The World’s Greatest is Dead

The wind howled and raged. It felt as if I was swept away by a torrent of water.

Every expression that could describe roughness fit perfectly.

That was my current state.

‘Damn it…’

Caught in a storm, my body trembled. And it was a storm made of energy.

My mind flickered and my body couldn’t move.

I barely clung to a sliver of consciousness.

It felt like if I slacked off even for a moment, I would lose it. It really felt like being in the midst of a storm.

‘Shit…’

What on earth was going on?

I didn’t know the reason but was just hanging on desperately.

‘Damn geezer.’

What? The energy explodes? If you can’t withstand it, you’ll die?

Why did he say that after giving it to me?

‘This is why I…’

This was why I never dealt with evil spirits.

I couldn’t afford to think about any of those things and had to focus my mind.

Gugugugu–!!!

The gale grew stronger.

The energy inside me surged everywhere. Was this what they meant by an explosion? It was an apt description.

The energy storming inside my body never stopped, and instead, it increased its rotation speed as time went on.

Moreover,

‘It’s so damn painful.’

It felt like my body would tear apart.

So this is what happens when such a large amount of energy moves so quickly.

I really wished I didn’t have to know such a fact.

‘How am I supposed to withstand this?’

Not only was the intensity growing stronger, but I also didn’t know how long I had to endure, which made it even more torturous.

But if I lost focus?

‘If I lose focus, I’ll die.’

It wasn’t just a scare tactic. I knew it all too well because I could feel it.

‘If I lose this, I’ll die.’

If I lost it, the swirling energy would stop rotating.

When the rotation stopped, the energy would have nowhere to go.

When that happened.

‘It’ll be released.’

My body wasn’t made to contain such gathered energy, so it would break out explosively.

It wasn’t an exaggeration; I really felt like my body would explode.

Even though I had never experienced or studied such a phenomenon, I knew it instinctively.

This kind of energy was something you couldn’t help but understand innately.

‘Of all things, an explosion…’

I had wanted to live until I was old and senile, but getting entangled with an evil spirit and dying like this was unacceptable.

But,

‘What should I do to avoid death?’

Kugugugugu—!!!

What could I do in the midst of increasingly potent energy?

I was barely hanging on now, but if it grew any stronger, it would be over.

Truthfully, it was already precarious.

‘Damn it.’

What could I possibly do? If the energy leaked or spread even a little, it would be the end.

The moment a gap formed, the energy would instantly rush out, so what should I do?

At that moment.

『You seem to be in trouble.』

I heard Yu Chun-gil’s voice.

『Do you need help?』

So, was it your intention not to help this whole time, you bastard?

『Judging by the flinch, it seems you’re cursing at me.』

His perception was still sharp. Then surely, he knew what I needed right now.

『Hmm.』

Yu Chun-gil let out a brief sigh.

『What should I do?』

He spoke as if contemplating.

Is he insane?

‘Contemplating?’

I was on the brink of death, and this man was contemplating?

If I die, you’ll perish too.

There were so many things I wanted to argue but couldn’t say.

Kugugung-!

‘Eek!’

I almost screamed amidst the intensified rotation. It meant I was on the verge of death.

No, if I stayed like this, I would die anyway. I needed to figure out a way to survive.

‘So just tell me if you’re going to! Hurry!’

While enduring the ordeal with all my might, I waited for Yu Chun-gil’s instructions.

『Very well.』

Yu Chun-gil spoke cheerfully as if he had made a decision.

『Since I have something to verify, try to overcome this by yourself.』

‘This lunatic.’

It was a ridiculous statement.

To endure this alone? You might as well just tell me to die.

‘Does that old man even care, in the end?’

He had asked me to find the one who killed him, but in reality, it didn’t seem to matter much to him.

If it did, he wouldn’t approach it like that.

‘Maybe I should just give up.’

As I was starting to feel weary and thought about giving up everything—

『Instead, I will give you a bit of advice.』

The old man said.

『I’ve already told you the method. You can figure it out on your own.』

‘…….’

He had already told me the method, and he believed I could figure it out?

Again.

‘Another riddle.’

