Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 957

Chapter 957

«Is that so? Everything?»

The tortoise let out a laugh at my proclamation.

It wasn’t a laugh of approval.

If anything, it was derisive—or perhaps simply incredulous.

«You are brimming with conviction. But do you honestly think that can be done?»

«Whether it can or cannot is irrelevant. There’s something an old fool I’m acquainted with once told me. Do you know what it was?»

«And what was that?»

«‘Turn the impossible into the possible.’ That was one of the few things that moron said that ever resonated with me.»

«…»

Nothing was truly impossible.

I would force it into existence.

If I required something, I would seize it, regardless of what it took.

That was the only way I could live now.

Therefore—

«Instruct me. I must exhaust every possible method.»

«…»

The words left my lips as a simple statement of fact.

The tortoise, his face an unreadable mask, simply stared back at me in silence.

Was he going to refuse now, after all this?

A flicker of anxiety went through me, but I held my ground and waited.

Then—

«You,» he said at last. «What is your understanding of sorcery?»

Sorcery.

Hearing the word made my eye twitch, just slightly.

‘So it’s called sorcery in this place as well.’

This was the first instance of the tortoise directly bringing up sorcery.

In fact, it was the first time I had even heard the term since arriving here.

It left me feeling… vaguely uneasy.

‘Is sorcery not solely a concept from Zhongyuan?’

Or maybe—

‘Is the tortoise’s language simply being rendered into something I comprehend?’

That was a possibility.

Nothing in this world adhered to the logic I knew.

And—

Sorcery itself was a mystery.

‘I was taught that sorcery is a power bestowed by the dragons.’

Legend stated that long ago, the dragons gifted the world with the power of sorcery.

But this tortoise did not feel like a dragon in the slightest.

Yet, when it came to sorcery, he spoke with absolute authority.

‘Perhaps sorcery isn’t a power the dragons created…’

But rather, something they, too, obtained?

The thought crossed my mind briefly before I returned my attention to his question.

‘What do I believe sorcery is?’

I pondered it.

I had contemplated this before.

«It is transformation.»

«Transformation?»

The tortoise reacted to my answer.

«Transformation, you claim…? What leads you to that conclusion?»

«I cannot say for certain. It is merely a feeling.»

Turning falsehood into truth.

Creating and reshaping things beyond the bounds of ordinary understanding.

That, to me, was the essence of sorcery.

‘Just observe what is occurring now.’

This very circumstance.

Standing abruptly in the center of an endless plain.

The teahouse vanishing as if it were never there.

Every marvel the tortoise had revealed to me thus far.

All of it was transformation.

And I required that power.

‘Particularly for mastering the Cheonma Divine Art.’

The power to achieve the unachievable.

There was nothing I needed more.

Merging two martial arts and compelling them to become one—

Under normal circumstances, such a thing would be inconceivable.

But sorcery could render the abnormal attainable.

The sole issue was—

‘It is not yet perfect.’

No matter how many attempts I made, my efforts remained incomplete.

Not only was my theoretical foundation lacking—

My knowledge was far too shallow.

‘This is insufficient.’

Nowhere near enough.

To reach my objective, I needed to delve deeper. To ascend higher.

Some may claim that a martial artist should not depend on something like sorcery.

I had entertained that notion before, as well.

‘To hell with that.’

Since when was I merely a martial artist?

Martial arts were simply a tool, a means to an end.

Some may find enlightenment within them.

Some may discover purpose in their relentless pursuit.

But—

‘That is not me.’

I am not a martial artist.

That title is far better suited for someone like Paejon.

And now, more than ever, I was sure of it.

I was not a martial artist.

And I had no need to be.

‘If it serves my purpose, I will utilize anything.’

Hesitating over pointless labels would only impede my progress.

I had people to safeguard.

I had goals to accomplish.

And presently, this was merely another step toward that end.

«Transformation, you say… It is not a poor answer.»

«Then it is not the correct one?»

«Hmm.»

The tortoise moved his staff.

As its tip stirred the air, the very space around it seemed to ripple like water.

«First, let us correct that assumption.»

«Huh?»

*Tap.*

The staff lightly touched the earth.

*Whoooosh—!!*

A powerful gust of wind swept across the plains.

And then, suddenly—

Blossoms erupted everywhere.

Flowers that had not been there moments prior now filled the sky.

Then—

«There is no single ‘correct answer’ in sorcery.»

The tortoise looked at me, his voice calm and even.

«If you believe sorcery is transformation, then for you, it is true. If you come to believe something else in the future, then that will also be true.»

«…»

His words were ambiguous.

No right answer?

«Then… what is it that I am meant to seek?»

A martial artist pursued enlightenment.

They followed a defined path toward cultivation and mastery.

But what was the path of sorcery?

It felt far too uncertain to simply label it «transformation.»

So I asked—

But his reply was—

«That is for you to discover. Even the nature of the pursuit is something you must define for yourself.»

«…»

I frowned.

I already had enough to decipher.

This only served to complicate matters further.

But at the very least—

«The knowledge I am about to impart… It will not reveal a path to you. It will allow you to find your own.»

At least he was willing to teach me.

«Reveal your rings to me.»

«My rings?»

«Indeed, your rings.»

By rings, he must mean—

‘The ones bound to my heart?’

The coils constricting tightly around my heart.

That had to be what he referred to.

«…How does one reveal such a thing?»

How in the world was I supposed to accomplish that?

I had no notion.

«…Huh?»

For the first time, the tortoise looked genuinely perplexed.

«Are you telling me… you have never done this before?»

«Never.»

«…»

He stared at me for a long moment, let out a sigh, and then moved his staff.

And then—

*Wooong.*

Something manifested from his staff.

