Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 352 (Part 2)



352 (Part 2)

”’Because that place is where the bodies of the dead Guando students are gathered.

How long has it been?

How many of those countless Guando students have ended their lives?

To be precise the number of those who were killed is not large compared to the total number of Guando students.

Nevertheless the dead are dead.

If it weren’t for this incident those who might have at least been alive until just before the bloodbath.

They might have been killed because of this incident.

If that’s the case then it’s my fault.

If something that shouldn’t have happened in my past life happened.

Then it must all be my fault.

‘…’

Could it be that they didn’t expect this to happen?

No they knew well.

They already knew that such a thing might happen someday.

Experiencing it firsthand the feeling is much worse than expected.

Moreover.

In the midst of the agonizing wails I see someone standing with a bloodied sword.

The captain of the shaman who always had a lazy expression and a loud voice.

He stood silently among the dead priests not uttering a word.

Since there were disciples belonging to the shaman it seems there were casualties among them as well.

I notice the back of Jang-ryong who is watching this intently.

I can’t help but feel the taste of blood from my bitten lip.

What a damn day.

I hesitated to approach but turned my head away with effort.

There’s nothing I can do if I go to him now.

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I take a step.

As I walk a little with weary steps I see Gujeolyeob in the distance.

Gujeolyeob doesn’t seem to be in a good state either.

A face that is utterly exhausted and a tension that cannot be erased.

Unlike when fighting demonic beasts on the front lines this must be the first time engaging in real combat against people.

I can see the cold sweat that he couldn’t wipe away still flowing.

“…You’ve come.”

Gujeolyeob senses my approach and slightly bows his head.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes. It seems that IlMister is… well okay.”

“What do you mean by ‘well’?”

“It’s hard to imagine IlMister getting beaten up anywhere.”

“…”

If it were any other time I might have smacked his calf for being cheeky.

But now I just let out a sigh and move on.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

As I pass by Gujeolyeob speaks to me.

Hearing those words my eyes slightly furrowed.

Thank you for your hard work?

Do I deserve to hear such words?

I passed Gujeolyeob and entered the building.

Though calling it a building is a bit misleading since it has started to collapse.

“…Ha.”

I see people moving busily.

A mix of Guando students and instructors.

– Is there still no contact from the sect?

– …They should be on their way.

– Is that really something to say right now!? You’re part of the sect!

– I’m just as frustrated!

The atmosphere is not good.

With so many people bustling about it could only be worse.

This is a hastily made shelter to treat and rest the injured.

The problem is that the number of physicians is significantly lower than the number of injured.

Moreover some of the already few physicians are dead so it can only be slower.

I continued walking avoiding them.

“Ah….”

Then someone spots me and calls out.

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I had been watching the situation for a while.

The sight of someone wrapped in bandages looked ridiculous.

How much blood has he lost to look so emaciated?

“Did you come?”

Among them the one who had been nursing by my side was Paeng Ah-hee.

With her disheveled hair and a martial arts uniform that hadn’t been changed and was covered in dust.

Paeng Ah-hee who should be the child of a prestigious family looked exhausted as she gazed at me.

“…I heard the story they said you worked hard?”

I had to let out a hollow laugh at Paeng Ah-hee’s sudden remark.

“Seems like some strange rumors have spread. I didn’t do anything….”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Really.”

Thinking my words were a joke Paeng Ah-hee forced a smile.

Leaving her behind I noticed someone gesturing to me.

It was Namgung Bia wrapped in bandages with a gaunt face.

“…Hello….”

Seeing that I had to grit my teeth inwardly.

“Are you going to greet me?”

Namgung Bia flinches at my angry voice.

“…Are you… angry?”

“Wouldn’t you be?”

“…I’m sorry.”

Namgung Bia shrinks at my words in an instant.

I didn’t like that sight.

Her apologizing to me.

“What were you thinking?”

“…Huh?”

“You should have been more careful about who you were facing.”

I had heard the story.

That Namgung Bia had stood against the Black Night Palace Head.

And that’s how she ended up like this.

“Are you crazy? Do you want to die?”

