The Crazy Battle God Has Returned - Chapter 344

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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 344

Achiros had sustained considerable damage of late.
There was no need to wonder who was responsible. The Lord of War, whom he had once brought to ruin, and that tiresome human named Han Yu-sung.
The devastation they had wrought was the cause.

[…The Wanderer has fallen?]

The news struck him with shocking suddenness.
The Lord of War had fallen to Achiros’s hand. Thanks to capturing an Apostle, she had recovered with remarkable speed, but.
Her absolute power remained far below its peak.
It was woefully insufficient to bring down The Wanderer.
And yet.

[It is impossible.]

That was Achiros’s judgment.
If it were the Lord of War as he knew her—and especially if her opponent was the notorious Geomson—it would be even more so.
But Geomson had fallen.
Then.

[…Han Yu-sung.]

There was only one variable that could have made this possible.
That human named Han Yu-sung.
The player who had dealt Achiros grievous wounds and played a crucial role in bringing down the Lord of the Dead.

[If it were that human.]

It was possible.
A human who had continued to accomplish the unimaginable—he must have done something.
Caution was wiser than contempt.
It was absurd for a Lord to regard a human with wariness, yet.

[….]

Achiros sat upon his throne, lost in contemplation.
An impossible event had occurred, and I had to consider every possibility.
Especially if it involved the Lord of War and Han Yu-sung.
If those two had regained their strength, they would soon come for me.

[Must I prepare for war.]

The problem was that I had no knowledge of the enemy’s military capabilities.
Even a Lord who specialized in intelligence gathering would likely lack reliable information about the Lord of War at this moment.
As I pondered what approach to take, it happened.

A soft, ethereal light began to coalesce.

Light gathered directly before Achiros.
The aura contained within that light felt remarkably familiar.
It was a formidable ‘divine presence’.

[It has been quite some time since you graced this place, Lord of Justice.]
[You….]

A voice emerged from the divine presence.
Not particularly welcome to Achiros, yet unmistakably familiar.

[Arbiter.]

The god who presides over the Battlefield of Stars.
We were not particularly close. Certainly not close enough for him to enter my Sanctuary as he pleased.
I furrowed my brow in displeasure.

[What brings you to my Sanctuary?]
[I possess the information you require.]

A faint laugh echoed from the divine presence.
What information I needed was hardly a mystery.
Information about Han Yu-sung and the Lord of War.
And information about Geomson, who had lost his life.

[This should provide sufficient reason for my visit, would you not agree.]
[….]

Once again, his words defied expectation.
Needless to say, they were welcome words—yet precisely because of that, they seemed suspicious.
Achiros was a Lord who had lived through countless ages.
He knew better than anyone how treacherous gods could be.
He understood what this god wanted from him.

[Speak.]

And he knew he could not refuse.

* * *

Han Yu-sung spent some time resting while mastering the use of his authority.
Simultaneously, he trained in the Primordial Unity.
Given what lay ahead, the Primordial Unity was the most crucial.

‘I’ve already distributed the items from Geomson’s Vault.’

The vault had contained quite a number of items.
Especially books. There were skill tomes of remarkably diverse kinds, and I distributed them among the War Covenant Members.
They were excellent, but not the sort of thing I would use.
I judged that nurturing the Oath-takers was what mattered now.

‘It will take time for the Oath-takers to master what they’ve newly learned.’

I wanted to spend some time quietly like this if possible.
But I knew well that wouldn’t be easy.

“The Arbiter, and Achiros.”

The Arbiter had made it known to the world that Kakasha had eliminated Geomson.
If so, Achiros would have received that information as well.
Unless he was a fool, he would know that I and Kakasha would soon come for him.
But that wasn’t all.

‘One way or another, he’ll try to interfere….’

Han Yu-sung thought of the Arbiter as he considered the matter.
One way or another, his concerns had multiplied.
If possible, he wanted to focus entirely on the coming war with Achiros.

“That doesn’t seem likely.”

Han Yu-sung gathered his Primordial Force and rose from his seat.
After devoting himself to training with the Primordial Force for so long, it felt more natural to wield than when he’d first learned it.
Though the backlash remained formidable.

[Have you finished your training?]
“More or less.”

A small flame materialized before taking the form of a spirit.
It was Kakasha. She had been moving busily while Han Yu-sung trained with the Primordial Force.
What she had focused on most was gathering intelligence.

“What of Achiros’s movements?”
[It seems he hasn’t made any significant moves yet. Rather, that’s what troubles me—the silence itself is unsettling.]
“No significant movements, then.”

Achiros was not the type to remain idle.
Now that he had learned of Han Yu-sung and Kakasha’s defeat of Geomson, he would surely be preparing in some manner.
He was not an opponent to underestimate based on mere information.
Han Yu-sung knew this well from his previous life.

“Hmm…”

Han Yu-sung crossed his arms, lost in thought.
If possible, he wanted to test how Achiros would move.
He needed a means to create a variable.

Kuuuuuuung!

At that very moment, a familiar roar echoed forth.
A violent tremor as though the entire world shook.
Having experienced it countless times, he now recognized it—the harbinger of a Trial.

