[{"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-762":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},1240562,1667,"Chapter 761","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-762",762,"\u003Cp>Darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pitch-black nothingness surrounded me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stared blankly into the void until—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Young Master—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master…!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Voices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing them, I opened my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Huff….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The darkness faded as light returned to my vision, and my mind snapped awake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I immediately turned my head, scanning the surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The explosion of light earlier—it had been enormous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed to check—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had anyone died?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I extended my senses, quickly sweeping the area with Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Thank God.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Relief washed over me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not a single presence had disappeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of my allies seemed to be injured, and the martial artists in the back appeared unharmed as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ground was shattered, and the surroundings were in ruins, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given how sudden the situation had been, this was a better outcome than expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least no one had died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…It was lucky that it was just an Authority.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monster’s attack had been an Authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d instinctively recognized it in time and blocked it using Greed (Tam).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I hadn’t, things could’ve ended much worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Wait. This isn’t the time to relax.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shook off my thoughts and forced myself to focus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now wasn’t the time to feel relieved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned to Tang So-yeol and asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I think I can block its attack again. We need to prepare for—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No…! Young Master…!! Don’t move…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her expression was strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked like she was about to cry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just her—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah stared at me with hard eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wi Seol-ah had dropped her sword and was covering her mouth, trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell was going on?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? Why are you—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stagger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Gah?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A wave of dizziness hit me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My knees buckled, and blood gushed from my mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clutching my bleeding lips, I checked my condition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then I understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Ah… shit.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apparently, I hadn’t blocked all of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that I looked closer, my body was drenched in blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bones were broken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My organs were damaged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huff… Huff….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe I’d used Greed too recklessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d blocked most of the impact, but what got through had hit me directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pain started flooding in as I turned to the monster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Kieek… Kiii….]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t doing well, either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d wondered why it hadn’t used that Authority earlier, but it seemed the backlash was severe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monster collapsed, looking completely drained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that, I forced myself up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang So-yeol cried out in panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sit down! We need to treat you first…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I spat out a mouthful of blood and circulated my Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It hurt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My meridians must’ve been damaged since my Qi wasn’t flowing properly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, I could move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could still walk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could still breathe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant I could still fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we delay any longer, it’s over.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With my trembling body, I raised my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was our chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monster was down—I had to finish it now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I summoned flames, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Ki… Kik….]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monster let out a sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It almost sounded like laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Damn it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A gust of wind blew past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sky came into view—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The patterns in the Magyeong Gates had completed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fuck.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cursed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Were we too late?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Grrooooar.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Shhhiiik,]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No time for answers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crying sounds echoed from within the gates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s too late.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While I’d been distracted by the Authority, the monster had finished the process.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now dozens of red-ranked monsters would appear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned to the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Run.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Run? What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their eyes told me everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could we run and leave that behind?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Idiots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you going to fight that? We can’t win. We need to fall back and protect the others.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I snapped, my voice sharp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But they won’t stop chasing us. It’s better to hold them off so the others can escape….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They refused to retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cut them off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll do it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had already made up my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So Yeomra… What do you—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll buy us the time. Go help the evacuation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I said I’d face the monsters alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words left everyone looking horrified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So Yeomra—!! Everyone here knows you’re strong. But how can you fight them alone in that state? That’s impossible!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s a way. Don’t worry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone could see it was madness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I really do have a plan.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t bravado.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had a last resort, something I’d only use when everything else failed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for that, I needed everyone else gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed them to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I came here—and when I saw that monster—I already prepared myself to die.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An unfamiliar martial artist spoke with bloodshot eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If anyone should sacrifice themselves, it should be me. We can’t let someone like you fall here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…It’s not a sacrifice. I told you—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You can’t do this alone. I, Wu Cheon-myeong of the Wu Clan, will stand with you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you people deaf?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So Yeomra, thank you for saving us earlier. You… you’re the hope of younger martial artists. The one who’ll lead the righteous sects. You don’t have to carry this burden alone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Goddamn it, will you listen to me?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell were they thinking?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no time for this!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just leave! I said I have a plan—argh…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I grabbed my ribs mid-shout.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it. That hurt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Young Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned my head, gasping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang So-yeol looked like she was about to cry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re a liar.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You said nothing bad would happen… but you lied.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no retort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even I hadn’t expected things to get this bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m glad I didn’t listen to you and came here. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to see you again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…That wouldn’t have happened.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rest. We’ll protect you now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I almost laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d been the ones protecting me earlier—pummeling that monster nonstop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait… I mean…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My head throbbed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one was listening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why wouldn’t they just believe me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What do I do?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I racked my brain for answers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crackle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lightning sparked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While the others were steeling their resolve,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two people—Wi Seol-ah and Namgung Bi-ah—were already walking forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell were they doing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey! Stop them—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Grrraaahh!!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right then, monsters began pouring out of the Magyeong Gates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Massive beasts, towering over the blue-ranked monster we’d fought earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creatures of all shapes and sizes tore through the dimensional rifts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tried to pull them back—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crackle—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sudden gust slammed into me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pressure made it hard to keep my eyes open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned toward the source.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something about her was off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lightning coursed through her hair, and killing intent poured out of her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t see her face, but her energy screamed rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Thunder Fang?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was holding Thunder Fang in her right hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blade crackled with lightning, encasing her body in thunderous energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Heavenly Descent?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the same technique the Demon Sword Queen had used with Thunder Fang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That aura, that presence—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah looked ready to tear everything apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Wi Seol-ah—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite her injuries, she was burning brighter than when she’d fought the Divine Dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The golden glow surrounding her rivaled the lightning crackling around Namgung Bi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then I saw it—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Wait.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A different energy within Wi Seol-ah’s golden aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>White.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…No.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stiffened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She couldn’t use that power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Shit.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew exactly what they were planning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were about to throw themselves at the swarm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t let them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wi Seol-ah would suffer if she used that power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they were already moving—and so were the other martial artists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was spiraling out of control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I focused my energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not the Nine Flames Firewheel—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rings inside my heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Four now instead of three, spinning with amplified force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was my last resort—a forbidden technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clench.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I began forming the shape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master? What are you—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shut out the noise and focused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vrrrrrr—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rings spun faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was just about to unleash it when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A voice cut through my focus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An aged, weathered voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I’m sorry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stopped immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew who it was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m sorry I’m late.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An old man stepped forward, clad in the Gu Clan’s robes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang So-yeol flinched, as if she hadn’t noticed his arrival until now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No need for introductions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No need for words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll handle this quickly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man raised his hand—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumble—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lightning roared as divine punishment rained down upon the monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rest for now.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1417,"2026-06-05T15:10:17.629Z",1,"novelbin.me","1c6355a3be60355ad4c51cf85db455e32d6e4ea77ce3249c3c94150e4074e3c9","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-763","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-761",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]