1003 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Kwoooom---!!!! An overwhelming force erupted. Yusa's tail grew larger, and light flickered in his torn pupils. The air distorted under the malevolent force he was emitting. The aura mixed with Yusa's presence was taking on a specific shape around him, forming what appeared to be the silhouette of a beast. The shadow that had been flickering madly now seemed to settle. Watching it quietly, Yusa spoke as if prompted by my previous words. “Regret?” He looked at me and declared, “I am Yusa, General of the Myriad Worlds.” Crunch-!! With a step, the ground beneath Yusa crumbled, not from sheer force, but rather from being unable to withstand his weight. “Those who oppose me meet death as mere prey. That includes—” He bowed his head slightly. I braced my heart in response. “You as well!” Kwah---!!! Yusa charged toward me. Fwooom----!!! In an instant, I enveloped myself in flames. The verdant beast collided with the azure blaze. * * * Kwahhhh---!!! The explosion resounded. Forces collided, wrecking everything around us. Rawwwr---!!! The beast's roar crushed the ground. What was once rock fragmented and shattered like soft tofu under the pressure and raging winds. Fwooom---!!! The flames I released were carried by the fierce winds, soaring high. Bang! Crash! The energies clashed with violent force, beginning their battle. Swoosh-!! I evaded a sudden strike, maneuvering with bursts of fire to dodge the assault. Swoosh swoosh---!!! Ripping through the air, more attacks came, and with each dodge, I realized there was no opening to counter. ‘Hmm.’ Fast and strong; the energy Yusa was sending my way was relentless. The sheer number was staggering. Dodging continuously wore me down as I barely kept pace with the onslaught. ‘What should I do?’ Caught in the barrage, I pondered my options. There were many ways to counter it. Specifically, using 'Myeong' to halt it was a simple solution. ‘Not yet.’ I refrained from using it too soon, purely out of stubbornness. ‘I haven't verified it yet.’ How far can I go against him with the transcendent state I've reached? I wanted to test my limits. Having attained transcendence. I desired to see what my evolved state could achieve against an opponent of this caliber. It seemed that a general was comparable to the likes of the Trinity (Samjon), the revered absolute beings of the Central Plains and the Heavenly Outside. I wanted to know if, as a transcendent being, solely using my martial prowess, I could contend with someone of that stature. Thus. ‘I’ll seal off any additional powers.’ Power such as Myeong, my surnamed origin, and even demonic qi. Excluding all these, I intended to face Yusa using only my intrinsic strength. Crunch. I evaded another slash. ‘Seems quite furious.’ A smile crept onto my face as I sensed Yusa's rising anger. ‘Understandable, considering the confusion he's facing.’ In truth, it's a slight pity. This wasn’t how I intended to fight him. ‘I did plan to fight him someday, but not now.’ A bit later. Ideally, near the endgame, was when I’d hoped to engage him. ‘Things got tangled.’ The situation had turned chaotic. My ascent in power, resulting in Baek Saek’s death, was one issue. The absence of his master was another critical factor. Irrespective of prior incidents, Yusa’s explosive temper was more volatile than I had anticipated. Circumstances being as they are. The frustration stemming from various blockades, his subordinate's demise, indecisiveness concerning his master, and an ignorant fool continually provoking him— It’s no wonder Yusa couldn’t hold back his explosion of rage. ‘To think it would happen so easily.’ I didn’t expect a general to be swayed with such ease. I assumed it would need much further provocation. ‘Hmm.’ I would have liked to utilize him more. Yet, unable to do so was disappointing. ‘Time isn’t in my favor, either.’ To carry out my plans one by one meticulously wasn’t feasible given my current situation. Thus, despite some risks, I decided to push forward. His reaction, in this context, was welcome. Though. ‘The risk level has significantly increased, which is an issue.’ I rolled my eyes to gauge the situation. Slashes no longer flew my way. The ground churned and disrupted, with dust clouds blinding my view. Seeing this, I focused my vision. I opened my mind to assess the scenario. Thunk-! Something pierced the dust and attempted to seize my face. I narrowly dodged. But then. Crrrrk---!!! What seemed a decoy attack, Yusa sprang through the air. His tail gripped my ankle, and restricted as I was, he swung his fist toward me. Clang-!!! The impact hurled my body forcefully onto the ground. Kwahhh---!!! The assault was unending. There was barely a moment to feel the shock, compelling me to rise swiftly. Rawwrrrr---!! Yusa appeared, signaling the commencement of hand-to-hand combat. My eyes continually analyzed his movements, countering each one individually. Thud-! Thud thud-! Each collision of limbs echoed like clashing steel. Their potency was no joke. ‘Man, this hurts.’ Even shrouded in vigorous energy, every impact splintered, shattering like a weak nutshell. Despite only being a general, his destructive force was considerable. ‘And this isn’t even at night.’ The full manifestation of the Moonlight Tribe’s power is yet to come. When the moon rises, how much more will it amplify? That curiosity mingled with apprehension. Boom-! In the midst of exchanging blows, I subtly evaded and twisted my waist. I extended my palm backward, and— Fwooom---!!! Flames coalesced into a distinct shape. Forming an Ignition Pearl, it swiftly transformed into a Flame Spear. Upon reaching transcendence, the speed and precision of my casting had dramatically improved. What once required considerable time could now be accomplished almost instantaneously if I set my mind to it. I aimed the spear point directly at him and launched it. Scree! Like slicing through air, the blazing spear flew towards his torso but— Growl-!! Crack!! ‘Huh.’ He simply raised a hand and caught the spear. The flames wrapped around his arm. The intense compression and rotation should have torn through skin and flesh upon contact, yet he had simply stopped it. And then. “Ha!” With his other fist, he aimed directly for my face. ‘Tch!’ Clicking my tongue in irritation, I released the energy from the spear. Rather than retracting it, I triggered an explosion. Boom---!!! Such a close-range detonation would harm me as well, but this wasn’t the time to worry about casualties. As the spear exploded, I concentrated solely on the energy dispersing outward, disregarding the backlash. Even if I suffered damage, it was my own energy. I gathered the flames floating in the air. Dozens of Ignition Pearls formed. I hurled them at Yusa without hesitation. Crash---!!! They rained down like meteors. Spotting the incoming threat, Yusa crouched momentarily. “Raaaaargh---!!!” He roared fiercely, releasing an explosive surge of energy. Even though it was a simple emission from his body, the immense force snuffed out the Pearls before they could reach him. The azure flames burst like fireworks in the sky. ‘Hah.’ The mere roar had such an effect. It elicited unintended admiration from me. Yet, it wasn’t the time to be leisurely impressed. “Grr!” He charged at me, claws bared, cloaked in an ominous aura. The hand he used to catch the spear had long since regenerated. Crunch-!!! His claws sliced through the ground. Having evaded the body, his tail swung toward me. It swelled, revealing its massive size. This time, there was no escaping. The sheer size made dodging almost impossible. ‘I have to parry.’ If I couldn’t dodge, I had to deflect it. I launched my clenched fist, spewing flames. Nine Flames Scorching Assault. The vibrant flames surged toward his tail. The fire coiled around it, halting its advance. “Grr!” The flames seemed to cause him pain. Although his expression showed agony, his actions merely paused briefly. Shing-!! His claws grazed across my torso. The attack I couldn't block had landed. ‘Tsk.’ Swallowing a groan, I created distance. It wasn’t a fatal wound, and the damage wasn’t too deep. Fwoosh-! Yusa extinguished the flames clinging to him with his energy. Wiping off the trickling blood casually, I faced him. We locked eyes, and he frowned at me. “What is it?” He wore an expression full of doubts. “You’re weaker than I thought. Are you holding back your strength?” Weaker than expected. I clicked my tongue inside at his remark. Although I hadn’t gone all out, it seemed he wasn’t satisfied with my current display. “Hmm.” His doubt turned into suspicion. Was I really holding back my strength? If so, why was I doing it? Or perhaps I wasn’t hiding my power; maybe I was just weaker than him. His doubt was evident on his face. Not entirely off the mark. In truth, I was indeed attempting to appear stronger. But. ‘Half-right and half-wrong.’ Though I might be weaker than anticipated, as he suspected. I was indeed concealing my power. ‘Apparently, this isn’t enough.’ Just maintaining an adequate level wasn’t sufficient. I was in danger of being overwhelmed instead. So I decided to take a step further. Whoooosh---!!! Channeling energy with a tight grip on my heart, I heightened my aura. Immediately, there was a change in the sky. The sky, which had been slowly darkening, rapidly turned a deep blue. Although this change only affected a certain range, it was undoubtedly apparent. This was the result of my actions. Azure Sky. I used my energy to establish a domain. Under the now cerulean sky, the air's temperature surged. Moreover. Vrrrmmmm---!!! At the center of the Azure Sky, energy accumulated, forming a sphere akin to a rising sun. Radiant Ascension. This was another hidden technique of the Nine Flames Wheel Technique. I had crafted a sky and raised a sun, creating a perfect domain. Yusa’s eyes darted around, bewildered by the changing situation. Watching him, I clenched my fists. Radiant Ascension was essentially a power that focused the presence of the caster like a gemstone. It could even amplify presence to its extremity through transformation. ‘With this.’ Even Yusa, despite his heightened senses, would be momentarily distracted. That was my rationale for this casting. As Radiant Ascension fully manifested, I was prepared to unleash its power upon Yusa. But then. Pause! ‘Hmm…?’ I became momentarily rigid. ‘What?’ Something felt amiss. Was it a delusion? My body somehow felt different. An uneasy sensation caught me off guard at that moment. “Grr!” Yusa, regaining his senses, charged at me. Reacting instinctively, I moved. Yes, it was instinctual. Thud-! “Ugh!?” Only realizing moments later, my fist was embedded in Yusa’s solar plexus. The moment my punch landed, he was violently flung and scraped across the ground. ‘What… happened?’ Why did the attack land so effortlessly just now? Moments ago, I struggled to even touch him. I examined my hands with bewildered eyes. Then I understood the strange sensation I had felt moments ago. Why…? ‘…Have I tapped into the Moonlight Tribe’s power?’ My body had inexplicably shifted into the Moonlight Tribe’s form. Despite crafting ears and a tail through sorcery, I could tell the difference. This was an undeniable transformation. ‘The moon isn’t even fully risen, so how?’ As suspicion arose, a thought suddenly struck my mind. ‘Could it be.’ I tilted my head back to gaze at the sky. There in the sky was a force reminiscent of the sun I had conjured, or perhaps a mysterious power akin to the moon. Radiant Ascension hung in the firmament, radiating its light. --- Comments --- **Hideto 2024.10.18 17:59** It’s just like the Saiyans in Dragon Ball, transforming into giant monkeys after creating an artificial moon. Haha! 0 **hwawol72 2024.10.23 11:58** Could it be a technique Gu Cheolwoon developed for his mother?! 0 **Yeon Woo 2024.10.30 08:44** But if an artificial moon has an effect, wouldn’t it also apply to Yusa? 0 --- Only logged-in members can post comments. --- Weekly Best Adult BL/GL - Abandoned 6★ heroes harbor obsession +411 - Survival as a wizard in a magic academy +2142 - Freed slaves cling to their liberator +713 - It's an apocalypse, but it's way too easy for me +294 - Double agent in the Heavenly Demon Cult +745 - Genius Potion Mage +1436 - My skill tooltips are abnormal +217 - Became a necromancer in a zombie world +488 - Genius Predator of a Ruined World +169 - The Top Martial Artist’s Childhood Friend +15010 - Infinite Evolution Hunter +511 - Mistaken for a Genius Strategist +1712 - Top Ranker has assets worth 100 trillion +2813 - Became the Goddess of a New World +1514 - Dr. Maeng wants big ears +3715 - Life is easy when you’re good-looking +4916 - Dark Fantasy Normalization +2817 - Correction of the Villainess in the Academy +9018 - I want to be a Virtuber +6319 - The Underworld King is Tired +6220 --- New --- + More **New 🌜GUBBAM🌛** What are you all doing up at this hour... 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