Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 1123

Chapter 1123

Every person froze as if turned to solid stone.

It was inescapable.

*Thump, thump, thump—!*
*Kyaaarrrrk…….*

The monstrous being that had, mere moments before, struck terror into every heart was now breaking apart.

It was a creature of such immense size that it seemed a mountain had torn itself from the earth to walk.

Its spindly limbs trembled unsteadily in the wind, looking as if they might snap off at any second.

Yet only its limbs gave that impression—its stomach was horrifyingly distended, a grotesque and swollen mass.

An unnatural shape. A presence so potent it warped the very air and bent the pressure of the atmosphere.

“……It’s been pierced?”
“Its body…….”

A gigantic hole had been torn straight through the creature’s torso.

*Krrr…… Kyaarrkk—.*

A beast. One of the notorious White-Rank creatures.

Monsters with pallid white skin and a sinister aura—beings so hazardous that their existence alone could trigger catastrophic environmental shifts.

People named them White-Rank Beasts.

The thing standing before them was unquestionably one of them.

And yet, it was falling to pieces.

What was going on? As everyone stared in bewilderment—

“Over there! Someone’s over there!”

A voice shouted out in sudden discovery. Every eye followed the sound.

It was the empty sky.

Within the churning, dark storm clouds overhead, a single figure stood.

Not on the ground. Not hovering. But planted firmly in midair, hands held calmly behind his back.

A man robed in black. He stood nearly eight *cheok* tall (roughly 2.4 meters). A white mask, webbed with strange cracks, covered his face.

“What in the world……?”
“Who is that……?”

Confusion spread rapidly through the ranks.

Why had the monster been reduced to this state? And who was this mysterious person?

Before they could even start to process the situation—

*Kyaaaaaaaarrrkk–……!!!*

The monster behind them reacted.

The massive hole in its body began to mend, flesh knitting back together at an alarming rate.

Witnessing this, Gu Cheolwoon adjusted his stance.

Whoever that man was, it was irrelevant for the moment.

The monster was the priority.

Thinking this, he summoned his flames once more.

At that exact moment—

*Kyaaaaaaaah—!!!*

The fully regenerated beast unleashed an ear-splitting roar, revealing its complete form.

*Fwaaaaash—!!!*

A pair of wings unfurled from its back.

They were skeletal, stripped of all skin and flesh, nothing but bare bone remaining.

It could not fly.

No matter how violently it beat them, the bone-wings failed to stir even a breeze.

The White-Rank Beast flinched, appearing confused.

It seemed to panic at the realization of its grounded state.

*Kyaarrrrk—! Kyaarrkk!!!*

But that confusion swiftly transformed into pure rage. Its energy erupted violently.

And that fury was directed at the warriors standing closest.

*Kyaaaaaaaark—!!!*

Now completely unrestrained, the beast charged toward them.

“Prepare for battle—!!”

Gu Cheolwoon bellowed. His voice, infused with qi, snapped everyone into motion.

They immediately braced for the fight.

But—

*Kyaaaaaah—!!!*
*Kwaduduk—!!*

“Gaaaaah!”
“Uaaaaaah—!!”

With a single sweep of its enormous arm, the mountainside terrain was utterly demolished.

The warriors were on the verge of being annihilated by the force.

Even the most powerful among them could not hope to withstand such raw, overwhelming power.

A direct hit would mean instant death.

Realizing this, Gu Cheolwoon moved first.

*Fwooooosh—!!!*
*Boom—!!*

A torrent of searing flame smashed into the White-Rank Beast’s arm, deflecting its attack.

The beast stumbled from the blow.

*Kyaarrk?*

It let out a puzzled noise, shocked that it had been countered.

Gu Cheolwoon, too, grimaced.

It was incredibly heavy.

The sheer weight behind the creature’s power. He had managed to divert it, but the full impact had traveled right into his right arm.

But—

*Fwoooosh—!!*

There was no time to acknowledge the pain.

He concentrated flames into his palm, forming a blazing Fire Orb (炎玉, Yeomok), and instantly hurled it at the White-Rank Beast.

*Kwooooom—!!*

A thunderous detonation followed. The resulting shockwave rippled outwards, kicking up a violent gale.

It was a direct hit.

Yet, Gu Cheolwoon’s expression remained severe.

His attack had connected perfectly, but something was wrong.

*Kyaarrk—.*

The beast had not budged an inch.

Instead, it bared its fangs.

Its sharp claws curled into a massive fist.

Seeing this, Gu Cheolwoon gritted his teeth.

The creature’s intention was obvious.

Evading it would be nearly impossible.

As that thought struck him, Gu Cheolwoon ignited his flames again, planning to trigger a blast and propel himself to safety.

But then—

“Vice Commander—!”

A voice cried out in warning.

Turning his head, Gu Cheolwoon saw Soi leaping directly toward him.

Damn it.

If he dodged now, Soi would be obliterated.

Making an instant decision, he redirected his flames.

Away from the monster—

He blasted the fire directly at Soi.

“……!”

The impact sent Soi hurling backward.

*Thud—!*

“Ugh!”

She tumbled across the ground, her eyes wide with shock.

But her first instinct wasn’t to check her own condition.

Her gaze instantly shot back to Gu Cheolwoon.

“Vice Commander……!”

A colossal fist was plummeting toward him.

Damn it.

He had no time to raise his guard. No time to fortify his qi.

The monster’s strike was already upon him.

In that fraction of a second—

“Do you not understand words?”

