860 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

The sky, lit up, was dotted with black stars, numbering in the dozens. Each one was a compressed flame filled with immense stakes. One could indeed call them stars without exaggeration. He raised the corners of his mouth as he viewed the thickly laid comets. "...That lunatic..." Absolutely unbelievable. Even after unleashing such a storm of attacks, that unscathed countenance—it's ridiculous. No, what seems like an unscathed appearance must actually be far from it. "If you were in his shoes, it'd be tough too. Is there really a need to be so prideful?" This was directed at himself. There was no way he couldn't know. "Don't pretend to be fine. It's ludicrous." He steadied his breathing. The damage from the recoil still throbbed painfully. Damn it. Fighting dirty like that. 'Clever.' He's always been crafty like this, but I never expected to be caught off guard. Crack. He adjusted his shoulder to reset a bone. It seemed to have dislocated when he dodged earlier. 'My arm too, and probably a rib.' There were several fractures in his bones. Nothing life-threatening, but it indicated he wasn't in the best condition to move. 'Ssss.' What remained of his strength? He’d exhausted so much of it; surely it must have dwindled somewhat.... ‘No matter the case, with the flame techniques being blocked, I'm at a disadvantage.' Hastily finishing it might sound appropriate, but one must wonder if it's possible to actually end it. Indeed, he had a high level of cultivation, but his opponent hadn't even entered the realm of contemplation. Naturally. That worm of a man could never fathom contemplation. Certainly not with his distorted sense of qualifications. ‘Even in that state, why am I getting pushed back?’ Does it make sense to be this overwhelmed just because the flame techniques are gone? Moreover, I'm beyond being human now. What's causing this retreat? - You've truly become dull. The recollection of his opponent's words struck him. Dullness... could that truly be it? Reflecting on this made him chuckle a bit. ‘So, what? Should I have continued living that way?’ If I'm dulled, does that mean he's sharp? That, I refuse to concede. He wasn't sharp. ’He just masked his deterioration while pretending to be sharp.' If it were a blade, one could say he continued pushing even when aware it was breaking. And so. "Do you wish for me to return to that life?" He grimaced while speaking, and his opponent answered while looking down at him. [That's wrong.] "Then?" [Your complacency, your escape from reality, sickens me. Enough that I want to incinerate it.] Flames flared in the stars. It was starting. "So. Are you planning to take it forcibly because you're displeased? Who do you think you are?" Who exactly are you to do this to me? He didn’t consider the opponent as simply a memory from a past life. Though it appeared so, to dismiss it as merely that seemed odd. "What are you then?" Despite asking numerous times, his opponent's expression didn't change. Exactly the same as at the start. Looking down on him and moving his fingertips. [That answer.] The tip of his thumb pointed downwards. [Discover it yourself.] Dozens of stars descended upon him. Rumble----!!! A burst of meteors. Hundreds of fiery stones aimed at him in an instant. He grounded his feet and shattered them with force. Boom! Boom! Tremendous heat was felt behind him. He didn’t look back. It was hard enough to keep facing forward. In fact, there were too many to dodge entirely. Thud! “Ugh!” One hit his shoulder. And then. Boom! He was engulfed by the explosion. He rotated his body to maintain balance somehow. He couldn’t afford to slow down. His feet kept moving, continuously deflecting the air. Thud! Thud-thud! A portion of the fiery stones exploded with mental energy. He tore away only those nearby to dodge them better. Clearing them entirely would drain his energy away. ‘The front is open, but the left side and above are dangerous.’ Then should he break through straight ahead? ‘No.’ It’s intentionally left open. So. ‘I'll go upwards.’ He crouched his forward-running body and leapt upwards. Even though the sky was still dense with fiery stones, there was a reason for choosing this path. Focusing as he ascended, he released energy within his body: the method of Crescent Moon Technique. Activating his body, his intuitive mind opened simultaneously. He confirmed the way forward. ‘It's tight.’ Still, it’s acceptable. A few hits are manageable. Boom---!! Fiery stones exploded in the space around. Though his body swayed due to the blasts, he didn’t change his path. He confirmed his intended position through intuition. As expected, as he reached this point, dozens of fiery stones fell in front of him. Fortunately. ‘It seems he can’t alter the trajectory of the fiery stones yet.’ Predicting and launching them is possible, but changing their direction once fired seems to be a struggle. ‘That’s because you can't use compression and rotation, you idiot.’ If I could use it now, I’d show you properly. It’s truly vexing. Not being able to win against that idiot just because I can't use a single flame technique. He glanced around. The number of fiery stones nearby had significantly decreased. Originally, this barrage was meant for large-scale slaughter, not for targeting a single opponent. ‘Where is he?’ He sought the hidden foe. With a wide intuition, finding him wasn't difficult. In the first place, the opponent hadn’t even hidden himself. Roar---!!! How could such a massive thing be concealed? “Sigh.” He was airborne to dodge the fiery stones, while the opponent now stood on the ground. And. Roar---!!! Surrounded by intense black flames, the presence was overpowering. The form seemed to be shaping into that of a wolf. An aura steadily growing. He already understood what that meant. Clenching his fist tightly. ‘Being airborne is a bit risky.’ It was hard to maintain balance. Still, he had no choice but to try. The opponent flexed his shoulder as if manipulating the black flames. It wasn't an exceptional martial art. It was simply the Kuyeomtaearang (Clustered Flame Wolf). The attack was not transformed, but rather, a blow that maintained its original meaning. However, the amount of energy contained within was beyond imagination, making it incredibly powerful. Roar---!!! A fiery wolf, its mouth agape, lunged at him. Floating midair, dodging seemed almost impossible, and confronting it head-on was too much of a risk. In that case... 