Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 982

Chapter 982

Thump.

A noise reverberated close to my ear. What was that sound?
It had the distinct rhythm of footsteps.

My hearing was the first sense to return. After that, my smell began to work.
A delicate, floral aroma wafted gently past my nose.

It wasn’t strong—just a whisper of a scent—but it remained, persistent.

As the sound and smell reached me, I became aware of a pressure against my side.
Someone’s back. Was this person the origin of both the fragrance and the contact?

‘This feels… safe.’

An unexpected feeling of ease washed over me.
Almost without thinking, I started to drift back to sleep.

‘…Hold on.’

A back? A scent? Another person?

‘That would mean…’

I was being carried by someone?

«…!»

The understanding shocked me into full alertness. I shoved myself upward in a hurry.
The arms holding me relaxed their hold, letting me slip down to the ground naturally.

The moment my feet touched the earth, I spun around to see who had been carrying me.

CRACK—!

«Gah…!!»

A white-hot, piercing agony erupted through my entire frame, driving me to my knees.
The pain raced along my energy pathways, radiating from my heart—a deep, corrosive hurt eating at my very center.

Stumbling, I gripped my chest.

«Damn… this is unbearable…»

How much time had passed since I last experienced suffering to this degree?
Not even when I first mastered the Cheonma Divine Art had it been this intense.
This was on another level entirely—there was no comparison.

«Haa… haa…»

The blood vessels in my eyes pulsed. My hand, shaking uncontrollably, remained pressed to my chest.

‘Did I lose consciousness?’

It seemed the most likely explanation. I had passed out.
The good news was that I wasn’t dead, so it could have been worse.

For the moment, I needed to withstand the pain and gradually lift my head.

‘Who is it?’

The pain was an issue, but the more pressing mystery was—who had been carrying me?
I shifted my focus to find the answer.

«…!»

My eyes widened in surprise at the person standing there.

«You….»

A woman stood watching me.

A woman with brown hair and a black mask.

In this region, she was known as Yarang.

But if my recollection was accurate, she possessed another identity.

«…Why are you here?»

What was she doing here?
Did that imply she was the one who brought me here?

Controlling my bewilderment, I took a quick look at our surroundings.

A forest. The precise location was uncertain.
It didn’t appear drastically different from the woods I remembered before collapsing.

Did that mean I hadn’t been moved very far?

‘It’s impossible to tell.’

One forest often looks much like any other.
A simple glance wasn’t enough to pinpoint my location.

Should I try to extend my awareness?

I calmed my breathing and attempted to direct my inner energy.

Zzt—!

«Damn it.»

The energy refused to obey—only fresh pain blossomed within.
Although I had improved a little, manipulating my energy was still beyond my capability.

Sensing anything around me was out of the question.
For now, I pushed down my aggravation and concentrated on Yarang.

«Who are you? Why are you here?»

Yarang should have been with my mother—no, with the Master—back at Yahwol Palace.

And yet, not only had she discovered me after I fell…

«Where were you taking me?»

To what exact place was she trying to bring me?

I stared at Yarang, my mind flooded with questions.

«…»

Yet Yarang simply looked back at me, silent.

Her emotions were concealed.
The mask made her seem even more distant and enigmatic.

«…»

She just stood there, observing.
I would have preferred if she had spoken—anything—but she offered nothing.

What was going on?

«Say something. You must have a purpose for being here.»

I scowled.

She was exactly as I remembered.
Why did she refuse to talk?

Was it possible…

«Can you not speak?»

«…»

In response to my question, Yarang gave a slight nod.

‘…She’s mute?’

She couldn’t talk?

So that was why she never answered.

I was only realizing it now.
No wonder she had remained so quiet all along.

‘I have no way to verify it, but…’

Even if it were true, it changed little.

«Why do you keep appearing near me?»

Even without expecting a reply, I asked anyway.

Cheonma had cautioned me about her.
And whenever I felt that odd sensation, Yarang was always nearby.

They referred to her as the eyes and ears of Mangye.
Even Shin Noya had described her in that way.

Which implied… everything Yarang witnessed and heard, her master would also be aware of.

‘Does she already know everything?’

Had the Master been informed of all this from the start?
Had she dispatched Yarang despite that knowledge?

Or perhaps…

«…You. Do you know something?»

Unlike the Master, who had lost her memories…
Did Yarang recall something?

I asked her, hoping for some form of response.

But—

«…»

Yarang showed no reaction.

Her expression was hidden behind the mask, which only added to the frustration.

I knew she was the Divine Sword.
Every fiber of my being shouted that this was true.

Yet she stood there, perfectly still.

The Divine Sword had vanished—disappeared completely, her soul gone.
So how was she standing before me now?

Then again…

‘Shin Noya too.’

Shin Noya had a physical form. He could move.

So why wouldn’t Yarang be able to do the same?

I was convinced something significant must have occurred.

And now she was hovering around me like this.
What was she attempting to achieve?

«Even if you can’t speak, can’t you at least give me a sign?»

At the very least, make some gesture.

I longed desperately for a reaction.

«…»

«For heaven’s sake.»

But Yarang continued to be as uncommunicative as ever.

I released a heavy sigh.

Making an effort to contain my irritation, I slowly rose to my feet.
The pain still burned fiercely, but it was manageable.

Crack.

…Actually, no. I take that back.

My bones shrieked in protest, and I nearly cried out.

