Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 856

Chapter 856

With a sickening crunch, Gu Yangcheon drove his foot down onto the creature’s skull and frowned.
He had forced it into the floor, yet something was clearly wrong.
«What is this?»
A profound strangeness emanated from it. A deep, instinctual discomfort churned within him—a powerful and unsettling feeling.
So he increased the pressure.
CRACK!
The sound of fracturing bone reverberated through the chamber.
[AAARRGHH—!!!]
A piercing shriek tore through the air, ringing in Gu Yangcheon’s ears. He tilted his head as he observed the scene.
«Quite resilient.»
He had meant to completely crush its head, but it was proving unexpectedly tough.
He exerted more force.
BOOM! The atmosphere around him trembled.
A surge of demonic energy wrapped around his form, multiplying the pressure on the creature’s head far beyond what it had endured before.
[GRRAAHHHH—!!!]
The creature thrashed in agony. That, too, was interesting—it had lasted much longer than he had predicted. But then—
Swish!
A clawed arm lashed out toward Gu Yangcheon. He leaped backward, putting distance between them as his eyes narrowed.
‘Did it just move its arm like that?’
He had dodged the strike, but the angle of the attack was unnatural.
The arm had contorted in a way that should have been impossible.
The evidence was right before him.
[You… bastard…]
The creature rose to its feet, its left arm grotesquely misshapen and bent at a horrifying angle.
[As I suspected… it is you.]
«Hmm?»
At its words, Gu Yangcheon’s eyes widened a fraction. Now that he could see its face clearly, recognition struck him.
«Celestial Stream Sect Master?»
The creature was unmistakably the Master of the Celestial Stream Sect.
Even with his hair turned pure white and his body horrifically transformed, his identity was certain.
However—
«What the hell are you?»
There was something about the Sect Master’s new form that grated violently against Gu Yangcheon’s instincts.
«You…»
The emotion stirring within him as he looked at the Sect Master was unmistakable. Gu Yangcheon’s gaze sharpened, his body coiling with hostility.
There was only one thing this specific brand of animosity could signify.
‘A dragon.’
The Sect Master was now a dragon. The sensation was eerily similar to what he experienced when confronting a White-Rank beast. This type of hostility was reserved solely for his own kind.
Which meant—
‘The Sect Master is a dragon?’
Had the Sect Master always been a dragon, like him? The thought occurred, but he dismissed it immediately.
‘No, he wasn’t.’
If he had been, Gu Yangcheon would have sensed it long ago.
He had never felt anything like this from the Sect Master before.
That left a single possibility.
‘Could he have hidden it all this time?’ No, that didn’t seem right either. The sensation was different.
‘And… he doesn’t feel completely like a dragon.’
It was subtle. Not quite like a pure White-Rank beast. If anything, it was more akin to—
‘The Princess of the North Sea… or the Shadow King.’
The feeling reminded him of what he had sensed from the Apostle of Oblivion, or the Shadow King—beings who existed in a liminal state.
Which meant—
‘A half-dragon.’
The Sect Master wasn’t a true dragon. Nor was he entirely something else. He was likely what the Shadow King had once termed a «half-dragon.»
[Haaa…]
The Sect Master glared furiously at Gu Yangcheon.
His scaled skin, vertical slit golden pupils, and the distinct aura he radiated—all of it aligned with the visage of a dragon.
[Why… why are you…?]
The Sect Master, too, seemed to perceive something different about Gu Yangcheon.
From that reaction, Gu Yangcheon drew a conclusion.
‘He didn’t know before.’
The Sect Master had been unaware of this until now. Only after becoming a dragon had he realized.
Which meant that until this transformation, he had been human.
That only spawned more questions.
‘How?’
How had he become a dragon? The mystery nagged at him, but Gu Yangcheon quickly shut it down.
‘No, it’s irrelevant.’
It was a pointless line of inquiry. There was no use wondering about it now.
Turning his head, Gu Yangcheon looked toward Namgung Bi-ah and Wi Seol-ah.
His narrowed eyes carefully assessed them both.
‘They’re hurt.’
