[{"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-960":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},1240386,1667,"Chapter 959","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-960",960,"\u003Cp>\"...\"\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A heavy silence filled the space.The only sound was the faint dripping of liquid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drip. Drip. Drip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The source of the sound was my hand.Blood continued to drip from the wounds where I had gripped the sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the droplets fall, I thought to myself—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, fuck, this hurts like hell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Why does this hurt so damn much…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I kept my face expressionless, but it was excruciating.Was it because I had gripped the blade longer and tighter than last time?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced down at my palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Well, shit.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bone was exposed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having experienced this before, I knew that my regeneration would be frustratingly slow.The bandages I had wrapped around my hand were already soaked through and unraveling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t really mind—it wasn’t mine, after all. It belonged to Seol Yeong.But I couldn’t just leave it like this…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was considering tearing my clothes to wrap the wound when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssssshhhh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Huh?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sensation spread through my left arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eternal Bind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eternal Bind suddenly moved, coiling itself around my injured hand like a bandage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Oh.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it trying to help?A cursed relic with a sense of consideration?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tighten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Gah…!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if it had read my thoughts, Eternal Bind tightened even further.It was probably to stop the bleeding, but the irony of the situation wasn’t lost on me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suppressing the pain, I heard the blacksmith speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What do you mean, you’re going to kill the Dragon Emperor?”“Exactly what I said. I’m going to kill him.”“Bullshit! How can a dragon kill the Dragon Emperor?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes were red with emotion. His expression was one of sheer desperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why not? He can be killed, just like anyone else.”“Don’t try to deceive me! Dragons can never defy the Dragon Emperor! Do you think I don’t know that?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that, I tilted my head slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Couldn’t defy him? I didn’t think that was true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If that were the case…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then there would’ve been no reason for Dokgo Jun to act the way he did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I—no, we—don’t trust dragons.”“…Hm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t clear whether he was unaware of the situation or simply held an inherent hatred for dragons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Either way, he kept growling at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Still… it’s not a complete rejection.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could sense it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something in the air had shifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe because I said I needed to kill the Dragon Emperor?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could see it in their eyes—something had changed, if only slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you don’t believe me, that’s fine, but…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t really matter if they trusted me or not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What mattered was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That thing you’re using. I want some of it.”“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pointed at the sword in the blacksmith’s hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you talking about?”“This.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snatch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Guh!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I yanked the sword from his grip.The moment it slipped from his hands, his face twisted in anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You… you bastard…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tried to lunge at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pressed the blade against his throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, I had no intention of actually cutting him.I just needed the sword. And I needed him to stop moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ignoring the frozen blacksmith, I turned the blade over in my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, I pressed it against my forearm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I barely touched it—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssssshhhh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—but the burn was instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The metal wasn’t hot. If anything, it was cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I only held it there for a brief moment before pulling away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, I tossed the sword back at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He caught it in a panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching him, I chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I need this stuff. It’s amazing, isn’t it? Just a touch, and it burns like hell, melts flesh. So tell me—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tilted my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Does it only work on dragons?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d been wondering about it for a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That ominous-looking blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I fought Gubong, it had given me the same feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just looking at this metal made my skin crawl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it simply an unpleasant material?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or was it because I was a dragon?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you really think I’d tell you that?”“Why not? Even if you don’t, I have plenty of ways to find out. And besides—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other dwarves were still watching me warily, their weapons drawn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let my gaze linger on each of them before turning back to the blacksmith.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you won’t answer…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I could just kill your friends one by one until I figure it out myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At my words, he stiffened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before his panic could escalate, I grinned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Relax. I’m joking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I said it with a cheerful smile, but his expression remained tense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it wasn’t a joke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And proof.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That I could kill them all if I wanted to.But I wasn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the point I wanted to get across.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by the way the room turned ice-cold, it worked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I observed their reactions before taking a step back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no point in staying here any longer. I’ll leave for now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was enough for today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could push further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if I wanted this to go my way, I needed to take a step back first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Next time, let’s have a real conversation.”“…I told you already—I…”“Yes, yes. You hate dragons. I get it. But,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gestured toward myself with my wounded hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I hate dragons too. So we’ll get along just fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll see you next time. And when I ask a question, I expect an answer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You bastard…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Waving casually, I turned and walked out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blacksmith shouted something after me, but I ignored him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I leaped into the air, leaving the forge behind and landing atop a nearby rooftop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sun was setting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Night would fall soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gazed northward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This part was handled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The issue with the turtle was settled—for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Time to finish the last task for today.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>************************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I left Mount Hua.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, I was heading toward Yahwol Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Going back so soon after finishing yesterday’s business felt a bit excessive, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I have to go.