1094 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

**The Best Under Heaven's Childhood Friend, Chapter 1094 > Northern Rabbit - Web Novel Repository** Boom---!!! The massive form of Jeokseokwoong, which had been roaring fiercely until now, collapsed to the ground. An alien ichor gushed from its sprawled body, soaking the earth beneath. The sensation of wetness quickly coiling around my toes was undeniably unpleasant, enough to make anyone frown. Yet, not a single person displayed any change in expression. Crack. It was because we couldn't move hastily, given the presence before us. Thud. A small footprint echoed emptily. A form that wasn't very large. A body which, compared to the other warriors, seemed strangely small. It appeared scrawny and worn, with hardly any visible muscle. Just an old man. The form of a body that seemed as if it had never learned martial arts. However, if one knew the identity of that old man, they wouldn't dare dismiss him easily. The symbol of peace. The pinnacle of the Martial Alliance during its golden age. Even if the title of the best under heaven was uncertain, if one were to ask who is the current best sword, the answer would undoubtedly be him. ‘Sword Sage Wi Hyo-goon.’ One of the Three Sages and the supreme master of the sword had arrived. He was once the Sword Sage. There doesn't seem to be a significant difference from the Sword Sage I knew. His back was a bit less hunched, and his hair was closer to black rather than fully white. Other than those, he closely resembled the Sword Sage I was familiar with. Shhh. The flowing ichor veered away from the Sword Sage. The aura he radiated didn't allow even the blood to get near him. ‘……Strong.’ A tension surged through my body upon seeing the Sword Sage, causing an instinctive reaction. The Three Sages. He's far more intense than when I encountered the original guise of the Overlord. The gold-glimmering sword emanating a radiant light. It was the origin of Wiyola's martial power, known as the Lunar Spirit Sword. Swish. The Lunar Spirit Sword he held turned into light and scattered. The Sword Sage wiped away the ichor and walked towards us. He then approached my father, who was bowing his head, extending a small hand to gently pat his hair. “You’ve been through much.” “Not at all.” “I’m glad I wasn’t late.” The old man's golden eyes swept over us. “I felt something unusual and came to check. It was the right choice.” Unusual, he said. As far as I knew, the league lord’s chamber was quite a distance from here, which means he sensed it from afar. Moreover. ‘I cut with one stroke.’ The fact that Jeokseokwoong's head was severed in a single strike caught my attention. I definitely saw it. Even though there was a barrier, it was sliced through simultaneously. Did he strike the weak part of the barrier? No. ‘It wasn’t entirely a weak spot, even if it was relatively weaker.’ It was simply superior offensive power. He cut the barrier with a single strike. “……Hmm.” At the appearance of the Sword Sage, everyone lowered their gaze. He calmly passed them and approached Jeokseokwoong’s corpse. “……Red.” Fur dyed red, and a size incomparable to the blue ones. Carefully assessing the presence he felt, the Sword Sage’s face twisted. “It’s a red-grade monster.” At his words, those nearby shivered. “Truly a red-grade……?” “Why on earth is a red-grade…….” A forgotten grade that hadn’t appeared for centuries. Monsters one had to study to even understand nowadays. The Sword Sage spoke with such certainty that the reactions were not trivial. “Is it truly a red-grade?” “A red-grade monster……!” “Quiet.” The burgeoning noise was quelled by my father’s warning. His low voice wrapped around the vicinity. “The League Lord stands before us.” “Oh……” The atmosphere was grim. My father’s expression didn’t change from before, but the weight in his voice naturally silenced everyone. The Sword Sage was solely focused on the monster. As time quietly passed, “Let’s collect this corpse. We need to send traces to the Pungnyongdae.” “Indeed.” The Pungnyongdae researches everything from formations to monsters, making it logical to send it there first and understand the situation. With the command given, others moved towards the red-grade monster when, “They’ve arrived.” The Sword Sage spoke while looking into the air. Upon those words, my father also gazed up. I, too, sensed something but pretended not to notice. The Sword Sage glanced skyward, lightly moving his hand. The ichor gathered on the ground surged away, creating a space. Soon after, Thud-!! Several individuals descended from the sky, landing on the space the Sword Sage had made. “It’s the Shinryongdae……!” Someone remarked. Only then did I realize who had appeared. ‘Shinryongdae.’ Their swaying martial garb stood out against the typical garb of the Martial Alliance, being entirely white adorned with gold. Moreover. ‘Masks.’ The four who abruptly appeared all wore masks. The only discernable thing about them was gender, determined by body shape. Beyond that, nothing could be sensed. ‘They’re adept at concealing themselves.’ They were skilled at hiding their presence and aura, indicating they were no ordinary warriors. ‘……So these are the Shinryongdae.’ If the Sword Sage symbolizes peace, Then the Shinryongdae of the Martial Alliance is literally the emblem of the alliance. The most elite unit chosen from the league. Unlike other sword units who operated openly, the Shinryongdae moved while concealing their identities. Their true affiliations, whether clan or sect origin, were unknown. Of course. If the martial arts they used were famous, there might be guesses, but. Most of them kept their identity secret, operating in utmost confidentiality. ‘It was disbanded for a while.’ After the Sword Sage stepped down from his position as league lord, the Shinryongdae also vanished. In the era I come from, ironically, it was revived by the Blood Demon. ‘Hmm.’ Seeing the actual Shinryongdae was an emotion-laden experience. “The corpse of a red monster. Take it to Pungnyongdae.” With the Sword Sage’s order, the Shinryongdae moved. As they began to handle the corpse, more figures arrived shortly after. "The head of the Blue Dragon Division greets the League Lord." It was none other than Cheong Yeol, the leader of the Blue Dragon Division. "The head of the Iron Dragon Division greets the League Lord." A burly man who appeared to be the head of the Iron Dragon Division. "We apologize for the delayed response." Despite being nearby, the Iron Dragon Division head seemed troubled by arriving after the League Lord, biting his lips. "It's nothing. I just had time to spare." The Sword Sage turned with a faint smile. Then, his body began to levitate slightly. Beneath his feet, a sword composed of light was supporting him. "It seems something has gone wrong with the era." His voice, tinted with a sigh, carried a lament. At his words, I swallowed hard, for something deeply pierced my heart. "The situation has become a little complicated. Therefore, from today onward, all internal training sessions within the League will be suspended. Division heads should take note of this." "Understood!" "Understood." Both division heads nodded and accepted the order. Then, the Sword Sage slightly glanced back. His gaze fixed on someone specifically. "Deputy Head of the Blue Dragon Division." "Yes." It was my father. "The Deputy Head should come to the League Lord's chamber soon." "I will comply." "In addition to that." The Sword Sage’s gaze landed on someone else. "You should come along too." "......Me?" Surprisingly, it was directed at me. --- Rumors spread rapidly throughout the League. Not only about the sudden outbreak of the red monster but also because the appearance occurred during a joint training of the Blue Dragon and Iron Dragon Divisions. The sudden emergence of a red monster was news shocking enough to flip the League upside down. Surely, before long, even the Open Clan would make a move. Even though they would try to prevent the rumors from spreading, it wouldn't be entirely possible to stop them from reaching the Central Plains. Rumors are inherently like that. There were countless things to worry about because of this, but. ‘Ah, how did it come to this?’ Now wasn't the time to be concerned about those matters. I glanced to the side. I stood next to my father, the young Gu Cheol-un, who seemed at least a hand’s breadth taller than me. Our current position was problematic. ‘……The League Lord's Chamber.’ Right in front of the chamber's door. It was a big problem for me to be brought here and made to wait. ‘Why? Why does he want to see me?’ The Sword Sage had summoned me. It didn’t make sense. There was no reason for him to call on me. ‘I hid it well.’ There was no problem with concealing my power. Although I moved due to my father's words, I didn’t do anything conspicuous. I didn’t do anything that would give me away. How did it come to him calling me? While these questions were in my mind. "Let’s go in." "Excuse me? Ah, yes." My father reached for the doorknob. "Deputy Head of the Blue Dragon Division, Gu Cheol-un and company, entering." "Enter." With permission granted, the door opened immediately. Creak. Beyond the opened door, I saw the Sword Sage seated at a table. The room was quite tidy, and the Sword Sage looked directly at me from there. Perhaps due to the dim nature of the room, his golden eyes seemed to shine particularly brightly. "Deputy Head, come forward." "Yes." My father stepped forward first. "It must be overwhelming, and for that, I apologize for calling you here. I just have a question for you both. Especially." The moment my father reached the table in front of the Sword Sage. "Baek Yangcheon. I have a question for you." The Sword Sage spoke while gazing at me. At that instant. Shhhh---!!! "……!!" Dozens of swords materialized in mid-air, with each blade pointed directly at me. An overwhelming killing intent poured over me. "Who are you?" The Sword Sage, eyes gleaming gold, asked me. "Oh, dear……." I had a bad feeling about this.