Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 889

Chapter 889

Kwoooom—!!! Kwoooom!!!

The spear of blue fire that had shot upward detonated in the air, its blast scattering lingering tongues of flame like a downpour.

Crackle.

Where each ember landed, it seared a blackened mark into the earth.

“Ahhh!”

“Move back!”

The martial artists below scrambled in a frantic rush to evade the falling fire.
Under normal circumstances, I would have reined in the power to prevent this, but now, I did not.
My entire attention was fixed on the adversary before me.

‘The Division Leader of the Celestial Dragon.’

A masked individual holding a sword. Their martial robe was adorned with golden thread, the unmistakable symbol of the Celestial Dragon Division.

And yet…

‘What is this?’

I could perceive nothing from them. They had positioned themselves between the Sword Emperor and me, having intercepted our techniques at the same time, yet they gave off no discernible aura.

The only thing I could detect…

‘Unpleasant.’

…was a slight, grating discomfort that brushed against my senses. This was not new. I had felt it the first time we met.

‘Though it’s fainter now.’

The overwhelming pressure I had attributed to the Blood Demon then was now muted.

‘…Even the hint of the Blood Demon’s presence is gone.’

The cursed sensation that had once convinced me of their link to the Blood Demon was now almost entirely absent.

All that remained was this vague disquiet and a deeply unsettling void.

“What are you?”

I frowned as I demanded an answer, but the Division Leader of the Celestial Dragon remained silent.

Their index finger rested lightly on their sword, which gleamed with a soft light.

‘Should I use the White Flame?’

Would the White Flame be effective against them? If their connection to the Blood Demon persisted, perhaps not. As I considered this, I assessed our surroundings.

There were far too many witnesses to act without caution.

In that case…

‘Should I simply kill every onlooker?’

If I eliminated all witnesses, it wouldn’t matter. The thought flashed through my mind for an instant.

‘Tch.’

But I restrained myself. That was a line I could not cross.

Click.

The flame at my fingertip winked out. I fixed my gaze back on the Division Leader.

“I asked you a question. What are you?”

“…”

Shlink—! Clack.
The sword in their hand rotated once before smoothly sliding back into its scabbard.

A faint, golden energy lingered in the air around the blade.

‘What is this?’

It felt strangely familiar.
At first, the golden color reminded me of Wi Seol-ah’s energy, but…

‘No.’

The nature of it was completely different. Only the hue was similar.
The composition of the energy, the martial art shaping it, was fundamentally unlike hers.

“Division Leader of the Celestial Dragon.”

The Sword Emperor broke the silence, speaking from behind. Despite his earlier strike being effortlessly blocked, his demeanor was still calm.

“Your arrival here, does it indicate…?”

He left the question unfinished as his eyes turned toward a specific point. My own gaze instinctively followed.

“Cough.”

A soft cough and the sound of movement reached my ears.

‘Ha.’

The person who had appeared was none other than Muk Yeon. Seeing him, I released a frustrated breath inwardly.

‘I didn’t sense him.’

I had only become aware of Muk Yeon’s presence now that he had revealed himself. This was a significant problem.

‘Muk Yeon possesses almost no internal energy.’

He did have some, but it was so minimal he was closer to a normal person than a martial artist.
To only notice him at this proximity meant…

‘Someone was concealing Muk Yeon’s presence.’

And that someone could only be the Division Leader of the Celestial Dragon standing before me.

‘They masked another’s energy while simultaneously blocking our attacks…?’

Concealing someone else’s Qi is an immensely delicate operation.
It demands extreme precision to manipulate another’s energy, and very few can maintain such control while also fighting.

‘If it were me…’

I could probably do it.
It wasn’t theoretically impossible. But to deflect that specific strike under those conditions?

‘It’s uncertain.’

I wasn’t sure I could manage it. Perhaps, perhaps not—it was difficult to say.

‘But that individual did it.’

What was their true nature?
Even when I tried to sense their energy, the mask prevented a clear reading.

‘Is it similar to the one given to me by the Shadow King?’

It seemed very likely.

