Chapter 366: The World's Best (4)

“Young Master, did you pass?”

Cale approached with a mocking smile and looked at the Heavenly Demon.

Snick.

The Heavenly Demon, who found Cale’s overly lively attitude somewhat harsh, simply saw him as a mischievous young master. He responded casually.

“It was obvious.”

“Huh?!”

The nearby participants flinched or turned to stare at Cale and the Heavenly Demon.

“…”

Even the Knight of Abundance, who was waiting for her turn, turned her gaze toward him.

“Seriously? Wasn’t that a voluntary withdrawal?”

“Didn’t he just enter a moment ago? And now he’s leaving?”

The other examinees couldn't hide their astonishment and began murmuring among themselves.

“…Who is that person?”

“Find out who he is!”

People started moving in secret to uncover the Heavenly Demon’s identity. Although they were here to participate in the qualification exam, they also represented various factions—and this man had caught their interest.

“He wouldn’t dare lie right in front of the exam site. Go investigate him and report back.”

In recent days, there had been one or two fools who lied about their results from the Kingdom of Lan's exam. All of them were swiftly exposed by Lan's warriors and promptly exiled. Because of that precedent, no one dared to lie so boldly about their exam results.

And—

“…Definitely—”

As a person opened her mouth, all gazes turned toward her.

“He’s strong.”

And the moment she finished speaking—

“–!!”

“…!”

Shock rippled through the crowd. People couldn’t hide their surprise.

The speaker was the woman standing quietly behind the Knight of Abundance, patiently waiting for her turn. A tall spear, as long as she was tall, rested on her back.

Snow Death Flower—one of the Five Great Factions of the Kingdom of Lan.

This all-female faction was led by a renowned master, and the woman who had just spoken was none other than the leader’s younger sister.

Her name was Hyun Seong. She appeared to be in her early forties, and until that moment, she had stood in silence, aloof from the surroundings.

Now, however, people’s perception of the Heavenly Demon shifted dramatically.

He had been impressive before, but now—even she had acknowledged him.

“…"

The Heavenly Demon’s gaze turned to her as well.

– Heavenly Demon! Heavenly Demon! That woman was watching you even before you entered the exam hall!

Raon’s cheerful voice echoed in his mind, even while invisible.

Of course, the Heavenly Demon had already noticed. Her gaze, sharp and calculating, had been on him from the beginning.

“Kim Hae–il.”

Hyun Seong spoke his name aloud. The name of the Heavenly Demon.

Though she appeared indifferent on the surface, her senses had been razor sharp, analyzing everything.

Seong-ah. This is your chance.

The voice of her older sister—the faction leader—echoed in her mind.

A chance for Snow Death Flower to rise to fame.

She couldn’t miss it.

And for Hyun Seong, this tournament was not just any competition.

It was something she had to win.

No matter what.

Forgive me…

I know you have your own ambitions too.

Her older sister, the faction leader, had already chosen her successor.

Now, Hyun Seong was second-in-command of Snow Death Flower.

And once the new heir officially took the leader’s place…

She would have to retire.

But I won’t accept that.

Not yet.

She was too young to quietly wait for a future where she’d retire as second-in-command.

Not yet.

Not when Snow Death Flower—her home, her family—still had so much ahead.

And not when her own future remained unwritten.

Hyun Seong needed this tournament.

That was why her senses were sharpened to their peak.

Ghost Sword.

Among all the foreigners, he was the only one she acknowledged as a true warrior.

She had confirmed that Ghost Sword was participating in the tournament. He had exited the exam hall slightly earlier, and she had gone out briefly to observe him.

And there, she saw them—

That group.

Her eyes hadn’t been solely fixed on Kim Hae–il.

The servant. The bodyguard.

They were powerful as well.

Hyun Seong vividly recalled the sense of danger she had felt when the bodyguard moved, subtly preparing to draw his sword.

That calmness...

The way Kim Hae–il stopped him—effortless, yet absolute—felt like the calm center of a raging storm.

If the bodyguard radiated a quiet savagery, then Kim Hae–il himself exuded something deeper. Something darker.

He reminded her of the Dark Abyss—a secretive group that pursued strength above all, unbound by law, ethics, or morality.

Gulp.

Unconsciously, she swallowed.

The reason was simple.

I don’t know.

Neither the bodyguard nor Kim Hae–il.

She couldn’t grasp the depths of their strength.

Is Kim Hae–il weaker than the leader of the Dark Abyss?

I don’t know.

She truly didn’t.

Their strength was immeasurable.

But—

That servant…

Strangely, he bothered her.

