The World’s Greatest is Dead

“Sister…?”

Chun Hye-In appeared suddenly.

Looking at her, Chun Uijin swallowed hard.

“Hello?”

Chun Hye-In waved at him with a gentle smile, a gesture that anyone else might find beautiful.

But unfortunately, for Chun Uijin, it was a sight filled with terror.

“Shall we have a chat?”

“…”

Thump-…! His heart pounded fiercely.

Cold sweat already drenched his entire body.

“Huff… huff…”

His breathing grew rough, and dizziness started to cloud his mind.

Chun Uijin felt like he was going to vomit. Barely holding back his nausea, he stared at his sister.

‘It’s blue.’

A sign and proof that the Blue Moon Mind Technique had completely merged with her body.

The technique spread through her body and even colored her eyes, creating blue pupils.

Chun Hye-In possessed the Moon Eye, and Chun Uijin dared not look directly into them.

She was like the sea.

The feeling that simply looking at her might pull him in, leaving no escape.

Feeling this, Chun Uijin bit his lip.

“… What brings you here?”

He forced out the words, his emotions barely contained. He surprised himself.

In the past, he wouldn’t have been able to meet her gaze, let alone speak without trembling. But now, it was different.

‘… Have I improved?’

His breathing and mental state remained troubled, but it was better than before.

Had he grown? Had he finally improved, even just a little?

“Huh?”

“…!”

Chun Hye-In’s puzzled reaction made his insides churn once again.

Instinctively, Chun Uijin avoided her gaze.

Seeing this, Chun Hye-In chuckled lightly.

“Why ?, is it so strange for a sister to visit her brother?”

She spoke as if it was the most natural thing in the world, but Chun Uijin could only bite his lip inwardly.

‘Don’t make me laugh.’

Sister and brother? It was laughable.

She never once considered him her brother.

It was utterly shameless.

Whether she knew his thoughts or not, Chun Hye-In walked over and stood in front of him.

“Brother.”

“… Yes.”

“I heard something interesting happened in Anhui?”

“…”

Chun Uijin swallowed hard at her words.

“Someone targeted you, didn’t they?”

His skin crawled.

‘How can a human…!’

How can she be so brazen and shameless?

He had to clench his teeth as he looked at Chun Hye-In.

He had heard that it was Chun Hye-In who had instigated his bodyguard, Pung Yun.

To speak so nonchalantly without a change in expression…

Chun Uijin feared her deeply.

“You look terrified.”

“…”

“Were you that scared? Didn’t I tell you?”

Chun Hye-In slowly approached him.

“Brother.”

Her azure eyes scanned him.

“Trust no one.”

Her laughter squeezed his heart.

“I clearly warned you.”

“…”

“Why didn’t you listen to me… It’s truly baffling.”

Chun Uijin’s clenched fists tightened.

“… How can you be so shameless?”

“Hmm?”

Chun Hye-In tilted her head at his words.

She acted as if she didn’t understand.

“I didn’t refrain from reporting you out of fear alone.”

“…”

Chun Hye-In’s eyebrows knitted together at his words. Chun Uijin hesitated for a moment but didn’t stop.

“… Because I intend to defeat you without resorting to such tactics. That’s why I didn’t include it in the report.”

“Hmm.”

Chun Hye-In smiled faintly, her eyes narrowing at his words.

“So, what you’re saying is… that I’m the one who instigated your useless guard?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know.”

Chun Uijin’s face twisted with bitter resentment.

“You’re repulsive.”

“…”

Hearing this, Chun Hye-In smiled again.

“Brother, it’s fine if you think that way, but do you have proof?”

“Are you trying to test me?”

“Interpret it however you like. There wouldn’t be any evidence left anyway.”

“…”

She was right. There was no proof that Chun Hye-In had incited Pung Yun.

He was dead, and Chun Hye-In was not someone who would leave such evidence behind.

No evidence existed. Knowing this, Chun Uijin ground his teeth hard once again.

“You’re still the same.”

Chun Hye-In smiled at him impassively.

“Still useless. No different from before.”

“…!”

At her mention of the past, Chun Uijin’s expression changed drastically.

“It’s been years, and yet you still can’t move on from that place—”

“Shut up…!”

Chun Uijin shouted.

“At the very least… if you’re human… you shouldn’t talk about that time.”

“…”

His voice, strained by the force of his shout, cracked and split. It was the typical trait of someone who had never raised their voice.

That’s why Chun Hye-In found him pathetic.

