Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 1011

Chapter 1011

Not the second great disaster.

But an existence destined to give rise to one.

That is what my mother called herself. And the calamity she spoke of was me.

Which meant—

“My very purpose for being born was to become a calamity.”

And yet, my mother insisted that she herself was not the calamity.

That implied her sole function was to bring one into the world.

“Her role was to birth a calamity…?”

The world had attempted to decipher everything through the failure of the Blood Demon.

It had computed every possibility, diminishing the capabilities of martial artists, making certain that failure was not an option in any outcome.

And that final calculation was—

“Was the initial objective always to introduce a calamity into Zhongyuan?”

And my mother was the vessel for that? She met my father and conceived me?

“…How?”

How could they be certain that by giving birth to me, I would become a calamity?

Did my mother already know this when she encountered my father?

If so, what does that say about my entire life up to this point?

“Was everything that transpired in my life the design of the world…?”

Could even my regression have been a part of it? Was it all truly orchestrated by the world?

“Do you truly believe your regression was a coincidence?”

“……”

The words of Yeon Ilcheon echoed in my memory.

“You are the calamity.”

The declaration made by Yeon Ilcheon’s lingering will at the Divine Dragon Temple. Those words had been the truth.

Did he know all of this when he said that to me?

“…Haha.”

I dragged a hand through my hair. A profound weariness swelled within me.

Shin Noya once told me—if I did not believe it myself, then it was not true.

He told me to have faith in myself.

I had clung to those words, persevering until now.

“…How am I supposed to believe in myself now?”

With matters having reached this point, what is left for me to believe in?

Even my own mother, the one who bore me, stated that I was born to be a calamity.

What am I to hold onto now?

“…Was this always the fundamental problem?”

Was my birth itself the issue? Or did the problem arise from my desperate struggle to live a better life?

I regressed. I fought with every fiber of my being for a different existence.

“…If everything was predetermined from the start.”

Then what was the purpose of all my endurance?

Everything was beginning to feel profoundly meaningless.

As I bit my lip, feeling a vast emptiness start to devour me from within—

“My son…”

My mother called to me.

A voice filled with sorrow. Eyes brimming with sadness.

Seeing that, I finally voiced the question I had been suppressing.

“If this was truly your purpose, Mother…”

It was a question I never wanted to ask, but ultimately, I had no choice.

“Did Father know about it as well?”

“……”

She had met my father for the sole purpose of giving birth to me, the calamity.

A counterpart, they said. Every time a calamity descends, a counterpart is destined to oppose it.

Shin Noya told me that Yeon Ilcheon was the counterpart to the Blood Demon.

If my mother had come as a calamity, then my father would be the one meant to stand against it.

In that case—

«Mother said she was not a calamity.»

If my destiny is to exist as the calamity of Zhongyuan—

«Then does that mean my counterpart is my father?»

How utterly absurd. A fate that pits a father against his own child.

«Well…»

In my past life, I killed my father with my own hands.

Would it be reversed in this life?

As that thought crossed my mind, my expression contorted.

“…Your father did not know.”

My mother spoke.

“…He didn’t know?”

“Yes… I did not know either. I only realized it when I gave birth to Ryunghwa.”

“……”

She said she realized it upon giving birth to Gu Ryunghwa.

“When I first fell into this world, I knew nothing. My memories were sealed so I would not remember my karma.”

“Why?”

“If I had known, there would have been irregularities. And there were.”

So she had lived all this time without recognizing that she was the ruler of Mangye?

«And then she realized it after giving birth to Ryunghwa?»

I narrowed my eyes, sifting through my memories.

Truthfully, I did not know. The age difference between Gu Ryunghwa and me was small. I could not clearly recall any changes in my mother after his birth.

And yet—

«Must I doubt even this?»

The exhaustion of having to question my mother’s words was overwhelming.

But that was not the crucial point.

What truly mattered was something else.

In the end—

“What was your purpose, Mother…?”

What was her objective?

Why did she summon me here?

Why did she activate this illusion through the Divine Tree just to speak with me?

Everything must have a reason.

And also—

«That purpose.»

I wanted to believe it was not to make me a calamity.

At the very least, it could not be that.

No matter how wretched my life has been, it could not have been that wretched.

That was my final sliver of hope.

Even in this conversation with my mother, I could sense it.

“You said you would blind their eyes. What does that mean…?”

She said she would blind the eyes of the world.

That was her goal.

And if blinding those eyes meant—

«Preventing my fate from being seen?»

Then why did she have me consume the Divine Fruit?

What was my mother truly preparing for?

If her preparations are completed—

«Would that mean I would not become a calamity?»

There were too many questions.

Could this method truly resolve my dread?

From the very beginning—

«How does one become a calamity?»

Even if it is my destiny, how exactly would I become one?

Simply growing stronger does not mean I would automatically transform into a calamity.

«To erase all life in Zhongyuan.»

Something far beyond mere slaughter.

A concept so vast and incomprehensible it can only be called a true calamity.

«I…»

I have no intention of ever doing that.

At least not now.

And yet, despite that, am I truly fated to become one?

Even if it happened, I would not be able to believe it.

