[{"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-835":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},1240635,1667,"Chapter 834","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-835",835,"\u003Cp>The first sensation I felt was cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cold that pierced through my entire body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If even a body accustomed to the fiery arts feels this level of chill, just how cold could it be?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ssss.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I let out a short breath, a puff of mist escaped my lips. Seeing that, I immediately slapped my cheek.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a sharp, stinging slap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It hurts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It hurt enough to confirm that my senses were functioning properly. I slowly started to take stock of my surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I raised my senses and focused, but nothing stood out. All I could see was pitch-black darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Familiar.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sight was familiar. Where had I seen this before? Thinking for a moment, the memory quickly surfaced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s similar to that place.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The place where I encountered another god, Noya, while fighting Yung Pung during the martial arts tournament. This place bore a striking resemblance to that space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The difference?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The ground.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap, tap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knocked the ground lightly with my toes. The hard surface beneath me was the most notable difference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Last time, it was water.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The previous space had been filled with black water. Though the dark surroundings were similar, this was clearly different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Solid.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ground was firm. It was complete terrain. I sighed as I processed the texture beneath my feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell is this place?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What sort of nonsense was this? My expression instinctively twisted into a scowl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was I suddenly here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All I did was eat a single pill.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The newly created Dokcheon Pill. This was the result of consuming just one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shifted my thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What’s going on?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why had this happened?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed immediate. The moment I swallowed the pill, it activated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘My senses are working, but this doesn’t feel like reality.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having endured so much, I couldn’t take the situation lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…There’s always a reason for things like this.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something had caused this scenario to unfold. The key was identifying the trigger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Is it the Dokcheon Pill?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pill infused with my own energy—was it the source of this? Or…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Something else.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could there be another reason?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pondered, but no answer came. There simply wasn’t enough information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only solace I could take was…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘At least it’s not completely empty.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A black sky and a black ground, with no trace of energy or life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a place like this, could there really be anything?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What’s this feeling?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, I felt something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it was…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Unpleasant.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Extremely unpleasant, like a sickening itch deep within my bones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was hard to describe—a disgusting sensation, like insects crawling all over my body, making me want to retch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell was this feeling?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I grimaced and looked ahead, toward a point in the darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The source of the unsettling sensation seemed to originate from that direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I started walking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though every fiber of my being screamed not to, I had no choice. From all my past experiences, I knew one thing:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I didn’t go, nothing would progress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What now?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having seen all kinds of horrors, I doubted anything could surprise me anymore. By now, curiosity outweighed fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I stepped on the hard ground, the sensation grew stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What lay at the end of this? What could possibly cause such repulsion?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The questions kept piling up as I walked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something began to take shape in the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Narrowing my eyes, I tried to make it out, but it remained blurry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, I could tell I was getting closer to my destination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Resisting the urge to slow down, I forced myself onward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a while, the cause of my discomfort finally revealed itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it was…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell is that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t comprehend it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In front of me stood a door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A massive door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Made of some unknown black metal, it loomed ominously. I stepped closer to examine it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no matter how closely I looked, I couldn’t make sense of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just a thick, black, metallic door wrapped tightly in heavy chains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was all I could see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Unsettling.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just looking at it made me angry. No, it went beyond that—rage simmered within me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was there something about this door? I reached out cautiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surface felt cold, typical of metal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if that were all, but then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kugugugu---!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, the door trembled violently, emitting a deafening noise. The vibrations were so intense that the ground beneath me shook.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I quickly leapt back to create some distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell was going to come out of there? Tension gripped me as I stared at the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked ominous. Should I just run?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Where to?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was nowhere to escape to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t even know how I got here. Running wasn’t an option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I instinctively raised my energy, steadying my breathing as I readied myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sssss.