The World’s Greatest is Dead

“…….”

I froze, staring at the woman sitting in front of me.

Those unsettling blue eyes, I had seen them before.

She was exceptionally beautiful, but she had an aura that made one not want to look at her for too long.

‘Moonlit Delight.’

Among the Seven Geniuses, she was known as the genius of geniuses: Moonlit Delight Chun Hye-In.

Chun Uijin, the child of the Sect Leader like her, was also looking at me.

Chun Uijin seemed startled, his eyes widened in surprise as he stared at me.

Chun Hye-In looked at me with a curious gaze.

And then…

‘Unbelievable.’

I was the most surprised of all.

‘What are they doing here?’

I couldn’t comprehend why the Chun siblings had appeared here.

As I looked at them with a bewildered expression, Chun Hye-In spoke to me.

“Do you enjoy starting from the bottom?”

“……Pardon?”

“No, I was just curious about your intentions for starting as a third-class disciple.”

“What do you mean……”

I trailed off, looking around. That’s when I realized it.

The other people who came in with me, all around the same age, were staring at me with wide eyes.

Instead of focusing on their reactions, I looked at the clothes we were wearing.

‘……They’re the same?’

The third-class disciples were all wearing clothes identical to mine.

Only after noticing this did I understand the situation.

I had asked for some clean clothes and received what turned out to be the robes of the third-class disciples.

So, the person in front of me had mistaken me for one of them and led me here?

Once I grasped the situation, I narrowed my eyes.

Meanwhile, Chun Hye-In, who had been watching me silently, suddenly smiled.

“If that’s not the case, then what is it?”

She had spoken informally last time, but now she was using honorifics.

At that moment, as Chun Uijin seemed to understand the situation, he tried to intervene urgently.

“No, Bang’s consent……”

“Be quiet. Your sister is talking, isn’t she?”

“……”

Chun Hye-In’s quiet warning made Chun Uijin clamp his mouth shut.

“If you’re trying to act out a play, I can help. Do you want my help?”

“What do you mean by help?”

I asked for clarification, at least.

“Anything.”

Chun Hye-In maintained her smile, but that smile made me feel extremely uncomfortable.

With a low sigh, I spoke.

“That’s not it. I just ended up like this and wanted to have a meal.”

“A meal? A meal……”

Chun Hye-In tilted her head, looking somewhat puzzled.

“Why aren’t you eating at your residence?”

“…….”

Judging by her reaction, it seemed bringing food to the residence was the norm, but how did I end up here? I was just as curious.

‘……Wait.’

Mid-thought, I stroked my chin.

Could it be…?

‘Is this also someone’s intention?’

Was someone deliberating giving me the third-class disciple’s clothes?

Was not bringing food to the residence also part of a plan?

Could someone have orchestrated all these events? That thought crossed my mind suddenly.

‘It’s ambiguous.’

Piecing everything together felt somewhat uncertain.

Nonetheless…

“I suppose there’s been a misunderstanding, so let me apologize first.”

Honestly, it didn’t seem like my fault, but I decided to quickly apologize and make my exit. Staying any longer wouldn’t do any good. So, I tried to get up and leave.

“Don’t go. Didn’t you come here to eat?”

Chun Uijin grabbed my hand, stopping me.

“Since you’re here, why don’t you eat with us?”

His actions prompted reactions from those around us. They seemed surprised by Chun Uijin’s behavior. I pondered for a moment.

‘Should I just break free and leave?’

After momentarily deliberating, I reached a conclusion.

Thud.

I sat back down in my seat. This was my answer, and it made Chun Uijin smile.

* * *

“Today is the day the new 3rd-generation disciples join.”

Listening to the chatter, I took a bite of my food. To be honest, the food was delicious. Compared to the Anhui branch, it was like heaven and earth.

“On days like this, the 2nd-generation disciples from the Blue Moon Sect usually come to see the new recruits, and today just happened to be one of those days.”

“I see.”

I responded vaguely, feeling full. Just as I was about to take another bite,

“Oh, you don’t find it strange?”

Chun Hye-In remarked. Only then did I look at her.

“What do you mean?”

“That the 3rd-generation disciples are unusually old, or why my brother and I are 2nd-generation disciples, things like that.”

“Ah.”

