[{"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-929":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},1240679,1667,"Chapter 928","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-929",929,"\u003Cp>The darkness that spread across the ground consumed the entire field like a predator devouring its prey. The range of the domain extended to the size of a massive lake, vast and oppressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The endless darkness swallowed the trees and bushes in its path until it had created a completely blackened territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack.Snap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the blackened ground, an eerie ash-like substance rose in wisps, akin to a heat haze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was foreboding.And it was revolting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The masked woman silently observed the ominous domain through the veil of her mask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes darted, scanning the area to pinpoint the presence responsible for creating this space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Squish—!“—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her footing sank into the ground, throwing her balance off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shiiing—!!!A sharp spike shot up from the ground, aimed directly at her neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She moved swiftly, slicing through the spike with her energy-forged sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Planting her strength into her legs, she yanked herself free and leapt back to create distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoosh—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless hands erupted from the ground, clawing toward her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, the woman prepared to swing her sword again, only to feel a sudden grip on her back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where do you think you’re going?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The master of the domain had already appeared behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before she could break free, her neck was seized, and her perspective spun as she was hurled violently to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her body sank into the earth, engulfed by the sticky sensation of mud as though she were being buried alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her opponent, of course, wasn’t content to merely watch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumble—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A vortex of dark energy spiraled into a singular point, gathering in immense concentration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sheer pressure emanating from it was overwhelming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The domain began to shrink, but it wasn’t simply contracting—it was compressing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The vortex pulled the space tighter, its mass undiminished despite the reduced area, causing the pressure to skyrocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adjusting the gathered energy in her hand, the black-haired woman clapped lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clap—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOOM—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The amassed energy exploded in an instant.The range of the blast defied imagination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entirety of the ground that had been consumed by darkness erupted, leaving only a massive, deeply gouged crater as a scar of destruction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssshh…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faint remnants of the dark energy scattered like ashes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The violet eyes of the Cheonma stared indifferently at the aftermath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it dealt with? No. It wasn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the center of the crater, something gleamed—a small sphere radiating a faint magenta glow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma tightened her grip on her sword.With a simple slash, she sent a heavy black crescent of energy flying toward the sphere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The impact generated a shockwave, scattering dust and debris, but the sphere remained untouched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma furrowed her brows, dissatisfied.There hadn’t been even a scratch—it was strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s going on?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was the strike too weak?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She gripped her sword tighter, pouring more energy into it.The blade, slightly dulled from the earlier attack, grew thicker with power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, she decided to attack properly. As she steadied her stance, preparing to release her full strength—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flick—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, something burst out from the sphere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman emerged, dragging her sword across the ground as she surged toward Cheonma.With a swift motion, she swung her sword upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The attack failed to connect, blocked before it could gain momentum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma calmly extended her hand toward the woman’s face—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something broke. Cheonma glanced down.Her sword was cracking, splintering into pieces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shiiing—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman’s blade streaked toward Cheonma’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma twisted her head at the last moment, narrowly avoiding the strike.As she dodged, she tilted her head slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why had her weapon shattered so suddenly?It didn’t make sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she didn’t dwell on it for long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no time to think—another attack came immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of wind splitting trailed behind the blade, a testament to its incredible speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite the rapid onslaught, Cheonma evaded each strike with an unchanging expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something about the attacks felt oddly familiar.Though she couldn’t pinpoint why, the sensation was undeniable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Have I seen this somewhere before?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma wasn’t one to dwell on such thoughts.After all, the world was full of unfamiliar things that could feel strangely recognizable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But none of that mattered right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma was curious about what lay behind the woman’s mask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deflecting the woman’s blade with a surge of energy, she closed the distance.Her own dark energy surged outward, vast and overwhelming from the moment of her birth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t bother to restrain it—she had never learned how.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The oppressive energy made the woman falter for a brief moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She took a single step back. Just one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gripping her sword tightly, she twisted her body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her blade sliced through the air, and Cheonma saw it clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“White?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the magenta energy coiling around the blade, there was a streak of white.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma’s eyes locked onto it, transfixed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Screeech—!!!Slash—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her fixation cost her.The energy tore into her, leaving scratches on her body, but she couldn’t look away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It hurt.Cheonma clutched her chest, stepping back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Urgh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She bit her lip, overwhelmed by the sharp pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sizzle…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her wound hissed, emitting a strange sound as if it were burning.Her face twisted in discomfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It hurts…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lifting her hand from her chest, she found it stained with blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To make matters worse, her clothes were dirty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma’s expression crumpled as she looked at her bloodied garments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’m going to get scolded.