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Childhood Friend of the Zenith (Web Novel) - Chapter CH.1123: The World of Ascension (53)
Chapter CH.1123: The World of Ascension (53)
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Everyone’s bodies stiffened like stone.
It was inevitable.
Thud, thud, thud—!
Kyaaarrrrk.......
The monstrous entity that had just moments ago instilled terror in all was now crumbling apart.
It was a creature so massive that it looked as if a mountain itself had emerged and begun walking.
Its frail limbs swayed precariously in the wind, as though they might be blown away at any moment.
Yet, only its limbs were so fragile—its abdomen was disturbingly bloated, grotesquely disproportionate.
An eerie form. A being whose mere presence twisted the air and distorted atmospheric pressure.
“......It’s pierced?”
“Its body.......”
The creature’s body had been punctured by something, leaving a gaping hole.
Krrr...... Kyaarrkk—.
A beast. One of the infamous White-Rank creatures.
Monsters with pale white skin and an unnatural aura—entities so dangerous that their mere existence could bring catastrophic changes to the environment.
People called them White-Rank Beasts.
The thing standing before them was undoubtedly one of those creatures.
Yet, it was collapsing.
What was happening? Everyone was bewildered when—
“There! Someone’s there!”
A voice shouted out as if making a discovery. Everyone’s gaze turned toward the indicated spot.
It was the empty sky.
Amidst the thick storm clouds gathering overhead, a lone figure stood.
Not on the ground. Not even floating. But standing tall in midair, hands clasped behind his back.
A man clad in a black robe. His height seemed to be close to eight cheok (approximately 2.4 meters). He wore a white mask, marred with strange cracks.
“What the hell......?”
“Who is that......?”
Confusion spread like wildfire.
Why had the monster ended up in such a state? And just who was this person?
Before they could even begin to comprehend the situation—
Kyaaaaaaaarrrkk--......!!!
The monster behind them reacted.
The gaping hole in its body began to regenerate, flesh rapidly reforming.
Upon witnessing this, Gu Cheolwoon shifted his stance.
Whoever that man was, it didn’t matter right now.
The priority was the monster.
Thinking this, he reignited his flames.
At that moment—
Kyaaaaaaaah—!!!
The fully restored beast let out a deafening roar, revealing its true form.
Fwaaaaash—!!!
On its back, a pair of wings spread wide.
However, they were skeletal, with all flesh and skin melted away, leaving only bare bones.
It couldn’t fly.
No matter how desperately it flapped, its wings did not even stir the air.
The White-Rank Beast flinched in apparent confusion.
It seemed to be panicking at the realization that it could not fly.
Kyaarrrrk—! Kyaarrkk!!!
But that confusion quickly morphed into rage. Its energy surged violently.
And that rage turned toward the warriors standing nearby.
Kyaaaaaaaark—!!!
Now completely unshackled, the beast lunged toward them.
“Prepare for battle—!!”
Gu Cheolwoon roared. His voice, infused with qi, jolted everyone into action.
They immediately readied themselves for combat.
But—
Kyaaaaaah—!!!
Kwaduduk—!!
“Gaaaaah!”
“Uaaaaaah---!!”
With a single swing of its massive arm, the land surrounding the mountain was obliterated.
The warriors were about to be swept away by the force.
Even the strongest of them could not withstand such raw, overwhelming power.
If they took the full brunt of the attack, they would die instantly.
Realizing this, Gu Cheolwoon moved first.
Fwooooosh—!!!
Boom—!!
A searing flame crashed against the White-Rank Beast’s arm, deflecting the attack.
The beast staggered from the impact.
Kyaarrk?
It made a confused sound, as if shocked that it had been countered.
Gu Cheolwoon, too, grimaced.
It’s heavy.
The sheer weight of the creature’s power. He had managed to deflect it, but the impact had transferred fully into his right arm.
But—
Fwoooosh—!!
There was no time to dwell on the pain.
He gathered flames into his palm, forming a burning Fire Orb (炎玉, Yeomok), and immediately launched it at the White-Rank Beast.
Kwooooom—!!
A thunderous explosion erupted. The shockwave rippled outward, creating a powerful gust of wind.
It was a clean hit.
Yet, Gu Cheolwoon’s expression remained grim.
His attack had landed perfectly, but something was off.
Kyaarrk—.
The beast had not moved an inch.
Instead, it bared its fangs.
Its sharp claws curled into a fist.
Seeing this, Gu Cheolwoon gritted his teeth.
It was obvious what the creature intended to do.
And evading it would not be easy.
As that realization struck, Gu Cheolwoon ignited his flames once more, intending to trigger an explosion and propel himself backward.
But then—
“Vice Commander—!”
A voice called out urgently.
Turning his head, Gu Cheolwoon saw Soi leaping toward him.
Damn it.
If he dodged now, Soi would take the hit.
Making a split-second decision, he redirected his flames.
Instead of the monster—
He blasted the fire directly at Soi.
“......!”
The impact sent Soi flying backward.
Thud—!
“Ugh!”
She tumbled across the ground, eyes wide with shock.
But her first reaction was not to check her own injuries.
Her gaze immediately snapped back to Gu Cheolwoon.
“Vice Commander......!”
A massive fist was hurtling toward him.
Damn it.
He had no time to raise his guard. No time to reinforce his qi.
The monster’s strike was already at his doorstep.
