[{"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-782":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},1240582,1667,"Chapter 781","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-782",782,"\u003Cp>Fwoooosh—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The roaring flames filled the night sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The searing heat rippled through the air, so intense it felt like midday despite the moon still hanging overhead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I waved my hand at the flames dancing wildly in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Craaaaack—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound echoed like the wail of a beast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thick streams of fire twisted and turned at my command, and in moments—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A massive shockwave surged outward, and the flames began to retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blue fire poured back into my body, surging toward my heart, condensing into energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even as it settled, I could feel that I’d only reclaimed about half of what I had poured out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Haa…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let out a deep breath, dispersing the lingering heat in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whooosh—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cleared away the last of the heat and finally took a look around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then I laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is a damn mess.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The aftermath of the flames had left the place in ruins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scorched trees, charred marks scattered across the ground—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made sense, considering the fire I’d unleashed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But still—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s been a while since I lost this much control.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a jarring realization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d long since mastered fire techniques to the point where I could precisely target my attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back in my past life, I hadn’t cared about collateral damage—I just burned everything down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this life was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d grown accustomed to controlling my flames, but now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s harder than ever.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the transformation I went through last night, it was like my flames had become wild and untamed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every blast burned hotter and exploded far stronger than I intended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had nearly set the entire mountain ablaze before I hastily pulled it back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I hadn’t, I really might have burned down the whole area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after shifting to firing into the air instead of directly ahead, it hadn’t been enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I still couldn’t fully rein it in.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I spent the whole night experimenting, and the conclusion was clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This isn’t something I can fix in a day or two.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was going to take more time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The firepower’s way too strong.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What had I said last night?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d hoped for about a 30% increase in firepower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Yeah, 30%, my ass.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t 30%.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was double.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The firepower’s doubled.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only that, but the strength of my reinforced energy had also increased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that was the problem—I still couldn’t control it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flames now held more explosive force than ever before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If my limit before was a 10, it felt like I could now push past 20.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant my destructive capability had skyrocketed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The problem is…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t control this sudden surge of power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And even worse, my Qi reserves hadn’t grown at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I already had an unusually high Qi capacity, which was why my flames had always been strong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, with twice the firepower and the same amount of Qi—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I need way more Qi to handle this.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with my reserves, I’d run dry far too quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned, recalling the bursts of fire I’d unleashed last night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The power was overwhelming, even to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I didn’t have enough Qi to sustain it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Should I be happy about this or not?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was definitely a gain, a blessing in disguise—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if I wanted to fully utilize this power, I’d have to increase both my training and my Qi reserves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I need to expand my capacity.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to find a way to strengthen my foundation to keep up with this newfound strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I got stronger. That’s what matters.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed to focus on the positives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time was against me, and any boost in power was better than none.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘As long as I can boost my Qi, I’ll be unstoppable.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I could keep up with the firepower, then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I might even match the Three Supremes.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raw firepower alone might put me on par with them, at least in a clash of strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I have to surpass them.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The heights I was aiming for were far beyond theirs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed to find a way to make it work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘At the very least, I have to surpass the Heavenly Lord.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the Three Supremes, the Heavenly Lord was the strongest in terms of destructive force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d witnessed it firsthand during the last battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I lost in firepower.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thunderclouds that filled the sky—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lightning that rained down from above—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like facing a natural disaster, terrifying and overwhelming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I used to think the Heavenly Lord was the weakest of the three, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘They’re a Supreme for a reason.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing their true power forced me to reevaluate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Human disasters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Humans who had reached heights that seemed beyond mortal limits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to reach that level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘With this boost, how far have I climbed?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d been somewhere in the mid-tier of the Ten Great Masters before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’m at the upper ranks.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I still couldn’t match figures like the Plum Blossom Immortal or the Sword Saint, but I wouldn’t lose to the level just below them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the right circumstances, I might even hold my own against them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I could overwhelm them early with raw firepower—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though, if it turned into a prolonged battle—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’ll be the one to fall first.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t have the Qi reserves to sustain it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That’s just in a martial arts match.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I factored in my other abilities—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The techniques and powers I had gained—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I won’t lose.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Victory wasn’t guaranteed, but I wouldn’t lose either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt confident in that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I steadied my energy and looked out into the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything I had—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My martial arts, my dragon-given powers, and the rituals I was still perfecting—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were all part of my arsenal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And more than that—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Authority.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The powers I gained when I became a dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dragon Speech, Greed, and the Wind I’d taken from Mang—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of them were particularly suited for combat, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The new one I gained is different.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the first ability that actually seemed practical in a fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I need to test it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I flexed my fingers, tempted to activate it right away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I really wanted to try it out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tsk…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clicked my tongue and held back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Not here.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in this secluded area, it was too risky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t even sure if I could control it yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Time to move.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had other matters to attend to soon and couldn’t afford to waste more time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, I should’ve left earlier, but I’d spent too long testing my firepower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll test it next time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As much as I wanted to experiment further, I forced myself to hold back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clicking my tongue in frustration, I turned around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was time to head down the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Speaking of which… did that brat make it there safely?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I briefly thought of the brat who had been hanging around earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d decided to head down on his own while I’d stayed behind, saying he could find his way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But did he actually know where he was going?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, I felt a flicker of worry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He’ll figure it out.