[{"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-728":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},1240778,1667,"Chapter 727","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-728",728,"\u003Cp>TL Notes: Just a reminder. Jin Im-seok is a fictitious name for Seong Yul under which he is registered in the tournament.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>______________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drip—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood spilled across the cracked floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The amount was far too much to be just from his mouth. His trembling body showed clear signs that it had reached its limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seong Yul turned his gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sword lay beside the pool of blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A swordsman who had dropped his weapon and was trembling—that scene spoke volumes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hmm.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin observed the kneeling youth against the gray backdrop of a dulled, suffocating world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How disappointing.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was nothing like what he had expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Im-seok. That was his name.Peng Woojin had harbored some interest in him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had expected him to endure a little longer—hoped that he would make this fight a bit more entertaining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Was I expecting too much?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The anticlimactic result left Peng Woojin feeling cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes shifted.He turned his attention away from the defeated opponent and scanned the crowd below the arena.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t take long to find who he was looking for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a world painted gray, there was only one person glowing with light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Ha.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint smile crept onto Peng Woojin’s lips as he spotted the young man.The light was still dazzling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this murky, colorless world, that young man shone with a vivid blue hue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘As brilliant as ever.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he first saw him, the light had been faint—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dying ember.A flickering spark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s all he had seen in the boy who was much younger than him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How fascinating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin had been drawn to that flame.And as time passed, the ember turned into a roaring fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Color.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin had lost his ability to see color when he turned ten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet now, it danced before him, shimmering and alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Beautiful.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The red hue had somehow shifted to blue, but—it was still breathtaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it wasn’t just the young man who radiated light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around the blue glow, other colors had begun to bloom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girl from the Tang Clan, whose name wasn’t worth remembering—she now emanated a faint green light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Bright.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had been completely colorless before.How had she come to possess such a hue?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin had seen others with color before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The abbot of Shaolin, Cheon-an, possessed it.The Sword Emperor of the Murim Alliance, revered as its guardian, also had it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He once thought strength determined these colors.But he realized long ago that wasn’t true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His father—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The head of the Peng Clan—possessed no color.Yet the Divine Doctor, hailed as the greatest in Zhongyuan, radiated it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Then what is color?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it wasn’t strength, what defined these hues?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin had pondered this question for years, but no answer ever came.Instead, he came to one conclusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s dazzling.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a world stripped of color, what he saw was mesmerizing and irresistible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had long stopped questioning why he could see it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, all that mattered was that it existed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a single ray of light piercing through a void.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps that was why his perception of the world had changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those without color—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were like dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they shared the same heartbeat, they didn’t feel human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They weren’t worth remembering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pebbles scattered across the ground.Nothing more, nothing less.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His father was no exception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite inheriting his hair and eyes, Peng Woojin never gave his father much thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it because he was weak?Was it because he flailed so pathetically in his struggle to survive?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was because he had no color.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin cared nothing for those without color.Blood ties didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His incompetent father and brothers—worthless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only his sister, Peng Ahui, whose faint color barely registered, was spared his disdain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How could I not covet it?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A being that created color around itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin had never seen anyone create color before.But those near that young man…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Show me something.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin smiled faintly as his opponent struggled to stand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His limbs trembled.He gripped his sword like a crutch, barely able to hold himself up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Indulge me with one request.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon had made this request before the duel, and Peng Woojin’s curiosity was piqued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without it, he wouldn’t have gone through with this fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Or maybe…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe he would’ve fought anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because even this pathetic opponent—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He has color.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flickering, fading ember.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The color around Jin Im-seok was dim, almost extinguished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin’s interest waned with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What do you expect to see in him, Gu Yangcheon?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s all it would take to judge his worth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite having a color, it was hard to expect much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even now, the light was dimming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he had managed to stand and pick up his sword,Peng Woojin could see it clearly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no fighting spirit left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A swordsman without resolve—Was nothing more than emptiness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What a shame.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps he was wrong this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking that, Peng Woojin raised his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would finish this in one blow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He swung—not with the edge, but the flat of his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thunk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin abruptly retracted his strike and leapt back—six steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Hmm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His smile vanished as he narrowed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A broken stance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A trembling body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing about him had changed—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Peng Woojin couldn’t ignore the feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The color.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flickering yellow hue was gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why did he suddenly seem so vivid?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell was happening?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Peng Woojin questioned it, realization struck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Ah.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The color hadn’t disappeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had transformed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hazy yellow had vanished, replaced by a dark, almost black aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Peng Woojin noticed it—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Im-seok was cloaked in black.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin glanced at the referee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man showed no reaction.He was merely watching for interference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘They can’t see it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So it’s like this again.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon had been right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That fact sent a thrilling shiver through him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Im-seok moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man who should’ve already reached his limit—moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shrouded in darkness, his expression was unreadable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin watched with intrigue until—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Im-seok muttered softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes lit up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yellow pupils gleamed like burning embers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin felt goosebumps crawl down his spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An overwhelming energy burst forth from Jin Im-seok’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin tilted his head as he felt the surge of energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Killing intent.