The World’s Greatest is Dead

Namgung Sung.

Seeing that guy made me frown.

‘This bastard?’

The Young Azure Sword, Namgung Sung. He was someone I had ties with.

Of course, it was more of a bad connection than fate, but we had a face-to-face acquaintance.

He was the one who had come directly to find me at the Murim Alliance Anhui Branch. During that process, friction arose, and I ended up fighting him.

That was probably the turning point. When my life started to change completely.

Yu Chun-gil defeated the Young Azure Sword, and from that incident, rumors began to spread.

At the time, it did not create much of an uproar, but it became the seed for whispers spreading slowly.

After that event, many things happened. Despite having gone through so much, not even a year had passed.

The time that had passed had been almost the length of three seasons.

It had been quite a while since I had seen that face.

‘So he came too.’

Well, considering that he was from the Namgung family, it was not strange for him to be at the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

I slapped away the arm he had grabbed me with and asked.

My voice became heated. I was already starving, and being interrupted was making me furious.

“… Ha…”

At my words, the guy let out a sarcastic laugh.

“What do you mean, what am I doing?”

His voice was edged with anger. Seeing that, something felt off.

‘What’s with this guy?’

He felt different.

‘Was he always like this?’

The Young Azure Sword I remembered wasn’t like this.

From my recollection—

‘He was someone who extremely cared about others’ eyes.’

What was with this attitude? Because of him, all the attention that was already being drawn was now entirely focused on us.

That meant every eye in this restaurant was turned in our direction.

“Are you asking because you don’t know? What my had life become because of you—!”

Even in such a situation, Namgung Sung was furious with me.

He was genuinely angry.

‘This guy.’

He had changed quite a bit. The Young Azure Sword I knew would never display such an attitude here.

No matter how uncomfortable and disliked it was, he would have acted, minding others’ gazes.

‘He doesn’t care about the eyes on him.’

He was desperate to vent his anger regardless of how he looked to others. This had to mean—

‘He experienced something after going back, didn’t he?’

It seemed like some incident had occurred after he returned.

It couldn’t be anything else.

At that moment.

I glanced at his hand.

It was moving.

His hand was reaching for the sword hilt.

‘Oh?’

No way?

‘Is he really going to draw it here?’

Was he really thinking of drawing his sword in such a crowded place?

It was nonsensical. No matter how crazy he was, the idea of drawing a sword in front of so many people was insane.

‘He must be out of his mind.’

I couldn’t understand it. That was the first reason I was surprised. The second reason was—

‘Why is it slow?’

The movement of Namgung Sung’s hand seemed unusually slow.

Slowly. Very slowly.

The action of his hand reaching for the hilt was entirely in my view.

Was Namgung Sung weakened?

Back when I had sparred with him, Namgung Sung’s sword was incredibly fast.

The swordsmanship of the Namgung Family, known for its speed and focused on swift sword movements, counted him among those acknowledged for his talent.

But his sword was surely fast back then.

‘It’s slow.’

It had slowed down. It appeared unbearably slow compared to back then.

If this was the case, it wasn’t that Namgung Sung had slowed down.

This meant.

‘He hasn’t gotten slower.’

I had gotten faster.

My perception had changed, and my skills had improved. That was why his sword seemed so slow to me now.

While watching his hand slowly reach for the sword, I narrowed my eyes.

The world had slowed down significantly.

In that slowed world, I seemed to be the only one watching his sword.

Feeling that, I focused on my eyes.

Wooong.

Fueled by energy, my eyes lit up.

‘The old man told me not to use it.’

The thing I gained through isolation training.

It seemed just right to use now.

‘Shall I give it a try?’

As always, decisions had to be quick.

Yes, deciding to wield the sword at that moment—

Thud.

‘Hm?’

Something intervened. A white hand.

Was it a woman’s hand? No, it wasn’t.

Its skin was white, but it was a man’s hand.

That penetrating hand was—

Clang.

“!”

“…… Huh?”

It intercepted the sword hilt that Namgung Sung was about to draw and instead grabbed it to sheath the sword.

And then—

“Little brother. Didn’t I tell you?”

Along with a gentle voice—

“Please refrain from doing anything so unnecessary.”

Smack!

He grabbed Namgung Sung’s head.

“You always disappoint this hyung. This time is no different.”

Bang—!!!

He slammed his head into the table.

“Ugh!”

Namgung Sung groaned, and the table where our party’s food was placed split in two.

Blood trickled down Namgung Sung’s forehead as he lay slumped.

It was an unexpected situation.

