The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 437
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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 437
I wanted to make the Young Master eat dirt.
The moment such a thought crossed my mind, the Celestial Demon spoke with evident delight.
[I happen to have a rather good idea, my lord.]
He claimed to have a good idea for himself.
[What do you say? Would you care to hear it?]
His words that followed were tempting in nature. No matter how I looked at it, something felt ominous. The way he spoke reminded me of someone.
‘This.’
It resembled the tone Yoo Cheon-gil used when he was up to no good. Usually, when he spoke in such a voice, the results were invariably absurd.
But then.
“…What is it?”
I decided to hear him out anyway. That’s what I thought.
[Kekekek.]
The Celestial Demon laughed at my response.
And at his next words.
“…How is that even remotely possible?”
I reacted as if dumbfounded. It truly was an absurd proposition. The problem was.
“…How would I even do that?”
Emotion overtook reason. When I imagined it, if it succeeded, I could genuinely make the Young Master eat dirt.
However.
‘If I fail, I’ll be the one eating dirt.’
The stakes were extraordinarily high—that was the real problem.
At my words, the Celestial Demon laughed and spoke.
[That depends entirely on how you conduct yourself. Choose, Hani.]
The Celestial Demon whispered as if urging me on.
[Will you do it? Or will you refuse?]
There were two choices.
“….”
My choice may have been decided from the very beginning.
* * *
A soft whistle of wind.
The wind sweeps through the darkened space, and crimson eyes suddenly gleam within the shadows.
“I was certain I had made a request to Gungwi—”
The Young Master stood before the Old Man, his gaze turning cold and sharp.
“It seems matters have unfolded differently than expected.”
“….”
The Old Man—the Death King—frowned at those words.
“Death King. Our agreement was not meant to proceed in this manner, was it?”
“…Circumstances became complicated. Since my Mentor could not act, I took matters into my own hands.”
“Are you saying Gungwi’s situation has deteriorated?”
“Indeed.”
“…Hmm.”
The Young Master’s head tilted slightly. Gungwi—that enigmatic woman’s condition was poor? That hadn’t appeared to be the case.
Tap. Tap.
He drummed his fingertips against the table.
‘I had hoped to leverage this power. Has something gone awry?’
The Demonic Sect’s archives. The records written there concerning Gungwi. Those had been inscribed by the previous Heavenly Supreme, the Celestial Demon. Among the information about the Celestial Demons recorded there.
‘Gungwi’s entries were the most extensive.’
The archer of the Northern Sea, blessed with ten thousand arrows.
An archery master capable of striking targets beyond a thousand li away.
The records about Gungwi were the most voluminous, and the most astonishing revelation among them was this:
‘Her greatest characteristic and most formidable power was not archery at all.’
Gungwi’s strength did not lie in her archery.
‘Spirit Technique—that was the term used.’
The method of manipulating spiritual energy and handling the invisible—that was said to be her greatest power.
‘The power most feared and guarded against.’
So the Celestial Demon had written. It seemed peculiar that something mere shamans could accomplish would be so dangerous.
‘Yet there are records of her shaking the Demonic Sect with that very power.’
The Young Master steadied his breathing and recalled this. Since Gungwi harbored enmity toward the Orthodox Sects and Cheongwol Sect, he had hoped that by making contact, he could borrow her strength.
‘A somewhat disappointing outcome.’
If Gungwi had acted directly, it would be different. Instead, her disciple, the Death King, had moved. The objective had been to set a trap for Cheon Rijin-an.
‘Regardless, since it succeeded, does it matter?’
Whether it truly succeeded was difficult to ascertain. The fact that he could only judge by the Death King’s words was what irritated him.
‘A repulsive old man.’
That was the Young Master’s assessment of the Death King. Despite bearing the title Death King, this man’s martial prowess was not particularly formidable.
‘The reason he is called one of the Five Kings of the Realm must be.’
Corpse Reanimation Technique, as it was called. He had a history of creating reanimated corpses from the dead to participate in warfare.
Because of this, despite being called a filthy power, the Orthodox Sects had apparently turned a blind eye to his crimes to some degree.
‘Vermin, all of them.’
Contradictory and selfish bastards, every one of them. They overlook what someone did and call it a contribution to the war effort.
Just as expected.
‘Things less worthy than insects.’
Worse than vermin.
That’s how the Young Master viewed these righteous faction members.
‘If I had my way.’
I’d slaughter them all right now without hesitation.
Shhh. I suppressed the murderous intent seething within my body. It wouldn’t do if the Heavenly Killing Nature ran rampant.
‘Not yet.’
Not yet. I haven’t obtained everything I need.
‘I must also monitor the movements of the Patcheon-gung thugs.’
Those bizarre creatures who don’t understand my thoughts. I grasp their hands and use them because they possess strange power, but ultimately they are no different—they must be severed.
‘I must also infiltrate the leadership of the Demonic Sect….’
Monsters from the previous generation, not the Eight Demon Fists.
I had to persuade the true forces of the Demonic Sect who still lived and hid their bodies. To do that.
‘I must prove I am the true Jeonin.’
Not merely crimson eyes, but evidence that I inherited much from the Celestial Demon. I had to find that.
Divine artifacts as well.
‘The Celestial Demon Divine Art too.’
The supreme divine art that the previous Celestial Demon wielded.
The power that made Marins kneel and tore the blue sky asunder with bare hands.
I had to find and obtain it by any means.
“Sigh.”
With such thoughts, the Young Master exhaled and gazed at the Death King.
The Death King was covered in cold sweat for some reason.
“You don’t seem well.”
“…Getting old brings such troubles.”
