The World’s Greatest is Dead

“First, if it’s related to revenge, I won’t listen.”

This was the first warning I gave while looking at the old man.

Asking someone to take revenge.

It was a request I absolutely despised.

I had narrowly escaped death countless times due to such things.

“Second, if it’s about delivering a message to family or acquaintances, letters are fine, but not in person.”

I disliked face-to-face meetings.

Such encounters often led to strange entanglements and complicated situations.

“Third, I won’t involve myself in matters related to treasure or personal assets.”

Some people, even after death, were still obsessed over the wealth they had in their lifetime.

From experience, I knew that coveting the treasures of the dead never ended well.

“Lastly, fourth, I don’t want to be responsible for any individuals.”

Stories about having to take care of family, grandchildren, and so on because of their death.

Just thinking about it was annoying and tiring.

I had enough trouble feeding myself. I had no intention of taking on any other responsibilities.

“If there’s just one request excluding these, I’ll at least listen.”

『… Hoho.』

Upon hearing my words, the old man laughed dryly.

Then, he quietly observed me.

『Young one, I can imagine what your life has been like.』

The old man’s eyes showed a hint of pity.

“Yes. It hasn’t been easy. So, please understand?”

Getting entangled with ghosts always led to terrible outcomes.

Whether it was me or the ghosts.

『Hmm.』

The ghost seemed to be contemplating something.

Was he planning to make one of those four requests?

‘It wouldn’t be strange.’

Most lingering spirits had one of those four regrets.

It would be odd if it were something else.

Because of that, a silence ensued for a moment.

“If you have nothing to say, I’ll just leav—”

『It’s not exactly a request, but young one.』

“Yes.”

I wondered what it could be as the old man suddenly pointed somewhere with his finger.

『First, could you take a look over there?』

“What?”

Following the old man’s gesture, I looked at the indicated direction.

There were just a few trees, nothing else.

Why did he want me to stare at it quietly?

“…What is this?”

I asked the old man, as there was truly nothing there.

At that moment.

Flutter!

A bird suddenly flew out of the bush.

“….”

What now?

I looked at the old man as if to ask what was going on, but the old man just scratched the back of his head with a slight smile.

『When someone is watching, it makes me uncomfortable.』

“…Are you talking about that bird?”

『Whether it’s a rat or a bird, they all have eyes, don’t they?』

Just what I expected.

‘For a moment, I thought a master was hiding and watching me.’

Right.

What master would take the trouble to watch me? I felt a bit silly for being momentarily scared.

『Now then.』

With the old man’s words, I tensed up again.

Even after all this, was there a request?

『So, you will listen if it’s not one of the things you mentioned.』

“… As long as you don’t go around bothering me, telling other ghosts and such.”

Those kinds of ghosts would stubbornly stick around even if I continuously ignored them.

Or they would play annoying pranks like today’s, repeatedly bothering me.

I was fortunate though.

‘Such clear ones always kept their word.’

If they claimed they would do something, they somehow got it done.

They kept their promises and at least did not go back on their word.

Before I agreed, they absolutely refused to leave, but the tasks they requested were so ridiculously tedious that it caused quite a problem.

『Alright.』

The old man chuckled.

『So be it.』

As expected, the old man nodded, accepting the condition.

Afterward, the old man expressed his wish.

However,

“… Pardon?”

The old man’s request was something I’d never heard of before in my life.

* * *

『Name: Yun Sochun.

Male.

Age: Nineteen.

Disciple of Mi-Yeongmun, located in Anhui.

Rank: From second-rate to first-rate.』

This was the description registered under the Anhui branch of the Murim Alliance, but in reality, none of it was accurate.

From his name to his age, his rank, and even the sect to which he belonged—none of it was true. The only correct detail was his gender.

Everything else was false. It couldn’t be helped.

Revealing the young man’s true identity was something that must never be done.

Swhish-!

The sword’s blade cut through the night air.

The only sources of light illuminating the wide training ground were a small lantern and the moonlight streaming through the window.

There, Yun Sochun swung his sword repeatedly with calm eyes.

Swish-! Swish-!

His movements were swift and precise.

Despite his exhaustion, with sweat dripping from his chin, his sword did not waver.

“Phew…! Hoo!”

Focusing on his breathing, he constantly checked his sword path.

Whoosh-!

