The Crazy Battle God Has Returned - Chapter 16

—————

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

—————

A Mad Swordsman Returns – Chapter 16

CRASH!

The Blood Wind Chain Shatter slammed into the floor, unleashing a violent torrent of crimson wind.
Reinforced by the Ring of Mighty Strikes, the blood wind’s momentum grew even more devastating.

CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH!

“Ugh, uuuaaahhh!”
“My body, my body! Aaaahhh!”

The blood wind was literally grinding their bodies to dust.
The players, their entire bodies torn to shreds by the crimson gale, screamed in agony.
Han Yu-sung absorbed the blood of enemies scattered in all directions, sweeping through them like an enraged tempest.

“W-what the hell is this…!”
“Enemy! Get your heads in the game! Just one bastard… urgh!”

The jaw of the player trying to rally his comrades shattered.
His body crumbled to the ground.
Han Yu-sung kicked the corpse in a spinning motion, launching several Magic Missiles in succession.
The Magic Missiles disrupted the enemies’ movements.
Han Yu-sung did not miss the opening.

CRACK! SNAP! BOOM!

The sounds of impacts and shattering bones echoed from all directions.
With their formation completely shattered, the players could not mount any proper resistance and fell one by one to Han Yu-sung’s relentless assault.

‘Where the hell did this monster come from?! Is he with the Sworn Servants of Justice?’
‘What level is he to be this strong…!’

The players here were all in their fifties in level.
Han Yu-sung’s level, by contrast, was merely ten. Under normal circumstances, the gap would be insurmountable.
But the existence of the Mad Swordsman made it possible.

[At your current level, defeating such a formidable opponent would be difficult.]
[The effect of Godly Body activates the buff ‘Giant Killer’.]
[All stats +15, fist damage +25%, speed +15%.]

To be precise, it was Godly Body’s effect—a buff that activated when facing a powerful opponent.
Moreover, thanks to the effect that granted additional stat increases whenever my level rose, Han Yu-sung possessed higher stats than other level 10 players.
Add to that the S-rank skills ‘Crimson Wind Fist Method’ and ‘Spirit of Blood Ghost’.
Ordinary players who had merely ground their levels could never withstand Han Yu-sung’s martial prowess.

“Ugh… ahhh…”

The final player collapsed.
Han Yu-sung collected the items they carried and immediately departed the location.
There was no reason to remain any longer, and more importantly, lingering here grew increasingly dangerous.

‘The Sworn Servants of Justice guarding the entrance must all be dead by now.’

Judging by the arrival of these players, that was surely the case.
Soon, reinforcements sent by the Lord of Justice would arrive.
I had to escape before they got here. There was no need to expose my existence, and among those reinforcements would certainly be ‘that one’.

“I should slip away before then.”

Han Yu-sung unfurled the Gale Cloak and rushed through the darkened ruins.

* * *

A thick scent of blood permeated the air.
Beneath Admiral Yi Sun-sin Statue, in the underground chamber built in secrecy, the entrance to the hidden dungeon was blanketed with countless corpses.
The bodies of Sworn Servants of Justice and intruders alike.

“Damn it, it’s been breached! Any survivors?”
“None, sir. They all appear to be dead.”
“We’re too late…”

Not a single survivor remained.
The Sworn Servants of Justice who arrived belatedly clicked their tongues upon witnessing their comrades’ deaths.
In a sense, it was a foregone conclusion.

‘Who could have predicted she’d be hiding in a place like this?’

The Lord of War concealed herself in Seoul of all places.
The Sworn Servants of Justice had departed for distant lands to pursue the Lord, and naturally, the number of Sworn Servants remaining in Seoul had dwindled considerably.
Even arriving as swiftly as possible, it seemed we had come too late.

“What should we do, Lee Su-ho?”
“There’s a possibility those who entered first have already fled….”

The Sworn Servants of Justice turned urgently to look behind them.
Standing there was a man in white—a male warrior clad in armor bestowed directly by the Lord of Justice. Lee Su-ho stood with an expressionless face.
Not a trace of tension could be found in that countenance.

