859 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 859: The World's Greatest Friend [Aaaargh--!!!] The Heavenly Golden Sect Leader screamed as flames engulfed his face. Staggering back in sudden agony, he desperately tried to rid himself of the flames clinging to his skin. [Uuugh--!!] The fire refused to die down easily. It seemed like his skin was going to be completely consumed by the fire. Unable to withstand the pain, he rolled on the ground. Whether his efforts helped or not, the flames gradually subsided. "Damn... this..." The heat lingered, smoke emanating from his charred face. He rose, covering his face. At that moment. "Just lie down." A voice echoed. The Heavenly Golden Sect Leader looked up at the sound. "That's where worms belong." With those chilling words, scorching darkness once again enveloped his face. Fwwoosh--!! [Aaaargh---!!!] A scream louder than before erupted from him. This time, he couldn't even move. His face was completely engulfed in flames. [Ugh...!!] Struggling wildly, his body thrashed. The intense heat engulfed his skin. He tried desperately to escape, but his body wouldn't obey. "You're burning slowly for a worm." The voice was low, devoid of any rhythm. Even amidst the agony, the chilling voice gave him goosebumps. He felt nothing—no emotion—yet it was filled with a killer aura. How could such a contradiction exist? He couldn't understand. Moreover— [How... did you... use flames...?] This being who couldn't even handle fire techniques before, suddenly unleashed these violent black flames. Was he hiding his true power? If so, for what reason? What was the point of hiding his powers all this time and revealing them now, in such a drastic manner? Though he couldn't comprehend the absurd situation— [Uuugh!!] There was no time to ponder. It was all he could do to endure the pain. As he watched the Heavenly Golden Sect Leader suffer, Gu Yangcheon spoke. "Are you in pain?" His voice was genuinely curious. "Does this mere thing torment you?" […Ugh…!!] Forcing himself, the Heavenly Golden Sect Leader gathered his energy and moved a finger. The distant swords responded, launching towards Gu Yangcheon. Swish---!!! Four swords pierced through the air in an instant. To this, Gu Yangcheon merely shifted his gaze. As he looked at the swords, he whispered quietly. [Stop.] -!!!! Clang-! Clang, clang-! With a single word, the flying swords lost their momentum and crashed to the ground. [Guh--!!] The Heavenly Golden Sect Leader didn't even have time to marvel at the inexplicable scene. "So pathetic." The flames that had engulfed his face vanished in an instant. And then— Crack--!! [Aaaargh--!!] His arm twisted at an unnatural angle. It bent so severely that the bone threatened to break through the skin. [...You...bastard-!!] Through the blinding pain, the Heavenly Golden Sect Leader glared defiantly at Gu Yangcheon. His scorched skin, fortunately, began to regenerate. The speed of his healing was increasing. He knew it too. The power contained in the inner pearl was swiftly spreading through his body. He just needed to endure a little more. Just a little longer and he could become a complete being. Assessing the situation, the Heavenly Golden Sect Leader gathered his strength. However— "Such a pitiful thing." Even as he watched the Heavenly Golden Sect Leader's struggles, Gu Yangcheon remained unchanged. His contemptuous eyes looked down as if observing an insect. If there was any slight change from before, it was the mix of another emotion in his previously deep gaze. The Heavenly Golden Sect Leader identified this emotion as— "I don't like those eyes of yours." He interpreted it as scorn. Gu Yangcheon gouged out the left eye of the struggling Heavenly Golden Sect Leader. **************** Hurrryyy---!!! A tidal wave surged forth, sweeping across the ground, exerting dominance over a vast area. Strengthening my legs, I pushed off with a thud-!! Increasing speed, I moved away from the tidal wave. That enormous creature, even with its size, had incredible speed. Running away with average speed was impossible. I had to sprint with all I had. Even a glancing blow would be fatal. Because that tidal wave was not just any ordinary wave. 'It's crazy hot.' It was entirely composed of black flames, like an enormous entity chasing to melt everything in its path. "This is nuts." I couldn't believe it. Dodge after dodge, incredulity flooded my mind. Who on earth hurls something like that? "That's why skills don’t improve." Firing such brute-force techniques doesn't improve skill, only increases firepower. Now it was crystal clear where the problem lay. "...It's insanely terrifying..." Having experienced it firsthand, the feeling was completely different. Colossal flames in the form of a wave were charging at me. How could one not be terrified of this? Now I understood the fearful eyes people had cast at me. They looked at me as if I were a monster, seeing the way I had wiped out villages or incinerated countless foes on the battlefield with nonchalance. That reaction was justified. That was sheer madness. 