The World’s Greatest is Dead

The World’s Greatest is Dead – Chapter 141

The risen moon shone exceptionally bright. Was it just a figment of my imagination, or was it truly brighter than usual, as if blessing my return?

‘It’s just my imagination. Why would the moon be brighter just because I’ve come back?’

My inability to be needlessly sentimental seemed unchanged. Despite being a thought provoked by the sight of the moon, it held no meaning. Besides, it wasn’t a situation where I could afford to be sentimental in the first place.

‘… Damn it, what is the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament anyway? Why a tournament?’

The sudden mention of the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament was unexpected. As a member of the Blue Moon Sect, it was a place I thought I would certainly never go to.

‘Being told abruptly to attend the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament?’

And as a representative of my sect, no less? It was absurd. What made it even more problematic was the reason behind it all.

‘Divine Spear mentioned me?’

Divine Spear Jeok Ho-Myung was the current Murim Alliance Leader and one of the only active supreme warriors referred to as Heaven Beyond Heaven. Known for wielding a spear longer than himself,

‘There’s no need to discuss his might.’

He had attained the position of Alliance Leader, rivaling the contemporary Sword Saint. After the death of Yu Chun-gil, with no clear mention of who might be the World’s Greatest, ‘Isn’t he the person closest to being the World’s Greatest?’

Divine Spear could certainly be referred to as the one closest to that title. It was reasonable since,

‘The Sword Emperor… has vanished on the surface.’

With the likes of the Sword Emperor and other supreme beings like the Heaven Beyond Heaven no longer active, Divine Spear was the most prominent figure to emerge.

‘Why would such a person have chosen me?’

It was something I couldn’t comprehend, why would Divine Spear deliberately select and summon me to the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament ?

Frowning, I looked up at the sky.

“What kind of person is the Divine Spear?”

I asked the one most likely to know, facing the spirit of Yu Chun-gil floating in the air.

『Hm? Divine Spear?』

“Yes.”

Since they had been active in the same era and even in the same wars, I thought Yu Chun-gil would know well.

『Hmm, well.』

Yu Chun-gil pondered for a moment after hearing my question and then replied,『He’s a madman.』

“… Pardon?”

A rather eccentric answer followed.

“A madman?”

『Yes, a madman. That guy was a madman.』

“More so than you, grandpa?”

『Indeed. He was such a madman that… wait, what is that supposed to mean?』

“Oops.”

Without realizing it, I slipped.

Due to my careless words, Yu Chun-gil’s brow furrowed deeply. I paid the price for being unable to suppress my inner thoughts.

“… I didn’t even realize my inner thoughts were spilling…”

『… Don’t pretend. You didn’t plan on holding them back, did you?』

“Oops!”

『Enough.』

“Yes.”

『Anyway, the Divine Spear is a madman.』

“How is he a madman?”

『A madman who’s obsessed with fights.』

“With fights?”

Was it about fights…?

‘Isn’t that genuinely similar to that old man?’

Even if it was half-joking earlier, at this point, it’s unclear who was critiquing whom.

『Fix your expression.』

“Ahem…”

『There’s a difference between enjoying it and being insane. That guy is truly a madman.』

“…”

At this point, I was genuinely curious. Just what kind of person was he for Yu Chun-gil to describe him as a madman?

『When he became the Alliance Leader, I was quite surprised. With his temperament, he seemed like the last person who’d accept such a role, so how did it happen?』

“What do you mean by temperament?”

『He was an eccentric. Rarely spoke, showed little interest if it wasn’t about a fight, couldn’t understand the concept of socializing…』

“…”

Wasn’t that just describing a loner?

It sounded more like saying he had zero social skills.

『Moreover, once he got annoyed, it was troublesome to stop him, as he’d charge in without looking back.』

“He sounds quite dangerous?”

『Yes, indeed. He was notorious for being unmanageable, so I ended up gouging his left eye out.』

“… Excuse me?”

Wait, what?

“Did you say you gouged out his left eye?”

Did I hear that wrong? Did I just hear something I shouldn’t have?

『Hm? What about it?』

“… You just mentioned gouging out his left eye, didn’t you?”

『Oh, that?』

Without any significance, Yu Chun-gil gestured lightly with his hand as he responded.

『He kept getting on my nerves over trivial matters, so I got angry and gave him a beating.』

“And giving someone a beating involved gouging out his eye…?”

『Well, he was the one being a nuisance first.』

“Typically, people don’t gouge out their eyes just because someone’s being annoying… But why did you do it?”