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had been told not to cause trouble.To stay out of sight. To avoid making a mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What are they going to say now?The thought of further rejection made her bite her lip again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her chest throbbed with pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it from the wound? It hadn’t felt this bad earlier, but now it was unbearable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then she realized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma raised her head, looking straight ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She’s gone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman had vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lost in her thoughts, she had let her escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scratching her head, Cheonma nodded to herself.This was the second time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next time—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I won’t hesitate to kill her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She resolved firmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What’s this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned my head to the left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something stirred over there. A strange energy.Was I imagining it?There was an ominous feeling, but as I focused, it faded into nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Am I just tired?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was possible.I hadn’t slept for days now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I usually don’t sleep much, but since coming here, I hadn’t rested at all.There were too many things to investigate, too much to understand. Sleep felt like a luxury I couldn’t afford.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Should I sleep now…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I considered it—there wasn’t much to do anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then again—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, this definitely isn’t the place for that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed as I glanced around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The damp and cold ground.The humid, uncomfortable air.And the iron bars right in front of me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This place had a strange familiarity.Oh, right—I was in a cell.Handcuffed, no less.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I chuckled dryly.How long had it been since I’d been locked up?Probably not since the life before my last, back when I met my end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I feel nostalgic about this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clicked my tongue as I looked down at the cuffs on my wrists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How did things end up like this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Man, I really didn’t see this coming.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of all things, I hadn’t expected to land myself in a cell.I stared at the chains for a moment before raising my voice slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound stirred movement outside the bars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Quiet down.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A figure in black appeared, issuing a warning. I smiled at him and asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How long am I supposed to stay here? Come on, I’m a guest, after all. This isn’t how you treat guests, is it?”“Guest?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man snorted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How the hell are you a guest?”“Well, I went through all the trouble to drag Gubong here, didn’t I? Considering how much effort I put in, I think I deserve at least a little hospitality—”“Shut up!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s reaction was intense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn, no need to yell.”“Do you even know who you’re talking about when you mention him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, so it was mentioning Gubong that set him off.I replied nonchalantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who else would he be? Looks to me like he’s the family’s golden boy or something.”“...”“Is he the eldest? The second son? Or maybe an only child?”“You little—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a growl in his voice, almost animalistic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smirked as I replied,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eh, doesn’t matter. That’s not important. Anyway, seriously, how long are you planning to keep me here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tapped the ground lightly with my fingers as I spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You see, I’m kind of used to a higher standard of living. These conditions don’t really suit me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, I could sleep in a mud pit if I had to, but that wasn’t the point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man clenched his fist, trembling for a moment before letting out a strained laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who knows.”“Huh?”“There’s been no word on when to let you go. Hell, we might never let you go.”“Yeah, that’s going to be a problem.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I leaned back lazily, propping my chin on my hand with a frown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve got a lot going on, so forever isn’t going to work for me. Think you could speed things up?”“Hah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He scoffed in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If the leader sets the rules, then they’re absolute here. Do you really think your opinion matters? You’re nothing but a pest from Mount Hua, yet you have so many demands.”“…Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I scratched my cheek, realizing I’d pushed him a bit too far.He seemed to genuinely hate me now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, you’re really not letting me go?”“Exactly. Now shut up and sit quietly.”“Wait, seriously?”“Are you deaf?”“Ah… damn.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hung my head in mock dejection, and the man nodded in satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Finally, you’ve realized your place—”“I thought you’d at least treat me like a guest. What a hassle. Now I’ll have to take matters into my own hands.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could finish his sentence, I stood up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I ripped the cuffs from my wrists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the—?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man moved, startled, but I was already gripping the iron bars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a firm yank, I tore the bars apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s eyes widened as he processed the situation.I flexed my wrists casually and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’re not going to treat me like a guest and instead like a prisoner… then I’ll just act accordingly.”“You bastard—!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man charged at me—or at least, he tried to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grab—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I caught him by the face, his jaw forced open as I held him in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His teeth were clearly visible, so I plucked out one of his fangs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flick—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He trembled violently, struggling in my grip, but he couldn’t shake free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For all his pride, he didn’t even scream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Listen carefully.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I crushed the fang in front of his eyes and continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve got a few questions for you.”“Guh… guh…”“If I don’t like your answers, I’ll pull out another tooth. Then your nails. Then your eyes. And finally, your bones. If you’d rather stay quiet, that’s fine too—it’ll just hurt more.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I loosened my grip slightly, just enough for him to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now, first question.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked at the terrified man with a rare excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s Gubong’s deal?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's been a long time since I last had the chance to enjoy torture.\u003C\u002Fp>",1868,"2026-06-05T15:10:21.117Z",1,"novelbin.me","c1d9d3b35cdd2892e47b2b2175348da18d4a274085fc44cbd0391b2d698d05ae","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-930","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-928",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]