[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-journey-to-become-the-zenith":3,"chapter-journey-to-become-the-zenith-journey-to-become-the-zenith-chapter-127":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Journey to Become 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},1828464,2432,"Chapter 127: The Hunt Beneath a Broken Silence","journey-to-become-the-zenith-chapter-127",127,"\u003Cp>The Hunt Beneath a Broken Silence\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Few days have passed since Lane and Victor last teamed up for an adventure job together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A change crept in, slow and silent. Not named, never discussed, yet there all the same. It sat in the space where words used to be. Quiet, yes - but impossible to ignore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Floating away from the group, Victor took jobs alone, words few. As usual, his steps stayed smooth, face still, a wall around him - yet anyone watching close saw it: thoughts humming beneath. Something sat there, just out of sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lane stayed caught up in a task she wouldn’t talk about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time someone questioned her, a small grin appeared before she answered softly: \"Not worth mentioning.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet that moment held weight. It mattered more than silence could hide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Clara continued working as an adventurer like usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anything—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She worked even harder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sky above the small rural settlement of Ridge Village was dull and overcast, heavy clouds hanging low as if pressing down on the land itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air smelled wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not rotten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But tense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like something had disturbed the natural order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clara stood at the edge of the village, her long blonde hair swaying slightly in the wind. Her purple eyes were sharp, focused—scanning everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her outfit clung tightly to her athletic frame—black leather pants hugging her legs, a cropped top revealing her toned midsection. Every movement she made carried strength, precision... and restrained irritation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Goblins,\" she muttered under her breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her jaw tightened slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The villagers stood behind her at a distance, whispering nervously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They’ve been coming closer every night...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They took livestock...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Someone saw them near the houses yesterday...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clara didn’t respond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t need to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She already knew what this meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since the necromancer from before disappeared—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surrounding monsters had changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not organized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not controlled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But unstable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like something had snapped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And goblins—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Were always the first to act on that chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Stay inside,\" Clara said calmly, not even turning around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice wasn’t loud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it carried.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Lock your doors. Don’t come out until I return.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A villager hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Miss... will you be alright alone?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clara finally glanced back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...They’re goblins.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was her answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The forest swallowed her the moment she stepped in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shadows stretched between twisted trees. Leaves rustled softly, but there was no birdsong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clara exhaled slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Annoying.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her fingers tightened around her weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first goblin didn’t even realize she was there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A blur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A clean strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its head rolled before its body understood it was dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wasted movement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three emerged from behind the brush, snarling, crude weapons raised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their eyes locked onto her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hungry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Animalistic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clara’s expression didn’t change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Disgusting.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They rushed her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bad decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steel flashed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Precise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Brutal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One lost its arm before it could swing. Another had its throat opened mid-step. The last one—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tried to run.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clara’s eyes narrowed slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...You’re not dying yet.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She moved faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cutting deep—but not enough to kill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The goblin screamed, collapsing to the ground, clutching its wound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clara stood over it, her shadow falling across its trembling body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Run.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The goblin hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then instinct took over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It crawled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then stumbled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then ran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back toward its den.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clara followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Patiently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her footsteps barely made a sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The deeper she went—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The worse the smell became.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rotting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something foul lingering in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her expression darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Found it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hidden behind jagged stone and overgrown roots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entrance was narrow—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But inside—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clara stepped in without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air inside was cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every sound echoed slightly—dripping water, distant movement, low guttural noises.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her grip tightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They came.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then in groups.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Goblins rushing out of the darkness, drawn by sound, by scent—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their eyes lit up the moment they saw her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Greed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hunger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something vile behind it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clara’s expression hardened completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...I was already in a bad mood.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice dropped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...You picked the wrong day.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What followed—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was not a fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a massacre.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She moved like a storm unleashed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every swing of her blade carried weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every step pushed forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A goblin lunged—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She split it from shoulder to waist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another tried to flank—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She crushed its skull against the cave wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two rushed together—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stepped between them—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And both fell before they even realized she had moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood splattered across the stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The smell thickened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Clara didn’t slow down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Didn’t stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her breathing remained steady—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But her eyes—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Burned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn’t just killing them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was venting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every irritation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every unspoken thought from the past few days—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Poured into each strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Pathetic.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A whisper under her breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One tried to beg.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t understand her language.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the sound—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tone—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clara’s blade didn’t hesitate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eventually—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cave fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bodies scattered across the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Broken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clara stood in the center of it all, chest rising slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her grip loosened slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Done.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But not quite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She crouched down, her movements calm now, methodical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One by one—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She cut off their ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Precise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Proof of subjugation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She placed them into a small pouch at her side without a word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She went deeper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cave twisted inward, narrowing, the darkness thickening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something felt off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her steps slowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She saw them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Women.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huddled together in the far corner of the cave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their bodies trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eyes wide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clothes torn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Skin bruised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the faint light reached them—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They flinched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if expecting more pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clara froze for a fraction of a second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Of course.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice came out quieter this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But heavier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had expected this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She always did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because goblins—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Never stopped at raiding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her jaw tightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her fingers curled slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flicker of something dangerous passed through her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something deeper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a brief moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An image flashed in her mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her own family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a place like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Helpless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Broken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her grip on the sword tightened again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hard enough that her knuckles whitened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...No.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A quiet breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sharp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Controlled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She turned her gaze back to the women.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this time—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice softened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...You’re safe.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They didn’t respond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fear doesn’t vanish that easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clara exhaled slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then turned back—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the cave behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the bodies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At what remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes hardened once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because if even one had survived—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She would have gone back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And ended it again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was nothing left to kill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only people to save.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And anger—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still burning quietly inside her chest.\u003C\u002Fp>",1129,"2026-06-09T06:06:36.927Z",1,"novelbin.me","264da5472f5e50197b594b5af01fd4cb75b5cc25265c72915fa387b0cb94da77","journey-to-become-the-zenith-chapter-128","journey-to-become-the-zenith-chapter-126",253,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fjourney-to-become-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]