[{"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-603":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},1240453,1667,"Chapter 602","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-603",603,"\u003Cp>The sky was black, and a relentless blizzard obscured visibility.Amid the swirling snow, countless figures moved urgently across the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the forefront of the group, a man muttered in a hushed tone,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ll arrive soon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke without pausing his steps, his gaze fixed straight ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the blizzard made it impossible to see, the man clearly remembered what he had glimpsed earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There was a light.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Between the raging storm and the dark night sky, he had seen something glowing brightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could it be?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raising his vigilance, the man scanned the path ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing was visible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked as though nothing had ever been there.Still, the man did not let down his guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘We’ve lost contact with the ambushers.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The unit stationed at the gorge had gone silent.That alone was enough to keep the man on edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Did they fail?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The great general who had pursued the White Fox was also said to have headed for the gorge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The plan was to corner the White Fox, have the ambushers join forces with the general, and capture their target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Did they fail to hunt the fox?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it possible that even the wounded White Fox had managed to kill the general and the ambushers before escaping?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a hard scenario to believe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Something has happened.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That much was certain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the White Fox had indeed escaped after such a failure, what would the higher-ups say?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Tch…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man clicked his tongue sharply at the chilling thought.All he could do was hope that wasn’t the case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It would be better if the Ice Palace’s warriors were at the gorge.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that were the case, they could at least capture them and offer some explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adjusting his thoughts, the man glanced back and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone, stay alert. We don’t know what might—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“C-Captain!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the warriors trailing behind him shouted in a trembling voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look, over there—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warrior pointed at something, his face pale with alarm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man turned to look, his expression sharpening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you—huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far above, something was floating in the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be the same thing he had seen earlier?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man narrowed his eyes, staring into the void.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, he understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No. That’s not the same as before.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The earlier light had briefly appeared in the sky.This one was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was harsher, brighter, and far more dazzling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is that?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could possibly shine so vividly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why did it make his skin crawl?Just looking at it sent cold sweat dripping down his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the man struggled to make sense of the unease gripping him—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes widened in shock.Was it an illusion?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s not a trick.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He quickly realized the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The radiant light blazing in the sky was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Growing.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was getting larger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, the man felt an unfamiliar sensation brushing against his cheek.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Hot?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wind brushing past him was warm.Such a feeling was impossible in the frigid North Sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be because of the light?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man stopped in his tracks and raised a hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At his command, the group halted in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A foreboding sense of dread weighed heavily on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blue light—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just looking at it was terrifying, an overwhelming unease wrapping around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could it be to inspire such fear?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a fleeting moment, curiosity stirred within him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That primal human instinct to seek the unknown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Warriors, listen carefully.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s voice was steady, suppressing any trace of that curiosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We are retreating immediately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fear that had gripped him left no room for hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Turn back and—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could finish his command, the light changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The light, which had been steadily growing, stopped expanding and began to move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man froze as he watched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The way the flames moved made it seem like they were searching for something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Searching for what?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A terrible premonition washed over him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as if to confirm that premonition, the light in the sky stopped moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was no illusion or guess. It was a certainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The light was focused directly on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deafening roar erupted as the light hurtled toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was fast, impossibly fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Run…! Retreat now—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s shout was drowned out as the light struck the ground where he stood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoooom!Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A massive shockwave rippled out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aaaaagh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sudden impact sent warriors screaming into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fierce winds whipped around them, and many were flung into the void, unable to hold their ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man barely held on, groaning as he braced against the scorching wind that seemed to burn his skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he was struggling this much, what about his subordinates?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That thought crossed his mind, but he had no time to dwell on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the waves of heat, he spotted something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The point where the light had struck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where there should have been snow, the ground was now exposed, melted away to reveal bare earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And atop that spot—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something was burning fiercely, assumed to be the fallen light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the man stared at it warily—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face twisted in disbelief as he identified the source of the light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just a simple flame or glow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amazingly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘A person?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had the form of a human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone was slowly rising from the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flames coiled around them, centered on their body as they burned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was happening?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the man’s eyes filled with confusion, the figure’s gaze turned toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even through the blazing blue flames, their eyes were sharp and clear.Piercing blue irises with vertical pupils.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shiver—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s spine tingled as his gaze locked with the figure’s fiery eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flames surrounding the figure burst outward and vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Disappea—?