Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 999

Chapter 999

Noya could vanish.

What’s more, his fading was my doing.

Hearing that, memories rushed back to me.

‘So, all this time, Noya was losing consciousness because of that?’

Not only had he been holding the vessel together as I transformed into a dragon, but—

‘As my cultivation and soul grew more powerful, his own strength was diminishing.’

In short, the stronger I became, the weaker Noya grew, until now he was disappearing.

“……”

Words failed me.

I dragged my hand through my hair, leaving it disheveled.

I bit down on my tongue, gnawing at it without thought.

I must have bitten hard—the taste of iron spread as blood welled up.

What could I do? What was I supposed to do now?

My growth had cost Noya his chance to return. And now, with my transcendence, his soul was deteriorating even faster.

Staying near him was harmful, but leaving him alone was also risky. I needed to keep my distance.

‘…If I had known this would happen.’

Would I still have pushed myself to grow stronger?

I had no choice. Without that strength, I wouldn’t have survived. It was necessary.

But realizing it now turned my stomach.

Reaching transcendence had felt meaningful, but if this was the cost—

‘I…’

What could I do?

What was I supposed to do now?

I was mindlessly touching the barrier when—

“If you understand, then step away.”

“……!”

At the turtle’s words, I instantly pulled my hand back.

“If the Divine Tree is near, and you keep a suitable distance, you can reduce the instability. The barrier you touched marks that boundary.”

The Divine Tree was still far away. So this was the closest I could safely be.

Would things be stable if I kept my distance?

“Even if you step back, it’s only a temporary fix. The moment you arrived, this became unavoidable. You’re only delaying it—you can’t prevent it.”

‘Damn it.’

It was like the turtle could see right through me, relentlessly underlining this bleak truth.

“Then what do you want me to do? Just stand here and watch?”

“Yes.”

“What…?”

The words had burst out in anger, but the turtle confirmed them without flinching.

“What else can you do? You’re far too weak to challenge fate.”

“……”

“This is simply the natural order.”

“So what? Just because it’s fate, I should do nothing?”

I was just supposed to stand by and watch Noya die.

Watch him disappear because of me.

Bang!

I slammed my fist against the barrier.

Crack—!

Had I struck too hard? A sharp sound echoed from the barrier.

“Lashing out won’t change anything.”

The turtle was unmoved by my outburst.

Ironically, when I had been lost and panicking earlier, I had seemed more genuinely distraught.

“Tsk.”

The turtle clicked its tongue.

“Let me ask you—do you honestly think the Sect Leader was unaware this would happen to Noya?”

“…What?”

“The Sect Leader understood his condition better than anyone. And still, he wanted you to grow stronger.”

“……”

“He said it often—‘Someone will come for me one day. But damn, they’re sure taking their time.’”

Hearing that, my hands clenched. Flames sparked around my fists, burning with my anger.

But—

“If that person was you… then he waited, knowing how it would end.”

As the turtle went on, the tension slowly left my clenched hands.

“Do you think the Sect Leader wanted to see you standing there with that look on your face?”

“……”

If my presence meant this would happen to him…

And still, Noya waited for me?

Why?

‘Did he not want to live?’

He always talked like he was just a ghost from the past.

Had he truly released his grip on life?

‘…That crazy old man.’

If that was the case, he could have at least said something.

How absurd, getting so eager about growing stronger.

I had been overjoyed to see my mother again.

Crushed by despair when I saw she didn’t remember me.

I found hope in realizing I had to move forward, and in finding a path to do it.

But I hadn’t known he was standing at the edge.

And that was why.

That was why I was so angry—why I was burning up inside.

But I had to hold it back. Again and again. The turtle had made it clear—this wasn’t the time for emotions.

“…What should I do?”

I asked.

“…Hah?”

The turtle let out a short, dry laugh.

“Why ask me? I’ve already explained the situation to you.”

There was no answer.

By coming here, by growing stronger, I had only hurried Noya’s end.

Now, all that was left was to wait for him to fade away.

Was that truly all I could do?

“You know a way.”

“……”

I said it with certainty.

I was sure the turtle knew how to change this.

“…Why would you think that?”

“The Elder never intended for me to accept fate.”

