[{"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-759":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},1240559,1667,"Chapter 758","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-759",759,"\u003Cp>Whoosh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Explosions erupted in rapid succession.The heat filling the surroundings was suffocating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blue flames surged violently, sending waves of fire upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hurled another spear of Qi with all my strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huff!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spear flew and struck its target. Without hesitation, I released my Qi to trigger the explosion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whooosh—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deafening roar erupted, and shockwaves rippled outward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Ugh…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Argh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those with lower cultivation couldn’t withstand the blast and were sent flying.The ground, already battered, was left in ruins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Do I need two more shots?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My expression soured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d already thrown six.Even after pushing near my limit, I was wondering if I needed to keep firing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gulp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I popped another Dokcheon Pill into my mouth and swallowed it.It hurt my pride to burn through the few I had left, but there was no choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The Poison King will handle it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said he was close to perfecting their production, so I convinced myself this was an investment.Otherwise, I’d probably die from regret first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Damn it, do you know how much these cost?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were probably worth more than Everlasting Cold Iron.Enough to buy a proper estate in the heart of Hanan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Shit….’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just thinking about it made my stomach churn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was already pissed about using one earlier, and now this was the second one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Haa…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suppressing my irritation, I narrowed my eyes.As painful as it was to spend resources, I had to focus and stay rational.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeah, what’s the point of money if I die?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I need to survive first.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cycled my Qi and prepared again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lingering explosions had left the air thick with smoke, making it hard to see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, I could tell.Things hadn’t gone as planned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A gust of wind swept the smoke away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And there it was—clear and visible now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white mass I’d seen earlier.That pale, thread-spewing thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spear’s explosion left faint cracks across its surface, but it was far from destroyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Tch.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clicking my tongue, I scowled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d been hoping for more.But as expected—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s a White-Rank beast, after all.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>White-Rank Monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Commonly known as Dragons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Relics of the past, sealed in Hanan. This was undoubtedly one of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had to be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That’s why only Qi-infused attacks can damage it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the cracks confirmed it.It was only because I infused Qi that I managed to cause any damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Is this all I managed to do?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even that was disappointing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cracks were clear but superficial.It didn’t feel like a decisive blow at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I put everything into that attack.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike during the Bi-mu, I’d unleashed my full power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, I’d only used this technique twice against the Divine Dragon—The difference in strength was incomparable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just look at it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Is this the Little Lord of the Underworld…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is absurd—this is even worse than the rumors….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Martial artists had gathered around, gawking at the aftermath of my attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by their robes, they were from reputable sects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Mount Hua Sect… and is that Kunlun?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I spotted a few members of the Nine Great Schools, and even some from Shaolin.There were also glimpses of martial families, though the sects outnumbered them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dozens of them.Judging by the state of their gear, they’d just fought off an ambush.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, instead of retreating, they followed the energy surge here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘They’ve got guts.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Charging toward the epicenter instead of running.I had to respect their resolve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I quickly memorized their faces.If any of them survived, it might be worth keeping them alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Listen carefully.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I amplified my voice with Qi, letting it echo around us.Loud enough for everyone to hear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyone who can’t wield Manifestation (Sim-sang), step back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A brief but clear warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The response was immediate and chaotic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Manifestation?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean… like Sword-Heart Unity?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For martial artists, Manifestation was a near-mythical level—A fusion of one’s enlightenment and mastery of Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even among elders and sect leaders, only a rare few ever reached it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And you’re saying—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You can use it…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their disbelief was palpable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why mention Manifestation at a time like this?These martial artists really were impossible to predict.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s not the point right now. If you can’t use it, you’ll be useless here—so leave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t care about their shock.The situation demanded focus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was something Paejon discovered—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>White-Rank beasts couldn’t be harmed without Manifestation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How ridiculously unfair was that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Even elders from prestigious sects barely qualify.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was insane.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What choice do I have?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to deal with it.Complaining wouldn’t change reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I exhaled sharply and prepared my stance.Then, I turned to the side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You, leave too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re impossible. Do you even know where this is?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned as Namgung Bi-ah flinched slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And why was she wearing my clothes?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I told you this morning to stay put. Why can’t you listen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t answer.Instead, she stared at me with that familiar, unreadable expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes held concern—and a hint of frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few years ago, I wouldn’t have noticed.Now, it was obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you even know what that thing is?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What is it…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I don’t know….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah’s eyes shifted ever so slightly.It looked like a faint frown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But…why do you know?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why do I know what no one else does?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her question caught me off guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My lips twitched. She noticed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hesitated, trying to come up with an answer—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You don’t have to explain. But—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah drew her sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Don’t try to stop me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When did she get so sharp?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t argue with that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I could respond—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your cousin’s right, you know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A middle-aged man with white hair and a cocky grin appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Goeseon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Goeseon, the Hermit of Wudang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was Woo Hyuk’s master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing my look, he quickly waved his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just so you know, I came to stop her. But my niece is… extremely stubborn. Hahaha.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So you couldn’t stop her either.