The World's Greatest is Dead - Chapter 18
Namgung Sung raised his trembling body with quivering hands.
He must have been hit quite hard since he could barely breathe properly.
“Ugh.”
Had he used his inner qi, he might have blocked it somehow. But it was such a sudden attack that he couldn’t manage even that.
“Cough.”
He spat out a cough and bit his lip. He wanted to spit on the ground, but there were too many onlookers. Namgung Sung forcefully swallowed his saliva and glared ahead.
“……You…… dare…….”
Bang Sung-Yun, who had heard him, smirked.
“Your gaze looks so similar. A spitting image.”
Who was he talking about? Whatever it was, it wasn’t important now.
“……Lying and then attacking? You vile bastard……! And you call yourself a warrior!”
He shouted, veins bulging in his neck. Bang Sung-Yun scratched his ear with his pinky finger.
“The fool is the one who believed it.”
“You–!”
Namgung Sung moved his body, about to roar again.
Slam-!
A sword struck down where Namgung Sung had been standing. Bang Sung-Yun had acted. The spectators’ mouths dropped open.
“Donkey Roll……? The Young Azure Sword just executed a Donkey Roll?”
“Unbelievable…….”
Namgung Sung had rolled on the floor instinctively to dodge the sword.
His ears turned red from embarrassment because everyone had seen it.
‘Damn it.’
To stoop to such a disgraceful act. His clenched fist trembled.
‘That damned bastard……!’
The shame that welled up inside him quickly turned into rage.
“You roll on the ground quite fittingly.”
His pride was trampled. Namgung Sung’s face twisted.
“There’s no need to be so shy. What’s a little shame if you avoided it? Isn’t that what’s important?”
“Shut up.”
He gritted his teeth and raised his sword. Thanks to dropping his pride, he had managed to create some distance.
Namgung Sung glared at Bang Sung-Yun with eyes ablaze and spoke.
“I swear…….”
His hand trembled slightly from the force he put into gripping his sword.
“I’ll make you crawl on the ground, no matter what it takes.”
“Oh.”
Bang Sung-Yun, hearing this, chuckled.
“That’s quite an entertaining promise.”
In this prolonged bloody chaos, could that hot-headed brat accomplish what no one else had? The old man wearing Bang Sung-Yun’s guise genuinely looked forward to it.
* * *
The Sword King, his father and the family head, spoke to Namgung Sung.
‘Do you know what’s most important about the Namgung Family’s swordsmanship?’
It was the day he had perfectly executed a sword technique for the first time and was praised.
Namgung Sung answered the question.
‘Speed.’
The family head nodded in satisfaction.
‘Correct. Speed.’
The Namgung Family’s swordsmanship was based on quickness.
It seized the upper hand and subdued the opponent with rapid movements.
It was said that the Lightning Sword, who had led the Namgung Family’s golden age, was so fast his movements couldn’t even be seen.
‘We proceed faster and loftier than anyone else toward the pinnacle. That is both the Namgung Family’s swordsmanship and our spirit. In that sense, speed is indeed the answer.’
The Namgung Family’s spirit. Namgung Sung listened to those words attentively.
At some point, Namgung Sung realized that it was a position he was destined to inherit and gain.
The Sword King, seeing Namgung Sung like this, added with a chuckle.
“However, Sung. There is something you should know.”
“I am listening.”
“Just because you’re fast, doesn’t mean you can beat the slow.”
Namgung Sung widened his eyes. It was a statement he couldn’t understand. How could speed not overcome slowness?
Perhaps seeing the confusion on Namgung Sung’s face, the Sword King opened his mouth as if he felt regretful.
“You don’t understand, do you? Of course. But it’s a path you must realize someday.”
“Is that what you just said…?”
“Exactly. If possible…”
Why?
“I hope you realize it before it’s too late.”
Why did that memory surface at this moment?
Namgung Sung couldn’t understand.
Thud-!
“Ugh.”
Seeing the tip of the sword bounce back, Namgung Sung clenched his teeth. Stepping back half a step, he reestablished his sword stance and rotated to the left, moving his waist.
With a shiver, the sword described a circle and gathered strength. His target was the chest. He swung his sword aiming to strike there.
But,
Whoosh-!
Just before the sword reached its destination, it sliced through empty air once again.
“Damn it!”
