The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 242

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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 242
Whoooooosh—!!!
The light was so blinding I could barely see. The brilliance was so intense that not even an inch ahead was visible, turning the entire world white.
It was difficult to discern whether this light was emanating from my own body or if I was simply receiving light pouring down from somewhere else.
Radiant. It was something I felt every time I witnessed the aura of the Cheongwol Sect. The martial arts that pursued the moon mimicked the brilliance contained within it. It was utterly beautiful.
‘Ah—’
I let out a short exclamation within my mind. A truly wondrous sensation.
‘This.’
It felt good.
A brief impression.
It was wonderful. Warm enough that the cold of deep winter couldn’t be felt.
Even while merely enveloped in this light, I could experience such a sensation.
Moreover.
‘Am I even standing on the ground?’
I felt as though I were flying.
Fwoooosh—!!
Soon the light began to fade.
When the light had completely diminished,
“….”
I lowered my gaze, sensing something subtle.
‘This is.’
My palm appeared unchanged from before, yet something like a thin membrane seemed to be wrapped around it.
A barrier made of light.
And.
‘So light.’
My body was impossibly light. Light enough to mistake myself for floating weightlessly.
It wasn’t just my body.
‘My mind too.’
Everything felt somewhat hazy. As if I had not fully awakened from sleep.
‘What is this.’
What was this sensation?
I slowly raised my head.
Then.
Shiiiiing—!!!
Something was coming. Heuk Taedo.
He was shrouded in shadow, unleashing his blade toward me.
It was right before my face.
“….”
Fierce and reckless. His force was so overwhelming. Under normal circumstances, I would have been terrified.
‘Something.’
My mind draws a blank.
What emerges instead?
It was simple.
‘Evade.’
Whoosh—!
My body reacted before thought could catch up. My head and upper torso shift ever so slightly. In that instant, Heuk Taedo’s attack grazes past me by a hair’s breadth.
Fwoooosh—!!!
The wind pressure left in the wake of his assault crashes down ferociously.
My eyes dart about. I feel the wind, yet Heuk Taedo’s movements appear sluggish to me.
“….”
What is this?
Doubt flickers through me, but my hands are already in motion.
A blade suffused with light pours down upon Heuk Taedo.
Clang—!!
“Ugh!”
Heuk Taedo raises his saber and blocks with strain. Having blocked mid-assault, his stance crumbles.
Pushed backward, Heuk Taedo launches into the air. One.
Thud—!
His massive frame demonstrates its weight as his legs brace against the ground.
“Haaah!”
A roar of fury erupts as Heuk Taedo spins his body.
Saber essence drips like ink from his blade.
Using his saber as a brush, he begins painting darkness across the void.
As if creating a long path with ink.
Heuk Taedo sustains his relentless offensive.
A shattered stance. Feeble power.
An exhausted body.
None of it matters. He exploits the overwhelming advantage granted by his Cheonmu Jiche.
Terrifying endurance and maddening flexibility.
The broken stance reconstructs itself as power seeps back in.
Ink Fang Eternal Path.
The Peng Clan’s secret technique erupts from Heuk Taedo’s hands.
Vicious.
An overwhelming cascade of possibilities floods my vision.
Wol-an perceives every single variation. Where lies the answer? There are too many to discern.
And yet.
Swish—
“….”
Astonishingly, my body moves of its own accord once more.
How could I possibly know which among all these variations holds the answer?
I didn’t understand why, but absurdly, I didn’t stop it.
For some reason, it felt like I should allow it.
The Path of Wol Seon-geom.
Wol-an’s blooming and evolution. The moon shows me where to cut.
From Heuk Taedo’s form, the Path of Wol Seon-geom reveals the way, but.
‘…It’s fast.’
The blade was faster than the path could form.
It was as if.
‘I’m creating the path myself.’
Rather than the blade following the path.
It felt like the blade was carving out the Path of Wol Seon-geom.
I had become perfectly one with it.
Clang—!!
“…!!”
The blade I swung sent Heuk Taedo’s sword reeling. The ink lost its way.
“Hahaha—!!!”
The man laughed even as he staggered.
He immediately grasped his blade again.
Clang—! Clang clang clang—! Clang—!!
A barrage of attacks had begun.
Heuk Taedo rushed at me with fierce speed.
Yet I was blocking every single assault.
It was strange.
‘It doesn’t feel heavy.’
Heuk Taedo’s blade didn’t feel heavy. I shouldn’t have the strength to parry it.
‘How is this even possible?’
What does my body know that it moves like this?
My body acts before my mind can catch up.
It was as if Yoo Cheon-gil had possessed my body.
No, more than that.
‘Why is my mind so clear?’
My consciousness, which had scattered during my match with Naelyong last time, was unusually vivid now.
To be precise, it wasn’t exactly vivid.
Hazy as if in a dream, yet aware enough to know this wasn’t a dream.
Countless possibilities unfolded before my eyes.
Each of Heuk Taedo’s movements was lethal, yet.
They weren’t difficult to perceive.
