Childhood Friend of the Zenith

༺ What Is This Hobo-Like… (1) ༻

The medical room within the Murim Alliance.

The room was filled with many people due the injuries that occurred in the tournament.

“Ugh…!”

And among those wounded, Namgung Cheonjun gasped for breath as he opened his eyes.

“Huff… huff!”

His breathing was rough and Namgung Cheonjun’s body was drenched in sweat.

As if he just experienced the most horrifying nightmare in his life.

Namgung Cheonjun, who woke up while panting, immediately lifted up the blanket and checked his lower body area.

“…W-Was it a dream?”

Everything he had experienced, it all felt like a dream to him.

Especially at the end; The chilling sensation he felt in his lower body right before he lost consciousness.

It was a nightmare.

But thankfully, it seemed like it wasn’t real.

“Are you okay…?”

Namgung Cheonjun’s head turned quickly after hearing a voice.

Next to him was the Snow Phoenix, Moyong Hi-ah.

“…Lady Moyong?”

Namgung Cheonjun fixed his mask which nearly cracked just now.

He then felt pain in all parts of his body.

“…Ugh…”

His body ached as though he had been beaten like a drum.

Namgung Cheonjun then realized the truth.

That the duel wasn’t a dream.

That he, the next Lord of the Namgung Clan…

Was defeated.

“…Impossible…!”

He immediately mustered his Qi along with his anger,

The searing pain in Namgung Cheonjun’s body forced him to flinch.

“Ughh…!”

“Young Master…!?

As a result of the duel, his abdomen throbbed painfully, joining the chorus of aches that encompassed his entire body.

The counterattacks that landed on him after deflecting all his sword strikes.

His Qi, which he had condensed, ended up scattering away,

And his abdomen, the center of his Qi flow, was left to bear the brunt of the pain.

Thanks to that, his body, which had writhed on the floor, was having a seizure and his abdomen was screaming in pain.

‘…How humiliating…!’

His resentment for Gu Yangcheon only increased.

What kind of trick did he use this time?

Even if it wasn’t a trick, it was already a kick in the balls for Namgung Cheonjun to lose to such a bastard.

‘I see…You will only be satisfied after bothering me for all eternity.’

He resented him, to the point that he wanted to kill him.

‘What do I do… what do I need to do in order to- ‘

“…!”

Namgung Cheonjun’s thoughts were abruptly interrupted as his shoulders began to tremble.

It was because of the two eyes that bore down on him at the last moment.

The fiery red eyes that looked like they could set the world ablaze.

Namgung Cheonjun curled up involuntarily, clutching his shoulders.

‘…Hoo…haa!’

It was fear.

The emotion that made him breathless was undoubtedly fear.

The blood relative of the almighty Namgung Clan, Namgung Cheonjun, was fearful of that young boy.

“This… this is…!”

Inside those eyes, that seemed to set the world ablaze…

Namgung Cheonjun saw the darkness that seemed to have no end.

Yes, just like the ones Peng Woojin had-, no, perhaps, it was even deeper.

“Young Master Namgung…what is wrong- “

Slap!

Right before Moyong Hi-ah’s hand touched him, Namgung Cheonjun fiercely slapped her hand away.

“…D-Do not touch me.”

Namgung Cheonjun knew that Moyong Hi-ah wanted something from him.

He wasn’t sure what that something was.

And it was harder for him to guess since she wasn’t making an effort to conceal her intentions.

But Namgung Cheonjun remained guarded behind his mask.

As he had a good chance of gaining many things if he had Moyong Hi-ah next to him, given her noble lineage.

Moreover, it looked like she shared a similar interest, leading him to believe it wouldn’t harm either of them.

However, Namgung Cheonjun couldn’t keep up his fake persona in this current situation.

It was because of the fact that he was humiliated and defeated in front of his beloved sister.

Additionally, his opponent was the very same person who took his sister away from him.

And lastly, the fact that he felt fear in the presence of such a bastard infuriated him.

“How… I was even… said to be the chosen one.”

‘Yes, it must have been because I didn’t have the chance to use my new power fully.’

‘That’s the only reason why I lost to him.’

Namgung Cheonjun’s shoulders continued to tremble, but he managed to regain some of his composure.

Namgung Cheonjun believed that he was just a little shell-shocked.

Previously, they had told him to not use the new power until he had complete mastery over it.

‘Not that it was something I could command at will.’

Namgung Cheonjun tried to use it many times, sensing a different energy within him, but he couldn’t control it.

Just like now…

‘…Huh?’

Namgung Cheonjun’s body, which had been shaking for what seemed like an eternity, finally stopped.

It was because he felt something incredibly strange.

‘W-Where did it go…?’

Namgung Cheonjun couldn’t feel the energy that previously resided within him.

“Where… where the hell did it go…!”

Moyong Hi-ah continued to watch Namgung Cheonjun but withdrew her hand.

‘…Sigh.’

She erased the concern from her face, returning to her usual cold and impassive demeanor.

‘He wasn’t always like this.’

He had always been a bit arrogant, but he used to exude confidence and self-respect.

Even last year, he looked fine when he came to the banquet.

‘But why did he have to change so drastically this year…’

‘I can’t believe he changed this much, especially when I had decided to approach him this year.’

‘Do I have to describe this as him being ruined? I can’t really describe it any other way.’

– There is no way to cure it now.

– …Just pray for a miracle to happen.

– Or maybe you should burn away the cold Qi inside your body…

Moyong Hi-ah pushed aside the memories she hated to be reminded of.