A deep voice spoke beside him.

*BOOOOOOM—!!!*
*Kyaaaaaaaah—!!!*

A deafening impact.

The monster screeched in agony.

The incoming fist shattered into pieces mid-swing.

The White-Rank Beast reeled backward, howling in pain.

It tried to unleash another desperate roar—

“I told you, didn’t I?”

*Kyaaah—ghhk—!!*
*Kwaaaaak—!!*

Someone slammed into the beast’s maw with overwhelming force.

The impact sent the creature toppling over backward.

Given its colossal size, it looked like a mountain itself was collapsing.

And the one who had brought it down—

The masked man.

He spoke coldly.

“I told you to stop barking.”

Gu Cheolwoon’s eyes widened.

He had not seen it happen.

The man had appeared from nowhere and, with seemingly effortless movements, rendered the White-Rank Beast helpless.

In that moment, Gu Cheolwoon understood.

It was him.

The one who had pierced the White-Rank Beast.

That person was standing right there.

Who is he?

Gu Cheolwoon couldn’t tell. His gaze shook with shock. Then, as if pulled by instinct, he looked elsewhere.

To where the stunned crowd stood, motionless.

And there—

He’s there.

Baek Yangcheon.

Baek Yangcheon, like everyone else, was watching the scene with a look of utter astonishment.

For some reason, Gu Cheolwoon found himself staring intently at Baek Yangcheon. Even though he knew it couldn’t possibly have been him.

While he was confirming this—

*Kyaaaaaaaah—!!!!*

The beast continued to roar.

Then—

*Wooooooooooom—!!!!*

A sudden reaction erupted from the Magyeong Gate.

The gate shuddered with a fierce vibration.

*Krurururu—!*
*……Kyaaaaaaaa—!!!*

Bestial howls echoed from within.

The surrounding warriors paled in horror.

*Kuwaaaaaaah—!!!*

“It’s a beast……!”
“A monster has appeared!!”

Creatures poured out from the Magyeong Gate.

“…Red-Rank?”

Not just any beast—these were Red-Rank monsters.

Their skin and flesh glistened with a crimson sheen.

While not as large as the White-Rank Beasts, their size was still immense.

And there weren’t just one or two of them.

A whole horde emerged at once.

“This… This is impossible!”
“Draw your swords! We have to stop them!”
“Damn it!”

Panic-stricken, the warriors fought to regain their composure.

It was their first encounter with Red-Rank Beasts.

Rumors claimed it took a team of peak-level warriors just to bring one down.

Yet now, multiple had appeared simultaneously?

Everyone clenched their jaws, steeling themselves for the fight.

At that moment—

“How annoying.”

The man in the black robe muttered.

“Silence them.”

An order.

But to whom?

Gu Cheolwoon frowned in confusion.

And then—

*KIIIIIAAAAHHHH—!!!*

With a bloodcurdling scream—

*Kuwaaaaaaaah—!!!*

Something dropped from the sky, crashing directly into the center of the Red-Rank Beasts.

A cloud of dust exploded upward.

Their vision was obscured.

Then—

*Shiiiiiik—!*
*Kruaaaaaah—!!*
*Kyarurururur—!!!*
*Kwaduduk! Kwaaak—!!*

The sounds of something breaking, tearing, and ripping apart filled the air.

Through the settling dust, something landed at a warrior’s feet.

“What the… Hiiiik!!”

The warrior stumbled back in terror.

When he looked down—

It was a severed head.

A monster’s head.

A tiger-like beast, its neck brutally ripped apart, its lifeless skull lying on the ground.

What in hell is happening?

Gu Cheolwoon couldn’t make sense of the situation.

What was going on?

Just as confusion threatened to overwhelm him—

*Kyarurururur…….!!*

The White-Rank Beast that had been knocked down began to rise again.

A formidable energy surged from its body.

A raw, primal rage.

The bloodthirst to shred everything in its path shook the very ground beneath them.

The sheer intensity of its killing intent sent tremors of fear through everyone present.

Just as it was about to overpower them—

“Pathetic worm.”

A voice spoke beside Gu Cheolwoon.

“Silence it. I don’t like noise.”

The moment the words fell—

*Krrrrrrruaaaaaaah—!!!*
*Kuuuuuuuuung—!!!!*

Something dropped from the sky once more.

But this time—

It was different.

*Kiyaaaaaaaaah—!!!*

An enormous black hand clamped around the White-Rank Beast’s throat.

Gu Cheolwoon’s mouth fell open in disbelief.

They were… the same size.

The entity that had just subdued the White-Rank Beast—

Was another monster.

But this one was different.

Its skin wasn’t the typical green, blue, or red of common demonic creatures.

Black?

It had skin of pitch-black.

*Whooooosh—!!*
*Kwaduduk—!!*

The Black Beast swung its fist.

And drove it into the White-Rank Beast’s skull.

*Baaang—!!*

The impact shattered bone, sending powerful shockwaves through the earth.

*Thud—! Thud, thud, thud—!!*

The battle between the two colossal entities had begun.

Just witnessing the sheer scale of the conflict made every onlooker instinctively hold their breath.

Gu Cheolwoon was speechless.

And then—

*Swish.*

“……!”

A gaze.

He felt it.

The masked warrior.

He was looking directly at Gu Cheolwoon.

His irises shimmered with a violet light.

And the moment their eyes met—

Gu Cheolwoon felt a cold chill crawl up his spine.

Those were not the eyes of an ordinary man.