The World’s Greatest is Dead

It felt warm.

It was the kind of weather that made that thought come naturally.

‘Nice.’

Sunlight embraced the entire street.

The sky was exceptionally clear without a single cloud, lifting one’s spirits just by looking at it.

It was my favorite kind of weather.

Beautiful? Sure, that was part of it, but not all of it.

‘Usually, when the weather is this good, ghosts lose their strength.’

The clearer the weather, the weaker the beings living in the shadows become. That was why I liked clear skies.

On days like this, I could walk comfortably through the streets.

Without any worries. Without anyone’s gaze.

For me, days like this were rare pockets of comfort.

‘Tsk.’

But I wasn’t completely at ease now.

It was probably because of the woman walking in front of me.

An expert of the Seven Geniuses.

Chun Hye-In.

She had come to find me early in the morning, insisting on leading me somewhere.

She wouldn’t take me to a strange place.

I heard we had an itinerary, so she must be taking me to the destination.

She wasn’t incompetent enough to cause trouble in such a situation.

‘Anyway…’

Ignoring Chun Hye-In for now.

‘Where on earth is that old man?’

The disappearance of the evil spirit, who was usually always chattering by my side, was unsettling.

‘What’s going on?’

He had been bothering me in my dreams all night, but now that I was awake, the culprit was nowhere to be seen.

Where had it disappeared to?

Had it really just vanished?

‘No way. It must be plotting something again.’

I would have been grateful if it had truly disappeared, but that old man definitely wasn’t the type.

It was surely scheming something from behind.

‘Sigh.’

A sense of unease crept over me. What was it doing? I couldn’t understand.

‘Always so unpredictable.’

Should I just run away now? As I pondered this, I glanced at Chun Hye-In. It wasn’t intentional. She was just in front of me, so I happened to look.

‘… Hmm…’

For some reason, I kept watching her walk.

Her steps were delicate as if she were gliding.

It was a stark contrast to my sloppy gait.

‘Not the usual walk of an ordinary woman.’

There seemed to be a fluid pattern within it.

No, rather than a pattern…

‘Control and restraint. Or maybe discipline.’

The feeling of complete command over one’s body. It was the unique gait of martial artists who had reached a certain level through arduous training.

Something naturally accumulated from painstaking practice.

‘Interesting.’

That thought crossed my mind.

Because of that, I kept watching her movements.

As I said earlier.

‘Really disciplined.’

Her breathing was steady. To keep it from breaking, she took deep breaths.

Was she breathing with her abdomen? Using diaphragmatic breathing rather than chest breathing because her dantian was located there?

Her steps were not only constant but also precise.

Because of that, her arm movements were the same.

So, when the legs moved, did the arms naturally follow?

Or.

‘Is it because the breathing technique based on her waist makes it seem like she has good balance?’

I couldn’t quite discern that. A third-rate nobody… No, now that I was merely a second-rate warrior, how could I understand the forms of experts?

However,

‘If I can see the patterns, it’s not hard to memorize them.’

It was intriguing.

I had never closely observed a so-called expert like this before.

‘There have been quite a few recently…’

But I had never focused this much. I never felt the need to.

However,

‘This is fun.’

Watching her seemed quite enjoyable.

At that moment.

“Do you have a preference for backs?”

Chun Hye-In, who was walking ahead, spoke to me without turning her head.

Hearing that made me swallow a bit nervously.

She had caught me looking.

“I apologize.”

I straightforwardly apologized. There wasn’t any excuse I could offer.

Then Chun Hye-In slightly glanced my way. A hint of surprise was in her eyes.

“I didn’t expect you to apologize.”

“I was momentarily lost in thought. I wasn’t watching on purpose.”

“I see.”

Chun Hye-In resumed walking quietly, seemingly unbothered.

It felt a bit peculiar.

‘What’s this?’

Earlier, she seemed to be trying to tease me or gauge me with various expressions.

