The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 135

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Heavenly Supreme Has Died – Episode 135
Just waking up, my hair disheveled and tousled, my eyes heavy with exhaustion.
My body still aching from the lingering soreness, creaking with each movement, my right arm throbbing with pain whenever I tried to rise.
Yet despite this, as if I had reached some pinnacle, my body felt strangely light. I barely managed to prop myself up on my elbows.
“Ah….”
A soft exclamation escaped my lips as I gazed upon the scene unfolding before me, words tumbling out unbidden.
I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand, wondering if this was perhaps a dream.
The sight before me was so surreal.
“…What did you say?”
I spoke in a drowsy voice. Then the young man kneeling before me began to speak.
“…From now on….”
“From now on?”
“I….”
“I.”
“…shall serve you as….”
“Serve me as?”
“…the Dang Clan’s Prodigy…, they call me.”
Crrrunch—! The sound of teeth grinding echoed from somewhere.
My clenched fist was gripped so tightly that veins bulged prominently across my knuckles.
My face flushed crimson, less from embarrassment than from barely contained rage.
Yet unable to let it burst forth, Dang Cheon-il barely managed to restrain himself as he spoke to me.
“…I shall serve you…with utmost devotion…. Please…accept my…humble service.”
“…Ha.”
At Dang Cheon-il’s words, a hollow laugh escaped me.
[하하하하하하하하—!!]
While my laughter faded, Yoo Cheon-gil was laughing like a madman. He was clutching his belly, bouncing around the room—apparently finding it hilarious.
[Haha… hahahaha… hahahaha–!!!]
He was quite loud about it. I frowned, irritated by the noise, and looked at Dang Cheon-il.
“Your attitude seems quite different from last time?”
“….”
“Your body seems fine though. Well, I suppose so. I didn’t hit you that much after all.”
“Grrrgh….”
My sarcasm drew a harsh sound from Dang Cheon-il’s throat. Again, only the sound reached my ears. Dang Cheon-il made no further movement beyond that.
He was enduring it.
It was clear he was holding back with all his might.
“Dang Prodigy.”
“…Yes….”
“Are we speaking formally now? Last time it seemed like you were speaking casually.”
“….”
“You should answer, shouldn’t you?”
“…No, that’s not it…. Please, feel free to treat me casually….”
“Then I’ll do that.”
“….”
“Cheon-il? Your expression doesn’t look good. Why? Is something bothering you?”
Pffft—!
The moment I dropped the formality, his reaction became quite entertaining.
I’m getting quite the show right from the break of dawn. It’s refreshingly satisfying, I’d say.
Seeing that fellow’s face actually brings me joy.
‘…Tsk.’
While I chuckled outwardly, my mind churned with complexity.
How could it be otherwise?
‘…This Dokuou, he’s really something.’
Why did Dang Cheon-il suddenly come looking for me this morning like this?
I could wonder about it, but unfortunately, I’ve experienced plenty of similar situations in my past life.
The moment I saw the situation, I understood exactly why this was happening.
‘That crafty uncle.’
This was Dokuou’s doing. That arrogant and foul-tempered Dok-ryong suddenly showing such deference—
Coming to find me at dawn and creating this awkward situation—
All of it.
‘He’s going to use it this way?’
It was Dokuou’s intention to secure the Myriad Flower Heavenly Rain from me for certain.
‘My.’
Admiration escaped me involuntarily. I couldn’t help it. This hadn’t been among the scenarios I’d anticipated.
‘I never thought of it. Surely not.’
That he’d sell out his own son.
Who could have predicted it? Perhaps someone could have, but I certainly didn’t anticipate such a thing.
I never knew he’d be so obsessed with the Myriad Flower Heavenly Rain that he’d use his own child.
As I grasped this, I found myself biting my lip without Dang Cheon-il noticing.
[I feel it sometimes.]
Yoo Cheon-gil stopped laughing and spoke to me.
[A fellow who seems to have lived such a barren life. Yet you have oddly white parts to you.]
Tsk tsk.
[I wonder if you underestimated Dokuou, or if you simply viewed the world too lightly.]
“….”
I didn’t refute him. And if I were to answer that question—
‘I underestimated him.’
It’s true that I underestimated Dokuou, and it’s true that I let my guard down.
‘It was something I could have easily anticipated.’
