Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 1130

Chapter 1130

In the aftermath of the conflict, the Namgung estate descended into total disarray.

An essential member of the Azure Dragon Division—the Vice Commander, Divine Dragon himself—and his subordinate had instigated a major disturbance right in the middle of the feast.

The abrupt and violent clash had seized the focus of every person there. Its sheer ferocity made it impossible to disregard.

Fire had scorched the grounds, and tremendous detonations had rocked the hall. The interior was significantly damaged, but worse, the celebration had been brought to an abrupt halt.

And the most pressing issue was—

“…The young master is gone.”

Namgung Hyung, the young lord of the Namgung family, had disappeared completely.

And it was not merely a disappearance.

“He took Thunder Fang with him…?”

*Crack—!*
*Bang—!!*

Namgung Jeohwi slammed his palm down on the table with such violence that the wood shattered into two pieces.

“What were all of you doing?!”

His features were contorted with pure wrath. The intimidating pressure of his fury made the surrounding martial artists recoil.

His anger was a physical force in the room.

“Are you claiming that useless fool escaped with Thunder Fang and no one intervened? Does that sound rational to you? If you can speak, then do so—explain this to me!”

He snarled the words, but none of the assembled martial artists dared to utter a sound.

*Grit.*

Faced with this oppressive silence, Namgung Jeohwi ground his teeth together and directed his piercing stare toward two individuals.

The ones who were the source of this disaster.
The ones who had thrown the banquet into chaos and began this madness.

Gu Cheolwoon, the Divine Dragon, and his subordinate, Baek Yangcheon.

“What… were you thinking?”

Though he was visibly struggling to hold his emotions in check, Namgung Jeohwi’s voice quivered with suppressed rage.

Gu Cheolwoon inclined his head.
“My apologies.”

“This was a day of celebration, carefully arranged… and it has ended like this.”

“……”

The banquet had been intended to mark the victorious defense against Magyeong Gate.
It should have been an evening of merriment and accomplishment.

Instead, it had been completely destroyed.

Gossip was already circulating through every corner of the Namgung household.

And in the midst of the confusion, Namgung Hyung had gotten away with Thunder Fang.

That was the true source of Namgung Jeohwi’s raging headache.

Damn it.

He had always known that a day of reckoning would come.
But he had never expected it to happen in this manner.

Ungrateful wretch.

They had fed him, given him shelter, and this was his gratitude?

The fact that Namgung Hyung had fled with Thunder Fang caused Namgung Jeohwi’s anger to reach a boiling point.

“…Relieve all the guards on duty and command the search teams to find him. And also.”

His icy gaze shifted to another subordinate.
“If the situation demands it upon capture, he may be subdued even if it requires severing his limbs.”

“…Understood.”

The subordinate who received the order departed at once.

The banquet was irrevocably finished.

After giving his commands, Namgung Jeohwi turned again to Gu Cheolwoon.

“I have a question, Vice Commander.”

“Speak.”

“What was the purpose of that fight?”

“……”

“I do not believe you are a man so foolish as to brawl inside another clan’s home without cause.”

Struggling to contain his fury, Namgung Jeohwi pressed on.
“…Was this battle deliberate?”

“……”

A deliberate fight.

Was the chaos at the feast a calculated ploy to facilitate Namgung Hyung’s escape?

The distraction provided by the combat had certainly enabled the getaway, and Namgung Jeohwi was zeroing in on that very fact.

Well, he isn’t incorrect.

From my viewpoint, Namgung Jeohwi was perceptive.
Because that had indeed been the plan.

At least for my part.

Father might have been unaware, but I had engineered it.

If Father and Namgung Hyung had confronted each other directly, everyone would have been watching.
That would have spoiled everything.

Namgung Hyung’s escape would have been thwarted.
Removing Thunder Fang from the estate would have been out of the question.
And I, for assisting him, would have faced grave consequences.

So I selected a different approach.

If everything was destined to collapse regardless…
Then I would be the one to tear it all down.

That is why I chose to fight Father.

And the outcome was acceptable.

Attention was successfully diverted, and Namgung Hyung escaped without a hitch.

That was the result.

The trouble was—

The result was acceptable… but what comes next?

It was excellent that Namgung Hyung got away.
But what was I to do now?

Namgung Hyung had fled with Thunder Fang.
To any observer, my father had attempted to prevent it.

If Father now revealed the truth of what occurred, I would be finished.

I watched quietly, anticipating what Father would say.

After an extended pause, he finally spoke.

“It was… a lesson.”

What?

An answer I had not anticipated.

“What? A lesson?”

