[{"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-448":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},1239924,1667,"Chapter 447","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-448",448,"\u003Cp>The flames rising from the mountainside were touching the clouds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That lunatic…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t help but mutter a curse the moment I saw it. The heat radiating all the way from that distance was intense, hinting at just how scorching the center of those flames must be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I watched the flames. The sheer size was overwhelming, its grandeur so vast it was almost crushing to behold from afar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How much energy would it take to release flames of that magnitude? One thing I knew for sure: I couldn’t produce flames like that, not in my current state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling the intense heat, I quickened my pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just me; both Mugwon, running in the lead, and Mageomhu had also accelerated, so I sped up to keep pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crackle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ahead, I heard the sound of lightning sparking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumble!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, Mageomhu surged forward, her speed skyrocketing as she shot ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Vice-Leader…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mugwon called out urgently, but she was already far ahead. Taking that in, I gathered energy into my toes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sensation was far from satisfying. Without my Guyeomhwa Arts, I couldn’t generate the explosive power I once wielded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even worse, my core energy hadn’t fully recovered, leaving me with a persistent sense of unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, it’s all my own doing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t blame anyone but myself for causing this mess. As much as I wanted to follow at a steady pace—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sigh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching that ridiculous inferno, I couldn’t afford to hold back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I leapt forward with force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With an ample amount of energy, the difference in speed was obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I almost messed up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Attempting to unleash too much energy at once, the flames nearly burst out uncontrollably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since I was still maintaining my demonification, if the flames had erupted, it would’ve all gone to waste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Paejon!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I charged forward, Mugwon called out to me, but I ignored him as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The name grated on me. I should’ve picked a better alias if I was going to be addressed like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The closer I got to the destination, the harder it was to breathe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black flames were still burning fiercely, holding their place. The heat was truly relentless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked at the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Above the towering flames, I could see someone suspended in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That damn bastard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dokgo Jun was hovering in midair, his body wrapped in black flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he was undoubtedly using a massive amount of energy even in that moment, it was nothing to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The enormous flames were surrounding the area, but they weren’t igniting the forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This implied a level of control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rather than control…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked impossible, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flames themselves seemed almost performative. Just their sheer size was enough to make onlookers tremble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a means of intimidation, there was no better approach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Not just anyone could do this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, I could say this was something only I could manage. Perhaps even Cheonma might be able to, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In terms of creating intimidation, I’m the best at it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flames resembled a tidal wave, easily inspiring fear in those watching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew all too well how effective this was, so I always began with a display like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Look at them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…It’s already having an effect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I neared the edge of the heat’s reach, I saw the others gathered there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dressed in similar white attire, they looked on at the looming tidal wave of flames with despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mugwon’s information was accurate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A substantial number of powerful warriors had gathered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And their martial prowess seemed anything but ordinary. Almost none of them were below the level of a high-ranking master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the looks of it, many of them could even hold sub-leader positions within the sword divisions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They brought such a force here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in such a short amount of time?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Based on my knowledge of the past, it would’ve taken them a long time to amass this kind of force in Sichuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They must’ve gathered urgently, yet it was still a formidable force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I slowed down, some of the warriors shifted their gazes to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The looks were far from friendly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some glared with contempt, while others looked at me with sorrow in their eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sorrow?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were probably looking at me like that because of my rather youthful appearance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To them, even a young martial artist like me had become a demon. That must’ve been why they gave me such pitying looks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I continued moving forward, feeling their stares, until I finally stopped at the destination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I arrived, Mageomhu was already there, gazing into the air, her eyes fixed on Dokgo Jun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following her gaze, I looked up at him as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>High above, a man wrapped in flames stood, watching the assembled forces below with his characteristic intense gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was precisely the boundary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The barren forest marked the territory of the demons, while the lush green forest just a step away was under Cheonma’s mercy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Alliance’s forces were positioned beyond the border, meaning they had not yet crossed into Sichuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumble!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flames began to stir. Even the slightest movement caused a reaction, given their sheer size.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tidal wave, roaring and towering towards the sky, seemed as if it could engulf everyone present at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the flames surged upward, pressure exploded outward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The force cracked the dry ground around us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an indescribable sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To think I’d see this with my own eyes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I did it myself, I didn’t realize, but seeing it from another perspective—it was monstrous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a mass of flames rising to the sky at once—how could it not be awe-inspiring to those watching?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially if they imagined those flames directed at them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could they truly remain sane?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>ROAR!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound from the flames was like the roar of a beast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, all the flames converged at a single point in the sky, forming into a sphere, though this power was something different from the hidden technique, Flame Orb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s no technique… it’s just—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was simply an enormous amount of flame, gathered and concentrated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pouring energy into releasing such flames must have required an incredible amount of power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, holding it aloft in the air took even more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To maintain that concentration at a single point would have drained a tremendous amount of strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if I had an immense amount of energy in those days, expending it this inefficiently would mean…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Probably half of it’s already used.