403 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

**Title: The World's Greatest Martial Artist's Childhood Friend - Chapter 404: Northern Rabbit - Web Novel Archive** A man gazed upward at a sky tinged with darkness. At first glance, it appeared like a night sky, but it was actually just past noon, a time when the sun should be high in the sky. From this alone, one could ascertain that the sky was not in a normal state. As the man quietly observed this sky, raising his head. Thump-! Thump-! A massive sound echoed from somewhere, brushing his ears. Just when he began to wonder what on earth this noise could be, the man felt it. Someone, from afar, was approaching him. Sensing a heavy presence, the man shifted his gaze in the direction of the sound. There. Crunch-! A figure was approaching, dragging a monster the size of a small hill with one hand. The beast was already dead. Its body was heavily battered, with bones protruding through torn skin, marking the violence it had suffered. There was no need to ponder over what had rendered the creature into such a state. The man's gaze fell upon the figure dragging the monster. Dark green hair and a smirk tilted to one side. A man soaked in madness, whose massive physique and blood-stained chin strangely complemented each other. He was known as the Green King among the people of the martial world. The man spoke to the Green King. "What are you up to, Dangdaejoo?" "Ah, Master. Long time no see," replied the Green King with a grin, causing the man to furrow his brow. "This is a gift. Just something I caught on the way since there's been one causing such a ruckus." [...] The man waved his hand at the Green King's words. In that moment. Whoosh-! The creature in the Green King's grasp was abruptly engulfed in black flames, incinerating instantly. "Tsk." The Green King clicked his tongue briefly before thrusting a fist toward the creature. Bang-! Crack-! Whooosh-! The wind pressure from his punch obliterated the flame-engulfed monster without a trace, leaving only ashes behind—a fearsome display of power. "You disregard someone's kindness just like that." "The point." "Heh… You’re such a boring man." Despite the Green King's words, the man showed no significant reaction. He simply regarded the Green King with his indifferent violet eyes. Watching him silently, the Green King finally sighed and began to speak. "Have you heard the news that the Celestial Black Net has been annihilated?" An unfamiliar glint flickered in the man's eyes at the Green King's remark. The man, too, was aware of the news. The Celestial Black Net, a direct unit under the Celestial Demon. It was said to be one of their primary forces, wiped out in an instant. "And it was all by a single individual," continued the Green King. By the master known as the Monster of the Peng Clan. At the hands of Dao Emperor Peng Woo-jin. "Isn't it fascinating? I never imagined that old man would fall to someone of such caliber." "What exactly is it you wish to say, Dangdaejoo?" "Oh no, it's just fascinating, is all." The Green King continued to laugh and speak, but the man found his demeanor increasingly grating. "If no one had aided him, it wouldn't have been possible." [...] The man tilted his head at the Green King's words and rose to his feet. Then. Rumble-! The darkened sky began to reverberate with an overwhelming sound. It swirled with black energy, as if a great event was transpiring. "What are you trying to say?" "Who knows." "Are you implying that I, the Dangdaejoo, am involved in the death of the Fiendish Demon?" The implication of the Green King's words was clear: that the man might be involved in the Fiendish Demon's death at the hands of Peng Woo-jin. "Not quite saying that… Do you feel guilty?" "[...Impudent]." Crack. A rough sound emerged from the man's body. As he observed this, the Green King's eyes gradually filled with madness. "Green King." "Yes?" "I hear you've been claiming that you covet my position. Is it true?" The Green King's smile widened. "Which loose-lipped fool told you that?" In essence, it was true. The Green King coveted the man's position. Upon hearing this, the man let out a soft sigh. "[...The leader has advised against pointless pursuits. I've turned a blind eye to your insignificant desires.]" There are four divisions under the direct command of the Celestial Demon. Among them, the Green King acted as the head of one unit. While this