Rings.

Eight rings, emanating a soft golden radiance.

They hovered around his staff, shimmering faintly.

I focused my gaze on them.

How had he done that?

‘What was the flow of energy?’

A peculiar sensation washed over me.

The world around me blurred, and I could see nothing except—

The tortoise’s staff.

And the rings floating above it.

The specific sensation and energy flow that accompanied their manifestation—

I observed it as clearly as I was able.

And then—

*Thump.*

I concentrated my heart energy.

«…It is not a complex task. You need only direct your energy and—»

*Flash.*

«—guide it outward…»

«Finished.»

A brilliant luminescence burst from my hand.

Unlike the tortoise’s golden rings—

Mine glowed with a profound azure light.

Four rings coiled around my arm.

«So that is how it is done.»

It was simpler than I had anticipated.

Why had I not realized this sooner?

I committed the sensation to memory and addressed the tortoise.

«…»

For some reason, he had fallen completely silent.

His expression was twisted into something oddly indecipherable as his eyes darted between my arm and my face.

«…Damn it all.»

«Pardon?»

«…It is nothing. I believe I am already halfway toward surrendering to exasperation.»

What?

Had I not performed it correctly?

No, that seemed unlikely. Judging by his reaction, I had succeeded.

I experimentally shifted my left hand.

The rings moved along my arm, but they made no sound.

The tortoise observed them for a time before speaking.

«Four rings, then? Not inadequate.»

«Is that favorable?»

«Indeed. The quality appears respectable, as well. It seems you have applied some diligence.»

«I did not apply that much diligence.»

«Then… how long did it require? A decade, perhaps—»

«I am unsure. Less than a year, I would estimate.»

«…I understand.»

The tortoise halted mid-sentence and then simply let the matter drop.

He had clearly been about to say something else entirely.

«Yes, I find I can no longer be astonished. At this stage, it is of little consequence.»

«Elder?»

«It is fine. You requested that I teach you everything, but we shall begin with what you need most at this moment. What is it?»

What I needed most.

I answered without a moment’s hesitation.

«I require a method to contain an explosion before it can detonate.»

This pertained to the Cheonma Divine Art.

I needed a technique to control volatile energy and enforce stability.

Sorcery might possess an answer for that.

That was my rationale for seeking out the tortoise.

«Hmm… A power to inhibit something from exploding.»

The tortoise fell into deep contemplation.

A brief moment passed.

«I perceive your aim. You intend to use it for what you attempted earlier, do you not?»

«Correct.»

The power I had tried to wield at his teahouse.

He still remembered it.

«…Very well.»

*Tap.*

He lightly struck the ground with his staff.

Two books materialized out of the air.

One came to rest before him.

The other flew directly toward me.

*Thud.*

The instant I caught it, the tortoise spoke.

«From this moment, you will learn Absolute Retention.»

«Absolute Retention?»

«Indeed. The power to preserve form and prevent any change.»

*Flip.*

The book opened of its own accord.

*Rustle—!*

The pages turned by themselves before settling on a specific passage.

The sight alone made me frown.

The book was filled with dense, compact text.

And the script itself…

It was entirely foreign.

But—

‘I can read it?’

Somehow, I understood it.

I had no idea what language it was, yet the meaning flowed seamlessly into my mind.

As I stared at the book, the tortoise’s voice reached me.

«I will not repeat my instructions. You would be wise to pay close attention.»

He spoke with utter certainty.

«Do not concern yourself. Even if you do not grasp it immediately, comprehension will come in time. This is a challenging principle.»

He seemed entirely confident of that.

Then, he began to elucidate the contents of the book.

Hearing that it was difficult concerned me slightly.

But I focused and listened with great care.

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

Some Time Later

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, staining the sky crimson—

«Whoa…»

A soft exhale of awe escaped me.

The reason?

‘So this is the mechanism.’

Upon concluding the tortoise’s lesson, I could feel a distinct transformation within my heart.

The threads of sorcery I had previously formed were now denser and far more numerous.

This meant they would endure much longer whenever I tried to bind energy.

I was still far from complete mastery—

But the fact that a change was already evident was satisfaction enough.

«As I anticipated…»

Coming here had been the correct choice.

The material had been intricate.

The lessons had been arduous.

But where else would I ever find knowledge like this?

Smirking, I spoke to the tortoise.

«It is certainly challenging to comprehend, but it is worth the effort. Perhaps your instruction is simply that effective?»

Feeling pleased, I offered a bit of flattery.

But—

The tortoise offered no reaction.

…Huh?

«Elder?»

I called out to him cautiously.

In that moment—

«…You damnable brat…»

«Hm?»

«You… insufferable little…»

The tortoise muttered under his breath.

Had I misheard?

I was about to call out to him again when—

«That—»

«You little—!»

*Thud!*

The tortoise slammed his staff into the ground.

«Could you not struggle at least a little?!»

«…What?»

«Do you have any conception of how long this took me?! A full year! I was nearly beaten to death learning this, and you— a half-day?!»

«U-Uh… Please remain calm, Elder. Perhaps take a deep breath—»

«Remain calm?! Get out! Remove yourself from my sight!»

«Wait, what? But I’ve only learned a single thing—»

*Wooong—!!*

The air vibrated, and a crushing pressure descended upon me.

By the time I realized what was happening—

I was already standing outside the teahouse.

Assessing the situation, I could only blink in pure disbelief.

«What in the world…?»

He had just suddenly snapped and ejected me.

«…Seriously, what was that about?»

I stood there, gazing blankly at the tortoise’s teahouse.

Then—

I noticed something.

The four rings I had before—

Had now become five.

And they were shining brilliantly upon my hand.