[{"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-424":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},1239900,1667,"Chapter 424","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-424",424,"\u003Cp>What is this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could neither see nor hear clearly underwater. I carefully adjusted my breathing, trying not to disturb the water around me as I scanned my surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed strange to have received a telepathic message from the outside, yet it was far too clear for something heard underwater.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Why… why…?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice continued to echo in my mind, confirming that I hadn’t misheard it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could this be...?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>–Is it you?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sent a telepathic message, addressing the beast, and its body twitched slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[O Great One…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell is this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this monster really speaking to me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘A monster that talks?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t completely unheard of. When I visited the Gumcheon Yon-ga’s secret vault in the past, a massive snake had spoken to me as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this one’s a snake too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Can snake monsters talk?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought flashed through my mind, though I’d never experienced anything like this in my past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>–Who are you? Do you know me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tried asking again, but...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kyaaah!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monster screamed, engulfed in flames. Desperately, I attempted to retract the fire, but the light in the beast’s eyes dimmed as its life faded away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned as I watched. There seemed to be something more to this creature, but it died before I could find out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I pulled my arm free from its body, I pondered the words it had spoken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Great One?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beast had definitely called me that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could that mean?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s as if it considered me an ally.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A monster, on my side? What a ridiculous notion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Monsters follow only their instincts, driven by the sole purpose of devouring their prey. How could such creatures ever be allies?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But it’s not impossible.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite my skepticism, memories from my past life surfaced. It wasn’t unheard of for beasts that acted purely on instinct to occasionally bow their heads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I remembered countless monsters lowering their heads before her, even sacrificing their lives with just a small gesture from her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…This is strange.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I recalled that memory, something felt off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could this really be a coincidence?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, it definitely wasn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sudden appearance of the Crimson-Rank beast, the timing of everything that seemed increasingly out of place...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And above all, the feeling that I was somehow at the center of all these problems.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Something’s wrong.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like the flow of events was veering off course. While it was understandable that the situation was becoming more tangled, the undeniable fact remained: I was somehow involved in all of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Could the Crimson-Rank beast’s appearance be my fault?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was absurd. I wanted to dismiss the thought, but the overwhelming evidence seemed to point in my direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Shit.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I bit my lip and extinguished the flames still clinging to the monster’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t a certainty, and this wasn’t the time to dwell on such thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I quickly moved my gaze around, scanning the monster’s massive corpse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its enormous size made it hard to search, and if I didn’t find what I was looking for soon, it would sink to the bottom of the river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I spread my energy field wider, letting it sweep over the beast’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, I sensed a concentration of energy within the monster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I moved toward the source of the sensation and used mynaegito tear through the creature’s tough scales.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hide was thick and tough, but with the beast already dead, it wasn’t hard to tear it open with enough force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rip!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I forced my way through, tearing apart flesh as I plunged my hand deep into the body. My arm didn’t reach far enough, so I had to push my whole body in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could feel the creature's flesh and blood against my skin. The sensation was disgusting. I hated hunting in the water for this very reason... Damn it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearing away bones, I continued deeper until something brushed against my fingertips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grasping the object, I pulled it out with all my strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rrrip!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once I retrieved what I was after, I emerged from the monster’s body to inspect it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In my hand was a stone the size of a child’s head. It was the Magic Stone of the Crimson-Rank beast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded slightly as I examined it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the earlier events still bothered me, at least I had gained what I wanted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Better than getting nothing.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a decent haul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason I was heading to Sichuan in the first place was to obtain a White Magic Stone to supplement my incomplete state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t sure how things would play out, but the amount of energy contained in the Crimson Magic Stone wouldn’t be insignificant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that thought, I prepared to absorb the stone’s energy right there, underwater.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woom…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hm?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, I felt something strange from the stone in my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving the sinking monster’s corpse behind, I turned my attention back to the stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let out a startled gasp, unable to stop myself. Bubbles of air escaped my mouth and floated to the surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the process, I inadvertently swallowed a large amount of blood-tainted water from the monster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that wasn’t important right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What the hell is this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stared at the stone in my hand, my eyes widening in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how I looked at it, something was wrong with the Magic Stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Gu Yangcheon was swept into the river with the monster, the water surged violently, disturbed by the monster’s screams and thrashing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after some time, everything became calm, as if nothing had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only a few minutes had passed, but there was no sign of either the monster or Gu Yangcheon surfacing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few minutes might not seem like much, but underwater, it was a different story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For an ordinary person, it would have been enough time to drown. Even a martial artist at the peak level could only hold their breath for so long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that he had sunk into the water along with the monster was troubling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah, watching the situation with a tense expression, was just about to dive into the river when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grip!