made him a demon with a quite high rank within the Demon Cult, he remained unsatisfied. Though he would never presume to reach the position of his master and sky, the Celestial Demon himself, he aspired to climb at least just below. In that view, the man before him represented an obstacle to the Green King. There are four divisions beneath the Celestial Demon within the Demon Cult. Each one, composed of fearsome masters, forms a formidable slaughtering force. The Green King led the Demonic Green Division. The Celestial Black Net. The Ghostblade Unit. The Demonic Green Division. And one last unit. There was a main unit that governed the three divisions mentioned. The man before him was the master of that unit and the one directly below the leader. The man began to step closer towards the Green King. As he approached, one could see the fiery heat emanating from his body. "To covet my position…" What emotion was contained within those deep violet eyes? The Green King assessed it as nothing but heavy irritation. With that gaze, the man addressed the Green King. "Someone like you?" The threatening tone sent a shiver down the Green King's spine. Although there was a stark difference in physical size, with the man being at least two heads shorter, his presence was not one to be overshadowed by the Green King. As they finally stood face to face. The man addressed the Green King. "Kneel. Is your gaze not too high?" That marked the beginning. The Green King, muscles swelling, swung a punch at the man. From the man's body, black flames erupted, scattering instantly in all directions. Following this battle's end. The Green King lost an eye, becoming one-eyed. The mountain of Taesan in the South, once covered with sparse vegetation, transformed into a desolate wasteland when half of its scenic beauty was obliterated. ****************** Recollecting up to this point, I finally came to my senses a little. ...Was it a dream? Perhaps it was because I thought of that guy before falling asleep that I dredged up unnecessary memories in my dreams. It was a memory of the Green King, who was rumored to be staying somewhere in Sichuan. 'Annoying.' As it wasn't a particularly pleasant memory, I couldn't help but feel an inexplicable discomfort as soon as I woke up. While it wasn't a nightmare, it certainly wasn't a pleasant dream either. I couldn't just lie there, so I tried to get up. A whispering voice reached my ears. "...Cheek..." "Or perhaps..." It felt like I was slowly waking up. It seemed like someone was talking, but I couldn't catch the words clearly. I forced my sluggish body to focus my internal energy and awaken fully. "Ugh..." I rubbed my eyes, feeling groggy, and sat up. My sudden movement seemed to startle someone nearby. The first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes again was that the owner of the lap I was resting on had changed. I was sure I had fallen asleep on Namgung Bia’s lap. Yet, for some reason, it was now Wisel Ah sitting in that spot. Did I sleep on Wisel Ah’s lap? 'This girl...' Come to think of it, did Wisel Ah say she’d accompany me? I couldn't remember her saying anything particular to me about it. In the midst of it all, my sense of fatigue remained undiminished. Despite tapping into my energy, I had not yet shaken off the exhaustion. "Were you just dreaming about someone, Master?" Seeing me slightly swaying, Wisel Ah called out in concern. Her golden eyes stood out vividly even through my blurry vision. "...Sigh." "Are you alright?" "You..." Faced with Wisel Ah's worried eyes, I decided to ask what I wanted to know first. "...Are you alright with this?" "Pardon?" "...Is it alright for you to come with me?" "Oh." Asked so suddenly, Wisel Ah's eyes wavered in surprise. It was quite abrupt as a question to ask right after waking up. "Ah..." Meeting my gaze, Wisel Ah hesitated for a moment before giving a slight smile as she replied. "It's fine." Was it a trick of light due to just waking up, or did her smile really seem to shine so brightly? Probably not the former. "I've decided not to worry about such things anymore." Wisel Ah assured me with a glowing smile. Just as I opened my mouth to speak further... —If you've gathered yourself, then come out. How long do you plan to rest? A voice whispered in my ear, and I had to frown. How did he know? It was Pejon, calling me out. That old ghost of a man. Has he been watching me all along? —Tsk tsk, if you're awake, you should be up and about. Spending so much time lingering with women... —...I was about to get up anyway. —Oh, I'm sure you were. -... Sighing at Pejon's sneer, I gently patted Wisel Ah’s head and opened the carriage door to step outside. The time had turned to night by then. I had only intended to take a short nap—how did I end up sleeping this long? If I was going to sleep this much, I should have asked the others to wake me. ‘...Where is this?’ Rubbing my tired eyes, I surveyed my surroundings. What I saw first was a valley and a stony field. Given that most of the carriages had stopped, it seemed we intended to rest here for the night. I tried to broaden my senses for a better view, but they spread much slower than I intended. ‘What is going on? Why is this happening?’ I was feeling slightly unsettled about the situation when Pejon’s transmission came again. —Don't be startled; in a way, this is expected. —It's expected? —Yes, it's the backlash from having forcibly entered a state of transcendence. —Ah. Recalling the time when I lost myself during training, Pejon had mentioned that the power of Twofold Heaven Sphere had forced me into a state of transcendence. So, this was the backlash from that event. —As I've said, you reached somewhere you shouldn't have yet grasped. I had not yet achieved the level required, but somehow, I had stumbled into a state of transcendence early. 'So that's why I'm tired, and my senses are acting up.' No wonder my energy remained stubbornly inactive despite my efforts. There seemed to be a reason for it all. Wrapping my aching head with my palm, I shifted my gaze. I intended to locate Pejon, but my senses were too sluggish to pinpoint him. Eventually, I had to speak to Pejon directly. —...Where are you? —Enter the forest to your left and walk straight. Following his directions, I began to move. Behind the valley stretched a forest. It seemed that was where I needed to go. As I ventured deeper into the dim, lightless area, I ignited a flame at my fingertips to illuminate the path ahead. Despite this, my surroundings remained strangely dark. Could this, too, be the result of the backlash? Have my eyes dimmed? With such thoughts, I continued to advance until eventually finding myself in a decent clearing where Pejon stood at the center. "Have you arrived?" "Yes." "Click... Judging by your expression, you look like you’ve been through hell." "...I’m managing." Honestly, I was struggling a bit. But not enough to avoid training. I steadied my breath, restoring order to my mind. "Your body seems prepared now, so it's time to advance to your next training." Pejon's words made my eyes widen. The next training, which Pejon had spoken about previously, was to learn a technique that would allow for a single decisive strike. "I believe you're ready, so I intend to teach you the One Stroke of Twofold Heaven Sphere. Do you have any objections?" "None." I've pushed myself this far just to learn that technique. If he was willing to teach it, of course, I had to learn. Rest was not an option. Even the time spent traveling to Sichuan had to be fully utilized. "Good. Then." Pejon slightly shrugged his shoulders. Was he about to teach me without any explanation? "First, there's something you must do." "Something to do?" Something to do? Just as I turned to question Pejon's unexpected words... Shick- A chilling sensation, almost like a slicing sound, enveloped me. Wondering what it was, my vision suddenly began to distort. Suddenly, my vision shifted from looking straight ahead to gazing downward, seeing the ground rushing up to meet me at an alarming speed. Was my head just severed? As dizziness enveloped me, my head seemed about to crash into the earth. “…Gasp…!” I jerked awake, breathing heavily and clasping my neck with my hand. Thankfully, my neck was still attached. ...Then what was that sensation just now? As cold sweat trickled down, Pejon’s voice cut through the fog. "I mentioned before, didn't I? About your biggest flaw." Fear of death. He had mentioned it was a problem. Even if my body broke, I wouldn’t care. It could be a strength, but I remembered being told it was excessive. "I had originally intended to take some time to fix it along with your twisted movements. But luckily, I found a more suitable teacher nearby." "...What do you mean?" "You’ve just experienced death once. Are you aware of that?" "...!" "Your head was severed, so