1085 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 1085 of "My Childhood Friend, The Greatest in the World" > Northern Rabbit - Web Novel Archive The banquet finally came to an end. Fortunately, once the Tyrant left, the celebration didn't drag on much longer. The atmosphere shifted dramatically after his departure, and from the beginning, it seemed like it wasn't meant to last long. People merely grabbed some food and dispersed at the Celestial Sword Master's cue. Not everyone who was supposed to attend showed up. My father, among others, whom I had seen earlier, were absent. They said those with missions didn't have to attend. Perhaps they went on a mission instead. That's possible. Missions from the Azure Dragon Squad were notoriously frequent, even back in my time. Rustle. After the banquet concluded, I moved slowly. It was the time when the sun had completely set, leaving the moon high in the sky. "......" I stepped outside and quietly checked my body under the moonlight. 'I’ve already checked several times.' Clenching my fist tightly, I confirmed once more. 'Is it that I can't use the power of the Moonlight Clan?' Maybe it's because we're in the world of the central plains. Or perhaps it's not the realm of the infinite. I'm not sure. Even with the moon shining, I couldn't harness the power of the Moonlight Clan. It's a pity. If I could use it, things would have been much more convenient. 'Still, it's fine.' Yes, it's better not to have to use it. If the situation demands it, it wouldn't be ideal. 'Hmm.' I lightly stretched my wrist. The night was still young; maybe I should train after a long hiatus? I pondered over it. It's not without reason. 'I haven't had the chance to train at all since reaching transcendence.' Right after breaking through my limits and expanding my vessel, I couldn't engage in any proper training. Too many things kept happening, leaving me no time to focus on training. 'I’d really like to train a bit if possible.' But I questioned whether training here would have any significance. This place is still another world, after all. 'Especially since I can't use several of my powers.' The lack of Moonlight Clan abilities and some others are limiting. The only silver lining is that my ability to manipulate connections remains intact. 'At least there's that.' Without it, things would have become quite cumbersome. The power of the web was immensely helpful to me. I gazed up at the sky. YVlkZG9rK2RzZkF4NGpaUUhCUEhwUW4rZlVqdGlEM1VXOS9qaGZKZ1psQlNuUkoraHErNmt5a2JjYThtTERKcA The moon was at its peak. What should I do now? Should I attempt some form of training, regardless of its effectiveness? Just as these thoughts crossed my mind— 'It seems impossible.' Regrettably, with eyes watching, training seemed out of the question. I turned my gaze elsewhere. Despite the banquet ending and everyone dispersing, there were still a few people left within the Azure Dragon Squad's domain. "Do you have any business with me?" The person loitering around me clearly had an ulterior motive. As I spoke, someone who had been hiding by a tree revealed themselves. I already knew who it was. How could I not? They had been glaring daggers at me since the banquet. "Senior Namgung." "Hmph." The person who appeared at my call let out a dry laugh. Blue-eyed with snow-white hair. Donned in the attire of the Azure Dragon Squad, a young man. He was the future Sword King and the head of the Namgung family, the Sword Dragon Namgung Jin. "You catch on quickly, don’t you?" "I tend to." From the moment the banquet ended, Namgung Jin had been following me. Though he attempted to stay hidden from a distance, it was nothing I couldn't detect. He wasn't exactly making a concerted effort to remain unseen. It seemed he wanted me to notice. His following felt deliberate, hinting that he wanted me to acknowledge him. So I noticed, and now I was making it clear. Namgung Jin likely expected as much. "Do you know who I am?" Namgung Jin asked, an amused smile playing on his lips. "How could I not? You’re the famous Sword Dragon." "No, not that. Don’t you remember me?" He frowned as he pressed the question. Ah, this isn’t good. "...Were we supposed to be that close? I can't quite..." I feigned ignorance, attempting to deflect. "Your expression suggests you remember," Namgung Jin said, dismissing my attempt. "......" Damn. I wish I could wear a mask. Do I really show it that much? It reminded me of when Shin Noya told me never to act. "If you bump someone in the shoulder, shouldn’t you apologize?" "Didn’t I apologize back then?" Did I not? I couldn't recall. I thought I had... "Did you? Not that I can recall." His response told me it didn't matter. Whether I apologized or not wasn't the point. "Hmm." I ran a hand through my hair. What to do... 