Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 450 (Part 2)



450 (Part 2)

This was the same for me.

‘What should I do?’

I didn’t understand anything from one to ten.

I didn’t know why the Demon Sword Master was so angry or why the Murim Alliance… to be precise why they wanted me.

I didn’t know how the situation had come to this.

But at least I could tell.

‘If I leave it like this it’ll be a disaster.’

If I just stood by and watched like a fool something terrible would happen.

I sprang up and ran.

I felt like I would be torn apart by the Demon Sword Master’s aura at any moment but I didn’t stop.

I didn’t know her intentions but I could tell she was looking at me differently.

Was it because of the shallow certainty that seeped in with anxiety?

I pushed through the aura and grabbed her wrist.

“…!”

The Demon Sword Master glared at me with fierce eyes at the sudden contact.

But when she confirmed it was me who was holding her

the aura that had been boiling in her body vanished in an instant.

The dark clouds that filled the sky also disappeared and the turbulent energy that had been swirling around diminished.

What remained was only the gaze of the Demon Sword Master looking at my wrist.

A sharp pain tingled.

When I checked I found a wound scorched by the aura bleeding.

The Demon Sword Master’s eyes trembled as she confirmed that.

Seeing that I reflected inwardly.

The Demon Sword Master was treating me specially.

The reason she didn’t draw her sword to behead me despite our contact was that.

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The fact that she didn’t shake off my hand was proof of that.

Having thought that far I spoke to the Demon Sword Master.

“I’m okay.”

“…”

“I’m fine. So please calm down.”

As I spoke I anxiously watched for her reaction.

The turbulent energy emanating from her seemed to be gradually decreasing.

The Demon Sword Master regained her original composure.

I confirmed that and gazed at the Murim Alliance.

“You said you wanted me.”

It seemed she hadn’t expected me to speak up so suddenly as the Murim Alliance flinched slightly.

Seeing that reaction I clicked my tongue inwardly.

The Heavenly Demon had clearly warned not to covet Sichuan.

Ignoring that and gathering enough power to act.

It even meant that the Celestial Lord and the Murim Alliance were willing to go to war for me.

Why was that?

‘I don’t know.’

What was important here was that whatever it was I was the problem.

Moreover it meant that there was someone who wanted me.

‘Someone significant enough to move the Murim Alliance and the Celestial Lord for such a matter.’

That meant there was such a person behind this.

If they specifically said they wanted me it meant they had at least a vague understanding of my situation.

If that’s the case.

‘Whatever it is it’s better to meet them first.’

It could mean that they were someone who knew about this unknown world.

It looked like a dangerous situation at first glance.

But I couldn’t let the Murim Alliance and the Demon Sword Master fight nor could I allow a war to break out.

In the end the only choice I had at that moment was one.

“…Let’s go.”

For now it was to go and see.

In my view this was the best option at the moment.

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

So currently.

I was trapped in a dark carriage with only a single lantern hanging my hands cuffed.

The only thing I felt was the rattling vibrations of the carriage.

‘Where are we going?’

Are we heading to Henan where the Murim Alliance headquarters is located?

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No way that’s too far.

It would take at least a month by carriage so that’s not it.

‘…Was this the right thing to do?’

I twisted my body back and forth thinking.

I had acted impulsively but if I were to say it was a good choice that wouldn’t be true.

It was merely the optimal choice I could make.

At that time when I said I would go on my own the Demon Sword Master tried to stop me.

But the Mage who had been quiet restrained her.

I understood his intentions.

He probably thought that since the Murim Alliance wanted someone like me it would be dangerous for the Murim Alliance if a pointless fight broke out.

‘…I wouldn’t have done that.’

Even though he was a Mage I found his choice a bit questionable.

If it were me I would have fought to protect myself knowing that the Murim Alliance wanted me.

There must be a reason they wanted me enough to go to war.

I should have felt strange about the Mage letting me go so easily.

Was it because my thoughts had changed through regression?

‘I don’t know.’

Now even that wasn’t certain.

What was certain was that this world was different from the one I knew.

