Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 522 (Part 3)



522 (Part 3)

Namgung’s Fallen Masterpiece.

The name of the Demon Sword Master which was so infamous lingered on.

“… You worked hard.”

It was a remark that slipped out of my mouth without me realizing it.

At this Namgung Bia’s eyes widened.

It seemed she never expected to hear such words.

“… Yes.”

Namgung Bia replied with a smile.

That smile was the most beautiful I had ever seen on her throughout my life.

Did she want to complete this sword so badly?

I could feel her heart.

But that wasn’t all.

As we continued our movements our qi intertwined and our hearts began to resonate in conversation.

Martial arts hold no lies.

It is so unnecessarily honest that it can be quite burdensome at times like this.

I could feel it all too well.

I could fully sense that I was embedded in all her actions.

‘Why?’

It would be natural for me to have affection for her.

She had died for me and now she was by my side in this life.

Even if I couldn’t give her all my heart it wouldn’t be strange to think of her differently.

It was hard to admit but I had to acknowledge it in the end.

There was clearly a place for her in my heart.

But.

‘Why do you…?’

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Why did she harbor such feelings for me?

The swords clashed.

Sparks flew.

In the moment my vision was momentarily obscured by the flames she spoke.

“I… too…”

What kind of answer was that?

Just as I felt meaning in her martial arts did she feel something too?

Whatever it was I didn’t want to hear it.

The thunderous energy built up.

It grew in presence but the Emperor Sword Form did not falter.

For some reason Namgung Bia’s power felt intensified.

She had grown stronger.

Chwa-rur-ruk-!

The ring of the Nine Flame Wheel within me spun.

The flames grew larger and her presence expanded.

The light of the Thunder Blade also intensified.

I could see the Emperor Sword Form being pushed back.

Namgung Bia’s sword path was still maintained but perhaps due to the strain her speed had somewhat slowed.

A gap appeared.

I swung the Thunder Blade toward it.

A clumsy motion fast but shameful to even call it swordsmanship.

Yet it was sufficient to pierce through the gap.

I swung without hesitation.

At that moment.

“I… love you too.”

I heard Namgung Bia’s voice.

I bit my lip.

Of all things she had revealed the one feeling I least wanted to be discovered.

Putting aside the embarrassment of my exposed feelings thankfully the blade of the Thunder Blade remained steady.

I swung as it was.

Kaang-!

The Thunder Blade filled with power met Namgung Bia’s sword and split it in two. The swords were swords but the power they possessed was fundamentally different.

Was this the end?

Just as I made that judgment.

Swoosh.

Namgung Bia’s hand wrapped around mine.

“What…?”

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My eyes widened.

I realized my mistake.

Though I hadn’t wavered at her words she had already loosened her grip on the sword halfway.

Did she intend to abandon the sword from the start?

What was she thinking with such actions?

There was no time to judge.

Whack-!

Namgung Bia aimed for my wrist and struck with her fist.

Having already been using an unrefined sword technique my balance was compromised.

I was in a position solely aimed at Namgung Bia’s sword making it difficult to adjust my stance.

Her fist swung targeting the gap in my wrist.

It wasn’t a particularly strong attack but it caused my hand to momentarily lose strength.

Namgung Bia did not miss that opening this time either.

“… You…!”

I couldn’t help but exclaim at what I saw next.

Taking advantage of the moment my grip weakened Namgung Bia snatched the Thunder Blade away.

The Thunder Blade slipped from my hand its energy dissipating.

In an instant the blade vanished leaving only the hilt behind.

I couldn’t understand what was happening. Did Namgung Bia not realize this issue?

No matter how much she took the Thunder Blade if she couldn’t use it it would be pointless.

This was clearly her mistake.

Just as that thought crossed my mind.

Whoosh-!

“… What?”

The Thunder Blade that Namgung Bia had taken emitted light as if it were a lie.

Boom-!

As if struck by thunder Namgung Bia’s body absorbed the light.

Through the jewel the blade radiated brilliance.

It was a blade far more resplendent than when I had wielded the Thunder Blade.

Thunderous energy erupted all around.

White thunder energy enveloped Namgung Bia’s body.

And then.

Swish.

The blade of the Thunder Blade stopped just before it could slice my neck.

“…”

Silence enveloped us.

In the quiet stillness it was Namgung Bia who spoke.

“I… won.”

“…”

With the same appearance as the Demon Sword Master of my past life.

Namgung Bia smiled.

Seeing that I couldn’t help but smile along.

“Haha….”

In the days to come I would probably realize this.

That I would never be able to defeat Namgung Bia until the day I die.

This did not signify martial arts.

There was no way out now.

To think I would lose like this. I closed my eyes in resignation.

My feelings were still complicated but there was nothing more I could do.

“Okay… you won…?”

I tried to speak but something blocked my mouth.

Surprised I opened my eyes.

Namgung Bia was kissing me.

In terms of time it lasted only a few seconds.

My body had stiffened as if turned to stone.

In that sudden moment of a kiss.

Leaving me with a dumbfounded expression Namgung Bia stepped back.

“… I’m not going anywhere…. So… don’t worry.”

She said that with a bright smile.

Of course the foolish me couldn’t say a word in response.

… My stiff body wouldn’t loosen up.

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

“Oh my! Oh my! Look at that! Kids these days don’t seem to care about people’s gazes oh my!”

Watching the two suddenly kiss during their duel Baekryeon-gyeom jumped up and slapped Gwaeseon on the shoulder.

She seemed quite excited as the force of her slap was considerable.

“… It hurts sister.”

“Oh my! Look at that smile! How can she be so pretty?”

“I said it hurts…?”

Gwaeseon’s words seemed to go unheard as Baekryeon-gyeom was thoroughly delighted.

It seemed she found it quite enjoyable to see the kids in love.

“… This is something.”

Gwaeseon sighed repeatedly at the sight. It was a different kind of embarrassment than what Baekryeon-gyeom felt.

I began to understand why Gu Yang-cheon had reacted so sensitively.

“It seems I’ve misunderstood….”

He probably thought that he and his niece would be leaving for the North Sea immediately.

“Even if we go it will be next year. This is something.”

I had only grasped the situation.

At this moment we couldn’t go to the North Sea.

It wasn’t the right time to head to the North Sea.

So even if it took a little longer.

I had planned to teach my niece the sword right after finishing my tasks.

But the problem was that my niece had insisted on coming along.

We weren’t going right away.

The current permission felt like receiving work in advance for the future.

Gu Yang-cheon seemed to think differently.

Or perhaps this was all part of the plan.

Gwaeseon wiped a bead of cold sweat from his brow as he looked at his niece.

Before heading to Gu Yang-cheon’s residence his niece had said something.

– Please… don’t say anything….

– Hmm?

– I’ll tell you later.

She would mention that she was going to the North Sea.

But she asked not to specify when.

Gwaeseon was puzzled as to why Namgung Bia had asked her not to say such things.

However seeing the current situation he felt slightly taken aback.

“… She was a lot more cunning than I expected.”

Namgung Bia was not as simple as she appeared.

In fact she might be smarter than anyone else.