[{"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-801":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},1240601,1667,"Chapter 800","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-801",801,"\u003Cp>The duel didn’t last long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At most, it was fewer than twenty exchanges—a fight so clean that neither bore any significant wounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssss...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scattered Qi slowly settled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lingering heat was evidence of the lightning techniques left behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mist conjured by Silver Wolf Sword was also starting to dissipate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swish. Clang—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blades slid smoothly back into their sheaths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of both Silver Wolf Sword and Namgung Bi-ah withdrawing their swords signaled the end of the duel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after the motions and sounds faded did the spectators finally release their held breaths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Unbelievable…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you saying the Steel Dragon Lord lost? To that woman—the Sword Dancer?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was one of the Hundred Masters of the Martial Alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A renowned Hwagyeong-level martial artist, trusted to uphold the alliance—yet Silver Wolf Sword had admitted defeat to a woman who wasn’t even in her thirties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had they only heard about it, they wouldn’t have believed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they had witnessed it with their own eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither fighter looked seriously injured, and the fight could have continued, yet Silver Wolf Sword himself had declared his loss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He seemed to have the upper hand in terms of power and momentum, so why did he concede?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While everyone pondered this question—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I silently let out a breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘She’s insane.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was genuinely shocked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it because Silver Wolf Sword had lost? Of course.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But more than that—because I hadn’t expected Namgung Bi-ah to go this far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, I hadn’t expected her to win.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The original plan was simply to prove that Namgung Bi-ah was skilled enough to qualify as a formidable warrior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the wager had been settled after her first strike secured the justification she needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A victory through ambush.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had exploited Silver Wolf Sword’s lapse in focus and claimed what seemed like a victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I may have interfered a little.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had ensured that Silver Wolf Sword wouldn’t accurately gauge her true strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I subtly distorted the flow of Qi around him, making her seem weaker than she actually was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This minor manipulation caused him to let his guard down, enabling her surprise attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was as far as my calculations had gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had expected Namgung Bi-ah to capitalize on the opening and secure a symbolic win.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But this…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The duel that followed had completely shattered my expectations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah provoked Silver Wolf Sword, drawing him into a second duel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He accepted, and while I debated whether I should stop it, I ultimately didn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Because Namgung Bi-ah wanted it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the only reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had clearly desired this fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, I was confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah had always enjoyed sparring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from times she needed rest for recovery, she constantly sought out duels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She seemed to revel in fighting stronger opponents, growing through each match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time felt different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t a training session.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Losing here would have had consequences—for her and for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew the current Namgung Bi-ah wouldn’t take such a risk lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, she had pushed for the duel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was she certain she could win?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, that wasn’t it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Namgung Bi-ah must have known.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had to have realized that Silver Wolf Sword held a higher cultivation level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fighting in an open arena like this only lowered her odds further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite that, she still challenged him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t understand why—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Until I did.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the reason hit me, I nearly laughed out loud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah hadn’t gambled without confidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the contrary—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘She knew she would win.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was certain of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How was that possible despite the difference in their levels?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The answer lay in the technique that had secured her victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘A Heart Sword? Seriously?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t a technique tied to raw strength or cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Heart Sword belonged to the realm of the mind—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A manifestation of intent, achieved only by those who had reached the state of Sword-Mind Unity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a power that only the most enlightened warriors at Hwagyeong could grasp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In my past life, even the Demon Sword Queen had reached that level—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But I didn’t expect Namgung Bi-ah to reach it already.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing her wield it now left me speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially because—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘She used it to set a trap from the very start.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the moment she had launched her first strike, the plan had been in motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking back, it was clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘She planted the Heart Sword during her ambush.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By placing her blade at his neck, she had drawn his attention—and at the same time, laid an invisible blade behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The placement was so subtle that even I wouldn’t have noticed without using my Mind’s Eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I didn’t even know a Heart Sword could be used like that.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What Namgung Bi-ah had demonstrated felt fundamentally different from the Heart Sword techniques I was familiar with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was sharper, finer—like a thread instead of a blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah had planted the Heart Sword behind Silver Wolf Sword’s neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From that point on, every step of the duel had been meticulously calculated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the Heart Sword’s presence was faint, someone as skilled as Silver Wolf Sword might have sensed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was why Namgung Bi-ah worked relentlessly to keep his attention occupied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She risked closing the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She scattered lightning Qi everywhere, flooding the battlefield with distractions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘She even modified the Imperial Sword Formation.