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Energy is abundant but not infinite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if I had an absurd amount of energy back then, half of it would likely have been spent by now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite that, the reason I was doing this so recklessly was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For intimidation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was to deliver an unmistakable show of dominance to the enemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when I displayed something of this magnitude, from my experience, it was highly effective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even now, it was clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This… is…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by the expressions on the faces of the enemy forces, it had struck a nerve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their faces were filled only with despair and fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dokgo Jun calmly took note of them, meeting their eyes one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who met his gaze trembled uncontrollably or collapsed under the weight of terror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s how it always was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone would react this way before something overwhelmingly powerful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, I had an uncanny ability to sense this and take advantage of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the chilling silence, the only sound was the breathing of the flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dokgo Jun was the first to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A lot of you have gathered.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The enemy forces flinched at his voice, resonating with mingled energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I came because I heard insects were plotting in hiding, and it seems the rumors were true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His crooked smile and choice of words were utterly despicable. Couldn’t he just speak plainly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wished he would, but as always, his words continued regardless of my wishes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What were you doing, hiding here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Dokgo Jun’s question, they hesitated and retreated, but no one responded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Dokgo Jun’s eyebrows knitted slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll count to three. If I don’t hear an answer by then, this conversation is over.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A threat to start a war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he finished, he raised his fingers and began to count.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With each finger folded down, the massive orb of flame behind him began to simmer and bubble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One look was enough to know he was ready to release it if things went south.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just before the final finger folded, someone stepped out from among the Alliance forces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by his robe worn over a martial uniform, he seemed to be a unit leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a young-looking man for someone of his rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a tense expression, he stepped forward and spoke to Dokgo Jun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am Bi Yeon-seom, Leader of the Golden Dragon Unit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, a unit leader…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Wait.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bi Yeon-seom?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The name sounded familiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where have I heard that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t recall exactly. It didn’t seem like a particularly important name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, the man who introduced himself as Leader of the Golden Dragon Unit approached Dokgo Jun from beyond the boundary, initiating a conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“On behalf of the Martial Alliance, I request a dialogue with you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A dialogue?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dokgo Jun laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do I look like I came here for a conversation?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems you think I’m a fool.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bringing an assembly of high-level warriors to the boundary and asking for a conversation? It was nonsensical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A mere unit leader thinks he can negotiate with me? It seems the Martial Alliance truly underestimates us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that only a unit leader had come to request a dialogue was an issue in itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bringing an army behind him and then sending only a unit leader to speak?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do they really think so little of us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if this was part of some plan, it was incomprehensible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how foolish the Martial Alliance might be, they wouldn’t forget their place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They weren’t in a position to request a dialogue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In facing a ravenous beast, they should be pleading desperately for their lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason behind this boldness remained a mystery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumble…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For now, I only felt suspicion and doubt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in the past, I knew it wouldn’t have ended there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black flames, towering and fierce, continued to seethe, resembling the sun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The massive sphere began to shift position, creating an illusion of an eclipse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, Dokgo Jun slowly descended from the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His robe billowed as he floated down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Mageomhu stepped back, making way for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dokgo Jun naturally took that place and moved toward Bi Yeon-seom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In my past life, I was relatively short for a martial artist. Compared to Mageomhu, I was a bit taller.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But next to a martial artist like Bi Yeon-seom, I was far shorter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, as I approached, I didn’t feel small at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With one step forward—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A wave of pressure spread through the entire forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ahh…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under that crushing pressure, the Martial Alliance warriors trembled and collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boundary drawn by Cheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dokgo Jun crossed that line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This boundary was a mercy Cheonma granted the Martial Alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mercy that would spare their lives as long as they didn’t cross it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crossing outside the boundary of Sichuan, Dokgo Jun reached out, his hand hovering near Bi Yeon-seom’s neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You wretch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t grab him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He simply grazed his neck with his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet even with just that, the air grew heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His violet eyes met Bi Yeon-seom’s dark ones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do not attempt any foolish tricks with me. Unlike the Sect Leader, my patience is limited.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>ROAR!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blazing orb in the sky began to shift form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the flames moved, the scorching heat distorted the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sizzling sound of something burning reached my ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shape shifted once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it was too distorted to see clearly, it faintly resembled—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A wolf?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked like a wolf, jaws wide open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed ready to consume everything in its path.\u003C\u002Fp>",2019,"2026-06-05T15:09:39.032Z",1,"novelbin.me","8d3edd91ea639d511b0572d78a20f86889f55a36830ca6f5ad36d41516357198","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-449","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-447",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]