The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 325

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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 325
At first glance, the man was unmistakably a giant.
Martial artists with frames larger than ordinary people. Yet compared to them, this man’s head seemed a full size larger.
His physique was as imposing as the heavy aura he carried on his back.
From that massive form emanated a presence, and something ominously unsettling.
And.
‘…The aura of Patcheon Gung.’
An expansive momentum overwhelming in its sheer scale.
The same magnitude I had only sensed from Gwima was now radiating from this man.
I had glimpsed it before, but this was an unusual energy. What exactly was this man?
Moreover.
‘Even Sochul Daeju said he lost track of him.’
If even Sochul Daeju—who pursued him—had lost his trail, then this man was certainly no ordinary figure.
It had been strange to consider him ordinary from the start.
‘….’
A chill ran through me. The sensation was peculiar. I immediately turned my gaze toward Maehua Daeju. His expression was no different from mine.
‘Surprised?’
He certainly looked startled. Could this be an act? It was possible.
‘…But he seems genuinely surprised.’
His reaction also bore the unmistakable mark of genuine shock.
Was he startled by the giant’s appearance? Was this not an expected participant?
As doubt invaded my thoughts.
“How fortuitous to find you all gathered here.”
The giant spoke toward us.
At his words, Sochul Daeju released his aura.
“…You.”
“Oh.”
The giant laughed upon sensing the aura.
“We meet again. That was quite enjoyable.”
“So you were indeed a member of the heterodox sects.”
“Naturally. From your perspective, I hardly appear virtuous, do I? Ah, but perhaps judging by appearance alone is unfair?”
Kekeke.
The giant laughed and spoke.
“Sochul Daeju, you yourself hardly strike one as virtuous either.”
Ssshhhhh—!
Sochul Daeju’s aura intensified. The very air seemed compressed beneath its weight.
“My, have I spoken too harshly?”
The giant responded to that aura as though entirely unaffected.
Then.
“Ah yes. I haven’t introduced myself yet.”
Thud.
I drew the sword from my back and drove it into the ground.
Kuuuoong—!! Vibrations rippled outward, testifying to its weight.
“I am called Hwangso-gong. As for my epithet… it has not been widely known.”
Ssssshhh—!!!
The aura of Patcheon Gung repelled outward from Hwangso-gong’s back, expanding violently.
“Taema. That is what I am called.”
“…Taema?”
“A demon? If it’s a demon epithet…”
The crowd murmured. The word “demon” that spilled from Hwangso-gong’s mouth was the problem.
Among epithets with “demon” attached, excluding ones like “Lustful Demon,” there was only one kind.
“…You. Are you one of the Eight Demons?”
“Correct.”
At the Giant’s words, the atmosphere around them grew cold. The Eight Demons.
They were the core military force of the Demonic Cult and the object of terror for the righteous sects.
Eight demons who served under the Celestial Demon, who was called the pinnacle of the Demonic Cult, and received his recognition.
Eight in total, including the Sword Demon and Gwima.
Most of them had died in the war, so there should be none remaining.
“Another one of the Eight Demons has appeared…?”
“And it’s an epithet we’ve never seen before?”
A being different from the Eight Demons recorded in the archives had appeared.
The resurrection of the Sword Demon and Gwima were the emergence of entities that already existed.
“A name I’ve never heard before.”
It seemed no one knew of this being called Taema. Not even his name.
‘A martial artist of that caliber, and no one knows of him?’
It was utterly bewildering.
“Who are you?”
“…How many times will you ask? I just told you myself.”
“The Celestial Demon is already dead and gone. Yet a new Eight Demon? Who granted you that name?”
It was said that the epithets of the Eight Demons were bestowed by the Celestial Demon like true names.
A new Eight Demon when the Celestial Demon was already dead? It was undoubtedly strange.
“The previous Celestial Demon did indeed pass. However…”
Hehehehe.
Hwangso-gong smiled, revealing yellowed teeth.
“A new heaven has arrived, has it not? Should not the Demonic Cult also feel a new wind?”
“…A new heaven, you say?”
“Ah yes indeed.”
Crunch crunch crunch.
Hwangso-gong grasped the sword tightly.
“Does our Daeju prefer to fight only with words? That is a poor habit. And.”
Hwangso-gong, his eyes blazing, continued speaking.
“This isn’t the time for such hesitation, is it? Daeju.”
Hwangso-gong’s gaze shifted toward none other than Maehua Daeju.
“…What…?”
Maehua Daeju was momentarily flustered by that stare.
“What do you mean? You’ve laid out the entire board, yet you’re still deliberating. How unsatisfying.”
‘Heh.’
