The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 409

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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 409
Cheonhye-in lost to Yoo Yul. The gap between them was overwhelming.
The genius once called the Seven Prodigies suffered such a pathetic defeat that those watching finally released the shock they had been holding back.
“…The Heavenly Supreme lost.”
“She lost that easily?”
There was no real exchange. Yoo Yul barely moved, while only Cheonhye-in fought with intensity.
It was beautiful. Her sword was certainly elegant, and she wielded it with such density that it captured the eye, but.
‘In the end, it never reached him.’
Her blade simply never touched Yoo Yul.
‘What did he do?’
I watched Yoo Yul carefully. I observed how he swung his sword with Wol-an activated.
‘…There are so few paths.’
The number of sword paths visible through Wol-an was remarkably limited. It wasn’t like Wol Seon-geom with his single line of sword, but.
‘At most four or five.’
While other martial artists had dozens of paths to choose from.
‘Those who reached the realm of one sword don’t.’
Rather, martial artists who reached such elevated heights had far fewer sword path options.
Was one sword enough?
Or.
‘The more one awakens, the more one realizes its meaninglessness.’
Perhaps a few proper strikes were better than countless ones.
That was the common thread.
Which meant.
‘Yoo Yul as well.’
Had this man Yoo Yul built such an understanding? I couldn’t know for certain yet.
One thing I could discern.
‘Damn those eyes of his.’
Those eyes that kept darting out and scanning the surroundings. That presence drifting about with a cold aura bothered me.
‘What is he searching for?’
It was clear he wasn’t just looking around Yoo Yul’s body.
His intent was unmistakable. And regardless of what that intent was.
‘I need to determine whose intent it is.’
Whose intent was that? I wanted to discern it, but.
That ultimately meant I had to get closer to Yoo Yul.
‘Hmm.’
Just then, I noticed Yoo Yul looking at me and smiling. An uncomfortable man. Get closer to him?
‘…I’m not drawn to it.’
It was truly an unappealing prospect.

