The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 368
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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 368
Right after finishing my conversation with Wol Seon-geom, I headed toward the Training Hall.
For some reason, it was an awkward and uncomfortable end to our discussion.
‘He’s convinced that I won’t be able to persuade Paewang.’
For whatever reason, Wol Seon-geom held such certainty.
And furthermore.
‘Wol Seon-geom hopes that I will become the League Leader someday.’
I could tell he harbored another purpose.
‘Why is that?’
Why does he wish for me to become the League Leader?
‘What’s his intention in having me do something he could do himself?’
I wanted to discern Wol Seon-geom’s true intentions, but it was far too difficult.
‘What could it be?’
What are his true intentions? What does he seek to accomplish by looking at me?
“Tsk.”
As I was racking my brain over this.
[Why do you think so hard about it?]
Yoo Cheon-gil spoke while picking his nose.
[You won’t become the League Leader immediately anyway, and just being nominated as a candidate brings plenty of advantages. Wouldn’t it be better to simply enjoy it?]
“There’s nothing to enjoy about this.”
[It seems better than other things.]
“…The most terrifying thing in this world is wielding authority without understanding one’s place.”
I had no intention of wearing an armband anyway. Even if I did, becoming the League Leader of a sect rather than some neighborhood captain? That was out of the question.
‘Damn it. Because of that conversation, I couldn’t ask about the most important thing.’
The Amjeon I had encountered.
I should have asked about him, but I didn’t.
‘Even if I had asked, I doubt I would have gotten any answers.’
What I really needed to know was about his brother, not Amjeon.
‘What in the world did that reckless fool do?’
How could he have been commissioned by Amjeon?
‘…Should I visit home once?’
It had been years since I last went back to the family estate. Though I had half-run away, it seemed like I should visit at least once now.
“Tch….”
Busy times. I wanted to live a simple life, but work keeps piling up strangely.
Shing.
As if organizing my thoughts, I drew my sword. The Divine Blade emerged into the world once more.
In the empty Training Hall, I grasped the blade steadily.
[What are you trying to do?]
“You’ll see if you watch.”
I took hold of the sword and assumed my stance.
“I’m trying to finish what I was doing earlier.”
[…What you were doing earlier?]
“Yes.”
[Then you should go down to the Training Hall. Why try here? There’s no trace of the sword forms on these walls.]
The sword forms that filled the walls. He spoke of needing to train by following them.
“…Do I really need to?”
[What?]
“If I have to move according to the sword forms anyway.”
Shwiiing—!!
[Huh!]
As I spoke and moved my blade, Yoo Cheon-gil’s eyes gleamed.
“I can just remember and follow them.”
The countless sword forms that had been on the walls.
They were already etched into my mind.
As I always said.
‘I’m confident in my memory.’
Observing and remembering—there was nothing I did better than that.
Shwiiing—!!!
I moved according to the sword forms. I swung my blade repeatedly, executing the same sword path as before.
Well, calling it the same was imprecise. I was changing my movements midway through.
“This isn’t it.”
I failed at the fifth sequence again. With a regretful expression, I retrieved my blade and reset my stance.
[Heheheh.]
Yoo Cheon-gil laughed upon seeing this and spoke.
[I always feel this way.]
Shwiiing!
[You seem lazier than anyone else, yet in things like this, you’re brimming with unnecessary tenacity…. You’re truly a strange one.]
I ignored Yoo Cheon-gil’s remark and continued moving my blade.
Recalling the sword forms, I kept swinging.
And so an entire day passed.
* * *
Dawn had nearly broken.
“Huff….”
Only then, sensing the subtle shift in the air, did I lower the sword I’d been holding.
“I’m absolutely exhausted….”
Every muscle in my body ached, and I was already drenched in sweat.
My hands trembled so violently I could barely grip the sword anymore.
With a metallic scrape, I barely managed to sheath the blade before collapsing.
“Hah…. Ha….”
My ragged breathing escaped as visible vapor.
“Huff….”
Even moving my arms felt impossible. I was genuinely spent.
When was the last time I’d trained this intensely?
Probably not in recent memory.
Heat radiated from my body. Despite the cold weather, my frame burned so fiercely I couldn’t feel the chill.
I could sense that I’d truly given everything.
“In the end, I couldn’t do it….”
The fact that I’d ultimately failed brought a sigh from my lips.
“…I was so close.”
The fifth and final sword form.
I couldn’t complete it.
No matter how hard I tried, the positioning was impossible to connect.
“What’s the answer…?”
It didn’t feel like something a human could achieve. How on earth was I supposed to link the sword forms?
Frustrated, I posed the question to Yoo Cheon-gil.
[Shouldn’t you figure it out yourself?]
Yoo Cheon-gil still seemed unwilling to reveal the answer.
Surely not.
“Is there perhaps no answer…?”
[What nonsense?]
“No, I’m serious. Anyone can see it’s an impossible angle….”
[Sigh.]
Yoo Cheon-gil let out an exasperated breath.
His gaze was filled with disapproval.
[Listen here, boy. Just because you can’t do something doesn’t mean others can’t. You’re unaware of your own incompetence….]
At the sound of his clicking tongue, I spoke as if losing my mind.
“…Have you lost your conscience to senility…?”
It’s one thing that I can’t do it, but the real problem is that you think everyone else can do what you can do.
“Ah, just tell me the method already.”
[After only one day of practice, you’re already whining….]
