The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 360

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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 360
Boom—!!
Embers exploded outward.
Kieeeee—!!
A scream followed, my body instinctively recoiling.
Like a body made of ash, the struck form convulsed violently, sending fragments scattering.
Tainted embers scattered through the air, and I narrowed my eyes watching them drift.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve done this.’
Cleansing someone’s karma.
Or rather, removing the Evil Instrument someone had set in place.
It would be a shame to call it exorcism of a Demon, and the Shamans focused their efforts on performing rituals.
‘I find this more straightforward.’
Having lived without performing rituals, this direct method of purification was far more comfortable for me.
끼이아아아아아—!!!!
The man whose head I’d struck screamed and howled.
Should I call it sound? Since it was a blow struck directly at the soul itself, it was ambiguous to call it sound.
It didn’t matter anyway.
‘What it’s called holds no significance.’
My Grandmother used to call such sounds lamentation.
‘But using such refined words feels out of place.’
Lamentation, my foot.
To me, it was merely a death cry—worse, an irritating noise like fingernails scraping against metal.
‘It’s nothing but lingering attachment.’
It would be foolish to ascribe meaning to such things.
Living that way would lead nowhere.
Kyaaa—!!
He charged again. I swung my blade once more.
Clang—!!
As I struck his ribs, a clearer sound rang out than before. His body recoiled, bouncing sideways.
Kuaaa—!!
Each time he rolled across the damp ground, black marks were left behind in the wet earth.
There it was.
That was the filth of the Evil Instrument.
“Sigh.”
I gripped the blade tighter. The sword felt heavy.
‘Is it because I’m not channeling my inner energy?’
Normally, I would have been moving with vigor, channeling my power.
But I couldn’t do that now.
The Talisman affixed to the blade. That was the problem.
‘…To use this here, I cannot channel my inner energy.’
I had no energy to focus on such things. This was someone else’s spiritual realm. Materializing this talisman in such a place required considerable concentration.
The spiritual cord that allowed me to strike the Evil Instrument with physical force.
It took the shape of a talisman, but that was hardly important. It simply manifested this way because a talisman was the most familiar form to me.
‘Was Grandmother’s a fan?’
I’d never seen it myself, but that’s what I’d heard.
Baek Manager’s was a baseball bat.
…A terrifying man.
“Come on. Let’s go.”
With no time to hesitate, I stepped toward the Evil Instrument.
Kiiiieeee–!!
It rushed at me rapidly, sharpening its claws before lunging.
I dodged and rolled across the ground. The rain soaked straight through my body.
Rolling and tumbling like this was something martial artists considered shameful and wouldn’t do, but this creature paid no mind to such things.
Dodging again, this time I struck at its thigh.
Clang-!
Screech!!
The Evil Instrument staggered. At the same moment, the talisman ignited. I immediately pressed it against the blade again.
How many were left?
‘Three.’
Small. The number was both the maximum I could use in this place and the limit of my own capacity.
‘Shin Chang’s mental strength must be quite formidable.’
This was the only case where talismans failed to materialize properly.
When the spiritual realm’s master possessed overwhelming mental fortitude.
In such cases, fighting like this felt truly burdensome.
“But I have to try anyway.”
Still, I had to do it. Three talismans? That was enough.
‘In the old days, what would it have mattered?’
I would have managed with just one, not even two. But I’ve died so many times.
‘That’s why I tried so hard to avoid getting entangled with ghosts.’
I’d struggled desperately to escape that kind of life. Yet here I was again.
“I’m an idiot.”
What was there to blame?
I whispered this while dodging the Evil Instrument.
Crash-!!
The Evil Instrument attacked, and I dodged and struck in endless repetition.
[…What kind of dog fight is this?]
Yoo Cheon-gil spoke as if dumbfounded. He was right. It was a dog fight. There was no martial artist’s conviction or principles here.
‘How could I worry about such things?’
Elegant and dignified combat? Impossible. Against such a force, that was meaningless.
It was a beast with only instinct remaining—there was no need for courtesy.
“So disappear quietly.”
CRAAASH—!!!
An arm shattered. The Evil Instrument’s limb flew clean off. The talisman flared to life once more.
끼이이익—!!!
The Evil Instrument writhed in agony, its body convulsing.
This was my moment. I closed in and swung my divine blade.
I intended to sever its head.
끼아아아아아아—!!!!
The Evil Instrument shrieked. Hearing that cry, my body froze.
UUUUUNG—!!!
A soul resonated.
“Damn.”
I narrowed my eyes. The resonance of the soul it was emitting was far from ordinary.
‘This is no ordinary creature.’
For a ghost, it seemed stronger than a typical Demon.
Of course it was.
‘That’s why Shin Chang ended up like this.’
Even accounting for that, it was shocking. What kind of thing did he have dwelling in his body?
‘Two talismans.’
I affixed another talisman to the blade’s surface.
끼아아아아아—!!!!
The cry intensified, and the forest trembled. The frozen space itself was affected.
In that instant.
SHIIING—!!
“…!”
An eerie sensation made me turn my back.
When I looked behind, Shin Chang appeared and launched an attack at me.
“Insane.”
So it could use him like that. How absurd.
Shin Chang’s body, now a puppet, rushed toward me, forcing me to create distance urgently.
‘The skill level is lower.’
It differed from the battles my memories showed. The Evil Instrument’s control over Shin Chang’s spectral form was merely fast.
But that speed was damnably fast.
SHIIING—!!!
CRAAACK—!!!
The spear pierced through a tree. I caught my breath. If that struck me, I’d be done for.
I narrowed my eyes, observing the talisman on my blade, then drew upon a different power.
‘This is infuriating.’
Already strained from concentration, I ultimately unleashed my trump card.
My eyes cleared as the Path of Wol Seon-geom opened before me.
At the same time.
‘I can see it.’
I stared at the lines laid out before me. Following them, I swung my blade.
Crack-! Clang-!
A spear that had flown in suddenly collided with my sword. Heavy. The weight was enough to make my hands throb.
[Should I lend you a hand…?]
Yoo Cheon-gil asked if he should possess me.
“That won’t do.”
I refused here. I wasn’t sure if possession would even work, but.
‘If I do, my concentration will shatter.’
The state I had carefully constructed and the talisman would disappear.
Then it would all be meaningless.
Screech-!!
I moved the spear. I was busy deflecting the relentless barrage of attacks.
In that gap, I spoke to Shin Chang.
“By any chance, are you still conscious?”
Crack!
Naturally, a spear flew at me instead of an answer. Though I doubted he had any mind left.
“League Leader. Come to your senses. You can do this.”
I had to awaken his spirit. If the Evil Instrument had been pushed back that far, it should have some effect.
Then.
“…Path….”
“Yes.”
Shin Chang uttered words.
“Yoo Cheon-gil…!!!”
Damn it.
[…Oh dear.]
It was a vain hope. Shin Chang rushed at me as if seized by madness.
‘Where is the Evil Instrument?’
The Evil Instrument had vanished in that opening—I couldn’t see it anywhere.
‘If I lose it.’
That cannot happen.
But how do I handle this?
‘Ah, I’m losing it.’
In the past, I would have crushed him easily.
‘…If I release it now, there’s no answer.’
My chest tightens. I had already loosened and adjusted things to a certain degree—if I unraveled further here.
‘Every ghost in the world could come for me.’
Those sensing the discordance would rush in. Then my fate would be sealed—a life of misfortune.
‘What do I do?’
What should I do?
[Ah-hae-ya.]
Yoo Cheon-gil called out to me.
It seemed he was asking about possession again.
‘That won’t work.’
No matter how I thought about it, possession wasn’t the answer right now.
‘Tsk.’
As I held back a sigh at that thought.
[Ah-hae-ya.]
Yoo Cheon-gil spoke again.
“I told you, it won’t work?”
Why was he insisting when I said I couldn’t possess? The irritation crept into my voice.
[That’s not it. Look over there.]
“Huh?”
I turned my gaze at Yoo Cheon-gil’s words.
Over there.
“What?”
Someone was there. A figure radiating brilliant light.
My eyes widened at the sight.
Whoooosh—!!!
Another spear flew at me. My concentration had wavered for a moment, so this one might actually hit.
Sensing the danger, I clenched my lips tight.
-Enemy… Lang.
It stopped.
At the sound from the light, Shin Chang’s spirit form froze solid.
The spear had come within inches of my face. Too close.
Shin Chang’s head turned toward the light.
-…Enemy… Lang.
Was that the problem with those words?
“…Ah…”
Shin Chang let out a single cry.
As I steadied my breathing at the sight, this time the light spoke to me.
-Go now.
The moment I heard those words, I put strength into my legs.
“Thank you.”
I didn’t ask who it was.
There was no need to.
Already.
I had known from the moment I first saw Shin Chang.

