Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 933

Chapter 933

“Daughter?”

For a moment, I could only stand there, frozen by the word Noya had just thrown at me.

‘Daughter?’

Shin Noya had stated clearly that Yarang was my mother’s daughter.

“…What did you say?”

No matter how I tried to form a response, my lips refused to move, as though they’d been locked.

Was it really that shocking?

That my mother had another child?

If that were all, it felt childish and petty to be so stunned.

It must have been pure surprise.

As I stood blinking, unable to speak, Noya—who had been trimming grass with a sickle—added another remark.

“That’s what your mother claimed. I don’t know any more than that.”

Noya lowered the sickle as he spoke.

“What matters is that this Yarang is your mother’s eyes and ears.”

“…Eyes and ears?”

“Yes.”

Carelessly tossing the sickle aside, Noya began gathering the clothes he’d left piled on a nearby rock.

“In this world, there is nothing Yarang cannot see or hear. That is the power she holds.”

“What kind of absurd ability is that…?”

Nothing beyond her sight or hearing? That sounded like more than just enhanced perception.

“Of course, it’s not truly limitless. It’s still bound by the nature of power.”

As he spoke, Shin Noya pointed toward a specific spot—where the plum tree stood in full bloom.

“Where the sacred tree grows, no power can be used. So she cannot see there.”

“…Wait, really?”

That was news to me.

Then again, how could I have known? No one had ever told me.

‘So power is unusable near the sacred tree…’

Did such a rule exist?

“So, generally, abilities cannot be used within places like Yahwol Palace, among others.”

I frowned slightly. Something didn’t quite add up.

“Noya.”

“Hm?”

“You just said power can’t be used where the sacred tree is, correct?”

“Yes.”

“But then you mentioned other places… Does that mean those places also have sacred trees?”

Were there sacred trees in places like Yahwol Palace? I asked, puzzled.

“It seems so.”

“…Did they put something that large there?”

I hadn’t seen any tree that big when I visited Yahwol Palace. No matter how spacious it was, I should have noticed something that enormous.

At my words, Noya looked at me with something like pity.

“Do you believe all sacred trees are that large?”

“…Aren’t they?”

It was my first time seeing one. Someone should have explained.

“Sacred trees aren’t always enormous. Some are small enough to remain unseen, or are deliberately hidden.”

Not all are large; some might be concealed. That made sense. If every sacred tree were that size, I surely would have noticed.

But still…

“Are there more large sacred trees like this in the world?”

“If you search for them, you’ll find them. Most likely, there are three more besides this one.”

“Three more?”

“Yes. Four sacred trees in total. The same number as the generals.”

The same number as the generals.

That caught my attention.

“So there are as many sacred trees as there are generals?”

“To be precise, it’s more about regions than individuals… but you likely won’t find more than one in a single place.”

“Why?”

“Why, you ask?”

Just as before, Shin Noya pointed toward the plum tree.

“I stole this one and planted it here.”

“……”

I felt like I needed to splash cold water on my face. How could he say that so confidently?

I’d heard it before—how he stole the sacred tree’s seed and faced great trouble because of it.

“So she probably can’t see inside this place. But the outside may be different.”

Noya began gathering the harvested crops into his arms.

Watching him, I asked, “…But why did you steal it?”

Why go to all that effort to take the sacred tree?

When I asked, Noya answered calmly.

“I needed it.”

“The sacred tree?”

“Yes. There was no other way to obtain it. What choice did I have?”

“So you stole it?”

“Naturally.”

His answer was so blunt it was almost offensive.

“So that sacred tree belongs to Yarang. And you stole it and planted it here?”

“Yes.”

“And that’s why she’s trying to find it?”

“Most likely.”

“Why does it sound like you’re not sure?”

“Most likely”—what did “most likely” mean?

Noticing my expression, Noya made an awkward face.

“It’s possible she has other reasons.”

Other reasons?

Yarang came once before, and now again… Was that all?

Cheonma said she came to see me, but why does it sound like the general was the one looking for me?

I recalled her trying to capture the dragon last time.

If that were true, they should have clashed on sight.

‘Maybe they’re more cautious than I thought?’

If they’re avoiding direct confrontation, that’s one thing, but it didn’t seem that way.

‘Could Yarang be strong enough to injure Cheonma?’

Cheonma once fought alone against three great beings and held his ground.

Of course, the Cheonma of the past and the present feel completely different, but still…

I never imagined Cheonma would return wounded.

I remembered the sight of Cheonma, blood staining his chest.

‘Are the generals different?’

Yarang, my mother’s daughter…

For some reason, a deep unease began to stir within me.

Was it because I had a sibling I never knew?

Or because Cheonma came back injured?

