Childhood Friend of the Zenith

It was nighttime, with the moon at the center of the sky, a time when all students were supposed to be asleep.

Any student caught wandering outside their dormitory at this hour would likely face punishment.

Moreover, some students were assigned night watch duties, and even instructors walked around the place.

But what was this bastard doing here?

“Why are you here?”

I asked, utterly bewildered.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t understand.

Why was the Water Dragon here, of all places?

Moreover,

I wasn’t able to notice his presence.

Wi Seol-Ah was an exception because of her unique presence, and it made sense that I couldn’t sense the Qinghai Sword, since he was at a higher level than me.

However,

If I couldn’t even feel the Water Dragon’s presence,

It meant that whatever mysterious force that was surrounding the place was extremely effective in hiding people’s presence.

Setting that aside,

“What are you doing here in the middle of the night?”

The Water Dragon tilted his head at my question.

He didn’t respond immediately, but his expression said it all.

“…Why I’m here, you want to ask?”

“Woah, I was just about to ask that, but I’m glad you took the words out of my mouth.”

He smiled after his response.

It was way too refreshing of a smile.

Seeing such a handsome bastard in the middle of the night made this one disgusting encounter.

“I followed you, curious about where you were sneaking off to… What are you even doing here?”

The Water Dragon glanced around after speaking.

My eyes widened in response.

He followed me?

“Since when?”

“Hmm? Ever since I saw you through the window.”

He saw me walk around through his window?

That’s not possible.

I’m not a retard, and I memorized all the routes here for a few days.

I moved quietly to avoid being caught by any Young Prodigies, but I even avoided places that might have anyone in it while also hiding my presence.

Unless someone like the Qinghai Sword or the Sword Queen was nearby, there’s no way I should have been detected.

“You actually found me?”

“More accurately, I heard you, rather than saw you.”

I couldn’t understand.

What did he mean by hearing me?

“To be even more accurate, it wasn’t so much that I heard you… It was more that I noticed a spot where I couldn’t hear anything.”

“What are you saying? Explain it clearly, so that I could understand.”

I couldn’t understand a single thing he was telling me.

But more important than that,

It wasn’t that I couldn’t understand his strange explanation or that I couldn’t sense his presence, but it was the fact that the Water Dragon had come to this place at all.

What do I do?

That didn’t matter right now.

The Water Dragon shouldn’t have noticed that there is a Formation here.

I should go back first.

Time was already running out, and now that the Water Dragon had seen this, I couldn’t afford to waste time chatting, nor could I just get rid of him.

…I guess I’ll get another chance one day.

I rushed things and failed, so I had no choice but to retreat now.

Since I found out I can’t get rid of the Formation alone,

I might have to bring Wi Seol-Ah along next time.

I felt bad for the Sword Queen, but I’d had to ask her again since the situation turned out this way.

If that wasn’t an option, I’d need to find a different method.

Once I finished my thoughts, I stood up immediately.

I then spoke, my gaze fixed on the Water Dragon.

“…I just came here for a walk.”

“Isn’t that way too poor of an excuse?”

As expected, he didn’t believe me at all.

To be fair, even I wouldn’t believe such an excuse.

The Water Dragon chuckled, then glanced around.

Was this my chance? Should I knock him out and make a run for it?

That might work.

I could quickly knock him out and toss his body back into his room.

Yes, I shall do just that.

Right as I was about to move,

“As I expected, it’s quiet here.”

I froze at the Water Dragon’s words.

“What?”

“I was wondering if I was just mistaken, but it seems that I wasn’t.”

It’s quiet because it was nighttime.

Has he lost his mind from exhaustion or something?

“The space around you is eerily quiet. It’s fascinating.”

“How strange of you. It’s not like this is a time when things would be noisy.”

I even set up a sound barrier just in case, so it’d be strange for there to be any noise here at all.

The Water Dragon smiled at my blunt response.

He seemed to be in a good mood.

“I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt about your little walk here..”

“…I was being serious when I said that.”

“Sure.”

Him pretending to believe me was rather annoying.

What should I do, maybe knock him out?

Would he pass out from a single strike?

It could be a problem if I don’t control my strength.

That aside, why is this guy acting so friendly towards me?

I might have had memories with him from my past life, but to this bastard, I was basically a stranger.

Moreover, considering how long it took for us to become friends in my past life, it’s strange how he’s acting familiar with me right now.

Did he wake up on the wrong side of the bed or something?

…I shouldn’t waste my time like this though.

First, I had to go back and find the Sword Queen to explain what happened.

“Since I’ve seen everything here… I should go back.”

Just as I was about to drag the Water Dragon out of here before the Qinghai Sword returned, he spoke while walking past me.

“Is this what you were struggling with?”

“Yes, that’s why I’m going to go back and- …Wait what?”

He was fidgeting something in the air as he spoke.

“…!”

