The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 289

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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 289
He appeared to be not yet twenty years old.
If I had to compare, he was around the same age as Yeo Hyeok.
With an impression close to that of a young man, he wore a gray martial robe and held his hands behind his back.
Though his eyes appeared neither fully open nor closed, and his face bore a smile, something about him felt deeply unsettling.
Who is this man?
[Hmm.]
Upon noticing the young man, Yoo Cheon-gil displayed curiosity, while Sochul Daeju reacted violently as though he had seen a ghost.
“…You… How are you here?”
Sochul Daeju spoke as though he knew this young man, and upon hearing this, the young man’s smile became even more vivid.
“It has been a long time. I have heard much about you. You became the Master of Sowoldae? Time truly passes quickly.”
Whoosh—!
The young man spoke and swept his hand. The fan he held unfurled completely. He then covered his own face with it.
‘Who is this man?’
The sensation felt chilling.
I could not sense any spiritual energy from him. It was simply….
‘The man himself feels cold.’
A man with an unpleasant aura.
Such men existed from time to time.
Those without spiritual energy yet possessed overwhelmingly strong presence.
Among them, a powerful human who simultaneously carried both a chilling and heavy aura.
The very type of existence that shamans most dreaded to face.
This man was exactly that.
‘Tch.’
This was not easy.
Merely looking at him caused my chest to ache. How could his presence be so overwhelming?
What kind of man was he?
I could not discern his identity. Yeo Hyeok appeared similarly confused, his gaze fixed upon Sochul Daeju with bewilderment.
As a moment passed,
“…Gwima.”
“What!”
Sochul Daeju spoke while looking at the young man, and upon hearing this, Yeo Hyeok gasped in shock.
‘Gwima?’
I was scarcely less surprised. Though not overwhelmingly startled, I found myself regarding the young man with newfound interest.
‘If he is Gwima….’
He was a figure I knew. A Marin who was active during the Demonic Catastrophe War and….
‘…Was he not called the Scholar?’
A martial artist and a scholar.
From what I understood, he was an existence who uniquely possessed both the martial and the scholarly arts.
Of course.
‘Both are exceptional, but there’s an assessment that Jegal Jin surpasses them in strategic acumen.’
Regardless, this meant a monster who had been active during the Jeongma Great War.
‘…Why does he look so young?’
It was strange.
‘He’s far too young.’
If he was one of the monsters active back then, he should already be a decrepit old man by now.
‘What is this man?’
He’s far too young. At first glance, he appeared to be around the same age as Yeo Hyeok, yet this fellow is supposedly a Gwima?
‘This is strange…?’
How could that be possible? I found it bewildering.
And Sochul Daeju wore an expression of equal astonishment.
“…You… How are you maintaining that appearance?”
“Ah, how is it? I suppose I don’t age much because I take good care of my skin. You should manage yours too, Daeju. It looks rather dull.”
“Enough with the jokes-! Gwima. How are you even alive!”
Rummmble-!!!
Thunder erupted from Sochul Daeju’s blade. Azure force surged forth, radiating an overwhelming presence.
My body tingled with the resonance.
“You should already be lying as ash in the Divine Abyss, yet how… how are you walking around alive?”
And in such a youthful form at that.
“Ahahaha.”
The Gwima laughed at those words.
“Who knows? Perhaps a Deity bestowed a blessing upon me.”
“Nonsense-!”
Boom-!!
As if unwilling to hear more, Sochul Daeju charged at the Gwima.
The ground crumbled beneath a single leap. Dust scattered in the wind pressure.
A blue line cut sharply through the haze.
It drew a semicircle as if depicting the moon.
Crash-!!!
“…!”
Sochul Daeju’s blade failed to reach the Gwima and was deflected skyward.
“Really.”
The Gwima had struck the flat of the blade with his fist, altering its trajectory.
“Still so quick to anger, I see?”
Crash-!!!
A fist.
‘…Unarmed combat.’
Turbid fist force intercepted Sochul Daeju’s assault.
It was unbelievable that such a slender, delicate frame could produce such power.
Moreover.
‘I deflected the attack of Sochul Daeju, an absolute master.’
