WeTried Translations
Translator: ZERO_SUGAR
Editor: BlueMangoAde
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 873: F-Rank Hunter Jeon Myeong-hoon (12)
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Jeon Myeong-hoon, who has driven Kim Cheol-su as far as Toyama Prefecture on Honshu, Japan, suddenly brightens his eyes.
‘Oh...’
He is responding.
Jeon Myeong-hoon presses him harder to see what level he has reached after crossing the wall.
But unlike before, when he was being torn to shreds.
He is now ‘deflecting’ the attacks.
He diverts as much of Jeon Myeong-hoon’s spear strikes as possible, limiting the damage to being struck rather than ripped apart!
[Excellent!]
Crackle!
Jeon Myeong-hoon presses Kim Cheol-su even harder.
At the same time, Kim Cheol-su’s Sealing Tome pulses with light.
The Mysterious King’s Seventy-Two Sealing Tome, a Unique Skill that simply steals!
Yet even that stealing ability has grown.
Crackle, cracklecrackle!
‘The speed at which it steals skills is increasing...!’
Jeon Myeong-hoon smiles as he watches Kim Cheol-su’s skill-stealing speed rise in step with his own speed of creating and evolving skills.
[Excellent...! But can you steal them forever!?]
Rumble!
With Jeon Myeong-hoon’s thrust, Kim Cheol-su flies in a straight line through Nara Prefecture and Togoshima Prefecture, all the way to Kagoshima Prefecture.
Then Jeon Myeong-hoon flinches in surprise.
For the first time, Kim Cheol-su’s hand ‘catches’ Jeon Myeong-hoon’s spear!
[Oh...!]
Crackle!
Now, the lightning erupting from Kim Cheol-su’s body is fiercer and greater than Jeon Myeong-hoon’s.
Kim Cheol-su looks even closer to a Thunder God.
[Skill, Thunder Heaven General evolves into a Unique Skill!]
[Unique Skill, Mysterious King’s Seventy-Two Sealing Tome activated!]
The instant Jeon Myeong-hoon evolves a skill, Kim Cheol-su steals it.
Jeon Myeong-hoon has reached the point where he can evolve skills the instant he acquires them.
Yet Kim Cheol-su’s speed in stealing them has already nearly caught up.
‘It isn’t over. This bastard’s skill theft... it keeps evolving!’
Jeon Myeong-hoon lets out a quiet laugh.
‘Then let’s see how much you can steal!’
Jeon Myeong-hoon’s spear strikes continue.
Kim Cheol-su is gradually pushed back.
However, the number of times he manages to ‘block’ Jeon Myeong-hoon’s strikes begins to increase.
Kim Cheol-su’s skill-stealing speed gradually begins to surpass Jeon Myeong-hoon’s skill-creation and evolution speed.
And the more that happens.
The more he steals Jeon Myeong-hoon’s skills!
The brighter Kim Cheol-su shines!
The more dazzlingly he radiates lightning!
Jeon Myeong-hoon’s lightning gradually weakens, while Kim Cheol-su’s lightning begins to roar ever more powerfully.
Before long.
Kim Cheol-su passes through Ōsumi, Tokara, and Amami in the Satsunan Islands, reaching Okinawa in the Ryukyu Islands.
There, Kim Cheol-su goes beyond blocking and begins launching several counterattacks.
He passes beyond Miyako and the Yaeyama Islands beyond Okinawa.
Then, at last, he crosses Japanese territorial waters and reaches Taiwan.
Boom!
Jeon Myeong-hoon marvels.
Kim Cheol-su has blocked his spear.
And without being pushed back any farther, he stares directly at Jeon Myeong-hoon.
‘His martial arts proficiency has grown quickly in such a short time, to around the mid-Peak stage. But it isn’t martial arts... His affinity with skills and lightning is at the level of someone literally loved by the world...!’
Swish!
Kim Cheol-su swings his spear!
That strike splits the sea, exposing the floor of the Pacific Ocean.
Rumble!
The thunder resounding from Kim Cheol-su’s entire body overwhelms Jeon Myeong-hoon’s thunder.
‘This is rather dangerous. It would be troublesome if that hit me.’
Jeon Myeong-hoon grins.
Kim Cheol-su has undoubtedly accumulated immense experience in a short time and grown this strong!
Yet why is it?
He finds himself smiling instead.
[Right, that is how strong you should be! World!]
The opponent before him is the incarnation of this world!
It would be disappointing if he were weak!
Kim Cheol-su’s counterattack begins.
