[{"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-793":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},1240593,1667,"Chapter 792","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-793",793,"\u003Cp>While the conversation dragged on endlessly, I eventually had to leave the room with a thoroughly disgruntled expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had been called in for something important, yet the discussion had been cut off midway—it felt like someone interrupted me right in the middle of taking a dump.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell was that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So what was the conclusion supposed to be?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why did that old man, the founding head, summon me? And why, of all things, did he bring up questions about the Gu family?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could possibly have been his reason?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was dying of curiosity, but now there was no way for me to find out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Hmm.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Madam Mi had barged in suddenly, and a cold war erupted. In the end, I was summoned for nothing, didn’t even get proper answers, and got kicked out instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was downright pitiful—I couldn’t even complain about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Should I just eavesdrop?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought crossed my mind—using my qi arts to spy on the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Tsk.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I quickly abandoned the idea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that Madam Mi had burst in during their talk despite a soundproofing barrier meant she had been listening through it somehow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was probably the power of a spiritual artifact, and if I tried to eavesdrop now, they’d definitely have countermeasures in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If it’s for eavesdropping, then… Eavesdrop Stone, maybe?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few artifacts came to mind, but the Eavesdrop Stone seemed the most likely. Its range was decent, and its clarity wasn’t bad as long as the distance was right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s an artifact that’s easy to detect, so people rarely use it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, I would’ve scanned the area with my qi senses to detect such things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it never even crossed my mind that Madam Mi would hide something like that in her own quarters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why I hadn’t noticed it earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Did she anticipate this and plant it ahead of time?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it hidden in anticipation that I wouldn’t detect it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wouldn’t be surprising if Madam Mi had thought that far ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was already too late to dwell on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The room’s already sealed off anyway.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had sensed the deployment of a new barrier as soon as I left and retrieved my qi field.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The barrier’s at Hwagyeong-level.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by its density and sturdiness, it was at the level of a master in the Hwagyeong realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could force my way through it if I wanted, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That would be a risky gamble.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In my current state, the chances of getting caught were high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And besides—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The old man’s reaction was weird too.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The founding head’s behavior when he summoned me—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was too strange. What exactly did he want from me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Was he asking if I wanted to become the head of the Gu family?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He even asked if I knew what it meant to be the head of the Gu family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was that really what he called me in for?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Doubt began to creep in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Something about this doesn’t sit right.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t feel like that was his only intent. If it were, he wouldn’t have set up a meeting like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There had to be another purpose.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something beyond just asking me questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He did want to see me, but that wasn’t his main goal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More likely—he was trying to use me to draw something out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the most likely target was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Madam Mi.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the topic of the Gu family came up, Madam Mi had burst in through the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the looks of it, the old man had been aiming for that exact reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hmm.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was that old man’s deal, and why did Madam Mi react so strongly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was mulling over the possibilities when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hehehe!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh? Are you having fun?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A familiar voice caught my attention, and I turned my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside, on the wooden veranda, Gu Heebi was cheerfully waving her hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And floating in midair, Dol-Dol was laughing gleefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What the hell are they doing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dol-Dol rose and fell in the air with each movement of Gu Heebi’s hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘She’s using telekinesis to entertain him?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of insane martial artist would use such techniques just to play with a kid?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apparently, Gu Heebi would.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She even looked like she was having fun while Dol-Dol seemed to enjoy it just as much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That idiot.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He can fly by himself, so what’s so fun about this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dol-Dol didn’t need telekinesis to float, but he was clearly playing along to humor her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was ridiculous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell are you doing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I walked over, frowning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh? You’re here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I reached out and grabbed Dol-Dol by the back of his neck, yanking him down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned to Gu Heebi with Dol-Dol in my grasp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking a little sheepish, she answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, he looked bored, so…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And you’re using telekinesis to play with him? Are you out of your mind, sis?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? If I have the ability, why not use it? It’s not like it’ll wear out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wear out, my ass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Telekinesis was an inefficient technique—it was flashy but consumed too much energy to be practical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, using it briefly might be fine, but maintaining it to keep a child afloat? That was beyond wasteful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked at her with exasperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So. Who is this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her question made me freeze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…My brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell was I supposed to say?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a brief pause, I decided to stick with the explanation I’d used before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…My father’s son.