The World’s Greatest is Dead

“Grandchild.”

On the night of the waning moon.

Grandmother called me from her hospital bed.

“Grandchild.”

“Yes?”

I answered briefly as I approached her. Her body was very thin and her breaths were shallow.

The peculiar smell of the hospital and the uncomfortable sounds from the machines.

I knew.

That today would be the last day to talk to my grandmother.

Her skinny hand gently grasped mine.

“My poor grandchild.”

“Come on, isn’t it a bit much to call me poor when you could say I’m handsome instead?”

“But you are poor, aren’t you?”

“… That’s ridiculous.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at her bold words.

They say even a hedgehog loves its own child, but my grandmother didn’t seem to have that trait.

“Are you very busy with work?”

She asked, looking at my suit.

“Not really. I’m pretty free. The work is easy.”

It was a lie. The work was incredibly difficult, and I hardly had any free time.

I made time for this because it was about grandmother.

“… Is that so…?”

Grandmother smiled weakly at my words. This wise old woman probably saw through my lie instantly.

Yet she just let it slide.

After a brief silence.

“Grandchild.”

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry.”

Grandmother suddenly apologized to me. I couldn’t help but smile bitterly at that.

“Why are you suddenly apologizing? You’ve never done that your whole life.”

It felt very awkward that my grandmother suddenly became kind now that it was the end.

“I hoped you could live an ordinary life, but the burden of your grandmother is too heavy.”

“Don’t worry about it. It doesn’t matter to me anymore.”

Since the day I started seeing ghosts.

I knew grandmother had carried guilt towards me.

I also knew she never showed it.

But hearing it now at the end left a bitter taste.

“I’ll take care of myself… So please stop worrying.”

As I said it as if I were fine, grandmother’s grip on my hand tightened.

“Grandchild…”

“Yes, yes.”

“Is there something you want to do?”

“… Suddenly?”

Something I wanted to do? Such an out-of-the-blue question.

“Not really.”

Life wasn’t smooth enough to think about such things.

Life was too harsh to have dreams.

The obstacles were too big to have goals.

I was just living.

That was my current life.

“… I see.”

Maybe it was because my answer was unsatisfying.

Grandmother looked at me and continued.

“Grandchild.”

“Now what?”

“Can I leave you with a last wish?”

“No.”

“Please live doing what you want to do.”

“… I told you not to.”

Why ask for permission if you’re going to do it anyway? I couldn’t help but sigh.

“What’s with the sudden last wish?”

Someone who disliked last wishes the most, suddenly left me one.

And to live doing what I want?

It’s already too late to find something like that.

“If not now, then later. Please find something you want to do…”

Should I refuse? Say it’s too late and life is harsh enough as it is.

Wouldn’t it be better to say that?

My mind was filled with such thoughts.

“Please.”

“… I’ll try.”

It wasn’t something I could say in front of my desperately pleading grandmother.

I’ll try. Even with this vague and insubstantial answer, grandmother smiled and closed her eyes.

That was my last conversation with her.

Something I want to do.

Well. I don’t know.

If I had to recall…

‘A life much better than now.’ That was merely what I hoped for.

***

*Swoosh!* The sword swiftly cut through the empty air. Sharper and more agile. *Swick-! Swish swoosh!* The sound resonated, and before it reached its end, it sliced through the air once more. So, in broad daylight, the flashes continued to burst. *Swick-! Swish swish swoosh swick-!* There was no respite. The sword was swung continuously. When I had been swinging it for quite a while and tried to swing it once more. *Drip.* A drop of sweat fell from the tip of my chin.

“… Hoo…!”

Noticing this, I paused my movements for a moment. *Twitch.* The tip of the sword trembled. To be precise, my arm was trembling. Perhaps because I had been swinging the sword continuously, fatigue was eminent.

“Haha.”

Despite that, a smile appeared on my lips. My arm trembled, and my body was heating up. At the same time, my heart pounded, and my breathing was ragged, but still, it felt good.

“… It works.”

I looked at the trembling sword held in my hand and chuckled bitterly. I realized that I could swing the sword at such a speed and with such repetition. Realizing this made me laugh even more.

