The Crazy Battle God Has Returned - Chapter 137

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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 137

The Grand Conference Hall at the top floor of the Player Alliance.
People had gathered in the Grand Conference Hall, which remained sealed unless the upper echelons of the Alliance or external VIPs visited.
They were members of the Alliance including Jain, and officials from the government.
And Han Yu-sung was among them.

“It’s our first time meeting like this. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Han Yu-sung. I’m Jung Il-nam, director of the Lord Countermeasure Headquarters and special minister appointed by the state.”

Special Minister Jung Il-nam extended his hand and introduced himself.
Not long after God’s Trial appeared, the government established a dedicated organization called the “Lord Countermeasure Headquarters” to respond to the Lords.
Jung Il-nam was its director and a special minister appointed by the nation.
Han Yu-sung grasped his hand in return.

“Haha, I never thought such a day would come. I never imagined another player would attend this gathering.”
“Who has attended until now?”
“Well, surely that goes without saying?”

Jung Il-nam grinned widely.
As he said, it would have been Lee Su-ho.
Lee Su-ho held high renown as Korea’s representative player.
He had continued to attend such gatherings, expanding his influence.
In his past life, he had used that influence to seize the position of Alliance Master, then followed Achiros’s orders to thoroughly exploit Korea.

[Achiros, that’s exactly the sort of thing he’d do. But this business about countering the Lords… is this organization actually meaningful?]
‘There’s no way. It’s just a nominal department.’

At Han Yu-sung’s assertion, Kakasha let out a scoff.
The Lords were not beings one could counter.
Why would transcendents who roamed across dimensions care about the government of a small planet?
The only thing the government could really do was gather items that might tempt the Lords and request negotiations.
The Lord Countermeasure Headquarters was the organization dedicated to that task.

“Now that everyone who needed to attend has arrived, let’s get down to business. Some of you must be exhausted from holding back the monster waves until just moments ago.”
“Right then.”

The Alliance Master, Jain, rose from her seat.

“As you all know, our nation has now obtained the authority to reclaim the national buffs that were taken by other countries. The reason I’ve called you here is to discuss how we should allocate them. Park Yu-ha.”
“Yes, I’ll present the data now.”

Park Yu-ha displayed a massive screen in the Grand Conference Hall.
It was a list of selectable national buffs.
But there were far more than I had anticipated.
Kakasha, who was watching alongside me, let out a low whistle.

‘How pitiful.’
[So many were stolen. Your nation as well….]

How many national buffs must have been taken away until now.
Multiple nations were listed: Japan, China, Russia, England, and even the United States. We had essentially lost to every major power.
It was the result of Korea enduring a long losing streak.

“We’ve lost so much that we’re struggling to decide which to reclaim first. I’m not sure what to say.”
“I knew it was bad, but I didn’t expect we’d lost this much.”
“Since player superpowers are mixed in as well, it’s not straightforward. From our nation’s perspective, we’re reclaiming them, but….”

Jung Il-nam, who was reviewing the list, clicked his tongue.

“The nations involved will naturally feel like they’re having their possessions taken from them.”
“You’re saying international relations could deteriorate.”
“Yes. From my position, I cannot ignore such considerations….”

Everyone gathered in the Grand Conference Hall fell into contemplation.
The problem was that many of the stolen national buffs were quite valuable.
Which should we reclaim first, and what about relations between nations?
Jain, who had been pondering, looked toward Han Yu-sung.

“Han Yu-sung. I’d like to hear your opinion if possible. Your contribution to obtaining this authority is considerable, is it not?”
“Which national buff would be best to reclaim first?”

Both Jain and Jung Il-nam asked Han Yu-sung for his opinion.
Han Yu-sung quickly scanned the list and selected one.
Among the various national buffs, the most useful one.

[Divine Training Ground.]
[Divine Training Grounds are deployed in all major cities across Korea. In these training grounds, death is exempted, and monsters up to level 50 appear. However, experience gained from hunting monsters is reduced by 80%.]

“The Divine Training Ground. That seems like the best option to me.”
“Hmm, this is… unexpected. Is there a particular reason to choose this?”
“Isn’t it a national buff that’s not immediately useful? Wouldn’t it be better to select a different national buff instead…?”

National buffs came in two main categories.
The first simply increased numerical stats like abilities.
The second added facilities that benefited the nation.
The Divine Training Ground was a second-type national buff. However, even among its category, it wasn’t particularly useful. The monsters that appeared were limited, and the experience multiplier wasn’t high.
‘For now,’ that was true.

‘Soon, an opportunity to strengthen national buffs will be given.’

