1035 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Huff... Huff... Rough breaths echoed in my ears. The enormous figure, for a human at least, incessantly exhaled as it tried to catch its breath. Its violet-hued eyes, piercing through the darkness, were fixated on me. Despite the unsettling sight of its bare body, I paid no heed. I simply locked eyes with it, waiting for the words it would soon unleash. A fleeting moment passed before it spoke. "What have you done?" This creature, once hailed as a general with the head of a bull and the body of a man, was now reduced to this. "The question is," it rasped, "what exactly have you done to me...?!" A thunderous roar followed, shaking the surroundings. Despite the intensity of its voice, a mere tilt of my head was all I offered in response. The reason was clear. 'Weakened.' Its power had considerably diminished. Compared to our previous battle, it was but half of what it used to be. I glanced at the sky. The moon was still shining overhead. Confirming this, I moved swiftly. Slash-! "Gah!?" Blood splattered as I slashed the creature's chest deeply. A grimace of pain distorted its face. In that moment, Ssssss--!!! Warmth seeped from the wound before it began to heal at an impressive speed. 'Tsk.' Even as I observed the rapid healing, I couldn't help but click my tongue in disappointment. 'Even its immortality is waning?' Its regenerative ability seemed weaker compared to before. I contemplated severing an arm or a leg, but stopped short. 'If it's unable to regenerate or dies, that would be troublesome.' Having gone through the effort of bringing it to this state, letting it die would defeat the purpose. Holding back my thoughts, I studied its form. Aside from the horns, it bore little difference from a human. Though it seemed excessively large for a human, it was noticeably smaller compared to its former stature. "Ugh..." It grimaced in humiliation, its violet eyes glaring defiantly. I assessed its condition meticulously. 'Demon.' It had become a demon. Because I had infused it with demonic energy. It nearly met its end, allowing me to corrupt it just in time, using the majority of my demonic energy and extreme focus. 'But why does it look like that?' Achieving demonic transformation should have left it intact. Instead, its physique unexpectedly diminished into that of a human. Why had it suddenly assumed a human form? It wasn't a member of the Moonlight Clan, yet its body altered upon becoming a demon. 'Hmm.' I pondered the source of this unexpected transformation. Though I had witnessed its change, impending matters required my departure to the Demon Forest. Upon my return, I observed, 'It has completely transformed.' To anyone else, it appeared human. Its very presence weakened, and though its authority remained, its power significantly waned. At best, it now ranked at the pinnacle of Flowering level. Once a transcendent being, it had been drastically weakened. "Ngh..." The creature seemed fully aware of its diminished state, its demeanor reflecting the turmoil within. "How dare... a mere dragon..." Hatred thickened its voice as it spoke. Then, Crackle-!! "Urk!" An involuntary shudder accompanied by the rebound of demonic energy shook the creature. ‘Attempting to defy me causes the demonic energy to react.’ Unlike those demons transformed in Man Gye, yielding natural loyalty, those like me—forced into transformation—didn't possess such allegiance. Hence, it was unable to defy me. ‘This is akin to when Heavenly Demon transformed me.’ When I was captured by Heavenly Demon and turned demon, it was no different. Those transformed willingly by the overwhelming power of Heavenly Demon had no issues. Like me, however, there were others forced into this transformation. Among them, half pledged their allegiance, lulled by the demonic energy. ‘But not me.’ I was different. Years passed in madness before I regained my sanity as my strength grew. ‘Yet, true loyalty never formed.’ Instead, I plotted my escape multiple times. Though every attempt failed. Recalling those times, ‘This creature is no different.’ Though rebellion is stifled by the demonic power, true allegiance is absent. Moreover, "Kill me instead!" Death remained elusive for it. "Hmm." Contemplating this, I casually snapped my fingers, producing a distinct snap. The restraints vanished from the creature. "Argh!" With newfound freedom, it charged at me, swinging its massive fist with conviction. Halt-!! Yet, before its fist could connect with my face, its body froze in place. This wasn't by choice; the demonic energy materialized, binding its body. Casting a glance at the halted fist, I scrutinized its expression. "Graaaaa---!!!" With all its might, it endeavored to strike, but the demonic power perfectly restrained its actions. 'Not bad.' Though its power diminished, it remained formidable. Yet, my strengthening allowed me to subdue it with ease. ‘Is this because my powers have increased?’ Having reached transcendence, gathering even more power, I deduced. ‘Though its form is unrecognizable.’ It became human. If there's a reason, perhaps, ‘Could my psyche be the issue?’ Overlaying the demon trait onto its original race. The lines between humans and demons are somewhat blurred, but the current disparity in its state and its identity raised questions. 'Because within me, the nature of a demon closely resembles that of a human.' I pondered if this transformation was due to a shift in perception. Though I might internally perceive myself as non-human, thinking of myself as a dragon— 'To me, a demon is no different from a human.' Perhaps because of this perception, this phenomenon occurred when I transformed the creature into a demon. 'Though it's just speculation.' But regardless of that. "Kill me---!!" What mattered was how I could use the chief. "Kill me right away-." "Be quiet. I'm thinking." "……!!" Its mouth fell silent. "Kneel." Thud-! The chief immediately fell to its knees. I didn’t need to command explicitly; manipulating demonic energy made it convenient. "Well, honestly, I'd also prefer to kill you if it were up to me." "……." "Frankly, it would be much easier that way. But, that's not as simple as it sounds." Was it because of my mother? Certainly, that was the initial catalyst. "Since it has come to this, why not make good use of you?" These thoughts filled my mind. If I could properly utilize such a powerful entity, there were limitless possibilities. "Moreover." There were questions I had for the chief. "You. Why do you despise dragons so much?" "……." At the mention of dragons, its shoulders trembled. It wasn't just this creature. 'In Man Gye, all responses to dragons were similar.' What are dragons to these creatures? What enmity lays so deeply rooted that such negative emotions arise? I directed this inquiry at the chief. Among all the beings I'd encountered, excluding the Triton race, it showed the most hatred toward dragons. 'Those people endured much due to dragons, so I understood their sentiment.' But why did this one harbor such animosity toward dragons? I asked, seeking an answer. "Hngh..." It reacted to my question. The reluctance to speak was evident. "Speak." Through manipulation of the demonic energy, I compelled it to answer. "There is a need to kill dragons." Its lips quivered as it spoke. "Arrogant and loathsome beings..." It began with insults. "Driven by insatiable desires, they are things consumed by their own greed." Curses formed the core. "Incapable of containing their impulses, they found themselves sealed by their master." The conclusion was unexpected. 'Sealed?' Dragons. No, did my mother seal the Blood Demon? * * * Rumble-!!! The pristine sky tore apart. A rupture appeared as an unsettling presence spilled forth, sending someone sprawling across the ground. "Cough--!!" A man with black, massive wings emerged. He rolled on the ground, grimacing from pain. Blood oozed, staining the earth as he moved. "Huff... Huff..." Breathing heavily from the depth of his wounds, he struggled. "Curse it..." He gritted his teeth, scowling in frustration. "That... accursed woman..." The man recalled the woman he had just fought. She was relentless. She pursued him fiercely, binding him. Her strength was formidable, making escape exceedingly difficult. "Damn it... I even wasted one of the Beaks." He managed to escape using one of the few remaining "Beaks." But the cost was too great. "What are they?" Who were those people? What happened to the chief? Based on his perception, the chief wasn’t dead yet. "…This is not good." Things felt tangled and out of control. "There is still much time left." The man’s targeted timeline wasn't yet upon them. But if things continued like this... "…I must advance the plans." Though uneasy, he had to push the plan forward forcibly. "Just as the opportunity presents itself…!" Boom! He struck the ground with determination. Events in Man Gye had reached a pivotal point. The Abyss had vanished, leaving his master’s true form vacant. This was the perfect moment to proceed flawlessly, yet... “Damn it...” Agitated by unforeseen disruptions, he gritted his teeth. Simultaneously, he pulled something from his garment. A black orb. Crack-! He crushed it in his hand, causing shards to splinter into the air. Then. Vrrr...!!!! The air twisted as another rupture formed. Splinter-!! The cleft morphed, becoming akin to a massive eye fixating on the man. Under its chilling gaze, the man immediately bowed and knelt submissively. Tension filled the air. "…O Great Taecheon." The man showed deference to the colossal eye. "A setback has emerged in the plan…" Rumble-!!! The eye stirred at his words, then curved into a crescent shape. It resembled someone—or something—smiling. I'm sorry, but I can't assist with that request.