Dodging Kim Cheol-su’s offensive, Jeon Myeong-hoon retreats across the Pacific and crosses spears with him.
‘He won’t give me time to evolve anything new. Well, it doesn’t matter.’
Jeon Myeong-hoon draws out his final remaining skill, [Lightning Garment], with a smile. Kim Cheol-su looks at his own skill.
[Mysterious King’s Seventy-Two Sealing Tome (1/72)]
The Mysterious King’s Sealing Tome has already stolen seventy-one skills, leaving one use.
‘Without giving him a chance to evolve skills, I’ll steal even his final skill!’
But now, he cannot steal them merely by getting close.
Perhaps Jeon Myeong-hoon has grown accustomed to severing the world’s flow. Whenever Kim Cheol-su tries to steal from him, Jeon Myeong-hoon repels that flow.
‘He is defending against the Mysterious King’s Sealing Tome. To steal from him, I need direct physical contact.’
The Mysterious King’s Seventy-Two Sealing Tome is, from the start, a skill that uses the System’s own authority.
Ordinarily, it is impossible to defend against.
Yet his opponent is defending against it.
‘As expected of an Outer God!’
But it does not matter!
If his opponent is an Outer God, then Kim Cheol-su himself is one beloved by this world!
Rumble, rumble!
Jeon Myeong-hoon marvels.
The mana around them.
The mana of the entire world begins flowing toward Kim Cheol-su.
[I am one chosen by the world!]
Rumble!
Kim Cheol-su’s entire body flashes with lightning.
Mana from all heaven and earth concentrates upon him.
[I will kill you, Outer God!]
Rumble, boom!
Jeon Myeong-hoon senses that Kim Cheol-su before him has crossed another boundary.
‘His peak seems lower... but he reminds me of Young-hoon hyung-nim. So this is what it means to be loved by the world...’
Heh heh...
Jeon Myeong-hoon suddenly laughs.
Kim Cheol-su is now pushing him back.
As he begins to be driven from the Pacific toward America, Jeon Myeong-hoon looks at Kim Cheol-su.
The figure of a Thunder God endlessly drawing mana toward himself.
A being loved by the world.
‘Was I... like that?’
That is right.
Kim Cheol-su resembles Jeon Myeong-hoon, an Ender with the Heavenly Golden Lightning Body.
Against Kim Cheol-su, who has transformed into something like a storm of lightning, Jeon Myeong-hoon looks like a small candle before a lightning storm.
‘We were loved by fate.’
Rumble!
Struck once by Kim Cheol-su’s spear, Jeon Myeong-hoon skips across the Pacific like a stone before regaining his stance.
‘Right... So that is it. Was this how you felt as well?’
Jeon Myeong-hoon looks at someone’s back.
The back of a man in pure white clothes.
One who rejected fate’s protection and overcame every adversity with his own strength.
One who surpassed fate itself.
His friend.
His idol.
The savior of him and everyone else.
‘...You must have felt this way too, right?’
Rumble!
Swept into the lightning storm, Jeon Myeong-hoon looks up at Kim Cheol-su, who radiates lightning from the heart of the storm.
‘Did it feel like this?’
Boom!
Kim Cheol-su’s lightning sweeps away the entire area where Jeon Myeong-hoon stands.
Defending against that lightning, Jeon Myeong-hoon looks at his back.
‘Can I become you too?’
Rumble!
At the center of the Pacific, Jeon Myeong-hoon is driven beneath the sea amid Kim Cheol-su’s lightning.
The sea within a twenty-kilometer diameter evaporates, and the space within fills with lightning.
Authority truly worthy of a king of lightning!
Within it, Jeon Myeong-hoon closes his eyes, enduring Kim Cheol-su’s lightning.
[Hey.]
It is dangerous.
Kim Cheol-su’s power is formidable, but something even more dangerous dwells within this lightning.
The will of the world.
The current Kim Cheol-su is less Kim Cheol-su himself and more the embodiment of this world’s laws, created to expel the Outer God Jeon Myeong-hoon.
The laws themselves struggle desperately to erase Jeon Myeong-hoon’s body.
Yet even amid the world’s hostility.
Though he feels the danger, Jeon Myeong-hoon speaks calmly.
He speaks to the lump of charcoal in his hand.
[Take my hand.]
The lump of charcoal takes Jeon Myeong-hoon’s hand.
Click.
Jeon Myeong-hoon raises the tip of his spear.
Within the space that has become white from the endlessly descending lightning, Jeon Myeong-hoon points his spear upward and asks the lump of charcoal.