Now, she walked without speaking and showed no expression.

She had been like this ever since we met right after I changed clothes.

Maybe the argument inside was the problem? If so,

‘That’s fine for me.’

From my perspective, it was best to continue quietly.

So, we walked in silence again.

‘Walking like that, Chun Hye-In sure knows how to walk.’

Would it be different if it were an expert far superior to Chun Hye-In?

A sudden thought crossed my mind.

‘An exceptional expert…’

Thinking about it, there was also Virtuous Moon Sword and Small Moon Division Leader.

‘… Superior.’

If not them, but someone overwhelmingly higher.

From my perspective, only one person came to mind.

Even though he was unlucky and had a nasty temper, he was respected as someone incredibly strong.

‘Hmm.’

I nodded my head slightly, thinking about it.

‘Should I give it a try?’

At that time, my thoughts were light-hearted.

* * *

A place built on a rather high hill within the Blue Moon Sect came into view.

It was a location not easily accessible to outsiders or even to the disciples of the Blue Moon Sect.

The only people allowed to enter were the Blue Moon Sect Leader and a few elders.

Besides them, only the martial artists belonging to the Small Moon Division could come and go.

Small Moon Path.

As the name suggests, it was a place created solely for the members of the Small Moon Division.

A place that only those who have embraced the moon among the elite of the Blue Moon Sect could enter.

It was treated with such extreme secrecy that not even the Elders could come and go without proper qualifications.

Right now, in Small Moon Path, those who possessed such qualifications were gathered, waiting for someone.

A man sitting in the highest seat quietly whispered.

“He’s late.”

His words made everyone around stop in their tracks.

“Late on the first day, how could this be?”

The feeling that he was suppressing his anger with a grinding voice was genuinely terrifying.

The individuals inside, the martial artists of the Small Moon Division, were all focused on the man’s reactions.

They had no other choice. Apart from the Sect Leader, Virtuous Moon Sword, no one dared to act recklessly around this man.

He was the leader of the Small Moon Division and, except for Virtuous Moon Sword, the most powerful martial artist in the Blue Moon Sect.

The Small Moon Division Leader.

He was frowning, waiting for someone.

“Sigh…”

Letting out a deep breath, the Small Moon Division Leader pressed his forehead.

There were many things to say, but what could actually be spoken was limited.

‘Damn it.’

How did it come to this? The Small Moon Division Leader genuinely wanted to ask that.

Suddenly, the Sword Saint’s successor appeared and caused havoc in the Blue Moon Sect.

That the Sword Saint’s successor had joined the Small Moon Division.

And to top it off, he was the latest person on his first day.

How on earth did things escalate to this point?

The Small Moon Division Leader was genuinely curious.

Suppressing a sigh, the Small Moon Division Leader looked to his side.

“…Du Seong.”

“…Yes, division Leader.”

A man named Du Seong responded immediately to the Small Moon Division Leader’s query.

“What happened to Seom Sung-Gyeong?”

He was inquiring about the absent Seom Sung-Gyeong, and Du Seong replied.

“He has no physical issues, but due to the aftermath of the spar, there’s a problem with his qi and blood flow. He’s resting now.”

“…”

A problem with his qi and blood flow? The Small Moon Division Leader understood the implication as soon as he heard those words.

‘It seems he’s succumbed to inner demons.’

It appeared that an incident had occurred related to his mental state.

Indeed, since he had been defeated so thoroughly by a youngster almost like a nephew, it was natural for him to be in bad shape.

“Understood. Provide a more detailed report later regarding this matter.”

“Yes, sir.”

The Small Moon Division Leader withdrew his gaze and stared at an empty seat.

One seat was vacant due to the events of the previous day.

‘This isn’t good.’

Given that there was already a shortage of personnel due to recent incidents, the situation was not unfolding favorably.

‘…What on earth is the Sect Leader thinking?’

