Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 323: Hands-on Training (3)Two months had passed since I began attending the Academy.

The harsh winter was drawing to a close, and soon, the beauty of spring would arrive.

The frozen ice on the land started to melt, as if getting ready for the flowers to bloom.

Yet, without doing anything, another year had been added to my cursed age.

Fucking hell.

I hadn’t cared about my age in my past life, but now, every passing year reminded me how much busier I needed to be.

It didn’t exactly bring me joy.

Unlike most people, I knew I had to make the most of the time I had left, making each day crucial.

And now, a month had passed since my venture into the Academy’s basement for the secret vault, and much had changed since then.

First off, the Murim Alliance had been alerted to the secret vault.

Though they couldn’t investigate it yet due to the Academy still being in session, they placed a powerful Formation around its location.

Additionally, extra instructors were assigned to night patrols, thanks to the trouble the Water Dragon and I had stirred up.

I was certain they resented us for it—it was unnecessary and pointless.

I do feel a little guilty about that.

I remembered how much I hated going on patrol in my past life, so I did feel rather sorry for them.

But what can I do about it?

I have my own problems to deal with.

I can’t afford to worry about others, you know.

Tsk.

Anyway, I’d been asked to cooperate with the Murim Alliance on their future investigation of the area.

Let me clarify—it was a “cooperation.

”Instead of interrogating me, they wanted my help to explain how I had found the secret vault.

It was probably thanks to my background and my title as the True Dragon.

And the First-Class Beggar’s Pass must have helped.

The fact that they had my information from the Beggar’s Sect had to be a major factor.

Thankfully, it seemed to have worked.

Of course, I’d probably still face punishment for breaking curfew and wandering around at night, but I wasn’t too concerned about that.

Next on the list is the issue with the Sword Queen.

The Sword Queen had agreed to help me by keeping the Qinghai Sword occupied, all because of the treasure called the Stone of Mount Hua.

According to her, the treasure was hidden inside the secret vault.

Even if it was,What can I do since that place no longer exists?

The Sword Queen had said it was fine that I couldn’t find it, but her expression told a different story.

But it seemed like there was a bigger problem than that.

But it seemed there was a bigger issue at hand.

Huh?

Did she hear something from the Qinghai Sword?

I had no idea what kind of conversation they’d had, so I let it slide.

There was another problem.

What am I supposed to do about this thing wrapped around my arm?

The cloth wrapped around my left arm was becoming a problem.

It was a light pink cloth, wrapped around my arm like a bandage, but it was far from ordinary.

For starters, it clung tightly to my arm, and no matter what I tried, I couldn’t remove it.

I tried everything to get it off of me, but I wasn’t able to as if it became part of my skin.

Moreover,It might’ve been a different story if it were just ordinary cloth.

It was faintly-No, was faint even the right word?

It was faint, yet somehow dense at the same time.

I could feel the same dense Tao Qi on my left arm that I had sensed when Elder Shin saved me in the secret vault.

This was definitely the Tao Qi of Mount Hua.

Because of it, the Tao Qi throbbed, resonating with the energy from my arm, practically guaranteeing I’d be discovered.

The real problem is… I have no idea what this cloth even is.

The fact that Elder Shin had woken up and taken control of my body to claim this thing meant it was a treasure he recognized—likely something from his past.

The memory of Yeon Il-Cheon did say that the secret vault was all prepared for Elder Shin after all.

So what is it then?

Just what kind of treasure was this?

It was ridiculous to add another treasure to my already growing collection, especially one this eye-catching.

It doesn’t even seem to have any special power.

Should I just consider it a cloth that emits Tao Qi?

Or was there some other use for it that I simply hadn’t discovered?

It’s frustrating that the one person who could explain all of this has fallen back asleep.

After saving me at a crucial moment, Elder Shin had drifted back into slumber.

Not only that,The beast went silent as well.

Since that moment, the beast that had been relentlessly howling for food every day had hidden itself.

Did it disappear?

No, that didn’t seem likely.

I knew that it was still there, lurking inside my body.

As time passed, more and more mysteries seemed to pile up.

They swirled around me, leaving my mind in a haze.

Do they think that they are fishes?

Tap, tap.

I absentmindedly tapped the table with my fingertip.

It was an old habit of mine whenever my thoughts became tangled.

…I’m finished with the vault.

I’d also developed the habit of shelving questions I couldn’t answer.

This was a habit I picked up recently.

With so much to do, I couldn’t let myself get bogged down by questions with no clear answers.

I had to set them aside and focus on my immediate problems instead.

It was a form of thought suppression, I suppose.

Tap, tap.

My finger continued its rhythmic tapping as a face and name surfaced in my mind.

…The bastard is from the Beggar’s Sect, so they are hard to find as of now.

What about the other one?

There was only one reason I kept thinking about these people and committing them to memory.

There are more of them than I expected.

Can I really eliminate them all?

