The World’s Greatest is Dead

The World’s Greatest is Dead – Chapter 111

Poison Dragon was carried away by warriors to receive treatment and disappeared. Meanwhile, Tang Yelan was taken away by the Poison King under house arrest. Amidst the now quiet atmosphere, nobody dared to speak.

The uncomfortable silence persisted, and no one dared to break it, forcibly keeping their mouths shut.

*Shhh.*

The Poison King, who had been looking ahead, turned his back and looked toward us. To be precise, he looked at the trio from the Blue Moon Sect and Murong Yeongsun. His expressionless face made me flinch for a moment.

“I apologize for ruining the banquet you graciously attended despite your busy schedule,” the Poison King said, bowing his head. Chun Uijin and Do Hyung widened their eyes at the sight.

“No, that’s-!”

Do Hyung tried to speak urgently, but I raised my hand to stop him.

“We accept your apology.”

“!”

Speaking calmly, this time the two of them turned their gazes toward me. Their astonished eyes were striking, but the situation was too urgent to address them.

I could see others flinching at my words as well.

‘What does it matter? This time, it’s clearly their fault, isn’t it?’

Whether the opponent was the head of the Tang family or one of the Five Kings of the World didn’t matter. The important thing was that they had given us a justification. The Poison King knew this too, which is why he wasn’t fazed by my attitude.

“Family head-nim.”

“Speak.”

“Whether the banquet continues or not is up to you, but if it does, we will continue to attend!”

I told him. This was a half-lie. Honestly, I wanted to end this boring and uncomfortable banquet.

“Would you spare me some time?”

I was asking to meet him alone. The Poison King’s brow furrowed slightly, as if he realized what I meant. He squinted his eyes.

Was he curious about how I knew or surprised that I figured it out? It didn’t matter.

If the Poison King reacted this way, it was actually better for me.

“… Time, is it?!”

The Poison King pretended to ponder for a moment. It was obvious that he had already decided once I mentioned it.

As if to prove it, he soon nodded and said, “Very well.”

Right after voicing his agreement, he turned to the Tang family members and added, “The banquet will proceed. I ask the guests to enjoy themselves. However, I must excuse myself as I have urgent matters to attend to.”

After finishing his speech, the Poison King bowed to us and began to walk away. Watching him, I also spoke.

“I think I should follow, so I’ll be right back.”

“… Is that okay?!”

Do Hyung asked worriedly, looking at my bandaged arm. I laughed softly at his concern.

“What’s there to worry about? Don’t worry.”

Honestly, it was terrifying. But what could I do?

‘I have to do what needs to be done.’

I had tasks to complete.

To be exact.

‘I have to gain as much advantage as I can.’

It was essential to secure a benefit from the Tang family.

* * *

Following the Poison King, I entered a building. As we stepped into a dark corridor without a single lit lantern, the Poison King lightly swung his hand.

Then.

*Fwoosh–!!*

‘Oh wow.’

Flames sprang up from the wall lanterns. I watched in amazement. Was this the Samadhi Flame?

I had heard that masters could ignite flames with their bare hands, and it was true.

『It’s just a petty trick. Don’t stare at it so naively. Tsk tsk.』

Yu Chun-gil chimed in sarcastically, just as I expected.

It’s not like I couldn’t find it interesting. His temper was undoubtedly foul.

*Creak.*

We crossed the corridor and entered the head’s room. This was my third visit here. The Poison King naturally sat down, and I followed suit, sitting in the chair opposite him.

“Should I call you Little Sword Saint now?” were the first words the Poison King said as soon as I sat down. I smiled awkwardly at the comment.

It seemed he had heard as well.

“The title is too grand for me. It’s just a story that will soon be forgotten.”

“…?”

The Poison King looked at me with strange eyes.

Why did he have that expression?

“You think it will be forgotten?” he asked.

“Don’t you?”

“Hmm… I see.”

He nodded his head. It didn’t look like an expression of understanding, but rather one of confusion or something strange.

“…… Family head?”

“I’m curious as to why the Young master specifically requested to see me.”

I intended to ask why, but the Poison King cut in.

It was somewhat disconcerting, but not enough to point out, so I decided to let it slide.

“…… I believe you already know why I requested a private meeting with you, family head.”

“Not quite.”

He wore a look of feigned ignorance.

I wondered if he was pretending not to know.

“I have many things on my mind. Which of them do you refer to?”

‘Hah.’

Rather than pretending, he was being direct.

This old man definitely knew.

He knew I had many things to say to him.

His response indicated he didn’t want to drag the conversation out.

I appreciated that from my side as well.

So I spoke without hesitation.

“It pertains to the matter of Secret Vault, matters concerning Broken Heaven Palace, related compensations, and the recent incident where you used the Poison Dragon to test me. Which topic would you like to discuss first?”

“……”

I laid out my words smoothly. Among the four topics, the Poison King narrowed his eyes at the last one.

A moment of silence followed my words.

I awaited the Poison King’s reaction.

Until that moment, I hadn’t said another word.

As time flowed on.

“…… I see.”

The Poison King finally reacted.

The issue was.

“It’s something I’ve thought about since last time.”

The words coming from the Poison King’s lips were.

“Indeed… Young master Bang, you seem to resemble your maternal grandfather a lot.”

“Excuse me?”

It was a bit different from the reaction I had expected.

I had heard countless times that I resembled my family.

I had often been told I resembled my father or my grandfather quite a bit, but, “My maternal grandfather?”