'Damn it.' Frowning, I glanced behind me. Above the continuing tidal wave, someone stood. That very black flame idiot. Seeing that, I frowned. He wasn’t even showing signs of exhaustion. In fact, I seemed to be the only one exhausted. My abilities might have improved since then, yet why was I the only one tiring? As before, this was entirely due to the form of the fire techniques used. 'The efficiency is too low.' Although I mastered the Twin Flaming Dance, my body’s foundation was still rooted in Guyeomhwarangong. Not all moves, but its core was foundational. This included my movement techniques. Centering on firepower, it amplifies to boost my body’s speed. Based on that, movement techniques were executed, but with fire techniques blocked, problems arose. 'Not fast enough.' Specifically, achieving my original speed required much more energy. 'Darn.' Does missing out on one martial technique lead to this situation? Frustration simmered. 'No, that’s wrong. Missing one martial technique usually means certain death.' The fact that I could do as much as I could was due to the odd nature of my body. Normally, it wouldn't be surprising if I'd been defeated long ago. The issue was. ‘What good is understanding that now?’ There was no comfort in this realization. It provided no help whatsoever. What use was knowing this if it couldn't be used immediately? Fwoosh-! "Tsk." I felt the heat looming right behind me. The distance seemed significantly narrower. Running further was pointless. I had realized this long ago. Moreover. 'That guy... he's not even going all out.' That damned bastard was toying with me on purpose. I knew because I've been there. If he wanted to, if he really desired, he could make this tidal wave twice as fast and twice as massive. 'Damn bastard.' That fact infuriated me. Thud-! I halted my running legs and twisted my waist. Energy surged, concentrating into my body—especially my fists. Twin Flaming Dance. Second Form: Battle Intent Heaven Fist. A tempest made of fighting spirit collided with the tidal wave. Boom---!!! A colossal hole opened in the approaching wave. I didn't fully block it. There was too much of a difference in the level of energy being used. 'Twin Flaming Dance has its limits when it comes to firepower.' No matter how much my firepower has increased, the Twin Flaming Dance is fundamentally about compression. It meant that trying to add more power would lower its quality. So, this was the best I could do. 'Besides, I wasn't planning to block it entirely to begin with.' If I had intended to block, this wouldn't have been the way. This was merely to create an opening. To pause the tidal wave briefly and change the enemy's behavior. As expected, the enemy moved according to my predictions. He hovered slightly above the halted wave. I saw him raise his hand. Fwooooosh---!!! The tidal wave underneath surged violently. Then, it slowly began to ascend into the air. Witnessing all that fire rising to the sky was astonishing. 'Seeing it in person, it's truly impressive.' That's how such a ridiculous nickname sticks. Such thoughts crossed my mind. No matter how you look at it, it was a majestic sight. The rising flames gradually consumed the sky, with the enemy’s fingertips at its center. What was he planning? I already knew the answer. Fwoooosh---!!! All that fire absorbed into his hand. Slowly, it began to form a shape. A large, black orb. Seeing the fully formed entity, I furrowed my brow. Great Fiery Orb. A mere glance at that monstrous mass of energy made me shiver. But that wasn’t the reason I frowned. 'To use it in such a way... what a foolish man.' How could the compression be so poor? Even with that massive concentration of energy, it was merely of that level. Let alone, the rotation? To my eyes, it held no meaning. The compression critical to a Fiery Orb, the rotation needed to maintain it. In his orb, there was no intent, just a shape. 'It's embarrassing.' I genuinely felt ashamed. 'To have used something like that and called it martial arts.' The words of Pejoration. No, Noya's words came to mind. - Any martial art devoid of belief is just a fancy swing. Kid, what sort of belief does your martial art hold? Back then, what did I answer? I couldn’t remember. It was probably something insignificant. And then… 'I was the same back then.' Moments I'd rather forget. At the end of those memories was this man. I clenched my fist. Unable to use fire techniques. It didn’t matter. Unlike before, I had learned many other things. Thud---!!! The colossal black flame orb burned. With it finally complete, he moved his hands slowly. He intended to drop it on me. In response, I did a short hip twist. A slight recoil resonated in my shoulder. The movement was minimal. Recently, I realized something…. 