Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 356 (Part 2)



356 (Part 2)

The black-clad figure looked at him as if to say “How could this happen?”

Did the Dark King notice that gaze? He turned to the black-clad figure and spoke.

“What kind of eyes are those?”

“That arm… how…?”

No matter how skilled the divine physician was it was impossible to reattach an arm that had been severed in such a manner.

This was something that could hardly be discussed in terms of medical skill.

Seeing the black-clad figure’s reaction the Dark King tilted his head.

“You must know that there are beings other than humans in this world.”

“…Then what about Elder?”

“Well I’m not sure. I still think of myself as human.”

The black-clad figure quietly swallowed a dry gulp as he looked at the Dark King.

He had grasped the true intention behind the Dark King’s actions.

This was a kind of warning.

That’s how he felt.

“I know you are searching for something.”

“…!”

The black-clad figure flinched at the Dark King’s words.

“I would like to tell you not to but I know you won’t listen and since I can’t kill you I’ll just have to endure it.”

“Does Elder know… something more?”

What the black-clad figure was searching for.

That included the whereabouts of his friend as well as what had happened in the past at the Divine Dragon Academy.

Did the Dark King know about this?

The black-clad figure’s eyes sparkled with inquiry but the Dark King merely turned his head away.

“Even if I know what you desire I have no intention of telling you.”

“…Elder….”

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“If you find yourself in danger I can foresee that madman going on a rampage.”

As he spoke the Dark King recalled the face of someone.

There were three individuals he remembered.

One was a giant who would likely still be laughing in some valley in the mountains of Shanxi.

Another was someone who was already dead.

And the last one was a young man deeply connected to the two.

‘A young man… I can’t call him that anymore.’

The young man with black hair and the distinctive eyes of that family.

He seemed to have long surpassed the point where he could be dismissed as merely young.

Was he not said to be the youngest peak martial artist?

The Dark King had not believed that rumor much.

But seeing it with his own eyes made even that seem laughable.

‘Hwa-gyeong.’

A true Hwa-gyeong.

A martial artist whose level was expected to be fewer than a thousand in the entire Central Plains.

An achievement that would only be reached in old age.

For a young man who had not yet reached his twenties to step into that realm.

It would surely be something that would go down in history.

Even the Dark King who seemed devoid of emotional fluctuations was astonished.

What more could be said?

However aside from that the Dark King was concerned about something else.

‘It wasn’t a misunderstanding.’

He felt it clearly.

From the young bloodline known as the Gu family.

The Dark King sensed a familiar scent that resembled his own.

******************

“Ah-choo…!”

Suddenly sneezing I wiped my nose and thought.

Who’s talking about me?

Why is my nose so itchy?

“…It’s not like this is the first time someone’s talked behind my back.”

I quickly erased the thought from my mind.

It wasn’t the first time someone had talked about me so why should I care now?

Wrapping up my thoughts I looked at the person sitting in front of me.

“What are you doing here?”

“…”

There was no response.

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She merely lowered her head and trembled slightly.

I let out a small sigh and called her again.

“Noona.”

“…”

I could see her shoulders flinch at my call.

It seemed she was listening.

“Are you going to keep crying?”

“…Who… who’s crying…!”

The woman who raised her head in indignation was Gu Yeon-seo.

“Your eyes are all red and puffy. Wipe them properly and then speak.”

“…Huh….”

At my remark Gu Yeon-seo hurriedly rubbed her eyes with her sleeve.

“Ugh how pathetic.”

“…You’re the one who’s strange.”

As I teased her Gu Yeon-seo spoke in a trembling voice.

“I saw it… how can you be fine?”

A person dies right in front of you.

The neck of a spectator is severed or they bleed out from a sword wound closing their eyes.

Just moments before you could hear their breath.

In just a few seconds that breath is cut off.

“…I almost died.”

Gu Yeon-seo had nearly died.

She had been caught in the massive hand of the assailant.

She was saying she had almost been cut down by a sword.

If she hadn’t died she might have suffered a terrible fate.

And the one who saved her amusingly enough was Gu Joo-yeop.

Gu Joo-yeop had ambushed the assailant and rescued Gu Yeon-seo.

