Childhood Friend of the Zenith-Chapter 579: In Step (1)

After the Divine Dragon left, we wrapped up some casual conversation, and when I returned, Paejon was already inside the inn. A pile of food was spread out across the table.

“What’s all this?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Of course, I knew.

That was exactly the problem.

“Why did you order so much food?”

“Some of it’s to take with us. Aren’t you curious?”

“Curious about what?”

“Monk’s dumplings. Aren’t you intrigued?”

“...”

I paused for a moment at his words.

‘So he noticed.’

This old man—he’d figured it out.

The guy eating dumplings at the inn earlier was none other than Shaolin’s Divine Dragon.

Well, if I recognized it, there was no way Paejon wouldn’t.

I sat down with a faint grimace, dragging a chair closer. Picking up one of the dumplings from the table, I asked,

“Can I eat this?”

“You’ve already touched it with your dirty hands. Why ask now?”

“Dirty? I always wash my hands thoroughly.”

“You’d better. What would you do if you didn’t?”

“...”

Updated from freewёbnoνel.com.

What is this infuriating conversation?

I wrinkled my nose and took a bite of the dumpling. As expected, it was still delicious.

It was the same flavor I’d asked Moyong Hee-ah to bring over.

Rich and flavorful.

The aroma was delightful, the taste even better.

If nothing else, I’d be genuinely annoyed if this place ever disappeared.

After stuffing the remaining dumpling into my mouth, I asked Paejon,

“So, what happened?”

Paejon crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.

“What do you mean?”

“That earlier incident. What happened afterward?”

I was asking about what transpired after the Divine Dragon knocked out that man—whatever his name was.

“What else would’ve happened? The people from the alliance came and took him away.”

As expected, nothing unusual had occurred. Moreover...

‘The alliance took him.’

If the alliance hauled away a drunk first-class martial artist causing trouble, he wouldn’t come back in a good state.

At best...

‘I won’t be seeing him around here for a while.’

Good. Watching him wreak havoc in the inn had been...

‘I was tempted to deal with him myself.’

But now it seemed I wouldn’t need to dirty my hands.

On that note, should I grab another dumpling?

Just as I reached out, Paejon broke the silence.

“Did the talk go well?”

His question instantly killed my appetite.

“Yes, it went fine.”

“You didn’t beat the kid up, did you?”

“...?”

I frowned at the strange question.

“What do you mean ‘beat up’? Do you want people to think I’m some kind of thug?”

Unbelievable.

What kind of person does he take me for? Why would I beat anyone up?

“It’s not like beating him would’ve done any good.”

“Hmm.”

Paejon didn’t argue with my words. He had no reason to.

After all, the Divine Dragon was clearly no ordinary figure.

“Indeed. Tianan has produced quite the remarkable one.”

Remarkable one.

For such words to come from Paejon’s mouth was no small thing.

Hearing this, I let out a small laugh.

“Did he impress you?”

Curious if he’d taken a liking to the Divine Dragon, I asked. Paejon’s lips curled into a slight smirk.

“Why? Are you jealous?”

What? What kind of nonsense is that?

“Elder, have you lost your mind...!”

Before I could finish, something shot forward and stopped inches from my face.

Chopsticks.

“Should I pluck out your eyeballs with these? They seem to be malfunctioning.”

“...I’m sorry.”

I offered a short apology, and only then did Paejon pull back the chopsticks.

Suppressing the irritation bubbling inside me, I couldn’t help but think,

‘I didn’t see it.’

The issue wasn’t that I hadn’t activated my spiritual vision; it was that I couldn’t catch Paejon’s movements at all.

Had his speed increased since reaching the Hwagyeong?

I didn’t know. But one thing was clear.

‘I won’t be challenging him anytime soon.’

I had thought I was finally catching up, but that idea had been shattered again.

It was infuriating, to say the least.

“Jealousy? Jealous of what? There’s nothing worth envying here.”

I clicked my tongue, my words dripping with frustration. Paejon chuckled.

“A fine body is nothing to scoff at, but it’s not everything.”

“Why not? Didn’t you say having an exceptional body was important?”

“I did. But surely you know that yours isn’t the only one that meets the criteria.”

He was right.

Although my body had been shaped by regression and countless miraculous encounters, there were others out there with the minimum requirements to learn the Tua Pacheonmu.

Not that they were exactly common, but they weren’t impossibly rare either.

‘I realized it even more after trying it myself.’

Contrary to Paejon’s search for someone with an extraordinary physique and talent, the Tua Pacheonmu wasn’t a technique that demanded extraordinary talent.

At first, I had been intimidated by how advanced it seemed.

But as I learned it, I discovered it wasn’t nearly as difficult as I’d feared.

The fact that someone like me, with no natural talent, could master it was proof enough.

‘Though I have to admit, a lot of credit goes to Paejon.’

If something didn’t work, he’d make it work.

If it still didn’t work, he’d change the approach and try again.

To him, there was no such thing as ‘impossible.’

That was Paejon’s philosophy.

Following his lead, things always seemed to work out in the end. Frustrating as it was.

