Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 323 (Part 2)



323 (Part 2)

It was a determination to pretend to concentrate even harder.

‘It will be here soon.’

Until the awaited time comes.

There isn’t much left.

Around the time the training was ending.

Cheol Hwan-o left a word before departing.

“Soon it will be the practical training period. Don’t forget to prepare.”

Hearing those words I nodded inwardly.

It was the information I had been waiting for days.

After finishing work and eating I usually chatted a bit with my companions.

It was the only time I could mentally rest.

However these days I had reduced even that and significantly increased my training time.

In the past two months my companions had become busier.

The reason was that I was pushing myself to the limit.

‘A little more forward with the arms.’

Whoosh! Bang!

I burst the qi while adjusting the angle.

A faint trace of qi remained in the air.

It’s a pity. I was a bit late in bursting it.

‘…A little faster is impossible. Should I mix in more Hocheo?’

Even while focusing on mental training.

Moving my body like this was a review of the duel from the past.

‘If it’s just about speed I’ll get caught and stopped.’

The fight on the day I faced Turong or Pajeon.

The regret from that time still lingered and I often reviewed it like this.

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‘What’s the problem?’

My speed is faster.

My qi goes without saying.

But I couldn’t penetrate.

Even if I somehow entered the area I never landed a hit.

They were slower than me yet faster.

Is it the difference in perspective?

Feeling the lacking parts clearly I tried to fill them in.

But it wasn’t easy.

Even if the one who made me experience defeat was Pajeon the pinnacle of the martial world.

There are no excuses. A loss is a loss.

Is it disappointing and frustrating to lose? Not at all.

I had already experienced countless defeats.

I know it’s impossible for me to catch up to a genius.

So I need to search more.

‘If only my mind worked a little better.’

Then I could use what’s to come more efficiently.

I could make better use of my body.

What if I could think just half as well as Cheon Yu-rang?

Maybe it’s because I’m feeling frustrated that such futile thoughts arise.

Hwaruk.

I wrapped the flames around my body and sent the heat to the qi center before taking a deep breath.

The area around the plain was already filled with the heat I was emitting.

“What do you think?”

After recovering all my energy I asked the one who was watching.

“…Huh?”

A dull response.

I knew such an answer would come.

After all the spectator was none other than Namgung Bi-a.

“How does it look?”

“…It was cool…?”

“No not that…”

For a moment I almost felt good.

The reason I was suddenly talking to Namgung Bi-a was that among everyone busy she was the only one without a schedule so we were training together after a long time.

Usually Namgung Bi-a would do about half of my usual training and then disappear.

But today I asked her to just stay with me.

Tang So-yeol hadn’t been around lately.

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Wi Seol-a had come as if it were a given but today she disappeared with a sulky look whether she had a schedule or not.

Mo Yong-hee was originally busy.

Just then Gu Yeon-seo was doing something different with her peers.

So I brought along the seemingly free Namgung Bi-a.

“Do you think anything looks lacking?”

I wondered if I would get a good answer by asking Namgung Bi-a.

After all she was a martial artist who had already surpassed her peak.

It was certain she would become a master in the future.

I was curious to hear something.

After hearing that Namgung Bi-a tilted her head for a moment and then looked into my eyes to respond.

“Too fast…”

“Then should I slow it down…?”

“Your body looks impatient.”

I wondered if I had misjudged the movement and thought about trying to slow it down.

But Namgung Bi-a brought up another topic.

“Impatient?”

“Yeah… You look impatient.”

She clenched and unclenched her fist as she repeated her words.

Impatient.

I knew I was being impatient myself.

But had that mixed into my movements?

I need to correct that.’

I nodded.

If it reflected in Namgung Bi-a’s eyes it would be a bit dangerous.

Watching that day Namgung Bi-a stared at me for a moment before bringing up another topic.

“…Do you want to?”

I flinched at Namgung Bi-a’s words for a moment.

“You said to add a subject when speaking.”

I sighed deeply and reminded her.

Only then did I see Namgung Bi-a clap her hands realizing she had forgotten.

That startled me.

“Do you want to duel…?”

As expected she was a martial artist.

But Namgung Bi-a’s question made me wear a strange expression.

Thinking about it I had never dueled with Namgung Bi-a.

In this life she had clung to me saying she wanted to duel but I had never agreed even once.

And at some point Namgung Bi-a stopped suggesting we duel.

“Right when was it that you stopped asking me to duel?”

I thought she might have gotten tired of asking since I never accepted.

But now that she was asking it felt a bit different.

With that intention in mind I spoke.

Namgung Bi-a tucked her hair behind her ear and opened her mouth.

“…Because it’s scary…”

Scary?

“Scary to duel with me?”

“No…”

Namgung Bi-a’s blue eyes were directed at me.

“Dueling with me… You were scared.”

“ ”

Was it because of her words?

I felt my breath momentarily stop.

“Scared? Me?”

“Yeah.”

I wondered what she meant.

But I already knew the meaning.

I didn’t want to fight Namgung Bi-a.

Even if it was called a duel.

“So… I’m not asking. It’s okay.”

“You just did it now.”

“Then… I was wondering if it would be comfortable for you.”

“No it would be very uncomfortable.”

“Then that’s fine.”

Namgung Bi-a returned to her original expression as if no trace of mischief remained.

She was still someone with a quick transition.

“Will you do it someday…?” “…You make it sound like dueling is something grand.”

“Isn’t it?”

“No it is.”

Once all the bloodshed ends and the situation stabilizes.

When there’s no threat at all.

When peace can finally be found.

Is it really necessary to place such grand meaning on whether to duel or not?

“What about Wi Seol-a?”

“…!”

My eyes widened at Namgung Bi-a’s words.

Out of the blue she mentioned Wi Seol-a.

What did she mean by that?

‘What is it?’

Did Namgung Bi-a know what Wi Seol-a had said to me?

“What…”

“…Just joking…”

As I spat out with a shaky voice Namgung Bi-a smiled slightly and spoke.

Then she waved her fingertips toward me.

It was a sign to come over.

She called me like a dog.

Grumbling I approached.

“Why are you doing that…?”

As I got closer Namgung Bi-a gently stroked my hair with her characteristic soft touch.

“…It’s okay.”

“…What is this about?”

I asked dumbfounded by her sudden action.

Namgung Bi-a smiled slightly and said to me.

“When you… do this… it makes me feel good.”

“So?”

“So… I’m doing it for you too…”

She meant she was doing it to make me feel good.

I didn’t particularly feel bad about it.

But amidst it all it was a strange feeling that I felt a bit good.

Watching Namgung Bi-a diligently petting me.

I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.

Thanks to that I felt my training was sufficient.

By the time night fell.

The full moon was shining brightly.

On the wall surrounding the Sinryonggwan.

A figure whose gender could not be determined stood.

Inside the Sinryonggwan filled with the energy of the Blue Sea Sword.

In a delicate position that barely touched.

The figure stood there quietly looking down.

Without the slightest movement.

Just watching.

But the figure’s eyes were solely focused on one person.

Flap.

As I quietly directed my gaze a bird flew in around the figure.

The figure as if familiar took out the letter tied to the bird’s leg that was perched on their shoulder and unfolded it.

– Four days later. Proceed.

The message that the target date was approaching.

Upon confirming this the figure crumpled the letter.

At that moment the bird perched on the shoulder dispersed like mist.

Immediately after the bird disappeared.

The figure also vanished into thin air as if they had never been there in the first place.

The figure’s alias was the Dark King.

The master of the night.