Childhood Friend of the Zenith

The qualification is enough. You can do it, so try it.

I couldn’t respond easily to those words.

‘…What does that mean?’

Is he saying I have earned the qualification?

“Does it mean I have achieved mastery?”

Am I being asked if it refers to the mastery of Nine Flames Firewheel? I tried to clarify.

“That’s just the starting point. You shouldn’t not know that.”

Gu Seongyeol reacted as if to say, “What are you talking about?”

“I don’t understand?”

What does he mean by not understanding?

I have no idea. I couldn’t make sense of it.

‘He says I’ve earned the qualification.’

Am I qualified now? You can do it, right? Why did Gu Seongyeol’s attitude feel so strange to me?

“I don’t know how to do that.”

If I knew, I would have done it by now.

Especially after all those near-death struggles. I would’ve tried it back then.

‘It was obviously something beyond the ordinary.’

It was a form that naturally evoked awe. It was something that couldn’t possibly be called human—something from a higher plane.

Maybe “Mastery” would be a fitting term? If Shin Noya heard that, he'd probably hate it, but for now, that was the only word that came to mind.

If I could do that—

‘It would make things easier.’

I knew it would greatly help me with the challenges ahead.

‘But how do I even do that?’

I had no idea.

Why did Gu Seongyeol assert that I could do it? I was still staring at him in confusion.

“…Hm?”

Gu Seongyeol, noticing my confusion, narrowed his eyes.

“You really don’t know?”

“Would I be standing here if I did?”

“…”

Whoosh.

‘This…’

Had my tone irritated him? Suddenly, Gu Seongyeol conjured flames in his hand.

“Ah, that’s not what I meant…”