The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 516

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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 516
Whenever I strike down a Deity, there’s always something on my mind.
Well, calling it “striking” is rather violent phrasing.
Since I’m actually doing the striking, I’ll let that pass.
Whatever the case, the being I strike down possesses a rank superior to my own.
Moreover, it’s an existence that could occupy an absolute position.
When approaching this as a concept of subjugation or when the moment comes to inflict direct damage upon the soul, there’s always something I must be cautious of.
‘Karma.’
The karma that will accumulate within me through committing this act. I must never forget or grow careless about this.
Touching a superior rank without any justification is something that can affect the soul itself.
What circumstances surround it doesn’t matter.
Here, justification must exist solely within me.
To help someone.
To defeat someone.
Or to kill someone.
Such things hold no meaning in this place.
It’s irrational. Utterly so. Yet this is a truth that has persisted since the very beginning when Deities and humans came to exist.
One thing is certain.
The Deity and I. Nothing else must intervene between us. It’s a petty and filthy condition, but this is reality.
A Deity is inherently such an existence, and accepting this is the most fundamental first step toward reaching the method of slaying a Deity.
‘The Law for Slaying Deities.’
Baek Manager spoke of it until his lips wore thin. That man was naturally talkative, but he always spoke of this with utmost seriousness.
A law that must never be wrong or forgotten, he would say.
The first.
Avoid confronting a Deity if at all possible.
A Deity is ultimately a chosen existence, differing in rank from humans.
The first law was to be cautious so that confrontation never arose.
‘It’s too late.’
Already too late. Having come this far, the first law is void.
Meaningless. The first was merely the same as saying to run when you encounter an armed man.
Then the second.
Should confrontation become unavoidable.
‘Establish justification so that karma doesn’t become involved.’
At the very least, provoke the Deity into attacking first. Somehow create justification to give reason for striking down the Deity.
‘This is also ambiguous.’
I did try to establish justification as much as possible.
I provoked the Deity as if daring it to come at me, and I handled other matters as well.
But even this falls short of serving as thorough justification. If it were this simple, I wouldn’t have suffered so much.
Pointless. So in the end, the previous law is meaningless. What matters at this point is ultimately.
‘The third.’
And yet, if I must ultimately face a Deity in the end.
-Just lose. Why overthink it.
Since I’m destined to lose anyway, the message was to fight it out regardless of karma or anything else. It was a truly human, ignorant approach, but.
‘…Going in circles, that was the answer after all.’
I sought a meaningless answer. No matter how many times I circled back, the answer remained singular.
If you cannot escape, then face it.
Having come this far, I had to face it.
That is my conclusion.
Life has taught me this.
I couldn’t even remember how many times I’d killed Deities. By the end, there were Deities I shouldn’t have killed and Deities I had to kill.
I even endured calamities themselves and swept them all away.
That’s why I despised entanglement with Deities even more. Damned creatures. Involvement with them brought nothing but loss to my life.
So in this life, I swore I’d rather die than get tangled up with Deities or Ghosts again.
‘Life is truly shit.’
No matter what happens, I become entangled like this, and I felt how cruel and pitiful fate truly is.
Recalling that, I moved my hand once more.
Crack-!
[Gasp!]
Boom-!!
[Ugh!]
Crash-!!!
[Screech!]
Screams filled the air. The Deity in human form was helpless against my fists.
With each swing, the Deity’s head snapped back and forth. What scattered through the air—was it blood? No. It wasn’t blood, but the traces of the Deity.
They kept bursting forth.
My soul and the Deity’s soul colliding and shattering.
Each time, my spirit trembled, but I paid it no mind. If it trembles, I simply steady it.
Thinking thus, I beat and beat for a long while.
[You… you bastard!!!]
The Deity erupts in fury. Despite the intense voice, the sight was pathetic. Sprawled on the ground, gasping and retching.
From taking such a beating, traces of the Deity leaked from its body.
[How… how can a mere human touch a Deity like this…?]
“Why couldn’t I.”
That arrogant statement never ceased to amuse me. I spoke to it with a smile playing at my lips.
Tapping the club lightly in my hand.
“I can do anything. I just choose not to.”
[…that makes no sense…!]
The Deity denies my words.
[A human soul cannot touch a Deity. If it even dared to touch, could such a fragile soul possibly endure it? It makes no sense-]
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
I just said it myself.
“It means as long as the soul isn’t weak, there’s no problem.”
[What are you…?]
“If the soul can endure and hold firm, then touching that entity poses no issue whatsoever. Isn’t that right?”
Touching a Deity only brings loss to humans. The reason a Shaman can perform her duties is simply because a Deity, coveting the vessel of humanity, graciously bestows a fraction of power. Nothing more.
What a selfish and pathetic existence. Unable to even pay rent, yet demanding gratitude for allowing me to live in this dwelling. How utterly despicable.
