The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 557

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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 557
Gyemun of the Black Iron Demon Sword. An elder of Singyeo and one of the absolute masters.
‘…From what I saw in the letter.’
The details weren’t entirely clear, but among the Eight Demon Fists who existed at that time, he was said to have achieved equal standing with the Sword Demon.
‘Yet the Sword Demon is already dead.’
It was the Sword Demon who died at the hands of Yoo Cheon-gil, who borrowed my body. Of course, he was said to have been subjected to something like a seal at Patcheon Palace at the time, so he couldn’t display his full power.
‘Still.’
If he achieved equal standing with the Sword Demon, he shouldn’t be that strong. That’s what I thought, but then—
‘What the hell.’
Witnessing it directly, those words didn’t come out.
‘I can’t see him.’
Not only did I fail to sense any opening, I couldn’t even perceive his appearance itself.
When did he appear? I hadn’t felt his approach at all.
“Pleased to meet you.”
“…Yes. Pleased to—”
My sword moved.
Crash—!!!
“Ugh!”
Something collides with my blade. My vision shifts. My body is flying backward.
Screech—! I reduce my speed by skidding across the ground.
I barely come to a stop before my breathing catches up with me.
“Hah… Wow….”
What follows is admiration. My hands are trembling. I lower my gaze. My sword trembles.
I blocked it, but did it bounce back?
“Quick reflexes.”
The voice sounds right in front of me again. As I lift my lowered head, Gyemun appears before me.
He stands with his hands clasped behind his back. His sword must be hidden behind those hands.
“I didn’t expect you to block that.”
“…Wouldn’t I have died if I hadn’t?”
“Yes, and recognizing that is impressive in itself.”
Is this old man insane? His words make no sense. I couldn’t even respond properly.
It was pure instinct. My survival instinct, my refusal to die, blocked it—not conscious thought followed by action.
Wow, impressive. I usually get cursed out for thinking before I move.
Now I’ve managed it through instinct instead.
“What is your business here?”
I ask calmly. He didn’t launch an attack without reason. No matter how unhinged Singyeo is as an organization, they wouldn’t act so recklessly.
There must be some purpose. Whatever it is.
“What business? I came to do my job.”
“Your job?”
“Yes. You should have heard about the training content.”
“…I’ve heard about it.”
That training where I’m supposed to fight the Instructor. So I was looking for the Instructor.
“Elder, you’re not the Instructor… Surely you didn’t come in that role?”
“Similar enough.”
“What do you mean?”
Since when were Elder and Instructor similar positions? It made no sense.
No.
“You’re really taking on that role?”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk….”
He laughs. If only it were just laughter.
Shing.
The sword he was holding draws itself into the world again. Ah, so that’s his answer?
‘Why?’
Why would an Elder personally step forward for this? I frowned.
He really wants to fight?
“Don’t worry.”
Gyemun speaks as he moves his sword.
“I’m only here to assess your level.”
“….”
Then maybe tone down the murderous intent in your eyes.
Well, it’s not quite murderous intent, but is it killing intent? It’s not even that. Whatever it is, it’s terrifying. I already knew not to meet eyes with someone who looks like that.
But of all people, it had to be the Elder?
‘What is this?’
What could his purpose be? The way he’s been staring at me all this time. It was clear he had some objective concerning me.
“Child of Jeongpa. Geomseong’s Predecessor.”
Gyemun’s eyes gleamed with lethal intensity as he spoke to me.
“Show me your worth.”
“Damn it.”
The start of an unlucky day.

