[{"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-634":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},1240484,1667,"Chapter 633","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-634",634,"\u003Cp>Question:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hello friends! This is just a question, not related to this story, but I still have to ask it here. Does anyone read Surviving the Game as a Barbarian? I need to understand this so that the title can get the attention it deserves. Thanks in advance for your answer and enjoy reading!!!!_________________________________________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I first gained inspiration for this technique, it was right after sparring with Baekcheon Sword Master and having a brief conversation with my father.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Father had told me to understand the meaning of rotation, not compression, in Nine Flames Firewheel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What does \"輪\" (rotation) signify?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Going further—what is the meaning embedded within Nine Flames Firewheel itself?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A technique purely based on igniting flames.I had lived one lifetime thinking that was all there was to it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, in this second life, that understanding had changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With just one piece of advice from my father, a new world began to unfold in my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps Nine Flames Firewheel wasn’t simply about creating flames.What if its focus lay in rapidly rotating those flames?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead of creating a ring of fire and letting it release heat from within,what if the rapid rotation itself was the key, with the fire as a mere byproduct?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As my perspective shifted, so too did my approach to learning and expressing martial arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rotation.That was why it was called \"輪\" (rotation).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Starting from that thought, I took one step at a time.I strove to use flames that rotated faster rather than just creating large bursts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter which Gu Clan technique I used, I tried to incorporate rotation into it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Years passed living that way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While training to use Flame Jade more intensely, a thought suddenly struck me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Flame Jade, compressed in my hand and spinning with fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stared at it for a while before hurling it into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I watched the Flame Jade explode in midair, a peculiar realization dawned on me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The difference between the Flame Jade my father had thrown and the one I created.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t simply a matter of power.There was undoubtedly something different in my father’s martial art—a disparity in rotation rates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compression taught by Shin Noya.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And rotation within the Flame Jade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I quietly observed these elements, an idea formed in my mind—a fundamental question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Flame Jade was designed with explosion in mind, wouldn’t it become more powerful with increased rotation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its simple spherical shape made it easy to throw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From this, I developed a hypothesis:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What if I increased the rotation and then threw it?A spherical shape makes that straightforward, but what if I also...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Made the shape sharper and increased the rotation even more?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wouldn’t that create immense destructive power?That was the thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A crazy idea, to be sure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flame Jade was already a completed technique, considered high-difficulty even among martial arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its usage conditions required mastery of Hwagyeong,as it demanded compressing heat and continuously rotating it,all while maintaining it through delicate energy control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its simplest form—a sphere—was chosen precisely to make this easier to handle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even maintaining that form was a challenge,but altering its shape and adding more rotation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was clear Flame Jade couldn’t withstand that. Attempting it would inevitably cause the heat within to backfire and explode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How do I know this in such detail?Because I tried it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Y-young master!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aaahhh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it.******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I barely survived.That’s the best way to put it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason for failure was that I forcibly tried to alter the shape of the Flame Jade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flame Jade, containing immense firepower and spinning endlessly on its axis.When I twisted its shape, it couldn’t endure and exploded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a result, my arm was wrapped in flames, the skin burned away,and my body, hit directly by the explosion, had its internal organs and bones shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I hadn’t possessed a dragon’s bodyor if the Divine Doctor hadn’t been present in the Gu family at the time...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d rather not imagine how it would’ve ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to my extraordinary regenerative abilities, I barely managed to restore my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You madman.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was what Paejon said when he saw me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve always thought you were crazy, but have you truly lost your mind now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at Paejon, who stared at me with utter disdain, I had no retort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You dared to recklessly modify a martial art? And not just any, but a transcendent-level technique? Why not just say you wanted to die?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sharp reprimand made me lower my head even more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t expect this to happen either....”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You didn’t know? At your level, claiming ignorance is the same as admitting stupidity.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even my clumsy excuse was met with immediate ridicule.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For someone at my level, having reached Hwagyeong,it was embarrassing not to grasp how dangerous this was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, to be honest, I did know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew it was dangerous. I knew it could lead to a massive disaster.But I tried it anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps that was why Paejon was so furious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This wasn’t just a simple adjustment; you tried to overturn the very foundation of the technique. Do you realize how serious that is?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Techniques like Nine Flame Firewheel,which used large flames to modify Nine Flame Firewheel into a derivative martial art,were already somewhat innovative.