Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 915

Chapter 915

“What are you?”

The question left my lips as I stared at Gubong, who had materialized without warning.

He said nothing.

I studied him with a deepening frown. His face was badly swollen, the skin around his eye socket puffed and streaked with red.

It was obvious who was responsible. But that wasn’t what held my attention.

‘He’s mobile already?’

Gubong had recovered enough to be on his feet. That was what struck me.

‘I didn’t exactly hold back.’

I’d been careful not to kill him, but I certainly hadn’t shown restraint. I’d hit him with everything I had, each punch fueled by raw anger.

‘His healing speed is unusually fast.’

A dry, humorless laugh escaped me at the sight of him standing there.

“What? You want another round now that you’re up?”

I tilted my head slightly.

“There won’t be a second chance. Next time, I’ll end you. Understood?”

I let the threat hang, heavy and genuine. Gubong’s shoulders jerked. He swallowed hard before stammering out a reply.

“…I-I’m not here to fight.”

He rushed to explain himself. Not here to fight? Then why?

“…The Grandmaster instructed me to guide the honored guests.”
“What?”

My frown deepened.

‘A guide?’

Now that he mentioned it, the old man had said something about providing one. And he’d sent *Gubong*?

“That senile old fool has truly lost his mind.”

Of all people, why him? The one who held a grudge against me and got pummeled for it? Now he was supposed to be my guide?

The old man was utterly insane.

Gubong flinched at my words. “What?” I pressed. “Angry that I insulted your Grandmaster again?”
“…”

He bit his lip. Then, unexpectedly—

“I apologize.”

He bowed his head deeply. I could only stare, bewildered.

“What is this?”

What was his game? Why the sudden change?

“…I acted on impulse and wronged you. I offer my sincere apologies.”
“Hm.”

He was bent so low I could see the crown of his head. I watched him, my head cocked in confusion.

Was this a genuine apology? Had he simply come to his senses?

‘Shin Noya must have intervened.’

Life wasn’t that straightforward. Shin Noya’s influence was the obvious reason Gubong was here as a guide.

‘Still, he doesn’t seem completely insincere.’

“Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue and let out a short sigh.

“It doesn’t matter. I’m the one who beat you to a pulp, anyway.”

If anyone had been wronged, it was him. I’d already vented my anger on him; his apology was irrelevant to me.

“Just remember one thing.”

This was a simple warning.

“Like I said, there won’t be a second time.”

I laced my words with killing intent. Gubong’s body shook violently.

“…I understand…”

Satisfied with his response, I withdrew the menace. With a snort, I moved closer.

“So, what is this guide duty about?”

Gubong’s eyes widened in surprise.

“What do you mean…?”
“You said you’re here to guide me. Guide me to do what?”
“Wait, you weren’t briefed at all?”
“No. They just shoved me out the door.”
“…”

Gubong looked utterly flustered. His expression said everything.

‘No explanation. Just kicked out.’ See? Shin Noya was completely out of his mind.

“You know what’s going on, right?”
“…”
“Explain on the way. It’s not like I can turn back now.”

Since going back wasn’t an option, I’d just have to move forward and get the details as we went.

******

I walked beside Gubong and Cheonma.

What was notable was that we were deliberately taking a rugged mountain path, even though a proper road was available.

The going was rough, but with my stamina, it wasn’t a problem.

*Crunch.*

I pushed aside the branches in our path as we ascended.
Meanwhile, Gubong talked incessantly.

“We are heading to collect supplies, a task performed once every full moon.”
“Supplies?”
“Yes.”
“You have farmland here. Why go outside for supplies?”
“While we are largely self-sufficient, some items like specific seasonings and other goods are not produced here.”
“Makes sense.”

Surrounded by mountains, it was logical that some things had to be imported.

“But why only the three of us?”

If this was a supply run, wasn’t it essentially a trade mission? Why such a small group? And we were empty-handed. Shouldn’t we have a cart or something?

“There’s no need for concern. While we call it a supply run, our true purpose is escort duty.”
“Escort duty?”
“Yes. We are to protect the disciples who will be transporting the supplies back.”
“…Ah, I see.”

I rubbed my forehead.

“So, after throwing me out with no warning, my task is to babysit some kids carrying groceries. That’s it?”
“…That is correct.”
“They’ve truly lost their minds.”

I’d expected something more significant when they cast me out. But this? Guarding a food shipment? It was ridiculous.

“That First Disciple, Seol Yeong, said all the Second Disciples were away from the sect. Are they all out doing this?”

At my question, Gubong’s expression darkened slightly.

“Not all of them. Only a portion are assigned this duty. The others are handling more important matters.”
“Hm.”

So not everyone was fetching groceries. That was a small relief.

But as we walked, a thought occurred to me.

‘Fine. Getting kicked out I can accept. Even being told to guard a supply train, whatever.’

Whatever Shin Noya’s intentions were, I trusted he wouldn’t give me a task that was truly worthless.

The real question was—

“Where exactly are we getting these supplies from?”

If they couldn’t be produced internally, where was the source?

I wondered if there was a nearby village, but Gubong’s answer came promptly.

“Yahwol Palace.”
“Yahwol Palace?”
“A nation to the north.”

A sound of surprise escaped me.
So it really existed?

‘Well… now that I think about it, it’s absurd to think this entire land belonged solely to Shin Noya’s Mount Hua Sect.’

