[{"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-672":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},1240422,1667,"Chapter 671","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-672",672,"\u003Cp>I soared through the night sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wind brushed against my cheeks as the crescent moon hung brilliantly above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an unusually beautiful night. Of all times, why now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt the lingering heat of summer as I flew, the scenery below changing countless times. It wasn’t a short distance I had traveled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tightened my hold. The one being dragged along stirred, her head tilting slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her black hair fluttered in the wind, and her expression twisted slightly from the pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘She’s not even fazed, is she?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite being dragged by the neck, she showed no signs of discomfort. How could she be so unaffected when I was applying this much force?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My frustration, mixed with anger, rose at the thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma’s gaze flickered around, scanning her surroundings. Was she trying to figure out how far we had come?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I thought that—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt her touch my wrist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma’s pale hand gripped my arm tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Squeeze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She began to push back against my strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t been exerting my full power, but even accounting for that, her grip was monstrous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, she’s still Cheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is better, though.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anything, this made my hesitation easier to overcome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking that—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vrrrm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I condensed heat behind me and then unleashed it in an explosive burst.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qi-infused explosion accelerated us downward, slamming toward the ground at an incredible speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoooosh—! BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The impact sent shockwaves rippling outward as an enormous burst of flames erupted on impact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The forest in the area was instantly devastated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lush trees were uprooted, and the vibrant meadows turned into a barren wasteland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thick clouds of dust rose from the fiery aftermath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssshhh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dust was so dense it obscured everything around me, but my eyes could pierce through it now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My gaze scanned the surroundings sharply—but there was no need.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My opponent hadn’t moved an inch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swept the dust away with my Qi, clearing my view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the dust settled, Cheonma stood at the center of the devastation, tilting her head as she massaged her neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned as I looked at her and asked coldly, “Why did you follow me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma’s expression showed confusion at my question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You brought me here,” she replied matter-of-factly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her tone and demeanor screamed of defiance, as if to say,What’s your problem?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was technically true, but I knew better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You could’ve avoided it,” I said firmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma could’ve dodged my attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her power, as shown when she defended Gu Heebi, made that evident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had let herself be caught on purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why didn’t you resist?” I asked, narrowing my eyes. “Why did you let yourself be captured so easily?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma replied simply, “If I stayed there, Sister would’ve gotten hurt.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here, it’s fine,” she added casually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words made my blood boil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What nonsense,” I muttered, barely containing my anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How absurd could this situation get?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Cheonma to say something like that—it was infuriating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her short response alone was enough to turn my stomach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Fine,” I said, calming myself abruptly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no point in wasting time and energy on anger. I reminded myself of why I had come here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flames gathered in my palm, forming a concentrated blue fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a moment, the condensed flame crystal was ready, and I infused it with killing intent as I fixed my gaze on Cheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I would kill her here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>End her, and with her, this karmic burden I carried from my regression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I prepared myself, Cheonma suddenly spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you hate me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an obvious question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes,” I said coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hate wasn’t strong enough. I wanted to kill her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her mere existence infuriated me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why?” she asked, as if she truly didn’t understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I haven’t done anything to you,” she added, her tone almost innocent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She hadn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not in this life, anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, you haven’t,” I admitted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this life, our encounters had been limited. She hadn’t initiated anything against me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You just haven’t done anythingyet,” I said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I never will,” she replied firmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t respond to her words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe she wouldn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This life was full of unexpected changes. People had grown and changed in ways I hadn’t predicted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s all uncertain.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t trust her words, not after everything I’d experienced because of her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The condensed flame crystal in my hand began to shift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I formed the Holy Spear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The process was faster than before, and in mere moments, the flame-forged spear was complete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gripping it tightly, I stepped forward and twisted my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the recoil as my ally, I hurled the spear with all my might.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoooosh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blazing spear tore through the air, its intense heat carving a path toward Cheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes widened, and she moved just in time to dodge the spear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Holy Spear missed its mark and flew into the forest beyond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments later—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A massive explosion erupted in the distance, sending a cloud of smoke and the stench of charred wood wafting through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I narrowed my eyes as I observed the aftermath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spear had missed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I wasn’t aiming to hit her.