The World's Greatest is Dead

The Heretic Cult Leader.

The master of the Heretic Cult that had run rampant in my past life, and perhaps even a being that had been called a god.

More than that, he was the one who had not been satisfied with being called a god, and had tried to become one himself.

God-Destroyer, was it?

I remembered our final meeting.

‘What a filthy name. How can a mere human like you seek to destroy a god?’

‘If a god did something worth getting beaten for, then he should get beaten. What, am I supposed to just leave him alone?’

I had already eradicated four evil gods, ripped their souls apart, and scattered them. Did being a god mean they could not die? The reason they were called immortal was because their lives were infinite. Infinite within the flow of time, yes, but that did not mean they could not die.

If you tore things apart and beat them long enough, the ones meant to die died.

‘Which means you’re going to die too.’

‘How loathsome.’

The Heretic Cult Leader’s eyes gleamed with a strange, brilliant sheen. Those damned eyes were revolting every time I saw them.

‘Even with such power and such a fate, how can you be satisfied as a human?’

He had been like that from the first time he saw me. How had I contained such a thing in a human body? He coveted it so badly, wanted it so badly, that he felt as if he would go mad.

He told me to come with him.

To become a god, and dream of eternal life and immortality.

Since he was spouting bullshit, I had said this.

‘What the hell is this lunatic talking about? Get lost.’

My life had already been ruined because of this. What? You’re jealous? What a load of goddamn nonsense. As if there was anything to envy. He would only come to his senses if I beat him senseless.

So I beat him. I beat him with everything I had, over and over. Because the bastard would not die no matter how many times I killed him.

So I beat him until he died.

The Divine Blade Chief Baek had passed on to me had been useful. It was called a blade, but it was basically a club.

I used it to beat him again and again, until I turned him into a handful of ash.

Then I burned the single cigarette he had left behind, and swept the Heretic Cult Leader away with the smoke.

Does he never get tired of this?

How was he alive? How in the hell had he endured and ended up here?

“What an absurd bastard.”

It had been a procedure for confirmation. The reason I had deliberately used Primal Origin Blade, and the reason I had not launched baleful force at him but only fastened a leash around his neck.

As far as I knew, there was only one bastard who could remove that.

And if it really was him—

He’ll send me a signal.

That was what I had intended to use. And sure enough.

So it really is him?

The Heretic Cult Leader removed the record I had left on Primal Origin Blade’s neck, then sent back a response as if to say it was him.

That yes, it was him.

So come and try it.

That kind of signal.

“Tch.”

I clicked my tongue. It was a shame. If that bastard had not been the Heretic Cult Leader, and Primal Origin Blade had gone straight to Sky-Crushing Palace’s main base, that alone would have been enough.

But that was not what happened.

It’s a shame, but there’s nothing I can do about that.

Now that I had learned the Sky-Crushing Palace Lord was the Heretic Cult Leader, I had to prepare accordingly.

If it was anyone else, fine.

But if it was the Heretic Cult Leader—

I kill him.

I had to deal with him. It seemed unlikely, but—

The reason I reincarnated into this world...

It might include him as well. No, that possibility had grown much stronger. This dogshit karma had followed me even beyond life, so the same would be true of this damned fate.

“Haa.”

I sighed and walked. It was broad daylight. Originally, I should have departed today, but I could not.

Now that I knew the Heretic Cult Leader’s identity, I could not leave immediately.

“You have a favor to ask?”

“I have one thing.”

The Hao Clan’s Liaoning branch chief looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“I didn’t expect our prince to come looking for me on his last day. I thought you wouldn’t come at all. And you even have a request?”

“It’s more of a commission. Decide whether you’ll accept it first.”

“A commission?”

At my words, the branch chief grinned. The word commission must have made her realize one thing.

“Then there must be a commission fee too?”

“There is.”

“Oh... I wonder what it could be?”

“I’ll tell you if you accept. You won’t regret it.”

“Hmm?”

When she heard it would be payment after the fact, the branch chief’s expression turned subtle.

“Listen, prince. I’m sure you know this already, but... we don’t usually move like that. You won’t tell me the contents of the request, and you won’t tell me what you’ll pay. Do you really think I’ll accept?”

“That’s why I came to you. I thought you would accept.”

“Oh my? What kind of strange faith is that?”

“Faith. Not faith in each other, but faith in information.”

“Hmm.”

Appropriate information. Appropriate compensation. That was the trust that had existed between us until now.

After hearing that, the branch chief looked interested.

“Fine.”

That meant she would accept the commission.

“I’ll let it slide this once. I’m only indulging you because you’re cute. What’s the commission?”

“Give me information on shamans across the Central Plains.”

“...Hm?”

At the unexpected request, the branch chief’s expression turned strange.

“Shamans... what... that ghost stuff?”

“That’s right. That ghost stuff.”

“You believe in things like that, prince?”

“I need it for something.”

“You need something like that...?”

“Yeah.”

She kept showing a doubtful reaction to my answer, but—

“Well, fine.”

Thankfully, she did not refuse. Whether she understood it or not, to her, it was only a commission.

“It’ll take about three days.”

“Send it to Henan this time. I have to go there.”

“Ah, you’re finally leaving?”

“Yeah.”

“Got it. I’ll send it to that address. I trust you’ll receive it properly?”

“Yeah. I’ll send the compensation through that side too.”

“I really wonder what you’re planning to give me.”

The branch chief shrugged and continued.

“Have a safe trip. See you next time?”

“...We’ll see.”

I would rather avoid seeing her if possible. Unfortunately, she was more useful than I had expected, so I could not do that.

