405 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Best in the World: My Childhood Friend - Chapter 405 > Northern Rabbit - Webnovel Archives My vision remained shrouded in darkness. My dulled senses refused to return. How much time had passed? With my senses in disarray, it was impossible to gauge. The only thing I knew was... Splat! “Argh!” This marked the ninth time. Exactly nine times. That was how many times I had been killed. Overwhelmed by dizziness, I stumbled and collapsed onto the ground. Blood began gushing from my pierced neck, and a wave of unconsciousness overcame me. For several seconds... “Haah...!” I regained consciousness, abruptly forcing myself upright. What just happened? I felt as if I had been stabbed in the neck. Gently probing my neck with my hand, I felt no pain or wound at all. '...Damn it.' By now, I had become familiar with this sensation—it was the ninth time. Nine times at the hands of the Shadow King. Scowling, I surveyed my surroundings. I was still in the same plains where I had been with Pajeon earlier. 'What on earth is happening?' Could it have been an illusion? Yet, the pain of my neck being slashed and my heart pierced felt incredibly real. The sensation of something sharp going through my neck was just as vivid. Watching that confirmed it—I had died nine times. The issue was... ‘But how am I even alive?’ How was I still alive? ‘Shit.’ The curse slipped out naturally. No matter how much I contemplated, none of this made any sense. Pajeon, that damned old man... What was his plan in throwing me into this mess? After ordering me to merely endure, Pajeon vanished, leaving me to repeatedly face death at the Shadow King's hands. In every possible way, it was a tormenting experience. Whether it was an illusion or a tactical trap, encountering such a dire situation in the middle of the night was infuriating. “I truly feel like quitting everything.” Should I abandon the Heavenly Demon and retreat into the mountains? The thought seemed increasingly appealing. Clench. My teeth ground together. I knew I couldn’t give up, yet the thought lingered. I steadied my breath and turned my focus elsewhere. Despite the darkness, tension filled the air. There was something I needed to address before analyzing the situation. 'Where am I?' I reached out with my senses. Although there was resistance—perhaps something was blocking me—my senses refused to spread out, yet doing nothing would be worse. ‘Where are you?’ Widening my range to the fullest, I concentrated intently. Pajeon had said this was part of my training. To end this ordeal, all I had to do was catch the Shadow King once. ‘I don’t know what this training is for.’ I knew this wasn’t the time to refuse to try, even if I didn’t understand. I gritted my teeth and resolved to break through. “Whew...” I exhaled, pouring energy into my breath. As the Shadow King continued to assault me, I sought the right opportunity to catch him. But it wasn’t easy. Crack— “...!” I turned my head towards the sound. Instinctively, I reached out. Yet, there was no one in my view. Was I mistaken...? Swoosh—! “Aah!?” A dagger plunged into my thigh, eliciting a scream I couldn’t suppress. Where did that come from? Judging by the direction, it was from behind. Was the presence I felt earlier just a ploy to lower my guard? Though my thigh was just pierced, the pain was disproportionately severe. Was this another power of the Shadow King’s martial arts? Despite being inured to pain through the practice of the Twin Serpent Arts, this was on another level. ‘Where are you?’ I decided it was more crucial to apprehend the Shadow King than focus on immediate pain. Ignoring the agony in my leg, I turned around to search for the Shadow King. Crunch—! “...!” But before I could act, I felt the cruel edge of the Shadow King's blade embed in my abdomen. Blood surged up my throat. The pain cut through my bones, making my eyes strain. Thanks to the dim view, the Shadow King standing before me was indistinct. Still... I extended my hand. I couldn’t evade this. Hoping to catch anything, I reached out but before my hand found purchase, something came into view. The tip of a blade. Realizing this, I tried to move my head. Freeze. Just inches before the Shadow King’s blade could pierce my forehead, it halted in mid-air. It had been so close. Why? As my mind swam with questions, “It’s over.” Retrieving his dagger, the Shadow King stepped back. I intended to question what he meant by ‘over.’ Whirr—! Suddenly, as if answering my wonder, the surroundings began to illuminate. Where it had been pitch black mere moments ago, the sky brightened rapidly, and I could see the sun rising in the distance. Seeing this, a thought struck me. ...Was it already day? ‘Then what was all that just now?’ The space, so dark moments ago that I couldn’t see an inch ahead, suddenly was brightened in an instant... It was baffling. ‘Could it be...’ At long last, I realized that not only my previous deaths, but even the enveloping darkness had been under the Shadow King’s influence. Realizing this sent chills down my spine. ‘A madman.’ They said no one could defeat the Shadow King in the night; now, it seemed he could even create his own night. An assassin waited for the right moment and ideal conditions to strike, yet here he was, capable of conjuring such at his leisure. ‘...Moreover.’ My thigh, once pierced, was now spotless. Like my previous deaths, the phenomena surrounding me were beyond absurd. ‘Is this really martial arts?’ It felt more akin to an illusionary technique than simple martial arts. Such vivid pain was too clear to dismiss as a mere hallucination. Could this really be called training? This training felt more like torture. 'Though it's too precise to truly call it torture.' The way I was brought to the brink of death was so clean and precise that calling it torture seemed misleading. Swallowing hard, I tried to fix my gaze on the Shadow King. “We're done for today.” With those words, the Shadow King dissipated like mist, vanishing from sight. No further conversation was needed. Only after confirming this could I release a long, exasperated sigh. "...Is it really over?" This exercise was said to only take place at night. As soon as dawn broke, the Shadow King disappeared—perhaps this was why. Which meant... “So I have to go through this every night?” I would have to experience dying at the Shadow King's hands until morning came, night after night? "..." The thought simmered: Should I abandon everything and run away? It demanded serious consideration. ****************** While Gu Yangcheon was seriously contemplating escape, the Shadow King strode gracefully into the depths of a forest. Upon arrival at his destination, someone called out, "You've come." Pajeon sat alone on a rock, sipping liquor. The presence of two cups hinted that he had anticipated the Shadow King's visit. Pajeon tossed one of the cups toward the approaching Shadow King. The airborne cup changed direction in mid-flight, decelerating gently to land in the Shadow King's palm. Watching this, Pajeon chuckled dryly, addressing the Shadow King, “Couldn't you just catch it normally without all the theatrics?” “This is easier.” “Such a show-off,” Pajeon muttered. The Shadow King accepted the cup, moved over, and sat down beside Pajeon. Slosh— Without a word, Pajeon poured liquor into the Shadow King's empty cup and then inquired, “How did it go?” The question required no clarification. The conversation topic was already predetermined: the time Gu Yangcheon and the Shadow King had spent together. The Shadow King took a sip before responding to Pajeon's inquiry. “He's peculiar.” “Oh?” Pajeon's eyes twinkled with interest. It was rare for the Shadow King, who usually spoke in simple terms of 'good' or 'bad,' to provide such an unusual response. “What do you mean strange?” “Strangely calm.” Recalling the time with Gu Yangcheon, the Shadow King reflected. Unbeknownst to Pajeon, Gu Yangcheon had already piqued the Shadow King's curiosity. A prodigy worthy of historical note? That wasn't what captivated the Shadow King. His interest stemmed from Gu Yangcheon's possession of something both similar to and different from his own talents—and the possibility he might hold the key to unravelling a curse that bound the Shadow King. Above all, ‘Taechon's interest in him.’ The being the Shadow King was fervently pursuing had shown interest in Gu Yangcheon—something he was fully aware of. And it wasn’t just that. The reason the Shadow King deemed Gu Yangcheon 'strange' went beyond that. ‘He never changed.’ By the time he had died about three times. Rather astonishingly, Gu Yangcheon had attempted to capture the Shadow King. It was understandable up to that point. The notion of the training concluding upon capturing the Shadow King might have driven him. Yet, ‘He persisted until the end.’ Even as dawn broke and the training ended, Gu Yangcheon ceaselessly tried to capture the Shadow King. Some might ask, 'What's the problem with that?' During nearly ten deaths, from beginning to end, Gu Yangcheon displayed no fear of death. The Shadow King could sense it. Gu Yangcheon diligently sought to detect the Shadow King. He only repeated attempts to capture, without displaying any signs of fear or fatigue. In a typical situation, most would panic or desperately plead for their lives. Even if they knew they would resurrect after each death, it didn’t explain Gu Yangcheon's demeanor. To the Shadow King—famed as the King of Assassins—this was peculiar. Although the threshold for endurance might be high for a martial artist, with Gu Yangcheon, it felt different. He exhibited an abnormal nonchalance towards death and pain. 'Moreover—' As the Shadow King's thoughts returned to Gu Yangcheon, his gaze shifted to Pajeon. “You already knew, didn’t you?” “Hmm?” Pajeon looked at the Shadow King, feigning ignorance. Yet, the Shadow King was confident in his belief: Pajeon must have already known about Gu Yangcheon's unusual nature. ‘Did he request my involvement because of his knowledge?’ Perhaps Pajeon, aware of his disciple’s state, had decided that this harsh training method was appropriate. If that were indeed the case, ‘You're as ruthless as ever.’ The Shadow King was aware that in terms of martial skill, Pajeon didn't fit the normal paradigm. A master who would leave his disciple at the mercy of the Shadow King's brutal training from the start. And a disciple who, rather than protesting, calmly endured and sought a breakthrough. Both were bizarre individuals from the Shadow King’s perspective. With these thoughts, the Shadow King shifted his gaze from Pajeon to his own cup. ‘It doesn’t matter.’ The circumstances didn’t concern the Shadow King. Just as they had their own goals, all that mattered to the Shadow King was achieving his purpose. This was a mere favor he was asked to perform, nothing more. Having contemplated this, the Shadow King addressed Pajeon. “Just don’t forget about my request.” “Don't worry; I won’t forget,” Pajeon replied with a weary tone and stood up. With little left of the liquor and having watched over the situation throughout the night, it was now time for him to commence his own training. “Oh, right.” Just before departing, Pajeon asked the Shadow King, “How long do you think it will take? Until that boy accomplishes it.” “...” At the question, the Shadow King looked at him with a curious expression. How long until Gu Yangcheon could reach the Shadow King? The Shadow King appeared to ponder this for a moment. “In his current state, it’s impossible.” The response was delivered in an excessively resolute tone. “So decisive.” “It might be quicker to find another path instead.” Though judging based only on one day may be premature, in Gu Yangcheon’s current approach, he couldn’t hope to ever reach the Shadow King, not even if he died and came back to life repeatedly. Whatever Pajeon had intended with this form of training was unclear, but at least from the Shadow King's perspective, that was how it seemed. Yet, despite the Shadow King's firm denial, Pajeon merely chuckled slyly. The Shadow King did not appreciate Pajeon’s enigmatic smile, not one bit. Even the Shadow King's famously impassive eyebrows furrowed slightly due to it. Usually, when Pajeon wore such a smile, it meant unexpected trouble was brewing. “Well, let’s leave it at that for now. I’ll be counting on you moving forward as well.” “...” Without responding, the Shadow King vanished into the ether. And with that, Pajeon too began to move. As he walked, he pondered. ‘Impossible, is it?’ While the Shadow King stated that Gu Yangcheon couldn’t possibly reach him, Pajeon had a slightly different opinion. ‘It doesn’t seem entirely out of the question.’ Though he hadn't observed for long, Gu Yangcheon had always exceeded expectations. Would this time be any different? Pajeon harbored such hopes. ****************** As the morning transitioned toward noon, the time had come for the carriage to set off again. It was right after he had hastily finished breakfast and resumed training. Although the fatigue from the chaotic events of the night hadn’t fully dissipated, he couldn’t afford to skip training. Thud. During this time, when Pajeowoo relayed news of a visitor, a brief break was in order. I set the massive boulder I had been lifting down and turned to Pajeowoo to inquire further. “Who’s here?” “It's someone from the Muyong family.” “Ah, they've finally arrived.” Upon hearing that, I nodded. It seemed that someone from Muyong Hiea's side had arrived. Though I had been told they'd be joining us in a few days, it seems they managed to arrive in just a day. Since it's been a while, I decided I should go see them. “Huff…” Nearby, I noticed Cheoljiseon sprawled on the ground, breathing heavily in exhaustion. Pajeowoo, eyeing this scene with a peculiar look, asked me a question. "Uh... What happened with Brother Jiseon?" “Oh, he seemed so frail that I thought I’d train him a little. That’s what happened. Tsk tsk, how pitiful for a man to be so fragile.” “Ah, yes…” “If you want to train, you can stay here and join him. Might be good for both of you.” Hearing my proposition, Pajeowoo diverted his gaze. He was looking at— Whew— Whew! Woo Hyuk, tirelessly moving while lifting a stone slightly smaller than the one I'd been lifting. Despite the torrent of sweat pouring off him, he showed no signs of resting. Somehow, his handsome features made even such a scene appear impressive. Meanwhile, I looked like a drenched rat. The world is indeed unfair. At least he's devoted to training. Apart from the fact that he, who calls himself a Taoist, eats meat and his notorious temperament, there wasn't much to fault. Ah, perhaps those two attributes were already significant deficits. But he has a fiancée, so maybe those issues didn’t matter much for him. No matter how hard I tried to find fault, his features shielded him from criticism. It was infuriating. “Damn it.” “Pardon?” “Not talking to you. So, should I head over now?” “Yes sir… but actually…” Pajeowoo hesitated, clearly with something else to impart to me. “It seems there is another person accompanying Lady Muyong.” “Another person? Who?” His words left me puzzled. Besides Muyong Hiea, who else could have come? His demeanor suggested it wasn’t just an attendant. Could it be Baekcheon Sword Master? ‘No, despite his daring nature, it’s unlikely he’d come all the way here just for this…’ It seemed improbable that the patriarch of such a prestigious family would follow his daughter to this place. Of course… given his personality, I couldn't be certain. With a hint of concern, I looked at Pajeowoo, who began revealing the identity of the companion. Thankfully, it wasn’t the Baekcheon Sword Master. It was someone even less expected. “Senior Baekryong Sword is here.” “Huh…?” The unexpected name that came from Pajeowoo's mouth left me dumbfounded. ...Why would that woman’s alias come up here?