1049 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 1049 One day, just like any other day. "Do you think there's ever a day when night doesn't come?" Pointless chatter and meaningless questions were tossed around that day. As I counted stars in the evening sky that seemed to float aimlessly. Suddenly, out of nowhere, came those incomprehensible words, making me instinctively knit my brows in confusion. Every time I heard something like that, only one thought came to mind. "That's another strange thing to say." She's saying something odd again. That's all I thought. It was always like that. A night when the stars disappeared. A sky without the sun. Land where the forests had vanished. What remained when the sea vanished. Occasionally, such words with no meaning or context were asked, and today was no different, so I thought. "A day when night doesn't come." When the day disappears, the night comes. There might be times when the stars are not visible. "But I doubt there's a day when night doesn't exist." A day without night can't exist. That’s what I believed and said. "Really?" "Really." She smiled, seemingly pleased with my answer. Her effort to hold back laughter was so endearing that I couldn't help but reach out and gently stroke her cheek. As I savored the soft sensation, she looked at me. "That's your answer, is it?" "Do you think differently?" She shook her head at my question. "I'm not sure." An ambiguous answer indeed. If not, then what did 'not sure' mean? A day without night didn't make any sense, yet she brought up something so vague. However, I didn’t ask why. She had often given such answers before, and I never received a proper answer when I questioned her then. "I see." Therefore, leaving it at that seemed appropriate now. Thinking so, I looked up at the sky again. It was a night crammed with stars and the moon. The full moon reached its peak, highlighting the stars and the moon more against the clear, cloudless sky. A beautiful night, truly. As I quietly watched the night unfold. "Then." The woman spoke again, drawing my attention. I wondered what she would say this time. I looked, curious. It wouldn't be different, I thought, watching her expectantly. "If I were to disappear, how do you think it would be?" "……." The moment I heard those words, my mouth clamped shut. It was a question I had never heard before. The sun, the sky, the moon, the stars, the forests. Sometimes the sea. Her talk about what if those things vanished was something I had heard before. But if she disappeared? What would happen? That was a question this woman had never asked before. And the impact of that question led to silence. "……." I stared at her without a word. What did she mean by it? I tried to decipher her intentions, but nothing came to mind. Which made it all the more troubling, for it was impossible to understand her intent. So, I continued to silently gaze at her, eventually opening my mouth. "What do you mean?" What on earth did she mean by saying that? Despite my face attempting to appear nonchalant, my hand left her cheek and gripped her wrist. Cold. Slowly caressing her wrist, I questioned her, and she chuckled. "What's with the reaction? It was just a question." "Don't say it if it's just a question. It's not something I want to hear." "Really? Okay." At my words, she nodded as if she understood. From that moment on, not once did she ask that question again. And that was enough. I thought it was, but I wondered if it truly was. Why had she said such a thing to me? It wasn't until much later that I began to discern the reason, but by then... I had forgotten even that. Leaving nothing left for me. * * * I forced open my heavy eyelids. As my blurry vision slowly returned, an unfamiliar ceiling came into view. "…Cough." I coughed helplessly, lifting my upper body. I strained to move my creaky body. Barely managing to sit up, I took in my surroundings. I was in a small room with a somewhat dry smell. "Where am I?" Where is this place? I tried to get a better look by standing up. Thump-! "……!" I faltered, clutching my heart. "Ugh…." The pain was terrible. There was something unsettling about the pain within. "Ugh…." Thump-! Thump-! Thump-! My heart pounded wildly, threatening to burst. As I strained my body, my muscles screamed in pain. 'What's happening?' It felt as if I was being torn apart. My regenerative abilities seemed to be severely impaired, recovering sluggishly. Beyond that, my heart was the problem. It felt as if the vessel housing it had cracked, unable to function properly. "Ugh…." I gritted my teeth and forced myself to move. Understanding the situation was my priority. 'Why am I here?' Why had I regained consciousness in such a place? I tried to recall the recent events. "Ah." Suddenly it hit me. Right. "That damn crow…" I had been fighting the crow. When a surge of vitality suddenly gathered around it, it transformed its appearance. I was fighting that thing when... "…Yarang." Yarang appeared, perhaps to save me, breaking through dimensions to face the crow. And then. "……." Yarang got hurt. And then I remembered nothing. What on earth happened? I endured the pain and stepped out of the room. That's when I realized where I'd been lying. "This place…." Unfamiliar, yet somehow familiar. That familiarity was because I'd been here once before. This was the strange dimension the Heavenly Demon had opened. The room I had seen then. Which could only mean. "Ugh." Fighting through the pain, I stepped onto the veranda. There, certainty dawned upon me. Everything appeared precisely as I had seen before. A small pond, a slightly immature yet beautifully arranged garden, and fields visible beyond their dwelling. Everything was as I remembered. So, I moved toward the fields. After a little walk, as I completely stepped out onto the field and looked toward the valley, I spotted the ones I sought. Two small figures crouched near the valley. "……." I approached them, deliberately making my presence known, and one of the figures with light brown hair glanced my way. When our gazes met, she paused. 