CFZ

The black stars ascended into the brightened sky, numbering in the dozens.
Each one was a compressed flame brimming with immense energy, enough to be called stars without exaggeration.
Seeing the sky covered in these fiery comets, I couldn’t help but curl my lips into a bitter smile.

"…That crazy bastard…"
It was absurd. His face, looking perfectly fine despite expending so much energy, was almost offensive.
No, it wasn’t actually fine—just pretending to be.
"You must be struggling too. Do you really need to keep up the act, pretending you’re untouchable?"

Who was I fooling? I knew him better than anyone.
"Stop acting like you’re fine. It’s pathetic."
I steadied my breath. The damage from the earlier rebound still stung.
Damn bastard. Fighting dirty like that.

But—
"Clever."
He had used his wits well. The only problem was, I hadn’t expected to fall for it.
Crack.
I twisted my shoulder slightly, popping the dislocated joint back into place. I must’ve thrown it out dodging earlier.
"My arm and ribs are probably busted too."

The fractures were numerous. Nothing life-threatening, but not exactly ideal for mobility either.
"Tsk."
How was my energy reserve looking?
After that much exertion, it must’ve dwindled somewhat….

"Whatever the case, I’m at a disadvantage as long as my fire techniques are blocked."
Even if I wanted to end this quickly, it was questionable whether I could end it at all.
His level was high, and he hadn’t even touched the realm of the mindscape.

Naturally. A worm like him couldn’t possibly grasp the mindscape. His fragile ego alone would prevent him from ever mastering Heart Strike.
"So why am I still losing to him?"
Was it really because I couldn’t use my fire techniques? That didn’t make sense.
Especially when I was no longer even human.

What was the reason for this imbalance?
"You’ve grown dull."
His words came back to me. Dull… Was that really the reason?
Thinking about it made me chuckle a little.

"So what? Was I supposed to keep living like that?"
If I’d become dull, did that mean he was sharp? That, I couldn’t accept.
He wasn’t sharp.
"He was just hiding how broken his blade was, pretending it was intact."

If we were to compare it to a sword, he was the kind who would push harder even knowing his blade was about to shatter.
"Do you want me to go back to that kind of life?"
I asked, frowning. He looked down at me and answered.
["Wrong."]

"Then what?"
["Your complacency, your retreat into the comfort of reality—it disgusts me. So much that I want to burn it all down right now."]
Fwoosh.
The stars above him began to glow brighter. The time was nearing.

"So, what, you’ll take what you want because you don’t like it? Who do you think you are?"
What exactly was he? I didn’t think he was simply a memory of my past life.
He seemed like it, but the feeling was… off.
"What are you?"

No matter how many times I asked, his expression didn’t change.
As always, he simply looked down at me and moved his fingers.
["The answer…"]
His thumb pointed downward.

["You must find for yourself."]
Dozens of stars fell toward me.
Rumble----!!!

A meteor shower rained down. Hundreds of flaming orbs hurtled toward me.
I planted my feet and exploded forward.
Boom-boom-boom---!!!

The intense heat roared behind me.
I didn’t bother looking back.
It was hard enough focusing on what lay ahead.
There were too many to dodge them all.

Thud!
"Urgh—!"
One hit my shoulder.
Boom—!!!
The explosion consumed me, throwing me off balance.
I twisted my body mid-air to regain control, barely holding my posture.

I couldn’t slow down. My feet kept moving as I struck the air repeatedly.
Boom! Boom-boom—!!
With each Heart Strike, I destroyed a few of the orbs around me, clearing a path.

I focused only on clearing the ones directly in my way. Destroying them all would only drain my energy before I even reached him.
"The front is clear, but the left and above are dangerous."
Should I force my way through the front?

"No."
That area was deliberately left open. Then—
"I’ll go up."

I crouched mid-sprint and launched myself upward.
The sky was still crowded with orbs, but I had my reasons for taking this route.
As I ascended, I channeled energy into my body, activating Tua Pacheonmu’s second stage.

My senses heightened, and my mind opened.
"Just barely…"
It would be close, but it was manageable.

Boom—!!!
Orbs exploded in the air, shaking my body, but I didn’t deviate from my path.
I verified my destination using my intuition.
As expected, the open path I’d noticed earlier had been filled with dozens of orbs by now.

"Good."
"He still can’t redirect the orbs once they’re launched."
Predicting and aiming in advance? Sure.
But altering their trajectory mid-flight? Impossible.

"It’s because you don’t know how to use compression and rotation, you idiot."
If I could use fire techniques right now, I’d show him how it’s done. It was frustrating.
Losing to a moron like him just because I couldn’t use fire techniques.
I scanned my surroundings. The number of orbs had decreased significantly.

These weren’t meant for single combat; they were weapons of mass destruction.
"Where is he?"
I searched for him. With my expanded senses, it wasn’t hard to locate him.
He hadn’t even tried to hide.

Rumble---!!!
How could he hide something so massive?
"Hah…"

I floated in the air to avoid the remaining orbs, while he stood on the ground below.
And—
Rumble---!!!

Black flames swirled around him, forming what appeared to be the shape of a wolf.
The energy expanded, growing larger and larger. I knew what this meant.
I clenched my fist.

"The air isn’t ideal."
It was difficult to stabilize my posture. But I had no choice.
He moved his shoulders, wielding the black flames as if they were an extension of himself.

It wasn’t a particularly advanced technique—just Flame Formed Wolf Fang (俱炎態牙狼).
It hadn’t been refined or altered in any way. It was just a raw attack, fueled by an absurd amount of energy.
Rooooar---!!!
The wolf of flames opened its maw and lunged at me.

It was hard to dodge mid-air, and blocking it head-on wasn’t an option either.
Then—
"I’ll break through."