“You, still floundering and unable to escape from that place, plan to defeat me?”

It wasn’t even worth laughing at.

“You probably think you can.”

“… How can you speak so carelessly?”

“How could I not know?”

Chun Hye-In sighed.

“The reason you went to Anhui alone and didn’t report it to the Sect Leader or anyone else… it’s because of that, right?”

“…!”

Upon hearing her words, Chun Uijin clamped his mouth shut.

“Big sister was curious about what you gained from there.”

Chun Hye-In adjusted Chun Uijin’s clothes as she spoke.

“Surprisingly, it was Grandpa’s Full Moon.”

“…”

Chun Hye-In spoke as if she already knew everything. As her words continued, Chun Uijin grew increasingly terrified.

“Who could it possibly be…”

Chun Hye-In pondered aloud.

“Who wouldn’t inform Father or me, but would only tell you… Who exactly is this mysterious person?”

“…”

“Hmm… It’s something this sister really can’t understand.”

The moon gradually rose higher in the sky.

It shone upon both Chun Uijin and Chun Hye-In.

“Even though you’re the least trustworthy and most pathetic, who would give you such valuable information?”

“Ugh…”

“Well, even if they exist, it doesn’t really matter.”

Her attitude suggested that she could handle it regardless.

“Brother, did you say you want to beat me?”

Chun Uijin didn’t answer.

However, she already knew his answer.

“So, you brought that person along?”

“…”

That person.

There was only one person Chun Hye-In could be referring to.

Bang Sung-Yun.

Chun Uijin tensed up at the mention of Bang Sung-Yun from his sister’s lips.

“To make him the next Blue Moon Sect Leader in my place?”

That hit the mark.

“So, if that were the case, how exactly would you expect me to promote you?”

Chun Uijin’s expression twisted bitterly as he asked.

“… Why?”

“Because if that’s really your goal, then I would be utterly disappointed in you. Though, of course, there’s hardly any room for further disappointment.”

“…”

“He’s an amazing individual. If you brought him, it would potentially be one of the few good things you’ve done. But you see…”

Chun Hye-In’s face moved closer to Chun Uijin’s.

“To think that the best you can do is to find someone to win in your place, is there anything more pathetic and worthless?”

The words became a sharp sword, piercing through Chun Uijin’s body.

“Brother, you are not that person. No matter how much you want to be like him, you can’t.”

He knew it.

He was well aware that he and Bang Sung-Yun were entirely different beings.

“If you’re dreaming, I hope you wake up soon. You’re only making yourself miserable.”

“… I have never thought that way. And even if you say so, I have no intention of listening to you.”

“Is that so?”

At Chun Uijin’s response, she smiled softly.

“Then that’s a relief.”

Saying that, Chun Hye-In turned her back to Chun Uijin.

“Well then, struggle as much as you want. I hope you can reach me. Because then…”

Without turning her head, Chun Hye-In continued.

“Mother would be happy in heaven.”

After finishing her words, Chun Hye-In started to walk away, disappearing from sight.

“…. Ha-!”

Chun Uijin stood quietly, staring at the place where she vanished.

“Ugh-!”

Suddenly, he collapsed, starting to retch.

“Ugh…”

His face turned pale, and his body trembled, indicating his desperate state.

“Heeh…”

It was painful. Even while suffering, his bloodshot eyes remained fixed on where Chun Hye-In disappeared.

‘You are not that person. No matter how much you want to be like him, you can’t.’

Chun Hye-In’s words kept echoing in his mind.

“Damn it…”

Bang!

He struck the ground hard. His hand bled from the impact, but Chun Uijin didn’t care.

“Damn it… Damn it…”

More than pain, it was the feeling of misery that overwhelmed him.

It was the emotion directed at himself who did nothing until Chun Hye-In vanished.

“… How on earth…”

How could he escape from this feeling of hopelessness?

He pondered endlessly, but no answer came to mind.

As Chun Uijin swallowed his misery and tried to calm his emotions.

“….”

Chun Hye-In, who had been leaning against a tree nearby, shifted her gaze.

She had been watching her brother, but now she fixed her eyes on the void.

Quietly staring into the darkness, Chun Hye-In spoke.

“Senior.”

-Yes.

A voice came from that place, surprising indeed, but she already knew that someone was there.

“It seems the ones supposed to guard that child sold me out…”

Speaking those words, Chun Hye-In looked extraordinarily cold.

“Could you investigate what happened?”

***

It was just past morning.

I woke up, quickly washed, and stepped outside.

