The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 75

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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 075
“Phew.”
I exhaled a long breath and stepped outside. The air here was considerably cooler compared to Cheogang.
Inside, I felt like I was genuinely suffocating.
‘That was absolutely insane heat.’
The temperature was so high that simply walking made it hard to breathe properly.
At least the inner chamber was somewhat cooler, which was nice, but the return journey was far more grueling.
‘Coming out from the cold made it feel even worse.’
I fanned my face with my hand. The breeze felt remarkably refreshing.
As I stood there catching the wind, someone approached me.
It was Do-hyeong and Cheon Euijin.
“Is your conversation finished?”
“Ah, yes. Just now.”
“Are you alright?”
Cheon Euijin asked me with a worried expression.
“Ah, yes. Well… nothing happened.”
I answered casually. Perhaps because we were in the Dang Clan, they seemed unable to fully trust my words.
“Really, nothing happened.”
Honestly, something did occur, but it wasn’t worth mentioning.
More precisely, I couldn’t tell Cheon Euijin and Do-hyeong about it.
I swallowed a sigh, recalling my conversation with Dang Gyeong-ak.
‘…That man was relentless.’
It was such a grueling battle that I wouldn’t want to do it twice.
Yes, calling it a battle was exactly right.
To think I’d engage in such a battle of wills with Dokuou through words alone.
We clashed without yielding an inch.
And in the end.
‘I got what I wanted.’
I obtained a favorable result. Ah, more than just favorable…
‘It was excellent.’
Even by my own assessment, it was quite a satisfactory outcome.
[…You madman.]
Yoo Cheon-gil, drifting through the empty air, spoke at my reaction.
[You complained about being anxious, about how I was draining the Dang Clan’s resources, spouting nonsense. Yet you’re doing far worse.]
I pretended not to hear. Even though I could hear it, I covered my ears as if I couldn’t, and Yoo Cheon-gil clicked his tongue in disapproval.
[Did you see that Dang bastard’s expression? It got worse the further things went. But that was quite pleasant to watch.]
I nearly nodded involuntarily at Yoo Cheon-gil’s words.
Indeed, watching Dokuou’s expression crumble was quite satisfying.
‘I originally intended to be more restrained.’
That man tried to pull something underhanded on me first.
Now that I knew about it, I couldn’t just let it slide.
So I went ahead and confronted him directly.
‘I’m truly out of my mind.’
Here I was, arguing with Dokuou himself standing right before me.
Even if I had justification on my side, it made no sense.
After doing it, I found myself at a loss.
[Be honest. You enjoyed it a little too, didn’t you?]
Yoo Cheon-gil spoke with a slight grin. Of course, I didn’t answer this time either, and it was a question that didn’t require one.
‘Enjoy it? Not a chance.’
I wasn’t a pervert, and there was nothing to enjoy about this kind of thing.
At least, I wasn’t.
I was just thinking it was fine because the result turned out well.
If possible, it was something I didn’t want to do twice.
‘…I barely survived.’
It was a conversation where I put my neck on the line.
No matter how righteous one claims to be, there are still limits.
I never expected Dokuou would let me go so unscathed after I went that far.
I was fortunate to return alive.
But the fact that I could return so unscathed meant something.
‘My existence must be quite necessary to him.’
It meant there was something he needed to keep me alive for, no matter how far I overstepped.
“Hmm.”
What could it possibly be? Why would he let me off so easily?
It was a mystery.
‘Opening the Sealed Vault is connected to me.’
To be precise, it was connected to me as the Sword Saint’s successor.
But there was definitely some connection.
‘What could it be?’
What on earth could cause all this?
It bothered me considerably.
‘I’ll find out eventually anyway.’
It was something I would naturally learn in time.
I ultimately accepted Dokuou’s conditions.
Dokuou said he would complete his preparations within a few days.
I couldn’t fathom why opening the Sealed Vault required several days of preparation.
I wondered if something strange was going to happen.
[Don’t worry.]
Yoo Cheon-gil spoke calmly, as if he understood my concerns.
[There’s nothing much to it. Just eat, rest, and wait while we prepare.]
Yoo Cheon-gil spoke to me as if he already knew what would happen.
His word choice was crude beyond measure, yet absurdly, hearing him speak brought me some comfort.
Finding reassurance in the words of this mad old man—it struck me as rather amusing.
“…Regardless, did you two enjoy the sights while you were here?”
“Sights?”
“Since you were already in Cheogang, surely you saw something worth seeing?”
“Ah.”
At my words, Cheon Euijin spoke with a bright voice.
“We did. I’ve never seen so many Silver-grade blades in one place before.”
