The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 422
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
The Heavenly Supreme Has Died – Episode 422
Eunwol Sword approached with a grin, and I furrowed my brow at the sight of him.
‘…Why.’
Why in the world was that man included in our group? I genuinely couldn’t comprehend it.
“…No.”
“Good morning.”
Before I could even speak, Yoo Yul stepped forward and greeted me first.
“Ah. So you were here too, Daeju. Good morning.”
He even went over to Sochul Daeju, who was managing the carriage, and offered his greetings.
“Yes.”
Sochul Daeju nodded. Seeing that, Yoo Yul immediately turned to Paewang beside him.
“Good morning to you as well, Muk Sunbaenim.”
“Oh. Yes. Pleased to see you.”
After greeting everyone, Yoo Yul approached me once more.
“How about you, junior? Shall we finish the greetings?”
“…I’ll pass.”
“Still prickly this morning. That’s fine though.”
With bandages wrapped around one arm and his chest, he patted my shoulder with his remaining hand.
“Let’s try to get along, shall we?”
“…”
My head was throbbing.
‘Why on earth.’
I had to go all the way to the Martial Arts Alliance with this man? That alone was already giving me a headache.
‘Ugh.’
What was Wol Seon-geom’s intention? I couldn’t fathom why he insisted on having Yoo Yul come along. He surely knew our relationship wasn’t good.
“Tsk.”
I clicked my tongue briefly. Yoo Yul continued grinning as he greeted people here and there. Then.
“Bang Disciple.”
Cheon Euijin appeared. He approached me with a regretful expression.
“Ah, Heavenly Supreme.”
“I heard you’re departing for the League today.”
“Yes. It happened rather suddenly.”
“…Oh dear. I really wanted to go with you this time too. It seems Moonju deemed me lacking in qualifications.”
“…That’s probably not the case.”
Though I knew it would put my mind at ease to bring Cheon Euijin and Do-hyeong along, Wol Seon-geom deliberately didn’t. I suspected there was another reason behind his decision.
“What about Senior Do-hyeong?”
“He went to train. He asked me to tell you to have a safe journey.”
“Hmm…”
Training this early in the morning. That was quite typical of him.
“I see. Ah, but.”
Then that leaves one more person unaccounted for.
“What about the Heavenly Supreme?”
I asked about Cheonhye-in, whom I hadn’t seen since she took the sword. Where had she gone?
“…Ah.”
Cheon Euijin approached me with a subtle expression on his face.
“My sister… well.”
“What do you mean?”
“She suddenly departed for Sichuan.”
“…What?”
Sichuan? Why would she suddenly go there?
“She said she received a mission… that she had to visit the Dang Clan and left hastily at dawn.”
“…To the Dang Clan?”
It was strange that Cheonhye-in would receive a mission to the Dang Clan and depart. I found it peculiar.
‘Ah, perhaps.’
The sword I had found for her suddenly came to mind. A blade with a broken edge and rust, unable to exert its full power.
Could she have gone to have it repaired?
‘That might be it.’
It was the Dang Clan, after all. If her destination was the Dang Clan, then repairing the Evilblade would be the perfect fit.
‘But if that’s the case.’
If she received it as a mission, that meant Wol Seon-geom had permitted it.
‘…That man.’
He gave his approval? For a solo mission like that?
It was a situation that defied understanding.
“Tsk.”
I set that aside for now. What mattered at this moment was something else entirely.
“Everything is prepared.”
“…Ah, yes.”
The Sword Emperor approached and spoke to me. Many eyes were watching. I was startled but suppressed my reaction and climbed into the carriage.
One by one, people boarded the carriage. When everything was finally ready.
“We shall depart.”
Whinnnnny—! The sound of horses echoed as the carriage began to move.
I brushed my hair back while gazing out the open window.
‘…Indeed.’
Would I be able to get through this smoothly?
As if mocking my futile wishes, the carriage laden with unease arrived at the Martial Arts Alliance far too quickly.
* * *
A mere handful of days. Just days after departing the Cheongwol Sect with my assembled forces, I arrived at the Alliance.
The distance had never been particularly great, so I managed to arrive precisely on schedule.
“…Identity confirmed. Please, come inside.”
The Gatekeeper before me struggled to suppress his astonishment, though his reaction betrayed him regardless.
He could hardly be blamed for his shock. The individuals I’d brought were each utterly extraordinary beings.
Sochul Daeju, an absolute master.
Paewang, one of the Five Unparalleled Kings beneath Heaven. Those two alone were sufficient to draw considerable attention.
‘If they knew the Sword Emperor was inside as well, they’d be even more astounded.’
And was it merely the Sword Emperor? There was also Gwima, who would inspire astonishment for entirely different reasons.
I led the carriage into the Alliance’s interior. Upon arriving at our destination after being guided, I naturally headed toward the chamber where Cheon Rijin-an awaited.
“…You’ve arrived. Why did it take so long—”
Cheon Rijin-an paused mid-sentence upon seeing me. I wondered at his sudden hesitation.
“…What is this? Has something transpired?”
“Ah. Right.”
Observing his reaction, I understood the situation immediately. Of course. I had undergone a complete transformation.
Cheon Rijin-an appeared considerably startled by my altered appearance.
“I obtained the arrangements my Mentor left behind, which brought about certain changes.”
I offered a simple explanation. No explanation could have been more straightforward.
“Certain changes, you say…?”
“…Perhaps somewhat more than that?”
“…Hah.”
Cheon Rijin-an laughed at my jest. Of course, it wasn’t a genuine laugh—more an exasperated chuckle at the absurdity.