“Remain calm.”
“…Yes.”

His glacial voice steadied the Sworn Servants.
Lee Su-ho advanced with measured steps.

“Those who entered remain inside; none have emerged. Form your ranks. Should anyone have seized anything, we simply reclaim it.”
“Understood, Lee Su-ho.”
“We advance.”

The Sworn Servants obeyed Lee Su-ho’s command.
They soon entered the War Lord’s Sanctuary, and under his guidance, they navigated swiftly through the labyrinthine interior.
The Sworn Servants gazed at Lee Su-ho with astonished eyes.

‘Does he already know the path?’
‘How is he moving so flawlessly and quickly….’

His movements suggested he knew the way.
It could be no other way. There exists something visible only to Lee Su-ho’s eyes.
Marks left behind by Jung Seo-hyun, who had arrived first.
Following them alone ensures we would not lose our way.

‘Regardless of whoever entered before us, it matters not.’

Lee Su-ho’s composure stemmed from that very fact.
Jung Seo-hyun was at the War Lord’s Sanctuary. There were items entrusted to her care.
With those at his disposal, he could withstand the arrival of other Lords’ Sworn Servants.
Above all, she was a skilled player. There was no reason for things to go wrong.

‘I can gain even greater favor from the Lord.’

Lee Su-ho thought of his competitors.
The position of Apostle under the Lord of Justice was currently vacant. Multiple Sworn Servants were competing for it.
Of course, he was the one in the lead.
And this task would be an opportunity to widen the gap between himself and his rivals.
He had no intention of letting it slip away.

“This… this can’t be…”

That was what he thought.
Until he arrived at the Cavern drenched in blood and corpses.
Countless bodies lay strewn about as if a fierce battle had erupted.
Among them were Sworn Servants of Justice, what appeared to be Sworn Servants of other Lords, and one figure that made him doubt his own eyes.

“Wait! That corpse…”
“Is that… Jung Seo-hyun?”

Though her face was crushed beyond easy recognition, it was unmistakably Jung Seo-hyun.
The Sworn Servants of Justice froze in shock.
Lee Su-ho’s reaction was no different.

‘Jung Seo-hyun… is dead?’

This was unforeseen. Was such a thing even possible?
Jung Seo-hyun possessed exceptional talent. Though she still had room for growth, given time she would become a reliable asset.
That was why he had not worried about this task.
With her abilities, she would resolve it without difficulty.

“…”

But Jung Seo-hyun was dead.
Lee Su-ho’s face turned to ice. Without a word, he climbed over the mountain of corpses and stepped into the space beyond.
A space containing only an empty Altar.

“…Find them.”
“Y-yes? Find what….”

Lee Su-ho brought his fist down hard against the Altar.
The Altar shattered completely. His clenched fist trembled violently.

“Find whoever killed Jung Seo-hyun and stole the sacred relic. Now!”
“Y-yes, understood!”
“M-move!”

The Sworn Servants of Justice rushed out in panic.
But it was all futile. They searched the surroundings desperately, yet found no trace of anything.
As if a phantom had passed through and vanished.

“How dare anyone…!”

Lee Su-ho’s fury echoed through the empty Cavern.

* * *

Han Yu-sung swiftly escaped the Gwanghwamun area.
Using both the shadows of night and Unbi Bo together, no one could sense his presence.

“By now, Lee Su-ho must be seething with rage.”

His future subordinate was dead, and he’d also failed to capture the Lord of War—his primary objective.
The Lord of Justice would surely be deeply disappointed.
Lee Su-ho, who believed failure was impossible, must be absolutely furious.
Of course, none of that concerned me.
If anything, I felt a twinge of regret.

‘It’s frustrating that I still lack the power to face Lee Su-ho directly.’

At this point, I didn’t know Lee Su-ho’s exact level. But it was certain he was approaching level 150.
A monster I couldn’t possibly contend with in my current state.