Although it was not the time to look elsewhere, the current Sect Leader seemed more interested in Bang Sung-Yun than this matter.

‘…Really.’

Things were terrible beyond imagination.

The fact that the Sect Leader was intrigued indicated that the youth had shown enough value.

‘…Of course, there’s some truth to that.’

He had to admit it.

Recalling the spar, he had no choice but to acknowledge it.

The presence Bang Sung-Yun had shown definitely had significant value.

But,

‘Even so, I can’t accept it.’

Even if Bang Sung-Yun were an individual of great worth, the Small Moon Division Leader couldn’t accept it.

‘Arrogant and insolent.’

Though it didn’t appear that way, Bang Sung-Yun undoubtedly had that aura.

‘The Sect Leader said it was not insolence but confidence, not arrogance but a form of expression, due to his worth.’

The Small Moon Division Leader found it difficult to agree with such thoughts.

‘Especially when he’s late on his first day?’

Not just late, it was outright tardiness.

It was indeed ludicrous. Just how low did he regard the Blue Moon Sect to dare take such actions?

‘Does he truly believe he can compare with the Elder?’

Calling himself the Sword Saint’s successor, did he think he had become the Sword Saint himself?

The man was already irksome, but with the situation as it was, he was even more so.

Despite all the irritation, he still dared.

‘How dare he join the Small Moon Division?’

To enter the very division he was in charge of.

‘…….’

The eyes of the Small Moon Division Leader shone coldly. He thought it was rather fortunate.

‘No matter who you are.’

Within the Small Moon Division, he was the law.

‘If you dare to show such arrogance here.’

No matter how the Sect Leader reacted, he wouldn’t stand idly by.

As he made his resolve, “Division Leader. Junior sister Chun has brought Bang… the new recruit.”

A member who attempted to call the name paused and changed his words. It appeared he was unsure how to address him.

Upon hearing this, the Small Moon Division Leader rose.

“Let them in.”

“Yes.”

So, he’s here.

‘I will make you regret this.’

If he saw even a shred of pretext, he wouldn’t hold back.

This time, for his tardiness, he would make him cry.

He would make him beg to be let out.

With that resolve steeled, the Small Moon Division Leader awaited Bang Sung-Yun.

Step.

Footsteps echoed from beyond the hallway.

Step.

Getting closer to the door.

Creak.

The door opened, and a person walked in.

The first to enter was Chun Hye-In.

As soon as he saw her, the Division Leader was about to shout.

“You bastar…!”

No, he was about to.

But the Small Moon Division Leader couldn’t utter a sound.

“……!”

Because his body stiffened the moment he saw Bang Sung-Yun following behind.

Step.

Bang Sung-Yun, who walked in after Chun Hye-In, finally revealed himself.

As soon as they saw him, not only the Division Leader but also everyone else in the room widened their eyes.

Bang Sung-Yun, who appeared in the Small Moon Division’s uniform, was different.

With his hands clasped behind his back, standing straight with a proud chest, his slow, deliberate steps and a breath that gave no sense of movement, exuding silence.

Added to his calm, lowered gaze and the atmosphere, the surroundings were instantly overwhelmed.

All he did was make an appearance.

He merely appeared in the room.

Yet, somehow, it felt like sharp swords were aiming at their backs.

A sensation they had never felt until just moments ago. From his very gait to the fineness of his movements, everything had changed.

‘How….’

How could he exude such an aura?

Had he been hiding his strength all along?

Various thoughts crossed his mind, but the Division Leader couldn’t take his eyes off Bang Sung-Yun.

Arriving late.

Trying to use this as an excuse to discipline him because he didn’t like him.

The Small Moon Division Leader remembered none of this now.

‘How could….’

From Bang Sung-Yun, he could see a glimpse of the Sword Saint’s presence.

And with that realization, the Division Leader had to swallow.

TL’s Corner:

It seems Bang Sung-Yun has Eidetic Memory