898 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

After flying for a considerable time—exhausting every ounce of strength and sending sparks cascading through the air—a full shichen had passed. "Huff... Huff..." The sound of labored breathing and the cold sweat beginning to form compelled me to halt. "...Hah." As soon as I stopped, my breath burst out in ragged gasps. Perhaps it was the backlash from pushing myself to fly as swiftly as I could. 'It's worse than the journey from Sichuan to Henan, isn't it?' Back then, even after flying non-stop for two days, I managed, but now even a single shichen had left me feeling worn out. Honestly, in this state, I could probably manage just one more day. 'But definitely not two.' Perhaps it was because my body felt lighter due to the energy lingering in the air. The increase in power coupled with my failure to control it was the cause. 'But still, thanks to that...' I turned around to survey the distance I'd covered. 'My speed was probably double the usual.' How far could I have flown? I couldn't even fathom the distance—it was undeniably fast. 'Will this be enough?' I had flown north for a shichen, guided by an instinctive choice after hearing what Kkuring said. "I'm still unsure if this was the right decision." Choosing Kkuring over my mother at that moment—was that truly the correct choice? Even as I continued to think about it throughout the journey here. 'Well, what's done is done.' The dust had already settled, so I had to decide what to do next, rather than dwelling on the past. I glanced to my side. Beside me stood Cheonma. Realizing that I was still holding her wrist, I quickly released it. "Ah." Cheonma reacted to my action but didn't appear tired at all. 'She wasn't exhausted after such a distance?' If even I, who flew at such speed, was tired, then why was she perfectly fine? '...Is the difference in skill that vast?' Though it seemed odd, there was no time to dwell on such matters at the moment, so I decided to let it go for now. I heightened my senses. Whoosh---!!! Energy rapidly spread out, scanning the surroundings. Fortunately, nothing unusual was detected. The issue was— 'I can’t feel anything.' Unusually, there wasn’t even a hint of presence. Normally, one would sense even the tiny movements of insects in the greenery or the presence of wildlife. But there was nothing. The complete absence of any sensation was jarring and unusual. 'What is all this?' The more I looked, the less I understood. I was aware that this wasn't the mainland, nor was it even the same world. So where exactly was this? That was crucial to me. I calmed my mind, recalling previous events. The scenario where Kkuring and my mother were in conflict. Although I didn't know why they fought, the fact that my mother had appeared here was significant. 'My mother also claimed to be the ruler of this world.' Mu Ah had said so. The world’s name was undoubtedly— ‘Man Gye.’ Both Blood Demon and Mu Ah had mentioned this world. Though I'm unsure of its nature, it seemed similar to certain locations on the mainland. This implies— ‘The world beyond the Demonic Gate.’ This place was purportedly the world beyond the Demonic Gate. ‘…Does it normally feel like this?’ Even if it does, it felt peculiarly peaceful. In stark contrast to the world Mu Ah inhabited, this place was teeming with life—forests and flowers abounded, a vitality present. ‘Of course, I can't feel any other living beings.’ That was certainly odd, but even so— ‘This is my mother’s world.’ Accurately, the world she resides over. "What do I do now?" Suddenly, my thoughts hit a wall, abruptly severing. "Damn." My mind wasn’t functioning smoothly. Most likely due to the recent events. “…Mother.” The image of my mother subjugating Kkuring still lingered in my mind. With the ears of a beast rather than a human. The tail, stark white, standing upright in the air. An existence and form that could never be mistaken for human. ‘The unusual energy I sensed.’ The reason I chose to listen to Kkuring’s advice and escape. Though I recognized her as my mother, an inexplicable foreboding of danger arose while watching her. That place was perilous. I had to flee immediately. My instincts were screaming. "Tsk." What in the world happened? I pondered continuously, but the questions remained unanswered. “Are you alright?” Cheonma asked, concerned about me as she watched. I didn’t meet her gaze, merely releasing a sigh. “Don’t fret.” “But.” “It’s just a minor annoyance.” I turned my attention back northward once more. ‘What should I do from here?’ I had come north following the guidance, but— ‘If there’s nothing caught within my senses, then what are the options?’ Why was I advised to head north? Having arrived, all I found was an endless expanse of wilderness. ‘Should I proceed further?’ Would something emerge if I went a bit farther? As it stands, it felt absurdly far already. “Damn it.” I furrowed my brow. I needed information to discern anything. But I had no method, no understanding—just a rising tide of frustration. ‘Would it be better to go back now?’ Should I return to where my mother was? If I'm completely at a loss, perhaps that’s the better option. Such thoughts crossed my mind. “Ah, damn it.” No matter what angle I approached it from, no answers emerged promptly. In frustration, I tousled my hair. What to do? How could I possibly navigate through this cursed situation? While I was engrossed in such thoughts— Sssss. “…Hmm?” A peculiar sensation emerged. I immediately looked up at the sky. And in that moment— Screeeech-! "Huh, what the hell?" Suddenly, the sky tore open to reveal a crimson Demonic Gate. Not just one, but dozens. Dozens of these gates began filling the sky. "What on earth?" What kind of absurd situation is this now? I narrowed my eyes, heightening my vigilance. [ I've found you. ] A deep voice resonated in my ears. [ A filthy dragon has been discovered. Commence the hunt. ] "What?" Dragon? Hunt? Just as those words twisted my face into a grimace. [ ROAAAAR---!! ] With a fierce outcry, something began pouring out of the Demonic Gates. Thud-! Thud thud thud thud---!! [ ROAAAAR---!!! ] 'Demons?' Surprisingly, what rained down towards the ground where I stood were demons. Monsters that began to fill the area at an alarming rate. I narrowed my eyes as I took stock of them. They were an entirely new type of demon I had never seen before. Moreover, 'Their colors are different.' Unlike the typical demons who appear in shades of green, blue, red, and white, these creatures were all varied in color. Some bore gray fur, others had orange—colors quite different from what I was accustomed to. ‘And their appearances—unlike anything I've seen.’ Most had the heads of beasts and bodies of humans. Though beast-like demons were common, this was entirely new. 'What are these things?' I was momentarily bewildered by these unfamiliar entities when— [ Your lord's words were true. ] BOOOOOOM---!!! A colossal entity dropped from the largest crimson Demonic Gate. The impact sent dust whirling in every direction. [ Truly, a dragon. ] Narrowing my eyes against the rough wind, I looked directly ahead. [ I shall ask you, arrogant and vile creature. ] The thick hostility made my body react instinctively. Whoooosh— Flames engulfed my body as I heightened my stance and shrouded myself in aura. [ You who should have perished with the Dragon Emperor, why have you appeared here? ] As the wind cleared, the owner of the voice emerged. First of all, the creature was immense. Even compared to Elder Il Jang, who was extraordinarily large for a human, this creature was massive—a match announced by its physical constitution. Standing larger than the surrounding demons by at least two or three heads, it possessed a muscular body covered in black fur with the head of a bull. The giant axe wielded in its hand was larger than my entire body. What was even more astonishing was— 'It speaks?' That a demon could articulate in human language. True, like the ogres I encountered in the North Sea and Doldol Yi, they could speak. ‘Moreover, now that I sense it, that creature is...' The intimidating pressure made it clear—a strong foe not to be taken lightly. In terms of martial arts, at least at the Flowering level. Equivalent to a White-level demon in presence. "What are you?" When I spoke, air hissed from the creature's nostrils. Fwoosh! Flames erupted from its nostrils. [ I have no obligation to answer lowly things. Just respond to my inquiry. ] "...This bull-headed bastard sure has a foul way of talking." [ If you refuse to answer, it makes no difference. ] Thud-! The axe in its hand pointed directly at me. [ The outcome will remain the same regardless. ] "Hah." At those words, I enhanced my aura. Whether it spoke or not, the conclusion was predetermined. ‘He planned to kill me from the start.’ I lightly stretched my body and used my eyes to scan the surroundings. Their numbers were substantial. Approaching a hundred at least. This wasn't a mindless chase. “It's actually convenient.” I curled the corners of my mouth into a smile, considering their numbers. “Just when I was running low on people to interrogate.” Clenching my fist tightly, I felt power surge into it. “You can answer questions well, can't you? I have plenty to ask. If you stutter later, you're dead meat.” [...] At my brimming power-filled declaration, the bull demon snorted again. [ As expected. ] BOOOOOOM---!!! Its massive muscles twisted, veins bulging outward. [ Dragons are always arrogant. ] "I hear that one a lot." With those words, I summoned my power to the maximum. Whooosh---!!! Intense azure flames erupted from every part of my body, billowing outwards violently. Whoooosh—!!!! [ GYAAAA—!! ] [ KROOAR---!! ] Caught in the inferno, the demons screeched. Those near me incinerated, leaving no trace. The downside, perhaps, was that not many were caught in it. [ Devour him. ] At the bull demon's command, all surrounding demons converged on my location. I immediately extended my hand in response. Elemental Wheel. The azure flames rotated and expanded outward. Like before, but these demons pressed forward through the fire, not burning as effortlessly. ‘They have high resistance.’ These are not ordinary foes. In that case— Tightly. I clenched my fist. The sparks out in the air froze in place mid-motion. Whoosh---!!! Each spark transformed into a flame orb. Dozens of flame orbs floated in the sky. With a slight movement of my fingers, I set them into motion. Swoooosh---!!! The flame orbs quickly spun, spreading their radius. BOOOOOM! BOOOOOM---!!! As demons were struck by the rapid-moving orbs, explosions rang out. [ KIEEEE—!! ] [ GRAAAH---!! ] The demons, resistant to the flames, succumbed to the blasts, bursting apart. The backlash of the flames ignited the ground. Suddenly, the entire area became a sea of flames. Although more than half of their force remained, it spoke volumes of how quickly half had perished. ‘It’s been a while, and it feels somewhat refreshing.’ Frankly, it’s a bit gratifying. Given my power, designed for mass slaughter, this is my area of expertise. As the remaining flame orbs continued to move, I gathered more flames in my other hand. Reshaping and reconstructing them—a flaming spear emerged. Once amplified to the utmost degree— “Hup!” I launched it with all my might. The spear flew straight, piercing through demons until it reached its target. Directly at the bull demon. Its purpose was to deliver a potent blow. Yet. Crunch-!! BOOOOOM---!! “Hm?” The bull demon grabbed the flying spear and crushed it with its bare hands. The resulting explosion reverberated through the air. "...Is this creature insane?" I stared in disbelief at the scene before me. [How unexpected.] Surprisingly, the bull demon spoke to me as if nothing had happened. I wondered if my attack hadn't affected him at all, but that wasn't the case. I could see that its arm, the one that had grabbed the spear, had been completely blown off by the explosion—nearly up to the shoulder. However, Crack-! "...!" Bones and flesh began to regenerate in the creature's hand, and in no time, it was fully restored. 'Regenerative powers, seriously?' An utterly baffling regeneration ability. It was almost reminiscent of when I faced the ogres. [It is rare to see a whelp use its powers so skillfully... How fascinating.] "Who's the fascinating one here?" [It seems I underestimated you. I'll apologize.] The demon that had been standing still walked forward. Suddenly, the growling demons around us fell silent as if they were mice caught in a trap. [I am Du Ryeong.] "..." [From now on, I will kill you.] It was a simple, direct declaration. However— Rumble---!!! The pressure emanating from the bull demon was proof that this was no idle threat. 'This is bad.' This pressure was on an entirely different level. Far surpassing that which one would feel from the top ten fighters. ‘This is going to be troublesome.’ It seemed I would have to utilize everything at my disposal. ‘And he's not alone.’ Handling such a creature while dealing with the remaining forces? It's not good. The only slight relief—or perhaps a small streak of fortune—was that— ‘I have Cheonma on my side.’ Cheonma was by my side. I turned my head slightly to find her. She stood behind me, silently watching the sky. “Hey. Stop just standing there and help out a little….” “They've arrived.” Her words made me frown. “They've arrived.” “What’s arrived? Instead of making ambiguous comments, come help—” “Something strong has arrived.” “What?” What on earth did she mean? Ultimately, I followed her gaze into the sky. “…There really is something up there?” Indeed, there was something. Suspended in the heavens just beneath the moon, something was hovering. What is that? Attempting to discern it, I squinted. Then, it came into focus. “Huh…?” In awed confusion, I muttered to myself. What floated in the sky was unmistakably a human. An individual observing us with a dignified posture, hands clasped behind their back. Though the details were hazy, the figure appeared tall. Dressed in pristine white martial attire with white hair and a beard, it was evident the figure was an elderly man. Frankly, those details were irrelevant. Seeing another human in this place wasn't the pressing matter. What mattered to me was— ‘That…’ The attire that the old man wore. The emblem embossed upon that tunic. White martial robes embroidered with petals—garb worn only by a single sect in the central plains. Recognizing it, my expression became slack-jawed. "Cluck, cluck." The old man in the sky chuckled softly as he spoke. "Still as unsightly as ever, I see." With those words, the scent of plum blossoms carried through the air.