The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 246
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
The Heavenly Supreme Has Died – Episode 246
Thud–!!!
I turned around at the sound coming from somewhere.
What is it? Loud noises echo from all around, but this one felt oddly unsettling.
‘…What’s this?’
My steps halted. Without thinking, I found myself turning back.
The direction was toward the martial arena. That’s where Shin Chang should be engaged in combat right now—was something happening there?
Just as I was puzzling over it.
[What are you doing? Move along.]
Yoo Cheon-gil spoke to me. Yet even hearing that, I couldn’t easily take another step.
[Don’t concern yourself. Shin Chang. If you think that man will lose, it’s absurd.]
Yoo Cheon-gil spoke firmly.
[He won’t fall.]
“….”
I wasn’t particularly worried about Shin Chang. Why would I worry about an absolute master called a candidate for the Heavenly Supreme and a Celestial Demon?
It was simply.
‘I felt uneasy.’
I was just uneasy. That figure called Gungju whom I’d faced earlier.
The sinister aura I felt from him still lingered in my memory.
That’s why I kept finding my attention drawn to the martial arena.
‘…Right, for now.’
I turned my head back to face forward.
For now, I had to move.
“…Are you injured?”
Just as I was about to take a step, someone called out to me. It was Youngsoon.
“…What?”
“Your wounds. From the martial match… are you alright?”
Muyong Youngsoon was looking at my body with urgent eyes.
This was absurd.
“You’re the one who caused these injuries. Now you’re worried?”
“….”
She froze. Muyong Youngsoon’s body stiffened at my words.
And as if she’d lost her words, only her lips trembled.
Huh.
‘That wasn’t the reaction I was expecting.’
Normally, I would have expected her to say something like why didn’t you do better then.
Or that she should have listened to me from the start. But Muyong Youngsoon’s face was wrapped in a strange sense of guilt.
‘Tsk.’
This was becoming awkward. Just as I was about to respond with embarrassment.
“Evacuate! We’re under attack!”
A sharp warning cry pierces the air.
Kyaaaa–!
My head snaps up. That’s right.
‘This is not the time for this.’
Something has erupted. Now was not the moment to concern myself with Muyong Youngsoon.
“…Moryong Sojeo.”
“…Yes.”
“Where is Baekwang?”
“Pardon? The Lord of the Clan?”
“Yes.”
“…If it’s the Lord of the Clan, he’s likely with Strategist Jegal.”
“…The Strategist?”
Cheon Rijin-an. So that man is meeting with Baekwang?
‘…Tsk.’
I rolled my eyes. I had planned to head in that direction if necessary, but if the Strategist is there….
‘What’s the layout of this place?’
Even though I’ve left the spectator stands, I’m still within the Alliance grounds. Cheon Rijin-an’s quarters must also be somewhere inside.
Crash–!
“Kugh!!”
“Ahhh!”
Screams erupt from all directions alongside the sounds of brutal combat.
‘Insane.’
The Alliance’s martial artists were locked in battle with sudden attackers.
Watching them, I furrowed my brow.
‘They’re all those people.’
The ones carrying strange instruments on their backs. They were fighting against the Alliance members.
‘Where did they all come from?’
Where could these people have appeared from? I’d seen them in the arena, but not in such numbers.
This meant one thing.
‘They were hiding from the start.’
These were people who had been concealed somewhere, and the Alliance members had failed to detect them.
But that wasn’t even the worst of it.
“Damn it…!!”
“Watch out!”
Someone joins the martial artist engaged in combat. To all appearances, another Alliance member.
In the moment the man felt relief at the reinforcement.
Crash–!!
“…Kugh!?”
The one he thought was a comrade slashed across his throat.
The man collapsed helplessly.
‘…They’re mixed in.’
Even among the Martial Arts Alliance’s martial artists, I caught glimpses of demonic cultivators. Their numbers weren’t great, but they were undeniably present.
‘How is this possible?’