'It doesn't need to be grand as long as it gets the job done.' I've come to understand the efficient use of one's body lately. Thump. My short punch struck air. At that moment. Craccck---!!! […]! His chest caved in as bone shattered. He had been struck by the Heart Fist. I saw blood spraying from his mouth. Had it landed correctly? Narrowing my eyes, his body began to fall to the ground. Thump-! Finally, his body rolled onto the floor. I quickly approached him. [Cough.] Drawing near, I saw him coughing blood while staring at me with vacant eyes. It was a strange feeling, seeing my face down like that. Was he slowly dying? I could feel his vision turning hazy and his breath unsteady. “Damn, this is exhausting.” Having expended considerable energy, my own breath was heavy. Grabbing his collar, I spoke. "Who the hell are you?" […] "What exactly are your intentions, damn it?" Why was he so intent on annihilating me? I couldn’t fathom it. "Why do you keep causing trouble for me…?" […Did you bring the answer?] "What?" I frowned at his words. "What did you say?" [The answer from before... did you bring it?] "The answer?" With those words, my narrowed eyes recalled. - Why are you still alive? The question he had persistently asked every time he saw me. I remembered it. "Ha." A hollow laugh escaped me. "Why are you curious about that? Why does it matter if I’m alive or not? So what, should I just be dead?" [Yes.] “…This guy?” [You are not worth keeping alive.] "You keep saying harsh things. Are you insane?" Who are you to decide? I wanted to retort, but the words wouldn't come. Noticing this, he spoke with his fading eyes. [It seems you haven’t decided on an answer yet. Then, let me ask another.] “You won't answer my questions but keep throwing yours….” [Why didn’t you kill me?] "..." My eyes twitched involuntarily. [Earlier, you could have killed me. Why didn’t you?] He was right. With the Heart Fist strike earlier, had I aimed for the heart or head instead of the chest, it could’ve ended swiftly. But knowing that, the reason I didn’t was…. “Well, I wanted to ask you something….” [Your excuses are amusing.] He laughed. It was the first time. [You once fought so desperately claiming you had reasons to leave, but what shakes you now that you've reached this point?] He chuckled, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth with each laugh. [You're afraid.] His voice echoed in my ears. [You're afraid of erasing the current me. That's why you ultimately lost the earlier fight.] "..." I needed to deny it outright. But once again, my mouth refused to open. [Eager to forget me, yet you still stand where I exist.] I tightened my grip on his collar. [Isn't that so?] "Jeez, you're a chatty one." [You've grown dull. You've become far too dull.] I spoke to him, suppressing my irritation. "So what? What's your point? You're just someone about to die soon." In the middle of my sentence, I widened my eyes. Something was strange. The eyes that were losing their focus and life suddenly seemed filled with strength. His ragged breathing had returned to normal, and the blood had stopped flowing. The moment I realized it— Fwoosh---! "…Damn it." I raised my gaze, sensing the heat increasing. [That has become your downfall.] The fiery orb he created earlier had not disappeared. It was now descending upon me. It was too late to dodge. I hurriedly enveloped my body in energy. BOOOOOOOM!!!!! The explosion swept me away. "Urgh!" The blast flung my body through the air. Only after rolling on the ground multiple times did I manage to stop. "Ugh…." The aftermath of the explosion was no joke. I barely managed to protect my body with energy, but the backlash hit me hard, making me cough blood this time. "...Wow, what a cheat." I looked at him, suppressing the pain. When exactly did he plan this out? He had drawn my attention by pretending to fall after my attack, taking the opportunity to land a blow with the fiery orb. So, had he planned it from the moment he created that orb? Whatever it was, it was a sly method. Especially since it was a strategy I often used. "Ugh..." I staggered to my feet, despite the injuries I sustained. The damage wasn't negligible, but it wasn’t too severe either. Since I hadn't taken a direct hit. However, that was not because I evaded well…. "That damn guy keeps holding back?" He had intentionally aimed narrowly. Fwoosh. Just like before, he was hovering in the air, looking down at me from above. [Just to be clear, do not misunderstand.] Fwoosh---!! The black flames emitted from his body began to surround him, resembling the shape of wings. [If this is like before, you will die. And then.] The wings he formed quickly tore through the air. [I will take your place.] Fwooooosh---!!!! All the torn pieces transformed into fiery orbs. The situation had escalated, and I needed to find a way to counter his attacks, knowing that he was preparing for something more aggressive. My thoughts swirled as I readied myself for what was to come next.