Then.
“It has been quite some time.”
Someone entered. It was Paewang.
“…Muk Yeok-seong.”
Upon seeing him, Cheon Rijin-an’s expression darkened.
“Have you been well?”
“I confess, I never expected you would actually come.”
This time, genuine surprise colored Cheon Rijin-an’s words. I had already sent correspondence regarding Paewang beforehand.
“Were you swayed by this young upstart’s silver tongue?”
“What a vulgar insinuation. We simply conducted a transaction because we each had something the other required.”
“A transaction…?”
“Indeed. A transaction. Is that not so?”
Paewang smiled wickedly toward me. I offered a brief nod in affirmation.
“…As you mentioned, I have procured someone to act in my stead.”
“….”
Cheon Rijin-an regarded me with an unwavering gaze.
“You truly do accomplish what you set out to do.”
“I understand you gave it to me thinking I wouldn’t be able to do it… but…”
“No.”
He shook his head as he spoke.
“I thought it was fifty-fifty.”
“Fifty-fifty, sir.”
“Yes. If I divided the probability of whether you could do it or not, it’s fifty-fifty. I simply invested a bit more in the ‘cannot do it’ side.”
“You assessed it higher than I expected. Is there a reason?”
“Who knows. I just thought it would be that way.”
“…”
A remarkably simple answer.
Rustle. Cheon Rijin-an set down the letter he’d been holding.
“A promise is a promise, so I’ll exclude you from duties as a League Leader candidate.”
“…Sigh.”
I exhaled. I could only exclude one thing.
“However, I cannot exclude your attendance at the conference as a representative. You understand that, don’t you?”
“…Yes.”
To be honest, that was the one thing I least wanted to do. But there seemed to be no way around this part.
“I have things to discuss with this friend here first… so you go find the League Leader.”
“…The League Leader, sir.”
“Yes. If he comes, I’ve left word for him to summon you, so you can just go.”
“Understood.”
With those words, I left the room, leaving Paewang behind.
My destination was the League Leader’s chamber where Shin Chang would be.
“Excuse me.”
I announced my presence and entered the room. As soon as I stepped inside, I could see the large frame of Shin Chang.
“You’ve come.”
“I hope you’ve been well.”
I examined his body with my eyes. Even the Evil Instrument that had seemed small beside him was now gone.
Whether he’d fully recovered his health was another matter, but at least the danger I perceived seemed to have vanished.
“I heard. You persuaded Paewang.”
“Yes—I managed to succeed somehow.”
“Impressive.”
“Thank you.”
After a few simple exchanges, silence fell. Not surprising. This old man was equally taciturn.
As I stared at him, Shin Chang spoke to me.
“Do you have no intention of becoming League Leader?”
“I do not.”
My answer was resolute.
“…I have neither the qualifications nor the capacity for such a thing. You know this, don’t you?”
“No qualifications, no capacity—”
Shin Chang regarded me with an expressionless gaze—a look questioning whether I truly believed such a thing.
“Then, do you believe the League Leader possesses the qualifications for this position?”
How could he not?
‘I cannot do this.’
I had nothing. I was young, my martial prowess was unremarkable, and my reputation was meager. If I were genuinely nominated as a candidate, I would only invite ridicule.
“I lack both the temporal leeway and the capacity to endure such mockery.”
There was too much to do. I wished there were nothing, yet there was so much that I could not afford such petty ambitions.
“I see.”
Shin Chang nodded at my words.
“…Yes. I trust that Paewang will serve admirably in my stead.”
That old man himself showed no inclination whatsoever to become League Leader. Yet if nominated as a candidate, he possessed both the qualifications and the circumstances required.
‘The Five Kings of Heaven would suffice.’
He was even a figure who had raged alongside the Celestial Demon in the war. Though called merely a King of Heaven, he was essentially one of the Celestial Demon’s own.
“However.”
I paused before continuing to Shin Chang.
“…May I ask something that puzzles me?”
“Speak.”
“I do not understand why the League Leader would discuss negotiations with the Demonic Sect.”
The talks with the Demonic Sect that would commence soon—the very name was absurd. Negotiations, truly?
‘Is there any need to converse with such beings?’
They had reduced Hanan to ruins and nearly killed Shin Chang. Moreover, they wielded incomprehensible energies.
‘Heretics.’
They were connected to those cursed beings who had transformed my past life into nearly hell itself.
The thought caused me to grit my teeth inwardly.
‘Hold negotiations in such circumstances?’
I needed to understand why Shin Chang, arguably the greatest victim, would make such a choice.
“Are you truly comfortable with such a decision, League Leader?”
I wondered if his vessel was truly so magnanimous.
“No.”
A subtle killing intent permeated Shin Chang’s voice. The aura caused my skin to prickle involuntarily.
“I wish to pierce their skulls this very moment.”
The sincerity in that voice, laden with murderous intent, was unmistakable.
“…Then why.”
Why pursue negotiations when we should be preparing for war? As I posed this question.
“I must honor my promise.”
Shin Chang spoke, suppressing his emotions.
“A promise?”
“Yes, a promise.”
Ssshhh.
The teacup upon the table trembled delicately. The pressure in the room plummeted infinitely from his aura.
In the thickened air, Shin Chang wetted his lips.
“That was the pact with the Celestial Demon.”
“…What?”
I reacted first to Shin Chang’s words.
[…Hm?]
The principal figure embedded in the Divine Sword reacted a moment later.
As if hearing it for the first time.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————