Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 842

Chapter 842

“Aaargh…!!!”
A tormented cry tore from the man as he lay broken on the ground.
He clutched his ruined jaw, dragging himself pathetically across the floor.
A mixture of blood and spit spilled from his mangled mouth, his eyes bloodshot with unbearable pain.
And then.
“What is this garbage even trying to say?”
Crunch-!
“Ugh…!”
I growled, driving my foot down onto the head of the crawling man.
“Keep your stupid comments to yourself.”
“Grkk…”
“If you’re going to use your mouth, use it to speak properly, not to spout trash. Understood?”
A visible shudder ran through him.
Was he trying to rise?
It wasn’t even slightly entertaining.
Crack!
“Gyaaaaahhh—!!!”
I kicked his shin, bending his leg into a sickening, unnatural angle.
He’d managed to reinforce himself with Qi just before impact—a predictable move for a deputy captain.
Without that, his leg would have been severed entirely.
At least some survival instinct remained.
‘A real pity.’
My initial plan wasn’t to just break it. Should I finish the job and tear it off?
The idea flickered through my mind, but I restrained myself.
“Guh… glurk…”
The man let out a choked, miserable sound.
I looked down at him dismissively before raising my eyes.
And I spoke.
“Freeze.”
—!!
The figures poised to lunge at me halted mid-motion.
Without my noticing, the area had been encircled by members of the Star Dragon Division.
Their stances were aggressive, ready to attack at any second…
“Don’t move a muscle. Can’t you see I’m in the middle of a discussion?”
“Grr…”
I seized the unnamed man by the throat and hoisted him up.
His bloody, broken form was a pitiful sight.
“Make a move, and I kill him. And then I kill whoever moved.”
My voice was thick with lethal intent.
Even I felt it was perhaps a bit excessive.
But it worked; the hesitant men became completely still.
A few exchanged uncertain glances, searching for an opening.
“Feel free to test me, if you think this is an act. See what happens.”
I fixed them with a glare, and they recoiled under its weight.
The killing intent I radiated was unwavering, and the pressure from my restrained Qi mounted steadily.
Just then.
“D-Deputy Captain….”
A voice addressed me.
It was Song Hojung, currently serving as a deputy under the Star Dragon Division alongside Tang So-yeol.
He approached with a concerned look, but I lifted a hand to cut him off.
“Not now. I’m talking to this one.”
“However—”
“I’ll hear you out later. For now, be quiet and step back. Understood?”
“…Understood. I will wait.”
Song Hojung withdrew, though his subdued demeanor irritated me.
It made my grip tighten unconsciously.
“Hey, you.”
“Guh… urk!”
“Finish what you started saying before. What was it?”
The body in my hand shook violently at my words.
“What did you say? Go on, tell me.”
I repeated the question, but got no answer.
Of course, the man’s jaw was destroyed—how could he possibly form words?
I knew that, but it was irrelevant.
“See this? You ignore someone for long enough, and you start thinking you can look down on me, is that it? Does my authority mean nothing to you?”
“Guh… aah…”
“What are you muttering? Speak up.”
Bang!
I smashed his head into the ground.
The sound of his skull fracturing was audible, and blood sprayed out.
“Eeek!!”
“D-Deputy Captain…!”
The horrified reactions of the spectators didn’t affect me.
Wiping blood from my cheek, I addressed them.
“He’s not dead, so don’t panic. What, did you think I’d kill one of our own?”
I said it with a smile, yet the atmosphere grew even heavier.
Ah, how disappointing.
“I only wanted a conversation, but you all seem so tense. Unhappy? Then do something about it.”
I stood up straight as I spoke.
The man I’d been holding appeared to have lost consciousness.
He was bleeding heavily, but he likely wouldn’t die.
‘For at least fifteen minutes, anyway.’
Not long, but sufficient.
Surely a martial artist of his caliber could hold on that long.
Moreover.
‘That’s just the right amount of time.’
Fifteen minutes was perfect for handling the rest.
