Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 1164

Chapter 1164

Frontline

Some time had passed since the conclusion of the Blood Demon War.

This was a region of anomalies, situated at the very border of Zhongyuan.

Here, the Magyeong Gates manifested in unusually high quantities.

The rate of their emergence was abnormally frequent compared to anywhere else.

Furthermore, the hordes of demonic beasts pouring from these gates vastly outnumbered those from other areas.

The reason for this? It remained unknown.

The only clear fact was the glaring imbalance between the number of gates and the beasts they produced.

The Martial Alliance had invested immense resources into studying this peculiarity, yet no definitive answers were found.

The relentless flood of demonic beasts.

Left uncontrolled, these creatures would inevitably spread, endangering the neighboring territories.

Therefore, systematic extermination was a critical necessity.

It was a vital operation, managed by the Martial Alliance to keep the danger in check.

The Nine Great Clans and the Four Noble Houses were particularly involved.

Along with other renowned sects and families, they managed the frontlines in a strict, rotating schedule.

«Get moving! How can you hunt properly at this speed!?»
«Grab your weapons, you worthless fools!»

Harsh shouts echoed across the combat zone.

Those dressed in light blue martial robes were all warriors of the Martial Alliance.

Among them, a few laughed wildly, their voices edged with insanity…

«So it’s those damned Peng Clan idiots.»

A member of the current Four Noble Houses.

It appeared the rotation was now being handled by the Peng Clan of Hebei.

«So it’s their turn now.»

KRRAAAAAGHHH!!!
SLASH—!

Demonic beasts surged forward, only to be effortlessly cut down by the fighters.

They were merely Green-Rank beasts—with a handful of Blue-Rank ones mixed in.

They posed little threat.

In fact, being assigned to the frontlines was viewed more as a tedious chore than a perilous duty.

Every time a clan’s rotation came up, it was treated as a bothersome obligation.

The Peng Clan undoubtedly felt the same.

«Let’s see…»

Ignoring the Peng Clan, I surveyed my surroundings.

I masked my presence and observed silently from above.

«There they are.»

It didn’t take long to locate them.

«First Blade Division.»

The Blade Division of the Gu Clan.

Although the frontlines were managed through a rotation, the Gu Clan, based in Shanxi, was the closest major power to the battlefield.

Because of this, they shouldered the majority of the frontline responsibilities.

In my youth, I never grasped why the Gu Clan accepted such a heavy burden.

«But now, it’s different.»

From my current perspective, the Gu Clan wasn’t merely managing the frontlines.

«They’re protecting something located deeper within.»

Ensuring no one else could reach it.

That was their true objective.

«I assume the First Blade Division is here for that very purpose.»

At the core of the battlefield, a camp had been established.

This was the operational base for the First Blade Division.

And inside…

«Hmm?»

I detected a familiar aura.

That was…

«…Elder Il.»

It was him.

So, after stirring up trouble within the Gu Clan, this is where he had vanished to.

«So he came to the frontlines.»

It appeared Gu Ryun was in command of this operation.

That made perfect sense.

«Since Gu Ryun is the present First Blade Division Master.»

I had been surprised to learn that the current leader of the First Blade Division was not the old man I remembered, but Gu Ryun instead.

«I had no idea he had assumed that role before becoming an Elder.»

Ssshhhh—!

I suppressed my Qi even further, eliminating all traces of my presence.

If it was Gu Ryun, carelessness might have allowed him to sense me.

«Stay quiet.»

Fwoosh.

I abandoned my aerial view and descended to the ground without a sound.

No noise.

No movement.

Even my Qi was entirely sealed.

I landed undetected.

Then—

«Hah.»

A soft exhale as I released my Qi sense.

Siman (Heart’s Eye) activated.

Fine threads of energy spread out, drifting through the air.

I guided them with precision, making certain they steered clear of Gu Ryun’s camp.

Instead, I directed them to permeate the entire forest.

Hwaaaaaah—!

My Qi sense expanded further and further.

Even moving undetected, excessive caution was always wise.

«No unnecessary risks.»

I had to be thorough.

As I was charting the area with my Qi sense—

«Gurk!»
«Aaaaargh!»

«Hmm?»

I detected something unusual.

Deep within the frontline territory.

A significant distance away.

But…

«This isn’t the presence of demonic beasts?»

It wasn’t.

All the energy signatures I detected were human.

«What the hell?»

There was killing intent.

And screams.

Killing intent and human screams? Here?

Even if something was happening, it wouldn’t be strange.

But…

«Something about this feels off.»

It reeked of trouble.

«Well, since it’s on my path…»

I might as well investigate.

With that thought, I took a step forward.

**********

Swish—!

“Graaagh!”

With the sound of a clean cut, a spray of blood stained the earth. A scream of pain erupted, but was quickly cut short.

Thud—!

A sword was thrust directly into an open mouth.

“Gghrk—”

A gurgling choke was the last sound as another body fell, adding to the mounting pile of the dead.

“Phew.”

The man who had just withdrawn his sword from the corpse let out a tired sigh.

“I told you… what good did curiosity do you?”

If they hadn’t come snooping around where they didn’t belong, none of this would have happened.

