The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 171

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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 171
A sharp intake of breath.
The atmosphere around the banquet hall turned frigid at my words.
The murmuring that had filled the space moments before vanished in an instant.
Though the hall was vast, I wondered how it could fall silent so suddenly.
Yet this very silence revealed that everyone at the surrounding tables had subtly focused their attention on our table.
“…What?”
At my words, Mudang Unryong and Seo-pyeong contorted their faces. They looked as though they’d misheard me.
And.
‘Damn it.’
I was in the same boat.
After dealing with so many people, I’d momentarily lost my focus.
‘I just blurted out my true thoughts.’
What I should have said and what I actually thought had gotten reversed. This wasn’t supposed to happen.
[Hahahaha–!! You crazy bastard! Hahahaha–!!]
Yoo Cheon-gil, hearing this, was so delighted he rolled around in midair, clutching his stomach.
That damned old man.
I steadied my breathing and surveyed my surroundings.
I held onto a faint hope that they hadn’t heard my words, but unfortunately, it seemed they had.
I could tell just from the expressions of those at my table.
Heuk Taedo and Naelyong watched with interest, Cheonhye-in regarded me with an odd gaze, and
Dok-ryong continued to glare at Heuk Taedo.
Meanwhile, Geombong showed no particular interest, her eyes closed.
As for Tugwolgaen, he wasn’t even present, so I’ll skip him.
While the Seven’s reactions varied,
the disciples who had been watching us from the corners of their eyes were all stirring with reaction.
“…What did the Protagonist just say to Woon-ryong?”
“We didn’t mishear, did we?”
“Sounded like he said X-Person?”
They’d all heard it.
‘Damn it.’
I held back a sigh. Ugh, this was getting annoying.
‘What’s this bastard’s problem, starting trouble?’
I’d planned to let it slide smoothly, but everything went wrong from day one. A moment of carelessness had caused this slip of the tongue.
‘Sigh.’
I exhaled inwardly and racked my brain—I needed to find a way to get past this.
“What did you just say?”
Woon-ryong, the Shaman’s Seo-pyeong, squinted his eyes and asked me to repeat myself.
How should I respond? As I considered this, I quickly surveyed my surroundings.
Converging gazes. A silent space.
Could I possibly turn the conversation around and escape like this?
‘No.’
My judgment was swift.
Then.
‘Another way.’
If I couldn’t escape, I had to find a different path forward.
“Seo-pyeong, if I may ask—how old are you?”
When I asked Seo-pyeong, he made a puzzled expression. It seemed strange to suddenly be asked about his age.
Shortly after, he let out a soft laugh and replied.
“Twenty-two.”
I could read his thoughts from that expression.
It seemed he already knew something about my age.
His simple reaction was amusing. After hearing his answer, I spoke immediately.
“Ah, I see. You’re younger than I expected, aren’t you? But why is that?”
“What do you mean?”
“Your ears aren’t clogged from old age. So why ask again after already hearing the answer?”
“…!”
Whoosh.
His reaction to my words became even rougher than before.
I could feel everyone flinching and trembling. In that moment.
Clap-!
At the loud sound, I glanced to the side and saw Heuk Taedo clapping in admiration.
“Ooh… ooh…. Yes, I like this.”
What am I going to do with that perverted bastard.
Ignoring him deliberately and looking at Woon-ryong, his face had turned bright red.
Seeing that, I let out a soft laugh and spoke.
“Say it again? What exactly is this X-Person, you asked.”
If I couldn’t escape and couldn’t turn back, then I’d simply move forward.
I knew well that this was far better than hesitating.
“You…!”
Woon-ryong bristled and tried to continue speaking, but I was faster.
“When did you ever see me? Casually speaking down to me and engaging in this petty display of strength. Does your sect teach you to treat people that way?”
“…!”
“No, that’s not it. The Mudang Sect I know of is supposedly a prestigious school—refined and meticulous—so not all of you would be like this. So then.”