It was a scenario I could have easily added to my list of possibilities, yet I failed to account for it.
This was the consequence of dismissing it as unlikely.
*Tsk.*
I barely gather my wits and look toward Dok-ryong.
Dang Cheon-il’s gaze remains fixed on the ground—as if something precious lies there.
“Fine. I’ll ask for formality’s sake, but why are you doing this?”
*Crack.* I loosen my body slightly as I speak.
Truth be told, I already know his intentions, so there’s no real need to ask.
But the words are necessary for Dang Cheon-il.
He must have prepared an explanation to give me.
“…It’s just that…from now on, I will serve the Young Master, who is the benefactor of the Dang Clan.”
“Ah. So our Cheon-il will serve me? Even though you have attendants, and you’re a distinguished clansman at that?”
“….”
Dang Cheon-il offers no response to my words.
From the look on his face, he seems confused himself.
‘So he was practically forced into this.’
Was Dokuou’s influence really that strong?
‘Hmm. But judging by his conduct, he’s not the type to move easily, no matter how much Dokuou pushes.’
I remember what Dok-ryong did at the banquet Dokuou hosted.
The fact that he openly challenged me in front of everyone suggests he’s not the sort to be easily suppressed by Dokuou’s authority.
‘For him to come with such deference now…’
It meant either something serious had been held over him, or a real weakness had been found.
‘…What weakness could there possibly be?’
The only recent trouble Dang Cheon-il caused was fighting me.
Could that really be used as leverage against him?
‘Even if he heard some criticism…’
I don’t see how that alone would make his head bow so deeply.
‘Hmm.’
There’s something. It just occurred to me.
“…So our Cheon-il has decided to serve me, is that it?”
“…Yes…that’s correct.”
“For how long?”
“….”
Dang Cheon-il closes his mouth at my question.
“How long will you serve me?”
“…That is….”
“No. You don’t need to answer.”
I asked but didn’t wait for his reply. Dang Cheon-il looks momentarily flustered by my attitude.
Why would I need to ask how long? It’s obvious anyway.
“Until you’ve mastered the Myriad Flower Heavenly Rain from me.”
“…!”
The moment the words leave my mouth, Dang Cheon-il flinches.
It seemed to be the right answer.
“Tsk.”
I clicked my tongue and rose to my feet completely.
“…Well then, shall we go see the Dang Clan Head first?”
There was nothing more to discuss with this fool. I’d already had my fill of entertainment at his expense.
It was time to get down to business.
“…Right now… sir?”
“Yes.”
At my sudden proposal to visit the Dang Clan Head, Dang Cheon-il’s face grew even more flustered than before.
He clearly hadn’t expected me to suggest visiting first thing in the morning.
I hadn’t even given him advance notice. I was simply going.
It was something that would normally be unthinkable.
“It’s fine. Let’s go.”
This didn’t concern me either.
After all.
‘Dokuou must be waiting for me.’
That old man would certainly be the one waiting for me most.

* * *
“You’ve arrived?”
The moment I entered the room, Dokuou greeted me. Despite my sudden intrusion, he showed not a trace of surprise.
Moreover, two cups of tea were already placed on the prepared table.
One was Dokuou’s cup.
The other was mine.
“I trust you rested well last night.”
“Unfortunately, it was not so peaceful.”
Dokuou shook his head at my light, perfunctory courtesy.
Then he showed me what he held in his hand—a hidden blade.
“The trivial thoughts cluttering my mind disturbed my rest so greatly.”
“…Haha….”
In other words, he’d spent the night cultivating the Ten Thousand Heavens Flower Rain.
“I recited through the night and attempted to find meaning in what Bang Disciple left behind, yet regrettably, I gained nothing.”
“…To say you gained nothing—surely you performed quite well from the very beginning, did you not?”
At my words, Dokuou gazed at me quietly.
His gaze clearly contained the meaning: ‘Are you calling that well done?’
“Hmm….”
The moment I handed over the secret manual, Dokuou had read it and attempted the Ten Thousand Heavens Flower Rain.
To appearances, it went well. The hidden blade extended straight, filling the sky in accordance with the technique’s name and pouring down.
‘…But what I unleashed afterward was the problem.’
After Dokuou’s Ten Thousand Heavens Flower Rain, my own freely-used Ten Thousand Heavens Flower Rain was the issue.
A difference in scale.
