Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 1142

Chapter 1142

I once questioned Paejon.

“How many forms exist?”

Just how many techniques were contained within Tua Pacheonmu?

“At this moment, you could say there are seven… but it is hard to be certain.”

At my inquiry, Paejon responded with little reaction, as though the total number was not a significant detail.

“The quantity of forms is not what concerns me.”

“Then what does?”

The number of techniques comprising a martial art—how could that be unimportant?

I could not grasp his meaning.
For martial artists, who devote their entire lives to honing their skills, that number was of the utmost importance.

Yet, Paejon answered me with detachment.

“Completion. And satisfaction.”

“…What?”

“If reducing the number of forms raises the level of completion, then that is correct. If expanding it yields improvement, that is also correct. And if it brings fulfillment in the end—that is what I consider the completion of a martial art.”

His logic was strikingly simple.

If introducing a new form weakened the art, discard it.
If discarding it created a flaw, restore it.

That was the path to perfecting a martial art.

“…So, do you intend to keep adding more?”

“Naturally.”

“Then when do you ever plan to master it?”

He had always claimed that perfecting Tua Pacheonmu was his life’s ambition.
But if he continued like this, when did he expect to finally reach that objective?

At my question, Paejon laughed.

“Ahaha. My dear disciple.”

“Yes?”

“What do you believe mastery is?”

“Isn’t it when you have learned a martial art completely?”

When you have acquired all existing techniques, embodying them fully within your body—was that not mastery?

At least, that was what I had always thought.

“I see. That is one perspective.”

But Paejon did not seem to share it.

“Why? What do you think it is?”

I asked, my curiosity genuine.

“Who can say?”

He offered no answer.

Instead—

“At the very least, it is not what you imagine.”

He shook his head, utterly certain of that fact.

“Regardless, techniques can always be modified or added. If I wish to, I shall.”

He was not wrong.
Paejon was the founder of Tua Pacheonmu.
It was his prerogative to develop it as he saw fit.

The problem was—

“…Then when in the world am I supposed to learn all of it?”

He would devise a new technique, then discard it.
Then create another, only to eliminate that one as well.

If he continued in this manner, when would I ever be able to master it?
He took me as his disciple because he could not perfect it himself—

But at this rate, when would I ever accomplish his goal?

I pointed this out to him.

“Ahaha.”

Paejon laughed once more.

“If you persist, you will reach it in time.”

“…”

Damn old man.
Why were all the old men around me utterly deranged?

Just as I began to question all my life choices—

“Well, at least I do not intend to remove anything before the Sixth Form, so you should be grateful for that.”

“…You won’t remove them?”

“Correct. I have finally reached a point of satisfaction with them. And besides—”

Tap, tap.

Paejon lightly tapped his fist against my shoulder.

“If nothing else, the Sixth Form requires no alteration. That one is my greatest masterpiece.”

“…”

It was likely the first time I had ever heard Paejon speak of the Sixth Form in such a way.

His greatest masterpiece.

A technique so flawless, it needed no further refinement.

Paejon was a man consumed by the pursuit of perfection.
A madman whose devotion to martial arts verged on insanity.

For a man like that to declare something perfect…

What manner of technique was the Sixth Form?

What was it that provoked such a reaction from him?

I had no way of knowing.

Before I ever had the opportunity to learn it, catastrophe occurred.
And I had entirely forgotten this conversation.

“…Ha.”

Only now, standing here in the present, did I finally comprehend.

“This is insane.”

The Sixth Form.

One Fist.

A single strike.

Despite its simple name, I struggled to find words for what I was witnessing.

The entire terrain had been altered.

What was once a dense, thriving forest now resembled a desolate waste, as if scoured by a cataclysm.

The lingering traces of Paejon’s energy still hung in the air, carrying the faint scent of ozone and ash.

“Judging by your reaction, you have truly never seen this before.”

“…It seems I have not.”

“Hmm. Why is that?”

Paejon muttered to himself, sounding puzzled.

“By now, you should have learned it. Why did I never teach it to you?”

It was simply because I had been too occupied.
But Paejon was searching for a more profound reason.

“Was there some specific purpose?”

“…No. I really was just too busy.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“Then this is a perfect opportunity.”

“…What?”

“You should learn it now.”

“…Excuse me?”

Right now? In these circumstances?

“Why? Is there an issue?”

“Of course there is! Why at this very moment…?”

“What do you mean why? If you have not learned it, you must learn it from me. Who else will teach you?”

“…”

This Paejon was different from the one I remembered.

But since he only knew that I had turned back time, he did not perceive it that way.

…Do I truly have to learn from him here as well?

I wanted to learn the Sixth Form.

For a moment, I had been utterly captivated by the overwhelming power of his punch.

He was the pinnacle of martial combat.

Shin Noya had once told me—if there was anyone who truly embodied the title of martial artist, it was Paejon.