«Urgh.»

I forced back the groan and straightened up.

Then, I looked at Yarang once more.

«Are you seriously not going to say anything?»

«…»

«…Fine. It doesn’t matter.»

Frowning, I started to turn away.

She clearly had motives for being here.
But if she refused to communicate, there was nothing I could do.

If she reported everything to the Master, what would be the consequence?
Was her presence here the Master’s command?

Or was this her own decision?

That question stayed with me.

‘…Digging for answers is pointless.’

She wasn’t providing any clues to work with.

Even previously, when Cheonma got involved and a fight erupted, she had acted the same.

Besides…

‘She doesn’t appear to be an enemy.’

It didn’t feel like she wanted to harm me.

It was more like she was just… watching.

‘This time, she actually carried me.’

If she had carried me while I was unconscious, then she wasn’t merely observing from a distance.
What was her intention?

Was this her master’s desire?
Or was it her own?

If it was the former, that would be troublesome.
Personally, I hoped it was the latter.

‘If my assumption is correct… if Yarang is truly you…’

Then this wasn’t just an empty vessel.
Even without memories, perhaps a sliver of her remained—something that drew her to me.

That was the desperate hope I clung to as I tried to leave.

Clench.

«…!»

As I took a step, Yarang abruptly seized my wrist.

«What are you—»

Startled by the sudden grip, I turned to look at her.
She was pointing somewhere with her other hand.

«What is it?»

«…»

«You want me to go that way?»

Nod.

She gave a small, affirmative nod.
I glared.

«…And why should I go there?»

She wouldn’t utter a single word, yet she expected me to follow her?
Irritated, I tried to pull my hand free.

«…»

But despite my efforts, I couldn’t break her hold.
My strength was still depleted.

«Let me go.»

«…»

«I said, release me.»

«…»

«Just—damn it, let g—!»

Whoosh—!

Suddenly, Yarang tightened her grip and yanked me toward her.
I had no time to resist before I was pulled forward.

In that instant—

Srrrng.

«…Huh?»

A cold, sharp edge pressed against my throat.
Somehow, Yarang had manifested a pale blade of energy and held it to my neck.

«…»

«You have got to be joking…»

I let out a humorless laugh and met her gaze.

«You’ll actually kill me if I refuse?»

«…»

She didn’t answer.
But the look in her eyes was clear.

That look—it was a definite yes.

«…Unbelievable.»

When words failed, she moved to threats.
It was almost amusing.

«Where on earth are you taking me that justifies this?»

Regardless, I ceased my resistance.
Not because I was completely powerless.

It was because a memory from my past life surfaced.

I recalled how the Divine Sword would behave when communication broke down.
She had a tendency to resort to this very tactic.

And now, Yarang was doing the same thing.
The familiarity of it was striking.

For some reason, that eased my frustration.

«…»

Seeing that I had stopped fighting, Yarang lowered her sword slightly and turned.

She started to walk.

My wrist, still held firmly in her grasp, was gently tugged forward.
With little alternative, I followed.

*******

How long had we been walking?

Yarang continued to lead me through the forest, her grip on my wrist unyielding.

We moved in circles, proceeded straight, took sharp turns at irregular angles.

As the trail became increasingly faint, the sun started to dip below the horizon.

‘Where in the world is she leading me?’

A subtle sense of dread began to crawl up my spine as I glanced at Yarang.

Night approaching was a serious concern.

‘…Damn. This isn’t good.’

The walking had helped my body regain a small amount of strength,
but I was in no state for a confrontation.

If a fight started now, could I even emerge victorious?

‘If Yarang’s power is anywhere near what the Divine Sword possessed in my past life…’

Then absolutely not.

During the conflict with Cheonma, everything was too chaotic to accurately judge Yarang’s capabilities.
I had to assume she might be far stronger than I could imagine.

Even if I believed she was the Divine Sword…
If my mother couldn’t remember me, then what else might have changed?

And now, we were in the middle of a wilderness.
I needed to stay vigilant.

Then—

Stop.

Yarang came to an abrupt halt.

I instinctively scanned the area.

An empty clearing.

Was this where we were meant to be?

«Why did we stop he—»

I began to ask.

Srrrng.

Yarang materialized another blade composed of pure energy.

The aura surrounding her weapon vibrated, coalescing into the sharp edge.

«You…!»

I instinctively tried to summon my own power.

But Yarang was faster.

Slice—!

A crisp, cutting noise split the air.

I frowned.

She hadn’t struck me.
Yarang had slashed at the empty space in front of her.

What was she doing?

Before I could comprehend it—

Ssshhh—!

The space she had cut began to tear open, as if a piece of parchment had been neatly sliced apart.

Fwoosh—!

Something came pouring out from the opening.

I narrowed my eyes.

Butterflies.

Hundreds of butterflies, colored a profound magenta, swarmed out.

«…What is this?»

The cloud of insects enveloped me and Yarang, completely blotting out my sight.

And then—

Rustle—!

The butterflies dispersed all at once.

What… just happened?

I barely had a moment to feel confused before my eyes widened in astonishment.

A moment ago, this clearing had been utterly empty.
There was nothing in front of me but open ground.

But now—

«…What is this?»

Something colossal stood in our path.

I instinctively looked up.

«…A tree?»

A tree.

But not an ordinary tree.

A magnificent tree, its leaves all brilliantly colored a vivid, stunning magenta.