It suddenly made sense; it was just trivial talk. So, I took another bite. Oh, did I eat a bit too much? My throat felt blocked.

I quickly drank some water from my glass to swallow the food.

“Whew….”

After wiping my lips with the back of my hand, I looked at Chun Uijin and said,

“What’s so strange about it?”

“People usually find it odd.”

She was still smiling, quite irksomely.

“But it seems you don’t.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Why not?”

“Do I need to explain my reasons?”

“In that case, good. It’s enjoyable to get to know someone, right?”

I see. This made it all the more certain.

‘This one’s crazy.’

She was crazier than I had thought. The more we talked, the more apparent it became.

‘Honestly, I wanted to leave this instant, but…’

I had already eaten and filled my stomach. I could have just left, but I didn’t.

‘Not yet.’

Not yet. There was still something I needed to find out about Chun Hye-In. So, I decided to tolerate her a bit more.

“Whether it’s strange or not, it’s already well-known, so there was no need to mention it.”

“Hmm.”

Chun Hye-In showed interest as I started speaking. It was unclear whether her interest was genuine or not. It was that frustrating feeling unique to people whose emotions were difficult to read.

“When the Blue Moon Sect selects its disciples, they go through a lengthy training process before they are accepted as disciples.”

Unlike most sects, which admit 3rd-generation disciples at a very young age to learn martial arts, the Blue Moon Sect only grants the title ‘disciple’ to those who have properly mastered the Blue Moon Mind Technique.

When Chun Hye-In referred to new 3rd-generation disciples earlier, she meant those who had met that condition. Additionally,

“The reason you’re a second top disciple is simply because you’re the Sect Leader’s disciple.”

The current Sect Leader, Virtuous Moon Sword, was technically a 1st-generation disciple. So it wasn’t strange that Chun Hye-In and Chun Uijin, being his children and disciples, were 2nd-generation disciples. If there was something peculiar to point out here…

‘Why did a 1st-generation disciple rise to the position of Sect Leader?’

But that was also a pointless question.

At first, it seemed odd to compare the Blue Moon Sect with other sects.

“The leader of the Blue Moon Sect is always the strongest martial artist.”

The condition to become the leader of the Blue Moon Sect was to be the strongest martial artist who had awakened their Moon Eyes.

This meant that,

“The Virtuous Moon Sword is currently the strongest in the Blue Moon Sect.”

This was something I knew for sure.

‘When I mentioned this, the old man’s laughter did bother me a bit.’

When this was brought up, the previous leader, Yu Chun-gil, laughed out loud at my words. When asked if he disagreed, he said it was half right and half wrong.

‘What kind of half-baked answer is that?’

It was an incomprehensible response.

Anyway, the Virtuous Moon Sword, as a first-generation disciple, became the leader. His disciple, Chun Uijin, naturally took the second-generation disciple position.

“Have you been studying hard?”

Chun Hye-In grinned, apparently pleased with my answer.

I glanced downward. She hadn’t taken a single bite of her food.

“Of course, I must study.”

I also raised the corners of my mouth and spoke.

“Sometime in the future, I will have to lead, so I must prepare in advance, don’t you think?”

“……!”

Sshhh.

With just a word, the previously quiet restaurant became eerily silent. The previously faint sounds of chopsticks and people’s breathing disappeared. It seemed no one failed to grasp the meaning of my statement.

“Oh my.”

Chun Hye-In broke the silence.

“I didn’t think you were like this…… you have more ambition than I expected.”

Swooosh. She moved her hands as she spoke. She picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks and shoved it into her pretty lips.

Crunch.

The food had a crunchy texture, and the noise resonated inside the unusually quiet restaurant, making it all the more pronounced.

After finishing her bite, she added, looking at me,

“Are you confident?”

Still smiling, but with a strange glint in her eye.

It was chilling. I narrowed my eyes while watching her.

‘Something about her is off.’

What could it be?

It wasn’t just the Virtuous Moon Sword; her very humanity differed from Chun Uijin’s. How could siblings be so different?

Moreover,

‘Where have I felt this sensation before?’

There was a familiar vibe when looking at Chun Uijin; it was a feeling from somewhere…

‘Ah.’

Indeed, someone similar was around.

‘She resembles the old man.’

