[{"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-664":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},1240414,1667,"Chapter 663","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-664",664,"\u003Cp>Upon hearing Pildo-ma’s words, the first emotion I felt was disappointment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What the hell?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought something significant was about to happen, but… what exactly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The revival of a White-Rank Beast?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an unexpected turn—and not in a good way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, under normal circumstances, I might have been somewhat surprised, but…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Now, it doesn’t feel like much.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps it was because I’d just experienced so many strange occurrences that, even though it seemed like a massive revelation, it didn’t leave much of an impression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s an incredible story, though.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A beast sealed beneath the lands of Hanam, with Pildo-ma planning to revive it. Just hearing about it made it sound monumental.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What a mess.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why do these things always hide in such places? If they were sealed across regions, why not just say so outright? My head started to ache.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If what he’s saying is true.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was it buried there? How did he know about it? And how would he revive and use it? All of it raised questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even beyond that…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I must remind myself this wasn’t something that happened in my previous life.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Pildo-ma himself was a survivor of the Jegal clan. The fact that they were preparing something like this in Hanam at this time was entirely unforeseen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘In my past life, Pildo-ma was just another martial artist from the unorthodox sects.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An ascetic whose name was slowly gaining prominence. An old man who made a dramatic debut by assassinating two leaders of the Meng to showcase his strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, he entered under Cheonma’s command and took control of the Cheonra Black Scourge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Looking back now, it’s strange.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The idea that he dreamed of avenging the Jegal clan and reviving it from Hanam had never even come to light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if it had existed, it wasn’t revealed, which means…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It failed.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pildo-ma hadn’t succeeded in his goals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Then, does that mean what he’s trying to do now will also end in failure?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t sure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too many things had diverged from my past life. Moreover, Pildo-ma’s current actions might have even been caused by my interference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing could be said with certainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s not simple.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While I seemed to have handled things well enough, what Pildo-ma was attempting felt ambiguous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had thought he might be planning something using an exotic power like sorcery, but…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘To think he intends to use a beast.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, if it’s a White-Rank Beast, assuming it’s true, it would undoubtedly cause significant upheaval.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The story of the North Sea likely hasn’t reached them yet.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Currently, the North Sea was at war, and the strongest force there, the Palace Lord, was in a weakened state. That was classified information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If such news were to spread, the Meng’s reaction would be unpredictable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, any accounts of a White-Rank Beast appearing in the North Sea wouldn’t have reached them either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And Zhongyuan is already in chaos because of the Red-Rank Beasts.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been three years since the Red Demonic Gate, which hadn’t appeared for centuries, had erupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Meng was barely maintaining a façade of peace amid the aftermath, trying to hold things together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if a White-Rank Beast were to appear now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would undoubtedly plunge everything into chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Could that be their plan?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the timing, it seemed plausible that Pildo-ma intended to revive a White-Rank Beast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By doing so, he could shatter the fragile peace the Meng had forced into place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Then why didn’t he do it in my previous life…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The earlier emergence of the Red-Rank Beasts, which should have coincided with Cheonma’s appearance, had already caused disruptions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With disasters like the one at Shinryong Pavilion shaking the Meng’s foundation, it seemed clear that Pildo-ma had seized this moment to act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘In that case, this also ties back to my involvement.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced at the old man behind the mask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, he seemed more tense as he looked at me. While I’d aimed for that reaction, he appeared even more on edge than I’d anticipated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why? I hadn’t done anything unusual today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be because of the barrier or whatever I’d torn apart? If so, that would make sense, but…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Who would’ve guessed it’d be torn apart so easily?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who would’ve thought it could be dismantled so effortlessly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had to be due to the incompetence of those who made it, right? Yes, that must be it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Anyway.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The situation we were in wasn’t entirely unrelated to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘When has anything not been my fault?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t feel guilty about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, I was actively trying not to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…A dragon, you say? Something like that exists beneath the lands of Hanam?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It does.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[And how did you come to know of it?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…It’s part of the information left behind by my ancestors.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Ancestors?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By ancestors, he meant the Jegal clan, which had already been annihilated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given their expertise in formations, it lent a degree of credibility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Verifying whether it’s true is another matter entirely.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right now, there were other things to consider.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘A White-Rank Beast.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Pildo-ma’s words were true, the consequences of the beast’s awakening…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the potential benefits of using it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Pildo-ma isn’t some foolish old man.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hanam was under the Meng’s watchful eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, with the Biwu Tournament approaching, countless martial experts were gathering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most distinguished families and ancient sects would all be present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Would summoning a beast on such land even matter?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having fought against a White-Rank Beast, I knew its strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was undeniably powerful. Its might far exceeded that of a Red-Rank Beast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s not unbeatable.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While my father’s presence had been pivotal in our victory, it wasn’t something unmanageable with a swarm of top-tier experts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There’d be casualties, but it wouldn’t be enough to topple the Meng.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless their forces were particularly exceptional. And beyond Pildo-ma, they didn’t seem to have many formidable fighters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pildo-ma had to know this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t oblivious. At least, not in my understanding of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If he’s proceeding despite knowing this, there must be something more.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something that would allow him to push forward after unleashing this chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Hmm.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feigning thought, I propped my chin on my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I noticed a faint tremble in Pildo-ma’s wrinkles as he observed me. His excessive tension still seemed odd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It doesn’t matter. It works to my advantage.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having the opponent perceive me as a threat could only benefit me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If Pildo-ma’s plan succeeds and a beast does appear in Hanam…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap, tap, tap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tapped my fingers against the table where the liquor cup rested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Other than that sound, the surroundings were deathly quiet, as if time itself had stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About a minute passed like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My fingers stilled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The calculations were complete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[So.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I addressed Pildo-ma directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[What exactly is it you need me to do?