Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 983

Chapter 983

It was a tree.

A single tree stood in front of me.

It wasn’t enormous, but its canopy was full and lush. At a quick glance, it looked like a plum tree, but the blossoms covering its branches were not the same.

I stretched out my hand and caught a single leaf as it drifted down.

It was shaped like a feather.

Which meant… this was a type of tree I had never encountered.

A tree with soft, magenta-colored leaves.

I stared at it quietly for a moment before letting my eyes wander.

‘Where am I?’

My surroundings had shifted completely. I had been moved to an unknown location.

A clear, still lake lay ahead, and the tree rose from its very center. Leaves continued to fall, gathering on the ground in thick, overlapping layers of magenta. The air was heavy with a faint, floral scent that gently brushed against my nostrils.

Specifically…

‘This smell.’

The fragrance enveloping me was one I recognized.

Where had I encountered it before? As I turned the question over in my mind, I turned my head—

And found myself looking directly at Yarang.

Right.

This was the scent that always clung to her.

Inhaling it left a peculiar warmth unfolding inside my chest.

Pushing the strange feeling down, I spoke.

«Why did you bring me here?»

Why this specific place?

As usual, Yarang did not reply.

«…It’s common courtesy to answer when you’re spoken to.»

My voice grew edged with annoyance.

Then—

Srrrk.

Yarang moved.

I narrowed my eyes.

I had no idea what her master—the one she served now—might have ordered her to do in her memory-wiped state. The same uncertainty applied to Yarang herself.

My guard went up instantly.

But her hand did not move toward me.

Instead, she lifted her arm—

And took hold of her mask.

Then—

Click.

«…!»

Without any hesitation, she took it off.

For the first time, Yarang’s face was fully revealed.

It was exactly as I remembered.

She still possessed the features of the Divine Sword.

Brown hair. Golden eyes.

The only change was the shade of her hair.

Or, more accurately—

‘Now that I see it… her hair was always this color.’

If anything, this was her true appearance.

I held her gaze and muttered,

«And?»

What of it?

Why take off the mask?

I had assumed she was going to act after removing it.

But she just continued to stand there, watching me without a word.

What was this about?

My scowl deepened.

«If you have something to tell me, say it.»

If she had a point, she should make it.

If she intended to fight, she should draw her sword.

This drawn-out silence was irritating.

Even after my outburst, Yarang didn’t move a muscle.

I’d had enough.

I stepped forward.

«Say something alrea—»

Fwoosh—!

An abrupt rush of wind made me freeze.

Not because it physically stopped me—I halted on instinct.

Something felt wrong.

Petals were still spiraling through the air.

And yet—

‘There is no wind.’

This place was perfectly still.

So why were the petals adrift?

‘This area isn’t natural.’

Not that I had ever believed it was.

The actual question was—

‘What is the reason for all of this?’

Why bring me here?

That was what I needed to know.

I could only hope she wasn’t planning something difficult.

‘I’m already hanging on by a thread.’

My internal injuries were critical.

If a battle started now, I would lose.

As I strengthened my defenses, Yarang moved again.

This time—

She reached out and laid her hand upon the tree’s trunk.

Thunk—!

Something dropped directly in front of me.

Startled, I took a quick step backward and looked down.

‘What is this?’

A round fruit.

It was the same magenta shade as the leaves.

Why had it fallen so suddenly?

I looked back up at Yarang, confused.

«And what am I supposed to do with this?»

A fruit fell.

So what?

What was the next step?

For the first time, Yarang reacted.

She pointed at the fruit and made a small, pushing motion with her fingers.

…That gesture.

«You want me to pick it up?»

Nod.

Yarang gave a single nod.

I looked back down at the fruit.

Was it safe to touch?

I was hesitant.

Then—without any conscious decision—my hand moved on its own and picked it up.

Srrrk.

Its surface was smooth.

Nothing felt unusual or dangerous.

It felt like holding an apple or any other ordinary fruit.

«And now? Do you want me to eat it?»

«…»

«…You want me to eat it?»

She didn’t answer, but the look on her face was unambiguous.

That was precisely what she intended.

Except—

«Yeah, no. That’s not happening.»

I was not going to eat this.

«Why would I ever put something in my mouth when I have no idea what it is?»

Being dragged here against my will was bad enough. Now she expected me to eat some mysterious fruit?

Was she out of her mind?