If I enhanced the Divine Training Ground at that time, things would change.
Eventually, monsters of various levels would appear, and it would become a place with high experience multipliers—particularly helpful for training promising new players.
Especially since in my previous life, it was a national buff that greatly helped Japan maintain its position as a Player superpower, there was no reason not to claim it.

“Ugh…”
“Even so, this is a bit…”

Those gathered in the Grand Conference Hall looked perplexed.
Among the stolen national buffs were things like ‘Increased Buff Duration,’ ‘Enhanced Resistance,’ and ‘Combat Power Increase’—buffs that would be immediately useful.
To set those aside and choose such an ambiguous national buff instead.
If it hadn’t been Han Yu-sung who said this, they would have dismissed it.

[They seem to be hoping you’ll explain your reasoning.]
‘I have no choice.’

Just as I was about to open my mouth, swallowing a sigh internally.

“Han Yu-sung. Will choosing this benefit our country?”

Jain interjected.
She regarded Han Yu-sung with an utterly serious expression.

“In the long term, yes. It will be particularly helpful for players who’ve only recently awakened to grow.”
“Then, according to your opinion, we shall choose the Divine Training Ground.”
“Wait, Leader! We haven’t even gathered all the opinions yet…!”

The sudden decision met with resistance from the others.
Han Yu-sung was equally taken aback. He had thought he would need to explain his reasoning and persuade them, but they were pushing forward like a bulldozer.
Jain’s reason for doing so was simpler than expected.

“Without Han Yu-sung, we wouldn’t have obtained this national buff. I believe it’s only right to leave the choice to the person who brought it to us.”
“But even so…!”
“It will be beneficial in the long term, I believe.”

It was then that Jung Il-nam, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.
He sat in thought, tapping his fingers against the table.

“Very well. The Alliance’s opinion… or rather, Han Yu-sung’s opinion—the government will agree as well. Let’s go with selecting the ‘Divine Training Ground.'”
“Wait, Minister!”
“It’s good that our opinions align.”

Jain and Jung Il-nam had unified their stance.
The others stared at them in bewilderment, while Han Yu-sung watched the situation unfold with an impassive expression.
In that moment, South Korea made its choice of national buff.

[You have seized Japan’s national buff, ‘Divine Training Ground.’]
[The ‘Divine Training Ground’ now appears in each of South Korea’s major cities.]

That message soon reached Japan as well.
To Japan’s control tower, who had desperately hoped not to be chosen.
To Maezato Rinzo.

* * *

South Korea had been given the opportunity to seize another nation’s national buff.
The nations that had defeated South Korea in the National Inter-Country Tournament and stolen its national buffs could only pray they would not be selected.
Japan, in particular, harbored such hopes.
But heaven rejected that wish.

[South Korea has selected Japan.]
[Japan’s national buff, ‘Divine Training Ground,’ has been seized!]

“No, this can’t be! Damn it!”
“Why us, of all nations! There are plenty of other countries!”
“We haven’t even recovered from our defeat in the National Inter-Country Tournament…!”

Korea had reclaimed the national buff that had been stolen by Japan.
Soon after, the Divine Training Grounds built in each major city of Japan crumbled to dust and scattered, then vanished entirely.

“Damn those Korean bastards….”
“I never imagined a day would come when we’d lose the national buff to Korea—not once, but twice in a row.”
“Hmm, but… something feels off.”

Japan’s initial reaction was fury at having the national buff stripped away.
But that rage was short-lived.

“The Divine Training Grounds?”
“Why would they take that?”

Suspicion crept in regarding Korea’s choice.
Among the national buffs Japan had stolen from Korea, there were useful ones. A prime example was the buff that extended buff duration.
Yet they had set aside such valuable buffs and instead taken the Divine Training Grounds.

“Wasn’t that place used for practical training by novices?”
“The monster variety there is limited and the experience gain is poor. It’s not a place that would be particularly beneficial to anyone except novices.”
“Even novices don’t really favor that place.”
“…Could it have been a mistake? Or did they misunderstand something?”
“No, that can’t be it.”

They were driven to such doubts.
But Maezato Rinzo refuted their speculation.
It was because of information that had just reached him—news that Han Yu-sung had performed spectacularly in this monster wave.
There was also word that the Alliance had taken him along as if escorting him.

“If the Koreans had made a normal choice, they would have selected something immediately useful, not the Divine Training Grounds. The fact that they chose this means there was someone who suggested an abnormal choice.”
“Could it be….”
“Yes, Han Yu-sung. That Korean bastard.”

Crack!