In such chaos, Do Hyung and Chun Uijin immediately moved.

They were about to draw their swords, but—

“Oh my! My apologies!!!”

The young man who had just smashed the table with Namgung Sung’s head kept bowing his head.

“I will pay double the cost for the table and food, so please, forgive us!!”

Continuously bowing his head, he rubbed his hands together, making a sound.

His pitiful appearance was enough to freeze Do Hyung and Chun Uijin, who had been about to draw their swords.

At that moment—

“Haa…”

Chun Hye-In, who hadn’t reacted, sighed.

“To think I’d see two undesired faces in one day.”

Her voice was filled with irritation.

The young man, bowing his head, lifted his eyes to look at Chun Hye-In.

Watching that, I opened my eyes wide.

‘This guy.’

The face he was awkwardly smiling with resembled someone’s.

It wasn’t necessary to guess who.

‘…… Namgung Sung?’

This guy had the same face as Namgung Sung.

Which meant—

‘This guy is…’

This young man was—

“…… Thunder Dragon. Still the same face, I see.”

Chun Hye-In voiced the answer instead of me.

‘So it is him.’

This young man’s name was Namgung Chun.

He was Namgung Sung’s twin brother and one of the Seven Geniuses.

However—

“Ah, Young lady Chun. It has been a long time.”

Watching Thunder Dragon, I felt an intense sense of strangeness. He looked identical to Namgung Sung, but his slyly smiling face and tone were entirely different.

“How many years has it been? Even though I’ve wanted to see you, it’s good to actually do so.”

“… I didn’t want to see you at all.”

“Oh……. You’re such a tease?”

He didn’t seem to care about Chun Hye-In’s words and chuckled heartily.

Then, he kicked the fallen Namgung Sung with his foot.

Thud!

He sent his brother flying far away.

It seemed he sent him flying to where the Namgung Family had gathered, and as soon as Namgung Sung landed, someone approached to care for him.

‘Ah.’

I recognized who it was. Her name was surely—

‘Was it Namgung Hyun?’

The cherished daughter of the Namgung Family, she was a year older than me.

Though helping Namgung Sung, she flinched when she saw me.

I paid her no mind.

Right now, I needed to focus on one person.

‘Thunder Dragon.’

The young man in front of me. He was the only one I needed to focus on.

“My younger brother seems to have caused some trouble. I sincerely apologize. Though he may be handsome, he still has some growing up to do.”

He looked exactly like himself and yet, adding handsome into the compliment seemed odd.

“I will compensate for any damages you’ve suffered, so wouldn’t you kindly forgive him?”

“And if I can’t forgive?”

Chun Hye-In asked. At her words, raeyong’s gaze turned towards her. Seeing that, my body tensed briefly.

His smileless eyes were colder than I’d expected.

They were cold enough to give a chill.

However—

“Hm……. Then.”

It seemed that was only momentary, as Thunder Dragon gave a troubled expression and continued speaking.

“What if I kneel… would that satisfy you?”

As he said that, he really bent down to kneel.

Seeing that, I quickly stopped him.

“…… There’s no need for that. It’s fine.”

“Oh, is that so? Thank you, young hero.”

No sooner had I stopped him than he straightened his body, as if he had been waiting.

Looking at me with a bright smile, he continued speaking.

“As expected of the hero who has been so famous lately. You have a wide heart.”

“……”

Hearing that, I grimaced.

‘How does he know?’

How did he know I was the Little Sword Saint? This guy had figured it out.

『Haha. Look at this fellow…….』

At this point, Yu Chun-gil spoke, looking at Thunder Dragon with curiosity.

『Even the fellow from the Peng Family, and this one too.』

His voice was filled with deep interest and surprise.

『Although I wondered how great it was for them to be praised as the Seven Geniuses—they certainly are respectable.』

It was a clear compliment.

『I was reminded of the Thunderbolt Sword—seeing this crazy guy, this Thunder Dragon.』

Comparing him to a crazy Young Azure Sword he meant? Then he changed the subject to Thunder Dragon.

『He’s far beyond that puny guy.』

A praise incomparable to the Young Azure Sword.

Was Thunder Dragon that extraordinary?

Come to think of it.

‘The way he neatly destroyed the Young Azure Sword was flawless.’

It was hard for me to even comprehend his movements.

It felt similar to when the Black Greatsword thrashed the Poison Dragon.

Which meant—

‘Thunder Dragon has that much strength, doesn’t he?’

Strength comparable to the Black Greatsword’s power, perhaps.

Thinking that, I was about to look at Thunder Dragon again when—

“…… Well… Young hero?”