* * *
After the second martial arts match of the Cheongrang Association concluded, we took a brief rest.
It was a period for those who had competed to recover, and during that time, I encountered Do-hyeong.
“How’s your body feeling, senior?”
Do-hyeong nodded at my question. He had bandages wrapped around his body, likely from the wounds sustained in yesterday’s match against Cheonhye-in.
They didn’t appear to be particularly deep wounds.
“Why did you concede anyway? What a waste.”
Even when I deliberately brought up his withdrawal, Do-hyeong’s expression didn’t change. He simply didn’t seem to care.
Since I hadn’t really come here to probe him, I didn’t press further.
“The Heavenly Supreme lost. Did you hear?”
Do-hyeong looked at me at my words. He clearly hadn’t heard and showed no interest in his eyes.
This man truly remained unchanged.
How could he be so indifferent to others? Though I suppose I was no different.
‘Perhaps that’s why.’
Perhaps that’s precisely why Do-hyeong felt comfortable to be around.
I found this type of person easy to deal with. Baek Manager was the same.
‘If there’s one thing that bothers me.’
Uuuung.
The Guardian Spirit still circling around Do-hyeong’s body. That truly caught my attention.
‘I thought it was quiet for a Guardian Spirit.’
But seeing it now, it’s different. I recall how it reacted during the match with Cheonhye-in. The Guardian Spirit was doing something.
‘Though it doesn’t seem to have any significant impact.’
Could there be another Guardian Spirit with such little influence? At least, I’d never seen one.
‘Yet it’s not weak either.’
From how it reacted on the martial arts stage, it wasn’t simply lacking in power. After all, it’s a Mountain Deity-class Guardian Spirit. It couldn’t possibly lack strength.
‘It’s simply not exerting its power, not that it doesn’t have any.’
What could its intention be? It didn’t react even when Do-hyeong’s life was in danger.
‘But it did react during the match.’
There was no way to know what the Guardian Spirit was thinking.
‘If I had my way—’
I’d like to dig in slightly and investigate the Guardian Spirit.
‘But that’s not possible.’
I immediately shook my head. If I went in like that, I’d get entangled. Needless curiosity hastens one’s lifespan.
A Guardian Spirit is benevolent only to the one it must protect.
If I carelessly touched it in such circumstances—
‘It could bring harm to me.’
Knowing that all too well, I absolutely had to avoid getting entangled with Guardian Spirits.
“How long do you need to rest?”
“I won’t rest.”
“You won’t rest?”
The Physician never said anything like that. Do-hyeong answered matter-of-factly when I asked in confusion.
“I need to go train.”
“…With that chest injury?”
“What does it matter?”
“Ha.”
His chest was injured, yet he claimed it didn’t matter. This man was truly something else.
“The Heavenly Martial Tournament will continue soon. Won’t you watch?”
The third match of the Heavenly Martial Tournament. We were nearly at the end now.
The fourth match would be the final one, but it still seemed like something important to witness.
“I’m not particularly curious.”
Do-hyeong’s response was rather indifferent. Seeing that, I laughed.
“Come on. Your junior is competing—aren’t you curious whether he’ll win or lose?”
Do-hyeong looked at me with a peculiar expression at my half-joking question. His eyes were difficult to read.
“Are you planning to lose?”
“Pardon?”
I hesitated at that question. Planning to lose?
“…What do you mean?”
“You—are you planning to lose in the match?”
“I have no intention of losing.”
I never step into a match thinking I’ll lose. I consider the possibility of defeat, but I don’t fight to lose.
“Then you’ll win?”
“…”
I paused briefly, wondering what he meant by that. At his question about winning, I recalled something.
‘The Eunwol Sword.’
Thinking of him, I spoke.
“I have to win.”
“…”
I spoke with all emotion drained from my voice. Hearing that, Do-hyeong gave a short nod and rose to his feet.
“Then that’s enough. No need to watch.”
Do-hyeong nodded as if satisfied and stood up.
“I’m going.”
He left as if heading off to train.
His departing figure showed no hesitation whatsoever.
‘That’s enough, then.’
His words meant that as long as I had the resolve to win, it was sufficient. Hearing that, I clicked my tongue inwardly.
‘What kind of faith is this?’
Where does such faith come from?
Even I don’t believe in myself, yet this man seemed to believe in me.
It was absurd.
‘This entire situation.’
And hearing that belief, I too.
“Mmm.”
I stretched lightly. Then I smiled faintly.
‘So that’s why I came.’
I’d wondered why I bothered to see Do-hyeong. Was this the reason?
‘How cunning.’
Perhaps I’d realized he believed in me. Perhaps there was something gnawing at me, some lingering unease. It felt like I’d sought out Do-hyeong specifically to resolve it.
I hadn’t known, but it seemed that was the case.
How narrow-minded a creature I was.
“Ugh.”
Enlightenment is always burdensome. I stretched my stiff neck and left.
As I stepped outside, Yoo Yeon was waiting for me.
“Why are you here?”
“….”
No answer came. Everyone around me spoke sparingly.
But.
“Were you waiting for me?”
“….”
Though she spoke little, her meaning came through clearly nonetheless.
I walked forward, watching Yoo Yeon’s blank eyes. She naturally followed me.
“Hey.”
Then I asked Yoo Yeon a question. She tilted her head.
“Can I win?”
A question without a subject.
Win against what? Not merely the Eunwol Sword, though that was part of it.
Hearing my question, Yoo Yeon nodded lightly.
“…How do you nod right away without hesitation?”
I laughed awkwardly at her unwavering confidence.
Perhaps because I laughed, Yoo Yeon smiled slightly.
Raised lips and curved eyes.
I paused for a moment seeing that.
‘Wow.’
She really was beautiful.
I brushed away the fleeting thought.
“Right, if you say I can win, then I’ll win.”
It was, after all, a matter of trust.
I nodded and moved forward. The destination was the martial arena.
The third match of the Cheongrang Tournament. Four competitors remained. You could call it the semifinals.
‘Hmm.’
Though some had been eliminated before reaching this point, arriving here brought a strangely fresh sense of emotion.
‘…All that rolling around beneath Yoo Cheon-gil has finally borne fruit.’
The pinnacle of transcendence.
A realm I could never have dreamed of reaching. I had entered it, but there were so many stronger beings that I couldn’t truly feel the difference.
‘Now, at least, I can sense it.’
The sensation of having grown stronger.
That feeling registers completely now. Surrounded by so many monsters, I couldn’t feel it before, but now I do.
‘…Isn’t it too late?’
Well, it is late, if I’m being honest.
I’ve already reached the pinnacle of transcendence and undergone a complete transformation before finally feeling this.
While I couldn’t sense it, I began to subtly feel Yoo Cheon-gil’s intentions.
‘It almost seems like he deliberately blocked me from sensing it.’
That I had grown stronger.
I began to wonder if Yoo Cheon-gil had intentionally prevented me from realizing that I myself had become a master.
‘Like with Yeongmong, or the feeling when facing masters.’
Except for those absolutely unbeatable beings, Yoo Cheon-gil never directly intervened.
Rather, when I encountered masters, he had me face them directly.
‘…It’s clear.’
Thinking about it now, I’m certain. That old man. He seemed to have deliberately prevented me from recognizing it.
‘What could his reason be?’
Why would that old man go to such lengths? I ponder it, but I cannot know. When would I ever have understood?
‘He’s never properly explained anything.’
That man has never taught me anything properly. Whatever his intentions, he kept them secret from me, and this time will be no different.
He must have his reasons.
It shouldn’t be harmful to me.
That’s all I could think.
The blade sang as it was drawn.
I stepped onto the arena and unsheathed my sword.
The sharp blade emerged into the world. My opponent came into view.
‘That person.’
Was his name Do Kyeong?
He was the vice-commander of Sowoldae, bearing the epithet of the Azure Wolf Swordsman.
Originally, Seo Seon had been the vice-commander, but I had heard that he had relinquished the position to Do Kyeong due to certain circumstances.
“….”
He regarded me with an uncomfortable expression.
Having received such looks more than once or twice, I casually ignored it and looked toward someone else.
The Eunwol Sword, watching me with leisure below the arena.
‘Hmm.’
He’s quite composed.
That attitude bothers me strangely. Even setting aside the aura he possesses.
‘Will I win?’
Do-hyeong’s voice cut through suddenly.
‘I have to win.’
My answer echoed in my mind immediately after.
“Non-lethal combat.”
The Referee’s voice brushed past my ears.
“Begin—”
Whoosh.
I sensed Do Kyeong’s presence and channeled heat into my body in response.
Crack.
A brief recoil.
“…Huh?”
Do Kyeong flinched, looking at me in shock.
Crackle.
Light flashed as I materialized before Do Kyeong.
Swish.
In an instant, my blade rested against his throat.
“Wh-what…?”
“Huh…. What….”
Wol Cheon.
With a body that embraced the moon, I subdued Do Kyeong.
In the mere blink of an eye, everyone gasped in astonishment.
Yet my eyes remained fixed on the Eunwol Sword.
‘I showed him once.’
I had employed a crude method unbecoming of my nature.
A warning not to grow careless on the next arena stage.
Did he perceive such intent?
“Hahaha.”
The Eunwol Sword laughed with satisfaction.
Then.
“Indeed, this is entertaining.”
I could see a competitive fire ignite in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.

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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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