The Crazy Battle God Has Returned - Chapter 17

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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 17

The Star Battlefield.
A battlefield where players from worlds where God’s Trial has opened participate.
The types of battlefields vary as well. There are simple one-on-one combat formats, chaotic multi-person battles, arenas with special mechanics, or dungeons to conquer—a diverse array of battlefields exists.
And the greatest characteristic of this battlefield is.

[That one can wager coins upon it.]

The Lords of the Stars send their sworn servants here and wager coins.
Starting simply with victory or defeat, extending to the time required for victory, or even imposing special constraints and wagering on whether victory is possible.
The rewards for victory are beyond mention.

[A considerable amount of coins shall be yours as reward! You shall receive Star Points! Authority to use the Star Store as well!]

Kakasha explained with an excited tone.
The Lords enjoy the Star Battlefield as a form of entertainment.
Naturally, the sworn servants do not share this enthusiasm. They are like gladiators cast into the Colosseum—there is no reason they should enjoy such a fate.

‘Whether they enjoy it or not, eventually everyone participates.’

The Star Battlefield continues to evolve as time passes.
For now it serves merely as entertainment for the Lords, but later it transforms into an element of importance rivaling God’s Trial itself.
That is a story for the distant future, however.

[War! I smell the scent of war!]
“Indeed.”

Han Yu-sung ignored the excited Kakasha and gazed forward.
In an empty lot in Seoul, a massive portal stood visible.
A portal leading to the Star Battlefield.

“Damn it, I never wanted this. Why…”
“What can we do? The Lord commanded it. When ordered, we must go. Is there another choice?”
“What was this event anyway? Couldn’t it have started at a different time?”
“A consecutive victory tournament, perhaps? That’s what I heard.”

Numerous players gathered near the portal.
Han Yu-sung passed through them and stood before the massive gateway.

“It’s a nuisance, but since this is my first time, I have no choice but to enter through the portal.”

Muttering to myself, I hurled my body into the portal.
Pure white light flooded my vision.

Whoooosh!

When the light faded, I stood in an unfamiliar place.
An expansive white expanse.
The ceiling and walls were composed of transparent metal like glass, and beyond them stretched an endless cosmos.

[Welcome to the Star Battlefield.]
[This is where Sworn Servants from countless worlds gather. Various battlefields have been prepared for the Sworn Servants. Participate in the battlefields for the Lords, for coins, and for rewards.]
[☆ A special event is currently underway! ☆]

The Lobby of the Star Battlefield.
I looked around. Countless translucent forms were visible everywhere.
Among them were those resembling humans, those bearing monstrous shapes, and those appearing to be alien races.
They were Sworn Servants from worlds other than Earth.
In the Lobby, their forms appeared translucent, but once they entered the battlefield, I would be able to see their true appearances.

“Welcome.”

Among them, there was only one whose form remained intact.
It was a doll shaped like a person.
The doll smiled gently, bowed its head, and approached me with fluid movements.

“Player Han Yu-sung. Welcome to the Star Battlefield. We have a special gift for those visiting for the first time.”

The doll handed me something.
It was a small jewel. As I accepted it, the jewel melted like cotton candy and seeped into my body.

[You have absorbed a Star Jewel.]
[Calculating your rank. Your rank is ‘Bronze’.]
[From now on, you may enter the Star Battlefield without using a portal. However, certain restrictions apply, so please take note.]

The message continued its explanation.
It was only possible in safe locations, and there were restrictions—it couldn’t be used during combat or shortly after a battle ended.

‘Bronze rank… it’s been a while since I’ve seen this.’

Han Yu-sung smiled bitterly.
From Bronze, the lowest rank, to Challenger, the highest. The battlefields and events available to participate in varied depending on one’s rank.
Naturally, the rewards differed as well.
The doll lifted its head.

“Then, which battlefield would you like to participate in?”
“What events are currently running?”
“Ah, you mean events. Allow me to show you immediately.”

