834 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 834: The Childhood Friend of the One and Only in the World The first sensation was coldness. A chill that pervades his entire body. How cold must it be that even his body, trained in flame arts, feels this frigid? “Inhale.” He exhaled briefly, and his breath became visible in the air. Noticing this, he swiftly slapped his own cheek. Smack-! He struck himself hard enough to sting. “It hurts.” It was indeed painful. This meant his sense of touch was working perfectly. As he assessed his surroundings one by one, he took in the environment. "Hmm." He focused his energy, but nothing in particular appeared. Only a pitch-black darkness surrounded him. It felt... familiar. ‘It looks like something I've seen before.’ A sense of déjà vu. If he had seen it, where could it have been? Pondering for a moment, he recalled it quickly. ‘It's similar to the place back then.’ The time during the martial competition when he was about to fight Yeong Pung. The space where he faced the other spirit within Yeong Pung, Noya. It closely resembled that place. The difference being. ‘The ground.’ Thud, thud. He tapped the ground with his toes. A hard surface met his touch. This was the largest distinction. ‘It was water back then.’ The ground was once filled with an ink-black liquid. Though the surrounding world remained a dark abyss, it wasn’t the same as before. ‘It's solid.’ The floor was firm, a complete surface. Breathing out a sigh, he felt the texture beneath his feet. “What is this place now?” What kind of nonsense was this? His expression naturally crinkled into a grimace. Why on earth was he suddenly here? “All I did was swallow one elixir.” A freshly concocted Dokcheondan. Just by taking that, he ended up in this state. “Hmmm.” He shifted his thoughts. ‘What is this?’ Why had it come to this? This was an immediate manifestation. It’s correct to believe that it triggered the moment he swallowed the elixir. ‘My senses are functioning, but it's uncertain to label this as reality.’ Given the unspeakable experiences he's faced, he couldn't dismiss the situation lightly. ‘...There was always a reason in such circumstances.’ Something must have caused this to happen. The important thing was the mechanism that allowed this situation to unfold. ‘Is it because of the Dokcheondan?’ Was the problem caused by consuming the Dokcheondan mixed with his energy...? Or. ‘Some other reason.’ Is there another cause? He pondered, but nothing came to mind immediately. There was too little information to discern anything. Fortunately, if anything could be considered good news, it was that— ‘It’s not that there’s nothing at all,’ A black sky and black ground. An environment absent of any sensation of presence. Wondering if anything could possibly exist in such a place. ‘What is this?’ He felt something oddly disturbing. And. ‘Unpleasant.’ A very unpleasant and sinister feeling. An indescribable, revolting sensation. It felt like bugs were crawling over his entire body and bile rose to his throat. What kind of sensation was this? With his face twisted in disgust, he looked in one direction. Beyond the seemingly endless dark view. ‘Is it over there?’ The source of this incomprehensible discomfort emanated from there. He began to walk. Even if he had no desire to approach, there was no choice. Everything he had experienced so far made it clear. He had to reach that place for anything to progress. ‘What’s coming up now.’ Having seen such a variety of things, he felt like he wouldn’t be surprised by anything anymore. He reached a point where curiosity surpassed anxiety. Continuing to tread across the ground, he walked. With the direction he believed was correct, the feeling intensified. What could possibly lie at the end? What existence gives off such a repulsion? At the point where questions chased one another endlessly. “Hmm?” Something began to emerge in the distance. Narrowing his eyes to focus, nothing had changed. Yet he reckoned he was close to his destination. Suppressing the impulse to slow down, he forced himself onward. And after advancing a bit further, the root of his displeasure became clear. The problem was. “…What is that?” What on earth could it be? Even looking at it, he couldn't understand. Before him stood a door. An enormous door. A black metal door made from an unknown material. He approached to inspect it more thoroughly. No matter how much he looked, he couldn’t understand. It was just a thick, black iron door, wrapped inexplicably with thick chains. That was all he could see, for now. ‘Eerie.’ Merely observing it was infuriating. It felt like he was about to rage. Was there something on the door? He tentatively reached out. The sensation against his palm was just the cold typical of iron. There appeared to be no other distinct differences until suddenly— Rumble—!!! “…!?” The door suddenly emitted a rough vibration and noise. So intense was the vibration that the ground itself quaked. He quickly stepped back from the situation. “Damn it.” What could be emerging this time? He stared at the door, tense with anticipation. It appeared bizarre at first glance. Should he just flee now? ‘If I run, to where?’ There was nowhere to escape. Not knowing how he even arrived, how could he flee? Huuu-! Instinctively, he elevated his energy levels. Ready for anything, he steadied his breathing. “Inhale.” Exhaling slowly, he activated his body. Preparing for an unforeseen turn of events. Rumble—!!!! The iron door, which roared for a long while. Rumble… Gradually ceased its trembling over time. It appeared at first as if the surroundings would shatter, but thankfully it wasn’t to be. However, stopping did not mean relaxing was wise. The situation could change abruptly, and no one knew what might occur. So he maintained heightened awareness of his surroundings, observing the door cautiously. Clank-. The chains bound to the door shifted slightly. Rattle–!! Thud-! Thud thud-!! In an instant, the chains unraveled and dropped to the floor. Their substantial size created a tremendous noise upon hitting the ground. It was another unexpected event. He looked at the chains with a hint of astonishment. Creak. This time, a sound resonated from the door. The steadfast door, resembling an unmovable fortress, reacted. ‘It’s opening.’ Slowly. With tremendous effort, it began to part. Watching it, he forced focus into his eyes, palms feeling clammy. Goosebumps rose involuntarily on his skin. Sweat dripped down not only his spine but also his forehead. It started the moment the door began to open. ‘This is insane.’ He wiped the sweat from his chin. The pounding of his heart was beyond his control. ‘I’m going to lose it.’ Through the crack of the slightly open door, an indescribable aura seeped out. Overwhelmingly deep and vast.... ‘Murderous intent.’ A fundamental emotion solely focused on killing something, materialized in the form of energy. Murderous intent varies with the depth of emotion it stems from. As a warrior's years settle in the energy center, the murderous intent reveals how much malice existed within those years. The energy he felt now was exceptionally violent and overwhelming. He braced himself, filling his heart with wariness. How could there be such fierce murderous intent? Who inside had such a twisted nature to emanate this feeling? ‘It's definitely not a normal person.’ Whatever or whoever was inside was undoubtedly not ordinary. It was enough to make even him consider fleeing. “Phew." He heaved a deep sigh and proceeded forward. As much as he disliked approaching, there was only one method. Why had the door suddenly opened? ‘It wants me to see.’ Knowing the answer, he couldn't turn away. He approached closer. Peering through the crack to assess, he realized one thing. ‘It wouldn't open easily with ordinary strength.’ He hadn't attempted to force it open, but he sensed it would require all his might. The crucial takeaway here was. ‘It can be opened.’ It seemed possible to open it with enough force. That much he discerned. Knowing that it could be opened made it even less appealing. It felt like the door was urging him forward. Feeling this, he glanced through the gap in the door. It was too narrow for him to squeeze through, but perfect for peeking inside. ‘So, what’s inside?’ What could possibly be within? What was emitting this intense energy? Amid the tension, curiosity also rose. What kind of monstrous creature is seeking me this time? Steadying his breath, he directed his gaze into the crack. ‘Hmm?’ Inside the door was darkness akin to what he had seen earlier. Initially, there seemed to be nothing particularly visible. But that first impression quickly faded. ‘Something’s there.’ In mere seconds, that thought vanished. Something was in the middle, enshrouded by black mist. ‘A chair?’ A remarkably large chair. What was it doing there? Moreover… ‘...Who?’ Someone was seated on that peculiar chair. As soon as he saw them, he knew. ‘It’s them.’ The one who made every nerve in his body alert. The absurd source of the murderous aura—it was undeniably them. He squinted, trying to get a more precise look. As time passed, the figure became clearer. The outline, once unseen, gradually emerged. The first thing he could ascertain: the figure was undeniably human. Their full height wasn't clear, but they didn't seem particularly tall. They appeared to be dressed in black martial attire. Their posture was one of resting on their hand, and… the face… “…” Seeing up to that point, his body froze in place. Chills felt as if they pierced through his soul. Face to face with theirs, he finally recognized the feeling of unease he'd been experiencing. A murderous intent so potent it induced dread, and with it, discomfort. Though it drove the desire to flee, he also noted a curious familiarity. Without it, he likely wouldn't have come this far. What amidst such a toxic aura felt so familiar? The mystery that plagued him suddenly became clear. “Ha.” A breath escaped him without conscious thought. There sat the figure, gazing at him, on the large, thick chair. Violet eyes glared across from him, whites tainted in black. Creak. The figure exuded a presence as they spoke. [Let me ask you something.] Their words deepened the murderous aura even further. To think what a twisted being would have such fierce murderous intent... it was indeed... [Why.] The absurd person staring at him was none other than— [Are you still alive?] His past self. ***************** Ja...! Gongja...! “…Goo Gongja!” “…!” A sharp voice pierced his eardrums, snapping him back to reality. "…Phew…." He steadied his body, which was about to collapse. Stumbling, he surveyed his surroundings. The first thing he saw was Dokwang's face. He gazed at him with apparent shock. Given the reactions, not much time seemed to have passed. It looked like he was standing without any real injury. “Goo Gongja…! Are you alright? Hey!” “Yes, I’m alright….” He waved his hand dismissively, trying to reassure Dokwang. Yet even as he spoke, the dizziness within him lingered. ‘What was that just now?’ What was the situation he just experienced? Why had he gone there and what was there… ‘Was it me?’ Was it really himself from a past life? Was what just happened the result of the Dokcheondan he recently made? ‘And if so, why…’ As he repeated these questions, craving answers— “Goo Gongja. Are you sure you’re alright? Goo Gongja…!” Dokwang’s voice made him bite his lip slightly. He had assured his well-being, yet the repeated inquiries gnawed at his nerves. "No, Tang Lord. I told you I'm really fi—" But before he could complete his sentence. “Wh-what?” He froze mid-sentence. His hand, caught in his line of sight, looked unusually strange. “…Huh?” His hand did not appear to be just a hand. It did look like a hand, but— Flare– His hand was on fire. It wasn't a typical instance of harnessing his fire ability and engulfing his hand in flames. This was different. ‘It's as if it's fire itself.’ His very essence felt as though it turned into flames. An indescribable, peculiar sensation. ‘If a breeze blew, I might just drift away.’ He had no clue how he was maintaining this phenomenon. Nervous and anxious, it was as if he might float away. “…Are you really alright?” “…No, I don't think I am.” "…" How could he be alright when his hand ended up like this? Moreover, it wasn't just his hand. ‘Perhaps my body, too.’ Not just his hand, but it seemed about a third of his body was flames. It burned. The flames were intensely vivid. It felt as if I wasn't myself, an unfamiliar sensation that left me without words to describe it. What was important was. ‘I feel like I can do anything.’ Beyond any anxiety was a sense of exhilaration—an inexplicable sense of superiority. ‘This…’ This feeling. I had seen it. I knew it for certain. Though it was a sensation I'd never experienced before, I had witnessed it. Fortunately, it didn’t take long for me to realize what it was. A vivid memory was already etched in my mind. ‘Father?’ It was relatively recent—when I had faced the Baek-level monster during my trip to the North Sea. Back then, my father told me to watch closely and utterly obliterated the Baek-level monster. And this flame was— -Goo Yeom Geuk Tae San Oh Hyeong The flame my father displayed was exactly the same in feeling. Which meant…. ‘Could it be that this flame is…?’ The power one could only obtain by mastering the Guryomhwarungong... Understanding. “Oh.” As soon as that thought occurred, the flame disappeared in an instant. My hand returned to its original state, as did my body. The exhilaration vanished. It felt as though I had soared high into the sky, only to plummet back to the ground.