Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 501



501

**Chapter 502 – Just Give It to Me Once.**

I swallowed hard while looking into the deep red eyes that were fixed on me.

A solid physique and a size much larger than mine.

A man with sharp features and the fierce gaze characteristic of the Gu family.

The current head of the Gu family. The person I found most difficult to face was standing right in front of me.

The guardian of Shanxi.

Ho-hyeop Gu Cheol-woon. My father.

‘Why is my father here?’

I was bewildered. Why was this man here?

Why was someone who should be in Shanxi in Sichuan?

‘Did he come for a trip…?’

Even though I knew that was unlikely the thought crossed my mind.

My father’s appearance was that unfamiliar and strange.

With an expressionless face my father looked down at me.

As I stared at his face I hesitantly asked “Um… why are you here?”

“…”

At my question my father slightly furrowed his brows and began to examine me from head to toe.

I felt his gaze was quite intense.

After a while of scrutinizing me my father broke the silence and spoke.

“… I saw the dispatch. I heard there was an incident with the Tang Clan. Is that true?”

“…!”

I widened my eyes at my father’s words.

I should have been surprised that he had seen the dispatch stating that I had been involved in an incident.

‘… Did it arrive already?’

I had heard from Nahy that the Tang Clan had sent the dispatch just a few days ago.

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It was understandable that the dispatch arrived quickly as it was said to be using demonic beasts not ordinary birds.

However if it bore the direct seal of the Tang Clan only the commander or my father would have seen it.

Even if the commander saw it he would have to relay it to my father meaning my father would ultimately see it.

But.

‘Then… how is my father here?’

No matter how quickly the dispatch traveled it was another matter for my father to have seen it and be here.

‘… It means he came from Shanxi to Sichuan in just a few days.’

It was a distance that would take several months by carriage.

Did he really say he arrived in just a few days?

What… did he fly here?

‘No even flying would be a problem.’

If I were to base it on my past life it wouldn’t be that much of an issue.

As long as one has a sufficient amount of qi using the heat emitted to lift oneself is not difficult.

Thinking about using that to travel from Shanxi to Sichuan.

‘It’s impossible.’

Even considering my qi levels back then it would take at least seven days.

That would be if I used up all my qi to rush here.

If I were to base it on the present it would take at least fifteen days. The speed might be higher due to compression and rotation but it would still take that long due to the issues of realm and qi.

But the fact that my father was here ultimately meant.

‘… He must have run here in a time frame that would be more than enough to narrow that down.’

Does that even make sense? It was an incomprehensible situation even with the evidence right in front of me.

“Um… are you saying you just arrived after seeing the dispatch?”

“…”

I asked genuinely curious if that was the case but my father did not respond.

I watched him wondering why he was acting this way.

Suddenly my father’s rough hand grabbed my cheek.

“What…?”

His hand was so large that it could easily grip my cheek with one hand.

He suddenly started to move my face around as if he were handling a ball. I couldn’t even muster a feeble resistance.

My father who seemed to be kneading my face as if it were clay lowered his voice even further and asked me.

“Who did this?”

Ah.

I realized why he was acting this way; it was because of my face.

‘… Oh no I had completely forgotten about that.’

I had been so aware of my good recovery that I knew it would disappear in a few days.

I had intentionally avoided touching it.

I never expected to see my father.

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At that moment.

“Third.”

“Yes…?”

“I asked who did this. Was it the people from the Tang Clan?”

“Um… no…? It’s nothing to worry about….”

“Tell me.”

Tightening.

‘Grrk.’

His fingers gripping my cheek tightened.

For some reason my father seemed slightly angry. Looking at his gaze it felt like I had fallen down the stairs. I couldn’t imagine getting away with just saying that….

So in the end I had to speak.

I hesitated for a moment then decided to just say it.

“… It was Pae-jun…”

“…”

Upon hearing my answer my father’s eyebrows twitched.

Pae-jun had hit me like this.

As I said that the grip of my father’s hand on my cheek loosened and withdrew.

Watching that I thought.

Since my kin had ended up like this my father would likely want to handle it considering the family’s dignity.

However since it was Pae-jun who did it I thought my father would let it slide.

In fact since Pae-jun had become my master with my father’s permission it wouldn’t be right to scold him for hitting his disciple a bit for training.

Thinking that I looked at my father.

He seemed to be contemplating something maintaining silence for a few seconds before finally saying.

“I need to send a dispatch.”

“Yes…? A dispatch?”

“I think I need to stay for at least two more days.”

“… What do you mean all of a sudden?”

He spoke words I couldn’t understand and turned to walk away.

I was bewildered watching my father’s back wondering why he suddenly appeared and was now leaving.

“I’ll return by the hour of the pig (亥時) so be prepared.”

I heard my father’s words that he would return at night.

“What do you mean by preparing…?”

As I asked for clarification my father slightly turned his head to glance at me.

Meeting his bright red eyes I felt my body stiffen.

“Prepare to tell me the things that are not written in the dispatch. Do that.”

“…!”

As soon as I heard his words I swallowed hard.

“What is that body of yours? What were you trying to do here? I want you to explain that to me.”

“…”

After saying that my father turned his head again and continued walking.

Pat-!

In an instant he transformed into a spark and disappeared before my eyes.

As the heat that had been felt around me dissipated the slight pressure also faded away.

Only then did I realize.

‘So this was my father’s influence….’

I understood that the reason the temperature around me had risen was because of my father.

Moreover I also realized why my body had felt so stiff.