The blade sliced through the air, brimming with power.

Swish-!

His qi-infused sword cut through the void so swiftly it was almost invisible.

Thousands of repetitions, yet he swung his sword relentlessly.

After a long while, Yun Sochun finally straightened his posture with one final downward slash.

“… Phew…”

The heat filled the training ground. He wiped the sweat from his chin and steadied his breathing.

The air still felt scorching.

Standing there, Yun Sochun wore a dissatisfied expression.

It was inevitable.

‘… This is not it.’

Day after day.

He swung his sword without missing a single day.

It had already been three years.

The cycle of his palms tearing and calluses forming repeated endlessly. Despite all his efforts and time, his progress in rank was slow, and his martial arts improvement had stalled.

Yun Sochun felt as if he had fallen into his inner demons.

‘What on earth must I do…?’

How could he achieve the form pursued by his sect?

He felt a desperate thirst.

The memory of that moment from his childhood.

The image of the sword under the moonlight as shown by that person.

Yun Sochun dreamed of that sword.

A sword as brilliant as if it had cut through the moonlight.

He swung his sword every day, imagining that scene, but he could never reach it or even grasp its essence.

What was the problem?

Why could his sword not embody his ideals?

‘… I don’t know.’

He didn’t know.

He had to keep swinging his sword until he understood.

Certainly, that’s what he must do, but it felt like he was lost in an endless sea, unable to see even one step ahead.

‘Get a grip. Calm down. Besides, I have already found a clue of that person’s whereabouts.’

Clench!

He gripped the sword hilt harder.

Right, even if he didn’t understand now, eventually, he would. For the moment, he needed to focus more on finding what that person had left behind rather than on his own martial arts.

In order to get it.

‘……Because then, I would have a chance too.’

Yun Sochun steeled his resolve, his eyes flashing.

At that moment.

“Ahem.”

A sound came from behind.

Yun Sochun turned to the voice.

A young man who looked rather young was staring in his direction from the entrance.

Upon seeing him, Yun Sochun tried to recall his name. What was it again?

‘……Was it Bang Sung-Yun?’

A low-ranking member of the Murim Alliance, often ignored by others. Even the director had said that Bang Sung-Yun was someone not worth worrying about.

What was peculiar, despite being disregarded and oppressed, he never appeared discouraged. He had a different aura compared to Yun Sochun.

‘…….’

Additionally, it so happened that Yun Sochun had something to convey to him. He had been waiting in the training hall under the guise of training for that very reason.

Wiping off his sweat with a cloth, Yun Sochun walked over. He tried to remember what he wanted to say as he approached the young man.

First, he needed to apologize.

Though he hadn’t known anything, it had taken him far too long to sense that something was wrong, as Bang Sung-Yun had pointed out. The other members of his unit were constantly watching his reactions.

He was the only one who received a separate place to stay and lived there. Even his night watch duty had been an act of consideration.

From the director to all the members, everyone treated him with utmost respect.

It was all special treatment.

If that young man hadn’t pointed it out, he might never have realized it.

As Bang Sung-Yun had said, those things might have seemed perfectly normal to him.

Recalling all this.

“Uh, Bang-gong……”

Just when Yun Sochun started to speak to Bang Sung-Yun.

“Your waist.”

Bang Sung-Yun spoke before Yun Sochun could finish.

“Excuse me?”

The waist?

What was he talking about? Yun Sochun started to express his confusion, but.

Bang Sung-Yun continued without waiting for a response.

“Your waist is too tense.”

“What are you suddenly……?”

Bang Sung-Yun pointed at Yun Sochun’s waist as he spoke.

“I understand wanting to exert strength into your sword, but the technique is wrong.”

“Senior Bang?”

What could he be talking about?

Yun Sochun stared at him, trembling.

“Strength is not something you ‘put into’ but something that ’emerges.’ When unnecessary force is involved, the qi doesn’t radiate out but gets bound up instead.”

“……!”

Only after hearing that did Yun Sochun realize what Bang Sung-Yun was trying to say.

As he understood, his face contorted.

“You…….”

The honorifics changed from Senior Bang to something less respectful. This went beyond a joke.

A person not even reaching the second-rate martial artist level.

Was such a person actually trying to teach him something?

Yun Sochun couldn’t help but glare at Bang Sung-Yun, unable to control his expression.

