913 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

I followed Shin Noya and the turtle as we walked. I wondered where we were headed, but it turned out we didn't travel far. We stopped outside the outer wall, right at the spot where we first entered this realm. It was an ordinary forest path with lush green trees. After a short walk along the path, we halted at a mid-point. I looked around our surroundings. ‘There's nothing special around here?’ I couldn't tell any difference from other places, so why did we stop here? It puzzled me. As I glanced around, trying to find some hint, Shin Noya interrupted my thoughts. “What do you think?” Shin Noya asked, looking at the turtle whose eyes were fixed on the empty space. In response, the turtle extended his staff and waved it through the air. Suddenly— Vrrrrm---! The air shimmered as if disturbed by an unseen force. I widened my eyes in surprise. ‘What is that?’ There was something there. I hadn't sensed it until now, but as soon as the turtle acted, it became apparent. What on earth is it? I squinted my eyes in concentration. “Hmmm.” The turtle murmured, withdrawing his staff before stabbing it into the ground. “It’s a mess here….” The turtle sighed in frustration. “Head of the Sect, didn’t I warn you to use it carefully? It seems you ignored my advice this time as well.” The turtle spoke with a disapproving tone, directing his words at Shin Noya. “You should have been more cautious.” “No….” Shin Noya protested, sounding aggrieved. “I swear it wasn’t me this time, so why start suspecting me right away?” “Hmm?” The turtle made a peculiar expression. “What do you mean? Are you saying you’re not responsible?” “Yes, I admit I've broken barriers before, but this wasn’t my doing,” Shin Noya insisted, pointing towards me with his hand. “This time, it was this guy.” “Me?” Startled, I reacted to the unexpected accusation. “This guy?” The turtle shifted his gaze to look at me. “…What did I do?” I questioned, bewildered at being blamed. “You touched the entrance when you first came here, didn’t you?” “…What… ah?” At first confused, I then remembered that there had indeed been a moment when I had touched something when Shin Noya had been searching for something peculiar. “And just because of that, I caused some issue?” I replied, frowning at the implication that such a small action could cause trouble. Seemingly satisfied with a revelation, the turtle nodded in understanding. “So, ultimately, it’s the head’s fault, isn’t it?” “What…? How is it my fault?” Shin Noya protested. “You brought him here, didn’t you? Hence, it’s your fault.” “Damn it. This turtle bastard speaks slowly, but interprets things all wrong.” “What the…” The turtle retorted as the two began to bicker again. This was sheer chaos. Mystified by why they started arguing all of a sudden, I interrupted their quarrel. “Excuse me, shouldn’t we focus on why we came here in the first place?” “...” The elderly men paused, as if realizing they had forgotten something important. “You’re right, we’re here for work, and we’re just wasting time. Let’s get the job done,” Shin Noya grumbled but didn’t hesitate to add a remark, and the turtle, while clearly irritated, lifted his staff again. Once more, something powerful seemed to awaken as light poured from the staff, enveloping the surroundings. Instantly, my body froze as an overwhelming sensation crashed into me. Thump-! My heart started beating wildly in my chest again, mirroring the feeling I'd experienced when pushed away by the turtle earlier. But this wasn't pain; it was something more. ‘It’s a craving,’ I realized. It wasn't pain because if it was, it wouldn’t come with the thought of— ‘Wanting to see more.’ Wanting to continue watching or staying in this place would have never crossed my mind if it were merely pain. Thump-! Thump-! As my heart beat faster, I found myself anchoring my gaze toward the sight before me, almost as if an instinct coaxed me to observe and learn. In the midst of adjusting to this feeling, I heard the turtle mutter something barely audible under his breath. Even with heightened senses, it was challenging to catch his words. What could he be saying? I instinctively wanted to focus and listen, but— “Phew.” The turtle sighed, and the soft recitation stopped. The duration was short. Suddenly— Whoaaa---!!! “…!” An iridescent light poured from the staff, enveloping the area in all directions. The spectrum of colors was akin to a rainbow. Yet, what astounded me weren't just the striking colors. ‘…Amazing.’ Inspecting the light, I found myself utterly awestruck. My sight engaged subconsciously, shifting into a keen observation mode. What appeared through this enhanced vision was an intricate web woven into the radiant arcs. It was so densely beautiful that unraveling the threads seemed nearly impossible. Thump-! Thump-! My heart continued its rapid rhythm, echoing the paroxysms of fascination within. What is this mysterious sensation? While I couldn’t understand everything, one thing was evident: ‘This is a spell.’ I had guessed as much from prior incidents, but witnessing this luminescent display, I was certain now. It was magic. And not just any magic but a supreme tier spell, incomprehensible and grand. ‘It's distinct from the spells taught by the Jegal family or even Shin Ui.’ Even the magic I sought in the Northern Seas held no resemblance to this. I wanted to delve deeper, to understand every aspect of this magic. And there, in that spontaneous realization, I grasped the nature of this unfamiliar feeling. ‘I seek knowledge.’ An intense yearning for learning, perhaps? I itched to uncover the mysteries behind this spell. However. Shaa---…. The radiant display swiftly diminished, leaving a profound longing settled within me. No, it wasn't over. There was still more to observe, to understand. A sharp sting shot through my eyes. Was this because of my enhanced vision? Was it due to the overload of information I was trying to process? It didn’t matter. I was determined to keep my focus on what I was seeing— "That's enough." Thunk. "Argh!?" A sudden pain erupted on my forehead as I clutched it, startled. Looking up, I saw that the turtle had prodded my forehead with his staff. Massaging my tingling forehead, I glared at the turtle. “I understand your curiosity, but you’re overextending yourself,” the turtle chided, seemingly aware of what I was attempting. “Old turtle…” Whack-! “OW!?” This time, the staff came down on my crown. Strangely, despite defending with my hand, the staff’s force seemed to pass through, striking me squarely on the head. “Even having to deal with just that old man is enough, but now you’re calling me ‘turtle’ too. How presumptuous.” I had assumed it was fine to call him ‘turtle’ since that’s what Shin Noya called him, but apparently, I was mistaken. “…Then, what should I call you?” I asked. “Don’t call me anything.” “Huh…?” “The name I once had is long forgotten, and what I gained is even further lost. So, do not call me.” “Then just call him turtle,” Shin Noya interjected casually. “…Head of the Sect….” “I mean, if someone wants to call you something and you won’t tell them what, what can you do but let them decide on their own?” “...” The turtle shot a glare at Shin Noya, but he didn’t deny the statement. Was he implying I should address him freely? Or did he just not care, assuming there would be no reason to call him? I couldn’t tell. Soon after, the turtle donned an expression of weariness and lethargy, lazily waving his staff as he turned away. “The work is done, so I’ll be taking my leave.” “Already? You didn’t just do a half-hearted job, did you?” Shin Noya inquired. The turtle shot him a sidelong glance, as if offended. “This time, I’ve done it meticulously, so it’ll hold for at least three months unless you decide to poke at it again.” “Hmm… Does that mean we’ll have to fix it again soon?” “Are you insane?” “Just kidding, just kidding,” Shin Noya chuckled, prompting a heavy sigh from the turtle. “I’ll be leaving then—” “Oh, hold on.” Shin Noya stopped the turtle, causing the latter's beard to bristle with annoyance. “What now?” “One more favor before you leave.” “Haven’t I already granted you enough favors? I have no intention of—” “Add another month of plum tea,” Shin Noya bargained. “Well, I suppose hearing out your request wouldn't hurt.” Their barter felt somewhat greedy. At Shin Noya's words, the turtle gave a dry chuckle and pointed towards me and Cheonma. “Do ‘that’ for them.” That? I didn't understand. The turtle looked at him, clearly displeased. “Head of the Sect.” “Hmm?” “I warned you against unnecessary actions just moments ago.” “Aye, what nonsense is this? What unnecessary actions could I possibly be taking?” Ignoring the turtle’s protest, Shin Noya waved it off dismissively. “It’s merely as a precaution.” “...” “You should understand it’s a necessary measure. Come now, let’s get it over with while we’re busy.” “You absolute nuisance…” “What was that?” “You’re a damn pain in the neck,” the turtle retorted. “I was pretending I didn’t hear that….” Shin Noya sheepishly scratched his nose, and watching this unfold was oddly satisfying. ‘Serves him right.’ He’d find fault at every turn, but seeing him on the receiving end was gratifying. “Boy, there’s something odd about your eyes.” “They’ve always been like this.” “No… They’re more irritating than usual… aren’t they?” “Who’s critiquing who’s eyes here?” “What did you say?” “It’s a compliment. Your eyes are very distinguished.” The irony was that his eyes were as fierce as mine, and his quick perception was, frankly, unnerving. “Anyway, do it quickly. You wouldn’t want to see me get demanding, would you?” “What’s there to demand at your age? And what then? Cause a ruckus on the floor?” “Well, of course. In your humble abode.” “...” I watched as the turtle’s face soured quickly, while I couldn’t help but admire Shin Noya’s tenacity. ‘Wow.’ His level of antics was incomparably impressive. How could one demand with such audacity? It was almost admirable, not an empty compliment but genuine respect. That was really worth learning. I nodded to myself, thinking. ‘I should try that next time.’ And I meant it wholeheartedly.