I’d been too preoccupied to consider it before. It was an obvious conclusion, in hindsight.

If anything, it was Shin Noya’s choice to plant the Mount Hua Sect here in the The Myriad Realms that was strange.

‘Sure, he founded it. But what about the people he gathered?’

A sect filled with diverse creatures.
The barrier surrounding it, the tension with the so-called leader of the The Myriad Realms.

What had Shin Noya been doing here all this time? What position did he hold?

Those questions suddenly nagged at me.

But in the end—

‘We’re heading to another faction.’

A nation within the The Myriad Realms that wasn’t the Mount Hua Sect.

“Go see it for yourself.”

That thought intertwined with Shin Noya’s words. And while the situations were separate—

I couldn’t deny my curiosity.

***********

We walked for another half day after that.
Just walked. No running, no using movement techniques—only walking.

Frustrated, I asked why we weren’t moving faster, and Gubong answered.

“It is a rule set by the Grandmaster. To avoid drawing unnecessary attention.”

A rule established by Shin Noya himself.

Walking all the way to another nation as a rule? It was strange, but I didn’t push further.

Now that I thought of it, Noya had also walked when he brought us to Mount Hua.

There had to be a reason. There *had* to be.
Otherwise—

*Squeeze.*

—I wouldn’t be able to make sense of this damn ear.

Feeling the sensation on my head, I scowled and looked at Cheonma.

“…Hey.”
“Yeah?”
“Who said you could touch me?”
“Got caught.”
“Got caught? You did it right in front of me, and that’s your excuse?”

Unbelievable.
We were walking, and she had just reached out and touched me like it was nothing.

“Stop it.”
“Since I’m already caught, can’t I touch it a bit longer?”
“Get lost.”
“Alright.”

Cheonma withdrew her hand reluctantly and fell back. What was wrong with her?

“Haah.”

It was infuriating. My tail and ears were a constant fixation for her.
And I had to endure this for three more days?

I wanted to tear them off right then. Actually, should I? Would it hurt if I forced them off? Even if it did, it might be preferable. I was seriously considering it when—

“We have arrived,” Gubong announced from ahead.

I stopped my hand and looked forward.
We were still on a mountain trail surrounded by dense foliage, but beyond it, something became visible.

“…Hah.”

A dry laugh escaped me the moment I saw it.

When I first saw the Mount Hua Sect, I’d thought, ‘It’s sizable.’
But this was on a completely different scale.

‘This is insane.’

It was colossal. Compared to Mount Hua, it was in another league entirely.

‘If I had to compare it, it’s like Hanam Province.’

Its sheer size and grandeur were so immense it felt like an entire region. It was, quite literally, its own nation.

That was the impression it gave.

As I stood there silently taking it in—

“Honored guest, I must remind you once more. Please, remember this,” Gubong said, his voice thick with concern.

Annoyed, I cut him off. “Yeah, yeah, keep my mouth shut. Don’t worry. I won’t say a word.”

I wasn’t to speak unnecessarily.
It was something Gubong had drilled into me the entire way here.

“How many times are you going to say it? Look, I even changed into the clothes you gave me.”

I had swapped my usual attire for the uniform of the Mount Hua Sect.
Cheonma had done the same.

Apparently, these were necessary for entry.
Changing wasn’t a big deal, so I’d complied.

I was following all the instructions.

“…You must be exceptionally cautious,” Gubong insisted, still looking uneasy.

“I said I understand.”
“Truly…”
“Say it again, and I’ll hit you.”
“…”

Growling in irritation, I watched as Gubong finally fell silent.
Even then, his eyes were full of worry.

Seeing that, I clenched my fist. Gubong quickly turned and resumed walking.

A short while later, we arrived at a massive city gate, with a steady stream of people flowing through it.

At a glance, it didn’t look too different from the interior of Mount Hua Sect.
There were plenty of beast-people like Gubong and Seol Yeong.

The difference, however, was—

‘They’re all beast-people.’

At Mount Hua, there had been all sorts of creatures. Here, as far as I could see, it was exclusively beast-people.

I followed Gubong as he approached the gate.

He walked up to the guards stationed there—beast-people holding spears.

As Gubong neared, the guards tightened their grips on their weapons and watched him closely.

“I request entry,” Gubong stated.
“State your identity.”
“Mount Hua Sect.”
“Mount Hua?”

At the name, the guards’ expressions shifted. Seeing their reaction, I felt a flicker of irritation.
Their looks annoyed me.

“State your purpose.”
“To procure supplies.”
“How many in your party?”
“Three.”

At Gubong’s answer, the guard looked over at us.
His eyes scanned Cheonma and me from head to toe.

For the record, Cheonma had her head completely concealed beneath the hood of a cloak Gubong had provided.
The guard noted my ears and the faint sway of Cheonma’s tail beneath her robes before turning back to Gubong.

“Your permit.”

Gubong produced an item from his sleeve and handed it over.
The guard examined it meticulously before nodding.

“Proceed.”
“Thank you.”

Gubong offered a polite bow and stepped through the gate.
Thankfully, it seemed there would be no trouble.

I followed behind him, stepping through the gateway—

*Pfft.*

A sudden, derisive snort reached my ears.

At the same time, I heard one of the guards mutter as I passed.

“Idiots.”

The words were clearly meant for me.
What was wrong with these guys?

‘Should I just beat them up?’

I clenched my fists.