Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 987

Chapter 987

Of course. Here is the paraphrased chapter:

«Divine Fruit?»

I tilted my head, confused by the turtle’s statement.

Divine Fruit?

I was familiar with the concept of a Divine Tree, but a Divine Fruit was new to me.

‘Judging by the name, it must be a fruit that grows on a Divine Tree.’

If that was true—

‘Then that tree I saw was also a Divine Tree?’

Did that mean the tree from my memory was actually a Divine Tree?

‘That can’t be right.’

Something about this felt deeply wrong.

‘That tree was far too small.’

Its size was completely inadequate for a Divine Tree.

Even if dimensions weren’t the primary concern—

‘…Which Divine Tree could it have been?’

Noya had spoken of five Divine Trees.

Which one was it supposed to be?

‘It wasn’t very distant.’

The place wasn’t that far from Yahwol.

Naturally, there was a chance Yarang had transported me a significant distance while I was unconscious.

But I found that unlikely.

The reason was—

‘The timing doesn’t match up.’

The amount of time between when she took me and when I woke up back where I started—

Judging by the elapsed time, I couldn’t have been taken very far.

Which meant—

‘If that tree was a Divine Tree, then one exists close to Yahwol.’

And if it wasn’t—

‘Then Yarang possesses another method for rapid travel.’

She must have had a way to cover vast distances quickly without conventional movement.

‘…But that isn’t the pressing matter.’

Yarang’s capabilities were not the focus here.

The real issue was the current predicament.

«Are you telling me the tree I saw was a Divine Tree?»

«You claimed you saw it. Did you not perceive anything?»

«…Was I meant to?»

What was I supposed to have perceived?

I had felt something odd back then, but nothing more.

‘I didn’t detect anything particularly extraordinary.’

I had merely thought it was an uncommon tree.

The ambiance surrounding it had felt distinct.

But that was the extent of it.

‘Was I supposed to feel something more profound?’

I detected a peculiar note in the turtle’s reaction.

Turning my head, I gazed into the distance.

Toward the Divine Tree within Mount Hua.

Would I sense anything now?

I stared with that question in mind—

Thump—!

«…!»

My eyes widened in shock.

‘What is this?’

It felt completely different.

Something was distinctly unlike before.

The instant I looked at the Divine Tree, I felt the shift.

«Why? Do you perceive it now?»

The turtle asked, observing my response.

«…Yes. I can feel it.»

Why had I failed to notice this until now?

Inhale.
Exhale.

With each breath, the difference grew even more pronounced.

The moment my eyes found the Divine Tree, everything had transformed.

‘It feels… holy.’

Sacred and majestic.

Simply looking at the tree filled me with inexpressible emotion.

As if I was in the presence of something truly divine.

It was a bizarre sensation.

‘Is that why…?’

I had frequently seen people bowing to the Divine Tree from afar.

Not only the martial artists of Mount Hua—most of the residents here did it as well.

‘Does that mean everyone but me could feel this?’

If they experienced something like this, it made perfect sense.

I understood it now.

But—

‘Why not me?’

Why was I only sensing this now?

I had never been able to feel this before.

And if that was the case, the reason was obvious.

‘It’s that cursed fruit again.’

It had to be the Divine Fruit I had consumed.

The alterations to my body, this shift in my perception—

Everything pointed directly to it.

«What precisely is the Divine Fruit?»

«Hmm…»

At my question, the turtle stroked his chin in thought.

With his near lack of fingers, the gesture appeared rather clumsy.

«So you couldn’t sense it until now… Another alteration caused by the Divine Fruit?»

«Correct. So explain—what exactly is this Divine Fruit?»

What was it that had triggered all of this?

«Why did it transform my body and my awareness like this?»

First, I had abruptly become a member of the Moonlit Night Tribe.

Now, I was experiencing this strange resonance with the Divine Tree.

None of it was logical.

So I pressed the turtle, but—

«You are incorrect.»

He denied it immediately.

«The Sect Leader must have told you this as well—this is not a transformation.»

«…Then what—»

«To be precise, it is more accurately described as a restoration.»

I fell silent for a moment at the turtle’s words.

Restoration?

I considered his meaning carefully before speaking again.

«…What exactly has been restored?»

If it wasn’t a change, but a return—

Then what had been returned?

The turtle’s gaze briefly sharpened as he looked at Shin Noya.

At that, Noya gave a slight nod.

Was this some form of silent consent?

Seeing this, the turtle addressed me again.

«Kid.»

«…Yes?»

«How much do you know about the soul?»

«The soul?»

Did he mean the soul, as in one’s spirit?

«Uh… not a great deal?»

It was difficult to give a definitive answer to that question.

I didn’t know enough to claim understanding, yet I couldn’t say I was wholly ignorant.

It was something that became more apparent as martial skill progressed, as one’s spiritual realm broadened.