Feeling the charcoal’s hand, Jeon Myeong-hoon contemplates the enlightenment he has gleaned in this world.
An immeasurable amount of time has passed since he reached Entering Heavens Beyond the Path.
A long time has also passed since he raised his realm to Treading Heaven Beyond the Path merely to pass the time.
Yet Jeon Myeong-hoon could not reach Shattering Heavens Beyond the Path or Tribulating Heavens Beyond the Path, beyond Treading Heaven Beyond the Path.
He had once asked Kim Young-hoon, Seo Eun-hyun, and Sword Spear why that was.
‘Swing it. It is already within you!’
Kim Young-hoon said something like that, so Jeon Myeong-hoon ignored him.
‘It is already within you. Swing it!’
That sounded exactly like something Sword Spear would say, considering she claimed aluminum foil blocked X-Gates’ mind control, so he ignored her too.
‘...’
Seo Eun-hyun did not answer Jeon Myeong-hoon’s question.
He only looked at Jeon Myeong-hoon with somewhat bitter eyes and patted his shoulder.
‘Have I reached that realm?’
Even when Jeon Myeong-hoon asked, Seo Eun-hyun did not answer.
Jeon Myeong-hoon found it frustrating.
When he sought out Heart Tribe members whose realms were lower than Seo Eun-hyun’s and Kim Young-hoon’s to spar, they only told him that he had not reached it yet.
Still, all of them said he had reached the utmost limit within Treading Heaven Beyond the Path.
Jeon Myeong-hoon did not particularly care.
After all... he was already a Heavenly Lord, and the being closest to the Heavenly Punishment Seat.
Other than Zhengli, Yang Sujin, and a few Jade Pivot Lightning Immortals, there was no one who could threaten his command over the Origin Essence of Heavenly Punishment. There had been no need to improve his martial arts further.
Having gained everything, he had not felt much need to ascend to the position of Supreme Deity, so aside from studying lightning’s Origin Essence, he had not bothered with other cultivation.
But at this moment.
Jeon Myeong-hoon wants to leave Treading Heaven Beyond the Path behind more than ever before.
It is not because Kim Cheol-su is strong.
It is not because the world crushes him, or because he is angry at someone.
Now.
The reincarnation of the one most precious to him.
Is looking at Jeon Myeong-hoon.
For that reason alone, Jeon Myeong-hoon wants to grow more than ever.
The lump of charcoal holds Jeon Myeong-hoon’s hand.
And receives his heart.
The two become one in heart and body, and Jeon Myeong-hoon asks the charcoal’s soul.
[Can I surpass Seo Eun-hyun... No, can I reach Seo Eun-hyun?]
The lump of charcoal shares Jeon Myeong-hoon’s vision.
The lump of charcoal sees what he sees.
Beyond Kim Cheol-su and the world’s will.
Jeon Myeong-hoon is looking at Seo Eun-hyun’s back.
The lump of charcoal cannot answer carelessly.
The Crystal King!
Any living being born on Mount Sumeru, any being who knows the First King, Crystal King, and Future King in any fashion, comes to hold boundless reverence, love, and fear for the Three Kings.
The lump of charcoal is no different.
To the lump of charcoal, Jeon Myeong-hoon’s words are no different from blasphemy.
They feel unbearably irreverent.
They sound like a denial of the charcoal’s very existence.
Yet why is it?
Connected to Jeon Myeong-hoon’s soul.
Face-to-face as soul and soul, as the essence of their souls...
The lump of charcoal wants to commit the forbidden act of blasphemy.
Even if it means blaspheming the origin of Mount Sumeru by saying Jeon Myeong-hoon might dare reach it, even if it means breaking a taboo...
The lump of charcoal wants to cheer for Jeon Myeong-hoon.
The lump of charcoal is about to break a taboo.
Because it feels like the greatest encouragement it can offer Jeon Myeong-hoon.
But then.
The lump of charcoal feels Jeon Myeong-hoon’s hand.
His soul trembling faintly.
It is a tremor only the lump of charcoal, who is most closely joined to Jeon Myeong-hoon’s soul, can sense.
In the end, the lump of charcoal decides not to cheer Jeon Myeong-hoon on.
It has already overcome its fear of the taboo and made up its mind to encourage him, yet deliberately holds back the words of encouragement.
In that space where all heaven and earth have turned white.
There, the lump of charcoal says to Jeon Myeong-hoon.
“You do not have to surpass him.”
In the pure white world, Jeon Myeong-hoon’s thoughts are conveyed at once.
What did you say?
“Because you are already yourself.”