I was making a mental list of all the bastards I needed to kill.

I knew by now that justice was a farce—something I’d learned after the calamity descended upon the world.

Most of those who called themselves the Orthodox Faction projected an image of heroism and virtue, while their true nature was rotten to the core.

Seeing how more from the so-called Orthodox Faction ended up joining the Demonic Cult than those from the Unorthodox, I began to wonder if the Unorthodox Faction was the lesser evil after all.

This was why I had chosen to attend the Heavenly Dragon Academy.

I had to eliminate anyone who needed to die.

I needed to raise my martial level, to become strong enough to carry out these executions without a hitch.

Woong.

Again.

I frowned at the familiar sensation.

Lately, I’d been getting these dizzy spells from time to time.

It went away after a moment, but the sickening sensation definitely didn’t feel the best.

It always left me in a foul mood.

“Sigh.

”I started to wonder if it would be better to just throw up and get it over with.

“…Student.

”Maybe it’s because I’ve been slacking in my training?

I should probably-“Student Gu Yangcheon.

”“…!

”I hadn’t even heard him—I’d been spacing out.

I snapped out of it and looked up, only to see Cheol Hwanho glaring at me with a frown.

Right, I was in the middle of a lecture.

“Yes?

”“I called you three times and you didn’t answer.

Should I take that as you not paying attention?

”“I did respond.

You must’ve missed it as I was too quiet.

”“…Is that so.

”I obviously lied.

Cheol Hwanho probably knew it too, judging by the disgusted look on his face.

I didn’t realize a person could look that disgusted.

You learn something new every day, I guess.

“Since you claim to have been paying attention, I suppose I can ask you a question?

”“Yes, I shall answer.

”“Please explain why the Blue-Sky Birds are less active during the nigh- ““It’s because they breed during that time.

They must be perverted as they only do it at night.

”“…”“Oh, and their only real weakness is their beak.

But since they can’t fly, just catch them and burn them al—”“Thank you.

”“Of course.

”He ignores me, even though it’s genuinely good advice.

Blue-Sky Birds are part of the blue Demons, but despite having wings, they can’t fly.

They also have surprisingly long necks for creatures that resemble chickens.

Regardless, they were one of the few demon species that reproduced, and strangely, they only did it at night.

Thanks to that though, it’s rare for a martial artist to be ambushed by them after daytime.

This made them easy to hunt at night.

I guess my answer was right—Cheol Hwanho resumed his lecture with a disappointed sigh.

I should focus though.

And by focus, I mean focus on pretending to pay attention, rather than actually listening.

A little more, huh.

It wouldn’t be long before the moment I’d been waiting for arrived.

As the lecture ended, Cheol Hwanho said this before leaving the room.

“Hands-on training is coming up soon.

Don’t forget.

”I nodded, hearing his words.

This was the moment I’d been waiting for all week.

******************Usually, I’d chat with my group after finishing my daily lectures and grabbing a meal.

It was the only time I really got to take a mental break.

Lately, though, I’ve been using that time to train instead.

It was because my group had become busier as well, and the fact that I needed to continue working on myself.

Push my arm more.

Swoosh!

Pow!

I focused on my stance and unleashed a burst of Qi.

A faint trail of Qi lingered in the air.

It was disappointing.

my timing was off.

…It’s still hard to release it fast enough.

Maybe I should incorporate more feints?

Even though I should’ve been focusing on mind training, I found myself moving like this, still thinking about that fight.

If speed is my only advantage, I’ll eventually get caught and lose.

The Dragon Warrior, or rather, Dishonored Venerable.

My fight with him that day left me feeling frustrated, driving me to train like this whenever I could.

What’s the problem?

I was much faster than him.

I had more Qi than him, too.

Yet despite all that, I couldn’t get close, and he dodged every attack no matter how I approached.

He was slower than me, yet somehow faster at the same time.

Was it the difference in how we see things?

I learned where I needed to improve after that fight, but it wasn’t easy.

Despite losing to the Dishonored Venerable, a master of close combat, I had no excuses.

A loss was a loss.

I didn’t feel frustrated by the defeat.

I already experienced plenty of losses in my life, and I knew catching up to geniuses was nearly impossible.

This only made it more important for me to find an answer.

It would’ve been nice if I were a bit smarter.

I’d be more efficient, and I’d make better use of my body in the future.

What would it be like if I were half as smart as the Man of Heaven?

I let my mind wander to useless thoughts like this out of frustration.

Blaze.

I pulled the flames back into my body, channeled the heat to my Dantian, and took a deep breath.

The field was already filled with the heat I poured out.

“What do you think?

”I asked the person who had been quietly watching me as I drew in my Qi.

“…Hmm?

”It was a hollow answer.

As expected.

Of course, it was Namgung Bi-ah who had been watching.

“What did you think?

”“…You were cool…?

”“No, not like that…”For a second, I almost smiled.