The man who stood at the absolute peak of martial combat.
The one who had pushed the boundaries of human strength further than any other.

That was the Paejon I knew.

And I required his teachings.

But—

“No. Not at this time.”

I refused.

At least for now.

“Why?”

“…I have a matter I must attend to. And there is somewhere I need to go first.”

“Going somewhere? Where?”

“Shanxi.”

“…Hmm?”

Paejon tilted his head.

“Shanxi?”

“Yes. There is something I must resolve there.”

“Hmm.”

He fell silent for a moment, seemingly deep in thought.

Then, he looked back at me and asked:

“Do you have a strategy?”

“…More or less.”

I had already requested help from my father.
And I had conceived of a few alternative methods myself.

Most of them were… violent. And highly illegal.

“I see.”

Paejon grinned.

“Very well. If that is the case, then proceed. If it is that important, you should resolve it.”

Did he truly understand?

Judging by his reaction, it appeared he did.

“Alright. That is acceptable. Go on, then.”

“…What?”

Paejon gave a slight nod, as if he had reached a decision, and began to move.

He walked forward several paces before turning back to look at me.

“What are you waiting for? We must return. If we take too long, we will be late.”

“…”

Thump—!

Paejon leaped into the air, flying back in the direction from which we had come.

“Hmm…”

I stared at his retreating figure.

Should I follow?

…Was that really all there was to it?

Paejon had yielded far too easily. It left me feeling deeply unsettled.

But for the moment, it seemed I had navigated through the situation.

Still—

Why do I feel so apprehensive?

A persistent sense of disquiet refused to fade.

And as always—whenever I had a bad feeling—

I was never mistaken.

We arrived back at the main headquarters.

Paejon had gotten there before me and vanished somewhere. He was nowhere to be seen.

And when I returned to my original location, my companions were also absent.

Naturally, I headed back to the Azure Dragon Division.

“Well, look who has returned.”

“How was your first mission, rookie? Manage to hold your own?”

The moment I stepped inside, my seniors grinned, chuckling as they greeted me.

They seemed more interested in mocking me than offering a real welcome.

“Yeah. It was fine.”

“Fine, huh? Long-term missions are a real grind. Must have been difficult.”

“Or maybe not. You were at the Namgung Clan, weren’t you? That probably made it easier.”

“Good point.”

“…”

Their words irritated me.

They were aware of the Crimson-Rank Beast Incident at the Namgung Clan.

So why were they behaving like this?

I did not understand, so I simply stared at them.

“Listen, just because you finished a mission, don’t get a big head. Learn to conduct yourself properly. I am offering advice as your senior, so take it to heart.”

At that, I nodded.

“Oh, I understand.”

These bastards.

They resented the fact that a rookie had been involved in a significant event.

So they were trying to put me in my place.

The moment I realized that, I laughed.

“Don’t worry. I have no intention of acting arrogant. Besides, it wasn’t even that noteworthy.”

I turned my gaze toward the one who had been taunting me the most.

“I mean, surely there isn’t anyone here who hasn’t handled something that simple before. Especially—”

I stared directly at him.

“—some idiot who’s never even done it himself.”

“What…?”

“What the hell did you just say—?!”

The meaning of my words registered, and they began to snarl.

“We treated you like a rookie, tried to look out for you, and now you think you’re—”

Crack.

“Guh!?”

His head snapped to the side.

I had struck him across the face.

Blood sprayed as he staggered backward, and with a wet sound, two of his teeth hit the floor.

“Huh…?”

The man was too stunned to react.

I grabbed the back of his head and drove my knee into his face.

Crunch—!!

“Guhhk!”

He collapsed, unconscious.

I turned to the other one—the one who had been jeering alongside him.

“What? Do you have something to say?”

“…”

“If you do, then say it.”

Thud.

I released the first man, and he slumped to the ground.

The other stood frozen, utterly dumbfounded.

I continued.

“Just be certain you are prepared to take responsibility for whatever you say.”

“…”

Was I going to let it go based on what he said?

Not a chance.

“Y-you…”

He looked at me as if the concept of a junior striking a senior had never occurred to him.

“How do you plan to handle this?! Do you have any idea what you’ve just done?!”

“What is there to handle? You annoyed me, so I hit you.”

“Y-you bastard…! I’m reporting this to the Commander right now!”

Gnashing his teeth, he turned to run toward the Commander’s office—

Boom—!!

“Guh!?”

He collapsed before he could take a single step.

And it was not my punch that had felled him.

The fist that had struck him was twice the size of mine.

“Tsk, tsk. A man should not run his mouth so carelessly.”

The one who had knocked him out clicked his tongue.

It was Gu Ryunghwa.

“Ah, good to see you, kid.”

He grinned as he looked at me.

Then, reaching into his sleeve, he pulled something out.

A snack.

“If you don’t mind, why don’t we have a little talk? I even brought some sweets for you.”

“…”

…The way he said that was seriously disturbing.