As soon as I came out, I looked at the place where I had been staying.

‘Today is the last day, isn’t it?’

The guest lodging provided by Blue Moon Sect. Today was the last day I would be sleeping there.

It couldn’t be helped.

‘Since I joined the Small Moon Division, I have to move.’

Now that I officially belonged to the Blue Moon Sect, I could no longer stay in the guest lodging.

Accordingly, I had to move to the place where the Small Moon Division gathered.

There weren’t many belongings to pack, so the move itself would be easy, but…

‘What a shame…’

Even so, leaving behind such a nice place didn’t feel good.

It was a place where I lived alone. How wonderful and pleasant it was.

“…. Damn it.”

I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to stay longer.

But, no matter how much I wished, there was no way.

『Hah, look at you, so sentimental about a mere house.』

Yu Chun-gil, who was following me, remarked disdainfully.

“You don’t understand, Grandpa… The yearning for a home that young people have.”

『It’s not even your house in the first place.』

“It could have become mine if things went well.”

『… How exactly should things go well?』

“Never mind. You wouldn’t understand me anyway.”

『I don’t particularly want to understand either.』

Waving my hands carelessly, I continued walking.

Despite losing my lodging due to joining the Small Moon Division, I had heard some good news from Small Moon Path last time.

‘Luckily, even as a sect member, training attendance is voluntary.’

Others might be enduring tough training now.

But I wasn’t. Although I had concerns about it, after hearing the explanation, it seemed Small Moon Division members were expected to manage themselves, so there wasn’t any group training.

Thanks to that, it didn’t matter if I ran during the day or slept.

『No one would have guessed… That such a crazy person would join the Small Moon Division.』

“I never intended to. I was forced, so at least some consideration should be given.”

『… Sigh.』

It seemed Grandpa didn’t like that I neglected training, but…

I felt this was unfair for me too.

“Who said I wouldn’t train at all? I do have things to do.”

『… That’s why I remain still.』

“Don’t just keep your mouth shut, also keep your eyes off. That’s more important.”

『Tsk.』

Yu Chun-gil reacted dissatisfied.

Ignoring him, I kept walking.

Though I told the old man, I had a purpose for this trip now.

Since I had to leave for Sichuan soon, there was something I needed to ensure.

‘I caught Chun Uijin, now one person remains.’

Other than Chun Uijin, there was one more person to accompany me to Sichuan.

I had roughly talked to him before, but hadn’t finished the conversation due to busyness.

So, I was moving now to wrap up the discussion.

At that moment.

『I’ve thought about it, and I still don’t understand.』

Yu Chun-gil spoke.

“What don’t you understand?”

『Why must it be that guy? There must be more capable people.』

“Ah.”

Why did I choose that guy as my companion?

Yu Chun-gil seemed unable to comprehend that.

Well, this time the companions were purely my choices.

Usually, Sect Leader Virtuous Moon Sword would decide, but…

‘Because it was a wager.’

A reward gained from a duel with Seom Chun-Gyeong.

I used it for this mission.

For the Sichuan trip, I would bring the ones I wanted.

Virtuous Moon Sword allowed it, on the condition that I take at least one person from Small Moon Division.

‘I didn’t mind.’

It actually suited me.

After all, there was someone else I wanted to join besides Chun Uijin.

“I don’t need others. It must be him.”

『… Why?』

“I don’t want any accidents; I wish to have a smooth trip.”

『What…』

“Ah, there he is.”

Though Yu Chun-gil still seemed puzzled, I ignored him and kept walking until I reached my desired person.

“Good morning, senior.”

At my greeting, someone swung their sword, paused, and looked at me.

“…”

A young man with a serious face and brown hair.

Unlike Chun Uijin or myself, his looks weren’t particularly handsome, but he appeared manly.

Well-built muscles and tall stature.

He wore the martial robe symbolizing the Small Moon Division.

Until I joined, he had been the youngest member of the Small Moon Division, Do Hyung.

“I came to continue our conversation from yesterday. Do you have time?”

I looked at Do Hyung with a smile.

He was the one to accompany me to Sichuan after Chun Uijin. Or more precisely…

‘I chose him for what was attached to him.’

Behind the smile, I looked past Do Hyung.

Something was faintly hovering behind him, watching me.

It was a ghost, but not simply so.

Definitely not an evil spirit either.

Such beings couldn’t be compared to this.

Attached to him was something ensuring luck, wealth, fame, and health: a mighty spirit.

Otherwise known as…

A Guardian Spirit.