‘I understand why people crave to reach First-rate so much.’ The feeling itself was different. How could the me of yesterday be so different from the me of today? Originally, I had to intentionally channel my inner qi into my body. But now, the qi flowed naturally throughout my body. Additionally…

‘The amount has increased exponentially.’ Perhaps thanks to the Great Rejuvenation Pill, my qi had more than doubled compared to what I originally possessed. More than doubled. It felt like even that was an understatement. Had the original amount of qi in my body been too little to begin with? The difference was unmistakably palpable. I felt like a different person. The sudden increase in my level taught me many things.

“Hooo…”

Exhaling deeply from within, I calmed my body. The previously racing heart quickly stabilized. The body, exhausted from repeated intense movements, recovered swiftly.

‘… Has my recovery rate also improved?’ My breathing never returned this easily before, so the change was evident. Just as I was about to slowly put away the wooden sword I was holding.

『It looks like it suits you well.』

A chuckling voice came from behind.

“…”

Turning my head silently, I saw Yu Chun-gil leaning against a wall, looking at me.

『So, how do you feel, standing at the crossroads.』

I narrowed my eyes at his question. I wiped away the trickling sweat with the back of my hand and asked.

“… A crossroads?”

Crossroads. A strange yet resounding word.

『Yes, a crossroads. The choice of whether to advance further or to collapse in place, that’s what it means to be First-rate, right.』

Yu Chun-gil continued speaking to me, his smile unfaltering.

『The tomb of the martial artist. That’s what they call First-rate, isn’t it?』

“…”

Will you advance further? Or will you collapse in place? Hearing it that way, it indeed felt like a crossroads. However, “If I say I’ll stop, will you allow it?”

Even if I said I would quit at First-rate, would that old man really let me? That doubt lingered, making me ask.

『No way.』

Yu Chun-gil gave a firm answer, still smiling serenely. Good grief.

“… When the answer is already decided, why do you even ask?”

If you don’t intend to indulge me, why ask at all? Finding it absurd, I voiced my thoughts, and Yu Chun-gil, with his smile intact, said.

『Boy, what I want to know is not about permission but about what’s in your heart.』

“… Isn’t my heart insignificant anyway?”

『Well. That’s something we can’t know.』

“…!”

Ambition? Hearing Yu Chun-gil’s words, I thought for a moment. Ambition. I have it. It can’t be non-existent. From the moment I got entangled with this old man. I aimed to use this to reach a higher place. However, “I don’t know.”

I really didn’t know. I wanted to get to a higher place, but I hadn’t thought about how high I wanted to go. Didn’t the old man say he would make me the world’s greatest? Believing in such a dreamlike story at my age seemed foolish. So I answered honestly.

『Is that so.』

In response to my answer, Yu Chun-gil breathed out softly and nodded.

『Then tell me when you realize it.』

He chuckled lightly, speaking in a nonchalant tone.

“What will change if I tell you?”

『Of course, things will change.』

“Specifically, how so?”

『Who knows? You’ll only find out if you decide. Then I’ll tell you.』

“I don’t need to know…!”

I shook my head dismissively. This old man really enjoyed meaningless conversations.

‘No, maybe there is some meaning to it.’

Perhaps he just enjoyed confusing people. *Tsk.* Clicking my tongue briefly, I relaxed my body. My breathing had long since stabilized, and the fatigue was gradually diminishing.

“By the way, where has the Poison Sovereign gone-”

I stopped mid-sentence.

『Ho.』

Yu Chun-gil, seeing this, muttered a short admiration.

『You’ve become less dull and a bit more sensitive now.』

Yu Chun-gil had just expressed his satisfaction.

*Tap tap–!*

Sounds echoed from outside the training hall door.

– Is anyone there…?

“… Yes. Please come in.”

As soon as I responded, the door opened.

“Excuse me….”

Judging by the clothes, it seemed to be a servant from the Tang family.

“What is the matter?”

“Well… the family head has requested the Young master’s presence.”

Upon hearing this, I narrowed my eyes slightly.