As if it were nothing.
That meant he was an existence of equal caliber.
“Please don’t come at me so fiercely. It’s been a long time since we’ve met—wouldn’t it be nice to exchange greetings and such?”
“Spare me the nonsense. Do you think I have anything to say to Marin bastards?”
“Come now. Marins are people too, and it would be nice if we could talk, wouldn’t it?”
콰으으으으으—!!!
As if deeming him unworthy of a response, Sochul Daeju poured more force into his blade.
Cold sweat dripped down my face.
‘…This.’
This is the aura of an absolute master.
The gap is far too vast compared to when I faced those enemies earlier.
“I heard that the Demonic Cult and Patcheon Gung joined hands. It seems that rumor is true. Gwima—what are you scheming by entering Patcheon Gung?”
“Hmm….”
At those words, Gwima tilted his head slightly.
“I don’t spend my days scheming about things, you know.”
“The entire Central Plains remembers what you did in Kunlun. Gwima, plotting nothing? Even a stray dog passing by would laugh at that.”
“That was when I was young and foolish. I was immature back then. Now I simply do as my superiors command. Isn’t that how life is for everyone? Things rarely go the way we wish—”
Gwima continued speaking, but Sochul Daeju’s blade cut through his words.
Wol-hyeop.
A vast crescent moon poured down upon Gwima.
Kuaaaaa-!!!
The ground was torn asunder. The impact was fierce, as if an earthquake had struck.
A devastating attack. Did it connect this time?
I looked toward that direction, but.
[Behind you. Move.]
Yoo Cheon-gil spoke.
“…!”
I twisted my body. My divine blade was drawn. The dark blade cut through the night.
But.
Thwack.
“Impressive.”
The attack was stopped by two of Gwima’s fingers.
“…How did you know?”
“…Ugh.”
Grrgh-! I poured all my strength into it, but it wouldn’t budge at all.
“Wol-hyeop!”
Yeo Hyeok hurriedly drew his blade.
“Gwima–!!”
Kuwong-!!
Sochul Daeju roars and attempts to charge forward again.
“Don’t move.”
Thud.
Gwima subdues me in an instant, pressing fingers against my throat.
My arm bends backward. All strength drains from my body.
“Move and I’ll pierce your throat?”
“….”
Freeze—!
At that gesture, Sochul Daeju and Yeo Hyeok, who were rushing forward, stiffen.
A chill runs through me. Beneath that gentle voice, an alien killing intent coils around my body.
Simultaneously, Gwima’s pale hand caresses my cheek.
Revolting. Goosebumps erupt across my skin.
“How beautiful. How exquisite. Whose child are you to possess such beauty? Do you resemble your father or your mother….”
A repugnant voice. Sticky speech and an aura to match.
And the thick killing intent contained within it.
My breath catches involuntarily.
“…And these eyes.”
The hand brushes beneath my eyes, tracing the delicate skin.
“Beautiful. Those eyes that slaughtered us. The quality differs entirely from that old man’s eyes…. I’ve only heard rumors, but it’s true?”
A fingernail grazes my eyeball.
Perilously close.
“That monster truly seems to have been resurrected…. The nature is the same, yet it harbors something far too magnificent. Our young master should be wary of it, you say?”
“…Release the child, Gwima…!”
Sochul Daeju speaks, but Gwima merely laughs upon hearing it.
“Why would I take a hostage if I intended to release him? If I let go, he’ll charge at me like a wild boar again, won’t he? I don’t particularly enjoy raising dust.”
“Coward…! And you still call yourself a martial artist!”
“How clichéd.”
Ahahaha.
Low laughter flows from Gwima.
“If I were going to worry about such things, I wouldn’t have become a Marin.”
“…You bastard–!”
“I’m curious about something. How did you know? There’s no way those fools could have discovered we’re here…? Was it betrayal? No. Those idiots couldn’t have made such a choice.”
“As if you’d tell us…!”
“Ah, it’s fine. I wasn’t asking for an answer anyway.”
Sssss.
The hand that was touching my eyelids moves backward, trailing down my back with fingertip pressure.
