Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 959

Chapter 959

A thick, oppressive quiet hung in the air.
The only noise was a soft, rhythmic trickle of fluid.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

It was coming from my hand.
Blood continued to well from the gashes where I had clenched the sword.

Watching the crimson drops fall, a single thought echoed in my mind.

Ah, damn, this is agony.

‘…Why does it have to hurt this badly…?’

I kept my features neutral, but the pain was intense.
Perhaps it was because I had held onto the blade longer and with more force than before.

I looked down at my palm.

‘Just great.’

The bone was visible.

Having been through this once already, I knew my healing would be annoyingly sluggish.
The bandages I’d used to wrap the injury were already saturated with blood and coming loose.

I didn’t particularly care—this body belonged to Seol Yeong, not me. But I couldn’t simply ignore it…

I was thinking of ripping a piece of my clothing to make a new bandage when—

*Ssssshhhh.*

‘Hm?’

A strange feeling traveled down my left arm.

Eternal Bind.

The Eternal Bind shifted on its own, slithering around my wounded hand like a living bandage.

‘…I see.’

Was it attempting to assist me?
A cursed artifact with a sense of duty?

*Tighten.*

‘Agh…!’

As if it had heard my internal question, the Eternal Bind constricted sharply.
It was likely an effort to staunch the bleeding, but the absurdity of the situation wasn’t lost on me.

Gritting my teeth against the throbbing, I heard the blacksmith’s voice.

“…What did you mean, you will kill the Dragon Emperor?”
“My words were plain. I intend to kill him.”
“Nonsense! A dragon cannot kill the Dragon Emperor!”

His eyes were rimmed with red, raw emotion. His face was a mask of pure, desperate fury.

“Why not? He can die, the same as any other being.”
“Do not lie to me! Dragons are incapable of defying the Dragon Emperor! Do you believe I am ignorant of this?!”

Hearing that, I cocked my head slightly.

Couldn’t defy him? I didn’t believe that was accurate.

‘If that were true…’

Then Dokgo Jun would have had no reason to behave as he did.

“…I—no, our people—do not trust dragons.”
“…Hm.”

It was unclear if he was ignorant of the circumstances or just possessed a deep-seated loathing for my kind.

Regardless, he continued to snarl at me.

‘Still… it isn’t a total refusal.’

I could feel it.

The atmosphere had changed.

Perhaps it was because I stated my goal was to kill the Dragon Emperor.

I could see it in their eyes—something had shifted, even if only a little.

“If you choose not to believe me, that is your right, but…”

Their trust was not the critical issue.

What truly mattered was—

“That material you are using. I want some of it.”
“…What?”

I pointed at the sword held in the blacksmith’s grip.

He scowled.

“What are you talking about?”
“This.”

*Snatch.*

“Ugh!?”

I wrenched the sword from his hands.
The moment it left his grasp, his face contorted in rage.

“You… you wretched…!”

He tried to charge at me.

But—

“…!”

I laid the flat of the blade against his throat.

Naturally, I had no plan to actually cut him.
I just required the sword. And I needed him to be still.

Ignoring the petrified blacksmith, I turned the weapon over in my hand.

Then, I pressed its edge against my own forearm.

I barely made contact—

*Ssssshhhh!*

—and a searing burn immediately followed.

The metal wasn’t hot. If anything, it was cold.

I held it there for only a second before pulling it away.

Then, I tossed the sword back to him.

“Oof!”

He fumbled to catch it.

Watching him, I let out a short laugh.

“I need this substance. It’s remarkable, isn’t it? A mere touch, and it scorches the flesh. So tell me—”

I tilted my head.

“Does it only work on dragons?”

I’d been curious about it for some time.

That sinister-looking blade.

When I battled Gubong, it had given off the same vile sensation.

Just the sight of this metal made my skin prickle.

Was it simply an unpleasant material?

Or was it because I was a dragon?

“Do you truly believe I would tell you that?”
“Why not? Even if you refuse, I have many methods of discovering the truth. And besides—”

I let my gaze sweep the room.

The other dwarves were still watching me with vigilant eyes, their weapons ready.

I looked at each of them in turn before returning my attention to the blacksmith.

“If you won’t answer…”

I smiled.

“…I could just slaughter your friends one by one until I deduce the answer for myself.”

“…!”

At my words, he went rigid.

Before his alarm could fully take hold, I grinned.

“Relax. I’m only joking.”

I said it with a light tone, but his tense expression didn’t fade.

Of course, it wasn’t a joke.

It was a threat.

And a demonstration.

That I was capable of killing them all.
But I had chosen not to.

That was the precise point I wished to make.

Judging by the icy fear that filled the room, it had been effective.

I observed their reactions before taking a single step backward.

“There’s no purpose in remaining here any longer. I will take my leave for now.”

That was sufficient for one day.

I could press harder.

But if I wanted this to proceed favorably, I needed to retreat first.

“Next time, we will have a proper discussion.”
“…I told you already—I…”
“Yes, yes. You despise dragons. I understand. However,”

I gestured toward myself with my injured hand.

“I also despise dragons. So we should get along quite well.”

“…”

“I will see you again. And when I ask a question, I will expect an answer.”

“You insolent…!”

With a casual wave, I turned and walked out.

The blacksmith shouted something behind me, but I paid him no mind.

