The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 190

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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 190
The first match of the main tournament had concluded.
It hadn’t taken long. Geombong had finished her opponent in barely two exchanges, and since the other match had one particularly dominant fighter, it ended rather anticlimactically.
What was remarkable was that the fervor didn’t diminish in the slightest.
Having witnessed even a brief glimpse of Geombong’s swordsmanship—that alone seemed to matter. Despite the match being over, everyone’s attention remained fixed solely on her.
“They say she’s the prodigy of Mount Hua, and it seems they weren’t exaggerating.”
“I couldn’t even see her sword move.”
“Plum Blossom Sword praised her so highly, but… Mount Hua’s future certainly looks bright.”
The Heavenly Supreme of a future generation.
Perhaps across the ages, she might one day reach that pinnacle.
For now, Geombong was being treated as such by many.
Of course, the person in question seemed utterly indifferent to it all, her expression remaining perfectly blank.
Tap, tap.
Geombong descended with measured footsteps.
I glanced at her. Sensing my gaze, she looked back toward me.
Our eyes met. Then, instead of walking toward her own group, Geombong walked in my direction.
“….”
As I watched her silently, she drew closer until she stood right before me.
Geombong, now facing me directly, stared at me intently.
Eyes that revealed nothing of her thoughts.
Watching her like that, I found myself scratching my cheek.
What should I say?
After pondering for a long moment, the words I finally managed were simple.
“It’s been a while.”
“….”
At my words, Geombong’s eyes widened slightly, and Yoo Cheon-gil reacted as well upon hearing them.
[What? You know her? But you said you didn’t remember.]
That’s right. I hadn’t remembered. When Geombong acted as though I knew her, I’d racked my brain trying to figure out who she was, but nothing came to mind.
I’d always been confident in my memory of people.
How could I have forgotten someone like Geombong? The reason was simple.
‘She’s changed so much….’
The person in my memory and who she was now were far too different for me to recognize her.
She had been a somewhat timid child, yet with brightness still clinging to her.
‘What is this?’
The extent of her transformation was startling.
I might not have recognized her otherwise.
But that action Geombong had shown last time—holding an empty noodle bowl upside down and lifting it above her head.
From that, I could tell.
…In the first place.
“Wait, you were a woman…?”
“….”
The Geombong in my memories wasn’t even female.
That was the problem.