there's no way you wouldn't know." Was the sensation I just had part of Pejon's intended scenario? Was it some kind of illusion? If not, a trap? I couldn't grasp what was going on, and as my confusion grew, someone else appeared behind Pejon. Seeing him, I couldn’t help but swallow hard. It was the Dark King. Why was he here, of all places? Just as I was reeling in confusion. Pejon observed my reaction and continued speaking. "I hadn’t planned on using such methods, but you’re more capable than I anticipated, so my expectations have grown." "...Elder?" "If I’m going to train a disciple, they should be perfect. After all, you’ll be known as Pejon’s disciple." "Does this have something to do with the Dark King's presence here...?" "Of course, it’s relevant. This friend here will help with your training." The Dark King assisting my training? This sounded utterly absurd. Frowning hard, I demanded an explanation from Pejon. But he simply smiled and continued. "You only have one task. From moonrise until before sunrise. Catch this friend just once." Hearing Pejon's words, I was utterly flabbergasted. "The Dark King...?" "Yes, and the timeframe is every day until you succeed." Catch the Dark King? And at night, no less? "It won’t be easy to start with... This friend will constantly approach you instead." 'So, he's giving me a chance.' Even so, it felt like a terrible proposition. I had hoped to begin training in the Twofold Heaven Sphere immediately. Why was I being asked to partake in this ridiculous game of tag? For this strange activity, did the Dark King even agree? ...He must have. Otherwise, he wouldn't be partaking like this right now. Given little choice but to comply, it meant playing tag at my age. And with the Dark King, the king of assassins, no less. ‘What about the illusion I just saw?’ The vision of my head falling—was it really an illusion? It felt far too real to merely dismiss. Pejon had clearly said it was an intended scenario. Was there more to it? While questions arose, Pejon walked a few steps and spoke again. "Endure well. I hope you achieve it soon. There’s much more I need to teach you." "Are you leaving just like that?" "I’ve taught you everything necessary. The rest is up to you." Was he really just going to leave like this? As I stared at Pejon’s retreating figure in a daze, he turned back to me. "Oh. I almost forgot the most important advice. I hadn’t mentioned it yet." "What is it?" "Don't let yourself break." "What does that mean..." Before I could properly request an explanation for his cryptic words, I tried to grab Pejon but couldn’t manage to speak. Thud-. Something stabbed into my heart. "...!" There was no pain. Only the rush of blood in my throat and my fading consciousness. Even then, I managed to see who had embedded a dagger in my heart. Standing there with cold eyes was the Dark King. ****************** In the midnight darkness beneath a crescent moon, a horse galloped relentlessly down the road. Where was it headed so urgently? A carriage behind it rocked wildly. "Ugh..." Inside the carriage, a beautiful woman struggled to withstand the jostling, clutching at the window and holding her mouth with her delicate hand. Her skin, pale to the point of turning blue, showed just how severe her discomfort was. Had she not ridden such a rough carriage before? Moyong Hi-a’s insides churned unbearably. "Could you...could you please slow down...ugh..." She pleaded with a voice filled with desperation, but the speed only seemed to increase. ‘I think I’m going to die...!’ Even Moyong Hi-a suspected her fleeting thoughts were akin to a flashback of her life. It wouldn’t be strange to think she might die like this. Yet, amidst it all, the face of a man filled her mind more than any precious memory. With her eyes shut tight, she addressed the man etched in her thoughts. '...Young master... This might be the end for me.' Slowly succumbing to her nausea, the thought crossed Moyong Hi-a's weary mind. The coachman, unaware of her plight, jovially called back to her. "Niece! Look outside the window. The moon is beautiful tonight!" "Auntie... the speed..." "What? You want to go faster? You enjoy excitement more than I thought!" "Oh..." Perhaps owing to her niece’s request, the woman handling the reins laughed brightly and accelerated. Despite Moyong Hi-a’s struggle, she eventually lost consciousness. Unaware, the woman continued urging her horse faster still.