A message materialized before Han Yu-sung’s eyes.
It resembled the sort of garish internet spam advertisement.

[☆ A Special Event is Currently Underway! ☆]
[☆ Prove Your Strength in the Winning Streak Tournament! ☆]
[☆ Greater Rewards Await Those Who Win More! ☆]
[☆ Wager Up to 1,000 Coins! Earn Up to 15x Your Investment! ☆]
[☆ Bonus Star Points Provided! ☆]

The stars adorning both sides of the message glimmered with vibrant animation.
The Star Battlefield had something called 【Events】—special battlefields that opened at regular intervals and offered far superior rewards compared to ordinary arenas.
And Events possessed one distinctive characteristic.

‘Non-Sworn players—ordinary participants—could also take part.’

That was precisely it.
Han Yu-sung hadn’t experienced the Star Battlefield extensively. There had been a long period when I lacked a contracted Lord.
But when it came to Events, I had participated frequently and possessed considerable experience.
I knew well just how generous the rewards from Events could be.

‘A Winning Streak Tournament, hmm. It’s a rather demanding event, admittedly.’

The most crucial factor was the strength to overcome opponents.
Second to that was stamina. Since there were no breaks granted, I needed a means to recover the expended stamina and mana on my own.
Fortunately, I possessed such a means.

“There’s no reason not to participate.”
[Will you participate? Are you participating? You’re participating!]
“I’ll enter the Winning Streak Tournament. Kakasha, place the bet.”
[Yes, yes. It’s been so long since we’ve placed bets!]

The doll laughed at my words and displayed a new window.
Before coming here, I’d given Kakasha 1,000 coins in advance—currency earned by selling items obtained from defeating players.
Thanks to that, I had more than enough coins to wager.

[Your name has been registered on the Winning Streak Tournament participant list.]
[Your Lord has wagered 1,000 coins.]
[Star Points will be awarded based on your performance in the Winning Streak Tournament. You can set restrictions to earn additional Star Points.]
[Would you like to set restrictions now?]

The Star Battlefield had something called 【Restrictions】.
Simply put, they were penalties. By imposing penalties on myself, I could earn proportionally more Star Points.
However, I didn’t need to burden myself with various penalties.

“I’ll stake my life.”
[Restriction set. If you lose in the Winning Streak Tournament, you will die. In exchange, you will receive Star Points at the maximum multiplier.]

One life was all I needed.
In battlefields like the Winning Streak Tournament where Sworn Servants fought each other—a kind of PvP arena—defeat didn’t mean death. You simply returned to the Lobby.
But with this restriction in place, I would truly lose my life.

[Are you certain about this?]
“I don’t mind. I have no intention of losing anyway.”
[Now that’s an answer I like.]

Kakasha chattered cheerfully.
Once I finished the configuration, the doll bowed its head.

“All settings are complete. The Winning Streak Tournament will begin shortly. Player Han Yu-sung, I wish you great success.”

With those words, my vision faded to black.
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself in an unfamiliar Waiting Room surrounded by Sworn Servants from countless worlds.
Tension was evident on every face.

“Huff, huff… I need to perform well in this Winning Streak Tournament…”
“If I fail this too, the Lord will… I absolutely must win. No matter what.”
“Why a Winning Streak Tournament of all things! I’m a mage! Damn it!”

The Lord bets coins on the victory of the Sworn Servants.
If they fail, the Lord loses the coins wagered.
Of course, the coins available for betting weren’t an enormous sum.
But the act of losing was what mattered.
The Lord would be deeply disappointed in a Sworn Servant who failed.
For the Sworn Servants, that disappointment was far more lethal.

[If you fail, I too shall be disappointed.]
“There’s no need for disappointment. I’ll be dead anyway.”
[Then return victorious. I will be watching.]
“I was already planning on it.”

Han Yu-sung gazed at the system window that materialized before him.
It was a window displaying the rules of the Winning Streak Tournament.