Cheon Euijin spoke with evident excitement, while Do-hyeong remained expressionless, though I could sense a faint trace of enthusiasm beneath the surface.
‘Silver-grade, then.’
By any measure, that was a rank afforded to renowned blades. So Cheogang housed such weapons in abundance.
My mind had been so scattered that I hadn’t even noticed such things.
Not that it mattered much. I had little interest in weaponry.
To shake off my fatigue, I stretched slightly and spoke.
“They said they’d begin repairs on Manwol, and it will take at least several days… What should I do in the meantime?”
I posed the question, but no answer came.
Wondering if he hadn’t heard, I added to my words.
“Senior?”
“…Hm?”
Only when I called out to Do-hyeong did he finally look at me.
What was with that gaze of his.
“I was asking what I should do from now on.”
“Ah.”
At my words, Do-hyeong belatedly changed his expression. Could it be he hadn’t realized I was speaking to him?
‘This fellow…?’
He seemed to keep forgetting that he was the one in charge.
“Senior…?”
“Hm.”
Do-hyeong began to ponder what we should do.
But why was he only thinking about it now?
Since he seemed unable to arrive at an answer, I sighed and spoke to him.
“If there’s nothing particular to do, shall we just train?”
“A sound idea.”
Do-hyeong immediately nodded at my suggestion.
At the mention of training, Cheon Euijin’s eyes also lit up.
From what I could tell, neither of these two seemed entirely sane.
Could anyone truly be so pleased at the mere mention of training….
In any case.
“Then, shall we first move to….”
“May I come along as well?”
Just as I was about to leave with them, someone intervened.
I turned my head at the melodious voice.
Upon seeing the owner of that voice, I furrowed my brow.
“…Miss Dang?”
“Hello.”
“….”
It was Dang Yeeran, whom I had met last night and this morning.
Seeing her suddenly appear, I tilted my head in confusion.
‘What is this.’
Her sudden appearance was startling, but her appearance was even more peculiar than that.
Her hair and entire body were soaked as if she had just come from sweating profusely.
The strands of hair clinging to her cheeks and her weary expression held a certain allure.
But setting that aside.
“Have you been crying?”
“…Pardon?”
I asked while looking into her eyes, and Dang Yeeran widened hers at my question.
“Oh, no? Crying, really.”
Dang Yeeran laughs as if bewildered.
I stared at that for a moment, then nodded.
“I see. I must have been mistaken.”
Something clearly seemed amiss, but since she denied it, I decided to let it pass.
Whatever it was, if it was serious enough to make her cry, it was bound to be troublesome.
I absolutely did not want to get involved.
“By the way, you’re going together?”
“It seemed like you were going to train. I was also about to head to training, so I thought it would be nice to go together.”
She approaches with a bright smile.
The way she hurried over seemed to reflect her cheerful nature.
However.
“Oh.”
Dang Yeeran, who had been approaching, suddenly stops.
What is it?
As I wondered why and watched her, Dang Yeeran spoke to me with an awkward smile.
“I’m sorry…. I’ve been sweating quite a bit, so I’m afraid I might smell.”
With those words, she takes a small step backward.
Her manner seemed timid, yet somehow endearing.
But that aside.
“While I appreciate the sentiment, training together would present quite a few problems.”
She is a direct descendant of the Dang Clan.
We are people of Cheonwol Gate. With our martial skills differing as they do, training together would be problematic in many ways.
Moreover.
“The Training Hall isn’t that spacious either, you see.”
I had been assigned a training chamber, but it wasn’t particularly expansive.
One could say it was a bit cramped for three people to practice in.
When I mentioned this problem, Dang Yeeran suddenly clapped her hands together.
“Then I’ll have you use the bloodline training chamber with us.”
“…What?”
“That place is quite spacious… and if training together itself is an issue… wouldn’t a friendly sparring match work instead?”
“What does that even….”
“A sparring match?”
“Sparring?”
I was about to refuse outright at her nonsensical suggestion, but Cheon Euijin and Do-hyeong reacted differently to her words.
“….”
Seeing that, I rubbed my face.
What was I going to do with these insane people?
The moment she mentioned sparring, they reacted like that—it was absurd.
How was I supposed to handle this?
Just as I was pondering for a moment.
[Why are you being difficult?]
Yoo Cheon-gil spoke to me.
[You don’t have anything else to do anyway, and going won’t cause any real problems.]
“….”
He had a point. Going wouldn’t necessarily cause issues.
‘But that old man’s reaction bothers me.’
The real problem wasn’t something else—it was Yoo Cheon-gil’s reaction just now.
That slightly excited expression. The way he was trying to act nonchalant about going.
It irritated me to no end.
Was he plotting something again?
