The Crazy Battle God Has Returned - Chapter 104

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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A Mad Swordsman Returns – Chapter 104

【Heart of a Dragon】.
This skill that Han Yu-sung possessed carried multiple effects.
It granted an innate talent for wielding mana, dramatically heightened mana perception, and allowed him to sense the ‘discord’ within mana itself.

“Something felt off from the moment I entered this place.”

Now, within this Cavern, I sensed a profound dissonance.
And in the direction where that dissonance emanated, I felt a formidable presence.
It was far too coincidental to dismiss as mere chance.

[So there’s an entity creating this illusion?]
“Probably. If I eliminate that creature, the illusion should vanish as well.”

The orthodox method for resolving a realm of ‘will’ was straightforward.
Maintain oneself through unwavering resolve while trapped in illusion, and reach the end of the Cavern.
That’s why it was called a realm of ‘will’.
But that wasn’t Han Yu-sung’s preference.
Above all else.

“Time is precious, so let’s finish this quickly.”
[Hmm, this is a place where we compete against others, after all.]
“Right. Lee Su-ho, when I think of him….”

I needed to break through this realm as rapidly as possible.
Then my course of action was clear. Han Yu-sung moved toward the direction where he sensed the mana discord and the formidable presence.
It was then that certain players blocked his path.

“Han Yu-sung.”
“Ugh! We c-can’t let you escape from here!”
“Damn it, my vision…!”

They were Sworn Servants of Justice targeting Han Yu-sung.
It seemed they possessed reasonably firm resolve, as they hadn’t been completely consumed by the illusion.
Though they wouldn’t last long before the illusion eroded them entirely.

“Your determination to carry out your orders even in such a state is admirable.”

Was it loyalty to Lee Su-ho that allowed me to resist the illusion?
Han Yu-sung clicked his tongue and summoned his magical power.
The mana rising from him transformed into a biting cold that swiftly engulfed the surroundings.

“A futile effort.”

In that instant, silence fell.
A merciless cold swept across the area, and pale frost descended like snow.
Soon the entire vicinity turned white.

“Ugh, gah….”
“My body…?!”

Everything began to freeze solid.

【Eternal Permafrost】.

The earth itself—even the very air—crystallized into ice.
The Sworn Servants of Justice were no exception. Their feet touching the ground froze first, then their lower bodies, until their entire forms were consumed by white frost.
Han Yu-sung gripped his blade.

【Haldren Swordsmanship Third Form – Full Moon】.

A sharp whistle cut through the air!
A colossal vortex of sword energy erupted, cleaving through his enemies.
It was over.
The bisected Sworn Servants of Justice transformed into light and were expelled from the Dungeon.
Han Yu-sung turned away without a second glance.

“Now to find the source of this illusion.”

Han Yu-sung moved toward the direction where something felt amiss.
A violent gale swept through the vast Cavern. He advanced at tremendous speed, gradually sensing the shift in the surrounding atmosphere.

‘The formless aura grows stronger with each step.’

In other words, the illusion itself was intensifying.
Strong enough to pierce even the resistance of one who possessed a 【Dragon’s Heart】.
Soon the scenery around me began to distort, and the illusion became visible.

– Ugh, uaaaaaaah!
– No, the world… everything is collapsing….
– What meaning does this hold in a world already destroyed?

What I saw was the landscape of my past life.
The ruined world shimmered like heat haze rising from the ground.
The Lords had extracted everything they could from Earth, and in the aftermath, they abandoned the desolate planet like garbage and departed.
All that remained were people desperately clinging to survival with whatever scraps were left.

– Damn it, that cursed bastard….
– You’re blocking my ascension!

And collaborators who had tried to survive by selling out Earth.
I gazed at the Lee Su-ho of my past life standing before me.
The Lee Su-ho who had sold Earth and earned the qualification to become a Lord in return.
A smile naturally bloomed across my lips.

“Thank you. For reminding me of those old memories.”

Shing!

Without a moment’s hesitation, I drove my blade through my own body.
Sharp pain flooded through me, and my dulled senses rapidly awakened.
The hallucination that had shimmered like heat haze vanished in an instant.