[Winning Streak Tournament (Bronze Lv.10~Lv.60)]
[Up to 15 consecutive duels will take place. You must achieve victory in all matches against your opponents. As the rounds progress, you will face increasingly formidable adversaries.]
[Rewards strengthen with each victory. Should you forfeit, you may leave with half of the rewards earned thus far.]
[However, if you are defeated, no rewards will be granted.]

The rules were exceedingly simple.
Fight and win. Rewards grow stronger with each victory.
This was an event tailor-made for Han Yu-sung.

[The Winning Streak Tournament will commence shortly!]
[All participating Sworn Servants, prepare yourselves for battle.]

Then came the next message.
Brilliant light enveloped Han Yu-sung and the other players’ bodies.
When I opened my eyes again, iron bars came into view.
Beyond them lay a battlefield that resembled the Colosseum.

[Items not equipped cannot be used.]
[Your name will be disclosed. Do you consent?]
“I refuse. I won’t reveal my face either.”

It’s not yet time to reveal my name.
I adjusted my gloves while assessing my opponent.
He appeared to be a warrior of considerable stature.

[Your request has been accepted.]
[Enter the Star Battlefield!]

Screeeech!

As the iron gate opened, I stepped slowly into the Star Battlefield.
Glancing around, I found countless eyes watching from every direction.
There was no question whose eyes they were.

‘The Lords of the Stars.’

For them, this winning streak tournament was nothing but entertainment.
It didn’t matter. I had entered knowing full well—all for the coins.
I watched the man walking toward me from across the arena.

“Heh heh, I was worried about who my first opponent would be. And it’s some pampered gentleman?”

A man whose entire body was covered in scars.
His head was shaved clean, and he wielded an axe as his weapon.
He clearly saw me as an easy mark.

[The opening match begins!]
[Lv.10 Nameless Warrior VS Lv.30 Nam Kwang-gyu.]

“Kahahah! Level 10? This will be easy!”

He was indeed an easy opponent.
Level 30 versus Level 10. The outcome was obvious.
Nam Kwang-gyu, confident in an easy victory, grinned and gripped his axe.
A timer appeared before us both.

[5, 4, 3, 2….]
“Listen, if you want to surrender, now’s your chance. Seeing you’re only level 10, it looks like the Lords dragged you out here by force. Just give up.”

The timer ticks forward.
Nam Kwang-gyu appeared at ease, as if he couldn’t possibly lose.
The level gap was absolute.
But what did that matter?

[0.]
[The battle begins….]

“This is the end…!”

My voice stretches out.
I stamped the ground. A surging wind coiled around my legs.
I felt a speed I couldn’t control myself.
I unleashed that speed.

Whoooosh!

“…An opening? Huh—Agh!”

A fierce gale swept through.
That wind reached Nam Kwang-gyu’s face in an instant. Before he could even react, a fist wrapped in crimson wind shot forward.

Crack!

“Ugh…!”

My blood-infused strike slammed into Nam Kwang-gyu’s jaw.
The sound of bone shattering erupted with the impact.
Nam Kwang-gyu staggered, his brain rattled, and I wrapped my arms around the back of his neck.
Then I pulled his face down hard.

Crack!

I drove my knee up into Nam Kwang-gyu’s face.
A shock strike. Lightning erupted with it, sweeping across his entire body.
Nam Kwang-gyu collapsed, his whole body electrocuted, smoking as he fell.

“Ugh, haa….”

Han Yu-sung brought his heel down hard on Nam Kwang-gyu’s head.
It was over.

[The victor of the opening match has been decided! Lv.10 Nameless Warrior!]
[This is your first victory. Combat will continue.]

Nam Kwang-gyu’s defeated body dissolved into light and vanished.
Likely returning to the Lobby. As Han Yu-sung watched the Blood Soul Blade absorb the blood pooling beneath him, he felt the weight of countless gazes descending upon him.
The gazes of the Lords.

“Bring them on.”

Han Yu-sung wiped the blood from his face.
A smile played at the corners of his mouth.
A savage, feral smile—the grin of an enraged beast.

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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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