Although he didn’t discriminate based on rank, this was a different matter entirely.

“……What on earth do you think you’re doing, suddenly showing up here?”

Spying on a martial artist’s training was a grave insult.

In that situation, a novice lecturing an expert was outrageous.

Furthermore,

‘Someone who knows nothing about the sword.’

Dared to speak as if he knew.

And dared to observe as if he understood.

Yun Sochun struggled to suppress the rising anger.

Even as he did, Bang Sung-Yun seemed to have more to say, ignoring his reaction.

“No matter how much you try to exert strength, it will only be an artificial effort. The important thing is not just to swing forcefully but-”

Swish-!

“!”

Bang Sung-Yun couldn’t continue his words, closing his mouth tightly.

Yun Sochun’s cold sword edge was pressed against Bang Sung-Yun’s neck.

“Stop right there. I can’t listen to you any further.”

“……”

He felt a sensation.

If he got any closer, his skin would be cut.

Feeling troubled, Bang Sung-Yun spoke.

“…… If we go any further, I might die, you know?”

Was he speaking to Yun Sochun?

Hearing this, Yun Sochun replied in an angry voice.

“I have been enduring it because I felt a slight gratitude toward you. But if you cross the line any further……”

“Oh, then can I stop now?”

“…… Grit.”

Did he really want to die?

He genuinely pondered for a moment. He didn’t know why this human was acting like this suddenly, and it happened at a time when he was already struggling due to martial arts, making it hard to restrain himself.

The tip of the sword trembled with anger.

Yun Sochun barely controlled his emotions and spoke.

“…… Leave. And never speak to me again. Whatever your reason may be, there will be no next time.”

As he spoke with blatant cold emotions, Bang Sung-Yun quietly stared at Yun Sochun.

Was he thinking about responding to even this as a joke?

If that were the case, he truly wouldn’t be able to hold back.

Fortunately, Bang Sung-Yun didn’t say anything further, as Yun Sochun wished.

He merely shrugged his shoulders slightly.

Whish-!

Turning his back, he began walking away without any hesitation.

Seeing this, Yun Sochun let out a hollow breath.

“Ha……?”

What was this all about?

Watching his back, he pondered.

The fact that he even thought positively of that person for a brief moment seemed laughable.

What was it?

Yun Sochun had been inspired by Bang Sung-Yun’s words and sought out the great master.

Then, he requested to be reassigned from his designated quarters to the common area where the other members stayed and asked for different night watch details.

The great master, sensing something was amiss, scrutinized Yun Sochun carefully, which only confirmed his suspicion.

Indeed, he was being given special treatment.

Having realized this, he decided to start correcting things gradually from there.

He also thought he should apologize and express gratitude to Bang Sung-Yun who made him realize this.

That was what he had been thinking.

‘How pitiful.’

Thinking even slightly positively about such a person.

Grit-!

Clenching his teeth to endure his anger, Yun Sochun turned around.

He headed back to the training ground.

With these feelings, there was no way he could rest.

He decided to blow away his frustration with his sword.

With that thought, he drew his sword and began swinging it again. Strangely, unnecessary words surfaced in his mind.

‘You are putting too much strength into your waist.’

‘I understand you want to put strength into your sword, but the method is wrong.’

“……”

Though they were laughable words he could easily ignore, once he acknowledged them, they kept bothering him.

Why did the words of someone far inferior as a mere third-rate martial artist bother him so much?

‘Strength is something that “gets applied” not something that you “apply”.’

‘With unnecessary strength mixed in, instead of being released, the force gets bound up.’

‘Your waist is too tense……’

So the force isn’t being applied to the sword but rather bound up.

What an absurd idea.

Then, was he suggesting he should relax his waist?

The strength in his waist was to prevent the sword’s path from deviating.

If he relaxed it, his posture and counteraction would all be a mess.

This was something even beginners in martial arts would understand, let alone third-rate martial artists.

So why did he say such a thing?

Perhaps because of this question, Yun Sochun subconsciously loosened the strength in his waist slightly.

Then,

Swish!!! Shrrrk-!

The sword cut through the air, making a sharp sound.

“…… What?”

Yun Sochun’s body stiffened in shock.

TL’s Corner:

Gong is an old way of saying -ssi and is a sign of respect.