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Cheonma briefly faltered, I took a half-step forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small movement, but with my condensed Qi, it turned into something akin to a teleportation technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The world shifted around me as I appeared right in front of her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There wasn’t enough time to form another spear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, I condensed the flame crystal into a smaller form and thrust my hand toward her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma frowned as my attack approached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last time, she had crushed the flame crystal with her bare hand. Would she do the same again?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the blow neared, I wondered how she would react.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hiss—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a black aura began to coalesce around her body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qi formed into a thin, translucent barrier in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My flame crystal collided with the barrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blue flame erupted with scorching intensity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it exploded right in front of her, my expression soured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could tell immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It didn’t reach her.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I retreated to gain distance, my suspicions confirmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shhh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The heat dissipated, revealing Cheonma standing unscathed within her black barrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The translucent shield had absorbed the impact entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it,” I muttered, clicking my tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So she still has that.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That barrier—it was one of Cheonma’s defining powers in my previous life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her overwhelming physical strength alone made her nearly unbeatable, but this shield elevated her to the level of an untouchable being.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The Absolute Qi Shield.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The name surfaced in my mind, and I ground my teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike ordinary martial artists who used protective Qi to shield their bodies, Cheonma’s shield was far beyond that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t just protect her—it nullified any martial arts technique aimed at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how powerful the skill or secret art, in the face of Cheonma’s shield, it was meaningless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the Three Supremes had been rendered helpless before her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How did Father manage to wound her back then?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought crossed my mind, fleeting and unanswered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps it had been a miracle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Martial artists couldn’t hope to defeat Cheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet it was martial artists who fought to protect the world from her bloodshed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed like an unwinnable battle, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘We had the Divine Sword.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only person capable of bypassing the Absolute Qi Shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Sword, the bane of Cheonma, had succeeded in killing her in my previous life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that also meant—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Without the Divine Sword, the shield is impenetrable.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the harsh reality I had faced before, the reason so many had sacrificed themselves to protect the Divine Sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clenched my teeth hard enough to hurt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How am I supposed to break through that?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Absolute Qi Shield rendered all efforts meaningless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I hoped it wasn’t complete yet, but…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed my hope had been misplaced. Cheonma had already perfected her defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What Should I Do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How do I deal with this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The question churned violently in my mind until—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop it,” Cheonma said softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I don’t want to fight,” she continued, her expression tinged with a strange sadness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was an odd sincerity in her words, faintly touching something in me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bullshit,” I spat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That flicker of emotion was immediately burned away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t get to say that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t want to fight?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anyone in this world didn’t have the right to utter those words, it was her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And even if she did—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You should’ve said it long ago.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not now, not in this life, but far earlier—so early that even then, it would have been too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I engulfed myself in flames, the azure hue tinged with a sinister edge. My rage had tainted the purity of the flame with demonic Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I still didn’t know how to break through. Maybe I never would.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even so—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was time to stop turning back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I launched myself forward, the ground cracking beneath my feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twisting my torso, I drove all my strength into my legs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My kick flew toward Cheonma, the flames at its tip compressed to a single point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment it touched her Qi shield, the flames were extinguished, and the Qi I had gathered in my leg dissipated completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My strength vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that brief moment, the kick lost its momentum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grab.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma seized my foot and hurled me away with ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The force sent my body flying at an incredible speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t afford to create too much distance, so I quickly expelled flames to arrest my momentum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh!Sizzle!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I managed to slow myself down and looked ahead, preparing to charge again—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only to see Cheonma already standing right in front of me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was she toying with me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Stop,” she murmured in a pitiful voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of her voice—so like Wi Seol-ah’s—only disgusted me more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Find a way.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In moments like this, I needed to find a way forward. I always had before, and I would again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time would be no different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I opened my heart’s eye, hoping it would reveal something—anything—about her shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swore the moment I saw it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There’s nothing there?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even through the heart’s eye, the shield showed no flow of Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could that be?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every form of Qi had a flow, even if subtle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this was truly Qi, I should have been able to see something—but Cheonma’s Absolute Qi Shield revealed nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No, it’s not strange.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it wasn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there had been a visible flow—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Paejon wouldn’t have lost.