Watching this, I swallowed dryly.
This was clearly something Maehua Daeju hadn’t discussed with Hwangso-gong.
“If you’re coming, commit to it. I prefer that kind of resolve. Gwima may be burdened with many concerns, but I’m a simple man.”
Whoooosh—!!!
A tremendous killing intent erupted from Hwangso-gong’s body.
“Maehua Daeju. I’ll grant your wish. So choose. Otherwise, I too will be disappointed.”
“Ugh…”
Everyone flinched at Hwangso-gong’s killing intent. I was no exception.
[Step aside.]
Yoo Cheon-gil spoke. He seemed to have reached a conclusion as well. But—
Twang—!
“…!”
[This…!]
The possession wouldn’t take hold. Yoo Cheon-gil was suddenly repelled as he tried to enter.
‘Again.’
Again. The possession had failed to work.
‘Damn it.’
This was troublesome. Possession failing at such a critical moment.
I turned my gaze.
To gauge Maehua Daeju’s reaction.
“…What are you saying?”
“Master, what do you…?”
The Plum Blossom Sword Masters were bewildered. They couldn’t understand what Hwangso-gong meant.
But—
“If you keep spouting such defiance, you’ll gain nothing.”
Hwangso-gong spoke to Maehua Daeju.
“To abandon your convictions and gain nothing—there’s nothing more pitiful than that, is there?”
Those words—
“Move. If you wish to gain something.”
—were enough to urge Maehua Daeju into action.
Rustle.
The scent of plum blossoms drifted forth.
[I must.]
Yoo Cheon-gil’s voice came, but my words had come first.
“Daeju—!”
Crack-crack-crack—!!!
Light repelled outward with my cry.
Clang—!!
The blade of Maehua Daeju clashed against the sword of Sochul Daeju.
“What—!?”
“Daeju…!?”
Screeeech—!!!
Sword met sword, and the shockwave of their collision swept across all directions.
“…Maehua Daeju. Have you truly made such a choice?”
“…”
At Sochul Daeju’s words, the Old Man’s gaze turned toward me.
“Did you know?”
“….”
“So you knew everything.”
A sense of futility crossed his face.
“You moved knowing all along… I’ve been dancing in the palm of your hand.”
That futility swiftly ignited into fury.
“You insolent child.”
Boom—!
Maehua Daeju thrust his blade upward. Sochul Daeju was driven back momentarily.
The fragrance of plum blossoms grew increasingly dense.
“All of you, move now. For the new Hwasan.”
“Daeju, what do you mean by—!”
Whoosh—!!
“Ugh—!?”
Blood sprayed. A wound opened across the man’s chest as he spoke.
“Priest…!?”
He turned with startled eyes. His comrade-in-arms swung a blade toward him.
“My apologies, brother. It cannot be helped.”
“What is this…! Why are you doing this all of a sudden!”
It was not just one. All those I had seen turned their blades upon their allies.
They were never allies to begin with. From the moment we arrived here, they never were.
Sochul Daeju was already focused entirely on his battle with Maehua Daeju.
‘Ah, this is troublesome.’
An unexpected turn of events. This should not have happened.
‘Hwangso-gong has intervened here.’
Gwima should have appeared at this juncture. I had planned to use him to shape the board.
But that had not come to pass.
“What should we do?”
Do-hyeong asks from beside me. His eyes already gleamed with determination.
“…Please proceed as instructed.”
“Understood.”
Whoooosh—!!
His form surges forward at tremendous speed.
Do-hyeong’s body became a flash of light, piercing through the ranks ahead.
Crash-crash-crash—!!
“Ugh!?”
Blades whirl with arrow-like velocity. Azure light carved through the gaps between the Plum Blossom Sword Masters.
Clang—! Clang clang!
Combat erupted.
“Priest… please!”
In that chaos, Yeo Hyeok struggled to hold back his own martial brothers. Do-hyeong was my opening—
he began his assault, targeting only those I had identified as conspirators.
What grew most fierce was—
Rumble-rumble-rumble—!!!
the absolute masters fighting as though to shatter the very cave.
The battle between Sochul Daeju and Maehua Daeju raged like a tempest. The collision of such weighty presences inflicted damage upon everything around them.
‘…Is that—’
a true clash between those called absolute masters? I could scarcely perceive what they were doing.
I swallowed hard.
In that instant—
[Focus, boy!]
“Leave that to them.”
“…!”
“We have our own part to play, don’t we?”
A heavy voice poured forth from behind. I spun around urgently.
Shiiing—!!
An enormous blade descended upon me. Swift. It carried the weight of collapsing heavens.
Whoosh—!!
My body moved.
Boom—!!