Out of nowhere, my maternal grandfather?

In response to my reaction, the Poison King nodded his head lightly.

“Jaegal Jin. Indeed, Young master Bang, you resemble him more than your father.”

“…… What?”

『…… Huh?』

The Poison King’s words not only stunned me but also rendered Yu Chun-gil, who had been silent, speechless.

* * *

*Splash.*

A floor soaked with moisture was traversed by an elderly man. The one-armed old man walked with his remaining hand clasped behind his back.

He looked around through his frosty eyes as he continued to stride forward.

*Splash. Splash.*

With each step, the sound of water echoed, but it wasn’t water.

What was soaking the once-dry floor was blood, a deep, vivid red.

The blood had not merely soaked the floor but filled it.

And the old man walked over it as if it were nothing.

He paid it no heed and did not concern himself about it at all.

Of course, this sight had been caused by none other than the old man.

At that moment.

“Uh… Ugh…”

A man in a corner spat blood, groaning weakly.

Upon hearing the sound, the old man’s gaze shifted towards it.

Before long, the old man had arrived in front of the man.

“Ugh… Haaaa…”

In an instant, what once seemed a distant space closed in. Recognition of the situation dawned fear in the man’s eyes.

“Why… Why did… Why did such a monster appear so suddenly?”

“Sword Emperor… Are you…”

“Shh.”

As soon as his alias was mentioned, the old man lifted a withered finger to his lips.

“Keep quiet.”

His warning made the man’s mouth shut.

It wasn’t of his own will. His mouth closed involuntarily, adhering to the old man’s command.

“I haven’t yet given you permission to speak.”

*Grind, grind, grind.*

As the old man spoke, the blood-soaked ground began to quiver.

Swords scattered across the floor started to tremble, then gradually began rising into the air.

“!!”

Faced with this eerie sight, the man trembled.

It was a grotesque scene, to say the least.

Dozens of swords abandoned their dead masters and floated into the air.

In the confined space, they swirled around endlessly.

Numerous swords drifted through the air, an indescribable sight.

Sword Emperor.

Or perhaps the Greatest Sword in the World.

Although he never ascended to the position of the World’s Greatest due to the divine-like presence of the Sword Saint, he was regarded as the best in the world when it came to wielding a sword.

He was known as the ethereal outside the heavens of the righteous sect, who massacred demons by handling hundreds of swords on the battlefield.

The man who faced him directly could do nothing but feel terror.

All the comrades who had filled this place were already dead, without exception.

Only he was left, but the man already knew his fate.

*Whoosh-! Whoosh-!!*

Amidst the floating swords, the old man opened his mouth once again.

“I will ask.”

At those words, the strength left the man’s mouth.

“Where is the sect leader?”

“…….”

Even if he could speak, it was not a question he could answer. At this point, only one response remained for him.

“……dead…… gone…….”

“…….”

The expression on the old man’s face wrinkled slightly as if he was displeased with the barely uttered words.

“Hmph.”

The old man didn’t seem to mind much, as if he had expected this outcome.

“What a pity.”

*Swoosh-!*

A sword flew in, severing the man’s neck.

The lifeless body fell lightly to the ground, further soaking it with flowing blood.

*Splat.*

The old man, who killed the last survivor, turned around and moved towards somewhere. There was a desk in the space, and he picked up the letters gathered there to check them with his eyes.

“…….”

The old man let out a dry sigh after checking a few pages. The letters were filled with codes. It seemed that they were deliberately made difficult to read. He tried to decipher it with gleaming eyes but gave up soon after. This level of code couldn’t be deciphered on the spot, nor was it within his capability.

“…….”

Knowing this, the Sword Emperor put the letters in his bosom. Nevertheless, it wasn’t a fruitless endeavor. He had found traces of those whom he hadn’t been able to catch in recent years.

Regrettably, he couldn’t obtain more information, but those he killed wouldn’t have yielded to torture anyway. Considering that they had restrictions, he wouldn’t have acquired information about the Sect Leader he was searching for.

He had killed them without wasting futile time.

“Hmm.”

Not bad.

“It seems I made the right choice to take on Virtuous Moon Sword’s request.”

Yu Chun-gil.

He had come all this way upon hearing that his successor had appeared. Moreover, even if the words were a lie or didn’t satisfy him despite being true, he would have killed him without hesitation.

‘If it wasn’t up to par.’

He would have beheaded him without hesitation. But, ‘Not yet.’

It seemed like it was worth watching a bit longer. After all, the one who had directed him to find these individuals was him, and even if that wasn’t the case, that man was hiding something.

‘He is hiding something.’

He had something more than what he showed. The claim of being a successor seemed unnecessarily similar. Yu Chun-gil, that man, had many secrets as well.

‘Would the successor be any different?’

The old man chuckled at the thought that came to his mind. At that moment, *Clang-! Clang, clang!*

Dozens of floating swords fell to the ground simultaneously. Although a large amount of blood splashed, it somehow didn’t touch the old man. Without hesitation, the old man moved out of the cave. Now, his mind was filled only with thoughts about the letters.

Additionally, it seemed there was someone he had to visit. If he couldn’t decipher the code, he just needed to find someone who could. However…

‘Do I really have to see that annoying face?’

He found the idea of meeting the person he had to visit quite displeasing.

‘…… Jaegal Jin.’

The old man thought of a name in his mind. Heavenly Insight(天里進眼).

He was the current head of the Jaegal family and was called the Eyes and Ears of the Sword Saint.