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what I attempted was far riskier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I aimed to change the form itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The technique rebelled and exploded. The blast was so severe that I nearly died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You crossed a line beyond your capabilities. Even if you wagered your life, you went too far.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a criminal, I nodded meekly. Nearly dying while training in martial arts...I had so much left to do; dying like that would’ve been the epitome of a pointless death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was clear—I shouldn’t attempt it again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I resolved to avoid it, Paejon spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“However.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paejon looked at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The attempt itself wasn’t entirely without merit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Excuse me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tilted my head in confusion at his words.After all that scolding, it wasn’t entirely bad?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It might be worth exploring. You simply lacked the level to handle it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you saying I should try again if I reach a higher level?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I wouldn’t know. I’m not proficient in that technique. Ask your father for details.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, Father is... not available at the moment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had barely survived my father’s rage before coming to Paejon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since my regression, I’d never seen him so angry.It was terrifying—I almost wet myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Madam Mi hadn’t intervened at just the right moment,I might’ve lost more than my dignity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Paejon looked at me with a pitiful expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I won’t stop you. Just be careful.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re not going to stop me, even though I might die?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you were the type to listen, you wouldn’t have done this in the first place.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And if you were, I wouldn’t bother teaching you—it’d be boring. Besides...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paejon smirked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Martial artists grow by nearly dying while training, don’t they?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t sure I needed that kind of growth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought crossed my mind, but I kept it to myself.Paejon, after chuckling, grew serious and warned me:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One thing. At least for this technique, don’t attempt it until you reach the state of Heart and Mind as One.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Acknowledging his warning, I nodded silently.If even Paejon, who usually encouraged trying anything, advised against it,that meant it truly wasn’t something I could handle yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you die, wouldn’t that be a waste of your life?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, I was moved.Was he genuinely concerned for my life?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, despite everything, he was my teacher.I considered offering some polite words of gratitude, which I wasn’t used to saying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’d waste your life since there’s still so much martial arts left for me to teach you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My respect for Paejon, already hanging by a thread, crumbled completely that day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, though, his advice was mostly true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flame Jade could only be modified if I reached the realm of true mastery.Now I understood what he meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon reaching that realm, I saw things I couldn’t see before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A vast heat emanated before my eyes.Despite the pain, a thrill overwhelmed me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could see it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The countless lines radiating from Flame Jade.The flow of my inner energy poured into creating this tiny orb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The constant rotation maintaining this shape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, I wasn’t just using martial arts—I was seeing it.Seeing it for the first time, not merely wielding it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a new experience, made possible only after my senses were heightened to this degree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time in my life, I was truly in awe of martial arts.And to think that awe was directed at my own technique, one I had used countless times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is incredible.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flame Jade was a much more difficult and intricate technique than I had imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To even use it, one had to reach the level ofHwagyeong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only now did I fully understand why. Until now, I had thought it was just an arbitrary requirement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as I delved deeper, I realized it was anything but simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flame Jade consumed a great deal of energy, though not so much that it was unusable.However,Hwagyeongwas the threshold for another reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just about the energy it consumed; it required a body that could endure the immense heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More importantly, it demanded precise energy control to condense and rotate the flames.That level of control was only possible for someone who had reachedHwagyeong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now I understood why this requirement was in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And yet, I tried to use it without that foundation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back when I was at the peak ofJeoljeong,I had forced myself to use Flame Jade repeatedly, enduring the backlash over and over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...It was reckless.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking back, it was sheer recklessness.If not for my experience from before the regression, I wouldn’t have been able to use it at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Understanding this now, I couldn’t help but laugh at myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So that’s how it is.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Piece by piece, the understanding built up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Martial arts are about comprehension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s not just about wielding energy or executing techniques—it’s about understandingwhythey work,about grasping the fundamental principles behind their power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This realization resonated deeply within me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That resonance shattered a faint barrier within me, brick by brick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could feel the debris falling inside me, a wall collapsing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Realizing something in the middle of a fight? This is ridiculous.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had wished for enlightenment countless times, yet it came to me now,in the middle of an all-out fight for survival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s fortunate.