[My lord, have you taken up a hobby of self-harm? Are you well?]
“I’m fine. In fact, it wasn’t bad at all.”

It felt like I had rekindled my original resolve after so long.
It became the catalyst to remind me why I had chosen to return.
I stomped fiercely against the ground.

“It seems I’m almost there.”

The intensity of the hallucination meant I was drawing close to the source.
If it could pierce through my resistance, I was undoubtedly near.
With that thought, I pressed forward through the Cavern, and my prediction proved accurate.

Sssssssss….

The formless aura grew denser.
No—it could no longer be called formless. A hazy, pale mist now blanketed the entire Cavern, visible to the naked eye.
And beyond it, I sensed a formidable presence.

“There you are.”

I unleashed a violent blood wind with Blood Wind Severance.
The blood wind tore through the mist that had shrouded the surroundings, revealing the monster that had been hiding beyond it.
A spectral creature cloaked entirely in a tattered robe.

[You have discovered the Architect of Illusions.]
[Defeating this monster will end the realm of ‘Will’. Additionally, the player who defeats it will receive valuable rewards.]

The monster, now aware of my presence, bared its fangs.
Rewards offered—there was no reason not to claim this prize.
A crimson blade aura ignited along the Blood Demon Sword, already steeped in blood.

“As repayment for stirring my old memories, I’ll make this swift.”
– Shhhhiiiing!

I kicked off the ground.
Moments later, the cacophony of fierce combat echoed through the Cavern.

* * *

The battle did not last long.

– How… how could I… be found here…?

The Architect of Illusions was a creature that wielded various illusions and sorcery.
But it was far from skilled in close combat.
And my opponent was Han Yu-sung, one who possessed resistance to mental attacks.
It was faster for him to be cleaved in half than for it to pierce through that resistance.

– Kugh, ahhhhhhh…

The Architect of Illusions released a final, agonized scream before dissolving into ash and vanishing.

[The ‘Architect of Illusions’ governing that domain has been annihilated.]
[You have succeeded in proving your ‘will’ through an alternative method.]
[As a reward, the ‘Bell of Illusions’ is granted to you.]

Soon after, the promised reward materialized.
Han Yu-sung discovered the bell buried beneath the ashes.

[Bell of Illusions.]
· A bell imbued with the power of the ‘Architect of Illusions’.
· When this item is used, you can interfere with players currently breaking through the domain of ‘will’ at other locations.

Upon seeing the item, Han Yu-sung let out a dry laugh.
I wondered what kind of reward this would be, but I never expected something like this.

“This is perfect.”

That made me appreciate it all the more.
Only one person could reach the end of the Tomb of the Lord.
Only those who broke through every domain faster than anyone else and proved themselves could monopolize the rewards of the Tomb of the Lord.
An item that could interfere with those competitors was more than welcome.

“Lee Su-ho will be absolutely delighted.”
[Outwitting the lackeys of the Lord of Justice is something I heartily endorse!]

Han Yu-sung immediately rang the bell.
A clear, resonant chime echoed forth, and the bell crumbled to dust and vanished.
An intangible force dispersed outward, spreading in all directions.
No message appeared, but it had clearly functioned properly.

Boom!

“The Cavern is…”

Then a tremendous roar erupted, and the Cavern ‘folded’.
It was literal.
Space compressed like folding paper, revealing an invisible boundary, and a massive exit materialized.
An exit from the domain of ‘will’.

“The next domain was ‘strength’, wasn’t it.”

Han Yu-sung moved forward, hoping this realm would suit his preferences.

* * *

Meanwhile, at that same moment.
Lee Su-ho was traversing the Realm of Will.
Following him were the Sworn Servants of Justice. Unlike the players clashing with one another, they advanced through the Cavern in perfect tranquility.

[Aura of Conviction protects our allies.]
[Stats increase, and all status ailment resistance rises.]