That is what makes it even more terrifying.

Because one day, I might change in ways I cannot foresee.

I wanted to ask, to find a way to prevent it—

But—

“I cannot tell you.”

My mother frowned as she spoke to me.

«…I cannot tell you.»

«You can’t tell me?»

«At least not now… Under the current order, this is the limit of what I am permitted to say.»

«…The current order?»

Something occurred to me.

«When I meet the next Divine Tree, things will change again, won’t they?»

At my words, my mother offered a faint smile.

«My son is clever.»

«…»

That was the correct answer.

The Divine Tree in Yahwol. I touched it, and my mother appeared. Currently, there are five Divine Trees in Mangye.

Which means—

Each Divine Tree contains a fragment of my mother’s projection.

«…And the first of those was the Divine Tree in Yahwol?»

«That’s right.»

«Then, did you… anticipate that I would come to touch the Divine Tree? Or…»

Had she arranged for it to happen?

Before I could finish, my mother spoke.

«I asked many people to ensure it would happen.»

«…You asked them?»

The moment I heard those words, Shin Noya came to mind.

And that meant—it was not just him.

«My son.»

My mother called me.

I looked at her, my expression hardened and unchanged.

«I know it will be difficult. That is why I am so sorry… But please, endure for just a little longer…»

«…»

What could I possibly say?

Should I rage? Demand why she gave birth to me in the first place? Should I say something that childish?

I wanted to.

But I am far too old for such immature outbursts.

So instead—

«Mother.»

«Yes?»

Now was not the time for resentment.

«You told me to go to the hill on the night of the full moon. Was that related to all of this as well?»

«…What?»

My mother’s eyes widened at my words.

«…When?»

«A few days ago.»

«That was me?»

She was asking if it had truly been her.

Her words indicated that she knew her current self had lost certain memories.

«I’m not certain… but I believe so.»

«…I see.»

«I understand the full moon part, but I don’t know what the hill refers to.»

«…The hill.»

My mother nodded slightly and spoke.

«That is most likely the location of the next Divine Tree.»

«The next Divine Tree?»

«Yes.»

«If you mean the next one—»

«Mount Marryeong. Go to the hill there. That must be the place I spoke of.»

«Mount Marryeong…»

Where was that?

I had no idea. I know nothing of Mangye’s geography.

«Mount Marryeong…?»

All I knew was that since she had given me a location, I could now connect it to prior events.

«She spoke of Mount Marryeong with certainty.»

Which meant the mother I met that day had known.

She had known I would soon come into contact with the Divine Tree in Yahwol.

At that moment—

Crack.

«Ah.»

A small sound escaped her lips as my mother uttered a single word.

I turned to look—her hand was beginning to crumble.

«Oh dear…»

Looking at her hand, my mother’s eyelashes fluttered with regret.

«…It seems my time is up.»

There was a time limit?

Instinctively, I stepped forward.

I reached out to grasp her wrist, but her hand disintegrated before I could.

«You must have had so many questions… I am sorry I could not tell you more.»

«…Mother.»

«I wanted to see you so desperately. And yet, with you right before me, I cannot even touch you. That is the most painful thing of all.»

Her crumbling hand reached for my cheek.

I felt no warmth, no sensation.

«My son.»

«…Yes.»

«It may sound foolish for a mother to say this to her child, but… Do not worry.»

My mother smiled as she spoke.

«I will ensure that everything turns out alright.»

Her body rapidly disintegrated as she said those words.

I could only watch in silence.

I had so many questions, but I could not ask them.

There was so much I wanted to hear, but I could not.

A heavy stone seemed lodged in my throat.

As I stood there, watching my mother vanish—

«When you return, seek out the Abyssal Pit. That child will finally be able to tell you something now.»

«…The Abyssal Pit?»

«Yes. That child is truly kind. Please, convey my gratitude on my behalf.»

Drip.

As my mother finished speaking, just before she disappeared completely—

«My son. I missed you so much. Let us… meet again someday.»

Those were her final words—

And then, she was gone.

«…»

The fragments that had fallen to the ground vanished.

Nothing remained.

As if she had never been here at all.

Feeling the emptiness, I looked around.

Then, I turned back—

And my eyes widened slightly.

«What…?»

It was gone.

The Divine Tree I had just been touching had disappeared.

Where did it go?

As the question surfaced in my mind—

Thump—!

«…!»

A sensation surged from my heart.

This—

«The Divine Tree?»

The energy I had felt from the Divine Tree—

It had flowed into my body.

It was not purely internal energy or demonic energy.

It was closer to dao energy, yet distinct—a unique presence belonging to the Divine Tree itself.

It was the same feeling I had when I stood before the enormous Divine Tree at Mount Hua.

Like the purest, most tranquil lake.

As I felt it settle within me, I placed a hand over my chest.

Had I absorbed the Divine Tree?

What just happened?

Even as I pondered the answer, my mother’s words filled my mind.

«I missed you so much.»

«…»

Such a simple phrase, yet it bloomed in my heart like a flower.

«…Yes. Me too.»

The words left my lips, carried by the lingering scent of that flower.