'Why are all the men in that family like this?' They provoke you to the point of wanting to beat them up. I felt like folding him into a crane and tossing him into a pond. But I put on a strained smile and spoke. "Shall I apologize now, then?" "That would be nice." He seemed to like the idea. Good. If a simple apology can settle this, I can do that. "Back then, I apologize—" "Kneel." "...What?" I narrowed my eyes. What did he just say? I thought I misheard, but Namgung Jin spoke again, clarifying. "I said kneel. Shouldn't an apology be done properly?" "......" Wow. 'This arrogance is something else.' I never imagined I’d face such treatment. Not in my past life, or even now. I had neither experienced it nor inflicted it on anyone. I didn't need to, after all. If I didn’t like someone, I wouldn’t make them kneel; I’d just take them down a notch. And now, he tells me to kneel? This was something new. 'In a way, it seems worse than his son, doesn’t it?' I thought he’d be better than that madman son of his. But it felt like the father was worse. Is this the power of genetics? Come to think of it, Namgung Bia wasn’t like this... "Why? Do you dislike the idea?" Seeing my hesitation, Namgung Jin pressed further. I responded with a slight smile, "Isn't it a bit much to kneel just because of a slight bump on the shoulder?" "Expensive, you say?" Namgung Jin laughed, but his expression soon fell serious as he stepped closer. "If a senior tells you to kneel, you kneel. Why all the chatter? Did the sword sect not teach you better? Or is it...?" "......" "Are you simply insufferably insolent? I'm curious." He leaned in until he was towering over me. Namgung Jin was a bit taller than I was. His blue eyes gleamed under the moonlight. And amusingly enough, you know what I found funny? 'Those eyes are quite striking.' Among Namgung Jin's distinguished features, his eyes stood out as the most appealing. Not just the color, but the shape. Because they reminded me. 'They're similar.' Unlike Namgung Cheonjun, his eyes were distinctly like Namgung Bia’s. While his carried a sharper gleam, at a glance, they shared a familial resemblance—a father-daughter pair undoubtedly. Not that it made me feel any better. At that moment— "They're similar." "......!" Namgung Jin's sudden comment caught me off guard. I was taken aback because he echoed exactly what I was thinking. What was that? Did he just read my mind, or what? "Indeed, they're similar." Namgung Jin, with his face twisted in disdain, said to me. "They're exactly like that detestable guy's eyes. Even if Baekryong didn’t agree, anyone can see the resemblance." "......Pardon?" Who did he say I resembled? I couldn't comprehend it. It's not easy recalling someone by merely looking at my eyes. "It's downright irritating. It drives me insane. Why on earth does the Tyrant care about someone like you?" His seething resentment was palpable. Actually, it felt more like insecurity and jealousy. Emotions I hadn’t sensed directed at me in quite some time. Even expressing such raw feelings seemed like a skill to me. 'Hmm.' What should I really do? I was at a loss. "What’s with that look? What? Do you find what I’m saying ridiculous?" "Not necessarily, but..." "It could indeed be nonsense. But what can you do? If you have an issue, you should've arrived sooner." "......" "I genuinely do not like you. And I doubt that'll change." So, what was he suggesting? I remained silent, watching Namgung Jin closely. This time, he met my gaze with intensity and said, "So, the coming days should be interesting. Look forward to it." He patted me on the shoulder a couple of times as he had previously, and then walked past me. "......" Only when his figure faded completely did I start rubbing the back of my neck. ‘That was close.’ It was a narrow escape. ‘I almost ripped his tongue out without realizing it.’ Normally, with such nonsense, one wouldn’t need a tongue, so I would have just taken it out. But, maybe my increased cultivation helped me hold back from responding to such provocation. It’s truly commendable. It's a growth I’m quite pleased with. However, if there’s any issue— ‘That makes twice.’ This was the second time I'd restrained myself. Next time, what should I do? "......" I decided not to overthink it just yet. I’d know when the time comes. And truly, as much as I hoped it wouldn’t happen again, just as my own heart desired otherwise— "Come out, youngster. This senior here needs to show you what the Azure Dragon Squad is truly about." Damn misfortune always arrived faster than I anticipated.