Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 1131

Chapter 1131

Whirrrrr—!!!

A low, resonant hum filled the air, emanating not from me, but from my father’s body.

It was the sound of a ring spinning at tremendous speed. With each rotation, a reactive force surged within me.

Sparks flew from the friction, weaving around his form.

Whooosh—!!!

A brilliant, scorching crimson flame engulfed him completely. I swallowed hard, my throat dry.

This was different. The flames I had witnessed before were nothing like this.

“This is unbelievable.”

He, too, had been holding back. Now, my father revealed a flame of an entirely new caliber.

The dim training ground seemed to vanish. Before me stood what felt like a miniature sun, its light glaring and relentless.

“…Are you suggesting we fight again?”

I asked, unable to mask my confusion. Fight again? Had we not already crossed blows?

I frowned, questioning whether this was truly necessary.

“It is not ‘again’.”

Father’s voice was characteristically deep and steady.

“That time, both you and I had a purpose.”

“…”

I narrowed my eyes at his words. It did strike me as strange.

‘Purpose.’

Back then, Father’s objective was to prevent Namgung Hyeong’s escape. That was the reason for the fight. It should have been no different when we clashed.

But.

‘To speak of purpose now…’

The implication was that if his true intention had been to stop Namgung Hyeong, he should have shown his full strength.

Even though I was his opponent, that principle should have held.

And yet, to admit a purpose here without having revealed his real power meant…

‘Is it possible?’

My eyes widened as I stared at him.

“…Commander, could it be… did you actually assist Namgung Gongja in escaping?”

What if Father’s goal wasn’t to capture Namgung Hyeong, but something else entirely?

What if he not only held back but even aided me afterward?

‘…That can’t be, can it?’

Something wasn’t adding up.

“What about Hyun Soyeon, then?”

What of Hyun Soyeon, who had explicitly asked Father to apprehend Namgung Hyeong? I couldn’t make sense of it.

“Well.”

Father simply acknowledged my words with a slight shake of his head.

“It is only right to honor the client’s word.”

“…”

A dry, humorless laugh escaped me. It wasn’t a full explanation, but those words could only mean one thing…

‘Father also helped Namgung Hyeong escape.’

It implied a shared objective.

“…Incredible.”

This was a betrayal. I had been racking my brain, only to find my father had been several steps ahead.

“…And now you wish to fight?”

“Is that an issue?”

“…I’m the one who was deceived. How could it not be an issue?”

“It isn’t. My assistance toward you remains unchanged.”

“…”

He helped me, so now we should fight properly. A simple, yet logically sound statement.

In truth, since Father had kept silent, I hadn’t faced further complications.

But why did that mean we had to fight?

‘This is utterly irrational.’

That was the only way to describe how I felt.

“…Why do you want to do this?”

“You intrigue me.”

“What does that mean?”

“How far can you go?”

“…What?”

“The Sword Master instructed me to watch over you. You are aware of this.”

“…”

I fell silent once more at the mention of the Sword Master. Yes, I knew that too.

“But the more I observe, the more I wonder. What are your limits?”

Whoooosh—!!

His fighting spirit intensified. The crimson fire around him did not grow in size, but the density of its pressure deepened noticeably.

“You need not answer. Show me.”

“…”

“Consider it repayment for saving you.”

My father settled into a firm stance, his body coiling with tension.

Kwooooo—!!!

The flames surrounding him stabilized, forming a protective barrier.

‘…Has he broken through to the eighth level?’

The level of Father’s current power. The flames of the Nine Flames Firewheel clearly seemed to have reached the eighth stage.

To achieve that at his age…

Even in my previous life, using the Heavenly Demon’s power to augment my energy, I had only barely touched that realm.

Yet Father had reached it at an age not much greater than mine.

“…”

The searing heat washed over me.

Creeeeak—!

The same type of ring sealed within me reacted, straining against its confines.

I focused on suppressing it, holding it down firmly.

‘Stay quiet. Don’t stir.’

I gritted my teeth, holding my breath.

It kept trying to emerge, a sensation impossible to ignore.

“Huff.”

I took a deep breath. Channeling my internal energy, I crushed the ring within my heart.

It was stifling, but bearable.

As I regulated my breathing and gathered my strength.

“Here I come.”

“…”

Father moved. Embers scattered as he became a blur of motion.

Thump—!

Suddenly, he was right in front of me, fist driving toward my chest.

‘Hm.’

A moment of doubt. Should I really do this?

‘…But is this appropriate against my own father?’

It was a brief hesitation.

Then Father’s words about repayment echoed in my mind.

I gave a slight nod.

The hesitation was over. There was nothing to ponder, really.

‘Lack of filial piety is my greatest virtue, after all.’

The pinnacle of my human skills is undoubtedly my disregard for filial duty.

Clack—!

“…!”

I broke through the flames and seized Father’s wrist. Just as before, but my speed was different now.

Ignoring the enveloping fire, I pulled hard on his arm, forcing his body off balance.

I threw a punch.

Kwoong—!!

“…Kuhk.”

A single blow shook his protective energy. The flames within him churned violently.

Father’s leg buckled. It was intentional. I had targeted a meridian point, easily breaking his posture.

Seeing my opening, I struck again.