I let out a scoff.

«As if I would ever—»

Crunch.

«…Hm?»

I stopped speaking abruptly.

What was that sound?

Crunch. Crunch.

I heard it again.

It was coming from very close by.

What… in the world was making that noise?

Before I could identify the source—

A sweet taste flooded my mouth.

Wait.

…What?

I quickly clamped my hand over my mouth and stared down at the fruit I was holding.

There were three distinct bite marks on it.

Seeing them, my shock was instantaneous.

Gulp.

My throat moved on its own. I felt something slide down.

«Shit.»

I didn’t need to guess what I had just swallowed. I had eaten the fruit.

How did this happen?

‘Why did my body just act on its own and eat that?’

I never meant to take a bite, yet my body moved independently, chewing and swallowing.

I was in trouble. Should I try to make myself throw up?

What had I just consumed?

As I stared at the fruit in stunned disbelief—

Thump.

A powerful pulse.

«…!»

I clutched at my chest.

It wasn’t pain.

But—

Fwoooosh—!

A torrent of energy erupted from my stomach, flooding through my entire body.

It felt as though my heart was absorbing all the power generated in my core.

The sheer volume of energy was staggering—and my heart was consuming all of it.

«Urgh…!!»

Even if it wasn’t painful to begin with, this intense pressure created its own agony.

And given the state of my internal injuries, it was far worse.

«Ghh…!»

My whole body shook violently as my knees gave out and I fell.

«Haa… haa…»

I couldn’t even manage a full breath.

Through it all, Yarang stood over me, watching silently.

«You… what did you just make me eat?»

Why had she brought me here?

I wanted to demand an answer—but I couldn’t.

Gwooooooo—!

The energy continued to build.

‘This is unbelievable.’

What was happening?

All I could do was clench my teeth and bear it.

But the true issue was—

‘…It’s Greed that’s reacting.’

The force voraciously consuming the energy wasn’t my Cheonma Divine Art.

It was Greed—my Authority.

Why?

Greed only responded to other Authorities.

Why was it activating now?

‘Is this fruit… an Authority?’

That didn’t make any sense.

How could a simple fruit be an Authority?

And why was my body devouring it so fiercely?

This felt different.

This wasn’t absorption.

This was consumption.

Greed continued to feast on the energy.

Crack. Crunch.

Like a predator, it tore into the power gathered in my heart.

The more it consumed—the more unbearable the pressure became.

«Grgh…!»

I was barely holding on—

Until—

Crunch.

Greed devoured the final remnants of the energy—

And then—

Burp.

It released a sound of satisfaction.

In that instant, all the strength left my body.

I began to slump to the ground.

‘…Damn it.’

I was losing consciousness again.

******

Thud.

Gu Yangcheon’s body collapsed onto the earth.

His breathing was shallow and ragged.

The woman stood over him, looking down without a word.

«…»

She said nothing. Just as she always had.

She had never spoken—

But—

Srrrk.

Though her lips remained closed, her actions shifted.

For the first time, she moved closer to him.

She knelt beside his still form, leaning in.

Then—

Rustle.

A pale hand reached out—

And softly stroked his hair.

«…»

Once. Then again.

Her face showed no emotion.

But her touch was incredibly gentle.

She continued for a long time—

Until—

—I understand your heart.

A voice whispered near her ear.

Only then did she finally stop.

—But you must leave now.

«…»

Hearing those words, she gave a slight nod.

Then, slowly, she rose to her feet.

A palpable reluctance made her movements heavy.

She looked at Gu Yangcheon for one long, last moment before turning away.

She walked forward, step by step—

Until the tips of her feet met the water of the lake.

Fwoooosh—!

Light burst forth around her, and the space distorted once more.

She was back in the place where she and Gu Yangcheon had first appeared.

She lifted her head and looked at the sky.

The sun was dipping below the horizon.

Night was coming.

It was truly time to depart.

—Do you wish to stay with him a little longer?

The voice asked her softly.

The woman shook her head.

She did want to stay longer.

But she knew that was a selfish desire.

More importantly—she knew that the true owner of this voice wanted it even more than she did.

There was very little she could do.

The most she could permit herself—was to steal a few brief looks.

And so—

For just a moment—a handful of seconds—

She let her gaze return to the unconscious Gu Yangcheon.

Then—

Tap.

With a light step, she leaped upward—

And disappeared into the emptiness.