Childhood Friend of the Zenith

A day had passed.

Chirrrp. Chirp chirp.

The sound of insects and birds filtered through the cracks of the window as I stirred awake. It was the sound of dawn approaching.

Creak.

I twisted my stiff body slightly, blinking through the lingering grogginess. With a slight circulation of my inner energy, I dispelled the residual fatigue.

Had I slept for about an hour? I had planned to get a full night’s rest after so many sleepless nights, but at my level, such concerns were unnecessary.

My body could go half a month without sleep. A little fatigue like this could easily be erased with a few circulations of energy.

“You’re awake?”

“…Ah, yeah.”

As I sat up, my gaze met Do Yun’s. It seemed he had finished his training at dawn and had gone to sleep around the same time as me.

But for us to wake up at the same time too…

“You didn’t sleep?”

“Ah, ahaha… That wasn’t my intention, but somehow it turned out that way.”

“Get some sleep. You’ll burn out at this rate.”

“You’re hardly in a position to say that, Baek Comrade.”

“…”

I was momentarily at a loss for words.

I mean, you and I are at completely different levels. But saying that outright felt too arrogant.

So instead of responding, I simply got up.

“Where are you going?”

Do Yun asked curiously. So far, we had only been ordered to wait, meaning there was no real reason to move around unnecessarily.

However…

“I have something to take care of.”

I spoke with a deep frown.

Yes, I had business to attend to early in the morning.

I had to meet my father.

**********

Knock, knock.

Moving through the residence, I soon arrived at my father’s quarters. It wasn’t far, so finding it wasn’t difficult.

I approached the door and knocked lightly, announcing myself.

“Gu… No, it’s Baek Yangcheon.”

“Come in.”

“…”

For some reason, it felt just like when I used to visit my father’s chambers in the future.

We should be the same age now, so why did I feel so tense?

Especially considering…

‘Right now, I’m stronger than him.’

At his age, my father was incredibly powerful. Though he wasn’t yet in the ranks of the greatest prodigies I knew, and certainly not at the level of a true grandmaster…

Even so, if I wanted to, I could defeat him instantly.