A real pity.

*****

After putting in the commission with the Hao Clan, the last place I headed was the Mo Yong Family. Once I stopped by there and then went to the Academy, my schedule would be finished.

With that in mind, I was about to take my final steps.

“...”

I turned my eyes. As soon as I left the Hao Clan, I felt a presence. What was this? It seemed like someone was following me.

I scanned my surroundings, then looked toward the woods. I walked in that direction for a while.

Neither slowly nor quickly. Just like that.

Once I reached the forest, I climbed a tree and hid my presence.

With my energy sense spread out, I confirmed the one who had been following me.

It was a masked martial artist. Apparently having lost sight of me, he was quickly scanning the area.

So he really had been following me. I spread my energy sense farther. Was anyone else tailing me? It did not seem like it. After confirming that, I launched myself.

WHOOSH—!

“...!”

The masked man flinched in panic when I suddenly appeared, but before he had a chance to react, my hand seized him by the throat.

“Keh!”

The captured man let out a strangled gasp.

Watching him, I whispered quietly.

“Who are you? Why are you following me?”

“...Kgh... cough...”

I pulled off his mask. I did not know him. Who was he? I had no memory of this bastard.

“Answer me. Who are you?”

“Kgh... ugh...”

“You’re not going to answer?”

I gripped the sword at my waist. I had never tortured anyone before, but—

“Don’t you just start by cutting off a hand or something?”

Wasn’t that how it worked? With that thought, I was about to swing my sword at his left arm.

“Y-Young Master Jin sent me!”

“Hm?”

At the words Young Master Jin, I furrowed my brow. Young Master Jin? If he meant Young Master Jin...

“Jin Taeryeong?”

“...That is correct... Young Master Jin Taeryeong sent me.”

“What did that bastard want?”

“...Kgh... He told me to follow you and find out your movements...”

“...”

Well, would you look at that?

“Was it really Young Master Jin Taeryeong?”

“...Yes...”

“Jin Taeryeong, huh.”

What was that human thinking? Interesting. I had already been irritated because of that bastard. Was he trying to poke at me from the shadows?

Then what should I do?

As I was thinking it over, I said to the man. If Jin Taeryeong had gone this far, I felt like I knew what he would do next.

“Hey.”

“...Yes?”

“I won’t kill you here, so go tell him something.”

“W-what should I...”

“Tell him Moon Hero Bang Seongyeon went into the forest behind here and hasn’t come out.”

“...M-Moon Hero!?”

The man was startled by my words.

“Y-you are truly Moon Hero?”

Apparently, he had not known. Most people knew these days, but he did not. White hair and blue eyes were not exactly common, either.

“I am, so go tell him. Then nothing will happen to you.”

“U-under... understood.”

I let the man go. The instant I did, he ran off like mad. At this rate, he would reach Jin Taeryeong soon. Then he would deliver the message.

If my guess is right—

That bastard would show up on his own.

*****

Had roughly one double-hour passed? As I waited in the forest, I felt presences. At that sensation, I opened the eyes I had kept closed.

“...He really came.”

I smiled. I liked that my prediction had not been wrong. So I waited quietly. Not long after, I saw someone approaching from the distance.

“Are you certain this is the place?”

“I-it is, my lord.”

It was the man from earlier. I had told him to just report it and run, but he must have been caught. Or maybe he had simply betrayed me.

Either way, it did not matter. I could see a familiar face at the front.

It was Jin Taeryeong’s mug.

“...You damn bastard.”

His gaze was full of rage, and killing intent seeped from it as well. At that look, I gave a faint laugh. He was a transparent man in several ways.

Their numbers were—

Six.

Not a small number. The bastard had brought that many with him. All of them were armed. Their realms were...

First-rate. The strongest one is peak realm.

There was a peak-realm martial artist mixed in? That was unexpected. I had not thought he would have a peak-realm martial artist with him.

The sun was slowly beginning to set. As the light faded, Jin Taeryeong and the man started preparing to search.

There was no need to keep waiting, so I slowly descended.

Thud.

“...!”

Jin Taeryeong was startled at my sudden appearance. I looked at him and tilted my head.

“Were you looking for me?”

“You...”

“I didn’t know we had anything left to say to each other.”

“Grit—!”

Jin Taeryeong clenched his teeth. His expression was visible without the slightest concealment.

“What business do you have with me?”

At my question, Jin Taeryeong raised the corner of his mouth.

“Ha! Did you think you could humiliate me like that and simply get away with it?”

“...Humiliate?”

“You were already an eyesore. I disliked the arrogant way you carried yourself just because your reputation is high. And if your engagement was broken, you should have simply disappeared!”

“Ah.”

Seeing his reaction, I understood.

“You got rejected from the engagement, didn’t you?”

“...!”

At my observation, Jin Taeryeong’s face stiffened. It seemed I was right. That bastard’s marriage arrangement with the Mo Yong Family had fallen through.

That would explain that expression.

“What do you know, you bastard...!”

“Enough. You don’t have to say more. So in the end, you don’t like me, and you came here to kill me?”

“I told you, didn’t I? The Jin Family does not overlook such insults.”

“It isn’t the Jin Family that can’t overlook it. It’s you, you pathetic loser.”

“You...!”

Clank—!

Jin Taeryeong drew his sword.

At that sight, the other martial artists drew their swords as well.

“...I’ll kill you...”

“...”

I sighed.

I did not bother drawing my sword. There was no need.

“That works for me. I was just in the mood to vent anyway.”

I crooked a finger at him and said,

“Come on.”

Perfect for venting.

The moment I thought that, the martial artists rushed at me.