Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 934

Chapter 934

Kwaaaa—!!!

A torrent of blue fire surged across the earth. An immense wave of azure flame.

Kwaaaaaa—!!

The power behind the inferno was so intense that the ground it devoured began to collapse.

There was no restraint, no attempt to hold back.

I poured every ounce of my strength into it.

I understood. This was not an opponent I could face with measured control.

I unleashed it all with the sole purpose of scorching the trees and the very earth beneath.

It was a thing I had done only once before, during the massacre of my previous life.

Without a single care for the devastation left in my wake.

In this life, I had made a habit of avoiding such recklessness.

But this time, I did not hold back.

As I had already stated, my opponent was not someone I could afford to show any mercy against.

Besides…

‘Even if I unleash everything…’

I was confident the surroundings would remain unharmed.

And I was right.

Hwaaa—!

Where my flames ended, petals began to drift upward.

It was like using a net to catch fish; the widely spread blossoms were drawing in all the fire.

They appeared delicate and weightless, as though they might ignite at any second.

How could they possibly contain such tremendous energy?

Watching them, I could only let out a hollow laugh.

Giiing—!

The rings coiled around my heart began to spin more rapidly.

Violently, recklessly. With pure destructive intent.

I ignored compression. I disregarded rotation.

I channeled everything outward at absolute maximum output.

«Tsk.»

A soft click of the tongue came from ahead.

«Such a pointless effort.»

Fwaa—!!!

With those words, the plum blossoms burst into full bloom.

A sudden gust of wind erupted, lifting the petals high into the air. The shape of the wind pressure was a flawless vortex.

The leaves tangled within the whirlpool seemed to seize my flames and drag them up toward the sky.

It happened in an instant.

The fire that had covered the land scattered and ascended.

Once the flames had vanished, I saw clearly that my body had reached its target.

The inferno had been a diversion, a means to hold my enemy in place.

My body had already moved within the flames, closing the distance. I was now behind Shin Noya.

‘I’ve reached the position.’

Two objectives had been crucial.

The first was to ensure that Shin Noya, who valued this place, would not permit my flames to cause any damage.

That was likely why he had called me a fool.

And the second…

‘To capture his attention while masking my own presence.’

I suppressed my aura as much as possible and hid within the fire to take my place.

The priority was to prevent Noya from detecting me.

This was the moment that plan succeeded.

‘Now.’

Guuu—!

The fire gathered in my palm took shape.

Flame Jade Holy Spear.

The spearhead, forged from concentrated heat, gleamed sharply. I hurled it with extreme compression.

If it detonated at this range, I would undoubtedly sustain serious injury, but I knew I had to risk everything.

The spear shot forward the moment it left my grip.

The instant the spear flew, Shin Noya reacted.

He glanced back casually.

It was already far too late.

Or so I believed.

But…

Shu—!

«…!»

To my astonishment, the spear did not explode.

Instead of detonating, it simply passed straight through Shin Noya.

A purely piercing strike.

What just happened? I was momentarily stunned, but my eyes narrowed at the scene unfolding before me.

Shin Noya’s pierced body looked unnatural.

Inside the hollow cavity of his chest, something was swirling.

Petals.

Plum blossom petals were coalescing within.

And that wasn’t all.

Paaa—.

From the pierced opening, petals began to drift away.

Noya’s very form was dissolving into blossoms, fading away.

I was frozen for a second at the sight.

«Too slow.»

I reacted instantly to the voice that came from behind me.

I twisted my body sharply, gathering power into my hand.

I tried to swing faster, but…

Thak—!

«Damn it!»

My wrist was caught. A large, slender hand held it fast.

That was all I could register.

By the time I processed it, my view was already tilting toward the sky.

A sensation of weightlessness took over.

Shin Noya had seized me and thrown me.

What was the trajectory? Which way was I falling?

Giiing—! I gathered my energy.

I needed to brace for impact.

I had to prepare for the next move, but…

«Is this the extent of your reflexes, boy?»

Bang—!

«Koff—!»

A punch connected squarely with my face.

My airborne body was driven into the ground by the force.

Krrzzzzz—!