'As expected.' The face without the mask was the same as the woman I knew. Her golden eyes were identical, so how could I mistake her? "…Divine Sword." Despite my quiet utterance, the woman's expression, Yarang, remained unchanged. My mother had told me that she was indeed created based on the soul of the Divine Sword. Yet, in her eyes, the emotion I sought was faintly visible. "…You." Was she okay? Back then, she had seemingly taken a blow for me. There were no visible injuries on Yarang, which I deemed fortunate as I exhaled. The other figure beside her turned her gaze upon me. It was the Heavenly Demon. She watched me with her distinct violet eyes. The two bore remarkably similar faces. Apart from the different eye and hair colors, they were identical. Examining them closely, I felt momentarily overwhelmed. Even though I knew it, seeing it right in front of me made it more obvious. 'No matter how I see it.' There's definitely more than just resemblance here. The two must be connected somehow. The issue is. 'What about the Blood Demon?' The Blood Demon had referred to the Heavenly Demon as her daughter. If the Divine Sword and Heavenly Demon are connected, then... 'Wi Seol Ah too.' It seemed fitting to consider her related to the Blood Demon too. I furrowed my brow at the thought. 'But the Divine Sword killed the Heavenly Demon in a past life.' While the Divine Sword held connections to the Blood Demon, wasn't it eventually the Divine Sword who killed the Heavenly Demon and saved the world? Could there truly be a connection with the Blood Demon? Pondering this, I asked the Heavenly Demon. "What's going on?" Why are Yarang and I here? I inquired. The Heavenly Demon held my gaze and spoke. "I brought you." "…How come?" "It was dangerous." "……." I didn't bother asking who was in danger. It was obvious. It became even more so when I recalled the moments, albeit not completely. 'So, we were saved.' The Heavenly Demon had rescued Yarang and me and brought us here. Her words seemed to mean just that. Then. "What exactly is this place supposed to be…" As I was about to revisit an earlier question, "That's not it." The Heavenly Demon interrupted me. Excuse me? "What isn't?" Her abrupt denial made me tilt my head, and a faint frown appeared on her otherwise smooth brow. "The words. They're not what you intended to say." "What on earth-" "Thank you." "……!" "You're supposed to say that." "…Huh." I sighed, taken aback. I was supposed to thank her? Thank the Heavenly Demon? For rescue? Finding it absurd, I glared at her, but her eyes were sincere. "……." Observing her, I avertingly murmured. "…Thank you." "Hm." Upon hearing my words, the Heavenly Demon nodded. I suppressed another sigh, feeling the absurdity of it all. I scratched the back of my neck. My heart still ached. The pain showed no sign of receding. Bearing it, I looked at the Heavenly Demon again. What should I ask next? Should I ask again about the nature of this place? Or should I shift to something else? The sudden interruption had left me questioning unclear. Reflecting, I glanced at Yarang and the Heavenly Demon beside her. Gazing at them, I mused. Perhaps what I needed to ask had been obvious all along. "Hey." "Hmm?" I addressed the Heavenly Demon. "…You two. What are your relations?" What kind of relationship do you have? Directly asked without beating around the bush. "Sisters." The Heavenly Demon answered without hesitation. A white finger pointed at both of them. "I’m the elder sister. She's the younger." "……." Hearing that, I ran my hand over my face. Damn it. The truth I hoped wasn't real had become reality. Chapter 1049 of "The Greatest Under Heaven's Childhood Friend" continues to delve into the intricacies of relationships and the mysteries surrounding the characters. The protagonist finds themselves in an unfamiliar yet oddly familiar environment, reflecting on the interconnected destinies of those they are close to, while grappling with past revelations and present confusions. As they engage with the Heavenly Demon and Yarang, the protagonist navigates the complex emotions of gratitude and curiosity. Surrounded by a lush, serene landscape, they confront lingering questions about the ties between the Heavenly Demon and the Divine Sword, contemplating the implications of such relationships with figures like the Blood Demon and Wi Seol Ah. In this chapter, tensions are subtly explored through dialogues and introspective thoughts, revealing layers of connection and history that have yet to be fully understood by the protagonist. The narrative draws readers into the protagonist's perspective, resonating with themes of identity, alliance, and the intricate threads of fate. --- While references to other narratives and content like Western-style romance fantasy (서양풍 로판19+) appear interspersed with updates about other web novels and posts, they showcase the vibrant and diverse storytelling world in which "The Greatest Under Heaven's Childhood Friend" exists. Whether you're following this tale for its intriguing plot or exploring other popular entries like "Underworld Hunter" (천하제일인의 소꿉친구 1049화), each story offers a unique lens into richly crafted worlds. Stay engaged with the unfolding events and revelations as they fine-tune the balance between suspense and discovery.