* * *
I bolted down the forest path. The black entities scattered across the ground marked my way.
Thanks to them, I could easily track where it had fled.
“Found you.”
I spotted the creature in no time.
Screeeee—SCREEEEEECH!!!
The Evil Instrument stood in the middle of the grassland.
“Let’s end this. You’re exhausted too.”
I gripped my blade. I had one talisman left. Seeing the remaining ones beginning to fall away, I affixed that final one.
KYAAAAAAA-!!!
A vulgar shriek.
I had no idea who wielded this power, but whoever it was must be an exceedingly unpleasant creature.
Furthermore.
“I have one question.”
I asked that unpleasant creature one thing.
“Are you the Heretic Leader?”
Keeeeeee.
No response. Asking the Evil Instrument would be meaningless anyway.
Still, I wanted to ask.
“If you are the Leader… you must be sensing this.”
Even without hearing my voice, you would feel it.
“I don’t know how you managed it.”
I raised my blade and accelerated. Intent on striking it down.
“Give up. Unfortunately for you, I’m here on this side.”
The master of the Heretics.
That crazy man who called himself the Leader and insisted the world must be cleansed of humanity.
That’s who I was asking about.
KYAAAAAAA-!!!!
The Evil Instrument charged at me. Realizing there was nowhere left to flee, it attacked.
Keeeek-!!
Its hand pierced toward me.
This time, I didn’t dodge.
Thwuuuk-!!!
“Ugh.”
It tore through my chest. Pain flared through me. Ignoring it, I drove my blade forward.
Crack-crack-crack.
The sound of fragments shattering. My blade crushed the Evil Instrument’s ashen remains.
Whoooosh-!!!
The talisman affixed to the blade’s surface ignited, its essence absorbed into the creature’s body.
Only then.
Kyaaaah…. Aaaaah….
Saaaah.
The Evil Instrument scattered and vanished into energy.
“Cough.”
I fell to my knees, blood streaming down. Though no actual blood flowed.
A hollow cavity had simply opened through my chest.
“Ha….”
I exhaled sharply, my face contorting.
[…Is it over?]
Yoo Cheon-gil asked.
“…I’ve cleaned up the filth.”
[Are you alright?]
His expression carried concern.
“…No, I’m not alright, but I don’t think I’ll die.”
I grasped my punctured chest and pulled myself up. Though I desperately wanted to rest now, it wasn’t the time yet.
“…Let’s finish this.”
I had removed what kept Shin Chang asleep.
Now it was time to wake him.

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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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