673 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Title: The World's Greatest Mortal's Childhood Friend, Chapter 673 - Northern Rabbit I frowned at the words of Cheonma. "How would I know that?" What kind of conversation is this? It seemed like a waste of time. 'What am I doing here?' From the start, names didn't matter. In my past life, I never knew Cheonma's real name. She was simply Cheonma. A demon descended from the heavens and the mastermind behind a calamity. Her name doesn't concern me at all right now. That's enough. No, it has to be enough. So... 'Don't make that face in front of me.' It was as if she was pretending to be someone different from the Cheonma I knew in my past life. Seeing her act like that was bothersome. "My mood's getting worse." I twisted my waist. The condensed energy felt unusually heavy. This couldn't be due to its own weight, so it must be purely pressure. Could I kill her with this? I wasn't sure. But, I had to act. "Greed (貪)." Whoosh—! Crash—! "!" Greed lashed out, tearing through the barrier. Cheonma didn't dodge this time either, and an even larger space was created than before. That's the spot. I pushed my foot deep into the ground, bracing my shoulder and gripping the spear tightly. "..." Seeing me prepare, Cheonma seemed to pause, as if she wanted to say something, but instead adjusted her stance. It didn't look like she intended to escape. 'Rather.' She seemed to be showing a determination not to move. 'Damn it.' Was she inviting me to try and hit her, as if mocking my capabilities? I felt her arrogance. Then I should show her. "Fine, just die here." I spoke as I moved my arm. At that moment. "Brother—!" From the woods behind, Gu Hui-bi's voice rang out. She seemed to have arrived too late. But it was already too late. Clutching the spear tightly, I threw it. Whooosh—! The spear sped towards Cheonma. "No—!" Gu Hui-bi attempted to intervene in a hurry, but at her speed, there was no way she could stop it. And so. The spear finally reached Cheonma. Cheonma gently closed her eyes. Buzz—! Boom—!!! An explosion burst forth with a vibration. Whooooosh—!! The hot gust swept through the area violently. From a distance, thick smoke rose up. Watching it, I waved my hand. Using my energy, I withdrew the fire that clung to the trees due to the explosion's impact. Whmp—!! Gathering the flame to my chest, I looked straight ahead with a furrowed brow. In front of me, Cheonma still stood as she did before, seemingly unharmed. Behind her, the area bore the marks of devastation. "Sigh...." I swept my hand over my trembling face. "Damn it...." I cursed myself under my breath. I couldn't do it. Even when it was laid out in front of me, I couldn't do it. What a pathetic situation. "Yeon-ah...!" Gu Hui-bi, who had run from behind, passed me and approached Cheonma. "Hello, sister." Cheonma greeted Gu Hui-bi calmly. Watching this, I reflected. Why couldn't I kill her? 'Is it the fear that I might not be able to?' I must kill her. I know that only then will even this slight anxiety vanish. Yet I couldn't. '...Is it because she looks just like Wi Seol-ah?' I couldn't deny it. But, that wasn't the only reason. 'Do I think there's a chance she might change?' With Cheonma's vastly different behavior, could there be hope, like with Jegal-hyuk or Namgung Bi-ah? I wasn't sure. I knew nothing, but within that uncertainty, one thing was clear. 'I will regret it.' If I kill Cheonma now, I feel I might regret it. If not now, there might never be another chance. Someday, she could become a calamity and cause another bloodbath. Though this anxiety existed, it was overshadowed by the fear of unknown regret. Do I feel remorse? It wasn't something I should feel now. What is the meaning of all this? I had no answer. '...What should I do?' I asked the grumpy old man who was no longer here. 'I have lost my way.' He wouldn't answer me. There was no one to ask. If it were Noya at this moment, what would he say? -If you think you'll regret it, don't do it. Would he say that? 'But then, what if something happens later on?' -If it happens, deal with it then. You should at least be capable of that. Tsk tsk. How can a man with such fears accomplish anything? '...' -Listen to your heart. It's what suits you. Though Noya wasn't here. It felt as if he was speaking to me. Thinking of this, I looked at Cheonma. "Let me ask you one thing." "Hmm?" "Why didn't you take the escort test?" I had made arrangements for her to pass the first round, only to have her disappear just before the second test. "Oh." Recalling something, Cheonma widened her eyes. Then she said, "They're too weak." "What?" "Sister said not to bully the weak. If I fight, it will be a disaster." "..." In an instant, masterful martial artists who could avoid attacks with ease became the weak, but aside from that, I was baffled that Cheonma would say such a thing. "Ridiculous." I brushed my hands. At the same time, I spoke to Gu Hui-bi. "Put down the sword, sister. I'm done now." "..." Holding the hilt, Gu Hui-bi flinched at my words. Perhaps she intended to stop me. 