Namgung Bi-ah’s condition was severe. Her face was pallid from blood loss, and her energy was clearly drained.
Wi Seol-ah seemed less injured, but she was not unharmed.
Seeing this, Gu Yangcheon spoke.
«What the hell is happening here?»
«…!»
«…!»
His icy tone made both women flinch. It was the first time they had heard him use such a frigid voice.
«Why do you keep disregarding my orders? Do my words carry no weight with you?»
«T-that’s not…»
«Be quiet.»
At Gu Yangcheon’s sharp command, Namgung Bi-ah bit her lip and fell silent.
«…»
«Go to the corner.»
«But…»
«Silence. Get in the corner. Stop her bleeding. I will deal with the two of you later.»
Wi Seol-ah, who had been about to object, also went quiet.
Irritation simmered within Gu Yangcheon, but he suppressed it as he took a step forward.
The situation changed in an instant.
[Guh…!]
Gu Yangcheon was suddenly directly in front of the Sect Master.
Crack!
His kick connected with the Sect Master’s knee with a sharp crack, forcing him to buckle onto one leg.
[Ack!]
The Sect Master’s eyes widened in shock and pain. He hadn’t even been able to register the attack.
His body swayed as he fought to keep his balance, but—
«Your head is too high.»
With those words, another blow smashed into his other knee, driving it into the ground.
«You worthless piece of trash.»
Crack! His jaw was violently wrenched to the side.
«Who the hell do you think you are dealing with?»
Crunch! His head twisted, the bones in his face audibly shattering.
The assault continued relentlessly. Gu Yangcheon struck repeatedly, each blow targeting already broken areas.
The pain compounded with every impact. It was deliberate, calculated to inflict the maximum possible agony.
[Guh… guh…]
The Sect Master couldn’t even form a coherent thought amidst the relentless pummeling.
No matter how he tried to fight back, his body refused to respond.
And so, the one-sided brutality wore on.
Crack! Something snapped.
Rip! Something tore.
Pain consumed his entire being, making it impossible to tell what was happening.
All he could do was endure.
[AAARRGHH!]
After flailing helplessly for what seemed an eternity, the Sect Master finally roared in fury:
[YOU… BASTARD—!!!]
With a roar of pure agony, the Sect Master unleashed a torrent of energy.
Whirrr—!! Swords flew into the air, shooting directly toward Gu Yangcheon.
Namgung Bi-ah, who had been trying to catch her breath, watched with wide eyes.
Their speed was utterly different from when he had fought her. The power infused within the blades had also multiplied.
The swords, moving at a velocity nearly impossible to follow, closed in on Gu Yangcheon.
Gu Yangcheon glanced at the incoming blades and, pivoting his torso, used the torque from his waist to swing his fist.
BOOOOM—!!!
The air itself tore apart as an invisible shockwave exploded outward.
It was the Heart Fist.
KA-BOOOOM—!!!
The swords were caught in the concussive force and sent wildly off course.
With a clear *ting, ting*, they struck the walls and clattered to the floor.
The Sect Master, witnessing this, let out a low, guttural growl.
At that moment, one sword, flung high up near the ceiling, remained hovering, untouched by the blast. Though it had been thrown upward by the shockwave, it had not yet fallen.
Had Gu Yangcheon failed to notice it?
The moment he saw it, the Sect Master focused all his energy on that single blade.
Swiiiish—!!!
The sword shot toward Gu Yangcheon with breathtaking speed. He remained seemingly oblivious, looking in another direction.
If nothing changed, the sword would plunge straight through the top of his skull.
The blade, carrying immense force, descended upon Gu Yangcheon’s crown.
But just before it could land—
«I’ve been thinking this for some time.»
Gu Yangcheon’s voice cut through the tension.
«You are all far too predictable.»
As he spoke, he moved. Reaching into the air, he extended his hand.
Swish!
[What!?]
The descending sword shuddered mid-air before suddenly contorting.
The tip of the blade reversed its path, and instead of the sharp edge, the hilt dropped neatly into Gu Yangcheon’s waiting palm.
[Impossible—!!]
The Sect Master’s voice broke with sheer disbelief.