“Yes. In the course of our discussion, an act of defiance occurred, and I determined that discipline was necessary.”

“Hah… You are calling this battle an educational lesson?”

“That is correct.”

Father gave a nod, his face an impassive mask.

Of course—

“You expect me to accept that?”

Namgung Jeohwi was not a man who could be fooled so simply.
Even if not the ultimate martial artist, he was clever and shrewd in matters of influence.

However—

“Yes.”

Father’s demeanor did not shift.

“……Vice Commander.”

“Speak.”

“This incident will not be forgotten easily. Regardless of what the Azure Dragon Division has done for the Namgung family, this is a different matter entirely.”

“I understand.”

“And you still offer me this explanation?”

“That is correct.”

“Hah—!”

Namgung Jeohwi’s expression finally contorted in sheer exasperation.

His previous statement had been a clear caution.
This was not something that could be overlooked.

Yet, even hearing this, Father’s position did not waver.

“I offer my deepest regrets for the disruption caused within your home. We will also provide complete restitution for the damage to the walls and structures.”

“…That is not the point—!”

Namgung Jeohwi began to yell but then cut himself off.
He understood that further debate was futile.

That made things simpler.

Father’s words fundamentally meant:

Yes, we regret that an internal conflict occurred within the Azure Dragon Division.
Yes, we will cover the costs of the damages.
But we merely fought—nothing else.

We had no involvement in the young lord’s disappearance.

That was the message he was conveying.

*Crrrack.*

Namgung Jeohwi clenched his fists, massaging his temple with his other hand.

“Huuu…”

He released a long, slow breath before turning his sharp eyes back to Father.

“…Leave. We have our own investigation to conduct.”

“Understood.”

“However, should our inquiry uncover anything that conflicts with your account… be ready for the consequences.”

“I will remember that.”

Father offered a formal bow and then exited the head family’s chambers.

The night remained profound.

When the event started, it was already past midnight.
Now, dawn was approaching.

By sunrise, the Namgung household would be in an uproar.

As I considered this, I addressed Father, who was walking ahead of me.

“Vice Commander.”

“……”

Father stopped walking.
Then, he glanced slightly in my direction.

“…Why did you not say anything?”

I looked directly into his crimson eyes without flinching.

Why had he not disclosed the truth?

I asked because I truly wanted to know.

“Baek Yangcheon.”

“Yes?”

Instead of answering, Father posed his own question.
“How did you assist him?”

“…Pardon?”

“I asked why you helped that young lord.”

“…Ah.”

Why, indeed?

I stopped to consider.

Why did I help him?

Well.

“Just because.”

It was a simplistic reply, but it contained multitudes.

If I had to give a reason, it was because of what Namgung Hyung had said.
The way he had desperately proclaimed that this place was a hell he needed to flee.

I did not know what kind of existence Namgung Hyung had endured.
But those words had resonated with me.

As I remembered that, Father studied me quietly.

“Just because?”

“…Yes.”

Was he going to reprimand me?
I likely deserved it.

A madman who helped a member of the Namgung family steal a sacred treasure and flee—
And my only justification was ‘just because’?

It was complete nonsense.

I braced myself for his response, but—

“I was the same.”

“…What?”

Father’s answer was utterly unexpected.

He was the same?

I stared back in confusion.

Seeing my struggle to comprehend, Father elaborated.
“That is my answer to your question.”

“…Ah.”

Only then did I understand his meaning.
It was his response to my original question—

Why didn’t you say anything?

Touché.

It meant he also had no desire to explain himself.

With that, he had silenced my questions while justifying his own silence.

Tch. That left me with no recourse.

I scratched the back of my head awkwardly.

“Follow me.”

Father turned and resumed walking.

Where is he going?

I paused for a second before following after him.

We proceeded without speaking for a short time until we reached a training ground.

Why here?

I frowned, puzzled, as Father strode into the center.

He then turned to look back at me.
His gaze instructed me to enter.

“……”

I warily walked out to meet him.

“…Why are we here?”

The moment I asked, Father’s eyes glinted as he spoke.

“Repay me.”

“…Huh?”

“Repay me for what I have done for you.”

“…What are you—”

Was he demanding compensation just for keeping my secret?
Asking for repayment so suddenly?

A moment ago, he had implied he helped me for no reason.
Now he wanted something in return?

But then—

“Do it properly.”

“…!”

Father unleashed a wave of fighting intent as he continued.
“Show me everything you have.”

*Zzzzzzzzt.*

The rings within my body began to rotate.

“That is the repayment I require.”

Qi eruption—!

The power radiating from Father was on a completely different level from before.