The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 89

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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 089
I pushed open the door and stepped inside. The moment I entered, I knew exactly where I was.
‘This is… that place from earlier, isn’t it?’
It was the warehouse where the weapons I’d seen during the day were gathered.
Each and every blade deserved to be called a renowned sword, and without a doubt.
‘All of them are Silver grade or higher.’
Weapons forged by Cheogang, ranking among those worthy of the title “renowned blade.”
Or perhaps.
‘They could even be Gold grade or above.’
The kind of grade that wouldn’t be released to the Central Plains except under special circumstances.
‘If I could appraise swords, I’d be certain.’
Since I was completely ignorant in this field, it was merely speculation.
Still, I knew these were absolutely no ordinary blades.
‘If I just took a few and sold them.’
Weapons that would surely fetch a considerable price.
They were scattered abundantly throughout this place.
As I examined them one by one, I turned to look at Dokjon and began to speak.
“Hey, old—”
[Lower your voice. They’ll hear you outside.]
“….”
I had to clamp my mouth shut immediately.
I glanced toward the entrance—not the other entrance I’d used to get in, but the original formal entrance we’d used during the day.
The door was firmly closed. Were there people beyond it?
‘…If that’s the case, they’re either investigating the hidden vault or simply maintaining a watch.’
It was entirely plausible. Why would it be called a hidden vault? Because it’s concealed, and because it contains important items.
Since such a place had been discovered and opened, it was only natural that people would be stationed there for investigation and surveillance.
But if there was a question here.
‘Are they watching near our residence as well?’
Since we knew about the hidden vault, wouldn’t they be secretly watching us too? As that thought crossed my mind, my expression grew tense.
‘…It’s entirely possible.’
It wasn’t just possible—they might already be doing it.
Moreover.
‘No matter how righteous the Dang Clan claims to be.’
Once an outsider learned about the main family’s hidden vault, there was a risk they’d eliminate the threat by any means necessary.
‘I should start thinking about this contingency too.’
I’d been aware of this ever since learning about the hidden vault.
Just imagining it made my skin crawl.
‘This is exactly why I try to avoid getting entangled with the powerful.’
Like corporate tyranny in my past life, whenever I got involved with the wrong influential people, it always ended badly.
I had to be extremely cautious this time as well.
‘First.’
I gazed silently at Dokjon. This couldn’t be our final destination—there had to be something more I needed to do. I sent him a questioning look.
[It’s over there.]
True to form, Dokjon pointed with his hand to indicate the location again.
What he was pointing to was the wall directly opposite the entrance.
Was this another mechanism? I examined it carefully, but it was different from before.
‘There are no dots.’
Not a single reference point was visible. It was merely a rough stone wall, nothing more.
‘Hmm.’
So what was I supposed to do?
As I concentrated and studied it more intently.
‘Ah.’
Then I finally understood Dokjon’s intent.
[You might not understand, but first, that wall….]
I listened to Dokjon as he belatedly began to explain.
At the same time, I grasped the sword I’d brought to my waist.
[…the sword technique of Cheonwol Gate… you child?]
Dokjon, mid-sentence, furrowed his brow as he looked at me.
That was all I needed to hear.
우우우웅—!!
Energy surged forth and gathered in my grip.
The concentrated energy flowed brilliantly blue along the blade.
As the momentum gradually intensified, I felt my lips curl upward.
‘Excellent.’
It was different from before.
Unlike when I first attempted this, it was far easier to channel energy now.
‘…The quality seems to have changed too.’
I realized the volume and quality of the flowing energy had become vastly greater.
Had I accumulated more internal strength? No, that couldn’t be it.
It simply meant my technique in wielding it had become more refined.
“Shhhhh-”
I took a shallow breath to establish the fundamentals.
Crunch.
I gradually applied force to my muscles.
My feet, pressed firmly against the ground, pushed as if driving into the earth itself.
In that instant, I dispersed the energy throughout my entire body.
I felt the energy fill me gradually, permeating every fiber.
‘Push deeper here.’
I grew greedy. This hadn’t happened before, but recently I’d developed this tendency.
‘I think I can do it.’
At first, my energy barely spread to my legs and arms.
Now I can feel it reaching places that were previously untouched.
Sensing that, unnecessary desires began to stir within me.
It seems I could do a bit more.
If I do it this way, it might feel better.
Those kinds of desires.
Since Yoo Cheon-gil said, ‘Try whatever you want,’ I thought it wasn’t a bad attempt.
So this time is no different.
‘Last time I focused on the blade, so this time I’ll instead reduce the force going into the blade and concentrate on my body.’
I align the intervals precisely and draw in a deeper breath.
The moment the adequately drawn breath spreads through my body, I hold it in.
“Hup-!”
With a shout, the blade cut through the empty air.
Wolrang.
The first form of the Cheonwol Sword Dance spun rapidly, grazing the stone wall.
Whoosh-!
Fuuuush-!!
