Childhood Friend of the Zenith

When was it?

Or, rather, how much time had passed since then?

I don't quite remember.

It was such a long time ago, and a memory I’d rather not recall.

A memory buried deep within my heart, one I’d prefer to let fade or even erase entirely.

And yet, some memories refuse to be forgotten.

In fact, the more painful the memory, the more vividly it stays.

This was one of those memories for me.

I had grown accustomed to the unique stench of the Demonic Realm, and the crimson moon that rose had started to feel as commonplace as an everyday lamp.

It was when I got up late at night, as usual, to take my turn for the night watch.

With each passing day, the number of survivors dwindled, and the shifts had become thoroughly scrambled.

Whoosh.

As the darkness thickened, I lit a small flame to clear my vision.

My energy was as feeble as a rat’s tail, so it barely illuminated my surroundings, and it wasn’t enough to keep me warm, but—I figured it was better than nothing, so I kept it lit.

Flick—Suddenly, a breeze blew out the flame with a quiet puff.

[…]I looked at the extinguished flame with a frown, then glanced to my left.

[What are you doing?

Do you want to die?

]I let my irritation boil over.

That breeze hadn’t been natural; it had been created with energy.

The person who put out my flame was staring at me with her usual cold gaze.

[And I’m certain I warned you not to light any fires carelessly.

]Her voice was icy, and I clicked my tongue in response.

[How am I supposed to keep watch if I can’t see anything?

Something needs to be visible for me to keep guard, don’t you think?

][If you can’t see anything, then don’t bother trying.

If you can’t see even this, you won’t see anything else anyway.

]Her resolute tone made me frown deeply.

[Could you be any more irritating?

][I’m just stating the facts.

It’s better than monsters being drawn to your flame.

]She spoke bluntly and then pulled her long golden hair back, tying it up.

The brief glimpse of her pale neck was enough to catch the eyes of many men, but—I looked away instead.

Her words sank deeper than her beauty.

[So basically, since I’m weak, I should just crawl around carefully.

Is that what you’re saying?

]I saw her shoulders tremble slightly at my words.

[That’s not exactly what I meant….

][Oh, isn’t it?

Doesn’t matter; it’s not the first time I’ve heard it.

]By now, I wasn’t even offended by such words.

After all, there wasn’t much left of my pride to break—it was already ground down to dust.

Well, maybe there was a tiny piece left.

[People like you, who have it all, wouldn’t understand.

]Maybe that’s why I ended up blurting that out without thinking.

[You wouldn’t understand what it’s like for someone like me, scraping by at the bottom.

][…]Golden eyes turned toward me, laced with irritation.

I couldn’t understand why she’d be annoyed by such a remark.

She was a genius, standing tall in place of the “Five Dragons and Three Peaks.

” That was her title now.

What could possibly be so annoying about praise for her talent?

I couldn’t fathom it.

[And what makes you think you know me well enough to say that?

]She sounded disgruntled, but I remained nonchalant.

[Do you know me so well that you can say something like that?

][…]With that, the woman—Little Sword Star—bit her lip.

Seeing that, I sighed.

This was a pointless argument.

Especially arguing with people who had it all—it was pointless and tiresome.

No matter what was said, we wouldn’t understand each other.

Why waste my energy on such an aggravating conversation?

As I shook my head, she suddenly spoke up with a question.

[Why are you always so dissatisfied?

][What?

][If you go through life with that attitude, does it make you feel better?

][This girl...

You trying to lecture me now?

My parents didn’t do that, so why should you?

]Yeah, that’s right.

My parents didn’t raise me, and that’s why I turned out this way.

I swallowed those words back.

[For someone so remarkable, you’re—][I’m not remarkable at all.

][Are you kidding me?

]She carried around every lofty title and honor, and yet she claimed she wasn’t remarkable.

What kind of nonsense was that?

And yet—[…I’m really not remarkable.

]Little Sword Star spoke in a voice heavy with fatigue.

I still didn’t understand her, but—[Fine.

You’re not remarkable.

]I decided to let it go.

If she wanted to believe she wasn’t exceptional, what more could I say?

I just hoped the time would pass quickly.

The night watch itself was irritating, but standing here with Little Sword Star made it even worse.

The one who had been on watch before us had become monster feed, leaving us paired up like this.

We could barely stand each other, and now we were forced to be together.

Damn Seolbong.

She must have known and did this on purpose.

Seolbong was in charge of assigning watch shifts, and she knew I found Little Sword Star uncomfortable, so she probably set this up intentionally.

She was always someone I couldn’t stand.

Anyway, this setup had gone on for about seven weeks now.

Today, there seemed to be more conversation than usual.

Not that it was peaceful—just as sharp and barbed as before.

After a few more rounds of bickering, silence settled in.

I found the quiet comforting, so I started counting the rocks on the ground.

Then, out of nowhere, Little Sword Star asked me a strange question.

[What’s your goal?

][…What?

]I couldn’t help but frown.

