The World’s Greatest is Dead

The World’s Greatest is Dead – Chapter 45

In the midst of the tranquil atmosphere, everyone had their eyes on Bang Sung-Yun.

“… Uh…”

“…. This… what is this…”

Only after some time did reactions come.

As they barely regained their composure, they started to react one by one with trembling eyes.

“Senior Sung-Gyeong lost…?”

“No way… Senior brother lost? To that young…?”

Those who were in utter shock quickly closed their mouths. They couldn’t speak rashly. There was doubt in everyone’s eyes.

It was unavoidable. Even though they had seen it, they couldn’t believe it. The match had lasted only a few exchanges. Although Seom Sung-Gyeong followed up tenaciously, Bang Sung-Yun had only used his sword twice, once at the beginning and once at the end.

This meant that he had incapacitated Seom Sung-Gyeong with just two moves.

How could this be possible?

Even seeing it, they couldn’t grasp it.

‘… How.’

The Small Moon Division Leader who had been watching, was no different.

‘He shattered Moon Wave.’

Seom Sung-Gyeong had used a feint to disrupt the connection of movements, then took advantage of the gap to use Moon Wave. Moon Wave was a powerful and quick horizontal slash that required quite a bit of twisting at the waist. This was likely his method to buy the execution time.

‘It was a good choice.’

From the Small Moon Division Leader’s perspective, it was a sound method.

Thanks to it, Sung-Gyeong was able to perform a more refined sword path, clearly an efficient action.

‘What on earth did he do?’

The Small Moon Division Leader couldn’t understand how Bang Sung-Yun had countered it.

More precisely, he didn’t understand the method Bang Sung-Yun had employed.

‘He shattered Moon Wave.’

Just as Seom Sung-Gyeong was unleashing his sword technique, Bang Sung-Yun swung his sword.

‘And then?’

Moon Wave was shattered.

He didn’t counter the technique or deflect it.

‘He really shattered it.’

He broke it as it was.

At the moment when the technique took its flow, Bang Sung-Yun raised his sword, completely breaking Seom Sung-Gyeong’s stance.

‘How is that even possible?’

Not before the flow started, but after it was already in motion.

The waist was half-twisted, and the sword ki had blossomed. Shattering it with an upwards strike? This was something that could hardly be achieved even with an overwhelming gap in prowess.

Perhaps, if it were him, he might achieve it without much difficulty.

‘For that young man to do it…’

Was Bang Sung-Yun overwhelming in power compared to Seom Sung-Gyeong?

The Small Moon Division Leader thought that wasn’t the case.

No matter how he looked, Bang Sung-Yun’s state was lower than Seom Sung-Gyeong’s.

Then, what exactly had happened?

It wasn’t hard to figure out. It was just hard to believe.

‘… Without using unnecessary force, predicting every movement.’

Whatever Seom Sung-Gyeong intended.

Whichever movement he made, Bang Sung-Yun predicted them all and moved half a step to a step faster.

If power and speed never connected, they were meaningless.

If the force couldn’t be received, it was deflected.

And even the sword that should have hit didn’t.

This was a fundamental level of flow recognition every martial artist should possess.

‘At that age?’

A young man not even reaching his twenties.

Even without proper combat experience or outstanding prowess, for a martial artist to achieve this was beyond reason.

Yet Bang Sung-Yun had achieved it.

What could this be called?

The answer was already known.

‘Overwhelming talent.’

A brilliance so towering and radiant that it rendered experience and prowess meaningless.

‘… Is it possible…?’

Was that young man really carrying it?

It was unbelievable and he didn’t want to believe it. But, “…” the Small Moon Division Leader couldn’t deny it. Hadn’t he seen it with his own eyes?

Moreover, it wasn’t just him.

All the members who had just witnessed the sparring match were speechless.

They also knew.

They knew the value that Bang Sung-Yun had just demonstrated.

At that moment.

“Do I have to keep doing farce?”

Bang Sung-Yun broke the silence and spoke to the Sect Leader.

The Small Moon Division Leader quickly looked at the Sect Leader.

The Virtuous Moon Sword was looking at Bang Sung-Yun with a peculiar gaze.

‘…This isn’t good.’

Seeing this, the Small Moon Division Leader sighed internally.

Though the Virtuous Moon Sword seemed indifferent on the outside, the Small Moon Division Leader knew better.