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maintaining the Heart Sword while using lightning Qi—and then layering the Imperial Sword Formation on top of that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Imperial Sword Formation was one of the Namgung family’s most Qi-intensive techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using it in its proper form under such conditions was unthinkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Namgung Bi-ah had chosen another path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If she couldn’t use the complete form, she adapted it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She reduced the Qi output to make it manageable, sacrificing raw power for precision and pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Is she insane?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded simple, but it wasn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The level of Qi control required for such an act was absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘For me, it’d be like trying to use Flame Spear while maintaining separate fire formations.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…The very thought was dizzying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not impossible, but far from efficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘In this situation, it worked.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It drew focus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It kept Silver Wolf Sword from noticing the real threat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right until the end—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He only realized the Heart Sword was at his throat when it was too late.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once Silver Wolf Sword fully grasped the situation, he had no choice but to concede.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the very first strike, it had all been calculated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An ambush.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An overwhelming display of dominance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enough to drain his fighting spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it showed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression looked sour.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…It was a good match.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah merely nodded at his words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Silver Wolf Sword descended from the stage and approached me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Star King.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I lost. I apologize for my narrow-minded judgment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Oh?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was… unexpectedly clean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I half-expected him to cry foul or accuse us of trickery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, Silver Wolf Sword accepted his defeat without excuses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That’s surprising.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had the higher cultivation level, no question about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nine times out of ten, he’d have won.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, he admitted defeat without a fuss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Maybe he’s more reasonable than I thought.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or maybe it was just his martial honor showing through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I studied him curiously before speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re taking this better than I expected.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no reason not to accept the outcome.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No regrets?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course I have regrets. But…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silver Wolf Sword glanced at Namgung Bi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This duel was a complete loss.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fair enough. You’re taking it gracefully. But don’t forget about the wager.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mentioning the wager made his expression darken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll take my leave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not staying to watch?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No. I can’t keep face if I linger.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fair point.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course he’d be embarrassed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew that when I asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face twisted like he’d swallowed something bitter, but he still bowed respectfully and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Iron Dragon Division members followed him, and the arena quickly emptied out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned back toward the dueling platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now then…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was about to resume the trials when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah was still standing there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She locked eyes with me, and I reflexively swallowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I already knew what she wanted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And honestly, I didn’t want to give it to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I accepted her here—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’d be like recruiting another Black Flame Unit.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just that—I’d never intended to involve Namgung Bi-ah in this mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d been set on rejecting her, and yet—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing her now, I couldn’t bring myself to say it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gaze practically screamed, “After all this, are you seriously going to reject me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had defeated Silver Wolf Sword and proven her strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could I really turn her away after that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’d look impartial.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would show that the trials were fair, free of favoritism.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rejecting her now wouldn’t be unreasonable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought of her glare—and the aftermath of rejecting her—made me pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And besides—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘She earned it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could I really ignore all that effort?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I mulled it over, but in the end—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haa.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed and gave my decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking directly at Namgung Bi-ah, I spoke:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You pass.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes widened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surprise flickered across her face, followed by a small, pleased smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gasp—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“W-what?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd erupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could already hear the whispers and protests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, I considered ripping out all their eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought was oddly tempting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after, the selection test for the Star Dragon Division came to an end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The process hadn’t changed from the start, so it progressed quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without any disruptions like those caused by Silver Wolf Sword, the test wrapped up in less than two hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, instead of the planned ten candidates, only seven passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumors spread that another test would be held in a few days to select the remaining three.