gate behind him again.

“That gate cannot be opened unless you know the method to disarm it.”

‘The disarming method, huh.’

It was certainly thick. It didn’t seem like ordinary strength could break through it.

“Give up.”

Seueueue–!!

At Do Cheol’s words, Gu Cheolun conjured flames in his hand. Seeing that, heat flared in Do Cheol’s eyes.

‘Looks like he’s finally given up for real.’

Since there was nowhere to run, he seemed ready to fight now. The fighting spirit emanating from Gu Cheolun’s body was proof of that.

Indeed.

‘Impressive.’

It’s a strength unattainable at his age. You could tell just by the density of the internal energy he possessed.

He was born with too much.

Gu Cheolun was an exceptional yet contradictory existence.

An anomalous being born with things he shouldn’t possess.

It felt like the blessings that never came to them had reached those people instead.

After Heaven ignored their desperate longing and cries.

It felt like they had given opportunities to those damned people.

That’s why Do Cheol hated him with chilling intensity.

“We do not forgive you.”

“……Hmm?”

Gu Cheolun reacted momentarily to Do Cheol’s words. But that was all.

Kwaduduk.

The gathered flames finally took shape. In that state.

‘Here it comes.’

He judged that he would launch an attack at Do Cheol. But.

Gu Cheolun didn’t do that.

“Huh?”

He turned his body, which seemed poised to lunge at Do Cheol.

Kugeugeugeugeugeuk—!!!

Kwagagagak–!!

“No way…?”

He slammed the flames he held directly into the iron gate.

Kugugung–!!

Vibrations erupted. The iron gate trembled from the impact, followed by an explosion.

Kwaaaaaaaa–!!!

Flames burst forth continuously. Seeing that, Do Cheol gasped.

“You crazy bastard…!”

You’ve really gone and thought of breaking the gate? Do you even know what that gate is?

It wasn’t just absurd; a smirk formed on his lips instead.

“It’s a pointless act.”

As if to prove it.

Seueueue-!

“Hmm…”

The flames touching the iron gate began to fade. Not a single scratch was visible on the gate.

Doubt flickered in Gu Cheolun’s eyes.

“My energy is disappearing.”

He identified the problem and brushed his hand.

“Did you really think they’d leave something that could be broken so easily?”

“……”

“You seem to think it’s easy…”

Kwang–!!

“Huh?”

Gu Cheolun suddenly punched the iron gate. This time too, it remained unscratched. Yet, Do Cheol’s eyes widened. He was quite surprised just now.

‘I hit it without channeling my energy.’

He hit it with full force, without channeling energy into his hand. Even with an impact that should have shattered bone, Gu Cheolun remained unfazed. Despite the immense pain he must have felt.

“…Are you not understanding what I’m saying?”

“…”

“This isn’t it either.”

Gu Cheolun simply evaluated the iron gate calmly, as if unaffected.

His energy didn’t work.

Nor did pure physical strength.

However, he didn’t have time to find the method to unlock it.

So, what was the remaining method?

“I see.”

Gu Cheolun nodded. Because in situations like this, there was only one method left.

“I lack the power.”

If it couldn’t be broken with power.

It meant he lacked the power to break it.

It was perfect logic.

Kwaaaaaaaaaaa–!!!

“…!”

Gu Cheolun unleashed his full strength. Do Cheol faltered for a moment from the chilling heat.

“What the-!”

What kind of firepower is this? It was incomparable to anything felt so far.

Immense heat piercing the confined space.

Reacting to this, Do Cheol moved quickly. It was instinctual.

He instantly closed the distance to Gu Cheolun. The flames were fierce. However, leaving it be was more terrifying. A fist based on instinct struck Gu Cheolun squarely in the abdomen.

Thump–!!

Kwagagak–!!

It landed properly, and his energy surged. ‘It worked,’ Do Cheol thought the moment he judged that.

Jureureuk.

A trickle of blood flowed from the corner of Gu Cheolun’s mouth. It proved the attack had landed, but…

“…What is this guy?”

It wasn’t Gu Cheolun who was shaken, but Do Cheol. Although Gu Cheolun was bleeding from the mouth, his posture hadn’t changed, and the aura he emitted remained the same.

“You…”

What was going on? Just as confusion began to take over his body.

Kwaaaaaaaaaaa—!!!

“…!”

Do Cheol was pushed back several steps by the erupted heat.

The momentum was stronger than before.

Seueuk.

Gu Cheolun wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.

His abdomen hurt considerably. It was a blow strong enough to make him pass out momentarily, but he held onto his consciousness.

‘This is difficult.’

It was difficult.

What he was attempting now was something he’d never done in his life.

‘Can I do it?’

The current Family Head of Gu.

The form his own father had shown, becoming the very embodiment of flame.

From the moment he was defeated by Baek Yangcheon.

From the moment he witnessed the flames his father displayed.

He had tried his utmost to replicate it.

But a lack of level and deficiency in enlightenment held him back.

‘You can’t do it yet.’

‘You are not worthy.’

All circumstances seemed to say so.

Naturally, he had failed.

But.

“Sip.”

He hadn’t failed completely.

Ttuk.

The flames he was emitting stopped.

And then.

Hwarureureureuk–!!!

Red flames transcending their usual form bloomed on two of his fingers.

Seeing that, goosebumps rose on Do Cheol’s body.

“……What is that?”

A certain nobility, seemingly familiar, was reflected in his eyes.

At that moment.

Kuaaaaaaaa—!!!

The flames manifested on the two fingers pierced the thick iron gate.