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A strange sense of gratitude swept over me—clumsy, but sincere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I waved my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rotation of Flame Jade intensified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, it wasn’t just a matter of increasing the rotation.I altered the flow of my energy, making it more concentrated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That subtle shift brought about more change than I could have imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air around me was drawn toward Flame Jade, merging with my heat, and the flames burned brighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem was that the flames being drawn in were far stronger than I had anticipated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My legs nearly buckled under the pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I held firm.If I lost control now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ll die.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I would truly die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pressure gathering in Flame Jade was enormous. This wasn’t just about adding more energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was spinning faster than ever before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, Flame Jade was already complete—and stronger than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could end this now by simply throwing it at my opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But ending it here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s not enough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t gone this far just to settle for something so simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Staring at the violently spinning Flame Jade, I thought to myself:If I changed its form now, the rotational structure would distort, causing an explosion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To avoid that, I would need to control every complex flow of energy and change it gradually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But could I even withstand this while doing so?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at it objectively—could I handle this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even thinking about it made my head throb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So what should I do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I couldn’t move while keeping it contained, should I give up?Should I let it explode as it was?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I had to choose, the latter.Giving up wasn’t an option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had resolved to live a life of achievement. Now was the time to make it happen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Letting it explode...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t seem like a bad idea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it was impossible to maintain rotation while changing its shape,then why not let it explode—but within a controlled framework?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that thought, I grasped Flame Jade tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The explosion unleashed an immense wave of heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, I didn’t feel any external harm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...At least not externally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ugh.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My insides screamed in pain from the impact, but I could endure it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sensation in my hand was enough to push through the pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I muttered as I looked at my right hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Isn’t half bad.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In my hand was a spear enveloped in flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A modified creation born from Flame Jade—a spear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its name would be... hmm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Roughly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flame Jade Sacred Spear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That seemed like a fitting name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A simple, elongated, and sharp rod enveloped in overwhelming, rotating flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sheer heat and energy it exuded were staggering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s still incomplete.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because I lacked the level to fully realize its form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unable to control the rotation perfectly, I had created a framework to hold it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"With my spirit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using myHeart Fist, I had forged a spiritual mold and trapped the flames within it.It was less about perfecting the technique and more about forcibly containing an imminent explosion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In essence, it was simply an elongated and rotated version of Flame Jade.Yet even that was enough to wield immense power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As evidence—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood trickled from my chest, staining my torso red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the process of creating the Flame Jade Sacred Spear,I had been struck by my opponent’s desperate attack, the blade grazing me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wound bore traces of ice, inflicting secondary damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That hurts like hell.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had tried to avoid it, knowing it would come, but I had no choice while focusing on the technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, I succeeded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...You bastard...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I heard Mang’s voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stared at me with a mix of shock and horror, his usual smug expression replaced with genuine alarm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What... what is that? What have you created?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t bother showing off. Moving while holding it was risky.One wrong move and it might explode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Can’t you tell? It’s a spear.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Hah.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tension on his face grew. Was it really that intimidating?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s somewhat similar, isn’t it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His spear was also a product of condensed cold energy.It wasn’t so different from mine, or so I thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I didn’t create mine for thrusting or swinging.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trying such a thing would destabilize it and likely kill me in the process.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only reason I shaped it like a spear was for one purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I lowered my stance, pulling the spear back slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mang flinched and prepared to move, seemingly realizing what I intended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shape, the added rotation—it was all for this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To throw it faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To throw it harder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I named it the Flame Jade Sacred Spear,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Its true purpose is as a javelin.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To pierce swiftly.To leave nothing behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Screeeech!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Focusing all my strength on my right hand, I steadied myself and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you can, dodge this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wha—?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without waiting for his response, I hurled the spear straight at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of the spear slicing through the air was brief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump!I retrieved the mental framework that had shaped the flaming spear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whirr—BOOOOM!!!The spear erupted in an incredible explosion of flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sheer magnitude was far beyond what should have been possible from a spear so small.