And I felt no fear.
Light flashed brilliantly through the empty space.
Crash—!!
I met Heuk Taedo’s blade head-on.
My feet still felt as though they floated in the heavens.
My body was impossibly light.
I couldn’t fathom how weightless I had become.
How was this even possible?
‘To embrace the moon within one’s body.’
To become the moon itself.
That was how Yoo Cheon-gil had described Wol Cheon.
What did the moon have to do with any of this?
I had no idea.
The only thing I could discern was this:
‘I felt as though I could do anything.’
An absurd euphoria surged through me.
What should I call this? This alien sensation… I’d heard of it somewhere before, hadn’t I? What was it?
‘Ah.’
It came to me.
Yoo Cheon-gil must have called it this.
‘The Realm of No-Self.’
The Realm of No-Self—a state where the self dissolves entirely.
When one transcends one boundary and enters another, forgetting even oneself, the body moves as one with martial arts, acting of its own accord.
This state was called the Realm of No-Self.
‘…Is this it?’
The sensation felt exactly like that. Yet.
‘My consciousness remains.’
I still possessed awareness—hovering precariously on the knife’s edge, suspended in that vertiginous moment before dissolution.
I did not dislike this feeling.
Observing this, Wol Cheon must be:
‘Artificially inducing the Realm of No-Self?’
Intentionally guiding one to that state of no-self.
That seemed to be the true efficacy of Wol Cheon.
Though I couldn’t fathom how it was possible.
‘There’s nothing strange about it.’
Had I not spoken of it before?
Beyond the Cheonmu Jiche body itself—the eyes possessed by Baekcheon-in and Geombong.
The Martial Eye, a tremendous talent for a martial artist. Or the Combat Eye.
Yoo Cheon-gil had created the Wol-an to artificially grant such eyes.
Then.
‘This too could be possible.’
If Yoo Cheon-gil had created Wol Cheon, then such things were within the realm of possibility.
Clang—!
Heuk Taedo’s technique surged once more. A massive opening had formed—
Shhwack—!
Before I could even think, my blade slashed across his upper body.
“Gack!”
Blood sprayed as Heuk Taedo spat crimson.
Boom—!!
My kick intended to drive him back was blocked by his technique.
Whoosh—!!
The collision of energies erupted, a deafening roar spreading outward.
The distance between us was forcibly torn open.
Drip, drip, drip.
Blood flowed from his upper body.
The spilled blood fell directly to the ground.
“Ahahahahaha—!!!”
Heuk Taedo laughed as if the world itself would crumble.
“…What is this? What exactly is that?”
His mouth split wide with laughter.
The sight of him laughing while bleeding from his upper body was terrifying to behold.
“How can you possibly bring me such joy?”
“….”
“Ahahahahaha—!!!”
Whoosh.
Unlike his laughter, my blade spun once in a complete rotation.
Thud—!
I launched myself forward, closing in on him again. I could not let this slip away.
This was an opportunity.
A chance to completely overwhelm him.
‘It was shallow.’
Not a fatal wound. Even in that moment, he had gathered his protective energy in one place to defend. That was why the damage was only this much.
My blade blazed with light once more.
Whoooosh—!!
Energy surged anew in Heuk Taedo’s technique.
Screech—!!
The blades collided, sparks igniting.
The energy crumpled.
Boom—!
Power exploded. The sound of the blades clashing was beyond anything I could have imagined.
Sizzle—!
Heat rose through my body. Something surged into my lightened form.
Exhilaration.
‘Ah.’
This is entertaining.
I have to admit it.
It was fun.
Thud—! I planted my feet and fell backward onto my upper body.
The blade scraped just above me.
I launched upward on a single leg and spun halfway around.
Spinning rapidly, I lashed out with my heel at the man’s ribs.
Boom—!!
Crack—!
“Ugh!”
His shallow protective energy shattered, and I heard his bones creak.
But.
Whoosh—!!
“—!”
Enduring the pain, he thrust his fist toward me.
I blocked with my sword face, but.
Crash—!!
Crack—!
“Cough!”
Since I blocked in mid-air, my back slammed into the ground.
A mouthful of blood burst from my lips.
Heuk Taedo, having landed his attack, staggered back two or three steps.
I tried to rise immediately, but.
Crunch—!
“…Ugh.”
My body convulsed from the pain.
Damn. It hurts like hell.
“Cough. Spit.”
Heuk Taedo wiped the blood flowing from his mouth.
“I landed a hit.”
Heuk Taedo grinned wickedly.
“….”
A terrifying man. I frowned as I stared at him.
‘…This bastard.’
He had adapted.
The man who couldn’t even grasp the flow moments ago had counterattacked.
Had my speed slowed? No. Had I deviated from the Wol Seon-geom path? No.
Simply.
‘He adapted.’
Heuk Taedo had adapted to me.
In this brief exchange of blows.
‘How petty.’
It was too much. While I was desperately trying to memorize his movements and anticipate his next strike, he had already adjusted.