Wind blew and dust scattered briefly through the surroundings.
While the dirt dust hung in the air, I had to slowly regulate my breathing.
“Huu… haa….”
Beads of sweat formed on my forehead. All this aftermath from just one swing.
‘Really. The deeper I dig, the more absurd it becomes.’
Just when I thought I was becoming somewhat accustomed, there’s something more ahead.
Whether martial arts are always like this.
Or if it’s only this old man’s martial arts, I’m not sure.
‘…It’s really difficult.’
Damn difficult. Even as I felt it with my body.
‘Why do I keep finding this strangely enjoyable?’
Apart from the grueling process and results, there was a part of me that wanted to enjoy this.
Oddly, that didn’t sit well with me.
Clang-!
I sheathed the blade again.
[…Huh… You….]
At that moment, Dokjon was staring at me with a somewhat dazed expression.
That instant.
Thud.
A short sound echoed as the wall moved. Another entrance revealed itself with a grinding noise.
‘As expected.’
Seeing that, I nodded as if I knew it would happen.
‘…Something about this feels familiar.’
The snack warehouse that Yoo Cheon-gil mentioned at Cheonwol Gate.
I had used the Cheonwol Sword Dance to open the secret warehouse within that place as well.
‘I saw it here too.’
I remembered seeing a blue line on the wall back then.
However, I noticed something similar in Dokjon’s residence as well. So I immediately attempted to cast Wolrang.
[…How on earth did you know about this?]
Dokjon questioned me with a fierce expression, as if this was something he couldn’t let slide.
“I saw it once before.”
So I answered honestly.
“The residence that the Old Man took me to. The method of opening it was the same.”
[Huh? A residence? Are you talking about the Cheonwol Vault? That fool Yoo Cheon-gil took you there?]
Cheonwol Vault…? The Old Man had simply called it his snack warehouse back then, but from the sound of it, that seemed to be correct.
“Yes. I believe that’s right.”
[That madman. He treats it as sacred ground that absolutely no one can enter unless they’re the next Moonju…!]
Dokjon spoke as if he couldn’t believe it.
Hearing that, I had to feel similarly.
‘…The next Moonju…?’
He had said it was just a warehouse where he hoarded things he liked.
It seemed to be an incredibly vast space beyond my imagination.
Come to think of it….
‘…It was strange from the moment the Cheonwol Elixir was there.’
I heard that the Cheonwol Elixir could only be consumed by the Moonju, so why would it be there?
And on top of that, I carelessly ate it myself.
‘Gulp.’
It really did seem to be an incredibly vast space.
But.
[…So, how many rooms deep did you go?]
At Dokjon’s question, this time I had to wonder.
“…How many rooms? Isn’t the second one the end?”
[…The second? At least you showed some restraint.]
“What do you mean… Surely there isn’t more?”
[Ask that fool Yoo Cheon-gil about that later. It’s not something I can comment on.]
“No….”
He brings it up this far and then refuses to tell me the rest? This is ridiculous.
‘There were more rooms beyond that…?’
There was something more beyond that?
Just how vast was that residence?
‘No, that’s not what matters right now.’
Whether there was something more beyond the residence or not, that wasn’t what was important.
I looked at Dokjon and asked.
“May I ask you something as well?”
[What is it.]
“Why is the method of opening the Secret Archive connected to the Cheonwol Sword Technique…?”
I could understand it for the Cheonwol Gate’s Secret Archive—after all, the archive itself exists within the Cheonwol Gate. But this was different.
‘Why here?’
The fact that even the Secret Archive created by Dokjon could be opened with the Cheonwol Sword Technique was rather bewildering.
So I asked first, unable to comprehend. Dokjon’s brow furrowed deeply.
[…Hmm….]
“Elder?”
[…I never particularly wanted to use your sword technique.]
“…Then…?”
[…It was.]
“What did you say?”
His voice was so faint I couldn’t hear him properly. So I asked again.
[…A wager.]
“…Pardon…?”
A wager…? If I heard correctly just now….
“A wager…?”
[…Yes. Damn it. Ah, I shouldn’t have made a drinking wager back then…! Blast it!]
Truly furious, Dokjon struck the empty air as if it were a table.
“….”
Watching him, I found myself at a loss for words.
‘…A drinking wager….’
I thought there might be some deeper reason, but it was just a drinking wager?
What in the world were those mad old men gambling on in their drinking wagers?
I ignored the throbbing in my head and turned my attention forward.
‘Let’s go in first….’
As Dokjon said, the Cheonwol Gate’s Secret Archive was something to ask that old man about, not him.
I moved forward, looking ahead.
The entrance was barely large enough for a single person to squeeze through.
Had it been someone of Yoo Cheon-gil’s build, they absolutely couldn’t have entered.
I lowered my head slightly and peered inside.
It was so dark I wouldn’t have seen anything at all if I weren’t channeling power into my Wol-an eyes.
[The passage itself has no mechanisms. Enter slowly.]