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Madam Mi had sort of given her approval, it should be fine, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, I see. Your father’s son—wait, what?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She nodded at first, then stiffened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Wait. What did you just say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You heard me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, that doesn’t make sense—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What, you think he’s my kid?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her expression twisted—she actually seemed to think that made more sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be fair, he did look exactly like me, so it wasn’t an unreasonable assumption…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Do you even know how old I am?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then how does it make sense that he’s the son of Father—the head of the family?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Things happen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What kind of things? What kind of life have you lived that—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m illegitimate, remember?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Heebi’s mouth clamped shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly. So he could be too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s enough. Where is she?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her confused expression told me she didn’t know who I meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know—her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who—oh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, realization dawned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean Yeon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeon. That was what Gu Heebi called Cheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Yeah. That one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had seen her clinging to Dol-Dol earlier, making a fuss, yet now she was gone without a trace. That’s why I asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeon went home.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Went home?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tilted my head at Gu Heebi’s response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And you didn’t stop her…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She said she was going home, so why would I stop her? Besides, she left before I could even react.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had been hugging Dol-Dol and bawling earlier, so I thought there’d be more drama involved—but she just up and left?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt anticlimactic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The unsettled feeling crept back in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, by the way. I heard you’re a big deal these days, huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Heebi suddenly brought up my recent reputation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They say you’re doing amazing. Aren’t you proud of yourself?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Proud, my ass.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I always knew my little brother would do great.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She tried to pat my butt, and I dodged immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you insane?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? You’re running away from your sister’s praise now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Praise me from afar. Don’t do it up close.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re no fun.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Heebi laughed as she said that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took the chance to ask her another question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sis.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This might seem random, but—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why didn’t you come?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The laughter faded from Gu Heebi’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a vague question, but she clearly understood what I meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why didn’t you come?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was referring to the monster attack and chaos in Hanam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, countless martial artists had shown up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even more hadn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Gu Heebi was one of the absentees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had been in Hanam but didn’t appear during the incident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Honestly, I didn’t expect you to come.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had hoped she wouldn’t show up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Knowing you, I didn’t think you’d stay away either.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Heebi wasn’t the type to sit idly by when disaster struck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As foul-mouthed as she was, she wouldn’t ignore something like that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But you didn’t come. What happened?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t blaming her for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no right to do that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like I said, I was just curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Heebi stayed silent for a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I waited, sensing she wasn’t trying to avoid answering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I don’t know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Heebi spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why didn’t I?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was told not to.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By who?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My eyes narrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Cheonma told her not to go?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was she saying Cheonma stopped her during the incident?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And more importantly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And she actually listened?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if Cheonma told her not to, it didn’t make sense for Gu Heebi to obey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to ask why—but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t bring myself to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was something unfamiliar about Gu Heebi’s expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked deeply troubled, almost pleading for me not to ask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I held my tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Alright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as nothing bad had happened, that was enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded, brushing the topic aside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mood felt a little heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I decided to shift gears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, Sis.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Yeah?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“About her name.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Her name?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah. Why do you call her Yeon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had been wondering about it for a while but hadn’t asked until now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why give Cheonma a name like that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Heebi explained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It means fate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Fate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah. Inyeon (因緣). A sudden connection. That’s why she’s Yeon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t it a pretty name? I thought I did a great job picking it. Not that she likes it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She smiled, as if proud of her choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, it was a pretty name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t suit Cheonma at all, but it was pretty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe that’s why—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You look weird. Did you eat something bad?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I touched my face without thinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It did feel strange, like something was off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t because of food—I hadn’t eaten anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Something…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something felt wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Yeon.