What was she talking about?

The question came out of nowhere.

My goal?

[What the hell are you on about?

][I was just curious if someone like you had a goal.

][Why are you trying to pick a fight?

Are you actually insane?

]It was ridiculous.

Like getting smacked while staring at a rock.

A goal?

A goal…[…]I thought about it, but nothing came to mind.

I wasn’t living with any particular purpose.

I didn’t care about life itself, so why would I have a goal?

I just existed, breathing and going through the motions.

Thinking about it just soured my mood.

With a sullen expression, I glanced at Little Sword Star.

[What about you?

Do you have a goal?

][…]She averted her gaze.

[What’s that?

You don’t have one either?

Just like me.

]I smirked, and she snapped her head toward me with blazing eyes, clearly offended at being compared to me.

[I… I do… have one….

]Despite her fierce expression, her voice was surprisingly meek.

There was a hint of embarrassment mixed in.

[Oh, really?

What is it?

]I wasn’t actually interested, but I asked anyway.

It wasn’t like I needed to know her goal.

[…]She hesitated for a while without answering.

What kind of grand goal could she possibly have that she’d be this reluctant to say?

Was it to become the Martial Alliance Leader or perhaps the strongest in the world?

If that was her goal, it’d be a challenging one.

I figured, well, someone as skilled as her could have such ambitions.

After waiting for her response, Little Sword Star finally whispered in a small voice.

[…Mother.

][What?

]It was so quiet I didn’t catch it.

Leaning in, I asked her to repeat herself.

[…A mother….

]With a slight flush in her ears, she answered me.

A mother?

[…]I made a strange face and took a step back.

[What…?

]A mother, out of nowhere?

What did that even mean?

Did I mishear her?

[…Mother?

][…]Just to make sure, I asked again, but from her reaction, it seemed I hadn’t misheard.

Seeing my expression, Little Sword Star, now embarrassed, grew defensive.

[…Why…?

Is that strange?

][Well, isn’t it?

You’re saying your goal is to be a mother, out of the blue.

][…A mother is a noble goal.

How can you not understand that?

][Maybe because I don’t have one.

I really don’t get it.

][…]My blunt, self-deprecating remark made Little Sword Star clamp her mouth shut.

It wasn’t meant to push her buttons.

[But why that, of all things?

]With so many impressive goals out there, why did she choose “a mother”?

It was the most incomprehensible answer I’d ever heard.

[…It’s not necessarily my only goal.

][You literally just said it was.

][I just mean I dream of a normal life.

][Huh?

]A normal life?

[Meeting someone, falling in love, getting married, having children… Living together, arguing sometimes, reconciling… growing old together.

]Listening to her, I felt a strange dryness in my mouth.

[Then just do it.

What’s stopping you?

]It didn’t seem like such a lofty goal that she needed to set it as an ambition.

She wasn’t aiming to become an unbeatable master or a leader of a great family.

Little Sword Star’s simple desire to live like an ordinary woman felt strangely difficult to grasp.

It was something she could do at any time, so why call it a goal?

Maybe sensing my thoughts, Little Sword Star smiled bitterly.

[Yes.

It really is a simple thing.

]Despite saying that, I heard her quiet, murmured words.

—That simple thing is so hard….

With that, she fell silent.

And I didn’t ask anything more.

It felt as if the night had grown darker, and I followed her into that silence.

That night eventually came to an end.

But oddly enough, the memory of that night refused to leave my mind.

Why was that conversation so unforgettable?

If I had to search for a reason—Perhaps it was because that was the moment I unknowingly began to hold her in my gaze.

The reason I started to follow Little Sword Star… Was it because it was fascinating that such an extraordinary woman had such an ordinary goal?

Or was it the sadness in her eyes as she spoke those words?

Even now, I’m still not sure.

By the time I realized it, it had already happened.

Perhaps it was around this time that a goal had begun to form within me, too.

A goal I never shared with anyone, one I didn’t even recognize until my death.

The irony is…Neither of us ever achieved our goals in our previous lives.

Not mine, and not hers.

******************Was it just my imagination?

No, it wasn’t.

It couldn’t be.

Little Sword Star’s gaze was clearly directed at me.

Amongst all these demons, why was she looking at me?

I kept checking, hoping it was just a coincidence, but her golden eyes remained fixed on me, unwavering.

As I continued to stare back, slightly shaken—Thump.

“…!

”A strange vibration pulsed within my body.

I clutched my chest.

‘What… is this?

’Thump… thump.

The vibration didn’t stop, continuously resonating within my chest.

The sensation grew stronger, and I swallowed hard.

‘…This feeling.

’The vibration within my body…I felt like I understood what it was.

Immediately, I shifted my gaze back to Little Sword Star.

She was still watching me, her expression just as surprised as mine must have been.

It seemed that she, too, was feeling something similar.

With that thought, I clenched my fist.

‘Damn it.

’Thump.

Thump.

The resonance kept growing.

No, this wasn’t just a vibration.

