[{"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-453":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},1239979,1667,"Chapter 452","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-453",453,"\u003Cp>“I am Muhui,” she introduced herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman, who had suddenly appeared through the dimensional gate with a veil covering her face, introduced herself in such a manner. Her unexpected arrival through a rift in dimensions was strange enough, but I found myself focusing more on the first words she had spoken upon arrival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To the being from the other world, I pay my respects.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Being from the other world?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chilling words. It was as if she understood that I didn’t belong in this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suppressing my surprise, I looked at her and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you the one who has been searching for me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this the one who had instructed the Sword Saint to bring me here? If so, who was she?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the very least, I had never seen her before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘In my past life, I never met her.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not in my previous life nor in my current one had I encountered someone who radiated such an aura. This made it even more challenging to understand her identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Is this world truly different from the one I know?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As time went by, I was starting to realize that this wasn’t something I could dismiss as merely an illusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this world was built on my memories, it shouldn’t be able to create things beyond my knowledge. And yet, this world was doing just that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was something I could have realized within days of being here. Or rather, I had simply chosen to ignore it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I stared intently at the woman who called herself Muhui, she clasped her hands together politely and answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am not worthy of such a role.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Worthy? What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did she mean by not being “worthy”? Was she merely a messenger, not the one truly seeking me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Muhui.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded familiar. While I knew the word itself, the name held a certain significance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Where did I hear it?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I strained to remember, and soon enough, a memory surfaced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few years ago, during the martial arts tournament at the Yongbong Assembly, I had faced Jang Sun-yeon in the finals. At the end of that match, Blood Demon had descended through Jang Sun-yeon’s body and spoken to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you meet Muhui…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I remembered he had mentioned seeking her out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So that meant...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This woman is associated with the Blood Demon?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My expression darkened instinctively. I glanced at the Sword Saint, who stood nearby, looking unbothered by Muhui’s arrival, though there was a hint of unease in her otherwise indifferent gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, Muhui’s presence was not surprising to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What’s going on here?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Muhui was indeed connected to the Blood Demon, did that mean the Sword Saint also knew of his existence?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flood of thoughts rushed through my mind as I kept biting my tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s unfortunate that I have to meet you under such circumstances,” Muhui continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…How did you know I was here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There was a prophecy. My master foretold that a being from another realm would appear in this world and instructed us to find you as soon as possible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, they had predicted I would appear. Then…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This place isn’t simply an illusion after all.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this was a trial, then it seemed they had truly sent me to another world. So, what kind of world was this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘A world resembling my previous life, yet somehow different…what should I call this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever it was, the main issue lay with the Tang sect’s intent in sending me here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As my frustration mounted with the increasingly complex situation, I spoke, unfiltered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Prophecy or whatever—how did you know it was me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless of who gave the prophecy, that wasn’t important. The real question was how they could be certain that I was a being from another world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, the response came not from Muhui but from the Sword Saint herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Because our energies resonated.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glancing her way, I saw she was speaking without meeting my gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing her answer, I thought to myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So that’s it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was what I had suspected all along, but her words confirmed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The divine sword’s energy within me had resonated, revealing my otherworldly origin. The Sword Saint had confidently stated this as the reason she recognized me. And indeed, she was correct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But is that truly enough of a reason?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This part was still difficult to fully understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Muhui, observing the cuffs binding my wrists, gestured toward the Sword Saint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please release him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that simple command—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snap!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cuffs binding my wrists fell to the ground in pieces. Looking down at the broken shackles, I turned my gaze to the Sword Saint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘When did she draw her sword?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Somehow, she had managed to cut through the cuffs without me noticing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blocked flow of my energy surged back through my body. Even the restraint on my core had been removed, courtesy of the Sword Saint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I flexed my hands, checking my condition, as Muhui approached me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Forgive me for the poor reception under the current circumstances.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though she sounded polite, her voice and demeanor were chillingly detached. It was like speaking to a stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So…enough with the pretense. What do you want from me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was done with this complicated situation and wanted to get to the point. So, what did they want from me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muhui, still holding her hands in a respectful posture, finally spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My master wishes to meet you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It appeared she was merely conveying a message rather than voicing a personal request.