Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 570 (Part 2)



570 (Part 2)

I recalled my thoughts and let out a hollow laugh.

“It looks too peaceful to express it that way.”

I knew well that this was not a word to use at a time like this.

“Hey.”

A voice came from behind.

When I turned my head the first thing I saw was Seong-yul with his characteristic pale face.

He hadn’t said a word the entire time and now he finally spoke.

“Why?”

“What brings you here…?”

Hearing that made me chuckle slightly.

It seemed even he found it quite strange.

“I’m here to meet someone.”

“…Here?”

Seong-yul made a strange expression at my answer.

It was only natural. It was a place that clearly wasn’t meant for meeting people.

“Right?”

I didn’t want to meet in a place like this either.

But it couldn’t be helped.

“I heard everyone is gathered here.”

Since the people were already gathered at this point.

As I spoke I began to move again.

I lightly clenched my fist.

Woong-!

The qi moved shaking my body once and returning.

It was to check my condition.

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“Tsk.”

Naturally my condition wasn’t good.

It wouldn’t be healed in just a day. But I still had to check.

I needed to calculate the time.

‘At most two months ahead.’

The letter I had tucked away.

To divert the attention and position of the Mu-dang-gyeom-seon.

And to select a new Shin-ryong-dae through the upcoming Shin-ryong Martial Arts Competition.

That meant there were only about two months left until that happened.

If that were to happen.

‘A month would be lacking.’

If I expected it would take three months for my body to fully heal.

That meant I would be short by about a month.

‘…In two months I should recover to some extent.’

But that wouldn’t be enough.

This was the most crucial turning point and it could truly be seen as the ‘beginning’ of the plan.

I had to create the most optimal situation possible.

‘Tsk.’

I wished I had adjusted things a bit more from the start.

‘It all went awry because I squeezed in a visit to the Mu-dang.’

Originally the plan to find the Mu-dang wasn’t meant for now.

If things had gone as planned it would have been at least this winter.

‘It got tangled up with Shin No-ya’s matters. I tried to proceed with both at once but it got a bit messy.’

If Yeong-pung hadn’t suddenly mentioned that he had become the successor of the Hwasan Divine Sword I wouldn’t have hastily changed my course to the Mu-dang.

Then I wouldn’t have had to suffer any internal injuries.

‘It can’t be helped.’

This was something I had to see through.

So I had pushed the plan even if it meant straining myself.

Fortunately there was a harvest.

‘First Yeong-pung’s energy and the Gwi-jeong that the Mu-dang possessed are real.’

I didn’t know what had happened in the past that made them keep the Gwi-jeong there.

But the Gwi-jeong they possessed was genuine.

That meant.

‘What about this thing?’

What was this thing tied to my left arm?

If that was real then this thing had to be fake.

But if this was fake then Shin No-ya wouldn’t have missed it.

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Another possibility was.

‘If there were originally two.’

There was a possibility that the Gwi-jeong had always existed in two forms.

Considering that Shin No-ya never said there was only one Gwi-jeong.

That possibility was certainly there.

But.

‘Something feels off.’

There were too many strange parts to say that.

‘Yeong-pung said he heard a voice.’

Yeong-pung clearly said he heard the voice of the remnants left by Shin No-ya.

‘Shin No-ya left remnants.’

In the past.

That gentleman’s remnants were contained within my body.

Moreover Shin No-ya didn’t even know why his remnants were asleep.

In such a situation did No-ya leave behind remnants to warn of danger?

‘That doesn’t add up.’

Something was definitely tangled.

The fact that there were two Gwi-jeong. The remnants that Yeong-pung claimed to have seen.

Even the energy that Yeong-pung currently possessed.

Something was clearly twisted.

‘I should have looked into it a bit more back then.’

I wondered if I should have held onto Yeong-pung a bit longer instead of sending him back to Hwasan to confirm things.

But there was a reason I sent him away knowing this.

‘After all I was going to see him again in Henan.’

Moreover there was something unsettling about the reactions Yeong-pung was showing me.

When the Gwi-jeong brought by the Mu-dang lunged at me the reaction Yeong-pung showed while watching that.

‘The faint energy contained within it.’

The vague bitter sensation I felt from Yeong-pung.

It was definitely a familiar yet disgusting feeling.

If it were normal I would have kept it by my side and checked it out.

‘But now it feels awkward to be next to him.’

Somewhere deep down my instincts were telling me.

That I shouldn’t be near Yeong-pung right now.

Since he was going to participate in the martial arts competition anyway I would see him in Henan soon.

Given my tight schedule it was a decision I had to make.

‘Anyway… if only Shin No-ya were here this would be resolved.’

If that foul-tempered old man were here things would have been easier.

It was just regrettable that it couldn’t be.

‘Who can I blame?’

There’s no one to blame for this obvious situation.

The reason the noisy old man in my belly disappeared was none other than me.

Yes No-ya is gone.

Shin No-ya is currently.

‘In the afterlife.’

The remnants of Shin No-ya that remained were likely in another world now.

That was the pact.

Clunk.

As I organized my thoughts and walked for a while I found myself blocked by a wall.

It seemed I had to change direction but I didn’t.

Without hesitation I reached out my hand toward the wall.

Then.

Woong-!

As if it were a lie my hand passed through the wall.

This wall itself was a lie.

Seeing that I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“They really went all out.”

It was formations.

It hadn’t been long since I arrived yet they had laid out this level of formations in front.

They didn’t need to go this far.

Anyway they never listen to reason.

I immediately moved my feet.

Woong-!

My body passed through the wall.

The situation inside wasn’t much different from the outside.

If there was a noticeable difference.

It was how eerily quiet it was.

The sound of the wind.

Even the sound of droplets falling along the wall.

A chilling silence where nothing could be heard.

I turned my gaze.

The crumbled ceiling and the moonlight streaming through the gaps were striking.

The moss I had seen at the entrance had spread wider.

Rocks protruded here and there surrounding the area.

And above that.

I felt the gaze of ten pairs of eyes quietly watching me.

Three pairs had ordinary pupils.

The remaining eyes were all dyed in purple shining brilliantly.

Seeing that I opened my mouth.

“I don’t think we need to bother with greetings.”

I skipped the unnecessary talk.

“Let’s get straight to the point.”

At my words the cave trembled.

It felt like killing intent or perhaps a challenge.

Rough energy gathered and coalesced in the air.

“In three months we will.”

I spat out the words while observing this. My tone was flat and my voice was soaked in annoyance.

But the words that came out were

“We will raid Henan.”

It was not a light statement at all.