What Dokuou wielded was merely a drizzle.
What I unleashed was something closer to what one might call a downpour—a vast chasm between them.
That must have been when it happened.
‘Dokuou’s eyes changed.’
Dokuou, whose gaze was stolen by the Ten Thousand Flowers Rain Technique I had displayed.
And the intense yearning that sprouted within him afterward.
I grasped it all.
It was far too vivid to miss.
“…Sigh.”
I exhaled a short breath.
I had given some thought to my approach on the way here, but seeing Dokuou made it all feel meaningless.
A few conversations were enough.
Shallow tricks wouldn’t work on this man.
“What is it you wish of me?”
So a direct approach was the right call.
“What do you hope to gain by assigning this disciple to me?”
“I believe the Bang Disciple already understands my intentions.”
You already know what I want, don’t you?
At Dokuou’s words, I found myself smacking my lips awkwardly.
“I’m amazed at how you’ve managed to sway this disciple… I would never have thought he’d take such an attitude.”
“He’s a son who listens well to his father, more than appearances suggest.”
“…Ah. Is that so?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity. It was certainly a persuasive explanation.
“So… what is your true reason for assigning this disciple to me? You must be well aware that the relationship between myself and this disciple is far from favorable.”
It’s worse than merely unfavorable.
Setting aside my own feelings, Dok-ryong seemed to regard me as an enemy.
‘It’s different from the simple rivalry between Dokjon and the Sword Saint.’
The hostility he directed at me was far more pronounced.
Though I couldn’t fathom the reason myself.
“That is precisely why I did so.”
“…What do you mean?”
“There is no better path than watching an arrogant child learn to bow his head.”
“….”
I nearly lost control of my expression at his matter-of-fact words.
Not only did he casually describe his own son as arrogant.
He also judged with complete indifference that Dok-ryong bowing to me would be quite positive for my emotional state. It was utterly absurd.
‘…This man is truly formidable.’
His martial prowess aside, his skill in reading hearts made him genuinely difficult to deal with.
“So. What are you trying to gain from me by exploiting that?”
“Ten Thousand Heavens, Myriad Rains.”
Dokuou answered without hesitation.
He seemed just as unwilling to hide it as I was.
“I wish to obtain it from Bang Disciple.”
“…Obtain it? I already gave it to you, didn’t I?”
I spent all night creating a secret manual and handed it over—what more could he possibly want?
As I furrowed my brow in frustration, Dokuou withdrew a book from his robes.
It was the very book I had written and given him.
“Indeed. I do not believe this book is flawed.”
“Then what?”
“Simply that I believe you possess a faster method than this, that is all.”
“…As I mentioned before, that was merely coincidence.”
“Coincidence, you say….”
Dokuou’s expression made it clear he didn’t particularly believe my words.
His gaze seemed to ask: could one truly master such a technique by mere chance?
‘How frustrating.’
This was troublesome. In truth, it wasn’t entirely coincidence, but it was close enough to make little difference.
Furthermore.
“…Even if you assign this child to me, I cannot properly teach him about Ten Thousand Heavens, Myriad Rains. I do not understand it well enough myself.”
“Is that so?”
“…Yes. I speak in earnest.”
“It matters not.”
“Pardon?”
Dokuou took a sip of tea as if my words held no importance, then spoke.
“I merely wish for Bang Disciple to share whatever you are capable of with this child.”
“…Ah. So.”
What Dokuou was saying now was.
“You don’t believe a word I’m saying, do you?”
He didn’t believe that I couldn’t use Ten Thousand Heavens, Myriad Rains.
This old man really was.
“I’m telling you I can’t—”
“Precisely six months.”
“…What?”
“If Bang Disciple shares what you know with this child for exactly six months, then I too shall place a rock in my mouth.”
“…What are you saying? A rock?”
“Secrets are meant to be heavy, are they not? Regardless of what form they take.”
“…!”
As he spoke, Dokuou’s gaze turned toward my dantian.
I immediately grasped the meaning behind that look.
‘Damn it.’
That was a warning.
Dokuou had just mentioned that Dang Clan energy flowed within my body.
He was also pointing out that for some reason, this energy wasn’t exploding but circulating smoothly instead.
‘As expected, he’s caught on.’
My fears had become reality. Dokuou had detected the Dang Clan energy flowing through my body.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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