Why was he constantly trying to make me realize things on my own? I didn’t understand.

‘Just tell me the answer, damn it. What…….’

What did that old man expect from me?

If he wanted me to resolve his grudge, it would be quicker to just proceed straightforwardly. I couldn’t understand why he used such roundabout methods.

It felt almost like…

‘Is he trying to train a disciple?’

Was he really trying to train me as a disciple?

‘It’s absurd.’

Training as the Sword Saint’s disciple, even as a ghost’s disciple after death?

It made no sense. There must be more willing candidates out there.

‘Not me.’

It was clear that this life would place me at the eye of a storm.

I wanted to live calmly like a spring meadow, not a life fraught with chaos.

So.

‘I’m ending this quickly and getting out.’

I was only thinking about ending this life quickly.

I ground my teeth and recalled Yu Chun-gil’s words.

‘You already know the way.’

The statement that I knew how to subdue the energy.

I pondered it incessantly, coming up with several methods.

‘…Should I forcefully gather it in the dantian?’

The method of gathering all the energy into the dantian was discarded as soon as I thought of it.

‘It’s impossible to control.’

If I could have done that, I would have already. With this amount of energy, it was unmanageable.

Attempting to control it carelessly would be dangerous due to its uncontrollable nature.

‘Then what other method is there?’

Slowing the rotation gradually?

‘…’

That was discarded too. The rotating force was too strong to intervene.

‘Damn it, then what am I supposed to do?’

I didn’t have a clue about handling this energy.

Having barely reached the status of a second-rate martial artist, and even this qi wasn’t originally mine but was suddenly embedded in my body.

It was clear I hadn’t had the time to get accustomed to it.

To make that storm slow down with such an energy?

‘Ridiculous. Now, speeding it up might be another matter…’

Huh?

‘Wait a minute.’

Not slowing it down but speeding it up instead?

Speeding it up?

It felt like a dull weapon struck my head.

‘… The essence of the Blue Moon Mind Technique surely.’

Was to let it float naturally on its own.

The moon rises on its own at night without any interference.

‘… This.’

I focused my mind.

I felt like I understood something.

『Ho?』

I pushed my inner qi into the storm.

Not with a sense of stuffing it in, but to let it sweep along with the storm.

By doing so.

Sssssssss—!!!

Instead, it accelerated.

I wondered what would happen if I couldn’t control it and it exploded, but honestly, it was already do or die.

As I made it that way, the qi started to spin madly as if it had been waiting.

‘Grrr.’

I almost lost my grip on what I was holding due to the greatly increased speed, but somehow, I managed to hold on.

Then it became visible.

The insanely fast qi became instead a clean shape.

Because it was so fast that it couldn’t escape or explode anywhere.

Raising the speed to that level brought an inexplicable sense of stability, forming a perfect sphere.

A sphere imbued with a blue light.

It was like.

‘The moon.’

It felt like the moon rising in the sky.

At that moment.

Whooooosh—!!!

The storm cleared, and darkness arrived.

Only the moon remained in the night sky.

‘What is this?’

Why is it so tranquil? It felt like swimming in the night sky.

What kind of sensation is this? It’s so unfamiliar. Feeling like swimming in the sky. Moreover, ‘What is that…’

The night sky unfolded. Before me, a giant moon was visible.

It was the bright, shining Blue Moon.

So beautiful and bright. It even felt close by.

Unconsciously, I reached out my hand.

Hoping I might touch it.

Before my outstretched fingers could touch the moon.

Wooooooooong—!!!

The gigantic moon started vibrating like crazy, and before long, it rushed toward me.

“Uwah!”

Startled, I opened my eyes.

My cross-legged posture collapsed, and I fell over.

“Huff… huff…”

I breathed harshly and looked around. It was the same warehouse I had come to earlier.

My body was soaked. I had broken out in a cold sweat.

『Keekeke.』

I heard laughter.

『Look at that.』

Yu Chun-Gil was looking at me.

『Didn’t I say you could do it?』

“…”

Did I really do it? I widened my eyes at his words.

Did I actually endure it?

I had questions in my eyes when.