In that instant—
“Do you not understand words?”
A deep voice spoke beside him.
BOOOOOOM—!!!
Kyaaaaaaaah—!!!
A deafening impact.
The monster shrieked in agony.
The incoming fist shattered midair.
The White-Rank Beast reeled backward, screeching in pain.
It attempted to let out another desperate roar—
“I told you, didn’t I?”
Kyaaah—ghhk—!!
Kwaaaaak—!!
Someone crashed into the beast’s maw with overwhelming force.
The impact sent it toppling backward.
Given its enormous size, it looked as though a mountain itself was collapsing.
And the one responsible for its fall—
A masked man.
He spoke coldly.
“I told you to stop barking.”
Gu Cheolwoon’s eyes widened.
He had not seen it.
The man had appeared out of nowhere and, with effortless movements, rendered the White-Rank Beast powerless.
In that moment, Gu Cheolwoon understood.
It’s him.
The one who had pierced the White-Rank Beast.
That person was standing right there.
Who is he?
Gu Cheolwoon couldn’t tell. His gaze trembled in shock. Then, as if drawn by instinct, he looked elsewhere.
Where the frozen crowd stood, unmoving.
And there—
He’s there.
Baek Yangcheon.
Baek Yangcheon, like the others, was watching the scene with a look of astonishment.
For some reason, Gu Cheolwoon found himself staring at Baek Yangcheon. Even though he knew that it couldn’t have been him.
While he was confirming this—
Kyaaaaaaaah—!!!!
The beast continued to roar.
Then—
Wooooooooooom—!!!!
A sudden reaction erupted from the Magyeong Gate.
The gate trembled with an intense vibration.
Krurururu—!
......Kyaaaaaaaa—!!!
Beastly howls echoed from within.
The surrounding warriors paled in horror.
Kuwaaaaaaah—!!!
“It’s a beast......!”
“A monster has appeared!!”
Creatures surged out from the Magyeong Gate.
“...Red-Rank?”
Not just any beast—these were Red-Rank monsters.
Their skin and flesh gleamed with a crimson hue.
While they weren’t as large as the White-Rank Beasts, their sheer size was still colossal.
And there weren’t just one or two of them.
A whole swarm burst forth simultaneously.
“This... This is impossible!”
“Draw your swords! We have to stop them!”
“Damn it!”
Panic-stricken, the warriors struggled to regain their composure.
It was their first encounter with Red-Rank Beasts.
Rumors said that it took a group of peak-level warriors just to take down one of them.
Yet now, multiple had emerged at once?
Everyone clenched their jaws, bracing for battle.
At that moment—
“How annoying.”
The man in the black robe muttered.
“Silence them.”
An order.
But to whom?
Gu Cheolwoon frowned in confusion.
And then—
KIIIIIAAAAHHHH—!!!
With a bloodcurdling scream—
Kuwaaaaaaaah—!!!
Something crashed down from the sky, right into the midst of the Red-Rank Beasts.
A cloud of dust erupted.
Their vision was obscured.
Then—
Shiiiiiik—!
Kruaaaaaah—!!
Kyarurururur—!!!
Kwaduduk! Kwaaak—!!
The sounds of something breaking and tearing apart filled the air.
Through the cloud of dust, something fell at a warrior’s feet.
“What the... Hiiiik!!”
The warrior stumbled back in terror.
When he looked down—
It was a severed head.
A monster’s head.
A tiger-like beast, its neck brutally torn apart, its lifeless skull rolling across the ground.
What the hell is happening?
Gu Cheolwoon couldn’t comprehend the situation.
What was going on?
Just as confusion overtook him—
Kyarurururur.......!!
The White-Rank Beast that had been knocked down suddenly rose again.
A powerful energy surged from its body.
A raw, primal rage.
The bloodthirst to rip apart anything in its way shook the very earth beneath them.
The sheer intensity of its killing intent sent shivers down the spines of everyone nearby.
Just as it was about to overwhelm them—
“Pathetic worm.”
A voice spoke beside Gu Cheolwoon.
“Silence it. I don’t like noise.”
The moment those words fell—
Krrrrrrruaaaaaaah—!!!
Kuuuuuuuuung—!!!!
Something dropped from the sky once again.
But this time—
It was different.
Kiyaaaaaaaaah—!!!
A massive black hand clamped down on the White-Rank Beast’s throat.
Gu Cheolwoon’s mouth fell open in disbelief.
They were... the same size.
The entity that had subdued the White-Rank Beast—
Was another monster.
But this one was different.
Its skin wasn’t the usual green, blue, or red tones commonly seen in demonic creatures.
Black?
It had pitch-black skin.
Whooooosh—!!
Kwaduduk—!!
The Black Beast swung its fist.
And slammed it into the White-Rank Beast’s skull.
Baaang—!!
The impact shattered bone, sending shockwaves through the ground.
Thud—! Thud, thud, thud—!!
The fight between the two colossal creatures had begun.
Just witnessing the sheer scale of it made onlookers instinctively hold their breath.
Gu Cheolwoon was at a loss for words.
And then—
Swish.
“......!”
A gaze.
He felt it.
The masked warrior.
He was looking straight at Gu Cheolwoon.
His irises shimmered with a violet glow.
And upon meeting those eyes—
Gu Cheolwoon felt a chill crawl up his spine.
Those were not the eyes of an ordinary man.