I took a step forward, and immediately the Azure Dragon Division members tensed.
Their postures were flawless, prepared to draw their swords instantly.
This was, unequivocally, how one would treat a foe.
“Hm. I thought we were allies. Shouldn’t you be showing me a little more respect?”
As I walked forward, I flicked my hand, spattering blood droplets on the ground.
It wasn’t my blood, of course—it belonged to the man lying there.
Witnessing this, the men’s vigilance only intensified.
To them, reducing someone to that state and then claiming camaraderie must have seemed insane.
I could understand. But I had my justifications.
“Well, he was spouting nonsense, so I figured he wanted a beating. There’s a saying: the only way to deal with a rabid dog is with a club.”
What had he said, exactly?
Something about being from some worthless branch family, a insignificant pest.
Or that even among deputies, the disparity in skill was too vast?
‘Not that he was entirely wrong.’
I wouldn’t argue. There was indeed a difference in ability.
The Star Dragon Division was less than a year old, while the Azure Dragon Division had a long, established history.
Even among deputies, Song Hojung and that fool were worlds apart.
Song Hojung was a master of his art, while that bastard had long transcended mere proficiency.
In terms of pure skill, the gap was undeniable.
But saying it out loud was another matter entirely.
“That’s the sort of thing you keep to yourself.”
In other words, it was either a provocation or a blatant insult.
“Don’t you think?”
“…”
“…”
I asked, but was met with silence. Such quiet company.
Or perhaps they were simply adhering to the righteous sect’s habit of going mute when confronted.
“I just don’t understand.”
I shook my head in disbelief.
“Why must you always complicate things? I’m not asking for much.”
Shing!
As I took another step forward, the ring of drawn swords filled the air.
Their blades caught the moonlight, glinting in the darkness.
“I don’t need us to be friends. Just be quiet and do your jobs. Is that so difficult?”
What was the problem? I didn’t know.
And frankly, I didn’t care.
“…Captain of the Star Dragon Division, if you advance further—!”
Whatever it was, it was irrelevant.
Hadn’t it always been this way?
“Further, and what? You’ll use your swords? Excellent.”
If something displeased me, I would break it.
I’d always wanted to make a scene, but had held back for one reason.
‘Because I’m weak.’
I was weak, and acting recklessly would bring consequences I couldn’t manage.
So, what about now?
Unfortunately, that hadn’t changed. That core truth remained.
I was still weak in the heart of Zhongyuan.
Even if fewer could overpower me now, countless variables remained.
In the face of those unknowns, I was vulnerable.
It was unavoidable.
I had too much to protect and too many duties to bear. So I had to restrain myself.
But.
‘No matter what, this…’
Even after all that restraint, this was something I could not let slide.
Boom-!
I unleashed my pressure.
“Kyaaak-!!”
“Grrk!!?”
The energy radiating from my body burst outward, and a fierce wind whipped through the area.
The gust cycloned around, sealing the space like a barrier.
“This is impossible….”
“How can someone achieve this with pure energy alone…!”
They were all martial artists; they understood how absurd and illogical my action was.
As with anyone witnessing something terrifying, fear dawned in their eyes as they looked at the barrier.
Even those brimming with hostility moments before.
Watching them, I kept my grin firmly in place as I asked:
“What’s the matter? Go on, do what you were going to do. You were ready to charge, weren’t you?”
Crack. I rolled my neck.
As I continued forward, they began to retreat instead.
Seeing them back away hesitantly, I sighed and asked:
“Where do you think you’re going?”
My low tone prompted one of the men at the front to speak hurriedly.
“…Captain of the Star Dragon Division, please, control your anger.”
“What?”
What a boring thing to say. Control my anger?
“If I intended to be calm, I wouldn’t have started this.”
“I understand your frustration, but I believe there may be a misunderstanding… Perhaps we could begin with a discussion—”
“Discussion, my ass.”
I stomped the ground and shot forward.
The scenery blurred, and my hand was already in motion.