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whooosh!The shockwave from the blast nearly knocked me off balance—a testament to its overwhelming force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak, crack—Somewhere in the distance, structures collapsed, debris settling into silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As time passed, the smoke that obscured my view began to clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wow.\"I couldn’t help but be impressed by the scene before me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The icy expanse was pierced through with a massive, spiraling hole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sizzle.The surrounding walls melted from the heat, gradually crumbling away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a chilling sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...This is stronger than I expected.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Staring at the melting walls, I realized the power was incomparable to a regular Flame Jade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It seems...\"Even I couldn’t believe what I had created.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But the problem is...\"Setting aside the chaos caused by the Flame Jade Sacred Spear, I scanned the area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where did he go?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mang was nowhere to be seen.He hadn’t been hit by the spear—it was too large an area for him to have dodged easily. So where did he go?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As that question crossed my mind—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoosh.I sensed movement behind me and turned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thunk!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something sharp pierced through my abdomen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Mang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had approached without a sound, driving his blade into my stomach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt the steel slicing through my flesh, the searing pain forcing a grimace onto my face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Impressive,\" Mang said, his voice calm and deliberate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It was so overwhelming I hesitated for a moment. You even managed to force me into a cowardly retreat.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I studied him as he spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The arm holding the sword in my stomach remained intact, but his left arm was gone.He hadn’t managed to evade the explosion completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Such tremendous power. But,\" he sneered, his lips curling into an infuriating grin,\"it’s meaningless if it doesn’t land.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mocking words made me nod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re right.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He blinked, confused at my calm agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re absolutely right.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it didn’t hit, it was pointless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even I acknowledged that as the greatest flaw of this technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The long preparation time and the effort required to create it meant failure carried heavy consequences.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clenched his hand—the one holding the sword in my stomach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...!?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If I create a situation where itwillland, then it doesn’t matter, does it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You bastard—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mang’s eyes widened in shock, the realization of my intent dawning on him too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, if I couldn’t guarantee a direct hit, then I would simply create the conditions to ensure it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he had played right into my hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smiled at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You should’ve gone for my neck. Why stab my stomach?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dragons are inherently arrogant.Perhaps that’s why he felt the need to come close and stab me instead of finishing me off from a distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oh, but even if he had aimed for my neck, I wouldn’t have let him succeed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tightened my grip on his hand, ensuring he couldn’t escape, and whispered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Got you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ugh—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clatter!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tried to yank his sword free from my abdomen.The pain surged, but it was manageable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How absurd—how many times had my stomach been stabbed in the past few days?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch.I felt the blade in my stomach chilling, frost creeping along my skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I suppressed it with heat, forcing the rising cold back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I estimated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Seven seconds.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the limit I could endure. It wasn’t much time, but it was enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flames coiled around my hand instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was faster this time—I’d done it once before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hummmm—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I recreated the Flame Jade Sacred Spear, despite the sword still embedded in my stomach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My hands trembled violently.Two consecutive uses were my limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let go! I said let go, you fool!\" Mang’s panicked voice grew louder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’ll kill us both! Do you not care what happens to me in this body?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using Woo Hyuk’s body to plead? Laughable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s his problem, not mine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And besides.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I twisted my expression into a scowl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That bastard would curse me to no end if I spared you now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I had hesitated to finish him here, Woo Hyuk would have berated me for it later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gripping the spear tightly, I watched Mang shout in desperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you use that at this range, you won’t survive either!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah. So what?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words didn’t faze me. It didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My survival wasn’t the priority—ending this was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he saw that nothing he said could sway me, his face contorted in despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tried to continue, but I was done listening.Raising the spear, I drove it directly into his abdomen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thunk!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOOOOM!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The explosion engulfed everything.\u003C\u002Fp>",3378,"2026-06-05T15:10:11.188Z",1,"novelbin.me","f0cb450b9c9d51cf17d4a759cd5091092ed2e481ce5be7ad1fab4af936c93052","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-635","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-633",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]