Thinking a legitimate explanation might make it more acceptable, I asked for a reason.

However,『Ah, his fiancée kept pursuing me, claiming she liked me.』

“… Pardon?”

『She was persistent, so I entertained her once, and Divine Spear found out and charged at me.』

“… That…”

『Did I like it? She kept coming at me about it, so I dealt with him thoroughly. Haha.』

“…”

The more I listened, the more speechless I became.

What was I supposed to say about this anyway?

So…

‘… The fiancée of the Divine Spear chased after Yu Chun-gil because she liked him…’

And he happily accepted that.

‘Divine Spear found out too late and fought with Yu Chun-gil?’

Yu Chun-gil had not only trampled on Divine Spear but had also gouged out his left eyeball?

‘Wow.’

In a word.

‘They’re enemies, aren’t they…?’

This clearly meant that they weren’t on good terms.

My fingertips tingled. Even though my right arm seemed fully healed, it strangely tingled.

With tingling fingers, I brushed my hair back and asked Yu Chun-gil.

“… Hey, grandpa.”

『Speak.』

“Then, doesn’t that mean Divine Spear calling me isn’t a good situation?”

『Hm? What do you mean?』

“… From his perspective, calling the disciple of the guy who took his fiancée and even gouged out his eye can’t be for a good reason, can it?”

『…』

For a moment, Yu Chun-gil pondered over my words.

Then…

『Oh!』

“Here we go.”

He clapped his hands with a small exclamation.

… Really driving me crazy.

‘Ah, this is really…’

It felt a bit, no, very messed up.

* * *

Leaving behind the uneasy feeling, I moved on.

The moon was still up, and time-wise, it was just past the first hour of the Ox.

*Splash.*

I walked through a damp passage, not hiding the frown on my face.

Yu Chun-gil, who followed me with a somewhat sullen expression, spoke to me.

『Good grief. Lighten up that face. Don’t be such a narrow-minded man.』

*Grind.*

I cringed at Yu Chun-gil’s words and replied.

“Whose fault is it anyway?”

『If you think about it, the guy who started it is at fault, isn’t he?』

“No, but even if she liked you, why would you snatch someone else’s woman? I’d be upset too.”

『I didn’t know she was taken, you fool. And if a woman likes you, it’s manly to accept that.』

“Are you trying to make all men in the world seem bad?”

『It’s all in the past. Divine Spear wouldn’t be as narrow-minded as you, he’d have forgotten by now.』

“… Forgotten?”

If it were me, I would never forget…

“If it were you, grandpa, would you forget something like that?”

『I would forget.』

“What?”

『Because anyone who did that to me would be dead by my hand already, so why remember?』

“…”

It was truly a terrifying yet convenient way of thinking.

“So, what if the opponent was too strong to kill?”

『Oh, then I’d keep fighting until I could kill them.』

“Then, if you never killed them and they disappeared, and suddenly their disciple showed up?”

『Then I’d seize the opportunity to toy with them… Oh?』

“Bastard.”

I wanted to sandpaper that irksome, self-satisfied expression off his face once he realized something.

“… Ah, my blood pressure.”

It was dizzying. What should I do with this unhelpful old man?

Groaning, I clenched my thumb and pressed it hard on my temple.

*Splash.*

Despite all this, I kept walking. Though the narrow and dark passage was still unsettling, with the Moon Eye present, the darkness wasn’t scary.

Currently, I was with Yu Chun-gil inside his snack storage, no, the Blue Moon Vault.

It was to retrieve what had been promised from Sichuan.

‘The third space of the Blue Moon Sect.’

The Poison Sovereign had said there was another hidden space in the Blue Moon Vault.

Upon hearing this, I asked Yu Chun-gil.

‘Oh my, that Poison Sovereign mentioned something unnecessary.’

He reacted as if I had uncovered something he was hiding.

Was he planning to keep it a secret all along? It didn’t matter much in truth.

The reward I received from helping him in Sichuan was related to this.

‘The third space of the Blue Moon Vault.’

Yu Chun-gil had offered me the treasures he said were stored there.

When I doubtfully asked if it was really money, he assured me that I would definitely like it.

‘I really can’t trust it.’

Still, nothing the old man had given me so far was useless, so I was also here on a whim.

‘… It better not just be junk.’

I was already plenty worried about the Divine Spear issue; if I got nothing worthwhile here, I wouldn’t take it lying down.

*Clang.*

I opened the door before me and entered.