[God’s Trial is opening.]
[Participants will be randomly selected from across the globe….]
[Han Yu-sung, you have not been selected as a Trial participant.]

Yet an unexpected message appeared.
Han Yu-sung’s brow furrowed as he read it.

“That’s surprising.”
[So you weren’t chosen for the Trial. Hmm, it’s not entirely unusual, but… was it the same in your past life?]
“No, otherwise I wouldn’t have said it was surprising.”

I already knew what Trial would open this time.
It was a place called the 【Hall of the Void】.
A Trial format where one survives against formidable monsters while eliminating other competitors—the very Trial I had participated in during my past life.

[I participated in this Trial in my past life, yet this time I cannot participate? How remarkably coincidental. What do you make of it?]
“I’m not sure. It could simply be chance, but….”

The situation felt far too contrived for mere coincidence.
Someone’s interference was palpable—as though someone had deliberately prevented me from participating in God’s Trial.
And that, I suspected, was no mere feeling.

“What about the other Oath-takers?”
[Well, that is….]

The message about the Trial opening would have reached the other Oath-takers.
I needed to confirm whether they had been selected.
The answer that came back shortly was, as expected, unexpected.

[…Many have been selected as participants. Remarkably, not only Oath-takers from Earth, but Oath-takers from the Murim as well.]

Sung Ha-yan, the Baek Min-jun Party, Chu Gyu-il, and even the Blood Cult.
Multiple Oath-takers under my command had been chosen.
It was fortunate that Kaldrex and the Draken remained behind.
A smile played at my lips upon hearing the news.

“Intriguing. Well, if it’s coincidence, then so be it.”
[Excluded from a Trial I participated in during my past life, yet multiple other Oath-takers are selected? Someone’s scheming feels evident.]
“Can the Arbiter do such a thing?”

Kakasha pondered for a moment, then shook his head.

[The Arbiter is a Lord who presides over the Battlefield of Stars. He cannot interfere with God’s Trial. Above all, even the Gods themselves dare not touch God’s Trial. That is what I know to be true.]
“But selecting the candidates—could he interfere with that?”
[Hmmmm….]

Kakasha fell into deep thought for a long while.
Then he nodded slowly.

[There exists a God who assists God’s Trial. If that God were involved, interference in candidate selection would be possible. If the Arbiter made such a request to that God, then it’s not entirely impossible.]
“Exactly.”

So the Gods, including the Arbiter, had orchestrated this scheme.
But why would these Gods resort to such tactics?

‘Are they trying to waste our time?’

That was the only possibility that came to mind.
Han Yu-sung and I had planned to declare a Lord’s War against Achiros.
But now, with so many Oath-takers participating in the Trial, the timing would inevitably be delayed.
Whether we wanted it or not, we couldn’t avoid postponing it.

“It seems the Arbiter is helping Achiros….”
[For now, that’s all I can deduce.]

Whatever they were plotting, they clearly needed time.
The real question now was how to respond. Should we simply watch idly as our enemies buy themselves time?

[Perhaps they intend to declare a Lord’s War against us while our Oath-takers are away.]
“Is that even possible?”
[It is. It’s the most basic strategy Lords employ—striking when the enemy’s forces are scattered.]

God’s Trial takes many forms.
Some trials end in a single day, while others demand far longer.
The Hall of the Void was clearly the latter.
With most of our forces absent from this place, save for the Draken.
Looking at the situation, they might have some scheme in mind for the Draken as well.

“How petty their schemes are.”

Nothing about this situation sat well with me.
I knew this wasn’t all they were after. The possibility of deeper conspiracies lurking beneath the surface made it all the more irritating.

“Sitting back and taking it doesn’t suit my nature.”
[Then, what will you do?]
“I’m not sure yet.”

There was one simple approach, though.

“Stirring the pot before they make their move—that’s always an option.”
[The idea has merit, but how exactly do you intend to do it?]

I lifted my gaze.
I was currently in a safe house in Seoul.
Looking out the window, I could see a building in the distance.
Though impossibly far away, it was so colossal that it remained visible, albeit hazily.

“I’m thinking of stirring up the Hall of Justice a bit.”

A structure built to serve the Lord of Justice.
Once Lee Su-ho’s residence, it now functioned as a hideout where countless Sworn Servants of Justice dwelled.
Striking that place would force them to reveal their hand in some manner.
Even if they didn’t, I could significantly cripple their forces, and above all, buy myself some time.

[The Hall of Justice, you say. A building that grates on my nerves as well, but are you certain? If a battle breaks out on Earth….]
“As long as no one finds out, it doesn’t matter.”

Fortunately, I had the means to accomplish that.
I withdrew the Mask of Hwanrak from my possession.
An item that enabled the use of ‘Transformation’—the ability to disguise oneself as another race.
Simultaneously, it granted access to the ‘Veil of Hwanrak,’ which blocked external perception and prevented intrusion—a formidable artifact indeed.
Fortunately, I still had one use of this item remaining.

[Hmm….]

It was an endeavor fraught with danger.
But.

[…This should prove entertaining.]
“Our thoughts align.”

That was precisely why I found myself drawn to him.
The Lord and the Apostle gazed upon each other’s faces and smiled wickedly.

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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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