[{"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-882":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},1240732,1667,"Chapter 881","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-882",882,"\u003Cp>There were a few things I wanted to confirm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first was the efficacy of the Dragon Pearl. Was it consumed purely for the purpose of shedding one’s mortal body? Or did it have other effects as well?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There were some changes in my body, after all.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For starters, my abilities had increased significantly.Both my internal energy and physical strength had grown by a considerable margin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I were to quantify it…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘About one to two stages.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For something as small as a single internal pill to produce such an overwhelming increase, it was astonishing. My current internal energy was at a level where even consuming top-grade pills like Dahwandan or Dokcheon-dan wouldn’t yield much improvement, but this pearl was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its efficiency was unparalleled.That’s why I tried consuming another one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The second one didn’t have the same effect.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While there was some increase, its efficiency was far below that of Dokcheon Pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, did that mean its benefits were only effective the first time?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But even that’s not definitive.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a complicating factor.I had already undergone shedding when I consumed it. Additionally, there was the anomaly of my Nine Flames Firewheel Art reaching mastery around the same time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, it was difficult to attribute my growth solely to the Dragon Pearl.Given the lingering questions, my priority was to address these uncertainties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which brought me to this moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Arghhh…!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason I went out of my way to secure the pearls…And the reason I had Seong Yul consume one first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If it’s usable, why not make use of it?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If these special energy pills had unique powers, wouldn’t it be better to use them for my benefit?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What’s good for me is what’s beneficial, isn’t it?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To achieve that, I needed to verify a few things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first question was:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What happens when someone who hasn’t undergone shedding consumes a Dragon Pearl?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A body that hadn’t undergone rebirth or shedding—what would occur when it was exposed to the pearl’s energy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed to find out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Guhhh… ughhhh…!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was using Seong Yul to conduct that very test.As he writhed in agony, I sat atop the wooden coffin, watching him closely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The energy is going wild.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was clear he had fully swallowed the pearl. His dantian became the focal point of an explosive surge of energy.It looked as if he could burst at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was impressive that he hadn’t already.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Is it Seong Yul himself keeping it in check, or is the energy naturally stabilizing?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t tell if he was consciously managing the energy or if it was simply teetering on the edge of control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, this rampaging energy…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It isn’t permeating his body.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, it swirled around his meridians, refusing to integrate with his physical form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This only made the situation worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The turbulence is intensifying.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The energy, accelerating as it coursed through his body, seemed to gain momentum like a snowball rolling downhill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If left unchecked…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He’ll explode for sure.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just a matter of enduring. His entire body would burst soon enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed the energy’s inability to integrate into his physical form was the root cause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tsk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So, this is what happens when someone who hasn’t undergone shedding consumes the pearl?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This made its usability a bit more cumbersome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Guhhh… ugh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What a shame.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I kept observing, Seong Yul would undoubtedly die. So I stood and approached him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>White flames danced in my palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t let him die, so I resolved to burn away the excess energy with my flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could white flames handle this? I wasn’t entirely sure, but I trusted my instincts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I can burn it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was something I had confirmed repeatedly over the past few days, experimenting with my abilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My instincts told me I could incinerate this chaotic energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that assurance, I approached Seong Yul and extended my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“W-Wait… wait…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grab!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seong Yul suddenly grabbed the hem of my pants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“J-Just… wait… please…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned at his words. Was this idiot insane?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you waiting for? You’ll die like this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can… still… do it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you crazy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had forced the pearl on him, so I didn’t have much room to complain, but his response made me chuckle dryly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He thinks he can endure this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of nonsense was that? The energy wasn’t integrating into his body at all—what did he think he could accomplish?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Listen, I’m sorry for forcing this on you, but stubbornness has its limits. You’ll die if you keep this up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I can… do it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is ridiculous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t in a state to listen to reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where did this stubbornness come from? Was this his way of getting back at me for forcing the pearl on him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No, that’s not like him.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given Seong Yul’s personality, it was unlikely he was acting out of spite. He genuinely seemed determined to endure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I found it absurd. What did he think he was enduring for?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Should I just ignore him and burn it away?