I gasped when I saw the Water Dragon’s hand.

“You…!”

Just like the last time with Wi Seol-Ah, the Water Dragon was creating a wave in the air out of nothing.

Almost too naturally at that.

My eyes widened as I asked.

“You see it?”

“No.”

The Water Dragon responded immediately, saying he couldn’t see it.

Then what was I witnessing right now?

Just as I began to wonder, the Water Dragon gave a different response.

“However, I could hear it if I tried.”

“…Hear it?”

“The sound of flow. Even when all other sounds disappear, I can hear this clearly. Unfortunate.”

His playful tone made my head spin.

-If I can hear it, I can cut it.

It reminded me of when the Water Dragon cut a Formation with his sword while saying those exact words.

That’s what he showed me last time.

Namgung Bi-ah was similar in that way,  too.

Do they have something that I don’t?

I began to wonder.

It felt wrong to simply label them as geniuses for it.

As I was pondering, the Water Dragon suddenly stopped, after he seemingly found something with his hand.

Poke.

Then, he poked his hand into the flow.

Surprisingly, when his hand entered the flow, it disappeared as if it entered something.

“It might be a coincidence, but because I found out about one of your secrets, I’ll share one of mine.”

I wasn’t able to understand this situation at all, but the Water Dragon maintained his smile.

As I continued to stare at his face,

Kwak-!

I heard something begin to break in the air.

At the same time,

Craaack-!

Starting from the Water Dragon’s hand, a clear crack began to form outwards like a spider web.

The crack wasn’t that large.

As the crack gradually got bigger, it formed into a shape as if it had an outline.

It resembled,

A door?

It had the shape of a door, just enough to fit one person at a time.

Then,

Clang!

It shattered into pieces with a sharp noise soon after.

As the shattered pieces fell, they disappeared, carried away by the wind.

All that remained was a door leading to somewhere.

As I continued to stare at it, dumbfounded, the Water Dragon spoke, shaking off his hands.

“So, it looks like we both have a secret to keep now, huh?”

His smile made me rather uncomfortable.

“We can deepen our friendship.”

Hearing his words, I couldn’t help but show my disgust…

“…What is that expression?”

“I mean, you aren’t wrong, but that’s a bit gross.”

“…Gross?”

After a moment’s thought, the Water Dragon clapped his hand, as if he realized something.

“Oh, sorry, but I already have a fiancée. I appreciate your feelings, but- “

“What are you saying, you crazy bastard?! What are you apologizing for?”

I’ve got a fiancée too, you bastard…

Why did I get rejected by him when I didn’t even confess? To a guy at that.

Wait, a fiancée?

In my irritation, I almost missed something.

The Water Dragon had a fiancée?

He was engaged to someone?

I don’t remember anything like that…

I never heard about such a thing in my past life, and more importantly,

This guy is a Taoist.

Are Taoists even allowed to marry?

Of course, I heard that some were allowed, but isn’t it impossible for people in the Wudang Sect…?

As these thoughts filled my mind, the Water Dragon spoke up.

“Aren’t you going in?”

The Water Dragon gazed at the door in the air, and I responded, speechless.

“…Why are you trying to go inside?”

“Because I opened it.”

“…”

I couldn’t argue with that login and kept my mouth shut.

He was technically correct for me to argue against his words.

******************In the middle of the night, the woman standing still in a large field thought about the young man’s voice she heard earlier.

-Would you like to make a deal with me?

She wondered what he meant as she recalled the smile on his face.

-What deal?

-I didn’t know how you came to know about this place, but it seems we have the same goal.

He was her disciple’s older brother, and her savior.

When the Sword Queen heard him, she had to conceal her shock.

He was confident in his words.

What gave him such confidence when he didn’t even know what the Sword Queen wanted?

She wondered, but if that child was really correct,

Then how does that child know?

The Sword Queen couldn’t help but wonder.

He claimed that people of the past had left a treasure hidden somewhere in the Academy.

Not only that, but it was one of the heroes who halted the Blood Disaster who goes by the name Divine Sword of Mount Hua, Shincheol who the Sword Queen respected the most only after the Celestial Plum Blossom.

I must find it.

The Sword Queen didn’t care about the treasure left by her ancestors.

The Celestial Plum Blossom had taught her to let go of the things that were already lost ever since.

The Sword Queen herself also believed it was more efficient to train her sword, or to save people in danger rather than wasting her time looking for something that was lost.

However…

-The Stone of Mount Hua.

-Find it.

-Only then, will you find out.

She had been told that the Stone of Mount Hua was hidden somewhere in the Heavenly Dragon Academy.

She didn’t understand why such a precious treasure was hidden in the Academy rather than in Mount Hua’s treasure room, but she had to find it.

Even if she didn’t know it was true or not.

If it’s for Cheonhee…

She would do anything if it was for her dead friend.

And yet, the one who told her that their goals aligned was none other than the son of her late friend.

