Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 975

Chapter 975

Charred, jet-black hair. A pale mask concealing his features.
Garments of a deep, shadowy black, matching his hair.

A massive, imposing physique, muscles coiled and tense.

And with it, a palpable aura of threat that seeped from his very being.

“…»

Black was rendered speechless, his eyes fixed on the man standing in his chamber.

What in the world…

The longer he looked, the more unnerving the sight became.
Those violet eyes fixed on him felt like they could devour him entirely.

…It’s like he consumes light…

As if he ingested all illumination from the space around him, exhaling only pure darkness in its place. The very air around him seemed unnaturally dim, drained of light.

How could he possibly articulate this sensation?

Discord. Estrangement. No adequate words came to mind.
And as Black fought to push through the mental fog and seize on something concrete—

Ah.

A single term eventually anchored itself in his thoughts.

Revulsion.

Disgust.
The mere act of standing in this being’s presence was repulsive to him. And more than that—

Ominous.

Dread.
Just the sight of him made these emotions swell from within.
Struggling to suppress them, Black finally managed to speak.

“…How long have you been standing there?”
[Not long. Do not trouble yourself with it.]

As he spoke, the man nonchalantly drew out a chair and sat.
It was the seat reserved for the domain’s leader, yet he occupied it without a hint of hesitation.

Black said nothing to object.

Partly because the man’s actions seemed so utterly natural,
but more so because his tongue felt heavy and useless in his mouth.

Then, as the man sat comfortably in the chair—

[So.]

He turned his head toward Black and spoke.

[How did it go?]

“…”

The voice was languid, almost bored.
Black frowned at the sound of it.

Did this man have no awareness of where he was?
This was no common area—this was his personal sanctum.

Even the other leaders were hesitant to come here.
There was a reason they preferred to remain within their own territories.

Audacious.

He was completely audacious.

Is he really that self-assured?

Even while standing in another’s territory,
did he believe he could emerge victorious regardless?

Narrowing his eyes, Black studied him closely.

Eyes as empty and emotionless as a corpse’s.
And yet, a strange, flickering luminescence lived within them.
It was like watching darkness swallow light only to emit it once more.

His gaze was deeply unsettling.

What was the source of such unshakable confidence?
Black racked his brain, searching for an explanation.

That’s right, even Blue was defeated within his own domain.

The place where Blue had fallen—
it had been his own stronghold.

And if that was true, then even though this was Black’s own territory now—

That only confirms the depth of his certainty.

This man could end his life at any moment, if he so wished.
That level of confidence was perilous.

And more than that—

Not even the General made me feel like this.

Not even Yusa, one of the four rulers of Mangye,
a warrior of peerless strength, had evoked this sensation.

Was it vastness? Or perhaps emptiness?
He couldn’t properly define it.

With Yusa, there had always been a tangible ferocity,
a looming terror, the imminent threat of being consumed if one dropped their guard.

But this man—there was nothing.
Even standing directly before him, he felt like a void.
A profound and eerie absence.

And that absence pressed down relentlessly on Black’s throat, constricting it.

…What in the world…

What was he?
What did he intend?
Everything about him was a mystery.

As he grappled with these thoughts, his brow furrowed deeply.

[Are you deaf?]

“…!”

The man’s voice cut through the silence.

[I asked—how did it go?]

Hearing those words, Black’s body tensed almost imperceptibly.
There was a subtle undercurrent of restrained hostility in the tone.

The moment he detected it, his body reacted on instinct.

Danger.

The being before him was dangerous.

His instincts screamed at him, warning him repeatedly.

[Hmph.]

Receiving no answer, the man tilted his head slightly.
Then, as he began to slowly rise to his feet—

“…I did as you instructed.”

Black finally spoke.
Hearing this, the man settled back into the chair.

[You followed my instructions?]
“Yes. Exactly as you said….”

Black fell silent for a beat, weighing his words before continuing.

“…I informed the General at the banquet. I told him that you had a purpose,
and that you would be seeking out the other leaders to achieve it.”

[And you told him to use that against me?]

“Yes.”

At that, the man released a low, quiet chuckle.

What was so amusing?
Black scowled slightly at the reaction, but—

[I see.]

The laughter was brief.
He tapped his fingertips lightly against the table.
For a moment, Black’s eyes were drawn to the movement.

[So you did as I said. Is that not correct?]

“…”

Hearing this, Black could only bite his lip in response.

[Which means—it would be accurate to say you’ve now stepped onto my ship, would it not?]