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man began to speak, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gahk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A short, choking sound came from beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instinctively, he turned toward the source of the noise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What met his eyes was the grotesque sight of blood spurting into the air and—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The face of one of his subordinates being torn from their body, head and all, by someone’s hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man tried to twist his body away in panic, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What he saw next was a palm hurtling toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Urgh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hand clamped over his mouth with brutal force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoom—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An intense heat emanated from the palm, searing his skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mmmphhh!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s muffled cries were futile as he struggled to form words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his blocked mouth rendered him speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOOOOOM—!!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flames from the hand exploded, engulfing the man’s entire body in a blazing inferno.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My ears felt strangely muffled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as though they were filled with water.Or as if cotton had been stuffed inside, blocking everything out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sensation was suffocating, irritating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s what it felt like.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, it wasn’t completely silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Aaaaaagh!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Spare me…!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfamiliar sounds echoed in my ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded like someone was screaming.Or perhaps crying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The noise was unbearable.If only there were silence—it would have been better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What a repulsive sound.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could it be so vile?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voices of such insignificant creatures were so detestable to hear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As that thought crossed my mind, my hand moved on its own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I grabbed something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it a neck?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tore it away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Gurrk—!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[P-Please, spare me…!!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When one of them dared to cry out loudly, I clamped their mouth shut and burned them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stench assaulted my nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air around me was filled with the acrid smell of burning flesh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How even the scent of these wretched beings burning could be so disgusting was beyond me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought made me furious.An uncontrollable rage surged within me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why? Why was I so angry?I couldn’t remember.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All I knew was that I had to release this rage somehow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Aaargh!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I grabbed and disposed of another pitiful creature, I suddenly understood why I was so angry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Ah. I see.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Insignificant, filthy beings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inferior, contemptible creatures abandoned by the heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that I had to breathe the same air as them.That must be why I was so enraged. It had to be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t bear it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoooom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My rage turned into flames that spread outward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I burned whatever I could grab.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Aaaaaghhh!!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to erase them all.So that I wouldn’t see them anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to remove them all until everything was clean.That was what I needed to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like a certainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Where, where are they?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white snowfield was littered with burned and torn remains.It still wasn’t enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Not yet. More.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To calm this anger, I needed to eliminate more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I would catch and kill every insignificant being in this world.Then, maybe, this fury would subside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rustle—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I heard a sound and turned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the distance, one of them was running away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took a single step forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was all it took to reach them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Gurgh.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I grabbed their neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The creature’s eyes were filled with terror and desperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[P-Please… Please spare me…!! I’ll do anything, anything you ask—!!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their trembling voice was grating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Sob… Sob….]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could hear them crying.I didn’t want to hear it anymore. Just hearing it made my ears feel like they were rotting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was about to tear them apart again when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sensation stopped me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked down and saw someone holding my wrist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was another being.But unlike the others, this one had calm eyes and an air of composure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whatever has angered you so, shouldn’t you spare at least one of them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That didn’t justify this being standing in my way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re already unwell, yet you’re burning through so much energy… What will you do—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The being hesitated at my words, their face a mask of disbelief, as though they had misheard me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How pathetic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed this inferior creature couldn’t comprehend the words of one so far above them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What did you just say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I said, let go, you insignificant pest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment I spoke, I felt something strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt as though I had said something I should never have uttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surely, that was a ridiculous notion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What words could possibly be unspeakable to such lowly beings?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thunk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of their laughter made me release the creature I was holding without realizing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My hand moved on its own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anger can cloud judgment, I understand. In my youth, I was the same. That’s why, as your teacher, I must step in to help you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Were they running away? Was my body retreating?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Impossible.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no way I could fear such a pathetic creature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Disciple, do you know the simplest way to cool your head when you’re angry?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I flared my aura, moving my hand to grab their neck.I would tear them apart and make them understand the difference between us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Usually—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then show this wretched being the clear gap in our abilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gah—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My legs left the ground as a sudden impact struck my chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Getting beaten until you calm down usually does the trick.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As my body was flung into the air, I tried to regain control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through squinting eyes, I saw something approaching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A foot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A foot was inches from my face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blow twisted my head as pain shot through me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I instinctively tried to shift my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t take it personally.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air in front of me condensed into a terrifying force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is merely discipline.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fist sank into my abdomen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The impact shook the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>",1955,"2026-06-05T15:10:11.188Z",1,"novelbin.me","5098e6fecfa900043bb274d7e43b05af6400428b66100d0d6de352e67b362a7c","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-604","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-602",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]