The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 268

—————
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 268
My conversation with Jegal Hyeong-yeon had come to an end.
It seemed his purpose was solely to discuss matters concerning the Peng Clan, for the moment our main business concluded, he rose to leave.
He ended our exchange with a casual “let’s meet again next time.” And in that moment….
‘…a wooden token.’
He handed me a wooden token before departing.
It was a wooden token that appeared slightly scorched by flame, with the character “Jegal” inscribed upon it with unmistakable clarity.
Apparently, presenting this token would grant me treatment nearly equivalent to that of blood relatives, allowing me entry as an honored guest…
‘Will I ever have reason to visit the Jegal Clan?’
I wasn’t certain such a token would ever prove useful, even as a gift.
Though, of course.
‘…it does seem like it might come in handy.’
Judging by the circumstances, it seemed likely to arise at some point—depending on how Jegal Jin moved forward.
“Hmm.”
As I tapped the token absently while moving about.
A low hum resonated through the air.
“Huh?”
I sensed something from behind. Before I could even discern what it was, I lowered my body.
Whoosh!!!
The moment I ducked, an arm swept swiftly through the space where my head had been.
What? An ambush?
Raising my guard, I turned to look behind me, and there stood.
“Huh? You dodged?”
A woman with a somewhat crazed smile on her face. Recognizing the familiar visage, I let out a sigh.
“…Sister.”
It was none other than my sister, Bang Seo-jin.
“I didn’t expect you to dodge. How did you know…?”
“…No, why did you suddenly rush at me like that?”
I’d thought it was a genuine attack. Upon confirming she was my sister, I released the tension from my hand gripping the sword at my waist.
“You startled me.”
“Of course you should be startled. That was the whole point.”
“This is ridiculous, truly.”
How could she be so brazen about this? Even as I spoke, I examined her carefully.
Noticing my gaze, Bang Seo-jin suddenly smiled faintly.
“Don’t look at me like that—I’m not injured.”
“…I was just noticing something odd about your clothes.”
“Anyway.”
Watching Bang Seo-jin try to brush past the matter with laughter, I sighed before asking.
“Where exactly were you when that attack occurred?”
“Where was I? I was running around frantically as well.”
“…Sister. You’re supposed to be guarding the Scholar. Where were you running around to, anyway?”
I’d stationed Bang Seo-jin as my guard, yet she’d been nowhere near Jegal Jin.
I’d been subtly concerned about it, but fortunately, it seemed she hadn’t suffered any serious injuries.
At my words, Bang Seo-jin scratched her cheek with a finger somewhat sheepishly.
“I told you. Something came up.”
Something.
What kind of something would make a guard abandon her charge? Unable to comprehend, I stared at Bang Seo-jin.
“The Scholar ordered me to do it. I was really busy… No, wait, why am I even explaining myself to you…?”
She’d been carrying out a task that Jegal Jin had directly assigned to her.
Hearing that, I tilted my head in confusion.
Crack—!
“Ow!”
Suddenly, Bang Seo-jin flicked my forehead with a sharp blow.
“What, testing your sister like that? Huh?”
“…Ugh….”
Her hand was brutally strong. I thought my forehead was going to shatter for a moment.
“Now that you’re called Wol-hyeop, you’ve gotten all cocky? Why? Are you trying to match your sister now?”
“…That’s not it.”
“Sure it isn’t. Liar.”
“Does this bastard’s nature never improve with age…?”
“What?”
“Talking to myself—!”
I dodged another blow coming my way.
She was disgustingly fast.
“Tch…?”
“…Please stop hitting me. How old are you to be striking people?”
“It’s discipline. When a younger sibling goes astray, the older sister has to look after them. Right?”
“The one who ran away from home the fastest is talking about discipline? If you were going to look after me, you should’ve done it from childhood. When did you ever hesitate to abandon and flee? Tsk….”
Unable to contain myself, I spoke my mind, and an awkward silence fell over my words.
“….”
“…?”
What was with that uncomfortable silence? Bang Seo-jin’s expression had stiffened slightly.