I bounced once before scrambling upward.

I let out a ragged breath. It had been a long time since I’d felt physical pain like this.

Gritting my teeth against the agony, I detonated flames from my hands.

Hwaaarrrrk—!!!

Fire erupted, giving me just enough lift to adjust my angle.

Barely, I managed to shift my position.

At that very moment…

Kwahhhh—!!

A fist slammed into the spot I had just vacated.

Shards of rock shot toward my face.

I narrowly evaded them.

A moment later, and my skull would have been shattered.

I got to my feet and immediately fixed my gaze ahead.

From the shattered earth, Shin Noya withdrew his fist and brushed off his hands.

Thud, thud.

As he wiped his hands and looked at me, a fresh wave of cold dread washed down my spine.

‘…When…?’

When had he created that petal illusion?

I was certain I had sensed his presence.

It made no sense. Furthermore…

‘His speed is greater.’

His movements were nearly impossible to track.

This Shin Noya was fundamentally different from the one I had observed before.

Whether he had been letting me see him then, or if the old man before me now was a completely different entity, I couldn’t tell.

I never imagined I would be so utterly overwhelmed without him even unsheathing his sword.

Staring at Shin Noya, I was completely dumbfounded.

«Hmm.»

Shin Noya tilted his head and addressed me.

«That wasn’t very entertaining, was it?»

«…»

«Is this all you have? If so, it’s rather disappointing…»

He smirked, and his words were profoundly aggravating.

«Ssshhh…»

I rose and exhaled a long, deep breath.

It was as if my breath acted as a catalyst, causing the energy within me to churn faster.

I forced it to accelerate.

Thud—!

My heart slammed violently once, and power flooded into my muscles.

Once more, I formed a flame jade in my palm.

A sphere materialized instantly. I clenched my fist around it.

Crunch—!

The flame jade shattered and burst outward.

While maintaining the exploded flames, I carefully shaped them.

Soon, the fire stretched out, lengthening further and further.

It took the form of a whip, a rope of pure flame.

Crack—!

I gripped the fiery lash with one hand and put force into my shoulder.

Flame Rending Strike (炎劙亂打).

Kwahgaaaaaa—!!!

I swung the flame whip with wild abandon.

Each time the rope sliced through the air, it left a searing trail of heat.

It shattered trees and struck the earth, setting everything it touched ablaze.

The ability to morph the flames and wield them in this way was only possible because I had reached the tenth star.

It allowed for a far greater degree of control.

The energy drain was significant, but I was still pleased with the sensation.

With more practice, I could wield it with even greater power and variety.

The problem was…

‘It isn’t connecting.’

No matter how wildly I lashed out, it failed to land a hit.

Noya was evading my assaults with casual ease, his movements without any discernible pattern.

He wasn’t dodging every single one, however. He deflected some, altering their trajectory.

The fact that he was parrying them at all was absurd.

He was simply enveloping his hands in dense energy and batting the attacks aside.

‘Is he insane?’

The fact that he could casually deflect such force.

The fact that he did it with an utterly blank expression was equally unbelievable.

A cold sweat traced a path down my spine.

I had anticipated high energy consumption, but not to this draining extent.

I couldn’t maintain this for long.

But even if I could, it was meaningless if it proved ineffective.

I was already aware of the gap between us.

I just hadn’t expected that gap to be this vast, this insurmountable.

It was honestly ridiculous.

‘What in the world.’

How had he ever attained such a level?

‘…Is he stronger than the Three Celestials?’

Paejon is the only Celestial I’ve fought in earnest, but still…

‘Even so.’

This was the first time I felt a complete and utter absence of hope for victory.

No matter what I attempted, I could not win.

That sensation of powerlessness welled up inside me.

“Hah!”

Instead of pulling back, I pushed forward, driving strength into my legs.

Crunch—!

The moving whip was caught by Shin Noya.

Chiiiiiik—!

The sound of sizzling energy echoed from the rope. There was no scent of burning flesh. It was the sound of his energy scorching the flame itself.

I couldn’t believe he had just grabbed it.

Tight—!

Suddenly, the rope went taut with immense force.

