Childhood Friend of the Zenith

A strange sound could be heard, and it was rather aggressive.

But it wasn’t just the sound.

My entire body felt as though it was being compressed, squeezed relentlessly.

Ughhhh.

The pressure intensified, bringing waves of pain.

I wasn’t able to open my mouth, so all I could do was scream internally.

How long has it been, I wonder.

I wasn’t sure, as I hadn’t been keeping track of time.

For fucks sake, seriously.

Entering had made me feel nauseous, but leaving brought a whole new level of agony.

It was incomparable to anything I’d felt in my past life.

Back then, entering and leaving only made me feel sick, but this time was completely different.

Maybe  I’d underestimated the warning I’d received before leaving?

- Apostle.

The World Tree said this to me after finishing the story.

- You will experience great pain upon returning. Be prepared for that.

- I’ve already been through it once. That much is nothing.

I’d replied smugly, but I definitely came to regret those words.

Experienced, my ass…!

I was stunned.

This was a whole new level of torture compared to back then.

And why was it taking so long to return?

Even as that thought crossed my mind, I shook my head.

Maybe this is the weight of all my burdens.

I thought I understood why, based on what the World Tree had told me.

The World Tree had said that the world it resided in was a false one.

It was an Abyss created to punish the World Tree, and no one should’ve been able to enter and leave freely.

Though I didn’t know that myself…

Regardless, I’d gone there to uncover hidden truths and deal with Jang Seonyeon.

The crucial part was that time flowed differently in that Abyss.

A few years there equated to only days in the normal world.

I needed that.

Moreover, I had to make the most of my time there, as I wouldn’t be able to return once I left.

This extra time was crucial since I was struggling to overcome my limits.

Simply put, I needed time to train.

After my conversation with the World Tree, I’d made a request.

I’d asked for time to train within that world.

With everything I consumed, the experience I had from my past life, and the body I rebuilt from scratch, I was fully prepared but for some reason, I still couldn’t overcome my next wall. And I had to.

I felt training was my only answer, so I turned to the Abyss as a last resort.

I intended to brute-force my way to the next level, using the Abyss’s time distortion as my advantage.

The World Tree accepted my request, and I began training immediately.

Even if it was a false world, all my senses were intact.

I could still feel hunger and pain.

Almost everything felt as real as the normal world.

The sensation of my fist striking out, Qi flowing from my Dantian, and the control over my body heat all felt the same, allowing me to train as usual.

Many thoughts occupied my mind, but having ample time eased some of the pressure.

Though it became a problem when I gave up counting days after some time.

I didn’t know how I managed to work so hard, given that I’d spent most of my life without any real motivation.

One day passed. Then another.

After a while, an entire year had passed.

I’d stopped counting after about half a year, but the World Tree informed me that a year had gone by.

I didn’t feel anything from it.

I only felt disappointed that, despite a full year, I hadn’t broken through my limits.

I thrust my arm out again, figuring it was better to get in another round of training.

One difference in the Abyss was that my body aged more slowly than in the real world.

But it didn’t matter.

My body wasn’t the important part, after all.

I gained muscle, but I didn’t grow any taller.

What did that mean?

Did it mean this was as tall as I’d ever be?

It was possible, but I didn’t think that was the case.

I hadn’t been particularly tall in my past life, but I knew I’d been taller than I was now.

Considering how quickly I’d grown after my regression, I hoped I might eventually surpass my past height.

Anyway, that wasn’t the important part.

I needed to train my mind to break through my limits.

More time passed.

The World Tree stopped telling me how much time had passed.

Day turned to night, over and over.

No Demons interfered, as I was training close to the World Tree.

I was simply fascinated by it.

What were the Demons doing in this false world?

I was curious, but I got rid of the thought.

Instead, I focused on training my Qi and refining my breathing technique.

The compression of Qi and using that to enhance my body was a technique I learned from Elder Shin.

I also worked on minimizing my Qi usage for greater efficiency.

I pushed aside all complex thoughts and focused solely on my Qi, my movement, and clearing my mind.

Surprisingly, this made my Qi feel like it was flowing more efficiently.

Could that be the reason?

I honestly believed I was close to breaking through my wall.

I thought I’d be able to break through in a few months, to finally overcome it.

Or so I thought.

A few months, my ass. I’d been foolish.

Reality hit me as I repeated the endless cycle of training.

I had only reached Peak Realm thanks to everything I’d consumed and the experience from my past life.

Its power was no different from other martial artists at Peak Realm, but I hadn’t reached it through talent alone.

Furthermore, now I had to use my Qi sparingly, unlike in the past when I could unleash it freely, so my past-life experience didn’t help much.

Because to that,

“Phew…”

It took a very long time to reach the level I desired.

I hadn’t counted the days, but judging by the time, it must have been several days in the real world.

I’d been in that false world longer than I’d expected.

But I’d achieved my goal, so it was time to return.

Now, in the present, I struggled with searing pain.

Fuck.

It felt as though my body was being folded in on itself.

There was a reason for this pain upon returning to this world.

Everything achieved in that world couldn’t be brought back into the real world.

In my past life, that’s what happened to everyone: their memories were wiped, and their bodies returned to their original state before being drawn into the false world.

But I alone had returned with my memories intact.

So, what was this pain I was feeling now?

In a way, it was a kind of recoil.

I was returning to the normal world with the body and strength I gained from my training in the false world.

And that,

Hurts so much, seriously.

The pain was excruciating.

It felt as if I were being repeatedly struck by a blunt weapon.

I couldn’t even open my mouth to scream, fearing my body would tear apart if I moved too much.

All I could do was endure it.