I stepped closer to Woon-ryong. At this distance, if I drew my sword, he wouldn’t be able to dodge.
At such a distance, I met his gaze and spoke.
“You must be the arrogant one. Overstepping your station.”
“Y-!!”
At my words, Woon-ryong immediately reached for the sword at his waist, but.
Thud-!
At that moment, someone wedged themselves between us.
“Hehe. Why are you two acting like this?”
It was Naelyong.
With his handsome face, he flashed a friendly smile and placed his hands on both Woon-ryong’s and my shoulders.
“Everyone’s watching. Calm yourselves, Woon-ryong. If the Shaman’s sect leader finds out, it won’t be good for you either.”
“….”
The moment Naelyong mentioned the Shaman’s sect leader, Woon-ryong’s momentum crumbled instantly.
Crack. With the sound of grinding teeth, Woon-ryong glared at me.
“You seem unaware of who you’re being so arrogant toward. Keep that arrogance close. I’ll destroy it with my own hands. I will never forget what happened today.”
Thwack—! Spitting out his words, Woon-ryong knocked away Naelyong’s hand and moved. He left the table, heading toward where other Shaman disciples had gathered.
“Hah.”
Watching him leave, I let out an exasperated breath. What the hell is wrong with that guy?
“Why is he acting crazy?”
From the first time I saw him, his eyes seemed off, and it appeared he harbored ill feelings toward me.
‘What’s his problem?’
No matter how much I thought about it, I hadn’t done anything to make an enemy of Woon-ryong. What could possibly be the issue?
Ah, perhaps.
‘Is he also…?’
As the thought occurred to me, I glanced at someone. It was Heuk Taedo standing right beside me.
Could Woon-ryong also.
‘Be infatuated with Youngsoon?’
I wondered if he might dislike me because of my connection to Muyong Youngsoon. But who knows. That was hard to say.
And if that were the case….
“Hahahaha!!! Sword Saint, I felt it last time too, but you’re quite manly for your appearance, aren’t you?”
Why does this bastard keep acting so friendly with me?
Thump thump!
Heuk Taedo’s massive hand kept pounding on my shoulder.
It hurt like hell.
“Great! I really like you.”
“….”
His eyes were sincere.
This bastard. He really does seem to like me.
It gives me chills.
“Heuk Taedo.”
“What?”
I spoke to him carefully.
“I like that woman.”
“Oh? What a coincidence. I do too. So we have something in common?”
“….”
Is he serious? I can’t believe a word he’s saying.
Perhaps not. Since there’s a comment directed at Muyong Youngsoon, it probably isn’t that.
While barely pushing away Heuk Taedo’s hand, trying to hide my discomfort.
“Don’t worry too much about that Woon-ryong. After all, it’s just the death throes of insignificant men, isn’t it?”
At Heuk Taedo’s oddly dry remark, my body stiffened for a moment.
The death throes of insignificant men. His words carried thorns.
I felt it before when I saw him, but this man had something unsettlingly eerie about him.
“Those who aspire to rise should not concern themselves with the words spat from below. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Heuk Taedo speaks while looking back.
“Geombong.”
….
At Heuk Taedo’s call, Geombong opens her closed eyes.
Her black eyes, like go stones, turn toward Heuk Taedo.
No emotion could be felt from them.
Indifferent. Her attitude and gaze, as if she had no interest in anything whatsoever, made me uncomfortable.
….
“What? If you’re looking, say something. Oh! Right. You can’t speak, can you? My apologies. Hahahaha!!”
A madman.
It’s remarkable that he uttered those words so casually.
I wondered if Geombong might be bothered, but she doesn’t seem to mind at all.
She simply stares at Heuk Taedo.
Swish.
She raises her index finger and brings it to her lips.
The meaning is clear.
“Ah. Shut up?”
At Heuk Taedo’s question, Geombong nods.