“…Why are you like that?”
Why that look? I hadn’t said anything untrue.
The silence felt unbearable, so I asked again.
“…Never mind. Just get some rest. I can see you’re fine, so I’m leaving.”
Bang Seo-jin quickly composed herself, waved her hand dismissively, and departed.
“Sister?”
I called after her, but she didn’t stop and simply vanished.
What was that?
‘Surely not.’
Was he sulking? His reaction certainly suggested it.
“….”
I tried to recall what I’d said that could have upset him, but nothing came to mind.
‘What is this really.’
If anyone should be sulking, it should be me by now. Why was he the one upset?
My mood soured slightly.
“I don’t know.”
So I decided not to dwell on it.
‘It’ll work out somehow.’
I already had enough to worry about without adding more to the list.
“Ah… that’s right.”
Then it occurred to me.
“…I didn’t finish my conversation with Heuk Taedo.”
I recalled the main reason I’d sought out Heuk Taedo. It was something I’d forgotten about when Jegal Hyeong-yeon appeared.
‘Should I go back?’
I considered returning to finish what I hadn’t discussed with Heuk Taedo.
After all, that had been my original purpose in coming out.
Yes, since I was already out, I might as well handle everything.
Just as I was about to move with that thought.
[Tsk.]
Yoo Cheon-gil clicked his tongue. My feet stopped involuntarily at the sound.
[Quite the celebrity. Visitors seem to find you endlessly.]
“….”
I narrowed my eyes. In that moment.
Tap, tap.
A sound came from somewhere. Turning my head cautiously, I saw someone leaning against the side of a tree.
An old man with a lean frame and a single arm, not particularly large in stature.
Normally, he would have worn a benevolent smile and maintained an extremely humble demeanor.
But the old man now carried an entirely different presence.
The old man who had volunteered as the Cheongwol Sect’s driver and brought us to Hannam.
And the one who had saved me from the Pacheon Gungju during that attack.
That old man was looking at me. Without uttering a single word.
Quietly, and peacefully.
The old man gazed at me, as if waiting for me to speak first.
I sensed what he wanted from me.
I remained silent for a long while, deliberating whether I should speak or not.
But.
‘Damn it.’
There was no other way, and I had to recite my words while looking at the old man.
“…I greet the Sword Emperor.”
“…”
The Sword Emperor.
The Supreme Swordmaster of All Under Heaven.
If Yoo Cheon-gil was the greatest figure of ancient and modern times, the supreme being of all creation,
then the Celestial Demon was the sole existence said to have reached the heavens through the blade.
Upon directly mentioning him, the Old Man nodded and spoke to me.
“Follow me.”
“….”
Not a warm and benevolent voice, but a harsh and sharp tone.
It would be fair to say he was an entirely different person.
The Sword Emperor who had spoken those words simply began walking….
‘…Damn it.’
I suppressed a sigh and followed after him.
Truly, there was no one busier than this man.

* * *
The place I arrived at following the Sword Emperor was a forest.
Whether it was a walking path created within the Martial Arts Alliance, foot traffic was sparse.
Could one simply come to such a place freely? No, that wasn’t it….
‘If it’s the Sword Emperor, what would it matter?’
There was no one in the Martial Arts Alliance now who could stop the Sword Emperor.
If he desired it, he could do anything.
In the Central Plains, the Celestial Demon was such an existence.
Now without Shin Chang… to be honest.
‘If the Sword Emperor desired it, couldn’t even the League Leader be achieved?’
If it were merely proven that he lived, ascending to the position of League Leader would be possible without much issue.
‘It was Yoo Cheon-gil who crushed and killed the Celestial Demon’s heart.’
But it was the Sword Emperor who severed his limbs and slew a considerable number of the great demons under his command.
By deeds alone, the Sword Emperor was not inferior.
However.
‘…It’s ambiguous.’
The Sword Emperor’s current position was simply somewhat ambiguous.
‘Is he of the righteous faction?’
It was laughable to question whether the Celestial Demon’s hero belonged to the righteous or unorthodox, but the Sword Emperor’s position had always been ambiguous.