‘… He must be angry?’

It seemed my father was indeed angry.

If it was that obvious he must have been quite furious.

‘And… he figured everything out.’

Even the body I had been hiding with body transformation techniques.

He had figured out that I was trying to do something with the Tang Clan. My father had seen through it all.

I recalled the meaning behind my father’s words just moments ago.

The meaning was simple.

He wanted me to explain the situation but there was an obvious underlying meaning I couldn’t miss.

– I will come back tonight to scold you so be mentally prepared.

That was surely what he meant.

‘Hmm….’

Thinking that I nodded.

‘This is bad.’

No matter how I looked at it it seemed quite bad.

Should I run away now? That might be better.

[… What kind of disgraceful act is it to run away because you’re afraid of being scolded by your father?]

Noya interjected sounding incredulous.

But from my perspective there was nothing more terrifying than this.

‘Why don’t you try playing the role of my father Noya? See if you can handle it without being scared.’

How on earth did he get here?

I couldn’t understand how he reached this place in just a few days.

[It’s not that strange you know.]

‘You mean this isn’t strange…?’

Is it not strange to cover a distance that would take months by carriage in just a few days?

As I made a strange expression at that incredible statement Noya added in a low voice.

[It wasn’t unusual in our time.]

Back then even the physically inferior Jeomun could travel that distance in about seven days.

‘…’

Traveling from Sichuan to Shanxi in about seven days? Noya sometimes talked about the times he lived in.

But every time I heard those stories I found them hard to believe.

They called it the era of despair. It was a time not long after the emergence of the Demon Gate.

And then there was the Blood Demon War when the Blood Demon appeared.

People referred to that time as the era of despair.

[Yes it’s only natural that you find it hard to believe.]

Perhaps feeling hurt that I couldn’t believe it.

Noya’s voice was laced with a heavy bitterness.

‘No… it’s not that I can’t believe it.’

[It’s only natural that you can’t believe it. Because it was a world that had to be that way. Or rather it was a world that was made to be that way.]

‘What?’

I had to express my confusion at the strange tone in Noya’s words.

A world that was made to be that way? What did that mean?

It didn’t seem like just boasting about how great they were back then.

Somehow the atmosphere felt unusual.

What was it? Why did Noya give off such a feeling?

Was it the cause of the faint unease I had been sensing from him lately?

As I pondered that while waiting for him to speak.

[I’ve always thought it was strange.]

Finally Noya continued.

[Unlike our time the quality of martial artists living in this era is low. That has been my question.]

‘… Low quality?’

[The power of prodigies is undoubtedly far superior to what it was in my time.]

The generation of meteors.

That referred to the prodigies who were born and active now.

It was an era where countless geniuses were born hence it was also called the generation of hope.

However.

[But the level of martial artists who are in their prime is ridiculously low.]

When referring to martial artists in their prime it does not mean those who are in their physical prime but rather those martial artists who have surpassed the age of forty.

Most of them started learning martial arts at a young age and if they remained at the top due to their talent it would be the point where their realizations began to seep into their bodies.

If they had surpassed their peak it would be the time when the qi that had begun to permeate their bodies would start to bloom.

‘Are their levels low?’

I couldn’t believe Noya’s words.

The masters I had met were undoubtedly outstanding.

Not to mention the strange line I had just encountered. What about the Three Zons?

As I recalled them and mulled over Noya’s words.

[Low.]

Even amidst that Noya firmly stated.

[I’m not referring to the level of martial arts. Rather the power they have seems far too meager compared to the levels they have built up.]

‘… Meager?’

[Yes. Those called kings and even those referred to as lords. They are infinitely meager compared to their aliases.]

Noya’s voice as he spoke was filled with an undeniable gloom.

[At first I thought it was just a coincidence. I thought it could be because they had forgotten the essence of martial arts and the desperation had faded. But even so isn’t it strange? It’s not just one or two people; the quality of martial artists as a whole has declined.]

As Noya continued to speak slowly.

I could feel a chill running down my spine.

My stomach felt uneasy and I swallowed dryly.

After Noya’s time in this so-called era of peace. The reason why the quality of martial artists had suddenly declined in Noya’s eyes. Also the reason why Noya spoke with such bitterness.

I had a growing suspicion about it but I chose to ignore it for now.

If that were the case it would be more than just a few problems.

So I hoped that Noya would tell me that it wasn’t true.

With a sense of unease I called out to the new Noya.

‘Noya. What you said…’

[You brat.]

‘Yes.’

[Do you remember what Yi Cheon said back in Bigo?]

‘… In Bigo?’

The Bigo Noya was referring to must be when we met at the Sinryong Temple.

‘What did Yi Cheon say to me back then?’

The words of Yi Cheon who had treated me like a disaster and tried to kill me.

I couldn’t quite remember so I kept mulling it over and then Noya provided me with the answer.

[The world does not make the same mistake twice.]

Right.

Yi Cheon had definitely said that.

So he was searching for the answer to that damned question across multiple worlds…. The Blood Demon had said the same.

‘Huh?’

Suddenly as I listened to Noya’s words a thought flashed through my mind.

A very unpleasant thought.

‘Noya. No way?’

I called out to Noya with wide eyes.

Hoping desperately that it wasn’t true.

[Jeomun told me.]

But.

[Right after we sealed the Blood Demon…. what the world did first was….]

As always.

[To cast a curse upon the ‘humans’ of this world.]

In my life nothing ever went as I wished.