That servant.

He didn’t look strong.

His physique didn’t suggest someone who had walked the path of Wu.

Sure, he seemed like someone who had held a sword since childhood—but still, he was just… good-looking. No more than that.

He looked weak.

And yet—

Why did she feel this way?

Path of the Wind.

Those who seek it.

The ones who train amidst nature—quiet, flowing like wind—yet somehow always find themselves entangled in the affairs of the world.

Why… why does he remind me of them?

She didn’t know.

She knew nothing about that servant. And yet, she sensed something—a faint scent clinging to him.

Is it the scent of nature?

Or perhaps… just an illusion?

Hyun Seong couldn’t answer that.

But one thing, she was sure of.

Their true identity is different.

Just then, the Heavenly Demon opened his mouth.

“Why don’t you say anything after mentioning my name?”

Snapping out of her thoughts, Hyun Seong quickly responded with courtesy.

“I hope to have the chance to witness your Wu someday.”

“Witness, huh?”

A faint, amused smile tugged at the Heavenly Demon’s lips.

“Don’t you want to fight me directly?”

The Heavenly Demon—

His appearance made him seem far younger than Hyun Seong.

And yet, there was something disconcerting about the way he spoke to her so casually, with no sense of inferiority.

Even more curious was how Hyun Seong accepted that tone without offense—how she responded with respect.

“…”

The Knight of Abundance stood silently beside them, watching the exchange.

And on Hyun Seong’s lips, a calm smile bloomed.

“Fighting directly would also be nice.”

The Heavenly Demon nodded with a strange smile.
“That would also be nice.”

He turned around.
“See you in the finals.”
And he left.

“Young Master, I’ll take you to the inn!”

Cale quickly stuck to the Heavenly Demon’s side.
“I won’t do anything foolish.”

At the Heavenly Demon’s words, Cale snorted. The Heavenly Demon silently looked at Cale and then turned his gaze around.

To the gazes watching him.

Well.

He savored that moment.

This was the first time.

He had never been in such a situation in his entire life.

They don’t know who he is.

There is no Demon Cult here.
No Heavenly Demon in front of Kim Hae–il.
Therefore, they would surely dare to say they would fight him.

And that—

Was exciting.

Ghost Sword too.
Hyun Seong too.
Some others too.

They were watching him, but they weren’t giving up their ambitions.

There are really many decent martial artists here.

The Kingdom of Lan.

I really like this place.

“…It’s problematic.”

If this continues, it could become real.

“What did you say?”

At Cale’s displeased question, the Heavenly Demon shook his head.

I feel tempted.

The Heavenly Demon began to feel a slight greed, drawn in by the martial artists’ burning gazes.

– Human, it seems like the Heavenly Demon has a gaze that will cause problems.
Exactly!

Cale and Raon’s eyes, locked on the Heavenly Demon, became even sharper.

Hmm.

And Choi Han began confirming, one by one, the traces of those secretly following him—beyond the obvious gazes aimed at him.

“Ignore them.”

“Yes. It’s intentional.”

Choi Han fulfilled his duty, silently acknowledging the words of both Cale and the Heavenly Demon—who already knew everything and were deliberately letting it slide.

‘Choi Han, HeavenlyDemon. The Wanderers will surely take part in this exam.’

‘If, as we suspect, the Kingdom of Lan had prepared for the Blood Demon—the Blue Blood—then our enemies wouldn’t want someone else seizing that opportunity unknowingly.’

‘There must be something hidden within the Kingdom of Lan that even the king himself doesn’t know about—something only the Wanderers are aware of. That must be why they intended the Blue Blood Family, the Blood Demon, to take over this kingdom.’

The Wanderers of the Five-Colored Family.

The enemy that twisted Choi Jung Gun’s fate.
The enemy now aiming for them.

Now, only the Five-Colored Family and the Transparent Blood Family remained.
Choi Han could not afford a single moment of carelessness.

“Hmm.”

He frowned slightly, feeling a subtle discomfort.

“Leave them.”

He gave a small nod at the Heavenly Demon’s calm words.

“…”

Behind them, Ghost Sword—who had exited the exam area shortly after the Heavenly Demon—was following closely.

Just ten steps behind.

* * *

“Ugh!”

The Dark Abyss.

It was said to be a place where those who sought only Wu gathered—regardless of justice, the right path, or the laws of the world. A haven for all sorts of bizarre martial artists.

“Ugh!”

The leader of the Dark Abyss, Passote, was currently facing off against the Justice Alliance.

And he was lying flat on the ground.

“Ugh!”