『Look at your hand.』

At Yu Chun-Gil’s words, I raised my hand and looked at it.

“… Huh?”

My eyes widened like lanterns. It was inevitable.

Blue light was swirling around my hand.

“What is this…”

『Congratulations.』

Without understanding the situation, the old man congratulated me.

『You’ve harbored the moon within your body.』

“…”

It was incomprehensible.

* * *

I dragged my staggering body and barely made it up.

Fortunately, the dwelling was quiet.

Did no one come? I had to hope so.

“… Haa… huff…”

As soon as I got up, I laid my body flat on the floor.

All my muscles were screaming in pain, making it unbearable.

While panting heavily and staring at the ceiling.

『Tsk-tsk. What have you done to be so exhausted already?』

Yu Chun-gil had addressed me as if he pitied me.

I didn’t even have the strength to respond.

“Sigh… gasp.”

I let out a deep sigh and covered my mouth with my hand.

As I exhaled, blue smoke flowed out along with my breath.

It had been like this from earlier. Smoke kept escaping of its own accord.

『Don’t worry. It will calm down by tomorrow.』

Yu Chun-gil said this with a smile upon seeing it.

If possible, I wanted to punch that cheerful face.

But before that, no matter how tired my body was, I had to ask.

“What have you made me eat…?”

What in the world had I consumed? What had I eaten to end up in this state?

『Didn’t I tell you? It’s the Blue Moon Pill.』

“That’s not what I’m asking.”

Damn it, every time I talked, smoke came out, making me look ridiculous.

“Why am I breathing out smoke…?”

『Hah, doesn’t it suit you because it looks strange?』

“Are you joking?”

I was serious.

“I ate it because you said it was a rare pill, but I almost died, and it hardly increased my energy.”

That was what infuriated me.

After such a harrowing ordeal, my physical energy was hardly different.

Where had all that intense energy gone?

If the only thing I gained was the ability to breathe smoke, I wouldn’t let it slide.

“What is it that you’re trying to do to me…?”

『Blue Moon Pill doesn’t increase energy like other rare pills.』

Yu Chun-gil interrupted.

There was a certain seriousness in my eyes.

“So what does it do?”

『If I were to explain its effects, it would be more accurate to see it as a seed.』

“A seed?”

『Yes, a seed. A seed has been planted in your mind technique.』

“What kind of ghostly nonsense is that?”

『Hmm.』

Seeing me struggling to understand, Yu Chun-gil slightly changed his explanation.

『To put it simply, it makes your mind technique deeper and stronger.』

This made it much easier to comprehend.

“So all that energy went into strengthening my mind technique?”

『That’s correct.』

“All of it? Even that plentiful amount?”

『Yes, indeed.』

“Damn it.”

『… You have no idea how significant this is….』

“Significant or not, it’s useless to me right now.”

It still ticked me off. I needed more usable energy than an enhanced mind technique at the moment.

I had consumed the pill for that reason in the first place.

“At this rate, it’s all for nothing….”

Even if my mind technique had improved, how much better could it be?

I could barely swing my sword once before collapsing.

“After all this suffering, I end up breathing smoke and only gain a stronger mind technique? What a cursed life.”

I couldn’t help but sigh. Did I really have to live like this? Feelings of self-deprecation continued to rise.

At that moment.

『Child, it seems you don’t understand. This is not a “small” matter. Didn’t I tell you? A new world would open up for you.』

“Are you saying the new world involves breathing out smoke?”

『No, not that….』

Yu Chun-gil groaned as if frustrated by my words.

『Just you wait. You’ll soon realize how significant this is.』

He declared with absolute confidence.

“… Yes. Let’s hope so.”

It had to be that way.

“If not, I’ll really overturn everything.”

If there wasn’t something significant, I wouldn’t let this go out of sheer frustration.

* * *

While grinding my teeth and thinking like that…

It didn’t take even a day to confirm whether the old man’s words were true.

“Insane….”

I thought as I looked at the warrior lying before me and the gazes pouring in from all around.

“…Incredible.”

The old man was right.

As Yu Chun-gil had said, a new world had unfolded before me.

And it was a very blue and very vast world indeed.