Was this all a coincidence?

Unlike her disciple, the Sword Queen wasn’t able to look after him, so he was left alone in the clan and had a rough life.

Yet, despite it all, he grew to be a strong man, shining brighter than anyone.

What does that child know?

She wanted to ask what he knew.

Though the Sword Queen knew he was different from the other Young Prodigies, she refrained from asking because she sensed that he didn’t want her to.

Because of that, she didn’t ask this time either.

-It seems like you need my help.

The Sword Queen didn’t refuse him.

She saw the certainty in him and believed she could trust him.

It was a decision made solely by her belief in him.

-Yes.

-What can I gain from doing this?

-You must be looking for something here, so if I find what you want in the place I seek, I shall bring it to you.

If she could trust him or not, whether he was lying.

She didn’t ask any of those things.

She knew that they had a relationship where they could trust each other.

-…What if we both want the same thing?

This was the crucial part, as she wouldn’t be able to give it up.

After a moment’s thought, Gu Yangcheon immediately gave his answer.

-That won’t happen, but if it does, I shall hand it over.

-…

Hearing his firm answer, the Sword Queen thought for a moment and nodded her head.

-What must I do?

The Sword Queen asked, and Gu Yangcheon explained.

And so, it led to tonight.

A night with a gentle breeze.

The Sword Queen waited for her target.

Not long after…

-Woong-!

Someone broke through the thick barrier set up by the Sword Queen and entered.

“Sword Queen.”

Accompanied by an old man’s voice and the scent of the ocean, a refreshing sensation swept past the Sword Queen.

Sensing his presence, the Sword Queen greeted him with respect.

“I greet the Head of the Academy.”

“For you to call this old man in the middle of the night, it must be urgent.”

The Qinghai Sword.

The very person the Sword Queen was seeking was the Qinghai Sword, who had come in response to her call.

“…I know that it was disrespectful of me, so I apologize again.”

“It’s fine. I had something to talk to you about anyway.”

Upon hearing the Qinghai Sword, the Sword Queen lifted her gaze and stared at him.

She didn’t expect his answer.

“You wanted to talk to me about something?”

“I thought about looking for you around tomorrow, but I’m glad we met like this.”

Was it about the red Gate of Demons?

If so, the Sword Queen found it somewhat relieving.

According to Gu Yangcheon, the Formation was right near the Head’s building, so he asked her to take the Qinghai Sword as far away as possible.

For this reason, the Sword Queen had set up a thick barrier and waited for the Qinghai Sword.

Not only did she have to make him come to her, but she also had to stall time with him.

But hearing that the Qinghai Sword had business with her as well made the Sword Queen feel relieved.

As the Sword Queen organized her thoughts, the Qinghai Sword spoke again.

“You must know yourself.”

The Qinghai Sword spoke first, even before the Sword Queen could ask.

“About what?”

However, since the order didn’t matter, the Sword Queen responded.

“Nothing. Just that the son of that ‘Child’ has been attending the Academy.”

“…”

Upon hearing his words, the Sword Queen’s expression faltered, and she frowned.

“It’s the child of the person you so loved, so I don’t believe that you don’t know about it.”

“Is that… a problem in any way?”

“Not at all. He is just a child after all.”

A long time has passed.

Fewer than ten people likely knew of her old friend, and even those would eventually disappear.

“Do you still think about that child to this day?”

“Of course.”

“I see.”

The Qinghai Sword made a lonesome expression before bringing up another question.

“Then I’ll ask something else.”

“…Go ahead.”

“Do the children know about her mother’s identity?”

“…”

After the Qinghai Sword asked, the Sword Queen wore a puzzled expression, as if she didn’t understand him.

Seeing her reaction, the Qinghai Sword sighed and stroked his beard.

“Forget what I said. It seems even you don’t know about it…”

“…Head, what are you talking about?”

“Did my mouth become more lose due to my old age? It makes it easier I suppose.”

“Head!”

The Sword Queen raised her voice, snapping the Qinghai Sword out of his thoughts.

She knew it was disrespectful, but this wasn’t the time to worry about that.

The Qinghai Sword also didn’t comment about the Sword Queen’s disrespectful attitude.

“This is because they didn’t block my poor mouth, so they must be punished for it.”

“…Head, I don’t understand what you are talking about. What do you mean by her identity?”

“Before that, how about we talk about one other thing.”

Over the Sword Queen’s barrier,

Wooong-!

A barrier even bigger than hers was set up.

This was the work of the Qinghai Sword.

Momentarily surprised by his sudden action, the Sword Queen listened as the Qinghai Sword spoke again, his gaze fixed on her.

“Cheonhee.”

The name was mentioned as softly as a flower petal drifting down from the heavens.

Just like when she first showed her appearance to the Sword Queen,

“That child did not die.”

She once again brought a huge shock to the Sword Queen.

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