Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 1161

Chapter 1161

Chapter 1161

Crack—!!!

The heavens were giving way. It was the only description that sufficed. That single thought was the inevitable verdict.

The fissure originating from Paejon expanded in a flash, branching out in every conceivable direction. It climbed upward, dominating the very flames that saturated the atmosphere.

Crack! Crackle—!!!

The wild, untamed force fragmented the sky. Its crude, unpolished character was annihilation incarnate.

It was as if pure, raw sentiment had been fused with the energy, methodically pacifying the entire firmament.

«It genuinely seems like it’s coming apart.»

Heaven-Shattering.

True to the name of Tua Pacheonmu, the energy was indeed breaking the sky.

No, to be precise, the sky wasn’t physically fracturing—it merely appeared that way.

«…What in the world is that?»

The configuration of the energy.

Its ruinous appearance warped the fabric of space itself. What was that thing?

«…What is this?»

I absorbed every minute aspect of the energy Paejon was emitting, as though missing a single detail was not an option.

«Is that it?»

Was that the intended way?

The evolutionary direction of Gu Seongyul’s techniques—
The brief trance I experienced while observing him vanished entirely.

Vrrrrrmmm—!

My Insight Eye activated autonomously.

The sight that perceives intent unveiled the structure and concentration of that power.

«It’s… incomprehensible.»

The instant I saw it, a cold shudder traveled down my spine.

«What in the world is that?»

A network, meticulously interlaced.

A structure of sand that would disintegrate if even one thread was loosened.

The channels of energy, painstakingly stacked layer upon layer, appeared immensely durable—
And yet, they were arranged in a manner where a single error could cause instantaneous and total collapse.

«It seems solid, but it’s brittle.»

How could such an energy even exist?

What degree of precise manipulation was required to sustain something so volatile?

Even though I could identify the critical flaws that would lead to its downfall, Paejon was upholding it without any visible effort.

The core nature of Tua Pacheonmu was devastation.

The energy embodying its essence should have been more ferocious and untamable than anything—

What immense fortitude of mind was needed to control it with such intricate, exacting care?

«…This is unbelievable.»

Even as a practitioner of Tua Pacheonmu myself, I found it impossible to accept.

That state should have been unattainable.

But—

«He is accomplishing it.»

Paejon was making it real.

Any martial artist witnessing this would be incapable of withholding their awe.

«Heh.»

Noticing my stare, Paejon let out a short laugh.

«You punk. You must have been blessed with exceptionally sharp eyes. Close your mouth before you start dripping saliva.»

«…….»

«Do you perceive it? Answer me.»

«……I see it.»

«Good. What do you see?»

«I see you enduring absolute torment to maintain its stability.»

«You little bastard. Is that your answer?»

«…….»

What else could I possibly say?

«…I cannot fathom how you are sustaining it.»

«How deeply can you see?»

«It looks like you are preventing the energy from dispersing, while simultaneously permitting it to move without any obstruction.»

«Not a terrible answer.»

Paejon gave a nod of approval.

«Yet I still don’t comprehend your method.»

«That is acceptable. Your mind is not yet prepared to grasp it. You are still a whelp that hasn’t learned to properly chew meat—how could you possibly understand this?»

«…….»

What was this? That degree of insolence was maddening, but I had no retort.

«I had no intention of revealing this to you so soon, but given the circumstances, I suppose I must.»

Paejon began to advance.

One step. Merely a single step forward.

Rumble—!!!

«……!»

The earth gave way.

The scope of the destruction was astonishingly wide.

«Observe closely.»

Paejon took a second step.

«This is the Seventh Form. Its name is… Ah, indeed.»

Heaven-Shattering Vast Clouds.

«That will suffice.»

Paejon smirked—

And a deluge of ruin poured forth.

Boom—!!!

A piercing noise ripped through the atmosphere, compelling me to cover my ears with energy to withstand it.

A boundless cloud that fractured the heavens.

The name was perfectly apt. It was like unleashing an enormous, rampant legion.

Just two steps, and the world was remade.

«…This is madness.»

How had he forged something like that?

As I stood there, completely astonished—

«This is ridiculous.»

Whoooosh—!!

A dancing flame arrived with a voice.

«First you throw a fit like a mindless beast.»

It was the voice of Gu Seongyul.

«Now you return with a new gimmick to parade?»

His tone was laced with mockery.

And then—a shift occurred.

Fwoooosh—!!

«…What?»

Above the shattered world, a scarlet sky descended.

It was the Red Heaven Flames.

Without question—it was the Red Heaven Flames.

But—

«…What is this?»

It felt completely unlike before.

The heat was increasing, as it always did.
The manifestations were familiar.

But—

«It feels… thick?»

It was the only description that came to mind.

«Go on. Rampage.»

Gu Seongyul grinned.

Even as he looked upon the Heaven-Shattering Vast Clouds, he was amused.

A blistering flame blossomed in his palm.

Fwoooosh—!!

«…This is absurd.»

A small Flame Prison swelled rapidly in size.