“There must have been some method…. Yes, something I don’t know. In any case, those who possess azure eyes always irritate me…? Even though the monster died with time… it displeases me.”
Gwima, having spoken, moves.
Then.
Squelch—!
“…Cough!?”
A sharp pain erupts across my back. Gwima has wounded me.
Blood drips down—!
“Wol-hyeop…!!”
Yeo Hyeok’s eyes widen in shock at my condition.
Sochul Daeju’s face contorts immediately after.
“Gwima…!”
“Calm yourself. I have no intention of killing him. He belongs to someone else, you see… I’d be punished if I touched him. However, since circumstances have developed this way, I need to buy some time, so I’ll employ a method, yes?”
Sizzle—!!
“…Ugh!?”
The wound burns intensely. Gwima has injected something into it.
“It’s the venom of the Gunseon herb. You know what that is, don’t you, Daeju?”
“…What?”
At the mention of Gunseon herb venom, Sochul Daeju’s face twists.
“With proper treatment and detoxification, he’ll be fine… but if he doesn’t receive it within half an hour, things will become quite serious, won’t they?”
Thud—!
The hand holding me releases its grip. I collapse limply.
My body grows numb, moment by moment.
“Gasp… Hah….”
Everything spins. My vision grows distant.
“Losing your subordinates must sting… but at least I’ve found reason to raise my guard. Not a bad exchange, wouldn’t you say? Wouldn’t you?”
“…Gwima….”
“Don’t glare at me like that. Isn’t getting this child away your priority right now? You hardly have the luxury to come after me.”
“Grrr….”
Sochul Daeju bites his lip. Then.
Whoosh—!
“Ugh!”
Gwima kicks me toward Sochul Daeju. The Daeju catches me hurriedly.
“It’s been a pleasant encounter. Shall we meet again?”
Gwima leaps lightly into the air and soars away.
Sochul Daeju moves to pursue, but.
He cannot.
“Ugh….”
The pain is overwhelming.
“Damn it…!”
Sochul Daeju’s decision comes swiftly.
“Plum Blossom Sword. We return to Hwasan.”
“…! Understood…!”
Yeo Hyeok hears Sochul Daeju’s command and rushes back the way they came.
Sochul Daeju follows suit, and the scenery gradually fades into distance.
A gentle breeze.
All that remained in my vision was Gwima waving his hand at me.

* * *
Immediately after Sochul Daeju departed with Bangseong-yeon in his arms.
“Hmm.”
Gwima, left alone, gazed leisurely in the direction they disappeared.
“Curious.”
How had they discovered it?
He was not particularly surprised. He had always anticipated that eventually it would be exposed.
However.
“Far too soon?”
The timeline was far faster than expected. He had not even considered the possibility of being discovered so quickly.
How shocked he had been when the formation was dispelled.
“How did they manage it?”
That formation was the work of one of the Central Plains’ most renowned formation masters.
Even bringing the current Younger Master of the Jegal Clan would require half a day, yet it was dispelled in less than a quarter of that time upon arrival.
‘Whose doing could it be?’
Sochul Daeju? If he had broken the formation through sheer force, that would be understandable.
‘No.’
The formation was not destroyed.
It was dispelled.
Having set it himself, he could not possibly be mistaken about this.
“Hmm….”
Well, setting that aside.
“They resemble each other.”
Strangely similar. The young man he had wounded.
Wol-hyeop, was it? The promising prodigy of Hanan, a monster despised by all Marins.
The successor of Sword Saint Yoo Cheon-gil.
Gwima brushed his face with his hand, recalling him.
“They resemble each other.”
Those eyes.
Those blue, brilliant eyes.
As if the Sword Saint Yoo Cheon-gil’s beautiful gaze had been transplanted into him.
Yet.
“Strangely, they resemble each other.”
Gwima did not recall the Sword Saint when looking at Bangseong-yeon.
What he recalled now was.
“He resembles the Patriarch so much….”
That person whom he revered and held more precious than life itself.
The absolute ruler of the Demonic Cult.
The Celestial Demon.
Gwima gazed upon Bangseong-yeon and, for reasons I couldn’t quite grasp, found myself thinking of the Celestial Demon.

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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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