[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-childhood-friend-of-the-zenith":3,"chapter-childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-374":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Childhood Friend of the Zenith",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1239850,1667,"Chapter 374","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-374",374,"\u003Cp>Red eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the flames that would flare up when I released my energy, or the crimson eyes my father bore, these were different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the red from flame energy glowed with a fierce brightness, Jang Seonyeon’s eyes seemed to emanate a blood-like hue, almost glowing with a sickly intensity. His pupils were narrow slits, giving him an unsettling, almost beastly look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What… is this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shock of seeing him alive was one thing, but the unease radiating from him had me breaking into a cold sweat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pain in my right arm was relentless, but beyond that, a deep, chilling discomfort was starting to take over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What is this? Why do I feel so cold all of a sudden?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssssss…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pain from the scaled part of my arm intensified as if it were spreading.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In recent months, I had grown accustomed to pain during my training with Paejon and his Tor-Ah-Pa-Cheon Art. Yet this pain was different—it felt as though the scales were expanding across my skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was this happening now? And, why was no one else noticing the strange transformation in Jang Seonyeon?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Is this only visible to me?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If no one else was reacting, maybe it was something that only I could see. But why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amidst my confusion, an eerily familiar voice echoed in my ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-You don’t look well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned in shock to find that it was Jang Seonyeon speaking to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-…You… bastard… -I didn’t mean to startle you, but I’m enjoying your reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He smiled, and there was something about his tone that was entirely different from what I remembered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could this be? He had Jang Seonyeon’s face and voice, but his aura was all wrong. His words clung to me with a strange, sticky sensation, and though I couldn’t smell anything, there was an undeniable scent of blood in my nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The scent of blood…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The realization dawned on me as a horrifying possibility took shape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Blood Demon…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as I uttered those words, Jang Seonyeon’s smile grew wider, confirming my suspicions. I now understood why I felt such an intense disconnect—it wasn’t really Jang Seonyeon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-You… -Sharp, aren’t you?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The being before me was the Blood Demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-How… how are you here? -Surprised to see me? -Is that even a question?! -I simply wanted to step outside for some fresh air. Does it not please you? -And what about Jang Seonyeon? The original owner of this body?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this like the Divine Lord, where he possessed a body? If he could do it, then surely the Blood Demon could too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Blood Demon cocked his head as if confused by my question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-You burned this boy alive, so why seek him here now? -Stop playing games. You didn’t talk to me just to joke around, did you? -Heh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My growl only seemed to amuse him further. Meanwhile, the pain in my arm was worsening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What’s going on all of a sudden?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t like this before. Why was this pain suddenly overwhelming me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Is it because of the Blood Demon?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there was any change, it was only that I had encountered him. Nothing else made sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-It seems you’re in considerable pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I was doing my best to hide it, he had picked up on my suffering immediately. It had to be related to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Did you do something to me? -Heh… You might think so, but no. I have no intention of causing you harm. -Don’t give me that crap! Did you forget the time you forced your energy into me?! -Indeed I did, but has there been any harm? -What…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could he say that after injecting me with his energy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Didn’t you use my power when you needed it? -…! -It’s a miracle I bestowed upon you. Do you think I wouldn’t notice?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From his words, it was clear that he was aware of the times I had used the blood energy. Even if he wasn’t the cause of these scales, he knew about them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-What is this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I asked about the scales, his expression grew strange, a gleam of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-So it’s true. You are indeed the anomaly I’ve been searching for. -Enough riddles. What is this? -I wonder how you started blooming without being my fragment. -Blooming?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I barely understood his words, but they hinted at something deeper. Blooming? What was that supposed to mean?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-You’re on the path to something extraordinary. It’s worth celebrating. Isn’t it exhilarating to ascend beyond the weak and filthy ranks of humans?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice carried a hint of joy, which only made me feel more unsettled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-I look forward to seeing you break free from your shell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His tone grew almost feverish, as if intoxicated by the prospect. Meanwhile, the pain in my arm was becoming unbearable. I felt as though I was on the verge of screaming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noticing my condition, he chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-It seems you’re suffering greatly. Let me bestow my mercy upon you once again. -What…? -Take it as a gesture of congratulations. Don’t forget it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, I felt a sudden surge of the blood energy I had stored within my dantian. It pulsed violently, almost as if obeying a command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sensation was rough and wild, flooding through me with such intensity that I could barely control it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn it!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The energy spread through my body in mere seconds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What the…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pain I had been experiencing disappeared instantly. Could it be that the blood energy had suppressed it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could no longer check the scales on my arm here, but the pain was definitely gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was difficult to believe this had nothing to do with the Blood Demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Heh…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even now, the Blood Demon continued to laugh, watching me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-That boy seems to harbor quite the disdain for me. -Disdain? -The pain you felt was an expression of hostility towards me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I furrowed my brow at his words. Did that mean the scales weren’t ordinary?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was practically enjoying this, relishing in his explanations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t understand anything about this entity before me. His expression was full of satisfaction, as if he were eagerly awaiting something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Most importantly, why are you telling me all this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to know what he wanted from me. I was aware that he was trying to help, though I couldn’t tell if his assistance was genuine or part of a calculated scheme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-What do you even want from me? -Nothing. I want nothing from you. -Really? Standing here, spouting all this nonsense, and you expect me to believe that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The idea was absurd. He was clearly anticipating something from me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-If I had to say, I simply want you to reach your full potential. -Still making no sense, I see. -You will understand soon enough. The day you come to seek me out is closer than you think. I eagerly await it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Did you really expect me to come find a calamity like you? What, are you hoping I’ll kill you?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the mention of “calamity,” his laughter grew even more intense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-You’re catching on faster than I expected. Not bad at all. -Tell me clearly—what is your goal? Why are you doing this to me? -My goal…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused for a moment, seeming lost in thought, before replying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-To break free from what is predetermined. If you want to call that a goal, then so be it. -What is that supposed to mean? -Originally, I had intended to find my fragments, but seeing your blooming has made me reconsider.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The term “blooming” came up again, and it filled me with unease. If he was reconsidering his plans, then he must have had an agenda from the beginning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did he assume Jang Seonyeon’s appearance to carry out his schemes?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If so, then the disappearance of Jang Seonyeon’s trace when I returned from Magyeong…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was that also his doing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I still had no understanding of his true motives or even the nature of his existence. But based on what he said, I knew he was far from human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-No matter. I will proceed slowly, giving you time to understand. -What makes you think I’ll let you…!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whirr—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I could finish, my head spun, and I felt a wave of dizziness overtake me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too disoriented to speak, I heard his final words:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Do not worry. It’s only the recoil from your body suppressing its aggression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-What did you do to me now? -I told you, I’ve done nothing. Look, even the abyss within you remains quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>True enough, the beast that usually growled and bared its fangs whenever the blood energy stirred was silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It occurred to me that perhaps this was because I now bore the Divine Sword, yet there was no time to ponder that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-I came here simply to greet you today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Yet I leave with a great harvest, as I’ve glimpsed a new path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-I’ll be waiting for the day you seek me out on your own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Blood Demon’s words echoed in my mind, the dizziness grew worse. I tried to hold on, but I couldn’t. My consciousness slipped away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I finally regained my senses, the assembly had long since concluded.\u003C\u002Fp>",1547,"2026-06-05T15:09:39.031Z",1,"novelbin.me","f5b756ec274c72271722f2ddd631239821dba4f71e7807a7dfb8617fdf0a0f88","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-375","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-373",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]