[{"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-805":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},1240605,1667,"Chapter 804","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-805",805,"\u003Cp>Night had fallen, and the surroundings grew dim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The darkness had settled, quietly awaiting the slowly approaching dawn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no need to light a lantern. Since nothing had been tidied up, the thick and tangled undergrowth remained visible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t paid it any attention, but at some point, it seemed like I’d need to clean it up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, not with my own hands...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woo Hyuk was sick right now, so Cheol Ji-seon could probably handle it instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chirrup—! Chirrup—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a time when only the sound of insects echoed in the quiet atmosphere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stepped lightly through the grass and came to a stop in one place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right next to where the moonlight shone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I carefully paused beside it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When had it started?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This feeling of reluctance to look at the moonlight—or to stand beneath it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I already knew the cause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was so ridiculous that just thinking about it made me laugh in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What a fucking joke.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sneered at myself, finding it absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pathetic didn’t even begin to describe it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I should be fine by now. Yet here I was, still acting like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after all these years, it felt like I was still stuck there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s enough for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tried stepping into the moonlight, but my foot hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was truly ridiculous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tsk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, I withdrew my foot and stood still again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt absurd to force myself to do something so pointless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t come here for this anyway, so it was time to focus on the main reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let out a shallow sigh and closed my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, I completely released the restraints I had placed on my senses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoooooooosh—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The senses I had locked away burst forth in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The range expanded rapidly, and an overwhelming flood of information poured in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sounds grew sharper, and even the sensation of the wind brushing against my skin became painfully amplified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was better than the first time—but still unbearably uncomfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to stop right away, but there was something I had to confirm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shhhhhhhh—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chirrup—! Chirrup—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless sounds rushed into my ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t that the volume increased—there were simply more of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to determine their range and distance, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I still wasn’t there yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A headache crept in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite amplifying my perception and energy, my body wasn’t ready to handle the strain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took a deep breath, repeatedly steadying myself from the inside out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was reckless to go all out like this, but there was a reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alright…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I figured I’d be able to tell at this level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where are you?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I spread my perception outward like a spider spinning its web—dense, thorough, leaving no gaps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sounds. Movements. Even the faintest details.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pain surged as I absorbed it all, but I endured it, determined to find what I was looking for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed to know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time dragged on—or at least it felt like it did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amidst the endless flow, I finally found it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like finding a tiny pearl in a sea of gravel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was so faint that I almost doubted I’d actually noticed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To put it another way—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It takes this much just to find it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed my senses pushed to this level to catch it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ridiculous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let out a dry laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pain shot through me, and I winced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The headache was reaching its limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I immediately withdrew my energy and shut my senses down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the flood of information stopped, I finally exhaled the breath I’d been holding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn, that was exhausting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any longer, and I might have broken into a cold sweat despite the weather.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shaking my head to clear the lingering effects, I carefully opened my eyes and looked toward a specific spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All I could see was overgrown weeds and tangled grass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There wasn’t even enough space to hide—nothing seemed out of place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re a little late.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But my senses told me otherwise, so I decided to speak anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A figure emerged from what had appeared to be empty space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clad in black robes, with pale, almost white skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His near-silver hair shone faintly, contrasting starkly with his deep, jet-black eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked to be around his late twenties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression was unreadable, his thoughts impossible to guess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This man was known throughout the central plains as the ruler of the night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The King of Shadows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The master of the greatest assassination force in Zhongyuan—feared even by the Three Sovereigns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Shadow King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...I found him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swallowing dryly, I processed the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nahi had mentioned that the Shadow King was heading this way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d tested my senses just in case—and succeeded in locating him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Shadow King, whose presence had once been completely undetectable, had been found by my perception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apparently, he noticed too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He studied me silently before speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems you’ve gained some fortune.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, he caught on immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Picked up something useful recently.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Congratulations.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You don’t sound very congratulatory, but thanks anyway.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face didn’t change at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Congratulating someone with that expression felt oddly off-putting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What happened to your eye?