[{"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-531":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},1240357,1667,"Chapter 530","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-531",531,"\u003Cp>What the hell did this crazy old man just say?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did he just ask me to… touch him?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A wave of revulsion surged through me, and I instinctively scratched at my ears, hoping I’d misheard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But judging by the Hermit’s utterly ruined expression, I wasn’t the only one who’d heard it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One look at his face told me everything. He was clearly thinking the same thing I was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as expected—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You senile fool… have you lost your mind?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hermit bluntly voiced what I’d wanted to say, and it was oddly satisfying. Not that it made any of this easier to digest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Touch him? Has he truly lost it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From what I’d heard, Namgung Myung’s lingering consciousness remained in Thunder Fang, a manifestation of his unresolved attachment. But after centuries of confinement, had he finally gone insane?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Myung… Myung-ah…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Noya’s mournful voice grated on my nerves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Noya, your friend is still here. Well, he’s dead, but he’s still… here.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded like Noya was reminiscing, so I tried to point out the obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Hah, what nonsense are you spouting, kid? Where could Myung possibly be?]‘Right ther—’[Don’t tell me you’re mistaking that perverted lunatic for Myung? Ha! Impossible.]‘…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed Noya had chosen to deny reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Namgung Myung’s spirit lingered as a manifestation of his regrets, Noya was adamant that it wasn’t him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Well, great.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frankly, I didn’t want to believe it either. But having heard it firsthand, there was no going back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Please… I beg you…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Myung’s pitiful voice kept pleading.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell was going on?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shit… what am I even supposed to call this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The emotions boiling inside me were too complicated to name. One thing was certain—it wasn’t a good feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of all the things to happen, I never thought I’d be harassed like this by a dead man. Forcing down the shivers running up my spine, I addressed Namgung Myung.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What’s wrong with you? Are you…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I bit back the words completely insane and substituted another question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you in pain or something?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could lingering spirits even feel pain? I had no idea. But at the very least, Namgung Myung’s current state was far from normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could anyone look at this and call it sane?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Child…! Please…!]\"What the hell is your problem?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was getting downright terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If a young woman had said this, I’d still be creeped out. But having a long-dead old man beg me to touch him? That was on another level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, for crying out loud, what is wrong with you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I instinctively took a step back, unable to hide my disgust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noticing my reaction, Namgung Bi-ah gave me a puzzled look and asked, “…What’s wrong…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s wrong? This old man is—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stopped mid-sentence, suddenly noticing her expression. Something wasn’t right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You….”“…?”“Can’t you hear anything?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah tilted her head in confusion. She couldn’t hear Namgung Myung’s voice?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…She wielded Thunder Fang, though?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had just held the sword, fully manifesting its blade. Yet she claimed not to hear Namgung Myung’s voice?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What kind of situation is this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While I was reeling from this unexpected revelation, Namgung Myung spoke again, his voice weary but resolute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[That descendant may have been acknowledged by Thunder Fang, but not by me.]“What does that even mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Acknowledged by Thunder Fang but not by him? Weren’t they essentially the same thing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Even if Thunder Fang accepts her, unless I choose to let my voice reach her, she won’t hear it.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So she could use the sword even without his acknowledgment?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That’s actually better, isn’t it?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given Namgung Myung’s personality, it was probably a blessing in disguise that Namgung Bi-ah couldn’t hear him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then again—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Tsk.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Namgung Bi-ah to grow stronger, she needed his power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the Hermit guided her with Namgung family techniques, it wouldn’t match the benefit of learning directly from Namgung Myung himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the question lingered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Why won’t you acknowledge her?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah had more than enough talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn’t lacking in ability, nor had she abandoned the Namgung family like the Hermit had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was an ideal candidate to wield the sword. So why wouldn’t he accept her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I posed the question, Namgung Myung’s answer was blunt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Why should I tell you?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Oh, this old man’s got some nerve.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even while pleading for help, he clung to his pride. It was almost amusing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t help but smirk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This situation was unexpectedly entertaining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seems like you need something from me. Are you sure this is the right way to ask for it?”[…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If someone handed me leverage on a silver platter, I’d be foolish not to use it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, his desperate begging was nauseating, but if he wanted my help that badly, he should’ve approached me differently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And more importantly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I need to understand why he’s acting like this.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed to know his motives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was he so desperate? And could helping him backfire on me somehow?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…You little…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing he’d handed me the upper hand, Namgung Myung’s frustration was palpable. But it was too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’re not going to explain, that’s fine. Just don’t expect me to do anything for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My meaning was clear: no answers, no help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…Grit.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could hear the sound of his teeth grinding in frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That reaction told me all I needed to know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He’s really desperate.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For him to endure this humiliation without giving up, his situation must have been dire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could possibly drive him to this point?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Did I do something?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t recall anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only interaction I’d had with Thunder Fang was briefly wielding it earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That alone had wrecked my body, and I was still feeling the aftereffects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given my current state, I had no reason to use the sword again, let alone help him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He’ll need to give me a reason.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I was wondering if his pride would allow it, Namgung Myung finally spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…That child’s sword… it isn’t for herself.]“What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[A sword should be a reflection of the self. But when she held Thunder Fang, I could see where her path was leading.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He seemed to be referring to when Namgung Bi-ah had used the sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Her conviction is unwavering, and Thunder Fang resonated with that. But I did not.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite his earlier fatigue, Namgung Myung’s voice now carried a strange fervor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words were laced with conflicting emotions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[A sword meant for others… I refuse to lend my power to someone who walks that path.