Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 1024

Chapter 1024

“I refuse.”

“……”

The spirit went rigid at my declaration. Even with her face obscured by the veil, her expression was simple to imagine.

“Wh-what are you saying…?”

“Just that. I refuse.”

I scratched my cheek as I addressed her, observing her palpable confusion.

“I grasp the circumstances.”

I comprehended it all—the Chief’s arrival had transformed this tranquil sanctuary into a wreckage.

That the Lord of All Realms had prophesied the coming of a deliverer.

And that they were now concluding I was that very savior.

I understood every part of it.

“But I am not a volunteer.”

My apologies, but I was no champion of justice.

“I’m not the sort to offer aid merely because I’ve been asked.”

“…Huh?”

The spirit appeared utterly bewildered. Evidently, the chance of my rejecting their plea had never crossed her mind.

“Th-then… what is it that you want…?”

“That is for you to determine.”

I allowed a soft laugh to escape.

“There is nothing I truly desire from you. However, I also have no interest in working without compensation…”

I turned my head, glancing toward the entrance I had used.

“Devise a way to persuade me. If your proposal appeals to me, then I may contemplate granting the ‘salvation’ you seek.”

“Ah… O Great One…”

The spirit hastily bowed her head once more, but I paid no heed and instead asked,

“How do I get back inside after I leave?”

“…Pardon?”

“I have to go out for a while. What is the method for returning?”

“……”

“I have other business to attend to. I intend to come back, so provide a clear answer.”

“If you follow the path, you will discover an exit. You may return through that same entrance… However.”

“However?”

“Once night arrives… the entrance will remain sealed until dawn. You will be unable to reenter until morning.”

“Oh? That works in my favor.”

I had no intention of staying beyond nightfall anyway, so it was of no consequence.

“Very well, I’m leaving.”

I began walking toward the path. As I did, I looked back at the spirit.

“Give careful thought to my words.”

“…Ah—”

She attempted to speak, but I did not stay to listen.

Whoosh!

Flames burst from my form, and I propelled myself down the passage.

Just as the spirit had indicated, I soon saw what looked like an exit.

A gatekeeper stood on duty, but I offered no acknowledgment.

“Hm?”

Fwoosh—!!!

“Guh!?”

Before they could respond, I transformed into fire and streamed straight past. In a flash, I reached the massive gate, my hands gripping its surface.

Creak—!!!

“Ah! What in the—?!”

The gatekeeper’s reaction came too late. The doors were already parting, just wide enough for me to slip through.

Before they could advance, I thrust myself outside.

Fwoosh!

My flame-engulfed body launched out of Mareong Valley.

Hovering in the air, I surveyed the rocky mountains once again.

Nothing was different.

It was still nothing but stone. Accepting that, I immediately took action.

There was something I needed to verify.

*********

Fwoooosh—!!!

Flames erupted outward, branching into countless directions.

The rapidly swirling inferno expanded, its slender, thread-like tendrils reaching out in every direction. They looked like the branches and roots of a tree.

They slowly spread, growing increasingly dense.

This was another application of sensory projection using fire.

It permitted a more detailed, intricate awareness of my surroundings.

Soon, my senses had covered the majority of Mareong Mountain.

“Hmm…”

A flood of information poured into my mind. I narrowed my eyes as I sifted through it.

There was a great deal, but in the end…

“Nothing significant has changed.”

It was identical to what I had perceived the previous night.

“Still nothing.”

Traces of life were nearly absent. I could still detect the presence of those within Mareong Valley, but beyond that…

“The same as before.”

Outside of the valley, there were no signs of living beings whatsoever.

Should I extend my range further?

I contemplated it, then dismissed the idea.

Whooosh—!!!

The fiery branches rapidly retracted, flowing back into my body. The flames returned to my heart, and I finally extinguished the blaze.

“…Tsk.”

I bit my thumb, scowling.

“What is going on?”

I couldn’t make sense of it. Not just this damned mountain, but more importantly…

“Where did the Chief disappear to?”

I could not sense even a hint of the Chief I had battled last night.

“I wanted to verify something.”

The Chief only moved after dark—if I could find him during the day, dealing with him would be far simpler. That was the reason I had come out.

“Where did he vanish?”

His presence had been so immense last night, yet now, it was completely gone.