‘Neither unorthodox nor righteous, merely a martial artist.’
A figure who belonged nowhere and operated as a wanderer.
If one had to be precise, it would be more accurate to call him a mercenary.
A wanderer who accepted commissions and carried out tasks.
Yet his power was so formidable that he gradually elevated his standing and reputation.
During the war, he stood with the Orthodox Faction, slaughtering the Marin and rose to heroic prominence.
‘But if you ask whether he’s truly Orthodox, well…’
He vanished before such distinctions could be made.
And now he had reappeared.
‘…This isn’t easy.’
Nothing about this was easy. Orthodox or Unorthodox. The real problem was simply being here alongside the Sword Emperor.
As I ventured deeper into the secluded path, that moment arrived.
Whoooosh—!!
Wind brushed past my body.
[It’s a qi barrier.]
Yoo Cheon-gil revealed that the wind was actually qi.
A barrier had been erected so that no sound could escape.
‘…This is insane.’
It meant I could die here and no one would ever know. Cold sweat threatened to break out across my skin.
Meanwhile, the Sword Emperor turned to face me, his remaining hand clasped behind his back.
“I will ask you something.”
That was when it happened.
Chill—!
‘What is this?’
It felt as though a sword’s edge had touched my throat.
Yet there was nothing visible. What on earth was this?
[Do not move.]
Yoo Cheon-gil warned me again. It confirmed that my instinct was not a mistake.
“Ahhae.”
“…Yes.”
“Since when have you known my identity?”
“….”
My throat tightened at the Sword Emperor’s question.
Since when? How should I answer? In truth, I had already prepared my response to this question long ago.
“From the very beginning.”
From the moment I first saw you.
I knew your identity then. Honesty was my only option.
“….”
At my words, one of the Sword Emperor’s eyebrows twitched.
“From the beginning? How?”
His appearance and physique were nothing like what one would expect of the Sword Emperor.
He couldn’t fathom how I had recognized him in such a state.
He was right. In truth, without Yoo Cheon-gil’s guidance, I would never have seen through the disguise.
“I cannot comprehend how you recognized me even in those circumstances. Explain yourself.”
The Sword Emperor pressed for an answer, unwilling to let this mystery pass.
At the same time, the chill I felt intensified, lending weight to my words.
One misstep, and I die.
Such instinct coiled around my entire body.
What should I do?
How can I make the Sword Emperor understand?
Ordinary words and methods won’t work. But….
‘I have the perfect method for this.’
There was one technique more comfortable than any other.
I always use it, and it always proves helpful.
That is, precisely.
“My Mentor taught me this.”
“…What?”
[What did you say?]
Throwing Yoo Cheon-gil under the bus. There was no easier or better method than this.
[Is this madman really…?]
The Old Man on the receiving end would glare at me again, but what could I do about it.
‘I need to survive first and worry about the rest later.’
Damn it. If I’m being honest, this was also a mess Yoo Cheon-gil left behind. I’m just cleaning it up.
“…Yoo Cheon-gil?”
The Sword Emperor’s face contorts.
“Yes. He told me about your distinctive features, Sword Emperor.”
Using Yoo Cheon-gil as an excuse, the Sword Emperor’s eyes shift.
Huh?
Shiiiiing——!!
My senses prickle with dread. For some reason, the killing intent grows thicker.
[Ah, change what you’re saying.]
Yoo Cheon-gil speaks urgently then.
[The Sword Emperor was originally much larger in build.]
“…Originally, you must have been far more muscular and imposing in stature….”
Shiiiii…!
The intensifying aura grew slightly shallower.
I nearly got my head cut off.
‘I never knew the Sword Emperor was originally so large.’
I don’t know exactly how large, but it differed considerably from the information I possessed.
If Yoo Cheon-gil hadn’t spoken just then, my neck might have been severed.
“If we meet again, I will appear as I do now. So that you may recognize me, he said.”
“…He said such a thing?”
“…Yes.”
I wasn’t lying. What Yoo Cheon-gil just said was accurate.

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