[{"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-414":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},1239890,1667,"Chapter 414","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-414",414,"\u003Cp>\"If it's a nightmare, you should wake up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wi Seol-ah’s words kept circling in my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Wake up from a nightmare…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t as if a sudden epiphany struck me, but something about that idea felt significant. I could tell, instinctively, that there was something to be gained from her words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noticing my unusual expression, Wi Seol-ah tilted her head, clearly curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I mulled over her statement, a thought flickered through my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Ah?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A possible solution crossed my mind, not revolutionary by any means, but it was something I had inexplicably failed to attempt over the past month.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Somehow, Wi Seol-ah’s comment had unlocked this approach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Why didn’t I think of that earlier?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?” Wi Seol-ah responded, confused, but I didn’t answer her. Instead, I began to gently stroke her hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thanks. You’ve helped me come up with a new idea.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is… that a compliment?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, it’s a compliment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Life favors those who can think outside the box. In that sense, Wi Seol-ah’s words were definitely helpful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Will it work?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only question was whether the method I’d just thought of would work against the Dark King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was only one way to find out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If it doesn’t work, so be it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d try it, and if it didn’t work, I’d think of something else. That was the simple approach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>_________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Night had fallen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Underneath the slender crescent moon, deep in the darkened forest, a man stood with his hands behind his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was something eerie about him, almost as if the very atmosphere around him had quieted down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man had striking white hair, beautiful to the eye. Yet, paradoxically, he seemed to belong to the shadows more than light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stood as still as a statue, not a single movement in his body. Then, a subtle change began to occur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Starting from his feet, shadows spread outward, widening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shh—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mysterious, ominous energy began to flow. It spread over the field, surrounding the trees, darkening the entire area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a matter of moments, even the faint light from the crescent moon was swallowed up by this dense darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing in the midst of this created darkness was the man—Amwang(暗王)—the Dark King, his signature pale eyes glowing as he gazed ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sabak—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A heavy footstep sounded from the direction he was looking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the footsteps of the one the Dark King had been waiting for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For over a month now, this individual was the one the Dark King had seen most frequently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King slightly raised his eyebrows as he watched a young man approach from a distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘You came again today.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over a month had passed. To the Dark King, this time held a certain significance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, he had thought the young man would only be able to endure for seven days or so before breaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It seems I’ll have to admit I was wrong.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He nodded to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every night, this young man suffered countless deaths at the hands of the Dark King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The average number of deaths was over twenty. If he had been an ordinary person, his mind would have shattered within three days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, despite the countless deaths, the young man's expression showed only slight fatigue. It was almost the same as when he had first started.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the Dark King had to acknowledge this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if there was no pain, no torture, just death—it was clear this young man was far beyond his limits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, the Dark King found himself wondering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could a human, after experiencing so many deaths, remain so calm, so composed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King could only think of two possibilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One was...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘His mind has already shattered.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps something inside him had already broken, twisting him beyond the realm of an ordinary mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was possible, but the Dark King didn’t think the young man had reached that point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, there was the second option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He isn’t human at all.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King nodded at the thought, believing this to be the more likely case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the very first time they met, the Dark King's heart had begun to race wildly whenever he looked at the young man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump— Thump—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even now, the same sensation coursed through him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the Dark King’s curse—bound to his blood and heart—resonating uncontrollably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The curse seemed to say that the young man was just like him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It urged the Dark King to kill him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kill him now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dark king's murderous intent flared up, and he had to suppress his instincts, pushing them back down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no intention of killing the young man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man might hold the key to breaking the curse that bound them both. He was someone in a state similar to the Dark King’s, so he couldn’t be killed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King, hidden in the shadows, continued to watch the young man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether he was human or not didn’t matter now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What mattered was...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is pointless.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This entire exercise was meaningless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Does he not realize that?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King’s thoughts flickered toPaejon, the man who had asked him to put the youth through this training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man had been dying repeatedly in the Dark King’s \"domain,\" but to the Dark King, it was nothing but futile deaths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man hadn’t even managed to touch the Dark King’s robes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And how could he?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This darkness was the Dark King's realm—within it, the senses dulled, and it became difficult to draw upon any strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only thing that heightened was the sense of pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This power had been developed specifically for torture. Which made it even more absurd that Paejon had entrusted his disciple to such circumstances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, that strange young man kept showing up, day after day, for over a month.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the Dark King, who had never taken on a disciple, could tell that this master-disciple relationship was strange beyond words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that was all there was to it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King didn’t dwell any further on the relationship between Paejon and his disciple. He simply intended to carry out what had been asked of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In return, he would receive what he’d requested from Paejon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, the Dark King had never expected Gu Yangcheon to survive this ordeal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a month, his conclusion remained unchanged from the start.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the Dark King wasn’t the only one aware of this. If anyone knew best, it would be...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That boy.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon himself, the one who was experiencing it all firsthand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His spirit might not have broken, but the tired expression on his face was proof of his exhaustion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King gripped his dagger as he studied Gu Yangcheon’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How much longer could he hold out?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that he had lasted this long was already beyond the Dark King’s expectations, but now, he could see that Gu Yangcheon’s mental endurance wouldn’t last much longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At most, he had seven days left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If nothing changed within that time, something would break. Then Paejon would have to rethink this approach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how obsessed Paejon was with martial arts, he wouldn’t stand by and watch his disciple be ruined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Dark King was considering this, preparing to move, something caught his attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hmm.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sensed a subtle change in Gu Yangcheon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked like any other day, with Gu Yangcheon arriving as usual, but this time, he was holding something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King squinted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘A dagger?