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I exhaled sharply, activating my body in preparation for anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kugugugu---!!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door’s violent shaking continued for a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kugugu…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tremors slowly subsided. For a moment, I feared it might explode, but that didn’t seem to be the case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, I couldn’t let my guard down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a situation where anything could happen at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I heightened my senses and kept my eyes on the door…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chains binding the door shifted slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clatter—Thud! Thud-thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They unraveled in an instant, crashing to the ground with a deafening noise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Caught off guard, I stared at the fallen chains, blinking in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, a sound came from the door itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A door that looked like it would never budge began to move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s opening.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, with a great deal of effort, the door started to part.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tensed as I watched, goosebumps rising on my skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sweat trickled down my back, my forehead drenched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the moment the door began to open, I had felt it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wiped the sweat from my jaw. My pounding heart was beyond control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is insane.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the narrow opening, an indescribable presence seeped out—a deep, overwhelming…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Killing intent.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The raw, fundamental urge to destroy, condensed into an aura so intense it felt tangible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Killing intent, like martial prowess, varied in intensity and depth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this… was feral, overwhelming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kind of intent that demanded every ounce of caution from me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How twisted must the thing inside be to emit such malice?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s definitely not normal.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever lay beyond that door was no ordinary being.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even I felt like running away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sigh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I exhaled deeply and took a step forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As much as I didn’t want to, there was only one option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why else would the door open like this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It wants me to see.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing the answer, I couldn’t ignore it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I moved closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peering through the narrow gap, I realized one thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It won’t open easily.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t tried, but it was clear that immense effort would be needed to fully open it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What mattered was…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It can be opened.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing that made it worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like the door itself was urging me to open it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced through the gap, noting it was just wide enough to look inside but not enough to enter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Let’s see.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could be inside?What could possibly be emitting such an ominous energy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tension mixed with curiosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of insane monster is looking for me now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I steadied my breath and glanced through the crack in the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Huh?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The inside of the door was the same darkness as before.It didn’t seem like there was anything in there. At least, that was my initial impression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No, there is something.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That thought vanished in mere seconds.Something was there, beyond the darkness.At the center of the black fog, something was present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘A chair?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A rather imposing chair. Why was such a chair there, out of the blue? And on top of that...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...Who is that?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone was sitting on the chair. The moment I saw them, I understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s him.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bastard who made every nerve in my body stand on end.The source of this overwhelming killing intent.It was unmistakably him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I narrowed my eyes to get a clearer look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With each passing second, the figure grew sharper.The once indistinct outline began to take form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first thing I could discern was that the figure sitting on the chair was human.Though I couldn’t gauge his height precisely, he didn’t seem very tall.His clothing looked like black martial robes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His posture was slouched, with one hand propping up his chin... and his face...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s as far as I got before my body froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Goosebumps spread across my skin, penetrating to my very soul.Only after seeing his face did I recognize the dissonance I’d been feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An overwhelming sense of hostility and discomfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made me want to run away immediately, but within it, there was a strange familiarity.If not for that, I wouldn’t have even made it this far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why did such ominous energy feel so familiar?That unanswered question was finally resolved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ha.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A breath escaped me involuntarily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A large, heavy chair. The figure sitting atop it stared at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Purple irises and sclera blackened as though tainted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The figure stirred and opened his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Let me ask you something.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With each word he spoke, the killing intent thickened.How twisted must someone be to exude such a murderous aura? This was beyond comprehension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Why.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That bastard staring straight at me was none other than...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Are you still alive?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...my past self.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*****************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could be inside?What could possibly be emitting such an ominous energy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tension mixed with curiosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of insane monster is looking for me now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I steadied my breath and glanced through the crack in the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Huh?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The inside of the door was the same darkness as before.It didn’t seem like there was anything in there. At least, that was my initial impression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No, there is something.