Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 896

Chapter 896

[Rooooaaaarrrrr!!!]

The bellow was overwhelming, a physical force that crashed against my eardrums despite the vast space separating us.

It was more than just a sound; something was layered within it. It didn’t just make my skin prickle; the sensation penetrated deeper.

It resonated inside me.

The vibrations reached into the core of my soul, setting it aquiver.

What is this…?

I frowned at the strange feeling, yet as I stared at the creature, a peculiar sense of recognition washed over me. Logic shrieked at me to flee, but every instinct pulled me closer.

That thing…

It was a colossal, terrifying entity I had never before witnessed. And yet, I knew it.

Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say I recognized its essence.

Kurung…?

That odd beast that had lived inside me for years. The one that was always complaining of hunger, demanding to be fed.

It had finally fallen silent once I started regularly giving it demonic energy. But now, it was gone.

The reason?

It said it had to leave.

One day, during my usual training, the creature that was always growling and grumbling suddenly announced it needed to go away for a time.

I hadn’t paid it much mind then. Where could a being attached to me possibly go? Yet, it vanished that very day and never came back.

What’s more—

Noya left with it.

That was why Shin Noya wasn’t here anymore. Noya had accompanied Kurung, because I had asked him to, for reasons that had felt necessary.

But now—

I was starting to think they were taking too long.

They had promised to return in six months, a year at most, but far more time had slipped by. I had begun to worry about them, if only a little.

Why is Kurung…?

Why was it here?
Was it even Kurung to begin with?
I knew the beast had a physical form, but I’d never seen it, so I couldn’t be sure.

What should I do…?

Its enormous shape was veiled in shadow, its body an indistinct, shifting mass of darkness and smoke.

Just looking at it felt like being pulled into an abyss. My hammering heart screamed of imminent danger.

[Rooooaaaaaarrrrr!!!!]

The beast’s cry echoed through the air, making everything around us shudder.

“…”

Whether it was Kurung or not, the smartest move was to run.
But—

The problem is…

If it was Kurung—

Kurung was linked to my mother.

The beast was deeply tied to her. If I could verify this was Kurung, I might learn more about where I was, and even ask about other things.

Is it worth the risk?

If it wasn’t Kurung, it would be a catastrophe.
Even if it was, there was no promise it would be friendly.

Kurung had never been entirely reliable, after all.

As I was torn between instinct and reason, a hand suddenly closed around my wrist.

It was Cheonma.

“Let’s go.”

“…What?”

“There.”

She pointed directly at the source of the roaring.

“Are you crazy? That thing is clearly a threat. Why would we go toward it?”

“You want to go.”

“…”

How could she tell? Was my desire that plain on my face?

“Let’s go.”

She kept pointing as if it were the most obvious decision in the world.

“Ugh…”

I wavered for a second, but my body was already answering for me.
I was already gathering energy to surge forward.

“…Fine. Let’s see what happens.”

It was better to know for sure than to flee blindly.
Steeling my resolve, I summoned my flames and leaped ahead.

******

Closing the distance wasn’t especially hard.
Even though my body had been thrown into an unknown space, my power hadn’t left me.

More than that—

It feels light.

My body was significantly lighter. I hadn’t noticed it while climbing the trees earlier, but now, in motion, it was undeniable.

I felt at least half my usual weight.

It’s not like my cultivation advanced…

What else could explain this change? The only answer I could find was the air of this place.

The air is saturated with qi.

That had to be it.
The qi-dense atmosphere was enhancing my body’s capabilities, making every movement incredibly fluid.

…What is this place?

Where was I? What kind of world could have an environment like this?

And more importantly—

Who sent me here?

Who had hurled me into this bizarre place?
And more curiously—

Who sent me here with her?

Whoever it was, what could they possibly want?

[Rooooarrrrr!!!!]

Before I could ponder further, another roar shook the heavens.
It was much closer now.

I stopped dead.

Ha.

A dry, humorless laugh escaped me.

It’s this big?

From a distance, its immense size hadn’t fully registered. Now, up close, its sheer scale was staggering.

This is insane.

The thing was monstrous.
It made the nearby mountains look like small hills in comparison.

[Grrraaaaaarrrrr!!!]

Its deafening screech made me wince.

The ground quaked with each roar as it howled at the sky, shaking the very land.
From my lower position, I stared up at the creature.

“…Is it really Kurung?”

Was this beast truly Kurung? Even from here, I couldn’t tell for certain.

If it was—what then?

Should I try to speak to it?

Should I call out a greeting?
I had come to identify it, but what was the next step?

What do I do?

As I stood there, hesitating—

Shiver!

“…!”

An icy chill shot down my spine. I tilted my head back.

Damn it.

My body locked up.

The beast, which had been glaring at the sky moments before, was now looking directly down at me.

Its sharp, violet eyes were fixed on mine.
Though its body was a formless smoke, those eyes were vivid and unmistakable.

It was staring right at me.

A crushing pressure settled over me, my heart pounding wildly as if it might explode.

Whoooosh!

Its overwhelming presence invaded my senses.
My body shook, a primal fear screaming that I was looking upon something I was never meant to see.

In that instant, I knew with absolute certainty.

I’m going to die.

