Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 908

Chapter 908

As the first light of morning spread after a long night, I exited my room into the chill of the daybreak.

The clean air enveloped me as I surveyed my surroundings. Details I had previously overlooked now became apparent—the singing of birds, distant shouts carried by the breeze, and the distinct noise of morning routines.

“Hyah!”

“Hyah!”

The cries and motions were unmistakably from those starting their drills early. I sharpened my awareness, observing more closely.

It wasn’t all that different from what I had witnessed the day before. Crowds of individuals, only vaguely human in form, had assembled to practice sword techniques as one.

“Higher! Hold your posture—don’t get lazy!”

At the head of the group stood who I assumed was the instructor, roaring commands as the students performed their exercises.

Even amid all the grunting and sweat, plum blossoms floated down softly from the trees, creating a strangely serene picture. If not for a few unsettling details, it would be easy to imagine this as the Mount Hua Sect from Zhongyuan.

“Hyah! Hyah!”

“Mind your technique! Stay focused!”

“Forgive me, Instructor!”

“If you can’t focus, you don’t need that arm. I’ll remove it for you!”

“M-my apologies, Instructor!”

“…”

Remove it? I must have heard wrong.

“What are you looking at so intently?”

A voice from behind broke my concentration. I turned to see Shin Noya stepping out of his quarters, his expression tired.

“I was only observing the training.”

“Is it that amusing to watch them struggle?”

“Absolutely. Nothing’s better than seeing others sweat.”

“…Judging by your face, you’re serious.”

“Don’t tell me you don’t enjoy it too, Noya?”

“Naturally.”

Shin Noya nodded calmly, as though it were the most obvious thing.

I gave a light laugh and turned my attention back to the training field.

“How did you organize this training method?”

Curious about their structure, I decided to ask.

“There’s no real organization. It’s all done loosely.”

“…What do you mean by ‘loosely’?”

“You know, the basics. Train a few properly, then have them teach those under them. It gets passed down that way.”

“I see.”

It was about as simple as it gets.

And yet…

‘It’s a dangerous method.’

While it was the most straightforward way to run a sect, it was also full of risk.

Even if the original instruction was correct, how many would truly learn it properly after being passed down through so many?

‘Still, judging by the intensity of the training and how the disciples are performing, it doesn’t seem to be failing.’

I studied the trainees closely; their methods didn’t appear fundamentally flawed.

“…Hm.”

I found myself curious about the skill level of the instructors leading the drills.

I was on the verge of asking Noya when I stopped myself.

“Noy—”

I cut off mid-word, noticing the strange look on Shin Noya’s face.

It was… sulky? Or maybe twisted in irritation. Either way, it was bizarre.

“…”

I held back a sigh. I knew exactly why he was acting this way.

“Are you still upset about that?”

“I am not upset!”

The moment I mentioned it, Noya snapped, his voice rising. If this wasn’t sulking, what was?

“It wasn’t even a direct loss, so why are you so bothered?”

“I said I’m not bothered!”

“If not, then what is this? Don’t tell me your pride is hurt—”

I turned just in time to see—

Whoosh!

Boom!

“Damn—!”

I barely avoided a fist that ripped through the air, the force of it causing chaos behind me.

It was slower than his usual strikes, but the power behind it was tremendous.

I stared at Shin Noya, completely astonished.

“Seriously?”

He had the nerve to puff out his chest and reply.

“You dodged it?”

“If I hadn’t, I’d be dead. Have you lost your mind?”

“You sell yourself short. That wouldn’t have killed you.”

“Don’t make me laugh.”

“You little…”

As Noya raised his fist again, I shouted quickly.

“If you’re upset, take it up with the version of you that lost! Why take it out on me?”

“I didn’t lose!”

“You did!”

Bam!

“Urgh!”

In the end, I took a solid hit. It was much stronger than usual, and I dropped to the ground.

“Damn it…”

Clutching my pounding head, I glared at Noya.

“Just you wait. When I get stronger, we’ll see what happens.”

“Hah! As if someone like you could ever reach my level.”

“Well, I did beat you once, remember? Oh, sorry. My mistake.”

Feeling the tension return, I apologized quickly.

This old man had no sense of humor.

‘This is so unfair.’

Why did I have to put up with this?

