Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 458 (Part 2)



458 (Part 2)

“… Shut up. Just be quiet.”

Even if I screamed inside the noise didn’t stop.

If anything it only grew louder as if it had been provoked.

“Damn it.”

In the end I spat out a curse.

How did I end up hearing this sound?

No to begin with.

Why am I here?

I don’t know. I can’t remember anything.

To be honest the noise is annoying but deep down I just want to float around like this.

I don’t want to do anything. I don’t want to think about anything.

What was I originally thinking about?

I can’t remember but judging by the heaviness in my stomach it seems it wasn’t something I wanted to recall.

“… Just like this….”

If I hate it this much can’t I just stay still? It was somewhat comfortable.

As I thought that I tried to let my body go with the flow.

Splat-!

“Ugh!?”

I curled up at the sound that followed.

This time it wasn’t just the noise; I felt an immense pain inside me.

“Ugh…. Hah….”

It was a pain that made me let out a dry scream without realizing it.

Splat splat splat-!

With the growing sound the shock intensified.

It was beyond the level of endurance.

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If I could I would want to faint right away.

Why does it hurt so much? Why am I in pain?

“Ugh… Hah….”

My insides are churning.

Only after enduring the pain did I start to understand a little.

Why this insane pain was echoing inside me.

‘That… is…’

This is the sensation of a vessel breaking. That thought crossed my mind without me realizing it.

Gradually memories began to surface.

The point where the divine said that one’s vessel had limits. The past words that said I wouldn’t last long without medicine.

I wondered why these thoughts were coming up together but when I saw this I thought the current sensation was related to my vessel.

And that only raised more questions.

‘Why?’

Why is this situation unfolding all of a sudden?

Why did the vessel start breaking out of nowhere?

Why was I in a place like this?

I tried to forcefully recall but nothing came to mind.

What I felt was an unknown fear and suffocation. Along with a chilling pain.

Thud-!

“Gah.”

I curled up again at the vibration that burst from within me.

At the same time.

Whoosh-!

Suddenly flames ignited all around illuminating the oppressive darkness.

The view that had been completely obscured brightened all at once making my eyes hurt.

However even so I couldn’t look away.

“What the hell… is this?”

It was because something utterly nonsensical unfolded before my eyes making it impossible to divert my gaze.

Wooooo.

In the brightened view I saw a gigantic sphere floating.

It was the size of a house.

Is it blue?

Or maybe purple?

Or perhaps a deep red?

I don’t know.

Despite the intense presence of those colors I couldn’t quite comprehend what I was seeing.

What should I call this?

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I couldn’t tell.

If I had to argue that sphere looked like a ‘shell’ that was breaking in my eyes.

Cracks were appearing here and there and pieces were gradually falling to the ground.

That’s how it appeared.

What is this? As I stared blankly wondering what that shell was.

Splat-!

Suddenly a sound came from the shell.

It was the same sound that had been ringing in my ears.

It seemed to be coming from inside my body but this time it started coming from that shell.

As I watched wondering why it was doing that.

“Gah…!”

As a large crack formed in the shell a shock surged through my body once more.

With familiar pain I squinted my eyes.

‘This… could it be.’

Gripping my throbbing qi center I stared at the enormous shell before me.

The shell that was cracking and breaking.

The pain surging as it cracked. When I saw this I could understand.

“… Is this my vessel?”

Does that mean that shell is the form of the vessel within my body? I wasn’t sure but somehow I felt that it might be true.

Thud thud thud.

Pieces gradually fell from the shell.

A gap opened in the ground and I could see a strange liquid flowing through it.

At first glance it looked like ordinary water but the thick texture felt alien.

Just looking at it was uncomfortable sticky and suffocating.

The sight of it gradually breaking was unsettling.

‘What should I do?’

Leaving behind the pain in my qi center I looked at the shell.

Wasn’t it said that if that breaks I would die?

Then I had to stop it.

I couldn’t let that break.

There were still many things I had to do….

“… Things I have to do?”

As I turned my thoughts I suddenly paused.

What was it that I had to do? Why was I here?

Or rather.

What was I doing just before this?

My mind felt hazy.

Nothing came to mind but my actions moved mechanically.

Was it instinct or some unknown attachment?

My body seemed to want to prevent that shell from breaking at all costs.

I reached out.

Trying to block even the slightest gap.

Would this even work?

It didn’t matter if it didn’t.

I felt that I had to do this right now. That was the feeling I had.

Just as my trembling fingertips were about to touch the shell.

“… Damn it you troublesome brat. You really require a lot of attention. Tsk tsk.”

I froze at the voice that came from behind me.

The moment my body stiffened.

Swoosh-!

With a fragrant floral scent a pile of petals burst forth from below.

The petals that appeared began to swirl in the air around the shell and then wrapped around the sphere.

The pale pink leaves felt like something Shin Seong just by looking at them.

A gentle fragrance and a warm sensation.

I caught one of the falling petals to check.

It was a plum blossom leaf.

This felt familiar. Where had I felt this before….

Whack-!

“Ugh!”

The sudden shock to the back of my head made my head drop.

Holding my sore head I turned around with a twisted face.

There stood the person who had struck me from behind.

An old man with white hair wearing a pure white martial arts uniform glared at me while rubbing his palm.

He had a rather sharp gaze and looked like he had a nasty temper.

He didn’t seem to be taller than seven feet yet he had a thin frame.

What is this? As I glared at the old man he let out a deep sigh and spoke to me.

“Tsk tsk… You rotten brat. Always causing trouble making this old man have to move.”

The old man grumbled as if he was displeased.

Hearing his voice and tone I called out to him without realizing it.

“… Old man…?”

Shin Old Man.

The old man was Shin Old Man.