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, the Shadow King had a bandage covering one eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by the look of it, something had definitely happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You arrived later than you said. It seems something happened.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s right.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Shadow King spoke as he brushed his hand over his bandaged eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It was for a transaction.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A transaction?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could he have bought that cost him his eye?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And calling it a \"transaction\"—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it wasn’t that he got beaten up somewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, of course not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Shadow King wasn’t someone who would get beaten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anything, he would’ve been the one doing the killing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But still, there was an issue with this situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It doesn’t look like it’s going to regenerate?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Shadow King’s eye—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t coming back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had once told me that even if he wanted to die, he couldn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that absurd level of regeneration, I figured even if he lost it, it would just grow back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Shadow King calmly admitted that it wouldn’t regenerate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It seems to work differently from a curse.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…I see. Then, wouldn’t that mean you could’ve died for real?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Giving up his eye and finding out it wouldn’t regenerate—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant the Shadow King might have finally been able to achieve his goal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His goal—death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For someone who longed for peace, this should’ve been the perfect chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So why was he standing here now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To my question, the Shadow King replied—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is not peace.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not peace?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The eye wasn’t destroyed. I gave it to him. Seeking what you call peace from him is impossible.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re not making any sense. Explain it more clearly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just as I gave my eye, if I were to give him my life, it wouldn’t end. Instead, he would prolong my existence indefinitely.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned at his words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Giving away his life didn’t mean dying?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, it sounded like he’d be consumed and trapped in some endless existence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell does that mean?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like I was starting to understand, but then the pieces didn’t fit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That curse Yeon Ilcheon received came from the Blood Demon. What kind of being could bypass that curse and take his eye?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following the thought, I pressed him further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You said you were heading somewhere. What exactly did you see?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Shadow King had abruptly said he needed to visit the Magyeong Gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now he had come back looking like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed to know what had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To that, he replied—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I went to the Magyeong of Taechun and met its master.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shadow King?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suddenly trailed off, frowning as if lost in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing him like that caught my attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the first time I’d ever seen him make that kind of expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a brief moment, he finally spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I see. This is as far as I can go.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without warning, the Shadow King said something strange—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...!?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, he suddenly grabbed his left pinky and ring finger—and tore them off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It happened so fast that I couldn’t even process it properly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shadow King, what the hell—?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I could finish, I looked down at the fingers he’d just ripped off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sizzle—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What the—?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Black smoke rose as the fingers disintegrated right before my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked back at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Was that a restriction?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t answer, but I already knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the cost of saying something he wasn’t supposed to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two fingers for a few words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was an absurd price—and it clearly wasn’t martial arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that I could tell the difference, it was obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t martial arts—it was sorcery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssshhh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Shadow King’s hand sealed itself almost instantly, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t regenerate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though he was supposed to be capable of regenerating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Damn. Sorry about that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had lost two fingers just to answer my questions, and I actually felt a bit guilty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Blood Demon’s goal is to break the laws of the world.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And just like before, the Shadow King suddenly continued speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He does not yet have the qualifications to cross to the afterlife directly. However, that time is approaching, and the rulers of the afterlife are wary of him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shadow King, what are you—?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To obtain those qualifications, he must first destroy the Apostles—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without even touching it, his entire left arm below the shoulder suddenly disintegrated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, I couldn’t hold back any longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you insane…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First his fingers—and now his entire left arm?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was so ridiculous that I couldn’t even find the words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That was worth the value of one arm.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Shadow King remained completely calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after losing his arm, his expression didn’t waver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m sorry I can’t tell you more. But it won’t take long for you to find the rest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is this? Homework? What the hell are you doing? Are you just throwing your body away because you plan to die anyway?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah-ha?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What an incredibly simple answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It was the lowest value information I could offer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...You’re serious, aren’t you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Blood Demon’s goal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was far too extreme to be tossed out casually after such a long absence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The Blood Demon’s goal, huh.