This was the calm before the storm.

The storm could break out at any moment.

That was the exact state of the Virtuous Moon Sword right now.

Just a little more, just an inch further, and it would be the end.

The Small Moon Division Leader felt uneasy. If the Sect Leader he knew exploded here, it would be beyond repair.

“Bang Sung-Yun.”

He called out to Bang Sung-Yun. Bang Sung-Yun nodded and looked at the Sect Leader.

“I need to ask you one thing.”

“Make it quick, I don’t have much time.”

“Ugh!”

“What insolence!”

Everyone around gasped at Bang Sung-Yun’s response.

How could he speak to the Sect Leader like that?

All eyes were on Virtuous Moon Sword, but he remained expressionless.

Seeing this, the Small Moon Division Leader had a sinking feeling.

‘Is it already too late…?’

Judging by the reaction, it seemed too late, but the Small Moon Division Leader hoped desperately that it wasn’t.

“The technique you just used, was it ‘Night Moon’?”

Bang Sung-Yun let out a small laugh at the question.

“It doesn’t look like… does it?”

His trailing off was a bit odd, but before anyone could further ponder, Virtuous Moon Sword continued.

“It was quite different from the known ‘Night Moon’. Was it a martial art left by the Elder?”

“…!”

The reaction to this was intense. The martial art left by the Sword Saint.

All eyes focused on that part.

Yet.

“Hah.”

Bang Sung-Yun burst into laughter upon hearing the question.

The Virtuous Moon Sword frowned.

“What’s so funny?”

“How can it not be funny… Ah, if you didn’t mean for me to laugh, then I apologize.”

Bang Sung-Yun waved his hand nonchalantly. What was this? Had he always had such a personality?

“It’s just a bit humorous.”

“Humorous?”

With his increasingly disrespectful remarks, even Virtuous Moon Sword’s voice began to carry emotion.

“Seek to become the endless moon.”

At Bang Sung-Yun’s words, the Virtuous Moon Sword closed his mouth again.

“That’s the creed of the Blue Moon Sect that I… No, the great and magnificent Sword Saint Yu Chun-gil had said, isn’t it?”

“Correct.”

“Then, if you know that, why ask this?”

This time, the Small Moon Division Leader frowned at Bang Sung-Yun’s words.

He couldn’t understand what he meant.

“No matter the movements, no matter the sword path, that’s not what’s important. What’s important is…”

Sreeeak! Bang Sung-Yun spun the sword he was holding half a turn and sheathed it.

Clang.

“By which moon will you illuminate yourself with your sword? That’s what’s important, isn’t it?”

“……”

Bang Sung-Yun’s words brought silence. The thoughts in everyone’s minds varied greatly.

Most eyes were filled with surprise, but within them, feelings of discomfort and confusion were also palpable.

Sensing this, Bang Sung-Yun, no, Yu Chun-gil, smiled.

There were indeed things that remained unchanged, no matter how much time passed.

“Was that a satisfactory answer?”

“…… Yes.”

Among the audience, Virtuous Moon Sword looked at Bang Sung-Yun with especially astonished eyes.

His blue eyes, which had started off calm, began to surge.

Seeing this, the division leader of the Small Moon Division group let out a silent sigh.

‘This is…’

It was too late. That was certain.

“So, is there anything else you need?”

“No.”

Virtuous Moon Sword responded.

“It’s enough. I acknowledge my mistake. My judgment was wrong.”

Virtuous Moon Sword laughed, causing the surrounding martial artists to jolt.

Especially Chun Hye-In, who looked at her father with thoroughly amazed eyes.

“You’ve passed.”

“Mhm.”

Bang Sung-Yun nodded at Virtuous Moon Sword’s statement, almost as if he had anticipated it from the start.

“Is this satisfactory?”

Muttering something under his breath, Bang Sung-Yun’s head suddenly drooped.

After a brief moment, “Ah.” Bang Sung-Yun lifted his head again and looked at the collapsed Seom Sung-Gyeong.

At that instant,

“…… What a sight.”

Bang Sung-Yun mumbled something incomprehensible.

Normally, people might have paid attention to what he said, but not now. Not in this situation.

Everyone was too overwhelmed to pay attention to anything else, caught in the whirlwind of recent events.

In this storm, Bang Sung-Yun had defeated a member of the Small Moon Division, thereby joining it.