“For now….”

I’m not foolish enough to throw my life away in a fight I cannot win.
But given time, if I grow stronger, I will be more than capable of facing her.
Just as I was in my previous life.

“Lord of War. Are you listening?”
[I hear you. Hmm, this backpack is rather cramped.]

Han Yu-sung withdrew the sacred relic from his backpack.
The moment the rusted sword emerged, the Lord of War spoke.

“What will you do from now on? Will you remain in this sacred relic?”
[The stars are infinite, and the universe is vast. And I am but insignificant.]
“What are you suddenly saying? And is that something to boast about?”

I was bewildered by how she spoke of her own weakness with such pride.
The Lord of War let out an awkward cough.

[You should understand. We Star Lords dwell in an independent dimension. From there, the Lords observe countless worlds. I too have done the same. The problem is….]
“That you’ve grown too weak to return to that place?”
[Ahem, yes! Kkhkhkhum… W-well, that is correct. Should I return there, all manner of jackals would come rushing at me. Achiros, that one would as well. So it seems I cannot return to that place.]
“Then you mean to remain in this sacred relic.”

The independent dimension where the Star Lords dwell is unreachable.
So the Lord of War has only one option.

[I intend to remain in this sacred relic for a time and restore my strength. There is no need to worry. If I deliberately conceal my presence, even the other Lords will not detect my existence, so it will be safe.]

The Lord of War has already lost considerable power.
This is the perfect situation to hide her presence. She may be troublesome to keep nearby, but I cannot afford to lose a Lord I’ve only just obtained.
For now, I have no choice but to carry her within the sacred relic.

“Will the 80,000 coins I gave you be enough to restore some of your strength?”
[It will only provide enough to establish a foundation for recovery. Not to boast, but I am a Lord bearing a True Name, so….]
“So your fuel efficiency is terrible.”
[That is a most unpleasant way to phrase it. But you are correct.]

It was not surprising—I had already suspected as much.
Restoring the Lord of War to her original strength would take considerable time. So I have no intention of acting hastily.
But.

“Is there a way to restore this sacred relic?”
[At present, I lack the power to restore it myself. However, if you offer a sufficient amount of coins, I can restore it for a brief duration.]
“I see.”

Han Yu-sung examined the blade in his hand.
A pathetically rusted sword. Yet all sacred relics possessed formidable power.
I wanted to make this relic, Flame of War, usable once more.

‘It will prove invaluable in the God’s Trial that approaches.’

Sacred relics grow stronger according to the power of the Lord who wields them.
And Lords grow stronger by expending coins. In the end, coins were what mattered.
So what method existed to obtain them?

[Participating in God’s Trial would be the finest approach. However, some time remains before the next trial begins.]
“Then there’s only one option.”

Both the Lord of War and Han Yu-sung arrived at the same conclusion.

“The Star Battlefield.”
[Indeed, there is no other choice.]

A place where Sworn Servants from countless worlds gathered to wage battle.
There, I could earn the coins I needed immediately.
Han Yu-sung rose from his seat.
He needed to dispose of the items acquired from eliminating players at the War Lord’s Sanctuary.
With that thought, he turned to leave—

[Ah, I nearly forgot about this.]
“Forgot what?”
[There is something I must tell you.]

The Lord of War suddenly called Han Yu-sung to a halt.
A faint voice emanated from the sacred relic.

[It is Kakasha.]
“Kakasha?”
[Yes. My true name. Ordinarily, I would not reveal such a name to a Sworn Servant, but you and I are bound by shared destiny—so it matters not.]

The Star Lords possess true names.
The Lord of Justice’s true name is Achiros—and such names are never revealed except to one’s most cherished Sworn Servants.
The Lord of War had revealed hers to me.

“Short and simple. I like it. Kakasha.”
[Do not forget. Carve it into your memory.]

I nodded and moved forward.
There was no chance I would ever forget it.
We were bound by fate itself.

—————

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

—————