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Journey to Become the Zenith

Chapter 365: A Smile Before the Trap (Part 1) · Oct 23, 2026

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Chapter List (490)

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351 Chapter 351: The Flame Rekindled 2026-10-23
352 Chapter 352: A Promise Beyond Life 2026-10-23
353 Chapter 353: A Promise Beyond Life [Part -2] 2026-10-23
354 Chapter 354: The Soul’s Eternal Covenant 2026-10-23
355 Chapter 355: The Place Where Souls Rest 2026-10-23
356 Chapter 356: The Path to Saving Her Sisters 2026-10-23
357 Chapter 357: The First Thread of the Conspiracy 2026-10-23
358 Chapter 358: Echoes Buried Beneath Forgotten Memories 2026-10-23
359 Chapter 359: The Vanishing Fisherman 2026-10-23
360 Chapter 360: Shadows Beneath the Ruins 2026-10-23
361 Chapter 361: The Eyes Watching from the Dark (Part 3) 2026-10-23
362 Chapter 362: A Hero’s Heart in Turmoil (Part 1) 2026-10-23
363 Chapter 363: A Hero’s Heart in Turmoil (Part 2) 2026-10-23
364 Chapter 364: A Hero’s Heart in Turmoil (Part 3) 2026-10-23
365 Chapter 365: A Smile Before the Trap (Part 1) 2026-10-23
366 Chapter 366: A Smile Before the Trap (Part 2) 2026-10-23
367 Chapter 367: A Smile Before the Trap (Part 3) 2026-10-23
368 Chapter 368: The Cornered Rat’s Last Bluff (Part 1) 2026-10-23
369 Chapter 369: The Cornered Rat’s Last Bluff (Part 2) 2026-10-23
370 Chapter 370: The Cornered Rat’s Last Bluff (Part 3) 2026-10-23
371 Chapter 371: A Family Reunited, A New Enemy Revealed 2026-10-23
372 Chapter 372: The Curse That Bound Blood 2026-10-23
373 Chapter 373: A New Trail Toward the Elmhart Family 2026-10-23
374 Chapter 374: Seeds of a New Era 2026-10-23
375 Chapter 375: Seeds of a New Era [Part -2] 2026-10-23
376 Chapter 376: Seeds of a New Era [Part -3] 2026-10-23
377 Chapter 377: The Foundation of an Empire 2026-10-23
378 Chapter 378: The Foundation of an Empire [Part -2] 2026-10-23
379 Chapter 379: The Goddesses’ Invitation (Part 1) 2026-10-23
380 Chapter 380: The Goddesses’ Invitation (Part 2) 2026-10-23
381 Chapter 381: The Goddesses’ Invitation (Part 3) 2026-10-23
382 Chapter 382: The Goddesses’ Invitation (Part 4) 2026-10-23
383 Chapter 383: Echoes Within the Soul 2026-10-23
384 Chapter 384: The Gathering of Incarnations 2026-10-23
385 Chapter 385: Diana!!! 2026-10-23
386 Chapter 386: Echoes of Forgotten Bonds 2026-10-23
387 Chapter 387: Echoes of Forgotten Bonds [Part 2] 2026-10-23
388 Chapter 388: Echoes of Forgotten Bonds 2026-10-23
389 Chapter 389: The Contract Beneath the Eternal Moon 2026-10-23
390 Chapter 390: The Oath Beneath the Eternal Moon 2026-10-23
391 Chapter 391: The Oath Beneath the Eternal Moon [Part 2] 2026-10-23
392 Chapter 392: The Dragon’s Oath 2026-10-23
393 Chapter 393: A Promise Across Lifetimes 2026-10-23
394 Chapter 394: The One Waiting Beyond the South Gate 2026-10-23
395 Chapter 395: The Lioness’s Resolve 2026-10-23
396 Chapter 396: The Gathering of Spirit Rulers 2026-10-23
397 Chapter 397: A Dread Beyond the Soul 2026-10-23
398 Chapter 398: The Seventh Summoning 2026-10-23
399 Chapter 399: The Arrival of the Seventh Spirit 2026-10-23
400 Chapter 400: The Chaos Spirit Descends 2026-10-23

A Smile Before the Trap (Part 1)

Inside the tavern...

The assassin’s face nearly twitched.

His heart plummeted into his stomach.

What the fuck?!

Did someone put a fucking curse on me?!

The curse assassin sat frozen for the briefest instant.

He had spent years surviving by trusting his instincts.

Those instincts had saved him from countless impossible situations.

Now...

Every one of them screamed the same warning.

Run.

Unfortunately...

He couldn’t.

His fingers tightened around the wooden spoon until his knuckles turned pale.

Without moving his head, he carefully observed the newcomers from the corner of his eye.

Victor.

Clara.

Aria.

And standing a short distance away near the entrance...

Videl.

The people he least wanted to meet had all gathered inside the same tavern.

For one horrifying moment, he wondered if fate itself had decided to mock him.

Impossible...

This can’t be a coincidence...

Can it...?

The pressure pressing against his chest became almost unbearable.

He forced himself to inhale slowly.

Then exhale.

Again.

His heartbeat gradually steadied, though only on the surface.

Inside, panic threatened to consume him.

...

The tavern itself had been lively only moments earlier.