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paejon, with his precision surpassing mine, and even the Three Supremes wouldn’t have been defeated so decisively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was precisely because this shield was nearly impossible to breach that they had sacrificed so much to protect the Divine Sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What a goddamned mess.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was there truly no way to overcome it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how much I struggled, I couldn’t even begin unless I could deal with this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all I had endured since my regression, to think I couldn’t even crack this one barrier—it was laughable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This power doesn’t even make sense.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A shield that nullified all martial techniques. Could it even be called Qi?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Wait.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thought struck me, stopping me cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What if… it’s not Qi?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the Absolute Qi Shield wasn’t Qi, then its lack of flow made sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it wasn’t Qi, then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s not energy as I know it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I raised my head, looking at Cheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She gazed back at me with the same sorrowful expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She began to say something, her lips moving slightly, but I didn’t care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Greed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gave the command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Devour it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snap!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From my shadow, a massive maw emerged and bit into her shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shield tore apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma’s Absolute Qi Shield, the impenetrable barrier, was ripped apart by Greed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma’s reaction was one of pure disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t miss my opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thrust the condensed flame crystal into the opening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The explosion erupted within the confines of the shield, flames and smoke bursting out in all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The smoke cleared quickly, revealing Cheonma still standing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood trickled from the corner of her lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wiped it away with the back of her hand and stared at it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice trembled, filled with disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It… hurts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The way she stammered made it sound as if she were uttering the word for the first time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked at the blood on her hand as if she couldn’t comprehend it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘She’s surprised by pain?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her reaction surprised me as much as it did her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I can’t believe it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shield wasn’t Qi after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That thing… it’s Authority, isn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Authority?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The power used by demonic beings blessed by their god.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I suddenly felt foolish for not considering it earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No wonder it didn’t make sense as martial arts…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It wasn’t martial arts to begin with.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I straightened, wiping away the sweat dripping from my chin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sweat?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When had I started sweating?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My body wasn’t exhausted—my Qi reserves were still abundant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet my body had reacted as if terrified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How ridiculous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I exhaled deeply and looked at Cheonma, who stood bleeding before me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was she a dragon?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The use of Authority made her seem like one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There’s no inherent hostility.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The visceral antagonism I felt toward dragons wasn’t present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, there was hostility, but it wasn’t primal—it came from the necessity to kill her, not her nature as a dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever the case—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It doesn’t matter anymore.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only thing that mattered now was that—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can break through.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The barrier that only the Divine Sword could pierce was no longer impenetrable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’ll devour her.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seed of calamity would be consumed here and now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twitch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The heat surged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pulse began in my heart, spreading to my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bright blue of my irises darkened, mixing with crimson until they glowed violet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could kill Cheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could take the place of the Divine Sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The desire burned within me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Greed,” I commanded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The new possibility became desire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Desire turned into hope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hope transformed into purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that purpose flared brightly as violet fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Devour her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>ROAR!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I would kill Cheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was all that mattered now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*****************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the Crescent Moon\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the violet light painted the sky, a man turned his gaze in its direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Hanam, where the Murim Alliance lay—his intended destination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All he could see was a raging inferno.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man shifted his gaze to his surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To reach Hanam, he had to pass Mount Taeseong, a towering peak near Shanxi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mountain that should have been lush and green with the season.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, it burned brightly in the night, flames engulfing its summit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oddly enough, despite the inferno, the villagers at the mountain’s base seemed oblivious, as if they couldn’t see the flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the peak, a man stood calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Gu Cheolwoon, the patriarch of the Gu family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His crimson eyes fixed on the source of the fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perched atop a massive rock was an old man clad in tattered rags.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder’s red eyes gleamed, and a massive crimson horn jutted from his forehead, glowing faintly in the dark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the horn, Gu Cheolwoon narrowed his eyes and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s been a long time. Have you been well?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man’s lips curled into a sinister smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Father.”\u003C\u002Fp>",2610,"2026-06-05T15:10:12.585Z",1,"novelbin.me","7f38f32e1c0697f5db72f62126b6c8fc904ba46b0e4eb7e80a6c69b624157f0b","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-673","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-671",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]