The Deity repeats such behavior endlessly.
That’s why they lose their minds when subjected to this.
How dare they.
How could they possibly dare.
“You might wonder if it suits a human.”
Can a human strike a Deity? It was the common refrain of every Deity I’ve beaten and torn apart.
“But occasionally, such things are born.”
Entities possessing souls that could have become Deities themselves without issue.
Vessels that see what they shouldn’t as a side effect, vessels that Deities covet with mad desperation.
They could simply become Shamans, but among them existed peculiar individuals.
I was one of them.
And more than that.
‘Even among them, I was excessive.’
A treasure so rare that any Deity would covet and desire it—that is me.
[Kugh… Cough… You… How… How can your soul remain intact after this…?]
“It won’t.”
I know it won’t be unaffected.
The soul will suffer damage. But.
“Doing this is better than doing nothing. Since I’ve started, I must see it through to the end.”
I rest the club against my shoulder. Now that I’ve touched a Deity, I cannot simply let this pass.
It must be eliminated entirely. That’s what exorcism truly means.
Once touched, I go all the way.
I need to strike harder. With that thought, I approach.
[Kuk!]
The Deity moves. Energy slowly spreads through the body. That’s…
‘It’s trying to flee.’
It’s attempting to escape, abandoning Peng Doyeon’s body and fleeing. How amusing.
‘If you were going to do it, you should have done it long ago.’
Now it runs away in fear of death? For a Deity, it has remarkably little pride.
And.
“Do you think I’d allow that?”
It’s plainly obvious—there’s no way I’m letting it escape.
I move my hand. The soul stirs and energy flows.
A Talisman forms in my palm. Its shape is that of a Talisman, but the form matters little.
I hurled it. The object flew rapidly and adhered to the empty space.
Crackle-crackle-crackle-!!!
[Cough-hack!!!]
The impact struck the Deity’s dissipating soul.
[This… How can this be!]
“Did you think I wouldn’t recognize the trick of scattering false traces?”
The creature made its physical form vanish like mist, but in truth, it was attempting to flee to another location.
Did I fail to see through it? Not a chance.
‘I’ve encountered countless beings employing such tactics.’
I was hardly one to overlook such tricks. I chuckled softly and approached.
“Shall we finish what we started?”
[…!]
I raised the club and advanced.
[Wait, hold on!]
The Deity moved to block me. I tilted my head at the sight. My steps halted, but I said nothing.
My gaze invited it to speak. Then it did.
[What… What do you want?]
“What do I want? I simply intend to erase you.”
A foolish response. I took another step forward. The Deity spoke urgently.
[No, wait. What is it you desire? I am a noble being, and I shall deign to hear your words-]
“Why do these wretched things never change?”
A sigh escaped me.
“You look like you’re about to perish, yet you still cling to your pride? Won’t you change your tone?”
I swung the club.
Crack-!!
A crisp sound rang out as the creature recoiled.
[Screeeech!]
A different cry than before. Far more agonized.
Its escape route had been blocked, and the rebound shattered it. I could see it staggering. I approached again and spoke.
“What? Still nothing to say? Then let’s just end this.”
[P… Please wait…!]
The Deity extended its hand.
[I… I shall depart… I shall leave this young girl’s body…]
“No. That’s not it.”
Crack-!
I swung the club again. It seemed I needed to strike further. I continued the assault. Impacts echoed from all directions.
The backlash was beginning to affect my own soul. I’d struck with excessive force.
‘How much longer can I sustain this?’
Killing it was possible, but could I manage the aftermath? The Deity’s rank was somewhat elevated for that.
A Superior Deity. Not of the absolute highest echelon, but a General? A Mountain God? It was of equivalent rank or just below.
If I struck without any preparation, I could see the backlash coming.
I didn’t let that show. I couldn’t afford to reveal it here.
[W-what do you want! Speak! I’ll g-grant anything!]
Only then did I stop. It was exactly what I wanted to hear.
“Now that’s a pleasant offer. You’ll grant anything?”
[…what …what do you want.]
“Now we’re finally having a proper conversation. Aren’t we?”
I laughed. The club in my hand moved again, and the Deity flinched. Fear was evident in his expression. The club in my grip grew increasingly translucent and vanished.
As my weapon disappeared from my hand, the creature finally showed a reaction of relief.
“Now then.”
I met his gaze and dropped to one knee.
“Shall we have a more civilized conversation, shall we?”
[…what?]
“Dear customer. There are three things I desire.”
I spread three fingers and showed them to the man. The Deity’s spirit form trembled as it stared at my hand.
“If you refuse even one of these-”
I erased the smile I’d been wearing.
“You’ll die here. And I’ll make sure no one remembers you ever existed.”
While the annihilation of a Deity is difficult, it’s not impossible.
That’s what I told him.
At this point, the Deity had only one choice.
To grant everything.
There was no other option.

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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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