Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 1027

Chapter 1027

The heavens darkened, and stars ignited one by one.

A legion of stars materialized in disciplined ranks, casting their light upon the void.

Above them, the scarlet that had bled across the firmament gathered into a shimmering aurora, unfurling like a divine tapestry.

Then, two colossal moons ascended, their appearance heralding the true beginning of night.

The world itself announced its shift into darkness.

And only then did the creature, who had held its eyes sealed shut, finally open them.

«Kuhehehe….»

With a low, grating breath, suddenly—

Craaaaaack—!!!

A gigantic hand exploded through the solid stone of the earth.

A thick arm thrashed violently, straining, before hauling its immense body up from the abyss of petrified bedrock.

«Kuhehehehe….»

Embers swirling in its exhale, the General stood revealed.

Dust and sharp fragments of rock clung to its form as it emerged onto the surface with a terrible calm.

«Kurrrrrrrrrr—»

A deep, guttural growl vibrated through the air, saturated with pure, untamed fury.

«That damned crow…!!»

It remembered—

The conflict left unresolved, the unnatural sleep that had been forced upon it.

That memory set its wrath ablaze once more.

But just as the General prepared to unleash a roar of anger—

«…Hmm?»

Its thick neck craned upward.

«What do you think you’re doing?»

A voice cut through the night.

Contrary to appearances, the General was not speaking to itself.

For from the instant it had clawed its way to the surface—

A spectator had been observing from the cliffs above.

«I found it curious the first time, but truly, it is a remarkable thing.»

The voice that replied was laced with amusement, a thread of laughter woven through it.

«How is it that you consistently detect me with such sharpness?»
«I’ve said it before. Nothing on this earth escapes my notice.»
«Oh? Is that a fact?»

Tap.

A man dropped gracefully from the rocky precipice, landing without a sound.

The moment his feet met the ground, the General’s already threatening visage contorted further.

«You ran away like a frightened animal last time, and now you come back, hoping to be applauded for your courage?»
«Kukuk.»

The man called Cheonma laughed softly at the General’s scorn.

«You’re mistaken. I merely humored you out of courtesy, believing you would be left with regrets otherwise.»
«What…?»
«Was that not the situation, General? You must have felt some remorse. Our previous encounter was spoiled by an uninvited guest, after all.»
«…….»

The General did not instantly rebut him.

Not out of agreement—

But from sheer surprise.

Those words could mean only one thing—

He had been aware.

He had known the crow was hiding in the shadows.

«And so, concerned you might be left unsatisfied, I waited for you personally. And you fail to appreciate this gesture.»
«Kuhehehehehe.»

A thick exhalation, laden with both fury and dark amusement, escaped it.

The General thrust out its hand—

Craaaaash—!!!

Just as it had emerged from the ground, a gigantic battle axe erupted from the earth, slamming into its grasp.

«I will acknowledge that pathetic sentiment. And though stepping forward in ignorance of your fate is nothing but foolish bravery—»

Crack.

«I will also praise you for that.»

«But if you truly valued your life—»

«You should have fled.»

«Me? Run?»

«Yes. As is your habit.»

Whoooooosh.

The axe swept through the air, beginning to radiate a deep, malevolent crimson.

«Because creatures who do not know their place—»

«Are not long for this world!»

Craaaaaaash—!!!

Propelled by its enormous mass, the General hurled itself toward Cheonma.

**********

Boom! Craaaaaash—!!!
Kwaaaaaaang—!!!

A relentless volley of explosions shook the earth.

In the absolute blackness of night, only the violent flashes from the General’s axe, mixed with eruptions of scattered flame, illuminated the battleground.

Within the storm of devastation, debris and pulverized rock were hurled into the air by the sheer force of the impacts.

The deafening noise of combat did not diminish.

Every sweep of the General’s axe seemed capable of shearing mountains in half.

Deep chasms tore open the ground under its feet, and each swing split the atmosphere, generating violent winds that howled through the darkness.

«Tch.»