It was completely absurd. And the reason for Noya’s tantrum was simple.

‘…It’s because I defeated him in that match.’

To be specific, the version of Shin Noya that was in Yeongpung’s body.

I had faced him during the Divine Dragon Martial Arts Festival and won.

We had discussed it the night before.

When I told Noya, he had let out a long, heavy sigh.

The strange part was—

“…I lost to you?”

He wasn’t even curious about the existence of another version of himself or the fact that I had used Eternal Bind. The only thing that mattered was that he had lost to me.

“Yes. You were completely beaten and walked away crying.”

The result of that spar was my victory.

I had found an opening and barely managed to win.

‘Though, honestly, he was holding back.’

I had known even then.

That match was more about Noya testing me than a real fight.

Even catching him off guard with Eternal Bind only worked because he allowed it.

‘If Noya had been serious, he could have taken my head with one strike.’

I realized it then, and I was even more sure now.

If Shin Noya had truly wanted to, he could have ended me at any time.

Of course, there was a clear difference between the Noya I met then and the one standing before me now.

But that didn’t change the truth.

Still, that was that.

“Why do you keep taking your anger out on me?”

At my words, Noya started scolding me again without hesitation.

“I’m angry because I lost to a brat like you.”

“So you’re just using me to vent?”

“Yes.”

“Why are you so shameless, old man?”

“And didn’t you take out your frustration yesterday by almost killing someone? At least I’m only using words.”

“…Bringing that up isn’t fair.”

I had no comeback.

“Besides, I had a reason for what I did. You don’t.”

“Who says I don’t?”

“What?”

So he had a reason? I waited to hear what excuse he would invent.

“My reason is that I’m in a bad mood. That’s all.”

“…”

What complete nonsense.

This was giving me a headache.

“…This is maddening.”

I held back a sigh and spoke.

“Why do you fixate on the smallest things and ignore everything else?”

I had told him many important things yesterday, but it seemed like none of it mattered to him.

Especially this.

“The only thing you care about is that you lost to me. Aren’t you even curious that I’m supposed to be your reincarnation?”

The words I had heard from Thunder Blade himself—that I was supposedly the reincarnation of Shin Noya.

Or more precisely, a body meant to be his rebirth?

It was shocking, to say the least. Yet Shin Noya didn’t seem to care at all.

“Why does something so insignificant matter?”

“Insignificant…? You call that insignificant?”

How is that trivial? I was speechless.

Then—

“Actually, no.”

Noya paused, as if realizing something was off about what he had just said.

Right, even he must have thought that was a ridiculous thing to say—

“Still, if it’s true, it makes the resemblance more plausible, which is honestly annoying.”

“Just drop dead, old man.”

It was foolish of me to expect anything reasonable from this guy.

I dragged my hand down my face in frustration.

“Ha ha ha!”

The old man, meanwhile, laughed as though he had just told the funniest joke.

Then, suddenly, he stopped and spoke to me.

“Kid.”

“Yes.”

“You shouldn’t be blaming me. From what I can tell, you weren’t all that shocked by the news either. Am I wrong?”

“…”

I looked away, wearing a guilty expression.

“That face says I’m right. You either suspected it to some degree or…”

Noya clasped his hands behind his back, his eyes sharp.

“You already knew, didn’t you?”

“…”

Hearing his words, I clenched my teeth and avoided his gaze.

That knowing look of his was incredibly irritating.

It was annoying when he was just a spirit, but facing it directly like this was even worse.

“I didn’t know.”

How could I have? It wasn’t something I could have predicted.

Still, my reaction gave me away.

Because in the end…

‘I didn’t care.’

Yeah, that was probably the simplest way to put it.

It wasn’t about expecting it or being sure—it just didn’t matter to me.

If anything, being the reincarnation of someone like Shin Noya might even increase my value.

Maybe it would bring me closer to the people I wanted to protect.

That was likely the biggest part.

Although…

“Is that so?”

There was no way I would admit those thoughts to Noya.

‘In the end, this was probably all meant to be.’

The fact that I ended up with the plum stone that contained him.

That Gui Jeong came into my possession.

That I became involved in all of this.

Was it all destined to happen?

Sometimes, those thoughts crossed my mind. And…

‘If it wasn’t destiny.’

