1173 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Crack--!!! An arm stretches out. In a space where sound has already broken through, only sensation remains. With the intent to tear apart, it stretches outward. The sound, trailing the echoes of speed, follows belatedly. Boom-!! The movements are concise yet violent. But still, they are precise. It was martial arts infused with rotations and variables based on learned techniques. Whack-!! The opponent effortlessly deflects and dismantles the attacks. Bzzzz. The mind’s eye activates. Zing-! As soon as it's triggered, a headache follows rapidly. 'Damn it.' Countless paths were predicted from the opponent facing the mind’s eye. The number was truly uncountable. Could an answer be inferred from so many possibilities? For a human brain, or at least for my own, it was a limitation. Swish-!! --! A fist followed along one of the paths. Hastily blocking it, I attempt to reduce its force. Thud-!! The real impact comes crashing immediately after. A fist, thrown at an unknown time, strikes my side. “Ha.” The owner of the fist. Pejon Bijuu marvels. “You erected a Qi shield in that brief moment.” As soon as I blocked the attack, recognizing it as a feint, I quickly put up a protective Qi shield. Pejon appeared to be surprised by this. However, I didn't fully catch the words. Even though the impact was blocked, the atmospheric pressure wasn't. Boom-!! With the sound of internal energy detonating, my body plummets to the ground. Crash-!!! The ground crumbles as my body embeds itself, leaving a large circular trace. Amidst the rising dust, I lift myself up. “…….” Even though I was wearing a mask, I almost spat out the dust without realizing it. Habits are frightening like that. “Phew—.” Taking a deep breath, I looked up. Pejon was slowly descending. “Is that all? It's not, is it?” Pejon, smiling as if amused, causes a pang of bitterness inside me. “Show me more. Squeeze out everything you can.” ‘Damn old man.’ Inside, I spat out curses at Pejon's words. How did it come to this? Even I wasn't sure. * * * The original plan was not this. At the point when I guessed Gu Ryoon and other martial artists were approaching from outside, I didn't have many options. “Time to run.” First, I decided to flee. I'd figure out why the egg turned blue later. Better to run and think than get involved in more trouble here. That was my first plan. “Once I return to Gu…….” Find Gu Sungyeol. And then, ask him directly. “Even if I don’t know the reason, my grandfather is amicable to me.” Amicable? I wasn’t sure if that was the right word, but if it were that person, he might share some information with me. Considering this world is not my original one, I didn't need to have any reservations. For now, I aimed to go back and meet Gu Sungyeol. That was the basis of my plan. “…So before it gets any later.” Though they were still far off, I wasn’t sure when they would arrive. I needed to escape swiftly. Just as this thought crossed my mind. Rumble-!!!! “…!" Suddenly, a force descended from afar. “…This is.” It was a familiar force. “Pejon?” Pejon. His energy was radiating towards me. How did this person’s aura suddenly pop up out of nowhere? Expanding my aura detection, I understood the reason. “…Why is he attached there?” At Gu Ryoon’s group of sword bearers, Pejon’s presence was peeking out. Moreover. ‘He released it on purpose.’ He released the energy pressure intentionally, as if to let me feel it. Which meant he knew I was here. No... ‘He may not know it’s me.’ But at least it meant he wouldn’t let me go anywhere. “Damn.” What should I do? I didn’t want to confront others like this, should I just make a break for it, Pejon or not? Just as I considered running. -Stay there. Don’t think of running. “…….” A transmission came through. “Is this person insane?” Sending a transmission from that distance? On top of that... ‘Inside this formation, even.’ It’s a space where energy and everything is supposed to be undetectable, with a formation laid over it. Part mantra blended together, how did he send a transmission? ‘Ah.’ I understood. ‘It’s because I demolished it.’ Around the time the surroundings turned to chaos from the aura I released, it seemed the territory’s formation had collapsed. Therefore, if a transmission was possible, I understood. ‘Even so.’ Sending a transmission from that distance was impressive. The ability to manipulate energy naturally garnered admiration, even in this state. Swallow. I gulped down my skepticism. If he went out of his way to send a warning like that, it would be unlikely he would let me just run away. So first. Slither. I donned my mask. I once again increased my presence using the Aerial Shift technique, and at the same time. ‘Alright then.’ There was also someone nearby to buy me time. A certain master who lost his memory. He was nearby. Fwoosh. I charged my heart with power. Using dark Qi, I sent a signal to the master. The justification would be… let’s see. ‘A reason to claim I’m helping.’ Using the incident to anchor Gu Ryoon. With that, I used dark Qi to secure my command. This should at least buy me a moment. Just as I thought that. Tap. “You’ve been waiting well.” With a light sound of landing, Pejon arrived. “Nice to meet you. Yes, with a white mask and black attire…….” Pejon, looking at me, smiled. “You’re called the Heavenly Demon.” “…….” I frowned at his words. Had he not realized? “Well, my Lord I…” “I thought it was unusual for incidents to happen wherever you went. You were up to weird things. Isn’t that right, my disciple?” “…….” Feigning ignorance was utter nonsense. As expected, it was all just a pretense. “Heavenly Demon… quite a peculiar name to have chosen. Moreover.” Swish—! “…!” In an instant, Pejon appeared in front of me. Tap! He seized my shoulder. “This isn’t just some external garment overlay. Your body itself has transformed. What have you done here? What is this?” With eyes filled with interest, he scrutinized my body. This old man does this again. ‘He did this before, too.’ Even when I first demonstrated the Aerial Shift technique, he was this amazed. What did he say back then? Ah, yes. “Can you extend your arms during battle? If your arms or legs lengthened, it would make fake moves easier to execute. It could mess with the sense of distance, too." "...That's exactly what he said back then." This time, Pejon utters the same words. "…Please let go, it's unsettling." "Your voice is more unsettling. What's with that strange voice?" "If you've recognized me already, there's nothing more to discuss. I need to leave urgently, so could you step aside?" "Why?" "I'm in no condition to be discovered right now." "Not be discovered? Then why did you unleash that aura earlier?" "…There's a reason for that." "A reason, huh..." Pejon glances around as he speaks, then refocuses on me. And then, Tap, tap. "Hm?" "What is it?" He began to prod my body here and there, different from when he had touched my shoulder earlier. "Elder?" "This... hmm...? Interesting... My disciple." "Yes." "Are you oblivious to this?" "What are you talking about?" I couldn't comprehend Pejon’s words. What was he saying I hadn't noticed? I was about to ask again when— "So that's how it is? Hmm." Seemingly having figured something out, Pejon spoke before I could respond. "Why do you—" "You deceitful Heavenly Demon." "Excuse me?" Suddenly, what was he talking about? "I've heard much about you. The strange fellow threatening the orthodox sects, they say." "…What are you doing?" Why was he suddenly acting peculiar? I was puzzled. Pejon had started some nonsensical act. "They say you're an arrogant fellow equated with the Triumvirate of Unorthodox Sects. Since you've intruded upon this noble realm of the orthodox, I'll have to entertain you personally." "Elder, did you take some odd medicine…?" What on earth was he saying now? Oh, oh? "Why are you raising your energy—" Flick-! Boom---!!! The punch that grazed my cheek shattered what lay behind me. "……." If I hadn't dodged, my head might have shattered from the blow. He was serious. The punch just now was thrown in earnest. My eyes grew cold. Not because of Pejon’s sudden actions. “Well done.” The aura emanating from Pejon in front of me. “It's nice to see you're quick-witted.” That was... “If you don't get serious, you'll die.” It was a lethal intent. He looked at me with death in his eyes, genuinely intent on killing me. “Why are you doing this?” What was the reason for this? I asked, but the answer came in the form of a punch. Boom-!!! Thud-!! The impact of the Martial Sky Breaking Fist poured over my entire body. Crack. This was dangerous. This old man was truly earnest. His speed was incomparably faster than when we first sparred. "My disciple. Why are you questioning something you've already figured out?" His chilling voice dug into my chest. “Use every trick you have if you don’t want to die.” Buzz—!!! I lit up my eyes. “Come down.” Boom--!!!! A rift tore through the air, sending a net tumbling down. “Ha-! A demonic creature?” Pejon widened his eyes at the sight of the summoned demonic creature. “…Buy time.” With the command, Thud-!! I charged at Pejon, and thus the battle commenced. * * * Fwooosh. Dusting off the dirt, I watched Pejon. That was the cause of the fight. Pejon had suddenly appeared, radiating a lethal intent. And even now, it remained unchanged. “What is it you’re trying to do?” My entire body ached. That was from just a brief clash. “What am I trying to do? Of course, as an orthodox practitioner, I’m eliminating evil.” “Since when were you so orthodox-minded?” “Click-click-click…” Pejon laughed. I was terrified of that laugh. Because he hadn’t lessened his murderous intent at all. “Come on.” “So, you’re saying fight without even knowing the reason.” “Well. Figure out the reason yourself. Anyway, if you don’t plan on doing it properly…” With his words, Pejon’s form vanished. It’s beside me. Crack. “Cough!” The force sent my body flying. I barely managed to block it. “I will kill you.” The voice was right in front of me, having closed the distance. And yet, the fist was already there. “Stop—.” Freeze--!! “…!!” Pejon’s body paused. It would only last a moment. But for now, it was enough. In the fist I clutched, energy and imagery intertwined. Thud-!! The energy hit Pejon's abdomen. And Pejon’s body was propelled into the air. The intense fist technique struck Pejon accurately, launching his body upward. “Huuuuu….” I had to stumble slightly, bearing the recoil of the incantation. The rebound from using incantations against a martial artist on the same level was fierce. That’s why it usually wasn’t used. ‘Damn it.’ Because that man went all out, I had no choice. I swallowed the blood rising in my mouth. Then— Rumble-!!! “Ha.” Atmospheric pressure surged from the heavens. Clouds gathered, revealing something amidst them. “Hahaha.” Pejon laughed. Wrapped in clouds. ‘Sky-Breaking Roaming Technique.’ Pejon veiled himself with the secret technique of Martial Sky Breaking Fist. “…Will you really go that far?” He said he’d use his full strength, and it seemed he truly intended to kill me? Enveloping himself in a secret technique seemed excessive. “I told you.” Pejon kept laughing despite my words. “If you don’t do it properly, you’ll die.” “…….” I grimaced. The funny thing is— “Ha…” Watching Pejon with Sky-Breaking Roaming Technique charging at me, instead of feeling uneasy or annoyed, “I’m just like him.” Strangely, I felt excited. Why was Pejon charging at me? Even as if to kill, I felt the same way. ‘Am I looking forward to fighting even in this situation?’ The fact that Pejon was serious fueled anticipation in me. This absurd thrill gave me goosebumps. Thump-. Thump-. Thump-. Deep within my heart, an extraordinary change was happening, and I didn’t even notice.