This time, a voice came from above.

Everyone turned their heads in that direction.

“It’s good to be full of energy, but could you calm down a bit. If you cause any more trouble, I’ll have to report this.”

Two young men were sitting on the railing, looking down at us.

One had his hair neatly combed and wore a subtle gray robe, while the other wasn’t dressed as pristinely as the descendants of noble families and famous familie gathered here.

He looked as if he were wearing rags, as if anyone could clearly see that he might be a beggar.

Looking disheveled, with greasy hair, he certainly looked like a beggar.

Seeing him, someone said,

“Fighting Beggar Dog(鬪乞犬).”

Hearing this, I nodded.

‘That guy is Fighting Beggar Dog.’

Fighting Beggar Dog Oh Woonchu.

He was a beggar from the Beggar Sect and one of the Seven Geniuses.

And next to him was—

“…… Wudang’s Cloud Dragon(巫堂雲龍).”

‘Hah.’

Seeing that, I sighed.

So the neat one was the same.

The Wudang Sect genius, Wudang Cloud Dragon So Pyung was also present.

This meant—

‘All of the Seven Geniuses are gathered.’

The Poison Dragon(毒龍) of the Tang family.

The Moonlit Delight(月舞喜) of the Blue Moon Sect.

The Thunder Dragon(雷龍) of Namgung.

The Fighting Beggar Dog(鬪乞犬) of the Beggar Sect.

The Cloud Dragon(巫堂雲龍) of Wudang.

Then, if the Black Greatsword joins, it will—

KA-BOOM—!!!

Barely a thought before the door broke open. As the sudden shock widened everyone’s eyes.

“What is going on!!!”

A rough voice echoed through the restaurant.

I clicked my tongue at the deep voice.

‘Speak of the devil and he shall appear.’

Another eccentric I had met in the day.

“It’s been a while, everyone.”

Even the Black Greatsword, Peng Dojin, appeared.

The assembly of six among the Seven Geniuses drew everyone’s eyes.

In an unprecedented situation, everyone’s interest was piqued.

“Ah, I happened to meet him, so I accompanied him inside. Well, it worked out nicely.”

The Black Greatsword stepped aside as if introducing someone.

At that moment—

“!!”

“!”

–!!!

‘What is it?’

The sounds around stopped.

The Seven Geniuses, who had been mutually exchanging glances, suddenly turned their attention to the entrance.

Even for those who didn’t care when the Black Greatsword barged in like that, there was something about now that created a tension and caution among them.

‘Ah.’

Naturally, I turned my eyes to the entrance as well.

‘I guess this is…’

Could this person I was expecting have appeared?

With six of the Seven Geniuses gathered—

It wouldn’t be odd for the last one to appear.

Then.

Tock.

The sound of footsteps came from beyond the entrance.

Everyone was silent, making the sound even more pronounced.

Tock.

Tock.

The repeated sound was getting closer.

“… Tsk.”

At that moment, Chun Hye-In clicked her tongue.

With that sound, the figure of the person at the entrance became fully visible.

Long black hair fluttered in the breeze.

Wearing a white martial arts robe adorned with a light pink hue.

Her skin as white as snow while draped in a long-coat made of white fur around her shoulders.

Her height appeared a little shorter than mine, yet for some reason, she didn’t seem small.

A blank expression with eyes black as ink.

A small dot on her nose ridge.

She was a woman anyone would deem beautiful at first sight.

But that wasn’t why everyone had gone silent at her appearance.

‘So that is her.’

The figure Chun Hye-In, Murong Yungsun, and even the Poison Dragon mentioned.

And then.

‘The last of the Seven Geniuses.’

The final member among the current Seven Geniuses.

As soon as she appeared—

『HahahahahahahahahHAHAHAHAHAH—-!!!!!!』

Yu Chun-gil burst out laughing. The loud laugh felt like it would tear my ears apart.

『Plum Blossom——!!!! That stubborn creature!! What have they created!!!』

It was the first time Yu Chun-gil reacted like this.

Was she that extraordinary?

It seemed plausible, even given the other term used when referring to her.

In the information, it had clearly stated—

‘The best of the next-generation disciples.’

The person mentioned as the most outstanding among the current next-generation disciples.

A martial artist who commanded silence merely by appearing.

‘…… The Sword Phoenix of Mount Hua.’

The Plum Blossom Sword Phoenix.

Yu Yun.

The monster of Mount Hua had shown herself.

TL’s Corner:
Apparently, Yu Yun is a woman, I might have made a mistake from previous chapters. I will fix it later.