It was monstrously huge, forged purely from overwhelming inner force.

There was no intricate artistry to it. No complex methodology.

Just sheer, brutal power.

And yet, the aura it projected was monumentally vast.

«Hahaha—!»

Paejon watched and laughed.

«You’ve grown even more impetuous. You truly are the same as ever.»

He must have been referring to the energy. The way he tossed out the comment so casually—even as his own power was growing stronger.

Gu Seongyul, observing him, launched his Flame Prison.

A Prime Flame Prison. The sphere descended toward Paejon like a falling star.

But—

Tua Infinite Fist.

Paejon, shrouded in Heaven-Shattering Vast Clouds, executed the martial art of Tua Pacheonmu.

Screeeeech—!!

The air was torn asunder, a hole punched clean through the Flame Prison.

Boom—!!!

The crushed, distorted Flame Prison detonated immediately, and the energy concentrated within it erupted outward. The entire forest path was obliterated, turned to cinders.

And yet, even though his attack had failed, Gu Seongyul displayed no surprise.

He simply turned his gaze, seeking out Paejon.

Still suspended in the air, he hadn’t moved a single inch. He merely flicked his wrist.

Whoosh—!!!

The scattered embers on the ground stirred, lifting into the sky. With a will of their own, the flames obeyed Gu Seongyul’s command, streaking toward Paejon.

Crackle—!!

Heaven-Shattering Vast Clouds intercepted the flames. In that instant, Paejon charged at Gu Seongyul.

«Move, you mad dog. Do you intend to just remain still?»

«…….»

The conflict ignited.

Paejon fought with his whole being, as if he was engaging in this battle with utter seriousness. Seeing this, Gu Seongyul matched his intensity.

They were swift.

Too swift for sound to follow.

«…This is unbelievable.»

Three Masters.

One was already a Three Master. The other, by all appearances, was at minimum of that caliber.

Witnessing my grandfather’s raw power was shocking enough, but more than that, I couldn’t look away from the reality that these two entities were combatting each other.

«…Why are they even fighting?»

Leaving aside the insanity of starting a battle in the middle of a meal, the true issue was that they were tearing everything asunder with this caliber of combat.

Just how far did they plan to take this?

The fight escalated further. The astonishing part was that Gu Seongyul was slowly being forced back.

Against Paejon, a specialist in close-quarters combat, he was losing territory. And even when he unleashed his flames, they were thwarted by Heaven-Shattering Vast Clouds. He appeared to have no counter for it.

In the middle of their swift exchange—

Thunk—!!

Paejon abruptly created distance, staring hard at Gu Seongyul.

«What in blazes are you doing?»

His voice was thick with reproach.

«Do you plan to hold back? If so, this is a waste of time.»

Bzzzzt—!!

He hadn’t even retracted the Heaven-Shattering Vast Clouds as he spoke.

«You had something you wished to show your son, did you not? That is why you humored me in the first place.»

Paejon’s eyes moved—
To someone standing across from me.

It was my father.

Like me, he was watching this battle unfold with a dumbfounded expression.

«If you will do it, do it properly.» Paejon’s voice was firm. «There is nothing more worthless than a dull clash.»

«…….»

At his words, Gu Seongyul swept a hand through his hair.

«Hmm.»

A soft hum.

That was the catalyst.

«Huh?»

Shiver—!!

A chill traveled down my arms.

What was this? This peculiar sensation forced my eyes wide open—

Whoooosh—!!!

A wave of unimaginable heat exploded forth. My head tilted back on instinct.

At the end of my line of sight stood Gu Seongyul.

«Young Master.»

He addressed my father.

«……Yes.»

The moment my father replied, Gu Seongyul’s hair underwent a total transformation.

A shimmering heat haze rose from his head.

I knew it immediately.

«…Complete fusion with the flames.»

It was the state achieved when the Nine Flames Firewheel reached its zenith—
When one’s physical form became flame, granting absolute mastery over internal energy.

«Watch closely.»

Remaining in that form, Gu Seongyul spoke to my father.

But—

«This is the weight you must carry.»

Though his eyes were fixed on my father, for some reason, his words felt aimed at me.

Fwoooosh—!!!

The heat intensified, flames creeping over Gu Seongyul’s body.

Like a mist, the fire enveloped him, obscuring his form—

And then—

Fwoooosh—!!

A moment later, he was fully visible again.

«Haha—.»

Paejon, seeing him, laughed.

«…….»

My father’s eyes widened in disbelief.

«……What?»

And I—

I was simply speechless.

«That’s….»

Gu Seongyul’s very being had become flame.

His crimson martial robes had fused with the fire, burning without being consumed.
His skin had taken on a pale, spectral white hue.

It was… unnatural.

Every observer was rattled.

But my reason for being shaken was different from theirs.

«That….»

The energy radiating from Gu Seongyul in this moment—

This was—

«The energy of a master.»

The caliber of a genuine sovereign.

The same overwhelming presence I had felt from my mother.

And from Taechon.