I had to endure it.

I stood for what felt like ages, enduring the sensation of fire and lightning tearing through my body.

After barely withstanding that hellish pain for what seemed an eternity,

Crunch.

Accompanied by a crunching sound,

Patter…

I felt my feet touch solid ground.

Then, I felt the breeze.

It had been a long time since I’d felt a breeze.

With that sensation, I finally spoke.

“Wow, fuck.”

The curse slipped out.

But I couldn’t help it.

“I seriously almost died…”

I felt like I was really going to die.

This was far different from my past life.

One wrong breath, and I might have been torn apart right there.

Isn’t that crazy?

“Never doing that bullshit again.”

I’d used this method because I was short on time, but if I’d known it would be this dangerous, I wouldn’t have attempted it.

I brushed my hair aside with one hand.

My body felt unusually heavy as I moved.

It felt this heavy even with a simple motion like moving my hand.

Setting that aside,

I needed to focus on what mattered first.

First, I had to look for Jang Seonyeon.

Even if he’d been killed by flames and reduced to ashes, that was only in the Abyss.

I’d asked the World Tree if it could keep him dead, but it said that would break the rules.

This meant there was a high chance that Jang Seonyeon had returned alive too.

I’d expected that, though.

If he was back, I’d just have to kill him again.

There would likely be plenty of Demons around, too…

With that in mind, I looked around.

“Now where am I- …What the, what’s going on here?”

I’d assumed I’d be sent back to where I’d entered the Abyss, but instead, I was standing in front of a building instead of a forest.

Fortunately, I knew where I was.

Even though it had been a long time, I recognized the building of the Heavenly Dragon Academy.

But its state seemed… odd.

Why did it become a mess?

The once-sturdy building now looked as though it might collapse at the slightest touch.

Wait…

A horrifying thought struck me.

I’d assumed only a few days had passed in this world, but there was no way this building could have deteriorated like this in just a few days.

Perhaps it’s been a long time in this world as well?

Wait, then I’m really screwed.

If that were true, all my training and plans from that world would be pointless.

It would mean I’d returned to an incredibly dire situation.

Tap.

As I was lost in thought, I sensed a presence nearby.

I turned my head.

“Hmm?”

There, a familiar old man knelt, bleeding, while a large figure with a great sword stood before him, looking in my direction.

I frowned, wondering what was going on.

Flinch.

The old man with the great sword flinched in shock.

Why is he shocked by my face?

That’s insulting.

Setting that aside, I looked at the old man who was missing an arm.

…The Qinghai Sword?

I recognized him instantly.

It took a moment to register since it had been a while.

What’s going on?

Why is that old man in such a state?

My five senses then came back.

Only then did I smell the thick scent of blood all around.

I also sensed the foul Qi of the Unorthodox Faction around me, along with their killing intent.

I began to understand what was happening.

“It seems like something happened here.”

I wasn’t sure what exactly had happened, but it was clear there was trouble.

I then fixed my gaze on the old man in black.

He was clearly not from the Orthodox Faction, and he didn’t seem normal either.

The old man seemed interested in me, too; his pupils trembled as he spoke first.

“…What are you?”

How should I respond to that?

I took a step toward him.

I let my Qi flow through my body; the sensation was familiar.

The sensation of me struggling to overcome my wall.

I took another step forward and charged my Qi.

I channeled my Qi into my middle Dantian.

It filled up instantly.

“What would you do if you knew? You obviously don’t seem like a welcomed guest.”

“You should watch your words, child.”

The old man’s gaze stayed fixed on me, his eyes nervous.

Was it because he didn’t get a grasp of my level yet?

He should just swing his sword at that time.

I took a third step.

I directed my Qi from my middle Dantian to my top Dantian.

Swoosh.

“…!”

The old man’s expression shifted instantly, as if he’d realized something.

“You bastard…”

He must be shocked.

To him, it must seem like I’m breaking through to a new level right here.

Obstacles rose each time I moved my Qi, but they weren’t as problematic as before.

I controlled my Qi, breaking through each obstacle in my path.

This is what I endured the Abyss for.

I’d trained my mind and body relentlessly to reach this point.

The wall shattered.

The tip of my Qi, once a small fang, became a massive spike, piercing the wall to my top Dantian.

Swooosh-!

The quality of my Qi began to change.

It grew denser, making my previous Peak Realm Qi feel like a joke.

Simultaneously, I spread it throughout my body.

As my top Dantian opened, my perception shifted.

The sound I heard felt different, and the flow of my Qi changed.

I’d finally broken past the grave of most martial artists—the Peak Realm—and reached the Fusion Realm.

It was an entirely new sensation.

“Watch my words?”

But, of course, there was no time to waste.

I could sense something happening here, and I needed to act.

“I’ve never respected the scum of the Unorthodox Faction. After all, I’m true Orthodox blood.”

I smiled.

The old man clearly didn’t like it, as he began to raise his great sword.

I knew that the opponent in front of me was extremely powerful, but with my Qi reaching my top Dantian, I felt braver than ever.

“And why is the sky like that?”

I thought it might be night, but that wasn’t it.

While I looked up, I sensed the old man moving.

I also felt his Qi move as well.

But I didn’t react.

Instead, I looked down, met his gaze, and channeled my Qi from my top Dantian.

It wasn’t night, but I didn’t like how the sky had turned black.

So, I decided to brighten it up.

Swoooosh-!

The old man stepped back as heat radiated from my body.

He shouldn’t have done that.

He should’ve kept advancing, fear or not.

Watching him hesitate, I whispered softly.

“Red Heaven.”

And with that, I shattered the night.