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Gu Heebi call Cheonma that gave me an inexplicable sense of discomfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Unsettling.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like it wasn’t the right name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like it didn’t fit at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This strange, heavy unease—that’s exactly what I felt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next thing I knew, I was outside the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t felt this burdened when I first went in, but now it felt like I was carrying a mountain of worries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Heebi had mentioned she needed to speak with Madam Mi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I left Dol-Dol behind since there was no reason to drag him along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They seemed to get along well enough, so I figured they’d keep each other entertained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as I stepped outside—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, you’re here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Elder Il?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Il was waiting just outside the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I widened my eyes at the sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that I thought about it, he had come here with me but never actually went inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was a man of his size standing at the door like some kind of gatekeeper?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you out here instead of going in?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Felt like things might get noisy in there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What an astonishing level of insight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides, judging by your face, it seems I made the right choice. Haha. Looks like you had a rough time in there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You’re the one who dragged me here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ha ha ha!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this guy trying to laugh his way out of it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t believe him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His laughter only made my irritation boil over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell is with that guy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who are you talking about?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The founding head. What’s with all that talk about becoming the head of the Gu family?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He said that to you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that, Elder Il suddenly chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What a sly old fox.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was more of a sneer than a laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He claimed he’d approach this rationally, but he pulled the same old tricks as always.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What do you mean—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Never mind that. A young man like you shouldn’t sulk over something so trivial. You need to have a bigger heart!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I dodged as Elder Il’s hand reached for my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was trying to ruffle my hair again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha! Look at this brat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t. I’m tired….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, I might have humored him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But right now, I was mentally drained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My head was already spinning with too many thoughts, and I was far too on edge to deal with his antics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tired? That just means you haven’t been training enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Training isn’t a cure-all, Elder.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh? Then how about sparring with me to shake off that fatigue?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That escalated quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t want to train, let alone spar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even on a good day, sparring with Elder Il was exhausting—and today, it was out of the question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was mentally drained, and my body didn’t feel right either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was about to refuse, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…No, I can’t. I don’t think I can control my strength right n—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I froze mid-sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My hand shot up to cover my mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Control my strength’?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was an obvious slip-up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded like I was looking down on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced at Elder Il, hoping he hadn’t heard it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Crap.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by the veins bulging on his forehead, he definitely heard it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes were smiling, but the heat radiating from his body told a different story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hurried to explain myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, Elder, that’s not what I meant. I’m just tired, and I misspoke—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yangcheon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Yes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I straightened up as I answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A shockwave exploded through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Il had thrown a punch, and the force of it rippled outward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I hadn’t dodged, it would’ve hit me square in the face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Elder…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m sorry I’ve been too busy lately to properly look after my grandson….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I could react, his massive hand grabbed me by the collar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All of this is my fault.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Elder, this doesn’t seem like—ahh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I could finish, he hurled me through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoooosh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sudden burst of force sent my body flying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gritted my teeth and channeled my energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoooosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flames erupted around me, creating a wave of heat that slowed my momentum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Screeeech—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My feet scraped against the ground, leaving deep marks as I skidded to a stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before I could catch my breath—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hissss!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of steam boiling erupted nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I spun around just in time to dodge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An explosion rocked the ground, sending debris flying everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I widened the gap between us and checked the center of the impact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The once-smooth ground was now a cratered mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And rising from the middle of it—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hissssss!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steam poured off a muscular figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Il slowly retracted his fist, steam still hissing from his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seriously?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clicked my tongue, exasperated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…This is bad.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by his expression, he was actually pissed.\u003C\u002Fp>",2532,"2026-06-05T15:10:17.629Z",1,"novelbin.me","0b6e90596221e14b90fda62fa3c17cb7498576ab9697df3b98eb2355d1302062","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-794","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-792",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]