'Especially with that expression.' Gu Hui-bi's expression looked painfully tormented as she faced me. It seemed she hated the idea of raising her sword against me. Despite her notoriously terrible temper, at times like this, she appeared quite human. "Brother...." "I'm not saying I'll stop entirely. For now... I need some time to think." "I don't know how you see it, but this child isn't bad.... She just doesn’t know much about the world yet, so maybe if you stay by her a bit longer—." "Perhaps." I interrupted Gu Hui-bi. Yes. Perhaps. Cheonma's reluctance to fight and her warning against fighting the weak seemed bizarre, even to me. Regardless of the reasons behind it, perhaps Cheonma might live a different life. While it's possible to see it that way: "But, to think like that now, I would have to give up on a lot," It was exceptionally challenging for me. In just a few years, the time when Cheonma would descend was drawing near. There’s no telling what might happen before then. Just from her recent behavior, it was overwhelming to form any conclusions. "So for now, I'll take my leave." I needed time to think. Facing her, I couldn't piece anything together. I looked at the devastated forest and turned my back on Cheonma. 'Is it okay to leave like this?' Should I leave Cheonma behind? As that doubt lingered endlessly, "Goodbye." "..." "I'll see you again." The sound of Cheonma's naive tone echoed, and I finally took a step forward. Whoosh! I soared through the air. The moon still hung in the night sky. I took a deep breath, looking at the sliver of a crescent moon. 'What is this?' What kind of situation was this? I left behind the sight of Cheonma and my own restraint. I pondered the circumstances that led to this point. 'Grandfather….' The former head of the Gu family, and thought to be dead, my grandfather had entrusted Cheonma to us. How had Cheonma, who supposedly departed with the palace lord, ended up in my grandfather's care? And in the hands of Gu Hui-bi, no less. I couldn't comprehend it. It was already strange that my grandfather was alive. 'Does Father know?' Could my father be aware of this? If he did, then both Gu Hui-bi and Father knew, leaving me in the dark? '...I don't want to ask Gu Hui-bi about it right now.' I didn't want to return and question Gu Hui-bi again. 'Father said he would come by tomorrow anyway.' I decided to question Father first thing tomorrow. With that in mind, I left the forest, yet even here, an unforeseen issue arose. The next day. As planned, the members of the Gu family and Lady Mi returned to Hanam, but Father did not arrive with them. And for seven nights beyond that, he remained absent. ****************** Cold air drifted all around. Ssss...! Amidst the chilling presence filling the space, a figure sat carelessly, head bowed. "Mmm." A brief murmur escaped as the young man opened his eyes. His piercing, blood-red eyes emerged into the light. "This is unexpected." Chuckle. The young man emitted an amused chuckle at the unforeseen turn of events. "Was it because I spread it too thinly to avoid suspicion...? The young one has snapped to consciousness." Despite a grand presence coiling within. I had been proceeding as inconspicuously as possible. That seemed to be the problem. "It's a pity." Indeed, it was disappointing. He had nearly acquired a precious key with ease. While the young man consoled himself over the missed opportunity, a veiled woman slowly approached him, kneeling down. "I greet the Master…." The young man's glaring eyes shifted to the woman. "Muhui." "I've come urgently with important news. Please forgive my intrusion…." Muhui spoke in a pitiful voice, and the young man nodded slightly. It was a signal for her to speak. Muhui cautiously continued. "We have found the Gatekeeper." Instantly. The young man halted completely. Simultaneously, everything around them seemed to freeze in time. Sound. Energy. Even the flowing wind. All ceased. "Heh... heh heh…." Within that silence, only the young man's laughter echoed. Heh heh heh. He laughed as if unable to contain himself. Each laugh rippled through the space, causing fractures to form. "Where?" The earlier regret was quickly forgotten. His vertically slit pupils radiated intimidation. His aura spread around him. "Where did you see the Gatekeeper?" Tremble tremble. Muhui shook violently in the face of the young man's fierce energy. Overwhelmed by fear, she struggled to speak properly. But she had to respond somehow. "...A few... a few days ago. We detected the energy in Taeseong Mountain." "Taeseong Mountain…." It was a mountain not far from Hanam. Upon hearing this, the young man nodded. "Yes…. At last, it's been found." After decades of eluding discovery, the Gatekeeper was located. '...No, that's not quite right.' It was more accurate to say that the Gatekeeper chose to reveal itself. The young man slowly rose to his feet. Crack. Each movement he made seemed to echo with destruction. Opening and closing his hands, he displayed a hint of dissatisfaction. 'Insignificant and wretched as this is, it is my best option for now.' Compared to his true form, this human shell was less than a speck of dust. Yet there was no alternative for the moment. At least not until he regained his 'body' and 'energy.' "Muhui." "Yes, Master." "I'm going for a short stroll. Inform Tianyan (天眼) in the meantime." "...Understood." "And." The young man’s blood-red gaze turned to one of the walls. There stood someone with eyes shut. "Prepare to move." The young man, the Blood Demon, spoke with a grin. Sssss. "Yes." The young master of the Peng family, Peng Woo-jin, opened his eyes and nodded.