After that he had said he survived by suppressing his presence.

“But what about you…?”

“What about me?”

What was I doing at that time?

I must have been busy killing other guys.

It wasn’t that I didn’t understand Gu Yeon-seo’s feelings.

Her first outing in the Central Plains. No even that was in the embrace of the Divine Dragon Academy so it wouldn’t have been a proper outing.

If she were to go outside the Gu family it would likely be to the Dragon and Phoenix branch or around Shanxi.

Could she have expected to experience real combat like this?

Even so.

“You survived didn’t you?”

“…You…!”

That was all I could say. I understood her fear.

I understood her crying like that.

But I wouldn’t say it was better than those who had died.

What good would it do to say that?

“Elder Gu Hee-bi would have done the same.”

“…!”

I mentioned Gu Hee-bi.

That crazy person would surely have thought so.

Covered in blood.

No matter what had happened.

‘As long as you survived.’

She would have said that and brushed herself off.

Gu Yeon-seo wasn’t the only one who had experienced real combat.

“…Why are you bringing up Unnie?”

Mentioning Gu Hee-bi made Gu Yeon-seo’s eyes turn fierce.

As expected of the Gu family.

She looked incredibly scary with that expression.

“Suddenly here…!”

“You said you wanted to be like that person. Then you should get up. Why are you crying like that? It’s embarrassing.”

Those who were fine were busy clearing the debris or taking care of the injured.

Perhaps they hadn’t experienced anything as severe as Gu Yeon-seo which is why they could act like that.

But no one was there to understand her situation. Even so there wasn’t a single person who would empathize with her.

“Noona did you thank the one who saved you?”

“…”

“You didn’t did you? How embarrassing. Just stop being so proud. Don’t go around saying ‘I’m from the Gu family~!’ I’m the one who’s embarrassed.”

“You little….”

Gu Yeon-seo growled at me in anger.

“What do you know to speak so carelessly…!”

“I don’t know of course. How would I know?”

I knew nothing.

Even if we were blood relatives we weren’t that close.

And the fact that I knew so little meant that others had no interest in Gu Yeon-seo’s situation. I could already hear whispers behind me about how Gu Yeon-seo was acting like this.

It was really annoying.

“If you’re going to keep crying then do it. In time someone from the family will come to get you. Then you can hold their hand tightly and return to the clan. But…”

I turned my back on Gu Yeon-seo and said.

“Don’t go around saying you’re a martial artist. Make sure to tell Clan Head that too.”

“…”

I didn’t wait for Gu Yeon-seo’s response.

I simply moved on. Instead I spread my senses.

Not long after I distanced myself from Gu Yeon-seo.

I heard her sobbing but this time she seemed to get up and walk toward the other disciples who were clearing the debris.

Feeling that I let out a breath.

The dark energy that had hung in the air had completely vanished.

Soon someone from the Murim Alliance would come.

Then not long after news would reach the respective clans of the disciples.

When that happened a significant event would unfold.

‘The Divine Dragon Academy…’

Whether this Divine Dragon Academy would survive or not.

It seemed unlikely.

I had been aiming for an early graduation but that now seemed meaningless.

It was good that things had turned out as I had hoped but.

It was absolutely not a good thing.

‘…This can’t be a good thing.’

An incident that had never occurred in my previous life had taken place.

And it was not a good one.

My head ached.

I continued walking. Now what remained was… I planned to head toward Bi Yi-jin first and have a conversation.

I thought it would be best to wrap things up quickly.

As I walked I felt someone running toward me from a distance.

It was likely Mo Yong-hee who had been waiting for me.

“What’s going on? Why are you running?”

“Young Master….”

Seeing her slightly out of breath it seemed she had run hard.

“Why? What’s happened now…?”

As I spoke my voice trembled slightly.

It was because I had heard about the accident she had just confessed to.

If she had done something fear surged within me.

However what Mo Yong-hee said was not that.

“…Miss Wi has awakened.”

“…!”

She said that Wi Seol-ah had awakened.

Hearing that I ran out without even responding.

Because there was someone I needed to find before Bi Yi-jin.