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could disregard his stubbornness and handle the situation myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just as I reached out again…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can…! Do it…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seong Yul gripped my leg even tighter, veins bulging and his eyes bloodshot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ha. You…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just… a little longer… just a little…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no idea what he was trying to achieve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I should have stopped him right then, but when I looked into his eyes, I found myself hesitating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re usually so weak. Why are you being so persistent about this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tsk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clicking my tongue, I placed my hand on his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I refrained from igniting the flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, I carefully channeled my energy into his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My energy flowed into him instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumble!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Oh, damn it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chaotic energy inside him immediately began to swirl violently, pulling me into its turbulence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I hadn’t been prepared, I might have lost control entirely. That would’ve been catastrophic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Guh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Keep your mouth shut. Don’t even breathe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At my warning, Seong Yul clamped his mouth shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any mistake could cause the energy to burst out uncontrollably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I should’ve never made him eat it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had intended to test the situation and move on, but I hadn’t expected him to be this stubborn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Well, now I have to take responsibility.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was the one who had forced the pearl on him. If he was determined to endure, I had no choice but to see it through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I haven’t tried this before, so if you die, I can’t help you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm… mmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That seemed to be an affirmative.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whooosh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I delved into the storm of energy, which was spinning faster and faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to slow it down somehow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If I forcibly decelerate it, what about the backlash?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rebound could be so severe that Seong Yul might die instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What should I do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The answer came quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumble!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I applied pressure to the energy flow using my own, forcing it to slow down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The resulting backlash…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Ugh.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…I took it myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The veins in my arm bulged, but I didn’t use my internal energy to brace myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enduring it with my body was the best option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of my eyes involuntarily twitched shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This… hurts a bit.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to Tua Pacheonmu, I rarely felt pain anymore, but this was intense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, I managed to maintain focus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’ve slowed the energy down, but what now?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enduring the pain was one thing, but I couldn’t keep this up forever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although I had slowed the energy, its rampage hadn’t stopped entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What if I force it to integrate with his body?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the issue was that the energy wasn’t permeating, then perhaps I could make it do so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that thought, I tried to force the energy into his physical form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak…!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Guh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Doesn’t look like that’s going to work. Noted.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was impossible. Even after slowing it down, the energy was too fast and violent to be controlled or absorbed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite Seong Yul's considerable talent, his body wasn’t well-suited to handling this kind of energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So that’s why they force the shedding of the mortal body.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The energy of the Dragon Pearl was immensely strong and rough.To contain it, one needed an exceptional vessel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I now understood why they left people submerged in that pond for five years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hmm…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is what happens when someone isn’t prepared. For the first time, I genuinely felt sorry for Seong Yul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I mean, I could just burn it away.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the process was proving to be much more arduous than I had anticipated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sweat began to trickle down my forehead and back.It wasn’t just the pain; controlling the energy was exhausting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mixing my energy with someone else’s and trying to manipulate it wasn’t as easy as it sounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I don’t have much time.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a limit to how long I could endure this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hmm…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What should I do? As I pondered, something stirred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What now?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something inside Seong Yul began to writhe.I frowned at the sudden sensation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Oh, hell.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A chilling, sinister force surged through, sweeping away the chaotic energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a killing intent so sharp it sent a shiver down my spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What the hell is this now?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though startled, I maintained my focus.If I faltered now, everything would fall apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creeeeak—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I watched, it seemed like this new force was attacking the invading energy in Seong Yul’s body.That’s when I realized it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s the Heavenly Killing Star.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dormant instinct buried within Seong Yul had awakened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘You little bastard.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t seem to realize it was trying to protect its master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grinding my teeth, I poured more power into suppressing the Heavenly Killing Star.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pushed more of my energy into Seong Yul, wrapping it around the foreign force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Heavenly Killing Star, apparently startled by my retaliation, started thrashing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I subdued it further, I couldn’t help but notice something strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s cold.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could energy feel this cold?And this pure?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I had faced Seong Yul consumed by the Heavenly Killing Star in my past life, I hadn’t realized how pure it was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe it was because it consisted purely of killing intent that it felt so untainted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless, this purity made it easier to handle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That just means it’s easier to control.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asserted my presence, pressing the Heavenly Killing Star down even harder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Growl—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak…!