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t a real kid, after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That brat had been zipping around just fine earlier, so he should be able to manage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, I still felt uneasy about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I had too much to do to let it distract me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I need to focus.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lingering any longer would only make me late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that thought, I quickened my pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My destination—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Martial Alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After flying for about half an hour, I finally arrived at the Martial Alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, I should’ve gotten here in half that time... but I ended up arriving later than expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn it... Even the slightest push of strength makes me shoot forward. I can’t control this properly.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A light press of my foot was enough to send me speeding ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to focus on controlling my pace the whole way here, worried I’d accidentally crash into a building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, I arrived at the Martial Alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment I reached the entrance, someone appeared and approached me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I greet the Star King.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nice to meet you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Martial Alliance member greeted me with proper etiquette, as if they had been waiting for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this made me scowl slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn that title. Still can’t get used to it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The word “Star King” grated on my nerves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…The Lord has been waiting. If you’re ready, I’ll escort you inside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What if I’m not ready? Does that mean I don’t have to go in?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Pardon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m joking. Let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d tried lightening the mood with a joke, but seeing the martial artist’s face stiffen immediately, I dropped it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following his lead, I entered the alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d been visiting often enough lately that the surroundings were starting to feel familiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I walked, taking in the sights, the guide suddenly spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Lord has been waiting for you for some time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned my head toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, really?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. The Lord expected you to arrive a bit earlier and prepared in advance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He must be busy. Did he really need to go that far?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, I suppose it’s a matter of basic courtesy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I narrowed my eyes slightly at his words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something about his tone rubbed me the wrong way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced at the man with narrowed eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since he kept facing forward, I couldn’t see his expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe I was imagining things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I brushed it off for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Sure, whatever.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since the Lord is technically your senior, I imagine waiting for you hasn’t been particularly comfortable for him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If he seems displeased, I hope the Star King, as his junior, will be understanding.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His continued remarks made it clear this wasn’t just in my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Already trying to pick a fight, huh?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I scratched my cheek with a finger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So this is how it starts—with a power play.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only was he making a fuss about me being late, but now he was slipping in comments about seniors and juniors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The truth was, while I’d arrived later than expected, it wasn’t actually late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Technically speaking, I was on time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But this bastard’s acting like I’m late on purpose.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tilted my head slightly, studying the martial artist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His uniform’s emblem and the armband on his arm made it easy to figure out which faction he belonged to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taking note of those details, I spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And so?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Excuse me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man flinched and turned back toward me, clearly startled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked like he was wondering if he’d misheard me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, he hadn’t misheard anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who told him to wait?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I mean, who asked him to sit there and wait for me? It’s almost like you’re implying I begged him to stay put.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The martial artist looked at me in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe my reaction caught him off guard because his composure wavered, letting me catch a glimpse of his true feelings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I had actually been late, I’d have kept my mouth shut. But I’m on time, so what’s with all the fuss?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What fuss? I would never—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is fussing. What else would you call it? Don’t try to act like this was some highly respectful observation. It didn’t sound that way to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smirked, and his expression cracked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was told today worked for everyone, so I agreed out of consideration. Now you’re throwing this senior-junior nonsense at me—what the hell is that about?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today’s schedule had been arranged to accommodate everyone, and since it worked for me, I went along with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He probably knew. No—he definitely knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, he was still acting like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To make it worse—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, old man.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“W-what? Old man?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you even know who the fuck I am?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You are the Star King.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, no. Not just the Star King.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smiled wide and patted his shoulder a couple of times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m here to take over as the Lord. That makes me your superior, doesn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m pretty damn sure it does. No matter how I look at it…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gave him a slow, deliberate once-over from head to toe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t look like you outrank me, do you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I made sure to lace my voice with as much disdain as I could manage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Tch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I heard his teeth grinding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I must’ve hit his pride hard. Not that I cared—I just kept talking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look, I’m saying this for your sake. I don’t give a shit who told you to do this, but don’t start useless pissing contests with me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t let out any Qi or killing intent while speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, I would’ve, but if I did now, I might’ve killed the bastard on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not exactly known for my good temper. Fuck around too much, and you might lose something important. Try to keep your body in one piece.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was genuine advice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How many bastards who picked fights with me were still breathing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d killed so many I couldn’t even remember their faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I was trying to do him a favor—don’t start shit you can’t finish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bastard snapped and let his killing intent surge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The damn meeting hadn’t even started yet, and I was already about to deal with a corpse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then again—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Not like I’d give a shit.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wouldn’t matter to me at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I watched him as he started raising his hand toward his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Grab it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Go ahead. Grab it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And draw it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draw it already.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he wanted to start a goddamn mess from the get-go, I’d make sure he got what he asked for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was just waiting for him to make his move—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He grabbed the sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt the corner of my mouth twitch up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Vice Lord.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Tsk.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t get the show I wanted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fucking interruption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Not an interruption. More like they came running.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d clearly been watching and jumped in before things exploded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The newcomer stood there, face hard, staring at both of us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“L-Lord.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell are you doing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, that’s…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s the point of asking? You saw everything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cut in, not letting the bastard talk his way out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The newcomer turned his gaze to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, sorry. Just talking to myself. My thoughts slipped out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smiled, pretending to be sheepish, but of course, the guy’s expression didn’t change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Star King.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I greeted him with a bright smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Long time no see, Senior Ilcheonggeom.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man was none other than Ilcheong Sword, the Azure Dragon Division’s Lord.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one I was scheduled to meet today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The way you train your subordinates is fucking pathetic, isn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was also one of the four bastards I came to this Martial Alliance to kill.\u003C\u002Fp>",2495,"2026-06-05T15:10:17.629Z",1,"novelbin.me","c6c4c002d9fd5e2a4d1bc106bf5435c1092ad73ed4dfbc9463d0b963c01060ca","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-783","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-781",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]