His tone was laced with dark amusement.
Black’s frown deepened.

“…That’s—”

[It’s far too late to deny it. You understand that as well as I, don’t you?]

Crack.

His words were final, leaving no room for argument.
It was infuriating—but he had no counter.

[Well? Is your mind clearer now?]

“…What is your actual goal?”

[Hmm?]

At last, Black asked.

“Who are you? And what are you truly trying to accomplish?”

He remembered the moment this man had first approached him, before the banquet.

Silently.
Without a single soul noticing.
By the time he was aware, the man was already inside his room.

He hadn’t even had a chance to react.
Before he could process it, his back had been exposed—

And what was even more shocking—

[Well now, if we are to discuss that—]

The man’s violet eyes locked onto his.

[You should take a seat first.]

“…!”

Thud—!
Black’s body moved on its own, dropping heavily into the chair.

Feeling this, he gasped inwardly in shock.

It was just like before.

…A Command…?!

An absolute power wielded only by those of General rank or higher within Mangye.
A force akin to divine authority—one that seized the soul itself and compelled obedience.

This man…!

Just as before, the man before him had invoked a Command effortlessly.
The fact that he could use it was shocking enough, but the true problem was—

This means… at the very least, he holds the rank of General.

At a minimum, he was a General. But beyond that—

…Could he be something even higher?

Was it possible this being existed above a General?

The thought was ludicrous. So absurd that Black couldn’t give it voice.

After all, above a General, there was only one—
the supreme and celestial ruler of the heavens.

Nothing else existed beyond that.

For this man to be greater than a General was an impossibility.
The only remaining conclusion was that he stood on equal footing.

…Yes.

A question surfaced in Black’s mind.

If that were true—then what of Yusa’s reaction at the banquet?

Why?

Why had he reacted in that manner?

Black couldn’t comprehend Yusa’s response.

If this man were merely another General, Yusa should have been nothing more than surprised.
But his gaze had been… different.

As he turned the thought over, his mind clouded with confusion—

[I already know what you desire.]

The man spoke.

[As I stated before, the reason I sought you remains unchanged. I will grant your wish.]

“…What are you talking about?”

Suppressing a tremor, Black asked.

“I desire nothing.”

[Nonsense. A man who desires nothing—why, then, did you obey me?]

“That’s…”

[You’ve already acknowledged it, haven’t you?]

Screech.

The man leaned forward, closing the distance between them.

[That the one before you… might actually be capable of granting your desire.]

“…”

Black’s fists clenched tightly at his sides.

[Shall I say it plainly, since you insist on denial?]

The man let out a soft, mocking laugh.

[You wish to become a General. Is that not correct?]

“…!”

Black’s eyes widened at the words.

[You wanted it so desperately that the moment a lifeline appeared, you couldn’t help but seize it.]

He needed to deny it.

He had to cut this conversation short before it went further.

Even as he thought it, the words wouldn’t come.

[You dislike Yusa, don’t you?]

Now, he was openly disparaging a General.

That, too, should be stopped.

[Of course you do. That bastard rarely shows his face for decades, yet whenever he appears, he plays the ruler before vanishing again. It must be infuriating.]

“…I…”

[You dislike the other leaders as well. They are all fools, and you refuse to be considered their equal. You have no wish to be treated the same as them. Am I incorrect?]

“…”

Word after word—

Everything he said—

Black could not refute a single point.

It wasn’t merely that the words held truth.

It was the certainty in the man’s tone. The way he spoke, as if he knew—
his piercing gaze—

Those things forced him into silence.

[I am right.]

The man’s eyes glinted.

[I am right.]

Black couldn’t look away.

[You are different. You are not like them.]

The man extended a single finger, pointing directly at him.

[That is the reason I chose you.]

Screeeech—

The man rose to his full height.

From this position, those violet eyes looked down upon Black completely.

Realizing this, Black instinctively tried to shift his legs, but—

[Remain as you are.]

—!!!

Once again, his body turned to stone.

[I am still speaking, am I not?]

A hand reached out, fingers closing lightly around his throat.
As if prepared to crush it at any moment.

[Now, what was it you asked me earlier? Ah, yes.]

Despite everything, the man’s gaze remained unblinking.

Black wanted to look away.

He needed to.

And yet, his paralyzed body refused to obey.

[You inquired about my purpose.]

A soft laugh.

[My purpose—]

The man’s voice was a low, carrying whisper.

[—is to make this Mangye into a true paradise.]

Upon hearing those words, Black’s pupils trembled.