He gritted his teeth and tried to lift his head, trying desperately to shake off the foot pressing down on it.

But he couldn’t lift it.

All he could do was turn his face slightly—to look up at the owner of that foot.

“Why waste your time doing such meaningless things?”

A cheerful smile.

That girl’s smiling face came into Passote’s blurred view.

“You said you wanted to give up—”

“Ugh!”

The girl pressed down even harder.

An overwhelming force, a pressure like a mountain crashing down.

Passote’s skull felt like it would burst open.

It was hopeless.

He couldn’t win.

There was no way he could beat this girl.

If a God of Wu existed… it would be her.

Even Queen Tamahi, in her prime, would’ve been reduced to nothing but dust before this girl.

If you don’t want to see Dark Abyss disappear, then participate in the tournament with everything you've got.”

The girl crouched down and finally lifted her foot off Passote’s head.

She locked eyes with him.

“And do exactly as I say. Obediently.”

Passote’s face twisted in humiliation. Even though the pressure on his head had vanished, he still couldn’t rise. All he could manage was a question.

“…Why me?”

Dark Abyss had no intention of officially participating in this tournament.

Of course, any individual member who wanted to could sign up, but the group itself had no plans to send a representative under its name.

That’s why Passote couldn’t understand. Why him?

“Hehe~”

The girl responded with a smile.

“Because Dark Abyss can do it.”

Thump.

She dropped a piece of paper in front of him.

A list of names.

They were the rising stars from the recent qualification rounds—those who had caught everyone’s attention. Unnamed fighters. Lone wolves without factional backing.

“Dark Abyss already has a bad reputation, so no one will care if a few of these people die.”

Pfft.

She chuckled.

“The Kingdom of Lan never said they'd protect participants outside the tournament arena.”

And then—

“Do it quietly.”

Even if they found out.

“Well, even if you're discovered, so what? It’s Dark Abyss. No one will be surprised.”

At that moment, Passote gritted his teeth and opened his mouth.

“Dark Abyss doesn’t stoop to such cowardly, disgraceful— Ugh!”

Crack!

A suffocating pressure slammed down on him.

He couldn’t speak any further.

All he could see was the gleam of green energy.

He didn’t know what kind of force it held.

But it was horrifying.

A power that overwhelmed him just by existing.

“How many times do I have to tell you?”

The girl’s voice was laced with irritation.

“Just do as you're told.”

Then, her tone changed—gentle, almost affectionate.

“Then, see you later.”

The suffocating pressure vanished in an instant.

Passote lifted his head.

There was no one there.

“…”

He was alone.

In his own shelter, deep in the capital of the Kingdom of Lan, seated at the center of his room.

“…How—?”

How did things end up like this?

“Damn it.”

Passote, the young leader of Dark Abyss.

He clenched his jaw.

He hadn’t wanted this. No—he had wanted to change Dark Abyss. Or perhaps, more accurately, to restore it.

To return to what it had once been.

Wu.

That was all they sought, back then.

To walk the path of martial arts. Pure. Unburdened. Free of politics, power, and worldly entanglements.

There were still those within the great dome of Dark Abyss who believed in that dream—who supported him in that dream.

And now—

This?

He had no desire to enter the tournament. If he won, he would become heir to the king. Entangled in politics, swallowed up by the power struggle.

There would be no more walking the path of Wu alone.

“…”

Passote slowly reached out and picked up the paper the girl had left behind.

Drip. Drip.

A stream of dark red blood spilled from the corner of his lips, the result of the internal injuries she had inflicted.

The blood soaked into the paper.

His eyes traced the names listed there.

<Kim Hae–il.>

Among them… was the Heavenly Demon.

But Passote didn’t even register the name.

His mind was elsewhere.

Who is she?

That girl—

What is she really?

She had definitely introduced herself.

‘My name is Sohyi.’

That was the name she gave.

And when Passote had asked where she came from—

‘I’m just a Wanderer.’

That’s how she introduced herself.

Just a Wanderer.

But that couldn’t be true.

There was nothing ordinary about her.

Nothing about her presence, her strength, or the terrifying pressure she wielded felt like someone who was “just” anything.

No—she wasn’t just a Wanderer.

Passote clenched the bloodstained sheet of paper in his hand.

“…Just what kind of monster have I gotten involved with?”

And what did she want with Dark Abyss?

With him?

He didn’t know.

But he was certain of one thing.

The moment he followed her command…

There would be no turning back.

* * *

“Ten people—”

Queen Tamahi stared intently at the list handed to her by Charun, the leader of the Martial Arts Academy.

“These are the warriors you selected?”