Just moments ago, when I was touring the Alliance’s interior, I hadn’t seen any of them. I couldn’t comprehend how they suddenly appeared in such numbers all at once.
“Bang Disciple…. We need to move immediately. This place is dangerous.”
Muyong Youngsoon spoke. I understood. The situation was dire. There was no time to hesitate.
So I had to choose.
‘Where to?’
Where should I go?
Should I exit the Alliance and head toward the prefecture, or instead.
‘…Go deeper inside.’
Venture further into the Alliance’s interior. I had to decide between these options.
And I didn’t have much time to deliberate.
“…Let’s move.”
I turned back. I chose to head inward rather than outward.
There was one reason.
‘The others are inside.’
My companions were still in there.
* * *
I hurried toward the medical quarters. By the time I broke through the thick demonic aura to arrive, the situation in this area had already deteriorated considerably.
“Defend!”
“Prepare for an attack!”
Martial artists stood with drawn blades to protect the physicians, but they maintained considerable distance from one another.
‘They’re suspicious of each other.’
They had either witnessed or experienced betrayal from their own comrades. So even as they coordinated their defense, they remained vigilant, unable to trust one another.
I approached them urgently. Then.
“Stop…!!”
A martial artist stepped forward to block me, emanating a chilling aura.
I raised both hands and spoke.
“…I am Bangseong-yeon of the Cheongwol Sect. I’ve come to check on my companions inside.”
“Bangseong-yeon…? The Protagonist?”
“That’s correct.”
“…Indeed. So you are that Protagonist.”
The man, after confirming my face and eyes, nodded and withdrew the blade he had been pointing at me.
Fortunately, my reputation carried weight in such moments.
“You have companions inside?”
“Yes. Two disciples of the Cheongwol Sect are inside.”
“…Go ahead. What about the two behind you?”
“They are my companions. One is Yoo Yeon of the Huashan Sect, and the other is a member of the Moyong Clan.”
“….”
Faced with my credible explanation, the Martial Artist swallowed hard and took a step back.
I hurried into the medical tent, where I found frightened physicians and patients.
“Bang Disciple.”
“…Heavenly Supreme.”
Cheon Euijin brightened upon seeing me inside. As expected, Do-hyeong was there as well.
‘Fortunately, it doesn’t seem anyone was injured.’
There were no signs of combat within the tent. Whether this location wasn’t part of their plan or they simply hadn’t attacked yet, there had been no assault here.
Moreover.
‘No one bearing musical instruments.’
There was no one nearby carrying any instruments.
“Are you unharmed?”
“Bang Disciple, are you the one who’s unharmed? What on earth happened….”
“I’m not entirely certain myself. They said it was a sudden assault.”
“…An assault, you say?”
Cheon Euijin’s expression showed confusion.
Naturally it would. This was Hanan, where the headquarters of the Martial Arts Alliance was located.
What madmen would dare assault this place?
‘Yet they did.’
Apparently, such madmen existed.
“Senior, are you unharmed?”
“I’m fine.”
I asked Do-hyeong as well, and he answered as though nothing was amiss.
Meanwhile, a sword was already in his hand.
“…What are you planning to do with that?”
“I’m recovering.”
“Recovering my foot. Take off those bandages first before you say anything.”
He looked ready to charge into battle at any moment. This man didn’t seem entirely sane either.
My hand rested on my throbbing head.
“This is rather disappointing.”
A gruff voice came from one side. I turned to see a massive figure occupying two beds.
“I’m lying here injured too, yet you don’t even spare me a glance? That’s rather cold, isn’t it?”
“…Heuk Taedo?”
The figure was indeed Heuk Taedo.
It seemed he had been brought here immediately after our match ended.
He chuckled and spoke, then Heuk Taedo’s gaze turned toward something.
It was where Muyong Youngsoon was.
After glancing at her briefly, Heuk Taedo simply stared at her for a moment before turning his gaze away.
