Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 523 (Part 2)



523 (Part 2)

“I said this before.

Because there are volcanoes that have lost nothing Shin Noya cannot understand Namgung Myung.

It’s true but upon hearing those words Shin Noya’s voice only became clearer.

[That’s right. It’s a selfish thing to say to be honest. It wouldn’t be strange for anyone to feel that way.]

[But how…!]

[If it weren’t for Namgung Myung that is.]

There is strength in the tone of the words.

[That guy used to say something like this. You must know it if you are Namgung Myung.]

[…]

[Do you know? Even when covered in blood he said this.]

Namgung Myung remains silent.

Is it because he doesn’t know? Or because he can’t spit it out?

I couldn’t tell this time either.

[In a crumbling world the lone Namgung is unnecessary.]

[…!]

[He said he would become the black king of the Namgung Clan and protect someone. But what use is a sword without someone to protect? That was what he said every day.]

A ruler without subjects is meaningless.

It’s an arrogant and unpleasant statement but there is a heart in those words and a feeling of resonance brushed past me.

[If Myung had lost his conviction he would have cut his own throat right there. Filling the empty space with desire? That’s a ridiculous statement.]

Now I understood.

The reason Noya’s voice was gradually darkening and chilling was not because his emotions were drying up.

Rather.

‘He is angry.’

He was becoming cold because he was so angry.

[So do not insult my friend any further.]

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Perhaps because the meaning in his voice was so strong it felt as if my breath had stopped for a moment.

I wanted to interject but under Noya’s atmosphere I couldn’t utter a word.

I couldn’t help but marvel at that belief.

‘How can he be like that?’

Even if my friend had fallen I was certain he wouldn’t be like this.

That belief had been built up to be so solid.

What kind of life had he lived? What kind of relationships had he formed to be able to believe so transparently?

I who could not live like that found it an incomprehensible relationship.

[I will ask again. Who are you?]

[… Shin Cheol.]

Namgung Myung’s voice calling for Shin Noya seemed to tremble somewhere. Or perhaps it looked resigned.

After a long silence Namgung Myung began to speak again.

[I am… I am Namgung Myung.]

It was the same as before.

[This fact will not change no matter what happens.]

[This guy really….]

[Just…]

[Not the original body.]

At Namgung Myung’s last words Shin Noya who was about to explode finally stopped speaking.

[… What? What did you just say?]

The original body? What does that mean?

At the sudden nonsensical words my eyes widened.

As I rolled my eyes in confusion Namgung Myung continued.

[The lingering attachment left by the original body for Namgung. That is me.]

[… What? Attachment? Then where did the real Myung go?]

Setting aside the talk of original bodies and whatnot.

If what he was talking about was something akin to residue then where was the real Namgung Myung?

Even Shin Noya taken aback asked the question.

Namgung Myung answered.

[… North Sea. He is in the North Sea.]

Of all places that damned name popped up again.

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

I opened my eyes.

For some reason my heavy eyelids were bothersome.

“… Ugh….”

I staggered as I raised my body. As I moved my arms I felt a strange muscle ache.

‘What is this?’

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I raised my body and held my head thinking.

When did I lose consciousness? Was the memory until just now a dream?

The dream where Namgung Myung and Noya were talking. No it didn’t seem like a dream.

I seemed to have rushed out with my brain after hearing the name North Sea.

Then I was about to duel with Namgung Bia.

I used my brain…. Ah.

‘That’s right I used my brain.’

I remembered suddenly using my energy and out of nowhere my brain was activated.

And while dueling with that I…. lost.

Yeah I lost. I lost to Namgung Bia.

I was defeated while flailing around with a sword I didn’t understand.

And then….

‘…’

Swoosh-!

Suddenly a memory of something touching my lips came to mind and I slapped my cheek.

It was because I felt heat rising in my face.

That’s as far as my memory goes. Damn it was vividly clear.

So what is this situation now?

Why did I lose consciousness and then wake up?

‘… No way.’

Did I faint just from that kiss?

Wow that would be a bit troublesome.

‘That’s so embarrassing….’

Fainting just from a kiss that couldn’t be possible.

If that were the case I was ready to bite my tongue and die right then.

‘Don’t just think about it. Should I die now? Yeah that would be better.’

As I was about to attempt a practical solution to my embarrassing and trivial worries.

[Stop being foolish. It’s not that.]

Noya spoke to me in a voice full of disdain.

[To think that this is what you would do right after waking up…. What should I do with this fool?]

‘No? Then what is it? Why was I lying down?’

[What are you asking? It’s the backlash from using your brain.]

‘What?’

Backlash?

Thanks to Noya’s words a delayed memory surfaced.

Right after being ambushed with a kiss from Namgung Bia. I had been frozen like a stone for a few seconds. Just as I thought to move my body.

At that moment.

– Ugh…!

I had to clutch my heart suddenly.

Because an immense pain had struck my heart.

And not long after I lost consciousness.

‘… So that was the backlash from using my brain?’

[Then why would you use something that doesn’t even fit!]

There hadn’t been any major issues when I touched it or even when I used it right?

‘Aside from consuming a lot of energy it seemed fine…. Is the backlash really that severe?’

[In the first place using such a precious item. Wouldn’t it be more strange to think there would be no backlash?]

‘But…. Gwi Jeong….’

[You said it yourself. Gwi Jeong is less efficient than your brain.]

‘…’

I felt a bit of a sting in those words.

This old man is now comparing Gwi Jeong and my brain to throw shade.

‘… I apologize for that.’

[Hmph.]

I tried to apologize but it seemed that Shin Noya was not satisfied with that.

Setting that aside for now. According to Noya’s words it wasn’t a strange story.

The energy I felt when using my brain it would be strange if there was no backlash for enhancing the physical body that much.

‘Does that mean it wasn’t just consuming qi?’

The problem is I had never seen the sword demon after using my brain feel this level of pain in my previous life.

‘I had seen him look exhausted after using all his energy. But I had never seen him feel this much pain.’

This means that it is likely a problem unique to me.

If I were to find the cause.

‘Because I tried to use something that didn’t fit….’

As Noya said.

It must be the side effects of using a precious item that didn’t fit in the first place.

After all I had covered something meant to be used with brain energy with a weapon so it was only natural that it was strange to be able to use it at all.

‘If I had known this would happen I wouldn’t have used it.’

Setting aside the performance of the precious item itself it was something that wouldn’t yield any efficiency even if I tried it.

To think I almost ended up in trouble just because I was curious.

‘… By the way how did I even use it?’

Backlash or whatever I needed to figure out how I was able to use my brain in the first place.

As I tried to think of a reason for this.

[You fool. Is this really the time for that?]

Noya spoke to me.

‘What?’

[Can’t you see what’s beside you?]

What is he talking about?

Following Noya’s words I looked to the side.

There I saw.

“… Huh…?”

My father sitting and drinking tea.

And across from him Mo Yong Hee Ah and Wi Seol Ah along with Namgung Bia were sitting with their heads bowed.

‘…’

Seeing that I slightly nodded and laid back down on the bed.

It seems this is still a dream.

Thinking that I closed my eyes but.

It didn’t take ten seconds for me to realize that it was not a dream.