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A monster who had once caused bloodshed and catastrophe—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And even now, someone still scheming in the shadows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the information the Shadow King had brought back was that his goal was to shatter the world’s laws?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Laws.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What laws?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And why would the Blood Demon want to destroy them?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Questions sprouted in my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Years ago, I had also heard about the Blood Demon’s goal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the man himself, no less.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, maybe not him exactly—it was in another place, after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But regardless, it was still the Blood Demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had told me, clear as day—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paradise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He dreamed of paradise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was his goal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if the Shadow King’s information was true—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What does paradise have to do with laws?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What connection was there between the two?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And what exactly did the paradise the Blood Demon spoke of mean?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And more importantly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Who is this paradise meant for?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The paradise the Blood Demon envisioned—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who was it really for?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned these thoughts over in my mind before finally looking up at the Shadow King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shadow King.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You said something before.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are you referring to?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"About making Tang So-yeol stronger—and then killing you. That.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Can we put that off for a little longer?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It won’t take too long.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No answer came.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I wasn’t expecting one anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was just a reminder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A reminder of the things I had been putting off—excuses piled up about too many other tasks in front of me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most important things I needed to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to focus and keep those priorities straight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There’s something I need to ask of you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be precise, two more days had passed since I humiliated the Twin Swords of Destruction, and another day had passed since I finished assembling the members of the Celestial Dragon Unit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after causing a scene, I had to head to the alliance to recruit more members.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I mentioned before, I needed ten, but we had been short.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I added three more. That made ten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the alliance gave me ten more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twenty in total.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining five had other assignments, so I took them along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And just like that, the Celestial Dragon Unit was formed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Greetings, Commander of the Celestial Dragon Unit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Commander.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah, yeah.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today was my first day officially showing up as the commander.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Commander.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the word itself felt ridiculous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I walked through the alliance headquarters under the weight of countless stares.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Word about the incident with the Twin Swords of Destruction had already spread like wildfire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That guy was still unconscious and bedridden, apparently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, the one who beat him up was casually walking around—no wonder people were giving me weird looks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even I thought it was strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, I expected to be locked out or dragged to the interrogation room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as Muk Yeon mentioned, someone was pulling strings behind the scenes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to that, I was still allowed to roam freely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Greetings, Commander.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sure. Nice to meet you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the man could finish speaking, I took the robe he handed me and threw it over my shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flutter—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The robe felt a bit big, but it fit snugly over my shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the uniform given only to commanders in the Martial Alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apparently, it was woven from the silk of a rare beast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was resistant to fire and water, and it could even be used as a shield if reinforced with Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A luxury item I never thought I’d wear in my life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I saw Moyong Hee-ah wearing one of these.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Moyong Hee-ah came from a wealthy family, so it made sense for her to flaunt things like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Commander’s robe, huh.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The weight on my shoulders felt strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I never thought I’d live to wear something like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In my past life, I played the role of a commander in the Demonic Cult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, I was doing it for the righteous sects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did this mean I’d finally \"made it\"?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Not sure about that, but I really did become a dragon.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I muttered nonsense to myself and continued walking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After putting on the robe, I was escorted to a building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From what I’d heard, this used to be the base for the First Dragon Unit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I opened the door and saw people already gathered inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were split evenly into two groups in the large courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by the looks of them, one group was external recruits, and the other had been sent by the alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tension between them was palpable, almost as if they were about to fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I slowly walked forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All eyes were already on me the moment I entered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let their gazes wash over me as I stood at the center, hands behind my back, and looked at the two groups.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First impressions matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s been a while, so maybe I should try to be nice?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that thought, I smiled and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hello.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I put as much friendliness into my voice as I could manage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flinch—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, they all tensed up the moment they saw my smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…What the hell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been a while since I felt this offended.\u003C\u002Fp>",2623,"2026-06-05T15:10:19.687Z",1,"novelbin.me","d150a9aef1341a5f777678671bd84ee5f217061da3b25d39cec5d986d3dbbf53","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-806","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-804",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]