“…You should stop here.”

Muk Yeon’s voice cut into my thoughts, and I gave a cold smirk.

“Stop here?”

“Star King.”

“Stop what? I’ve been exhausting myself in Sichuan for this damned Alliance, and now I learn my father has been imprisoned. What, precisely, am I to stop?”

“Do you believe this is what the head of the Gu family would desire?”

“This isn’t about what my father wants.”

Wheeeeng.

Flames ignited in my hand, instantly reforming the Flame Spear.

“This is about what I want.”

“So you intend to oppose not only the Sword Emperor, but the entire Martial Alliance?”

“If necessary, yes.”

“…That is not a prudent choice. Surely you are aware of that, Star King?”

“A man cannot always choose the prudent path. It seems today is one of those days for me.”

Clack.
The sound of weapons being drawn echoed. Both the Sword Emperor and the Division Leader of the Celestial Dragon had tightened their grips on their hilts.

One step. A single step further, and this would erupt into a full-scale battle.
What would be gained? Was victory even achievable?

‘There is no gain.’

Nor was victory assured. The exchange with the Sword Emperor had clarified one thing.

‘I will not lose.’

I might not secure a clean win, but I would not be easily defeated.
If I unleashed everything at my disposal, I might even emerge victorious.
Unless the Sword Emperor was hiding a final card.

The true issue was…

‘That person.’

The Division Leader of the Celestial Dragon and the assembled martial artists of the Alliance.
Could I confront them all simultaneously and win? Absolutely not.

‘It is beyond my current capacity.’

Even utilizing Dragon Speech or releasing my full power would be too risky.

In short, the intelligent course was to withdraw.

“So do not press me any further.”

Yet I had no intention of backing down.

“…”

Muk Yeon’s expression was complex as he looked at me.
It was not quite anger, nor was it sorrow—it hovered somewhere between the two.

What kind of look was that? The question surfaced briefly in my mind, but…

“The head of the Gu family was imprisoned for a cause.”

“I am aware of the rumors.”

The talk was inescapable—it was everywhere.

“His imprisonment was a justified outcome. A trial will be convened soon.”

A justified outcome. It sounded reasonable.
If he had truly stormed the Alliance and attempted to kill a tactician, imprisonment was the logical consequence.

“Well, I am not entirely convinced of that.”

I could not bring myself to fully believe it.

“So let me pose a question to you.”

I held Muk Yeon’s gaze.

“Why did he do it? Tell me that first.”

“…”

 

I still had not heard the reason for my father’s actions.
As I pressed him, Muk Yeon’s eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.

“Is that not the most critical question? I am far more concerned with why my father acted as he did than with the fact he now sits in a cell as a condemned man.”

It was inconceivable that my father would assault Muk Yeon without motive. Furthermore—

‘There is no chance he simply allowed himself to be captured.’

I could not comprehend why he had entered custody without resistance.

“Until that matter is clarified—”

Fwoooosh—!!!
Flames erupted around me, and the rings of my heart spun violently.

“I will not yield on this.”

Even if it meant jeopardizing all my plans, I refused to retreat. With that resolve, I began gathering more energy, amplifying my aura.

“…Star King.”

Muk Yeon frowned as he observed me.
Just as he seemed about to speak—

Fwoosh!

“…!”

Abruptly, a flame ignited before my eyes.
It was not my blue fire, but a brilliant crimson blaze.

“This is…”

It was unmistakable. My heart recognized it instantly. This was the Gu Flames Firewheel.
Based on its texture and intensity, only one person could have produced it.

‘Father?’

It was undeniably my father’s flame.
The moment I realized it, a voice resonated.

“It’s all right.”

My eyes widened.

‘Where is he?’

It was not a telepathic message. The voice emanated from within the flame itself.

How was his voice contained within the fire? If he could accomplish this, it meant his Qi was not fully suppressed.
Then why had he not broken free?

I could not understand. The energy felt distant, remote.
Yet the voice and the flame were vividly present.

“It’s all right. Return.”

The weighty tone made me scowl.

“What do you mean, ‘all right’?”

