1097 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

**Chapter 1097 of "The World’s Greatest Martial Artist's Childhood Friend" - Northern Rabbit** A massive fist looms just inches from my face. Had I been even a moment slower, that fist would have surely smashed straight into me. Frozen in place, the fist doesn’t move an inch. I stare intently at it. “What did you just say?” Paejon’s voice breaks the silence. The fist still hovers before me, surrounded by an intense aura. He hasn’t let go of his strength yet. Noticing this, I subtly glance at Paejon. “My identity. You asked about it.” I keep my gaze steady as I speak. “I answered because you asked.” “I asked what you said.” “I said I was a disciple.” “…Whose?” At his question, I gesture with my hand towards the towering old man in front of me. “Yours, sir.” “…What?” With a shocked inhale, I feel a pressure emanating from him. Observing it, I shift my stance and ball my fists. The Unbridled Fist. Paejon unleashes his Unbridled Fist. I counter with the same technique. Kuaaaah---!!! A shockwave erupts, sending trees and rocks scattering. The distance between me and Paejon widens slightly. Watching this unfold, I can’t help but frown. “You know, couldn’t this have been settled with words? Did it have to come to blows?” “If you’re thinking of playing games, I’m not interested.” “I’m not joking.” Shrugging off the martial arts uniform I was wearing, I let it fall to the ground. “You and I both know, there’s no other way to explain this. Master, you know too well…” I trail off midway. I was about to say something I’d never before dared to say to Paejon. “Master. Or teacher.” Since becoming Paejon’s disciple, I’ve never referred to him in such a way. Until now, that is. “Haha.” Paejon laughs more deeply. This is a crossroads. It means he’s on the brink of reaching his limit. “I have no memory of teaching you. Do you think I’ve gone mad?” “If you keep doing what you’re doing, I’d say so.” “What?” Damn. I unintentionally made matters worse. A habitual lapse on my part. “…Anyway. It’s true you never formally taught me. Not until now, at least.” “Until now?” “Yes. You heard me.” Crack. I loosen my body slightly. Moving so fiercely had left me with traces of fatigue I hadn’t felt elsewhere. “I told you, I’ve gone back in time.” “….” Paejon’s expression narrows. “What do you mean? Are you saying you went back to the past?” “Yes, exactly. You’re quite sharp, aren’t you?” “Ha!” Boom! With my words, a more powerful gust bursts from Paejon’s body. Seeing this, I involuntarily shiver. ‘He’s strong.’ We both knew we weren’t fighting at our fullest, but even this level of pressure was formidable. However. “Nonsensical drivel.” “It’s not nonsense.” Thud—!! This is a situation where I can’t afford to be outmatched, so I release all my stored energy. When I fully unleash the energy of the Unbridled Fist, it merges with Paejon’s aura. The same energy. In the current martial world, only two sources of such energy exist, intertwining as if resonating. “Unless... does anything else explain the current circumstances?” “….” Paejon frowns. It’s an unbelievable story to anyone. Traveling back in time? What kind of lunatic would say such a thing? ‘Even I wouldn’t believe it.’ I can say it because I’ve experienced it. But for Paejon, it was an entirely different matter. So I had to show him. “This. This is all thanks to you, Master.” Crackling— The force of the Unbridled Fist I acquired through my experiences. I displayed it for Paejon to see. “Even seeing this, you won’t believe me?” The force rushes out like a gale, the energies around me sharpening like blades. Paejon watches me intently. Then. Suddenly, he withdraws the energy he was emanating. I follow his lead, dispersing my own. “I can’t believe it.” Paejon says. Understandably, it’s hard to accept easily. “So, what now?” “Then prove it.” “Huh…?” Feigning surprise, I widen my eyes. “Prove it, no matter what it takes. How is something like that even possible?” Paejon demands. Just as I predicted. I knew he would ask something along these lines. I had already prepared my response. “I don’t know.” “What?” The perfect answer. “I don’t know. I died, and when I opened my eyes, I was back in the past.” Not something else, but what I truly experienced, I used as collateral. As it wasn’t a lie, saying it came easily. “Died…? You expect me to believe that?” “Whether you believe it or not, it’s the truth. I died once, and when I awoke, I was back in the past.” “So, before dying, you were my disciple?” “Correct.” “From when? When did you become my disciple?” “If you’re asking when, it was precisely when Master came to the alliance.” “At that time...” “Yes. When I was taking the test.” This part is crucial. I mix what I experienced with things I didn’t to continue the conversation. “It was the same then too. Master approached me all of a sudden, saying I should become a disciple.” “And?” “What do you mean ‘and’? When one of the three supreme martial artists tells you to become a disciple, you agree immediately.” “And you trained under me after that? Ridiculous.” After hearing the explanation, Paejon laughs. “It makes no sense. I approached you because I sensed the energy of the Unbridled Fist within you.” “…” Just as I thought. I realized upon hearing those words that he truly identified my hidden energy the moment he saw me. What a monstrous old man. “And you say I asked you to be a disciple the moment I saw you? Nonsense.” “It’s not nonsense.” Nonetheless, I continue speaking. “The moment we met, you said so. This body, you called it what you’d been searching for.” “…!” Paejon’s eyes widen at my words. It seems this was the correct answer. ‘He was searching even back then.’ Someone to master the Unbridled Fist. Someone who might fulfill the dream he couldn’t realize. Someone else to fulfill it. That’s what Paejon was searching for. Hadn’t he said so the first time he saw me? That he had to find the perfect vessel. “Sigh…” The ground shook as I pushed forward relentlessly. "From that moment, it was hell. The aura I learned was merciless, tearing apart my body from the inside. The Master insisted every movement was crucial and made me repeat them endlessly. He even had me punch a cave until it broke open with my fists... It was a series of absurd training sessions." "...." Paejon was speechless. Of course, he had nothing to say. I had gone through all of this training myself. "At first, I regretted it, questioning what kind of energy this was. But there was no way to go back." "So?" "What do you mean, 'so'? I just diligently learned as instructed." "Not that—" "Yes?" "Were you successful?" "Ah." Even in this situation, Paejon was asking that kind of question. He truly was a consistent person. I shrugged my shoulders as I replied. "Not yet. There's still a long way to go." Though I had mastered the Nine Flames Revolving Technique, I had not yet perfected the Unbridled Fist. This infernal martial art was not something that could be easily mastered. "And you came back? Without mastering it?" "Well, I died, so what could I do?" "How did you die?" "An attack." This time, I mixed truth with falsehood. "An attack?" "Yes. A nameless organization. They swiftly took over the Martial Alliance and conquered the Central Plains." "Inconceivable. Conquer the Martial Alliance? In a place where Sword Master resides, that crazy old man." Paejon reacted incredulously. Even Paejon found it hard to believe that someone could overcome the place where Sword Master resided. Is that the standing of Sword Master? Though it was fascinating, there was only one thing I could say. "That is the truth. I died then." "And you claim you have traveled back in time?" "Yes. I needed time to gather strength. I emerged when the time was right." "So, at your age, you've reached such a level?" "That's correct." "..." Aside from going back in time, there really was no other method. Paejon had experienced my strength firsthand, so he knew. There really was no explanation other than my having returned. Which is why, even if he couldn't believe it, he was contemplating it. ‘Now, then.’ I had to advance further. To fully convince him, I needed to use not just myself but also others. "Master." "..." "Since I’ve been found out, I might as well say it." I carefully spoke while looking into Paejon’s eyes. "Don't go through with what you're planning." "...What are you talking about?" "That foolish action you think will fulfill your goal." "...!" Paejon reacted strongly. He seemed to understand what I was referring to. "Rebirth. If you go through with it, you will regret it." "How do you know about that!?" The secret that only I would know in this world. Though it hasn’t happened yet, it's something that will eventually occur. "How do I know?" I spoke as calmly as I could. "You disappeared one day, saying it wasn’t working. You turned into a newborn baby... ha..." "...." "And your body became weak. Your original skill level never returned, and you just regretted it, saying you wished you hadn’t done it." "...." "You found a disciple, yet decided to go through with it yourself... I just can’t understand, honestly." Had he already found a disciple, Paejon wouldn’t have pursued the path of rebirth. I mentioned this as I talked about the considerations involved in not doing it. Although he might think he shouldn't do it, speaking about it as if I've already experienced it gave it a different significance. "Did you truly travel back in time?" "Yes." "..." Paejon remained silent for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. Knowing it wouldn’t take long, I waited patiently. "I have one more thing to ask." As expected, Paejon quickly ended his contemplation and asked me. "Among all that you learned from me, what stands out the most in your memory?" "...Pardon?" What stood out the most? "...Is it a martial art technique or a form?" "Whatever it is. Tell me something that would convince me." "...Hmm." I scratched my cheek. Something that would convince him, huh. ‘Even if it isn’t.’ What stood out the most. "Ah." It came to me quickly. What stood out the most. As soon as I thought of it, there was something that came to mind. "I do." "What is it?" A phrase Paejon would often say. Something that had become like a curse, guiding my every action. "Keep doing it until you can." "...What?" "There’s nothing you can’t do. Just keep going until you get it done." "..." Martial arts and techniques. Everything was restructured as they were under Paejon. But the most important thing was this. "Master, this is what you taught me." "..." Paejon momentarily lost his words at my statement. * * * Crack. In the basement of the Martial Alliance. A large corpse is brought into what is commonly known as the laboratory of the Wind Dragon Division. OGpDWU1vWjdDcEdUMEpMd0t1NC95SnVpZVBUWE5kVHNYcU90dXM0TmZMSzB0cStSNmVGd2Zrc285WUxRQnp0OA "Prepare it!" "Summon the Division Head!" Members hurriedly move as they lay eyes on the corpse of a massive monster. Its size fills the large room entirely. Though it has been long since it lost its breath, the bulk of it remains indomitable. A huge bear with patches of reddish fur. It is the corpse of the Red Stone Bear, whose neck was severed by Sword Master just recently. "…The legend of the Red Stone." "How does a red-tier monster even exist here?" "Where is the Wind Dragon Division Head!" Members of the Wind Dragon Division gasped as they beheld the sight of the red-tier monster. The sudden appearance of a monster was beyond belief for everyone. A higher-tier monster, not seen in hundreds of years. This enough was shocking and carried immense research value. The leader had ordered the study of the monster. Everyone had to move tirelessly at that moment. But amid it all. "Hmm..." A solitary young man stood quietly amidst the bustling crowd. He surveyed the incoming monster and said, "What on earth is going on?" His eyes betrayed his disbelief. Those unusual eyes of his were strangely red.