If this creature held any hostility toward me, there would be no fight—only immediate, total obliteration.

Should I run?
No—there wasn’t even time to think of it.

Whooooosh!!!

“…Damn it!”

Black smoke burst from the earth, surging upward rapidly.
Before I could react, the smoke had coiled around both Cheonma and me, forming a barrier.

Shit.

Was this an attack? I hadn’t anticipated such speed.

I never should have come.

I should have kept my distance. Now, I was in real danger.
Tensing every muscle, I ignited my flames and struck out at the surrounding darkness.

Kwooooom—!!!

Azure fire erupted, unleashing a shockwave that rippled outward. I was shocked.

“The output has increased.”

Not only was my body lighter, but my strength seemed to have amplified as well.
However—

“Even so, it’s useless.”

I could tell from the impact. The barrier didn’t even flicker. Damn it.

My thoughts raced, knowing hesitation was fatal. I immediately prepared to use the White Flame, focusing the energy of my heart.

Wooooooong—!!!

The Nine Flames Firewheel spun violently. Simultaneously, the azure fire began to recede.
Whoosh! In a flash, the flame transformed into a blinding white.

I swung it toward the barrier again, ready to shatter it—

“Stop.”

Cheonma seized my wrist once more.

Ssszzzt—!!!

“…Ahhh!”

Her hand made contact with the White Flame, and she let out a sharp, suppressed cry.

“What are you doing!”

Alarmed, I extinguished the flame and pulled her hand toward me.

The skin where the White Flame had touched was scorched.

“Are you insane? Why would you grab me when I’m using fire?”

I shouted angrily. Cheonma’s eyes widened in surprise.
I realized I was still holding her hand and quickly let go.

“Don’t touch me without permission.”

“Okay.”

Her reply was oddly bright, leaving me utterly bewildered.
She just got burned, and she sounds happy about it?

“But you still can’t do that.”

Cheonma stopped me again, and I narrowed my eyes at her.

“What do you mean, ‘can’t’? What, are we just supposed to stand here and die?”

“We won’t die.”

“Like hell we won’t—just look at this thing—”

“It has no killing intent.”

“…What?”

Her words made me pause.

Now that she mentions it…

I looked back up at the creature.
Through the semi-transparent barrier, I could see it simply watching us.

It doesn’t have killing intent.

It was just… observing. The barrier held us, but it hadn’t made another move.

What does this mean?

Even without killing intent, it didn’t change the fact that this thing was inhuman.
It wasn’t even a demonic beast. It was something far greater, an existence so remote it felt wrong to even call it a creature.

Still—

…

I shot a brief glance at Cheonma before letting the flame die out.
I decided to wait and see.

[Grrrr….]

The creature released a low, rumbling growl.

What was that?
It sounded almost like it was… weeping?

I squinted, trying to understand.

[Grrr… ga….]

“…Huh?”

The growling began to change, as if it were struggling to form words.

I strained my ears, listening intently.

[…ga… ya….]

[…go… ya….]

“Speak clearly if you’re going to talk!”

Frustrated, I yelled. The sounds became slightly more distinct.

[…Here is….]

The words were now audible.
Was this really Kurung? If so, was this an offer of peace?

Just as I was considering this—

Crreeeeeeek—!!!

A sound like fabric being torn apart high above reached my ears.

[Grrrrrr—!!!]

Kurung jerked its massive head up sharply, its colossal body shifting. The mere movement sent another tremor through the area.

I turned to look.

What now?

The disturbing noise came from the sky. There, a rift was widening.

“Magyeong Gate?”

It looked similar to a Magyeong Gate, but its size was on another level entirely.

“Why is it so ridiculously big?”

The rift was as vast as a mountain.
Moreover, its color was unfamiliar.

It wasn’t a typical green or blue.
It was a soft, glowing crimson, so beautiful it seemed to radiate a floral scent.

“Wait, a floral scent?”

The realization struck me.

This scent…

“I’ve smelled this before.”

Not long ago, before I was thrown into this wretched place. Back when the Blood Demon attacked, I had sensed this exact same floral fragrance.

Could it be—

“Oh no…”

Kwoooom—!!!

“What?”

A beam of light shot from the rift, spearing straight through Kurung.

[Aaaaaargh—!!!]

Kurung released a scream of agony as my eyes widened in shock.

What the hell was that?
As the question formed, I heard a voice.

[How strange.]

I froze.

[For someone who went through so much trouble to hide, you’re standing here so boldly.]

The voice was soft and elegant, and it made me turn my gaze instinctively.
It was the same voice that had once cradled me, stroked my hair, and spoken to me with gentle affection.

[I suppose you’ve been waiting for me, haven’t you?]

A figure emerged from the rift that had released the blinding light.
Barefoot, they stepped gracefully onto the empty air.

The figure, wearing a calm expression, looked leisurely at Kurung.

The difference in size was absurd.
Kurung, towering over mountains, was dwarfed by the being who appeared completely human.

And yet—

Thump. Thump.

Just as when I first saw Kurung, an immense, ancient presence radiated from this figure.
The woman’s languid eyes gazed at the thrashing Kurung, full of a calm, absolute authority.

[Isn’t that right?]

To my utter astonishment, she spoke to the creature.

[Abyss.]

She was my mother.