Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 389 (Part 1)



389 (Part 1)

Boom-! Boom!

A heavy sound echoed continuously within the cave. The intense vibrations were so strong that they could be felt even outside the cave and they persisted for quite some time.

In terms of time it wasn’t particularly long but for someone experiencing this vibration directly it felt like an eternity in hell.

Boom-! Boom!

I was currently in a spar with the Master.

How long had it been since we started? It felt like just a little over a moment.

Even with that short time of movement I was already drenched in sweat.

In terms of stamina it was strange for me to be in this state but perhaps it was because I was pushing my concentration to the extreme. The energy expenditure was no joke.

Not to mention.

‘What kind of spar is this…!’

Though it was called a spar it was closer to a reckless torment. No most of the time sparring with the Master was like this but today felt particularly worse.

Whoosh-! The Master’s shoulder moved.

Upon confirming that there was no time to think of a countermeasure. I had to move instinctively.

I quickly pulled my head back. A fist brushed past where my head had been aimed directly at my chin.

Just as I thought I had barely dodged the blow suddenly a foot caught my leg.

I could tell it was meant to throw me off balance. I immediately threw my body to the ground. I rolled on the floor but if I got caught by the Master’s foot and fell it would be the end so this was the better option.

I rolled and tumbled for quite a while like this.

In my frustration I tried to land a hit but my face slammed into the wall.

I was stronger and faster yet I couldn’t even graze the hem of his clothes.

What was the difference? Even as I was being tossed around I tried to find that difference.

It was still not visible.

Not yet. So I had to keep searching.

I dodged the incoming fists and probing legs rolling my eyes. From head to toe I couldn’t spend more than a second looking at my opponent. I had to be faster.

I found it.

Two openings were visible.

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But.

‘This old man.’

As soon as I confirmed the openings I frowned. That was a trap.

That damned old man wouldn’t easily give me an opening like that.

It was clear that I couldn’t see any other weaknesses.

He laid a trap and hid other escape routes.

If I stepped there it would be the end. Even knowing that my fist was already reaching out.

I thought it was better to attempt something than to stop.

There was no time to hesitate. I just had to move forward.

I reached out for the openings. Judging by the angle and speed I should have been faster than the Master’s reaction.

Just as my probing fist was about to strike the Master’s side.

Whoosh-!

With an unknown sensation my vision flipped.

Boom-!

My body having spun around once fell straight to the ground.

I let out a gasp from the impact I felt on my back.

“Ha….”

Once again it ended like this….

“…!”

Just as I was about to catch my breath I moved my head to dodge a probing fist in front of me.

Right after that. Bang-! The fist slammed down where my head had been. If I hadn’t dodged I would have been a mess.

Startled by the unexpected impact I jumped up. As soon as I stood I shouted at the Master.

“Isn’t it over!? You suddenly throw a punch? Are you trying to kill someone!”

The Master amused by my incredulous tone chuckled and replied.

“Oh I completely forgot.”

“Forgot…? Elder you’re laughing right now.”

“It’s natural for old people to laugh more.”

That was a lie. He had just genuinely tried to hit me.

The smile on the Master’s face clearly contained disappointment.

This old man. He was definitely trying to smash my face.

“…You’re just venting your anger right now aren’t you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The Master maintained his ignorance but it was clear.

That man when I told my father that I was his disciple pretended to laugh it off but as soon as the spar began he came at me much more violently than usual.

“I’m already dying from one eye being sore. Are you trying to ruin the other one too?”

“Wouldn’t it look better if both were like that rather than just one being different?”

“Better? What a load of crap… Ugh!”

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The Master’s fist struck the back of my head with a sharp thud.

It didn’t seem like he used much strength yet my head felt completely numb.

“Your tone is getting more and more peculiar. You definitely weren’t like this at first.”

At first I had been polite. After being beaten for months who could possibly speak nicely?

At least I couldn’t.

“Looking at your eyes it seems you’re filled with dissatisfaction. No matter how I see it I should be the one in a position to be angry.”

The Master let out a deep sigh at my reaction. He was referring to the fact that my father found out I was learning martial arts from him.

Looking at me the Master spoke as if he found me pathetic.

“Is that all it took for you to blow things up?”

I had nothing to say about that.

“…It just happened that way I guess.”

“What do you mean it just happened? I clearly told you not to use it recklessly until I gave you permission.”

“…Ugh.”

“I never expected my disciple to be such a troublemaker…”

“I thought I should at least try something and before I knew it I did.”

“Ha then you should have. You could have just used that energy of yours.”

“…”

I swallowed hard at the Master’s words. The energy he was referring to meant demonic qi.

During my encounter with the Heavenly Demon the Master had witnessed me becoming a demonic practitioner firsthand. He knew I had another power.

As the Master said if I had used demonic qi it might have indeed been better.

“That… I’d rather not use it if possible.”

Using demonic qi was not something I wanted to show to others if I could help it.

As I hesitated to say that the Master clicked his tongue.

“I won’t interfere much with your circumstances but make sure there’s no unnecessary trouble.”

“…Yes.”

The Master didn’t ask any further questions about my power.

What mattered to him was whether I could learn the Tua Pa Cheon Mu or not and that was about it.

I also didn’t want to recall the memories of that time.

When the Master was being consumed by demonic qi it was I who extracted the demonic qi from his body.

If I had left it as it was no matter how skilled the Master was at utilizing qi he wouldn’t have lasted long.

Even amidst that do you know what I had in mind? I thought that since I had been found out wouldn’t it be better to eliminate the Master?

Truly disgusting.

If I wished I would like to think that it was the influence of becoming a demonic practitioner.

‘That is also me.’

That filthy and disgusting human was also me.

“You’re lost in thought again. It seems your body isn’t warmed up yet.”

“…No I’m not.”

I felt that the Master had vaguely sensed my faint inner demons.

Of course even if he did he wouldn’t be able to fix it.

The Master wasn’t really that kind of person.

“Let’s end the small talk here.”

I listened closely to the Master’s tone as he cut off the conversation.

“In the final moment why did you make that choice?”

The Master was now reflecting on the spar.

He was asking why I had chosen to dive in even though I knew it was a trap when he had deliberately shown me an opening.

When asked why I did that….

“I couldn’t see any openings elsewhere.”

That was the only reason.

“So you chose the place that was clearly a trap instead?”

“Yes.”

“If that’s the case wouldn’t it have been better to choose another place even if it seemed like there were no openings?”

“I thought you might think that so I tried to twist it a bit. But it didn’t work.”

“…Hmm.”

The Master made a somewhat ambiguous expression as if he didn’t like my answer.

“It’s not a wrong choice but… Ah I see.”

“Yes.”

“The biggest problem with your method is that you don’t consider the damage that will come to you.”

Damage that would come to me.

Just as I was pondering what that exactly meant.

“Whether your arm gets crushed your leg gets crushed or even if you lose your life you just charge in without thinking.”

“Ah.”

“The fact that you don’t fear pain and aren’t afraid of death is a good thing for me but in real combat you need to see things a bit differently.”

I somewhat agreed with the Master’s words. Just as he said I had a habit of charging in without thinking about the consequences.

In my past life Jang-ryong had said that seeing me fight in that state while my body was intact was a sign that the gods were helping me.

“…In this regard yes. It seems I’ve found a good teacher so it should be fine.”

“Yes? A good teacher? Who is teaching me….”

“And let me be clear do not use Tua Pa Cheon Mu in real combat until I give you permission.”

The Master issued another serious warning.

“Is it because you tried to use something you haven’t fully mastered?”