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, the dimensional gate reopened with a crackling sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was she expecting me to follow her through it? I gave her a skeptical look, and she continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My master is, unfortunately, unable to travel and kindly requests that you come to meet him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, that was her explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What if I refuse?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked what would happen if I declined to meet her master, yet Muhui simply stared at me in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn’t giving me any choice, really.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Politeness masked as coercion, huh?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I laughed bitterly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were all so unforgivingly forceful. This was why it was crucial to cultivate power relentlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shook my head at Muhui and said, “Fine. Do I just follow you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you for your understanding.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Understanding, yeah, right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether she noticed my sour expression or not, Muhui walked toward the gate as she had before, and I followed without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This might actually be for the best.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rather than endlessly questioning this mysterious world, it would be faster to confront someone who knew about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Let’s see what kind of world this really is. I’ll find out soon enough.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that thought, I stepped through the gate, closing my eyes as I was enveloped in its swirling light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I opened them again—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was met with the sight of a massive ice crystal towering before me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A still silence filled the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the wide desk rested a single dark-blue hilt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked like nothing more than a shabby antique, yet it was known asNoah, a relic of the Namgung family, one of the Five Great Swords of the Central Plains. Despite it being nothing more than a handle, it carried the weight of that title.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman looking at it had a gaze that seemed sharp enough to cut, even from just a glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After quietly staring at the handle for a while, she shifted her gaze to the man seated across from her and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Why… did you do it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice trembled with anger and resentment. The emotions were evident in her tone, and the man raised his head to look at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What exactly do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why… did you send him away…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the man’s calm response came, Ma Geom-hu’s beautiful brow furrowed in frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You shouldn’t have let him go…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He insisted on going. I merely respected his decision.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Lies…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At his words, Ma Geom-hu rejected them flatly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Great Lord… doesn’t know the meaning of ‘respect’…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Great Lord’s face twisted in irritation. Clearly, her words had struck a nerve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Vice Lord. What is the meaning of this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite the Great Lord’s displeasure being obvious, Ma Geom-hu’s expression remained unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You shouldn’t have let him go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re repeating yourself. Have you truly lost your mind?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a mere tap, the Great Lord’s fist caused the desk to shatter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re allowing useless emotions to cloud your judgment. Why are you so attached to him, clinging to such regrets?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had only been a few days—time spent with a young demon who had come claiming the name of the Celestial Demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d called himselfPaljeolyeop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A name likely fake, and even after searching, nothing came up. A martial artist who’d overcome the wall of Hwagyeong at such a young age, yet without a single known detail?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He claimed to have become a demon out of revenge, having lost his family to the orthodox sects. But not a single member of the Black Flame Squad believed his words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d only been tolerated because he invoked the Celestial Demon’s name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Demons do not trust each other. They trust only the Celestial Demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t understand it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had avoided unnecessary combat, retrievedNoah,and eliminated a suspicious individual. The outcome was impeccable, so why did Ma Geom-hu react this way?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Great Lord couldn’t understand, and the frustration only grew. But Ma Geom-hu’s expression shifted subtly as she looked at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In her gaze, where anger and resentment had been clear, something else now mixed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To the Great Lord, it looked like pity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he was about to unleash his anger, irritated by her sympathetic look, Ma Geom-hu spoke to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…The one burdened by unnecessary emotions… isn’t me…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face contorted with a dark, twisted anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…It’s you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fragment of the shattered table flew past her, colliding with the wall and breaking apart. The Great Lord, unable to contain his fury, had hurled it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Vice Lord. Do not overstep your bounds.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was his final warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she continued, there would be no mercy. Hearing this, Ma Geom-hu said nothing more. She simply picked upNoahand held it close to her as she walked toward the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right before she exited, she left him with one last remark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I will not give up on you… no matter what happens.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Great Lord was left confused by her words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he was about to shout a response, she was already gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Great Lord’s fist tightened, his grip becoming stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He swung his fist, smashing a part of the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Debris fell from the wall, scattering across the floor. He took several deep breaths, trying to regain control over his anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The source of his rage wasn’t simply Ma Geom-hu questioning his actions. It was her words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…The one burdened by unnecessary emotions… isn’t me…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…It’s you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those words struck directly at the core of what he had been trying so hard to conceal.\u003C\u002Fp>",1838,"2026-06-05T15:09:39.032Z",1,"novelbin.me","4bd3bc939938b5012ea91ab38c6d672f085c6a6bc465cf65a0723337f26f3042","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-454","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-452",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]