That was the biggest problem.

‘It’s subtly different.’

Something was definitely different.

Not just regarding the aura but the feeling of an alien energy lingered.

‘Ha.’

If I just let it slide would it get worse?

If something bursts it won’t be easy to get through.

‘Life really.’

At this point I wondered if I had no luck in my life at all.

‘What the hell do they want from me?’

Was the name of the trial regret?

The decree said I would have to make a choice and that it wouldn’t matter what choice I made.

But up until now the moment to make a significant choice hadn’t come.

What on earth do they want from me? What are they hoping for by putting me in this situation?

The more I thought about it the more irritation surged.

“Ha…”

As I sighed all day like this.

Clunk-! Thud-!

I felt the carriage move sharply and then gradually slow down.

Right after that.

Creeeak.

The closed door of the carriage opened letting in a faint light.

Squinting my eyes and looking that way the first thing I saw was a dazzling blonde.

“…Please step out.”

The one who opened the door was the Murim Alliance.

Seeing that I tried to act nonchalant and spoke.

“Have we arrived already?”

It felt like only a day or two had passed at most.

If it was only that distance it meant we hadn’t gone far at all.

Have we really arrived already?

I raised my stiff body and slipped out of the carriage.

It was night outside.

I felt the gazes around me.

All the martial artists from the Meng Sect were staring at me.

The contempt and disgust towards the demonic practitioner were clearly visible in their eyes.

I casually ignored those gazes and surveyed my surroundings.

‘The Celestial Lord isn’t visible.’

I didn’t know if he was on guard or hiding somewhere.

At my level I couldn’t detect him.

“Follow me….”

Leaving those words the Murim Alliance began to walk ahead.

Looking in the direction it led into a dark forest.

“…”

I followed her without saying much.

I didn’t sense any other martial artists coming. Were we the only ones sent?

As I walked I suddenly called out to the Murim Alliance.

“Excuse me.”

The Murim Alliance paused and glanced back at me.

“Could you take these off?”

I was referring to the cuffs binding my hands.

Hearing that the Murim Alliance looked at me as if I were speaking nonsense.

“Since my qi center is blocked anyway if you just take them off…?”

“No.”

“Tsk.”

Her firm response left me with no further questions. I wouldn’t have taken them off either if I were in her position.

“Then could you at least tell me who is looking for me?”

“…”

This time there was no response at all.

As I looked at her with a strange feeling I suddenly sensed an unknown hesitation mixed in her eyes.

Just as I was wondering why she was looking at me like that.

“What’s your name?”

She asked me.

Caught off guard by the direct question I hesitated for a moment.

I hadn’t expected her to ask for my name out of the blue.

I tried to act nonchalant and deflected.

“…You say you want me specifically yet you don’t even know my name?”

“What I sensed was… only the energy contained within you.”

With the Murim Alliance’s words I finally understood why she had singled me out.

‘Was it the resonance that was the problem?’

It seemed that the energy of the divine sword resonated with her.

That was likely the reason she had chosen me.

If that’s the case it meant she had known I was here from the start as someone whose energy resonated with hers.

‘What the hell.’

How did she know?

The question deepened.

“…”

As I stood there the Murim Alliance opened her mouth again wanting to ask something.

Sssssss…!!

“…!”

I felt an unknown chill from behind.

With a shiver running down my spine I shifted my gaze.

There suddenly—

Crackling-!

A rift opened in the air.

The Murim Alliance seemed to have known about it showing no surprise on her face.

The rift was clearly a demonic gate.

Frowning at the sudden appearance of the demonic gate I saw someone walking through from another dimension.

Step—

A light and graceful stride.

The figure stepping out from the dimension was a woman wearing a veil.

I stared at her wondering what was going on as she slowly approached me.

With a swift motion she bowed her head.

“I greet the being from another realm.”

Immediately I heard an unknown honorific.

Frowning in confusion at the situation the woman lifted her head and spoke to me.

“I am called the Dance Maiden.”

Dance Maiden (舞姬).

She introduced herself like that.