Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 1106

Chapter 1106

Namgung Jeohwi

His martial prowess was at the peak of mastery, and he currently held the position of leader of the Namgung family.

While his combat ability alone did not rank among the highest, his political acumen and sharp intellect enabled him to overcome his siblings and claim the role of family head.

As a result, many claimed he had risen by chance or was unworthy of the title, yet…

In the end, he had been selected by the council of elders and the former patriarch, making his authority undeniable.

‘…Bloodlust, is it.’

The notion that traces of bloodlust lingered within Namgung Jeohwi’s body left me deeply unsettled.

‘What is happening?’

How could this be? Why would there be signs of bloodlust within him?

Perhaps it was a simple error in perception.

‘No, that isn’t possible.’

I was all too familiar with the scent of bloodlust—I had faced the Blood Demon myself.

There was no denying the presence of that vicious energy within him.

It was unmistakably bloodlust.

‘Hah.’

I sat in contemplation for a long moment, then lifted my gaze toward the high ceiling. This was a proper room, not the cramped interior of the carriage I had grown used to.

“What’s on your mind?” Do Yoon asked from beside me, pausing as he unpacked.

“Nothing important. Just thinking.”

“Then I’ll step outside for a while.”

“Where are you going?”

“To train.”

With that, Do Yoon left.

I was currently lodged in one of the guest residences within the Namgung family estate.

Having entered alongside the family head, I hadn’t needed to undergo any identity verification.

The real issue was…

‘What in the world is going on?’

No matter how I turned it over in my mind, I couldn’t rationalize the bloodlust simmering within Namgung Jeohwi.

‘Has it been active for a while now?’

When did the Blood Demon first begin to stir? The fact that bloodlust was present suggested it hadn’t been dormant for long.

‘Hmm.’

Had the Namgung family already been touched by its corruption? This was an unforeseen complication.

‘What became of Namgung Jeohwi?’

I strained to recall. He was a figure I never knew well. No surprise there.

‘He was already dead and gone by my time.’

Namgung Jeohwi had died during the period when I was most active, and the details of his death were never clear to me. My own clan knew little; how could I expect to know about another’s?

The only thing I remembered hearing was…

‘He died of an illness.’

That was the extent of my knowledge. Namgung Jeohwi had succumbed to a prolonged sickness.

But…

‘Was it truly just an illness…?’

Now, doubts began to surface.

‘Could it really have been that simple?’

Illness was a common cause of death among martial artists. It was common among ordinary people as well.

‘For those who practice martial arts, death typically comes…’

Either in old age, by sickness, or in combat.

Illness certainly wasn’t unusual in that regard.

No matter how powerful or well-trained a person might be, disease was an inescapable threat.

‘In that light, it isn’t strange, and yet…’

Seeing things from this new perspective, it felt deeply suspicious.

Was it because I could sense the bloodlust? I found myself focusing intently on the cause of his death.

‘What is this feeling?’

A sense of foreboding. Namgung Jeohwi’s death. Sickness.

‘He wasn’t a low-ranking martial artist.’

He didn’t seem the type to die young, especially given his level of cultivation.

And it hadn’t been all that long ago.

‘Aside from the bloodlust, his body appears perfectly healthy.’

Of course, I wasn’t a deity capable of a full inspection, but I could detect no obvious irregularities.

With that in mind…

‘Is it possible?’

Could his death be connected to the bloodlust? And further still…

‘Might it be that…’

The very reason he was able to become family head, despite his modest strength, was actually…

‘…a scheme of the Blood Demon?’

Could it have been the Blood Demon’s doing?

The thought struck me abruptly.

‘Tch.’

I ran a hand through my hair in frustration.

‘This is becoming absurd.’

I hadn’t expected the Namgung family to already be compromised. I would have preferred ignorance. Knowing only brought a headache.

‘Ah, but it’s not as if I can fix this.’

Worrying serves no purpose. Nothing will change. It only feeds my anxiety.

“Ugh. Damn it.”

Frustration welled up. I regretted ever probing into it.

Whether it concerned Namgung Jeohwi, the Blood Demon, or anything else, this was not the time to be distracted.

“I’d rather die than sit here fretting.”

I stood and walked outside. The sky was still clear. My father had instructed me to wait for further orders, but…

“Doing something is better than doing nothing.”

I might uncover useful information here. There was no telling what I could learn.

With that thought, I focused my energy.

*Snap.*

With a snap of my fingers, an illusory double of myself appeared in the room, a construct formed from my own power.

Since the bedding was already arranged, the illusion would hold for about an hour.

‘Alright then.’

Time to move.

I activated my stealth technique and slipped into the shadows.

**********

The Namgung family compound was immense. As one of the Four Great Families, its scale was naturally grand.

‘It feels somewhat larger than I remember.’

It seemed even more expansive than it had during my visit for the engagement ceremony.

The estate appeared to have grown rather than diminished over the years.

‘Is it a matter of management?’

Perhaps it had been scaled down previously for easier oversight because it was too large.

‘Maybe they reduced the guard patrols.’

With the prolonged era of peace, they might have cut back.

Well, that wasn’t what mattered.

*Thud!*

I moved cautiously, surveying my surroundings. My destination was clear.

‘Where was it, again?’

It was a place I had been before.