“That’s correct.”

“…And their connection to the Wanderers?”

“I’m still verifying it.”

Sorak.
Ghost Sword.
Kim Hae-il.
Sohyi.
…And others.

Tamahi pointed at each name one by one as she read through the list of ten.

“Besides these ten, there may be other hidden gems.”

“Of course. This list only includes those who have already gone through the qualification exam. Once the real battles begin, more talents will reveal themselves. I’ll report them as they emerge.”

“Hmm…”

Tamahi gave a soft nod. Her gaze turned inward, her thoughts deep and unreadable.

The old minister, Charun, watched his sovereign in silence.

After a pause, Tamahi spoke.

“They—”

These ten.

“They will be either the ones we must protect… or the ones we must eliminate. It will come down to that.”

Just then, Charun opened his mouth.

“They might not be all that.”

“…Hmm?”

Tamahi’s eyes shifted toward Charun.

A man of Wu.

Charun, who had lived his entire life studying Wu not just as a weapon or path, but as a discipline. As an academic pursuit.

She was looking at him not as her minister, but as her teacher.

Tamahi straightened her posture.

Charun opened his mouth.

“There may not be any gems among them.”

The old man recalled a few faces.

“We must protect the true gems.”

Those worth protecting—and those that must be killed.

“It is not our duty to protect beasts.”

You cannot protect beasts.

And those beasts—

Even if they don’t want to stand out… they’ll reveal themselves eventually.

Charun had encountered such beasts before.

No—not potential beasts.

They were already beasts.

And not just any beasts.

Veterans. Beasts with honed instincts. Beasts who knew how to hide—how to bide their time.

There were three of them.

“…Do you believe the beasts will show themselves?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I believe they will.”

“…How interesting.”

Beasts…

Tamahi muttered the word under her breath, a faint smile curling at her lips.

“Then… will they eat me too?”

Whether enemy or ally.

Whether they bare their fangs or wag their tails.

Tamahi, smiling lightly as she spoke, suddenly paused.

Because Charun’s face remained unmoved.

Not a single hint of amusement.

“…Ha, ha!”

Suddenly, Queen Tamahi burst into laughter.

“This is fun.”

And seeing that—the gleam returning to her eyes, the dull helplessness gone—

The old minister smiled quietly to himself.

* * *

– Human, human! There are more people watching us!

Oh.

Cale gave a slight nod.

Cale’s group was seated by a window in the second-floor dining room of an inn that also functioned as a restaurant. They were calmly waiting—for their food to arrive, and for the people who would soon come through the door.

They were attracting a lot of attention.

It had been two days since the qualification exam.

The Heavenly Demon.

Or rather, Kim Hae-il, this guy was drawing stares from every direction. After all, he had been the fastest to pass the exam.

Huh?

At that moment, Choi Han made eye contact with him.

Cale tilted his head.
What’s with that look?

Just as he thought that, he heard the Heavenly Demon’s relaxed voice.

– Someone sent an assassin.

Assassin?

– Human, human! There’s someone on the roof! He feels like our dear Grandpa Ron!

Ron.
The assassin.

If it felt like that guy…

Then he was definitely an assassin.

– This is fun.

The Heavenly Demon sounded oddly delighted.

– It’s the first time someone’s tried to assassinate me since I was a child. I’m very curious to see how they plan to do it.

…This crazy bastard.

He was actually looking forward to the assassination attempt.

Cale shook his head in disbelief, while Choi Han let out a small sigh—as if he understood. As if this wasn’t anything new.

“…”

Not far from them, Ghost Sword sat alone at another table, slowly chewing his food, his gaze locked on their group with unblinking intensity.

Why is he staring like that?

Cale frowned.

Ghost Sword was definitely strange. But then again, he wasn’t the only one acting weird.

“…Oh, God of Abundance.”

The Knight of Abundance sat nearby, muttering a soft prayer to her god before starting her meal. She, too, had been staying at this inn—and had a habit of loitering near either Cale or Ghost Sword.

Cale’s eyes narrowed as he glanced at the two.

Strange, yes…

But—

If things go well, I might actually be able to talk with them.

Because Cale wasn’t just a regular person.

He was an NPC.

And one who could give missions.

– Human, why are you smiling like that? Are you going to deceive someone again?

Cale ignored Raon’s suspicious question.

At that moment—

Clang!

The door to the second-floor dining room opened.

– Human! It’s Crown Prince Alberu and the kind Rosalyn!

 -----

Translator's Comment:

When even beasts bow their heads and assassins dare to strike, you know the tournament has truly begun.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Mayank]