As I was standing in confusion, Tang Soyeol approached me and whispered in my ear.

“Young Master Gu…”

“Hmm?”

“…Um, in a little bit, Sis’s duel is about to… Ubff”

Tang Soyeol, who was delivering this information, was pushed away. Namgung Bi-ah was the one who shoved Tang Soyeol aside.

Tang Soyeol, who was pushed away suddenly, spoke to Namgung Bi-ah while frowning.

“Sis! Do you know how unfair you’re being!?”

“…No.”

“I’m trying to help you! You should let this pass…!”

“Even so… no.”

“Ugh…!!”

What were these two doing?

As I watched the current situation with confusion, Tang Soyeol let out a fake cough and started to speak.

“…Since you are done, it’s Sis’s turn for her fight.”

“Oh.”

“Maybe she wants you to cheer for her?”

I glanced at Namgung Bi-ah after hearing Tang Soyeol.

Namgung Bi-ah wasn’t looking my way though. More accurately, it looked like she was intentionally avoiding eye contact.

I noticed her slightly reddened ears and couldn’t suppress a smirk.

“So that’s what you wanted?”

“…No…”

Yeah, right.

I thought she didn’t really care about such things, but I guess she did a bit on the inside.

‘Even though I literally just beat her little brother up.’

I began to wonder if all older sisters were like this.

Namgung Cheonjun’s complex feelings for his sister made him the real weird one, though.

“Good luck.”

Despite my short response, Namgung Bi-ah nodded her head, seemingly satisfied.

Her face was covered by her hair, but her reddened ears gave away her true feelings.

I didn’t tell her to go win her fight.

After all, she would win even if I didn’t tell her to.

…I felt bad for Gu Jeolyub, who was her opponent, but there was little that could be done.

They were in different leagues.

I was reminded of Gu Jeolyub’s sobbing face after seeing the bracket.

I did see them duel each other a few times during our trip.

Gu Jeolyub couldn’t even touch Namgung Bi-ah’s clothes back then.

And Gu Jeolyub probably fell in despair after seeing the bracket because he already knew that.

‘Though he would also gain some things from this.’

It seemed like this trip wouldn’t only benefit me.

Namgung Bi-ah might gain some things as well.

Whether in name or fame.

She did appear indifferent to such matters, though.

In my past life, some time after she earned the title of Demonic Sword…

She asked me what that was when I addressed her by that title.

Namgung Bi-ah was someone who cared even less about the world than I did.

And in this life, with many things already changed, it seemed that Namgung Bi-ah’s name would spread sooner rather than later.

I did happen to hear that there were people who served as her followers.

‘…But that’s just a false rumor, right?’

That sounded a little scary.

What even was a follower, for fuck’s sake!… if they did truly exist, I had to wonder what they even did.

Just the thought of it gave me goosebumps.

“Young Masterrrr!”

Someone rushed inside, through the barrack entrance.

It was Wi Seol-Ah, who I barely got to see today.

Hongwa entered after her and bowed her head to me.

“We are back.”

“You’re late.”

“I’m sorry… it’s my fault.”

Hongwa didn’t even give an explanation for their tardiness.

In essence, it meant that she was willing to accept any punishment.

‘Not that I intended to punish her anyway.’

They must have had good reasons for being late. I heard that Muyeon went along with them.

As such, if someone caused trouble, it would have to have been Wi Seol-Ah.

“S-Sis did nothing wrong. Young Master… I got lost… and- “

As expected, I gave Wi Seol-Ah a bonk on her head as she confessed.

“Ough…!”

“You were sent for errands, but you got lost?”

“…I’m sorryyyy…”

Judging by her expression, it seemed like she was genuinely remorseful that she had messed up.

Or maybe she wore such an expression because she felt guilty that Hongwa was getting in trouble because of her.

I sighed and withdrew the hand that had been poised for a second bonk, before starting to pat Wi Seol-Ah’s head.

“But that means nothing happened.”

“…Yeah.”

I wondered if I could really let this incident slide.

But when I looked at Wi Seol-Ah’s face, I couldn’t bring myself to scold her any further.

I felt this with even greater intensity when I considered the fact that I didn’t know if I could even dare to lay my hands on this child.

“Sisss!”

When I let her go, Wi Seol-Ah ran into Namgung Bi-ah’s arms.

Namgung Bi-ah who seemed to be used to such a reaction, hugged Wi Seol-Ah and brushed Wi Seol-Ah’s hair.

They looked like sisters in a good relationship.

Wi Seol-Ah, who was rubbing her face in Namgung Bi-ah’s arms, suddenly turned her head toward me as if she just remembered something.

“Oh…! Young Master!”

“Hmm?”

“Someone was waiting for you outside!”

“Who?”

Someone was waiting for me? Who could it be? Was it Gu Jeolyub? Or Peng Ah-hee?

There wasn’t anyone who would visit me at such a time.

Before I could dwell on it further, Wi Seol-Ah told me the answer.

However, her response wasn’t something I expected.

“A hobo man!”

“…What?”

I frowned after hearing Wi Seol-ah.

It sounded way too absurd.

I scolded her, telling her not to joke around,

“Oh! Hello! I am Chuwong from the Beggar’s Sect! Woah woah… I can’t believe I get to meet a famous noble clan’s blood relative…! What an honor this is for a poor man like me!”

But just like Wi Seol-Ah said, a hobo really was waiting for me outside.

This really was an unsatisfactory situation.

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