The Crazy Battle God Has Returned - Chapter 157

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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 157

Maezato Rinzo was dead.
His death would send shockwaves through Japan.
It might even ripple across to Korea, the neighboring nation.
“Han Yu-sung. Take this.”
Ran handed over the sacred relic she held in her hand.
It was the 【Equitas Code】, a sacred relic owned by the Lord of Justice.
“I know my limitations. This relic is beyond what I can handle. You’ll make better use of it than I would.”
“Then I’ll gladly accept it.”
Han Yu-sung received the sacred relic without hesitation.
[Equitas Code (A+)]
· Sacred relic of the Lord of Justice.
· Can activate 【Executor】. Grants tremendous power for a limited time in exchange for permanent injury to the user’s body.
· When 【Executor】 is activated, the Army of Justice recorded in the codex is summoned, and the Protection of Justice descends upon all allies in the surrounding area.
· This sacred relic is destroyed after a single use.
For an A+ grade relic, it possessed a deceptively simple effect.
Which is to say, it was all the more powerful.
To receive an A+ grade with such straightforward abilities meant the power was extraordinary.
‘At least she looked after an important contractor in her own way.’
Though it was a one-time use, it was more than sufficient to escape a crisis.
Regardless, Linjo himself was already dead.
Han Yu-sung secured the sacred relic.
“Ran. What will you do from here?”
“As I prepared beforehand, I’ll gather the assets I’ve been eyeing. After that, I’ll need to disappear somewhere no one can find me for a while.”
“Things will quiet down soon enough.”
“I hope that day comes quickly.”
Han Yu-sung and Ran locked eyes and nodded at each other.
“So, we just need to escape the Difficult Realm now?”
“No. I intend to gather the treasures here before we leave.”
“In this situation…?”
Ran muttered with a tone of exasperation as she glanced around.
The already unstable Difficult Realm continued to collapse.
Though I’d killed Linjo as quickly as possible, time was not on our side.
To make the decision to collect items in such circumstances.
“Well, fine. Since we’re in this together, I should help you see it through. I’ll help you find the treasures. Do you know which way to go?”
“I do.”
Han Yu-sung smiled and clapped his hands loudly.
Then someone appeared from beyond the destroyed Guardian.
Chu Gyu-il, with his diminutive frame and face etched with terror.
“Since we have a map, let’s move without pause.”
“A map?”
Ran tilted her head, unable to comprehend.
* * *
Han Yu-sung kept his word with absolute precision.
He moved, quite literally, without a moment’s rest.
“T-That way! Gah! The Guardians are closing in!”
“No, we already grabbed the treasure, can’t we rest for just a moment—aaaahhh!”
“Y-Yes, this is the right place! I’m telling you it is! Stop looking at me like that!”
Han Yu-sung swept through the Difficult Realm with Chu Gyu-il leading the way—or rather, serving as his map.
His goal was to locate the ‘rare treasures’ marked on the map.
Ran assisted without complaint.
‘I shouldn’t have offered to help.’
Though her true feelings were far different.
The map Chu Gyu-il had created marked eight ‘rare treasures’ in total.
Han Yu-sung sought only those of the highest value.
In the end, he found three treasures.
Rumble, rumble, rumble!
The collapse of the Difficult Realm reached its crescendo at that very moment.
Despite moving as swiftly as possible, considerable time had elapsed.
The distances between treasures were substantial, and there were labyrinths and monsters to contend with.
Chu Gyu-il’s face hardened as he watched the world crumble around him.
Ran was little better off.
“H-Hey. Shouldn’t we be escaping now?”
“If we’re careless, we could get caught in it.”
“I know.”
Han Yu-sung had no intention of dying for treasure.
Of course, based on the Difficult Realm’s description, death shouldn’t occur. Those caught in the collapse would suffer massive damage before being expelled, it had said.
The problem was.
‘They never explained exactly what that damage entails.’
It could be severe physical or mental harm, or it could be financial loss—forfeiting all the treasures obtained here.
‘So this would be the last treasure we can find…’
Five treasures remained on the map.
Among them, there was a location where two or three treasures were clustered together.
It was a spot Chu Gyu-il had marked separately.
“What does this mark mean?”
“It’s dangerous. And I’m not certain. It seems like there might be something valuable there, but also like there might not be…”
“Are you trying to be clever with words?”
“N-No! Would I joke around when I’m terrified out of my mind! This intuition of mine isn’t reliable! Sometimes I can’t find things at all!”
Chu Gyu-il desperately scrambled for an explanation.
The choice was simple: secure one relatively certain treasure, or attempt to claim two or three treasures with lower odds of success all at once.
Han Yu-sung reached his conclusion swiftly.
‘Collecting treasures one by one in such a petty manner doesn’t suit my temperament.’
I chose the latter.
Han Yu-sung led his party northward through the Difficult Realm.
“Ugh, gaaahhh! The ground is collapsing!”
“This is incredibly dangerous…!”
Han Yu-sung pushed off the crumbling earth and surged forward.
The one fortunate aspect was that an exit lay near the location of those two or three treasures.
We could claim the treasures and depart immediately.
He pressed onward without hesitation.
“There! I sense something over there!”
Chu Gyu-il pointed ahead and cried out urgently.
Continuing forward, the party arrived at their destination.
“There’s nothing here.”
“A, an empty room…?”
The chamber was completely vacant.
Silence fell. Who had recorded on the map that a rare treasure lay in this place? None other than Chu Gyu-il himself.
Han Yu-sung’s emotionless gaze turned toward Chu Gyu-il.