* * *
Around the time I turned twelve.
It was when I was caught up in one of Father’s reckless escapades, my mind completely scattered.
Father and my older brother. They were making such a mess of the world that I couldn’t focus on anything.
One morning, a visitor arrived.
Since no one else had woken up, I stumbled outside with tired eyes.
A visitor arriving so early in the morning.
It was usually one of two things.
Normally….
Either it was an angry Muyong Youngsoon.
Or.
‘People Father had wronged.’
That was the most likely possibility, but surprisingly, it was neither this time.
The visitors were, astonishingly, a child and a woman.
A boy with shaggy hair covering his entire face.
And a woman who looked somewhat haggard.
These two had suddenly appeared at my room.
What was this.
What kind of situation was this.
I couldn’t understand. I rubbed my eyes, wondering if I hadn’t fully woken up.
Even after rubbing them, the situation remained the same.
I still saw the woman and child before me.
As time passed and I accepted this reality, the woman spoke to me.
‘Um….’
Her tone was cautious, as if she had something to say.
I had no interest in listening.
‘Damn brat.’
‘…Huh…?’
The woman was taken aback by my sudden crude words.
‘What am I supposed to do with this cursed man? We don’t even have rice at home—we’re starving.’
I ground my teeth together.
Then I looked at the child. He was clearly around my age.
‘Hey.’
‘Yeah?’
The child answered my call.
I examined him and asked a question.
‘How old are you?’
‘Me?’
‘Yes, you.’
‘Twelve.’
‘Is this madman serious?’
The moment I heard the age, fury erupted within me. Twelve? We’re the same age.
‘I’m losing my mind. I’m already struggling to survive, and now I’ve got a peer my own age?’
‘Um… what do you mean?’
The woman showed a flustered reaction to my words, but I spoke as though it didn’t matter.
‘No need to explain. I always knew something like this would happen. The way that damned man was recklessly using his lower half, I knew this day would come eventually.’
‘Uh…? No…’
‘Gongaaaaaan!!’
I shrieked at the top of my lungs. I felt movement from inside the house.
Feeling that, I screamed even louder.
‘Wake Father up!! The third son and his new mother are here!!’
It had to be an illegitimate child.
I was certain of it. I couldn’t imagine any other explanation.
A boy suddenly appears who’s my age, along with a stunningly beautiful woman?
There was only one possibility.
Another brother had been born.
That’s how I reacted, but.
‘…Ah, it wasn’t that?’
Just before I grabbed Father by the collar and beat him.
I realized everything was a misunderstanding.
She was a woman who had once had a connection with Bangseong-yeon.
She had come seeking Bangseong-yeon and asked to stay for a while.
It was an awkward situation, but fortunately I hadn’t beaten Father yet.
From that point on, I accepted the woman and child as guests in our home.
The two of them spent about a year at Bangseong-yeon’s place before departing.
“It’s been a long time…”
Looking at Geombong, I recalled those memories from back then.
The woman before my eyes. Geombong.
It was her.
The boy from back then.
“That…”
What am I supposed to say? Why has she changed so much?
This was honestly quite unfair.
‘How am I supposed to recognize her after changing like that?’
Even her gender seems different now, so how could I possibly remember?
At this point, my grievance was entirely justified.
However.
‘She resembles her.’
I finally understood why Geombong felt strangely familiar to me.
‘They look so much alike.’
The woman who had been that child’s mother back then.
Geombong bore an uncanny resemblance to her.
“How have you been? And….”
I paused mid-sentence. A name came to mind, but I wasn’t sure if I should use it.
After hesitating, I spoke anyway.
“Daecheon.”
“….”
Hong Daecheon.
The name the woman had introduced as her son.
Geombong reacted slightly to my words.
“…You were a woman?”
I felt embarrassed. We had never bathed together, after all.
I had simply assumed based on what the woman said about her son….
“Hmm…. You’ve grown well.”
It was hardly a profound observation, but it was all I could manage.
“….”
Geombong simply stared at me without saying anything. She remained silent.
It was common knowledge that Geombong couldn’t speak.
‘This is strange.’
If my memory was correct and Geombong was indeed Hong Daecheon, she could speak.
We had definitely conversed before.
‘Her gender has changed and now she can’t speak—how was I supposed to recognize her?’
Besides, her face had been covered by hair back then, so I couldn’t even see it.
Considering all these factors, it was only natural that I wouldn’t have recognized her.
In any case.
“…Yes, right.”
Feeling the awkwardness of the moment, I changed the subject with Geombong.
“How is Madam Jin doing?”
“….”
The beautiful woman who had been Hong Daecheon’s mother.
At the mention of the woman I had called Madam Jin, Geombong’s eyes grew sorrowful.
‘Oh, damn.’
From her reaction, I could tell this was a topic I shouldn’t have brought up.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say something like that. It was just….”
Just as I was hurrying to salvage the situation.
“Next! Will the next contestant please come forward!”
I turned my head at the referee’s call.
“Damn.”
People were ascending to the Dueling Arena. Among them was a face I despised—Seo-pyeong. He was climbing onto the platform.
Which meant.
‘My turn.’
I had to go up as Seo-pyeong’s opponent.
I clicked my tongue sharply and spoke to Geombong.
“I’ll be back soon. We’ll talk later.”
“….”
Geombong nodded in acknowledgment, and once I confirmed it, I hurried up to the Dueling Arena.
As I stepped onto the expansive platform, the voices of the surrounding spectators reached my ears.
-Following Geombong, now Woon-ryong’s match… The eye candy continues.
-I heard Woon-ryong already has the Taiji Sword Master within sight.
-Already the Taiji Sword Master? The Shaman Jang Moonin places such high expectations on him, so it seems to be true.
-Anyway, who is Woon-ryong’s opponent?
-Who knows? That fellow is certainly handsome though.
Among the murmurs of the crowd, attention turned toward me.
Then.
“Seo-pyeong of the Shaman Sect versus Bangseong-yeon of the Cheonwol Sect.”
When my name was called, an enormous roar erupted.
-Bangseong-yeon? The Cheonwol Sect!? Then.
-Could that young man be…?
-The Sword Saint’s Successor?
-What? The Sword Saint’s Successor??
It seemed most had recognized me after the announcement of my name.
-The Sword Saint’s Successor? So that young man is the Geomseong’s Predecessor?
-He looks far too frail for such a title…?
-With a body like that, he killed an absolute master of the demonic sects…?
-My. So Woon-ryong and the Sword Saint’s Successor are facing off.
-This is unbelievable…!
The fervor was palpable with intrigue. It was absolutely suffocating.
‘This is going to kill me.’
A sigh escaped me as all eyes focused on me.
While I was clicking my tongue in frustration.
“Nervous?”
Seo-pyeong spoke to me.
“What?”
“Worried your inflated reputation will burst? I’m asking if you’re anxious.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You can fool others’ eyes, but not mine.”
-Ready.
Shing!
At the judge’s word, Seo-pyeong and I drew our blades.
Even then, that man’s mouth didn’t stop.
“I sense no aura from you. Your realm isn’t low, but you’re nowhere near the Seventh Heaven.”
‘Oh.’
I admired his resolute and cold assessment inwardly.
So he’s not lacking in perception.
As I was thinking that.
“I don’t accept it. I cannot acknowledge you being called the Protagonist.”
I let out a small laugh at those words. What was he expecting if he didn’t accept it?
“So?”
I pressed him for an answer. Then Seo-pyeong’s face twisted.
“Then I’ll have to prove it.”
“Prove what?”
“I’ll shatter that mask of yours before all these people.”
“…Hmm.”
Such intense emotion. Feeling it, I was honestly curious at this point.
“First, let me ask. Why do you hate me so much?”
“What?”
“I don’t understand. I don’t think I’ve ever done anything to warrant such ill will from you.”
“….”
That’s right. I’ve never done anything to create a blood feud with the Shaman sect, so why does he hate me so much?
I didn’t understand. If I were to be resented, at least I should have done something to deserve it, otherwise it felt unjust.
With that thought, I asked the question.
“Hmph.”
He merely snorted. Ah, so he had no intention of speaking?
But there was a reason, wasn’t there?
“Fine. Don’t speak if you won’t. I’m not that interested anyway.”
I had enough on my mind without wasting time bickering with this man.
“Begin the match.”
The judge spoke.
“Start.”
The moment the words fell.
Slash—!!
“…!”
My blade pressed against Seo-pyeong’s throat. It was instantaneous.

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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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