I wasn’t sure, but one thing was clear:

‘I can’t be certain since I didn’t see it clearly.’

The generals were likely stronger than I had assumed.

‘That leader, too.’

Power levels were hard to judge. That’s what made it difficult.

‘I can’t afford to act carelessly.’

To end this quickly, I needed more certainty.

I also needed to attempt contact with their general.

‘Sigh…’

The path hadn’t changed, but it felt suffocating.

There was a pressure, a lingering discomfort.

Amid this growing tension…

“Kid.”

Noya’s voice broke through. I turned my gaze toward him.

He was already dressed and ready to leave.

“If you’re done, let’s go.”

“Huh? Where?”

Thrown off by his sudden suggestion, I asked. Shin Noya grinned.

“It’s been a while. Shouldn’t I see how much you’ve grown?”

“…What?”

“Follow me.”

With that, Noya leaped.

A burst of flower petals scattered and vanished.

I stared blankly for a second before snapping back to attention.

Noya was tracing a path through the air with blossoms.

“Ha…”

I could only watch in disbelief.

What was happening?

But…

“…”

I fell silent, then focused my energy into my feet.

It was ridiculous, but I think I was smiling then.

*******

Following the trail of petals, I reached a clearing not far from where we’d been.

It looked similar to the field where I’d once sparred with Gubong.

By the time I arrived, Noya was already standing at the center of the field—hands behind his back, eyes closed, calmly feeling the breeze.

I clicked my tongue softly.

‘I don’t want to admit it…’

But he looked impressive.

A tall man, standing silent and composed like a seasoned master—he truly did look striking.

I approached cautiously.

Even then, Noya kept his eyes shut.

“What are you trying to do, bringing me out here?”

At my words, Noya merely lifted the corner of his mouth.

“Didn’t I say earlier?”

His robes fluttered lightly in the wind.

“I said I wanted to see how much you’ve grown.”

I let out a heavy sigh.

“Is now really the time for that?”

We were in the middle of a conversation, and then farming—and now this?

It was all so sudden.

What kind of nonsense was this?

“You don’t want to? I brought you here because you seemed stifled.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s just too sudden.”

“Seems like it.”

Noya relaxed his posture, dropping his hands from behind his back.

“I thought you might want to release what’s been building inside. Was I wrong?”

“…”

I didn’t answer.

His words weren’t incorrect.

Lately, I had been feeling mentally and physically constrained.

“Well, come on then. I’ll humor you for a little while.”

“Humor me? This feels a bit extreme for ‘humoring,’ don’t you think?”

“Haha.”

Noya laughed loudly, as though amused.

“Kid, you really overestimate yourself.”

As he spoke, Noya opened his eyes.

The moment he did—

*Hwooooo—!!!*

“—!!”

Every hair on my body stood on end.

My muscles locked; my hands trembled on their own.

Instincts roared inside me.

The moment our eyes met—his crimson gaze—I took an involuntary step back.

“No matter what you do, it will only be a minor diversion for me.”

“…”

“So do your best. As much as you can.”

It felt as if the world itself was bending around me.

“That way, maybe I can enjoy myself a little.”

Noya’s voice rang in my ears.

It wasn’t loud, but the energy wrapped within it was enough to make my ears ache.

And I understood completely.

‘…So that really was him going easy on me back then.’

The Shin Noya I’d met on the Wind Plains… this was nothing like that.

I felt like prey standing before a predator.

A shiver ran through me.

And without realizing it, I smiled.

Was I insane? Smiling in the face of such terror?

*Crick!*

I clenched my fist.

*Thud.*

My heart hammered; heat flooded my veins.

*Griiiiii—!!*

The rings of the Nine Flames Firewheel spun wildly.

“Oho.”

Noya watched with clear interest.

“Hoo…”

Even my exhale felt scorching.

I compressed all that power, holding it ready to burst, pulling it deep within.

“Noya.”

“Yes?”

I kept my eyes on him.

“Aren’t you going to use your sword?”

“My sword?”

Noya chuckled, a mocking tone in his voice.

“If you prove worth it, I might consider it.”

“…I see.”

The Sword Master wouldn’t even draw his blade to face me. It felt like he was trampling his own pride.

Normally, I would have cursed and raged.

“Then let’s see.”

This time, I wasn’t angry. I believed Noya was someone who could say such things—and had the right to.

Taking a deep breath, I bent my knees.

And poured strength into my feet.

*Crack—!!!*

The ground beneath me cratered.

*Whoosh—!*

Blue flames enveloped my body.

“I’ll show you a good time.”

*Boom—!*

I launched myself toward him with everything I had.

*Kwaaaaah—!!!*

Flames erupted from me, crashing toward Noya like a tidal wave of fire.