The turtle’s words weren’t meant to burden me with guilt.

They weren’t meant to make me surrender.

No—

“They were meant to make me see the situation clearly. To calm down and think. That was his real purpose, and—”

Swish.

I took a step back.

“Judging by your reaction, Elder, I can tell you know something.”

I watched the turtle closely.

“My reaction?”
“You didn’t deny it. You looked surprised.”
“……!”

He didn’t refute it.

His expression wasn’t denial—it was sheer astonishment that I had guessed.

“…This kid?”

The turtle sounded utterly incredulous.

“You were throwing a tantrum a second ago, and even then, you were analyzing the situation?”

Of course I was.

“An old man told me something once.”

Back when I was little more than anger and impulse, a wandering hermit—someone like Malco—had advised me.

“When you show your rage openly, your opponent will be most off guard. That’s when you strike.”

Never drop your vigilance.

Never drown in your emotions.

And if you let them loose, make sure to use them.

Believe in yourself.

You can do it.

You are capable of this.

‘…Honestly.’

One by one, I remembered the things Noya had told me. That old man had so much to say.

Aside from my regression, I had nothing—but he had taught me everything.

This time was no different.

“What’s the method?”

“……”

“Tell me. If I need to kneel, I’ll kneel.”

“What would I do with your knees? Why would I ask that of you?”

“I knew you wouldn’t, so I said it.”

“…You insane bastard.”

A faint laugh escaped me.

“You’re laughing?”

The turtle questioned it.

Yeah, why was I laughing?

Like a fool, I couldn’t stop the smile.

“Really…”

Tsk tsk tsk.

The turtle clicked its tongue in clear annoyance, then fell silent for a moment before speaking.

“You two are really alike. Always know how to irritate me.”

“Was that an insult?”

“What, did it sound like a compliment?”

“Not at all.”

Of course not.

“Hah…”

With a heavy sigh, the turtle continued.

“…If the problem is that his soul is being distorted—”

I listened intently.

“—then, in essence, it means his soul is damaged. So all you need to do is return it to its original form.”

“Then he’ll be alright?”

“I don’t know.”

“What?”

“I don’t know much about souls. It’s only a theory. Even if you try, there’s no guarantee it will work. However—”

I held my breath, waiting.

“—right now, there is no better alternative.”

“……”

If his soul was damaged, then it had to be restored.

That was the only way.

I nodded at the turtle’s words.

He was right.

I couldn’t think of anything better myself.

The problem was…

“So, how do I do that?”

How could I repair Noya’s soul?

When I asked, the turtle replied,

“You already know how.”

“…What?”

He said I already knew.

I frowned. I did?

What was I supposed to know?

“If I knew, why would I be asking you?”

“No, you do know. It happened not long ago. And it happened to you.”

“What…?”

I was about to argue when—

“Ah.”

My eyes widened. I remembered.

The soul.

A way to restore a twisted soul.

Returning something to its original state.

If it was something I had lived through myself…

“…The Divine Fruit.”

“Correct.”

The turtle confirmed it.

The Divine Fruit, born from the Divine Tree.

Eating it could restore a soul’s original state.

It was because of that fruit that my own soul had been reset, triggering a fate that should have been calamity.

Which meant—

“…If Noya eats the Divine Fruit, we can restore his soul?”

“As I said, it’s only a theory.”

“But it’s the most plausible solution. And the only one we have, right?”

“……”

The turtle didn’t answer. But I didn’t need one.

It was a relief, in a way.

Because to see my mother—to keep my promise to Noya—I already had to seek out every Divine Tree.

At the end of that journey, I was meant to find the Master’s Divine Tree.

‘If nothing has changed—’

The Divine Tree and the Divine Fruit I found back then belonged to that Master’s Divine Tree.

So, to save Noya—

‘I have to go.’

I had to find that Divine Tree again.

“……”

Crack.

I flexed my stiff fingers.

I forced down the heat rising inside me, swallowing it deep into my heart.

I planned my next moves.

I pictured Noya, asleep beyond the barrier.

‘You saved me more times than I can count.’

Now, I won’t let you go either.

I had to save my hero—my guide—no matter what it took.