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under my pressure, the Heavenly Killing Star shrank back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite its defiance, it was surprisingly timid.Or perhaps it was because the Dragon Pearl’s energy held dominance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The important thing was dealing with both the Heavenly Killing Star and the Dragon Pearl’s energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It won’t integrate into his body, and I can’t keep redirecting it. In that case…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was only one option left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seong Yul flinched slightly at my call.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t respond. Just listen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m going to compress all this energy and shove it into your dantian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seong Yul’s body trembled in shock. He clearly understood what that meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compressing this overwhelming energy and forcing it into his dantian was akin to trapping a storm in a jar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can you endure it? If not, move now—even a little.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If things went south, I’d just absorb all the energy and release it myself.It would put a massive strain on my body, and Seong Yul would be injured, but it would be manageable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was better than dying, after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you can endure it, you’ll get a lot stronger. Though enduring this is almost impossible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s it going to be?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seong Yul didn’t move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I told him to do something if he couldn’t handle it.But his stillness meant…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tsk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Even if it kills him, he’s going to try.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clicked my tongue and immediately gathered the energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoooosh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh…!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The energy that had been spinning wildly began to compress as I manipulated it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Damn.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The energy was so potent that even compressing it was difficult, but it wasn’t impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’ll filter out the destructive force. Just enough to be usable.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carefully, I compressed the energy and forced it into Seong Yul’s dantian. Then, I withdrew my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thrum—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Guhhh…!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom! Boom-boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A series of explosions echoed from within Seong Yul’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hold on. If you can’t, you’ll die.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom! Boom-boom-boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t open your mouth. Keep the energy sealed inside. If even a little escapes, you’ll explode.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood trickled from Seong Yul’s mouth.The backlash was intense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whew.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, I crossed my arms. But something felt damp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I looked at my palms, they were soaked with sweat.Not just my palms—my whole body was drenched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Damn.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought this was tough, but not this tough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wiping my hands on my robe, I turned my attention back to Seong Yul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom! Boom-boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would he be able to endure that pressure?The question crossed my mind but was soon dismissed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He has to.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to endure it. After showing such stubbornness, he had to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For an ordinary person, they would’ve already burst apart.Whatever his reasons for being this tenacious…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If you’re going to show me something, show me now.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could tell Seong Yul was trying to prove something to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether it was his pride or determination, he was intent on demonstrating it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So don’t die so pointlessly.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would be a waste to lose such potential here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that thought, I continued watching Seong Yul for a long while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom! Boom… boom-boom…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tremors gradually subsided until they disappeared altogether.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seong Yul collapsed onto the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, I narrowed my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did he fail?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling a hint of unease, I approached him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You scared the hell out of me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I checked him, I couldn’t help but curse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Get up already, will you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite my gruff words, a smile spread across my face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing me, Seong Yul stirred. Propping himself up, he rose to his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something crumbled and fell from his body.It looked like dead skin—like the remnants of a snake’s shed skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rebirth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seong Yul’s vessel had grown, empowered by the overwhelming energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing upright, Seong Yul exhaled a soft sigh.With his breath, energy flowed out, shimmering in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His once-dull yellow eyes now glowed faintly, and his expression was filled with awe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The energy was dense and radiant.Seeing it, I was certain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve crossed the barrier.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seong Yul had reached the Hwagyeong realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah… ah…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Feels good, doesn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t even respond, only staring at me.For once, his emotions were clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gratitude and wonder. His eyes brimmed with those feelings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Thank you… Thank you so much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Breaking the barrier must have meant that much to him. He expressed his gratitude repeatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Uh, yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Receiving his thanks felt a little awkward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Technically, I forced him to eat it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could’ve died. This wasn’t some grand act of kindness—it was just me cleaning up my mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But hey, if the results are good, that’s all that matters.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was enough. Besides…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If this worked…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that I knew Seong Yul could handle the Dragon Pearl,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…I can make others eat it too, can’t I?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few ideas about how to use this were starting to take shape.\u003C\u002Fp>",2554,"2026-06-05T15:10:20.656Z",1,"novelbin.me","a973c70b72cf98181e27b7b12510a4d12c9be8851ee5ce8cd6d867a900e09cc4","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-883","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-881",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]