“I hope you recover soon. The matter has been resolved satisfactorily, yes?”
“…Yes.”
I had placed a shallow restriction from the Demonic Sect’s prohibition for the sake of the task. Since the Death King didn’t refuse it, it should be properly bound to his body. He wouldn’t be able to lie.
‘Whatever the mechanism.’
If it worked as the information in the texts suggested, it wouldn’t take long before problems arose for Cheon Rijin-an, that damned old bastard.
“Death King, thank you for your assistance.”
The Young Master smiled.
“Please convey my regards to Gungwi as well. What I promised will be delivered at the scheduled time. I must make a trip to Shingang, so I hope you understand this delay.”
“….”
Hearing my words, the Death King rose to his feet. There was no bow. He simply withdrew backward.
“…Ha.”
At that sight, the Young Master’s expression twisted.
“Irritating bastards.”
I dragged my hand across my face. Simply breathing the air of Hanan made me want to retch. Staring into the eyes of these orthodox sect bastards, I wanted to pluck out every last eyeball.
Especially.
‘Those eyes.’
Those blue eyes that looked down on me with contempt.
Bangseong-yeon, Geomseong’s Predecessor—I wanted to tear out those eyes and chew them right now.
“Haa—”
Restraint was exhausting. Feeling this, the Young Master spoke.
“…Yeoryeong.”
“Yes. Little Sky.”
At that call, Marin knelt behind him.
“What is the status of Gwima?”
“There has been no movement from his residence.”
“Is that so?”
The Young Master’s eyes grew indifferent. Gwima showing no movement. That irritated him as well.
‘I thought he would surely do something.’
The newly formed Eight Demon Fists. Among them were those who had been active in the past, and there were also newly replaced members.
Among them, Gwima. The one called the Celestial Demon’s Scholar particularly disliked him.
Though he didn’t show it openly, it wasn’t subtle enough to miss. I knew Gwima did not acknowledge me.
‘How presumptuous.’
What right did he have to act this way.
I wanted to attempt recruitment since he seemed like he could become a great asset if kept close.
‘Does he know something?’
Gwima’s walls were thick. As if he knew my secrets.
‘If that is the case.’
He would need to be eliminated before long. Whatever power Gwima possessed, it wouldn’t be more dangerous than keeping him nearby.
“Yeoryeong.”
“Yes. Little Sky.”
“If you notice any strange movements whatsoever, report immediately.”
“…I receive your command.”
Hearing those words, the Young Master looked up at the sky.
Screeeeeee—!
Kyaaaaa—!
Black spheres visible in crimson eyes. I watched them writhe and shriek with all their might.
‘I still haven’t grown accustomed to it.’
These bizarre things visible ever since I embedded these eyes. Though I couldn’t touch or feel them, the more I looked at what appeared before my eyes, the more fatigued I became.
“…Hmm.”
Closing and opening my eyes, the Young Master rose to his feet. The night had grown late. I needed to return for tomorrow.
Staying any longer could needlessly arouse suspicion from those Alliance bastards.
‘Eyes are most useful when there are plenty of them.’
Were there no eyes planted by the Alliance? They were scattered everywhere. Moving while avoiding them was quite the nuisance.
It’s not impossible, so at least that’s a relief.
Creeeeak.
I grasped the door and pulled it open. The moment the Young Master moved to follow, the Marins stirred alongside him.
[So you’ve finally emerged.]
“…!”
The Young Master’s body went rigid at the voice from ahead. There was something directly in front of us.
The Marins moved first upon seeing it.
“Who are you?”
[Tsk tsk tsk.]
Laughter echoed in response to the question of identity. That’s when it happened.
화아아아아아—!!!
“…!!”
The Marins’ bodies turned rigid as stone. The Young Master was no exception. Before us stood a Masked Figure in Dark Robes.
Everyone held their breath against the aura emanating from that figure.
‘This is….’
It made no sense. The Young Master broke into a cold sweat. The aura was far too familiar.
“Demonic Essence…?”
Demonic Essence.
A force wielded by all past Celestial Demons and Marins alike—the very source of power called the origin of the Marins. That presence emanated from this figure.
“…You. Who exactly are you?”
The Young Master’s brow furrowed against that aura. The ability to wield Demonic Essence meant this was someone from our sect.
In other words, a Marin. So then.
“Do you know who I am, yet stand there greeting me so casually? If you are a Marin of this sect, kneel at once and remove your mask.”
Within the Demonic Sect, there existed no one above him. The Young Master spoke to his opponent with this knowledge, but.
[Kneel?]
The figure responded as though the words were amusing.
[Hahahaha.]
Laughter, louder than before, rippled outward.
[There is no one in this world who can make the Lord kneel. Much less.]
Shhhhing.
A sword was drawn from the figure’s waist. The Young Master’s eyes widened like lanterns.
“That is…!”
[To one without qualification who dares sit in a position not meant for them.]
“The Celestial Demon Divine Blade…?”
A sacred treasure of our sect. The very sword wielded by the previous Heavenly Supreme lay there.
At the same moment.
[How foolish.]
Within the white mask, crimson eyes gleamed with a chilling radiance. The mark of Heavenly Killing Fate and the condition of the Celestial Demon.
[How does it feel to hide falsehood and face the truth?]
“…You. What is your true identity?”
How he came to possess the Divine Sword was one matter, but what of those crimson eyes gleaming with such intensity?
To the Young Master’s question, spoken through gritted teeth.
[You already know, don’t you? I am.]
The masked figure’s teeth, no.
[The sky and entirety of the Demonic Sect.]
Borrowing the body of Bangseong-yeon.
[The Celestial Demon.]
The true one spoke truth to the false.
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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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