Childhood Friend of the Zenith

As the summer days approached, my routine didn’t change much.

It would be stranger if things shifted just because of a little heat.

All that changed was my growing awareness of the passing time with the weather.

“Hah…”I exhaled deeply after an intense training session, letting my body cool down as I stared straight ahead.

Unlike me, taking a moment of rest, the air in front of me was filled with heat—the heat of energy released by martial artists.

Clang!

Clang, clang!

The sound of intense strikes echoed.

The wind was thick with qi, mingling with the tension.

Where was this coming from?

The sound came from Namgung Bi-ah and Jamryong, who were engaged in an intense sparring session.

Why were they sparring all of a sudden?

Well, it became a trend after the incident with Baekryeongeom.

I was watching the scene with amusement.

‘This is the first time.

’A sparring match between the two.

Jamryong and Namgung Bi-ah.

In my previous life, these two would have never met.

By the time Namgung Bi-ah made her proper appearance in the martial world, Jamryong had already passed away.

And now, seeing them sparring right before my eyes was nothing short of fascinating.

And…‘It’s quite intense.

’Their sparring match was fierce.

The last duel with Baekryeongeom was similar, but this felt different.

Their skill levels were almost identical, and it showed.

Both of them were at the peak of the Jeoljeong stage, just before breaking into the Hwagyeong stage.

Clang!

Their swords clashed, sparks flying into the air.

The traces of their sword energy left clear marks in the air.

Moreover…‘They’re fast.

’Both focused on speed in their swordsmanship, and their reactions were remarkable, both in terms of physical speed and mental sharpness.

My gaze shifted to Jamryong.

Though I didn’t know much about Jamryong’s martial arts, one thing was clear.

‘His movements are rough.

’For a Taoist practitioner, his movements were unrefined.

Was this typical of Wudang?

‘No, it’s not.

’It’s just that he’s unique.

That much was obvious.

Even compared to other Taoists, his style was distinctly different.

Just looking at Yeongpung, known as the Sword Dragon, was enough to see that.

Even though Maehwa Swordsmanship wasn’t particularly rough, Yeongpung maintained a polished form.

Jamryong, on the other hand…‘He’s a madman.

’He barely adhered to the principle of “waves” that Wudang pursued, moving unpredictably.

His nickname, Jamryong (Hidden Dragon), probably stemmed from this wild style.

Such erratic movement could only be managed by a genius.

While most martial artists struggle to stay within the form of their martial arts, Jamryong seemed to break free of those constraints, moving at will while still keeping within the basics.

It was something only a genius could pull off.

Namgung Bi-ah was no different.

Crackle, crackle!

Lightning qi continuously surged from Namgung Bi-ah’s body.

I couldn’t help but smile at the sight.

‘She’s improved again.

’The intensity of her lightning qi had increased.

It meant that her internal energy had grown.

How was she improving so much every time I saw her?

Was she secretly taking some kind of elixir?

‘Even her control…’The unnecessary movements in the currents of her lightning qi had reduced.

Namgung Bi-ah was growing more accustomed to controlling it.

And beyond that…‘Her mastery of the Imperial Sword Style has deepened.

’Her grasp of the Namgung family’s secret sword technique had also improved.

Namgung Bi-ah was truly…“Improving day by day…”“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?

”“Becoming more beautiful—!?

”I was startled by the sudden voice and quickly turned my head.

There was Baekryeongeom, smiling at me.

“Ugh!

”I jumped in surprise and backed away.

Baekryeongeom, noticing my reaction, feigned a hurt expression.

“…Why are you acting like you’ve seen a bug?

”“You can’t just sneak up on me like that… I was shocked!

”“If I’m to be your bodyguard, I have to be stealthy, right?

Can’t go around making noise.

”“Why would you do that to the person you’re supposed to be guarding?

”“They say you have to fool your allies to fool your enemies.

”I sighed deeply at her innocent smile.

That saying wasn’t meant to be used like that.

‘What is wrong with this woman?

’She always had a way of popping out unexpectedly, making my heart skip a beat.

I looked at her with displeasure.

She seemed to enjoy having startled me, her smile smug and annoying.

When I first met her, she wasn’t this bad… I have no idea how things ended up like this.

As time passed, my relationship with Baekryeongeom had shifted slightly.

To put it simply, I started seeing her differently.

For one, she was someone I could treat more casually.

‘…What should I call this?

’As a junior, I could be a little informal with her, as long as it wasn’t outright rude.

She didn’t seem to mind.

In a good way, she was broad-minded, and in another sense, she was a bit dull.

