Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 1020

Chapter 1020

I felt something.

There was no pause. I advanced in its direction.

A desolate mountain of stone.

My earlier confusion at the complete lack of life now seemed almost foolish. My awareness was now picking up a multitude of presences.

How had they materialized so suddenly when they were undetectable before?

To investigate, I continued forward with Cheonma.

Soon, we found an opening.

It looked the same as the rest of the terrain—all rock—but there was a narrow fissure, just wide enough for a person to enter.

And on the other side—

«There.»

Something was waiting.

A sentinel was posted before what appeared to be an entrance.

However—

«…That isn’t human.»

It was not human.

Then again, I had encountered nothing truly human in Mangye. Even those that came close were not quite right.

The Moonlit Night Tribe, at least, had human shapes with bestial ears and tails, so one could say they bore some resemblance.

But this—this was nothing like that.

What stood before me could not be described as human in any way.

A total beast.

It was akin to the Moonlit Night Tribe when they transformed under the moon.

It stood on two legs, but its form was completely bestial, bearing no human likeness.

«If I had to compare it… a dog?»

An upright dog. To classify it, it resembled a wild hound.

A wild dog standing on its hind legs, clutching a spear in one hand.

«What in the world is that?»

By now, very little could shock me. I had already witnessed walking lizards and squat old men. One more strange sight meant little.

The only thing of importance—

«It’s alive.»

Even though I had sensed nothing earlier, I could now feel countless presences surrounding me.

The heart of this area had to lie beyond that doorway.

«Hmm.»

The site was entirely surrounded by rock. Even that door was set within a cave, meaning the only way in was through the front.

I took a step back. I had no desire to start an unnecessary fight.

Was there another entrance? I retreated and leaped into the air.

Soaring high, I surveyed the entire mountain.

«Let’s take a look.»

From this vantage point, it was still just a rocky mountain. No alternative route to that cave was visible from above.

It seemed I truly would have to force my way through the front.

«Tsk.»

Just as I accepted that I might need to use force—

«Hm?»

Something drew my attention.

Thump.

A faint vibration echoed in my chest. The moment I felt it, I intensified my focus.

My Heart Eye activated, and I scanned the rocky mountain again.

And then—

«Found it.»

I grinned, confirming my suspicion.

Tap.

I landed on the ground, but not where I started. I had aimed for a higher ridge.

The instant my feet touched down, Cheonma swiftly flew to my side as if she had anticipated it.

Ignoring her, I concentrated fully on my Heart Eye.

Immediately, threads extended in every direction. My sight was filled with a dense network of golden strands.

There was only one explanation—

«Juju arts (sorcery).»

An elaborate web of spells enveloped Mount Marryeong.

And it was remarkably intricate.

«Should I call this fortunate?»

Calling it luck felt strange, but a peculiar sense of relief washed over me.

If the entire area was concealed by juju arts—

«Then I don’t need to use the cave entrance.»

They had used magic to hide the view, which meant there had to be other ways in.

«Let’s examine this more carefully…»

How was this formation constructed? I quieted my mind and studied it intently.

«This threadwork… it’s unfamiliar.»

It was different from anything I had seen before—even from what the Turtle had demonstrated. This was another method of employing magic.

As I observed it, I suddenly chuckled.

«Am I losing my mind?»

A moment ago, I was frustrated by the complexity. But the instant I recognized the magic, my mind became perfectly calm.

It was almost absurd.

Srrrk.

I reached out and lightly traced my fingers over the magical threads.

I wasn’t trying to seize them—just gauging their response.

«Can I interact with them?»

I studied their angles.

Would pulling them work, or would a more direct approach be necessary?

The thought occurred to me briefly, but my decision was already made.

My fingers, which had been gliding through the threads, changed their motion.

Vwooom—!

My heart reacted. The dormant loop of the spell trembled slightly.

And in that moment—

Ziiiing—!!

I seized several of the countless threads spanning the area. Holding my breath, I channeled all my senses into them.

Where did they begin? How were they woven together?

What was connected to the other end of these threads?

My mind worked rapidly to decipher everything.

Vwooooooom.