The evil spirit hovering around me. She bore a resemblance to Yu Chun-gil. No, it wasn’t that pronounced, but there was a subtle similarity.

It wasn’t that they shared the same dirty impressions or nasty tempers, but the unique aura was very much the same.

‘A sense of not wanting to get involved.’

It was the kind of innate warning that associating with her would ruin your life.

Hiding my discomfort, I spoke.

“Confidence, huh….”

I nodded at a deliberate angle.

“That’s not very necessary….”

Meeting her gaze directly.

“It doesn’t seem that difficult.”

“…….”

“Does Miss Chun need confidence to even lift her chopsticks?”

Chun Hye-In’s eyebrows furrowed at my words. I meant that ascending to the position of Sect Leader was no more of a task than eating with chopsticks.

At that moment.

“……Ha ha. This is just too much.”

Chun Hye-In brushed her face with her hand, her hair swaying gently.

‘The atmosphere has changed.’

In that short moment, the mood had completely transformed. The smile that had long vanished was now replaced by something much more serious. To be honest, it was terrifying.

『Hahahahaha-!』

Meanwhile, the old man chuckled, finding something amusing.

‘Interesting.’

I genuinely found it interesting. With the change in her gaze, the entire atmosphere in the restaurant shifted as well.

The third-generation disciples were sweating nervously, busy observing the situation. The second-generation disciples frowned, apparently displeased with what I had said. Taking a deep breath, I assessed the situation.

‘That should be enough.’

I had gathered what I needed from Chun Hye-In’s reactions and attitude. If I wanted to grasp even more from this encounter, now was the time.

Screeech-!

I stood up from my chair. Chun Uijin, who was beside Chun Hye-In, looked at me. I decided to ignore the gaze for now.

“I don’t think there’s anything more to say, so I’ll take my leave first. I have a lot on my plate.”

Tap tap. I patted Chun Hye-In’s shoulder a couple of times with my hand.

“Enjoy your meal.”

At this, her eyes narrowed aggressively. As I was about to walk past lightly,

Swish-!

Someone blocked my path. My view was completely obstructed by a rather large figure.

“Your attitude is excessive.”

Hearing the voice, I looked up, having to crane my neck to see the person’s face.

“Who?”

“I am Hong Kyung, the second-generation disciple.”

“Oh, I see.”

I asked with a smile, “So, what’s your business?”

“…… Even though you are an esteemed guest of our sect, your remarks were excessively rude.”

“Mm.”

Is that so? That could be the case. I glanced over at Chun Hye-In.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend.”

I apologized without hesitation and then turned back to Hong Kyung.

“Is that sufficient?”

“…… Huh……?”

“I’m leaving.”

I tried to sidestep and move past again.

“What are you doing right now……!”

Hong Kyung, unable to contain himself, grabbed my arm. Internally, I had to strive hard not to laugh.

‘Enough.’

I had to suppress the urge to laugh involuntarily. I checked the arm that was grabbed, then hardened my expression as I looked at Hong Kyung.

“No matter how much of a guest you are, this is a blatant disrespect to the Blue Moon Sect……!”

“Listen, I might not know much, but.”

I interrupted.

“Is this sect’s usual manner of addressing their master uncle (師叔)?”

“…… What?”

Mentioning the term sasuk made Hong Kyung hesitate. Seeing my clueless expression made him grit his teeth.

It was as if he was struggling to suppress his emotions.

Maintaining that demeanor, I spoke to Hong Kyung.

“Hong Kyung, second-generation disciple. You should know who my master is, right?”

“……!”

Mentioning my master made Hong Kyung’s expression change immediately.

As I had mentioned before, Chun Hye-In was a second-generation disciple because she was a disciple of Virtuous Moon Sword.

So then.

“I am the successor of the previous Sect Leader, Sword Saint Yu Chun-gil.”

Knowing that I was a disciple of the Sword Saint, Virtuous Moon Sword’s teacher, what did that make me?

The answer was simple.

“A disciple of the Blue Moon Sect.”

If we delve further.

“You must show respect to the elders of the main sect.”

Since I was in a sibling-like relationship with Sect Leader Virtuous Moon Sword.

In other words, a mere second-generation disciple didn’t even have the right to meet my gaze.

TL’s Corner:
Move bitch, get out the way.