Once I realized that, I could treat her more freely.

‘Besides…’I glanced at Baekryeongeom’s shoulder, where a geumje (forbidden restriction) had been placed with her consent.

‘I can’t believe she really went through with it.

’When she said she didn’t trust herself, I suggested placing a restriction on her, and she actually agreed.

For a martial artist who had reached the Hwagyong stage, placing a restriction on their own body was extremely dangerous.

But Baekryeongeom had accepted it without hesitation.

I wasn’t sure if she understood what I could do with it, but she had agreed nonetheless.

Because of that, she hadn’t caused any incidents like before, but it did lead to one change in our daily interactions.

“What do you think?

”“What do you mean?

”“Who do you think will win, between those two?

”Another change was that Baekryeongeom had started talking to me more often.

We were together frequently because of her role as my bodyguard, so it wasn’t surprising.

But the problem was, it made things a bit chaotic.

Baekryeongeom’s personality led her to ask strange questions, like the one she just asked.

‘Who do I think will win?

’I furrowed my brow slightly at her question.

It was a difficult one.

Jamryong and Namgung Bi-ah were surprisingly evenly matched.

Both of them were at the peak of their abilities, on the verge of breaking into the Hwagyong stage.

For two people who had just crossed the threshold of adulthood, it was an impressive achievement.

‘…I’m the exception.

’I was an anomaly, having traveled through time.

I wasn’t a genius to begin with.

Reaching the peak stage typically took a martial artist until their thirties, after years of dedicated effort.

Reaching the “mature peak” stage after about ten years of additional effort showed why the younger generation was known as the “Meteoric Generation.

”As for those two…‘They’ve already surpassed the limits of the Meteoric Generation.

’Who would win between them?

‘...

’It was hard to say.

They both looked evenly matched to me.

But…My gaze lingered on Namgung Bi-ah.

Crackle!

Lightning surged from her blade, leaving marks in the air.

As I had mentioned earlier, her lightning qi was far more powerful than when I had first seen it.

‘Hmm.

’However, her lightning failed to penetrate the flow surrounding Jamryong.

It couldn’t break through the defensive waves of Wudang’s ultimate technique.

‘He’s good at deflecting it.

’Jamryong’s sword, though rough, didn’t stray from the principles of Wudang.

He deflected and absorbed the attacks.

Jamryong’s sword absorbed the energy of Namgung Bi-ah’s attacks and then unleashed it again in rapid counterattacks.

Namgung Bi-ah’s precise control was impressive, but Jamryong’s ability to absorb and reapply the energy was equally remarkable.

Watching them made me chuckle.

‘Damn geniuses.

’Geniuses were always a source of annoyance for me.

After shaking my head at them, I focused again on the duel.

Even though I claimed not to know who would win, I had a gut feeling about it.

My gaze returned to Namgung Bi-ah.

Without any sign of distress, she continued the duel, but I knew the outcome.

“This duel… Namgung Bi-ah will lose.

”Baekryeongeom, hearing my confident response, widened her eyes in surprise.

“That’s unexpected.

You’re more decisive than I thought.

”“You already had the same thought, didn’t you?

That’s why you asked me.

”Baekryeongeom grinned as I looked at her with a slight frown.

“I thought you’d defend your people and say otherwise.

”“This is different.

”“But you’re not denying that she’s one of your people, are you?

”“...

”I didn’t respond to Baekryeongeom’s teasing words and turned my head away.

The duel was still ongoing, but my furrowed brow wasn’t about to relax.

‘What’s going on?

’On the surface, Namgung Bi-ah seemed fine, but both Baekryeongeom and I could tell something was off.

Though her destructive power and control were flawless, there was something wrong with the duel itself.

There was a hint of a simma (inner demon) affecting Namgung Bi-ah’s movements, something subtle but unmistakable.

Why was someone who had lived solely to wield the sword now plagued by an inner demon?

I pondered the mystery.

I recalled the Margrave of the Sword from my previous life.

Her only goal was to see the end of her sword, and in that path, there had never been room for any inner demons.

But now, Namgung Bi-ah was showing signs of one.

Why?

As I mulled it over, I glanced at Baekryeongeom.

Sensing my gaze, she looked slightly awkward as she spoke.

“What?

What were you going to say?

”“I wasn’t going to say anything.

”She knew it too.

After that sparring match with Wi Seol-ah, Namgung Bi-ah, and Tang So-yeol, something had changed in Namgung Bi-ah.

Had that duel awakened something in her?

Was that why she was now struggling with an inner demon?

Even if that was the case…‘...

’There was nothing I could do about it.