Even having witnessed it previously, its raw, primal power was still a monstrous thing to behold.

This was not simple force augmented by energy.

It was something more fundamental, so overwhelmingly destructive that the pressure from its movements alone could reshape the land.

A single direct hit would not just send me flying—

It would rip me to pieces.

I avoided each blow with total accuracy, maneuvering through the barrage.

Slowly—systematically—

I decreased the distance.

I wanted to trigger Myeong, freeze the beast, and deliver a finishing blow.

«But this damn thing—»

It refused to hold still.

Activating Myeong now would send the backlash surging directly into my body.

I had to endure.

«Just a little more—»

I slid past the relentless swings, edging closer.

I watched. I waited.

And then—

Clench—!

«Now!»

I was in range.

Darkness spiraled around me, the Cheonma Divine Art enveloping my limbs.

My fist tightened, overflowing with power.

«I’ll use Tam.»

I would activate Tam, suppress the General’s immortality, and erase it with one definitive blow.

But the very moment I gathered my strength to strike—

«—!»

The General abruptly leaped backward.

«Hm?»

Behind the mask, my eyes narrowed.

It had disengaged.

Now standing over a dozen paces away, the General gripped its axe firmly, its entire stance radiating wariness.

«Tch. That bastard.»

I clicked my tongue.

«It’s being careful.»

Even with an undying body, even with all its arrogance, some instinct had warned it.

«Could it know?»

That my Tam could sever its immortality?

«Impossible.»

It shouldn’t. It couldn’t.

I had taken extreme measures to conceal Tam, reserving it for this exact moment.

«Then how did it realize?»

There was no way it should have known.

And yet, it clearly did.

«What are you doing?»

I asked, feigning nonchalance.

«Kuheuh.»

It offered no answer.

It merely exhaled, and then—

Whooooooosh—!!!

Gripping its axe tighter, it unleashed a tempest of lethal, energy-charged slashes.

Each wave carried pure destructive power.

Dodging was not the challenge, but something felt wrong.

«Did I show my hand too much?»

In our first fight, I had used Myeong and revealed the Cheonma Divine Art.

That alone would be reason enough for its caution—

«But this is different.»

Before, it had charged at me without fear, recklessly.

Now—

«It’s wary. It’s studying me.»

And that was a problem.

Because an immortal foe who also exercised patience and strategy—

There was no more terrifying nightmare.

«You’ve come at the right time.»

The chief’s sinister words sent a cold shiver down my spine.

Chiiiiiiiiiik—!!!!

His skin burned, his body shifting once more into that familiar deep crimson shade.

‘His speed… it’s different.’

The transformation was occurring far more rapidly now.

And then—

Whoosh.

«……!!»

Before I could even process it, the blade of his axe was already a hair’s breadth from my eyes.

‘Fast.’

His speed had increased dramatically.

Avoiding this was impossible.

Clang—!!
Kwadudududuk—!!!!!

The power of the impact hurled me down the rocky mountainside.

My body couldn’t absorb the shock, tearing through the ground as I was flung backward.

I just managed to dig my feet in and slow my momentum, simultaneously checking my left arm.

‘Damn it.’

I had barely blocked the axe using Eternal Bind.

A moment’s hesitation, and my arm would have been severed.

‘This is madness.’

I tried to steady my breathing, to assess the situation—

«Huuuuuuh—!»

—but there was no time.

The chief was already on me again.

His axe carved through the air once more.

I dodged by a thread, my mind racing.

‘His speed and strength have both increased.’

Does this transformed state enhance everything?

And why does his presence feel less distinct?

As questions flooded my mind, I drew on my own energy.

Changcheon (Sky Ascendance).

The power of Tua Pacheonmu coiled around my body.

My physical capabilities multiplied exponentially.

At the same time, I released demonic energy, saturating the air with its oppressive presence.

Only after unfolding Heukcheon could I match his velocity.

«Huuuuuh!»

The chief’s expression shifted the instant I kept pace with him.

And just like that, the battle resumed.

