Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 1002

Chapter 1002

A low, rumbling snarl echoed through the air.

It was not especially loud, yet its presence felt overwhelming.

Was that sound coming from Yusa? No. His mouth was closed.

So where was it coming from?

The realization came to me quickly.

It was his growl.

Just… not from his mouth.

To be more precise—

“It is coming from his mouth… just not that one.”

This was not a sound made by his lips.

It originated from behind him.

From the enormous shadow stretched out on the ground at his feet.

That was the source of the growl.

Unbelievable.

“To think I had missed this until now.”

Something so vast and fierce—only now, after ascending to a higher realm, could I finally sense it.

Absurd.

“No, that isn’t quite right.”

In truth, it meant the gap between us had been so immense that I was blind to it before.

The fact I could perceive it now meant I had finally reached a level where his concealment was visible.

Which could only mean one thing—

“Before this, the difference between us was too great for even that.”

“Hmph.”

Rumble.

The deep vibration of his growl shook me to my core.

The pure hostility laced within it was stifling.

“What did you just say?”

Yusa’s eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. His pupils thinned, his tail lashed—every part of him radiated the aura of a true predator.

A beast that consumes everything in its path.

I had sensed it the first time I saw him.

His voracious stare had the power to paralyze.

But I refused to freeze.

More than that—I could not allow him to see any hesitation.

“You didn’t hear me? With ears that large, I’d be disappointed if you missed it.”

I tilted my head slightly.

Partly to feign arrogance, but also to break my own body’s rigidity.

“I said I want to know the location of the Sacred Tree in Yahwol.”

“…”

Yusa’s face twisted into something monstrous.

BOOM—!
GRRRR—!

His aura erupted, his growl intensified, and the raw force of it made my entire body quake.

Interesting.

“Am I more sensitive to this because of my advancement?”

Or was this simply my first time facing an aura like his?

Whatever the case, it was a new experience.

Every hair on my body stood on end.

A warning.

The enemy in front of me had me in his sights.

That if I made a mistake, I would be devoured.

My instincts screamed at me to run.

Feeling that, I laughed.

“Bullshit.”

My instincts told me to flee, but I knew better.

“Can’t even be honest with yourself, can you?”

He didn’t truly want me to run.

I knew it.

Some part of him was compelling me forward, urging me to fight.

And yet, he was putting on a show of intimidation.

“Like hell I wouldn’t notice.”

The thrill of a clash between powerful opponents set my heart pounding.

Even more than when I had fought Shin Noya.

That hadn’t been a real battle.

But this?

“If things go wrong, I might die.”

I wanted to see for myself.

To measure exactly how much stronger I had become.

Even though I came here with a purpose, that goal kept fading from my thoughts.

No—not fading.

“This is part of the process anyway, isn’t it?”

Thinking of it that way made it easier to justify.

“Why are you asking about that?”

Yusa’s voice dripped with hostility.

“Obviously, I have business with it. You see, I…”

I took a step forward.

Straight into the killing intent.

Forcing my body directly through it.

“…have a reason to seek the Sacred Tree left behind by its master.”

“The Sacred Tree? Why?”

“Hmm. I suppose it’s tied to a goal I’m pursuing. And perhaps… to what you seek as well?”

“…”

At my words, Yusa’s expression contorted further.

“My goal requires the Sacred Tree?”

“Yes. I want it.”

“Hah.”

Yusa let out a hollow, mirthless laugh.

And then—

CRACK—!

The overwhelming hostility he radiated vanished all at once.

On the surface, it seemed he had calmed.

But that wasn’t it.

This was the quiet before the storm.

“Two of my precious ones were erased by your hands.”

“Speak properly. Only one.”

I had killed the White Leader.

But the Blue Leader was still alive.

In truth, killing the White Leader was accidental.

I had just broken through a realm, my senses in disarray—

And I incinerated him before I even realized.

A waste.

“I should have tested Demonic Energy on him first.”

I had used it on the Black Leader.

I should have seen if it worked on the White Leader as well.

If it did, I needed to gauge its speed, its efficiency—

But—

“Tch.”