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t expecting this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘At least Woo Hyuk stayed put.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike these two, Woo Hyuk obeyed orders and stayed back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d tried to keep everyone away—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you really think we’d listen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More figures emerged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re the worst, you know that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang So-yeol, fuming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How could we sit still knowing this was happening?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wi Seol-ah, her chest wrapped in bandages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially her—seeing her made my head spin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You, of all people, shouldn’t be here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wi Seol-ah lay bedridden after her match against the Divine Dragon.Both her internal and external injuries required constant rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite the harshness in my voice—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…How could I just lie there?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wi Seol-ah smiled as she looked at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no way I could do that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to tell them all to get lost. To leave and stop interfering.I wanted to curse them out and order them away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woooong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Shit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t have time to waste convincing them.I turned my head and tensed my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssssss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What… what is that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Threads!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone around me widened their eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white mass.Threads pouring out of what seemed to be an egg had finally taken form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Layer upon layer, threads connected and intertwined.And what it revealed—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Wings? Butterfly wings…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s what it looked like.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not particularly large—though, in proportion to the egg, they seemed oversized.As I observed, my thoughts raced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So much for stopping it early.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given how far it had progressed, it seemed too late for that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, I wasn’t discouraged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I didn’t think it’d be that easy anyway.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I never expected things to go smoothly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Nine Flames Firewheel mechanism in my heart spun rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heat surged, activating my body to its limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I need more information.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What exactly was this thing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t have the time to analyze it carefully. But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’ll figure it out while fighting.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now was the time to strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blue flames surged around my body as I prepared to leap.I turned to look at the women watching me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What should I say?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I tell them to stay back because it’s dangerous? No.They wouldn’t listen anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I tell them to be careful and not to die? They’d just brush it off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe I should tell them to run if things get too risky? That wouldn’t work either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m only saying this once, so listen carefully.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had just one thing left to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you think you’ll just get in the way, back off. That’s the best way to help right now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Urgh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their faces all twisted at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew my words might hurt them.But this was the only way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the moment I spoke—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stomped the ground, accelerating forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If ranged attacks don’t work, I’ll close the distance.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I crossed the gap in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling the rush of speed, I formed another Spear of Light.It was originally designed for throwing, but this time I’d use it directly for impact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gripping the completed spear tightly, I thrust it with all my might—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just before it struck the mass—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grab—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The creature moved.A hand shot out and seized the spear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes—a hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not quite human—closer to a beast’s claw.That hand emerged and blocked my attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let go immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My decision was quick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Releasing the spear, I retreated.Then, I detonated it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOOOM—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The explosion sent out shockwaves, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What the hell?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stepped back and observed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hand that had caught the spear was shattered and crumbling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is that?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssssss….\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My eyes shifted from the hand to the mass itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud. Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mass was changing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Starting from the arm, two more arms emerged.A torso followed, then two legs—and a tail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, a head.The thing stood up on two legs, staggering slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How the hell was I supposed to describe it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It stood upright, almost human-like, but its limbs and tail said otherwise.And then there were the butterfly wings on its back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And its face—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…A goat’s face.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—a ram’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its features resembled those of a goat or ram.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was slightly over nine feet tall—Huge for a human, but far too small to be a Dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s nothing like the Dragon I saw before.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dragons were supposed to be massive—like moving mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this thing—What the hell was it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no answers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wiping away the cold sweat on my forehead, I focused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One thing was clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…It’s dangerous.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t need an explanation.My instincts screamed at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I kept my guard up, observing its every move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The creature moved its head, scanning its surroundings.It looked at its own arms, then studied each person nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eventually, its eyes landed on me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eye contact lasted less than a second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t need more time to understand what it intended to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Prepare for battle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as I spoke—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Ah.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The creature let out a short sound—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[AAAAAAHHHH—!!!!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Followed by an earth-shattering roar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Argh…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My ears…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People around me clutched their heads in pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even hearing the sound shook their Qi from within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now everyone understood—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This thing wasn’t friendly.It was a monster we had to fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Shit.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smirked, despite the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just from its killing intent, I knew—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Winning wasn’t likely.It felt like facing a mindless White-Rank beast all over again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hunting it down seemed impossible right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as tension filled the air, I reminded myself of the goal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s fine.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It really was.Hunting it wasn’t my job.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I just need to hold out.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I couldn’t kill it at the start, then I’d move to Plan B—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Survive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hold out, no matter what.That was the plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the one who’d finish this fight—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>wasn’t me.\u003C\u002Fp>",1965,"2026-06-05T15:10:17.629Z",1,"novelbin.me","8dc81cb135b1a5c3f84f299fd0583cbf535ad7c1e125a75b52ed3bb4a2d658cb","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-760","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-758",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]