The flat of the blade struck the ground. I barely evaded. Not of my own will—it was another’s hand that pulled me away.
“…You?”
Yoo Yeon. She had appeared and dragged me to safety.
Before I could comprehend this, she thrust her blade forward.
“Ha.”
Clang—!!
Yoo Yeon’s sword rebounded, and using that impact as momentum, she carved another arc through the air.
Shwik-! Shwik shwik-!!
A dance. Yoo Yeon began performing her sword dance with swift, fluid movements.
It was the same graceful form I had witnessed during our training sessions before.
Elegant and pristine.
A beautiful trajectory imbued with sharpness.
As her blade continued its ceaseless motion, the speed intensified further.
The flawless form I had seen at the tournament, yet—
“Well now.”
Boom-!!
“…!”
Her opponent was formidable. Hwangso-gong’s movement sent Yoo Yeon’s body reeling backward.
The blade hadn’t struck her directly. I caught her as she stumbled.
Screech-!!
I barely managed to halt our backward momentum.
“Girl. For such a pretty face, your sword technique is quite sharp. Not bad at all.”
Hwangso-gong offered his assessment.
“And.”
His gaze shifted downward to look at me.
“Is it your turn now? I’ve been quite curious.”
Hwangso-gong’s laughter deepened. Beneath his distinctive yellowish complexion that radiated unpleasantness, his flickering eyes brimmed with countless desires.
“Our new Heaven has taken such interest in you, after all. I abandoned my own affairs to come here.”
“…New Heaven?”
“Yes, a new Heaven. That noble one who will burn away this nauseating Central Plains orthodoxy and forge a new history.”
“…Are you referring to the Young Master?”
“Indeed.”
Hwangso-gong’s eyes widened in surprise.
“How did you know? Impressive.”
Whoosh.
He rotated his stance. That massive blade swung with surprising lightness.
“Yes, he takes interest in you. Geomseong’s Predecessor, savior of Hannam, rival to the new Demonic Cult… I wondered if it was because of such titles.”
Hwangso-gong’s head tilted slightly as he studied me.
“But you don’t seem to be of that caliber. What else are you hiding?”
“…I do harbor many secrets.”
“Hmm… Yes, secrets are good. They must remain secrets.”
Thud.
Hwangso-gong’s foot stepped closer to me.
“Otherwise, you’ll die here.”
The moment he took two more strides forward—
Whoooosh–!!
Hwangso-gong’s form closed the distance, appearing directly before my face.
It was the same as before. A torrent of blades cascaded toward me.
[Don’t block it—deflect it. Redirect it to the left.]
Using the flat of my blade as a foundation, I gently parried and redirected it leftward.
Screeeech—!!!
The blade twisted. Even as I deflected it, my waist screamed in agony.
‘Insane.’
Damnably powerful.
Zzzzzt—!
“Ugh!”
The forced deflection sent a wave of pain through my injured waist. My body stiffened slightly from the impact.
[Concentrate your inner energy in your abdomen!]
There was no time to think. I tensed my core.
Whoooosh—!!
“Gahhh!”
Hwangso-gong’s knee drove directly into my abdomen.
My vision warped. My body flew backward as if caught by a gale.
Craaaaaash—!!!
I slammed into the cave wall.
“…*cough*….”
Blood spilled from my lips. My mind grew hazy.
[Ahhh! You bastard, get up! You…!]
Yoo Cheon-gil’s voice reached me as though through fog.
“….”
My strength had vanished. From just a single impact.
Beyond my dimming vision, I could see Hwangso-gong approaching.
My weakened body refused to rise properly.
Then.
“Hmm?”
Hwangso-gong narrowed his eyes.
Someone stepped in front of me, blocking his path.
It was Yoo Yeon.
“…Well, well?”
Hwangso-gong’s lips curled upward at the sight.
Was she actually planning to stop him?
That didn’t seem like a good idea.
She should abandon me and leave instead. What was there to block?
It would make more sense to aid Sochul Daeju. Yet Yoo Yeon stood before me.
‘Move.’
The word to step aside never left my lips.
I had no intention of sending a telepathic message either.
Beyond my drained body and dulling consciousness, I could only see Yoo Yeon’s small back.
‘Ah.’
That won’t do.
As I was thinking that.
—How disappointing.
A voice echoed in my mind.
—I had such high hopes.
It was not Yoo Cheon-gil’s voice.
‘This is….’
Whose voice was it? Before I could even recall that.
—Come forth. I have no taste for lying about pathetically defeated.
Whoooosh—!
Sudden darkness engulfed me.
When I opened my eyes again.
Only a crimson moon and the black night faced me.

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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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