How many times has this happened already? It easily exceeded twenty times. Namgung Sung attacked, and each attack failed.
Thud!
He stomped the ground with all his might, driving his lower body as he followed up with consecutive sword strikes. It was the Namgung family’s sword technique, the Boundless Azure Sky Swordsmanship combined with the serial sword technique.
He squeezed in six strikes in a short interval.
This time, at least one should hit. Wielding his sword with that hope.
Thud-! Thud, thud thud-!
Four out of six strikes were blocked, and the other two were completely evaded.
Seeing this, Namgung Sung cursed inwardly.
“Why on earth?”
How could it be?
“Why can’t it reach…!”
Why couldn’t his attacks land? Namgung Sung couldn’t understand.
Why couldn’t his sword touch that guy?
“Why…? I’m faster than him.”
It was evident from their brief exchanges. That guy, Bang Sung-Yun, was slower than him. Not just in speed. He overwhelmingly surpassed him in strength as well.
Despite being superior in both strength and speed.
“Why on earth…!!”
Why couldn’t his sword even graze that guy? No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t understand.
It was inconceivable.
“Ugh.”
No matter what, he would make it. Namgung Sung stubbornly swung his sword. He did so again. The sword path continued through his hand, giving Namgung Sung a brief moment of vitality.
It was a clean and perfect strike, even in his eyes. So, this time, it had to hit. Confident, Namgung Sung’s sword ripped through the air.
The tip of the outstretched sword swiftly dove towards Bang Sung-Yun. And just as the sword was about to touch his neck.
Thunk-! Thud.
“Huh…?”
Suddenly, Namgung Sung’s sword dropped to the floor. As if he had seen a ghost, Namgung Sung glanced down at the sword that had fallen.
“This is… Ugh!”
Then, he grabbed his wrist and let out a groan. He felt a shock. It was tingling. His hand was trembling, which made it clear that the blow had hit bone. Did this mean he had been hit and dropped his sword?
He, himself?
Unable to believe it, Namgung Sung blinked in disbelief.
“Tsk tsk.”
He heard a short clicking of the tongue. Namgung Sung’s eyes moved from the wooden sword to Bang Sung-Yun.
“You said you’d make me crawl, but why are you floundering like this…?”
He placed the wooden sword on the ground and took on a slanted posture. It was an unrefined manner with no dignity.
“Now you’re even losing your sword. Are you that exhausted? Well, it’s true, showing off always takes a lot of effort.”
“… You bastard…!”
Namgung Sung’s face turned red at Bang Sung-Yun’s mockery. There was no greater insult.
However, the words that followed were even more problematic.
“Are you curious? Why doesn’t your sword reach me?”
“…!”
Namgung Sung clenched his mouth shut at the words that touched a sensitive spot.
“You look curious.”
Should I tell you? Bang Sung-Yun’s expression suggested as much. He indeed was curious. How could his sword be so powerless? He craved to know, but…
“Well, keep being curious.”
“… What?”
“My nature is kind and gentle, so I would have told you originally, but…”
Bang Sung-Yun placed the sword on his shoulder and narrowed his eyes.
“I’m not generous enough to teach someone like you.”
Saying that, Bang Sung-Yun looked at Namgung Sung.
At that moment.
“It’s sorcery…”
“Hm?”
“It must be sorcery. Otherwise, such a thing couldn’t happen.”
A buzz of qi surrounded Namgung Sung’s wooden sword.
Those who saw it reacted with shock.
-Sword qi!
-Insane. Sword qi…!
A fierce qi infused into the wooden sword.
It was the sword qi that could only be used after surpassing the peak.
Even with the sword qi drawn, Bang Sung-Yun merely chuckled.
“Sorcery, you say. That’s such a typical thing to say. As always, your family never admits anything easily.”
Everyone was the same. They only understood after a thrashing. It was an old tradition in the Central Plains. And it seemed that this young one was no exception.
“If it’s not sorcery… there’s no way I’d lose to someone like you.”
Whoosh-!
Namgung Sung held his sword and took a low stance.
He seemed ready to charge immediately.
“You must have used sorcery. Therefore, in the name of Namgung, I will punish you.”
Namgung Sung’s eyes glimmered with murderous intent. It seemed he wasn’t entirely sane.
It looked like he wanted to kill Bang Sung-Yun right then and there.
“… Ah.”
