The Crazy Battle God Has Returned - Chapter 197

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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 197

Han Yu-sung had been occupied with pressing matters for some time.
Having received the title of ‘Apostle of War’, I had to attend to the sworn followers under my command, and I also needed to prepare for the trials that would soon follow.
Among those preparations was something concerning sacred relics.

“Kakasha, the sacred relic?”
[The preparations are complete, yes! Once it belonged to Achiros, that fool, but now it has become perfectly my lady’s sacred relic!]
“Excellent. I’m pleased with this.”

The Equitas Code.
It was a sacred relic I had seized from Maezato Rinzo previously.
I had been saving it for when it would be truly needed, and now the absorption was complete.
Han Yu-sung placed the floating tome into the Subspace.
And how much time had passed since then?

Kuuuuuung!

With a tremendous roar, God’s Trial had begun.
A message appeared before the eyes of Han Yu-sung and the other players.
Simultaneously, a screen displaying the location where the trial was unfolding also materialized.

[God’s Trial, ‘The Pinnacle of Evolution’ is now open.]
[This trial is a ‘competitive format’. Each Lord may deploy as many sworn followers as desired to this trial. However, each sworn follower deployed must be paid for with ‘Coins’ as compensation.]
[As the number of deployed sworn followers increases, the required Coins increase accordingly.]

A vast expanse of land came into view.
Forests stretched across the east and north, a canyon sprawled to the west, and mountains unfolded to the south—an extraordinarily expansive terrain.
If there was one peculiarity to note.

[Everything is grotesquely twisted.]

The vast land was filled with countless flora and fauna.
Yet the forms of these creatures were grotesquely contorted.
The reason for this became apparent almost immediately.

[The location where the trial unfolds is the Twisted Land.]
[This place is imbued with a power that ‘evolves’ all living things. That power has evolved everything on this land.]

[Hmm, evolution! So that’s why things became twisted.]
“Exactly. And….”

Evolution applies to all ‘living’ things.
Naturally.

[All players participating in this Trial are granted 【Evolution Factors】. These factors grant players strength each time they defeat monsters or other players.]
[Additionally, every player possesses a 【Unique Factor】. When you defeat another player, your Unique Factor grows, and at an extremely low probability, you can absorb the Unique Factor of your opponent.]

The evolution mechanic applied to players as well.
In fact, it could be considered the core mechanic of this Trial.
How quickly and powerfully one evolves—that’s what this Trial is all about.

[Throughout the Trial exist evolved creatures bearing special factors. Defeating them grants you 【Special Factors】.]
[Furthermore, throughout the ‘Twisted Land’ exist elements that can nurture 【Evolution Factors】. Seek them out and acquire them.]
[In this Trial, intervention by the ‘Star Lords’ is permitted. The strength of intervention increases according to the level of your 【Evolution Factor】.]

It was a survival-type Trial, much like the ‘Star Battlefield’.
However, there was one crucial difference.

‘There’s a way to end this Trial extraordinarily fast.’

The Star Battlefield required defeating multiple nations and becoming the ultimate victor, demanding immense effort.
The 【Apex of Evolution】, however, was different.
The objective was clear.

[There is one victory condition.]
[Reaching the 【Apex of Evolution】. The moment a player reaches the Apex of Evolution, the Trial ends. Additionally, separate rewards are granted to all players who survive until that point.]
[Lords also receive rewards based on their players’ achievements.]
[※ Note: A lord must deploy at least one player. Failure to do so results in severe penalties.]
[※ ‘Uninvited guests’ may appear in this Trial.]

A Trial that ends once the ‘Evolution Factor’ reaches its maximum.
There was no need to eliminate all other players.
That’s why it would end faster than the Star Battlefield.
Most importantly, this time there was an existence to aid in that endeavor.

[Lee Su-ho, you say? If he doesn’t participate….]
“Then the Trial would become considerably easier. But the odds of that happening are slim.”
[True enough. This Trial is one where the Lords deploy their players.]
“There’s no way they’d remove a reliable asset like Lee Su-ho.”

The ‘Star Battlefield’ was special in many ways.
Choosing Korea would mean aiding Han Yu-sung’s victory.
Achiros, with all the accumulated bad blood between them, would never make such a choice.
That’s why he chose Japan.
But this time, it wasn’t about nationality—it was centered on the Lords themselves.
Since Lee Su-ho harbored resentment toward Han Yu-sung, he had no choice but to participate.

[Then, what shall we do? Will you participate alone? If you wish, I can use coins to deploy your Apostles.]
“Well, everyone’s busy raising recruits….”
[Then it’s best you go alone.]

Han Yu-sung nodded instead of answering.
Baek Min-jun’s party was also busy tending to their recruits.
The newcomers hadn’t grown enough to be deployed in a Trial yet.
It would be better to act alone for this Trial.

“Alright then….”

As Kakasha used coins, a portal appeared before Han Yu-sung.
It was a portal leading to the Trial of God, 【Peak of Evolution】.

“Let’s go end this troublesome enmity.”

* * *

Lord of Justice, Achiros, confirmed the Trial’s details.
A Trial where Lords could also benefit based on their Apostles’ achievements.
If profit was the goal, deploying only the elite was the right choice.
But.

[A Trial where lives aren’t guaranteed, then.]

The lives of my sworn servants are not precious to me.
It is no different than losing a single insect I raise. Yet when I consider the future coins my elite warriors will earn, I find myself reluctant to waste them.
Especially so, given that Achiros had recently suffered financial losses.

[Who shall I send to participate….]

Achiros fell into contemplation.
His deliberation, however, did not last long.

“My Lord, grant me this opportunity.”

One had appeared to end the lord’s dilemma.
In Korea, at the Hall of Justice, a sworn servant knelt before him.
It was Lee Su-ho.