'I’ll pierce through it.' If he couldn't block it or evade it, the only choice was to break through. He imbued the Fierce Azure Sky Art into his clenched fist. Then he compressed it. 'Instead of erasing it entirely, think of piercing a thin hole through.' He focused, intensely concentrated. Just as the wolf was about to reach him. "Haah!" He punched with all his might. With a brilliant flash---!!! He pierced through the fiery wolf, shattering the flames. But the problem was, Before the flames even subsided, his opponent was already charging towards him. He saw the fist coming downward and instinctively swung his own fist to meet it. Boom!!! The collision of fists released an enormous pressure. The block was successful, compressing his qi minimized damage. “Damn it!” The fact that it was mid-air put him at a disadvantage. With no solid ground to brace against, only his body was pushed back from the impact. He fell swiftly to the ground. Boom! He hit the ground hard. No time to endure the pain, he immediately stood up. He needed to ready himself again— Thump-! “Ugh!” Before he could properly rise, his neck was seized. He was lifted off his feet. “Ugh….” The grip on his neck felt intensely hot. Bearing the pain, he glanced downwards. Just like the last time. The same scene from when his heart was pierced. His opponent had seized him by the neck and lifted him, while he looked down on the adversary from his elevated position. It was a tactic he often used to taunt his adversaries, but now he realized the need to refrain. Experiencing it firsthand felt utterly despicable. “…This...bastard...” Despite the grim situation, he couldn't help but laugh. It had been bothering him, but reaching this point, he couldn't remain ignorant. "You... be honest. You're not even slightly worn out, are you?" By this point, even if not completely exhausted, there should've been some fatigue showing. Yet this bastard didn’t even break a sweat. He was convinced. "...As expected. You aren't my past life." What he had suspected was now confirmed. This was not merely a replication of his past powerhouse self. Despite the abundant energy he once possessed, and even in his current inefficient state, it defied all logic. "...Who the hell are you?" This guy was something else. What was it that made him relentlessly attack without relent in such an inferior guise? Unable to comprehend, he voiced his question. [You should already know, though?] The adversary replied, with that characteristically mocking gaze. “…Bastard. If I knew, why would I ask? You think I’d ask if I knew?” [You certainly would. Because you’re that kind of person.] “…What are you talking about?” [Always busy feigning ignorance and escaping. This instance is no different. You should already know what I am.] Feigning ignorance. He whispered those trailing words. [I’ve watched over you for a very long time. Since the moment you were born until now. Even if you don’t know it, you can’t deceive me.] “What?” His eyes widened at the statement. Watched over him since birth? A feeling that he was on the verge of knowing shook his gaze. As he watched his wavering eyes, his opponent continued speaking. [It’s only now, barely, that I’ve come face to face with you. And to find you so contemptible.] His gaze was filled with disdain, just as when they had first met. [Listen well, little demon.] His eyes flinched at the change of address. [Right now, you don’t have the qualifications to hold me.] That’s when realization struck—his opponent’s identity. [This is a time of proving that.] ‘...The Nine Wheels Flame Technique?’ The flame technique that imbued his body with demonic energy. It was that very technique. ****************** Crunch-! Crack. The sound of something breaking and splitting echoed. Crash-! Crack-crack-! Bones were wrenched apart. Flesh scraped the ground, filling the empty space with blood. [Grr...ah.... Uh....] The screams that once rang through the space were absent now. Only the faint breaths remained. The chilling sounds, which had echoed for a long while, [Fuu....ah….] ceased the moment power left the eyes of the Heavenly Golden Sect Leader. The surroundings were already a mess. The Sect Leader’s body was drastically altered from the beginning. A form so grotesque it defied explanation. Yet the most terrifying aspect was that, despite such a state, he wasn't dead and was gradually regenerating. Unconscious but still clinging to life. Even in such a condition, he hadn’t died; it seemed even more bizarre. “…Phew…huck.” Wi Seol-ah, with trembling eyes, looked at the one responsible for the Heavenly Golden Sect Leader's plight. Their task seemingly complete, he rose to meet the gaze of the Sect Leader. Blood stained his hands, and his expression was hard to discern. At that moment. “...!” With his gaze turning toward her, Wi Seol-ah hurriedly raised her sword. Swiiish-! A sharp aura whirled as if she intended to protect Namgung Bia. Namgung Bia, already at her limits from the recoil, appeared to struggle merely to keep her senses intact. Wi Seol-ah bit her lip. Why? Why had she raised her sword? She couldn't understand. The opponent was none other than— “Young Master Gu...” Her most cherished being. Yet even though Wi Seol-ah didn't comprehend her current actions, she didn’t lower her sword. It was instinct. “…Young Master Gu…” Cautiously, she attempted to call out to Gu Yangcheon once more but stopped, narrowing her eyes instead. “…Who are you?” He stood there, violet eyes fixed on Wi Seol-ah. He said nothing. Additionally, no emotion could be detected. Moments passed as they silently locked eyes. “You. Are necessary.” Gu Yangcheon uttered an unexpected line. Hearing these words, Wi Seol-ah found confusion emerging. Attempting to question the meaning. “Yes, you must exist for the present.” His gaze turned toward Namgung Bia behind her. “No matter how I consider it…” Understanding the intent in his gaze and expression, Wi Seol-ah acted decisively. "You're in the way." She swung her sword directly at him. Clang-! "Ugh!" Wi Seol-ah's sword was deflected by Gu Yangcheon's fist. Her hand trembled from the impact. “…!” As she clutched her wrist, the clarity of that moment made Wi Seol-ah certain. Whatever entity wore the guise of Gu Yangcheon, it was sincerely trying to kill Namgung Bia.