Bang Sung-Yun sighed while watching Namgung Sung.
“As expected.”
It was as if he had been hoping for this reaction.
“Your sword is too predictable, kid.”
Bang Sung-Yun.
No, Yu Chun-gil lowered his sword.
“I wondered what I’d do if you didn’t take the bait. Luckily, it’s not the case. Otherwise, I would have had to make excuses to this floundering bastard.”
Fortunately, it seemed that wouldn’t be necessary.
Yu Chun-gil looked at Namgung Sung’s sword qi and grinned.
It wasn’t bad at all.
Indeed, it was quite good.
‘Maybe I can mention the Lightning Sword from my younger days.’
Ignoring his nature, his talent was worthy of recognition. The sword qi seemed newly bloomed, yet it was remarkably polished.
“This is good.”
He felt pleased. Namgung Sung’s brilliant potential, his raging desire to kill him. The current situation, where he could wield the sword himself. Yu Chun-gil was pleased with it all.
‘I’m sorry for this kid, but I am truly enjoying this.’
He had thought he would never be able to do this again, but here he was accomplishing it. How delightful it was. At that moment, Yu Chun-Gil smiled, savoring the situation.
“Hmph!”
Namgung Sung, with a spirited shout, surged forward. His sword trajectory was similar to before, but the traces left in the air were different. Brilliant flashes of sword qi poured forth.
It was like a night sky spread out in broad daylight.
‘Good.’
Yu Chun-Gil moved his body, drawn to the scene. He did not erase his smile. Was it because the situation was easy? No, it was not. The sword qi was intense.
His wretched body would not even withstand a hit. If it were to touch him, his body would likely shatter. Nevertheless, Yu Chun-Gil walked forward.
Rumble.
His dantian stirred.
A mere speck of inner qi. It was the Blue Moon Mind Technique that he painstakingly implanted.
A negligible and frail amount, insufficient to even be called inner qi by any standard.
‘I can manage once.’
That alone was enough.
Swoosh.
Yu Chun-Gil’s sword moved. Compared to Namgung Sung, his motions were seemingly insignificant. One could not even sense anything from his wooden sword. Naturally, there was no sword qi, not even sword aura.
Expecting anything from a body that would be shattered by a single strike from Namgung Sung was futile. That was just how his body was.
Just.
‘The moon does not choose the ground it rises over.’
It was something only those who wished to cultivate something on the land would worry about. The moon always rose into the sky, without concern.
Buzz.
The blue eyes of Bang Sung-Yun, encapsulating Yu Chun-Gil, gleamed. He gradually stepped into the galaxy that Namgung Sung created.
The sword descended.
Namgung Sung’s wooden sword reached the tip of his nose. At that moment, Yu Chun-Gil’s sword traced the moon.
Blue Moon Sword Dance. First Form.
Moon Wave.
The moon aimed to cover Namgung Sung.
‘What?’
Yu Chun-Gil’s eyes widened.
For some reason, his vision dimmed. It was not that he was losing consciousness. A back came into view. Remarkably, it was Bang Sung-Yun’s back. This could only mean one thing.
『Damn it!』
The possession was undone. It meant Yu Chun-Gil was expelled from Bang Sung-Yun’s body.
Of all times?
Yu Chun-Gil’s eyes flared. The sword was already swung, too close for Bang Sung-Yun to evade. If this kept on, Bang Sung-Yun’s head would be shattered by the sword’s qi.
『No…!』
Yu Chun-Gil screamed, seeing the dire situation before him.
Crash!
“Guh…!”
『No way…!』
It was Namgung Sung, not Bang Sung-Yun, who screamed and was sent flying. He rolled across the ground, tumbling far away from the stage.
『What…?』
Yu Chun-Gil muttered in bewilderment. It was a situation where anyone could see that Bang Sung-Yun’s head should have been crushed by the sword qi since Yu Chun-Gil had been forced out.
Yet.
『… What did you do? How on earth…?』
Yu Chun-Gil looked at Bang Sung-Yun in disbelief.
“Huff… Huff… Huff…”
Bang Sung-Yun was catching his breath heavily. Yu Chun-Gil questioned him.
『You maintained the Blue Moon Sword Dance, didn’t you…?』
Bang Sung-Yun had traced the moon. And he had drawn the exact same moon as Yu Chun-Gil.