It was thanks to the buff Lee Su-ho had activated.
Beyond that, the blessings and skills the Lord of Justice had bestowed upon the Sworn Servants allowed them to advance without succumbing to illusions.
As a result, traversing the realm proved effortless.
If there was a problem.

“I have no idea how much farther we need to go. What does your Detection say?”
“Yes, Lee Su-ho. The direction my Detection indicates is correct. However, as for how long it will take… we are drawing closer.”

Lee Su-ho clicked his tongue.
An irritatingly vast space. Considering this is the Realm of Will, such dimensions were surely intentional on the creator’s part.
And there was something else.

‘There’s likely an intent to target those who resist illusions.’

There must be others capable of resisting illusions through skills, just as Lee Su-ho was.
But even that couldn’t be maintained indefinitely. In a Cavern this expansive, mana would inevitably deplete during the journey.
Then they would fall prey to illusions and face a trial of will.
It was an aggravating realm in every sense.

‘Unless there’s another strategy to clear it.’

Lee Su-ho was a player who had overcome countless Difficult Realms and trials.
Thanks to that experience, the thought occurred to him that another approach might exist.
Perhaps the entity creating these illusions….

A deep rumble reverberated through the space!

“Ugh! What, what is this? The ground suddenly….”
“Is something appearing? Stay alert!”

A deafening boom cut through Lee Su-ho’s thoughts.
And a message materialized before everyone’s eyes.

[Someone from another realm has slain the Architect of Illusions.]
[The bell of illusions resonates across another ‘Will’s’ domain….]
[The domain of ‘Will’ is greatly strengthened!]

“What? What does this mean?”
“The Architect of Illusions? No, strengthened means…!”

A bell’s chime echoed from somewhere.
Moments later, the formless aura that enveloped the surroundings intensified—so much so that it pierced through Lee Su-ho’s Aura of Conviction.
But that wasn’t the only problem.
The intensified formless aura coalesced and began to take shape.

“M-monsters?”

Grotesque creatures cloaked entirely in tattered robes.
Monsters that appeared to be miniature versions of the Architect of Illusions emerged and surrounded Lee Su-ho and the other players.
And moments later.

– Kiiiiaaaaaaah!
“Damn it, they’re attacking!”
“Just who the hell is…!”

Combat erupted.
Monsters unleashing illusions and magic in their assault. Players fighting back against them.
Lee Su-ho, observing the spectacle, bit his lip.

‘Whoever it is, someone else had the same idea I did.’

There might be another method to clear this realm.
And perhaps there exists a being capable of creating these illusions.
And that person had succeeded in finding and slaying that entity faster than Lee Su-ho.

‘Just who is this bastard!’

In that instant, a man flashed through Lee Su-ho’s mind.
Han Yu-sung.
The man who would undoubtedly become the greatest obstacle in this Dungeon.
Lee Su-ho gritted his teeth and surged forward.

“Hurry! There’s someone ahead of us!”

Brilliant light erupted from Lee Su-ho’s body.
I had failed repeatedly. This reward Dungeon alone—I had to claim it. Before Han Yu-sung, no matter what it took.
The light Lee Su-ho summoned carved through the monsters.

“Moving out!”
“Yes, Lee Su-ho!”

Lee Su-ho and his subordinates tore through the Cavern in desperate haste.
I knew this reckless pace would incur casualties, but there was no choice.
I could not allow Han Yu-sung to steal the rewards.

* * *

While Lee Su-ho rushed through the Cavern like this.

“This looks like the entrance to the next area.”

Han Yu-sung had reached an enormous door.
It was the kind of door that would require considerable strength to open.
The moment I placed my hand upon it, a message appeared.

[This is the gate to the Second Area, ‘Strength’.]
[This area cannot be entered with others. You must face the challenge alone and prove your own power.]
[Will you proceed?]

It was a warning of sorts.
If you’ve come this far as a party, from here on you must advance alone—proceed only if you’re prepared. A rather considerate warning, I suppose.
Of course.
Without hesitation.

“I’ll proceed.”

It was a kindness Han Yu-sung had no need for.
He pushed open the door and stepped into the second realm.

[You have entered the realm of ‘Power’.]

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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