If I couldn’t block or evade, I had to pierce through.
I channeled Tua Pacheonmu into my fist and compressed it tightly.
"Focus on punching a narrow hole through it, not erasing it entirely."

I focused intensely as the wolf closed in.
"Huup!"
I unleashed my fist with all my strength.

Boom—!!!
The wolf shattered as I punched through it, scattering the flames.
But before the flames could even dissipate, he was already upon me.

I saw his fist coming.
Reacting immediately, I threw my own punch to meet it.
Boom—!!!
The clash of fists created a massive shockwave.

I managed to block it, compressing my energy to minimize the damage.
"Damn it!"
But being mid-air was a disadvantage.
With no foothold, I couldn’t stabilize myself.

The force of the impact sent me hurtling toward the ground.
Thud—!
I crashed hard into the ground. The pain was unbearable, but I couldn’t afford to stop.
I forced myself to stand.

I needed to prepare—
Grab!
"Urk!"

Before I could fully rise, his hand wrapped around my neck.
I was lifted off the ground.
"Grgh…"

His grip was scalding hot. I endured the pain and looked down at him.
It was the same as before.
The same sight I saw when my heart was pierced last time.
He had me by the throat, lifting me off the ground.
I looked at him, the way I often looked at my own victims.

Maybe I needed to reconsider this method—it felt utterly humiliating when it was done to me.
"You… bastard…"
I stared at him, a bitter smile creeping onto my face.

That nagging feeling I’d had all along?
Now, it was undeniable.
"You… be honest with me. You’re not even tired, are you?"
By now, even if his energy wasn’t completely drained, he should’ve been at least showing signs of fatigue. Yet, not even a drop of sweat trickled down his face.

I was certain.
"…As I thought. You’re not my past self."
What I had suspected was now undeniable.
This bastard wasn’t just some black-flamed lunatic.

Even if my former self had been brimming with energy,
and even if my current body was inefficient,
this didn’t make sense.
"…What the hell are you?"
There was something fundamentally different about him.
Why was he wearing that grotesque guise, relentlessly beating me down?

Unable to understand, I demanded answers.
["You already know, don’t you?"]
He spoke with that same detestable gaze.

"…You bastard. If I knew, why would I ask?!"
["Because you’re the type to pretend not to know, even when you do."]
"…What are you talking about?"

["You’re busy feigning ignorance and running away, as always. This is no different. Deep down, you already know what I am."]
But you choose to pretend otherwise.
His voice carried that bitter truth.
["For a long time—since the moment you were born—I’ve been watching you. Even if you can lie to yourself, you can’t deceive me."]

"What?"
My eyes widened.
He’d been watching me since birth?
A vague realization stirred within me, my pupils trembling.

Seeing my reaction, he continued.
["Now, after so long, I can finally face you. But to think you’d be so pitiful."]
His eyes brimmed with the same disdain they held when I first saw him.

["Listen well, little demon."]
His changed tone made my eyelids twitch.
["You are not worthy of holding me."]

That’s when I understood.
His identity.
["This is your time to prove otherwise."]

"…Flames Firewheel?"
The very technique that resided within me, burning demonic energy.
He was the embodiment of it.

   ******************
   
Crunch. Crack.
The sound of something breaking and splitting echoed.

Snap. Shatter.
Bones were torn, flesh dragged across the ground, and blood filled the empty spaces.
["Gah… ah… ugh…"]

The screams that had echoed throughout the space had long faded.
All that remained was a faint, dying breath.
The gruesome sounds of destruction—
["Hah… uh…"]

—ceased the moment the Celestial Stream Sect Leader’s eyes lost their light.
The surrounding area was in utter disarray.
The Sect Leader’s body was hardly recognizable from its original form.
A horrifying shape that was impossible to describe.
And yet, despite the condition of his body, he wasn’t dead.

Even now, his injuries were regenerating.
Unconscious but alive.
That he could survive in such a state was almost more horrifying.
"…Huff… huff…"
Wi Seol-ah stared, trembling, at the one responsible for reducing the Sect Leader to such a state.

He rose slowly, his gaze fixed on the Sect Leader’s body.
Blood stained his hands, but his expression was indiscernible.
Then—
"…!"

When his gaze shifted toward her, Wi Seol-ah instinctively raised her sword.
Screeech—!
The sharp sound of her blade cutting through the air echoed. Her stance was defensive, as if protecting Namgung Bi-ah behind her.
Namgung Bi-ah, overwhelmed by the recoil, could barely cling to consciousness. Even staying upright was a struggle.

Wi Seol-ah bit her lip.
Why?
Why had she raised her sword?

She couldn’t understand. This man was no one else but—
"Young Master Gu…"
Her most cherished person.

Even as confusion overwhelmed her, she couldn’t lower her blade.
It °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° was instinctual.
"…Young Master Gu…"

She cautiously called his name again, but her words faltered as her eyes narrowed.
"…Who are you?"
He stood there, his violet eyes staring at her without a word.

There was no response.
No emotion emanated from him either.
They locked eyes in silence for several seconds.
"You… are necessary."

Gu Yangcheon finally spoke, his words abrupt and disjointed.
Wi Seol-ah frowned, puzzled. She was about to ask what he meant when—
"Yes, you must exist for now."

His gaze shifted behind her—to Namgung Bi-ah.
"But you…"
His expression and the intent in his eyes became clear to Wi Seol-ah.

"…are an obstacle."
She swung her sword without hesitation.
Clang—!

"Ugh!"
Her blade was deflected by Gu Yangcheon’s fist. The impact made her hand tremble.
"…!"

Clutching her wrist, Wi Seol-ah realized with certainty:
The person wearing Gu Yangcheon’s face was genuinely trying to kill Namgung Bi-ah.