Crunch-!
“Guh!”
I seized the speaker by the neck and lifted him into the air.
“Grkk…!”
He kicked and struggled helplessly, dangling in my grip.
“If you wanted to talk, you should have done it earlier. You’re far too late.”
“P-Please… hear… us… out…”
“I’m sure you all have your reasons.”
There must have been some issue that led to this.
It was inevitable. They were probably frustrated and aggrieved.
“But I’ll get that story from my subordinates later. Right now, this takes priority.”
Honestly, I couldn’t have cared less.
What mattered now was purging my anger.
Clench. I tightened my fist. Power flooded into it.
A simple application of Qi reinforcement. No flames, but it was more than enough.
I pivoted my hips, driving power through my shoulder.
I was going to strike with my fist.
If it landed… the man in my grasp would—
‘Die.’
His organs would shred, and his life would end.
And I planned to do the same to every other person standing nearby.
I was going to kill them all.
Not a single soul would leave this place alive.
That was the conviction driving me as I swung.
Until—
“…Hm?”
An instant before my fist connected with his stomach, I froze.
Boom—!! The Qi gathered in my fist dispersed, erupting in a shockwave.
Simultaneously, I released my grip.
“Cough…!”
The man dropped to the ground, choking and gasping for air.
I stared at him, then at my own hand, my gaze falling.
‘What was that?’
What was I about to do just now?
My eyes widened as I tried to process the bizarre sensation.
‘Was I going to kill them all?’
Yes.
I had been ready to kill the man in my grasp and everyone else present.
If I hadn’t withdrawn my punch at the final moment, he would be dead.
And after that, I would have killed every other person here.
It was an overwhelming impulse—an irresistible need to destroy them completely.
The realization sent a cold shiver down my spine.
“Ah, this is a problem.”
I dragged a hand down my face, fighting to steady myself.
The near act of killing them wasn’t the main issue.
It wasn’t an impossible feat, and my anger was genuine.
The real problem was that the thoughts and emotions compelling me to kill weren’t my own.
Sure, beating them to vent my rage made sense, but if it were truly me, I wouldn’t have escalated to murder.
Killing allies only brings trouble.
I knew that perfectly well, so I had only intended to cause a controlled disturbance.
‘So why did I try to kill them…?’
Why had that happened?
I frowned, still sensing the lingering echoes of those foreign emotions.
The killing intent I’d felt was real.
It wasn’t a rational choice but a primal urge to crush something vile in my path, like squashing a bug.
‘What is this?’
This wasn’t my emotion.
This wasn’t my killing intent.
Something had risen from within and briefly usurped my mind.
‘What in the world?’
As the question took root, a memory surfaced.
—Why are you still alive?
That moment I had confronted my past self.
“Could it be…?”
As if grasping at a thread of understanding, I drew a sharp breath.
Shiiing—!!
Booom—!!
The pressure enclosing the area shuddered violently as it was struck.
It didn’t just shudder—it split open, creating a fissure.
Shiiing—!!!
From that fissure, a pale green flash accompanied a sword tip lunging straight for me.
I twisted my body instantly, putting distance between us.
The flash hit the spot I’d vacated, detonating with a thunderous roar.
Dust clouded my vision.
“…What is the meaning of this?”
A voice, quivering with barely contained fury, came from within the dust.
Swoosh!
With a sharp sound, the dust was cleaved apart by a sword’s wind.
As the view cleared, the one who had shattered the barrier and spoken was revealed.
Unsurprisingly, it was Ilcheon Sword.
He scanned the surroundings, his brow deeply furrowed, and then addressed me.
“Have you lost your mind?”
His expression plainly questioned why I had wreaked such havoc in his domain.
Seeing it, I ran a hand over my face once more.
“Ah…”
This was bad.
Realizing my own state made it all the more clear.
I couldn’t fight Ilcheon Sword right now.
Because—
‘I might actually kill him.’
If we fought now, I felt I wouldn’t hold back and would truly end his life.