He swung his axe without relent, each strike bearing monstrous force. I weaved through them, searching for an opening.

That massive axe—he wielded it as if it were weightless, unleashing a frenzy of wild, uncontrolled attacks.

Finding a gap in his assault was like trying to spot a single star at noon.

‘There’s no alternative.’

A decision had to be made.

«Stop.»

«……!!!»

Cough—!

The backlash was immediate; blood flooded my throat, seeping into the fabric of my mask.

It didn’t matter.

There was no time to acknowledge the pain.

It lasted for only a fleeting instant, but I had managed to bind him.

Fwoooooosh—!!!!

Instantly, I formed a ring of fire and set it spinning.

Simultaneously, I refined the flames in my hands, tempering them with exacting precision.

And onto them, I engraved my understanding.

Nine Flames Firewheel.

The secret technique of the Gu family spread from my fingertips.

Nine Flames Ultimate Peak Technique.

Craaaaaaaah—!!!

A beast of raging inferno roared as it swallowed the chief’s body whole.

Kwooooooooosh—!!!

A conflagration of unimaginable heat consumed the sky, its force liquefying the very ground beneath us.

Drip. Drip.
Sizzle.

Embers dropping from the chief’s body hissed as they scorched the earth.

«Grrrrrrr…….»

His body was a wrecked ruin.

Seeing him in that state, I clenched my fist.

«You make for a fine sight.»

«Krrrrrgh—!!»

My taunt threw him into a rage.

And in that moment—I saw it.

His shattered form began to knit itself back together.

Tch.

I immediately issued the command to Tam.

«Devour him.»

Shiiiiiiiaaaaah—!!!

Tam, the shadowy entity, surged forward, aiming to consume the chief.

Just as Tam lunged—

Wuuuuuuuuung—!!!

The air abruptly fractured.

A rift had formed.

«What…?»

Above the chief, countless fissures appeared in the sky.

Every single one of them—a Magyeong Gate.

Which could only mean…

Krrrrrrrrr—!!!

As anticipated, a sinister growl echoed from the rifts, followed by an endless tide of demonic beasts pouring forth.

I turned my attention back to the chief.

«So this was your hidden card?»

It seemed he had more in reserve than just immortality.

I muttered, almost amused—

«The Crow—!!!»

The chief suddenly howled in fury at the sight of the rifts.

«I told you not to interfere—!!!»

Kwooooom—!!!!

His enraged roar split the ground at his feet.

«You bastard—!!!»

‘…So this wasn’t his doing?’

I hadn’t even sensed it.

There was another player behind the scenes.

Tch.

Suppressing my disquiet, I looked up.

Demonic beasts streamed endlessly from the rifts above.

No—not just demonic beasts.

They bore a haunting resemblance to the creatures I had seen upon first entering Mangye.

Or perhaps, they were akin to the Moonlit Night Tribe that dwelled in the depths of Mareong Cave.

«Crow, I swear I will kill you—!!!»

The chief, however, paid no attention to his swelling forces.

He was utterly fixated on the intruder who had interrupted his battle.

Krrrrrrrr!!!

Even so, his army continued to gather.

I let out a sigh.

«Haah.»

«To interfere like this…»

«Shut up. You’re giving me a headache.»

Ignoring the chief’s incessant raving, I slowly raised a hand.

«This little show is neither surprising nor annoying.»

And then—

I clenched my heart, activating my authority.

This wasn’t Tam.

This was something entirely different.

Bzzzt—!

A prickling sensation spread from my heart, and then—

Kuuuuuuuuuuung—!!!

The sky above me began to tear open.

«What…?»

The chief’s eyes widened in shock.

«Don’t take it to heart. This is just to even the odds.»

I smirked.

This was the power I had gained in Hanan, after slaying a Crimson-Rank Beast.

Krrrrrrrrrr—!!!
Kuaaaaaah—!!!!

The ability to open my own Magyeong Gate.

And to summon the monstrous entities I had consumed.

I had given it a name—

«Hyakki Yagyo.»

A Hundred Demons’ Parade.