[{"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-897":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},1240767,1667,"Chapter 896","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-897",897,"\u003Cp>[Rooooaaaarrrrr!!!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The roar was deafening, so powerful it felt as though it slammed directly into my ears, despite the considerable distance between us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just a simple roar; there was something embedded within it.Not only did it send tingling sensations across my skin, but it also went deeper…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It resonates within me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The vibrations reached into my very soul, shaking it to its core.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What is this…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned at the unfamiliar sensation, but at the same time, I felt a strange sense of familiarity as I gazed at the creature.While reason screamed for me to run, instinct urged me to get closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That thing…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a massive, overwhelming entity I had never seen before.Yet, I had felt it somewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say I’d experienced its presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kurung…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That strange beast that had shared my body for years.The one that constantly whined about being hungry, demanding to be fed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had finally quieted down once I began feeding it demonic energy regularly. Now, however, it was no longer with me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It said it had to go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One day, while I was training as usual, the creature that always growled and grumbled suddenly declared it needed to leave for a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t think much of it at the time. Where could a thing stuck to me even go? Yet, it disappeared that day and hadn’t returned since.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What’s more—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noya left with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why Shin Noya wasn’t with me anymore.Noya had gone along with Kurung, at my request, for reasons I deemed necessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought it was taking too long to return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had promised to be back within six months or a year at most, but far more time had passed.I had started worrying about them, even if only faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why is Kurung…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was it here?Was it really Kurung in the first place?I knew the beast had a tangible form, but I’d never seen it before, so I couldn’t be certain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What should I do…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The massive form was shrouded in darkness, its body like an incomprehensible mass of smoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just looking at it felt like I was being drawn into it. My pounding heart screamed danger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Rooooaaaaaarrrrr!!!!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beast’s roar reverberated through the air, shaking everything around it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether it was Kurung or not, the logical thing to do was run.But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem is…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it was Kurung—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kurung was tied to my mother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beast was deeply connected to her. If I could confirm that this was Kurung, perhaps I could learn more about where I was, and even ask about other things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is it worth the risk?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it wasn’t Kurung, it would spell disaster.Even if it was Kurung, there was no guarantee it would be on my side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kurung had never been entirely trustworthy, after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I wrestled with my instincts and reason, a hand suddenly gripped my wrist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Cheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She pointed toward the roaring beast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you insane? That thing is clearly dangerous. Why would we go toward it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You want to go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How did she know? Was it that obvious on my face?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She continued pointing as if it was the most natural thing in the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hesitated for a moment, but my body was honest.I was already gathering energy to leap forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Fine. Let’s see what happens.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was better to confirm things than to run away blindly.Steeling myself, I ignited flames and leaped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Closing the distance wasn’t particularly difficult.Even though my body had moved into an unfamiliar space, my strength hadn’t diminished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than that—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It feels light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My body was significantly lighter. I hadn’t noticed it while climbing the trees earlier, but now, as I moved, it became clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt at least half as light as usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s not like my cultivation level increased…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could explain this difference? The only reason I could think of was the air in this place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air is saturated with qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That must be it.The qi-rich air heightened my body’s functions, making my movements far more fluid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…What is this place?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where was I? What kind of place could have an atmosphere like this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And more importantly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who sent me here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who had thrown me into this strange place?And more curiously—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who sent me here with her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoever it was, what could their intentions possibly be?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Rooooarrrrr!!!!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I could dwell on it further, another roar shook the air.It was much closer this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stopped in my tracks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ha.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dry laugh escaped my lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s this big?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From afar, the sheer size of the beast hadn’t fully registered. Now, up close, its enormity hit me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is insane.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thing was massive.It dwarfed even the nearby mountains, making them seem small in comparison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Grrraaaaaarrrrr!!!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its deafening cry made me grimace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ground trembled with each roar as it howled into the sky, shaking the very terrain.From the lower ground, I looked up at the creature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Is it really Kurung?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this beast truly Kurung? Even up close, I couldn’t be certain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it was—what then?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I try talking to it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I greet it, perhaps?I had come to confirm its identity, but what now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What do I do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I hesitated—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shiver!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A chill ran down my spine. I tilted my head upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My body froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beast, which had been staring at the sky moments ago, was now looking directly at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its piercing violet gaze locked onto mine.Though its form was shrouded in smoke, those eyes were vivid, unmistakable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was staring at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A crushing weight bore down on me, my heart pounding as if it might burst.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoooosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its presence invaded my senses.It was overwhelming. My body trembled, a primal fear screaming that I was staring at something I shouldn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that moment, I understood instinctively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m going to die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this beast bore hostility toward me, there would be no battle—just instant annihilation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I run?No—there wasn’t even time to consider it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whooooosh!