Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 313 (Part 1)



313 (Part 1)

”'<314th Chapter: The Secret of the Dragon. (4)

Splash.

It’s a dark path with no light.

The only sound that can be heard is the squelching of wet ground beneath my feet.

I try to ignite a spark with my fingertips but the flame doesn’t humor me by illuminating the way ahead.

It seems something special is blocking the light.

“What is this?”

“Can’t see anything huh?”

It seems Jang-ryong is in the same boat.

How long have we been walking?

Is this really the path leading to the secret?

For now I keep walking but the irritation rising within me is unavoidable.

‘Why do all the secrets I encounter end up like this?’

The secret of the Golden Sky Song is the same.

Everything feels strange.

I managed to break through because there were odd formations in the Divine Dragon Hall.

It’s hard to be certain this is indeed a secret.

“I haven’t asked yet but what are we looking for?” Jang-ryong asks me belatedly. He really asks at the most inconvenient time.

“We? I’m the one looking for something.”

“Drawing a line now seems a bit unfair doesn’t it?”

Jang-ryong chuckles as he speaks.

How did he know about this place? Why are we here?

What is my purpose?

He doesn’t ask anything. He’s always been like that.

If something piques his interest he just goes for it.

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Otherwise he mostly appears half-dead.

Sleepy.

Lethargic or something along those lines.

‘The real problem is that there’s clearly a lack of interesting things.’

How could Jang-ryong be called Jang-ryong?

To be honest I’m more accustomed to his current state than that other one.

Splash.

‘Ugh.’

The more I take steps the more it feels like the ground is getting wetter.

What is this?

‘Is it water?’

I bend down to touch the liquid.

It seems to be water.

Colorless and odorless.

I didn’t have the guts to taste it so I decided to just think of it that way.

Why is water flowing here? Where is it coming from?

I was just a little curious about that.

As we walked for a while.

“Hmm.”

“I can see the end.”

At the end of the long corridor.

A faint light appeared.

It seems that’s the end.

Thank goodness it doesn’t seem to be that deep underground.

I move my steps and scan the surroundings.

How far have we come down?

I can’t gauge it but it’s definitely longer than I expected.

‘Is it spatial distortion?’

There’s a high possibility it’s due to the formations.

Even when I descended to the secret of the Golden Sky Song.

The path leading underground felt strangely long.

That too must be a similar phenomenon.

‘…To think formations could do that…’

It’s a question I had back then.

Who on earth.

Can deploy such formations and who has set them up?

‘By the way what about him?’

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I’m concerned about Jang-ryong following behind.

If this path we’re walking on is indeed leading to the secret.

Is it okay to take Jang-ryong with me?

That seems a bit troublesome.

Or not.

I could give him something when we get there.

Maybe just enough to keep him quiet?

Thinking about it I shake my head.

‘Why should I give him that?’

If I found it it’s mine. Why should I share it?

‘It’s better to just knock him out and go.’

!

..

If I think he’ll say something later.

I might as well put a restriction on him.

‘What’s the point of being friends?’

It’s not exactly the right time for that phrase.

He’ll probably let it slide.

‘Come to think of it…’

That guy also used to get through situations like this in his past life.

-You bastard…! Didn’t I tell you not to put restrictions on me!

-If you’re so upset then break it and come out.

Whenever I tried to go to a somewhat dangerous place.

He would tie me up and prevent me from moving.

I understood his intentions but since it was forced upon me I was quite annoyed.

Moreover the restriction I used was created by Jang-ryong.

It came out much later than now.

‘Even if I put a restriction he’ll probably break it later.’

Even if it’s a modified version it’s something he made.

Jang-ryong will eventually break the restriction.

Still he’ll probably be lost for a while.

‘Then it’s best to just knock him out for now…’

As I think about whether to take a break I turn around.

Thud.

“Huh?”

Thud thud!

Jang-ryong was standing behind me punching the air.

There was even a sound.

“What are you doing?”

I ask puzzled by the strange situation.

[Ah this is a mess.]

Jang-ryong chuckles and lets out a resigned remark.

Seeing that I slightly widen my eyes.

I had a rough idea of what was going on.

‘Is this a formation within a formation?’

Did he mix another formation inside the existing one?

‘If that’s the case.’

How did I just get out of there?

It seems I was set up to pass through alone.

It must be some special device.

I had no way of knowing such things.

‘…I’m completely clueless about formations.’

In the end I had to ask Jang-ryong in front of me.

[Can’t break through? Try breaking through like before.]

It seemed the sound was blocked so I had to read his lips.

Telepathy obviously didn’t work.

At my words Jang-ryong makes a face of disbelief.

[Do you think it’s that easy?]

[It looked easy when you did it.]

[Then why don’t you try it?]

[If I could do that would I have brought you here?]

[…]

Hah.

I couldn’t hear the sound but I could tell Jang-ryong was laughing helplessly.

Tap tap.

I tapped the wall blocking Jang-ryong from coming through with my hand.

It didn’t seem very thin.

Then….

[Step back a bit.]

[Huh?]

After I spoke.

Whoosh-!

[Here!]

I clenched my fist.

Jang-ryong jumped back in surprise widening the distance.

It seemed he caught on to what I was about to do.

I immediately used the recoil from my waist to punch the wall.

Boom-!

The moment my fist hit the wall a violent sound echoed around and vibrations spread.

Thud….

Dust fell in the corridor indicating that the impact had registered.

[It didn’t break.]

The wall remained intact.

It seems this level of force isn’t enough to break it.

[You’re insane. You think hitting this will work?]

Seeing my actions Jang-ryong rarely shows a strong reaction.

What’s with him?

[We have to see if it breaks first.]

[…If you knew even a little about formations you wouldn’t use such a crazy method. Especially with a formation like this you should be more careful.]

[As I said before if I knew I wouldn’t have brought you here.]

Thud thud.

I tapped the wall again and it didn’t seem to have a single crack.

‘What a shame.’

The reason I hit this was simple.

I didn’t actually intend to break it and take Jang-ryong with me.

‘If it doesn’t break this easily he probably can’t break it either.’

I was checking whether Jang-ryong could get through this wall.

If he could break it at this level he would easily be able to pass through.

[Can’t you solve this like before?]

Just like when Jang-ryong used a trick before entering the formations.

I was asking if he could find a gap and dismantle it.

At my words Jang-ryong shook his head.

[Can’t do it. I can’t hear anything. This is a different formation from before.]

I wondered what kind of crazy person solves formations by listening to sounds.

But since Jang-ryong was actually doing that I had no words.

[…So you can’t solve it.]

He nodded.

Then it seemed I could just leave it as it is.

Did Jang-ryong realize that too?

Suddenly he plopped down on the ground.

Wasn’t there water on the floor…?

[What are you doing?]

[This is better than fainting. I’ll wait here.]

I was quite surprised to see Jang-ryong say that.

That guy… he figured out I was going to knock him out and leave.

He’s quick on the uptake.

From my perspective it was a relief that he was willing to wait on his own.

[Can’t you just wait outside?]

If that’s the case wouldn’t it be better to wait outside?

But Jang-ryong looked at the entrance we came through and then looked back at me.

[Can’t go out.]

[What?]

[It’s blocked right now.]]