‘In martial arts or any profound practice, the soul is inevitably involved.’

Even if not the main focus, it was never entirely separate.

That was why my answer was noncommittal.

The turtle gave a small nod at my response and continued.

«The Divine Fruit corrects distortions.»

«Distortions?»

«The Divine Trees are directly linked to this world’s will. The fruits they bear serve a single purpose—to rectify the anomalies within a soul that should not exist. Do you comprehend?»

«…No. Not in the slightest.»

How could I?

His explanation was utterly baffling.

«…»

Hearing my response, the turtle frowned slightly.

How was I supposed to understand when his clarification was so obscure?

Then—

«So, in other words,»

Noya interjected, sounding as if he had lost patience.

«The Divine Fruit is basically a spiritual tonic that cleanses all the impurities a soul gathers over time and returns it to its original, pure state. Is that roughly correct?»

«Hmm…»

The turtle considered this before sighing.

«…Yes, that is close enough.»

He looked as if he wished to elaborate but had decided against it.

«Oh.»

I clapped my hands together.

A spiritual tonic.

That wording made it clearer.

Just as I was processing this, the turtle added—

«However, consuming it does not fortify the soul or augment one’s power. It only returns it to its original condition.»

«Come now, how can you claim that when I’ve been altered so drastically?»

Just look at my body.

Transforming into a member of the Moonlit Night Tribe without warning?

Suddenly feeling this strange connection to the Divine Trees?

How was this not a transformation?

At my words, the turtle’s expression turned severe.

«I will repeat myself—the Divine Fruit does not create change. It can only restore.»

«Then… if that’s true…»

«If you have been altered in any way, then it was not a transformation.»

His voice was heavy with meaning as he continued.

«It signifies that this—your present state—is what your soul was always intended to be.»

«…!»

My eyes widened at his declaration.

Intended to be?

Was he saying—

«…That I was always meant to be a member of the Moonlit Night Tribe?»

That seemed to be the implication.

And I had heard something similar before.

Shin Noya had told me the same thing.

When I mentioned it, the turtle spoke in his characteristic monotone.

«It isn’t strange, is it?»

«Why? Because of my mother?»

«Yes. That is a component of it.»

The turtle glanced at Noya again.

Why did he keep looking his way?

I was about to ask when—

«In your situation, it is more precise to say you have reclaimed a lost soul.»

The turtle stated bluntly.

A lost soul?

«Losing a soul?»

What in the world did that mean?

Had my soul been elsewhere before?

«Why my soul?»

Before the turtle could answer—

«Yangcheon.»

«…Yes?»

Noya called my name, and I instinctively narrowed my eyes.

It was his tone.

Whenever he addressed me as Yangcheon, it was always concerning a grave matter.

It put me on edge.

«Do you recall when I said I had something to tell you?»

«…Yes, I remember.»

He had mentioned it on our journey here.

That he had business here anyway, so he might as well accompany me.

That was why we had traveled together.

‘Is he finally going to say it?’

It appeared he was.

I focused all my attention.

Then—

«This concerns your mother and your very existence.»

Noya’s gaze became solemn.

«Did you know your mother was the Calamity of Zhongyuan?»

«…»

I stiffened but nodded.

I knew.

The Blood Demon had been the first calamity.

And my mother had been the second.

But—

«What does that have to do with what is occurring now?»

Why was Noya bringing this up now?

Of all possible times, why now?

Just as that thought formed—

«Yangcheon.»

«Yes?»

«This world, damned as it is, never repeats the same errors.»

«I know that.»

The world had sought to obliterate Zhongyuan once.

When the Blood Demon failed, they had sent my mother.

I understood that much.

But—

«Correct, your mother was sent after the Blood Demon failed. But there was an issue.»

«An issue?»

«This world does not repeat its mistakes. That includes its calamities. The world would not have wished to make the same error with your mother.»

«…But she didn’t succeed, did she?»

Even if the world had tried to avoid repetition—

Nothing had ultimately transpired.

My mother never fulfilled her role as the Calamity of Zhongyuan.

She met my father and gave birth to me and Gu Ryunghwa.

Zhongyuan remained intact.

So what was he trying to say?

I voiced my confusion, and—

«True. Your mother had children. More specifically—she had you.»

Noya emphasized this as if it were the core of the problem.

«Wait. What does that have to do with anything—»

I stopped mid-sentence.

A realization struck me like a physical blow.

My body went rigid as I slowly turned to stare at Shin Noya.

«…It can’t be.»

No.

That was impossible.

Say it isn’t true.

Tell me it’s not what I’m thinking.

I silently pleaded with him to deny it.

But—

«I am afraid it is.»

Noya disregarded my silent appeal.

«It appears you were always destined to be Zhongyuan’s Calamity.»

He had uttered the very words I never wanted to hear.