Warm lanterns illuminated the wooden interior.

The scent of roasted meat, bread, ale, and smoke filled the air.

Several musicians had been lazily playing in one corner before the doors opened.

Now...

Everything had fallen silent.

Every eye inside the tavern turned toward Victor.

Not everyone stared for the same reason.

Some of the customers were ordinary townspeople.

Only two or three days had passed since Fantom City survived the devastating undead invasion.

Many of them had personally witnessed Victor standing against the terrifying necromancer during the city’s darkest hour.

To them...

Victor wasn’t merely another adventurer.

He was one of the heroes who had helped save the city.

Their gazes were filled with admiration.

Respect.

Curiosity.

Others...

Had entirely different reasons.

Several rough-looking men sitting near the back instinctively lowered their eyes.

They weren’t part of Eon’s criminal organization.

They were simply small-time thieves, smugglers, gamblers, and troublemakers who often gathered inside this tavern.

Ever since Victor’s reputation spread throughout Fantom City...

None of them wished to attract his attention.

Stories about him had already become exaggerated beyond belief.

Some claimed he smiled while defeating monsters.

Others swore he had cut down countless undead without taking a single step backward.

Whether those stories were true hardly mattered anymore.

Fear had a way of creating legends.

The assassin noticed all of this immediately.

Good...

Their attention isn’t only on me.

That realization offered him the smallest measure of relief.

Victor calmly swept his golden eyes across the tavern.

His expression remained relaxed.

A gentle smile rested on his handsome face.

The intimidating silence lasted another heartbeat before he chuckled softly.

”Sorry.”

His warm voice broke the tension.

”I didn’t mean to disturb everyone’s meal.”

He casually raised one hand in greeting.

”I’m just here to talk to a friend of mine.”

”So all of you can go back to what you were doing.”

The atmosphere loosened slightly.

Several customers exchanged uncertain glances.

Victor’s smile widened just enough to put everyone at ease.

”Oh...”

”And in celebration of the creation of New Fantom...”

”Drinks are on me!”

The tavern became silent...

For exactly one second.

Then—

”YEAH!”

The entire room erupted into cheers.

Laughter immediately replaced the earlier tension.

Someone slammed a mug against the table.

Another customer burst into loud laughter.

Even the musicians resumed playing with renewed enthusiasm.

Victor reached into his coat and casually tossed a heavy pouch filled with gold toward one of the stunned waitresses.

She barely managed to catch it.

”T-T-This is...”

Victor nodded.

”Make sure nobody leaves thirsty.”

”As long as everyone drinks responsibly...”

”Tonight is my treat.”

The waitress bowed repeatedly.

”Thank you, Sir Victor!”

Within moments, waitresses hurried throughout the tavern carrying fresh mugs of ale.

The cheerful atmosphere spread like wildfire.

Soon every customer held a drink high above their heads.

One burly man stood upon a chair.

”To New Fantom!”

Everyone raised their mugs together.

”TO NEW FANTOM!”

Laughter echoed throughout the tavern.

Wooden mugs clashed together.

Beer splashed across tables.

For the first time since the undead invasion...

Many people smiled without forcing themselves.

The city still carried fresh scars.

Families still mourned loved ones.

Broken buildings remained scattered throughout Fantom City.

Yet tonight...

For just a little while...

People chose to celebrate survival instead of mourning loss.

Victor quietly observed those smiles.

His own became slightly softer.

Good.

People need moments like this.

Otherwise despair takes root far too easily.

Across the room...

The assassin also lifted his mug.

He laughed together with everyone else.

His acting remained flawless.

Outwardly...

He looked like any other grateful customer enjoying free drinks.

Inwardly...

His mind was racing.

Stay calm.

Don’t look at Victor.

Don’t look nervous.

He deliberately focused on his meal.

Each movement had to appear natural.

Every bite.

Every swallow.

Every breath.

Leaving now wasn’t an option.

If he suddenly stood up and walked away...

The entire tavern would notice.

More importantly...

Videl already seemed suspicious of him for reasons he couldn’t understand.

Running would only confirm those suspicions.

No...

I have to stay.

Eat.

Drink.

Smile.

Act like everyone else.

Normally...

Pretending to be another ordinary citizen required almost no effort.

Acting had been his greatest talent since childhood.

He could become anyone.

Disappear into any crowd.

Lie without blinking.

Today...

Everything felt different.

Victor’s mere presence weighed upon him like a mountain.

The pressure was so overwhelming that lifting a simple spoon suddenly felt incredibly difficult.

His hand trembled almost imperceptibly.

Control yourself...

You’re just eating.

Nothing is wrong.

He slowly scooped another spoonful of stew.

The scent of herbs and roasted meat rose from the bowl.

Ordinarily...

It would have smelled delicious.

Today...

His stomach churned violently.

Every bite threatened to come back up.

Even breathing felt strangely difficult.

Still...

He forced the spoon toward his mouth.

Just as it was about to reach his lips—

A shadow stopped beside his table.

Then a calm, familiar voice spoke.

”Hey...”

”Is this seat free?”

The assassin froze.

The spoon remained suspended halfway to his mouth.

Everything around him disappeared.

The music.

The laughter.

The conversations.

It all faded into silence.

Only the frantic pounding of his own heart remained.

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