It was a familiar space. I had been here once before.

‘It’s closed.’

The space was closed, just like the last time I was here.

『Just go in the same way as the second time.』

As soon as I arrived, Yu Chun-gil’s words reached me. Listening to them, I took out my sword.

*Screech.*

With a sharp sound, the divine sword appeared.

Being a dark iron sword, it absorbed the darkness and appeared even darker.

The light from the Moon Eye in my eyes flickered. As I scanned the wall, I found its location.

Seeing it, I immediately twisted my waist.

The Moon Wave spread out, splitting the wall.

*Swish!*

*Clang-clang! Clang!*

As the sword qi brushed past the wall, the mechanism activated, and the wall opened.

This, too, was the same as last time.

I entered through the opened door.

It was the second hidden space.

“… How many of these spaces are there?”

『Well… how many… one, two… ah, there are five.』

“… Five?”

Were there really five hidden rooms?

“What could be so important to hide so many…?”

『Well, a cool guy always has many secrets.』

“… How do we get to the next room?”

I cut straight to the point before he could say more nonsense.

『Tsk.』

Yu Chun-gil clicked his tongue, seemingly displeased with my reaction.

Then, he let out a chuckle.

『Try finding it yourself.』

Ah, damn it.

“Here we go again. This guy.”

Couldn’t he just tell me all at once?

That mischievous look on his face was truly irritating.

『Where’s the fun in simply telling you?』

“What fun could there possibly be here. If you promised to give it, just give it already.”

『Yes, I said I would give it. But I didn’t say I’d tell you how to get it.』

“Wow. That’s petty.”

『… What did you just say?』

It seemed I had to figure out how to get to the third room.

‘Just like last time.’

He constantly pretended to joke around.

‘But it’s obvious he’s testing me.’

It wasn’t just a simple prank, there was a clear intention behind it to assess me.

Moreover, Yu Chun-gil wasn’t even hiding it.

‘Tch.’

I clicked my tongue. However, ‘The next step is…’

He seemed to be about to challenge me again. When Yu Chun-gil uttered things like this, ‘It’s because it’s something I can do.’

Whatever it was, he was assigning it to me because it was something within my capabilities.

This time was no different.

I closed my eyes briefly.

It was necessary to think.

‘He deliberately hid the spaces.’

No matter how many hidden spaces there were, the fact that Yu Chun-gil hadn’t mentioned them wasn’t because he didn’t want to give them to me.

‘Then there’s only one reason.’

It’s because I couldn’t open them yet.

Even if I knew where they were, the odds were clear that he hid them because I couldn’t reach them.

‘What about now?’

That was the past, but why did he mention the third space now?

It’s also obvious.

‘I couldn’t do it back then.’

But now I can.

If.

‘What’s changed after returning from Sichuan?’

There were many things if I were to list them, but there were two significant ones.

One was reaching the peak.

The second was.

‘This is it.’

*Suuuu!*

Energy spread from dantian.

The Blue Moon Mind Technique’s qi flowed through the blood points and permeated my skin, surging over my shoulders.

A beautiful and luminous energy.

I controlled it, then channeled it through my sword.

Then.

*Huaaa!!!*

『Hahaha!』

With Yu Chun-gil’s laughter, the third power of the Blue Moon Sword Dance, the sword aura of the Radiant Moon Slash, emerged.

“… Sss…”

I steadied my breath and opened my eyes.

The Radiant Moon Slash was a sword aura that emitted light. Thus, it burst through the pitch-black darkness to illuminate the surroundings.

It was different from seeing with Moon Eye.

As I examined the brightened space here and there.

“… It’s over there.”

I moved toward one of the walls.

Approaching, I used the illuminated sword aura as a light.

Then it became clearer.

In the past, I hadn’t seen the long vertical line.

As I adjusted my posture, the sword was raised skyward.

The sword aura trembled, leaving a trace.

When that trace momentarily halted.

I applied strength without hesitation.

The Blue Moon Sword Dance. Second movement.

Night Moon (夜月).

A stroke across the night.

The sword moved, trailing the sword aura along the traced line.

At that moment.

*Clang!*

*Chirr!!!*

Sound of mechanisms whirred somewhere.

I turned my head to the sound.

A new door had appeared directly behind me.

『Hahaha! You’re a madman!』

Watching this, Yu Chun-gil burst out with a hearty laugh.

… Was that a compliment or an insult…?

I couldn’t quite tell.

TL’s Corner:
Grandpa’s a menace, he’s got that dawg in him.