* * *
Boom—!
A distant explosion echoed through the forest.
“Huh?”
Dang Cheon-il, a fierce-looking young man who had been roaming the forest, suddenly turned his head.
“What was that?”
What sound was that? What’s happening? The distance was considerable, but the sound was unmistakably clear.
Did a bomb detonate somewhere? It was possible.
‘This isn’t a normal place, after all.’
Damn the Demonic Cult. Dang Cheon-il kept forgetting that he was in that forsaken place.
‘How did I even…’
How had I ended up here? A sigh escaped unbidden. I suppressed the breath threatening to burst forth. Such things were meaningless now.
If I counted only the sighs, I’d already reached hundreds in a single day.
Counting was pointless. There was no point in keeping track anymore.
‘Ah.’
Where did it all go wrong? I already knew. Meeting that man was the mistake.
‘Ah, damn it…’
That’s it. That was the mistake. Dang Cheon-il knew his own fault. Or was it? Wasn’t it my fault too?
If there were no mistakes, perhaps not—but things shouldn’t have gotten this bad.
“…Life.”
What is life? Ah. Life. I have no idea.
What is Manceon Hwau anyway? Do I really have to master it?
If the Dang Clan Head heard such words, he would have coughed blood, but now Dang Cheon-il believed everything was futile.
‘That demon-like human.’
He has a handsome face, but his nature is filthy and his teaching methods are crude.
He clearly assumes that because he’s a genius, everyone else must be too.
‘He’s unlucky.’
Yes. Unlucky.
Growing stronger by the day is absurd. How does he grow stronger with each passing day? Like a madman.
“I should teach him a lesson someday.”
Of course, I couldn’t be the one to do it. Dang Cheon-il had already given up. That man couldn’t be placed on the same level as anyone else.
When I first saw him, he wasn’t like this… but in less than a year, something had gone terribly wrong.
“Tch…”
I need to escape quickly.
I must master Manceon Hwau as soon as possible and flee from that demon-like bastard.
“What am I supposed to do?”
There’s no answer.
I’ve grasped the basics but haven’t truly mastered it. I can’t use it properly in real combat, so it’s ambiguous to even call it learning.
“Come on. We need to hurry.”
Behind Dang Cheon-il’s thoughts, someone ahead called out to him.
He was a figure from Singyeo who had been placed in the same group as me.
What was his name again?
‘…Bong something, wasn’t it?’
Not a name worth remembering.
Dang Cheon-il was equally lacking in manners to criticize someone else’s nature.
“We’re heading out. Bong… Young Master Bong.”
“…I’m Man Yeon-seon.”
Ah, so his surname wasn’t Bong after all.
“Young Master Man.”
“….”
At Dang Cheon-il’s words, Man Yeon-seon’s brow furrowed. It seemed he disliked Dang Cheon-il just as much.
But what could be done about it.
‘He’s equally hopeless on his end.’
There was nothing I could do if he hated me.
After all, there was no helping it.
“Do you know where the Instructor might be?”
Still, I had grown.
Dang Cheon-il recognized his own growth.
‘At least I’m speaking respectfully now.’
I hadn’t done that before.
It was growth born from being beaten by Bangseong-yeon.
“…Aren’t we searching for that very thing right now?”
“Shouldn’t you at least know the location before moving? Must we move so inefficiently?”
“Then why don’t you find him yourself.”
“What would I know? What can you expect from someone of Jeongpa?”
It was a dismissive tone. At Dang Cheon-il’s words, Man Yeon-seon’s expression crumpled.
He looked like he had much to say but couldn’t bring himself to say it.
What should I do? Should I tell him to speak if he has something to say?
No. That would lead to a fight.
Dang Cheon-il was a man who knew when to keep his mouth shut.
“Why? Got a problem?”
Ah, I failed.
“What?”
Man Yeon-seon reacted.
“My apologies. A slip of the tongue. I didn’t mean to….”
“…You didn’t mean to?”
“True feelings are kept hidden in one’s heart, aren’t they?”
“Are you insane?”
“Slightly?”
“….”
At Dang Cheon-il’s words, Man Yeon-seon fell silent. Though he seemed to have much more to say, he appeared to be gradually surrendering to the inevitable.
At least they hadn’t fought.
Dang Cheon-il was simply displeased with his own growth.
‘Right, so as long as those monsters aren’t involved, I can manage?’
Whether it was Bangseong-yeon or Paeng Dojin, or even Yoo Yeon from Hwasan.
As long as those monstrous bastards weren’t around, he could live with his head held high. Woo Yeongjin? He’d realized this after beating that man.
‘Right, I’ve been cowering my whole life.’
There was no need for that.
‘Mm-hmm.’
At least I could vent my frustrations here. As Dang Cheon-il nodded and contemplated this,
“…Found him.”
Man Yeon-seon spoke. At those words, Dang Cheon-il’s gaze shifted. Beyond the thicket. Someone stood across the vegetation. It was the Instructor.
So that’s where he was, after all that searching.
“Now, let’s ambush—”
Man Yeon-seon began to speak but stopped abruptly. Dang Cheon-il, who had been right beside him, had vanished.
“What? Where did he—”
“Quiet.”
“…!”
He flinched. Dang Cheon-il was right beside him.
Simply invisible.
“Since you mentioned ambushing, let’s prepare.”
“….”
Concealment technique. Could it be executed with such precision? It was the moment Man Yeon-seon reassessed Dang Cheon-il’s level, which he had previously dismissed.
Clink. Dang Cheon-il drew throwing knives from his sleeve. A handful in one hand, a short blade gripped in the other.
Pathetic. These were low-quality throwing knives, utterly different from the high-grade ones used by the Dang Clan.
Could one even pierce a person with these? It was enough to raise doubts.
‘There’s no helping it.’
If this was where he had to use them, he had to accept it.
Whoosh—!
I gathered my energy and wrapped it with strong force.
‘It would be nice if he could provide some cover.’
Man Yeon-seon had one task. To draw attention. They had never discussed the strategy for this,
Rustle—!
But he too was someone of considerable skill. Without words, they both understood their roles.
Man Yeon-seon burst through the thicket. At his appearance, the Instructor’s gaze turned toward him.
The sword moved with the gaze.
Clang—!
“Ugh!”
As their blades met, blood sprayed from Man Yeon-seon’s mouth. He had been overwhelmed by the Instructor’s force. In contrast, the opponent bore no mark whatsoever.
Seeing this, the Instructor clicked his tongue. It seemed to be a response he found unsatisfactory.
The blade cuts through the empty air as is.
Shiiik—!
Strong energy. The force began to flow out naturally.
The Instructor’s blade surged forward with momentum. Just before it reached Man Yeon-seon.
Fwip—!
Pababak.
Throwing stars shot toward him.
“…!”
The Instructor hesitated upon seeing the projectiles, then swept his hand across.
Pababak—!!!
The blade deflected several throwing stars, and the Instructor turned his gaze. It was toward where Dang Cheon-il stood. But.
‘I drew his attention.’
Dang Cheon-il was no longer there. He had shifted position and now stood behind the Instructor.
Just as he was about to draw his short blade.
“Peekaboo.”
“Huh?”
An unfamiliar voice cut in. What the—!
“Good to see you.”
His gaze turned. He looked toward the owner of the voice that had suddenly appeared.
Who is that? Where have I seen that face?
His confusion at the greeting was brief.
Boom—!!
“Gack!?”
A fist drove into his body. He was sent flying backward.
Crackle—!
His airborne form crashed to the ground and tumbled.
“Cough….”
After rolling several times, he retched. He had taken the blow directly to his abdomen.
Staggering, Dang Cheon-il lifted his head.
There stood.
“Been looking for you long, have I? Young Master Dok-ryong.”
“….”
A lean, tall young man.
The Heavenly Sword looked down at him.

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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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