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a dagger, and by the look of it, it was a piece from the Tang Clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most likely borrowed from that Poison King’s daughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘A dagger, huh.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did he intend to do with that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King’s curiosity was piqued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon had already tried a variety of methods to reach him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When brute force failed, he’d tried illuminating the surroundings with incomplete techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d even attempted to incinerate the Dark King by summoning flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most impressive attempt had been when Gu Yangcheon had stabbed himself in the throat, trying to grab the Dark King in the split second before dying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King had realized then how truly bizarre Gu Yangcheon was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when death seemed inevitable, he’d delayed it with sheer willpower, trying to catch the Dark King in his final moments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that point, the Dark King had understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paejon, that weirdo, had chosen a disciple just as strange as he was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master and student, both twisted beyond reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King cast a curious glance at Gu Yangcheon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Even after everything, he’s planning something again?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed that the dagger was meant for something specific.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I have to hand it to him—he’s persistent.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King couldn’t help but be impressed by the young man’s persistence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, persistence didn’t mean the outcome would change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless Gu Yangcheon unlocked the secret of the Dark King’s domain, he would never escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Dark King watched, Gu Yangcheon suddenly flipped the dagger toward himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was he doing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon thrust the dagger toward his own throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King’s body shot forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no time to hesitate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, the Dark King closed the distance, grabbing Gu Yangcheon’s wrist just as the dagger’s tip was about to pierce his throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grab!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon’s free hand clamped down on the Dark King’s wrist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that brief moment, the Dark King’s eyes widened in shock as Gu Yangcheon smiled up at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Got you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The amusement in his voice was unmistakable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King let out a breath of disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…How did you know?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King’s voice was low as he stared at Gu Yangcheon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon tilted his head, as if confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Know what?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How did you know this would work?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King truly wanted to know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this domain, if one died by any means other than the Dark King’s hand, there was no coming back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon would have died for real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King had intervened only because he knew Gu Yangcheon couldn’t be allowed to die here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant Gu Yangcheon had orchestrated this, knowing the Dark King would stop him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But how could he have known?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King couldn’t understand it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon, as casually as ever, gave his answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King frowned. He didn’t know?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How could I know? It’s not like I can read minds.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King asked again, incredulously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon shrugged, looking as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just tried it out, that’s all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He just tried it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still not comprehending, the Dark King watched as Gu Yangcheon continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was thinking about how to wake up from a nightmare.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nightmare? The Dark King’s attention was piqued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And the first thing to do is to try waking up, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What does that have to do with this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t know. I realized I hadn’t really tried to wake up. So, I thought I’d give it a shot. When you’re in a nightmare, isn’t the first thing you do to try to wake up?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King was left speechless. Was he saying that he had attempted to kill himself, not knowing what would happen, just to try it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t know the situation. He didn’t know what would happen if he really died here. And yet, he still decided to act on that reasoning?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King was sure of one thing now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re insane.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the only logical conclusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I hadn’t stopped you, you would have actually died.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I thought you’d stop me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What makes you so sure I would? What gave you that idea?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, some assumptions could be made. But knowing with certainty that the Dark King would intervene in time was a completely different matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There had to be a reason for such confidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, Gu Yangcheon, rather than giving any profound answer, responded with an almost admiring tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, I didn’t think of that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just had a feeling you would stop me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just a gut feeling.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, the Dark King gave up trying to understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought there would never be another likeBijoo, the strange one. But now he realized that this disciple was even more of a lunatic than his master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To think he’d come up with such a solution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sigh…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time in more than a decade, the Dark King had to wipe his face, completely exasperated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever the case, Gu Yangcheon had succeeded in reaching him. The Dark King could already picturePaejon’ssmug grin when he heard of this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought made him feel nothing but irritation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King suddenly felt a surge of heat. He didn’t need to look around to know where it was coming from.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were only two people in this space, after all—him and Gu Yangcheon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a slight chill in his gaze, the Dark King asked, “What are you doing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is something I was personally curious about. Since we’ve come this far, I figured I’d give it a try,” Gu Yangcheon replied, as he continued to draw upon the heat, his red eyes glowing and a subtle flame radiating from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What could he possibly want now?” the Dark King thought, watching Gu Yangcheon closely. He didn’t think the young man would be foolish enough to challenge him to a direct fight, so he stood back and observed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There were some things I couldn’t try because I kept dying,” Gu Yangcheon said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In this situation?” the Dark King asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just the previous night, Gu Yangcheon had died countless times, yet his expression was noticeably brighter now. He seemed almost excited, even.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is he thinking now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed incomprehensible. Could just succeeding once really restore someone’s morale this much?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King couldn’t figure it out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I wondered if this truly was an unbreakable barrier,” Gu Yangcheon mused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s just a little curiosity.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dark King didn’t respond to that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t exactly a “barrier” that could be broken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was not a formation that could be dismantled through martial arts or techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a domain created through the power of a curse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a way, if the Dark King was correct about Gu Yangcheon being of the same kind as him, then perhaps one day Gu Yangcheon could wield a similar power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Dark King didn’t feel the need to explain this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a power that wouldn’t bring much benefit to anyone who learned it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, the Dark King kept silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t stop Gu Yangcheon from doing what he wanted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever the young man intended, it wouldn’t change anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Gu Yangcheon muttered softly, “Jeokcheon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in that instant, a scorching heat erupted from his body, expanding in all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>__________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>TL Notes:Hi. I decided to try to diversify the text and in this chapter you can see the first art. I hope you don't mind? Let me know if you need it.\u003C\u002Fp>",2524,"2026-06-05T15:09:39.032Z",1,"novelbin.me","e79f3b3479d14467cee64be26d441ed2dadc714bc31fa3491e8030659c0548d5","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-415","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-413",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]