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The conclusion didn’t seem unfavorable to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just “not unfavorable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It might actually be useful.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using this, I could likely accelerate my plans even further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I emerged from the cave, it was still night.Not much time had passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed to be thanks to the conversation not dragging on too long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I walked through the grassy field, scanning the surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of insects that had been chirping earlier was now absent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps it was due to the aura I had disrupted earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Not just the sound.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the terrain seemed subtly altered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be precise, it wasn’t distorted—it had reverted to its original state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Did they even disguise what could be seen?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had they overlaid an illusion on the terrain to hide its location?The bizarre method brought memories to my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It feels just like what I saw in Sichuan.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was during the first year after my regression when I visited Sichuan and saw the secret records of Yeonga.What I witnessed there was similar to this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The place had been disguised as a cliff, but once inside, there was a tree with pure white leaves falling from it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I recalled that moment, I felt the knot in my heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If this is sorcery, does that mean what I saw in Yeonga was also sorcery?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the time, I thought it was too foreign to be a formation. Could it have actually been sorcery?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Sorcery is said to have been brought by the dragons. How did Yeonga use sorcery to conceal that place?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The secret records of Yeonga had been hidden using the power of the dragons.Its descendants were cursed and became half-dragon hybrids.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How had it come to that?As I frowned at the strange connection,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nahi, who had followed me out, spoke to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned my back to her while simultaneously removing the mask I was wearing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I did, my bones and muscles twitched violently before the energy withdrew, and my body returned to its original form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to my improved cultivation, the duration and precision of my body-altering technique had increased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stretching my restored body, I addressed Nahi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Are you really going to do as that man said?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words were unexpected, especially coming from Nahi.Hearing them, I narrowed my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t think that man can be trusted…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded, signaling her to elaborate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s something about him… It feels suspicious in many ways.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your reasoning?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…The biggest reason is that he hasn’t provided all the information. He’s been twisting it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded again after hearing her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was right.Pildo-ma had never given me complete information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though he was intimidated by me and claimed to align his goals with mine, he was clearly scheming behind the scenes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nahi had likely deemed this troubling and thus voiced her concern, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I already knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve known for a while that he hasn’t told me everything. I’ve also known he might try something against me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It doesn’t matter. I was planning to use and discard him anyway.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At my nonchalant remark, Nahi’s eyes widened.Was it really that surprising?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you really think I’d keep that old man around forever?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she had, it would have been disappointing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, come on. Seriously?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no such intention whatsoever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pildo-ma was an old dog.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An old dog with ambition. Trusting someone like that would be idiotic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d been betrayed and deceived countless times before.I had no plans to trust Pildo-ma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For now, he was useful, so I intended to make use of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Once the work is done, he’ll be dealt with too.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before my plans reached their conclusion, I’d kill and dispose of him.Cheonma had absorbed and utilized him in the past, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I have no interest in consuming something already rotting.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was different from Cheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyway, it’s not a bad thing that you raised the concern,” I said to Nahi.“But just now, you overstepped.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At my words, Nahi immediately fell to her knees.Watching her, I continued speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since when did you start giving advice on matters not yet discussed? Or are you issuing commands now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I… apologize…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nahi trembled as if terrified, despite me not saying much.Seeing her like this, I inwardly clicked my tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stand up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At my command, Nahi promptly rose to her feet. I considered scolding her further but decided against it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My relationship with Nahi was forged through demonic energy.I didn’t trust her much either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I trusted no one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were all expendable pieces.That was the value of the demonic followers I kept.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As such, acts like this held no appeal to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not that it would happen, but if Nahi ever did show loyalty, it would only make me more uneasy.Ignoring the uncomfortable thought, I pulled a letter from my robe and handed it to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Deliver this to Hyuk. And tell Jiseon to come to Hanam if he has no other matters.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…As you command.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, and…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stopped Nahi just as she was about to vanish after receiving the letter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tell that spear-wielder to come here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the mention of someone specific, surprise flashed across her face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shall I relay the message immediately?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. Tell him to come by next month at the latest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I understand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With those words, Nahi bowed once more and disappeared into smoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After confirming she was gone, I scratched my cheek.It was because of the “spear-wielder” I had just mentioned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Honestly, I’d rather not call him.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the years, I had cultivated a few more demonic followers as subordinates.The spear-wielder was one of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He’s a troublesome bastard to deal with.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the group of maniacs destined to go insane or drown in bloodlust, that guy stood out as particularly insane.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was enough to remind me of the Sword Demon from my previous life.Perhaps worse, but certainly comparable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That’s why I avoided calling him unless necessary…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, he seemed perfect for the task I had in mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Besides, it’s about time to gather everyone.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demonic followers I had scattered across the land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was time to call them all back.The moment for the plan I had laid out was approaching, and I needed to assemble them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Will this be okay?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given that they were all lunatics, even I felt a twinge of hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There’s no choice.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to proceed.I needed to see the plan succeed, no matter what.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The plan…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just thinking about it made me feel queasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turning around, I saw Seong Yul waiting outside.Looking at his murky yellow eyes, I spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I moved forward, Seong Yul silently followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Walking under the crescent moon, I glanced up at the sky.It was the first night back in Hanam, slowly passing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was less than a month left until the Biwu Tournament.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Once that time passes.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I would become a villain the world feared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And at the same time—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I would shine brighter than anyone as a hero.\u003C\u002Fp>",2321,"2026-06-05T15:10:12.585Z",1,"novelbin.me","86dcdfc80d8d369b9c5f2aa5146f99e261e983a753046458374ec1049fcec445","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-665","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-663",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]