“Well. I do talk too much. But don’t you think you’re all being too quiet? In such a fine place as this.”
His mouth doesn’t stop.
Does Cheonmu Jiche naturally talk this much? Or is this madman just inherently insane?
“Peng Hyeong is still so spirited. Hehehehe!”
In the meantime, Naelyong is busy playing along with Heuk Taedo.
At the response, Heuk Taedo laughs as if pleased.
“Exactly. Only Naelyong understands me, I tell you?”
“Hahaha. Of course, of course.”
“Haha.”
….
I want to go home.
Everything else is fine, but only these two are noisily chattering away in the atmosphere that hasn’t yet dissipated.
‘Ah.’
I really want to go home.
That was the entirety of my impression from the first day of the banquet.

* * *
The banquet finally ended late in the afternoon.
Alcohol was served, but no one felt compelled to drink heavily. After all, starting tomorrow, the martial arts preliminaries—the crown jewel of the Dragon Phoenix Gathering—would begin.
There was no need to ruin one’s body with drink.
Of course.
“Hahaha! More, more!!”
“Over here too!!”
The strange fellow from the Namgung Clan and the madman from the Peng Clan seemed completely indifferent to such concerns.
Whether those two drank themselves silly or not, I stepped outside.
I had accomplished everything I could at the banquet, so there was no reason to linger any longer.
‘…Cheonhye-in had already left.’
She had disappeared long ago from the middle of the event.
Unwilling to witness those two fools’ antics, she had left her seat first.
Woon-ryong hadn’t even come to the Chilgeol faction’s side, instead going where the Shaman sect gathered and only glaring at me occasionally.
Dok-ryong was drinking alongside Heuk Taedo, refusing to lose in a drinking contest.
It was truly a mess beyond all measure.
‘Is this what a banquet is supposed to be?’
A gathering of the disciples who would lead the Central Plains in the future.
If one judged by prestige and reputation alone, there was no banquet more valuable than the Dragon Phoenix Gathering.
‘It’s not easy, truly.’
Experiencing it firsthand, it wasn’t as comfortable as I’d thought.
After all, these were young disciples, no matter how impressive their backgrounds or how far they’d risen.
‘They’re still just children.’
Most of them were weak when it came to political maneuvering and subtle contests of will between people.
My mind wasn’t strong enough to get caught up in the trivial probing that occurred between such individuals.
[So that’s why you’re trying to leave without enjoying it further.]
“Yes. There’s no real need to stay longer.”
As I mentioned before, I had done everything I could inside.
I had broken the ice with the disciples. The problem was.
‘One more strange rumor had been added.’
Perhaps it was because I had cursed at Woon-ryong.
Midway through the event, I had heard talk that the Sword Saint’s temperament was somewhat foul.
‘It’s nothing serious.’
I thought it would die down in a short while, being of little consequence.
Thinking such thoughts, I walked on.
I needed to return to my quarters eventually, but a brief stroll seemed permissible.
When would I ever visit Bonmyeong again?
With that sentiment, I was slowly observing my surroundings when.
[Ah, I see.]
Yoo Cheon-gil called out to me.
“What is it?”
[Over there. Go check that way once.]
“Hm?”
Over there? The direction Yoo Cheon-gil pointed was the left path of the fork in the road.
“Is there something there?”
[Yes.]
“…Then I’d rather not go?”
[Tsk. It’s nothing much, so go on, hurry.]
When this old man says there’s something, isn’t that a sign I shouldn’t go further?
Unease welled up within me, but I followed his words for now.
Walking along the path for a brief moment.
“Hm?”
At the end of the path stood a rather large tree.
With the moon hanging above it, the tree possessed a mystical quality as if it held the light itself.
‘Who is that?’
Beneath that tree.
A familiar face came into view.
“Geombong?”
“….”
Maehua Geombong.
She was watching me from beneath the tree.

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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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