I leaped into the air, leaving the forge behind and landing on the roof of a nearby building.

“Hmm…”

The sun was dipping below the horizon.

Night would soon arrive.

I looked toward the north.

This matter was dealt with.

The issue with the turtle was resolved—for the moment.

‘Time to complete the final task for today.’

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

I departed from Mount Hua.

My destination was, naturally, Yahwol Palace.

Returning so soon after concluding business there yesterday felt somewhat excessive, but—

‘I must go.’

There were still too many loose ends.

Furthermore, I needed to monitor the situation closely.

‘I also need to get a better look at Yusa.’

I had to find a way to approach him.
I wasn’t sure if I could get truly close, but—

‘Once I am nearer, I will discover a way.’

From the little I understood of Yusa’s capabilities,
he did not seem like the type to fail to notice if I skulked around.

In situations like this, a direct approach was superior.

‘Though I feel like I am visiting there too frequently…’

It seemed I was journeying to Yahwol nearly every day.

At this rate, I might as well take up permanent residence.

‘That might not be a bad idea.’

The travel back and forth was a nuisance.
And since members of Mount Hua were stationed there, I could probably arrange it.

I was pondering this as I climbed the mountain path when—

“…”

I abruptly halted and shifted my eyes.

Slowly, I scanned the surroundings as if examining the forest.

On the surface, nothing appeared amiss.

This was the same path I always used, the same trees and brush I had passed countless times.

Above, the sky was unchanged, holding the gentle light of the twin moons.

“Hm…”

Resting my chin in my hand, I released a quiet sigh.

“…”

I felt the wind.

I didn’t attempt to extend my senses or sharpen them to a fine point.

I simply stood motionless, closing my eyes and absorbing the environment.

After standing there for a long moment—

*Ssshhhhhh.*

Within the currents of air, I detected a discordant presence.

“…Found you.”

I opened my eyes. Simultaneously, I raised my energy.

*Thump.*

My perspective shifted as I lunged forward, pursuing the disturbance.

The moment I moved, the hidden presence moved as well.

However—

*Grab—!*

“…!!”

I was quicker.

My hand closed around them before they could escape.

The instant they were caught, they struggled, thrashing wildly to break free.

Before they could succeed, I tightened my grip and slammed them into the earth.

*BOOOOM—!!!*

A violent impact shook the ground, hurling dirt and debris into the air.

A gust of wind carried the dust, obscuring my view, so I used my energy to disperse it.

And then, I finally saw them—

The one I had caught and pinned down.

Seeing them, I grinned.

“…So it’s you.”

For the past several days,

Every time I departed Mount Hua,

This individual had been a persistent irritant, always hovering at the very periphery of my awareness.

Whenever I tried to pinpoint them with my energy, they vanished.

And when I tried to find them without using my senses, they were impossible to locate.

It had been immensely frustrating.

“It was you, wasn’t it?”

I had finally caught them.

After days of attempting to track that elusive presence without relying on my energy—

“Yarang. That was your name, wasn’t it?”

A woman wearing a black mask.

I wasn’t entirely certain she was a woman,
but her physique suggested she was.

She simply stared up at me, her throat locked in my grasp.

Her expression was concealed behind the mask.

With the amount of pressure I was applying, she had to be in agony.

Yet, she didn’t utter a single sound.

‘This woman…’

The ruler of Mangye.

The one my mother had called her daughter.

And—

‘The one who wounded Cheonma.’

The one who had injured Cheonma before disappearing.

*Clench.*

The moment I remembered that, my grip tightened.

«What is your problem? Why do you persist in following me and irritating me?»

“…”

«You won’t speak? Fine.»

She was supposedly a General, so she had to be powerful.

But she was also someone who had been observing me.

Instead of wasting time with questions, it might be better to provoke a reaction.

Having decided—

«Let’s see how long you can remain silent.»

*Fwoosh—!!!*

Flames enveloped my fist.

Blue fire crackled, sheathed in my energy.

And I drove my fist straight toward Yarang’s face.

No—

I attempted to.

*Whoooosh—!!!*

My fist shot forward, aimed to crush her features.

But—

For some reason, it halted just before impact.

Had I hesitated? No.

My intention to strike was definite.

And yet—

“…What the hell are you?»

I couldn’t.

My body refused to comply.

«You…»

My voice wavered slightly as I spoke.

«What in hell is your—»

*Ssssssshhhhhh—!!!!*

“Guh—!”

I flinched, my eyes narrowing.

Abruptly, a tremendous surge of energy exploded outwards.

A golden aura erupted, momentarily blinding me.

I swiftly dispersed the light and my vision cleared.

“…Damn it.”

The Yarang I had been holding—

Was already gone.

Where? Where could she have gone?

I was about to search for her, but—

It turned out to be unnecessary.

She hadn’t fled.

She had merely moved to stand behind me.

She was just standing there, watching me.

I turned to face her, ready to speak—

And then—

*Tch.*

The strings securing her mask suddenly came undone.

Slowly, the mask slipped from her face.

*Plop.*

With a soft sound, it fell to the ground.

And in that moment—

Her face was revealed.

The instant I saw it,

My heart plummeted.

I couldn’t help it.

Because Yarang’s face—

«You…»

It was the face I had yearned for more than anything else.

In both my past life and this one—

She had the exact same face as Wi Seol-ah.