“Sigh…”
I exhaled slowly. The light radiating from my body seemed to have dimmed somewhat.
I checked my dantian. As expected.
‘…There’s almost nothing left?’
My internal reserves were depleted. Between Wol Cheon and the effort I’d expended internally to overcome Heuk Un, I was nearly at my limit.
‘….’
What should I do? The question crossed my mind, but.
Clang.
My body was already moving again.
I aimed my sword’s tip at Heuk Taedo.
Crunch—!
I lowered my stance and tensed my legs.
What is this?
‘A stance I’ve never attempted before?’
It was my will, yet not my will.
In that moment.
Keeeeeeing—!!!
‘Ah.’
The path of the Wol Seon-geom technique unfolding before my eyes transformed.
The crooked line that had wavered left and right now straightened into perfect alignment.
Just a straight line from the sword’s tip.
A pure line, offering no deviation whatsoever.
‘This is.’
Not showing the path—but creating it.
Whoooosh—!!!
The light intensified. The intensity of Gwang Wol Seom Gyeong surged.
“Ha…?”
Heuk Taedo’s face hardened as he witnessed this.
“…What are you attempting?”
Had he sensed something in my stance that even I couldn’t perceive?
He wiped cold sweat from his brow and tightened his grip.
“Fine. I welcome this.”
The shadows enveloping his body stirred to life. Moving with intent, they converged toward Heuk Taedo’s blade.
Making black even blacker.
A perfect darkness formed around Heuk Taedo.
A martial technique known from the information disclosed by the Sect.
The Peng Clan’s divine technique, famous for having dealt a mortal wound to the Celestial Demon through Doshin.
‘One Blade Black Heaven.’
From the dark hue, energy rippled outward like heat shimmer.
Only his sword’s silhouette warped, as if announcing the intensity of that power.
‘….’
Damn, this is terrifying.
Can I even overcome that?
Even as doubt surfaced, my body remained steady, as if it already knew the answer.
“I’m coming. Little Sword Saint.”
Heuk Taedo moved first.
Crack-crack-crack-!!!
The ground beneath him shattered from the force of his leap.
His massive frame charged straight at me.
An overwhelming force.
Watching him approach, my legs trembled slightly.
Whether he charged or not, there was only one line I could see.
I placed my blade gently upon that path.
My body moved accordingly.
Whoosh—
The sound was light.
It would be more accurate to say no sound emerged at all.
Just stillness.
Where the sound ceased, my blade met Heuk Taedo’s dark heaven.
Thwick.
A brief sound and a single cut. Then he and I passed through each other.
“….”
“….”
Silence hung between us. Not long after, I turned my head.
Heuk Taedo still stood. Slowly, he turned to face me.
‘Ha….’
Seeing that, I swallowed a hollow breath.
He was still smiling.
Did it not work?
‘Again….’
I need to try again. Making that judgment, I attempted to move, but.
Crack-!
“…Ugh.”
The light surrounding my body shattered, and one knee buckled.
“Cough!”
Blood poured heavily from my mouth.
‘…Damn it all.’
My energy had completely vanished. As my mind became lucid, the sensation of qi throughout my body returned to its original state.
My body, which had been hazy and weightless, suddenly became unbearably heavy.
“Ugh…”
Pain that I hadn’t felt clearly before now pierced through me.
My dulled senses reeled.
‘This is bad.’
Beyond my blurring vision, Heuk Taedo walked toward me.
Thud.
He gripped his blade and approached me slowly.
Never once erasing his smile.
I had to stand.
But my legs wouldn’t obey.
‘Damn it.’
So it wouldn’t work after all?
I’d given it my best effort, but it seemed this was my limit.
With trembling hands, I clenched my teeth.
Thump.
Finally, Heuk Taedo reached me.
And contrary to what I expected—that he would swing his blade—
Whoosh.
“…?”
He suddenly extended a large hand toward me.
What?
He held it out quietly, gazing at me.
Was he asking me to take it?
Bewildered, I grasped his hand.
I pulled myself up.
Even as I stood, I looked at Heuk Taedo with confused eyes.
What was this? What was his intention?
Unable to comprehend, I remained silent.
“Ah.”
Heuk Taedo opened his mouth, looking at me.
“I lost.”
“What?”
At his sudden words, my brow furrowed.
Splurt—!
Blood erupted from Heuk Taedo’s upper body as he collapsed to the ground.
Boom—!
A loud sound rang out.
I checked on Heuk Taedo. The man had lost consciousness with a smile on his face.
“What…?”
What was happening? My mind couldn’t keep up, and I stood there in a daze.
The Referee below the arena hurried over to examine Heuk Taedo.
Then.
“Peng Dojun of the Peng Clan versus Bangseong-yeon of the Cheongwol Sect…”
Not long after, the Referee raised his hand and shouted.
“Bangseong-yeon. Victory.”
“…”
At those softly uttered words.
-Roooooaaaaarrrr—!!!
The silent audience erupted into chaos.
I had.
defeated Heuk Taedo.

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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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