I wanted to demand why he had allowed himself to be imprisoned, but—

“Take care of Horan.”

“…”

“I am asking this of you.”

At those words, I fell silent.

Horan.
This was the first time I had heard my father refer to Lady Mi by her name.

And he was asking me?

‘This is unbelievable.’

I ran a hand through my hair, torn between irritation and disbelief.
A part of me wanted to unleash chaos and rage, but the repercussions would be severe—and my father’s words carried undeniable weight.

‘Does he have a purpose for this?’

Sending this flame to deliver his message implied a deliberate reason behind his actions.

Still, under ordinary circumstances, I would have disregarded it.

But now—

‘Why are you doing something you have never done?’

Hearing my father speak of Lady Mi made me curse inwardly.

If this was his idea of a “request,” what was I supposed to do with it?

‘If he could have done this earlier, why didn’t he?’

If he possessed this capability, he should have employed it long ago.
The petty thought flickered through my mind.

No, that isn’t fair.

‘This is not something I should say.’

Memories of my father resurfaced—his hesitant approach when I was crying, only to ultimately turn away.

“Tch.”

Clicking my tongue, I waved my hand.

Fwoosh! The Flame Spear dissipated, and the aura radiating from my body vanished in an instant.

Clink.

Seeing this, the Division Leader of the Celestial Dragon relaxed their grip on the sword. I looked at Muk Yeon in silence. After a brief moment holding the old man’s gaze, I turned away.

“I departed in great haste and brought nothing with me. I will submit my formal report at a later time.”

“…”

“I will return tomorrow for a complete explanation. Ensure it is thorough enough for me to comprehend.”

With that, I pushed off from the ground and leaped into the distance.

 

*****************

The instant Gu Yangcheon vanished, the Sword Emperor turned to Muk Yeon with a question.

“…Tactician Muk. Why did you not detain him?”

His face was etched with confusion. Muk Yeon raised a withered hand to shade his eyes before replying.

“There was no justification to hold him.”

No justification? The Sword Emperor found this difficult to accept.

“The Star King assaulted the Martial Alliance and created a major disturbance. What greater justification could be required?”

“Had I stopped him, I would have been compelled to provide answers in exchange.”

“Answers? What answers?”

“I would have needed to tell him something. But I could not bring myself to do it.”

Muk Yeon’s weary voice carried a faint undercurrent of guilt.
Hearing this, the Sword Emperor understood.

The “justification” Muk Yeon spoke of was not one held by the Alliance, but a personal one.

“I will assume full responsibility for the Star King’s actions. He stated he will return tomorrow, so if you intend to hold him accountable, let us address it then.”

“…”

The Sword Emperor appeared dissatisfied but did not pursue the matter further.

And then—

“I trust you will concur.”

Muk Yeon directed his words to the Division Leader of the Celestial Dragon beside him.

The masked figure glanced briefly at Muk Yeon before—

Fwoooosh!

—vanishing in a flash of golden light.

“…”

Watching them disappear, Muk Yeon released a quiet, weary sigh.
A sigh that was profound and chilled.

 

*****************

I went directly to Lady Mi’s residence.
It was partly due to my father’s request, but also to get a firsthand account of the situation.

Driven by urgency, I brushed past the guards and entered her quarters without announcing myself.

“Hey, wa—!”

The guards noticed me too late; by the time they reacted, I was already inside.

“Lady Mi. Are you here?”

Catching my breath slightly, I called out to her outside her door. I sensed movement from within.

Creak. The door opened, and Lady Mi appeared.
Her eyes widened in surprise upon seeing me.

“…How did you get here?”

“I came as soon as I read the letter you sent. I have just come from the Martial Alliance.”

“What?”

Her expression shifted dramatically at my words.

I assumed she was startled that I had arrived so quickly after receiving her message.

But then—

“Now, please explain what is happening—”

“What letter are you referring to? I never sent you one.”

“…What?”

“The letter I dispatched was sent only a few days ago. It could not have reached you yet.”

At her words, a cold dread settled in the pit of my stomach.