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone grabbed her arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasU-hyeok.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he stopped her, Namgung Bi-ah turned to face him, and U-hyeok was taken aback.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gone was the usually calm Namgung Bi-ah. Her eyes, now filled with murderous intent, bore into U-hyeok.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let go.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice, like her gaze, was filled with deadly intent. U-hyeok, forcing a faint smile, spoke to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Calm down.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I said, let go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her hand was already infused with inner energy, ready to strike him down if necessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister-in-law, doing this won’t make him happy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah’s eyes wavered slightly at the title U-hyeok used.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know better than anyone that he’s not someone who’d die so easily, don’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He didn’t just dive in recklessly. Let’s wait a little longer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At his words, the murderous aura surrounding Namgung Bi-ah began to dissipate. Seeing this, U-hyeok silently sighed in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That was close.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although he was smiling on the outside, U-hyeok wasn’t calm. The murderous intent she had shown was real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he been a moment too late, she would have genuinely attempted to cut off his arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What a fierce love.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, U-hyeok had been slightly envious of Gu Yangcheon, who seemed to always be surrounded by beautiful women.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, seeing this, he felt a bit of distance. Even too much affection can be a problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it wasn’t just Namgung Bi-ah who was an issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When U-hyeok glanced around, he noticed another woman with sharp eyes staring at the river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wi Seol-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was the disciple of the Sword Master, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Including the time they spent together atShinryong-gwan, they had been traveling together for months now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But U-hyeok could count on one hand how many times he’d spoken to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More accurately—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apart from Gu Yangcheon, almost no one spoke to Wi Seol-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Gu Yangcheon was around, she acted as gentle as a lamb or a puppy, but without him, Wi Seol-ah became as sharp as a blade, as if daring anyone to approach her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, U-hyeok thought that it wouldn’t be long before these two women would dive into the river as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he would likely have to follow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Just like me.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, U-hyeok felt the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Gu Yangcheon had gone into the river with the monster, U-hyeok’s ears had become overwhelmed with noise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Gu Yangcheon… -What is happening…? -Is he really going to…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could hear everything, from the nearby whispers to the murmurs from distant ships that had moved away for safety.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is troubling.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he maintained a calm façade, the sudden flood of noise was overwhelming after so long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had known that moving away from Gu Yangcheon would bring the noise back, but it had been a long time since it was this loud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like before he met Gu Yangcheon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it because he hadn’t heard it in so long? The growing headache was exhausting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What’s going on?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he looked down into the water, U-hyeok wondered if something had happened to Gu Yangcheon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Them too.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze shifted to Namgung Bi-ah and Wi Seol-ah. He noticed that right after he started hearing the noise again, both of their expressions had also changed noticeably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Could it be that they’re experiencing something as well?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made him wonder if they were going through the same strange phenomenon he was, but at the moment, Gu Yangcheon’s safety was the top priority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>U-hyeok recalled what Gu Yangcheon had said to the group before diving in to hunt the monster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just follow my instructions. No matter what happens, don’t be surprised.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s exactly what he had said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anyone else had said something like that, U-hyeok would’ve thought they were just speaking nonsense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for some reason, he trusted Gu Yangcheon’s words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t necessarily that Gu Yangcheon was the most trustworthy person, yet there was something about him that made U-hyeok believe in his instructions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so far, following Gu Yangcheon’s guidance had allowed them to face the monster effectively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was truly remarkable. How was this even possible?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>U-hyeok had been shocked the moment he sensed the barrier around the monster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A barrier that absorbed inner energy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of absurdity was that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How were they supposed to hunt a creature like that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just as U-hyeok’s shock set in, Gu Yangcheon calmly gave instructions, and when U-hyeok followed them, wielding his sword as directed...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was even more shocked by what happened next.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if U-hyeok could start to understand why Gu Yangcheon had issued those commands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After only a couple of swings with his sword, U-hyeok could feel the subtle differences in the transparent barrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a minuscule difference, barely perceptible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For U-hyeok, detecting such a subtle distinction was difficult, yet it meant that Gu Yangcheon had been sensing all of it from behind and was directing them based on that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…He really is unbelievable.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time U-hyeok looked at Gu Yangcheon, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>U-hyeok knew he was talented.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was aware that his skills surpassed those of most people, even though he had never been arrogant or conceited about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever he looked at Gu Yangcheon, he couldn’t help but feel that talent was meaningless in comparison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon was simply different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though they were born in the same era, Gu Yangcheon was on another level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barring any unforeseen events, Gu Yangcheon would ascend to heights beyond their reach and, before long, would likely occupy a position they could only dream of.