Was it all arranged by someone?

Lately, I’d been having these disturbing thoughts.

That’s what truly unsettled me.

The possibility that everything I was doing was meaningless, just part of someone else’s design.

It weighed on me constantly.

‘Stop.’

I frowned, pushing the thoughts away.

They were pointless, distracting.

“Haah.”

I let out a deep breath and looked elsewhere.

Scanning the area, my eyes fell on the enormous tree I had seen earlier—the one they called the Sacred Tree.

“By the way, Noya.”

“What is it?”

Pointing at the Sacred Tree, I asked, “I heard you planted that yourself. Do plum trees grow here too?”

The trees here were unlike any I had seen in Zhongyuan. That such a massive plum tree existed was remarkable.

And the fact that Noya had planted it himself made it even more puzzling.

Hearing my question, Noya chuckled and answered.

“Ah, that? Of course not.”

“Then what is it…?”

“It’s a manifestation of the one who planted the seed. I planted it, so it bloomed as a plum tree. If someone else had planted it, something else would have grown.”

“That’s… possible?”

A tree’s form changing based on who planted it?

It sounded unbelievable.

“That’s why it’s called the Sacred Tree. Isn’t it strange enough that a tree of that size exists at all?”

“…I suppose.”

“It’s more remarkable than it appears.”

Noya gazed at the tree with a satisfied look.

“I treasured it quite a bit. It wasn’t easy to steal.”

“Well, that must’ve been—wait, what?”

I quickly turned to stare at him.

Steal?

What?

“Ah.”

Noya’s expression shifted as he realized what he had just said.

“Did I forget to mention that?”

He pointed at the Sacred Tree and went on.

“That originally belonged to your mother, the ruler of this realm.”

“…What?”

“But I stole it and planted it here. Ha ha ha! Of course, that meant I spent the next fifty years fighting and running for my life.”

“…”

Noya said all this with a straight face, completely unbothered.

‘What in the world…’

Hearing his words, I thought to myself, should I run now?

It was becoming more and more obvious that I had made the wrong choice from the start.

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

Ku-huhuhuhu…

A foreboding sound echoed through the vast cave.

In the dark, damp heart of the cavern, something crouched, its labored breathing resonating.

The disturbing noise was nothing other than respiration.

Ku-huhuhu.

A massive figure with the head of a bull and the body of a man exhaled roughly.

It was the leader.

Was it due to injury?

No. The ragged breaths were filled with pure, unrestrained fury.

At that moment—

“Still brooding, I see.”

A voice echoed through the cave as a figure stepped into view.

…

The leader’s fiery eyes blazed as he recognized the man.

[…Tusang.]

At the name, the man moved closer, dark feathers drifting down around him as he walked.

“The Master is worried about you.”

[…Ku-huhuh…]

The leader bowed his head at the words.

[…My apologies.]

Tusang tilted his head slightly in acknowledgment.

“If you wish to apologize, it would be proper to speak directly to the Master, not to me.”

…

“Moreover, the Master has ordered you to wait. Set aside your reckless plans for now.”

[But…]

“Leader.”

The leader tried to speak, but Tusang interrupted.

“Are you intending to disobey the Master’s command out of anger?”

At Tusang’s stern tone, the leader fell silent.

Every part of him wanted to rush out and tear those bastards apart, but in the end, the Master’s orders were absolute.

“Answer me.”

[…Understood.]

Hearing the leader’s reply, Tusang nodded.

“I understand how you feel, but do not let it consume you.”

Tusang’s voice softened as he recalled someone.

“Yarang has made his move.”

[…!]

At the mention of that name, the leader’s breathing hitched for a moment, his rage flaring again.

“Before long, the time you’ve been waiting for will arrive.”

With those words, Tusang turned and left.

Soon, his presence faded entirely from the leader’s domain.

Ku-huhuh!

The leader exhaled sharply, flames flickering in the darkness as his emotions swelled.

Yarang has moved.

That single statement made the leader’s heart beat violently once more.

Feeling the rhythm of his own pulse, he growled lowly.

[Next time…]

He would capture and crush them.

[All for the realm of Mangye.]

The leader slowly closed his eyes, settling into the silence.

He was waiting for his night to arrive.