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Noya, you…!]‘…Noya, hold on.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noya, clearly agitated by Namgung Myung's words, opened his mouth to speak, but I quickly stopped him in my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sword meant for others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What Namgung Myung lamented was, in the end, a reflection of his own life—one lived for the sake of the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Or rather, it’s the lingering regret he left behind that’s lamenting.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It might seem like splitting hairs, but the distinction probably didn’t matter much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless of how Namgung Myung himself had disappeared, I felt I was starting to understand why he refused to acknowledge Namgung Bi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sword not for oneself but for another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Namgung Bi-ah was cultivating such a sword, the question then was: For whom was it intended?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I already knew the answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Me.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Considering her vow to protect me and her intention to journey to the North Sea, even an idiot like me couldn’t fail to see the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Namgung Myung saw that as a problem, though—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what’s your point?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…What?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frankly, it wasn’t my business.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While I didn’t exactly want Namgung Bi-ah to put herself on the line for me, the fact that her resolve had led to this situation just made it all the more irritating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, you’re throwing a tantrum because she’s kind-hearted, and you don’t like it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[How dare you speak like that—]“Why not? It’s true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though my words were harsh, they weren’t wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riled up, I spoke sharply, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Namgung Bi-ah’s widened eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had tried to hold back, given her presence, but Namgung Myung was pushing all my buttons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The so-called ancestor of the Namgung family… acting no better than a petulant child.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You insolent—!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Noya sighing at Namgung Myung’s antics, I got the distinct impression that the real Namgung Myung—the man Noya once knew—was nothing like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This spirit, this lingering regret, was probably just a bundle of raw emotions left behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that’s what had kept him intact all these years, I could understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even so—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’m not dealing with that crap.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Senile old men were a dime a dozen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My head was already pounding, and I didn’t have the patience to entertain this nonsense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I’d initially planned to investigate his behavior, I realized it would be easier to cut my losses here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turning to the trembling, furious Namgung Myung, I spoke:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You said you need me.”[…I did.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know why he needed me, but his urgency was undeniable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then promise to properly teach her. If you do, I’ll help you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t going to do this for free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You…!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Myung’s voice grew darker. Maybe he hadn’t expected me to strike a bargain, but that was his problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You’re saying you’d resort to blackmail?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, this old man’s got a sense of humor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he’d known me longer, he wouldn’t find this surprising.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[What’s so funny—]“What else would you call it? And honestly, it’s less blackmail and more… negotiation. We both get something out of it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ll do what you ask, and you’ll give me what I want.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t complicated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m tired and want to sleep, so just answer. Yes or no?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…Grit.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Myung ground his teeth audibly, but I already knew what his answer would be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only thing that bothered me was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I probably went a little too hard on him.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not that I felt bad for Namgung Myung.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anything, I felt guilty toward Noya. Berating his old friend like this…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Friend? Who are you talking about?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah. He’d already disowned Namgung Myung in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Noya genuinely confused erased any lingering guilt I had. Good riddance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hermit stood there with an indescribable expression, staring at Thunder Fang, while Namgung Bi-ah, completely out of the loop, glanced around nervously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I waited for Namgung Myung’s answer, the seconds dragged on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, he spoke:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…I’ll teach her.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What was that? Didn’t quite catch it, senior.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…I said I’ll teach her how to wield the sword properly. Now grab me already.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, I didn’t hear you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[How can you not hear me when I’m speaking so clearly!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shrugged. “Well, she can’t hear you, can she?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gestured toward Namgung Bi-ah, who still seemed oblivious to his voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This needed to be addressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Sigh….]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing my point, Namgung Myung let out a reluctant sigh before turning to Namgung Bi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Can you hear me now?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah’s startled reaction was… unexpectedly cute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[There. Satisfied?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as I heard him, I retrieved Thunder Fang from the Hermit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vrrrum!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment I gripped the blade, I felt my energy being drained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Ahh…!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Myung let out an audible sigh of relief, one so unsettling I wanted to throw the sword away immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I held back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So that’s why he wanted me to grab it… to absorb my energy?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A significant amount of my energy was being drawn out, steadily but surely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Haaahhh!]“Ugh. Gross.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing an old man groan like that made my skin crawl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, as the draining sensation subsided, I glared at Namgung Myung.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why the hell are you doing this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his voice was clearer now, his explanation didn’t make me feel any better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…Because you poured your energy into Thunder Fang earlier.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded slightly. That tracked with my earlier use of the sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But still—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why is that a problem?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…I know the reason. I just didn’t expect to experience it firsthand.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least he knew. Sighing, I handed Thunder Fang back to the Hermit, who didn’t look thrilled to take it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If my ancestor had acted like this, I’d feel pretty disillusioned too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once he’d steadied his breathing, Namgung Myung finally spoke again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…The reaction is tied to something I suspect.]“Well, it’s a bit late to sound so serious now, don’t you think?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Let me ask you something, child.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice had returned to its original, cold tone. I was about to brush it off when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[What is your connection to the Blood Demon?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words made my brow furrow deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>",2113,"2026-06-05T15:10:08.481Z",1,"novelbin.me","8ecef2cff566a9db0d0c3d15a7c16dfd0ca2fe89d7a635dbfe2ff3b975bc3fa8","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-532","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-530",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]