It seemed the time had come again.

* * *

Following the servant’s words, I arrived at the head of the Tang family’s room, a place I had visited before.

I thought I would head directly to Secret Vault again, but for some reason, I was called to the head’s room.

‘What is this about?’

I wondered why I was being called and looked for the Poison King.

*Knock knock.*

I lightly knocked on the door and said, “Excuse me-”

-Come in.

“Yes…”

Before I could finish speaking, the Poison King responded. Feeling slightly awkward, I opened the door.

*Creak.*

As I carefully opened and entered, the Poison King, who was sitting at a desk, turned his gaze toward me.

“You have arr-”

He stopped.

The Poison King, who had been about to speak to me, stiffened upon seeing me.

Why is he reacting like that?

Confused by the reaction, I realized,

『He noticed that your level has changed. Someone of his caliber wouldn’t miss it.』

Only after Yu Chun-gil’s explanation did I understand.

Suddenly becoming first-rate from second-rate overnight would indeed elicit such a reaction.

‘… What to do?’

I pondered briefly. After considering, I decided there was no need for a significant reaction.

So, I ignored it for now.

“I heard you called for me.”

“….”

The Poison King narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brows at my casual remark.

Though I felt a bit nervous, I knew it was more important to press on.

“What do you wish to discuss?”

“… I have some questions.”

“Please, go ahead.”

Fortunately, the Poison King didn’t mention the change in my level.

Was he just letting it go? It was concerning, but it wasn’t something I could bring up myself.

“As Young master Bang may already know, I need to find something in the Secret Vault.”

“….”

This time, I widened my eyes upon hearing this.

I did not expect the Poison King to say it outright.

‘… I didn’t expect him to mention it?’

Even if I had suspected, saying it directly held a different significance.

‘Why is he saying this?’

Why is he telling me this? My mind, previously dulled by training, began to spin quickly.

Should I pretend not to know? Or take another approach? After a brief hesitation, I decided.

“Yes, I knew.”

I decided to face it directly.

Having made my decision, I proceeded straight.

Even upon hearing my response, the Poison King’s expression remained calm.

He had been sure I knew.

“I must find what I seek now. For that, I need your help, Young master Bang.”

“… My help? Regarding Secret Vault, I am doing my best.”

“I know. But.”

The Poison King paused briefly before continuing.

“… The item seems to be hidden deeper than expected.”

“Hmm…”

“Therefore, I may need to increase the number of searchers and extend the duration of our efforts. I ask for your permission.”

“….”

In essence, the Poison King was saying…

‘We need to search the Secret Vault longer and more thoroughly, please understand.’

Was this the message he wanted to convey?

There wasn’t really an issue with the message itself but.

‘Would the head of the Tang family call me just to say that?’

I found the Poison King’s actions curious.

It seemed like there might be another reason.

However, “I understand.”

I nodded and agreed for now.

Having heard the Poison King’s position, it would be awkward to refuse.

“Thank you for understanding.”

The Poison King expressed his gratitude for my response.

I then heard that the next search would take place in about two hours, and I left the room.

* * *

Walking out of the room, I pondered the Poison King’s actions while walking.

‘What could be his true intention?’

What hidden meaning was there in that seemingly trivial action?

I kept thinking about it because it felt too unsettling to overlook.

While I was deep in thought for a long time,

『But. What on earth is he searching for?』

Yu Chun-gil asked.

Searching for what?

“Oh, that.”

Having heard about it, I told Yu Chun-gil.

“He said he was looking for the secrets of the Sky Filling Flower Rain.”

『Hmm?』

“Huh?”

I stopped speaking and widened my eyes.

Come to think of it, “He said Grandpa restored that—”

『Ah, the one I made?』

“… Made it?”

The choice of words seemed odd.

Wasn’t it restored, not made?

Thinking he might have misspoken, I asked again.

『Yes, I made it.』

Yu Chun-gil confirmed.

『I made one because he kept whining about it. For something made hastily, it wasn’t bad. But is he really searching for that? *Sigh.*』

“…”

I stared blankly for a moment, processing Yu Chun-gil’s words.