Kwaaak—!!

My fist drove precisely into his side.

Using the recoil, I channeled power into my next strike.

And then I hit him outright.

Bang—!!

With a sound like bursting air, Father’s body was hurled backward.

Squeeeak—!!!

I dug my foot into the ground to steady myself.

He managed to slow his momentum despite his broken stance.

The pain must have been immense. I had struck a point unprotected by his energy, likely disrupting his body’s equilibrium. Yet, Father endured.

Admirable mental fortitude. Had it been me, I would have been writhing on the ground.

Even as I respected that…

‘It’s not over.’

I was already upon him, my foot pressing down lightly on a joint.

Thump—!

“…!”

Powerlessly, one knee gave way completely.

His upper body pitched forward as a result.

His head dropped from the impact.

And into that opening, my fist flew.

Paak—!!!

Father’s head snapped upward.

I manifested the Tua Infinite Fist and, in that same moment, drew the Azure Sky into my body.

Heat flooded my meridians, a stimulating surge.

My fist became seemingly weightless, tearing through the air.

Papang-papapapang—!!!

The speed was such that sound lagged behind. My arm moved like a whip, striking every part of Father’s body in a relentless, rapid barrage.

In terms of time, it was over in an instant.

I intended to end it here. To completely immobilize him, preventing any movement or retaliation. The Tua Infinite Fist made that possible.

Or so I believed—just as I prepared to accelerate further.

Kwak—!

‘What?’

My left arm was suddenly caught.

How in the world?

‘He reacted to this—?’

Kwoong—!!

“…Kugh!”

A fist slammed into my abdomen. Not only had he grabbed my arm, but he had also mounted a counterattack.

Even with my energy shielding me, the impact was disorienting.

A groan was forced from my lips. My body twisted as I stumbled back.

I barely managed to disperse the force of the blow.

We created distance between us.

From one end of the training hall to the other, we stood apart, watching each other.

Father had unquestionably been struck, yet his expression showed no sign of injury.

I, on the other hand, had taken only one hit—yet my eyes were wide, fixed on him in disbelief.

‘How did he counter?’

I couldn’t comprehend how he had managed to respond.

‘Clearly…’

I had predicted his movements, sealing off every possible avenue. I had made a counterattack impossible.

So what opening had he seen?

Even I hadn’t perceived such a path.

My brow furrowed. Father was terrifying.

Tuk, tuk.

As if what had just happened was nothing, he simply brushed off his clothes.

Wooduduk.

Perhaps he wasn’t entirely unscathed—his joints emitted a rough sound as he loosened his stance.

“Yangcheon.”

Father spoke my name.

“…Yes.”

“Was that your full strength?”

“……”

His gaze was intense. I sighed under its weight.

“If I were to go all out here… the house, everything, would be obliterated.”

Having already caused so much destruction, what more did he expect me to do here?

‘Going all out is the problem itself.’

The moment I sealed away the Nine Flames Firewheel, fighting at full power became an impossibility.

Not that I had any particular reason to unleash it anyway.

Just as I hesitated for a fraction of a second—

Hwaaaa—!

‘What?’

An overwhelming surge of energy erupted from Father’s hands. Flames gathered, coalescing into a Flame Prison.

And not just any Flame Prison.

A perfect one.

“…Deputy Leader?”

“If you will not go all out, I will ensure that you do.”

“…That… Wait. Be reasonable. If we cause another catastrophe, we will be in serious trouble.”

It was as if my words didn’t reach him.

Father completed the Flame Prison—

Guoooo—!!!

And then began to expand it.

In an instant, a Grand Flame Prison was fully formed.

“Go all out.”

“……”

This man is insane.

‘Is this a threat?’

If I didn’t fight seriously, was he truly prepared to detonate the Flame Prison? What kind of absurd ultimatum was this?

The problem was, knowing my father… this was likely not a bluff.

‘Tch…’

I clicked my tongue.

Fine.

I released the restraints on my power. My body surged to its maximum capacity.

“If you won’t go all out—”

Kuuk.

Before he could finish, my fist connected with his cheek. Putting all my strength into it, I drove him straight into the ground.

Kuwaaaaaa—!!!!

The training hall floor shattered into a spiderweb of cracks.

Father’s body was sent flying.

The impact seemed to have knocked him unconscious.

The Grand Flame Prison in his hand flickered uncertainly.

Ziiiiiing—!!

With its caster unconscious, it was on the verge of exploding.

Seeing this, I swiftly grabbed hold of the Flame Prison.

Kwaaaaaaaa—!!!!

I forcibly reversed its rotation. My own flames clashed violently with my father’s, creating a turbulent backlash.

‘Don’t resist. I’m busy.’

The unleashed energy gradually compressed—

And then, the Flame Prison vanished without detonating.

“…Whew.”

Finally, I dusted off my hands and ran a hand through my hair.

I turned to check on Father.

He lay motionless.

“……”

I knelt and poked him gently.

“Hey… Father—no, Deputy Leader…? Are you alright?”

Fortunately, I could hear his breathing. But with half his body embedded in the shattered ground, his condition looked… questionable.

“…Mmm.”

Did I go too far…?

The thought crossed my mind, if only for a moment.