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were still too many unresolved matters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, I needed to keep an eye on the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I also need to observe Yusa more closely.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to approach him.I didn’t know if I could get close to him completely, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Once I get closer, I’ll find out.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From what little I knew of Yusa’s power,he didn’t seem like someone who wouldn’t notice if I tried sneaking around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In times like this, it was better to be direct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Though I feel like I’m going there too often…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like I was heading to Yahwol every single day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this rate, I might as well just settle down there permanently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That might actually be a good idea.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Traveling back and forth was a hassle.And since there were Mount Hua people stationed there, I could probably arrange something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I thought about this while climbing the mountain—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I suddenly stopped and rolled my eyes slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, I scanned my surroundings as if inspecting the forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first glance, nothing seemed out of place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the same road I had always taken, the same trees and underbrush I had seen countless times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Above me, the sky remained unchanged, carrying the glow of the two moons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Resting my chin in my hand, I let out a quiet sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt the wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t try to extend my senses or sharpen their density.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I simply stood still, closing my eyes and feeling the surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And after standing there for a moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssshhhhhh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within the flowing air, I caught something out of place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Found you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I opened my eyes. At the same time, I raised my energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My vision shifted as I lunged forward, chasing after something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment I moved, the hidden figure moved as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grab—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My hand clamped down on them before they could escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as they were caught, they struggled, thrashing and trying to break free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before they could, I tightened my grip and slammed them into the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOOOM—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A rough impact shook the earth, sending dirt and debris flying into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A gust of wind carried the dust upward, obstructing my view, so I used my energy to clear it away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, I finally saw them—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one I had caught and pinned to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing them, I grinned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…So it’s you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the past several days,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time I left Mount Hua,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This person had been irritating me, always lingering at the edge of my senses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever I tried to track them with my energy, they vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when I tried to find them without my senses, they were nowhere to be seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been pissing me off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It was you, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had finally caught them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After days of trying to track that lingering presence without using my energy—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yarang. That was your name, wasn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A woman wearing a black mask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t sure if she really was a woman,but judging by her body, she certainly seemed to be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She simply stared at me, her throat caught in my grip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her expression was hidden behind the mask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With how much pressure I was applying, she had to be in pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, she didn’t make a single sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This woman…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ruler of Mangye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one my mother had referred to as her daughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The one who wounded Cheonma.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one who had left a wound on Cheonma before disappearing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clench.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment I recalled that, my grip tightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What’s your deal? Why do you keep following me around and pissing me off?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You don’t want to talk? Fine, then.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was supposedly a General, so she had to be strong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she was also someone who had been watching me for a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead of wasting time questioning her, it might be better to provoke her and see how she reacted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After making my decision—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let’s see how long you can keep that mouth shut.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flames engulfed my fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blue fire crackled, wrapped in my energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I threw my fist straight at Yarang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tried to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoooosh—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My fist shot forward, aiming to crush her face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, it stopped just before making contact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had I hesitated? No.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had intended to hit her, no doubt about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What the hell are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn't.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My body refused to obey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My voice trembled slightly as I spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What the hell is your—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssssssshhhhhh—!!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Guh—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I flinched, my eyes narrowing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a powerful burst of energy erupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A golden aura surged outward, momentarily blinding my vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I quickly dispersed the light and regained my sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Shit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Yarang I had been holding—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had already disappeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where? Where the hell had she gone?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was about to search for her, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It turned out there was no need.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She hadn’t fled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had merely moved behind me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was just standing there, watching me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned to face her, ready to speak—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The strings holding her mask suddenly unraveled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, the mask slipped from her face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Plop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a soft sound, it fell to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And at that moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her bare face was revealed to the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The instant I saw it,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My heart sank like a rock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t help it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Yarang’s face—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the face that I had longed for more than anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both in my past life and now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had the exact same face as Wi Seol-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>",1912,"2026-06-05T15:10:22.035Z",1,"novelbin.me","97cbff6306888faf10c730ffec0d6b3b1daf2d9cce24f1748eb61653f05110ce","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-961","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-959",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]