Looking at it that way, I began to wonder if the Tua Pacheonmu wasn’t as challenging as Paejon made it out to be.

“You naive disciple,” Paejon clicked his tongue. “You’re making a grave mistake.”

He stared at me with a mix of disappointment and pity.

“As you said, there are many with the right physical conditions. But how many have reached those conditions at your age?”

“Well, that’s true.”

A body capable of withstanding the Tua Pacheonmu.

Sure, there were plenty who met the requirements, but how many had achieved that at such a young age?

Counting them wouldn’t even reach ten.

Even now, as I ran through my mind, only four came to mind—including myself.

“Furthermore, the most important trait for mastering martial arts isn’t the body or talent.”

“What is it, then?”

“Patience.”

Patience?

Judging by his expression, he was serious. But it wasn’t a concept I found particularly convincing.

Patience as the most important trait?

Surely patience was a given for anyone pursuing martial arts.

If it’s something that goes without saying, how could it be the most important? I just couldn’t relate.

Paejon must’ve seen the doubt on my face because he clicked his tongue again.

"You Disagree?"

“...I just can’t quite agree with that.”

I knew exactly what he meant.

Learning the Tua Pacheonmu had been an excruciating process.

To forcibly transform my body, I had to move my bones, stimulate my muscles, and even affect my blood vessels. The pain felt like someone was dancing with knives inside me.

Every movement had to be flawless, with not the slightest disruption of my flow. I had to endure that pain and repeat the same motions tens of thousands of times.

‘Once I’d taken one step, I had to move to the next.’

I lost track of how many repetitions I’d done. The only way to count was by days. Ten days to perfect a punch. Fifteen days twisting my waist.

That’s how the time passed. That’s how I got to where I am now.

Paejon never rushed me, and I didn’t move on until I’d perfected each movement. Neither of us grew impatient or frustrated.

Despite feeling that time was scarce and slipping away, I never blamed anyone but myself for my shortcomings in my past life.

That’s how I’ve reached this point.

And so, I wondered:

“What was so difficult about it?”

What could have been so hard?

Patience was a given for anyone learning martial arts. Not realizing that was why I had wasted my past life.

Now, I’m simply trying not to make the same mistakes.

Pain can be endured. Frustration can be overcome.

What’s so difficult about that to call it talent? It’s just a matter of enduring.

“...”

As I said this plainly, Paejon silently watched me.

After a moment of contemplation, he finally spoke.

“You idiot.”

“Why the sudden insult?”

“You just seem particularly clueless today.”

Paejon stood, grabbed some of the food from the table, and announced,

“Let’s go. It’s late.”

I stood as well, following his lead.

“So, what exactly were you going to tell me earlier?”

“Hm? Ah.”

As I trailed behind him, I asked about what he’d wanted to say earlier.

“It’s nothing important. You’ll find out eventually. Don’t worry about it for now.”

“...That just makes me worry more.”

How could I not worry when he phrased it like that? Especially coming from someone like him.

This man constantly tells me not to cause trouble, but...

‘He’s not exactly the most peaceful person himself.’

Stories about his younger days are infamous. Destroying entire sects just to test his martial arts, or dismantling martial artists from rival schools and “reassembling” them.

His younger nickname even included “Mad Dog” for a reason.

From what I can see, it’s not just martial arts he’s obsessed with.

‘The guy’s just insane....’

Whoosh!

“...!”

Chopsticks flew toward my eyes, just like earlier.

I barely turned my head in time to dodge, but it was a hair’s breadth away.

Startled, I glared at Paejon and shouted,

“What the hell was that for?”

“You looked like you were thinking nonsense, so my hand moved on its own.”

“...”

Damn it.

I clicked my tongue internally. His instincts were as sharp as ever.

When I looked up again, Paejon was already stepping out of the inn.

Suppressing my irritation, I silently followed him.

On our way out, a voice called out hesitantly.

“Uh, excuse me...”

Turning toward the sound, I saw the woman who had been harassed earlier.

Mi... something. Misoon? Misook? Whatever.

‘Doesn’t matter.’

Looking at her, I asked,

“What is it?”

It was unusual for someone who wasn’t a martial artist to approach me, so I raised an eyebrow as I responded.

“Eek...!”

She flinched, stepping back in fear.

“...”

“I-I’m sorry... so sorry....”

Normally, I’d brush something like this off, but this actually stung a little.

Was my face really that terrifying?

The kids said it wasn’t, but here we are.

Still, no need to take it out on a civilian. Suppressing my annoyance, I asked again,

“...So, what is it?”

“A-ah, um... well...”

She pointed toward something—or someone.

Paejon, already far ahead, was disappearing down the street with hurried steps.

What’s with him? Was he that hungry? Did he secretly have a gluttonous streak?

“...Uh, actually...”

The woman’s hesitant voice interrupted my thoughts.

“H-he didn’t... pay....”

“...?”

Didn’t pay?

He took the food and left without paying? Narrowing my eyes, I repeated her words internally.

‘Wait. No way....’

Looking back at her, her trembling voice confirmed my suspicion.