And there was no reason to blame Baekryeongeom.

If anything…‘Why am I relieved?

’Despite my concern for Namgung Bi-ah’s inner turmoil, I also felt a strange sense of relief.

Perhaps it was because, in my previous life, she had only pursued the end of her sword, never living a truly human life.

Now, seeing her struggle with an inner demon made her seem more human, like she was leading a different life this time.

‘Of course, it’s probably not a good thing for her.

’Still, seeing Namgung Bi-ah wrestle with her emotions was strangely reassuring.

And I believed in her.

I believed that she would overcome her inner demon without too much difficulty.

Baekryeongeom, watching me, pouted in dissatisfaction.

“I don’t like that look on your face.

”“Suddenly, out of nowhere?

”“You’re looking at her with that ‘proud mentor’ expression.

It reminds me of…”“Of who?

”“Never mind, forget it.

”Why did she stop mid-sentence?

As I exchanged a few more words with Baekryeongeom, the sound of clashing swords echoed again.

Clang!

With a sharp, piercing sound, the sparring match came to an end.

As expected…The tip of Jamryong’s sword was at Namgung Bi-ah’s throat.

She had lost.

Namgung Bi-ah stared at Jamryong in shock, her eyes wide.

Seeing that, I turned away.

Baekryeongeom called after me as I began to walk off.

“Where are you going?

”“I’ve seen enough.

I’m going to wash up.

”“You’re not going to check on her?

”“There’s no need.

She’s better off alone right now.

”Even if I could intervene and help with her problem, I didn’t want to.

I wanted Namgung Bi-ah to overcome this on her own and stand on her own two feet.

I believed she would.

This Namgung Bi-ah from this life—she would be able to do it.

‘No, even in the previous life, she could have.

’The Margrave of the Sword could have, too.

I just hadn’t known it then.

As I made my way toward the valley, I heard Baekryeongeom muttering behind me.

“…You really shouldn’t resemble him in this way.

”“What was that?

Who do I resemble?

”“Nothing, forget it.

Oh, want me to wash your back?

”“No thanks.

”I quickly walked away, refusing her offer with disgust in my voice.

That woman must be insane.

Shaking my head, I disappeared toward the valley.

Baekryeongeom, left behind, watched me walk away, a bitter smile on her face as she whispered to herself.

“You really do resemble him… way too much.

”Her voice was filled with longing.

******************Ignoring Baekryeongeom’s nonsense, I made my way to the valley to wash off the sweat that had soaked into my body.

As I hastily removed my upper garment, the dampness from my sweat became apparent.

Despite reaching the seventh stage of Guyeomhwaryun (Flamewheel Art), which had made my body so resilient that normal training no longer drew a single drop of sweat, here I was, drenched.

It was a sign of how grueling the training had become.

I frowned, thinking about the insane old man who was behind this torturous training regimen.

‘That crazy old geezer.

’Paejon was indeed a madman.

It didn’t hit me at first when he told me to drill through a cave using the Tuapa Cheonmu, but it certainly did once I entered the second stage of training.

I was sparring with Paejon every single day.

When I started training with the Dark King at night, I thought I’d at least get some rest during the day.

Until you master one form, we’ll spar daily.

The sparring never stopped.

And the problem didn’t end there.

‘He expects me to spar while maintaining the Tuapa Cheonmu technique?

’It was ridiculous.

As if the pain wasn’t already enough to make me faint, he expected me to fight while keeping the technique active, which meant taking hits while enduring the agony.

‘And yet, here I am doing it.

’I twisted my aching body, a faint, bitter smile forming.

As expected, it was unbelievably painful.

‘What a crazy martial art.

’Maybe the technique was insane because the person who created it was also insane.

Just using it caused immense pain, and taking a hit while using it only multiplied that pain.

Paejon claimed it was because I hadn’t fully integrated the technique.

In hindsight, it made sense why he warned me not to use it in real combat without his permission.

‘If I got injured while using this…’It wasn’t the injury that would kill me.

The pain alone might stop my heart.

Every time I sparred with Paejon, I doubted whether this was even training.

All my mental energy had to be focused on enduring the pain.

‘And after all that, he expects me to play with the Dark King at night?

’Ha.

It was absurd.

If sparring with Paejon was torture, sparring with the Dark King was a living nightmare.

‘Yep, a nightmare.

That’s exactly what it is.

’For over a month now, since I started training with the Dark King, the number of times I “died” in our sessions kept increasing.

The first day, I died nine times.

Now, it’s easily over twenty deaths a session.

It was as if the Dark King was trying to tell me something: no matter how hard you try, you’ll never reach me.