“W, wait just a moment. I already said it wasn’t certain! No, I did say I sensed something just now, but…!”
Chu Gyu-il retreated desperately, stammering excuses.
His back pressed against the wall.
Han Yu-sung began walking toward him slowly.
The blade gripped in his hand emanated an ominous, bloodthirsty aura.
“D, don’t come closer. Please spare me… kyiiieeeek!”
Han Yu-sung drew his sword.
Not at Chu Gyu-il.
Crack!
At the wall behind Chu Gyu-il.
Thud—something split in half by the wall fell down.
At first it had been transparent, but gradually it became distinct, revealing a ‘sphere’ form.
And in the next moment.
Whoooosh…
The surrounding walls grew hazy and vanished.
Like a mirage, as though they had never existed from the beginning.
“W, what is this…?”
“An illusion. It seems there was something here worth concealing through such means. We appear to have found it properly.”
“H, heeeehhh…”
Chu Gyu-il’s body crumpled and collapsed.
I thought I was going to die!
That single thought kept circling endlessly through my mind.
Han Yu-sung advanced along the newly revealed path as the illusion faded, with Chu Gyu-il hurrying anxiously behind him.
How far had they progressed like this?
“Ran, enemies ahead. Prepare yourself.”
“Spectacular….”
A vast space opened before them.
Ornately decorated with countless display cases, the space was patrolled aimlessly by decrepit Guardians.
Ran exhaled heavily and gripped her dagger.
“…We can actually escape safely, right?”
“Of course.”
Han Yu-sung clenched his fist and stomped the ground.
“What do you take me for?”
* * *
The battle did not last long.
Han Yu-sung methodically destroyed the Guardians blocking his path, Ran provided support, and Chu Gyu-il trembled watching the spectacle.
Muttering words like monster, absolute monster…
Boom!
Soon the final Guardian fell.
Han Yu-sung immediately examined the display cases.
Among the countless cases, only three contained items.
[Heart of the Sovereign (Mythic)]
· The heart of a sovereign defeated at the end of war. It contains tremendous power and still beats violently as if alive.
· When used, upgrades a desired skill to SS-rank. Additionally, the sovereign contracted with the user absorbs the power contained in the heart, and the user gains the ‘special blessing’ that the heart’s original owner once possessed.
[Shattered Sacred Relic]
· Devastated and broken, yet considerable power still remains within this sacred relic.
· Can be used to create or strengthen sacred relics.
[Shadowless Preservation Method (A)]
· A tome containing the ‘Shadowless Preservation Method’ comprised of two secret techniques.
· This method ‘grows’ according to the user’s achievements.
Han Yu-sung’s expression became peculiar as he examined the items.
Some of it stemmed from encountering completely unexpected items.
‘Why would something like this be in a treasure vault?’
Some items were far too exalted to be stored in a mere treasure vault.
Items that should only appear in the Multidimensional Treasury were here.
What was even more puzzling was that such items had been preserved.
‘They could have been used immediately.’
Was the sovereign strong enough that using them wasn’t necessary, even for mere decoration?
Or perhaps there had been some special circumstance.
Either way, there was no way to know now.
A deep, rumbling growl echoed through the cavern.
“Han Yu-sung! We’re running out of time!”
“At this rate, we’re all going to die!”
There was no time to deliberate over such matters.
The Difficult Realm was in such catastrophic disrepair that not a single intact structure remained.
If we lingered any longer, we wouldn’t even reach the exit.
Han Yu-sung shoved the items into his dimensional storage.
“Let’s go.”
It was time to leave this place.
* * *
Kakasha waited for Han Yu-sung in the Sanctuary.
He would have preferred to wait at the entrance of the Sunken Treasure Vault, but once Han Yu-sung entered the Difficult Realm—a place where even the Lord of Justice could not intervene—he had no choice but to wait here in the Sanctuary.
[I thought he’d come out quickly, but he’s taking longer than expected.]
The boredom was unbearable.
Kakasha watched what the other contractors were doing, tormented the nameless monster, fed flames to the Fire Phoenix’s egg, and passed the time.
But Han Yu-sung still hadn’t emerged.
[Tch, this bastard! Why is he taking so long!]
He wasn’t worried about Han Yu-sung.
The man was inhuman in every conceivable way.
If he were going to die in such a Difficult Realm, he would have perished long ago in God’s Trial.
It wouldn’t be strange if he came out having destroyed everything single-handedly.
But for him to be this late….
[The greedy bastard. How much treasure does he plan to haul out?]
Kakasha saw right through Han Yu-sung’s intentions.
After all, they’d been attached at the hip for twenty-four hours since the contract was made.
He probably intended to deal with Linjo and gather treasure before making his escape.
Han Yu-sung was the type who wouldn’t even care about the danger of the Difficult Realm collapsing.
No—he probably relished that danger.
[He’s my contractor, after all….]
How had I ended up with such a contractor?
Truth be told, his attitude of savoring danger was rather appealing.
Kakasha clicked his tongue and waited for time to pass.
How long had he been waiting?
[Ah! He’s here!]
He sensed Han Yu-sung emerging from the Difficult Realm.
Kakasha hurried toward where Han Yu-sung was, delighted.
And just as he was about to joyfully congratulate Han Yu-sung on conquering the Difficult Realm.
[I have awaited your return! What did you obtain from the Difficult Realm….]
“F-For me!”
He witnessed a peculiar sight.
A man lay prostrate on the ground, bowing before Han Yu-sung.
“Please, teach me that movement technique! I beg you, brother!”
[Huh…?]
Kakasha tilted his head in confusion at this unexpected sight.

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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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