Had he buried himself underground? Disappeared into the heavens?

Or perhaps… had he departed from Mareong Mountain entirely?

“Is this another one of his abilities?”

I found it unlikely that he had simply left. If the spirit was correct, and he could only move at night…

“He must have arranged a way to protect himself during the day.”

He had undoubtedly prepared for this.

“Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue in irritation.

Naturally, nothing was ever straightforward.

Which meant…

“I’ll have to try again tonight.”

Once the moon rose and the Chief began to move, I would need to investigate once more.

“Will that even be feasible?”

Last night, he had detected me instantly.

That implied there was some sort of mechanism in place.

“Otherwise, it doesn’t add up.”

It was improbable that he had sensed me through sharp instincts alone.

“There is a secret to his power.”

Both his exceptional perception and the reason I couldn’t feel him now…

“…For now, I’ll stop here.”

I postponed the search for the Chief. There was another matter I needed to address first.

“What are you doing?”

“…Holy hell—!”

The sudden voice nearly made me jump out of my skin.

“Damn it!”

Of course, it was Cheonma.

“Could you make some sound when you move? You scared the life out of me!”

“Apologies.”

Cheonma replied flatly. Her face showed no sign of genuine remorse.

“Damn it.”

When had she even gotten here?

I hadn’t noticed her approach at all. Had she seized the moment when I had just withdrawn my senses and was briefly distracted?

That would be a plausible explanation.

“…Or is it?”

Was that truly all there was to it?

“…Did you vanish again?”

Cheonma had disappeared abruptly and then returned. She did that frequently, but this instance felt different.

This wasn’t Mount Hua. Where could she possibly have gone?

At my question, Cheonma answered with her typical blank stare.

“A walk.”

“You did not. If you’re going to lie, at least put some effort into it.”

That was utter nonsense.

“…It is the truth.”

“It is not. Do you honestly believe this is a place for a stroll?”

This area was nothing but rock. A ‘walk’ was the most absurd excuse I had ever heard.

Even a stray dog would find it laughable.

“Tell me the truth. What were you doing?”

“……”

Cheonma remained silent.

I frowned.

“You won’t answer?”

I was already suspicious, and her refusal to speak only aggravated me further.

What was she scheming? Had she truly been off doing something behind my back?

The doubt swelling within me compelled me to step closer.

“…I was searching for something.”

Cheonma finally spoke. Searching for something?

“Searching for what?”

What could she possibly need to find here?

Had she been looking for a peculiarly shaped rock or something?

“The thing we witnessed yesterday. I was looking for it.”

“The thing we saw…? You mean that creature?”

Was she referring to the Chief? But why would Cheonma be searching for him?

I narrowed my eyes at her odd statement.

“No. Not that.”

Cheonma shook her head.

If it wasn’t the Chief, then…

“Something else.”

“Something else…?”

Wait.

I remembered.

“You mean the one you mentioned—the thing that was hiding?”

“Yes.”

Back during my fight with the Chief, Cheonma had insisted something was observing us from concealment.

That was the reason she had pulled me away in the midst of the battle.

“She was looking for that?”

So it was still here, lurking somewhere?

But that would mean…

“I didn’t detect it with my senses.”

I had just spread my awareness across the entire mountain.

If something was still hiding here, it had completely avoided my perception.

The realization sent a cold shiver down my spine.

But then—

“It is no longer there.”

Cheonma spoke, and I felt an unintended wave of relief.

I immediately scowled.

“You fool. Why are you relieved?”

Why was I so quick to trust what she said?

Irritated with myself, I almost struck the back of my own head.

“Why did you come out here?”

Cheonma asked.

“What?”

“Why did you leave?”

She was asking why I had departed from Mareong Valley.

“The same reason as you.”

I had something to find.

Whether that was the Chief or something else.

Besides…

“That place is somewhat uncomfortable.”

Mareong Valley, where the spirit dwelled.

For some reason, I disliked being there.

It was absurd enough that they expected me to act as their savior, but even beyond that…

“Something is there.”

There was something about Mareong Valley. Something about the spirit.

I was certain of it.

Because…

“That being, the ‘spirit.’”

A creature said to be fashioned in the image of their master.

“She is keeping something from me.”

She had shown me the highest respect, yet beneath that, she was hiding something.

And that disturbed me more than anything else.