I’d had the family head’s permission then, but the layout had changed, and finding it was taking longer than anticipated.

‘Hah.’

Where exactly was it?

Just as I was searching…

‘Ah.’

I found it.

Inside a modestly sized building, four martial artists stood guard.

‘That’s the place.’

Fortunately, it hadn’t taken as long as I’d feared.

*Thud.*

I landed softly. After ensuring I was undetected, I studied the structure.

‘The shape remains unchanged.’

It was the same secret archive I had visited before, a restricted area within the Namgung family.

The exterior looked much as it had the last time I saw it.

That was good, but…

‘Now, how do I get inside?’

My objective lay within, and I needed a way in. What approach should I take?

I considered my options, but…

‘…No choice.’

There was only one way.

*Shhh.*

I accelerated, my body becoming a blur.

*Thud—! Thud-thud—!!*

In an instant, I had passed by all four guards. A precise strike to each chin, and they crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Using telekinesis, I gathered their bodies and moved them into a shadowed corner.

*Snap—!*

I snapped my fingers again, weaving an illusion. Copies of the guards materialized, standing motionless in their places.

I approached the door.

‘Time… about half a moment, at most.’

That was the safe window—half a moment before someone might come to relieve them.

*Screech.*

I opened the door and stepped inside, quickly scanning the room.

The interior layout was somewhat different from my last visit. The arrangement had been altered slightly.

‘Hmm.’

As I took in the details, my senses picked up a disturbance.

*Thud.*

“…!”

I immediately suppressed my presence, reacting to the shift in the air.

‘What’s this?’

There’s someone else here?

‘Who is it?’

Who else would have entered this place? Hiding in the shadows, I heard a voice.

“…I told you, I won’t do it. Why do you keep pestering me? It’s revolting.”

The tone was dripping with mockery and irritation.

“I’m not doing something so troublesome. I’m already treated like dirt in this family. Why should I bother? Find someone else. My brother—though he has a foul temper—is competent. Want me to introduce you?”

The sarcastic, annoyed speech was unmistakable.

Hearing it, I narrowed my eyes.

‘This voice and manner of speaking…’

It sounded familiar. Could it be…?

I shifted slightly, careful to remain hidden behind a bookshelf. I couldn’t see the speaker clearly at first, but after a moment, his features came into view.

‘Ah.’

My eyes widened in recognition. Just as I thought.

A young man with white hair sat in the center of the room, staring intently at an object on the wall.

It was a sword mount, but it held only a hilt—the blade was missing.

The sword once wielded by the Demon Sword Queen, which Namgung Bi-ah now possessed.

‘Noe-a.’

A sacred relic of the Namgung family. The divine blade used by Namgung Myung centuries ago.

‘That means…’

The person before me must be who I suspect.

Just as I prepared to move closer for a better look.

“Eh? What was that?”

The young man suddenly turned around.

“…Who’s there? Nah, it can’t be you, old man.”

“….”

“Eh?”

Our eyes met. His face was now fully visible.

It was him.

The young man was none other than Namgung Hyeong.

*********

Meanwhile, within the main hall of the Namgung family, a conversation was underway.

«Thank you for coming.»

Namgung Jeohwi, head of the Namgung family, addressed the young man before him—one of the most prominent figures in the recent martial world, now leader of the Divine Dragon Division.

‘…Remarkable.’

The youngest vice-captain in the history of the Azure Dragon Division.

He had heard the rumors of this sudden rise to prominence and had wondered just how extraordinary the young man would be.

‘He is truly this impressive.’

Namgung Jeohwi could not help but feel a sense of awe toward Gu Cheolwoon, leader of the Divine Dragon Division.

‘It’s imperceptible.’

What level of power did he possess? It was completely hidden. This indicated that the young man before him was, at the very least, his equal—or perhaps…

‘Stronger.’

It meant he was stronger.

No matter how skilled Namgung Jeohwi was, the fact that this young man could already rival or surpass him inspired both admiration and a tinge of envy.

‘The family from Sansa, was it?’

He recognized the name. He had been advised to avoid any association with them, but…

‘To think a talent like this would emerge from there.’

To witness such a genius arise from a place not known for producing them stirred a feeling of jealousy.

Although his own Namgung Jin was talented, the presence of someone of this caliber made envy inevitable.

“I am merely following orders.”

“…Regardless, you have come to aid the family, and for that, you have my gratitude.”

He pushed his personal feelings aside. Now was the time for business.

“If I may, as mentioned in the letter, this concerns a certain matter…”

“Yes.”

“Lately, there have been strange developments at the Magyeong Gate in Anwi.”

“…”

Gu Cheolwoon’s expression tightened at the mention of the “Magyeong Gate.”

“It appears the time for the Great Magyeong Gate to manifest is approaching. Since it is Anwi’s turn, the Namgung family must take action.”

“Yes.”

The Great Magyeong Gate.

Was it finally Anwi’s time?

Hearing this, Namgung Jeohwi continued.

“I have been told the state of the Great Magyeong Gate is unusual.”

“…What do you mean?”

“It is not in its usual form. What I mean to say is…”

He paused briefly before delivering the news.

“It has turned red.”

“…!”

“The Magyeong Gate is now red.”

At these words, Gu Cheolwoon’s eyes sharpened.