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>U-hyeok was sure of this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And honestly, he was curious to see that future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hurry up and come out.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gripped his sword, staring intently at the river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon wasn’t someone who should die in a place like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, when U-hyeok was on the verge of letting his impatience show on his face...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Splash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suddenly sensed a presence from below the water. The sounds around him instantly disappeared as if they had been ghosts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>U-hyeok wasn’t the only one who noticed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah and Wi Seol-ah also sensed it. They quickly dashed across the water toward the source of the disturbance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bubbles began rising to the surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Puhah…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon’s head suddenly popped out of the water, gasping for breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wow… damn. I really almost died—Aagh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could finish his words, Namgung Bi-ah and Wi Seol-ah threw themselves at him, pulling him into a tight embrace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait… wait a minute! It’s dangerous right now!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite Gu Yangcheon’s protests, he flailed helplessly as the two women clung to him, causing him to topple back into the water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching this, U-hyeok finally allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the monster incident was over, they returned to the ship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, they would have salvaged the monster’s corpse, taking its bones and hide, but the body had already sunk deep into the river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the situation hadn’t fully stabilized, they judged that it wasn’t the right time to search for it, so they returned to the deck under the Poison King’s orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I still remember the look of astonishment on the Poison King’s face when we arrived back on the deck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was understandable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The deck was littered with the corpses of monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They must have been the ones attacking the ship along with the Crimson-Rank monster. Fortunately, they were all dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless bodies floated on the water’s surface around the ship, with even more scattered across the deck. There were so many that it was hard to count them all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in the middle of it all stoodTang Deok, holding a spear, standing calmly amidst the carnage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before jumping off to hunt the monster, I had commanded him to protect everyone on the ship, and as a result, he had been forced to protect the very people of the Tang Clan that he despised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression soured at the realization that he had to protect them, but that wasn’t my concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was especially amusing to see the Poison King thanking him for saving everyone. The look on Tang Deok’s face during that moment was priceless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the Poison King seemed puzzled by his expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to explain that Tang Deok had a habit of looking like that and that he was practically mute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a funny little situation, but one thing became clear to me from that moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The Poison King doesn’t know who Tang Deok really is.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his distinctive hair hidden by a hood, and even though Tang Deok hadn’t learned any poison techniques, the fact that the Poison King didn’t recognize him despite standing face-to-face meant that he was truly unaware.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Although, it could also be the Poison King’s own act.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that was too complicated to think about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sudden appearance of the Crimson-Rank monster had already thrown everything into disarray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Martial artists, who hadn’t seen such a beast in centuries, were at a loss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They debated whether to continue the journey or return to Hanan to report what had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But ultimately, the Poison King, as the leader of the group, decided that the priority was to escort the convoy safely to Sichuan. He wrote a brief letter to the Murim Alliance, ending the matter there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if others were dissatisfied, nothing would change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they had complaints, they could always jump into the river and swim back. Otherwise, they had no choice but to remain on the ship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, no one would choose the former.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having witnessed the power and majesty of the Crimson-Rank monster firsthand, no one wanted to take the risk that there might be more of them lurking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In conclusion, there was no stopping the journey to Sichuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haa…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let out a deep sigh as I sat alone on my bed aboard the ship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The situation had been completely unexpected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had been tense from head to toe ever since the monster appeared, and now that the ordeal was over, I finally felt the tension leaving my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could finally breathe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After returning to the ship, Tang So-yeol and Moyong Hee-ah had heard about what happened and berated me for being reckless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They told me to stop doing dangerous things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, I felt a bit wronged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s not like I could have avoided the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When something like that appears right in front of you, how can you just sit back and do nothing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Actually, maybe I should’ve just stayed put.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking back, almost drowning was ridiculous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I had known it would turn out like this, I would’ve stayed on the ship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let out another sigh and stretched my hand out in front of me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If someone were to ask why I nearly drowned after killing the monster…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Come on out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was all because of this little thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slither…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At my command, something slithered out from inside my sleeve, crawling down my arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was about as thick as my pinky finger and no longer than the distance from my wrist to my elbow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The creature coiled around my hand and turned its small head toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It flicked its tongue out, revealing a pair of familiar yellow eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, it was the same eyes as the ones I had seen earlier on the monster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A snake. Yes, it was a snake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small red-scaled snake, now coiled around my hand, staring directly at me.\u003C\u002Fp>",2942,"2026-06-05T15:09:39.032Z",1,"novelbin.me","70cb498ba1d4e0c3b5fce1e2e0d4cf9b68454cd8408b95827ebe0edbfff3436c","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-425","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-423",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]