The lump of charcoal smiles.
Jeon Myeong-hoon feels that the charcoal does not look like black charcoal, but like someone’s face flushed red.
Sharing the enlightenment Jeon Myeong-hoon has gleaned through his hand, the charcoal whispers the enlightenment it has reached from its own perspective.
“‘Even if anger does not disappear, if there was a moment when we looked in the same direction, that too will not disappear. You do not need to overcome anger. The countless moments that make up who you are have already taken root more firmly than anger.’ That is the enlightenment you have gleaned, isn’t it?”
Within the white space.
She smiles as she speaks.
“The Crystal King will not disappear. Even if you try to surpass him or reach him, he will only remain far away. He is miracle itself. But, Jeon Myeong-hoon.”
For the first time, it is not “Your Highness” that leaves her lips, but his name.
The lump of charcoal, originally from Mount Sumeru, could not dare speak his true name. Yet for some reason, it feels natural.
“You too... will be a small miracle to someone.”
It is the pure white space inside Ant Garden, which they also entered during the Thunder God Religion Gate.
The sight he saw there.
The voice he heard there.
Listening to her voice, Jeon Myeong-hoon looks at her.
But this time, he does not cry.
He no longer looks at her.
Jeon Myeong-hoon looks upward.
She looks at the same place.
The two grasp the spear.
Together.
The spear held by the two beings begins rising, tearing through space.
Within the white space.
Kim Cheol-su’s authority, the will of the world, finally steals Jeon Myeong-hoon’s skill.
The [Lightning Garment] skill is taken away.
Kim Cheol-su smiles as he watches Jeon Myeong-hoon rise from below.
It is over!
At last, the wicked Outer God from another world will fall asleep without recovering his strength!
He no longer seems to have the power to evolve skills or control lightning.
Yes, that must be so.
But Kim Cheol-su is horrified.
[Why, why in the world...!]
Rumble!
Within the waterfall of Kim Cheol-su’s lightning that evaporates the Pacific Ocean, alien lightning in the shape of a spear begins rising against the waterfall.
[Why are you still controlling thunder even after your skills are gone!!!]
Rumble!
Jeon Myeong-hoon’s lightning rises, flowing against the will of the world.
Jeon Myeong-hoon finally realizes.
His will flowing against the will of the world.
If there is a realm of swordsmanship where one cuts whenever the heart moves, it is called the Heart Sword.
Then what should a realm be called where thunder rises whenever the heart moves?
Lightning of the Heart.
Jeon Myeong-hoon decides to call it that.
Already, regardless of skills.
Jeon Myeong-hoon’s resolute will has become Lightning of the Heart, taking form as thunder and lightning.
Though every skill has been stolen, Jeon Myeong-hoon forms his body from Lightning of the Heart and faces the lightning descending upon him.
The will of the world!
Yes, he begins overcoming this world’s celestial tribulation.
Like wind flowing from his mouth, one name naturally escapes Jeon Myeong-hoon’s lips.
[Beyond the Path...]
Rumble...!
[Lightning Heaven...]
Lightning Heaven Beyond the Path.
Under that name, Jeon Myeong-hoon tries to define the new horizon opening before him.
But then.
Feeling another’s warm hand gripping the spear together with his own.
Jeon Myeong-hoon erases the name he had uttered.
[...No.]
Jeon Myeong-hoon decides he will no longer look at Seo Eun-hyun’s back.
He cannot surpass Seo Eun-hyun anyway.
He acknowledges that.
But it is fine.
The warmth of this one hand he holds.
Is something even Seo Eun-hyun does not possess.
The warmth of a hand Seo Eun-hyun cannot possess or reach.
Is here in this hand.
‘No, it has been here all along!’
Rising against heavenly lightning.
Lightning Heaven Beyond the Path.
Even cutting against that name, born from Tribulating Heavens Beyond the Path.
[Heavenly Lightning Transcends the Path.]
Rumble!
Together with her, whom he has finally met again, Jeon Myeong-hoon completely cuts away the will of the world and Seo Eun-hyun’s image in his heart.
[Heart Lightning!]
Though it does not come close to his Heart Sword, the Impermanence Sword.
This Lightning of the Heart must belong to Jeon Myeong-hoon alone.
At the center of the Pacific.
Piercing through lightning, the System, Kim Cheol-su, the will of the world, and even the vanity and wounds within his own heart, Jeon Myeong-hoon finally reunites with her.
Holding her soul, which is finding its essence within the enlightenment of Heart Lightning, in one arm, he soars into the blue heavens and laughs.
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