“I shall repay every humiliation I have endured thus far. In the name of Justice, I will eliminate all who stand in your way, my Lord.”
[Even if that opponent is Han Yu-sung?]
“….”

Lee Su-ho swallowed hard.
Han Yu-sung would surely participate in this Trial as well.
Had Lee Su-ho not suffered numerous defeats at Han Yu-sung’s hands until now?
Did he truly possess the confidence to face such an opponent?

“Rather, it is what I have long awaited, my Lord.”
[Hmm….]

A cold flame kindled in Lee Su-ho’s eyes.
I sensed his hostility toward Han Yu-sung, and his unwavering resolve.
Yet such hostility and determination mattered little to a lord.
What mattered was whether he possessed the ability to accomplish it.

[Lee Su-ho. Of late, you have achieved remarkable results.]
“…Yes. I have striven to compensate for my failures.”

As Achiros said, Lee Su-ho had recently demonstrated brilliant accomplishments.
He had performed admirably in numerous Difficult Realms, the Star Battlefield, and even in lord battles.
This was precisely why the lord had taken notice of him.
His achievements were sufficient to warrant a single opportunity.

[Very well. I shall permit your participation in this Trial.]
[I grant you five hundred Apostles. Moreover, the Apostles of the Lords allied with me shall also follow you.]
[You understand what this means, do you not.]

“I do, my Lord.”

Lee Su-ho bowed his head.
Vast support had been granted to an Apostle who had lost trust.
If I succeeded in proving myself here, the path to becoming an Apostle—once closed to me—would open again. Failure would mean losing everything.
But.

“I will certainly….”

None of that mattered to me now.
The Lord’s trust, the position of Apostle—it all meant nothing.
There was only one thing that mattered to me.

“I will bring you Han Yu-sung’s head.”

The Fragment of the Sword in my pocket gleamed with ominous light.

* * *

Han Yu-sung gazed upon the vast Battlefield spread before him.
The earth twisted grotesquely under the influence of evolution. And suspended in the sky above were clusters of light—presumably the other players.

[Please select your starting point.]

The Twisted Land was a Trial that allowed one to choose their starting point.
I searched my memories. The Twisted Land was a Trial where my past self had performed quite well. There was a route where I’d had considerable success back then.
If I combined that with the ‘Hidden Piece’, I could enjoy even greater rewards.

[Player Han Yu-sung.]
[Your affiliated Lord is the Lord of War.]
[You are the sole participant. You have selected the Rampaging Forest to the North. Survive, struggle, and reach the pinnacle of evolution!]

Whoooosh!
Among countless clusters of light, Han Yu-sung descended to the ground first.
He arrived in a vast Forest.

[Truly, how grotesquely it appears. Ugh…. You there, draw your sword. My sword! We must burn all of these…!]
“Hold on a moment.”

Kakasha recoiled in disgust at the sight surrounding us.
There was no helping it. Every tree, every blade of grass, every flower, every plant in the forest had twisted into forms that seemed plucked straight from nightmares.
The forest had become this way due to the influence of ‘Evolution’.
And right now.

[The ‘power of Evolution’ dwelling in this land is being absorbed into you….]

That ‘Evolution’ was attempting to exert its influence on me as well.
A tremendous force dwelling in the Twisted Land was absorbed into my body.
The energy spiraled through my form, gathering at my very center.
Soon, evolution began.

[You have awakened the 【Evolution Factor】.]
[Additionally, you have acquired a 【Unique Factor】 suited to you.]

I felt a small sphere-like object form at my core.
And I could sense its influence spreading throughout my entire body.

Crack, crunch!

Horrific sounds erupted from my body.
The sounds of bones and flesh twisting. Simultaneously, pain so intense that involuntary groans escaped my lips assailed my mind.
I exhaled slowly and examined the window before me.

[Evolution Factor (Lv.1)]
[Strength +5%, Agility +5%, Stamina +5%, Mana +5%.]
[Your body has evolved to be suited for ‘close combat’. (Lv.1)]
[Unique Factor, 【Irrepressible Belligerence】: ‘Evolution efficiency’ increases, and the absorption probability of ‘Unique Factors’ or ‘Special Factors’ increases. However, when combat begins, you will be consumed by intense belligerence.]

【Evolution Factor】.
Familiar effects. With just one exception.

[Is there a difference from my previous life?]
“The Unique Factor has changed.”
[Hmm, you mean this Irrepressible Belligerence.]

I had been given a unique factor different from my previous life.
The unique factor I possessed before was called ‘Body Hardening’, I believe. It had the effect of solidifying my body and increasing defense.
Compared to Body Hardening, my current unique factor was far superior.
The problem was the penalty that came with it.

[Belligerence! Surely there is nothing to worry about? From what I observe, you have always possessed an irrepressible belligerence that….]
“….”
[….]

Kakasha fell silent, reading my expression.
It wasn’t an incorrect assessment, so I felt no particular urge to deny it.

“You could call it a form of ‘Berserk’ without much exaggeration.”
[So it has a similar effect to that newcomer Sung Ha-yan, then.]
“Yes. Though truthfully, it won’t mean much to me anyway.”

I possessed the Heart of the Dragon.
That skill had the effect of enhancing ‘resistance to all status ailments and elemental resistances’ by 80%.
Since ‘Berserk’ was included in that, I could substantially mitigate the irrepressible belligerence.
It was effectively as if there were no penalty at all.

“This is fortunate. I never reached the pinnacle in my previous life.”

I watched as countless clusters of light fell from the sky.
And those clusters of light descending upon the Forest where I stood.
A smile naturally bloomed across my lips.

“This time, let me try to climb.”

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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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