The moment I felt it, I released my energy.

Kwah—!

Shin Noya yanked the whip with full power.

The force was tremendous. Had I not released it, I would have been pulled off my feet.

As the energy dissipated, the whip vanished into the air.

I didn’t try to reclaim it. In fact, the pulling force gave me the momentum to dive inward.

I lunged forward, forming another flame jade in my hand and hurling it.

I detonated it the instant it left my fingers.

Kwah—!!

The explosion spread, obscuring my view for a precious moment.

It wouldn’t last.

Just a split second.

I had to use it.

In that brief obscurity, I turned my head.

Kwah—!!

A fist shot out from the heart of the flames.

It was Shin Noya’s fist.

I sensed it through the fire and evaded.

I swiftly moved into the opening I had created.

I formed another flame jade in my hand.

I gathered the scattered flames and compressed them tightly.

Giiing—!

I condensed the energy further.

Sshiiiing—!!!

I increased the rotational speed.

As the flames dissipated entirely, Shin Noya’s figure became visible again.

I pivoted at the waist and thrust the flame jade toward him.

Noya had already thrown his punch.

It would take time for him to retract it.

I had to exploit this opening.

I knew I couldn’t win. That was a given.

‘At the very least, I’ll make him draw his sword.’

I resolved to force him to unsheathe his blade and drove the flame jade into his abdomen.

Ggrrrk—!!

«…Huh?»

I let out a shocked breath at what happened.

The flame jade had struck his abdomen, but it failed to penetrate.

Sssrrrr—!

Plum petals were blocking the flame jade.

Could I not even pierce this fragile, tiny blossom?

I stared in disbelief, my eyes wide.

«Your compression and rotation have improved since last time.»

Shin Noya spoke to me with a slight smile.

«But, you focused too much on that. You neglected what is truly important. It’s useless like this, isn’t it?»

Instinct screamed at me to pull back, and fast.

Doonshil—.

A single plum petal drifted into view before me.

My focus locked onto it.

«Your concentration is wavering. Focus, boy.»

Kwah—!

Noya seized the flame jade and crushed it.

It was the same way Cheonma had done it before.

The difference was that Noya didn’t just destroy it; he used the plum petals to contain the explosion.

Thud—!

«Ugh!»

Then, his knee drove into my stomach.

My body was lifted into the air once more.

The impact sent me tumbling across the ground.

I rolled twice before digging my hands into the earth to push myself up.

«Cough…»

I clutched my stomach and released a shallow, pained breath.

«Hah… ptui!»

I spat out blood and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.

I swayed as I stood, my eyes fixed on Shin Noya.

He had thrown me a great distance, but now he stood motionless.

He was deliberately holding his position.

‘He could have ended it right there.’

He could have pressed the attack and finished me.

He simply chose not to.

«…This is damn difficult.»

I thought I had grown stronger, but the disparity was this immense.

Would using demonic energy change anything?

‘No.’

Even that wouldn’t assure victory. Besides, I had no desire to use demonic energy against Noya.

«Is it over?»

Shin Noya’s voice was slightly rough.

«Are you truly finished? That was not much of a diversion.»

«…»

«You showed such confidence, yet you amounted to very little.»

I knew he was trying to provoke me.

I understood it completely.

«Quite a letdown.»

Still, the anger rose within me regardless.

«Hah…»

I let out a heavy sigh.

What could I do?

How could I possibly land a blow on that old man?

I thought in silence.

Conventional methods offered no solution.

Then…

‘…Perhaps something unorthodox?’

The decision came swiftly.

«…»

«You’re done then…?»

Shin Noya cut himself off, noticing my change in posture.

I was gradually closing my eyes, my fingers interlaced.

«You… What are you planning to—.»

«Ssshhh…»

I ignored whatever Noya was about to say and concentrated.

Whoosh.

A fire ignited within my heart.

Thud—!

Embedded within it was the agony of Tua Pacheonmu.

And then…

Sssrrrr—!

The four rings orbiting my heart shot outward and began to bind my two senses together.

In that instant…

Kkkiii—!!!

A violent convulsion tore through my lower abdomen.