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That overwhelming presence—it was all pure killing intent.How could someone emit such an immense amount?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a sight that could inspire awe, but this wasn’t the time for admiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin grinned and raised his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Im-seok charged at him in an instant, his aura roaring like a storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their weapons collided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin’s feet dug into the stage, sliding backward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What’s this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The power was entirely different from before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The once-light strikes now bore crushing pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin shifted his grip and redirected the attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Screech—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Im-seok’s blade grazed past, barely missing its mark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin immediately countered, channeling strength back into his blade—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swish—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, Jin Im-seok’s killing intent surged forward, sharp as a blade itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin quickly altered his stance and swung.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Black Smoke Fang Blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sword, infused with Qi, unleashed a flurry of chaotic slashes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang! Clang! Clang—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He deflected every wave of killing intent that came at him.It wasn’t particularly difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when the last strike subsided, his expression darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How strange.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The intensity of the killing intent was stronger than expected.It felt less like intent and more like raw force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s supposed to be killing intent, but it’s acting like Qi.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of martial art is this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin turned his head slightly, fascinated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slice—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Im-seok’s blade grazed his cheek, drawing blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He’s faster.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just stronger, but faster than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This might as well be a different person.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even his swordplay had changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crash—! Boom—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What started as steady, practiced strikes had turned into something primal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He swung purely on instinct now.The blade carried so much killing intent that it was impossible to ignore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was no longer swordsmanship—it was wild, chaotic violence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead of retreating, he stepped forward, pressing in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slice—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Killing intent scraped his skin, leaving shallow cuts, but he didn’t care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anything, it only excited him more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is fun.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever happened to turn Jin Im-seok into this—Peng Woojin no longer cared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s exciting.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze locked onto Jin Im-seok’s golden eyes, gleaming with malice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they reeked of madness, Peng Woojin found them beautiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kill. Kill. I’ll kill you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t even hear Jin Im-seok’s muttering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang—! Clang! Clang—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin’s precise strikes cut through the waves of killing intent as he closed the gap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He mixed in feints, but Jin Im-seok saw through them all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slice—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A shallow cut opened on Jin Im-seok’s shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been a deliberate move to create an opening—but Jin Im-seok used it to dive in closer instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kill.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Im-seok stabbed forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sword pierced Peng Woojin’s shoulder, bursting through the other side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin, however, only grinned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Excellent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He grabbed Jin Im-seok’s wrist tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grip—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huff… Huff!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahaha—!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this range, Peng Woojin couldn’t swing his sword.And Jin Im-seok’s blade was lodged, locking him in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither could act without leaving themselves open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now what, Master Jin —!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before he could finish,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Im-seok sank his teeth into Peng Woojin’s neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin immediately let go of his sword and struck Jin Im-seok’s stomach with his fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The impact sent Jin Im-seok flying, rolling across the stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Spit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spat something out—flesh and blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin ran his fingers over the wound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t fatal, but it was a rough injury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he hesitated even a moment longer, it might have been far worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I didn’t expect that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Biting? Was this a fight or a brawl?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This… this is fantastic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin wiped his bloodied neck, his face alight with joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was so much color.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Im-seok’s killing intent blanketed the area,and his golden eyes burned brilliantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with just two colors—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They filled Peng Woojin’s world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“More.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t get enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Show me more.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hum of his blade grew louder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wuuuuuuuuuung—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air trembled as energy gathered around his weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood dripped from his wounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pain surged, but it only heightened his exhilaration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huff… Huff.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Jin Im-seok’s killing intent grew denser.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed he was starting to control it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin’s blade began to spin slowly in his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Let’s see.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How much more can he show me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon’s request was long forgotten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How far can he push himself?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How brightly can he burn?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I want to see it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was all he cared about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So show me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Show me how far you can shine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wuuuuuung—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Im-seok’s trembling sword began to change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The killing intent swirling around him coalesced into the blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this another technique?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin’s breathing quickened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Im-seok’s golden eyes burned brighter,and Peng Woojin couldn’t hold back anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He called upon his own power—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Black Iron Thousand Blades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin prepared his strongest technique,ready to match Jin Im-seok’s intensity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tension reached its peak—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Im-seok staggered—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wha—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin froze in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Im-seok lay motionless, the killing intent gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His dark aura faded, leaving only the faint golden hue from before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin moved to approach, but the referee intervened, checking Jin Im-seok’s condition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raising his hand, the referee declared:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Victory—Peng Woojin of the Peng Clan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd erupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or maybe they didn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin couldn’t hear anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only thing he saw—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was Gu Yangcheon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Gu Yangcheon was smiling,staring at Jin Im-seok like he’d just found something precious.\u003C\u002Fp>",1975,"2026-06-05T15:10:16.200Z",1,"novelbin.me","004104275f108f3f58280aa896b7947db60067327e2b4291b0fe214181d43242","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-729","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-727",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]