It was resonance.

The same energy was resonating between us.

Realizing this, my mind began to race.

How had I not anticipated this?

‘…What nonsense.

How could I have expected this?

’It was an energy I could barely even sense myself.

Whether it was still contained within me or had faded away was something I couldn’t even confirm.

Yet here it was, resonating with Little Sword Star above.

‘The Divine Sword….

’This was undoubtedly the energy I had encountered in her in this lifetime.

The energy of hers that my mother had once imbued into me.

Now, it was resonating with Little Sword Star up there.

That must be why she was looking at me with that expression.

It was an oversight.

‘I didn’t see this coming.

’I hadn’t expected the energies to resonate with each other.

With Nine Flame Wheels, I’d anticipated that Dokgo Jun would sense my inherent power, but—‘…Even this?

’I truly hadn’t expected Little Sword Star to sense this.

The problem was—‘I can’t hide it.

’I didn’t know how to handle the Divine Sword’s energy, so I couldn’t conceal it even if I wanted to.

Because of that…Thump thump thump-!

The resonance between us intensified.

The vibrations reached my head, and I was beginning to feel a bit nauseous.

“…Bringing even her here… they must be prepared for war.

”Dokgo Jun’s voice reached me as he looked at Little Sword Star.

“Seems it’s you lot who want bloodshed, not me.

Am I wrong?

”There was a sharper edge in his voice, a sense of killing intent far stronger than before.

It felt like he was ready to annihilate everyone here.

Yet the Heavenly Lord, still with his hands behind his back, continued to speak calmly to Dokgo Jun.

“As I’ve said, we came here to negotiate.

”“If you keep spouting nonsense, I’ll rip out your tongue right here and now.

”Crrrack.

The ground beneath Dokgo Jun’s feet cracked, and a shallow flame rose from the split earth.

“This works out perfectly.

Since that incompetent woman is here, I might as well kill both of you on the spot.

”He’s bluffing.

There was no real intent to kill; he was probably thinking hard about how to drive them off.

Thump…‘Urgh.

’The resonance from my core intensified.

At that moment, I felt someone place a hand on my back.

My internal energy circulated, easing the resonance, if only slightly.

I looked over in surprise and found that Little Sword Star had approached and was now touching my back.

She looked at me and asked,“…Are you… alright?

”“…Thank you.

”I was genuinely startled.

I couldn’t help but look at her with surprise.

She despised touching others, so why was she doing this now?

Although her help brought me some relief, I couldn’t help feeling bewildered.

As I struggled to regain my composure with Little Sword Star’s aid—Ssshh—Little Sword Star began descending from the sky.

“…”Seeing her up close, I could tell for sure.

It really was the same person from back then.

A woman with a beauty that even rivaled Little Sword Star’s, adorned with radiant golden hair and an exotic aura.

She looked far more mature than the Wi Seol-ah I met after my return, her presence exuding an aura of solemnity and refinement.

“…Dokgo Jun.

”Having softly landed on the ground, Little Sword Star addressed him.

Dokgo Jun snarled and flared his aura in response.

“Seems like you don’t value your life, showing up here on your own.

”“…We don’t seek a fight.

”“Dragging this much power along and claiming you don’t want a fight?

You can’t honestly expect me to believe that.

”“…”“Why don’t you just admit you want war?

Then I’ll be happy to oblige.

”“…As the Heavenly Lord said, we’re here to negotiate….

”Boom!

Before Little Sword Star could finish, a massive flame burst from Dokgo Jun, directed straight at her.

One of her swords, floating in mid-air, shot toward the flames and extinguished them, just as before.

It seemed the purging power of her Pa-ma could counteract the demonic fire.

As Little Sword Star furrowed her brows at the sudden attack, Dokgo Jun sneered at her.

“You’re still deluding yourself, aren’t you?

”The flames on his body flared up even brighter.

“Do you truly think you can resolve this with words?

”In response to Dokgo Jun’s actions, the demons around him immediately unleashed their demonic energy.

“I thought I’d burned away any naive dreams from your mind, but it seems they’re still lingering.

”“…Dokgo Jun.

”Little Sword Star bit her lip.

Even so, I could sense her gaze flitting over to me occasionally.

“If you desire something, why don’t you try taking it from us…?

”“…I’ll return Thunder Fang to you.

”Dokgo Jun froze at Little Sword Star’s words, and I did too, though for a different reason.

‘Thunder Fang…?

’I glanced at Little Sword Star upon hearing those words.

Little Sword Star’s displeasure was written clearly across her face.

Judging by her expression, it seemed Thunder Fang was indeed with them.

‘But… what does that even mean?

’I could feel my heart racing.

The reason being—In my memories, ?️ Thunder Fang had never once left Little Sword Star’s hand.

___________________TL Notes: Thunder Fang" is the English translation for "뇌아" (Noe-a), which combines "뇌" (Noe, meaning "thunder") and "아" (A, meaning "fang" or "tooth").