“…”

“What were you thinking when you could have died? What can you do being so weak…!”

The more I spoke the less I could control my emotions.

I was angry not at anyone but at myself.

Hadn’t I almost lost everything again not knowing anything foolishly?

Because I was incompetent.

That made me furious to the core.

At that moment Namgung Bia carefully grabbed the hem of my clothes.

“…I’m sorry… don’t cry.”

The sudden words that came out.

– Cry?

Reminded me of a situation I had experienced in my past life.

“Who’s crying?”

“…I’m okay….”

Bones broken here and there.

Qi depleted and having lost so much blood that it had reached a dangerous situation.

What does she mean by being okay?

“Enough… don’t apologize.”

“…Okay.”

The one who should be saying sorry was me.

How pathetic.

I looked so pathetic resolving my guilt in this way.

What good is it to reach a higher level?

I couldn’t even do this one thing.

I should have been grateful to the World Tree.

If things had gone as expected it should have been several days later than now.

The fact that I was able to come out shortly after blocking that process was likely due to the power of the World Tree.

‘What if it had been delayed by a few days?’

It was a dizzying thought.

Something I didn’t want to recall.

So I’m glad.

That she didn’t die.

I shift my gaze.

Next to Namgung Bia Dang So-yeol was lying with her eyes closed.

From the looks of it she wasn’t sleeping naturally.

It seems she was forcibly put to sleep using Qi.

“She lost too much blood but they say her life is not in danger.”

Paeng Ah-hee answers the question I was curious about.

“…But why did they put her to sleep?”

“…Unnie is at a high level so she’s fine but So-yeol said this is faster.”

While Namgung Bia who is at her peak has a natural healing ability that is high enough to not be a problem.

Dang So-yeol is not at that level so it’s said that this is faster.

I had also heard how Dang So-yeol had dealt with the Black Night Palace Head.

“…”

That thought made me absentmindedly touch her hair.

Namgung Bia only watched my actions closely without showing any particular reaction.

She just asked me.

“What about Seol-ah?”

I meant about Wi Seol-ah.

“She’s resting.”

I recall what happened during the day.

There were various incidents but Wi Seol-ah lost consciousness and collapsed afterward.

Because of that I had to spend some time dealing with the collapsed Wi Seol-ah and Bi Ui-jin.

Moreover.

– It seems we have something to discuss. Right?

Bi Ui-jin had said something meaningful to me.

Damn it.

It meant that he wasn’t going to let it go easily.

‘How do I handle this?’

I don’t know.

Once an incident occurs it blows up so badly that I just feel dizzy every time.

“Hey.”

As I was racking my brain about what to do.

Paeng Ah-hee suddenly spoke to me.

“…What?”

“The Sword Master came by earlier.”

“The Sword Master?”

I wondered if something was wrong since I couldn’t see him.

Fortunately it seems the Sword Master is alive.

After all it’s not easy for a martial artist of that level to die from such an ambush.

‘But thinking of Cheonghae Ilgyeom it could be another story.’

I recalled the old man who had lost an arm and collapsed feeling my lips dry.

“He asked me to let you know when you come.”

“He’s looking for me? Where to?”

It was a message that the Sword Master was looking for me.

Paeng Ah-hee conveyed that the Sword Master was at the place where Cheonghae Ilgyeom was being treated.

Soon after I transmitted a bit of my Qi to Namgung Bia and Dang So-yeol before moving.

As much as I wanted to stay there and head straight to Wi Seol-ah I thought it must be urgent if the Sword Master was looking for me.

I headed to the space where Cheonghae Ilgyeom was being treated.

The instructors who were guarding flinched as they saw me.

But when I told them that the Sword Master was looking for me they naturally stepped aside.

It seemed they had heard in advance.

After passing through the guards.

I pulled aside the cloth that was blocking the way.

There lay Cheonghae Ilgyeom who seemed to have finished his treatment and was asleep.

And sitting next to him was the Sword Master who had called for me.

“…You’ve come.”

“…!”

The problem is.

Next to the Sword Master who was kneeling and sitting.

The white-haired white-eyed man I had met during the day was also sitting there.”’