I ended up training with Namgung Bi-ah because everyone else was busy, so I asked her to join me for the first time in a while.

Namgung Bi-ah usually leaves halfway through my training, but I asked her to stay today until the end.

I hadn’t seen Tang Soyeol recently, and while Wi Seol-Ah showed up daily as if it were routine, she left today with a disappointed look, probably because she had something else to do.

Moyong Hi-ah had been busy ever since the start of the Academy, and I learned that Gu Yeonseo was doing something with her group today, so I dragged Namgung Bi-ah here, as it seemed like she was free.

“Did you see any flaws?

”I didn’t expect much help from Namgung Bi-ah, but I asked anyway—after all, she was a Peak Realm martial artist, a genius destined to become great.

Namgung Bi-ah tilted her head for a moment before looking directly into my eyes and responding.

“Too fast…”“Then I’ll go slower for y- ““You seem a bit rushed.

”I assumed it had been too fast for her to follow, but Namgung Bi-ah’s answer was different from what I expected.

“Rushed?

”“Mhm… You seem rushed.

”I repeated her words in my mind, flexing and unclenching my fists as I thought.

Rushed, huh.

I knew I’d been feeling rushed lately, but had it seeped into my movements too?

I need to fix that.

I nodded.

If Namgung Bi-ah could see it, it was definitely something to be concerned about.

After observing me a little longer, Namgung Bi-ah spoke again.

“…Want to do it?

”I paused for a moment after hearing her.

“I told you, use full sentences.

”I sighed and reminded her.

Namgung Bi-ah clapped her hands, realizing she had forgotten.

For a second, I panicked.

“Do you want to… spar?

”So, it’s spar, as expected.

Now that I think about it, I’ve never sparred with Namgung Bi-ah before.

Namgung Bi-ah had been bugging me for a spar ever since my regression, but I never accepted.

Then, one day, she just stopped asking.

“Oh right, you stopped asking me to spar after a while.

”I wondered if she was asking now because it had been so long, or if her intentions were different this time.

When I responded, Namgung Bi-ah brushed her hair back and spoke.

“…Scary…”Scary?

“Sparring with me?

”“No…”Namgung Bi-ah’s blue eyes locked onto mine.

“You were… scared of sparring with me.

”“…”Time seemed to freeze for a moment.

“Scared?

Me?

”“Mhm.

”I wondered what she meant, but I already knew.

I didn’t want to fight with Namgung Bi-ah, even if it was just a light spar.

“So… that’s why I stopped asking.

I’m fine with it.

”“But you just did.

”“Maybe… you would feel better after.

”“No, I probably would feel much worse.

”“Then it’s fine.

”Namgung Bi-ah returned to her usual calm expression, as if she had no regrets.

Her mood was always quick in changing.

“Will you… ever?

”“…You speak as if a spar is that precious of a thing.

”“It’s not?

”“Nah, it is.

”When the calamity ends, when the world finds peace again—when there are no more threats and only calm remains—then I’d spar with her.

Though it felt strange to put such weight on a simple word like “spar.

”“Seol-Ah too?

”“…!

”My eyes widened at Namgung Bi-ah’s unexpected words.

She had brought up Wi Seol-Ah out of the blue.

What did she mean by her question?

Huh?

Could she know what Wi Seol-Ah said to me?

“What are y- ““…Just kidding…”I asked with a shaky voice, but Namgung Bi-ah just smiled lightly.

She waved her fingers at me, gesturing for me to come closer.

She was treating me like a dog.

Despite complaining, I still went over.

“What are you doi- “Pat, pat.

When I got close, Namgung Bi-ah began to pat my head, her hand moving in that slow, deliberate way.

“…It’s all okay.

”“…What are you doing?

”I asked, stunned by her sudden gesture, but Namgung Bi-ah simply smiled warmly.

“…I feel good… when you do this… to me.

”“And?

”“So… I’m doing it for you too…”She was trying to cheer me up.

I wasn’t necessarily feeling bad to begin with.

Funnily enough though, her actions did make me feel a little better.

When I saw how hard Namgung Bi-ah was trying to pat my head, I couldn’t help but smirk.

That was enough training for today, thanks to her.

******************A full moon rose in the night sky.

A figure, their gender indistinct, stood atop the wall surrounding the Heavenly Dragon Academy.

It was a tiny spot, just outside Qinghai Sword’s reach.

The figure was staring down silently.

The figure remained still, watching, their gaze fixed on one person below.

Flutter.

A bird landed on their shoulder, quiet as the night.

The figure removed the letter tied to the bird’s leg, handling it with practiced ease.

-After four days, advance.

“…”The mission would begin soon.

They crumpled the letter, and the bird on their shoulder vanished like mist.

After the bird disappeared, so did the figure.

Leaving no trace, as if they’d never been there at all.

The figure’s name was the Dark King.

The ruler of the night.