Mentally, it was exhausting.

There didn’t seem to be any way out.

‘What am I supposed to gain from this training?

’Paejon wanted me to realize something through all this, but I wasn’t feeling any closer to understanding.

What exactly was I supposed to learn from repeatedly dying?

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t figure it out.

‘It’s tough.

’My mind was tired, and that fatigue was seeping into my body.

I tried to push aside these thoughts and ignore my weary mind.

Eventually, I arrived at the valley.

Just as I got there, I noticed someone coming out, presumably having just finished washing.

My eyes widened when I realized who it was.

“Hm?

”“Oh.

”It was Wi Seol-ah.

Her hair was still damp, indicating she had just finished bathing.

“Master…!

”Wi Seol-ah’s face lit up as she saw me, her smile as radiant as ever.

It reminded me of when she used to serve me as a maid, with her wet hair framing her face just like now.

Without thinking, I stepped closer and used the towel I had to dry her hair.

“Uh?

M-Master?

Eek!

”“You should’ve dried it properly before coming out.

”If she went out like this, I could imagine how many men would stare at her with those damp, enticing locks.

Why did she always overlook such things?

Some things never change.

As she let out a soft squeak in surprise, Wi Seol-ah quietly leaned into my touch, seemingly enjoying the rough way I was drying her hair.

Unbelievable.

“You like this?

”“Yes… I do.

”“…Ah, right.

”I didn’t know how to respond to her sincere reply, especially since I was only half-joking when I asked.

As I dried her hair, another thought crossed my mind.

‘…I should’ve just used my heat to dry it.

’I could’ve dried her hair in seconds with my qi.

Why was I bothering with this?

Realizing my mistake, I pulled the towel away and released some heat from my body to quickly dry her hair.

Wi Seol-ah looked a bit disappointed as the warmth enveloped her.

“Make sure you dry your hair properly next time.

What were you thinking?

”“I was just about to dry it….

”“That’s a lie.

”Caught by my words, Wi Seol-ah hesitated for a moment before nodding slightly.

She still wasn’t very good at lying.

Feeling a bit guilty for calling her out, she looked a little downcast, so I chuckled and offered,“Want some yakgwa?

”“...!

”Her eyes sparkled at the mention of yakgwa, but she quickly turned her head away, feigning disinterest.

“I’m not a child anymore…”“Then what was that reaction?

”“I didn’t react at all.

”She still loved sweets, apparently.

Why she was pretending otherwise, I had no idea.

Watching her, I couldn’t help but smile inwardly.

It felt like some of the tension that had been building up inside me was finally starting to ease.

But then, Wi Seol-ah’s expression shifted as she reached up and gently touched the skin beneath my eyes.

Her hand was cold, having just come from the water.

“What’s wrong?

Is there something on my face?

”“No… It’s just… Master, are you alright?

”“Hmm?

What do you mean?

”“…You look really tired.

”Her worried expression took me by surprise.

I looked tired?

Me?

‘Does it show that much?

’Now that I thought about it, a lot of people had been asking if I was okay lately.

Something must’ve been off with my expression.

Realizing this, I forced a smile.

“I’m fine.

”“...

”Of course, Wi Seol-ah didn’t seem convinced.

‘Well, what can I do?

I’ll just have to endure it.

’When things get tough, you just endure.

That’s all there is to it.

“It’s just that I’ve been having some nightmares lately.

”“Nightmares?

”“Yeah.

”Nightmares.

I’ve been having some pretty awful ones every night.

Even for me, dying so many times was a bit too much.

It was exhausting.

That’s how I felt.

As Wi Seol-ah continued to touch my face, I suddenly asked her a question.

“You… no, Seol-ah….

”“Yes?

”I almost called her by her full name but stopped myself.

Why was it so hard to call her by name?

“It’s nothing serious… but what do you think one should do when they’re having nightmares?

”It was a trivial question, unrelated to the nightmares themselves.

Why was I even asking her this?

I was just embarrassed to call her by name, so I tried to change the subject.

Wi Seol-ah, unaware of my embarrassment, tilted her head in confusion as she thought about my question.

Her hair swayed with each movement, catching my attention.

“A nightmare…?

”“You don’t have to think about it too much….

”“Well, wouldn’t you try to wake up first?

Since it’s a scary dream?

”I chuckled quietly at her simple response.

She was right.

If it’s a nightmare, the first thing you’d try to do is wake up.

‘Huh?

’Suddenly, her words struck a chord within me.

‘If it’s a nightmare, you wake up.

’For some reason, that idea resonated deeply with me.