This was not mere manipulation of the sword using telekinetic arts.
Gu Yangcheon had seized absolute control of the weapon, wresting it entirely from the Sect Master’s unique technique.
The sword was now his to command.
Thunk.
The blade settled firmly into his grip.
Shwiiik—!!!
In one fluid motion, Gu Yangcheon swung the sword, cutting a deep gash across the Sect Master’s body.
[Guhh…]
The Sect Master was forced backward by the blow.
His body faltered, on the verge of collapse, but before he could hit the ground, Gu Yangcheon stepped in.
BAM!
A powerful kick sent the Sect Master flying across the room. He slammed into a wall and crumpled to the floor.
[Urgh…]
He spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes filled less with pain and more with utter confusion.
[How… how can this be?]
His expression was one of complete incredulity. The physical pain was secondary; what truly plagued him was the theft of his sword.
«Hmm?»
Hearing the unspoken question, Gu Yangcheon smirked and spoke softly.
«Just do it. Why are you acting as if it’s some incredible feat?»
[Just… do it?]
The Sect Master’s body trembled, as if struck by a monumental revelation.
His eyes still held that same disbelief, but Gu Yangcheon paid it no mind, merely watching him with mild curiosity.
«Your regeneration is quite fast.»
The Sect Master’s body, which had been battered and nearly broken, was already beginning to mend itself.
Judging by the speed, his regenerative ability surpassed Gu Yangcheon’s own physical recovery. But it still fell short of the Monstrous King’s.
«Was your strength always at this level? Hmm, I’ve never fought you before, so I wouldn’t know. What do you think?»
[What… are you saying?]
«You don’t know? That’s fine.»
He would discover the answer directly.
With those words, Gu Yangcheon moved again.

***

Gu Yangcheon advanced, a fiery intensity burning in his eyes.
The Sect Master, alarmed, scrambled backward to his feet.
He thrust out his hand, summoning a sword to his grasp. The blade flew to him, and he clenched the hilt tightly.
His newly enhanced strength allowed him to wield the sword with far greater power than ever before.
[Tch!]
He executed the Heaven’s Whisper Blade, the signature technique of the Celestial Stream Sect, its trajectory complex and formidable.
It was infinitely more dangerous than when he had fought with his bare hands.
Crack!
The blade skimmed the floor, scattering sparks. The ground bore no marks, resistant even to his strengthened attacks.
Gu Yangcheon stepped forward, the sheer force of his movement cracking the supposedly indestructible floor beneath his feet.
The Sect Master grimaced.
He still could not comprehend it.
How was this man so easily damaging an impervious space?
Moreover—
Clang!
The Sect Master’s blade met Gu Yangcheon’s fist and was deflected.
The impact was direct, hitting the flat of the sword.
The recoil that traveled up his arm was far more powerful than he had anticipated.
[How can this whelp…]
Gu Yangcheon was barely past twenty. The Sect Master had encountered his strength before, but facing him now exceeded all his expectations.
[Even after accepting the will of the Revered One, I’m being overpowered…?]
He had inherited the will of that supreme being, transcending the limits of humanity.
[You bastard…!!]
And yet, he was losing to this young man.
It was unbelievable.
No—it wasn’t.
As despair began to creep in, the Sect Master’s thoughts shifted.
[This boy…]
His new body had clarified many things. He could now tell that this boy was similar to him.
He wasn’t human. He was something greater. Something supreme.
But—
[Why…]
Even if they were alike, they were not the same. The Sect Master’s instincts screamed one undeniable truth.
*Bow your head.*
*This being is not someone you can oppose.*
A fear and reverence he could not fully comprehend took root deep within his soul.
He had felt a faint echo of it when facing Namgung Bi-ah, the descendant of the Sword Sovereign. But compared to Gu Yangcheon, that was nothing.
[What… are you—?!]
Smash! A knee slammed into his face, snapping his head backward. Blood sprayed into the air.
Gu Yangcheon, tired of hearing the same question, spoke with utter disdain.
«Why does it matter to you?»
You’re just a bastard who’s about to die anyway.