I killed him before I could learn anything.

That was disappointing.

And more than that—

It had made things… somewhat complicated.

“I shouldn’t have killed the leader back then.”

Killing a leader leads to too many complications.

Especially with Yusa.

If I wanted to use him, I needed him to be uncertain.

“And yet, I killed his subordinate.”

I had invaded his territory, killed his subordinate, and walked away.

How would Yusa respond to that?

There was no chance he would take it well.

Even if he trusted me, he would now hesitate—knowing the same could happen to him.

And the larger issue…

Even more than that…

Yusa’s perception of his master was also a problem.

I had caused a major incident, yet his master did not intervene.

Yusa knows his master is somewhere in Yahwol.

He might even know the precise location.

And yet, despite everything, his master did nothing.

“Even I don’t know why.”

Why hadn’t he interfered?

Part of why I caused that mess was to gauge his reaction.

And part of why I am here now is to find out.

“One was discarded, another was erased. And the last one… you abandoned him for your own schemes. Did you really think I wouldn’t know?”

“…”

The one discarded was the Blue Leader.

The one erased was the White Leader.

And the one abandoned… was the Red Leader.

I knew Yusa had used the Red Leader.

I just wasn’t sure what became of him afterward.

“For someone who calls them precious, your actions don’t match your words.”

Grind.

A rough, grating sound came from him.

“…Why do you need the Sacred Tree?”

Ignoring my comment, he went straight to the point.

Why did I need the Sacred Tree?

Hearing that, I smiled and asked a question in return.

“Oh? If my reason is good enough, will you tell me?”

“…”

Silence.

And silence always means yes.

Then I might as well tell him.

“In order to change the course of Mangye, the Sacred Tree is necessary. For the paradise I will create. And for the position you should take.”

My answer was intentionally vague.

Nowhere near clear enough.

As expected, Yusa’s brow furrowed again.

“Explain properly. What is this paradise, and how does finding it get me what I want?”

“Hmm.”

I ran a hand through my hair.

My black hair, now longer and thicker, swayed with the motion.

He was mistaken about something.

“General. If you want a proper answer, shouldn’t you first give me one?”

“…What?”

“Will you get on the ship? Or will you crawl away like an insect?”

Would he take my hand—

Or would he stand aside?

He needed to choose first.

Only then would I have a reason to give him a full answer.

“…So if I make my choice, you’ll tell me?”

“Of course. Why should I waste an answer on someone who isn’t mine?”

“…”

“So? I believe I’ve given you plenty of time to decide.”

What answer would Yusa give?

Now that I had mentioned the Sacred Tree, how would he respond?

Would he take my hand, as I proposed at the beginning?

If he did, I would have to explain why I needed the Sacred Tree.

How should I phrase it?

To meet my mother and return to my original world.

To fulfill the arrangement my mother spoke of.

And beyond that, to save Shin Noya, whom he despises.

Would that be the right thing to say?

“That’s nonsense.”

That explanation would not work.

It would only provoke him.

Which meant I needed an excuse.

But unfortunately—

I didn’t have one prepared.

If he took my hand, I wouldn’t have much to tell him.

Should I start thinking of one now?

“No need.”

I was certain.

Even without an excuse ready, it wouldn’t be a problem.

Because, in the end—

“He’s not going to take my hand anyway.”

I had already foreseen it.

And just as I predicted—

“This is pissing me off.”

Yusa released a long, weary sigh.

And with that sigh—

BOOOOM—!

The pressure he unleashed was twice as intense as before.

“…Enough. I’ve had it with this nonsense.”

His sharp fans were bared, his slit pupils constricted.

“You called yourself Cheonma, right? Drop the act. I don’t know what you’re after, but I hate complicated things.”

The shadow behind him stirred violently.

“I’ll make things simple. I’ll just tear you apart right here.”

Yusa growled, his killing intent blazing.

Watching him, I laughed.

“Ahh.”

I rolled my shoulders.

The sound of bones cracking echoed around us.

“A regrettable choice. What a shame.”

But despite my words, I felt no regret.

If anything—

This was exactly what I wanted.