He clicked his tongue in irritation as his eyes scanned the dozens of lifeless forms scattered around.

“This is exactly why orthodox sect fools are so hopeless.”

They should have just stayed in their place instead of chasing hollow ideals like righteousness and honor. Meddling in affairs that didn’t concern them was what brought this upon them.

“Click—”

He ran a bloodied hand through his hair, pushing back the strands stuck to his sweaty forehead. His eyes held a deep weariness—a clear sign this confrontation had been lengthy.

“Damn fools.”

How had they even found him?

They weren’t from a main sect, but if frontline forces had been mobilized, it meant some information had leaked.

“Hm…”

Should he abandon this place, too?

It was an inconvenient choice.

“I’m not finished here yet.”

He still had unresolved business. While he had hidden himself on the frontlines to avoid attention, there was something he needed to verify.

‘The orthodox sect fools are concealing something.’

They weren’t just cleansing this hazardous area out of duty. There was something more, something they were desperately trying to hide.

His instincts insisted on it.

And even if they didn’t—

“I can’t leave just yet.”

It was still too risky.

“Damn it.”

A wave of regret washed over him.

“…If only I hadn’t touched her.”

He had lost his temper and laid hands on a woman. That was the root of it all.

Because of that, the orthodox sect was now hunting him relentlessly, and he knew it.

“Fucking hell… how did the Fire Artisan Demon get reduced to this…?”

The man grumbled in frustration—

“Fire Artisan Demon?”

He froze.

A voice sounded behind him.

Startled, he spun around.

A young man stood there.

A boy, likely in his late teens, standing around six feet tall. His features were sharply intense—almost unnervingly so.

But what caught the Fire Artisan Demon’s attention wasn’t the boy’s face—it was his attire.

“…Azure Dragon Division?”

That uniform. It was unmistakable.

“…Ha… so the Martial Alliance’s dogs have finally caught my scent.”

A grim smile touched his lips.

He had barely managed to catch his breath, and now the real problem had arrived.

“All this over some merchant’s woman? Was she really that valuable? I only sampled her once—why go to such extremes to be a nuisance?!”

His voice burst with aggravation, but the boy remained silent.

He just stood there, watching him without a word.

‘What’s his deal?’

That reaction—was he paralyzed with fear?

Well, obviously.

After all—

“Are you that Fire Artisan Demon from the Four Demonic Monarchs?”

“Yeah, that’s me. I am one of the Four Demonic Monarchs.”

A Grand Demon of the unorthodox path. One of the legendary Four Demonic Monarchs.

“Aaah.”

Only then did the boy nod, as if something had just become clear.

“…So you’re the idiot who talked too much and got himself killed.”

“What?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. So? What are you doing here?”

The boy casually kicked a corpse aside as he walked closer.

The Fire Artisan Demon frowned.

‘What is this?’

Something was wrong.

This kid was stepping over the bodies of his own sect’s members without a second thought.

And those eyes—

That empty, lifeless gaze.

“…You’re not from the orthodox sect, are you?”

That wasn’t the look of a righteous martial artist.

It was something far more sinister.

Suspicious, the Fire Artisan Demon narrowed his eyes—

And the boy smiled.

“Something like that.”

What kind of vague answer was that?

Was that a confirmation or a denial?

‘It doesn’t matter.’

It made no difference who this brat was.

“You came alone?”

“As you can see. I’m not the type for company.”

“Is that so?”

Alone, huh?

He didn’t sense any other presences nearby. Confirming that, the Fire Artisan Demon smirked.

“Listen carefully, kid. There’s one thing you need to understand.”

“What’s that?”

“You just made the worst mistake of your life. You should have run while you had the opportunity. That was your only chance to survive.”

He should have turned and fled.

Had he done that, he might have lived.

But now—

‘One more corpse on the pile won’t change anything.’

This whole area was already saturated with blood.

Even if he left the body, beasts would come and consume it soon enough.

“Whoever you are, you won’t even leave bones behind.”

The Fire Artisan Demon raised his sword, bringing it toward his tongue to lick—

But.

“…Huh?”

Something was wrong.

He couldn’t feel his blade.

“What…?”

That was when he realized.

His arm was gone.

His right arm, which had been holding the sword, had been torn off.

‘What in the—’

What just happened—?

“GRAAAAH!!!”

The delayed agony hit him, and he screamed.

“Looking for this?”

In front of him, the boy held up an arm.

His arm.

“Huff…! Gah…!”

His breath caught, his body shaking as he looked up at the boy—

And then.

“Let me tell you something, too.”

The boy’s blue eyes locked onto his.

“You wouldn’t have escaped regardless. I never had any intention of letting you go.”

The moment their eyes met, the Fire Artisan Demon’s body stiffened.

Fwoosh.

Ssssssshhhhhhh—!

“AAAAAAGGGHHH!!!”

A burning pain seared through his shoulder, and he shrieked.

“Answer me. Unless you want to die.”

Even as he screamed, the boy—Gu Yangcheon—spoke as if it were nothing.

And in that instant—

The Fire Artisan Demon understood with absolute certainty.

‘This bastard…’

He was not a man of the orthodox sect.

No—he wasn’t even human.

Not after all he had witnessed.

‘…A demon.’

A true monster stood before him.