“H-he said... someone in his group... would pay for it....”

“...”

Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke.

Ha.

This damn old man....

******************

When Did It Start?

It hadn’t been long, but recently, I’d begun to dream more frequently.

Not that it was particularly surprising—dreaming wasn’t new to me.

The problem was, most of them were nightmares.

Dreams that dragged me back to the sins of my past life.

Dreams of those I couldn’t save, of those who died for my sake.

They were horrifying, unrelenting nightmares.

I hated dreaming because of them.

That’s all my dreams ever were.

But recently, the dreams had been different.

It started shortly after I finally stopped dreaming entirely.

Just as I thought I could finally enjoy restful sleep, the new dreams began.

They weren’t about my past life.

They were of situations I had never experienced, things I had never seen before.

Even the scenes changed each time.

The only constants were that I was always in the dream,

and the person beside me never changed.

Tonight was no different.

I was walking somewhere again.

And beside me, as always, was that person.

“Your hand is cold.”

I spoke as I held someone’s hand, glancing at the figure next to me.

I couldn’t see their face.

All I knew was that it was a woman and that she always appeared in my dreams.

How could I be so certain when her face wasn’t visible?

I don’t know. I just knew.

It was something I felt instinctively.

When I carefully held her hand, the woman smiled.

“Haha, it’s autumn. It’s not even cold.”

“...If I’m cold, then it’s cold.”

What a ridiculous thing to say.

Watching myself act like that made me want to throw up.

What kind of absurd dream was this? My mood soured instantly.

And yet, the woman laughed as if she enjoyed it. Maybe because it was just a dream.

No real woman would laugh at something so foolish.

“The leaves have turned red.”

“Are they pretty?”

“They’re especially beautiful this year.”

I unconsciously tightened my grip on her hand.

She was the one leading me, guiding the way.

I followed her, oddly wishing we could walk slower.

“They’ll be even prettier next year.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because I know everything. I’m smart.”

“...Sure.”

“You don’t sound convinced.”

“I believe you.”

She seemed to be about my age—or rather, the age I was right before I died in my past life.

When I answered half-heartedly, the woman pouted, her voice filled with displeasure.

“I really do know everything. Why won’t you believe me?”

“I told you, I do believe you.”

“No, you don’t. You’re lying.”

Her voice sounded faintly sulky.

Then, she let go of my hand.

As the warmth disappeared, a strange sense of regret stirred within me.

Walking lightly ahead, she turned back to face me, speaking softly.

“Shall I tell you something else?”

“What is it?”

Her voice was cheerful, almost brimming with happiness.

Her, me, and even the autumn leaves felt oddly radiant.

“Do you think this baby will be a boy or a girl?”

She spoke as she placed a hand over her belly.

I gasped in surprise.

Now that she mentioned it, her stomach was slightly rounded.

Noticing it made my chest feel tight.

“I don’t know.”

“Don’t you have a preference?”

“...It doesn’t matter. Either is fine.”

Whether it was a son or a daughter didn’t matter.

At least, I would strive to be a better father than my own.

That’s what I was thinking, even in the dream.

The woman smiled at my naive self.

“I knew you’d say that.”

Even though I couldn’t see her face,

I could tell she was smiling brightly.

I couldn’t see her smile,

but I felt it.

I wanted to reach out.

I wanted to hold her hand again.

Move.

If this is a dream, let me move.

As if responding to my desperate wish, my body began to move.

I walked toward the smiling woman, reaching out my hand.

I wanted to hold hers again.

But just as I was about to touch her—

“No.”

The woman stepped back.

Why? Why was she suddenly pulling away?

Confused, I looked at her. She kept her smile as she spoke.

“You can’t do this.”

“Why not?”

“You can’t remember this.”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“It’s our promise.”

She began to walk away.

Ignoring her incomprehensible words, I chased after her.

But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t close the distance.

Panic set in.

Why couldn’t I reach her?

I stretched my hand toward her.

I ran as hard as I could, but the distance remained the same.

“What the...!”

“Listen.”

The woman spoke as she watched me struggle desperately.

“Please, be happy.”

Her smiling words were filled with sorrow.

“If you’re happy, I think I’ll be okay, too.”

“What are you even talking about?!”

Then I realized.

The beautiful scenery around us had disappeared, replaced by pitch-black darkness.

It was falling.

A deep, terrifying darkness was swallowing everything.

Even knowing this, I didn’t stop running.

I kept running, trying to reach her, but she only whispered softly as she watched me.

“Goodbye.”

That was the end.

Her words were the last thing I heard before the darkness swallowed me whole.

“Hah...!!”

I jolted awake.

“Huff... huff...”

Sitting up abruptly, I gasped for air.

“...What the hell... what the hell was that?”

I couldn’t shake the deeply unsettling feeling. What kind of twisted dream was that?

“Wait.”

And yet...

‘...What was the dream about?’

For some reason, I couldn’t remember a single thing about it.

It was as if I hadn’t dreamed at all.

Not a trace of it lingered in my mind.

That only made the feeling even worse.