Rinzo gnashed his teeth, unable to contain his fury.
That man who had killed his son, obstructed his pursuit of the Apostle position, and had now become an enemy of the Lord of Justice herself.
Yet his strength could not be ignored.
Especially considering Han Yu-sung’s performance across multiple trials.
Most recently, had he not inflicted tremendous losses upon numerous Lords?

“It seems there’s definitely a secret hidden here.”
“A secret, you say…?”

And so, naturally, such a thought couldn’t help but surface.

“There’s a secret hidden in the Divine Training Ground. We don’t know it, but Han Yu-sung! That damned bastard is the only one who knows it! And we stupidly let it slip through our fingers! Again, just like before!”

Unable to contain his fury, Maezato Rinzo let out a roar of rage.
The Japanese players watching him were skeptical.

‘A secret in the Divine Training Ground? Surely….’
‘If that were true, wouldn’t it have been discovered long ago? Countless Awakened have visited the Divine Training Ground, so how could it still be unknown?’
‘But if Han Yu-sung, that Korean, chose it….’

Could there really be something there?
Perhaps they had been robbed of a national buff of tremendous value?
Such thoughts bloomed in the minds of the Japanese players.
And an overwhelming sense of defeat that couldn’t be erased.

“Krraaaaaaagh!”

Maezato Rinzo’s near-convulsive roar echoed through the control tower.
It continued until the players who could no longer bear it finally left.

* * *

The Divine Training Ground, reclaimed from Japan.
Along with the national buff obtained as a reward from the event.

[National Buff: All Stats +10%, Experience Acquisition +20%, Attack Power Increase +10%, Player Awakening Rate +5%, ‘Divine Training Ground’.]

Korea’s once-pathetic national buff list had grown considerably longer.
The numbers still weren’t particularly high. But considering these buffs were granted to every player belonging to Korea, they were on an extraordinary level.

“Heh, so we really did obtain the Divine Training Ground….”
“Even the Alliance Leader and the Minister don’t understand what this….”
“Well then, let’s end the discussion here. Dismissed!”

There were plenty of buffs that could help immediately, yet of all things, the Divine Training Ground.
Those gathered in the Grand Conference Hall swallowed their protests that had risen to their throats.
Thus, the meeting ended in chaos.
Personnel from the Alliance and government left the room, clicking their tongues.

“It was a pleasure to meet you, Han Yu-sung. I hope we’ll have the chance to meet again. Though it seems we’re bound to, regardless.”
“It does seem that way.”

Jung Il-nam shook hands with Han Yu-sung, then departed with a sly smile.
Han Yu-sung watched his retreating figure for a moment.

‘Jung Il-nam. There’s no harm in building a connection with someone like him.’

He had been quite a capable figure in his past life.
Later, he would only dance in the palms of Lee Su-ho and Achiros.
But until then, he was a government official who did his best within his means.
Perhaps this time he would show a different face than in his past life.

“Thank you for coming, Han Yu-sung. I’m sorry for calling you on such short notice.”
“It’s fine. Thanks to this, I was able to choose what I wanted.”
“The Divine Training Ground, you mean.”

Everyone had left, and only Han Yu-sung and Jain remained in the Grand Conference Hall.
Jain looked at Han Yu-sung with a faint smile.

“You said it would be helpful in the long term. Now that we’re alone, I have to ask. Do you have a reason for thinking that?”
“It’s difficult to explain, but yes, I do. It will be a great help when cultivating Korea’s new players later.”
“A confident answer. Very well, I won’t ask further.”

Naturally, several questions arose in Jain’s mind.
How could he be so certain? How did he know?
Such questions.
But even if she asked, no answer would come.
She had no intention of wasting time on such things.
Based on Han Yu-sung’s actions so far, things would unfold as he said.

“You’ve worked hard, so I should let you go soon. But first, this.”

Jain opened her palm.

[‘Jain’ is attempting to transfer 700,000 coins to you.]
[Do you accept?]

“I should give you the coin reward we promised first.”
“That’s quite a lot. Wasn’t the amount we agreed on 500,000 coins?”
“That’s right. Oh, I suppose I forgot about it.”

At Jain’s words, I searched my memory.
Then something came to mind—a reason to receive coins.

“This is the compensation from the Lord of Justice, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Remember when the Sworn Servants of Justice attacked you at the Alliance before? They didn’t want to pay, but I finally managed to get it out of them.”
“I had forgotten about it, but I’m surprised you actually managed to collect it.”
“The evidence was solid.”

I stared at the message that appeared before my eyes.
Achiros had suffered massive coin losses in the Hero’s War.
And now an additional 200,000 coins in compensation.

‘Achiros must be absolutely furious.’

And that was more than welcome.
I gladly accepted the coins Jain offered.

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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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