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That thought vanished in mere seconds.Something was there, beyond the darkness.At the center of the black fog, something was present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘A chair?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A rather imposing chair. Why was such a chair there, out of the blue? And on top of that...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...Who is that?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone was sitting on the chair. The moment I saw them, I understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s him.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bastard who made every nerve in my body stand on end.The source of this overwhelming killing intent.It was unmistakably him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I narrowed my eyes to get a clearer look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With each passing second, the figure grew sharper.The once indistinct outline began to take form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first thing I could discern was that the figure sitting on the chair was human.Though I couldn’t gauge his height precisely, he didn’t seem very tall.His clothing looked like black martial robes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His posture was slouched, with one hand propping up his chin... and his face...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s as far as I got before my body froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Goosebumps spread across my skin, penetrating to my very soul.Only after seeing his face did I recognize the dissonance I’d been feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An overwhelming sense of hostility and discomfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made me want to run away immediately, but within it, there was a strange familiarity.If not for that, I wouldn’t have even made it this far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why did such ominous energy feel so familiar?That unanswered question was finally resolved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ha.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A breath escaped me involuntarily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A large, heavy chair. The figure sitting atop it stared at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Purple irises and sclera blackened as though tainted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The figure stirred and opened his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Let me ask you something.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With each word he spoke, the killing intent thickened.How twisted must someone be to exude such a murderous aura? This was beyond comprehension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Why.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That bastard staring straight at me was none other than...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Are you still alive?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...my past self.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Gu! Master Gu!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Gu Gongja!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sharp voice pierced my ears, snapping me back to reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Haa...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I supported my body, which was about to collapse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I staggered, glancing around.The first thing I saw was the Poison King’s face, staring at me in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by his reaction, not much time had passed.My body still seemed to be standing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Gu! Are you all right? Hey!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, yes, I’m fine...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I waved my hand dismissively as I replied to the Poison King. Even as I spoke, my insides felt jumbled.Just sorting through what I had experienced was overwhelming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What was that just now?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What exactly had I gone through? Why was I there, and why was...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...I there?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Me. Specifically, my past self. Could this have been the effect of the Dokcheon Pill I just made?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If so, then why...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the questions repeated and I searched for answers,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Gu, are you truly all right? Master Gu!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Poison King’s voice forced me to bite my lip lightly.Even after I had said I was fine, he kept asking, and it was starting to irritate me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look, Clan Leader Tang, I already told you I’m fine—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I waved my hand to cut him off once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait... huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mid-sentence, I froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something about my hand was very off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...What the...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a hand. It looked like a hand...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was burning. No, I had channeled fire techniques to cover my hands many times before, but this was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is fire itself.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sensation of my flesh turning into flames. A strange feeling I couldn’t begin to describe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If a breeze were to blow, I might just vanish.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no idea how I was even holding this form together. It felt unstable and precarious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you sure you’re okay?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...No, I don’t think I am.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A person’s hand turning into this? There was no way I could be okay. And it wasn’t just my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘My body seems to be partially affected too.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just my hand—about thirty percent of my body seemed to be made of flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Burning.It was a vivid, brilliant flame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like I wasn’t myself anymore. It was an unfamiliar sensation, impossible to explain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The important part was...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I feel like I can do anything.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The unease gave way to exhilaration.An inexplicable sense of superiority coursed through me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This feeling...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d seen it before. I definitely knew it.Even if it was my first time feeling it, I had seen it.Fortunately, it didn’t take long to figure out what it was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A memory was already etched into my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Father?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t even that long ago. Back when we left for the North Sea and encountered a White-Rank beast.At the time, my father had told me to watch closely and then obliterated the beast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this flame...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Gu Yeom’s Extreme Flame Formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the same as the flames my father had shown me back then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that was the case...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Could this flame be...?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The power said to be unlocked only by mastering the Gu Yeom Flame Wheel Technique...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the thought crossed my mind, the flames disappeared instantly.My hands returned to normal, and so did my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The exhilaration faded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like I had soared into the sky, only to crash down to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>",2534,"2026-06-05T15:10:19.687Z",1,"novelbin.me","c93afda8748db9bc7025c08f20576889051fe565285dd295c03f25f7631b4a4e","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-836","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-834",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]