“…So, something interesting has happened, hasn’t it? Right?”
“…So, something funny happened, right? Isn’t that right?”
I gradually rise with a smirk. What?
“Wait, please! Young Master Peng! You mustn’t move right now! Your wounds will reopen!”
“They won’t reopen. I’m fine.”
Crack, crack.
Peng Dojun rises from the bed and stretches his body.
The bandages wrapped around his body swelled as if about to burst.
“Come on. Shall we head out?”
“…Where are you trying to go?”
When I question his response, he tilts his head curiously.
“You didn’t come here to sit still, did you? Sword Saint. Given your nature, I’m certain that’s the case.”
“….”
I wonder what he thinks he knows about my nature, but surprisingly, he’s half right.
“My body’s been itching for action anyway. Let’s go, hurry.”
‘This has become troublesome.’
I hadn’t intended to drag him along, but it seems he’ll follow even unto death.
What should I do? Take him or not.
After a moment’s deliberation, I speak.
“…Let’s go for now.”
I lead him back outside.
* * *
We exit the medical quarters. The martial artists warned that outside was dangerous due to the attack, but I had no intention of heeding that warning.
From my perspective, this place was far more dangerous.
‘…That’s why I considered bringing some people along.’
My assessment that this place was dangerous was my personal judgment.
And I wasn’t confident whether anyone would move even if I spoke.
After all, they had gathered to protect the physician.
Recalling that, I head toward my destination first.
If my memory serves, it wasn’t far from here.
“What are those bastards doing?”
Heuk Taedo questions me about the unfolding battle.
“…They call themselves Patcheon Gung.”
“Patcheon Gung? Never heard of them. Are they heretics?”
Heuk Taedo’s response was one of unfamiliarity.
“…Why are members of the same Martial Arts Alliance fighting each other?”
This time, Cheon Euijin questions me.
“I’m not certain, but from what I can tell, they either infiltrated in disguise or are saboteurs.”
“Hmm….”
At the word saboteurs, Cheon Euijin’s face darkens. He must be recalling his own escort detail.
“Hmm.”
Heuk Taedo nods at those words.
Then.
A metallic ring.
He draws his blade from his waist and swings it through the air.
And then.
Kiiiiik–!!
Kwaaaa–!!
“Cough!?”
He cuts down a martial artist standing nearby and passes through.
It was a figure wearing the robes of the Martial Arts Alliance.
“…What! What are you suddenly doing!”
I ask in surprise.
“He was blocking the way, so I removed him. He’s a heterodox sect member anyway—there’s no harm in killing him.”
My eyes widen at his words.
He killed him while being certain he was heterodox?
‘He certainly was a Patcheon Gung member, though.’
The man Heuk Taedo just killed was indeed the one carrying a musical instrument on his back.
I was about to move first upon seeing that.
But Heuk Taedo was faster.
“…How could you be certain he was heterodox?”
How could he be certain when it wasn’t visible? At my question, Heuk Taedo picks his nose and speaks.
“Intuition.”
“…”
Such a simple answer. He killed a man based on intuition alone.
‘…And the one saying that is none other than.’
Someone with Cheonmu Jiche.
‘Did he sense it through that?’
Perhaps he senses the musical instrument through his physical senses granted by Cheonmu Jiche.
Certainly.
‘Yoo Cheon-gil senses things too.’
It would be no surprise if he could sense musical instruments.
As I think this.
“…But it’s not that clear. Just now I sensed it fairly well, though.”
Heuk Taedo speaks while squinting his eyes.
And then, looking at me, he asks.
“But, Protagonist. You would know well, wouldn’t you?”
“…”
I flinch at his words.
This bastard. What does he know to say such a thing…? No one should know that I can sense musical instruments.
“Why do you think that?”
I ask the man, uncertain why he’s so confident in his question.
He grins and answers me.
“Intuition.”
“….”
It was the same answer as before.
Infuriatingly so.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————