He was only eighteen years old, the youngest in the history of the Blue Moon Sect.

* * *

After the duel with Seom Sung-Gyeong and regaining my body, the first emotion I felt was singular.

‘Amazing……’

Truly amazing.

Throughout the duel, I was filled with admiration. Not only did he dodge that chaotic swordplay with my slow and fatiguing body, but…

Everything that happened during the duel was utterly astounding.

As soon as I returned to my quarters, I had to ask Yu Chun-gil directly.

“What exactly was that……?”

Neither the victory in the duel, nor the new sword technique he displayed…

Not even the fact that I had defeated a member of the Small Moon Division mattered at this moment.

Only one thing occupied my mind.

“How is that even possible, or rather, visible?”

『Hmph.』

Yu Chun-gil scoffed at my question. Although I normally would have found it infuriating, I had to let it slide this time.

『Kid, didn’t I tell you?』

Yu Chun-gil laughed.

『Back then, if you could only endure, a new world would unfold before your eyes.』

“……”

I couldn’t say another word.

I couldn’t deny it. Yu Chun-gil was right.

During the duel, a new world had opened up to me.

Therefore, it was even harder to believe.

“…That’s why I am asking.”

How on earth…

“How can you see all the sword paths?”

The countless sword paths that unfolded during the martial arts duel.

I couldn’t forget that scene.

In other words, to Yu Chun-gil’s eyes, using my body, all of Seom Sung-Gyeong’s sword movements were visible.

『Isn’t it miraculous?』

“…Yes.”

How could it not be miraculous?

Watching that, Yu Chun-gil avoided Seom Sung-Gyeong’s attacks.

Every single one of them, with the smallest of movements.

Not even my clothes were grazed by so many sharp sword attacks.

How could such a thing happen? It was the question I wanted to ask throughout the entire duel.

To see all of the opponent’s sword paths.

There was no other impossibility like this.

In response to my question, Yu Chun-gil answered.

『It’s the blooming of the Moon Eye.』

“…Blooming?”

『Yes, it means that the Blue Moon Pill has properly settled in your body.』

The Blue Moon Pill that I ate in the place he called the snack warehouse.

Was it because of eating it just once that this happened?

“…Was the Blue Moon Pill that great?”

『Of course, it is no less than the Blue Moon Pill.』

“No…”

Unlike the Grand Transformation Pill or the Rejuvenation Pill, which yielded vast inner qi when consumed.

Did it really make the opponent’s attack routes visible?

“Where is the logic in that? Then, does everyone who consumes the Blue Moon Pill become like this?”

『Uh…hmm…』

Yu Chun-gil paused momentarily at my question. What was that about? So it’s not true? Then why me?

As the series of questions turned into skepticism.

『Well… yes, that’s right.』

Yu Chun-gil gave a rather hesitant reply.

What kind of reaction was that?

“Grandpa?”

『Of course, it is great! That’s why it’s a sacred pill only the Sect Leader consumes.』

“…”

I was glaring at Yu Chun-gil because it seemed like a hastily added explanation, but the latter part bothered me, so I let it go for now.

Indeed, when I thought about it, it made sense.

“…A sacred pill only the Sect Leader can consume.”

They said the Blue Moon Pill could only be consumed by the reigning Sect Leader.

‘Wait a minute…’

Recalling up to that point, I had another question.

Though, upon reflection, something seemed odd.

“But Grandpa.”

『Oh, what is it?』

Yu Chun-gil seemed to realize I had caught onto something, his reaction was flustered.

“If the Blue Moon Pill can only be consumed by the Sect Leader… What about the Virtuous Moon Sword?”

『Huh?』

“He must have had it too, right?”

『Ah, that?』

Yu Chun-gil sighed in relief. It seemed this was not the question he had anticipated. What exactly did he think I was going to ask?

“Since the next Sect Leader must also consume it. Was there more of the sacred pill…”

『What you consumed was the last one.』

“…What?”

『Originally, the Sect Leader should have consumed it, but I had stolen it. So, what you took was the last one.』

“So, the Virtuous Moon Sword didn’t get to consume it?”

『It appears so. Ha ha ha. They’re probably still frantically searching for that Blue Moon Pill. Ha ha ha! Sorry about that!』

I sighed deeply, covering my face.

“Don’t laugh like you’re enjoying this. You old man…”

It was another secret that should never be revealed throughout my life.