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Damn it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Black smoke erupted from the ground, rising rapidly.Before I realized it, the smoke had encircled both Cheonma and me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it attacking? I hadn’t expected it to be this fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew I shouldn’t have come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I should have kept my distance. Now, I was in serious trouble.Tensing my body, I ignited flames and lashed out at the encroaching smoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kwooooom—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The azure flame erupted, unleashing a shockwave that rippled outward. I was startled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The output has increased.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only did my body feel lighter, but my strength seemed to have amplified as well.However—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even so, it’s useless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could tell just by striking the barrier. It didn’t even leave a scratch. Damn it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My mind raced, knowing there was no time to hesitate. I immediately prepared to use the White Flame, focusing my heart's energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wooooooong—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Nine Flames Firewheel spun rapidly. At the same time, the azure flame began to fade.Whoosh! In an instant, the flame transformed into a brilliant white.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swung it toward the barrier again, ready to strike—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma grabbed my wrist once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssszzzt—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Ahhh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her hand touched the White Flame, and she let out a suppressed groan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you doing!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Startled, I extinguished the flame and pulled her hand toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her skin where it had touched the White Flame was seared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you insane? Why the hell would you grab me when I’m using fire?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I yelled angrily, and Cheonma widened her eyes in surprise.Realizing I had been holding her hand, I quickly let go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t touch me without permission.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Okay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her response sounded oddly cheerful, leaving me dumbfounded.She just got burned, and she’s pleased about it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But you still can’t do that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma stopped me again, and I narrowed my eyes as I looked at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean, ‘can’t’? What, are we just going to stand here and die?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We won’t die.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Like hell we won’t—just look at this thing—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It has no killing intent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words made me pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that she mentions it…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked up at the creature again.Through the translucent barrier, I could see it staring at us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It doesn’t have killing intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just… watching us. The barrier remained, but it hadn’t done anything else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What does this mean?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even without killing intent, it didn’t change the fact that this thing wasn’t human.It wasn’t even a demonic beast. It was something far greater, an existence so distant it felt wrong to call it a creature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced at Cheonma briefly before extinguishing the flame.I wanted to see what would happen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Grrrr….]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The creature let out a low growl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was that?It sounded almost like it was… crying?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I squinted, trying to make sense of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Grrr… ga….]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The growling began to shift, like it was attempting to form words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I perked up my ears, focusing intently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…ga… ya….]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…go… ya….]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Speak clearly if you’re going to talk!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frustrated, I shouted. The sound grew slightly more distinct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…Here is….]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words were audible now.Was this really Kurung? If so, was this a gesture of goodwill?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I was considering this—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crreeeeeeek—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of something tearing through the air reached my ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Grrrrrr—!!!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kurung raised its massive head abruptly, its colossal body shifting. The sheer movement caused another tremor to ripple through the area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned my gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The unsettling noise came from the sky. There, a growing rift was forming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Magyeong Gate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked similar to the Magyeong Gate, but its size was entirely different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why is it so ridiculously big?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rift was as large as a mountain.Moreover, the color wasn’t one I recognized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t any of the usual shades like green or blue.It was a soft, radiant crimson, so beautiful it almost seemed to emit the scent of flowers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait, a floral scent?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The realization hit me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This scent…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve smelled this before.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long ago, before I ended up in this wretched place. Back when the Blood Demon attacked, I had sensed the same floral scent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh no…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kwoooom—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Light erupted from the rift, piercing straight through Kurung.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Aaaaaargh—!!!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kurung let out a pained howl as I widened my eyes in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell just happened?As the question formed in my mind, I heard a voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[How strange.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[For someone who went through so much trouble to hide, you’re standing here so boldly.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soft, elegant voice made me instinctively turn my gaze.It was the same voice that had once cradled me, stroked my hair, and spoken gently to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I suppose you’ve been waiting for me, haven’t you?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone emerged from the rift that had unleashed the blinding light.Barefoot, they stepped gracefully across the void.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The figure, wearing a calm expression, stared leisurely at Kurung.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The size difference was staggering.Kurung, towering over mountains, dwarfed the figure who appeared completely human in form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump. Thump.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like when I first saw Kurung, an overwhelming, distant presence radiated from this figure.The woman’s languid eyes gazed at the writhing Kurung, full of calm yet undeniable authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Isn’t that right?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To my astonishment, she spoke to the creature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Abyss.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was my mother.\u003C\u002Fp>",1892,"2026-06-05T15:10:20.656Z",1,"novelbin.me","ac886118ff9782a7d4ebcc3a2a9e7819bfa63acacd5d7b587edcd0bd386dddc3","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-721","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-720",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]