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shortly after the test concluded—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it all!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man roared in anger, driving his fist into a boulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The massive rock shattered instantly under the force of the blow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one responsible for the destruction was none other than Twin Crescent Swords, the Gold Dragon Lord.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With rage twisting his features, he continued venting his frustration on the rocks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That idiot, Silver Wolf Sword—losing to some damn woman?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grind—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clenching his teeth, Twin Crescent Swords swung again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom! Another boulder burst apart like brittle clay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That moron! Acting all high and mighty, only to make things worse!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He cursed his own foolishness for trusting Silver Wolf Sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had backed the man, offering support to further their plans—only to have everything blow up in his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it…!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The situation had spiraled out of control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silver Wolf Sword’s defeat had bolstered the Star King’s position, and on top of that, his schemes had been exposed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How the hell did he figure it out?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How had the Star King discovered that Twin Crescent Swords had infiltrated the test with his own men?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling the precision with which the Star King had called him out, Twin Crescent Swords wiped the cold sweat from his brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could there be a spy in Gold Dragon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed plausible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surely, no one could detect such things through Qi alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That kind of ability simply didn’t exist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A spy within his own ranks seemed like the more logical explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If there’s a mole, who is it?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Very few people in his division even knew about the plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he had to pick someone—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Was it you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words made the man beside him flinch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“M-me? What do you mean, my lord?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m asking if you’re the Star King’s informant.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Vice Commander immediately paled under Twin Crescent Swords’ glare, waving his hands in panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“W-what?! I would never—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’d better not be.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I swear! I’m loyal!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Vice Commander’s frantic defense seemed genuine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t the traitor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew all too well how brutal and obsessive Twin Crescent Swords could be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in the past, he had crushed countless martial artists under his heel—some had been harassed so relentlessly that they took their own lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I-I swear it wasn’t me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then how did he find out?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How had the Star King uncovered the plot?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how hard he thought, Twin Crescent Swords couldn’t come up with an answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tch…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He grew more agitated by the second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Star King had suddenly appeared, throwing everything into chaos and showing no signs of backing down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hated it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How do I get rid of him?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He needed to eliminate the Star King, but every attempt so far had failed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was there another way?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes lit up with sudden inspiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, that might work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean, my lord?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Silver Wolf Sword—what if we claim he lost because of witchcraft?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Vice Commander frowned in confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What if we spread rumors that it wasn’t a fair duel—that there was a secret deal?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you saying Silver Wolf Sword threw the fight?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Vice Commander’s face turned pale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twin Crescent Swords smirked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It doesn’t matter if it’s true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All that matters is the damage the rumors will cause.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But wouldn’t that hurt us too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not if we don’t get caught.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…But—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We don’t need evidence. Just the rumors are enough to stir trouble.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twin Crescent Swords grinned, as though the plan were already in motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We could even reach out to the Beggar’s Sect through one of their disciples I know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re serious? You’re going to accuse the Star King and Silver Wolf Sword of making a shady deal?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly. Now you’re getting it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But who would believe such nonsense?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It doesn’t matter if they believe it. The accusations will force them to waste time defending themselves while we prepare for the next move.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twin Crescent Swords continued explaining, but midway, he stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something felt wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice replying to him hadn’t sounded like his Vice Commander’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tone was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly suspicious, Twin Crescent Swords turned his head—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, so that’s what you were planning.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing there—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re even dumber than I thought.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Star King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His Vice Commander lay unconscious at his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Y-you—how did you—?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twin Crescent Swords tried to speak, but the words stuck in his throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he knew it, he was staring up at the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did he realize—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was flat on his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A shadow fell over him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Star King’s foot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twin Crescent Swords’ face was brutally stomped into the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>",2428,"2026-06-05T15:10:19.687Z",1,"novelbin.me","de0ba3296585588121620c4ca6e1907d9625a0f176935d86072f5b3712647289","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-802","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-800",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]