Even I have to admit it’s somewhat shameful, but what can I do? I have to survive like this.
“Could you just tell me a bit? Everyone’s asking me to explain everything. Look, I’m just asking you to help me grasp the basics, that’s all.”
[The more I go on, the more shameless I become.]
“Since we both benefit, could you help me out?”
Since I was already being shameless, I decided to push even further with my shamelessness.
Upon hearing this, Yoo Cheon-gil furrowed his brow.
[Impatience will trip you up.]
He finally offered a small piece of help.
“Impatience?”
[You need to approach this more leisurely than you think.]
How much more leisurely was he talking about? I couldn’t understand.
“…If you’re really going to help, at least be clear about it. This is ridiculous.”
[I’ve already done enough.]
“Ugh….”
I stood up abruptly. I removed my upper garment and wiped away the sweat flowing down my body.
“…Fine. I understand perfectly that you have no intention of teaching me.”
Realizing that talking with Yoo Cheon-gil wouldn’t be much help, I moved to wash up.
“…I should go.”
I considered training more, but I had things to do in the morning.
* * *
After cleaning myself thoroughly and changing into fresh clothes, I set off.
My entire body was exhausted, but thanks to my elevated realm, I was recovering quickly.
The fact that I could still move after swinging my sword all night proved that my stamina had definitely increased.
‘…I’m tired though.’
It’s bearable. Compared to before, this was an incredible improvement.
‘In the past, I’d collapse after a few laps around the training hall, gasping for breath.’
I knew well that I wouldn’t even feel tired from that now.
When I arrived at my destination after preparing, I could see people gathered in the distance.
They were all wearing the same uniform, which served as proof that they were Sowoldae disciples.
“You’re here.”
Do-hyeong greeted me as soon as I arrived.
I naturally stood beside Do-hyeong.
“Did I arrive late?”
“No, the senior disciples just came out early.”
“I see.”
As far as I knew, training was supposed to start later than this, yet everyone had arrived early for some reason.
Moreover.
‘Why are they all staring at me?’
The gazes of the senior disciples felt uncomfortable. I could feel them all stealing glances at me.
Ah.
The reason dawns on me belatedly.
Right, that’s it.
I hadn’t consciously acknowledged it, but my standing in the Central Plains has become quite considerable.
I’ve risen to become known as Wol-hyeop, even reaching the position of League Leader candidate.
Perhaps because of that, even the Sowoldae disciples seemed to regard me with curiosity.
The fact that I’m something unprecedented in the sect probably plays a role too.
I’ve been deliberately ignoring all that attention, interest, and the inexplicably jealous gazes directed at me.
-Is he really that strong?
-They say he’s Geomseong’s Predecessor, but… to become a League Leader candidate…
-He’s barely past his early twenties. Isn’t the rumor exaggerated?
I hear the voices. They’re speaking loud enough for me to catch every word. It’s absurd that they can’t use sound transmission when they’ve all opened their Moon Gates.
What am I supposed to do about it?
Should I get angry here? Honestly, I’m too exhausted to even feel that emotion. Let them talk if they want. That’s all the energy I have for it.
As I ignore their chatter with an indifferent expression.
“Everyone’s gathered.”
Sochul Daeju walks over from a distance, speaking.
With his arrival, everyone exclaims.
“We greet you, Daeju.”
Sochul Daeju nods while hearing the others’ greetings.
“I’ve been absent due to duties. I apologize for this.”
Sochul Daeju went to Hwasan with me and spent time in Hani.
That means he’s been away for nearly several months.
“I express my gratitude to the Vice Leader who stood in for me. You’ve worked hard.”
“…That’s not necessary.”
The Vice Leader of Sowoldae.
His name was definitely…
Do Kyeong, wasn’t it?
That seems right, if my memory serves.
“The training ahead won’t differ much. Since it’s the beginning of dawn, we’ll start with physical conditioning.”
Sowoldae typically conducts individual training. Some say group training holds little meaning since everyone has already reached their respective levels.
Since Sowoldae often undertakes external activities handling Cheonwol Sect’s missions, they don’t usually conduct such fixed training.
But occasionally.
Very occasionally, they conduct group training like this to build camaraderie, or so I’ve heard.
Physical conditioning…
The moment I hear that, I regret swinging my sword all night. My body is already fatigued, and just thinking about training makes me feel like I might vomit.
Ugh.
My face contorts. Everyone naturally begins preparing for training, and watching them, I suppress my displeasure and move along.
The training amounts to strapping a large iron sphere to my feet and running.
After that, I’ll probably strap on something like a sand bag and practice swordplay.
‘…It’s something I do every day anyway.’
It was a routine action, something I always did. Yoo Cheon-gil had insisted I not skip it, so I was doing it by force.
‘Well, this works out.’
I’d been neglecting physical training while focusing solely on sword movements.
I might as well do it now.
With that thought, I reached for an iron weight.
Whoosh.
“….”
I felt a presence.
A killing intent crawled up my spine. Before I could fully register it.
“Which one could this be.”
An unfamiliar voice reached my ears.
철걱—!!!
I instinctively drew my sword.
Or rather, I tried to.
Thud.
“…!”
It was blocked.
My sword wouldn’t come free. A hand was pressing firmly against the pommel of my sword hilt.
“Found you.”
The voice came from close by.
“So it’s you.”
An unfamiliar old man stood before me, smiling.
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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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