Hearing Dokjon’s words, I stepped into the passage. In that instant.
Slam—!
“…!”
The door behind me closes.
“…Damn, that startled me!”
I was caught off guard by the sudden turn of events.
I turned my gaze toward Dokjon.
“…Is there another exit inside?”
[I’ve created a passage you can use to leave.]
“…That’s a relief.”
Hearing the response, I felt reassured and moved forward. Not long after, I emerged into the open.
“Huh.”
I had to exhale sharply upon taking in this new space.
“…What is this?”
My eyes widened. The interior was far more expansive than I’d anticipated.
Much larger than the space where the weapons had been gathered.
And then.
Shhhhhhh.
Hearing the sound of water, I looked down to see streams flowing between delicately constructed buildings.
I wondered vaguely why water flowed through this place at all.
Though the question flickered across my mind, my attention was drawn elsewhere—precisely to a small table at the center of the chamber, and the box resting upon it.
That was what captivated my gaze.
Not merely my gaze.
“This scent is….”
The fragrance brushing across my nose was subtle.
At first glance it resembled a floral aroma, yet within it lingered a bitter note that was distinctly unpleasant.
Regardless, a deep, persistent fragrance permeated the entire chamber.
‘Could it be.’
Could that be it?
Could that possibly be.
‘…The Grand Restoration Pill of Shaolin?’
The supreme elixir among elixirs, one that could only be glimpsed at festivals held perhaps once every decade by the Martial Arts Alliance.
I suspected the box contained the Grand Restoration Pill.
Thus, just as I was about to naturally turn toward it.
[Found it—!]
Dokjon shouted from the corner.
[It’s here! It’s here!]
Dokjon frantically waved his hand as if beckoning me over. Seeing that, I pivoted and headed toward Dokjon first.

* * *
Dokjon pointed at something between the flowing streams of water and spoke.
[That’s it. Grab it and pull it out.]
‘That?’
There was definitely something in the water.
Was that what Dokjon had been talking about? As I reached out to grab it, I suddenly froze.
—Stop.
[Hm?]
I kept my outstretched hand rigid.
Dokjon looked at me, wondering why I’d stopped.
“But Old Man.”
[What’s wrong?]
“So, why is this Celestial Demon Divine Sword here in this place?”
[…What?]
Dokjon’s brow furrowed.
“I tried to overlook it as much as possible, worried it might entangle me further, but now I’m curious too.”
How could I not be curious?
“I mean, if I’m not careful, this could become a serious entanglement, and I can’t just pretend not to know while helping you.”
I continued speaking to Dokjon with a smile.
“You should at least explain the circumstances. Whether it’s about the current Dang Clan Lord or this sword.”
[….]
At my words, Dokjon stared at me with a hardened expression.
It seemed that by bringing up not only the Celestial Demon Divine Sword but also Dokuou, I’d struck a nerve.
[Were you deliberately not asking, waiting for this moment? Are you trying to blackmail me?]
“Ah, blackmail?”
If that’s what blackmail means here—if you don’t speak, I won’t retrieve the Celestial Demon Divine Sword.
Is that the kind of blackmail you mean?
“Yes.”
Then I had the right answer. That was indeed my intention.
“I don’t need some Great Restoration Pill. My life is more important than that. But this situation reeks of something very wrong.”
[…This bastard…?]
At my bold words, Dokjon’s eyes wavered.
“If you don’t explain, I won’t pull this out. I’ll ignore the Great Restoration Pill and leave.”
If you don’t like that, then explain properly.
As I pressed with that meaning, Dokjon’s expression shifted several times in rapid succession.
First came anger, then bewilderment, then irritation, and the fourth seemed to be resignation.
[Ha…. You stubborn bastard.]
“I hear that often.”
[You never back down. If I were still alive, I’d have given you a proper beating.]
It seemed he was quite frustrated that death prevented him from doing so.
‘Of course. If he were still alive, how could I possibly do this?’
Because he’s a dead ghost, I can defy him. If this were Dokjon in life, I wouldn’t even dare meet his eyes.
“So, will you tell me?”
[….]
Dokjon fell silent for a moment. I waited patiently, observing him.
After a brief pause.
[…Child.]
Dokjon asked me a question.
“Yes, sir.”
[How much do you trust Yoo Cheon-gil?]
“Pardon?”
Why was that old man’s name suddenly brought up here?
“Suddenly?”
How much do I trust him…?
That would be….
[Yes, if you trust that bastard….]
“I don’t trust him.”
[…then you say… what…? What did you…?]
“I don’t trust him one bit.”
I spoke with absolute confidence, my expression perfectly composed.
[Wh-what…? Really?]
Now it was Dokjon who seemed flustered instead.
“Yes. I truly don’t trust him even slightly. I’d sooner trust a random pebble on the street than that old man. Not even a speck of trust.”
[….]
“Sir?”
After I finished speaking, no sound came from Dokjon.
It seemed he had momentarily lost his words.
Why?

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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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