Whenever that damned old man made that kind of face, something always happened.
Just as I was wondering whether I should really go.
“…Young Master….”
From a couple of steps away, Dang Yeeran spoke to me.
“Yes?”
“Would you consider going with us?”
Perhaps sensing my hesitation, Dang Yeeran spoke again.
So I asked.
“…What’s your reason?”
What was her reason for wanting to go with me specifically?
At my question, Dang Yeeran smiled slightly and replied.
“Because I want to get closer to you. I’m bored, and this is fate, isn’t it?”
“….”
It was far too pathetic to use as an excuse.
She suggested we spar together in the Training Hall to grow closer and because she was bored?
This was the sort of thing Cheon Euijin would come up with.
Moreover, since yesterday’s talk of marriage had been clinging to me and proving bothersome, I would normally have refused outright.
‘This woman’s eyes are a weapon.’
Looking into Dang Yeeran’s eyes, I found myself unable to speak easily.
Despite her claim that she hadn’t cried, her eyes were subtly swollen at the corners, glistening with moisture.
A certain melancholy seeped into her features, and combined with Dang Yeeran’s inherent charm, it became a formidable weapon indeed.
I stared at it silently, my lips moving without sound.
I had to refuse. I had to refuse.
After repeating this resolve to myself again and again.
“Bang Disciple?”
“…Just once, then?”
“Yes!”
Before I knew it, I had already agreed.
Perhaps I was exhausted from the intense clash of wills with Dang Gyeong-ak. I was doing something I normally wouldn’t.
‘Well, it’s not like I have anything else to do anyway.’
Surely I could manage this much, I rationalized to myself alone.
‘I still haven’t broken this habit.’
I already understood all too well the reason I had ended up like this.
It had always been this way.
‘Please… please, can’t you just not go? I’m begging you like this….’
I was weak against people who cried.
Very much so.

* * *
Somewhere in the Sichuan Region.
I had only just barely crossed the threshold into Sichuan.
The point where I was leaving behind the sparse wilderness and beginning to encounter places teeming with crowds.
There, a massive carriage suddenly came into view.
히이이잉—!!
Three or four horses, clearly superior to any ordinary steeds, pulled the carriage in formation.
Whenever the carriage passed, the animals held their breath.
Even the herb gatherers who had been secretly climbing the mountains gazed at it with wonder.
Where could one ever see such a refined carriage? They looked on with such fascination and curiosity.
They wondered who on earth could be riding inside.
The carriage, drawing all eyes upon it, pressed forward without pause.
There was no leisure in its pace. Though the destination drew ever closer, the carriage owner’s disposition grew increasingly sharp.
The man riding inside the carriage carefully opened his mouth.
“…Miss.”
At the man’s words, the woman who had been gazing out the window turned her head.
Her eyes, glancing briefly at the man, were extraordinarily beautiful.
“Yes.”
At her light response, the man flinched without realizing it.
Her voice had been far too cold.
This was a moment when silence was the better choice.
The statistics of experience from years past told the man as much.
“…Perhaps it would be wise to send word ahead, would it not?”
Yet the man could not remain silent. Not this time, especially.
“Why is that?”
The woman spoke as if inviting him to explain, and the man, hearing this, recited his thoughts as if he had been waiting.
“Since Sichuan is also the domain of the Dang Clan… arriving without any prior notice would surely not appear favorable to them….”
“And?”
“Therefore, it might be best to send at least some small message ahead….”
The man spoke his words with great care.
Even as he did, his throat continued to dry. He knew his words were meaningless.
After all, this woman surely already understood everything.
The greatest torment was having to speak despite knowing all of this.
“Please… Miss….”
“I won’t be sending any message.”
At those words, the man shut his eyes tightly.
As expected, the woman’s answer remained unchanged.
“…But….”
“He’s a clever man, so if I do that, he’ll flee immediately. I apologize to the Dang Clan, but I’ll simply explain things well when I arrive. If worse comes to worst, I can always sell out the Lord of the Clan.”
The woman’s voice carried an unmistakable firmness, as if she would hear no other argument.
And then.
“Who could have known he’d slip away to Sichuan after I went all the way to Anhui searching for him? You see it the same way, don’t you?”
Within that voice, the most dominant emotion was unmistakably fury.
“…That is….”
“…Really, he’s quite skilled at running away, isn’t he?”
Crack.
The sound of something breaking echoed through the air.
The man glanced sideways through narrowed eyes to discern the source of the sound.
The hairpin in the woman’s hand had snapped in two.
“…Just try running away.”
Thus, trembling with white-knuckled fury.
“I will catch you no matter what.”
A vow she had made hundreds of times, sworn once more.

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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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