Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 861

Chapter 861

Upon recognizing the identity of the bastard, the pieces finally clicked into place.
Why he had emerged so abruptly.
Why my fire techniques had failed me after our meeting.
«It was you.»
The Gu Flames Firewheel Technique—the foundational art of the Gu family that granted me my command over fire.
That was him.
I didn’t know why he wore the face of my former self, or what had driven him to this sudden frenzy. The only thing that mattered was that I had discovered who he was.
“…Ugh…”
I clutched the arm clamped around my throat.
I had struck him with massive bursts of energy multiple times, yet he showed not the slightest hint of exhaustion.
Of course he wouldn’t. As a manifestation of energy itself, he could not grow tired.
“…You were content all this time, so what is driving this insanity now?”
I spoke while frantically searching for an escape.
“Did I wrong you? I provided you with adequate treatment.”
I may not have treasured him, but I had always regarded him as essential. And now he chooses to betray me? How could I not be enraged?
At my heated complaint, he answered.
«I believe I informed you.»
Crack.
“Gahk.”
The grip on my throat tightened.
«This is a demonstration of qualification.»
Proof of what? Qualification for what?
And then—
“…So if I fail this demonstration, you intend to steal my body for your own?”
I asked, forcing my lips into a sneer. His expression mirrored mine.
«Without the necessary qualification, it is only right to claim what is due.»
“This is nothing but robbery, you bastard.”
After all the struggle I had endured to live my life, he believed he could simply seize it? The injustice was infuriating.
«If you object, then demonstrate your worth. Prove you possess the right to command the flames.»
How was I supposed to do that? His words echoed in my mind as I scrambled for a plan. My energy was almost gone.
From where his hand held my neck, my power was being stifled.
Proof of qualification. The demand to achieve something I couldn’t even grasp felt ludicrous under these conditions.
«You’ve blocked my flames, and now you ask for proof?»
If he wanted a demonstration, shouldn’t he provide a fair opportunity? Demanding I prove I can wield fire while preventing me from doing so?
It was ridiculous.
Fwoosh! A wave of heat emanated from before me.
His hand was now wreathed in flame.
It was identical to before. That same hand had once pierced my heart.
Back then, I had awoken at the edge of death, nearly succumbing to inner demons.
What would occur this time?
He had stated there would be no second opportunity.
So if it happened again, would he truly take my body now?
It was highly probable. My every instinct screamed that this was my final chance.
«I need to find a method.»
I had to break free somehow. Proof, qualifications—none of that was relevant while I remained trapped like this.
Brute force was useless. This required cunning.
“…I see no alternatives.”
No matter how I calculated, I found no solution. If this continued, I was truly finished.
Fwoosh! The heat from his hand intensified. I still had some energy left, but even if I released my aura, I knew it would not hinder him.
“Damn it.”
I gritted my teeth in frustration. Even so, I kept planning, kept striving for a way out.
[…]
As I concentrated on that one slim possibility, he spoke again.
«Your vessel can hold no more. I held some hope, but you are as pitiful as I anticipated.»
I gave no reply. Slowly, I drew energy up from my core.
I waited for the instant he would strike. That was the only path remaining.
All my awareness sharpened onto that single point in time.
«Direct your resentment at your own failures and disappear.»
He shifted his shoulder. I narrowed my eyes. Was this it? My entire being focused on him.
And then—
«Once I claim your body, the worthless women surrounding you will be the first to be removed.»
Snap.
Those words shattered my focus.
“…What did you just say?”
I must have heard correctly, yet I demanded confirmation. An icy dread crept down my spine.
“What did you just say?”
The agony in my throat vanished. My stiffened joints loosened.
I seized the arm holding me with all my might.
“What did you just say, you bastard?”
Boom!
A wave of pure murderous intent exploded from my heart, spreading outward like a thick fog.
Within that cloud of killing intent, he addressed me.
«Was my meaning unclear, or do you choose to deny it?»
The greater my killing intent became, the brighter his purple eyes glowed.
«The women near you serve no purpose. You keep them close only to soothe your own pointless guilt. It is a meaningless penance, and you are aware of this.»
“…And so? If you take my body, you’ll kill them all?”
He laughed. A light, effortless laugh.
«There will be no need for a concerted effort.»
“What?”
«It is already in motion.»
“…!”
My eyes shot open. Already in motion?
A cold horror dawned on me, and my breath caught in my chest.
Wooooooong!
A great white orb hanging in the air began to shudder.
It had been pulsing quietly, but now it was active. I had no attention to spare for it.
«This is your conclusion.»
The flames on his hand roared as he thrust toward my heart.
Thud!
Before his hand could reach my chest, I caught his arm.
«Hmm?»
He tilted his head in bewilderment, as taken aback as I was.
I had stopped it.
The fire scorched my hand, but the pain was manageable. Holding him back was not difficult either.
What was happening? I didn’t understand. But instead of questioning it, I concentrated on what was now possible.
Crunch!
I wrenched his flaming arm, snapping the bone.
As it broke, he pulled back, and I ripped away the arm that had been crushing my neck.
Sizzle.
His dominant strength was undeniable, yet I managed to free myself without immense strain.
[…]
One arm twisted, the other ripped free.
He looked at me with an unreadable expression, then muttered softly, not to me but to the air.
«…How pointless.»
Where was he looking? It didn’t matter to me.
“Hah…”
An unknown power seethed inside me.
Was it rising from my middle dantian? My lower dantian? Or perhaps from a place higher still?
I could not tell.
The pain was now a distant memory.
What was this?
Wooooooong!
The humming noise pulled my gaze upward. The orb floating above was shaking more intensely.
And as it did—
Fwoosh!
The strange energy flooding my body multiplied.
«It’s that.»
That was the source—this peculiar power was flowing into me from there.
But what was it?
What could possibly be supplying me with this strength now? The mysteries were piling up. Yet the one certainty was—
“I swear this to you.”
I dropped into a ready stance and spoke to him.
“No matter the cost, I will kill you.”
Understanding the reason could come later. Using this power was my priority now.
Boom! I exploded from the ground as I launched myself forward.
I closed the gap between us. The distance vanished in a blink.
I pivoted my hips, driving power through every muscle.
With both his arms injured, I expected his defenses to be compromised. With that thought, I drove a fist toward his chest.
Fwoosh!
Fire burst from his shoulders, and his arms regenerated in an instant.
He raised them to intercept my blow.
Boom!
Our energies collided, forcing him backward several paces.
This was new.
He, who had stood unwavering before, was now being driven back.
A thought crossed my mind:
«Is this a deception, or is it real?»
I didn’t dismiss the chance this was a trick. But either way—
«Even if it is, my course remains unchanged.»
Whether a bluff or not, withdrawal was impossible. I continued my relentless advance.
My power had unquestionably grown. My speed had at least doubled, and my strength was now a match for his.
Boom!
I saw the flames gathering. Even while retreating, he compressed fire between his palms.
Seeing that, I accelerated further.
I threw a punch sheathed in fire—a blow of pure, unadulterated annihilation.
Crack!