Simultaneously, the spell’s loop accelerated in resonance, and the more it did, the firmer my grip on the threads became.

One error, and they would fracture. They were that fine and fragile.

I knew that—and yet I did not hold back.

To an observer, it might have looked like I was indifferent to whether they broke or not.

But—

«…Now, pull back here.»

I was not being careless.

I had devoted every part of my being to the threads in my hands.

A misstep could cause problems, but despite that, I felt no doubt.

This had always been my way.

Despite my naturally cautious disposition, the moment I engaged with juju arts, all uncertainty disappeared.

As if I knew exactly what to do by instinct.

«Reweave what was tied behind.»

My hands moved swiftly. My fingers danced, making the very air shiver.

«Tie the new knot…»

Vwooom—!

A wave of energy drained from me.

I paid it no mind.

«One more time, tighten the weave.»

I focused only on my task, interlacing the strands into a complex knot.

A brief moment passed. Before I knew it, I had drawn all the threads into a single binding.

It appeared tangled and messy, yet a hidden order ran through it.

«…Haa.»

I released a tired breath and reached out one final time.

My fingers closed around the loop at the top of the knot and gave a gentle tug.

Fwoooosh—!!!

The threads came undone instantly, blooming outward like a golden flower.

A brilliant light flooded my vision.

It was stunning.

The radiance spilling from the unraveling threads was nearly blinding.

I unconsciously let out a soft sound of awe as I watched the spectacle.

Vwooom.

The moment the threads fully unfurled, the air in front of me shimmered.

Colors twisted together, gradually warping the space.

«Oh.»

And then—

The entire scene before me inverted.

The ground, which had been nothing but barren rock, dissolved like mist. Hidden beneath it, a concealed space was unveiled.

It was like clouds clearing away.

What appeared before me was another realm nestled within the vast circular mountain range.

«…Well, look at that.»

I was somewhat astonished. Until now, not a single tree or blade of grass had been visible. But in this newly revealed landscape, they were everywhere.

It was beautiful. The thought came to me naturally.

A soft stream flowed through the valley, lush green plants covered the land, and a clean, living scent of grass wafted past my nose.

Breathing in the aroma, I glanced at Cheonma.

«Let’s go. It will close soon.»

I hadn’t shattered the sorcery completely. I understood it was merely a veil, and breaking it entirely could have unknown repercussions. I had only opened it temporarily—just enough for us to get through.

Soon, the barrier would reactivate, sealing the entrance once more.

We had to enter before that happened. Without a second thought, Cheonma and I moved downward.

Thud.

Landing softly from a great height, I noted the change under my feet.

A moment ago, I had been standing on solid stone, but now, as I had seen, the ground was earth.

And—

«…It’s real.»

The presences I had sensed from outside were not illusions. The moment I stepped into this space, I could feel them everywhere.

Chirp, chirp—!

The calls of birds sitting in the trees.

Chirrr—!!

The sound of insects moving through the grass.

All the sounds that had been eerily absent now reached my ears with perfect clarity.

As I observed my new surroundings—

Vwooooom—!!

A tremor passed through the air. It wasn’t a physical vibration, but the spell had begun its work again, sealing the sky above.

A thick mist, like heavy clouds, started to cloak the ceiling once more.

What was odd, however, was that while it seemed to block the sky, it remained somewhat transparent.

The crimson heavens were still visible through the haze.

In other words—

«So we can see out, but they can’t see in?»

That was intriguing.

«Mount Hua created an entirely separate realm…»

But this place was simply using a veil.

I wanted to study it further.

So, just as I was about to activate my Heart Eye to probe the spell more deeply—

«Excuse me.»

«…!»

A voice suddenly addressed me from nearby. I turned my head quickly.

And there—

«What the…?»

A small, white butterfly fluttered its delicate wings in front of me.

«I do not know from where you have come, but this lowly one humbly welcomes the honored guests.»

The voice was coming from the butterfly.

It was a woman’s voice.

«…What is this about?»

Still surprised, I asked, staring at it.

«I am the spirit tasked with watching over this place.»

The butterfly introduced itself.